Someone had done a thorough search on her, using paths open only to the Shem and the Nephilim, dark magics and light, mixed with modern technology that no human could have performed. If Damien hadn’t found the traces of the search, hadn’t insisted on hunting down the Shem who’d initiated it, they might have already lost her to a Shem’s hunger.
Seth didn’t even want to think about that. There was something sweet and innocent about Abby, something that hadn’t dimmed as she went from gawky teenager to pretty, shy woman. Seth would hate to see that light of hers go out, snuffed by a Shem bastard.
Gabriel had agreed to allow Seth, as a friend of the family, to officially guard Abby while the rest of the Neph did what they did best.
Hunt Shemyaza.
“Shit. I’m on my way.”
“Stay safe, my brother.” Seth’s hands were beginning to shake. Fuck the pizza. He was going to sleep. He’d hit Waffle House in the morning or something.
“Stay safe, my brother.” Micah hung up, probably already on his way. An Angelus like Seth, Micah would fly to her home, invisible, and guard her until morning.
But Seth found sleep elusive. The Shem they’d killed tonight hadn’t known why he’d been hired. He hadn’t known anything other than someone was after her, that someone might want more than her blood. Now Gabriel wanted them at the mansion. The leader of the Nephilim was making it official.
Sweet little Abby Marcheson was on a Shem’s hit list, and not one of them knew why.
* * *
“You know, he’s perfect for you.” Trish was smiling as she followed Abby into the kitchen.
“Mmm-hmm,” Abby mumbled. For God’s sake, she had to get a grip. She was completely insane. Just because she’d caught a glimpse of Seth, waved at him, she was acting like some stupid Twilight fangirl, all ready to squee and pass out at his feet.
Man, she had it bad. One friendly smile, one glimpse of those blue-gray eyes, and she was ready to have his babies. After everything she’d been through, she should have been off men for life, but no. Something about Seth just...made her feel safe. Abby never felt completely safe.
It was weird.
Problem was, Seth was always polite, always had a smile for her, but that was it. He had never once approached her without Bill or Trish tagging along behind him. He was funny, articulate, handsome and kind. She was surprised he hadn’t been snapped up yet. Were the women where he worked deaf, dumb and blind?
She put down the bag and pulled out the coffee mugs. She set up the coffeemaker and pressed start, eager to change the subject. “Coffee okay?”
“Ew, coffee? How about chamomile tea?”
Abby turned and stared at Trish. “Funny, you don’t look like a pod person.”
“Okay, you got me. Give me the good stuff.”
Abby shook her head and prepped the two cups. She put barely a hint of sugar into Trish’s cup, but she poured a ton of cream and sugar into her own. Her friends and family often teased her about her coffee-drinking habits. Bill told people that she only added the coffee for color.
“I don’t know why he doesn’t see it.” Trish took her mug with a nod of thanks, groaning at the first taste.
“Who?” Abby sipped her coffee slowly, sitting down at the dark-stained, artistically distressed kitchen table. She’d had a crush on Seth van Licht since her high school days, when he’d been in college with Bill. She’d thought, once, that she found a man to make her forget Seth, but she’d been wrong on so many levels.
“I mean, it’s not like he dates much. Just last week, Bill tried to set him up with a nice girl who works clerical over at the precinct, and he wasn’t interested.” Trish took a sip from her mug and reached for one of the pan dulce pastries Abby had pulled out of the oven just before the grocery trip. They weren’t warm, but they were still good, and Trish smiled her appreciation around a bite.
“Mmm-hmm.” Abby stared down into her coffee cup. Who had he been dating back then? Flora, Finola... No. Fiona. That had been her name. Some Icelandic-looking goddess who’d swept him off his feet. Abby had only met her once, but she’d been devoted to Seth, and Seth to her. Abby had shrugged, her heart only slightly torn, and moved on, hearing about Seth’s wedding after the fact. He’d been Bill’s friend, not hers. She’d just been the annoying little sister.
But...his smile, the one he directed only at her, hadn’t changed. Not one tiny bit.
