Salvation: A Realm of Flame and Shadow Novel

by Phillips, Christina

  “I’m telling you this now,” Eblis said, barely concealed impatience in his voice, “because events are escalating. The existence of the sword on Earth is evidence of that. You’ve heard of the Archangel Nathanael.”

  It wasn’t a question.

  “Yes.” After she’d passed the initiation ceremony for acceptance into the Watchers, she had learned of the hidden history of the world. And how, through millennia, one archangel had taken it upon himself to hunt down every descendant of demon kind.

  But it wasn’t only ancient history. As recently as one hundred years ago, before she’d joined the organization, he’d breached the Watchers’ sacred temple and slaughtered all those who had tried to prevent him from destroying their archives. After a fierce battle, he’d finally been overpowered and thrown from the mountain. Since then, the Watchers had been vigilant in guarding against another invasion.

  As far as she was concerned, there was a special circle in hell waiting for him. “You think he’s the rogue responsible for bringing the sword to Earth?”

  “Much as it pains me to defend Nate in any way, no. I don’t believe he’s responsible for that. But he wants that sword as much as I do. And believe me he’ll go to any lengths to acquire it.”

  Her heart thudded an eerily slow tattoo against her ribs. Eblis had referred to Nathanael as Nate.

  The archangel who hunted those with demon blood. The one who the Watchers had vilified for centuries.

  Nate. The man she’d just had sex with, in this very room.

  She drew in a long breath. It was a common name. There was no connection.

  Except Eblis had dropped that name deliberately. There had been nothing random about his conversation at all.

  There was nothing random in the silence that screamed between them now, either. He was waiting for her response.

  “I hope you’re not suggesting that the man I was speaking with on the phone just so happens to be the Archangel Nathanael?” It was hard to push out the words, she was so mad. Mad at Eblis for connecting the two and with herself for giving it a second thought.

  “I sensed the taint of archangelic presence the moment I arrived. And then Nate calls you.”

  A thousand denials swarmed in her mind. She couldn’t voice one of them. It’s not true. She’d scanned his aura, the first and most basic safety precaution Eblis had taught her, and Nate was human.

  With unidentified immortal traces in his heritage.

  Why wouldn’t a hunter of demons mask his true nature, the way she did?

  “I—” She cleared her throat, an unpardonable show of self-doubt. She understood exactly what Eblis had yet to say. That Nate had seduced her solely because he’d known who she was.

  The daughter of a full blood demon, whose connections might well have allowed him unchecked access to the Watchers.

  Tonight hadn’t been a casual hook-up. He’d stalked Inanna, waiting for her.

  Waiting to make his move.

  No wonder he’d asked her so many questions. And she had imagined it was because he was genuinely interested in her, as a person.

  Nausea rolled through her. Had he bedazzled her? It would explain why she’d found him so fucking irresistible.

  But it was more than that, and she knew it. If he’d tracked her down on any other night, she could have resisted him. I have to believe that.

  Tonight, she’d been vulnerable. That was the only reason he’d succeeded in blindsiding her. Because her defenses were already fragile before he’d even set foot in her club.

  Had he somehow known?

  She had the mortifying urge to curl up on the chaise and hide from everything. From the piercing gaze of Eblis.

  From the treacherous duplicity of Nate.

  I’ll cut my throat before I crumple. She pressed her lips together. She’d been fooled by an archangel, but he wouldn’t reach his goal through her. They’d had one night together. That was it. It was fine to feel used. Because she had been. And she wouldn’t give him the opportunity to do it again.

  But it wasn’t fine that her heart ached. Even if Nate had been human, and even if things had progressed beyond a few enjoyable dates, they’d never had a hope of anything more. She hadn’t met a demon blood who interested her romantically and had long ago faced the fact it was easier to be on her own. She couldn’t do relationships when she’d outlived everyone she’d ever cared about in the past.

  It hurt too much.

