For Want of an Angel

by Rosalie Lario

  “But she’s my mate.”

  Zach shook his head, twin tears welling in his reddened eyes. They rolled down to displace the soot that covered his cheeks. “Not anymore, my friend.”

  Aaron turned away from the window and faced Zach and Jason. “We’ll depart once the sun goes down. We should get back to the compound as quickly as possible.”

  Where hopefully I can convince Samantha to stay with us. To stay with me.

  “Agreed,” Jason said as he settled onto the couch where less than an hour before Aaron had gotten his first taste of the nirvana that was Samantha.

  All too conscious of the fact that none of them would be getting any sleep today, Aaron stalked over to the wall nearest the corridor leading to Samantha’s room and leaned against it, sliding down until he sat with his back to the wall. Samantha’s arousing essence hit him in varying waves of energy. The knowledge that Zach and Jason felt it too had him gritting his teeth and clenching his fists against the primitive desire to claim his mate.

  Zach and Jason knew Samantha was his, but that didn’t make this any easier. The sooner he mated with her, the better.

  But something told him that, even though she’d allowed him the liberties she had tonight, she was far from convinced to aid in their cause. What would he do if he stated their case and she still turned him down?

  He couldn’t even think about that...because the simple matter was, now that he’d found Samantha—now that he had a chance for a life with a true and worthy mate—he could never let her go.

  Chapter Six

  Despite Samantha’s fears that she’d never be able to fall asleep, she found herself waking the next night after what had to have been a solid twelve hours of rest. Not that they were all restful. Her dreams, what she could remember of them, had been filled with visions of Aaron, naked and demanding as he made love to her with an intensity that left her breathless. Damn it, why couldn’t that have been real?

  She heaved a sigh and sat up in the bed, peeling the covers from her body. Her borrowed T-shirt clung to her in damp spots, a testament to just how overheated her dreams had left her.

  Not a peep sounded from outside her door, but she wasn’t about to investigate without first slipping into the shower that connected to this bedroom. She washed off as hastily as she could and then snatched up her cat burglar outfit from last night.

  Couldn’t he at least have flown me home first for a change of clothes?

  Oh well, she’d just have to make do with what she had. While she didn’t relish the thought of having to wear the same outfit again, at least she’d had the sense to wash out her black thong underwear after her interlude with Aaron and hang them on the towel rack to dry. Day-old clothes she could deal with, especially considering she’d only worn the outfit for a few hours. Day-old underwear was a whole other story.

  Once she’d redressed, she took a fortifying breath and left the room. When she stepped into the living room, she was surprised to see no one other than Aaron there.

  He stood by a window, looking out toward the flaming strips of sunset that illuminated the darkening sky, and he was just as shirtless as he’d been the night before.

  She took a moment to admire his form. With his blond hair and tanned physique, he more closely resembled a hard-bodied surfer than her image of an angel. Strike that...surfer was too tame. The heavy muscles cording his back were more in line with a body-builder. Either way, the man was quite stunning to behold, and she couldn’t help but respond viscerally to him. Her pulse raced at the way his muscles flexed in tune with the rise and fall of his breath, and her womb clenched with the beginnings of renewed desire. He was purely breathtaking.

  I can’t believe I’m standing in the same room as an angel.

  An angel, for God’s sake.

  And according to him, you’re part angel too.

  That sobering thought led her to break the silence. “Where are your friends?”

  Aaron stiffened at the sound of her voice then slowly turned to face her. His gaze traveled from her face down the length of her body, and his heated expression stole her breath. Something heavy and hot weighed the air, making her stiff with desire. For one moment, she feared he might cross the length of the room and simply tear her clothes off. The anticipation of such an event was enough to send a shiver of longing through her whole body, tightening her womb and hardening her nipples. God, but she wanted this man. More than anything she’d ever wanted before.

  Which made him oh so very dangerous.

