by G. K. DeRosa
“How did you know?”
“Lucky guess.”
Liar. It was a hard truth I’d learned, but Declan was full of secrets. I couldn’t forget that. No matter how good of a kisser he was.
Declan led the way into the quiet house, the wooden floors squeaking with each of our steps. I flinched with every move.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “There aren’t any humans within miles of here. They’re all long gone, which means there shouldn’t be any angels out looking for them.”
The tension in my shoulders released, and I followed him into the living room. A worn-in couch lined the windowed wall, opposite a small brick fireplace.
He pointed at the staircase we’d just passed. “Bedrooms are upstairs, bathrooms too. You should find running water—hot even. Angels like their creature comforts.” He plopped down on the couch and stretched out.
I couldn’t get his magical white light out of my mind. “What else can that light of yours do besides power a motorcycle?”
He pressed his lips together, covering his eyes with his forearm. “Lots of stuff,” he muttered.
For someone who was usually so chatty, he’d gone weirdly uncommunicative. “Is that what’s in your sword?”
“Yup. It’s imbued with pure angel light, which is what kills the vamps.”
“So why didn’t you just flash them with your light?”
“I’m nephilim, only half-angel. I’m not as powerful. A full angel can take one down with a flash of the palm, but most use swords too. It takes less energy. Plus the longer the angels remain on earth, the weaker they become.”
Hmm. Interesting. So they’re not completely invulnerable.
Declan closed his eyes, and I could tell I wasn’t getting any more information from him tonight. I trudged up the stairs wondering what had him in such a mood. At the landing, I opened the first door I came upon to my right.
Not the bathroom.
Light blue walls surrounded a cute little boy’s room. A red racecar bed sat in the corner complete with blue and red racecar sheets. Toys were scattered across the floor as if whoever had lived there had left in a hurry. A picture frame atop a dresser caught my eye. I picked up the wooden frame, and a smile pulled at my lips at the image of the little happy family. A young dark-haired boy sat on the shoulders of a handsome tall blonde man with bright blue eyes while a brunette smiled a big toothy grin, her arm wrapped around the man’s waist.
I looked more closely. There was something familiar about the little boy. The black wavy hair and those dark penetrating eyes.
“The bathroom is across the hall.” Declan’s quiet voice behind me made me jump.
I spun to face him, and his gaze fell on the picture frame in my hands. He swallowed hard and crossed his arms over his chest.
I was sure of it now. “This is you?”
He nodded, his jaw clenched.
“And your mom and dad?”
“Yup.”
I scanned the room again and couldn’t imagine a little Declan growing up here. “You grew up among humans?”
“Most nephilim do. Many of us don’t even know what we are until we get older.”
Mind. Blown. How could angels and nephilim have lived in our midst for so many years without anyone knowing?
“My dad didn’t really live with us when I was young. He came and went. My friends all thought he was a traveling salesman.” He walked into the room and slumped down on the bed. “I used to love this thing.” He ran his hand over the bright red plastic.
There were so many questions I wanted to ask, but the look on Declan’s face made it clear he wasn’t in the talking mood. What had really happened with his parents?
He glanced up at me, his normally bubbly demeanor gone. His lips twisted down, and his hands fisted at his sides. “This was my childhood home, where I lived with my mom before she disappeared—before my dad told me she had died. We were just a normal family back then. After she left, he made us move out. Too many memories here, he’d said. And yet he kept the old house exactly how it was the day we left.” He gripped the sides of the red racecar. “When the fighting started years later, he made me go with him to the angel tower, where I was trained to fight.”
“Did you kill humans?”
His eyes refused to meet mine. It was all the answer I needed.
I spun around, the air suddenly suffocating in the small room. I needed to get outside.
Strong fingers wrapped around my arm, impeding my forward motion. I hadn’t even heard him move. “Please, stop. Let me finish.”
My eyes met his, and my chest tightened. The pain flashing across his maroon irises stabbed at my heart.
“I didn’t do it for long. I refused. It wasn’t right what they were doing to the humans. I told my father, but he wouldn’t listen.”
Anger blazed in my chest as I stared at the powerful creature before me. “Did you try to stop them?” He was strong like they were. He could’ve done something.
“I told you I tried.” He shrugged. “It was too late. No one cared to listen.”
“So you ran away?”
He nodded, his eyes cast down to the floor. “There was nothing else I could do.”
A realization hit me, sending my heart racing. “Your father is in the angel tower.”
“Yup.”
“That’s why you didn’t want to come back here.”
“Right-o.” The tendons in his jaw flexed. “If he knows I’m here, he’ll force me to go back.”
Dread sprouted in my gut, spreading like a weed through my insides. How could I trust Declan? For all I knew, he could be leading me right into a trap. His father had to be pretty high up in the angel hierarchy if he resided in that tower.
“Then why’d you agree to help me?”
He shrugged, a small smile pulling at his lips. “You’re a phenomenal kisser.” His eyes sparkled, the playfulness returning.
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the grin splitting my own lips. Easy, Liv. He’s still an angel no matter how hot he is. “How can I trust you?”
