Echo of an Earth Angel (The Earth Angel Trilogy: #1)

by Sarah M. Ross

  “No. You’re not going anywhere. You must think I’m stupid. Or naïve. You’ll remain here until you remember who you really are. Then, we can live the life we were supposed to have. I can go off and hunt rogues and come home to you so you can make me dinner and rub my feet. Though, we will have to do something about your mortality. I can’t have you growing old and shriveled while I stay beautiful.”

  Cook for him? Rub his feet? Oh hell no. This is the 21st century, not the 1950s where housewives lived to serve some man. And wasn’t he just talking about how vain celebrities were for being beautiful? Talk about hypocritical. I need to get out of here—now!

  “How about this? You take a shower and freshen up, and I’ll order us room service?”

  “What, so you can spit it at my face again? I think not.”

  “I promise to behave. And I’m really hungry. Please will you order more risotto?”

  He sneered before walking over and taking the phone from the nightstand. “Fine, but we’ll do it my way.”

  He dialed room service and then snapped the phone cord from the jack. He went to the front door and ran his hand over it twice, whispering.

  “What are you doing?” she asked quietly. She knew his delusions ran deep, and was honestly afraid of the answer. But now was not the time to show fear. Big girl panties, she thought.

  “I warded the door so you can’t open it, and it’s soundproof, so scream all you want. Now I can release you from the restraints so you don’t further injure yourself. I’m also taking the phone with me into the shower. Oh, and this.” He dug through her jeans pocket and held up her cell phone before he crushed it. He strode back and gently untied the knots around her arms and legs. “Now I’ll take that shower.”

  He turned and walked into the bathroom. She heard a plop and knew he’d thrown the phones into the toilet. After the water turned on, she ran to the door and tried it. But the knob wouldn’t even turn. She tried the windows, but because it was a penthouse suite, there was no escape that way. She scrutinized everything and tried to think of something. No door, window, or phone. She started in the sitting room and tore it apart. Couch cushions went flying, tables overturned, but there was nothing. She only had a few minutes before he came back out, and her chances of escape lowered dramatically. She went back to the window, hoping for a ledge she could crawl onto to get to the room next door. She was prying it open when she heard the most beautiful words.

  “Room service.”

  She ran back to the door and pounded on it. “Help! I’m in here! Please help me, I’ve been kidnapped!”

  Room service knocked again, but because of the wards on the door he couldn’t hear her. She couldn’t let him go away. She banged and kicked until her hands were going to bruise. After knocking and calling out twice more, the room service guy stopped. Morgan cried, fearing she lost her opportunity. The water turned off and she slid down the door to sit, dismayed.

  Suddenly, there was a click and the doorknob turned from the outside. She sprang to her feet and anxiously awaited her opportunity. She listened for Nico, and she knew he’d come out any moment. As soon as the door opened, she shoved the room service guy aside, jumped onto and over the cart full of food, and sprang down the hall. She paused at the elevator and hit the button, but the door didn’t open. She couldn’t risk waiting for another one, so she continued to the end of the hall and slammed the door open leading to the stairs. She was going to do it. She was free!

  Nico stood in front of the bathroom mirror as he pulled up his pants. He admired his bare chest, debating if the few black hairs made him appear extra manly or if he should wax them off. Either way, he knew he was amazing. He was flexing and marveling when a bang and a crash came from the bedroom. He ran out of the bathroom to see what shenanigans Maggie was up to. She was still so feisty, and she was no doubt doing something silly like trying to throw a chair out a window. Since they were warded too, he didn’t worry too much.

  When he arrived in the foyer of the suite, he stopped dead. A hotel employee was laying on the ground covered in food and the front door was wide open. How could this have happened? I can’t lose her again! He grabbed the room service man by his shirt and hoisted him upright so they were face to face. “Where is she?” he bellowed.

  The boy didn’t answer and Nico felt something dripping on his bare feet. Lowering his eyes to see what it was, he became enraged. The imbecile peed his pants and it was leaking onto him. Growling with anger, he used his powers of compulsion to get answers this time. “Where. Is. She?”

