“Oh my God. I killed my Angel.” Daniel’s voice was barely a whisper.
“We both did,” Damian said with a growl. How could he have let this happen?
Sirens blared in the distance. He had to get out of there. With a wave of his hand he scrubbed his and April’s existence from Jenny’s mind before turning to Daniel. He could remove them from Daniel’s memory too. It would be as if they never existed to him. Her blood and all traces of her Earthly body would disappear as soon as he Jumped to the Angelic Realm. But he was April’s Charge. And though Damian didn’t agree with her methods, he wouldn’t force his own way on her. He’d leave Daniel’s memory intact.
As the police cruiser neared the building, he moved toward Daniel.
“You saw nothing.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Two days passed with April in Slumber and Damian by her side. He ignored the questioning glances and judgmental stares of the other Angels, refusing to speak to anyone but Mira. And then only if he had to.
Halfway into the third day, Mira approached him again. “Are you ready to talk about what happened, brother? It will help to get it off your chest.”
“No.” Nothing would take away the guilt that consumed him. April died three times because of him. She’d never forgive him.
“Would you like to talk about something else, then? Pass the time while you wait?”
He shrugged, never taking his eyes off April’s face. The wound had healed, and Mira cleaned her up. But she’d still felt all the pain of the bullet ripping through her head. Excruciating, life-ending pain.
Mira pulled up a stool and sat next to him. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”
He nodded.
“Aside from this incident, how are the two of you doing? Are you getting along?”
“We were on a date when all this started.”
Mira grinned and rubbed his back. “And how was that going?”
He inhaled deeply and blew it out; then he took April’s hand in his. “I think it was going well. She seemed happy.”
“Were you?”
“Happier than I’ve been in a thousand years.”
“Does she know?”
“She knows everything.”
Mira patted his shoulder. “I’ll leave you to your thoughts.”
“Hey, Mira? How much longer do you think she’ll Slumber?”
“At least another twenty four hours. Do you need a break?”
“There’s something I need to take care of. Will you stay with her? And call me if she starts to wake up?”
“Of course. Paul will want to talk to you both when she awakens.”
“Yeah, I know.” He wasn’t looking forward to that conversation. He’d been in enough trouble already. And while he’d always conceded, or pretended to, he wasn’t about to let Paul take April away. He’d fight to the death for her, if Angels could die. “I’ll be right back.”
He arrived in Daniel’s office on the twenty-third floor of the Sears Tower. Daniel sat in a large, leather chair and stared blankly out the window. Damian pushed the office door shut and moved toward the desk.
“Have you come to take me to Hell? Lord knows that’s where I belong.”
Damian chuckled and sat on the edge of the desk. “You’re not going to Hell. And I’m not here to punish you, either. We don’t work that way. Can you tell me what happened after I left?”
He never dragged his gaze away from the window. “The cops came. Jenny confessed, and they arrested her. They questioned me. Filed a report. Went home.”
Damian nodded and followed Daniel’s gaze. They sat silently, staring out the window as Damian played the event over in his head. He’d never forgive himself for causing April pain, but Daniel shouldn’t have to suffer for it.
“April’s not dead.”
His head whipped around and his eyes grew wide. “What? She survived?”
“Angels can’t die. She’s sleeping right now. But in a day or two, she’ll be fine.”
Daniel smiled for the first time since Damian met him. “So, she’s alive? She’ll still be my Guardian Angel?”
“Yeah. And you’re lucky, man. She’s a special girl.”
He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “Then why are you here, instead of with her?”
“Pardon?”
“I saw the way you two looked at each other...like my wife used to look at me. Passion like that happens once in a lifetime. Don’t let her get away.”
Damian rose from the desk and slapped Daniel on the shoulder. “Thanks, buddy. That’s good advice. Take care of yourself, okay? April wasn’t kidding when she said God has big plans for you.”
They shook hands, and Damian rushed back to the woman he loved.
