18. Chapter 18
Chapter eighteen
" I can't explain how I feel except that you connect with my entire being, Eliza. I have been on this earth for two millennia and have never felt my soul resonate like it does with you," Judas rose on his knees to meet her face. "The very sensation of your skin on mine is holy."
Eliza's tears flowed like waves down her chin. She had no way of knowing if he really meant the words he said, but they felt real in her heart. She couldn't deny that from the minute she shook his hand in her father's office weeks ago, she felt the fire between them when they were close and the pain of distance when they weren't. But she never thought she could say what she needed.
"My ahavah… please talk to me. I can't stand to see you cry," kissing her cheek, Judas wiped her tears with his gentle hands.
"I love you, too."
Her voice came as a soft breeze in his ears, but her words were strong as stone. Joy burst from every pore of Judas' body as his mouth collided with hers and they devoured each other. Eliza drove her hands under his loose-fitting pants, pulling them to the floor. Following her lead, Judas stripped her of the borrowed clothing until she was once again naked in his hands.
Eliza gently tugged her lover toward her but he shook his head.
"No. I want you above me. I want to watch you own me like you deserve," rolling under her, Judas slid his throbbing erection into her flooded entrance. No hesitating. No delay. She groaned in delight as his length filled her, sliding into place like a missing piece of her finally where it belonged.
Rocking back and forth, she planted her palms firmly on his chest. His hard body writhed in sync with each motion of her hips. Her full breasts heaved with every thrust and Judas reached out to hold them.
Eliza felt like a goddess atop her mountainous conquest and with every stroke her core made on his shaft, her lover begged for more. His protective hands explored her body until one settled in a grip on her ass and the other found her swollen clitoris.
He rubbed her between his fingers and locked his eyes with hers. The harder she rocked against him, the faster he stroked her pleasure center. She felt the imminent wave of orgasm building and her nails dug into his chest.
"Yes, my ahavah…" he cried, "Me too…"
Eliza ground herself harder and deeper onto his shaft and he gripped her tighter, relishing in their friction. She screamed delightfully as she watched his golden eyes roll in blessed euphoria. For the second time in less than twelve hours, the sounds of their climax and saturated skin mixed with the satisfied cries of pleasure reverberating off the walls. Together they came in earth shaking orgasm until she collapsed onto his chest, gasping for breath.
Once she had regained her ability to process thought, Eliza began to lift her body off of him in an attempt to unsheathe his still hard erection from inside her. He took hold of her arms and gently pulled her flat against his chest again.
"I'm not ready to be without you," he whispered against her hair.
For the next hour, Eliza lay on her lover's broad chest listening to his heartbeat as he caressed her soft skin. She realized for the first time in her life, she had a real feeling of fulfillment. She never thought of her life being remiss of anything. She had a nice home, a successful career that made her happy, and friends who were as close as family. But, her time with Judas was different. They had a connection that was synchronous and symbiotic; two sides of the same coin.
Judas ran a finger tenderly around the curve of her ear and Eliza giggled.
"Sorry about that," he mused happily, still stroking her neck.
She breathed his scent deep, "No, not that. I was just thinking…"
"About?"
“Where do I start?” she smiled. “What have you been doing…all this time?”
Judas raised his chin in thought, “I moved around…a lot. I’ve lived almost everywhere. Before telephones and televisions, it was a lot easier to spend decades…even centuries in the same place.” He winked, “No evidence showing up on the internet.”
Eliza stared in child-like amazement. She was taken in by the thought of seeing the world in a cyclical lifespan of development and death over a multitude of lifetimes. But she realized as quickly that, as entrancing as eternal life sounded, it would be bittersweet; knowing you would continue on while any family and friends you might have would be gone in the blink of an eye.
She glanced at the picture of Lincoln, “So, you met Abraham Lincoln?”
“Yeah,” his gregarious laugh filled the room.
“That’s…amazing,” she replied breathlessly. “Anyone else? How many famous people do you know…or…did you know?”
