She slugged him in the arm when he laughed at her.
“If you boys are ready,” she called out in order to get their attention. “We have some humans to scare.”
As soon as Gabi and the others made themselves visible, the humans stopped dead in their tracks. Even though the angels did not make a threatening move or say a word, the soldiers dropped their weapons and ran in the opposite direction. Gabi could only imagine how frightening the angel warriors must appear to the humans. Even she and Anfial were taller than the humans, and they were females. Ramiel, Nathaniel, and Abdiel probably looked like fierce giants to the men. She sighed in relief when the humans got back into their vehicles and tore out of there. Abdiel’s plan had worked.
The next afternoon, Abdiel went to Gabi’s room. Knocking on the door he entered to find her sitting on the bed reading another one of her romance novels. She had that stupid pink angel bear clutched to her chest.
She wore a pair of faded sweatpants and a large, red tee shirt that had a picture of Snoopy the dog on it. On her feet there was a pair of thick gray socks that were bunched up at the ankles. Her dark hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail. It was a totally sloppy look and on her it looked perfect.
“Can I ask you for help with something?” It was such an innocent question that he asked her, but he had not dared ask anyone it for hundreds of years.
“Of course,” she replied putting her book down.
“I need to have a talk with Cam and it’s not going to be an easy conversation. I could really use a hand with this one.”
“I know. Ana called me today and told me that she had asked you to talk with him,” she said. Even angels used cell phones. In fact, Michael insisted that each of his angel warriors carry one and keep it on at all times. “She said that Cam is a telepath and a really strong one too.”
“Did you have any idea?” He asked her, even though he already knew the answer. She never would have kept Cam in the dark.
“I should have,” she replied guiltily. “I just always assumed he was a darned good empath. I was so stupid not to have figured it out. It wasn’t until the other day in the jungle when he was starting to read objects that I started to suspect something was different about him”
“You have nothing to feel bad about,” Abdiel assured her as he reached down and grabbed her hand. He lightly kissed her knuckles. “I don’t think there has ever been an empath with Cam’s gifts. How could you know?”
“I’ve lived with him for years. I should not have taken him for granted.”
“Up until recently, you were too busy trying to keep him in one piece, Gabi. You didn’t have time to think about anything else.”
“Why do you always do that?” she whispered. Her green eyes darkened with what he hoped was desire. Her little, pink tongue darted out to moisten her lip.
“Do what?” he choked out the words because he was fighting to get himself under control. He didn’t want to scare her away again, not when she had just opened herself up some to him.
“Know exactly the right thing to say.” A shy smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
Abdiel reached down and ran his thumb along her bottom lip. What in the hell is wrong with me? He had never been accused of being the touchy feely type and here he was unable to keep his hands to himself.
This was the type of female he should keep his hands off. She was royalty and he was from a family of demons. He didn’t deserve her, and he knew it. Yet, that was not going to stop him from having her. She was his. She just didn’t know it yet.
“Let’s go talk with Cam,” he said, gruffly getting control of himself before he did something stupid.
Something stupid like going on my hands and knees before her and begging her to love me like I love her.
He wanted her so badly that his hands shook. The fact that she was right there already on her bed made it worse. In his mind, he saw himself easing her back on that bed. He could almost feel her soft, naked body pressed against his as he imagined what it would be like to bury his nose in her throat, inhaling her scent, as he plunged himself into her hot, velvet heat and she gasped in his ear.
When a male angel finally found his mate and made love to her for the first time, he marked her, claiming her as his forever. The male did this by placing the palm of his hand on some discreet area of his female partner and branding her with his unique mark. Although Abdiel had never seen one up close, he had heard that they were beautiful intricate artwork forming the male’s family symbol. Right now the urge to mark Gabi as his was so strong that the palm of his hand started to burn.
He was surprised to find that he had indeed fallen to his knees in front of her. He placed one hand on either side of her lap and leaned forward. Fully expecting her to stiffen up like she had in the past, he was delighted when she wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him to her.
“I can’t fight this anymore,” she confessed to him. She was trembling just as much as he was.
“Then don’t.”
He slowly inched his way to her lips, waiting for her to protest. When she didn’t, he gave her a tender kiss. Using his tongue, he outlined her lips before he dipped into her mouth. He ran his hands through her hair, freeing the dark, silky masses so they hung free.
“I love your hair, especially when it’s down,” he murmured against her sweet tasting lips.
He saw a tear slip from her eye. “Why are you crying, princess?” he asked, his voice cracking with concern.
“I’m so happy.” She gently pushed back his hair. “I’ve waited for this moment my entire life.”
He kissed the tear away, savoring its salty goodness. Slowly, he lowered her on the bed and settled his body on top of hers. Her small hands started caressing his back, showing him that she wanted this just as bad as he did. She ran the bottom of her foot up and down the back of his leg.
His lips left her mouth and went to that sensitive spot on her neck. She arched into him as he gently nipped at her. When her breasts pushed against his chest, he could tell that she wasn’t wearing a bra. He tentatively brushed a hand over them, waiting for her to protest. When she didn’t, he cupped her through her shirt and gently teased the nipples. She let out a whimper, and he pulled back.