* * *
Her head seared like a scorching branding iron had pierced her skull. It throbbed as if it would explode. The intense pain made her stomach churn, and for the first time, she was glad Angels didn’t eat. If she could just hold on a little longer, she knew the tranquil float through the midnight sky would squelch the flames.
She felt Damian’s presence. Felt him watching over her. And when he left, she panicked. But she was paralyzed. Her body felt like lead pressing against the sheet, and she screamed inside. A five-ton anvil pressed into her chest as anguish pulsed through her limbs. The pain was unbearable, and Damian had left her.
As she fought her way through the agony, she felt a break in the storm. The fire in her head cooled, and the throbbing slowed to a manageable level. The starry sky was only moments away, but she didn’t want to go there without him. Why did he leave her? Was he that angry?
She couldn’t fight the pull of the light, though she’d rather Slumber forever than live a day without Damian. She was about to give up hope when she felt him squeeze her hand.
“She’s coming back. I can feel her waking up.” Damian’s voice danced in her ears.
“Keep talking,” she wanted to say, but her voice wouldn’t come. She heard footsteps around her, and then a male voice she didn’t recognize spoke.
“This is the second time she’s been killed since becoming a Guardian. Perhaps Keeper would be a better fit for her.”
No! No, I can do this.
“No, Paul. She’s meant to be a Guardian. She bears the mark.”
Paul. The leader of the Angels. Surely Damian’s own brother wouldn’t do this to her.
“But she was killed by recklessly entering a scene which was beyond her control.”
“She had it under control. I’m the reason she died. I’m the one who jumped in recklessly. And because of my mistake, she was shot. If you’re going to punish someone, it should be me.”
“No.” She found her voice, though it was barely a whisper.
“April?”
She tentatively opened her eyes and winced at the pounding in her temples. She pushed into a sitting position and nearly passed out from the pain, but she couldn’t let Damian take the blame.
“It’s not his fault. He didn’t want me to get involved in the first place. He was only trying to protect me.”
He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on hers. “I’m so glad you’re back,” he whispered. “She’s meant to be a Guardian, Paul.”
“Then perhaps she needs a new trainer. Someone who is not so...involved with her. You don’t belong out there, Damian. It’s time you took your rightful place as leader. And she needs some time away from you.”
Her blood ran cold. “No! Damian’s been with me my entire life. You can’t take him away from me now. Punish me. Do whatever you have to. To me. I’m the one to blame for everything.” Her head spun, and she clung to his chest. She couldn’t lose him. Whether he was meant to be a leader or not, he belonged with her.
Mira reached out to Paul and squeezed his hand. He looked at her and nodded.
“Very well. Take her home and tend to her, but our conversation is not finished, brother. We have other things to discuss.”
Damian no
dded and scooped her up in his arms. The strength of his embrace made her feel safe, secure. And the relief that he wasn’t being taken from her just yet eased the throbbing in her head. When he grinned his crooked grin, she couldn’t help but steal a kiss. She didn’t care who saw them. She was in love with Damian, and she wanted the world to know.
Just as soon as she told him.
“Come on, baby. Let’s go home.” He carried her out of the sanctuary and up the path to their house. And when he carried her across the threshold, her heart did a little flip.
He lowered her onto the sofa and pulled her into his lap. Brushing the hair out of her face, he trailed his fingers down her cheek. Her skin tingled beneath his touch, and she snuggled into his embrace.
“How’s your head?”
“Better. Thank you for standing up for me in there. It was sweet.”
He kissed her forehead and nuzzled her neck. “It was the truth.”
“You don’t really blame yourself for me getting shot, do you?”
“Of course I do.”
“But I don’t. It happened because of a combination of things. It was no one’s fault. It was an accident.” She took his face in her hands and peered into his eyes. “Please don’t beat yourself up over this. I’m fine.”
She brushed her lips against his and lingered by his mouth for more.