  “Th-that w-way, s-sir,” the boy stuttered. Nico tossed him aside so hard he knocked the boy out, but didn’t care. He needed to get to Maggie before she escaped. He ran out the door, glanced in both directions, and decided on the stairs.

  He pushed through the door and heard her squeak three floors down. He was happy the stairs hugged the walls with a wide enough opening in the center to release his wings. He stealthily flew straight down and landed one floor below her so she’d run right into him.

  “Where you do think you’re going Maggie?” he tisked, grabbing her by her already bruised hand and wrist and causing her to yelp in pain.

  “My name is Morgan,” she seethed through clenched teeth, gathering her resolve. “I am not Maggie. I have never been Maggie. I will never be Maggie. You can hurt me until I bleed or pass out, but I will not let you break me. You will not get away with this. People will be looking for me. They’ll come for me. You’ll let me go if you know what’s good for you.”

  Nico scoffed at the notion. “Who exactly is going to come? That little roommate of yours? I hardly think she’s a match for me.”

  “Do you realize my dad is the head athletic trainer for the Pittsburgh Steelers? And when he finds out I’m missing, you’re going to have fifty-three of the largest, scariest guys you’ve ever seen ready to smash your puny butt into next week. Plus the practice squad! You picked the wrong girl to mess with,” Morgan stated proudly as she puffed up her chest.

  Nico let out a hearty guffaw at her attempts to be brave. She thought a few mere mortals could bring him down? It was time to show her who was really in charge. No more games. Wooing her didn’t work, so he settled for plan B. She needed to accept she was Maggie, and they would be together again—now. He wouldn’t accept that she didn’t love him or desire him the way she used to—the way he deserved. He unsheathed his wings fully from their invisible protection as he stood before her. He stretched them out for maximum effect and let her awe at the marvel he truly was. His wings spanned almost eight feet across and the raven black color shined in the natural moonlight from the skylight above them. He let his gaze fall to his Maggie so he could see her reaction to his beauty.

  When he fixed his eyes on her however, her eyes were clamped shut and her face was down. This would not do. “Look at me Maggie,” he ordered calmly, using a bit of his compulsion powers to force the issue. He could see her straining against it, so he pushed harder. “Open your eyes and look at me,” he bellowed.

  ***

  Morgan’s eyes remained clamped shut, but she felt powerless to keep from raising her head up. Every ounce of her strength was used to keep her eyes from being pried open. Whatever he was doing, it scared her. This whole experience was worse than anything she’d ever experienced, and that included seeing the last Paranormal Activity, Saw and Final Destination movies combined. She curled herself into the tightest ball she could make and prayed he would tire of her and let her be. She knew it was unlikely, but even her own hope that help was coming dimmed as the clock ticked by. She blew her only shot of escape. Though her eyes were closed, she could hear the huffing and flaring of his nostrils and knew he was only getting angrier. She braced herself for what he would do next. Morgan would not back down. If her parents taught her anything, it was to not cower to those who treated you badly and to stand up for yourself at all times. Morgan wouldn’t let them down.

  “You. Will. Look. At. Me!” he commanded, screaming so
loudly she was sure the whole hotel heard. Her eyes snapped open against her will, and she was forced to view the grotesque creature in front of her. He was hideous, a monster. His muscles contorted unnaturally, a sight that would make even juicers cringe. The skin that covered his chest was scarred like a burn victim. His bony face twisted with a wicked pride that could easily have doubled as a Halloween mask. And those wings, which looked like a cross between a bat and a moth, made bile rise in her mouth. The whole ensemble would even make Lady Gaga call him a freak. Tears rolled down her cheeks and her face contorted to give away how grossed out she was, only making matters worse.

  “I am the epitome of beauty and the perfect match for you. Together, we shall be revered and history will write that we were the greatest beauties who ever walked this land. How can you look at me with such disgust? Even Aphrodite would be jealous of us.”

