“Mate?”
She nodded again. He went quiet, really quiet, as if he were taken back to a terrible or painful time.
“Nik?”
His expression smoothed over. “Very well. Let’s go.” He headed outside.
The moment he touched her hand, her breath froze, an icy draft enclosing her entire body. But just as fast, the cold disappeared, like he’d drawn his shields up again.
Without a word, he dematerialized them.
They reappeared in the forest bordering the village. Shae quickened her steps to keep up with Nik’s long strides as they headed toward the busy main street. People hurried from their jobs, and others made their way to the bar. Her stomach in a knot, Shae searched the busy place. Several women watched them—or rather Nik—with carnal interest. She knew exactly what they were reacting to—the bucket-load of magnetism these Guardians possessed in spades.
“I found him,” Nik said. “Go wait in there—”
“I’m coming with you.”
“No.” His hard expression allowed no argument. “It’s dangerous, I sense him in a fight. Stay in the café, it’s safer among the crowds.”
Exhaling in frustration, she glanced at the café-slash-bar he’d pointed to, one of those places with wooden tables and chairs spilling out onto the sidewalk. A lively crowd gathered, and much laughter flowed.
She didn’t want to make things worse, so she nodded and then quickly said, “Er, Nik, before you go…” She chewed her lip. Darn it, he was the only one who could help her with this, so she forged on. “Can I speak to you about something else?”
He stepped back, avoiding the three older women passing them, his ice-green eyes narrowed.
Taking a deep breath, she said, “It’s about Dagan and me—and his feeding.”
Expecting Nik to walk off, he merely folded his arms and waited for her to continue. Encouraged, she told him the rest. When she finished, he rubbed a hand over his jaw, his brow lowered in a frown. “I’ll have to think about it. Wait in the café. I’ll send him to you.”
Rubbing her cold palms down her jeans, she headed across to the café and chose an outside table, wanting to see Dagan when he arrived.
He was fighting. Christ. She leaned her elbows on the table and rubbed her scar. As a Guardian, she understood it was his job, but still, her fear wouldn’t leave.
Shae anxiously searched the street then spied a familiar, lanky figure heading toward the bar.
“No, not now,” she groaned, not when Dagan would be by anytime.
* * *
A fist plowed into his face. Dagan stumbled back, hitting the building wall in the darkened alley. He leaped through the air and kicked the demonii in the chest, sending him crashing into a dumpster. Breathing hard, he eyed the other two circling him like he was prey—the shitheads!
So damn glad he’d come across these three scourges shadowing a lone female.
But with self-loathing churning through him, he hoped this fight would give him what he needed. But nothing could wipe Shae’s agonized cry from his mind. He’d hurt her—he’d fucking hurt her.
Hell, he finally understood Blaéz’s need for pain all those centuries before he met his mate—it blurred his guilt and forced his screwed-up mind to focus.
The blond demonii grinned and hurled a hissing, red hellbolt. Dagan ducked, the thing nearly swiping off the left side of his face. He didn’t bother to summon his sword. He craved the physical fight—except his fun was cut short as three black ice lances pierced the demoniis’ chest. Within seconds, the spears transformed, and ice encased their entire bodies, freezing them.
“Stop playing with the fuckers, D-man,” Nik barked from behind him.
Reining in his frustration, Dagan flung himself into the air and, with a flying kick, shattered the demonii ice-sculptures. The pieces fell to the asphalt in a loud crunch before dissipating.
With nothing else to take his mind off his remorse, he fumbled a cigar out of his pocket and lit the thing with unsteady hands, deeply inhaling the sedative smoke—nothing helped. He could still see the blood seeping from her nose…her chest. Gods! He shut his eyes.
An odd sulfuric stench marred the air. Dagan’s eyes snapped open. Before whatever evil lurking in the shadows emerged, Nik moved like lightning, swinging his obsidian dagger, the blade a deadly black gleam in the cold moonlight. A raucous squawk erupted as the smoke vanished into the chilly night air.
