The Darkest Joy Read online

  He took a silver briefcase off the floor and rested it on the counter. Man, did he have that when he came in? Sandy wondered, but she figured that his good looks just kept her from noticing what he had in his hands.

  "You can just call me B. Everyone does.” The case opened with a soft click, and he pulled out some papers. “I'd like to offer you a deal, a contract of sorts that will make your wildest dreams come true."

  "You mean you can still get me my modeling career?” Sandy asked in breathless excitement. No more working in a deadbeat diner! No more cleaning grease traps!

  "I can get you anything you want. All you have to do is sign this. But let's talk about it a little, okay?” B handed her the contract, and on the top, in very formal embossed letters, she read Belial Agency written in gold.

  "By the way, do you know what shift Bliss works at the hospital? B asked mildly. “Just in case Caim needs to know."

  "It depends, but one of the desk nurses will know if he goes by and asks,” Sandy replied as she trained her focus on the contract. “Hey, this contract says I have to sign in my blood. That is kind of gross."

  "It's just a formality, my dear,” B supplied. “Let's talk about how famous I am going to make you first."

  While he talked, Sandy giggled, her focus on her new career and not the smell of sulfur that was coming off the papers she held in her hands.

  * * * *

  Caim had phased out of the diner parking lot and directly to New York. Manhattan had its usual crowd on the street, but he walked through the lonely night aimlessly. Nothing he passed or even the glitz of Times Square called his interest like it used to. The only thing that was in his mind and that encompassed his every thought was Bliss. He felt a tremor run through him as he remembered the kiss they had shared. Her taste, her lips were more desirable than he had possibly dreamt. If he were still an angel in heaven, he would have gladly given up eternity to touch her and have her love. Now that he lived in a realm that no one ever wanted to see, the choice was much easier.

  The eye-catching glamour of Times Square passed into silent streets. He walked by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where columns stood silently guarding the structure. I wonder if Bliss has ever seen New York. It was one thought that passed though his head. He didn't know how long he wandered, but the bells of St. Patrick's Cathedral finally brought him out of his musing. He looked down at his feet, where his shoes had begun to sizzle. Even the sidewalk in front of the church was consecrated, but he didn't step away, preferring the pain of holy ground to being without it. He looked up at the church that rose majestically into the sky. It reached up to heaven where he couldn't, and its bells encouraged people to enter where he could not tread. Instead he could only stand and stare up at its glorious artistry and feel such an ache and loss over what he had become, it was almost unbearable.

  "Missing your past?” The snide remark caused Caim to grit his teeth. “He doesn't want you back you now, and I'm enjoying watching you sizzle like bacon."

  "What do you want, Belial? Did you have to go on a food run or something, secretary?” Caim asked nonchalantly.

  Belial snarled in his face as he turned and stepped off the curb. “One of these days, I am going to kill you for that remark."

  "Yes, and one of these days, you will work yourself up to middle management. Again, what do you want, gopher?"

  "I followed your trail, and I decided to stop in and say hello.” Belial's face changed from anger to the pristine beauty.

  "Oh, how sweet, now you're stalking me. What did I do to deserve that?” Caim said, mocking him.

  "Stalking is one of our favorite evils that humans perform. But no, I was wondering why you were in a little rinky-dink town called Merry? As far as I know, we have no contracts there."

  Caim felt his heart drop when Belial mentioned Merry. Not from worry for himself, but for Bliss. “I was looking for new prospects. You know small towns like that always have a few people who would sell their souls for a break."

  "Why, Caim, I didn't know you were trying to move up in the demon ranks. Could it be you have given up the notion of getting back in the so-called Almighty's good graces?” Belial had a shocked expression on his face. It was a fake, of course, which made Caim want to smash it off his face.

  "I'm a demon now. I have come to terms with that.” Caim almost growled.

  "Oh goody, goody!” Belial clapped his hands. “Samael will be thrilled to hear it!"

  "Can you be any more gay?"

  Belial laughed and then turned serious. “That, dear boy, is called sarcasm. I know you are up to something, and I will find out what."

