by Renee Pace
“I can’t, can I? I believe my instructions had been clear. Stay inside and let me take care of this matter.” Nat knew his voice sounded rough but worrying about her was going to kill him.
“Look, let’s talk about this at the house.”
Nat shook his head, leaning his chest into hers. Everything about her matched him perfectly.
“Nathanael.”
“Nat, call me Nat.”
Her blue eyes flashed at him. “Fine, whatever. Nat, this is not the time or place for this.”
“Really, Izzy, seems to me you left me no choice.” He followed his words with a wandering hand to stroke her satiny-smooth skin, which reminded him of the heavenly warm grass that grew in their realm. He pulled her long hair out of her hoodie, enjoying watching the sheet of strands fall across her shoulders.
“You can’t honestly expect me to wait inside and do nothing? You might have bound me to you, but I will fight you, always. You should not have done it,” she stated, her eyes damning him.
“Is it too much that I’m concerned about your safety? And what about the worry you’re putting your sisters through.”
“Go to Hell, Nathanael,” said Isabella, immediately wincing when the Rashi script burned into her flesh.
“You keep that up and you’re entire body will be tattooed.”
Nat knew it was on the tip of her tongue to throw even more curse words at him but she wisely refrained.
“We are as different as night and day,” she said.
“There you are wrong Izzy. Night and day merge to be one every day in a blessed show that touches everyone in this realm. We are that. You are my day.”
“I’d rather be your night. It’s got more of an edge to it.”
Nat chuckled, allowing the reach of his fingertips to roam higher. He wanted her to claim his lips again but knew she wouldn’t.
Casually, she adjusted her head and looked at him. “So you plan to stake your claim here? Is that it?”
Nat seriously hated when she used her business tone of voice. She is challenging me. “I would have come with you. Let me join you in your fight.”
“Are you saying you’d let your b’iã fight?”
“No,” he sputtered, knowing that’s exactly what he had said. She made him flustered and that annoyed him.
“I thought as much, and Nathanael you might have said the binding words but I will not acknowledge them.”
“You dare deny the words I have said with the blessing of the Almighty?”
“No…no, it’s just that, I am…”
The tip of her tongue held the word unworthy, and Nat knew it. Gently, he captured her chin with his hand. “You are more deserving, more worthy than any Cherub or Seraphim I know. It is with my honor that I have claimed you. You wear your scars like a warrior. I am proud of you, Izzy for all you have done. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
He captured her lips, sealing her refute to his claim. Nat took his time, willing her to relax into his hold. When she did give into the kiss, flames licked his lips. Izzy wasn’t gentle with her want and that suited Nat fine. He allowed her to take over, allowed her to dominate the kiss, her lips grasping his own with a fever he thoroughly enjoyed. Their breaths mingled, hot puffs of air drawing up to the heavens, outlined against the cool of the night. She slid her hand around his head, and let her fingers play with the bristly hairs on his nape. Everything she did felt like heaven.
A resounding clap knifed through the air around them, instantly sending Nathanael’s senses into a tailspin.
“Seriously, get a room.”
The deep voice slithered along Nathanael’s skin. He didn’t need to turn around to know a demon stood in the alley with them. Nor did he want to expose Isabella. Tucking Izzy to him, he willed her to remain quiet.
“Let go of me,” she commanded, attempting to push him out of the way.
“Yes, do let her go, Seraphim. She has an urgent errand to attend to for me and it does not please me that you delayed her with your lust, which might as well have been a beacon for all my demons. Didn’t know angel lust could be so colorful. Good thing I stuck around to ensure your safety.”
The cold of the night did not penetrate Nat’s heart like the demon’s words.
Chapter Fourteen
Izzy clutched Nat’s dress coat tighter around her. She ignored all her sisters, who cast worried glances her way, to beeline to her bedroom. She longed to hop in the shower but that had to wait for another time. She’d put off facing Nathanael, not liking how he’d looked at her after what had transpired between them in the alley. They walked home in awkward silence. She hadn’t cast one glance his way, even though the longing to see him ate away at her. Conflicting emotions surged through her. She should have stopped his kiss. She hadn’t.