“By the way, I told Bill to stop trying to fix his love life, because that’s my job.”
Abby nodded. “Mmm-hmm.” She stirred her coffee in a desultory way, barely listening. She’d heard about Fiona’s funeral after the fact, too. Cancer, Bill had said, but he hadn’t told her what type. Abby had still been too wounded to do much, but she’d managed to send a card. Seth hadn’t responded, but then Bill later told her that Seth had been barely human after Fiona’s death.
“Then I told him that I wanted to watch while he swallowed live goldfish.”
“Mmm—what? Oh. Sorry.” Abby grinned at her sister-in-law sheepishly, trying to shake off her preoccupation. “What were you saying?”
Trish snapped her fingers under Abby’s nose. “Pay attention. We’re talking about Mr. Hunka-hunka, remember?” Trish batted her lashes. “Oh, Trish, whatevah shall I do? I will simply die without him. Die, I say.” Trish dropped her head onto her arms and pretended to sob.
Abby bopped her on the head with the hairstyle magazine she’d been browsing over breakfast. “I don’t have it that bad.”
“Bull. He’s the only thing besides your job you think about these days. And, I must add, it’s about time you showed interest in another man. Doug doesn’t deserve another second of your tears or your fears.”
Ugh. Doug. Her first—and last—taste of romance.
At least her therapist would be pleased that she was interested in another man. Abby wasn’t so sure.
Hell, maybe it was the right time to learn to trust again. The family knew him, even if she barely did.
“Oh, my God, Abby! Seth’s naked outside your window!”
Abby twisted in her chair halfway toward the window before she realized Trish was pulling her leg. Abby’s head thudded down on the table. Ow. That’s going to leave a mark.
Trish sighed. “You’ve got it bad, hon.”
She lifted her head and let Trish see all the longing she usually kept buried inside. “Yeah. I know.”
“This is a good thing. You haven’t dated at all in five years.”
“I haven’t wanted anyone in five years.”
Trish shot her a knowing glance.
“Except for Seth.”
Abby grimaced. “Fat lot of good that’s done me. At least I no longer shake when I see him.”
“You do, but for good reasons.” Trish laughed as Abby hit her on the head with the magazine again. “Seth’s a good man. Bill thinks the world of him. If you’re going to start dating someone, Seth is one of the few my husband won’t throw a fit over.”
Abby glared as some of the things Trish had said filtered through her I saw Seth haze. “Wait a minute. You talked this over with Bill?”
“Duh. You think I’m not going to tell him that not only do you like Seth, but you’re not afraid of Seth either?”
Abby whimpered. “I can’t believe you talked to Bill about this.”
Trish waved her hand impatiently. “None of that matters. What does is, what do you want to do about it?”
Abby took a sip of her coffee and came to a decision. “I’m willing to try, but I don’t even know if he’s interested.”
“He’s male. If he finds out you’re interested, trust me, he will be too.”
Abby grinned. “Men aren’t that bad.”
“Oh, really?” Abby flushed at the knowing tone in Trish’s voice. “You want to know if he wants you? Walk up to him, bat those baby browns at him and take off your shirt. If he’s not interested, he’s gay.”
“I want him interested in me, not my boobs. Dork.” If
she was going to try and win Seth’s heart, she needed to make sure he wanted the woman, not the body.
“I hate to tell you this, but the boobs are the lure you use to hook your man. Then you reel him in with your sparkling wit and keep him with your cooking.”
“Sparkling wit?” Abby’s laugh was bittersweet. “I lie awake at night and think of things I should have said to him. I want to scream, because every time I see him, I freeze up. I can’t talk to him. Hell, I have trouble looking at him. What if I’m wrong again? Let’s face it, my taste in men sucks.” She sighed roughly. She had to get over this. She had to. If she didn’t, Doug won.
“Doug hurt you badly, but it wasn’t your fault. He was a sick bastard, and I hope to God he’s getting his ass reamed on a daily basis by some big guy named Bluto or Bubba.” Trish’s eyes lit up. “Oh! How about a tag team? And I hope they forget the lube.”
