Becoming Briar Read online

  With a small smile, I walk over to the bench press, placing seventy pounds of weights on the bars. I swing my leg over the bench, plant my ass in the bend, and duck my head beneath the bar as I lean back.

  Bael takes a few steps closer, watching me with his arms crossed over his chest. He leans against a stand holding a punching bag. That’s what I’d rather use, but I don’t think that’s what he has in mind for conditioning.

  I place my hands shoulder-width apart on the bar, but before I lift the bar out of the handle, his voice stops me.

  “Are you sure you should start out with that much weight?” His tone is condescending as he looks me up and down.

  What an asshole. Does he really think I would put on more than I can handle? Without a reply, I lift the bar and lower it to my chest, then straighten my arms upward. My focus remains on the reps and not the infuriating man hovering. After thirty presses, I set the weights back into place and look at Bael as I rise to a sitting position on the bench. The muscles in my arms are burning. It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve been able to work out, but I’ll be damned if I let him see that as a weakness.

  My heart patters in my chest at the look of approval I see on his face before he shutters it behind indifference again. What the fuck is his problem? I know he feels whatever this is between us, yet he continues to put up walls and avoid it. But I shouldn’t expect anything different. He is a man, after all. A very elusive, sexy man.

  Stop. He doesn’t seem to want anything more to do with me, other than training. Fine. I can keep my feelings on lockdown when he’s around. Besides, I have more than enough men in my life to deal with at the moment.

  I wish there was a way for me to get word to them that I’m okay. I’m sure they are beside themselves with worry trying to find me.

  His stare bores into me and I break the eye contact. Steeling my emotions, I stand from the bench and face him.

  “What next?” I step around him, my fire flaring to life under the surface just from the closeness of our bodies. I take a few more steps to increase the distance between us, eyeing the punching bag.

  Straightening his body, he walks over to a leg press and adjusts the weights on the side of the bars, then nods his head for me to proceed.

  I walk over to the bars and inspect the weight amount he set it to. Fifty pounds. Is he fucking kidding me? After adding more, I begin a rep.

  He moves me around the gym area, rotating exercises in a circuit with some cardio work.

  Two hours later, I'm hot, sweaty, tired, and lagging behind.

  The smirk Bael wears pisses me off the most. I'd give almost anything to knock it off his smug face. Maybe tomorrow.

  My body sags to the floor.

  His chuckle echoes around the room. “What's the matter? Had enough?”

  The ever-present fire simmers below the surface, but even it doesn't flare out of me like it normally would. “If I had realized you were going to try and kill me, I'd have stayed on Earth. Tell me again, what's the purpose of this?”

  He holds a hand out to me. My eyebrows furrow and eyes narrow at it. What is this man up to?

  “I'm just going to help you up, Briar. We're finished for the day.”

  His body tenses at the same moment I feel someone, or something, watching us. Does he sense it, too? “Are you sure? Because if not, I think I’ll stay down here where I don’t have to use any muscles... or lack thereof, at the moment.”

  Bael looks down at me and motions for my hand. Keeping up pretenses, I grab his hand and allow him to pull me to my feet. Our bodies brush against each other and the burning fire that I associate with him flares to life again. I take a step back to put some distance between us.

  All the muscles in my body protest at the movement, but I hold back a groan. The need to find out who is watching us thrums through me. I stare into Bael’s face, fighting the urge to search the room.

  However, he has no qualms about looking around the room. His eyes lock on mine with intensity, conveying a message.

  I give him a slight nod. I’ll follow his lead... for now.

  He turns to face the wall in the back off the room and crosses his arms over his chest. “What are you doing here?”

  He knows who has been watching us?

  A gorgeous man walks out of the wall. Who walks out of a fucking wall? I can't take my eyes off him or his folded black wings that almost drag along the floor. He is what wet dreams are made of. I'm inspecting his delectable body as he moves closer to where we're standing.

  I was expecting some wicked-looking creature to appear, not someone that looks like a god. I contemplate wiping my mouth to make sure there isn’t any drool on my chin, but refrain.

