Angels of Bourbon Street (Jade Calhoun Series: Book 4)

by Deanna Chase

  It was a familiar, welcome sound, and my body responded instantly to his desire, heat pooling in my belly.

  His arms came around me, and I pressed into him, smiling when I felt his erection on my stomach. Standing in the shower with the water sluicing over us, no other thought entered my mind except for touching this man, the one I loved and trusted above all others.

  Kane pulled back just enough to look down into my eyes. “You don’t have to do this, you know.”

  I ran my hands over his soapy chest and nodded. “I know.”

  “We can wait.” His chocolate eyes searched mine. “This won’t be our last chance, love. And even if it was, none of that matters. You’ve given me more than I could’ve hoped for.” He touched his heart. “It’s all right here. Your love and mine.”

  Tears of happiness filled my eyes and I blinked them back. “Me too.”

  I turned to let the water wash the soap from his body and then tugged him gently from the tub. With both of us wrapped in towels, he stood there as I dried him off, and didn’t protest when I nudged him into our room.

  The morning light streamed through the windows and shone on his glorious chest. His wide shoulders, slim waist and narrow hips made my mouth go dry. I licked my lips and pressed my palms to his torso, running light hands down the firm planes of his stomach.

  He sucked in a ragged breath but said nothing and didn’t try to touch me. I understood he was letting me do what I would without interference from him. I could go as far as I wanted and stop at anytime. And right now, I wanted everything. All of him. Pressed against me, inside of me.

  I kissed the nape of his neck, flicking my tongue across his warm skin. He tasted like salted caramel, sweet and tangy at the same time. My stomach clenched in anticipation.

  His muscles rippled under my touch. I tugged at the towel, letting it drop to the floor, and he closed his eyes. I knew he was struggling for control and I loved it. Still he stood there, waiting for me to reacquaint myself with his body.

  My towel fell, joining his on the floor, and I pressed my pebbled nipples to his chest, smiling at his sudden intake of breath. He was almost trembling with need. A surge of heady power rippled through me, fueling my newfound confidence.

  Standing on my tiptoes, I pressed my mouth to his and licked at the seam of his lips until he opened to me. Teasing his tongue with mine, I lowered my hand, wrapping it around his velvety length.

  He pressed into my palm but stilled himself as his tongue plundered my mouth in a frenzy. Still, his hands stayed at his sides.

  I stroked the length of him, my excitement growing with each gasp and groan he muttered into my mouth. Jesus, how was he maintaining his control? He wasn’t even touching me and I was ready to explode. I released him and placed his hands on my hips as I backed him up against the bed.

  His knees hit the side, and I pressed my palms to his shoulders, nudging him down.

  “You’re sure?” he whispered between kisses.

  “I’m sure. Now lie down.”

  He nipped my lower lip and smiled. “Gladly.”

  Stretched out on the bed, Kane watched me, desire and love radiating from him. My entire body quivered as I gazed at him. He was so beautiful, inside and out.

  I climbed onto the bed, lying next to him, my leg draped over his. “Wrap your arms around me,” I whispered as I trailed kisses down his neck.

  He did as I said, lightly caressing my goose-pimpled flesh. “You’re cold.”

  I chuckled. “Not even close.” Then I climbed on top of him and slowly lowered myself until his thick length filled me.

  His strangled groan matched mine as I started to move.

  Chapter 29

  Kane and I emerged forty-five minutes later, freshly showered and sharing secret smiles. Okay, maybe not so secret, but Lailah and Meri were too tense to notice.

  “What’s the procedure?” I asked and sipped at my coffee, my happiness vanishing as reality crashed around me.

  The front door burst open, and Mom flew into the house. “Am I late?”

  We all stared at her.

  She slammed the door shut, spotted me, and let out a relieved sigh. “I guess not.”

  “Hope,” Meri said gently, “you’re not allowed at the hearing.”

  Mom’s face scrunched up in confusion. “What do you mean? She needs part of my soul.”

  Lailah shook her head. “If they decide to take that course of action, you’ll be summoned. Until then, it’s best if you wait here.”