  "It's your time to waste, Belial,” Caim replied. “Now go away. Your stench is gagging the cockroaches."

  "Fuck off!” Belial gave him the finger before he faded out of sight.

  "Right back at you,” Caim muttered as he continued his walk. He would have to be more careful now that Belial was sniffing around. The best thing would be to never see Bliss again. But that would leave an ache in his chest that would not go away, even in an eternity. He couldn't wait another thousand years to feel like he did now. That little clause had been the only thing that kept him going on for all those endless years. It was the one thing that would save him from an endless eternity in hell. The church bells chimed again and filled his heart with hope and the clear, clean sound. It was like the ones he had left were telling him not to give up. He wouldn't.

  * * * *

  "Oh my god!” Amber's eyes were wide as saucers when Bliss related the night's events. “Okay, tell me about the kiss again. On a scale of one to ten, how was it?"

  "Off the freaking scale!” Bliss leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees. “I mean, if kisses were addictive, I'd be hooked right now. What am I saying? I am hooked!"

  It was true after that one kiss. Bliss drove home in her little blue car in a state of euphoria. With her lips still tingling and his scent in her nose, she got dressed for bed in a haze and practically floated into bed. Her body tingled with unspent excitement and sexual need after only one kiss. The next day she had gotten up and cleaned her entire house while singing “You Are My Candy Girl.” Oh yeah, I'm hooked.

  Amber laughed out loud. “You are such a slut!"

  "Hey, it was technically our first date.” Bliss grinned.

  "Oh, I retract the slut thing then. When are you going to see him again?"

  Amber posed the question, and the intercom interrupted their conversation. It called for Bliss to come down to the ER. She picked up her tools of the trade and left her office with Amber hot on her trail.

  "So?” Amber asked again.

  "So what?” Bliss pretended to be clueless.

  "Oh, don't make me park outside your house with binoculars. You know what I mean. When will you see him again?"

  "I guess when I see him. It's not like we exchanged phone numbers or anything. Oh my God, I feel like a kid.” Bliss slapped her fingers against her head.

  "Ah, young love,” Amber said, teasing her. The two friends separated where the corridor to the ER and another section of the hospital met. Amber smacked Bliss on the bottom, and she let out a tiny squeal. “Bye, babe. Don't work too hard."

  "Later, gator,” Bliss called. She reached out and hit the automatic buzzer that would open the door to the emergency room.

  The hustle and controlled chaos of the emergency room hit her in a rush. The noise was a low hum of murmured voices with the occasional child's crying or irate patient's loud voice thrown in. She walked to the main desk to get the information on where she should go.

  "Hey, Leslie, where do you guys need me?” Bliss asked the older nurse sitting behind the desk.

  The older lady looked up with a smile on her face, but her eyes darted from Bliss's and stared off behind her. Bliss turned around to see what caught the woman's attention, and her heart began to pound in her chest. Caim, with the gorgeous green stare that had haunted her dreams last night, was now walking toward her. She wa
tched a smile cross Caim's face when he saw her. It lit his face up with brilliance.

  Bliss heard Leslie mutter, “Whoa,” behind her.

  Caim's steps now had a purpose behind them as he made a beeline directly toward her.

  "Hello.” His simple greeting did nothing to mask the desire and happiness she saw in his eyes.

  "Hi,” Bliss answered shyly. “What are you doing here?"

  He frowned slightly. “Last night I told you I would see you today. Am I not allowed to anymore?"

  His bright face was turning to sadness before her eyes. Bliss felt her heart melt. He thinks I don't want to see him.

  "No, not like that, I mean at the hospital. I'm working,” Bliss said in a rush. “I won't be done until after midnight."

  "I can wait. Any time in your presence for me is a joyous one.” Caim smiled, and his fingers trailed along the curve of her face.

  Oh, Bliss thought, and she heard the collective gasps from behind her. When she turned, now three nurses were watching them.

  Leslie's voice broke in. “Bliss, you have a blood draw in curtain seven.” She was in the middle of the trio and handed Bliss a chart.

