“Positive. I didn’t do anything wrong.” Her throat hurt as she said it. Her memories had grown so faulty that she was no longer positive that was one hundred percent true. However, he didn’t have to know that, did he?
“If you haven’t done anything wrong than you needn’t be afraid of me.”
“I’m not afraid.” She jumped as he took another step closer to her. “I’m not.”
“In fact, I can make things so much better. Just listen to what I have to offer and perhaps you won’t need to spend another two months in a frozen wasteland like this.”
She crossed her arms. “What part of ‘I’m going back to Heaven’ didn’t you understand?
Besides, I hear Niagara Falls is beautiful in the springtime. Lots of tulips and happy tourists.
Not that I’m going to be here to witness it, that is.”
She had to get out of there. From what she remembered about Tempters, they preyed on the weaknesses and insecurities of the newly fallen—loneliness, fear, naïvité. And, she had a very long and detailed list of human weaknesses that he could poke at, right at the top of which seemed to be her immediate need for a Kleenex.
“I can give you beauty for all eternity,” he said. “You’ll never be cold or alone, or want for anything ever again.”
“Right now I want to be cold and alone. Please, just go away.” Her voice caught on some unexpected emotion and she forced herself to keep from crying. She swallowed hard.
His brow furrowed and he took a step back at her expression. And as suddenly as his change of mood came on it disappeared, replaced by a confident, drop-dead sexy grin curling up one side of his full lips as he shook his head.
“I can’t leave you alone, Valerie.”
Don’t look at him, she told herself.
She wondered what had taken him so long to show up. It would have made more sense for a
Tempter to arrive early, while the fallen were still fresh and gullible. But she’d had two months to adjust to the unpleasantness of being human, albeit kicking and screaming, so there was no way he was going to tempt her.
No way.
Do not let your guard down when confronted by a tempter or you will regret it. Big time.
Then she made the mistake of fully looking into his eyes. Grayish blue, that was the color.
He’d moved fully into the light of the lone street lamp so she could see him a bit better.
Grayish-blue eyes framed with thick, dark lashes. Chiseled cheekbones led down to full lips.
A square jaw with the slightest indication of a cleft. He looked like an angel, but she knew he was just the opposite. The balance. The flip side. And he was trouble.
He reached forward and stroked his fingertips along her cheek. She didn’t try to move away and it wasn’t just because she was pressed up against the hard wall. His touch left behind a warmth that made her entire body tingle, much as her foot had, but this time it seemed more . .
. more something. He traced a finger along her bottom lip, probably feeling the remnants of the Chap Stick she’d applied before leaving her safe motel room to go on her fateful trip to the drugstore.
She couldn’t stop staring into his eyes, and noticed her head was starting to feel fuzzy.
Just the head cold, she told herself. Ignore it. Ignore him. Push him away right now.
But she didn’t. As she looked into his eyes she began to wonder if maybe he was right. What if they didn’t take her back? What if she was stuck in this awful place? And not just Niagara
Falls—the earthly realm in general. Full of its sickness, disappointment, pain, and misery.
Maybe there was a better way. And if this beautiful stranger was by her side, then how bad could it possibly be?
No, what was she thinking? She didn’t honestly believe that, did she? Was he using some kind of demon mojo on her? Maybe it worked like a few cocktails, loosening her inhibitions so she’d agree to something she wouldn’t normally. And, if so . . . that was totally cheating.
“Just say the word, Valerie.” His lips were only a few inches from hers. He moved to push the long, light blond hair out of her eyes and tuck it behind her ear that he then whispered into. “I can take you away from all of this.”
Hmmm. The word. What was the word again?
He’s a demon! her brain hollered. And he’s cheating. Demon mojo, remember? Ignore what he’s saying. Get away from him right now!
Abracadabra? Hocus-pocus, maybe? No, that was two words. What word was Nathaniel talking about?
Then it came to her. She knew what the word was. The only word that truly counted. And she could say it. So easily. So very easily.
Y-E-S.
“Say it.” His voice was warm, open, soothing, and oh-so-tempting, as he leaned back to look at her. “And I will make all your troubles disappear.”
She nodded slowly, trying to breathe him in through her stuffed nose. But as she opened her mouth to speak the word that would make it all better, to stop her pain and loneliness and suffering once and for all, she felt something rising inside of her—from deep within.
Deep inside her nostrils, that is.
Oh no, she thought. But it was too late.
She sneezed all over him.
The expression on the demon’s handsome face turned from romantic perfection to sheer disgust. He stepped back, wiping his face furiously with his sleeve.
Valerie wiped her nose on her own sleeve, feeling embarrassed.
“I have a cold,” she explained.
He glared at her. “That is disgusting.”
“Tell me about it.”
“You sneezed on me.”
She considered apologizing but decided against it. “Yes, I did.”
“You could have warned me.”
She shrugged. “It just came on. I didn’t expect it. I’m sick. I sneeze. That’s what humans do.”