Hope in Love (7 page)

He also needed to be careful about what he felt for her.

She would be sent back to Deborah after the babe was born.

Ram’s head went up and his eyes swirled with blue fire. A
familiar human scent reached him. With it was the essence of another angel, one
he knew well.

Raphael. Why was he here? Better yet, why did he bring
her
?

He heard the angel’s modulated voice in the main room. Raph
would know he was here. They often came to this establishment together. The
soft knock on the door told him he’d been right.

Ram didn’t want him near Yael. Especially tonight.

Yael felt tension rise in the air. She saw fire in Ram’s
eyes and wondered what caused it. She also thought his eyes did not seem so
full of pain anymore. On two occasions now she looked into them and the cobalt
flames hadn’t burned there and she wasn’t afraid. They didn’t disturb her as
they had in the past.

She caught a brief glimpse in his mind of Raphael. Did Ram
feel her in his mind? It shocked her that he did not react. Ram seemed very
upset. She turned crimson at doing something to him she’d asked him not to do.
Yael should not meddle with his private thoughts. She had no right.

But a more important problem existed.

Meshing. It had gotten stronger.

Michael wouldn’t tolerate that. Not after the debacle with
the archangels long ago who took wives on Earth. Many of them were never
allowed to return to Heaven.

She trembled in fear and hoped Ram didn’t notice.

“What a pleasant surprise,” Raph said as he entered the room—followed
by Patricia. “Ahh, the lovely Yael. It’s so good to see you again.”

Still in his mind, she felt Ram seethe as he watched the
angel’s eyes rake her scantily clad body. He wished she’d left the hem on the
now too-short dress and didn’t want her to get a chill without her shawl. She
pulled the material over her shoulders.

“Raph, what are you doing here?” Ram asked.

“Oh come now, don’t act surprised to see me. You know I love
this place. You remember Peter’s exulted? Patricia, I’m sure you remember Ram,
and you know the beauty with him.”

Yael knew Patricia well. And her tie with Ram. Everyone
above had part of the story. She took in the slender body of the exulted and
wondered what men found attractive about skinny women. Patricia could use a
little meat on her bones. She pushed the awful, petty thought aside. Patricia
was considered somewhat of a friend. Yael and Deborah had heard more of the
tale than most.

Ram had taken Patricia to Spain without Peter’s knowledge.
It was still sketchy what happened there. But the exulted refused to return to
her benefactor. Ram had disappeared and left her to her own devices. Which
seemed to be many.

Patricia used her power of enthrallment voraciously and had
gathered men to her. She attracted the attention of a very powerful vampyre.
Unable to locate Ram, Michael had sent Lucifer to retrieve the exulted and
return her to Peter.

Always bubbly and fun, she’d become a shell of her old self.
Patricia seemed sad all the time. She stayed to herself and didn’t venture out
anymore. Yael, in fact, was surprised to see her here.

There were whispers that Michael put a spell on Ram to teach
him a lesson. Her eyes squinted in his direction as Yael wondered about that.

Patricia had insisted Ram never touched her. That he only
helped her to go below because of her unhappiness in the heavens and her vile
dislike of Peter. Yael believed her and wanted to do something to help her
remain out of Peter’s clutches.

“I’d invite you to join us, but we’re about to leave,” Ram
said.

“Don’t leave on our account. We only stopped by for a
nightcap.”

“Ahh, then have a good evening. Come, Yael, let’s return
home.”

“Good Lord, don’t tell me you’re keeping her in the damned
swamp, Ram?” Raph sounded surprised.

“That’s none of your concern.”

Yael sat quietly and listened to both angels. She now spoke
up.

“Ram, if you’d like to leave, then let’s. But I’ve not seen
Patricia for quite a while and I’d be pleased to have her visit with me. Do you
think Peter would mind?”

Aware of what Raph was up to, Ram had very little control
left. This was what came of angels playing cruel games with each other. He’d
used this same ploy many times to take women from Raphael. His blood raged
through his veins in anger. He didn’t want Yael upset, but neither did he want
her keeping company with Patricia. This could turn into a disaster.

Patricia, much, much younger than Yael, had some serious
issues. The Roaring Twenties affected many young women the same way. Knowing
Peter’s penchant for hard, loose women, Ram knew why he selected her as his exulted.