  Bael and the new guy never break eye contact until his head swings my direction. Red eyes meet my sky-blue ones, and the urge to run my hands over Bael’s body almost has my feet taking me closer to him. With every fiber of my being, I fight the urge to stay rooted in place as sweat beads on my upper lip and a drop slides down the center of my back under my shirt.

  “Enough.” Bael’s voice pulls me out of whatever stupor I was caught in. The battle to keep my distance dissolves back to a manageable level.

  What in the hell did he just do to me?

  A rumbling, rich tenor laugh comes from the dark angel as he looks at Bael. “I had to see if the rumors were true.” He chuckles again.

  Ah hell. What rumors? The words almost tumble out of my mouth, but I bite my lip to hold in my curiosity. I don't feel like being caught up in whatever the hell he was able to do to me again.

  Bael's face is a mask of stone, impenetrable, not giving anything away. “What rumors?”

  The angel circles him with a toothy smile on his face. “Oh, just the one that the prince has a shiny new toy he's quite possessive of. I had to see it with my own two eyes.” His red eyes turn toward me. “But I must say, I can see what the allure is.”

  I'm careful to avoid locking gazes with him. Relief floods my system when he looks back at Bael, until his words sink in.

  I place my hands on my hips and jut out my right hip one. “What allure is that?”

  Both men turn to stare at me, one with a glare and the other with blatant intrigue. Damn, I should have kept mouth shut.

  Black wings drag the ground as he takes a few steps toward me, a smirk lifting his beautiful mouth. “Your light and beauty. It calls to me like nothing before.”

  Bael’s hard voice cuts him off. “Don’t you have somewhere else to be, Amon?”

  “Am I getting too close, Your Highness?” Amon’s laugh echoes around us while Bael’s breath puffs in and out. Amon holds his hands up. “Touchy. If you need help with her training, you know where to find me.” His signature smirk falls into place.

  Bael appears nonchalant and shrugs his shoulders. “I'm not sure that would be the wisest idea. She's like dealing with an infant in training.” He chuckles.

  I cross my arms over my chest and narrow my eyes at him. With one more glance my way, flames engulf Amon, and he disappears.

  Bael grunts and stares at me. His hard look softens as he takes a step in my direction before second-guessing his decision and stopping. Cognac brown eyes dart all over my face, and he locks any emotions I thought I saw down.

  Why does he have to be so closed off?

  “That’s enough for one day. We’ll start early tomorrow.” He storms out the door we came in through earlier.

  My shoulders sag as my feet carry me after him. “Why can’t you just poof us back to the cottage?”

  He doesn’t slow as he takes the steps two at a time, increasing the distance between us.

  “Because I want to walk.” He keeps moving without pausing.

  I roll my eyes. “You want to walk when you can poof anywhere you want to go with a thought? Sure, that makes total sense.”

  Silence. Of course, he would ignore me now. Gah, he can be such an asshole. What is it about him that I could possibly find attractive?

>   My quadriceps and calf muscles burn with each step. By the time we reach the top, I’m cursing him under my breath with every single step.

  Bael waits for me at the top of the stairs, which is good because I’d get lost on my own. I stop a couple of inches away from him. Without a word, he wraps an arm around my waist, bringing me to his side. The gray smoke surrounds us, the swirling sensation seizes my head, and seconds later, we’re standing on the porch of the cottage.

  He pushes away from the contact as soon as we appear. Almost like he can’t stand the physical touch.

  I hide away the hurt that his actions elicit in my chest and straighten my shoulders. “You couldn’t have fucking done that before I had to traipse up all those damn stairs?”

  He shrugs, his face expressionless.

  I’m beginning to think those are the only muscles he knows how to use. I’m already pissed, so why not keep going? “And would it kill you to fucking smile every once in a while? You’re not very approachable most of the time.”

