Page 51 of Up In Flames
Aranren helped me to my feet, then wrapped his arms around me. “Ember, you are so beautiful. So full of magic. I love you.”
Love. Yes, this was real love. How had I not seen it? It had been there all along. Aranren had waited for me. He had been longing for me even while I fought him. And then Death brought me to Aranren, and I still ignored what was right before me. That was a testament to Ara's love. I finally saw that. I finally felt it in return. I loved him.
I looked down at my hand. I was clutching something. Ara had given it to me, but I couldn't remember when. It was a pendant on a silver chain—a simple piece of polished crystal, but it felt special because Ara had given it to me. I put it on absently as the world reformed around us, the darkness of the mental plane vanishing. Ara smiled and straightened the pendant so that it hung below my other one—the moonstone with the W on it. I couldn't remember when I got that one either. What was with me and my jewelry? It wasn't as if I had a lot of it. But when I looked at Aranren, thoughts of necklaces were replaced by romance.
“Was it you?” I asked him.
“Was what me, my love?” Aranren asked.
“The letters. Did you send those love letters to me?”
A small frown flitted over his face. “No, that was not me.”
“Oh.” Disappointment flared briefly.
I thought perhaps Ara had used Caleb's body to write to me. But if it wasn't him, the letters were meaningless. I glanced away from Ara, noting where we were—his bedroom. I knew it well. I had spent many nights there, sleeping beside him but not truly being with him. Putting on a show for Death. What an idiot I was.
“I will write you love letters and even poetry if that is what you want.” He drew my attention back to him. His hands wandered over my back possessively, but not crudely. He was a gentleman. Aranren was refined. Elegant. He didn't paw or grab. He stroked. He adored. He treasured me. His hand went to my face. “I will give you everything you need and desire, my Ember. You are all I've been waiting for. The man who will rule beside me. You can't possibly know how much I love you. But I will make it clear. I will spend eternity showing you my love.”
My heart went cold and that cold spread, but it didn't matter. Because it was his. All his.
“I love you too. I'm sorry I've taken so long to realize that.” I drew him toward the bed. “We will make things clear to each other. Right now.”
Something shimmered over Ara's face and he jerked back.
“Ara?” I asked.
“Ember!” He cleared his throat, his eyes blinking rapidly. “Let's not rush this. Let me savor you, my love.” Aranren drew me to the door.
“Oh, I don't fucking think so,Ara,” Death drawled.
And then the world shifted around us once more.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Could I get any happier? I didn't think so. I lay sprawled on velvet pillows atop a silk rug beside Aranren. We were in the middle of a perfect meadow sprinkled with wildflowers. That speckled green seemed to go on forever, stretching out to meet the pale blue sky. Aranren's hair shone against the blue backdrop, sunshine creating a halo around his head that was entirely unnecessary. The man was glorious. So beautiful it was hard to breathe when I looked at him. Which meant I was constantly breathless because I couldn't look away.
That long, shimmering hair spread out around Aranren, trailing over silk robes of silver and cerulean. He sat with elegant poise, his body arranged artfully for my pleasure, his robes open just enough to entice, giving me glimpses of his slim chest, the curve of his calves, and his lean forearms sprinkled with golden hair. He looked like a gift from the Goddess, set there as my reward for serving her.
The thought sent a strange zing through me. The Goddess. I had prayed to her before I accepted Death. And I thought she had answered. She made me feel as if I were doing the right thing. The tremor of unease vanished, and I smiled up at Aranren. That had to mean the Goddess blessed this. She must know that this was how we ended the war—through love, not violence.
“You beautiful boy,” Aranren murmured as he stroked my hair. Then he brought a slice of melon to my lips.
I opened my mouth, and Ara slipped the fruit inside. The sugary taste burst across my tongue, and I bit down. As I chewed, he rubbed the remaining piece over my lips. Then he bent down, oh so gracefully, and licked the juice away. I moaned as his hand slid into my robe, pushing the lapels open. Sun warmed my skin. His hand went lower. The melon returned, pushing at my lips. I sucked it in and consumed it.
“Good boy,” he whispered, then kissed my throat. “Just relax and let me take care of you.”
Good boy. Who had said that to me? Someone else wanted to take care of me too. No, that couldn't be right. There was only Ara. I sighed as Aranren pushed me flat onto my back. My robe slithered to either side, baring me completely. I wore no underthings, nothing to come between us. When I opened my eyes, I found Ara leaning over me, trailing his hand idly up and down my stomach as he inspected my body. I didn't worry about displeasing him. I knew how much he loved me. Death connected us, drawing us tightly together within its bony embrace. He'd been so right when he said Aranren was just like me. I just couldn't see it before. But now, I saw everything.
“You loved him, didn't you?” I asked softly.
Aranren shifted his stare to meet mine. He didn't try to dissemble or pretend he didn't know who I meant. “Yes. I loved Sarthares. As you have loved others. But they don't understand this power inside us. We must protect it and ourselves. There is only you and me now, Ember.”
A shiver ran down my spine. Protect Death? How? Was Ara saying I had to fight . . . no, I couldn't fight them. But if they fought me, if they tried to take me away from Aranren, I would have to. Very well. My heart didn't beat for them anymore.
Aranren's hand wrapped around my shaft. He started to pump me gently. “Say it.”
“There is only you and me,” I said, my hand lifting to slide through his hair.
