Original Sin

Chapter 9

Where to begin searching for this key? The list of possible locations was endless. Hailey plodded along the trail down Mount Ararat to the town below, lost in her thoughts. It was nighttime now and much colder than she thought it would be. A winter wind ran up her T-shirt and down her jeans, chilling her spine, making her yearn for Alex's warmth. On cold nights, he was like a comfortable blanket, always warm and caring and passionate...

Hailey felt the redness rising in her cheeks. Well, at least she warmed up a bit. But this was no time to be thinking naughty thoughts. There was work to be done and the first step was to get into town and find a room for the night.

She found lodging at a homely B&B run by an adorable old grandma. The lady practically squealed at Hailey's perfect Arabic, then she asked if Hailey was single. This usually happened when she moved to a new place. Her attractive features and cultural knowledge made the ideal partner for anybody anywhere in the world. Old ladies picked up on this and tried to pair her off with every single man they could find. Hailey politely responded that she was, in fact, betrothed to a wonderful man who often traveled extensively for work. The explanation worked every time. If there was one element consistent across all cultures, it was that you don't ever touch another man's woman. Even in such a tumultuous, sinful era of romance, this was still true.

As Hailey stood under the shower in her room, she took a moment to think about her overall plan to end the curse. It wasn't so simple as obtaining the power of a thousand fallen angels. It also wasn't about going back to a state like the Garden of Eden. That just wasn't possible anymore; humanity had come too far from the perfection that the Garden represented. More than anything, Hailey needed to restore the balance that she and Alex had interrupted. Right now, the easiest way to do that was to use the Rock of Ages to send her own soul to the next world, be it Heaven or Hell. Hailey wasn't quite sure if this mythical rock could do that or how it would work, but she guessed that Michael didn't know either. 

Ah, Michael...What are you playing at?

She was lost in this thought when something, or someone, brushed against the back of her shoulders. Her breath hitched in her throat. She hadn't heard anyone open the bathroom door. There were no footsteps in the room. Yet, the touch was warm, sensual, comforting. Hailey spun around. As her back slid on the shower tiles, her eyes found long black hair and deep dark eyes.

"Alex." It was a statement, not a question. "This is unexpected." 

"Hey," he said wrapping his hand around her waist, bringing her closer to him. His other hand gently caressed her face, trailing down her neck, stopping just above her breasts. Hailey ran her fingers up his chest. He was so different from her, dark and muscular. She was fair and dainty. Each of them was perfect. They shared a perfect bond, a love even God himself could not understand. She finally sank into his embrace and let out a sigh of relief. He was a different kind of warmth, the kind she needed right now.

"Rough day, huh?"

"Yeah." Hailey decided to save the troublesome details for another time.

Alex lifted her chin so she could see his face. His eyes burned with desire for her. She felt it too, how his hand around her waist tightened and her stomach turned somersaults. He leaned in for a deep kiss, and Hailey let him kiss her all he wanted. She knew her fingernails were digging into his broad shoulders, yet still she wanted to be closer, as if her whole being could fuse with his.

Then he stopped. Alex just pulled away without warning, his hands moving to her shoulders, just staring at her. His eyes studied every inch of her, memorizing her. She didn't understand what he was doing.

"What's wrong?" She wanted to look at him, cradling his face in both hands and wiping the water droplet out of his eyes.

"Nothing...I just needed to you look at you again, to make sure this was real."

Did he believe this wasn't what she wanted? Hailey closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against his chest. I suppose he might think that, she thought. 

"I'm sorry, Alex." Hailey lifted her head once again and looked into the eyes of the man she'd sworn her life to. "You should know that I don't love you any less than the day we met. It's just..." A tear ran down her cheek as she thought of the right words to tell him how much she loved him, that it was never his actions or words that drove her to desire death. "I don't know if you can feel what I'm feeling. A part of me hopes you can because the weight of everything is so heavy." The reality of her choices hit Hailey like a raging storm. She could not have anticipated how much darker the world had become because of them. They could fix it...at a cost that was so much to give! 

It was an impossible choice.

Alex's eyes welled up with his own tears. "If there was one thing I wish I could have done differently, Hailey, it would be to switch places with you." His voice was pure sadness, laced with anger and regret. He grit his teeth, holding back the full fury of his angel power. Hailey could feel it vibrating in his hands.

Alex braced his hand on the tile wall. He kissed Hailey and pushed her back against the shower, his arm around her waist taking the brunt of such a forceful hit that it cracked the tiles. This was no longer intimacy. Now it was sheer need, angry lust. His kisses trailed down her neck, teeth lightly grazing just above her sternum, making her gasp for breath. All Hailey could do was burry her face and hands in his hair. This wasn't how they made love in the past. No, this was rougher, full of the notion that it could very well be the last time. Both screamed so loud it probably sounded inhuman. Oh, the irony!

She was out of breath. Alex slowly lowered her to the bathroom floor and shut off the water. "Stay with me tonight," Hailey whispered in his ear, inhaling deeper, preserving this steamy memory deep in her soul. Alex kept her plastered tightly against his chest. He wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. 

Hailey decided that if she didn't sleep tonight, that would be okay. She could sleep later, sleep when she's dead.