“You let that demon live.” His voice, rough with barely suppressed anger, ticked her off.
So did you. She barely nodded. “I need a few minutes of privacy.” She didn’t wait for his approval. Instead, she yanked out a new shirt and a pair of skinny jeans, new panties and a bra, and then marched with her obvious bundle into the bathroom. Rinsing her face with hot water, she took a second to look at herself in the mirror. I look the same, but inside everything has changed.
Something special had bonded them and it would hold for eternity, no matter what she told him. She wondered if he felt the same. Highly doubtful. The cold reality of how fast she’d let her control slip with Nathanael shocked her. Izzy liked to think she was beyond her Cherub teachings but a desperate part of her longed for even more fulfillment from him. Giving in to that tempting desire would cement their relationship even more and that couldn’t happen because she had no intention of ever leaving her sisters.
No one warned her that the longing to be with him would leave her doubting her sanity or questioning her independence. Being with Nathanael felt natural and right and while he offered salvation, she couldn’t accept it. Then again, why would anyone warn her she’d feel like this? Maybe it was another curse leveled at her by the Mistress.
The hot water on her face renewed her. Izzy dressed quickly and then strode out, knowing she had to confront Nathanael. Not liking what she had to tell him, she squared her shoulders. Time to get it over with.
“Care to tell me what you and that demon talked about?”
The question caught her off guard. Nathanael breeched the space separating them to grasp her by the shoulders. That one contact curled her toes.
“That was no ordinary demon,” said Izzy. Nathanael released her to pace around her bedroom like a caged idiom.
“Do you honestly think I am an idiot? I know exactly who that was.”
It was Izzy’s turn to balk. “You do?”
“Yes, of course. For the past decade, the Dark Angel has been trying to send spies through the heavenly gates.”
“Oh,” said Izzy, sitting down on the bed. “Guess I wouldn’t know that because I’ve been stuck here. He told me his name was Ash.”
Nat scoffed. “That isn’t his real name. No demon tells their real name—to know a demon’s real name is to hold power over them. What did he want, Isabella?”
Izzy tried to ignore how the sound of her name rolling off Nathanael’s tongue made her feel. She wanted to command him to sit, but he probably would ignore her. His nervous energy vibrated like a flaming candlewick through him. She wondered for a moment what Nathanael would look like if he had his wings. Wait a sec—he’ll get his wings back now because he claimed me. The thought that she’d been played and used for his purpose rushed into her, fueling her need to maintain distance between them.
“What did he want?” repeated Nat, standing directly in front of her.
Izzy closed her eyes searching for a way to describe what the demon had shown her.
Opening her eyes, she said, “He showed me Lucifer’s army. It’s huge. I saw thousands and thousands of demons, more than enough to storm the heavenly gates. That’s what Lucifer plans to do. He’s
been luring humans, transforming them until they are full-fledged demons. I have never seen such a large army.”
Nat knelt beside her bed and ran worried hands on his dirty jeans. “Why? Why would he show you?”
It was the question Izzy had asked herself a dozen times. Why warn her? “I told him I’d tell the Almighty, but you know I can’t. I’m the Forsaken One. Even the Mistress will not listen to my prayers.”
“Before we tell anyone, we need to know why. I do not trust the Dark Angel. Maybe this is all a trick.”
Izzy sighed. “It didn’t look like a lie. And, Nathanael, he is the one who took Shea’s soul, citing the ends justify the means.”
For a second Nat looked stunned. She too knew how that felt. When he did speak it pleased her.
“We will find out what trick he plays and then we will avenge her.”
Izzy smiled. She wondered if he knew he’d said “we” not “I.” Nathanael took her hands in his and then knelt beside her on the bed.
“I will leave you now and purify my soul to speak with the Mistress. I will ask her to witness our joining to perform the sacred ceremony now. We will not wait for another decade.”
“Waiting might be good,” said Izzy, softly.