He pushed wisps of hair from her face, “I mean…a few, I guess. More so when I moved here…Yesh, notwithstanding, of course.” He chuckled, “It’s not like I sought people like that out…we just crossed paths. For instance, I met Ella in New York City in nineteen forty while she was performing in a club one night. She came to the bar, ordered a gin fizz, and struck up a conversation.”
Judas shrugged in a nonchalant manner that blew Eliza’s mind.
“Ella?” her widened eyes as she stuttered, “You’re…you’re talking about Ella Fitzgerald? The Ella Fitzgerald?”
He shrugged again, “It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Not that big of a deal? It’s Ella Fitzgerald!” she exclaimed, jaw dropped wide.
“Eliza, understand, it’s not been a thousand years of notables and parties. I left my home and wandered for years trying to make sense of everything that happened. I staged my own death for the sake of keeping those I loved safe. I’ve watched the rise and fall of entire empires. I’ve fought in wars that were never meant for me. I joined the Crusades just to see my homeland one more time…I fought in France, twice. I’ve seen more death than Samael, but,” his finger traced the outline of her face. “I’ve also been witness to the most beautiful sunrises over vast oceans and felt hope in the darkest of places and love where I didn’t think it existed.”
The idea was too much to process and Eliza had so many more questions now. Before she could stop herself, she whispered, “What was he like? Yesh?”
Judas’ eyes fell at the mention of his name, “He was brilliant. Loving. A visionary that only wanted the best for all of humanity. He opened our eyes to everything there is and will ever be. Unfortunately, his message has been garbled and bastardized to fit so many hateful and evil agendas… it's never ending. He wouldn’t want anything of this vitriol…so few of the churches built in his name get his message right…that is the saddest realization so far.”
Eliza mused over his words and had to agree with him. Even with her background as a child raised in the evangelical space, she knew the message didn’t make sense. How do you both love and hate someone at the same time? How could you pull messages of damnation from a man’s words that only spoke of acceptance? But, where she grew up, it happened every Sunday.
They stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed like an eternity. "So…do you get sick? Like… have you ever had the flu?" she propped her chin on his chest, staring adoringly at him.
Judas howled with laughter, "I confess to you that I can never die…that I’ve lived countless lifetimes and you ask if I get the sniffles?"
"Well," Eliza choked a giggle, "yeah. I mean… it's a valid question."
He tightened his hold, "You're right. It's valid. Yes, I've had the flu… measles, chicken pox, smallpox, bubonic plague, scarlet fever, and strep throat. But, none of them last long. I guess one of the few upsides of everlasting life."
"Wow. Okay…some of those are painful. Can you feel pain?" she asked, curiosity sparkling in her sapphire eyes.
"Yes! Of course. I felt every inch of my little display over the kitchen sink earlier. I'm certainly not immune to pain," he chortled.
She had more questions but they were flying so fast in her mind it was difficult to grab one to ask. A sly grin pulled at the corner of her mouth, “Why would you choose Christian as your surname? Kind of on the nose a bit, right?”
Judas smirked. It was an expression that she found both satisfying and sexy at the same time.
“I’ve had lots of names.”
“Okay, but why that one?” she narrowed her eyes on him.
“Well, I can’t very well use my real name, can I?” he mused.
Eliza, the former prosecutor, pressed him, “But, why Christian?”
“You aren’t going to let this go are you?” Judas’ chest tightened in laughter.
“Uh huh,” she shook her head, laughing, "we will definitely be circling back to that one until I get a real answer."
The tip of her chin still buried in the cup of her fist on his chest, she was quiet for a long moment watching him watch her. She felt a sense of safety in his gaze. It was as if a forcefield surrounded her and if the world crumbled beneath her feet, it would prevent her from disappearing in the ashes.
"That word you use… ahavah ?" she tried to imitate the inflection of his tone when he spoke. "What does that mean?"
An enormous smile spread over Judas' face and she heard his heart beat faster. He was nervous or excited; maybe both, she thought.
"It means," he swallowed hard. "My love."