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Edited by Autumn Conley

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or deceased, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

If you purchased this book without a cover, it is stolen property.

A warrior of regal lineage is sent to guard a human trouble-magnet, but following his instincts could cost him his soul.

Calm Assurance

Last time, he destroyed an entire city. What’s a strait-laced Nephilim-descendant to do when a human trouble-magnet steals his heart?

When Asriel - Orlosian Warrior, descendant of Nephilim, law enforcer – is sent to guard Malina, a human with a penchant for drawing trouble like a tornado, she becomes his obsession.

With no hope of finding love in his dimension, he breaks the cardinal rule, leaving his home to protect her, but she has also drawn the attention of his enemies, and he is forced to face demons from his past. If Asriel chooses to stay with Malina, not only does he risk forfeiting his right to ever return to his dimension, but he will need her blood to survive.

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Dedication

For my beautiful girls and boy who have passed on, Isis, Tauris, and Jackson – thank you for your love and loyalty. I really miss you. Beautiful baby boy, Jackson, thanks for reminding me that age doesn’t mean you stop getting excited over the little things. Thanks to my Mother and my supportive Sweetheart for being there, and special thanks to my exceptionally astute beta-readers, encouraging readers and author friends. C.E., I could not have found the time to write this without you.

Reference

“The Nephilim were on the Earth in those days

– and also afterward – when the Sons of God went to

the daughters of men and had children by them.

They were the heroes of old, men of renown.”

NIV Genesis 6:4

After the Great Deluge

Two moons rose, forcing the sun to give way, their aquamarine-tinged light casting a peaceful hue across everything in view. It was a stark, cruel contrast to the burning bodies beneath him, casualties of the ultimate world war - the war between Heaven and Hell.

Raguel paced, unable to relax long enough to admire the sunset, memory crashing into memory. Certain extinction loomed over him like a dark cloud of cold, gray dread, and his shoulders were weary from the burden.

He had to do something, and without delay. Doomed at conception, thousands of his Nephilim brothers and sisters followed him, trusting him to make the right decision, help them survive. So far, all he had managed to do was help them escape the Great Deluge, flying to another dimension between Heaven and Earth, only to watch them meander through long, purposeless lives in misery, lives that would eventually be lost to the Fallen.

Encapsulated beneath the Earth at the onset of the flood waters, most female Nephilim perished. Centuries later, the ratio of male Nephilim descendants to females averaged 500 to 1, resulting in inescapable extinction.

The soft brush of wings against the air drew his attention.

“High Priest?”

Raguel turned to face his only biological sister, Alerian, nearly sneering at the undeserved title she accorded him. He smiled when he noticed her irreverent smirk, her exquisite beauty belying the steel-like strength of will that lay beneath. “Must you continuously remind me that I am unsuitable for this position?”

She stepped closer and pulled him into a hug. “You are High Priest to me, to all of us. Your heart is good, unlike the Fallen, brother, and we know you will do what is best for us. I make light of it because, well…first and foremost, you are still my brother.”

“Then help me come to some conclusion.”

“Conclusion?”

He nodded. “More lives are lost every day, and nearly every child born to us since our escape has been male because of our cursed fathers’ sin. A decision rests on my shoulders, and even time will not give us the edge we desperately need.”

“We were never meant to be born, Raguel. You know what to do. Stifle your pride and answer the call.”

Understanding washed over Raguel, a wealth of ideas and plans, and he did not bother asking her what she meant by “the call.”

With his sister standing beside him, he removed his clothing, lowered himself to one knee, and bowed his head, actions he had not taken since childhood, hundreds of years in wait, but his long memory had lost nothing. He slipped into form with ease and spoke to The One God in supplication, requesting mercy, something he alone could do.

Days later, going without food or water, Raguel waited, continuing to kneel. He refused to give up, willing to sacrifice anything for his people, including his own life. Finally, when he completely lost awareness of his surroundings, including the presence of Alerian, his stubborn and faithful determination yielded results.

