Chapter One

Cloud swaddling slowly unraveled as she freed her limbs. Blinking to focus her eyes, she took in the infinite blue of the sky stretching over and around her. An inhale brought crisp, sweet air in to tease her taste buds. A light sheen of morning dew coated her skin, cooling with the brush of thinning mist, and she shivered at the slight shift in temperature but didn??t try to cover herself. She??d never tasted or seen or felt before this moment. And, oh, how she loved it all!

Everything is so new!

Finally, a body independent from the heavens, a mind all her own. She could see??well, not much besides clouds and sky, but more would come soon enough. Somewhere below, the world waited for her to explore. Freedom was finally hers, beckoning like a swaying lantern at the end of a seemingly infinite tunnel.

But she had to be patient, just a little longer and??

The mist brushed her again and gooseflesh rose on all over her naked body. In a flurry of motion, the clouds rolled over her and formed pure white cloth. The smooth fabric slithered along her skin, and all the newborn nerves within sparked like tiny lightning bolts. Covered from head to toe, she writhed to free herself. No use, the cloth imprisoned her. The tiny electric shocks burned until every part of her became overwhelmed, until her skin went numb. She opened her mouth. The fabric stifled her screams.

No! You can??t take this away from me! Not yet! Please!

The cloth slid away from her face. She could see. Digging her fingers into her shoulders, she hugged herself. This body belonged to her. She??d fight to keep it if she must.

A figure approached, cloaked in the gray of the storm clouds rolling in the distance. Kind eyes looked out of the shadows of a deep hood. His rich voice resonated without and within. ??There is nothing to fear, little one. No one will take what you??ve been given.??

Her hold on herself loosened a little as she relaxed. Only one would meet her at the beginning of life, and He wouldn??t lie to her.

??Look, Fae. Look at the beauty below. Lose yourself to it.?? A pale hand swept out toward the unfolding wonders of the world. ??All will be well once you learn the flow. Voice any questions you have. They will be answered.??

The clouds parted to reveal wonder and beauty. A child brought to life, a man clothed in pale blue passed it to another. The look on the second man??s face made her want to sing for him. Such a gift, a new heartbeat to sound out in the glorious harmony of existence.

Then she watched a life fade. Eyes closed in peace, a welcome release from pain. A gift of a different sort, freedom from suffering.

Perfect, and she loved it. And she would watch it forever. A blessing, really, to watch them enjoy all they were given.

All I will never have.

The figure drifted to her side and stroked cheek with a long, thick finger, the smooth tip hot enough to leave a lingering warmth on her flesh. ??But you can have this, my child. Shall I tell you how???

Wide-eyed, she tried to make out the face that disappeared into the darkness of the hood. ??Yes, please.??

??Take what you are given, Fae. Take the gift of knowledge, of eternity.?? The last words were whispered from the standing shade of the vanishing form. ??And then take more.??

More?

A warm breeze flipped the hood from her head and teased her long golden tresses until they danced around her. The clouds fluffed up and swirled with the skirt of her gown. Red light bled into the sky as the sun rose high above the horizon to bathe the world below.

She rubbed her arms through the diaphanous cloth that covered her. The clouds seemed to filter the warmth, leaving her cold. And His voice echoed over all her first peaceful thoughts until only one remained.

What more could one want?

Cravis rotated the beer bottle in his hand and watched the waitresses do their little cleanup routine, dancing and laughing while they collected bottles and glasses and garbage, hips shimmying as they stretched over tables to give them a good scrub. The whole scene reminded him of some dirty music video, hot, but redundant after the hundredth time.

Elbow on the table, cheek propped on his fist, he brought the bottle to his lips. A girl peeked at him while she rubbed down a vinyl seat and bent over. He took a swig and let his eyes skim over her tight ass, left bare by the black miniskirt. Little pink pussy lips strained against a transparent excuse for panties.

I suppose it??s a good thing she shaves. He arched a brow when she frowned at him, and she scurried off to clean something else. Wouldn??t be kosher to have her pubes in the pretzel bowls.

After another swig, he slammed his bottle on the table. ??I??m bored.??

His brother must have been waiting for him to finally say something because he immediately sprang up from his slouch on the padded black bench across the table. A crooked smile on his lips, Travis made a ??come hither?? motion with his fingers to the waitress topping off the saltshakers.

The new girl approached their table with quick, stiff steps. She swallowed and faced his brother. ??Yes, Travis???

Travis picked her up and sat her on the table. ??We need to talk.??

Talk. Right. Cravis saved his beer from her wiggling ass and rolled his eyes when she ducked her head and giggled. A bleached blond chunk of hair slipped over one bland, blue eye. She wrinkled her nose and blew at it.

Tucking the hair behind her ear with one hand, Travis fingered the buttons of her snug red shirt with the other. ??What??s your name, cutie???

Hands fluttering over her bare chest as her shirt came apart, she blushed. ??Sarah.??

??How do you like working here???

??The money??s great.?? Her gaze drifted down and locked on Travis??s crotch. ??And everyone??s so??nice.??

Her shirt slipped off her shoulders and drifted onto the table. The tan of her bare flesh glowed orange under black lights.