  Just when she thought her prediction was about to come true, Aaron averted his gaze, and the heaviness between them dissipated. Samantha took a gasping breath. She should be relieved he wasn’t about to jump her, but she wasn’t. Disappointment slumped her shoulders, making her all too aware of one simple fact.

  She couldn’t go the rest of her life without knowing what it felt like to make love to an angel.

  Aaron opened his mouth, wetting his lips. Samantha leaned forward in anticipation of what sort of declaration he was about to make.

  “They left.”

  She blinked. “What?”

  “Zach and Jason. They’ve already left.” When she continued to stare blankly, he added, “You asked me where they were.”

  “Oh. Right.” Heat warmed her cheeks. Jeez, one second around him and she went out of her mind with lustful thoughts.

  “We should leave too.” With those words, he strode toward the coffee table and picked her backpack up.

  “What? So soon?” Now that they were alone again, she wasn’t in such a rush to leave.

  “We don’t have much time to waste. Traveling by air during the day is too risky.”

  “But...” Her stomach grumbled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten in almost an entire day. She pressed her hands to the spot to calm the rolling growl. “What about dinner? Or breakfast...whatever.”

  Aaron lifted a brow and unzipped her backpack, withdrawing a brown paper bag. “Here.”

  She caught the square package as he threw it at her and unfolded the top of the bag to glance inside. “A sandwich?”

  He zipped the bag back up and shook it. “Made a few for you. Also slipped some apples, a banana, and a bottle of water inside.”

  “You...made me sandwiches?” The thought of an angel doing such a domestic task for her benefit was mind-boggling.

  Aaron adjusted the straps on her backpack and slipped it onto his own back. “Yes. You eat them, don’t you?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “Then eat up.” He flashed her a smile that, while friendly and inviting, brooked no argument.

  Shrugging, Samantha bit into the sandwich. The mouth-watering flavors of pesto spread and roasted turkey swept onto her tongue. “Mm...this is delicious.”

  “Thanks.”

  She made quick work of wolfing down the rest of the sandwich before wiping her mouth and throwing Aaron a look. “You know, somehow I didn’t think angels ate.”

  “Really?”

  He let out an amused laugh and then surprised her by reaching out and yanking her toward him. His arms closed around her, imprisoning her within the silk-on-steel framework of his body. When he looked down at her, his eyes were hot and hungry and filled with promise. She swallowed hard, praying she’d gotten all the crumbs off her lips, but to her surprise, he didn’t lean down for a kiss.

  “You’d be amazed at all the things you don’t know about angels,” he said, his tone husky.

  “I...” Her voice came out a squeak and she cleared her throat. “I have a feeling you’re right.”

  Aaron laughed and released her, trailing his fingers down her arm until his hand enclosed hers. “Come on, let’s go.”

  Hell, if he continued to go shirtless, she might just follow him anywhere. Definitely couldn’t beat the view. Of their own accord, her eyes traveled down his sculpted bare back to the round globes of his ass encased in his tight jeans.

  Good lord, his body was out of control.

  �
��Ready?” Aaron asked.

  Only when he swiveled his head to glance back at her did she realize her hand had unconsciously lifted to sample the merchandise she’d been admiring. Shit.

  Flushing red hot, she yanked her hand back to her side. “Ready or not...”

  He grinned and cocked a brow, finishing her statement. “Here we go.”

  Aaron faced her once again. He hoisted her into his arms, hooking one hand under her shoulders and the other beneath her legs, and a second later, they lifted into the air. For the second time in as many nights, stiff wind blew through her hair, forcing her breath into shallow puffs. She wrapped her arms around Aaron’s neck and swallowed hard to block the disturbing sensation of her stomach dropping out from under her. The September breeze was cool, but the man holding her tight to his chest was hot enough to make up for it...and then some.

  Lord, the man was like her very own roller coaster ride—every bit as dangerous and probably twice as exciting as one too.