“I’ll try not to.” His whisper tickled her lips before he took her mouth in a tender kiss.
As he pulled away, a sickening feeling twisted in her gut. “Is Paul really going to take Daniel away from me? Is he going to take you away?”
His gaze fell to their hands joined in her lap. “I don’t know. I can’t stop him from reassigning your Charge, but I won’t lose you. I don’t think I’d make it without you in my life.”
She pulled away from his embrace and looked into his eyes. “Why can’t you stop him? He said you’re supposed to be the leader. So, be the leader and stop him.”
He inhaled and rubbed his brow. “It’s not that simple. I’d be giving up everything. No more Charges. That means you wouldn’t be my Charge. The connection we share would be gone.”
“Oh.” That sure wasn’t worth it, then. She didn’t want to lose either one. But if she had to choose, she’d hold on to Damian. She couldn’t imagine losing the deep connection she shared with him. The ability to find him by simply focusing on his face. Losing that would be like losing a piece of herself. “Well, will you try talking to him? Surely he’s open to reason.”
Damian chuckled. “I’ll try. But he doesn’t think you’re ready to be a Guardian, since you keep getting killed and all. And he definitely doesn’t think I’m the right trainer for you.”
“We have to convince him he’s wrong. Damian, I can’t do this without you...and I can’t leave Daniel alone.”
“I know, baby. I’ll do everything I can.”
She kissed him on the cheek and rose to her feet. “I know you will. But I need to talk to Daniel. If I’m going to lose him, I at least want to say good-bye.
* * *
Damian trudged through the meadow to Paul’s house. He could’ve just as easily called to his brother in his mind, but he needed the long walk in the fresh air to clear his head. Paul was set on April being a Keeper, but Damian knew she was meant to be a Guardian. She had all the drive and commitment of an Angel who was born a Guardian. It was he who kept screwing up.
Her tough love method of working with Daniel seemed to be working for her. And while it wasn’t the way he’d have gone about it, she’d made the right decisions. He trusted her to do what was right.
He knocked on Paul’s door, and it swung open. Paul motioned for him to step inside, and he reluctantly crossed the threshold. Mira stood by the window watering her plants, and she put down the watering can to greet him.
“How is she?” Mira asked.
“She’s better. Her head still hurts, but she’ll be okay.”
“And how are you?”
He stared blankly back at her. He wasn’t about to disclose his feelings to them when he hadn’t even talked to April. Especially not to Paul.
He cut his gaze over to his brother and raised his chin. “She’s still mine.”
Paul linked his hands behind his back and returned Damian’s stubborn gaze. “For now. She’ll be transferred to a Keeper tomorrow. Then, you’ll be free to join us where you belong.”
He sucked in a sharp breath, and dread squeezed his heart. He couldn’t lose her. He wouldn’t. “No. She’s meant to be a Guardian. Mira, tell him.”
She sighed and looked at him with sympathetic eyes. “She has been killed twice in a matter of days.”
His stomach dropped to his knees. Not Mira too. This couldn’t be happening. She knew how much he cared about April. His hands trembled, and he clenched them into fists.
“I’m the reason she was killed. I didn’t trust her to handle the situation, but I do now. She can do it. She’s supposed to be a Guardian. She’s saved her Charge’s life multiple times. She’s dedicated to him. Committed.”
Paul took a step toward him and placed his hand on his shoulder. “But has she ever saved him without your intervention? I’m not sure she can do it on her own.”
“She can. You can’t take her away from me. I won’t let it happen.” Sweat beaded on his brow, and his stomach churned.
“Oh, dear,” Mira said. “We’ve got one waking up. Please be nice to each other.” She kissed Paul on the cheek and disappeared.
Paul furrowed his brow and tilted his head to the side. “She’s just your Charge, brother. You’ve let go of countless others without a fight. Why do you want to hold on to her so badly?”
Damian took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a long blink. When he opened them, he leveled his gaze on Paul. He was going to have to say it.
