Dark Angel

by Kim Richardson

  I could still kick her ass. But not from the floor on my knees.

  With my eyes never leaving the angel, I got to my feet, very slowly. That was when I spotted something big, furry, and white.

  A wolf.

  Heart pounding, I held my breath as a white wolf, silent and ominous, stepped from behind her. It was terrifying and magnificent with a large, muscular body the size of an Alaskan malamute. Its fur was the color of snow, and its large golden eyes pinned me on the spot with an eerie stare that gleamed with a heightened intelligence. There was something particular about the way it looked at me, as though its eyes were human. Now that was creepier than Evanora’s smile.

  “The mutt had better be a gift for the witch, or we’re going to have a serious problem,” hissed Tyrius, his demon energies bouncing around him. The angel looked at him, her expression indignant, and my tension rose.

  The sound of a chair scraping had me look over my shoulder. The old witch was standing, leaning heavily on her cane. The look on her face was golden—pure and utter hate. I was really starting to like that old witch.

  Gareth moved his body protectively in front of Danto, who had propped himself on his elbows, looking both shocked and amazed. The elf had his hands in his coat pocket, waiting for my signal to dust these celestial pricks.

  My eyes flicked back to the angel and her wolf. The last time I’d faced an angel, he had taken his own life after I’d touched him and somehow killed his soul. I despised angels, but having one commit suicide in front of me had left a bitter taste in my mouth.

  But the angel had also tried to kill me.

  “What the hell do you want?” I said, a deep anger surging as I made a show of my own soul blade at my hip. “I thought I was cleared of all charges.” My eyes darted to her soul blade. She hadn’t touched it. In fact, she hadn’t moved from that spot.

  The corner of the angel’s eyes tightened. “I know that. That’s not why I’m here.”

  I frowned. “Then why are you here?”

  The angel’s hazel eyes were intense and she said, “We’ve been sent to work on your case.”

  “My case?”

  “Your case number 1036,” answered the angel. A flash of interest broke across the angel’s face, and she looked from the vampire on the ground to the elf and then back to me. “You asked for the Legion’s help. Didn’t you?”

  “And they sent you? Just you and your wolf?” I didn’t care that I sounded skeptical and suspicious. How was I supposed to defeat Lucian with a single angel and her pet dog? This was a joke.

  “I’m actually a white German Shepard,” answered the dog, in a voice that sounded human.

  If I hadn’t been so used to talking cats, I might have passed out.

  “Lance is also an angel,” said the angel woman, her expression guarded. “We work on cases together from time to time. He prefers to be in this body, rather than a human body.”

  I knew all about angels and their human flesh suits. They were supposed to represent them on Earth, a mirror-like image of what they once looked like. Maybe this angel dog didn’t like the way he looked and preferred to look like a dog.

  “I’m a Scout,” said the dog proudly.

  Tyrius barked out a lough. “And what do you scout? Fleas?”

  The dog’s ears swirled on the top of his head. “Best one in the Legion, if you don’t mind me saying.”

  “I mind.” Tyrius leapt forward and positioned himself before the dog. “I mind a hell of a lot.” He made a face. “What the hell is this? An angel masquerading as a dog? Have you ever seen anything so pathetic?”

  “Not as pathetic as a demon masquerading as a cat,” scoffed the dog. Lance tipped his head towards the cat, teeth showing as he pulled back his lips.

  Oh, boy. This wasn’t going to be easy.

  “I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” began Tyrius, his tail slashing behind him like it had a mind of its own. “No. Scratch that. In this case, I love to be the bearer of bad news. And the bad news is… wait for it… how the hell are we supposed to defeat the archdemon with just her and Benji here?”

  “It’s Lance,” growled the angel dog, and I didn’t like the way his ears were down, like he was about to take a bite out of my cat.

  I stared at the female angel, feeling my temper rising. I was exhausted. And this whole thing was really starting to piss me off. “My friend is right. I think there’s been a huge misunderstanding.”

  “Of cosmic proportions,” answered Tyrius. “Told you. You can never trust the angels.” At that, the dog growled, scoring a colossal hiss from Tyrius.