Dagan didn’t ask, he’d seen the shadows follow Nik a time or two through the centuries.
He flipped his dagger into the air and caught it. “Shae’s looking for you.”
Dagan shook his head, unable to face her.
“Says it’s urgent.”
“It can wait.” Exhaling a rough, smoky breath, he did a psychic scan of the village. Picked up no malicious demonii strains. “Place is clean for now. Let’s head to the city.”
“You could do that. But she’s waiting for you at the Korner Pub.”
The Korner-fucking-Pub? That was on the same street as the damn pharmacy! “You left her there alone?” he snarled.
“It’s the safest place for her. Amidst humans, while I hunted down your surly ass. Besides, if I hadn’t brought her, she would have asked Angelus. The lad’s smitten enough to walk on water for her. I saw no reason to get him in trouble with you. You and I can have it out later.” Nik’s dark eyebrow cocked. “Well, are you gonna stand there and eyeball me, or go get her?”
“Stay the hell out of this.”
“Believe me, it’s my wish. But she asked…” A shrug. “Right, then. My job here is done. Go get your mate.”
His gaze snapped to Nik.
“What? You’re like a rabid dog around her. Besides, she told me.” With another toss of his blade in the air, the warrior and his weapon vanished from the alley.
Dammit! Dagan flicked the dead stub into a nearby dumpster and took off up the main street. Seconds later, he slowed down, struggling to keep his anger checked, not surprised to find the pharmacist already on the prowl. He stood near Shae, who sat at one of those outside tables, his hand on the backrest of her chair as if staking his claim.
Can’t kill a human—can’t kill a human! Shae would never forgive him if he hurt the fucker.
Dagan stalked over. She looked up and shot to her feet when she saw him, seeming to forget her admirer. It eased some of his annoyance.
The asshole touched her arm.
For the second time, Dagan lost his shit. Fury zipped through his veins and thundered in his ears. He shot across the road faster than human eyes could track, and with his mind, hauled the male away and shoved him against a pillar. To the customers, they appeared to be having a friendly little conversation, thanks to his mind tampering skills.
His fists pushed into his jeans pockets, tone low and very, very deadly, Dagan said, “Touch her again—or even seek her out—and I will break every bone in your pitiful body.”
“I meant no harm, she-she’s just a friend,” the human whimpered, fighting to break through the invisible bands keeping him restrained.
“Really?” he drawled, forcing his rage deep into his gut. “That’s not what I’ve seen.”
“Dagan—” Shae hissed, clutching his arm. “Don’t do this.”
It didn’t move him. I know your thoughts, he telepathed into the human’s mind, letting the tips of his fangs show. The man turned sickly pale and started struggling frantically. I’ll enjoy drinking you.
“Dagan, stop it!” Shae yanked harder at his forearm, panic etched on her beautiful face. “Let him go.”
Thank your lucky stars for her intervention, human. Now fuck the hell off. He dropped his hold on the fool, grasped Shae’s hand, and strode out.
In the shadows of a copse of trees, she spun to him. “What is wrong with you? You scared Vasile half to death grabbing him like that.”
An icy smile touched his mouth. “I would have done worse, but you would have been mad. You’re still an innocent when
it comes to the male species.”
Her eyes grew dark and stormy. “Whatever his plans were, I can take care of myself.”
Dagan studied the empty side street through the trees. Yes, she could. Still, no damn fucker would have those filthy thoughts about her. She was his. His!
She stepped in front of him, her anxious gaze searching his face. “Are you okay? I was so worried.”
“Do I look injured?” Anger resurged. “You were hurt, and you recklessly jumped between two fighting warriors. You could have died!”
She rolled her eyes like he was overreacting. “Look, I’m fine. I know what to expect. I trained with Harvey. Yes, it hurts like crazy, but it’s just one of those things.”
His mate had a way of fanning his temper. “Well, I’m not. I not only fractured your nose, I could have had my fangs in your carotid. This could have ended in tragedy!”
“Dagan, stop. If you’re trying to scare me, it won’t work. You won’t hurt me—not deliberately anyway,” she quickly added before he opened his mouth.
