The need for vengeance burned through him. But, damn it, he could not risk her safety. And he couldn’t guarantee it once he and Dagan let loose.
There was only one thing for it. When he tossed the sword to the demon, he’d grab Isabella and teleport them both out of here. Dagan would have to wait for another day.
“Fine.” He tightened his grip around the hilt of the sword and stepped back. The metal gleamed in the shadowy light and Nate tensed. Every fiber of him screamed to keep it. To not give it back to Dagan. To his enemy. But if he didn’t—
He cut off the thought and threw the sword. It flew through the air in a glittering arc, landing to one side. Dagan swore and stepped away from Isabella to retrieve it. Nate wrapped his hand around her wrist and…
Nothing fucking happened.
What the hell…
“Sorry, didn’t I explain?” Dagan said, as he sheathed his dagger without taking his gaze from Nate. Then he lifted the sword and gave a malicious smile. “Our powers are neutralized within Inanna’s sacred mountain.” He raised his hand and with a blast of unearthly power that belied his statement, catapulted Nate backwards into the adjoining chamber.
Nate swore. It had all been for nothing.
Chapter 18
Bella
Slung against the lectern from the backlash of Dagan’s power, Bella gasped as a shimmering barrier appeared in the archway. Nate threw himself against it and flames erupted, pushing him back into the small chamber.
It was a well-known fact among the Watchers that within the mountain, their powers only worked on Inanna’s Eye and in the atrium, beneath the open sky. But this demon had managed to harvest enough raw material to counter its effects.
Who was he? Nijah’s guest?
“I know you’re many things, Dagan,” Nate snarled. “But I never believed you were a coward.”
Dagan shrugged, apparently unmoved by the insult. “I don’t want you getting hurt. I’m guessing Inanna found a way to use her powers inside this mountain. Why else would she have a handy little dungeon here? It’s been the perfect resting place for the sword for the last one thousand years. An archangelic artifact hidden in the heart of the Earth-bound demon bloods sanctuary. I’ve always found the irony amusing.”
“Get me out of here.”
“No. You can stay there while I sort some shit out. Your erstwhile friend Gabe fucked up my most promising cell and let me tell you. I’m pissed about it. Any idea where he is?”
“Remove this fucking forcefield.”
“Not gonna happen. And before you fry your brains trying, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Nate swore, violently, eloquently, the language one she’d never heard before. Yet the words flowed through her, touching something buried deep inside, and the savage beauty of his curse caused the breath to catch in her throat.
Dagan turned to her. He was as tall and well-built as Nate, with short, spiky, dark blond hair and midnight eyes. His laser gaze seared her, as though he sought to peel back every protective shield she possessed. “Interesting.” He appeared fascinated by whatever he had managed to discover. “What powers have you inherited?”
Inside, terror curdled her blood, but she’d never let him know. She glared at him, and he responded with an amused smile.
“Keep your secrets. The Watchers have been a monumental disappointment to me.” He threw Nate a glance. “As was Sakarbaal. That vampire lair needs eradication.”
Another fear spiked through her chest at his unvarnished threat. Although Octavia hadn’t belonged to Sakarbaal’s order of vampires, she was at the castle. Bella doubted Dagan was the type to check IDs before administering his own brand of injustice. She needed to warn her friend that a demon had Nico and his Echelon within his sights.
Dagan returned his attention to her. “Take my advice. Don’t let him out while I’m gone.”
With that, and another spectacular display of lightning, he vanished.
She let out a shaky breath, as the static played through her hair. Slowly she turned to look at Nate. He glowered at her and unfurled his wings. Unwanted awe shivered through her and she couldn’t drag her mesmerized gaze away. They were magnificent, silver-gray shot through with elusive glimpses of violet. How would it feel, to be enveloped in those beautiful, powerful feathers?
She’d never know. Whatever they’d had, was over. And even though she’d always known they had no future, this wasn’t the way she wanted it to end.
I don’t want it to end at all.
Like there was any choice.
“Congratulations.” Venom dripped from the word. “You had me fooled. I should have driven the sword through your treacherous heart when I had the chance.”
But he hadn’t. And when Dagan had given him an ultimatum, he hadn’t put her life on the line. He’d saved it.
The only reason she wasn’t imprisoned with him now was because when Dagan had thrust him across the chamber, Nate had instantly released her wrist. Maybe it had been nothing more than an automatic reflex, but she wasn’t convinced.
He’d saved her twice.
“I’ve never met him before.”
“You expect me to believe that?” He thrust his fist against the barrier, and once again flames engulfed him. She tensed, but his flesh didn’t blister, although it must have caused him pain as he backed off. “No wonder your club reeks of demon.”
She’d wondered if he could sense the presence of Eblis in her club. But Nate was referring to her, and to Dagan, and he made it sound so obscene. Yet what was the difference between that, and the fact Eblis had detected archangelic essence in her office after just one visit by Nate?
Nothing.
Everything.
“You had the sword all along.” It wasn’t an accusation, although it sounded like it. Nate obviously thought so, since he slung her a withering glare.
“And now it’s back in Dagan’s possession,” he shot back.
