Salvation: A Realm of Flame and Shadow Novel

by Phillips, Christina

  Obviously not.

  “It’s okay. I’ll figure it out.”

  “Don’t you have any other questions?”

  “Yeah.” He took her hand again and this time she didn’t protest. “What’s your favorite food?”

  She stared at him as though she thought he’d lost his mind. She wasn’t far wrong. Because tonight couldn’t come soon enough.

  “Why?”

  “Our date tonight.” Had she forgotten? It was a good job his ego was the size of a small planet, otherwise he’d be feeling severely bruised right about now. He grinned, at both the image of his wounded ego and the startled expression on Isabella’s face.

  “Oh.” She shifted in her chair, appeared to notice their clasped hands for the first time, and shot him a guarded glance. “Surprise me.”

  Chapter 6

  Bella

  You’re not seriously going on this date tonight.

  Bella had to agree with the voice in the back of her head. It was an insane idea. Walking into the enemy’s lair, an immortal with power that eclipsed her own, was just asking to be murdered. Or worse.

  Except a tiny niggle of doubt kept gnawing through her brain.

  He doesn’t know who I am.

  Or was she merely deluding herself? Archangels were, after all, the greatest of the deceivers. Nate had once failed to destroy the heart of the Watchers. It was logical he’d use any means he could to gain access to the temple, including forging a sham connection with her. Yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was right.

  Which made Eblis wrong.

  “Challenge accepted,” Nate said, and it was damn hard not to gaze into his deceptively gorgeous eyes and smile at him.

  She was done smiling at him, so she picked up her coffee and finished it instead. But the underlying horror in his voice, and haunted expression on his face when he’d told her about his friend kept flashing through her mind.

  There had been nothing fake about that, at least. He wanted revenge for his friend.

  “Is there anything you definitely don’t eat? Or are allergic to?”

  She glanced at him over the rim of her cup. Was he for real? If he knew of her demon blood, he didn’t even need to get her alone in order to destroy her. He certainly wouldn’t go to the trouble of poisoning her, or even luring her to his lair in order to end her life.

  “I’ve a cast iron stomach,” she told him. “I can handle anything you throw at me.”

  “Interesting idea. But I’d planned on using plates tonight.”

  Archangels weren’t supposed to have a sense of humor. And while rumors of their mesmeric beauty were common knowledge among members of the Watchers, she’d never imagined she might find one in the least bit gorgeous.

  Even though her defenses had been compromised last night, it was mortifying she’d been so bewitched. And although it was conceivable she had been dazzled by Nate’s radiance, Eblis’ disclosure that she was a genuine, half-blood demon made that next to impossible.

  “Plates it is, then.” She placed her cup on the table and once again eyed the way Nate’s large hand covered hers. His touch should be like acid eating into her skin, but instead he made her feel warm and protected.

  Definitely delusional.

  Archangels didn’t protect. They destroyed. She needed to remember that, if she planned on seeing him again.

  I’ve no intention of seeing him again.

  To underscore her point, she stood, and a despicable sense of loss shivered through her as his hand slid from hers. But it lasted only a moment, as when he joined her, he threaded his fingers through hers as though he had the right.

  She tried to ignore the flutters of need that burst into life at his touch, but her body clearly had no scruples when it came to base lust. Fine. Her body didn’t rule her. She could hold his hand until they were outside and then she’d say goodbye and never see him again.

  “I need to get to work.”

  He opened the door for her, and they stood facing each other outside the coffee shop. They were still holding hands. Surreptitiously, she caressed his knuckles with her thumb, and his fingers tightened.

  Don’t. You. Dare.

  But she’d already decided. Because there was a raw, needy sliver of her soul that craved to know if everything he’d said to her was a lie. And the only way to find the truth hidden within his deceptions was if she spent more time in his company.

  He didn’t know who she really was. That gave her a shred of advantage, at least.

  “Did you want to come back with me and look around the club while it’s closed?”

  “Are you sure you don’t mind?” His eyes gleamed with humor. It was really hard not to respond with a mocking retort, the way she’d so easily done last night. But if he was playing her, she’d be damned if she’d give him the satisfaction of falling so easily for his charm.

  “If I minded, I wouldn’t have asked.” Stop gazing into his eyes. Ruthlessly, she turned from him and focused on her club, just down the road. “It would help if you could give me a clue as to what you’re searching for, though. I might be able to help.”

  He matched her stride as they crossed the road and she tried to ignore how crazily right it felt, holding hands with him.

  An archangel.

  Enough. She was only doing this because she needed to find out exactly what Nate was doing. And if it meant she had to play along with him for a while, then that’s just the way it had to be.

  “It’s hard to be specific,” he said, as she unlocked the door and they went inside. “The best way to explain it is I guess you could call it a sixth sense. I can pick up vibrations in the atmosphere. Feel free to laugh. I won’t be offended.”

  His accompanying grin took her breath away. Even if she didn’t know his true identity, she would have believed he was telling the truth.