An overwhelming sound struck him. The explosion seemed to originate from an external source at first, invading his entire body, but milliseconds later, billions of voices - male, female, and “other” - welled-up from a chasm inside him, drowning out nearly every other sense - auditory, olfactory, visual, and tactile - leaving Raguel vibrating with power, the metallic taste of blood on his tongue.

When the Earth-shattering voices spoke, even their whispers rendered him barely conscious, leaving him in a twilight state. He awoke to searing pain, with no memory of time spent or lost, only to lose consciousness completely as The One God pierced the thin flesh along his spine.

“Raguel? Raguel.” Alerian’s voice swirled around him, startling him awake again, consumed by the pain, embracing it. He gulped air as if he had never breathed before, as if he’d never tasted the relief and satisfaction of living.

“Did you hear?” he whispered, unwilling to shatter the ethereal moment. The knowledge of Alerian’s presence throughout the encounter was highlighted in his mind. The significance of his sister kneeling beside him was not lost on him.

Alerian simply nodded and stood, lifting his now tattered robes to cover most of him while leaving his back bare, exposing the writing there, now legible to her.

She stepped around behind him and began reading aloud from his back, the script placed there by divine means - sacred - confirmation of law, a way back to The One God, purpose, and a chance for survival.

Chapter One

Present Day

Asriel stood on the platform and lifted his wings for takeoff as the rest of his team passed through the Orlos/Earth dimensional wall. He waited, watching Uziel’s approach, his clasped hands evidence of bad news. So…the rumors must be true.

“Apologies, brother, but I must ask you to step inside for a moment.”

Asriel lifted his chin, preparing himself for bad news.

“As one of our most trusted warriors,” Uziel began, “you have been reassigned.” He handed Asriel the etched stone.

“So, let me get this straight.” Asriel wasted no time inspecting the stone before rounding on Uziel. Untempered fury fired his next words. “Because you have failed, my trustworthiness as a warrior is being rewarded by me being made to suffer the consequences of your ineptitude?”

“There was no failure on my part! He would not listen, and you know their ways even better than I. You know everything about them. They are…difficult.” Uziel bowed his head, sorrow evident in his voice.

Asriel sighed, took a step toward his friend, and folded his arms across his chest. “You are right about one thing. I do know their ways, and I anticipate their actions accordingly. Humans never listen. This ‘charge,’ as you call him, needs constant supervision, and I have not been called to guard one of them in a very long time. You are the guard, not I. Warriors do not guard. We kill. I will not be remanded to that wretched place again. The last time I remained there more than seven days, I—”

"We all know what happened the last time, Asriel. How could we forget? That particular event caused a panic among the humans as well as the elders, and you were nearly cast down because of it. Nevertheless, the choice is not yours to make. For reasons unknown to me, Camael requires it, and you cannot afford another disagreement with him. He is—"

Asriel threw his hands up. "Damn you! I know who he is. What I don’t understand is why he chooses to revoke everything he told me.”

Uziel darted back out of his reach and slunk away, leaving Asriel stewing. The last thing he needed was another ill-fated baby-sitting assignment. For all he cared, he could just as quickly kill the human himself rather than protect the ungrateful imbecile. He certainly had better things to do with his time, like figuring out what was causing this grating restlessness he could not escape even in slumber. He felt it even at that moment.

Worse yet, he had no idea what made this particular human he was to guard so important. All humans had guardians, but those guardians were usually angels, certainly not cast-aside Nephilim bastards like himself.

As for Camael, second only to the high priest himself, the know-it-all had told him he would never be allowed near humans, as long as he served under his rule. That was fine with him, particularly since the primary Orlosian law forbade communing or fraternizing with humans. Even Seeker missions, small teams of law-enforcement warriors sent to track deserters, were only sent to Earth for a limited time.

