Chapter 22 #4
Layla wiped the smeared blood from her mouth and frowned at the young reaper. “They won’t know. Because you will not tell them. Not until we have a proper plan,” she said.
Celie nodded slowly. “If you cannot win them over, they will join the rogues, and they’re close to siding with Karine. It’s already not good having a mortal grow attached to your immortal soul. But now is the worst time. A reaper leader with a human lover. They will never fully trust you.”
Layla’s hand tightened on Elise. “Let me worry about that.”
“I only want the best for us all.” The smaller reaper sighed as she turned back to the cathedral entrance.
Though the words were mostly harmless, Layla heard what she really meant.
The unspoken roared just as loudly as the claims that had been spoken aloud.
You cannot run from your fate, Layla. A Saint and a reaper will never last…
Elise touched Layla’s chin, forcing her to look away from her injuries and into her eyes.
“I know what you’re thinking, and none of this is your responsibility.
I chose to come here against your advice and wishes.
I never would have been able to kill Julius on my own, but I owed it to myself and to Josi to do something.
Even if that meant luring you here to get the job done.
I cannot feel like I serve no purpose, especially when it comes to taking care of the ones I love.
At the end of the day…” She sighed, and her throat bobbed with the effort of holding back her emotions. “I’m the reason we’re in this mess.”
“Karine knows you killed Valeriya. I think she sent you here to die. So as far as anyone is concerned, you’re my prisoner now,” Layla said.
She could have told Elise that none of this was entirely her fault.
That there were greater systems at play neither of them could even dream of defeating.
But for now, all she wanted to do was drink in Elise’s presence and the fact she was still standing despite facing an older reaper.
“Better yours than anyone else’s.” Elise’s gaze dipped to the blood soaking Layla’s shirt front and painting her face. “Do you feel better now?” She smiled, her teeth digging into her lower lip.
Heat spread between Layla’s ribs as she noticed the intrigued tone in Elise’s words. Still, she worried whether she had done too much—been too much. Her eyes darkened. “I had to do it,” Layla muttered.
Then Elise did something Layla never would have expected: she dropped a hand onto Layla’s chest and trailed her fingers through the blood. “I know. It was quite the show.”
Layla let out a shaky laugh. Between coming down from her exhilarated state and Elise watching her with eyes of lust so intense, Layla felt like they could have commanded her to do anything, she wasn’t sure how she was still standing.
I would do anything for you. She did not say the words out loud, for fear of being looked at like the monster she had just become.
Elise’s smile widened anyway. “I love you even more like this.”
Her lips were on Layla’s a second later.
Though shocked at first, Layla reacted quickly and returned the kiss, her hands coming up to grip Elise’s waist. Already, Elise had parted her lips and cupped the back of Layla’s head to deepen the kiss.
If there was anything that might have been better than Elise’s blood, it was her lips.
Kissing her was akin to what Layla thought being close to God would be like.
Her entire body felt light while simultaneously grounded by Elise’s touch.
Being close to her like this matched every dream Layla had had of her in recent days.
But even with them kissing like they wanted to consume each other, with Layla’s core heating and her body vibrating with anticipation, it still wasn’t enough.
She wanted to press into Elise until they were one entity, a Saint and a reaper rolled into one sinful act. Layla might have allowed it to happen.
“We should stop,” Elise gasped, her breath hot inside Layla’s mouth. “They’ll sense me on you, and they’ll hate you for having me.”
There were almost no better words to encourage Layla. In this moment, she did not give a damn about anything besides the girl in front of her. “Tell me to stop then,” Layla murmured.
Another sigh of pleasure left Elise as Layla put more intensity behind her kiss. “No.”
It was word enough for Layla. She walked Elise back until she was against a wall, the blood on her smearing between them while they continued to kiss.
The cathedral watched them with its dark windows and cross-laden steeples casting shadows upon them, judging them as the saint and the damned they were.
Layla was certain there was nothing more sacred than having Elise Saint in her arms, whispering her name like a prayer between their fevered kisses.
If it was sacrilege, then Layla welcomed it.
She pulled back just enough to peer into Elise’s eyes.
Her own had gone black with ravenous desire. “Lise…I need you.”
Elise gave her a knowing smile, but she shook her head. “You just want my blood.” Startling realization filled her eyes, and her face paled.
Layla touched her wrist, concerned. “What is it?”
“I just realized something. That reaper at the blood house all those weeks ago—he said he paid for a Saint, but he wasn’t expecting me. He was expecting a different Saint.”