Nat shook his head. “I do not want to wait. You are my heavenly wife. I want our union more than ever.”
He blushed and for a moment, he looked young and innocent. That warmed Izzy’s heart. Her mind told her there was so much more to their joining for him than her, so once again she worked on rectifying a wall around her Cherub heart that yearned for her to yield.
So you can get on the Seraphim Council. That was on the tip of Izzy’s tongue, but she refrained from saying what she truly thought.
He gently stroked her cheek. “Do not worry. We were meant to be together as the Mistress decreed. It’s what I want.”
“But is it what I want?” Izzy hated the hurt look that flew across his face.
“I ask that you give us a chance, Izzy. We can make it work.”
Izzy sighed. “Tell her what the demon said.” She desperately wanted to change the topic.
“The truth of the words can only come from you, Isabella. We must wait for the Mistress to honor us with her presence.”
“You have got to be kidding. She will not see me. I have prayed to her—”
“Let me speak to her first and then we will pray together for her. She must see us.”
Izzy clamped her mouth shut. His blind faith unnerved her. At one time she possessed that. No more.
“This might take a while but never fear I have left you. I will remain in prayer until I hear from her.”
That could be for eternity. Izzy withdrew her hands. “Fine. Go. Do this your way.” I will do it mine.
With reluctance Nat got up. That pleased Izzy’s beating heart. Having him kneel in front of her like he wanted to worship her made her skin itch for the feel of him. She’d have to learn to dampen down that effect of their heavenly union.
“Wait for me,” he commanded, striding out the door looking like a warrior.
Nathanael didn’t bother, once again, to wait for her reply. Seraphim born and raised, he could not change what he was. Too bad she had changed.
* * *
Shea awoke in a jolt. The feeling of being watched crawled along her skin. She clutched the duvet tight and forced herself not to scream. She knew he, the demon who had haunted her dreams but who had been blessedly silent for the past week was back. When he acknowledged her awareness, Shea sucked in her breath. With the one blessed healing candle casting its yellow glow, she noticed as he calmly moved toward her that his wings were a deep shade of purple—almost black but not quite. In the alley, they’d looked black like the night, but now the iridescent shades shimmered when he moved.
“I am surprised you are not screaming.”
That voice of his, slick, commanding, and sounding so proud did lots of things to her she did not want to think about. Dared not to acknowledge. “Why are you here?”
He stood, staring down at her. She noticed his red, glowing eyes were replaced with irises so deep brown they reminded her of melting chocolate. Since landing on Earth, Shea had developed a sweet tooth and dark chocolate had been her favorite. No more. She’d stick to white chocolate from now on.
“I had to see if you were okay.”
His words, unexpected, caused her to snort. Shea knew the sound was unbecoming of a Cherub but that had been the last thing she’d expected. “Okay? I’m great. Can’t you tell?”
He smiled. Shea had been correct. His dimple made him look boyishly charming, and did not belong on a demon face. His skin, a tanned brown, made him look Greek. The wild, wavy, charcoal-colored hair that reached his shoulders did belong to a demon, for no angel had hair as exotic as his. It dawned on Shea then she didn’t know his name and she wanted to. He surprised her by folding his wings in and kneeling beside her on the floor by her bed.
A demon kneeling? Shea wondered if she dreamt this fantasy because it certainly started to feel surreal.
Speaking scripture, the words flew out of his mouth. Shea cried at him. “What are you doing?” But she knew exactly what he was doing even though it should be impossible. How? How could a demon know the ancient words of bonding to tie two souls together? Why would he do this to me? Tears freely fell unchecked. Her entire body shivered.
He reached out and tenderly wiped away a tear. Tenderness coming from a demon did not make sense. But she had experienced that when he darkened her dreams. He’d offered kind and caring words when she had no one. And, he said he’d save her twin.
“Why?” she croaked, flinching from his caress. Heat blossomed inside of her and her eyes widened with the shock of how delicious his touch had felt on her skin.
“I find myself citing the ends justify the means over and over again in my head yet in this case I feel…I feel that they are hollow. I watched you try to cut yourself after you thought I had left.”