A dull ache twisted deep inside her chest. Would Nate ever look at her the same way he had before he’d become aware of her heritage?
Stop. She already knew the answer to that. And if she hadn’t been such a bloody idiot as to almost fall for him, that question would never have crossed her mind. Because it didn’t matter. This thing between them had always been nothing more than a fleeting dream.
Her defense echoed in her mind, a mocking refrain.
Almost? Who was she trying to fool?
“What does he want?’ She knew Nate didn’t have the answer. Even if he did, he wouldn’t tell her. Any trust he’d once had in her had irrevocably died.
It shouldn’t hurt. He was her enemy.
But he wasn’t the enemy that the Watchers had made him out to be.
“If you want information, you can release me.”
This was insane. The Archangel Nathanael needed her help. How often had she imagined having that faceless creature within her power?
Then she’d met him. He was no longer faceless. And he’d turned everything she’d ever believed inside out.
“I can’t. I don’t have the power.” And if she did, would she use it to free him?
Yes. Because he’d saved her. She owed him.
His lip curled. It was obvious he didn’t believe her. Slowly she raised her hand. Her ring glinted. Compared to whatever Dagan had, the power infused in the tourmalines that the Elite possessed was minuscule. The cosmic core of the mountain negated all demonic ability—all archangelic too—but a few decades ago their scientists had created a counterforce.
It was just enough to create locks that couldn’t be broken by force, only by the primed gemstones, but was it enough to destroy whatever power held Nate imprisoned?
There was only way to find out. The only way to pay her debt. She owed Nate that, at least, for not killing her the second he’d discovered she possessed demon blood.
She took a deep breath and clenched her fist.
“Stand back,” she ordered. And thrust her hand i
nto the shimmering barrier.
Her hand froze, as fiery agony exploded inside her head. A hoarse scream flayed her throat and crimson stars collided behind her eyes as the tourmaline battled the ancient force.
From a thousand miles away, she heard Nate shouting. Telling her to stop. But even if she could, she wouldn’t. She owed him.
Her arm was shaking but her hand was trapped. The walls closed in on her, dark, menacing, and the shimmer faded. With a burst of orange flame, Nate shouldered his way to freedom, and she fell back, her lungs burning for elusive oxygen.
She never hit the ground. He caught her and pulled her upright, and she rested her forehead against his chest and sucked in raw, painful gasps of air.
“Fuck,” Nate muttered. He grasped her hand, his fingers interlocking with hers, and she’d bet anything he tried to teleport again, but nothing happened. “Can you walk?” His voice was harsh.
“Yes,” she said between her teeth. Even though she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to move again. Without releasing her, he edged her to the stairs, and she stumbled up them, tripping on her stupid dress. Relief washed through her as she finally stepped into the antechamber, but Nate still didn’t let her go.
She tried to summon resentment at his attitude but failed. Because she had the despicable conviction that his grip was the only thing keeping her upright.
He strode out of the antechamber and one of the guards leaped in front of him, teeth bared.
“What the fuck?” he growled, but before he got any further Nate grasped him by the throat with one hand and catapulted him across the room. The guard smashed into the wall and slumped to the floor, unmoving.
She didn’t even have the breath to protest. It took all her focus just to keep up with him, putting one foot in front of the other, and fighting the insidious blanket of fog that curled seductive tendrils through her mind.
Nate slammed open the main door and another two guards ended up unconscious on the ground before they even knew what hit them. The cool night air caused her to shiver but didn’t help clear the dark wisps clouding her vision. Her right hand hung like a dead thing against her thigh, except for her ring finger, that throbbed like holy hell.
Abruptly he came to a halt, wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and teleported.
Disorientated, she staggered as he pulled back from her, although he still held onto her hand. And she was under no illusion it was because he enjoyed her touch. It was so she couldn’t escape.
Lights flickered, and she blinked, as the room came into focus. It seemed to be an apartment, with timber floorboards and through the windows loomed dark shapes that could be warehouses.
Where were they? Was it London?
“Can you teleport?” His voice was grim. Her glance caught on their entwined fingers and a dull pain gripped her heart. Even though she knew there was no tenderness in the gesture, his touch still gave her a shred of comfort.
“Yes.”
His grip tightened, as though he imagined she was going to vanish before his eyes.
“What else?”
This was pointless. “What does it matter? I’m half-demon. Isn’t that enough?”
His lips flattened. “Half?”
She shrugged, as if it didn’t matter. “Unknown father. My mother passed me off as her aristocratic lover’s, but apparently I was a demon’s offspring.”
Anger sparked in the air. Surely he didn’t still care how her relatives had treated her, now that he knew who she really was?
“You were born on Earth?” Distrust threaded through his words. She didn’t blame him. To her knowledge, she was the only one in the Watchers who could claim such a strong bloodline. Even Nijah, powerful as she was, was three generations removed from her demon ancestor.
“My mother was mistress to an earl. She wasn’t known for planet hopping.” She tried to inject derision into her voice, but she was so damn tired she could hardly stand upright, never mind play word games.
His jaw tensed. He appeared to be having a hard time digesting her true history. She almost felt sorry for him, if her heart wasn’t so full of wretched sorrow for what a mess this all was.
