Page 24 of The Human Element (The Human Element Collection #1)

Lorelei

Lorelei woke the following morning feeling the best she had in several days.

Falling asleep with Daemon and feeling his comforting presence was pure bliss.

It gave her the rest she so desperately needed.

However, she noticed his presence was gone when she reached her fingers out to find his warm body no longer there.

A piece of her felt colder than it had before.

After last night, the reminder of his tongue tangling with hers, the feel of his powerful hands moving along her spine, pulling her closer; the memory now laced permanently within her mind.

But she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d ever get used to the sudden disappearances, the little she actually knew about his life, or the fact he was centuries old while she’d barely begun living.

Would she ever amount to knowing all of him?

Even the most brutal of details? Although the way her soul sang for him encapsulated every bit of the kind of love or passion she only thought possible in fairytale stories, was that enough?

Or would she find herself lost in a flurry of navigating only the bits and pieces she’d find out about him, never fully gauging the sum of who Daemon is or has been throughout his long lifetime.

Not to mention, she would die. And he would live on for centuries more. A sickening feeling erupted in her stomach at the thought; a combination of anxiety and grief, for a life she wasn’t sure would be possible with him.

I mean…with the circumstances..is it even possible to have a normal life with Daemon if I won’t be around in eternity with him? Will we even make it to “what comes next?”

She knew dwelling on the 'what ifs' was the biggest killer of them all. Her father suffered its wrath, and she has found it to be a relentless companion over the last year since his passing. Her therapist continuously reminded her that to think of a future difficulty, or to reminisce on a past regret, which led to nothing more than the surest way to forever living life as a prisoner to your thoughts. In the situation she was in, there wasn’t room to succumb to the unknown, for it was all unknown right now. Lorelei needed to put that away for another day, or she could very well drive away the first true and loving relationship with a man in her life. To worry about the future was a death wish to her wellbeing, and the possibilities of her and Daemon’s potential future.

Negativity and self-doubt, be damned. Just enjoy it for the split second, Lorelei. Enjoy the incredibly sexy angel who fucking kisses you like the meaning of life could be sucked off your tongue.

She sat up and stretched, having successfully averted another wave of self-decimating thoughts for now. Although, it felt like it was becoming a little easier to keep those thoughts at bay. Maybe it was Daemon’s presence that made her feel stronger, more capable. Less alone.

Lorelei lifted her arm to inspect it, the cloth from another of her ripped up t-shirts was surprisingly unsoaked with blood, but she didn’t want to risk taking it off until she had something to replace it.

The early morning light beamed through the sheer curtains on the wall across from her, speckling little shapes across her body as she got out of bed and began to dress.

Slipping on a pair of bootcut yoga pants, a long-sleeved red, form-fitting t-shirt and her tennis shoes, she went to the bathroom.

Looking in the mirror, she at least thought she looked more alive than yesterday, and decided to leave off the foundation and put on a thin layer of mascara, before brushing her blonde hair that fell into waves down her shoulders, which it always did when she went to sleep with it still wet after a shower.

After brushing her teeth, she heard a knock at the room door.

Making her way over, she opened it and immediately smiled, eyeing Daemon over as he strode through the door and began unloading some supplies he had in his arms. Besides his usual stunning emerald eyes that always made Lorelei’s heart flutter when she looked into them, and his long silvery locks that whipped around his shoulders, Daemon looked like an entirely different person.

She had only ever seen him in a pair of dark jeans and a basic, grey hoodie.

But now, he wore a black leather jacket that fit his form perfectly, a blue t-shirt beneath it, and some black jeans that had a few rips in them.

He also donned a new pair of black boots.

Lorelei watched as he began unpacking some medical supplies from a bag onto the dresser.

He turned to her and with his usual nonchalant manner, addressed her with a broad smile.

“Sleep well, Sunflower?”

Lorelei’s mind wandered back to the moments just before she fell away into the soothing depths of sleep.

Remembering Daemon’s steadied breathing, the warmth of his body against her own, and the gentle stroking of his hand through her hair, she couldn’t recall if she ever slept more soundly.

Which, considering what they were going through, was a funny thing to happen at all.

Lorelei decided it was best to play it cool; give him a taste of his own medicine.

“Oh you know, sleeping next to such a loud snorer will have anybody miserably exhausted when they wake up.”

Despite her best effort, she couldn’t help but laugh. Daemon pulled her arms to wrap around his torso, and she let him guide her to him, looking up to that perfectly infuriating smirk she adored.