  Mom gaped then turned to look at me. When I shrugged, she stormed off into the kitchen.

  “Shit,” I said and picked up my phone. Just as I dialed Gwen’s number, she strode through the front door, wearing all white, as if she were an angel herself. Her gauzy blouse billowed over white jeans. I raised a suspicious eyebrow, put my phone away, and went to hug her. “Thanks for coming. Mom’s going to need you.”

  She nodded knowingly and glanced away. “Yeah.”

  “Gwen? What’s up?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know yet…exactly.”

  I narrowed my eyes. She was being purposely vague as she always was after she had a vision.

  She touched my arm, and then disappeared into the kitchen with Mom. What happened to her regular uniform of blue jeans and a T-shirt? I tried not to read anything into her reaction or her outfit, but I failed. Surely she would’ve been more upset if she’d seen anything terrible. But she sure appeared as if she planned to address the angel council.

  Before I could follow her and pry even the tiniest bit of info from her, Philip arrived. He was already dressed in his white angel robe, his emerald eyes bright against his fair skin. Jesus on a cracker, I hadn’t known he was coming. I hid a scowl and clutched Kane’s hand.

  “Ready?” Philip asked.

  Lailah gave him an odd look, taking in his attire. She’d dressed in her regular uniform of a long skirt and form-fitting T-shirt. Who was he trying to impress? The council or Lailah?

  She nodded. “Yes, you can answer the call.”

  Philip uttered an incantation, and a bright light materialized all around us. I recognized it as the portal to the angel realm. A moment later, I woke up on gold and white tile. The stark sanctuary sent a tremor through me. It was exactly like the Saint Louis Cathedral, only all the murals were washed out in shades of white and gold.

  My muscles spasmed, and I clutched my chest, trying to block out the memories flooding back, the way my soul had almost been stolen from me right before it was torn in half.

  No. I wasn’t going to live through that memory again. Not today. Not ever. Scrambling to my feet, my heart racing, I clutched the person nearest me. The tall, pale-haired man studied me through hooded eyes.

  I let go of Drake and jumped back. “Where’s Kane?”

  “Hello, daughter,” my father said, his voice smooth and authoritative.

  “And Lailah?” Ignoring him, I glanced around and found none of my friends, only a panel of council angels. They all stared at me with open curiosity. It was as if a spotlight had shone on me, and I longed to creep back into the shadows. I wasn’t supposed to be standing here alone with an angel who’d sentenced me to death once. My flight instinct kicked in, but I forced myself to stand still and face them.

  “Both Lailah and the dreamwalker are here. The council wants to speak with you first before they call for testimony.” He wrapped his large hand around my arm possessively and moved me forward to a podium directly in front of the council.

  Scowling, I shrugged him off. “Let go.”

  His eyes clouded with irritation. He lowered his head and whispered, “Be careful, daughter. I might be your only ally here.”

  The way he said “daughter” repeatedly was really starting to get on my nerves. “I can take care of myself.”

  One eyebrow rose as he frowned at me. “I’m certain your mother did not raise you to be so disrespectful.”

  He did not just say that. He had left her, af
ter all. I had some sympathy for the fact that Mom had kept him in the dark about me, but I was twenty-seven years old. Scolding me was unacceptable. Just because we shared DNA didn’t mean we had a relationship. “How she raised me is none of your damn business,” I whispered.

  A collective gasp rose from the angel audience. Holy crap! They heard that?

  “Watch your tone, daughter,” my father said. “Disrespecting the collective will not help your cause.”

  I bit the side of my cheek to keep from verbally lashing at him again. I did need his help, if only for part of his soul. “I’d like to see Lailah.”

  “You will.”

  A gavel hit the high council table, and an older, silver-haired angel I recognized as Madeline took Drake’s place as the hearing facilitator. “Ms. Calhoun. It is…unexpected to see you here again before the council. You seem to be making a habit of taking up our time.”

  I suppressed a snort of disgust. Their precious time? How dare I want to live my life without being possessed?