Travis reached around and unhooked her bra. ??Yeah, we??re a friendly bunch.?? He lifted her heavy breasts in his hands and bent down to flick a hard nipple with his tongue. ??You taste like an orange creamsicle.?? He smacked his lips. ??Did you let Bambi talk you into using her lotion, Steph???

The girl groaned and raked her hands into his pitch-black hair as he licked a figure eight around her other nipple. ??It??s Sarah.??

??Whatever.?? Travis palmed a breast and held it out to Cravis as though offering a hunk of bread. ??Have a taste, brother. She??s clean.??

With heavy-lidded eyes, the girl looked at Travis, then Cravis, and set her hands behind her. The table creaked as she shifted. A moan passed through her parted lips when Travis pinched her nipple, and her thighs inched apart. Arousal rose from her, hot and moist, like musk-scented steam.

Hmm, maybe?? ??Is that what you want, Sarah??? Cravis stood and slid his chair out of the way. ??You want me to taste you???

She swallowed and nodded.

The edges of his lips crept up. ??To touch you???

Her breathing sped up. ??Yes.??

He nudged Travis out of the way and put his hands on the table at either side of her hips. Tiny goose bumps rose all over her breasts as he moved close enough for her to feel his heat. ??To fuck you???

??Please.?? She whimpered and her whole body shook, as though he were already inside her, bringing her close to the edge, refusing to let her go over. ??Oh, please.??

??Very well.?? Cravis straightened and nodded at Travis. ??Chain her to the table.??

??What??? She gaped toward the bar when Travis disappeared behind it, scrambling off the table at the sound of rattling chains. ??You guys are sick. I don??t do stuff like that.??

Travis popped up and dropped enough chains on the bar to wrap around the tire of a semi. ??Aw, come on, Stacy????

??It??s Sarah.?? She snatched her shirt and dashed for the door as though she thought they??d chase her. The door hung open for a moment, letting in catcalls from the street.

??Well, that sucks.?? Travis stashed the chains, and then folded his arms on the bar. His lips turned down in a mock frown. ??Did you have to scare her off, Cravis???

Cravis laughed. ??Even you don??t like them that easy. Not the first time anyway.??

Their Haitian beauty, whom they??d named Bambi for her big, brown eyes, ambled over, lashes fluttering. ??I??d let you chain me up.??

So accommodating. So warm. A shame he??d had to back off before she got attached. He liked her too much to destroy her.

That in mind, he tapped her little nose and smiled. ??But you wouldn??t enjoy it.??

??Ugh.?? Travis made a face like he??d bitten an apple and just spotted half a worm. ??Since when do you care???

Bambi rolled her eyes and sauntered around the bar.

??Since our most loyal employee provided an alibi for my careless little brother.?? He leaned against the bar and accepted the shot Bambi poured him, inhaling the sharp sweetness before downing the rum. He took a moment to enjoy the slow burn. ??She??s earned your respect.??

??I suppose so, even though it really wasn??t my fault. That guy sold me his soul to keep him out of jail. How was I supposed to know he??d just robbed the bank around the corner and killed two cops???

??Five thousand years and you still haven??t figured out how to spot a rotten deal? That guy??s soul was worth about as much as a case full of counterfeit money.?? Then again, a good deal took patience, and Travis had none. ??If they??re ready to gift wrap their soul within seconds of the offer, you really don??t want it.??

??Hey, I??ve done my quota for the year. How ??bout you???

??I??ve got a few months???? His gaze snapped to Bambi when a glass shattered. He reached out and ran his thumb over her trembling bottom lip. ??Don??t worry, sweetheart. You??ve got yours back.??

??Enough shop talk. Now I??m getting bored.?? Travis tapped his fingers on the bar and screwed up his brow the way he did when he was thinking too hard. ??We need a new toy.??

A toy? Cravis shook his head and ran his tongue over his teeth. He didn??t want a mindless toy to play with until it broke. The very idea of taking yet another soulless whore turned his stomach.

He traced the rim of his shot glass with a finger. Laugh and you??ll eat those pearly whites, brother. ??I want a pet.??

Travis didn??t even smile. ??That??s a tall order.??

??No goldfish digs??? Thanking Bambi for a refill, he watched Travis??s mouth flatten into a thin line and relaxed. For once, they were on the same page. ??I kept the last one for almost a hundred years.??

??I remember.??

The bar got very quiet as the waitresses filed out the front door. Bambi walked around the bar and gave them each a peck on the cheek before joining her friends on the street.

Travis stared at the door long after it closed. ??I didn??t stick around; I only came after???? He shoved his hands in his pockets and scowled. ??I thought you were gonna give up.??

Cravis laughed. ??Who me??? He sobered when Travis wrenched his hands out of his pockets and folded his arms over his chest. ??Estelle was??different. I forgot her mortality, even as she faded away. And I got too wrapped up in her.?? A smack in the center of Travis??s chest shook the scowl. At Cravis??s next words, it disappeared. ??Won??t happen again.??

??Good to know.?? Travis dropped an arm over Cravis??s shoulders and almost knocked him off his feet. ??Now let??s go get us a goldfish.??