  He shrugs again. “Who said I want anyone to talk to me? This isn’t fucking Disneyland. It’s not a place where princesses and princes come up and talk or try to save you. You’ll do well to remember that and keep your fucking mouth closed unless I tell you it’s okay to talk.”

  He storms off the porch and I throw my hands up in the air. “Argh.” My fists clench at my sides. “Where are you going now?”

  “Out. Don’t wait up.”

  Gray smoke billows around him as he walks, and then he’s gone.

  Chapter Three

  Dragging myself to my room, I grab some yoga pants and a tank top to change into after my shower. My muscles ache in ways like never before. If I hurt like this now, tomorrow is going to be a bitch.

  I limp to the bathroom and am almost there when a loud knock at my door stops me in my tracks. Oh, hell no. I’m not going to fall for this again. As much as I hate to admit it, Bael isn’t here to help me if that shadow thing attacks again.

  There is a pounding on the door yet again. Whoever the hell it is doesn’t like to wait.

  “I know you’re in there,” a male voice calls out, the tenor sound making me pause before I take the remaining steps toward the door.

  Then another loud knock. “Open the damn door.”

  Yeah, like that’s gonna happen. “Uh, no. I won’t be fooled twice. Just move along, shadow creature.”

  A groan sounds from the other side. “It’s still light out.”

  Oh yeah, that’s right. Bael had said something about people being restricted to when they can travel outside of their designated zones. It was dark when the shadow creature made its appearance. “Okay, still not opening.”

  The door knob turns and rattles. “Did he fucking leave you alone here?”

  Uh… How did he figure that out? This isn’t good. “Nope, this is part of my training.”

  There is some shuffling on the other side of the door, and then a click. Much to my horror, the door opens. Standing under the frame is none other than the dark angel from earlier, Amon.

  He smirks and looks around. “This is interesting and better than I could ever hope for.”

  Ah, hell. That doesn’t sound like this will be in my best interest. “He’ll be here in just a few seconds. He was just grabbing us some food.”

  Walking past me, he plops on the couch, putting his feet up on the coffee table, and crosses his ankles over one another. Not bothering to take his dirty boots off either, mind you.

  “You see, I don’t believe you.”

  Well, I guess there is no getting out of this now. And I was so close to getting in the shower. Shutting the door, I hobble over so I can glare at him. “Well, you’ll see.”

  He watches, amusement in his eyes. “Are you in pain?”

  Why do I sense a hint of glee in the tone of his voice at the prospect? Sadist asshole much?

  Making sure I keep my eyes on his forehead, I shake my head. “Nope, all good.”

  I won’t admit to hurting, and I’ll be damn sure not to look him in the eyes again. I don't know what he was able to do, but I don't want to be caught in his snare for a second time.

  Chuckling, he tilts his head. “Your allure continues to call to me the longer I'm around you. A woman that is headstrong and refuses to admit weakness. Some find that distasteful, but I find it sexy as hell.”

  I roll my eyes and tilt my head. “Then it's a good thing you don’t have to be around me for long. Now, I can sleep that much better tonight.”

  Looking around, he shifts on the couch, his black wings fluffing out. They’re so dark the light reflects iridescent. “I am surprised he brought you here. He avoids this house at all cost.”

  My legs tremble, about to crumble under my weight as I make my way to the chair beside the couch. “What’s wrong with this place? It’s beautiful.”

  I feel his eyes sear through me like he’s trying to read my soul.

  “That’s what his mother used to say.” He puts his feet down on the floor and leans forward, placing his forearms on his legs. “Why are you here?”

  He’s not going to leave until I give him something. I’m not sure what he’s looking for or why he’s interested in my situation, but his body language speaks volumes.

  “I’m here to learn how to protect myself before I make it back to Earth.”

  His eyebrow lifts. “Once you’re here, there’s no going back unless permission is granted. There is only one exception to that rule.”

  My eyebrows scrunch together in a frown, meeting his intense red eyes before I recall what his stare did before. “And... the one exception is?”