Asriel paced, the heavy clipping sounds made by the heels of his boots echoing from the ceiling in the large, stone room. He hated contradictions of any kind, especially when dealing with Orlosian law, the very rules that kept him focused and somewhat sane. Camael had placed Asriel over his army centuries ago, and now insisted he watch over some useless human for the One God only knew how long, because Uziel had failed to protect him. "FUCK!"

Why the sudden change? Asriel had no idea.

He read the angelic script, squeezing the stone until dust fell from his hand, then turned on his heel and headed to the library. Since he was condemned to watch over the blasted, pathetic creature, he wanted to know everything he could about him. He hoped he could find some clues to explain Camael’s sudden about-face. The entire situation made no sense, and Asriel hated anything that was contrary to his logical construct.

***

Malina gathered her things and shoved them into her briefcase, dropping as much as she managed to get into the bag as she glanced up periodically to gauge how much time she had to escape. Her new boss’s sleazy son, Pete, had walked in just before the investment office closed, and he’d shamelessly winked at her before stepping into his father’s office.

She grabbed the papers from the floor, folded them, and pushed them into the briefcase. She glanced toward the main office behind her, then stood to walk out with the other office assistants in an attempt to avoid another proposition from the boss’s son. In addition to everything else placing his advances in the “wrong” category, the jerk just happened to be married with a newborn daughter. Poor woman. Poor child.

Before she could take two steps, though, the sleaze-ball called her from his father’s office doorway.

“Miss Tarver! Wait a moment. I’ll walk you to your car.”

Damn. Too late.

Wanting to avoid an ugly scene in the office, Malina waited, tapping her toe on the linoleum floor. Apparently, even the low-heeled, school marm shoes and too-tight-for-comfort bun on her head were not enough to keep Peter Arthur at bay. She always seemed to attract the wrong kind of attention from men after one thing and one thing only. Pete’s behavior would have made perfect sense at her previous job, not that she would have been interested in him there, either, but here, in a respectable business office, his attention was unexpected and unwanted. What I wouldn’t give for a man who isn’t rushing to get into my panties.

She wanted to pretend she had not heard him, but she needed this job more. The pay left a lot to be desired, but her brother Matt had gone to the trouble of calling in favors to secure it for her. That meant more than she could ever admit. He would have done almost anything to get her away from her previous job, and she still smiled every time she recalled the look of pride in his blue eyes the day he paid her a visit and saw her sitting behind her desk in business separates. She’d even felt proud of herself for a change.

Chances of this office job working out were not looking too promising right now, though. Only a few months on the job, and Pete had already asked her out three times. So far, she’d managed to wheedle her way out of his advances, but based on her track record, her limited diplomacy would not last much longer. Pretty soon, her uncontrollable mouth and even worse temper would break free, and out would come the perfect words to get her canned. Self-control had never been one of her greatest strengths.

She closed her eyes, pressed her lips together, and waited, reminding herself of how terrible she felt during the time she had to live with Matt and his family. Nothing stung worse than feeling like a moocher with nothing to contribute, and he and his wife, Jamie, as wonderful as they were, did not need another mouth to feed. She had decided long ago that she would even take her old job back before she would stay with them again. Cool and calm, she told herself. No cussing, no slapping, no fighting. I can do this.

Mr. Arthur’s love and coddling of his only son was common knowledge. What Pete wanted, Pete got, and unfortunately, for the time being, sleazy Pete’s sights were set on her.

***

Asriel landed on the roof of the ten-story office building, a soft whisper the only sound heralding his arrival as he retracted his shimmering blue wings. He slowed his heartbeat, a predator among prey. The immediate craving for blood hit him like a shock wave. The immunization against human disease meant he did not need human blood to survive in the atmosphere, but nothing could dull his desire for it.

“Mr. Arthur, thank you again for the dinner invitation. Will your wife be joining us?”

