Free Relic (The Brethren Series) by Deena Remiel Page A

socks, taking a moment to cherish the dainty feet with the ruby red polished nails. He massaged them lightly before putting a light blanket over her. A stray curl had found its way to her mouth, and he brushed it aside only to be taken in by its lushness. God, she is so irresistibly kissable ! Against his better judgment, against his conscience screaming in his head to leave her room immediately, he bent over and put the whisper of a kiss upon her lips.
    Just one. To ease the ache.
    As he retreated, he heard her rustle and sigh his name. But it did nothing to soothe him, for he couldn’t be sure; was it Serena who yearned for him, or Sirona? And who did he really yearn for?
    He had to get out of there and get his head on straight. Raphael decided there would be no more overt or secret romantic encounters between them. Granted, it was all up to him. She certainly hadn’t thrown herself at him. He’d been the aggressor, and that had to stop, now. Lord knew he’d made a psychological mess of himself. With a new sense of direction, he went to the study and threw himself into his work.
    He called Kemuel first for an update on Serena’s attacker. They hadn’t found him yet, and through gnashed teeth, he spewed and sputtered a few well-chosen curses to release his frustration. He talked to Gabriel next and gave him all the information he needed to research this Dr. Chappo Jared had supposedly worked for. He sent a text message to Emma asking her to come out the next day for a healing session on Serena. Her ribs were still giving her pain. He could tell even though she tried to hide it well. Every time she breathed in a little too deeply, he saw her wincing. And because he was a Savior, his healing abilities afforded him insight others didn’t have. He could see her internal organs were still feeling the effects of having been battered. Serena didn’t seem to be the type to sit around for very long, so a healing session would give her the opportunity to be mobile again. Finally, he looked up the number for Monica Rainchild.
    If she is as good as Serena says, she’ll be able to settle this craziness once and for all. She’ll find the connection between Serena and my dead wife .
     
    ***
     
    Afternoon faded into early evening as Serena rested, giving her body a chance to heal. Raphael had begun to prepare their dinner when he heard her. She wasn’t screaming, or even crying. Instead, she sang a song he remembered well, and a sob caught in his throat. Sirona had written that song and sang it to him as part of their wedding ceremony.
    How much more if this would he have to endure? First, holding Serena over the threshold of the ranch elicited memories of walking into his and Sirona’s new home and making love right there in the foyer. Now Serena sang their song in her sleep. It was like a lead weight on his heart.
    He thrust the ladle into the pot of bubbling chili and stormed out of the house with hot tears streaming down his face. He headed to the meditation pond to try to find a small piece of solace. The soothing water trickling over the river rocks irritated him. The sand offered only jagged, angry designs. Nothing here helped release the torment and suffering churning in his chest. The memories of losing his wife so long ago were fresh and crushing his heart into mangled pieces.
    He had escaped the grief and despair purposefully after she’d been murdered. Some might say he took the coward’s way out, and they would be right. He’d been a coward. But there was no turning away from the abject misery now. It taunted him night and day. Every time he looked at Serena, listened to her as she talked in her sleep, he knew Sirona to be right there haunting him. Begging him to succumb to the notion that she really did exist once more.
     
    ***
     
    What’s gotten hold of Raphael? Serena wondered. It couldn’t be good and seemed to be ripping him apart. She had awakened to find twilight upon them and tested her walking