“You made yourself visible,” Antonio answered. “You can’t just be appearing out of thin air like that! People are smart as individuals, but as a whole, they are panicky, easily frightened creatures. You have to think, man!”
“I was thinking!” Ash shouted back at him. “I was thinking that I wanted to talk to my fucking sister!”
“And that is how you became visible!” Antonio shouted right back at him. “First you gotta hide your wings. Then make yourself visible. And do it where you ain’t gonna scare the shit out of someone.”
Ash fisted his hands at his sides. Yep, he was gonna punch the fucker. He took back all those thoughts he had about maybe liking this dick rash. He knew the angel was there to help, but right now, he was seriously cock blocking him. He wanted to talk to Lele, and he wanted to talk to the brunette.
There was a deep growling noise emanating from his chest and Ash was powerless to stop it. Before he could rein in his temper, Ash was all over that vampire angel like stink on shit, throwing his body at him and tackling him to the ground. They rolled around a bit before Antonio flashed away from him.
“Man, what did I say? You gotta get a grip on your temper!” Antonio barked from the other end of the alley. He shook his head. The leader of Hell could easily dispatch his ass if he wanted to; luckily, he didn’t know how to use the power God had given him.
Ash stood and glared at him. “Fuck you, man,” he growled.
“Pfft, fuck you.” Antonio replied.
Ash knew he had lost his shit. “Look…” he grumbled.
“It’s all good,” Antonio replied, brushing off his pants and the squabble at the same time. “Now, how about we hide these wings and get visible. I want a fucking sandwich.” Ash noticed that Antonio had also ditched the chain mail and was now wearing a black t-shirt and jeans.
Ash nodded. He imagined his wings disappearing and they did. Then he willed himself to be seen by everyone. He felt the earth tilt slightly under his feet for a split second, then it was as if he were just the same as he always was.
“Great,” Antonio announced, clapping him on the back. “Let’s eat.”
CHAPTER NINE
They entered the front door of the sandwich shop like any other, non-angel, humans would. He saw his sister at the same time she saw him.
“Ash!” she yelled and got up from her chair, causing it to fall to back and clatter on the tile floor. She ran across the room and leapt into his arms.
He picked her up easily and spun her around. “Hey, Little Sister,” he said with a genuine smile. “How’s it going?” he asked as he gently sat her back on her feet. He looked down into her eyes and was rewarded with the spark of happiness he saw there.
“You ass!” she barked and slapped his chest. “Where the hell have you been?”
He couldn’t tell her that Hell was exactly where he had been.
“I’m afraid that’s my fault,” Antonio offered. Was it just his imagination or had the angel taken on a heavier accent? He had spoken with a bit of Spanish accent before, but it seemed a lot heavier now.
“Oh, hi,” Leanne said as if she just noticed him. “I’m Leanne.”
“Antonio,” he said, taking her hand and shaking it.
“Yeah, that’s great. Can we sit?” Ash interrupted.
“Yes!” Leanne exclaimed. “Come sit at our table.” She led them to the table she shared with Elizabeth. “Ash, you remember Dr. Rone,” she said.
Ash stared at the woman. Dark chocolate eyes stared back up at him. Man, she was pretty, he thought. He started to put his hand out to shake hers, but she only nodded at him, so he did the same, raising his hand and running it through his hair instead. Awkward. Ash took a seat on the side of the table, placing himself between Dr. Rone and his sister and across from Antonio. Of course, that also put Antonio between his sister and Dr. Rone. Ash pursed his lips and bit the inside of his cheek. Antonio already said he was mated, or married, or something. He just couldn’t help it. He didn’t want the angel anywhere near his sister or her friend with that freaking suave accent and all that black hair. Who was he kidding? Antonio was every girl’s wet dream and there was no way he didn’t know it. Hell, Ash was a guy and he knew it. Fucker.
Ash had never been jealous. What the hell was wrong with him?
“Ash, are you ok?” Leanne asked him. “You’re growling I think.”
Ash made a show of clearing his throat. “No, sorry, I just had something in my throat.”