  How ironic. The Archangel Nathanael had lived for millennia. There was no chance of her outliving him.

  Unless she destroyed him. And as much as she’d love to claim that victory, it would take more than a half-blood to accomplish it. Demons and archangels were as indestructible as the gods of antiquity.

  But what if she found the immortal forged sword?

  “How long ago did he find you?”

  To her knowledge, he’d been searching for her for at least two weeks. “I don’t know. I’ve been away, and only met him tonight.”

  “Good.” Eblis folded his wings. “Only your pride is injured, then.”

  Her pride. Right. That’s all this was, and she’d get over it. “You want me to find out everything he knows.”

  “You can try.” Eblis didn’t sound very concerned one way or the other. “He won’t reveal anything to you. Your mission remains unchanged. Discover if the Watchers are in possession of the sword. As for Nate, he’s obviously uncovered your heritage and hopes your powerful demon blood will help his quest. Be aware and don’t fall.”

  “I’m in no danger of falling.” She injected as much ice into her voice as she could. Did he think her completely stupid? It had been a long time since she’d been a gullible girl grateful for any scrap of kindness tossed her way. Yet with Nate, for a couple of delusional hours, she’d believed there had been something special between them.

  “It’s time to reveal more of your cards with the Watchers.”

  Brutally, she pulled herself back to the present. She had no idea what Eblis was talking about. “What?”

  His eyes narrowed. “The common rank and file are no longer any use to us. You need to rise higher in the hierarchy. The only way to do that is for the Elite to acknowledge your superior bloodline. The ability to teleport is only rarely inherited and that alone will gain you access to the upper echelons.”

  “Understood.”

  “I hope you do, Bella.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “If we don’t discover who gave the vampire the sword, Earth will become the battleground of ancient immortals.”

  Chapter 5

  Nate

  Nate grinned as he finished his phone call with Isabella. After leaving Inanna, he’d found a furnished loft apartment within walking distance of the club. Within ten minutes he’d located and persuaded the estate agent to sign the lease over to him.

  His powers of persuasion were very useful when it came to cutting through mortal-inspired red tape.

  He strolled through the open plan living area into the bedroom, where a door led out onto a roof terrace. It was a disappointing view, with no trees in sight, just a sweep of other warehouse conversions. Still, he didn’t plan on living here.

  It was just a temporary base where he could bring Isabella.

  And then a telepathic message cut through his lascivious plans on what he intended to do with Isabella the following night.

  Nate. I’m done.

  He hadn’t expected to hear from Astrid yet. He’d taken the sword to her because her knowledge of weapons was legendary and if anyone could discover its origins, it was her.

  On my way.

  He teleported to her base, located on the far side of the Milky Way. Unlike many of the archangels, who after the exodus from Earth had migrated to Andromeda, she’d chosen to stay in the backwaters of the universe.

  Astrid was some distance from her beachside home, standing on the black sand as the local sun set beyond the ocean. She didn’t turn at his approach.

  He stood by her si
de and eyed the volcanic landscape. It possessed a stark beauty, enhanced by an underlying threat of imminent eruption, even though this section of the planet had been dormant for millennia.

  Finally, Astrid turned to him. “The sword you brought me is the last one I crafted in Ama-gi.”

  It was of archangelic origin? He hadn’t expected that. Somehow, it made the injuries the vampire had inflicted upon Az even more horrific. “You destroyed all your weapons in the aftermath.”

  After the archangels had escaped their vindictive Alpha Goddess, who had imprisoned them in the place of their creation while devastation swept the Earth.

  “Yes.” Astrid once again gazed at the tranquil ocean. “But this one was stolen before our goddess called us home.”

  He let out a harsh breath. He’d been so sure the sword was demon forged. It fit with his conviction that Dagan was involved. I know he’s involved. “It must have been taken by an immortal, to get past your security. Any idea who it could have been?”

  “I’ve always known who stole it.”

  A dark suspicion flared. “Who?”

