Blood Rain

Angelica's lips parted and she inhaled sharply at the sensations that suddenly washed over her. There was a moment of lightheadedness followed by a hard tug from the seal, the very instant her powers tapped into it. The action surprised her so much that she actually panicked and jerked her power back, feeling the symbol’s magic lash around her and lick at her skin before disappearing back wherever it had come from.

If she didn’t know better, she’d swear the damned mark had just tasted her.

Syn silently appeared behind Angelica, having felt her tamper with the link that enabled her access to his power for her own protection. He’d thought to leave her alone for a few hours, so that he could regain his calm after seeing her rejection of him once again. However, with her breaching his seal on her palm, she’d unknowingly summoned him here to witness her useless attempt to break their bond.

This made his anger resurface… was she that anxious to be rid of him just so she could stop lying to herself? After searching for so many millennia and finally finding her, he was not about to let her sever even the slightest link he’d managed to reform with her.

“Coward,” Angelica lectured herself over her reaction, and opened her fisted hand to try again. She sucked in a sharp breath when the seal instantly started glowing with reinforced power.

“Why don’t you try taking your frustration out on the one that caused it,” Syn asked, from right behind her.

Angelica flinched at his close proximity and spun around to pin her stalker with a glare. It was hard to hold the glare when he looked a hell of a lot angrier than she felt.

Before she realized his intent, he’d snagged her around the waist with one of his arms and pulled her against his hard body. She just as quickly pressed her palm against his chest to keep some semblance of distance between them. Seriously, if he was trying to drive her crazy then he was in for a short trip.

“You’re right. I should take it out on you,” She said pointedly, and pushed away from him, surprised when he let go so easily she almost lost her footing. She gritted her teeth, trying to bury the odd disappointment she was feeling because he’d let her go so quickly.

Closing her hand around the mark on her palm, she said the first thing that came to mind. “What the hell have you done to me?”

“Do I frighten you,” Syn asked, leaning against her bedpost and crossing his arms over his chest.

Angelica was caught off guard by the question, making her frown slightly at his crossed arms, before lifting her gaze to meet his bright amethyst eyes. They were glowing in what she could swear was anger but he seemed so calm it was serene.

“I am not scared of you,” she boldly informed him, then took a quick step back, when he pushed away from the bedpost and started toward her.

“I have done nothing to harm you,” Syn defended through a barely suppressed growl, knowing they had danced this dance before. She had fought him in the past to the point of insanity before finally admitting defeat and he wasn't interested in history repeating itself. He felt a mental flinch remembering how that history had ended. “You are the only reason I’m here.”

Angelica shook her head not wanting the responsibility of being anyone’s reason for anything. She had placed so many walls around herself that the only one who had even come close to breaching them was Zachary. Or to be honest, it was his alter ego Zach who unmercifully plowed his way past them. She was momentarily saddened by that fact because now she missed his friendship and his unwanted advice.

Syn’s eyes narrowed hearing her mourn the closeness she’d had with the phoenix. It was regretful she’d forgotten the fact that he, Syn, was a very possessive man and had never easily shared her with others. He had killed to keep her before and he would do it again with no hesitation.

He pulled his power inward when it tried to spike at the memory, and Syn realized that he was teetering on the edge of his limit. How had she reduced him to this impatient state so quickly?

“You didn’t come here for me.” Angelica frowned, pointing out what she thought was the obvious. “You came because your boys are here, who I might add look the same age as you… more like your brothers, not your children. And now you’re staying to help Storm fight the demons.” Her voice faltered when her back hit the wall at the same time that his palms hit it on each side of her… efficiently trapping her against the painted rock of the castle.

“My mate is the one helping Storm… not me,” Syn growled harshly. “I am only here to protect her from foolishly getting herself killed again!”

“I’ve never been killed,” Angelica shot back in denial then flinched when the wall cracked under his palms causing jagged lines to creep up through the rock near her head and shoulders.

“Stop,” she whispered, barely breathing the word.

Something was definitely wrong with him but instead of it frightening her… it was suddenly breaking her heart. She slowed her breathing, wanting to be careful right now, because she felt if she wasn't, this powerful man in front of her would shatter and that would be the beginning of her truest fear.

“I am going to hold you until I calm down,” Syn warned, just as he leaned forward and dragged her against him.

When Angelica didn’t resist him, Syn felt some of the overwhelming grief leave his tense shoulders. She may not remember her death, but it was a memory he still struggled to keep buried deep within… for his own sanity. Keeping her trapped, he slowly lowered himself to his knees, pulling her down the wall with him. He let one shaking hand trail up and under her dark silky hair to press her cheek into the arc of his neck, laying his lips against her temple as he did so.

