Free Lost In Time: A Fallen Novel by Christie Palmer Page B

head. “Surprised me.” The water hadn’t really helped her scratchy voice.
    “Gods, STOP talking,” he bellowed. Every time she got a word out, it ripped at him for acting before thinking. He had been hanging out with the Trackers for too long.
    She launched from the bed as if it were on fire. Her cloak flew off. He got his first real look at her. She wore blood red leather pants that hung low on lean hips, a matching mid-drift leather vest barely covered her full breasts. She had bright red hair pulled into a tight ponytail at the crown of her head. It hung in a thick braid down to just below her knees. A gold chain wound around and around her mid-drift, the chain linking to a stud in her bellybutton.
    She was so stunning he just stood there staring at her. When she pulled a gun from a holster under her arm he came to his senses.
    “What?” he barked, throwing his hands up.
    She had opened the door between their rooms and was now pointing to him with her gun and then to the open door. Marcus sighed. He was doing a brilliant job. First he strangles her, and then ogles her. He should slap himself.
    Nodding to her, he walked through the door, but turned to say they would be talking about what had happened later, when she felt better, but the door was already slammed and he heard the lock click into place.
    Swearing to himself, he stood by the door until he heard room service come and leave. When he heard the clink of utensils he moved away. If she was eating then he knew that she was going to heal.
    Marcus headed for the shower wishing he understood woman just a little bit.
    ****
    “He tried to kill me,” Celeste muttered to herself for the hundredth time. At least her voice was back and her throat didn’t feel as if she had sucked down lava. She wandered to the mirror and looked at the fading bruises.
    She had to admit to herself he hadn’t actually tried to kill her, but he had certainly tried to hurt her, and regardless of how fast she may heal, it still hurt like hell. Beyond all that, why had Calliope come to her? Why had he made her the offer he had?
    She wasn’t about to turn her back on her father and brothers, but what was the Reaper trying to accomplish by getting her to trade sides?
    There were so many questions and little time. Celeste stood at the window watching the sunrise. It was an amazing and wonderful thing to watch. Anyone who lived on this plane should never take it for granted. Nothing in the Infernos came close to the beauty she saw whenever she was on the mortal plane and was blessed to watch a sunrise she took advantage of it and gloried in the sunrise. She placed her hand on the cool glass watching the dark colors of night bleed into bright oranges and reds, purples and then blue. It took her breath away every time, bringing with it a calm she hadn’t had several moments before. She had a job to do and regardless of what Marcus thought of her, she wasn’t working with Calliope. The only way she knew how to convince Marcus of that was to prove it. She added proving she wasn’t a traitor to the list she had going for showing Marcus her worthiness. With that in her mind, she headed for the shower, a new day was beginning, and with it a new resolve to make today better than yesterday.
    ****
    “Did you get any sleep?” Marcus accused the moment he set eyes on her. “You look terrible. Don’t forget your cloak.”
    Celeste smiled. “Actually I didn’t. I was cowering in the corner of my hotel room in fear of my life from my own partner,” she said with as much sarcasm as she could. “And don’t you think wearing a cloak around Sydney is going to draw more attention to us then me walking around in normal clothing?”
    “I don’t know where you got your definition of normal.” He looked her up and down, his green eyes finally coming back to hers. He gave her a look like he had been forced to eat something he thought horrible distasteful. “But that is not normal.” The last part he