“Because I’m in love with her.”
Paul’s eyes widened as he smiled and stepped back. “Well, that makes a difference then, doesn’t it? It’s quite the predicament now.” He linked his hands behind his back and paced to the window.
“Look, just give her a chance. Let her work with her Charge alone, and I won’t interfere. Let her prove it to you. She’s ready, Paul. I know she is.”
Paul rested his arm against the window and lay his forehead on it as he inhaled deeply and sighed. “This decision shouldn’t be mine to make. This is your position. I’ve been picking up the slack for you for nearly seven hundred years.”
Damian cringed. He knew he’d let both Paul and Mira down, but the mental state he’d been in wouldn’t allow him to lead. He was supposed to be the decision maker—the one assigning Charges and making sure everyone followed the rules. It’s what he was made to do. But he couldn’t even follow the rules himself.
“The choices I’ve made have led me to where I am today. It was a long, hard journey, but April’s worth every painstaking moment of it. Please, brother. I’m begging you.”
Paul sighed and turned to face him. “I don’t know. The Charge’s safety comes first. Giving her a chance to prove herself may result in his death.”
Damian started to argue, but the first twinge of adrenaline shot through his veins. Daniel’s excitement, then April’s panic. Her pulse pounded in his head. She needed him.
“You don’t have a choice, Paul. It’s happening now.” He grabbed his brother by the arm and Jumped.
* * *
“Hey, Daniel.” April appeared in the passenger seat of his car and buckled her seat belt.
He swerved, ran up on a curb, and knocked over a trash can. The car came to a screeching halt inches from a pedestrian. “Jesus, Angel! Don’t do that!”
Daniel waved to the almost victim, threw it in reverse, and backed out. “Are you trying to kill me now?” He pulled into a parking space.
“Oops. Sorry.” She shrugged and smiled. “How are you?”
He smiled and shook his head. “Better, actually. I’m getting better.”
“That’s good to hear.�
� They stared at each other in silence as April tried to figure out how to tell him. It was like breaking up with a boyfriend she really didn’t want to leave. She’d have to give him the “it’s-not-you, it’s-me” speech. There was no avoiding it. She took a deep breath, but to her relief, Daniel spoke first.
“I’m sorry I shot you.”
“That’s okay. It could’ve been worse.” She rubbed her hand across her forehead. “Good as new.”
He gripped the steering wheel and stared at his hands. “I’m still sorry.”
“Hey.” She rested her hand on his shoulder. “I don’t blame you or anyone else. Accidents happen. Okay?”
He nodded, took a deep breath and looked at her. “Yeah. Thanks. And thanks for saving my life. I must have the best Guardian Angel in the world.”
“Ah, yeah. About that.” Good Lord, she didn’t want to do this. She’d gotten through to Daniel, and she knew she could help with the transition to the Angelic Realm. It killed her to lose her Charge.
“Apparently, the big guys up there don’t think I’m doing such a good job with you. They don’t think I’m cut out to be a Guardian.”
“Seriously? But you’ve saved me so many times already.”
“Yep. But Damian’s helped every time. They don’t think I can handle it on my own, so they want to give you a new Guardian.”
“Would it be Damian?”
“No. They want to separate the two of us. Supposedly we aren’t good for each other.”
“Aren’t good? That’s insane! Have you noticed the way he looks at you? He’s in love with you.”
Heat flushed her cheeks, and her pulse quickened. She couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face. Even though it wasn’t Damian saying the words, hearing them from someone else still thrilled her. If Daniel thought Damian loved her, maybe he really did.
But Paul was set on taking it all away.
“I’m in love with him too.”
“Well, we can’t let it happen then. What do we need to do to stop them?”
She shrugged and clasped her hands in her lap. “Damian’s trying to talk them out of it right now. But short of me saving your life on my own, I don’t think they’ll change their minds.”
The Rest of Forever: A Guardian Angel Paranormal Romance Page 21