“Now, what have I told you about things in your throat,” Antonio said with a wag of his brow. “Deep throating will do that to you.”
Leanne and Elizabeth both spit their drinks through their noses at the same time and burst out laughing. “I didn’t know you swung that way, Big Brother,” Leanne snorted.
Antonio opened his mouth and starting singing “All Night Long” by Lionel Richie. He even started shifting his hips in the chair in a weird kind of butt dance.
Ash knew it. He was going to kill Antonio before it was done and over with. But not quickly. No, he was going to find a way to make him suffer. He was going to cut out his vocal cords first. Then he was going to cut off that hair. Man needed a haircut anyway. Then, he was going to peel the fucker’s skin right off his body.
“I’m sorry,” Antonio offered. “I think I offended him. He looks like he is planning my slow, painful death.”
“You have no idea,” Ash grumbled.
“Ok, ok,” Antonio backed off. “I was just kidding with ya, no need to get your panties in a twist.”
“I like him,” Leanne offered. “He’s fun. It’s about time you started hanging out with fun people.”
“It’s not by choice,” Ash mumbled.
“We’re partners on a new project,” Antonio told the women. “We’re building a new construction down south and trying to get it up and running as smoothly as possible.” He kept talking and Ash nodded in the appropriate places. Ash had always told his sister that he was into architecture, so the lie that was really not so much of a lie falling from the angel’s lips, was very believable. “Anyway, he wanted to see you so we made the trip here just for that. Lucky we got hungry the same time you did.”
“Yeah, lucky,” Ash agreed.
“Well, can you be here for the wedding?” Leanne asked. “I want you to give me away.”
Ash felt his heart fill with love for his sister. She was happy. Safe. All the things he was wanted for her. Everything was worth it. “Of course I will,” he said, taking her hand in his own and giving it a squeeze.
“Thank you,” she said. “I was worried before that you wouldn’t approve, but after James and Elizabeth here patched you up, I just knew you would have a change of heart.”
“Patched me up?” Ash asked with a raised brow.
“Yeah, silly. When you were shot. Elizabeth saved your butt, remember?”
Ash looked at Elizabeth. You will not die. The words rang in his head like something he should remember. But he didn’t. “I’m sorry,” he said, “I don’t remember much about that time frame. Guess getting shot will do that to you.”
“Yeah, it sure will,” Elizabeth agreed. “Don’t feel bad, I have a hard time remembering things that happened while under the influence of adrenaline.”
What she wasn’t telling them was, even though she knew she had operated on him, she couldn’t remember any of the details. She had written meticulous notes in his chart, which was how she remembered as much as she did, which wasn’t much. In her notes, she wrote that she had held Ash’s heart in her hands. How could she not remember that? She had convinced herself that it was the adrenaline and that the depression she was suffering from was causing lapses in her memory.
“Of course, you wouldn’t remember much,” Leanne reminded Ash, “You were heavily drugged, and you left the hospital AMA! It’s a wonder you survived at all. Hell, it’s a wonder you survive taking a shower every day!”
Ash inclined his head at his sister. “Touché,” he gr
inned at her, then turned his attention to the doctor. “So you work in the hospital?” he asked her.
Elizabeth nodded. “I used to work trauma, but not anymore. It just doesn’t hold the fascination that it used to,” she said. “Now I work in OB.”
Ash nodded. “That’s a respectable change.” He shoved a bite of his sandwich in his mouth and reached for the salt for his fries. Elizabeth was reaching for it as well. Ash stopped his hand mere centimeters from hers. “Oh, sorry,” he said.
“No worries,” she chimed as she grabbed the shaker and salted her food. Antonio rolled his eyes. Maybe if he punched Ash in the nose and bloodied it, she would fix him up. They would be touching then. On the other hand, maybe he needed to trip Ash while he was in close proximity to the woman. Or he could push her. He cringed at the thought of pushing a woman, no matter the reason.
They sat and made small talk until the food was gone and Ash had promised to be there in a month for his sister’s wedding. Antonio didn’t get them to touch each other, but there was still time. There would be many more opportunities to put the pair together. He would see to it, even if it killed him.