The woman commanded Asriel’s attention. His vision was more acute than an eagle’s, his hearing greater than that of a wolf. Despite the woman’s angry words and agitated movements, her voice enthralled, echoing around him, holding him in place, and he wondered how she was connected to the man he had been sent to protect. Even more, he could not deny her pull on him.

As a warrior, despite Stratos level, human interaction broke the cardinal Orlosian rule, leaving his research full of holes and unanswered questions. This Malina… He moved his lips in silence, mouthing her name. She drew an unexpected reaction, mystifying him the moment he saw her, his cursed restlessness dissipating as soon as she appeared. He bristled when the man grasped the woman’s arm, an odd reaction to something that should not have concerned him no matter how highly inappropriate the man’s actions were.

When she turned away, headed across the parking lot, and did not look back, leaving the man staring in her wake, Asriel sighed in relief. She obviously had no interest in the man, and managed to get away from him without assistance. Perhaps I will not have to kill anyone today, Asriel thought, despite his desire to sever the man’s hand from his body simply for touching her.

He mouthed her name again - Malina. The simple act recharged something inside him like a new battery to a stalled engine. A life-long veil lifted as he took a deep, satisfying breath for the first time in his long life, his ever-present restlessness subsiding. His entire essence focused on her, receptive to the way she moved, the sway of her hips, the slight spring in her step, and the soft curve of her back as she tilted to slide into her car, all causes of many a warrior’s fall. What the hell? I have to complete this mission, and fast, before I…

She looked up, and Asriel held his breath, quieting his thoughts and remaining as still as possible when her amber eyes seemed to lock on him. The moment grew into seconds, surreal, as if nothing else existed.

Asriel finally allowed himself to breathe again when Malina shook her head, then started her vehicle and sped out of the parking lot, ending his self-admonishment and drawing his attention to more urgent matters.

According to what he’d read, Malina would lead him to his wayward charge, Joseph Ward, a man who had not been seen nor heard from in over twenty years. He cloaked himself to avoid being seen, and followed her, lifting his wings again to fly high above her so as not to cast a shadow when she drove away. He frowned, something instinctual rising to protect her when the man she had been speaking to outside the office building followed.

The encroacher’s disregard for Malina’s obvious distaste for him put Asriel’s senses on alert. He squinted, puzzled by his sense of connection to her, and his instinctive reaction to the man’s unwanted attention, his teeth grinding again, urgency and fury warring inside him for first place. Catching her would not present a challenge, but he had no idea what to say to earn her trust once they stood face-to-face?

Malina’s car swerved, and Asriel hovered above. His suspicions were confirmed when her relentless pursuer stopped several yards behind her, waiting in the shadows. Asriel watched as she stepped out, walked around the front of her car, and gathered a small animal in her arms. He was so captivated by her every move that he almost missed the two dark forms exploding from the woods, heading in her direction.

Fucking minions. Already? Cloaking himself further, he landed behind the once-human creatures who were obviously on a mission of their own to do the bidding of the dark one. Malina must have caught a glimpse of something, too, because she clutched the animal tighter and assumed some semblance of a fighting stance.

To Asriel’s surprise, the woman did not run. Instead, she turned to face the minions, her expression a combination of defiance and utter terror. Asriel had never seen anything or anyone more beautiful than Malina was at that moment. He sprang into action, removing two daggers from invisible holsters at his back, and severed the creatures’ spines, splitting their torsos in half within milliseconds, then proceeded to light them on fire with a mere thought.

Asriel trained warriors under his command to fight without the benefit of their preternatural senses or powers, but he had to admit that using them definitely expedited matters. He fisted his hands. He was so close to her that the desire to touch her nearly overcame him despite his usual restraint. He wanted to know this woman, discover why minions were after her already.

What piqued his curiosity most was why she stood to face them instead of running like any sane human would have. Most would have dropped the animal and run for their lives. Already, there was much more to Malina Tarver than he imagined, and they had yet to officially meet.