Abby shook her head. “You’re nuts.”
“And right. You didn’t do anything wrong, Abby. He did.”
“Yeah.” And it had taken a lot of therapy to get her to see that. “But I still freeze up and can’t think straight when Seth is near me. Then he leaves, and it’s too late. I wasn’t exactly Ms. Popular in school, Trish. I was always shy and tongue-tied around guys. Doug just made it worse.”
“You’re not like that with people you know.” Trish put her hand on Abby’s. “With us you’re the crazy nut we know and love.” Trish leaned back in her chair, a speculative gleam in her eye. “Maybe that’s the key. What if I told you he’s interested in friendship, but nothing more? Would you feel comfortable talking to him then?”
Abby got up and started putting away the groceries. “I don’t know.” She paused, her can of corn halfway to the shelf. “God, I’m back in high school, aren’t I? Would you do me a favor and pass him a note during study hall?”
“Hmm.” Trish covered her smile with her cup. “I could post ‘Abby likes Seth’ to his Facebook page.”
Damn it. Trish would do it, too. “Are you for real??”
Trish put her hands up in the air. “Hey, I’ll leave the poking to you.”
Abby threw a dish towel at Trish’s head.
“If it makes you feel any better, Bill threatened to cut off my purse allowance if I screw this up for you. He really likes Seth.”
Abby grinned. Trish’s obsession with handbags was well known. “Big brother getting all protective again?”
“Yes, well, you know when Bill puts his foot down, I’m not about to argue with him. Unless he’s wrong, of course. But that’s different.”
“Of course.” Abby grinned at her sister-in-law. Trish had Bill wrapped around her pinky finger, and she knew it. So did Bill, who didn’t seem to mind one bit. He adored his tiny, crazy spouse.
Abby made a sudden decision. The right decision, she hoped, pressing a hand to her fluttering stomach. She was about to jump into the deep end, and the thought both scared the shit out of her and made her feel strangely free. “All right. What do I have to do?”
Trish punched the air. “Yes. Invite us to dinner, and I’ll explain it to you then.”
“That’s it?” It couldn’t be that easy. Not when Trish was involved.
“That’s it.”
Abby shook her head, smiling, but agreed. She had no idea what Trish was up to, but she had to do something about these feelings for Seth soon or she would go bat-shit insane.
* * *
“Okay, why am I out here freezing my nuts off? What’s with all the secrecy and the muffin bribe?” Seth handed Trish the Dunkin’ Donuts cup and one of the two bags he carried. He sat on the park bench, feeling remarkably like a would-be spy. He had half an hour before he had to be at Gabriel’s for the mandatory meeting on Abby, and he didn’t want to be late.
“We’re on.”
Seth blinked at his best friend’s wife and wondered if he was hearing things right. “We’re what?”
“Pay attention, Seth. We’re on, big guy.” Trish bumped him with her elbow, nearly sending him flying off his seat.
That did not sound good. What the hell was she up to now? “Does Bill know about this, and if so, how much time to I have to pack and get out of town?”
Trish threw her head back and laughed. “Not on a bet, big guy. But I did get you an in with a certain redhead.” She stirred her coffee and grinned up at him. “How do you feel about Mexican food?”
Seth’s jaw dropped open. No. She couldn’t have.
Wait, no. This was Trish.
Shit.
He’d let slip to Bill that he was possibly interested in Abby, hoping to sound his friend out. While he and Bill had a good relationship and always had, they were talking about the man’s little sister. Seth fully expected to get at least a punch in the arm, maybe even a warning of dire, dick-threatening consequences, if he so much as imagined Abby naked before permission was granted.
But instead of the friendly, man-to-man chest beating he’d expected from the big, overprotective cop, he’d gotten a warm smile and mild warning: Don’t hurt Abby.
Pfft. As if. Seth would sooner cut off his wings.
Now Bill’s crazy blonde wife was hatching one of her insane schemes. He loved Trish, he truly did, but the woman was a menace. He narrowed his eyes and used his most intimidating voice. “What did you do?”