“Please.” She pulled on his hair gently. “Don’t stop, if you do, it will destroy me.”
He pushed up her top, so that Snoopy was no longer looking at him, baring her perfectly formed chest. Not believing the beautiful gift that she was giving him, he bent down and took one of her nipples into his mouth. He nipped and laved her as she thrust her back up so he could take her more easily.
Growing bolder, he slipped his fingers under her sweatpants and past her panties until he was touching the very center of her. She was so hot and ready for him that he almost lost it right then and there. When he slipped a finger into her velvet heat she shuddered with pent up passion.
Urged on by her panting and mewls he made love to her with his hands. She almost threw him off of her a couple of times because she was bucking so hard. Just when she was about ready to come, he left her breast and covered her mouth with his, absorbing her scream. There was no sense in Cam knowing what they were doing.
Abruptly he tore himself away from her and sat on the edge of the bed as he tried to get himself under control. If he didn’t stop now, he was going to take her and mark her. Then she would forever be linked to him and his family and that was something he couldn’t do to her no matter how strongly he wanted to.
“Why did you stop?” she asked him as she came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him.
“If I don’t stop now, I’m going to go all the way and claim you as mine, Gabi,” he admitted hoarsely.
She got up, walked over, and stood in front of him. She took off her shirt, and with a sexy little shimmy, lost her pants and underwear too. He heard himself let out a little whimper as he took in her beauty. Holy moly, she is actually offering herself to me.
“So help me,
Abdiel,” she said in a deep, husky voice. “If you don’t finish what you stared, I’ll shoot you with my crossbow.”
Then it was she who knelt before him. She tugged at his black tee shirt, and he lifted his arms so that she could take it off. Her hands fumbled clumsily with his fly, so he helped her undo it. He got up just long enough to tear off his black jeans and toss them aside.
Completely naked, he grabbed her in his arms and tumbled onto the bed, landing with her underneath him. The sensation of her silky smooth skin touching his made him groan. He separated her thighs and eased between them, just as he was about to enter her, he stopped short.
“Are you sure, Gabi?” He felt sweat start to bead up on his forehead as the pressure within him built.
She answered him by wrapping her legs around his waist and drawing him to her. That move shattered all his resolve and he plunged into her heat. When he felt how small and tight she was, he closed his eyes and forced himself to be still. She hissed in protest and dug her nails into his back, urging him to continue.
“I don’t want to hurt you, princess. You’re so damn tight.”
“Please Abdiel,” she whimpered. “I am hurting, but not from that. I want you so bad it’s almost killing me. Please, finish it.”
Well, who could argue with that logic? He started to slowly move inside of her, almost drunk with pleasure. It was everything he thought it would be and more. After being lost for so many years, he had finally found his place and it was in her arms. He braced one hand against the headboard and grabbed her right hip with the other.
As his thrusts grew faster, he could feel the hand that was holding her start to grow warm. Now that he had started to mark her, nothing could stop him. He would destroy anything that came between her and him. She was his mate, his beloved, his heart. Right before he climaxed, he heard her yelling his name as she came. He threw back his head as he found his own release, his hand burning as he claimed her as his forever.
Abdiel rolled off of her so that he would not crush her. As soon as she was free, she twisted around so that she could look at the mark. He reached out and gently traced it.
It looked like an intricate tattoo. His family symbol was a black longsword standing on its hilt. Two black snakes spiraled up the length of the sword, their heads facing each other at the point. The snakes’ eyes were a bright red.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I know you hate snakes.”
“Abdiel, shut up.” She kissed him. “It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
“Gabi, I…” he started, but, she put her hand over his mouth and stopped him.
“Shhh, it’s all right. I have no regrets. We can talk about this later. Let’s go take care of Cam first.”
He nodded his agreement, letting her think that she had a say in the matter. He already knew that no matter what, he was never going to let her leave his side now. He had already lost everyone that he had ever loved before, and he was damned sure not going to lose her too. He was just going to have to convince her that he was worthy of her.
They found the young angel in front of the TV watching The Amazing Race. He was wearing his ratty jeans and had a Green Day tee shirt on. As usual, he was stuffing his face with junk food.
As soon as they walked in, the empath’s eyes grew wide and his head snapped in Gabi’s direction. All male angels instinctively knew when another male had marked a female even without seeing the mark. Abdiel was glad that Cam kept this tidbit of information to himself, however.
“Cam, we need to talk,” Gabi said as she sat down next to him on the couch.
“I don’t like this,” Cam glared at both of them suspiciously. “You guys look just like Mike and Carol Brady right before they sit Greg down and have a heart to heart with him.”
“I promise Cindy didn’t tattle on you for smoking,” Abdiel said as he sat down in a chair facing the couch.
“Okay, let’s get this over then,” Cam turned off the TV with the remote. “What did I do now?”
“Nothing.” Gabi assured him. “You’re not in any trouble, I promise.”
“Why is it that I know I’m still not going to like this chat?” Cam looked at the both warily.