“How old are you?”
“That’s your question? I could ask the same of you, but what does it matter?”
“It matters because you’ve always known who I am. But you…” His voice trailed off and he glared at her as though her very existence defeated him. “I don’t know what you are.”
She exhaled a ragged breath. She needed to check her injuries, but Nate deserved this answer, at least. “I was born in seventeen-eighty-two. My mother was barely eighteen and until I was five years old, she clung to the hope I was the daughter of her protector and not the result of one wild night with a demon.”
And now he had it. Her sordid origins. She looked away. It was cowardice, pure and simple, but she couldn’t bear to see the disgust in his eyes. Instead, she gritted her teeth and forced her right arm to move. Fire blazed through her muscles in protest, but she ignored it.
She stared at her hand and a hoarse gasp escaped before she could stop herself.
Her finger that was trapped within the charred remains of the ring was the color of ash, and gray threads were creeping beneath her skin to her wrist. It was horrific.
She could heal this. She sent out a tendril of power, but instead of seeping into the skin and bone it came to a halt. It hadn’t worked. She tried again but couldn’t breach the unyielding barrier. Panic bloomed in her chest, an untethered monster. Her hand. She couldn’t heal it.
Pain ran through her like liquid fire, and lights flashed, distorting her vision.
She wasn’t going to pass out. Not ever, but especially not now while in the presence of the Archangel Nathanael.
Shock kicked in, and the world turned black.
Chapter 19
Nate
Isabella keeled and he scooped her into his arms on sheer reflex. Her head dropped to his shoulder and her hair brushed his jaw in an ethereal caress. Heart thundering in his ears, he strode into the bedroom, but the sight of her damaged hand shook him to his core.
She’d risked her life to release him. Why hadn’t he checked that she was okay before dragging her out of the mountain?
Carefully, he laid her on his bed. She looked so damn fragile. But she possessed the blood of demons. He dropped the last vestiges of his glamour. He didn’t need to conceal his archangelic heritage from her anymore.
“I’m fine.” She struggled to sit up, and he propped the pillows behind her head. “I’m just…” she glanced at her hand, and a sickly green tint washed over her face.
“Let me see.” His voice was harsh. Self-disgust burned through him. He’d interrogated her while whatever power had held him captive had been eating her alive.
Gently, he held her hand. It was ice-cold. To fix it he needed to know what it was.
“Do you know why our powers are neutralized within Inanna’s temple?” His words were clipped, in a vain attempt to hide his concern.
Rumors of such phenomena had been around for as long as he could remember. Of isolated pockets on far-flung, primitive rocks where life barely existed. He’d never investigated the truth of it. And now he was paying the price. Because if he knew what he was dealing with, it would help him heal her.
“They say a meteorite hit, millions of years ago, before the mountain range formed. Whatever properties it possessed permeated that area and renders our powers useless. But that’s just the theory. I don’t think anyone can know for sure.”
Great. That was nothing he didn’t already know. He glanced at her damaged hand and his gut clenched. He had to help her.
“I’m going to remove the ring. You okay?”
She gave a ghoulish smile that speared through his chest. “Go for it. I hope my finger doesn’t come off with it.”
“Not funny.” He glowered at her hand and gripped the ring. If he messed this up—
Don’t over think it.
<
br /> He tightened his grip on the cold metal and eased the silver band over her swollen knuckle.
Isabella let out a strangled groan and he dropped the ring onto the bedside table before scrutinizing her injury. He could heal broken bones and ripped organs. But he wouldn’t know what was happening with her hand until he psychically investigated.
“Tell me if I hurt you.”
“Wait.” She flexed her fingers and he glanced at her face. The sickly pallor had gone. “It’s feeling better.”
“You’re healing yourself.” It wasn’t a question. He’d just forgotten, for a crazy moment, that she was capable of doing such a thing.
“No. I’m not doing anything. It was the ring, trapping the energy. I guess when it tried to escape, I got in the way.”
She looked better already, and her hand was almost back to normal. Was the speed of her recovery because of her heritage?
Or had she faked her symptoms? Was this all part of an elaborate plan between her and Dagan? But for what purpose? To gain his trust?
He’d put nothing past the demon. But Isabella? The idea turned his guts but just because he didn’t want to believe it, didn’t mean it wasn’t true. She’d said she hadn’t known who he was when they first met. There had been a simple sincerity in her voice that made him believe her.
But she’d had a meeting that first night. And whoever she had met, had told her who he was.
Who else but Dagan could have shared that information with her?
Never trust a demon.
He folded his arms, so he wasn’t tempted to pull her close. Just to make sure she was okay. Except it was more than detached concern for her wellbeing that churned through his chest and scrambled his brains, and he damn well knew it.
When she’d fallen in that subterranean cave, he could have abandoned her to her fate. She’d concealed her true identity from him, even though she’d been aware of his. Whatever way he looked at it, her reasons didn’t augur well for him. But leaving her behind had never been an option. Whether she’d been working for Dagan or not.
Salvation: A Realm of Flame and Shadow Novel Page 17