Descent (Kissed by Death) - Tara Fuller Page 0,50

The ones with lots of pictures. It’s a way for me to see parts of the world Father would never let me venture to.

“I like Christmas and snow angels. The way the fathers look with their faces pressed up against the glass in the Saint Anthony’s maternity ward when the babies are brought into the nursery.”

I thought about the way Easton’s lips had pressed against mine the night before. How perfectly our mouths fit together, like they had been meant to be that way all along. My fingers had gravitated to my lips and I pulled them away, feeling my cheeks heat. Easton made me happy.

“I liked kissing,” I whispered.

“Red…” he started, gaze dropping down to my lips. “Last night was—”

On the other side of the wall, a fresh round of screams pierced through the crumbling, charred drywall. Easton closed his eyes, and his grip tightened on my knees.

“Don’t say it was a mistake,” I blurted out. “Say it won’t happen again. But don’t say that it shouldn’t have happened.”

He watched me intently, jaw clenched. “Do you understand why it can’t happen again?”

I looked away, not liking the wet, burning sensation building behind my eyes. The pressure in my chest, swelling, aching. “I’m sure you have an arsenal of excuses to keep me away. I don’t need to hear them. You were clear last night. You don’t want me. I don’t really need further explanation.”

He narrowed his gaze. “You think I don’t want you?”

“It’s fine,” I said, my voice almost a whisper. “I’m just…I’m just me. I get it.”

I wasn’t tall and elegant like Sky. Dark and exotic like the reaper Anaya he had spoken of. I was just naive little Gwen who couldn’t seem to stay out of trouble. I had no idea what I even expected to happen if he actually cared about me in the same way. He was right. My father and the laws of our world would never let us be together.

Easton placed his fingers under my chin, forcing me to look at him. “First of all, you aren’t just anything. You’re everything, Gwen. Everything I’m not allowed to have.”

I hesitantly met his gaze and instantly wished I hadn’t. The honesty and longing there made my chest ache and my willpower crumble.

“Because I’m an angel,” I whispered. “Because you’re a reaper.”

“Because I’m me. Your father would never allow you to be tainted by someone like me. If I let myself be with you like that, I’ll never be able to walk away from you,” he said. “And you need me to walk away from you, Red. You really do. The people I love…they don’t just die. They burn.”

He thinks loving me means destroying me…

A hot tear escaped the corner of my eye before Easton wiped it away. Before he could pull back, I placed my hand over his, holding it in place, wondering if he’d ever give me this again when we were done here.

“I’m not worth crying over, Gwen,” he whispered.

“You’re worth everything to me.”

A scraping knock at the door shattered the moment between us. Easton shot to his feet, grabbing his shirt from the bed. He pulled his T-shirt over his head and held a finger to his lips.

“Bathroom,” he whispered, pulling his blade from his belt. “Now.”

I nodded and slid off the bed, hurrying to the bathroom to hide. Inside, I pressed my back against the wall next to the door, breathing hard. What if it was the demon from downstairs? Would Easton be able to fight him off? What if he hurt Easton? I didn’t think I’d be able to stand by and listen to that happen. My thoughts drove frantic circles in my mind.

Hot fingers touched my chin, and my eyes flew open. Easton clamped his hand over my mouth to keep the scream in. His gaze narrowed until I nodded to signal that I was calm. He pulled his hand away to place a shard of glass wrapped in leather into my hand, then dropped his pack at my feet.

“If anything happens…” His eyes searched my face, looking uncertain. “Do whatever you have to do to get out. Get home. Okay?”

“What about you?” I whispered.

“Leave me,” he said without hesitation. “Say okay, Red. Say you’ll do it.”

I swallowed and nodded, knowing that agreeing meant I would have to stay true to my word. “Okay.”

His gaze lingered on me for seven seconds. I counted. Seven seconds that felt like an eternity while somehow still feeling like not enough.

“Okay,” he said.

And