He heard Malina’s quick intake of air, but her eyes were not focused. His cloak served to blur his image so effectively that a human should not have been able to see him at all…at least theoretically, but it was obvious that Malina saw something as he killed the minions. He had no idea how much she saw or why she saw anything at all. No human had ever possessed the ability to see minions, let alone catch a glimpse of Asriel unless he wanted to be seen.

He shot into the air again, attempting to remove himself from her line of vision, but her gaze followed him. Yes, she definitely sees something. But how? Why? She stared up for a moment as if looking straight at him, then looked from side to side, standing in the midst of the otherwise deserted highway.

Asriel continued to watch over her from a greater distance to make sure no one and nothing else tried to harm her. Several minutes passed before she took a deep breath, returned to her car, and placed the animal on the car seat next to her before pulling away. Asriel looked back to see if the man from her office building was still in pursuit, but the car was no longer there. Who the hell is this woman? I just got here and she’s already drawing minions!

Chapter Two

Bracing one hand against her stomach to calm the tremors, Malina pulled into the carport, grateful for the sheltered unit she shared with her friend Abby, and even happier that Abby always thought to leave the light on for her. She punched the door control, sensing that she had been followed. Of course, that feeling had cast a dark pall over her ever since junior high, and almost getting attacked again by whatever the hell those evil-looking things were did not help in the least.

She was not sure how or why, but she had always possessed the ability to sense things before her five regular senses identified them. At that moment, she sensed more than one presence watching her, and at least one exuded evil. Her heart would not stop racing, her abdomen continuing to jump more wildly than ever, doing a series of inner aerobics with every shuddering breath she took. Two of the creatures she’d seen tonight looked exactly like the one who had attacked her a few months earlier.

Something was different tonight, though. Someone or something saved her, a tall, broad, cloaked figure. She only saw a blurred image, but the figure had no malevolent intent…not toward her, anyway. She immediately associated the being who came to her rescue with the figure on top of her office building. Feelings she could not describe rose from somewhere inside her, as if a connection existed between them, even though they had never met.

She had noticed the new sensation for the first time outside the office building, absently attributing it to angst over dealing with Peter again and possibly losing her job. Now, after another attack and a timely rescue, she was sure there was more to it than that.

“Why’d you close the door, Lina? You know the damn thing sticks and we…Wait. What the hell is—?”

Malina put her finger to her closed lips to shush her roommate and gathered the rescued puppy into her arms.

“There’s this guy from work…” she whispered. “I think he’s following me.” And I just got saved from an attack by these scary-looking creature things.

Abby flounced down the steps in her blue bathrobe and red Minnie Mouse house shoes. “There’s always some guy following you, Lina. What’s so special about this one that you’re locking us in here and acting like one of those scream queens in some eighties slasher flick? I’ve never met a guy you couldn’t knock on his ass anyway. It’s not like you to play the damsel in distress.”

“What’s different is that this is my boss’s son, Matt landed me this job, and I don’t wanna lose it. I’m tired of being the Tarver screw-up. Matt’s a police detective, Malcolm’s one of the youngest lieutenant colonels in the Army probably ever, and I haven’t even begun to get my shit together yet. Least I can do is keep my damn job.”

“You are way too hard on yourself, Lina. I know what you’re thinking, but nobody blames you for your parents’ deaths except you. Do you hear me? They loved you and they might not have said it enough or ever, but they were proud of you, too - not just your brothers.”

“I know they loved me, Abby. That only makes the guilt worse.”

Malina shook her head, shoved the daily newspaper and her purse into Abby’s hands, and started up the steps to their townhouse, not bothering to tell her there was more than one, or that something was definitely different about at least one of them. She also saw no reason to point out that nothing anyone said could ever resolve the guilt she felt over her parents being murdered, nor did she wish to admit that she was pretty sure she was way out of her depth this time.