  "Thanks, I'll get right on it.” Bliss smiled at the nurses. “Caim, do you want to wait in my office?"

  "Can I watch you work?” he asked hopefully.

  "Girl, you better let that hot toddy watch you work. You don't want him roaming the halls,” Leslie said behind her. “If only I was a few years younger."

  "Your husband would kill you, Leslie,” Bliss teased her as she walked away.

  "Yeah, but it would be a good way to go!” Leslie called back.

  "Hot toddy?” Caim asked curiously, following along behind her.

  Bliss laughed. “A hot toddy is a drink."

  "So she thinks I am a drink?"

  Bliss laughed even harder. “No, sweetie, she thinks you are hot, sexy and/or good-looking."

  He bent low and murmured into her ear, “Do you think I am good-looking, hot, and sexy?"

  With his breath against her skin and his close contact, he made her want to melt. “Y-Y-Yes, I do."

  "Then, that is all that matters."

  Bliss couldn't even think of an answer to his statement. Caim was so assured and already so intense with his feelings that she felt a bit overwhelmed. She had never had someone form this kind of bond with her. It scared her, but excited her, how quickly it was happening.

  She pulled back the curtain to reveal a woman sitting on the hospital bed. In her arms, she held a tiny baby girl dressed in pink whose face was crumpled with tears ready to erupt. Oh no! Bliss thought as she instantly felt tears prick the back of her eyes. She loved children, and this was her curse every time one came into the ER. She couldn't bear the thought of children suffering or being in pain.

  The doctor looked up at Bliss and Caim standing there. Bliss abhorred having to work with Dr. Maynard. He was cocky and treated the staff like his own personal slave bank. He had asked her out once, and she said no. From then on, he really took an interest in picking on her every chance he got. His eyes met hers, and his lips curled into a nasty sneer. He wanted to say something about Caim, she just knew it, but because the patient was there, he wouldn't.

  "I need a full panel on the baby. I need the results as soon as possible,” Dr. Maynard ordered. Bliss nodded as he walked past. He stopped for one moment and said under his breath, just enough for her to hear, “Oh, Ms. Tadeo, stop bringing your boy toys to work. We don't need to see who's sharing your bed."

  Bliss rolled her eyes and said nothing. She put her case down on the edge of the gurney and smiled brightly at the worried mother.

  "Excuse me for one moment.” Caim's polite request made her look at him. His eyes were centered on Dr. Maynard as he walked away.

  "Caim, it's okay, please,” Bliss pleaded softly. The mother was already scared to death, and she didn't need to see a scene between Caim and Dr. Jerk. He nodded his assent, and Bliss breathed a small sigh of relief.

  Bliss focused on the job at hand. “Hi, I'm Bliss Tadeo. I'll be taking her blood today."

  The woman gave a jerky nod before asking, “Will it hurt her?"

  "I'll be as gentle as possible,” Bliss assured the mother. She let her fingers roam over the chubby little hand as she spoke. “What's her name?"

  "Her name is Katie.” Tears were in her voice. Fear for her daughter's health marred the young mother's face. “I just want her to be better."

  "We'll make sure she is,” Bliss promised. “Please hold her as still as possible for me, okay?"

  The young woman tried, but as all children do when they are sick and hurting, Katie cried and twisted, and Bliss could not keep her hand still enough to get the needle into the soft skin safely. From the corner of her eye, she saw Caim move close, and his hand touched the baby's cheek.

  "Be still, little one,” he murmured.

  Bliss watched in amazement as the baby quieted down almost instantly and her big brown doe eyes stared up at Caim. She was able to get the twenty-one gauge butterfly needle into Katie's small vein easily. All present watched as the baby's blood flowed along the tiny blue tube and into the sample vials. Bliss had to collect four samples for testing, and each had a different colored top so the lab technician would know exactly what to look for. They would look at the white blood cell count and hemoglobin checks to ensure no internal bleeding. Tests for infection to any vital organs would be run as well. They would pay special attention to the liver and screen for blood clots. It was a very slim chance that the baby would have these things, but they still had to be ruled out. They finally had all they needed, and by that time, under Caim's touch, the baby had fallen asleep as if she had not a care in the world.