  It was all Morgan could do not to laugh at how ridiculous he sounded. Talk about being full of yourself! This guy thought he was literally God’s gift to women! She didn’t care if he was saying nice things about her; he kidnapped her. She only saw evil behind those eyes. She smothered her snickers and tried again to put her head down so she didn’t have to see him. There was nothing beautiful about him and his bizarre attraction made her realize how pathetic he was. She was unable to lower her eyes, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t fake being awed by him. His face turned into various shades of red, deepening when her eyes crinkled at the edges and her mouth twisted up slightly. How was she supposed to get out of this? If only she could get to the door to the floor below, maybe she could call for help. She needed to distract him, throw him off his game. While it was risky, she needed to make him angry.

  “I think a decrepit old homeless man who hadn’t bathed in three months would still look better than you. Who do you think you are that you’re better than everyone else?” she shouted.

  He could see her eyes darting about, scanning for an escape route. “I am better than everyone else!” he shrieked as he curled his hands into fists to contain his anger.

  “You disgust me. I could never find you attractive,” Morgan taunted, edging closer toward the door.

  “No! Maggie you must love me. You must. We’re meant to be together. We’re meant to rule over all of them.”

  “It’s never going to happen. I’m not Maggie. Give it up already. Hey, is that dog poo on your foot?”

  Nico growled and looked down to inspect his foot, allowing Morgan the opportunity to escape. She didn’t hesitate and took off running faster than ever, and glad she put in the extra time at the gym over the last few months. She took the stairs two at a time and headed for the first exit she saw. Running past room after room, she made it to the elevator and pressed the down button, praying luck was on her side. When it dinged and the doors slid open, she said a prayer of thanks to God and promised to go to church every Sunday for the next year. She hurried inside and held down the “close door” button. Nico was coming after her and she knew he wouldn’t give her another opportunity. The door began to slide shut when suddenly a hand caught it.

  Nico sneered, and her heart dropped. He grabbed her arm and tried to yank her out of the elevator, but she had one last card to play. She allowed him to get close, and kicked him in the dingleberries so hard she knew he’d never have children—or sing bass—ever again. She shoved him backwards and watched him crumble to the ground.

  She sighed in relief when the doors closed without incident. After getting down to the lobby, she ran out the doors and headed for the parking garage. He had shoved her in a giant hockey bag when they first arrived, but she’d come to just in time to be able to pry the zipper open enough to see out and she remembered the valet guys saying the car would go on the third level. She didn’t have her keys, but there was a keypad on the driver’s side door, and she’d have OnStar start the car so she could get away.

  Morgan cut down an alleyway to get to the garage faster when two arms wrapped around her. “Not so fast. You didn’t think you could leave me, did you?”

  Morgan kicked and stomped, but she couldn’t get free. Screaming at the top of her lungs, she flailed her legs and scratched his thighs where her arms were held down. Why wasn’t anyone coming to help? Couldn’t anyone hear her screams?

  ***

  Nico bent his head down and kissed her cheek. “You’re so cute when you’re angry. You can kick and scream all you want, but there’s no way I’m letting you go ag… OW!”

  A sharp, stabbing pain burned his thigh. He lost his grip for a moment to see what she’d done, and she pinched him on his still shirtless nipple. He attempted to grasp her and slap her, but she’d already took off. Good grief this woman likes to play cat and mouse, Nico thought as he took off after her. Someone’s going to need a lesson in manners. That really hurt!

  He’d almost reached her, and she must have sensed it because she turned around to glance at him. He looked into her eyes and smiled, knowing he caught his prey.

  The sound of screeching tires made him turn his head, and from there everything rolled into slow motion. The SUV tried to stop, but it was going too fast. Morgan’s mortal body couldn’t move out the way in time, and she was catapulted into the air and flung across the alleyway. Nico stood frozen, disbelieving what his own eyes were seeing. He wanted to rush to her side, catch her before she fell, but his legs were cemented to the ground. Burnt rubber and the coppery tang of blood filled his nostrils, and he couldn’t stop the cry that emerged from his throat. She landed, a good thirty feet away from him. He took a step, only hearing the whooshing of his heart. When he reached her, her leg was twisted at an unnatural angle and blood oozed from her nose and ears. There was no helping her now.

