Falcon felt like he’d been gutted. Tally was offering to die.
His wings exploded out of his back and hardened into silver armor, but he made no move. He’d learned that one couldn’t protect a person from herself. This was Tally’s choice.
She extended her hand to Tristan, waiting for him to take it and, for Falcon, the world stopped. Time was meaningless. His existence would change forever if Tristan took Tally away. He’d kill him.
A small voice nagged at him from somewhere in the back of his head—it cried out that killing Tristan would be wrong. This was Tally’s choice and if he really cared for her, he’d do what he could to help her find her redemption.
Yes, he could admit he cared for her. It wasn’t love with a capital L, but he cared for her.
Tristan eyed Tally and reached out his hand to take hers and Falcon made up his mind. Her redemption rested in Tristan’s hands? No. He refused to believe that and he wasn’t going to lose her to a selfish man’s sense of entitlement.
Tristan took her hand in his; Falcon was too late. Yet Tally still breathed, still stood in front of him. The anger was gone from Tristan’s face.
“I loved you, Tally.” The confession seemed to have been ripped from the Angel of Death like a vital organ.
“You never said so and you never acted like you did. You were always out with other women. You talked down to me, made me feel like I wasn’t worth anything to you.”
Falcon felt another sensation, a tightening in his chest. Was he having a stroke? No, a heart attack? He was angel—he couldn’t have those things. Whatever it was, he didn’t like it.
“I know.” Tristan hung his head. “I didn’t think you’d stay with me. I thought if you didn’t think you could do any better, you’d never try.”
“Oh, Tristan,” Tally sighed. “What a mess, huh?”
“I didn’t mean what I said about you being a whore. You didn’t deserve that. And me? I probably deserved what I got at Loudun.”
“Then why are you still so angry?” she whispered.
“I don’t know.”
Tally hugged him.
Falcon felt the stirrings of a certain green-eyed bastard. He was jealous! He knew he had nothing to be jealous of—Tally had spent the last night in his arms, as evidenced by the fact she was only wearing a sheet.
Pressed into the chest of a man she’d dated for years.
It was only reasonable to assume that they’d spent many nights tangled with each other. The visions that assaulted Falcon now were very uncomfortable and he wished, not for the first time, he’d beat the brain juice out of Tristan Belledare.
“I loved you, I did.” Tristan said as he sank to his knees and laid his head on Tally’s stomach like a child seeking comfort.
Falcon coughed. “So, I thought we had to go, or something.” He shifted uncomfortably on the balls of his feet.
“Do you forgive me, Tristan?”
“Yes.”
Realization hit Falcon again, but this time it was like getting hit with the wrong end of a hippopotamus. During their conversation on the beach, Tally had been asking for his forgiveness, but he’d been too stupid to figure it out. Instead, he’d kept trying to get between her thighs. He’d been concerned about demonstrating the prowess of his cock while she’d asked for redemption.
He couldn’t very well say it now, not with Belledare going on all needy. It would be like the third wheel on a date saying, “Hey, pay attention to me, too. I’m included. Damn it.” Tristan was being a dick and he still had Tally in his arms.
The nasty implication there was that’s where she’d rather be. At least, Tristan could tell her he loved her. Even after everything that had happened between them, he could say it. And from the haunted expression on his face, it looked like he meant it.
How did they get from verbal sparring to this? It made the bile rise in his throat. It was his own fault for being so gung ho to kick Tristan’s ass. If he’d ignored Belledare’s fat mouth, they’d already be on their way and none of this would have happened.
But then Tally wouldn’t have Tristan’s forgiveness, either. Damn, but Falcon felt like a selfish bastard. It was small comfort Tally didn’t return Tristan’s declaration.
“Shouldn’t we be going?”
“We’re having a moment here. I’d think with you being Cupid, you’d be a bit more understanding,” Tristan growled.
“Him?” Tally snorted and pulled away from Tristan. “Nah, he says he can enforce the party line without ‘spewing’ it.”