  He leans back into the brown, leather cushions, as if he’s the one who lives here, stretching his arms out across the top. A ticking sound comes from his mouth as he shakes his head back and forth. “That’s not how things work down here, darlin’. You have to give something in order to receive something.” The glee has returned to his eyes.

  Yeah, there’s the catch. I cross my arms over my chest and tuck my feet under my legs in the chair. I bite my bottom lip as I contemplate his words and our conversation thus far. A smile pulls up the corners of my mouth.

  His eyes drop down.

  “But I’ve already given you information. You asked why I was here and I told you. Now, it’s your turn.” Ha, I got him.

  He throws his head back and belly laughs. The smile falls from my lips. What the hell is so funny?

  “I need something more than why you're here for me to tell you how you can leave.” His smile is smug, and I want to smack it right off his face. And here I thought he might not be such a bad guy.

  I narrow my eyes. “What is it that you want in return?”

  He meets my gaze. “A favor from you, of my time and choosing.”

  That doesn’t sound like a good idea. We are in the Underworld, and there’s no telling what he would have me do with an open-ended favor such as that. I force a neutral expression.

  “You wouldn’t tell me how to leave just to irritate Bael?” Maybe that will be enticing enough. They didn’t seem to be on the best of terms earlier. This could work in my favor.

  Interest beams from his eyes. “A woman after my heart. That is, if I had one.” He doesn’t move from his spot, but his energy charges the air around us. “As tempting as that is, I’d rather not be on Lucifer’s bad side.”

  Goosebumps prickle my skin and I search around the room to see if Bael has returned during our conversation, but we’re alone. I guess I’m backed into a corner. Bael will not tell me how to leave, and as much as I hate to give Amon a favor, it looks as if that’s my best option at the moment. Dammit all to Hell. Pun intended.

  Sucking in a deep breath, I rub my arms and meet his eyes, then break away from his stare. “Fine. One favor, but I have conditions.”

  He nods his head.

  My legs itch for me to stand and pace, but I remain seated because I don’t want him to perceive that as a weakness. “You can’t
just pop in whenever and demand your favor. I need at least a week’s notice.”

  A single nod is his response.

  I clasp my hands in my lap to keep my fidgeting to a minimum. I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this. “I will not kill anyone for you, nor weaken someone to the point that you can finish the job. This is non-negotiable.”

  His hand touches his chest, where his heart should be. “You wound me, firefly.” He laughs. “I won’t need your assistance there. I can handle that just fine on my own.”

  I nod, not bothering to give him more than that. I’m sure he has plenty of blood on his hands, but who am I to judge.

  Amon studies my face. “Anything else?”

  I bite my lip. That should cover the major things. “No.”

  He smiles and reaches his hand out to mine.

  I stare at it for a moment.

  His voice draws me out of my daze. “I won’t bite... hard.” The corner of his mouth curls up. “That is, unless you ask.”

  My hand grasps his and fire engulfs our combined connection. I can’t draw my eyes away from the red and orange glow. A burning sensation takes over my wrist and I grit my teeth to hold in the groan of pain. When he pulls his hand away, I turn my arm to inspect a small “A” that is branded into the skin on the inside of my right wrist.

  “What the fuck is this?” My voice rises in volume.

  He shrugs his shoulders. “It’s a reminder of your debt to me. It will go away once the debt has been paid.”

  My fingers run over it. Fire has never burnt me before and that shit hurt.

  “If you can find someone that can transport realms, they can leave without permission.” He winks at me.

  Dammit. Bael can, but I know he won’t take me until he feels like I’m prepared to take care of myself. An idea forms. “Can you transport realms?”

  Amon shakes his head.

  I lean forward, wanting to ask him, but change my mind. One favor is more than enough to owe him. I lift my wrist to inspect my new, unwanted tattoo.

  Standing up, he smirks again. “Just remember that despite your light, this place is still dark, and your prince has the darkest blood running through him. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll figure it out.” He takes a step toward me and his red eyes flicker, almost as if flames are blazing inside. “I’ll see you soon, firefly.”