by Brenda Trim
“Lunch is ready, don’t you want to eat first?” Elsie inquired, pulling down a few bowls from a cabinet.
“Thanks, but no. Jace is going to try and get home early so that we can go out to dinner. Hasn’t been home before midnight all week,” she muttered, clearly frustrated. The drug situation hadn’t let up and Jace was still pulling triple-duty between two hospitals and his duties as a Dark Warrior. If anyone needed a date night, it was those two.
“Okay, well, if we don’t hear back soon, we’ll come looking for you,” Elsie said, walking over and kissing Isobel on the forehead, “You be good for Aunt Cailyn, sweetie,” she cooed to her daughter, tickling her belly.
The smile Isobel gave her as she wrapped her tiny hands in Elsie’s curly hair was heart-melting. Elsie loved her daughter so much it hurt sometimes. Extracting her hair from Isobel’s iron-grip with another kiss, Elsie watched as Cailyn turned and left the kitchen, leaving Elsie and Ramiel alone.
“I hope you’re hungry, there’s a ton of food here,” she blurted, tossing everything together before adding the dressing to two bowls. He grabbed two forks and his glass of wine and they went to the other side of the island and sat on the barstools.
“Starving, actually,” he murmured and she didn’t miss the innuendo. He smiled and then stuffed a forkful in his mouth.
“You never disappoint, Elsie. This is fantastic.” It was great to see Ramiel hadn’t lost his love for food. It seemed as if all she had seen were signs of what had been stolen from him, so it was nice to see this piece of his old self, even if the way he looked at her made her squirm in her seat.
“Why, thank you, it’s one of my favorites. You know, I have to admit. It’s weird seeing you dressed in a toga all the time. Don’t you wear other clothes?” she asked, taking a bite of her salad.
He laughed, looking down at his attire, “I guess I’ve dressed like this for so long I don’t even think about it. Yes, this is what I wear. Doesn’t it suit me perfectly?” he boasted, puffing out his chest and striking a regal pose.
“Oh, it suits you. You pull it off very well, Mr. Angel,” she said teasingly, but the truth was he rocked the toga.
Rami was very attractive with his California-surfer-stud look of dirty-blonde hair, golden tan and muscular body. She imagined the angels swooning over him in Heaven.
“Well, we can’t all be mated to a king,” he winked, nudging her leg with his. It was these moments that she’d missed with him. Her life with Dalton had been so simple and easy. Most nights were spent just like this, cooking and eating and talking for hours.
She half-smiled at his comment, “Who knows, maybe there’s a queen is in your future, or an angel, perhaps.”
His expression turned serious, “No, I had my queen and angel rolled into one exquisite woman and she was ripped from my life. There will never be another for me,” he declared, putting his fork down. He placed his hand over hers and gently squeezed.
Ramiel’s skin was warm and soft. Looking into his deep-blue eyes, she saw love and desire in his depths. For a moment, she was transported back in time…to a time when she got lost in those eyes that held her heart. His hand reached up to stroke her cheek. It was a lover’s caress and it froze her in place, her heart pounding against her chest.
Leaning towards her, she knew his intent and it seemed as if she was in a trance from the past. She couldn’t move as his full lips closed in on her. She felt his hot breath against her face when his arms encircled her waist, pulling her the last scant inches. Suddenly, her chest constricted and her soul screamed its rejection, jolting Elsie from her stupor.
In that moment, her world became crystal clear. She might’ve loved this man with all her heart at one time, but that time was over. It was Zander she loved now. He was the reason for all the good in her life and she would never risk losing him by betraying his trust.
Placing her palms on his chest, she shoved, “No, Rami. Don’t, please. I can’t,” she confessed.
“Elsie, just listen for a minute. There hasn’t been a single day in the past two years that I haven’t thought of you, thought about the life that was taken from us. My heart has always belonged to you, and it always will. I love you now as much as I did the day I died,” he admitted, trying to bring her back into his arms.
She maneuvered away and stood up, “And you need to understand that I was forced to move on. Losing you was the hardest thing I’ve ever dealt with and I thought it was going to kill me. The person that came along and saved me was Zander. I was broken and he loved me anyway. He made me feel happy again when I didn’t think it was possible. I love him. I’m sorry if I’m hurting you, that’s not my intention,” she voiced, meeting his gaze.
Blue eyes went blank and he remained quiet. She couldn’t tell if he was mad or sad or perhaps felt nothing at all.
“Please say something. Tell me we can still work together for Isobel’s sake and be friends. That would mean so much to me,” she pleaded.
“Friends? You think I can just switch my feelings and accept that you’re in another man’s bed? Not likely, Elsie.” He got up from his seat and took his half-eaten salad and placed it in the sink, bracing himself with palms on the counter. Sighing deeply, he continued, “But yes, I’m committed to protecting Isobel, so I guess we’re stuck with each other.”
“I’m sorry, that was insensitive of me. I would probably feel the same if the roles were reversed. Thank you for helping Isobel. I’m truly grateful,” she said, pushing aside her own bowl of food. Suddenly, her appetite was gone, as well.