  “Your friend, Dagan.” A hint of steel threaded through the words. She and Dagan had never seen eye to eye. “Except he wasn’t a demigod, was he?”

  Fuck. He was responsible for taking Dagan to Ama-gi, which meant it was his fault his friend Azrael was currently missing half a wing. On the other hand, it was the proof he needed that Dagan was the one who’d given the sword to the vampire.

  The question was why? Although what reason did demons need to cause destruction and devastation in their wake?

  For decades, he had counted Dagan among his closest friends. And in the end, he’d taken everything Nate had shared in confidence and betrayed the archangels’ deepest secrets to their mutual goddess. And spilling those secrets had led to the destruction of the archangels’ beloved children.

  He’d never forgive Dagan or his cursed, treacherous race for that.

  He’d never forgive himself, either.

  Never trust a demon. It had become his mantra.

  “No.” Guilt dripped from the word. “How long did you know what he was?”

  “A few years. Like you, I believed the lies he spewed.”

  Yeah, Dagan had been so very convincing.

  “I’m going to find him, Astrid.”

  She inclined her head. “I can tell you where the sword has been. Its history has permeated the fabric of its soul.”

  He didn’t believe a weapon could possess a soul. But Astrid had created it, forged it from the elements itself, and if anyone could discover its secrets, it was her.

  “Tell me everything you’ve discovered.” Nate barely suppressed a shudder, as the vision of Az’s ruined wing, after he’d slain the vampire, flashed through his mind.

  * * *

  It was late morning when Nate woke. After leaving Astrid, he’d spent what was left of Earth’s night in his new apartment, and sun streamed in through the window, sending a deceptively warm glow across the timber floorboards. Although the view was shit, the place compared favorably to many of the temporary bases he’d stayed in over the centuries.

  He was in the kitchen, searching through the cupboards, before he remembered he didn’t have any coffee. Which reminded him. He didn’t have anything, and he’d invited Isabella to dinner tonight.

  The memory of her smile helped ease the bitter knot of guilt that had lodged in his chest since speaking with Astrid.

  For millennia, he’d hunted dangerous demon kind as a form of penance for allowing Dagan’s lies to blind him to the truth. He’d also harbored the hope one of them would have a solid lead that would give him a trail to Dagan. None of them had.

  Now, finally, he had evidence that Dagan had not only been on Earth recently, but that he’d equipped a vampire with a weapon capable of destroying full blood immortals. The trail was no longer cold, and he intended to pursue it until the end.

  But first, he needed coffee.

  He left the building and walked along the grim looking back street, and within a couple of minutes saw Inanna. He headed into the nearest coffee shop.

  Standing in front of him, queuing up at the counter, was Isabella. He grinned. What were the chances?

  He lowered his head and growled into her ear. “Good morning.”

  She swung around so fast they almost smacked faces. He laughed. She didn’t. In fact, she looked pissed off.

  “Morning.” She sounded as though the word killed her.

  He frowned. Maybe her meeting last night had been a disaster. “Hey, are you okay? Anything you want to talk about?”

  “No, I don’t think so.” She turned back and gave her order. To take away.

  Fuck that. He leaned over her shoulder. “Make that two, to stay.” Before she could take issue with him, he paid with one of his credit cards, took her arm, and ushered them to the only spare table in the place.

  She sat opposite him without a word, but her eyes glittered with fury. He shrugged and offered her another grin. Which she ignored.

  “Come on, Isabella.” He reached across the table and took her hand. She didn’t unclench her fist. “Who’s messed with you? Want me to sort them out?”

  Her gaze was like a laser. “Tell me how you sort out your problems.”

  “Tell me what your problem is, and I’ll construct an appropriate response.”

  She drew in a long breath. “It doesn’t matter.” Her gaze dropped to the table. “Let go of my hand.”

  Slowly, he released her fingers. “Are you pissed off with me?” He frowned. She’d been fine last night. And on the phone.