  “I’m not laughing. I’ve been called a psychic before.”

  And the first time had been by her mother, when she’d been five years old. Except the word used hadn’t been psychic and she’d been locked in the dusty attic for a week as punishment.

  All because she had repeated out loud what her mother had just thought.

  “Really?” He turned to face her, and if she didn’t know better, she would have sworn genuine interest etched his features. But then, maybe he was genuinely interested? Or maybe he still suspected her heritage, and this was another ploy to get her to reveal herself?

  She couldn’t afford to assume anything when it came to Nate.

  “Yes. It’s not always as great as it’s cracked up to be.”

  “I’ll concede some abilities are worse than others.”

  She led him up the main stairs that, unlike the staff only ones behind the bar, were open to the public on special occasions. His arm brushed against hers, and ripples raced along her skin. Why was she still holding his hand?

  Because I want to learn all I can about my enemy.

  And obviously, holding hands was vital to her mission.

  Right.

  “What abilities are we talking about here, specifically?” They reached the landing, where the elegant rooms could be hired out for private parties. “Is your clairsentience good or bad, in your opinion?”

  “It has its moments.” His voice was dry, as though in reality his ability to sense energy signatures wasn’t that great. Not that she’d know, since it wasn’t an ability she possessed. “What’s your special power?”

  He wouldn’t catch her out that easily. “I read the cards.”

  Not a lie. In the past, reading the cards had enabled her to earn enough money to keep a roof over her head. At least she’d never had to kill anyone for a gold coin or two.

  She unlocked a staff only door, and as they climbed the second staircase that led to the converted attics, he gave her an accessing glance. “Are you any good at it?”

  “I’ve never had any complaints.” Not that she read them anymore. There was no need. Although… “Do you want me to re
ad yours?”

  This time his smile looked a little grim. “Not sure it’s a good idea for you to learn all of my secrets.”

  “We never did play a game of quid pro quo.”

  What the fuck was she saying? Last night, it had just been a bit of fun. For her, anyway. Who knew what it had been for Nate? But today was different. She saw hidden meanings in every word he said, even though in her gut she was sure he was ignorant of her demon blood.

  Trying to find out more about him was one thing. Playing dangerous games was something else. Then again, how else would she discover anything?

  A slow smile curved his deliciously decadent lips.

  Stop right there. She wasn’t going to recall all the things she’d imagined his mouth doing to her last night, when she’d been unable to sleep. All his mouth was capable of was lying to her.

  Which made the prospect of uncovering anything useful from him damn near impossible. So why was she indulging her frustrating need to spend more time in his company?

  “Do you have a list of ground rules?”

  It took her a second to figure out what he meant. “We’re both adults here. If you tell me you’ve done something illegal, I don’t have to respond in kind.”

  He laughed. “Have you done anything illegal, Isabella?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

  They were in her office and he made no attempt to release her hand. Mentally, she gritted her teeth and pulled free. There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?

  “There’s a lot about you I’d like to know,” he said, his gaze never leaving hers. A despicable flutter ignited deep inside at his provocative promise. Or was it a threat? The worst thing was, she didn’t even care which it was.

  “Likewise.” She wasn’t flirting. She was digging for information. To underscore that reminder, she took off her coat, and draped it over the chaise. The image of Nate caressing her foot last night flashed across her mind, and unwanted warmth licked through her treacherous blood. Focus. She inhaled a long breath, in the vain hope that might smother her overexcited libido and turned to face him. “Okay, I’ll start. I was born in London, the only child of my mother, and none of her relatives would acknowledge me.”

  “Why not?”

  “What?” He was supposed to give her something in response, not question her statement. “Because—” She swallowed her retort before she dug an even bigger hole for herself. Why had she even mentioned her mother’s relatives? It had no place in this exchange with Nate. Besides, she had long ago stopped craving the love of her grandmother and aunt who had always tried to deny her existence.

  Nate was still waiting for her answer. She offered him a brittle smile. “Because I was born out of wedlock.”

  Let him make what he liked of that. It was a despicable reason, yet it was the truth. They had only tolerated her presence when she was a child because they’d mistakenly believed she was the offspring of her mother’s wealthy protector.

  “That makes two of us.”

  Brutally, she throttled the memories that threatened to spill from the dungeon she usually kept buried deep inside her mind. Why did she keep thinking of her past when she was with Nate? It was the second time she’d spoken of her family, and she’d only met him last night. It would be so much easier on her pride to suspect he was using his corrupted abilities to force her to confide in him, but she knew the truth.

  It was the way he focused on her, as though he was genuinely interested in everything she said. The sexy gleam in his eyes, and irresistible smile, that melted her defenses and overruled her caution.

  He was just too bloody easy to talk to.

  But he wasn’t wriggling off the hook this lightly.

  “I need more than that.”

  “Fair enough.” He frowned at the ceiling, as though contemplating his answer. Her mouth dried. Was he striking that spectacular pose on purpose, or did he have no idea just how breathtaking he looked?

  Except all he was doing was standing there. Thinking. And she couldn’t drag her eyes from him.