  When Samantha accidentally glanced downward, she noted the tops of skyscraper buildings she’d previously only seen from the ground level. Everything looked different from this height, not to mention the speed at which they flew by. Sudden nausea burned in her throat. She forced her gaze up to Aaron’s face and yelled so he could hear her over the flapping of the breeze. “How do you do this every day?”

  He laughed at that. “Flying is all I’ve ever known. To me it’s every bit as natural as walking down a street.”

  Which served as a not-too-subtle reminder of just how different they were. He was a complete other species, from a whole other dimension. She was just plain old Samantha.

  Not plain at all, according to Aaron. He says you’re a nephilim.

  No, that was too mind-boggling a thought to process right now. Maybe later she would come to terms with it, but for now his claim seemed all but impossible.

  She focused her gaze on Aaron’s wings, for the first time noting that they weren’t all black, as she’d originally thought. Those closest to the base, where they fused to his back, were a shade that bordered between soft green and a smoky gray. There was even a thick patch of white on his right wing.

  The soft down appearance of his appendages beckoned to her. Since Aaron’s hold under her thighs seemed firm as steel, she chanced releasing one of her hands from around his neck and reached out to stroke a wing right along the base. To her surprise, he went stiff as a board, momentarily ceasing the flap of his wings. She squealed and resumed her death grip on his neck.

  “Sorry, didn’t mean to hurt you,” she gasped. “I just wanted to see what they felt like.”

  And oh, they’d been every bit as soft and enticing as she’d imagined. What would it be like to sleep snuggled up against this magnificent pair of wings? Probably like floating on a cloud...one with a strong layer of steel beneath its surface.

  “You didn’t hurt me,” Aaron said, but his strangled tone indicated otherwise, and he kept his eyes averted.

  “Then what’s wrong?”

  After a pause so long she feared he wasn’t going to answer, he said in a guttural voice, “Never touch an angel’s wings unless you mean to touch more of him.”

  Before she had the chance to fully process his words, his gaze met hers. The stark, intense desire in his eyes made her gasp.

  Holy shit. Something told her she’d unwittingly just done the angelic equivalent of stroking his dick.

  “I-I’m sorry,” she stammered, feeling her face flush hot.

  His eyes searched her face for one long moment, the topaz-colored depths flashing dark and expressive. Much as she’d like to, she found herself unable to look away.

  “Don’t be,” he finally said.

  She nodded and glanced away, now thankful for the wind that made conversation so difficult. But she couldn’t help but think about his wings. Thanks to the Consortium, she knew the Fallen had black wings rather than the customary white, because they’d been condemned to death by the Tribunal. But the angels had never explained how that had happened. Now she couldn’t help but be curious.

  That was the last thought on her mind before she was lulled to sleep by the steady flapping of Aaron’s wings and the heat of his embrace.

  Chapter Seven

  The sudden drop into a sharp descent woke Samantha from her unexpected slumber. Blinking, she took stock of her surroundings. They were flying over a small city, and her hands had dropped from Aaron’s neck to rest helplessly on her stomach. Thankfully his grip on her was tight as ever, as evidenced by the low-voltage electricity tingling all over her body. It made what would otherwise be a frightening wakeup into something more than a little bearable.

  Oh damn, who was she kidding? Being in his arms made her hot as hell.

  Less time than she’d expected had passed since she’d fallen asleep. Stirring, she glanced at her watch. They’d only been in the air for about four hours.

  “You okay?” Aaron asked, his sexy voice roughened from hours of non-use.

  Samantha fought the urge to shiver at the enticing sound of his voice, but it was no use. Currents of arousal wound through her body, making her nipples stiff and her legs quiver. How she’d been able to fall asleep in his arms to begin with was beyond her.

  “I’m fine.” She made a show of looking around. Anything to avoid his eyes. “Where are we?”

  “Just outside of New York.”

  “New York?” That was where he’d told her he was bringing her. “So we’re almost there?”