“Because you’re not going to like it,” Abdiel replied bluntly. Cam was always truthful with him, so he owed the same to the empath.
Cam puffed out his cheeks. “Okay, shoot.”
“Have you ever noticed that you know things that other empaths don’t?” Abdiel asked him.
“So?” Cam looked confused. “I just listen better.”
“That’s just it, Cam,” Gabi said gently. “Normal empaths feel emotions. They don’t listen to others’ thoughts.”
“Of course they do,” Cam let out a nervous laugh. “Did my brothers put you guys up to this?”
“Cam.” Abdiel gave him a steely stare. “You have telepathic abilities.”
Cam laughed at that one.
“In case you didn’t know, only shifters have that ability. Since I don’t howl at the moon, it’s pretty safe to assume I am not an animal.”
“We didn’t say it made any sense,” Gabi snapped. “Ana and your brothers have known all along.”
“See I knew they put you guys up to this.” Cam said triumphantly.
“Your mother was a very strong telepath according to Ramiel.” As soon as Abdiel mentioned his mother, Cam shot him a dirty look.
“Don’t bring my mother into this idiotic conversation,” he growled out.
“Cam, tell me why the demons wanted to kill the children the other night,” Abdiel asked him. Since the young angel would not listen to reason, he was going to have to slap him in the face with cold, hard facts.
“They wanted one of the boys dead,” Cam replied. “The others were just in the way.”
“Why did they want this boy dead?” Abdiel continued to press him gently.
“Because the boy is going to grow up to be a great leader of the humans. He will lead Columbia out of poverty and war.”
“How did you know all this?” Abdiel kept pressing.
“I just scanned the demon’s minds and read why they had been sent there and…. aww crap.” Cam’s face turned pale. “I’m not supposed to be able to that, huh?”
“No other empath can do that,” Gabi admitted.
“Why did Ana hide this from me?” Cam snapped out angrily.
“She was worried that if the demons knew that you were special they would go after you like they did your parents,” Gabi answered.
“She had no right. I’m not some little child that needs to coddled.” Cam was up now pacing the floor.
“You’re right.” Abdiel got up and put his hand on the younger angel’s shoulders. “They should have told you. But they only thought they were doing what was best for you. They love you, buddy’
“Do you think Michael’s gonna make me leave now? I’m not an empath; I’m some freak.” Cam looked between the two of them, worried.
“I think Michael will let you stay here at the Land of Misfit Toys,” Abdiel assured him. “And you always were a freak. Nothing has changed.”
“Thanks.” Cam gave him a crooked smile. “If you two will excuse me now, I have to give my dear, big sister a call.”
Cam then ran up the stairs to his bedroom.
“Thank a lot.” Gabi gave his arm a light slap. “Since when am I a misfit toy?”
“You are the only princess I know who lives on Earth and mingles with other angels,” he drawled out.
“You haven’t asked me about that since the first night that you came here, why?” she asked softly.
“I figured you would tell me when and if you wanted to.”
“I’m afraid to tell you.”
“What could possibly be that bad, Gabi?”
“I let them down, Abdiel.” Gabi’s beautiful green eyes filled with tears.
“Let who down?”
“The humans. I was supposed to be guarding Eden and I let Lucifer sneak
in.” She admitted her sin as she looked down at the ground.
“Uriel and I were stationed at Eden’s gate,” she continued, the words tumbling out. “We were supposed to be protecting the humans. I was so young and cocky. I thought the assignment was beneath me. I couldn’t believe that someone of royal blood was reduced to guarding mortals. In short, I was a snobby idiot.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself.” He tried to comfort her, but she shook her head and continued.
“Some young child came up and told me he had a message for Adam. I should have known better. I barely gave the male child a second glance. I just let him pass. It was Lucifer in disguise and I didn’t even see through it. I let him get in and corrupt Adam and Eve.” The tears now flowed freely down her face.
“You can’t think like that, sweetheart,” Abdiel whispered. “Satan is the best deceiver out there.”
“No, I thought humans were beneath me, so I didn’t guard them like I should have. I made the biggest sin an angel could make. I let down our mortal brothers. That was the day Satan introduced sin to man. All this suffering today is my fault.” She breathed in gulps as her sobs grew stronger.
“Gabi, stop thinking like that. Even angels make mistakes” He grabbed her shoulders and made her look at him. “Satan has fooled many angels. One third of Heaven’s angels fell for his honeyed words. He would have eventually found a way in, even if you had stopped him that day.”
“He didn’t fool you though. You saw right through him.”
“Yeah, and then he handed my butt over to me on a silver platter,” he drawled out as he wiped the tears off her face. “I’m glad you decided to stay on Earth, however.”
“Why?” she whispered.
“Because I might have never realized how much I love you.”
“Don’t say things that you don’t mean.”
“It’s true,” he said gruffly. “You’re all I think about. The other day, I asked Cam if all angels smelled as good as you. I thought he was going to slug me.”
“If this is some kind of joke, it’s not funny Abdiel.” Her voice trembled. “You don’t have to say this just because of what just happened in my bedroom earlier.”
Angel Warriors Page 8