“Because I saved your life. Twice.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“And the idea of being the one to get a human out of angel tower and spite my father and his generals makes me giddy.” He winked, and the old Declan was back. “So what do you say? Are we still doing this?”
I was probably out of my mind, but I couldn’t stop now. “Absolutely,” I finally answered.
Chapter 19
A few dark curls tumbled over Declan’s forehead, and I had to restrain myself from reaching out and sweeping them to the side. His eyes were closed, long legs stretched out and hanging over the edge of the red racecar bed. His lips were slightly parted as his chest slowly rose and fell, his entire expression peaceful.
How could he be one of them?
I still couldn’t wrap my mind around it. He seemed so normal, so human.
I took a step further into his childhood bedroom and scanned the bright blue room. A bookshelf was filled with toy cars and motorcycles, only one shelf actually held books. I could almost picture the little boy in the photo on his hands and knees crawling around on the floor racing his cars.
I glanced at the grown version of the boy and moved closer to the bed. It was the first time I’d really gotten a chance to look at him without those piercing maroon eyes staring back. His silky black hair lay messily over his forehead and pillow. A light stubble dusted his jawline, surrounding pouty lips. The searing heat of his lips against mine flashed through my mind, igniting a swell of warmth in my middle.
I squashed those feelings down fast. Declan was just joking around; the kiss didn’t mean anything to him. And it certainly didn’t mean anything to me.
Liar, a voice in the back of my mind accused.
Even if it had, I had to focus on getting Asher back. That was all that mattered now. A pang of guilt sliced through my chest as I remembered the last night with my best friend. And that kiss.
> My fingers ran over my lips as I remembered the way it felt. It was completely different from Declan’s kiss—familiar, soft, and sweet. I shook my head, pushing the thoughts to the far depths of my mind. I couldn’t focus on any of that right now.
“Penny for your thoughts.” Declan’s raspy voice tore me from my inner musings.
He stretched and pushed the covers back, revealing a bare torso and tight boxer briefs. A finely muscled chest and perfectly sculpted abs ran down the length of his body.
Okay, maybe he was too beautiful to be human.
Heat rushed up my cheeks, and I averted my eyes.
He chuckled and slid to the edge of the bed. “Have you been watching me sleep? Because if you were, I’d say that was kind of creepy.”
I willed my cheeks to turn back to a normal shade and looked up to meet his sparkling eyes. “Just doing some recon on the enemy.”
“And what did you determine?”
I shrugged nonchalantly. “You’re pretty boring when you’re asleep.”
He shot me a mischievous grin. “Trust me, I’m anything but boring in bed.”
I rolled my eyes, the fire returning to my cheeks. Damn him. I picked up his t-shirt from the floor and threw it at him. “Get dressed. I want to talk about the plan. While you were getting your beauty sleep, I was looking over the blueprints to find our best way in.”
He tugged the shirt over his head, his dark hair spilling out. “I already told you, I’d handle it.”
I’d been debating telling him about Parker’s friend, Linc, all night. He could have information that would help us get Asher out, but I still didn’t fully trust Declan.
“What?” he asked. “The vein on your forehead is jumping around like crazy.”
I slapped my hand over my brow. No wonder he always knew what I was thinking. “Nothing.”
“Just tell me.”
Maybe I could tell him a half-truth. “You were wrong before when you said all the humans had evacuated D.C.”
He stood and crossed his arms over his chest. “What do you mean?”
“I met someone when I was traveling, and he gave me a contact person who would help me.” I fiddled with the hem of my shirt as I leaned against the bookcase. “I’d like to go see him.”
“Because you still don’t trust me,” he growled and raked his hand through his hair.
“Can you really blame me?”
His expression softened. “I guess not.” He grabbed his jeans off the floor and stepped into them. “I’ll go with you to see him then. I’ll tell you if his plan is better than mine or not.”
I shook my head. “I can’t bring an angel into their hideout.”
His eyes darkened, his lips twisting.
“Even if I trust you, I can’t betray them like that.”
“Them? I thought you said it was just one guy?”
Stupid, stupid, Liv. “I don’t know exactly.”
He huffed, his biceps straining against his chest. “So you expect me to sit here and wait while you go out there by yourself?”
“Yes. Because trust goes both ways, right?” I fixed my eyes on his, steeling my gaze. “And I’d like to borrow your bike.”
A big laugh burst from his mouth. “You’re unbelievable, Liv.” He paced in a small circle around his room. “How about a compromise?”
“What did you have in mind?”
“I’ll take you as far as you think is safe, and I’ll wait there. If you’re not back in an hour, I go in after you.” His maroon eyes blazed, they were practically glowing crimson.
“Fine.”
Declan parked the Harley under the shade of a tall pine off the highway. He cut the engine and helped me off.
“You’re sure you want to go alone?” He eyed me as I adjusted the straps on my backpack.
“Yeah. I’ll be fine. It’s not far from here.” I clutched the map to my chest. If I was being honest with myself, I was slightly nervous. It was the first time I was going out truly alone. We’d left Duke back at Declan’s house, and I missed my furry companion.
He held out his arm, flashing me his watch. “Let’s synchronize our watches.”
I suppressed a dramatic eye roll. “You’re joking, right?”
