Destiny: A Hunter's Novel, Book 3

by Lilly, Felicite

  “Love you Dad.”

  “Love you more, Sweetie.”

  Cade studied my body clinically as I stepped away from my Dad, making sure I looked okay.

  “You need to eat more, kiddo,” Cade said.

  My Dad left with Cade and Anie in his wake. Cade was going to be an amazing leader one day. I wondered how hard Cade kicked himself these days for not realizing the difference between my Dad and the Black Shadow.

  My Granddad was next in line. I automatically ran my tongue over the now smooth skin of my lower lip. The signs of the stitches I had cut and pulled out before the meeting, were gone.

  “You did a good job stitching up my lip.”

  “It was the least I could do. Considering the pain I put you through.”

  “You had to do it and thank you for that.”

  I was trying to ease his guilty conscious. I knew he had probably never had to do that sort of power separation with anyone related to him before. It was my own dumb fault for not realizing I’d been drawn into a dark place.

  “I do have a question for you, though,” I began. “Why did you take Az’s blood, when he made the sacrifice?”

  “I was waiting for someone to ask me about why I took his blood.” My Granddad motioned over my shoulder, and didn’t have to look to see that Az was standing behind me. Everyone else had already cleared out. “It helps the stones that protect the City to stay strong. The blood the likes of Az should’ve held it up for longer. His blood is washing off the Demon magic faster than I anticipated.”

  I had told my Granddad all about Az and I’s history. Everything from A to Z so I wondered what was causing his power to drain out of him so quickly. He still had his Hellhound though. Maybe that is why he wasn’t able to communicate with Alewar, but I doubted that was all of it.

  “Can I get Michael Donovan’s number?”

  Az swung me around and rightfully so, since I had never mentioned the name to him before. My Granddad scribbled down a number on a piece of paper. Without turning around, I thanked him and I heard the door shut following his exit.

  “Who is Michael Donovan?”

  “Oh my God. You’re jealous.”

  “No.”

  I knew he was lying. I pulled my phone out and dialed Michael’s number. Az was an idiot and instead of fighting him with words, I decided to show him what an idiot he was. It rang a couple times, and then he picked up.

  “Donovan.”

  “Michael Donovan. It’s Delaney Hinders.” I used his full name, to soothe Az’s feelings about the whole situation.

  “Laney, how are you? Heard about your row with the dark. Nasty bit.”

  Okay I think I understood what he’d just said to me. Maybe.

  “I’m better. It was a nasty row.”

  “What can I do for ‘ya Lassey?”

  “First of all, Lass is one thing, Lassey is a dog. And I was wondering if you might have your sister’s number.”

  “What do you want with her?” I heard his suspicion, protection coming through loud and clear. I admired the love he had for his sister, even though he didn’t agree with everything she’d done in her life.

  “Listen, I’m not going to try and pull her into anything she doesn’t want to be a part of.”

  Which was partially true, since I’d already asked for her help on the plan concerning Mastema. Truth was, I’d been trying to call her by praying and hadn’t gotten a response.

  There was no response on the other side of the line.

  “Okay, can you get a hold of her ask her to meet me at The Wet Mug?”

  “Can I come too?” Donovan asked.

  “The more the merrier.”

  I hoped that Serafine could get rid of Michael while we worked on hammering out the details of our plan.

  I hit the end button on my phone and saved Michael’s number under Giant Pussy and laughed to myself. Az chuckled, and I realized too late he’d been watching over my shoulder.

  “I don’t have to worry about him if you’re calling him Giant Pussy.”

  He laughed again.

  “You don’t have to worry about anyone. Even if I saved a name in my phone under Hottest Guy on the Planet, you should know you’re it for me. What do I have to do?”

  “Delaney. We haven’t had any stability. What do you expect from me? Whether I’m a Demon, Angel – whatever – I am still a man. I know we belong together, I just wonder if you do sometimes.”

  The scar I had left behind when I’d broken up with him the first time was deeper than I’d thought. He’d done nothing but support and help me and there was always something in the way on my end.

  We had been headed in a good direction when he’d gotten us the apartment again. That had been cut short by the spell I had woven to protect everyone. I couldn’t bring myself to apologize for that, though. Had that spell not been in place, my people would’ve been picked off by Mastema as sure as the sun sets. I couldn’t blame him for his insecurity either. I could only try to soothe it.

  “I promise, I know. I feel it down to my bones. The promise my soul has made to you couldn’t be taken by another man, Demon, Angel, Fairy, Shifter or spell. I really messed up. But I won’t again. I know you belong with me. And I know we have been through rough patch after rough patch, but no patch of anything could ever take my love for you away.”

  Az kissed me hungrily. Then pulled back, his eyes still shut for a time after.

  “I just need to be reminded sometimes. I need to hear it.”

  “Michael Donovan is the first person I met when I came to the village. He’s a good guy. He’s also Serafine’s brother.”

  The pieces fit together, finally, for Az and he nodded and lowered his head. I took his head in my hands and made him look at me.

  “And no, you can’t come to The Wet Mug with me, I was just trying to get him to bring Serafine. I need to train with her alone. I’ll have to get rid of Michael somehow.”