“Really?” Tristan raised a brow. “So there’s been no grand confession, no talk of feelings?”
Falcon felt the words die in his throat. Tristan had effectively crushed his windpipe without touching him, but Tally rode to the rescue.
“We don’t need to talk about feelings. I know Falcon’s stance on most things.”
He didn’t know why, but that pissed him off, too. Falcon couldn’t put his finger on it, but he found Tally’s comment to be incredibly insulting.
“There you go.” Tristan rolled his eyes. “He’s willing to beat me stupid, but he can’t tell you he loves you? I guess I’m not one to talk, but I’ve said it now, Tally. I love you. I still love you. When you’re ready for an angel who can commit, you know where to find me.”
“Tristan, no offense intended, but you couldn’t commit before. I’m not sure anything has changed.”
Wait, so, she wasn’t saying she didn’t want Tristan and that she’d stay with Falcon. She was saying that she wanted proof Tristan had changed.
This was all in one word dragonshit.
Falcon didn’t want to lose her. He knew that much. He didn’t want to lie, either. Not only that, but Tally would smell a lie like a six-week-old piece of fish left in a dirty jockstrap.
He fingered his guns, antsy to be away from the situation.
Tally smiled at him softly, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. His palms flattened against the guns again. He found their smooth grips to be comforting.
“I’ll prove to you I’ve changed, Tally. If you give me the chance.” Tristan looked wistful.
“You’d better go if the Pantheon is waiting,” she said softly. “Thank you for your forgiveness—it means a lot. Will you do one more thing for me?”
Tristan nodded.
“Tell your mother I’m sorry. I’d do it myself, but if I were her, I wouldn’t want to look at me.”
Tristan grinned. “Oh, when she saw I was still alive, or angelic, she said I had it coming for being so awful to you. Of course, if I’d really been dead, she would be implementing your demise as we speak.”
“Damn, Belledare. Do you ever shut up? Let’s go if we’re going,” Falcon interrupted.
“I have a bad feeling about your going,” Tally said and wrapped her arms around her stomach. Falcon wondered if the act quieted that feeling.
Falcon kissed her gently. “Everything will be fine, but stay here where you’re safe.”
Tally seemed startled by this display of affection. “You don’t have to treat me any differently because we fucked, Falcon. Or because Tristan called you on it,” she whispered in his ear before she stepped away from him. “Be safe. Both of you.”
Falcon wasn’t sure what to make of any of this, not the new direction his brain was determined to take, his jealousy, or this new side of Tally he’d seen. She’d been so strong and yet so soft; she was breakable and invincible all at once. There’d been a quiet wisdom in all of her words, until it had come to discussing what was between them.
She’d called it “fucking.” Was that what it had been? If it was something more, what was it?
He understood now why ancient warriors didn’t have sex before battle. It really did suck out one’s manhood.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A Bird in the Bush Is Worth Two in the Hand
Tally was surprised by how quickly Falcon returned. Things had either gone very well or very badly. From the sour look on his face, she i
magined it had gone very badly. Or was he still irritated about Tristan?
“What’s wrong?” She bit her lip.
“Aside from the fact I went to my first meeting with the Powers smelling like sex?”
“Why didn’t you do a grooming charm on the way?” Tally put her hand over her mouth to try to keep from laughing.
“I never use manual grooming charms. I have them set to automatic at my apartment.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s funny. It’s nice to see these things don’t happen to just me.”
“Well, that’s what’s wrong, Tally. It seems like you’re always getting screwed. At the meeting, Ethelred convinced the Powers that the gypsy prince won’t turn werewolf in his presence.”
“I don’t like the sound of this. Did they not see what just happened at the cabin? Ethelred was there when he turned!”
“I know that. But it’s Ethelred’s problem. He should have allowed for the curse when he made the deal with Emilian’s father. If Ethelred had been on the ball, he would have used the deal to cleanse the entire line of magick and we wouldn’t be dealing with this right now. This is his mess and The Powers want to let him clean it up.”