By the stars! He wanted to shake her at her misplaced faith. Instead, he cut her a hard look. “I may be a Guardian, but beneath it, I’m a damn predator. In the animal kingdom, gazelles would flee from me.”
“Not this gazelle. I have some dangerous moves of my own.”
“Dammit, Shae—”
“No, you listen to me.” She coolly held his glare. “Yes, you could have overpowered Angelus and drank me dry. But. You. Didn’t. And I’m all right, see?”
She undid the top three buttons of her dark green sweater before he could stop her, revealing the smooth, pale curve of her breast. Unable to stop himself, he cupped her face and kissed her nose, then lowered his head and pressed his lips to her warm, silky skin, running his tongue over where the cut had been.
“Dagan…” Her fingers tangled in his hair, her husky voice filling his ears.
His resistance shattering, he pulled her bra down and sealed his lips over her tight nipple. She moaned as he suckled the tempting bud. A growl rumbled from deep in his throat, and he squeezed her breast. Desire coiled through him, his cock a throbbing ache. His other hand slid under her sweater, caressing her warm back. A sudden sharp sulfuric stink overrode Shae’s seductive scent and crowded his nose.
Biting back a curse, he quickly buttoned her top while mentally tracking for the source. Faint voices reached him. “I saw her with him in the pub moments ago, they must be close. We can’t lose her…”
“Dagan?” Shae clutched his shirt. Her slumberous eyes more gold than gray were edged with anxiety. “What’s wrong?”
It was hard to keep a lid on his temper at his mate being hunted like she was fucking game.
“Demons. We have to get out of here.” He held her close and dematerialized.
* * *
They took form, not in the monastery as Shae had expected, but on the shadowy side of a looming building with tall spires, its pale facade gleaming in the moonlight. A church.
Dagan hurried her around to the front, up a few steps, and through the massive doors that opened at a touch. He ushered her into a gloomy vestibule. The doors shutting behind him, he crossed to the window and searched the streets again.
She hurried to his side but could see nothing in the dark night. Guilt and worry overrode the desire still coursing through her. “I’m so sorry.”
“For what?” His gaze cut back to her.
“They must have gotten a trace of my abilities when I teleported last night and followed me here.”
“I don’t think so. We’ve been extra vigilant since you first lost control of your powers, and even last night, we didn’t pick up anything. Besides, the Fallens would know we have another base in Romania but not where we actually live. Shae—” He angled her face to him when she kept her focus glued to the silent street, his fingers warm on her chin. “This is not your fault. The monastery’s warded against demons, immortals, and humans finding it. I brought us here because I don’t want to take a chance and lead them there.”
Perhaps, but unease churned her stomach. She moved away from him, needing to think. Michael had said evil demons would be after her because she was psychic. The latter she still didn’t get. “I don’t understand why demons would want my abilities when they have their own?”
“Because you could be a psionic.”
She paused in her restless roaming of the vestibule. “A psi what?”
Dagan leaned against the low windowsill, hands resting on the ledge. “I meant to talk to you about that, but things got in the way…”
Like their unexpected attraction...and finding out they were destined mates? Shae didn’t say anything. Waited.
“It’s about the Watchers. You know those biblical angels who watched over early mankind?”
“Some…” Shae nodded, recalling something she’d read about them years ago when she first became aware of Fallens living in this world. “They fell for mortal women and were all killed.”
“Yes. They broke a sacrosanct law. It’s why they were annihilated.”
“That’s a horrible thing to do—you can’t help who you fall for.” When he didn’t respond but watched her quietly, she whispered, “What’s going on, Dagan? Why the history lesson?”
“Because you could be one of their descendants.”
She stared perplexedly at him for a second, then burst out laughing. “No way. I’m not.”
“Yes, Shae, everything points to you being one. Even if your aura’s not revealing much right now. In time, it will.”