“Got us an invitation to dinner.” She held her hand up, palm toward him, and waited for his high five, which didn’t come. She was not the tiniest bit intimidated by his death glare, damn it.
“How?” And how crazy was he, that he was beginning to see a bright side to this?
“She’s my sister-in-law. I know what buttons to push, and she’s got the hots for you bad, so don’t mess this up. I’d hate to clean up all that blood after Bill got done with you.”
He absently high-fived her, knowing she’d leave her hand there until doomsday if he didn’t. “You’re sure she wants me? Because she has a strange way of showing it.”
“Trust me.” Trish took a sip of her coffee with a smug grin. “I’ve got you in the front door. It’s up to you to bring it on home.”
“I’ll do my best.” He clinked his Styrofoam cup to hers, toasting the fact that Abby might interested in more than shy smiles and soft glances.
He tried not to think how pleased Gabriel would be that he was getting close to his charge. Or how pissed Gabriel would be if he knew that this was way more than just a job to him.
“Just...be gentle with her.” The unusually serious tone of her voice got his full attention. “She’s been hurt a lot. The only reason I went ahead and set this up is because I know you almost as well as Abby. You’d sooner cut off your left nut than hurt a woman, but it might take her a little time to realize that.”
He already knew what had happened to Abby, but he decided to play along, see what Trish would tell him. The simple online searches Seth had done had given him pause. Abby was probably the strongest woman he’d ever met, to have survived what she had. His respect for her had grown after reading article after article about the fire and the toll it had taken on her family. No one should have to suffer what they had. Whatever it took to protect Abby from the Shem hunting her, he would do, and not just because of the assignment or Bill’s friendship. “What happened to her?”
When Abby had been in the hospital recovering from her burns, Seth had been too busy dealing with Fiona’s illness and its aftermath to think much of it. It was only when he’d surfaced from the grief that he remembered Abby had been hurt, and by that time the family had clamped their lips shut. No one spoke about it, and they’d asked him, as a friend, to let it go. He’d obeyed, out of respect for Bill if nothing else, but he’d asked Damien to look into things for him on the supernatural side of the equation just in case.
“Let her tell you when she’s ready. Trust me, Seth. If she tells you about that, then she’ll have definitely opened up to you. It will be worth the wait. There’s more to the news stories than what was put out there.”
/>
What could he say to that? Trish and Abby were close, understood each other well. He’d keep silent, for now. So he nodded. “When, where, and what should I bring?”
“Tonight, Abby’s place, and your inherently sexy self. Oh, and a tight pair of jeans wouldn’t hurt either.” She winked at him and stood. “Now get back to work, you lazy bum.” She began walking away, opening up the Dunkin’ Donuts bag. “Ooh, blueberry. Yum.”
Seth laughed. He couldn’t help it. She was crazy, but she was a good kind of crazy.
Seth headed out for his meeting with Gabriel, well aware that they had little to nothing to go on beyond Damien’s research and one Shem’s admission that he’d been paid to watch Abigail Marcheson, but not harm her.
He slipped into the shadows between two buildings and took off his coat and shirt. He allowed his true nature to take over, his wings glowing brightly before he slipped into invisibility. A Shem or a fellow Neph would be able to sense him if they tried hard enough, but he was completely masked to human senses, not even the glow of his wings lighting the walls of the alley. He spread his wings, the joy of flying free tainted by the knowledge that someone he knew, someone he cared about, was a target for his enemies.
He landed on Gabriel’s lawn five minutes late. He quickly folded away his wings and threw on his shirt as he dashed toward the door. Gabriel hated it when—
“You’re late.”
He winced as the leader of all the Nephilim, Gabriel Viator, turned to him, his strange, violet eyes brimming with frustration. “Sorry. I was speaking with Trish.”
“Bill’s wife? Then you were lucky to get out alive.” Dante’s expression was wicked. “She’s a firecracker.”
Damien snorted and clicked his mouse. Unless they were hunting or the man was on a hot date, he had his nose stuck to a computer screen. “She’s insane.”
“Oh? That explains why you asked her out in college.”
All for You Page 2