“What does this mean?” Tally swallowed hard, fear crawling up her throat and cutting off her air.
“It means the prince and princess have to always be in his presence to keep the Beast from manifesting. The Powers want them to move in here.”
“No,” Tally said flatly. “No. I won’t. I can’t. Not after what happened at the cabin. It’s not fair to ask it of me, either.”
“And I’m not going to make you. The Powers suggested that you suspend your time with Ethelred until after this is over.”
“Why does—” Tally didn’t finish her question because she already knew the answer. She’d been about to ask why everything was always more important than she was, but even the Powers put everyone else first. She understood this was an end of the world thing, but Tally’s redemption was just as important. There were other ways this could have been handled that didn’t screw her. But it didn’t matter. “Never mind.”
“Look, I came up with something else. I told Ethelred that maybe you’d consent if he’d give up his claim on his days with you and you could spend the rest of your parole with me.”
Falcon’s words did nothing to soothe her fears. In fact, it sounded like he believed that if Ethelred had his shot, she’d fail. Maybe she was just being oversensitive because she was afraid of being anywhere near Emilian Grey.
“Why do I have to consent?”
“I don’t know. That’s just what the Powers demanded.”
“Can we go somewhere else?”
“Yeah, I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”
“For now, can we go back to your mother’s? I know that’s not living without magick, but I feel safe there.”
“It’s always been your home, too, Tally.” He pulled her into his arms and she sagged against him with a sigh.
Until she realized he really did smell like sex.
She wrinkled her nose and gave a delicate cough.
“Yeah, witchling. You smell like that, too.”
She gasped. “I don’t.”
“Sorry, sweetheart. You do.”
Tally gasped again and slapped his shoulder as they landed on the small balcony that led to Falcon’s room in his mother’s house.
“Do you think we should tell your mom we’re here?”
“Nah, she’ll figure it out when we come downstairs.”
“One of these days you’re going to literally scare the life out of her. Then you’ll feel bad for being such a rotten son,” Tally teased.
“She’s made of sterner stuff. Believe me, we tried when we were eight.” Falcon snickered. “She broke a wooden spoon on my butt.”
Tally couldn’t resist a peek at said part and leered over his shoulder. “It doesn’t look any the worse for wear.”
“Wench, we’ll see about that.” Falcon swatted her bottom.
Tally squealed and twisted away from him into his room. “Says the boy who keeps an apartment even though we all know he really still lives with his mommy.”
“Boy?” Falcon’s eyebrow arched.
“Yep. Boy,” she reiterated.
“Little girl, you’re about to be in big trouble.”
“Oh, yeah?” Her voice was almost a whisper and Tally realized she sounded like she was begging for attention on the most primal level.
Their first experience hadn’t been as wonderful as she’d hoped. Not that it had been bad, but Tally knew fear had held her back. She’d been so afraid of her own body, of its responses, and whether the great and terrible evil would come back. It had been quite the mood killer.
Regardless of what Falcon said about how long it had been for him, she knew it had to have been a relief that she was just a witch and didn’t morph into something horrible. She knew there was wildness between them that burned hotter than any fire even the Devil could summon.
She wanted to explode with him into that possibility—to burn with him. “It doesn’t feel like I’m in trouble.”
“I’ve got to get clean before you can be in any serious trouble,” Falcon said as he wandered into his bathroom, pulling his shirt off as he went. He emerged with a towel and a clean T-shirt in hand. “I’ll even let you have the first shower.”
“Such a gentleman,” she said with a cheesy Southern belle accent.
“Not really. There’s a peephole.” Falcon smirked.
“If you wanted to see me naked, all you had to do was ask. In fact, you could use a grooming charm on both of us.”
Falcon appraised her for a moment. “First, I like the hot water, and second, nothing’s ever that easy.”
“But why isn’t it?”
“I don’t know. I don’t make the rules.”
“Yes, you do. You’re Cupid,” Tally pointed out.