  “We need real help,” I said, and the angel’s eyes narrowed. “We can’t do shit with just the two of you.”

  The angel sighed through her nose, looking a little peeved, and I nearly smiled. “The Legion won’t send a cavalry without any proof,” she said with such callous that I glared at her. “No offense, but we don’t know you. You could be lying for all we know.”

  I put my hands on my hips. “Why the hell would I lie about that.” I dared her with my eyes, hoping she’d go for her blade so I could stab her pretty meat suit. I wanted her gone. But I’d keep the dog. Yeah. He was a keeper.

  Frustrated, I looked to Gareth for advice, but the elf was kneeling next to the vampire, tipping a cup with what I suspected was his miracle drink to the vampire’s mouth. Danto was still in bad shape, and this business with the Legion sending only two aides was all the more aggravating, not to mention destressing. Damn that Legion.

  The angel woman said nothing, though her expression darkened. “I’m here to start an investigation. That’s all. To open a file on you.”

  “You mean you’re going to spy on me.”

  The angel dared to look irritated. “I’m not going to spy on you,” she added and had the nerve to roll her eyes. “I’m here to help. To listen and to give advice, all the while collecting data for the Legion. Think of me as your guardian angel.”

  I barked out a laugh. “A guardian angel? Are you for real? I don’t need a guardian angel. You can go right back up where you came from, angel.” It was just like the Legion of angels not to take this seriously. Bastards. Layla was slowly turning into a demon and they’d sent me Mary Sue with her sidekick Rin Tin Tin.

  “Yeah,” agreed Tyrius. “And take the mutt with you. My delicate skin is breaking into hives with all that dog breath in the air.”

  “Call me a mutt again, demon,” said Lance as he took a step closer to the cat, “and I’ll have you for lunch.”

  Tyrius lifted an eyebrow and picked at a nail from his front paw. “Is that a threat? Mongrel?”

  The dog’s lips twitched. “You betcha, catnip.”

  Tyrius hissed and the dog growled, pulling its lips back to show teeth the size of my thumb. The tension in the air spiked, and so did my adrenaline. Oh, sweet, sweet, adrenaline.

  But the last thing I needed was for Tyrius and the angel dog to get into a fight. Tyrius might break a nail. And that would be bad. He loved his nails.

  “Take it easy, Tyrius,” I purred.

  “What?” said the cat. “The mutt here started it.”

  The angel woman smiled at me but it never reached her eyes. “Fine. We can leave. But know this, Rowyn Sinclair. If we leave and we tell the Legion that you refused our help on this case, do you think they’re going to care if something happens to you? Or Layla? It’s Layla, right? Your sister?”

  My insides churned. “Yeah.” From the corner of my eye, I saw Danto struggling to sit up, so he could better listen and watch.

  “They won’t.” The angel’s hazel eyes were fierce. “If you want our help, you better let me do my job.”

  Flustered, I raised my brows mockingly. “Why should I believe you? Angels lie all the time.”

  “So does everyone else,” she said. “I don’t know about the other angels you came across. But I’m not a liar. I’m telling you the truth. Ask your baal demon. He’ll tell you.”

  I tried to hi
de the surprise in my face and failed. She knew about baals? I glanced down at Tyrius in the hopes to better conceal some of my shock. “And?”

  “She’s legit,” said the cat, though his blue eyes never left the dog. “Her celestial highness speaks the truth.”

  Maybe, but it still didn’t help me. How was I supposed to prove to her that Lucian was up to something without getting killed in the process? How was I supposed to save Layla now with an angel spy up my ass?

  “What happens when you realize that my claim is true?” I asked. “That what I’ve been saying all along is the truth. What then? Will the Legion send reinforcements?”

  The Legion didn’t know Layla had accepted Lucian’s gift, and I was going to keep it that way for now. My instincts told me if the Legion found out, they would kill her.

  The angel shifted her weight, her expression pensive. “If the Legion feels this archdemon is a real threat, then yes. The Legion will defend itself. They will help you.”