  After finishing their third drink each at the hotel bar, Tessa sighed and threw the cherry stem into her glass, listening to it tink at the bottom. They’d been waiting an hour and still no movement from Nico. From their perch at the bar, they could see the private elevator that went to the penthouse suites and would know the moment he made a move. The elevator stopped on the top floor a few times, but no one had come back down yet. Their dinner reservation at the hotel was in ten minutes and neither intended to actually keep it.

  What was taking Nico so long? David explained angels, specifically Hunters, did not need to sleep for more than one hour increments, so he most likely wasn’t up there taking a nap. The one bright spot in their undercover surveillance work was getting to tease David a bit. After coming out in her new outfit, she could see how flustered he got, and she already knew he had a crush on her. While he played it cooler than the concierge and bartender, she could still feel the desire and longing coming off of him. She used their ruse as boyfriend and girlfriend to gingerly run her hand down his arm or place her mouth next to his ear to whisper silly things, barely allowing his hair to be tickled by her touch. She knew it was a little mean to tease him, but she couldn’t seem to help herself when he looked at her that way. If she was being honest with herself, she enjoyed spending time with him, finding herself laughing openly at his jokes. She was comfortable around him and nothing was forced or faked. When he touched her, it felt like static electricity between them. She wished she could do this when they weren’t pretending and when Morgan wasn’t in danger.

  Tessa looked around to make sure the bartender wasn’t close by and leaned over to whisper to David, “So tell me how this Healer thing works. Not that I 100% believe in it yet, but I figure we have some time to kill.”

  David did a periphery scan of the room, and when he felt safe that no one was listening, he began to explain. “As a Healer angel, you have the ability to feel the emotions of all those around you. It’s what allows you to sense when people are in pain and need you. It will grow stronger the longer you use it and eventually, you won’t have to think about it at all, it’ll just happen naturally.”

  “So you’re saying I can tell what other people are thinking?” Tessa followed up. This all sounded a little hokey. S
ure she was able to pick up on some stuff from the bartender and concierge, but that was from their facial expressions. She didn’t have super powers. She agreed some of what he said was true (like her glowing hands), but she put her foot down at super powers. She believed logic and rational laws of physics still applied somewhere.

  “Not thinking Tessa, feeling. Although sometimes what they think is a direct result of their feelings and the two will overlap. I know you could feel the annoyance of the bartender having to wait on two kids, and the concierge’s greed rolling off him in waves. Surely you picked up on that.”

  “Yeah, but I could tell those things by the way they talked to us and treated us—by their body language.” Tessa shrugged her shoulders, not about to admit anything so crazy.

  “No. You felt those things. Their demeanors were completely complacent. They acted as if they wanted to please us, but you could feel otherwise. Think about what they said and the smiles they plastered to their faces.”

  Tessa thought back to the bartender smiling as he said he’d get her a refill right away just a few minutes ago. Was it sarcasm? Or could she sense he was annoyed? He acted the same way toward the tipsy couple at the end of the bar, but again he could have been being sarcastic. It wasn’t enough to go on. She’d have to try again in order to know for sure if David’s theory was correct—not that she put a lot of stock in the idea. “I don’t know. This whole thing is confusing.”

  “Tessa, you have to learn this at some point—the sooner the better. We have no clue about Nico, so we can afford to spend a minute or two on this since we’re finally alone to talk about it.”

  “Alright, but just for a few minutes. What do I need to do?”

  “Close your eyes and focus on feeling what’s around you.”

  Tessa focused on feeling any emotions as David requested. He was right about the glowing in her hands, although she had a hard time admitting it. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to center herself like was taught in her yoga class. She couldn’t feel much, everything seemed distant. “I’m not getting anything,” she told David with a heavy sigh.