  When I didn’t answer, she turned to Drake. “I understand you have a personal involvement with Ms. Calhoun?”

  He nodded, his long pale hair slipping forward so I couldn’t see his expression. “I have recently learned Jade is my daughter. She is petitioning for a sliver of my soul to help heal her torn one.”

  A pin drop could’ve been heard after my father’s announcement. No one even breathed, especially not me. The clarity of my situation settled over me, and at once, I knew I was wasting my time. They would never compromise an angel’s soul…even if he were willing.

  Madeline cleared her throat and addressed my father. “You know our policy as well as the rest of the council, Drake.”

  He nodded. “I do.”

  “And you still brought her here, knowing the answer?” The disapproval rang loud and clear.

  Yeah, this was never going to work. Why had he bothered?

  Drake appeared unconcerned with her subtle censure. Slowly, he scanned the council’s faces, making eye contact with each one. Then he cleared his throat. “I am aware of the council’s policy, having been one of the committee members who drafted the original language of the directive.”

  Madeline’s face pinched in disgust. “And yet you feel because Ms. Calhoun is your daughter, we should ignore our laws?”

  Drake’s eyes narrowed, and his voice held a warning, “Madam, you forget yourself.”

  The effect was immediate. Madeline bristled and glanced away, a bright blush rising on her pale cheeks. “My apologies, Councilman Davidson. I meant no disrespect.”

  A rumbling murmured through the rest of the council.

  I turned to Drake. “What’s going on?” I whispered. Their reaction indicated he was high up in the chain of command. Judging by the sidelong glances they were sending his way, I was pretty sure that wasn’t a good thing. Was there some kind of power play going on here?

  He ignored me as if I hadn’t even spoken. “I’m not petitioning to have Jade take part of my soul.”

  I sucked in a sharp breath. What. The. Hell? How was I going to recover? I turned blazing eyes on him, ready to verbally tear him to shreds, when the side door opened, and my mother, followed by Gwen, Lailah, Philip, and Kane, filed in.

  My mouth fell open. Kane nodded to me as he took a seat to the left of the dais. I’d never been more grateful to see another person in my life. His presence called up a strength from deep in my core. It always did. “Lailah said Mom wasn’t allowed to come,” I said to Drake. “And what about Gwen?”

  He stared straight ahead, glowering at Madeline, who was shooting daggers at him with her eyes. “The council made an exception upon my request.”

  Okay, maybe having a high-ranking father was a help with the council, as long as no one lost a soul or ended up in the room where time stood still.

  Philip left the group and came to stand beside me. I took a step away and turned pleading eyes on Lailah. She gave me a reassuring smile and nodded in Philip’s direction. Was she seriously suggesting I trust that guy?

  “Ladies and gentlemen of the council, I wish to request permission to speak on Ms. Calhoun’s behalf,” Philip said.

  I took another step back, thoroughly confused. What had changed Philip’s mind about me? He’d never been particularly helpful when it came to what was in my best interests. Only my soul’s.

  “You may speak,” Madeline said.

  Philip walked to the center of the room, nodding an acknowledgment to each of the council members. “Thank you. As you may recall, less than a month ago, I stood here advocating for the angel Meri to receive Ms. Calhoun’s soul.”

  A murmur of agreement ran through the court.

  “At the time, we were under the impression that neither could live with a partial soul, so we chose who should be the recipient. What we did not know was that Ms. Calhoun is a direct descendant of an angel. She had the capacity to manipulate her soul—enough so that she even managed to retain part of it during the soul transfer to Meri.”

  “Her connection to Drake does shine a light on her abilities,” Madeline said. “However, I’m sure the council will agree when I say the deliberate sharing of souls is not acceptable. Especially angel souls. Ms. Calhoun will have to find a way to battle her possession on her own.”

  Mom stood from her chair, her eyes wild with anger. “What happened to my daughter is your fault, all of it: the fact that her father is an angel, that he left, and that she lost part of her soul. Your damn rules ruin lives. How dare you sit there in judgment of what is right and wrong? She deserves a chance at a life. A good, solid one. The one I sacrificed for the greater good.” She said the words ‘the greater good’ in disgust. “Who are you to judge who is worthy and who isn’t? Her soul should never have been taken from her in the first place.”