  "All done,” Bliss whispered, not wanting to wake the now-sleeping infant. “I'll check back later."

  "Thank you,” the mother whispered. Her eyes settled gratefully on Caim's face and then Bliss. “Thank you."

  As they passed the nurses’ station, Bliss asked one of the nurses to get the woman something to eat. It would take a few hours for the tests to come back, and the tired young mother already looked dead to her feet. A hot sandwich and maybe some coffee or soda would give her a little more staying power for the long night ahead.

  She turned her thoughts back to Caim. Just one touch from him had calmed the baby in mere seconds. There was more to him than he let on. Bliss could tell, and she was excited to find out more about her charming new suitor. Suitor. Bliss laughed at herself as they walked silently down the corridor to her office. I sound like an old historical romance novel. But yet, as they moved together down the lighted hallway, his hand took hers with a simple grace that made her breath catch. This was unlike anything she had ever experienced, and Bliss knew that even though she feared it, she could not deny herself the chance to see where it could go.

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  Chapter Four

  The office door closed with a small click, and suddenly the room felt too small for Bliss. But there was also a familiarity to having Caim in her office, as if she had felt his presence before sharing the same small space. She dismissed the thought as ridiculous since she had only met him the day before. He turned to her and cupped her cheeks. Bliss could not help the sigh that escaped her lips.

  "Your hands, your touch, why does it make me feel this way?” she whispered, rubbing her cheek against his palm. “It's like a cat. I want to lay my head against your chest and purr."

  "I'm glad I make you feel like that.” Caim's voice was a low rumble in his chest.

  "It's not just me. Look at how you calmed the baby with just one touch. If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were magic,” Bliss murmured. Her eyes were closed while she luxuriated in the feel of his touch.

  "Do you believe in magic or the unknown?"

  Bliss gave a husky laugh. “If I have to believe in something, why not magic?"

  "Why not. Can I kiss you again?"

  "Are you going to a
lways ask to kiss me?"

  "Isn't that what I am supposed to do?"

  Bliss let her hands smooth up his chest to around his shoulders. “I was hoping that one day you might feel comfortable enough to kiss me whenever you want."

  "You say one day as if you plan to keep me around for a long time.” Caim's lips were so close to hers she could feel his breath when he spoke.

  "I want to,” Bliss said fervently. “I want it very much."

  The kiss was even better than the first. It buckled her knees, but Caim compensated by pulling her roughly against his chest. She moaned, a sound filled with pleasure and need. His lips tasted and tempted. He drank from her like a thirsty man who craved a drink of water. Bliss gave willingly and let the kiss slide her deeper into the sensual oblivion he was creating. His hands roamed her shoulders and cupped her neck before moving down to pull her hips closer to him. She could feel his hardness against her, and she rubbed against the cause of her aching. His reaction was a low moan in the back his throat. Caim's hands journeyed up her body to cup her breasts through the material of her green scrubs. Bliss felt the heat of his hands through the cotton material. It was almost more than she could bear. She wanted him then, right there, to be underneath him, to feel his cock sink into her and take away the ache he was causing.

  "More, I need more of you,” Caim whispered harshly against her lips. Between kisses, he bit and licked at her neck and molded her breasts in his palms.

  "I need you too!” Bliss was lost in the intensity of the moment. His scent, his touch and taste had her surrounded, and she did not want to break free. He lifted her against him, and she wrapped her legs around his waist before her back was pressed against the wall of her office.

  Caim lifted his head as if he heard a sound from a distance. She turned his face back to her and captured his lips, letting her tongue dart into his mouth. He moaned in response, and Bliss gave a sexy chuckle knowing she affected him just as much. He pulled away once more and let her slide to her feet, backing away as if he suddenly regained his senses. There was a look on his face, like dark storms rolling in off the sea, harsh and angry. The warmth of their passion cooled as she looked at the turmoil on his face.