“No. I’m not. You have one hour to see these mysterious friends of yours before I come after you.”
“Okay, okay.” I glanced at my watch. “Give me till noon.” I handed him a folded piece of paper. “You have to swear not to look at this address until then, okay?”
“Right,” he growled. “Because I might send a legion of angels to go flush out your friends.”
I slapped my hands on my hips. “Look Declan, trust is earned, and so far you’ve been doing a pretty crappy job with all your lies.”
He frowned and fiddled with his helmet strap. Then he shoved the folded note into his back pocket. “One hour, Liv. You better get moving.”
I turned away, but his arm reached out before I got far, whirling me into his chest.
He pinned me with that merciless stare. “Be careful.”
I licked my lips, my mouth suddenly dry. “I will.”
I hurried down the path, refusing to turn back and look at Declan. I needed to for some inexplicable reason. As much as I wanted to deny it, he had gotten under my skin. Half-angel or not.
I stayed under cover of the trees for as long as possible before emerging onto the main road. According to the map, Linc’s place was only two more blocks away. I moved quickly with one eye on the sky. The roads were deserted, not a single car or person anywhere. The sound of my thrumming heart was the only noise for miles. The street had been a commercial one, empty gas stations and strip malls lined either side. I expected a residential neighborhood, but I guessed Linc had chosen an unconventional hideout.
I reached the corner and made a left down Magnolia Avenue. The silence was thick, the thud of my sneakers on the pavement reverberating across my eardrums. I rubbed my sweaty palms against my jeans as I scanned both sides of the street.
A run-down ivory building with a wooden cross on the steeple caught my eye—630 Magnolia Avenue. The Church of Our Savior.
That can’t be right.
I pulled the slip of paper from my pocket and double-checked. Parker’s messy scribble might have been hard to read but there was no mistaking the number. This was it.
I walked up the steps to the simple wooden double doors. Each one was etched with a cross, just like the one over the building. I lifted my knuckle to the door and knocked, holding my breath.
Nothing.
I knocked again, a bit more forcefully this time.
I waited for a few more seconds and banged my fist on the door.
What if Declan had been right and there really weren’t any humans left? Parker hadn’t seen his friends in months—a lot could’ve happened in that time. My shoulders slumped, a mass in my chest weighing me down.
I backed away from the door, feeling like I was wearing lead shoes. I slouched down on the steps and buried my face in my hands. I had been so sure Linc would be the answer. How was I going to get Asher back now?
Trusting Declan was my only option left.
A faint creak on the other side of the door yanked me from my dark thoughts. I jumped up. “Hello? Is anyone there?”
A small slit slid open, and a pair of blue eyes appeared. “What do you want?”
Chapter 20
I ran up to the door, my breaths quickening. “I’m here to see Linc. Parker Donovan sent me.”
The opening slammed shut.
“Hello?”
Footsteps shuffled away from the door, and my heart sank. I banged on the thick wood. “Please. Parker said Linc could help me. I need to get my friend out of Arx.”
The shuffling stopped. I leaned in closer, whispering through the crack in the door. “Parker said you were his friend. He said you could get me in.”
The slit in the door reappeared only this time dark green eyes peered through. “You know Parke
r?”
I nodded quickly. “He gave me this.” I pulled the note and the blueprints out from my backpack and pushed them up against the hole.
His eyes widened. “Put that away before someone sees it,” he hissed. “Angels have the keenest vision I’ve ever seen. They could be flying over us right now.”
“Sorry.” I shoved the diagram back in my pack. “So will you let me in?”
He grunted. “Wait five minutes then circle around back toward the left. There’s a toolshed. The door’s unlocked.”
“Okay.” I backed away from the door and hurried down the steps. I didn’t like being out in the open like this, but what other choice did I have? I stared at my watch as the minutes ticked by. Only forty-five more minutes till Declan stormed in. I had to make this quick.
I counted down the last sixty seconds and raced around back. A dingy yellow toolshed stood at the back of the parking lot. A padlock held the two doors together, but it was unlocked. I pulled it out of the latch and slowly opened the door.
A stale musty odor swirled around me making my nose twitch. I fumbled around in the darkness until my eyes adjusted. A small window let in a few flickers of light, and I was finally able to scan the tight quarters. A variety of tools lined the wooden walls and a decent-sized ride-on lawnmower took up most of the space.
I took a step and stubbed my toe. Ow! Glancing down at the floor to find what I’d hit, I noticed a rusted metal handle. I crouched down and pulled, digging my heels into the floor. With a sharp creak, the wooden hatch opened, and I tumbled backward on my butt almost hitting the big lawnmower.
I stood up, brushing myself off and peered down the hatch. A beam of light nearly blinded me. I threw my arm over my eyes, squeezing them shut.
“Come on down. There’s a ladder,” said the same voice I’d heard through the door.
I slowly reopened my eyes, waiting for them to adjust to the dim lighting again. Once they did, I found the ladder and climbed down the narrow shaft.
I hit the ground with a thud, my sneakers sinking into the packed dirt. Four men surrounded me—two holding flashlights and two brandishing guns. They all had buzzed haircuts and a hard look in their eyes.