“Let’s just hope Isobel…” and then he disappeared. No warning, no mist, no light, just poof, he was gone. At first, Elsie thought maybe he’d had a change of heart and was madder than she’d realized.
“Rami,” she said, voice shaky and hesitant. When there was no reply, she panicked. What if something evil was at work? She needed to find Isobel and make sure she was okay.
Suddenly, he reappeared, holding Isobel. He was smiling and so was her baby girl. “She did it, she summoned me,” he blurted, clearly shocked.
“How? How did she do it?” Elsie asked excitedly as Cailyn, Zander and Kyran rushed into the kitchen.
Cailyn was out of breath as she came to a halt at Elsie’s side, “She gets it! She really gets it! It might have to be repeated several times, but this little girl is so smart,” she crowed with obvious pride.
“What happened? We were in the war room and Cailyn grabbed us withoot explaining anything,” Zander interrupted, pinning Ramiel with a menacing look. Elsie couldn’t help but wonder if his supernatural hearing had overheard her conversation with Rami.
“The connection with your daughter has linked. With Cailyn’s assistance, she summoned me. It was a strong signal and very clear. We need to keep working on this while it’s fresh in her mind,” Ramiel conceded, looking to Elsie then Cailyn for permission.
“But wait, there’s more,” Cailyn stated, “which is why I grabbed you, Zander. Isobel told me she can do more, but insisted on showing you and Elsie first.”
“What is it, baby girl?” Elsie asked, reaching out to touch Isobel’s hand.
Elsie felt a tender squeeze on her finger. She looked down at her precious baby and their gazes locked for a brief moment. Her blue eyes were unmistakable, telling Elsie that everything was going to be okay. It was the most calming and peaceful experience she’d ever felt.
And then Isobel disappeared.
*****
“What the fuck just happened? Where is my nighean?” Zander shouted, grabbing the material at Rami’s chest. This angel was about to feel his wrath if he didn’t produce his daughter in about two seconds.
“I have no idea, this is news to me,” Ramiel responded, shoving Zander away. “In case you’ve forgotten, I’m on your side,” he snarled.
“Doona take me for a fool. You are oot for yourself and no one else,” Zander gritted out, not trusting the male in from of him.
Ramiel still loved Elsie, want
ed her for his own and he wouldn’t put it past him to make their daughter disappear believing it would drive a wedge between him and Elsie.
“Stop! We need to find Isobel. Where could she have gone? Zander, what are we going to do?” Elsie pleaded, her fear battering him along their bond. Zander walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close, offering what reassurances he could.
“I’m sorry, I didna mean to upset you. Let’s start searching the house and the grounds. Surely, she didna go far,” Zander soothed, a thought popping into his head as he spoke. “Maybe she has a sifting ability?”
“Possibly, but if it’s sifting, she will be limited to how far she can go. I couldn’t travel more than five feet until I passed my stripling years. She could be more powerful given she’s your daughter. Let’s start looking,” Kyran informed them, heading out of the kitchen towards the front of the house. They followed then split up, looking behind every piece of furniture and doorway along the way. They found nothing. Repeated yells and shouts, calling Isobel’s name, received nothing but echoes of their voices.
“‘Tis safe to cross off sifting. She would’ve been close by. This is something else,” Kyran offered. “Cailyn, let’s look downstairs and you three look upstairs, she has to be here somewhere,” his brother added, heading towards the door to the basement.
“Aye, good idea. Meet you back here,” Zander said in agreement, walking towards the large staircase leading upstairs. “Let’s try our rooms first,” he directed, taking long strides down the hallway.
As soon as they entered the living area of their suite, he heard his daughter’s laughter. He rushed to the nursery, Elsie and Ramiel right behind him. Isobel was laying in her crib, playing with her favorite stuffed animal, a penguin, that Shae had knitted for her.
Isobel looked over and smiled when Zander leaned over to pick her up. “My precious bairn, you gave your mamai and da a heart attack just now. You canna do that again, I’m too old for that kind of stress,” he teased, hugging her close to his chest. She giggled as if she understood.
He mentally sent a message to Kyran that they’d found her and would meet them downstairs. He then sent messages to the warriors in the house to go to the war room immediately so they could discuss this new development.
“Let me hold her,” Elsie said, holding out her arms.
Placing Isobel in Elsie’s arms, he kissed his mate on the forehead. These two females had the ability to make or break him, no doubt about it. And, he would die before he’d allow any harm to come to either one.
Their safety, along with their happiness, was his number one priority, which was why he had a score to settle with the angel that had been thrown into their lives. “A ghra, would you take Isobel downstairs. I need to talk with Ramiel,” he demanded, looking directly at the angel as he spoke.
“Zander, is this necessary? Haven’t we been through this already? Ramiel is a part of our lives and he will be here as long as necessary,” Elsie exhaled, but Zander’s eyes never left the angel.
“It’s verra necessary, we’ll be down shortly. This isna up for discussion,” he growled, needing her to listen.