“I’m pretty sure I recall you being the one snoring last night, Madame.”

Lorelei smiled in return and nodded.

“You’re probably right. It seemed like I slept like the dead!”

Daemon smiled at her, grabbing her chin between his fingers; not roughly, but teasingly, holding her in his grasp until he leaned down and kissed her lips gently.

The dichotomy of the firm hold and the gentility he expressed with the kiss sent an array of melting affection that still ignited the match he so easily lit, sending her mind to the image of pushing him to the bed without another thought.

Only this time, she didn't plan on sleeping.

She did however reluctantly silence the temptation for the time being.

“I’m glad to hear that, as I believe you will be needing as much energy as possible today. Let’s rewrap your arm, eh?”

Rolling her eyes, his firm grip still on her chin made her toes curl. She wanted nothing more than to fulfill her latest daydream.

"Mm, all work and no play, is it?"

His smile broadened and he looked far too pleased at the effect of his teasing, so much so, he lowered his lips again, but instead of planting a kiss, let his lips trail her chin towards her ear, sending shivers throughout her body.

Whispering softly, she gripped his jacket in an attempt to control herself.

"We are on a tight schedule, my lady. I'm afraid playtime will have to wait."

Lorelei's heart skittered to unfathomable speeds at being called his lady —it was unquestionably the sexiest thing she'd ever heard. To be his was slowly becoming all she desired to be; and she liked the sound of it on his lips .

Holding it together felt impossible now, but she knew their time would come and consented begrudgingly.

She stole another small kiss, an open act of defiance to the angel's promptness to tending to the schedule of their very desperate salvation, before heading to the edge of the bed.

She began unwrapping the makeshift bindings and when her wound was completely exposed, they both made an audible gasp.

The lassoed burn marks that previously ravaged her forearm the night prior were already half-way healed. Although it still sent pangs of pain when he touched it, it was duller than the night before. Lorelei studied her arm a moment when Daemon spoke at last.

“How is this possible? I haven’t even been able to use my healing abilities on you yet, and somehow it is almost entirely healed.”

Daemon looked like he was in deep thought, doing his best to figure out the puzzle in front of him. When it felt like minutes passed, he spoke again, this time looking directly at Lorelei.

“Lorelei, I want to see something. Do you remember how long it took you to recover after you were hit by the car?”

Lorelei blinked several times and then did her best to remember what happened once she woke up in the hospital all those years ago.

The only thing that came to mind was that despite her injuries, the doctors kept saying how shocked they were at how quickly she was healing after something that should’ve killed her, or at the very least paralyzed her.

“I think I healed pretty fast actually. Why?”

Daemon didn’t answer her question but continued to ask his own.

“Do you recall healing quickly with any other injuries you had after that day?”

Lorelei began recalling all the injuries that happened after the crash.

There were plenty of injuries playing soccer growing up; cracked ribs, twisted ankle, fractured pinky.

As well as the time she hurt her ankle after having a particularly wild night in London on her way back from a pub.

She had never noticed before, but she did seem to always heal fast whenever something happened.

“Yes, I do believe I have always healed rapidly...even as a kid, I don’t even remember bruises or scrapes lasting very long now that I think about it.”

A hint of realization sparked within Daemon’s eyes.

“I think when I gave you a piece of my soul that night, its healing power lingered long afterwards, allowing you to heal much faster than normal. Having never heard of any other angel doing this before, I didn’t know what the long lasting effects would be.

But it seems it has come in handy for you. ”

Lorelei returned her attention to her arm and it almost seemed like she could feel her body healing itself.

“Well, I suppose I have another reason to thank you for saving my life that night.”

She met his eyes and saw guilt hidden behind them still, but she didn’t say anything. She only hoped he would see she was no longer upset about the situation soon enough. After Daemon wrapped her arm again, he stood and made his way back toward the door.

“If you’re ready, I believe the kid is already downstairs stuffing his face with breakfast at the restaurant in the hotel. We should tuck in and grab a bite before it's all gone. I want to talk over our plans for the day.”

There was the slightest notion of disdain when Daemon mentioned Samuel.

She didn’t blame him; he was skeptical in nature, and to top it off, they were bringing along the son of one of the people most wanting to see their demise.

But when Lorelei first looked into Samuel’s eyes, she felt something there that didn’t make her believe his intentions were false.

She really believed he was a kid in a situation and circumstances he never wished to be in.

She pitied him, and wanted to help in whatever way she could.

Ignoring Daemon's tone, she grabbed her purse and followed him hand in hand, down to breakfast.