No one believed him, but nothing had happened between the
two of them. Peter was a deviant bastard and he’d helped her to escape him. If
she had not used her powers of enthrallment and attracted the attention of the
vampyre, she’d be free today.

Ram thought he shouldn’t be unkind to Patricia. She had
performed a very useful service for him while in the company of the vampyre by
procuring information. He owed her something.

“She may visit with you if it’s her wish.” This decision
would bring unwanted trouble.

“I don’t think… There’s Peter…” Patricia’s words were barely
audible.

“Don’t worry, Patty, I’ll take care of Peter. The apostle
owes me a few favors.” Raphael’s eyes lit up like twinkling stars. What was he
up to? This visit was intentional, and he’d planned all along to leave the
other woman in Ram’s care. Bastard.

Settling a scathing look of dislike on the archangel, Ram
reached for Yael’s hand and pulled her tight to his body. His other hand
grasped Patricia’s tightly and he vanished from the restaurant. Raphael would
not follow him. Yet.

Damn it. He hadn’t even fed her.

Ram had returned to the restaurant for two reasons. Though
takeout wasn’t his idea of a romantic evening, he insisted Yael have the meal
he wanted her to enjoy. And secondly, he searched for Raphael who was nowhere
to be found. He’d looked for as long as he dared without drawing Michael’s
attention. The hopeless ones called to him and he took better care of them than
usual because now Michael watched him.

It dawned on Ram that lately he really didn’t mind being the
angel of hope. For some reason his heart felt lighter. This responsibility was
truly an honor. To be so trusted by the Fates and Michael was indeed something
that would have filled any angel with delight.

After performing his duty, he had soared through the
darkness and marveled at the brightness of the stars above him. A comet
streaked close overhead, and on the off chance it might cause damage to an
earth being, he broke it up. It showered around him and filled him with light
and energy.

He still needed to deal with the meshing that had grown even
stronger. At the restaurant, he failed to keep Yael out of his mind—she’d been
there and felt Raph’s presence through him. He hadn’t mentioned it to her because
he wanted to draw as little attention to the matter as possible. He’d seen the
look of embarrassment on her face at doing something she did not want done to
herself.

But now Ram hurried home to put another kind of flush on her
face. He appeared quietly in the bedroom.

Partially uncovered, her mouth slightly open, she looked
vulnerable, and so damn tempting curled on her side in the middle of the bed.
The swell of her hips beneath her thin cotton nightgown called to him. He sat
the food down and quickly forgot about it. Tonight, Yael would be his
again—that was all the food his soul needed.

Candles flared to life around the room and their sultry
aroma permeated the space. His clothes instantly gone, he climbed into bed and
stretched out beside her. He rested his hand on her hip and just watched her
sleep for a moment. She stole his breath away.

Her eyes opened and she smiled at him. Lord, the room lit up
even brighter. What was happening to him?

“Are you hungry? I brought something to eat.”

She rolled to her back and stretched. “Mmm, no, I’m fine.”

Her full lips begged to be kissed and he didn’t want to
disappoint them. He leaned over and captured their softness beneath his. The
kiss was both gentle and demanding. He pushed for entrance into her mouth and
she opened for him. Savoring her taste, he delved deeper and swept his tongue
through her deliciousness.

He rolled onto her and continued to assault her mouth. Her
arms came around his neck and held him tight. Her body arched into his. One
hand was buried in her thick, ginger hair, the other reached to ease her gown
out of the way.

“Ram?” She pulled away from him.

“Shh.” For the first time ever, Ram didn’t want anything for
himself, he only wanted to give her pleasure. “I want to taste you.” Untangling
the covers from between them, he slowly slid down her body. Not even her
swollen nipples could stop him tonight. It was her sweet pussy that pulled him
down and down.

Her heat and exotic aroma took control of him. He lifted her
legs and spread them wide open. Ram ignored her groan and moved his head to
where he wanted to be. He flicked his tongue through her already moist cunt. He
covered her nether lips with long, slow strokes until she whimpered.

Raising his head, he blew warm air across her heated core
and told her, “This is all mine.” His mouth latched onto her clit hard. He
sucked and nibbled, making her cry out.

“More, harder.” She dug her nails into his scalp and spurred
him on.

He licked and stroked every crease with his tongue. He
jammed it back and forth in her canal and loved the taste of her. She pressed
her hips tight against his lips, and trembled with passion. The thought of
entering her mind came and went.