“Yes, but I’m more like a gardener. Or so the Heaven’s Helper Manual says. I just water the ‘seeds of love.’ I don’t plant them, unless it’s a special circumstance. For those cases, I have lust bullets.”
“I don’t want to have that conversation now.” Tally grabbed the T-shirt from him and headed into the bathroom.
“What conversation?”
“Which one do you think? You said you water the seeds of love, nurture them, and then you said that you had lust bullets if there were no seeds to water, correct? There’s a huge difference between lust and love,” Tally said as she foraged for some shampoo underneath the sink. “And I was only talking about a grooming charm and some wham-bam, thank-you, ma’am. I didn’t bring up that nasty ‘L’ word.”
“Right, but sometimes people need the taste of lust to get at something that means more.” Falcon held up his hands. “Not my words, the manual. You know I don’t buy into the propaganda. So, no ‘L’ wording here. Wait, isn’t that a show about lesbians?”
Tally raised an eyebrow and scowled. “Of course, you don’t buy into the propaganda. But I don’t see how you can be an effective Cupid if you don’t believe in love. Especially when you started the conversation and now you’re talking about lesbians.”
“I don’t have to spew the party line to enforce it—and it’s never a bad time for lesbians or Valkyries.”
Tally rolled her eyes. “So not going there. But I have to know, why serve the Kool-Aid if you’re not going to drink it? Seems like a waste of time to me.” Tally shrugged.
“Dying wasn’t on my schedule the day they were handing out job assignments.”
“Oh. There is that. I don’t know if it matters, but I’m sorry,” she said, looking down at her hands.
“It’s not your fault.” Falcon leaned across her to get—she wasn’t sure what he was reaching for; all she knew was that he was in immediate proximity and she wanted to touch him.
Tally felt bad about perving on him while she was apologizing for almost killing him, but hey, he was the one who took his shirt off, reve
aling all of his rippling Cupid muscles. She wondered if all angels were built like gods, though Falcon had been eye candy before his job change.
“No, I have to take responsibility for what I did. I caused a lot of damage.” Tally left her thoughts about Tristan unspoken.
“Heaven got two more civil servants out of the deal,” Falcon said as his undid the button on his leathers. “Look, this leather is really chafing, so the sooner you hop in the shower, the sooner I can peel these off.”
“I think you’re dirtier than I am anyway—you go ahead. Wouldn’t want you to get a rash on your cupidity.” Tally sat back down on the bed, which had been made with military folds.
“Yeah, I’d rather not rash that up, either.” He flashed a wicked grin. “I’ve still got to prove myself.”
“What do you mean?” she asked while watching the planes of his back shift as he finished undressing.
“I know our first time could have been better for you, Drusilla.” He was matter of fact.
“What are you talking about? I had my first orgasm that wasn’t from my own fingers with you.”
“You don’t have to soothe my ego, sweetheart.”
Oh, the way he said “sweetheart” made her whole body melt like chocolate on a warm day, sweet and languid.
“I wouldn’t have minded if there’d been more, but I’ve been accused of being a greedy witch. Honestly, I’ve never felt anything like the things you did to me, for me. You were the first person I slept with because it was what I wanted instead of what I thought I was supposed to do.”
“You didn’t want Belledare?”
“I wanted him to want me, if that makes sense. Wow, now I’m channeling Cheap Trick. Will the torture never end?” Tally looked down at her hands.
“In essence, you’re a virgin,” Falcon replied.
“What? I’ve slept with—” She snapped her mouth closed. That wasn’t exactly what she wanted to say about herself. “What I mean to say is, my experience is fairly extensive. How could you say I’m a virgin?”
“If I’m the first that you slept with out of desire, then the emotions you think you feel will be very intense.”
“That I think I feel? Are you kidding me? You’re almost as big of an asshole as Tristan. If you give me the don’t fall in love speech, I swear to Merlin, I’ll kick you in your chafed-up cupidity.” Her leg twitched as she thought about doing just that.
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