  “Okay.” Finally, he caught her gaze, and the mysterious, dark depths of his irises ignited all her good resolutions into liquid flame. “This is going to sound like I’m shitting you, but it’s the truth. Many of those I share possible DNA with wish I’d never been created. Luckily, we never cross paths.”

  “Created?” It would’ve been so easy for him to say born, because that was the accepted term, and she could have quietly despised him for lying. But, in this at least, he’d told her the truth. She knew the history of how the Alpha Goddess had first created her beloved demons, before casting them out in favor of her archangels.

  He gave her a cynical grin. “It fits.”

  It fit perfectly. If only he had lied. It would give her something solid to hold against him other than what she’d heard about him. It was a struggle to maintain an icy grip on reality when he could charm her so damn easily. She hauled her besotted senses back in line before she did something unforgiveable. Such as kiss him.

  She took a hasty step back, as a precaution. “Possible DNA?”

  Gods, why was her voice so husky?

  “At best, you could say my parentage is questionable.”

  Despicable warmth fluttered through her chest at his confession. She sucked in a sharp breath to help clear the sex infused fog beguiling her mind. It didn’t help. He was telling her the truth of his origins and didn’t even realize how much he was truly revealing.

  “And at worst?”

  “My parentage would be confirmed.”

  “Wow. I didn’t expect that.” She had the contemptible urge to smile at him. “Most people want to know their parentage.” The way she’d always wanted to know who her father was? And now she knew he was a full blood demon, what real difference did it make?

  “I’m not most people.”

  “You can say that again.” Okay. Stop flirting right now.

  “Was that a compliment? Because I feel there was some condemnation lurking in there somewhere.”

  Despite her best intentions, her smile escaped. Damn it. “I think you have an ego problem.”

  “I think you could be right.”

  She was having far too much fun. He wasn’t just some random archangel. He was the one who not only hunted those with demon blood for sport but had almost destroyed the only sanctuary her kind had on Earth. The one who had a special circle in hell waiting for him. Just because it was hard to reconcile the reviled hunter with the irresistible immortal standing before her, was no excuse to lose sight of her objectives.

  With more reluctance than she’d ever admit, she tore herself from his magnetic presence and made her way to her desk. She didn’t have to be looking at him to know he never took his hot gaze from her.

  Enough. She needed to get back to business. “How do you want to do this? Go through the offices one by one?”

  Could he sense the lingering presence of Eblis, the way Eblis had detected Nate?

  “Yes, that’d be good.” His phone buzzed and he frowned as he checked the screen. “I need to take this.”

  “Sure.” She logged onto the Internet, but her attention was centered on Nate.

  “Hey, Nic,” he said. “What’s the problem?”

  She tapped a couple of keys, in case he correctly guessed she was attempting to eavesdrop. Annoyingly, even with her acute hearing, she couldn’t pick up anything Nic said.

  “Uh-huh.” Nate glanced her way. She pretended not to notice. “I can be there within the hour.”

  He pushed his phone back into his jeans pocket before strolling over to her. It had been a mistake to sit down. Because now he towered over her desk, like a living mountain, and the oxygen evaporated.

  Breathe.

  “A new lead on your case?” Somehow, she managed to sound casual.

  “Could be.” He gave a frustrated sigh. “We still on for dinner tonight?”

  “Why not?” The words were out before she could stop them. But it w
as fine. She knew the dangers and had no intention of doing anything stupid. It was possible, in his lair, he’d open up even more to her. Finding out everything he knew was, of course, the only reason she intended seeing him again.

  “Seven?”

  “Sounds good.”

  He planted his hands on her desk and leaned closer. Her heart stuttered and breath stalled. He was going to kiss her. It was no big deal. She could do this. His lips brushed hers, tender, questioning, and her resolve to remain motionless melted.

  Her fingers teased his jaw, his stubble grazing her in a seductive caress. A deep groan vibrated through him, sending shivers of need dancing across her flesh. Slowly he straightened, raw lust glowing in his eyes.

  “You better believe it,” he growled, and his smoldering gaze left her in no doubt he wasn’t thinking about the dinner he’d promised her.

  And she couldn’t wait.

  Chapter 7

  Bella

  It had been an hour since Nate had left, and Bella still couldn’t concentrate. It was ridiculous. And annoying. She pressed her lips together—they still tingled from his touch—and narrowed her eyes.

  For the last forty minutes she’d been on NightRaven, aka the deep net. It was a little like the demon version of humanity’s dark net, except it was impossible to access without explicit invite from the Watchers’ Elite. It was a place where her kind could stay in touch with others from their hidden world, as well as share information, rumors and speculation.

  She had slipped into the feeds of several of her most reliable sources, looking for information on the powerful sword. She’d always found it amazing how easily others were willing to spill things online, but so far, she’d come up blank.

  She let out an impatient sigh as she scrolled through yet another watercooler where members seemed to do nothing but bitch about humans, and how it was time for the long overdue demon uprising.