At his serious expression, wariness knotted her stomach at how ominous that sounded, like it was a death knell or something. Dagan continued, “Zarias was the leader of the Watchers and the last to fall. Angry at the injustice of their sentence, he cast an ancient spell to protect his bloodline. His dying words became this prophecy—”
“Just his bloodline?” she asked trying to get her reeling mind to focus.
He frowned. “I don’t think it’s meant to be taken as singular since all the Watchers were brethren. He foretold that females would rise again, and the very ones who’d destroyed them would be responsible for protecting them…”
Dagan glanced out through the window again, his hair shifting like silky, blue-black whips down his back. “We had to find the first one—the Healer of the Veils—and protect her. If she died, then Zarias’ prophecy would come to pass, and that can’t happen. Chaos unlike any other will overrun this world, and with mortals possessing the abilities of gods and angels, demons and every other evil out there will be after them—”
“Not all demons are evil,” she interrupted, thinking of Harvey.
Even though his tone remained quiet as he spoke, a tic worked in his jaw. “Last fall, we found the first one. Echo. But with a demon after her abilities, during her retrieval, it didn’t end well. She died—”
“Wait a minute, you’re talking about the woman with the spiky hair from the castle?”
He nodded.
“But how can that be? She’s alive.”
“Aethan brought her back, a gift he has. Anyway, because she died, the prophecy came to pass. Other psionics will awaken, we just don’t know when. And those with powerful abilities like Echo’s have to be protected. They cannot survive on their own otherwise.”
“Protected how?”
“We find them and hand them over to Michael. If the seraphim can, they will bind their abilities and the mortal will live a safe, normal life. Those who wield unnatural powers that can’t be bound will traverse to the Celestial Realm to live out their human lives. If they refuse, they die—it’s the same with nephilim offspring. But they are rare…” He broke off, his entire manner changing, remolding into the cold, hard lines of the man she’d first met.
A hand on her lower back, he opened the main doors to the church and ushered her inside. “Stay here. Demons can’t enter a holy place. It will shield you.”
A glow emitted from the sword tattooed on his biceps.
The next second, it vanished, and took form in his hand in a smoky haze. Whoa! “That weapon’s real?”
“Yeah.” He glanced through the elongated window.
She drew closer and examined his now unmarred biceps in the faint moonlight slanting through the glass pane, gently touching the place where the obsidian sword usually resided. “How?”
“When I—we became Guardians, Gaia, the ancient goddess who watches over this realm, bestowed this and the dagger to us so we’re always armed.”
“Wait, I thought Michael was your leader.”
“He is, but Gaia is boss.” He headed for the door. “I’ll explain later. Don’t move from here until I come for you. And stay away from the windows.”
“I can fight, too, you know.”
He turned. There was utter lethalness in his stillness. “Not for this.” Then he was gone.
Her mind in complete chaos, Shae rubbed her face, her fingers slowing on the bumpy scar there. A psionic? Jeez, she still couldn’t wrap her head around that. And really hoped she wasn’t one. She didn’t want to leave this world, leave her mother, Uncle Lem…or Dagan.
With everything finally going the way she wanted—yes, he was stubborn, with a will of iron, and could be utterly frustrating, but he cared, too. And she wanted a chance with him.
Shae remained in the shadows but peered out an elongated side window, listening for trouble. Nothing. All appeared quiet. Frowning, she looked around the gloomy place, the faint scent of incense and wood wax teasing her nose.
The sudden unmistakable cacophony of fighting yanked her head around. Not in the street, but the side of the church. She darted between the pews, banging her ankle on a wooden corner.
“Fuckity-fuck!” the curse flew out of her mouth. It took several moments to breathe through the pain. “Sorry, God.” Hopping on one foot, teeth clenched, she hobbled to the window.
Holy mother—! Pain forgotten, she gaped at the parking lot.
A horde of demons scuttled about like black beetles, attacking a central figure.
Her gut cramped in fear for Dagan. Then a familiar glimmer and another sword appeared amidst the violent chaos. Nik? Shae searched the horde but still couldn’t see them. The frenzy grew, bodies flying through the air from the center.
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