  What did she mean, it was their fault my father was an angel?

  “Ms. Calhoun—” Madeline scolded.

  “Stop!” Mom shouted. “I know you won’t do anything about that decision now. But you can and will do something to fix it. Give my daughter as much of my soul as she needs in order to heal.” She turned to Drake, her words clearly meant for him and not the council. “You owe me that much.”

  He met her tortured eyes. “They won’t let me sacrifice part of my soul. You know that.”

  “But they’ll take mine.” Power built around her, magic so white it almost blinded me.

  “Hope, no!” Drake shouted and ran forward. Her power lashed out, striking him, leaving an angry red welt across his handsome face. He jerked back, clearly stunned.

  “Seize her,” Madeline demanded.

  Guards materialized from the wings and surrounded Mom. Their collective power quickly squashed the impressive magic swirling around her. Her knees buckled, and she fell to the tiled floor, pain etched on her weary face.

  “Stop it!” I ran forward, trying to get to her, but the guards tightened formation, and Drake pulled me back. I jerked my arm away from him. “Let me go. She’s my mother.”

  “One who is willing to die to save you,” Drake said into my ear. “You know what it’s like to be at the council’s mercy. Step back now, and we may be able to salvage things before they lock her up.”

  I froze, my blood running cold in my veins. If they locked her up, years could pass before I saw her again.

  “I will do my best, but I need you to cooperate. Can you do that?” His breath tickled my ear as I nodded. “Good. Now stay quiet.” He walked to the circle of guards and waved a hand. They parted just enough to let him through. “Stand up, Hope,” he commanded.

  Mom did as he said, glaring at him.

  “What were you trying to do?”

  She took a deep breath, her jaw tense. “What you should be doing right now. I was going to give half of my soul to my daughter.”

  My eyes bugged out. “No! She can’t do that.”

  Drake didn’t acknowledge my outburst and nodded in her direction. “I see.”

 
“Wait.” I ran forward. “She’ll be compromised if she does that. No. I won’t let her.”

  Mom’s expression softened as she found me among the guards. “And I won’t let you go on living this way. I’d rather sacrifice myself than risk losing you.”

  “It’s very dangerous,” Drake interjected. “And not sanctioned.”

  I shook my head, my heart weighing heavily in my chest. “You know I can’t let you do that, Mom.”

  “Jade—”

  “I think we’ve heard enough.” Madeline glanced at the council members and pressed her lips together in a thin line. “Guards?” She beckoned them with the wave of one hand. “Show them to their accommodations. We’ll discuss what, if anything, we should do about this later in the week.”

  My peanut gallery jumped to their feet.

  “I’ll share my soul,” Gwen said, panic filling her voice. “If Hope and I both give a little, not half, we should be fine. No one would be in danger.”

  “They share DNA,” Lailah reasoned. “Giving a small piece has been done before to help heal another. This situation isn’t any different.”

  Kane gazed at me, his eyes intense and filled with worry.

  “Quiet!” a voice boomed. From the shadows of the dais, the most beautiful and intimidating angel emerged. She moved her long limbs with assurance and grace as she commanded the attention of everyone in the room. Her onyx eyes settled over the council, piercing them with an air of authority. Everyone, even Madeline, bowed their heads in respect.

  “Chessa,” Drake said reverently, “it’s kind of you to join us. I didn’t think you’d be back for another few days.”

  She smiled at him warmly. “My trip went better than planned.”

  Mom’s face tightened, and her eyes squinted as she stared at the chestnut-haired beauty in front of us.

  “Hope,” Chessa said coolly to Mom.

  Mom bowed her head slightly, though it was clear by her grimace she loathed the action. “Chessandra.”

  Chessa glanced around at everyone then narrowed her attention on Drake. “You have a daughter.”

  He inclined his head. “I wasn’t aware until last week.”