  “I’ll escort you there. Maybe Michael and I can…go for a walk.”

  ~XIII~

  “I believe in the lost possibilities you can see, And I believe that the darkness reminds us where light can be, I know that your heart is still beating, beating, darling, I believe that you fell so you would land next to me.”

  -Christina Perri, I Believe

  Az had escorted me, quietly walking with me and holding my hand, as we strolled along the quaint village. If I didn’t know about the population that lived in the houses around me, I never would’ve guessed. It was picturesque, filled with old stone houses and buildings.

  Az held my hand and we just walked, pointing out different spots around us. There was a little graveyard that held old markers, nestled between two houses; three kids running around playing with a litter of puppies; the moon, full in the sky. I could see myself living there with Az. I already knew it was protected. It was just a matter of whether we would be accepted.

  Az swung the door open when we reached the tavern. Serafine and Michael sat at a table, rather than at the bar, their heads bent closely together. When the door opened, Serafine stood, Michael didn’t move. When she saw it was us, she sat back down like she was a puppet and the strings attached to her had been cut.

  “You alright?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “Word is trickling down, she heard Mastema is coming. I don’t think she’s prepared for what you’re asking of her, even though she says she is,” Michael answered for his sister, who was white as a sheet.

  “Can you boys excuse us for a while?”

  “What happened to the more the merrier?” Michael was upset, but I couldn’t help it. I didn’t have a way of contacting Serafine anymore, nor did I know where she was staying.

  “Things change.”

  “No shit,” Michael said. Serafine leaned over and smacked him on the back of the head.

  “Don’t talk to her like that.”

  Michael looked like he was about to protest again, when Az finally spoke up.

&n
bsp; “Perhaps you could help me with something, Michael.”

  “What could I help a Demon find?”

  “I think you’d be surprised.”

  Michael got up, although unwillingly, and followed Az until they reached the door. Michael then turned back to where I stood and Serafine sat.

  “You don’t do anything you aren’t willing to. You hear me?” Michael looked to his sister for her understanding and she nodded. The boys left.

  “Are you not ready to face Mastema?” I asked her, having to know if we needed a backup plan in place.

  “I’m ready to face Mastema because he is not the Mate I knew. I think that’s what scares me. If we fail, I won’t ever get another chance at having my Tema back.”

  “I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  If this played out the way I wanted it to, then Tema would be back, and we’d all be able to start somewhere new.

  “You’re too young to know the gravity of a promise like that.”

  “Maybe, but how about this,” I reached over and grabbed her hand. “I will do everything in my power to bring Tema back to you. And if we don’t succeed, you won’t be the one taking him out.”

  “Your Mother would haunt me for eternity if I failed to protect you.”

  “I don’t think Vida has a say in this one. Living or dead.”

  I knew it was unkind of me, but Serafine still saw me as the little child she watched grow up under a dictator’s rule. I knew she wanted the best for me, however, some things were taken out of your hands, for better or for worse, you couldn’t stop everything.

  “I know. I just feel protective of you.”

  “I appreciate that, considering you’ve been my Guardian since before I was born.”

  Serafine squeezed my hand.

  “Does Azrael remember who he was before he was a Demon?”

  “Uh, no. Why does it matter?”

  “I have some connections, since I was surrounded by Angels. Why do you think I didn’t scare him off when you first got together with him?”

  “I thought that would step over a Guardian Angel line or something.”

  “I stepped in a lot over the years. Especially with your Dad being possessed by a Black Shadow, which I couldn’t do anything about, so I tried to take care of you as best I could without being seen. But when you met Azrael, I looked into his history to make sure he was right for you.”

  “Talk about overbearing.”

  “I couldn’t leave you to fend for yourself, you were too young. That’s why when I found Anie, I put her in your life. She was a child wondering the streets alone, so pure and innocent. You having her, and her you, it was the perfect place for her to be…for both of you.”

  “Okay, I’ll give that to you.”

  “I didn’t do too much more than most Guardians do for their charges. But looking into Azrael was risky for me since he was a fallen Angel.”

  “Why risky?”

  “When an Angel falls, they aren’t supposed to be recognized or talked about by any of the remaining Angels. Luckily, I had a connection with a higher-up and he told me about Azrael. You already know about his status as an Enforcer. Mastema told him correctly that he was a born Enforcer. But he was created as an Angel Enforcer. Azrael kept the balance of good and evil. He kept everyone in line. Angels, Demons, Humans, Fairies, you name it. He is balance. It was part of the reason that he took out Demons that stepped over the line. His Enforcer blood couldn’t be tainted or tamed, so Mastema put him in charge of keeping the Demons in line.”

  “So he was always good.”

  “Yes.”

  “So why did he fall?”

  “He saw you coming and fell in love with who you would be. He asked God to let him fall before you were born. So when you and Azrael found each other there was no question that it was meant to be. No matter what skin he possessed he knew you and he would end up together – that you were his Mate. You were part of his soul. He recognized love before it was even born, and asked to be let out of Heaven to be with you.”