Ram wanted her to come, he wanted to feel it fresh and new,
not take the ride with her. Her convulsions tightened the opening to her
channel and tugged gently at his lapping tongue.

“Come for me, baby,” he moaned against her pussy before he
stormed it again. Thrusting in and out, he took her.

“Oooh, yes,” she murmured as she let go. Her orgasm slipped
into his mouth, flooded his senses with her musky taste. He continued to take
her, his tongue furious in its attack. He ministered to her until her body went
slack.

He moved up to lie beside her. Pulling the covers over both
of them, he brought her back against him and let his full cock rest between
them.

“Ram, don’t you need…?”

“All I need is for you to sleep in my arms tonight.”

And damn if he didn’t mean it.

* * * * *

He stood at the window and watched as she strolled through
the grounds with Peter’s exulted. And without remorse, he snatched every single
thought and word Patricia had. He hadn’t promised to stay out of her mind.
Reading her would be a way he could know what Yael thought without breaking his
promise.

The two women were so different. Patricia was a woman of the
world, particularly in her time. She’d associated with a crowd of mobsters and
ruffians, which was what attracted that damn ghoulish Peter. She had been
closely acquainted with some of the more important mob figures of the time, and
the only reason he’d been allowed to elevate her was because she’d saved the
goon who built the city in the desert—Las Vegas.

Patricia’s dress was sophisticated yet exotic. A style he
wouldn’t like to see Yael succumb to. He feared he was too late. That is
exactly what the two women were discussing. They planned a shopping trip to
Miami.

Yael came from a much simpler time—no frivolities had existed
back then. The Israelites had been hounded by everyone. Her family had thrived
with others who held their beliefs by keeping to themselves. They’d lived deep
in the desert and embraced peace. She wouldn’t understand the ruthlessness that
possessed most people today.

Ram could feel Patricia’s genuine like and concern for Yael.
Thank goodness, because he didn’t want to send her away. But if he felt even
the slightest threat to Yael, she would be gone in an instant.

He heard the women laugh together and his heart lurched in
his chest. He wanted that same relationship with Yael. He’d do anything to see
her smile and laugh as she was now. With him, she always appeared reserved.
Unless he was bedding her.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he thought of
last night. Was it his imagination or did she seem more amenable to his
company? At least she appeared not to be afraid of him anymore.

Yael surprised him with her abandon during their lovemaking.
He wanted to see her blossom more under him. Ram’s cock sprang to life as he
watched her and thought about how sweet she was, how soft and…

Shit, that reminded him he needed to see Michael. He’d have
a hard time now getting him to lift the spell, what with Peter’s exulted under
his roof, but he was going to ask. He had to make him understand how unsightly
it was to be around Yael in that condition. He hoped also that Michael and the
Fates would agree that she’d be more relaxed and more likely to conceive if her
friend could stay with her.

Ram thought to tell Yael that he must leave, but she was
occupied and he didn’t think he’d be long.

He vanished.

* * * * *

Yael enjoyed the company of another exulted and a woman.

“But you were lovely last night,” Patricia said. “I can’t
believe you ripped the hem off.” She laughed.

“Well you should have seen the hussy in red. There was no
way I could let Ram continue to look…look at them all. Oh Patricia, there were
so many and the scant clothing embarrassed me.”

“You’ll get used to it. Ram does have excellent taste. Why,
I remember…” Patricia stopped and looked at Yael. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t speak
of that time.”

“Yes you should. I believed you, Patricia, and even more so
now. It will help you to talk about it. You know whatever you say to me will be
held in confidence.”

“I’m glad, because no one else believed me. Just you and
Deborah. If it hadn’t been for Ram…well, Peter is a beast. I won’t go back this
time, Yael, I will not.”

“You’re welcome to stay with me for as long as I’m here, you
know that. After the babe is born, we’ll think of something.” She looked from
beneath her long lashes at Patricia and asked her a question she’d been dying
to ask. “Do his eyes not bother you?”

“I lived during a time of much death and unrest. People died
every day and many right in front of me. I’m not surprised by the death in his
eyes.”

“I see. They are better now, don’t you think?” She was
thinking of what he’d done to her last night, how much she enjoyed it. Yael
wanted much more of Ram. A telltale warmth crept up her face.

“Oh Yael, don’t fall in love with him. He’ll break your
heart. He can’t help what he is. And Michael would never let him be with an
exulted. Never.”

They continued to walk around the grounds and enjoy the
silent camaraderie.

“He gave me the power of dematerialization, so we can go
shopping. I can’t wait to see the pretty things you spoke of.” Yael’s voice
brimmed with excitement, she felt happy.

“But we have no money.”

“Oh, you’re right.” Yael would ask Ram for money tonight.

“I could…use my enthrallment. Then we can pay them later.”

“So it really wouldn’t be cheating or lying.”

“Not if we pay them back,” Patricia said.

“I’ve not vanished yet so I’m not sure where we might end
up.”

“If I let you read my mind, I can show you a place.”

“Let’s go then. Take my hand.”

Yael vowed to herself they would return tomorrow and make
restitution everywhere they stopped today.

* * * * *

Michael was livid.

“You cannot do this. Do you understand? I don’t know what is
going on with you, Ramiel.”

“Well, the way I see it is if you and the Fates want her to
conceive she needs to be relaxed. Patricia is good company for her.” Ram
decided to add, “You know what Peter does to her?”

“The Fates are dealing with that. But you cannot intervene.”

“It’s too late. Michael, I will put my foot down on this
one. I want Yael to be happy, and Peter’s exulted makes her happy.”

“How does she feel about your past with the woman?”

“Dammit, I’ve told you there is no past. If there were, do
you think I would let her within ten feet of Yael? You must lift this curse
from me. It is unseemly for me to parade in front of a lady with a constant
hard-on.”

“It’s never seemed to bother you before.”

“Well…they weren’t ladies, or at least they weren’t ladies I
gave a damn about. Yael is gentle and kind. She deserves so much better than
the lot we and the Fates have cast on her.”

Michael watched Ram closely. The only archangel who could hide
things from him was Ramiel. He was still unsure about this. Decima had been
right though. This was a good match for Ram. His eyes were not so dark with
death and hopelessness. He had handled his duties the last few days with the
utmost care.

What would they all do when it came time for him to leave
her and the babe?

He had not seen or heard so much hope in his friend’s voice
in decades. But there was no way he would allow the meshing of an exulted with
an archangel. The past had proved that to be very unhealthy for everyone
involved. The Father had even stepped in on that one.

“Ram, something happened with you and Peter’s exulted. I
know that. What, I cannot be sure of. I do wonder often why you left her in the
company of the strongest vampyre alive.” Michael turned and stared out the
window. “We both know the affliction I cursed you with was not about sex. That
was only to cause you as much embarrassment as possible. Little did I know
you’d enjoy it so much.” He spun around and glared at Ram. “I’m aware of your
reputation. I will lift the spell. If I have even the slightest inkling
anything is not as it should be, you will pay dearly. Do you understand?”

“Understood— Holy shit!” Ram jumped from the chair.

“What?”

“Uhh, nothing. I have to go.”

“Ramiel?”

“Trust me, Michael, everything is fine.”

Decima appeared to Michael before Ram’s blinding flash of
light dissipated.

“He is much happier, Michael. We were correct.”

“I fear there is more to this than meets the eye,” Michael
said. “I have an inkling Yael and Patricia are up to something.”

Decima’s laughter rang through his study. “They are
shopping.”

“What? But how?”

“It seems Deborah’s exulted now has the power to
dematerialize.”

“
What
?”

“Yes, and with Patricia’s powers of enthrallment, they will
take quite a beautiful bounty to Ramiel’s home.” Decima’s laughter echoed
around the room long after she was gone.

Muttering and flinging papers about his study, Michael was
beside himself.

“He will have
much
more than a perpetual hard-on this
time.”

* * * * *

Invisible, Ram stood with his fists clenched at his side. He
couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Yael paraded up and down in front of a mirror in the
dressing room of a Victoria’s Secret. His cock nudged painfully at his zipper.
What
the hell am I going to do now?
How could he put an end to this? Patricia
held the patrons in her enthrallment and they were both selecting the skimpiest
underwear in the establishment.

There were bags piled upon bags from the most sought after
stores in the whole of Miami. Ram was afraid to see what each bag held. There
was Gucci, Vera Wang, JLO shoes. Christ, they’d bought half the city. Rather,
stole half the city.