Abby had a right to know if she was in danger by association, though, and Malina’s decision to keep the recent attack to herself remained lodged in her chest, a boulder attesting to her insecurity. She did not dare tell Abby about the tingling she still felt in her belly, kindled by the man she still could not be sure she had not imagined atop her office building, like something powerful awakening inside her.

Dear God, please don’t let it start yet. Please.

Her grandmother’s visions and delusions had plagued her until her rantings eventually landed her in an assisted care facility, and Malina feared she might face the same grim fate. Her grandmother was the one biological relative she knew, and her legacy seemed to be a slow descent into a world of fantasy. No one meant more to Malina than her Nana, though, and despite the visions that landed her in a nursing home, Malina’s grandmother was the wisest woman she knew.

The door to the garage led into the kitchen. Malina stepped inside, breathed in through her nose, and smiled. Letting go of the day’s drama for a moment, she turned back to yell down at Abby. “Girl, I have never been happier about your culinary gifts.” Save crazy for later. For now, I’m gonna enjoy the good things.

Abby walked in behind her, patting her on the shoulder. “Thanks, and you’re welcome, but what’s the little mutt-pup gonna eat? Or had you even thought about that?”

Malina nuzzled the puppy’s head and covered his long ears as if her roommate’s words might hurt his feelings. “Don’t call him that.” Like most animals, the puppy seemed perfectly content being close to her and stuck out his little pink tongue, bathing her face with kisses while he wagged his tiny tail.

“Does he even have a name, yet?”

“No, but it’s not gonna be “mutt-pup,” thank you very much.”

“Well, whatever it is, Max is not gonna be happy with you for bringing that canine into her home, and frankly, neither am I.”

Malina walked around the counter, still carrying the puppy, knowing her friend would eventually warm up to him. “Where is the fur-ball, anyway?”

The caramel-colored Persian stepped out on cue, curling her stocky body around Malina’s legs, then suddenly hissed. Her furniture-duster tail flew straight up as the cat backed away and stared at the puppy in her arms.

“Told ya.”

“Yeah, well she’ll come around and so will you. I’m going back out to get our new baby some puppy food. Don’t let Max near him while I’m gone, and give him some water for me.”

“Whatever. I thought you were so scared your boss’s son was following you. Now you’re going back out there?”

“I never said I was scared. I just don’t wanna get into it with Pete, that’s his name, by the way, and end up losing my job. Hopefully, he’s gone now.”

Abby waved her off. “Don’t worry. Mutt-pup won’t get murdered on my watch.”

Malina grabbed her keys and headed to her Jeep, wondering if her mysterious protector was still around. She looked at the overcast sky as she pulled out of the garage. Wishing for a new roof for the base-model Jeep, she thought about the apparition of the man she had imagined on top of the office building earlier. She could not see his features because of the gray cloak he wore, but he seemed so real, and everything inside her reacted to him. His timing synchronized perfectly with her protector.

She replayed the scene in her mind, the way he’d torn those creatures apart like they were toilet paper, and the entire event screamed “other-worldly.” She couldn’t help wondering if Nana’s visions were similar. As troubling as the implications were, she could not let go of how she felt, and something had definitely changed the moment she caught a glimpse of someone on top of the office building, apparition or not.

The garage door had barely opened when one of her stalkers revealed himself. Pete moved toward her, wearing a strange look on his face. His frown and pleading eyes screamed insanity, and she was not about to stick around and have a conversation with crazy. Relieved that she could press the gas pedal and get away from him if necessary, she acknowledged the fiery adrenaline rushing through her. Who does he think he is, and why do I attract these fools like flies to honey?

“Malina, I just want you to understand how much—”

Without offering him so much as a glance or giving him a chance to finish his pathetic plea, Malina floored the gas pedal and sped through the deserted neighborhood streets, finally slowing down at a stop sign. She could not bear listening to whatever he had to say, and his actions had crossed the line so far, there could be no going back, even if he was the boss’s son. Crazy coot! Lord, why can’t I just have normal for a little while? A normal man, normal job, you know. Normal!