  Somehow I didn’t feel convinced. “Do you have a name or do I have to make one up?”

  “I can give her a name,” came Tyrius’s smiling voice, “how about—”

  I gave Tyrius a nudge with my boot. “Play nice, kitty. Looks like we’re going to be stuck together for a while.”

  I turned and met Gareth’s cool expression, still kneeling next to his patient. The elf clearly thought this was a good thing.

  At that moment, I realized the shop was strangely quiet and the air smelled a little fresher, less stuffy and stinking of carrion.

  Evanora was gone.

  How the hell did she pull that off? I doubted the old witch could teleport herself. No. She most probably escaped from a secret door. Looked like Evanora didn’t like to play with angels. I totally understood.

  “My name’s Jenna,” I heard the angel say, and I turned around to find her sticking out her hand to me.

  I looked at her hand, hesitating. The last time I’d touched an angel it hadn’t gone so well. Lucian said he’d taken out the gift, but what if some of it still remained?

  And if I didn’t shake her hand, it wouldn’t look good. I needed the damn Legion on my side. I needed their help.

  Pushing my pride aside, I slipped my hand into hers, surprised to feel it was warm, just like mine. I’m not sure what I’d expected. Cold like a corpse? She was dead, after all.

  Jenna gave me a tight smile, the kind that said she wasn’t exactly sure she wanted to do this either. “Shall we begin?”

  “Sure.”

  “Then start at the beginning and don’t leave anything out,” said the angel.

  I nodded, though my tension was on overdrive. Never in a million years did I think this would ever happen—me, working with an angel.

  My life had just become a great deal more complicated.

  16

  The hum of voices shifted, becoming deeper. It stirred my unconsciousness, waking me more than the rumbling of my stomach determined to break through my gut.

  Beyond the cover of my comforter, the smell of my shea butter shampoo had joined the familiar scent of sulfur, evidence of Tyrius lingering somewhere in my apartment. Under that was the faint scent of lemons and oranges—the stink of angels.

  Angels.

  I jerked away, throwing the comforter off of me. My heart thrashed against my chest, and I blinked the filmy residue from my eyes as I focused on the voices coming from my living room.

  There, sitting comfortably on my couch was the angel Jenna. Sprawled next to her was Lance, the white German Shepherd angel. They were watching something on my television. So it wasn’t a dream. I had two damn angels in my place, sitting on my couch, and breathing my air. Swell.

  We’d stayed at the witch’s shop for about another hour after the angels had showed up and Evanora had disappeared, going over some of Jenna’s key points she wanted to clarify—mostly about Lisbeth and Lucian, more specifically who the archangel was to me and how it made me feel . I didn’t like where her questions were going, kind of like I was at a session talking with my shrink. I didn’t need a shrink. I had Tyrius. And he thought I was just fine.

  My mood had shifted to a darker place as we’d left the shop. After Gareth took Danto home, I’d gotten into my subbie and driven home with the angels in the back. We still had lots to cover, but I’d told Jenna I needed to sleep for at least two hours, or I was going to keel over. I wouldn’t be much help if I died of exhaustion. I was a mortal, unlike her. After a quick shower, I’d fallen into my bed, closed my eyes and found sleep coming swiftly to me. The last thing I remembered before I dozed off was how bright the sun was through my window.

  It wasn’t so bright anymore.

  I grabbed my phone. Five fifteen in the evening. Shit. I’d slept for more than eight hours. I had meant to call Gareth, but instead I somehow had fallen into bed and my body turned off my brain for most of the day.

  Angels were celestial creatures. They didn’t eat or sleep. And they never got tired. Part of me envied them, imagining all the demons I could Hunt without ever needing to stop and sleep or eat, but I had to remind myself that zombies didn’t sleep either.

  Angels weren’t part of the living. They were another breed of creepy. And I didn’t trust them.

  Granted, the Legion told Jenna to investigate my claim like she said, but maybe they hadn’t told her the whole truth. She was just a soldier after all. They didn’t make any of the hard decisions—just obeyed orders.