  Tears fell freely down my face. The magnitude of Azrael’s love for me was overwhelming. I guess a ring didn’t mean anything when he gave up being an Angel for me.

  “So now you understand why I never even considered removing him from your life. So when you did, I had never been so worried for you.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  “I couldn’t be more proud of the leader and woman you’ve become. Vida would be so proud of you.”

  “Thanks. For everything.” I wiped my hand down my face of the emotions tracked there. Shaking off my personal feelings and getting into leader mode. “Do you think you can do this?”

  “I am going to try.”

  “I’d rather try and fail, than never try at all, you see.”

  “Some say ‘Don’t ever fall in love, Play the game of life wide open, Burn your candle at both ends.’ But I say, ‘No! It’s better to have loved and lost, Than never to have loved at all, my friend.’” Serafine laughed. “William F. O’Brien.”

  “Glad you remembered that.”

  “How could I forget? You had it in giant letters on your wall for the entirety of your adolescence.”

  “Words to live by.”

  I had originally put the quote on my wall because I missed my Mother dearly. It was a reminder that even though I hadn’t known her for very long, she was still worth having in my life, even if it was only for a brief time.

  “Indeed. Now let’s go over the plan.”

  ~XIV~

  “Blues has got me, there is teardrops in my eyes, Yes the blues has got me, there is teardrops in my eyes, Well dark is the night, since my baby said good-bye.”

  -B.B. King, Dark is the Night

  Azrael and Michael stumbled into the front door of The Wet Mug while Serafine and I were finishing up. The timing was perfect. They were both bloodied and beaten but laughing. Az slapped Michael on his back, good naturedly.

  “Wow. Looks like you two got along well.” I pointed to Az’s shirt that was splattered with blood.

  “Male bonding,” Michael said as though that should explain everything. And it kind of did: men were a strange breed.

  “We’re good. No worries,” Az swiped my hand away from his shirt. I had worries but I wouldn’t add the two of them to that list.

  “Did everything come out alright?” Michael wasn’t talking to me or Az.

  “Everything is fine.” Serafine confirmed.

  “You don’t have to do anything.” Michael said sternly, eyes darting from his sister to me.

  “Calm down Kitten,” I said to Michael, his head snapping to me. I giggled. I loved poking him. “Did you have to tell him about our plan?” I asked Serafine.

  “I’ve lived enough lies. He deserves the truth.”

  I couldn’t argue with that.

  “My Granddad has arranged a town meeting, its tomorrow. I’d like for you both to be there.”

  “Well, I’ll be there, since it’s at my tavern.”

  I hadn’t known where we were to hold the meeting, it was news to me, but not surprising seeing as The Wet Mug sat as the heart of the village.

  I turned to Serafine silently asking if she would be there.

  “We’ll be there.”

  Az and I made our way back to the house. It was another nice stroll. When we got back, the house was silent and still most likely because it was well past the wee hours of the morning.

  Az and I climbed the steps leisurely to our room. I opened the door, saw the bed and face planted on it. I didn’t want to change out of my clothes. It had been a long few days. Az stripped out of his clothes and slid in bed next to me, my back to his front. He slid his hand under my shirt, running it along my ribs.

  “Can you see where Alewar is?”

  It took a moment for Az to respond.

  “He is still in Hell, but I am getting this itching feeling on my brain. Like he’s trying to tell me something, I just can’t tell what.” />
  “Probably the fact Mastema is coming for us?”

  “But Mastema doesn’t know where we are. We still have the protection spell in place.”

  I hadn’t told Az about my run in with Kai.

  “About that…”

  “What?”

  I told him what Kai had done. Needless to say, he wasn’t happy.

  “If I ever see him again, I will kill him.”

  “It’s my own stupidity for trusting a Fairy. I’m just hoping he leaves the spell be.”

  Az drug me closer to him, squeezing me. A reminder to us both that we were here and there was love.

  I considered whether I should tell him who he used to be as an Angel. Since he was the Enforcer, he was to keep balance. Maybe if he remembered why he left the Angel ranks in the first place he wouldn’t question our love.

  I thought better of it. It would’ve been cheating the time and healing we both needed to tell him about his fall and his Enforcer blood, what it all truly meant. We loved each other. There was no question about that.

  “The only way to know if it’s in place, is to keep testing it.”

  I pulled at the string that attached Fitzroy and I together through the spell, and I felt nothing. It was a void. I looked down at the compass on my arm. There was no longer an F for his name there. I shot up out of bed.

  Although Fitz could be a pain in the ass, he was still a part of my pack. Fitz and I had our differences, but he had still given me information and supported me in the face of others who were eager to tear me down. My hand to went to my chest – I would miss him. But I knew someone who would miss him much more than I would.

  “Anie.”

  Fitzroy was her Mate, there was no way she wouldn’t know he was dead.

  “What’s wrong?” Az asked.

  “Fitzroy is dead. I have to find Anie.”

  Tears slipped from my eyes, for the death of Fitzroy and for the Anie’s more profound loss. This road would not be a straight and quick one.

  I was up and out of bed in a panicked fervor. I had to make sure she was okay.

  I pulled my phone out and texted Cade: