Destiny's Knight: A Fallen Angel Protector Paranormal Romantic Suspense Book (Guarded Souls 1)

by Lexxie Couper

  Closing his eyes, Erah rubbed at the back of his neck and let out a slow breath. “You weren’t meant to come back here, brother.”

  Nathanial stiffened. “What?”

  Erah shook his head and smiled at Nathanial. “So unlike you to accept help. I wasn’t prepared for it.”

  “What did you do?” Nathanial took a step toward him, even as he held his arms out and back toward Billie. The windows rattled again. Ozone tainted the air, thick and ripe and charged.

  “The snare was meant to keep you there, in that piss-drenched building.” A disgusted expression twisted Erah’s beautiful face. “Until I came to save you.”

  “Erah…” Nathanial stepped forward. The walls creaked. Every object in the room vibrated, as if agitated. Or frenzied. “Please tell me you’re not—”

  “Of course I’m the one who fucking did it!”

  Billie pressed her palm to her mouth. Her eyes burned. She stared at the other angel, bile rising in her throat.

  “Why?” Shock filled Nathanial’s voice.

  “Why?” Erah threw up his hands. “You chose a pathetic human over me. You threw away everything, you threw away us. For her.” Ice-blue eyes snapped to Billie and she shrank away from the hate burning in their depths. “You weren’t supposed to do that.”

  A low growl tore from Nathanial’s chest. His shoulders hunched, fists balling. “You wanted Gilbert to find Billie?”

  “Of course I did. I’ve been patient, brother. I allowed you time down here, wallowing. But when I finally realized you weren’t going to see the error of your ways and beg His forgiveness to return to where you belong, I had to influence things a little. When I discovered a man willing to do anything to be with this quim, I set the ball rolling.”

  A cold fist twisted in Billie’s chest.

  Erah flicked her another look. His top lip curled. “He was supposed to get to her before you intervened. But I was caught up in some insignificant shit He ordered me to do, and I couldn’t get to you in time. Gilbert was meant to take her, fuck her until her brain was nothing but mush and she no longer existed—mentally or physically—in this realm. But you got to her first, brought her here, and I had to figure out how to sep—”

  An unseen explosion destroyed every object in the room. The bedside tables shattered, sending splinters flying. The windows broke. The TV screen erupted in a violent shower of glass shards.

  Billie screamed, ducking.

  Nathanial’s wings snapped wide.

  Erah staggered backward, eyes bulging. “Wait wait wait, brother!” He gaped at the debris showering down on them, hands out. “Think about this. Really think about it! She’s human. Nothing but a meat popsicle with a tiny brain and a set of tits! She will never make you whole or complete the way I—”

  Erah flew backward into the wall.

  *

  Red. Everything—red.

  Through the red haze, Nathanial watched Erah slam into the wall. Watched him fall to his knees, stumble back onto his feet, raise a hand toward him. “Brother.”

  The red haze grew darker at Erah’s groaned plea.

  End him.

  “Jealousy,” Nathanial whispered. “You did all this because of jealousy?”

  He’d used the little energy Nim had given him at the warehouse to translocate back home. Drained of almost all his force, he’d been on the cusp of collapse during his battle with Gilbert. Had been ready to die to stop the geography teacher from getting to Billie. Would have, he suspected.

  He’d been prepared for that.

  But not this.

  My brother, my fellow angel…

  He stared at Erah, now standing upright again, wings alert. Charged power radiated from Erah, and Nathanial fed from it. Drank it in. He may not have been prepared for Erah’s betrayal, but he doubted Erah had been prepared for this. Two angels, facing off.

  No, Erah would not have anticipated this. And there was nothing he could do to stop Nathanial from drawing on his power.

  Except kill him.

  Will he go that far?

  Frowning at Erah, he shook his head. “You put the woman I love in danger because you…what? Wanted your brother back?” He began walking forward, bunching his fists. “Innocent people died because you missed our conversations?”

  “You were mine!” Erah shouted. “Not hers. You were meant to only ever want me.”

  Icy disbelief sheared through Nathanial. “Want you? Erah, you are my—”

  Erah’s sword materialized in his hand.

  “Nathanial!” Billie screamed, as the blade erupted in blue flame.

  “Erah, stop.” This could not be happening.

  Erah shook his head. The sword’s flame flickered in his eyes, blue rage burning in blue insanity. “You just need the problem removed, my brother. Let me do it for you. She won’t suffer for long, and then you can return to me.”

  Rage seared through Nathanial’s disbelief. The world turned red again. Incapable of drawing his own sword—denied it by God for falling for Billie—he held his arms wide. The only weapon he had against Erah was his physical body and the force pulled from the other angel. If he disarmed him, he might stand a chance, but only until Erah held his sword again.

  The power—and weakness—of the angel sword: only the angel it was created for could wield it. It meant an enemy could never use the weapon to kill, but it also meant another angel could not use it in battle.

  Damn it, if only he’d shared his location with Kade and Nim.

  He reached out in his mind for James…and ground his teeth.

  Heavy darkness roped through the Order of Actuality where James’s existence should be.

  Waves of cold fear and anger rolled over him from behind.

  Billie. Still behind him. He had to get her out of here. Away from Erah. But how?

  Erah smiled over Nathanial’s shoulder. “I feel your fear, little human. It’ll be okay. It’s better you no longer—”

  Nathanial threw himself at Erah. Drove his shoulder into his chest and rammed him backward into the wall again.

  The solid plane of Erah’s chest vanished and Nathanial smashed into the wall for a split second before chasing Erah’s unseen existence.

  There.

  He spun, kicking the re-emerging angel to his knees just as Erah swung his sword at Billie.

  Billie squealed, ducked, and drove her heel into Erah’s face.

  Erah jerked backward, his sword flinging from grip and disappearing.

  Nathanial snagged his arm and hauled him around, crunching his fist into Erah’s jaw.

  “Fuck!” Erah roared, and blasted a wave of energy at Nathanial.

  No.

  Planting his feet, Nathanial leaned into the force, feeding on it. His blood roared in his ears. His body thrummed.

  Did Erah not realize what he was doing? Did he care?

  …endherkillher…

  Erah’s feverish thought pummeled him, as did image after vivid image of Billie screaming in agony, impaled by Erah’s flaming sword.

  “No!” he screamed, hurling a wall of force at Erah. And another. Another.

  With a shriek, Erah blurred through the air with preternatural speed and slammed Nathanial to the floor.

  Something splintered inside Nathanial’s torso. Pain ripped through him. He struck out, smashing his fist into Erah’s jaw again, following the physical blow with an invisible strike of raw force.

  Erah flew backward, wings flailing, arms and legs doing the same, before he hit the floor near the bed with a thud.

  “You need to stop this, Erah!” Nathanial growl, climbing to his feet.

  Fresh pain lanced down his side. Up into his neck. He pressed his palm to his ribs. Broken rib. No, two.

  Great. He needed to finish this. Now.

  “I’ve never been—”

  Erah threw both hands up into the air and down, and Nathanial’s knees buckled beneath him.

  “Yes,” Erah shouted. “You have. From the beginning!” />
  Willing his body, his wings, to work, Nathanial launched himself upright. “I will die trying to stop you. You must know that.”

  “This isn’t how it was meant to be, my brother.” The air cracked, and once again, Erah’s sword appeared in his hand. Ignited. “You’ll realize that when I remove the human stain from your mind and heart. I know you will!”

  Behind him, Billie scrambled over to James. Shook him.

  The djinn didn’t move.

  Erah started to turn, and Nathanial sent a jolt of force into his side. “If you even look at Billie again, Erah, I will rip out your eyes!”

  “You see what she has done to you?” Erah shook his head, turning back to him. Grief and disgust etched his face. “The Nathanial I have loved since the beginning of creation would never say something like that to me.”

  Nathanial bunched his shoulder. “This isn’t love, Erah. You’re wrong. This? What you’re feeling? It’s obsession.”

  The sword’s flames burned brighter, eating the air with blue hunger. “No, Gilbert Sanders was obsessed. I am nothing like him. His obsession allowed him to become a monster. My love will save you from a worthless existence. Return you to the exalted status you deserve.”

  “Do you hear yourself, Erah?”

  Erah smiled. “I do. And you do, as well. I know you do. What we had? Together? It’s there, waiting for you again. All you need to do is let me remove the stain from existence.” His eyes flared white light. “Or do it yourself.”

  Nathanial flicked a look around the room. Billie couldn’t get away, no matter how much he wanted her gone. Erah stood between her and the door, and he wouldn’t let her leave. Wouldn’t stop until he’d killed her. Nathanial had to get Erah away from her. There was no other option. Erah would continue until she was dead.

  He needed to…to…

  What?

  A dismayed chill twisted in his gut. Drawing a deep breath, he focused on Erah. “If I promise to give myself to you, you’ll leave Billie alone?”

  “Nathanial!” Horror filled Billie’s moan. “Don’t. You can’t! I’m not worth it.”

  Ignoring her, Nathanial stepped closer to Erah. “I’ll give myself to you, Erah. Willingly. Be everything you want me to be. I swear. But you must let Billie go. I will forget her. I will be yours. But only if you let her go. Now.”

  Erah’s nostrils flared. He ran his gaze over Nathanial, eyes white, sword burning brighter.

  Nathanial moved closer still. “I will be yours, brother,” he repeated. “But please…let her go.”

  “No!” Billie cried, gripping James’s inert shoulder. “No, please don’t—”

  “Shhh,” Erah hushed her, without breaking eye contact with Nathanial.

  Inches away, Nathanial stopped. “I promise.”

  And he did. With every fiber of his existence, he did. For Billie’s safety, for her life, he would give his freedom and his life.

  Whatever I need to do. For her…

  “I swear,” he said, holding Erah’s gaze.

  Erah frowned. Searching his eyes, he reached up and cupped Nathanial’s face in one hand. “Forever?”

  Nathanial dipped his head.

  Erah smiled, snaring a fistful of Nathanial’s hair in a vise grip. “Say it. Say ‘I’m yours and only yours, my brother.’”

  “I’m yours,” the words scratched at Nathanial’s soul. “And only yours, my brother.”

  “As it should be.” Erah smiled wider, his grip on Nathanial’s hair slackening. “As it will always be.” He paused, gaze tracing Nathanial’s lips. “But you’ve been inside her, my love.” His eyes turned inky black as the sword in his hand erupted in roaring black flames. “So I have no choice but to kill her.”

  He yanked Nathanial forward, crushed his lips in a savage kiss, filling Nathanial’s mind with an image of Erah sinking his flaming sword between Billie’s breasts, and then spun to face her.

  “Die, cunt,” Erah snarled.

  At the very second Nathanial’s own sword materialized in his hand.

  It’s Yours, a Voice declared in his head. The Voice.

  The sword’s devastating, cataclysmic power radiated up Nathanial’s arm, into his body. His soul.

  His sword.

  Yours, the Voice said. Again.”Brother,” he said, grabbing Erah’s shoulder and swinging him back around to face him.

  Their eyes met, locked—as Nathanial buried his sword to the hilt in Erah’s chest.

  It wouldn’t kill him, but it would render him—

  Brilliant white flame erupted around the blade, licked up Erah’s chest, burst from his back, and engulfed his wings. His eyes blazed back to white, his stare on Nathanial, his mouth agape.

  Nathanial’s heart smashed up into his throat. How was this… It wasn’t possible. It wasn’t—

  “B-but, I love you,” Erah rasped, grabbing at Nathanial’s wrist. “I…love…”

  His hand slipped off. His wings burned. The deafening boom of his sword falling to his feet filled the room.

  Nathanial held his shoulder, and tightened his grip on his own sword, his heart tearing apart as Erah’s eyes flickered back to normal light blue again.

  “I love you,” Erah repeated on a whisper, fingertips brushing at Nathanial’s jaw, his mouth. “You’re m…mine…”

  The flame of Nathanial’s sword flared brighter. Whiter.

  Erah’s eyes widened. His fingers clawed at Nathanial’s shoulder, his chest. I’m sorry, he mouthed, as the flame consumed him. I’m—

  He vanished.

  As did Nathanial’s sword and its white fire.