  Tyrius was sprawled on my small kitchen table, watching the two angels like a guard dog without blinking. Good little kitty.

  I reached over to my dresser and pulled on a clean pair of jeans, bra, and gray t-shirt. I went to grasp for my weapons belt but then thought better of it. Barefoot, I strolled into the living room.

  “You’ve been here this whole time?” I asked no angel in particular.

  They both turned and looked at me. Lance with his human-like eyes was still a little eerie, and Jenna, well, her expression was blank. I couldn’t read her. Nothing showed on her face. I didn’t like it. She was either really well trained to keep from showing her emotions, or this was her normal face.

  Jenna grabbed the remote and turned the TV off. “Yes,” she said and got up. Lance followed her example and jumped off the couch.

  A steady growl of discontent came from Tyrius, his lips curling up in warning. “Don’t worry, Rowyn,” said the cat as he swatted the table in a show of his sharp claws. “I’ve set my phasers to kill.”

  I reached over and rubbed the top of his head. “Thanks, buddy,” I answered, knowing on some subconscious level that was probably the only reason I’d slept for so long.

  The two angels shared a look, the kind that only two people who’ve worked together for so long could share, like they read each other’s thoughts. I knew that look. Hell, I’d done it often enough. It was just like me and Tyrius. Weird.

  I watched them for a moment. “You didn’t need to recharge or something?” I asked, making Tyrius snort. What? I couldn’t help myself.

  “We’re not batteries,” answered Jenna, her expression amused. Maybe she wasn’t a robot after all.

  “Maybe not,” I said. “But I know you can’t stay here indefinitely. You will eventually need to go back to Horizon. Right?”

  “Right,” said Jenna, her expression going blank again.

  I waited for her to elaborate. It would be nice to know when they’d be leaving or how long they could stay here on this side of the mortal planes. That information could be useful. But she never answered.

  Slightly annoyed, I moved to my kitchen and turned on the coffee machine. Tyrius leaped on the counter, his eyes on the brewing coffee.

  “Don’t even think about it,” I told the cat.

  Tyrius flattened his ears on his head, lips pouting. “Not even a tiny sip?”

  “No.”

  “You’d think with all the extra hours of sleep you’d be less grumpy when you woke up.” The cat let himself fall on the coun
ter dramatically. “Guess not.”

  “Don’t be a baby. I can’t afford to have you high on caffeine right now. I need you sane. I need you alert.”

  “Pretty please?”

  “No.” I turned around. “You guys want coffee?” I asked and realized my mistake at Jenna’s tight smile. I turned back around, ignoring Tyrius’s pleading eyes. No coffee. Right. Damn, it must suck to be an angel if you can’t enjoy a simple cup of coffee. They didn’t eat or drink. I guess a roll in the hay was also out of the question. It really did have to suck to be an angel.

  “Where does Layla live?”

  I clenched my teeth and looked over my shoulder to find Jenna sitting at my kitchen table. Lance, with grace and beauty, moved to sit on the floor next to her, his fur the color of a first snow fall. He was a glorious-looking pooch.

  “Why?” I turned my attention back to the coffee machine and poured myself a cup before the water had finished pouring all the way. I needed caffeine. I took a sip, enjoying the wonderful hot substance going down my throat.

  “I’d like to ask her some questions.”

  Shit. My heart seemed to skip a beat. Tyrius looked at me over the coffee pot. He met my eyes, his body going absolutely still.

  I took another sip of my coffee and twisted back around to face the angels.

  I had considered not telling the angels about Layla, at least not yet. Not until I knew what she was up to so I could somehow protect her. Even from the angels, if need be. I didn’t trust them. If I told them about Layla and they killed her, I would never forgive myself.

  But what if I was wrong? What if the Legion was Layla’s only hope?

  “What haven’t you told me?” Jenna looked between Tyrius and me, mystified, but obviously she’d caught something.

  “I don’t know where she is,” I answered truthfully. “And I can tell you she’s not with Danto.” My fingers curled around the cool porcelain as I took another sip of my coffee.