CHAPTER TEN
“That was fun,” Antonio said as they walked around the side of the sandwich shop. “We should get back though.”
Ash’s eyes darted over to look at the angel without turning his head. “Yeah, I guess,” he said. He was sorry to have to leave his sister again, and he was sorry to leave her friend. There was just something about her that he couldn’t nail down. He knew that she patched him up, but he didn’t remember that. It felt like something else. Something bigger. But what? Ash shrugged and decided that it was better not to worry over it. He had so many other things to deal with at the moment.
As they rounded the corner, they made themselves invisible again. “Back to Hell?” Ash asked.
“Home sweet home,” Antonio said with a smile. “At least, it’s your home.”
Ash grumbled something unintelligible and nodded. “Ok, let’s do this.” He concentrated on going back to his office as Antonio said, and in a flash, he was there.
“I’m beat,” Antonio announced, “going home for the night. But if you need me, just call out and I’ll be here in a flash.”
Ash nodded and watched the angel disappear into thin air. Then he was alone in his office. He wandered over to the wall of screens and checked in on each of the sanctions. Everything seemed to be running as it was supposed to, so he moved on. He went into the room with the mirror and thought of Lele. The mirror changed from his own reflection to his sister kissing her fiancé. He didn’t really need to see what was obviously coming next, so he thought of the doctor he had met that day.
The mirror changed again and Ash saw her. She was brushing her teeth and preparing for bed. He wanted to look away, but he couldn’t. He watched until she was snug in her bed and obviously dreaming before turning away himself. He didn’t know exactly what it was about her, but she fascinated him. Even though he had only met her briefly, he just knew that she was full of fire and spunk. He knew there was more to her than meets the eye.
The damnedest thing was… when he thought of her, his chest burned. He longed for things he couldn’t possibly want with her. Hell, he didn’t even know her. But every time he thought of her, his heart broke a little more in his chest. The scar on his chest even burned a little.
Ash took himself to his bedroom. Did angels even sleep? He guessed so since he had been dreaming before. As a precaution, Ash locked the door and slipped into a king-sized bed. Someone had been nice enough to put crisp, clean sheets on it for him. Probably Mali, he thought.
As Ash felt himself falling into slumber, the last thought he had was of Elizabeth. Then he dreamed. He dreamed of deep chocolate eyes that stared at him with adoration. He dreamed of that luscious mouth open on a moan of pleasure. He saw little snippets of panties flying across the room.
Ash was engulfed in the hottest dream he had ever had. He was making love to what he knew was the most beautiful woman on the planet, even though he couldn’t see her face. In his heart, he knew she was his. She was the most important thing in his life and he promised himself, right there in his dream, that he would take care of her every need.
And that is when it started…..that horrendous cat in the washer sound. Again. This time, it had a guitar accompaniment. Ash peeled his eyelids open to see Antonio sitting in a chair across the room. He had an acoustic guitar in his hands and was playing it. Pretty well, actually. The bad part? He was singing. “Dream a Little Dream” to be precise. “Why, man, why?” Ash grumbled and turned over, pulling the blankets over his head.
“No rest for the wicked,” Antonio chimed. “We’ve got work to do today.”
“I’m in charge, right?” Ash said from under the covers.
“Yep.”
“Then I declare that today is do nothing but stay in bed day,” he said, sinking further into the bed.
Antonio laughed aloud. “That sounds like a fine idea, but you have minions at your door waiting to seek your audience.”
Immediately Ash thought of the little creatures that scavenge the remains of any poor soul who gets their ass beat outside one of the realms. They feed on the dead. Why would they be at his door, and why the hell would he open it? “I don’t think I want to open that door,” Ash said, pulling the cover from his head. “Minions?”
“Not that kind,” Antonio said. “Your followers, the sanction leaders, ya know, folks who need to report in with you on a regular basis.”
Ash rolled his eyes. Now was as good a time as any to sink into his new role. “Ok, ok, I’m up. Give me a few and I will see them.”