  “No. My brethren and I live several hours to the north. It’s too far to chance the rest of the trip tonight, so we’re staying at another safe house.”

  Another one? Part of her wanted to protest. The sooner they got to their destination, the sooner she could hold up to her end of the bargain and hear him out and then go home. But yet another part of her, the part that wanted Aaron so desperately, was glad they’d have at least one more night together.

  Wait...

  “Are Zach and Jason going to be there?”

  “No. They took another route.”

  His response sparked any army of butterflies in her stomach. She and Aaron were going to be alone together for one entire night. The possibilities surrounding that equation were too much to think about.

  “How many safe houses do you have?” she asked, more to distract herself than anything else.

  “Many.” He aimed for one of the taller buildings, which stood no more than eight stories high. “We generally keep them along our major travel routes.”

  “How do you manage that? Or the passcards, for that matter?”

  His lips quirked. “We have our ways.”

  With those cryptic words, he touched down lightly on one of the small terraces lining the top level of the building. It was sparsely decorated with a fake potted plant that reached about six feet in height and a small, iron breakfast table with two chairs.

  Aaron set her to her feet, which somehow felt like they were made of jelly. She stepped out of his arms but stumbled when her left leg gave out on her. He caught her before she could go down.

  “I’ve got you.”

  The heat of his fingers penetrated through the layers of her shirt, and somehow she got the sense he was talking about so much more than just this moment. Something about that scared her in ways she couldn’t begin to comprehend. She dared a glimpse up toward his eyes, only to melt into the intensity of his gaze. Lord, she could stand here forever if it meant she got to stare into those soulful eyes of his the entire time.

  A regretful look crossed his face and his full, gorgeous lips parted. “We should get inside,” he said with obvious regret. “I always fear attracting attention.”

  He would have to, she supposed, given that he didn’t wear a shirt while flying. The man lived on the edge of constantly being found out. She knew from personal experience how stressful that could be.

  Samantha nodded at him and turned toward the glass door leading into the apartment. Thankfully h
er legs decided to support her this time. She stopped right in front of the glass and Aaron reached beyond her to slide the door open.

  “Guess you and your friends don’t believe in locks, huh?” she whispered to him.

  Aaron grinned in amusement. “Why should we? We have the Consortium to protect us.”

  Swallowing a burst of startled laughter at his unexpected joke, she stepped inside.

  The terrace led into a small living room that stood in marked contrast to the prior apartment. The walls were decorated in warm shades of rose and burgundy, and a suede crème couch sat facing the terrace. Directly opposite it were two Queen Anne chairs covered in rose-patterned burgundy velvet. The dark wood coffee table matched the color of the wooden floors, but a dusky rose, braided wool rug had been placed beneath the coffee table to alleviate the one-toned effect. Overall the room had a romantic air to it that she’d totally not expected.

  “Wow, this is different from the last place.”

  Aaron let out a chuckle. “This was Mara’s doing.”

  “Mara?” Jealousy, quick and unexpected, knotted in her stomach. He’d never mentioned another woman.

  “Another Fallen.” His eyes met hers, and whatever he saw there prompted him to add, “She’s mated to a Fallen named Ben.”

  “Oh.” As the tension in her gut eased, she turned away to hide the heat that crept to her cheeks. Her gaze fell to a painting on the far wall, a nighttime scene of roiling green seas with gray clouds lining the sky above. The colors in the artwork reminded her of the base of Aaron’s wings, and her curiosity got the better of her.

  “How did your wings turn the color they are now?”

  It was only when Aaron let out a shaky breath that she realized her question had unnerved him.

  “Long story,” he said finally.

  One he didn’t seem keen to share, if his tone of voice was any indication. But now she was more curious than ever.

  “I have the time,” she replied in a soft voice.

  Aaron gave her a long, searching look before nodding. “Okay, but I need to sit for this one.”