Angelica blinked when she felt his body tremble against hers and heard his breath labored in her ear. It was as if he was fighting against something she couldn’t see. Using this as a reason to give in for the moment, she slowly relaxed against him and let him hold her. She was stunned by how warm and protected she suddenly felt, being held by him. He was so big and strong, yet she could sense his restraint as he held her.

Summoning the courage to appease her own curiosity, she kept her voice soft and calm as she spoke. “I don’t understand what I did to gain your attention.”

“No… you wouldn’t understand,” Syn agreed, and gently kissed her dark hair before laying his cheek against it.

A part of him didn’t want to remind her of their tainted past… didn’t want to see the flash of hatred in her eyes for what he’d done. Not when he had no intention of asking her forgiveness. They had deserved to die… all of them.

“You’re not very helpful,” Angelica added feeling slightly drained from all of the adrenalin rushes she’d experienced in the last couple hours.

She hadn’t lied… she wasn't scared of him… not really. She had watched him almost kill himself to bring a room full of murdered children back to life. How could she ever truly fear him when it was all she could do to keep from reaching out to him? She was going to have to find a way to distance herself from him permanently.

“You are cruel to me Angelica,” Syn whispered having heard her deepest thoughts. “If you keep your soul locked away… you will learn just how cruel you have made me.”

Her fear rose at his words and Angelica unsuccessfully tried to push away from him. Did he want to take her soul as he had so many other humans? Was that the true reason he was stalking her?

“You have no claim over my soul and you never will,” she insisted as the fight or flight instinct slammed through her, causing her struggle to intensify.

“Don’t I?” Syn growled feeling his sanity snap. “Shall I destroy yet another world just to prove it to you?”

Angelica's eyes widened and she stilled. What did he mean destroy another world? She just as quickly decided not to ask, because seriously… who in the hell would want to know. She felt the unwanted fear clinging to her even after she shoved the disturbing questions into the darkest corner of her mind.

He could feel her breath quicken, feathering against his neck in soft puffs and although the sensation was soothing, it was heating his blood, which wasn't good for his self-control right now. This world had kept him at a distance for long enough. Syn tightened his hold and curved his body around her protectively when the small light bulbs of the beautiful chandelier in the center of the room burst, sending several quick showers of sparks streaming downward before fizzling out.

Angelica started to look up at the ceiling but Syn wouldn’t allow her to lift her head, so she remained pressed against him wondering what to do. It was dawn now, causing the room to be softly shadowed, instead of completely dark.

“Are we fighting,” she asked in a whisper. Because if they were, she already knew she would lose.

“No,” he growled harshly then glared at the oval mirror of the dressing table when it dared to crack with a loud pop.

“Then, how about you tell me what’s wrong before you destroy my bedroom again,” Angelica snapped before she could stop herself.

Syn froze hearing her say… again. Was she finally remembering things that had not happened in this lifetime… or world for that matter? Was her soul strong enough to finally rattle the cage of its mortal prison? He gently fisted his hand in the dark hair his fingers were tangled in, so he could lean back from her and search her eyes for the truth.

“Again?” His voice sounded haunted even to his own ears.

“What,” Angelica asked in confusion. Gee… he was all over the place making it hard for her to keep up. It was truly exhausting.

“You said to tell you what was wrong before I destroyed your bedroom… again,” he repeated, putting emphasis on the word ‘again’.

“Did I,” Angelica whispered, feeling cold chills prick at the skin on her arms. Her lips parted to deny it, but she had said ‘again’ and she couldn’t take it back now, because it suddenly felt like the truth.

Syn let the frustration drain from him and a slow tainted smile touched his lips. He had destroyed her bedroom on more than one occasion, and although he had no way of knowing which memory was struggling to break through, he no longer cared. Good or bad, he awaited it eagerly, along with the battle they would probably have over it.

Her soul was her inner most self and had already forgiven him… it was the rest of her that he would have to force to surrender.

Catching him smirking at her confusion, Angelica shoved away from him, thankful that he let go of her hair before she could give herself whiplash.

“Fine, you like to redecorate bedrooms in your spare time… whatever. If you don’t leave and let me rest I’m going to redecorate you.” She frowned when he promptly vanished, leaving the sound of his parting laughter echoing through the room.

Angelica listened to the warm laughter until it faded into the distance. She couldn’t recall having ever heard him laugh like that… or even truly smile. So why did the sound make her chest hurt as if she had both regained and lost something dear to her.