“Right on. I’ll let Mali know to get them ordered and in line.” Antonio put his guitar down and left Ash to get out of bed.
Ash groaned as he stood up. He reached his hands over his head and felt his back stretch. His wings arched away from his back and Ash couldn’t help but grin. He was still in awe of those things. He hurried and showered. He discovered that his new appendages dried very quickly. He had been prepared to hold the blow dryer over them for about oh, six hours, but that wasn’t going to be necessary. The water seemed to just fall right off them.
When he couldn’t procrastinate any longer, Ash took a seat behind his desk. Antonio parked his ass in a chair in the corner and Mali was already standing by the door.
“Shall I let them in, Sir?” Mali asked.
Ash took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and then he nodded. Mali opened the door and Rogue was the first enter.
“What’s up, my man?” he bellowed at Ash. He ducked to avoid hitting his head on the doorframe and Mali closed the door behind him. Rogue thrust his hand out to shake.
Ash cringed inwardly as the demon shook his hand. Man had a grip. “What can I do for you?” Ash asked as he sat back in his chair.
Rogue parked himself in the chair across from Ash. He leaned back and made himself comfortable. “Nothing much today,” he answered. “Everything’s going well. Slugs are being eaten right on schedule. Got a few new arrivals today.”
Ash nodded.
“That brings the count up to twelve million, six hundred thousand, and thirty eight souls in Sloth.” Rogue picked at something on his shirt.
“That sounds… uh… nice, I guess,” Ash muttered. “Is there something bothering you?” he asked. He could tell there was something on the demon’s mind.
“Well,” Rogue started, “it may be nothing,” he said.
“But,” Ash urged him to continue.
“But I have heard some talk,” Rogue said covertly. “Heard there were some who weren’t happy with you being in charge and all.” He sat up straight. “I ain’t one of them, just so you know. I like you. I am down with whatever the Big Guy says. But there are some who liked the way Hell was run before, ya know?” he raised a brow at Ash.
“Do you know who these people are?” Ash asked him.
“Well, not exactly,” Rogue told him. �
��I would just watch your back for a while. Maybe slaughter a few for good measure. Make an example out of someone.”
Ash shuddered. “I can’t do that without good cause,” he said.
“I just thought you would like to know,” Rogue told him.
Ash nodded. He didn’t know why, but he trusted the giant leader of Sloth. “You’ll keep me posted of anything you hear?” Ash asked.
“If that’s what you want,” Rogue agreed. “I’m happy to help where I can.”
“Thank you,” Ash said. He shook Rogue’s hand before he left the office.
“I heard that too,” Mali confessed. “I don’t know names, but some of the minions were talking about a deal you made with God to get here.”
Ash couldn’t remember making any deal. “I didn’t make a deal,” he said. “All I know is that I killed a demon and next thing ya know, I’ve got wings and an entire underworld to run.”
“I have faith in you, Sir,” Mali said with a grin. Ash really liked the weird little man.
“Ok,” Ash said with determination, “Who’s next?”
“That would be Shelly, from Greed,” Mali answered.
“Well,” Ash sighed, “Send her in.”
Ash met with every member of his team. Shelly was exactly the same as she had been the first time he had met her….tall, thin, full of herself. She had talked for what felt like an hour before Ash finally had to dismiss her.
When he met with Marcus, the leader of Wrath, something just wouldn’t sit right with Ash. The demon was human-sized, even looked human. Except for the fucker’s eyes. They were solid black. His short dark hair was cut like any Joe Blow he would have seen on Earth. He could have easily been mistaken for a human as long as his eyes stayed closed.
That wasn’t what bothered Ash. He found that he was getting used to the demons and their special qualities. No, it was the fact that Marcus watched him as if he was taking notes. Ash felt like he was under a bright interrogation bulb the whole time the demon talked. It was as if the demon was searching for any sign of weakness, and Ash was careful to show none. And the slight smirk he wore was starting to piss Ash off. The little hairs on the back of his neck stood up the whole time Marcus was in his office.
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