  “Goodness. Why would I be pissed off with you?” Derision dripped from each word and he leaned back in his chair as his ego processed her retort.

  Her reaction was… interesting.

  “I don’t know,” he said, just as their coffees arrived. He waited until they were alone again. “You tell me.”

  She took a sip of coffee and appeared to be considering her answer. “All right.” She placed her cup back on the table. “See if you can tell me the truth. Are you a bounty hunter, or not?”

  Intrigued by the strange direction their conversation had taken, he shook his head. “You’re the one who said I was a bounty hunter. I told you I hunted violators.”

  “Oh yes. Specifics.” She made the word sound like a curse.

  “The devil’s in the details. Or so I’ve heard.”

  She didn’t even crack a smile. What the fuck had happened in the few hours since they’d last spoken?

  “Am I on your hit list?”

  “What?” He stared at her, floored by her question. Where had it even come from?

  “I know you’ve been stalking Inanna for the last two weeks. It doesn’t take much to conclude you were waiting for me. Did you get all the information you needed? Am I expendable now?”

  Well. Fuck. He wasn’t often speechless, but he was now. Someone else at the club had noticed him, despite his glamour, and had found it suspicious enough to tell her. He sucked down his coffee and waited for the caffeine to hit. Isabella never took her accusing gaze from him.

  If he wanted to see her again, and by the gods he certainly did, it seemed he’d have to tell her a version of the truth.

  “First, you’re not expendable. That’s nonnegotiable.” He paused but wasn’t surprised when she didn’t favor him with a smile. “Second, I have been watching Inanna although I wouldn’t call it stalking. I can’t go into all the details, but I’ve reason to believe something’s going on that you’re unaware of. And yes.” He sighed. She’d never know how much it cost him to admit to making an error. “Before I met you, I did think you might be involved. Even I make mistakes on occasion.”

  Her eyes narrowed. It appeared she wasn’t impressed by his concession to share the partial truth with her.

  “There’s nothing going on at Inanna that I’m unaware of.”

  “I’m referring to something that happened in the past.” />
  “If it happened in the past, why are you investigating it now?”

  She was interrogating him.

  He was tempted to lower his glamour, just for a moment, to see her reaction. Except he didn’t want her spellbound by his archangelic radiance. He wanted—hell, he craved—her unvarnished honesty.

  “You’ve heard of cold cases?” He waited until she gave a reluctant nod. “Something happened to a friend of mine recently that gave me a new lead. Your club is connected.”

  She took another sip of her coffee, obviously processing his words. “What happened to your friend?”

  Although suspicion still saturated every word, some of her antagonism had faded. He’d take that as a win.

  Except then her question registered, and his wings, hidden beneath his glamour, rippled with primal dread. He’d never forget the sight of Az’s severed feathers, or the river of blood across the floor.

  He swallowed and shoved the memory to the back of his mind. “He was attacked.”

  “Is he okay?”

  Define okay. “He’ll live, if that’s what you mean.”

  “And you think his attacker is connected to my club.”

  “The attacker was neutralized. But I need to find out who was behind the hit.”

  “It was an attempted assassination?” She sounded intrigued. He needed to shut up. The more he told her, the more potential danger she could be in.

  “Classified.” He leaned across the table. She didn’t back away. “Anything you can tell me about the inner workings of Inanna could help.”

  “What kind of things do you want to know?”

  “Do you have a silent partner?” Who could be a demon?

  “No. The clubs are all mine.”

  “Anything unusual strike you about the previous owner?” He’d done all the research, but not everything was recorded into archives.

  “I didn’t meet the previous owner. All the properties I take on have been more or less abandoned and left to fall into disrepair. This was an executor sale.”

  He knew that, but the executor had been the son of the owner. Last week, he’d paid the man a visit and there hadn’t been even the faintest hint of demon around him. But it was always possible there might have been something Isabella had noticed at the time.