Shea shivered, clutching the duvet tighter while attempting to move further out of his reach.
“At first I did not believe what I saw. Why would a Cherub attempt suicide? You do realize that if you had succeeded, you’d end up for eternity a slave to my father’s realm? We made a deal. I won’t let you down.”
Worrying her bottom lip, Shea wanted him to stop talking. His voice had a strange effect on her body. Maybe I’ve got a fever.
“Ending your life will not make things easier for you. And what of your twin.”
“I sought to keep my honor,” she spat, feeling the surge of anger roll past the arousal of his voice. “And you said you’d save her.”
“I will save her in due time. Well, my Cherub, your honor has been avenged. I have claimed you.”
“You cannot claim me. You are demon and I am angel.”
“Do you honestly think we are that different? And tell me you did not feel the power of the words. I dare you.” He chuckled at her.
The nerve of him. Shea felt like he mocked her and that further sparked her anger because she had felt the power of the words. She flushed. “The Mistress is the only one who can appoint my mate. This might be a concept you do not understand but you can’t just claim me—it’s a preordained thing.”
He scooted to sit on the bed beside her, ignoring her angry glower. Shea scurried to the other side of the bed to place desperately needed space between them. A hand snaked out so fast, drawing her covered form to his that it wasn’t until he loomed over her, when the scent of him, a delicious mix of heat and wild spices slammed into her that she realized the true taste of fear. It must have shown through her eyes, because his hold loosened and he allowed her more space beneath him. Still, his large body, full of bunched muscles unnerved her. A thousand miles would be to close, she thought darkly.
“My beautiful fa’minua, what if I told you your lovely Mistress came to me?”
“You lie,” said Shea, trying to talk her heart into slowing down. “And do not cal
l me that word.”
“What word? Beautiful?”
A dark eyebrow perked up as he looked at her. Shea wished he’d look elsewhere. A simmering liquid of heat bubbled deep inside of her making her feel something she did not want to feel for this man. Correction—he’s not a man, or an angel. He’s a demon.
“Get off me,” said Shea.
“Not until you tell me what word?”
By the holy path of light, is he flirting with me? Shea rolled her eyes.
He laughed. “The word?”
“Fine. Fa’minua. I’m not.”
He moved up farther on his arms, bracing his weight on his palms while looming over her. The look he gave her sucked all the breath from her and caused her insides to flutter in nervous anticipation. His head lowered in a slow tease. Shea tried to look anywhere other than at his lips. She lost the battle. She noticed his eyelashes, so long they should belong to a girl, but on him they made him tempting. His strong nose and square jaw with refined cheekbones belonged on a classical angel face, not a demon.
“It has been a long time since I’ve spoken angel speak but I am sure I still remember my teaching. Your voice is fa’minua—the purest of heavenly sounds. You are the golden note. Correction, you are my golden note.”
“I felt nothing when you said the words,” snapped Shea, pleading with her eyes for him to get off her. He ignored her. He moved his lips lower until his warm breath teased her moistened mouth. Shea stilled, hating she recalled exactly how they had felt on her.
He licked her lower lip, and used his leg to force her to open her legs under the covers to accommodate him. Glad for the thick duvet, Shea clamped her mouth shut.
“I did not think a Cherub capable of lying.” He tsked at her, but kept using his tongue like a skillful sword. Wickedly delicious, Shea hated how much she liked the feel of his wet tongue as he licked at her lower lip like her clenched mouth did not hinder him.
“I…”
Should have seen that coming. The minute she opened her mouth, his tongue snaked in, his lips melded with hers, and a volcano of desire, the same type she’d experience in that damn alley rose up sharply through her. He moved his hand until it stroked her hair. Everything he did, as before, tender and gentle, not at all what she had expected before or now. She sensed he held himself in check. He moved his lips from her swollen mouth to her neck, pushing down the cover of the duvet until all of her neck was exposed. He mumbled dark words in a language she did not understand—but her body did. He reached up to frame her face, and the flicker of red embers glowed in his eyes.