“Fine, Mr. Bossy Pants,” she huffed and he heard her leave the room. Under normal circumstances her term of endearment would have made him smile, but this wasn’t normal in any way.
Rami widened his stance, crossing his arms over his chest. His wings ruffled with obvious irritation. “What? I’m doing exactly what you asked of me. If this is about her disappearance, that had nothing to do with me,” he proclaimed.
“This is no’ aboot Isobel. This has to do with Elsie. Doona think I’m oblivious to your feelings for her,” he stated, walking to stand directly in front of the male. He pushed into Rami’s chest with his finger, “If you ever make a move towards my mate again, I will rip every limb from your body and feed you to the fucking hellhounds, piece by bluidy fucking piece,” he spat, blood boiling with fury. “I have been lenient because I know how difficult this has been for her knowing that you are alive, but my tolerance is spent. I demand you respect our mating.”
“I agree,” were the only words that left Rami’s mouth. Zander was taken aback, expecting Rami to argue his case of loving Elsie first, or longer.
“That’s it, that’s all you have to say,” he questioned, wondering if the angel was playing mind games.
“Yes, that’s it. Elsie made it very clear where her heart belongs. I feel confident that Isobel can summon me when needed, so I’ll be returning to Heaven. I will be her Guardian Angel as long as needed, but I can’t stay here another day.
Elsie loves you and I can see you love her, too. Just promise that you’ll keep that sparkle in her eyes. That’s my only request,” Ramiel announced sternly, but Zander sensed the male’s deep pain over the issue.
And, he understood what the Rami wasn’t saying. He loved Elsie with such devotion that he wanted her happiness above all else and wouldn’t dare take that from her, even if that meant she was with another.
A new respect grew towards the male. For the first time, Zander could see the strain in every line of the angel’s body. This male had everything taken from him, yet stood there in the face of his loss willing to help their daughter. Zander wasn’t sure he could endure such torment if the situation had been reversed. He was pretty damn sure he would have already eviscerated the male.
“That sparkle is the reason I get up every day. I give you my word,” he vowed. They shared a moment of silent understanding and Zander knew they had reached an epiphany. Ramiel was Elsie’s past and would always own a piece of her heart, but Zander was her future and her mate, the one that owned a piece of her soul.
CHAPTER NINE
Izzy squealed as she dumped another bucket of sand over Elsie’s foot, burying her toes. Her delight was contagious and Elsie couldn’t help but laugh along with her daughter. Izzy’s tiny body rolled over laughing when Elsie wiggled her toes and made them crawl out of the sand. She welcomed the lightened mood, but couldn’t stop worrying about what Zander was telling Rami upstairs. They needed him around to protect Izzy and she wouldn’t put it past her hardheaded mate to make him leave.
Grabbing handfuls of the fine sand they’d hauled into the indoor playscape, Izzy threw it into the air. Elsie didn’t think she was ready for the jungle gym, but Zander had insisted their daughter needed a place to push herself and explore so they’d built the indoor area off the opposite side of the patio near the pool.
“She loves the sand as much as you do. You should take her to Cabo. I didn’t think I’d get you on that return plane home, remember?” Rami said, squatting down beside them. He picked up a shovel and dumped some sand into a bucket and Izzy copied his movements.
Elsie would never forget that trip. They’d spent their days on the beach playing in the water and their nights on the beach making love. It was another life. They were different people. Hell, they were an entirely different species now.
“I remember how you bartered with that little kid over a dollar when you bought me those blankets. You were convinced he was swindling you,” she laughed, sifting sand through her fingers.
“Yeah, he was a ten year old con-artist. You have to haggle over everything there,” he chuckled.
“He was good, too. We ended up leaving with three instead of just the one and you saved a whole dollar,” she pointed out.
“You loved those blankets. Whatever happened to them?” he asked, the question bringing tears to her eyes as she recalled the incident.
“The skirm destroyed them. In fact, they destroyed everything in our apartment. All I managed to salvage…well, Zander had them repaired and copied, were some pictures and our wedding rings. They tore everything to shreds,” she admitted to him. “Kadir and Azazel had joined forces and attacked outside Club Confetti. I recognized Aaron and Terrence from Hand Up Home in the group so I have no doubt they led the demons right to me,” she explained.
“Fuck,” Rami cursed. “I should
have known that would happen. I told Camael that he needed to send Cass and Malachi to protect you from the demons. The bastard wouldn’t listen, insisted they wouldn’t touch you. And, here I come to find out they stalked you for months and are the reason you’re a vampire mated to the Vampire King,” he spat as he stood up and paced.
Climbing to her feet, Elsie placed her hand on his arm, stilling him. “It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have stopped them.”
Snarling, Rami turned and called a Weapon of Light to his hand. “Any one of the AOR could have ended their miserable existences with one swing of this sword, if it weren’t for their stupid restrictions. Why give us these powers if we can’t go where we need to eliminate the entire demon existence?”
The anger building inside Rami was frightening and had her concerned about his future. Would the other angels kick him out of heaven for carrying around such bitter hatred? One moment she’d caught glimpses of the old Dalton, but now there was nothing present.