  “I’m sorry,” Nathanial echoed on a whisper, dropping to his knees.

  He landed on a pillow. A pillow that hadn’t been there a second before.

  “It’s the best,” a croaky voice rasped from across the room, “I could do.”

  “James?” Billie gasped, shaking the djinn again.

  “I’m…alive…” James waved a shaky hand in the air before letting it thud back to the floor. “I think.”

  Nathanial slumped, stared at Billie and the moaning djinn for a heartbeat, and closed his eyes.

  Erah? he called, reaching out.

  Silence.

  Beyond silence. Nothing.

  Where once the vivacious thread of Erah’s existence colored the Order of Actuality, now…emptiness.

  Raw pain sliced through Nathanial, and he scrunched up his face. An angel’s sword could only injure another angel, unless it burned fire. Then…it killed.

  God? Have You done this? Is this Your will?

  Silence.

  “Nathanial?”

  He lifted his head at Billie’s whisper.

  She lowered herself to the floor in front of him. Worry ate up her face. She reached out a hand, her fingertips brushing his jaw, and pulled away. Her gaze moved to his wings, and she frowned.

  “Can you still see them?”

  “Yes.”

  Relief rushed through him at her answer. For some reason, he didn’t like the idea of her no longer being able to see that which she was never meant to see in the first place. “How do they look?”

  A soft chuckle fell from her. “Ruffled.”

  He snorted, the sound weak and wobbly. “I suspect that’s an understatement.”

  “You still look handsome, you winged bastard,” James called from the floor, flopping his hand above his head, eyes closed.

  Billie smiled and touched Nathanial’s jaw again. “Are you okay?”

  Was he? Could he be?

  Sucking in a breath, he nodded. “Are you?”

  “Well, I just witnessed a genie and a…whatever Gilbert had become fight, a man disintegrate in front of me, and two angels…” She stopped, shaking her head. “Nope. Can’t joke my way out of this one. I think I might be a little screwed up.”

  “I’m sorry, Billie.”

  She frowned at him. “Is this your fault?”

  “Erah—”

  She shook her head, and
fixed a level look on him. “Did you control what Erah did? Did you make him seek out Gilbert, change him? Did you ever say to him, ‘Hey Erah, how ’bout you and I spend forever together and to hell with anyone else’?”

  “This lecture sounds a little familiar.” It did. He’d given her a similar one about Gilbert only…what? The day before? How much of her life had changed now? And his?

  She shrugged, her smile wry. “Well, it was a good lecture. Worthy of being heeded.”

  “Was it now?”

  “Yes.”

  He swallowed. He wanted to take her in his arms. Hold her. Kiss her. Tell her everything was going to be okay.

  But he couldn’t.

  He’d ended the existence of an angel in front of a human. His sword had been returned to him and he’d used it to end his brother.

  He had no idea how everything was going to be now. Not at all.

  Then make use of the moments you have. Make the best of—

  He threaded his fingers into her hair and kissed her.

  Gave everything he was to her. His heart, his soul, his love.

  Everything.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, caressing the edges of his wings.

  Pleasure and joy rolled through Nathanial, mingling with the despair gnawing at him. A life without Billie stretched before him. Empty and soulless and without purpose. He would remember every second he’d spent with her. Every laugh and frown and sarcastic quip.

  He kissed her and, as her lips moved over his, he slipped into her mind and healed the trauma of it all.

  She wouldn’t forget, but it would never give her nightmares. Nothing mattered right at that moment, not the inexplicable return of his sword, not the fact he’d killed Erah, nothing except knowing Billie would never be traumatized by what she’d just experienced.

  Perhaps you need to make her forget you as well? It would be for the best if you never existed to her.

  She pulled away and scowled fiercely. “Don’t even think about it, Knight.”

  He blinked. “What?”

  “Don’t even think about making me forget you. And I don’t know where you think you’re going, but I’m going with you.”

  “Billie.” He closed his eyes. “You can’t. I’m not human. And you’re—”

  “In love with you.” She tilted her chin and glared up at the ceiling. “And if whoever’s in charge up there doesn’t like it, well…He, She, It…can bite me!”