Malina took the interstate to save time, arriving at the pet store just as thick raindrops started to fall. The cool liquid was quite invigorating as it landed in her hair and trailed onto her face. The clean, crisp scent prompted her to stand still and tilt her face to the sky. The sound of running water and distant thunder calmed her somehow, washing away her concerns about the attack, Pete’s obsessive behavior, and the constant fear of losing her tenuous grip on reality.

She remained still until she remembered that she’d neglected to change out of her work clothes, the realization setting her in motion again. She dashed inside to avoid ruining her only nice separates, purchased with the credit card she had promised to stop using. So far, she had enough decent attire to mix and match for two weeks, and the thought of asking Matt or Malcolm for money made her insides quake. She had never needed much in the way of clothing at her previous job, so a professional wardrobe was yet another job requirement she found herself ill prepared for.

Again, the niggling sensation of being watched drew her attention. She hissed, inhaling and slowly releasing the air as flashes of being attacked outside the club a short time ago mingled with memories of the most recent attack earlier tonight. The troubling thoughts mentally and emotionally transported her to the crime scene, and Pete’s inappropriate attention dimmed in comparison. The vivid memory of blinding fog, the putrid scent of decay, and the metallic odor of fresh-spilled blood forced her to stand still and ground herself in an attempt to regain control of her fluttering heartbeat. She had smelled the same odors tonight, before her protector arrived.

***

Sliding glass doors swung open in welcome, along with polished, geometric linoleum floors, colorful displays, and the familiar smell of clean puppies, kittens, and birds. She passed a distinct cedar smell coming from the aisle where the guinea pigs and hamsters were caged, and smiled when she looked to her left and saw a colorful parakeet fluttering its wings in a decorative cage, the word “sold” plastered beneath. He must know somebody wants him, she thought.

Malina decided to browse instead of asking a cashier to direct her to the best puppy food, so she turned around, pulled a shopping cart from the front of the store, and wandered, reading the aisle signs to pick up a bed, shampoo, and a training crate for her new friend. The training crate would not only minimize accidents, but it would keep the puppy safe from Max when neither she nor Abby were home. Max was neither male nor canine, but she certainly considered herself the alpha, and the tiny pup didn’t stand a chance until he outgrew the temperamental feline.

She turned down one of the five dog food aisles and started reading the labels, searching for the healthiest, most natural high protein food she could find. She opted to name her new friend Jasper, after the highway she’d found him on, and she wanted Jasper to live a very long, happy life. She’d never known most of her biological family, and their absence created a hollow place. The thought of losing someone she loved, including her dog, seemed unbearable. She had a short list of loved ones to cherish, and every member of it was precious, regardless of species.

“Puppy person?”

The deep bass pierced her reverie and she snapped her head around to see who spoke to her.

She hissed, her tongue touching her teeth and lapping at her soft palate before she could avoid the tell-tale sign of deep appreciation. As if that wasn’t enough, she proceeded to vocally cement her doom with “Ooh! Oh my!”

“I didn’t mean to startle you. I apologize.”

Striking blue eyes, straight nose, full lips, square jaw, and so tall she had to tilt her head back to address him. At five-foot-ten, she welcomed the change. As if the two of them had engaged in foreplay, the previous tingling sensation returned with a vengeance, liquefied heat flowing from her instantly erect nipples to her core. Even her inner thighs were sensitized. What the hell? Why does he feel so familiar? And what kind of accent is that?

“Oh, no. It’s just…do I look like a puppy person?”

The stranger tilted his head, and his nostrils flared. “Well, you were reading the puppy food ingredients. I just assumed that might be your reason.”

He offered her his hand. “I’m Asriel. I won’t interrupt you further.”

Thunderbolts struck her the moment she touched him, but he ended the touch abruptly, placed his hand behind his back, and started walking away.

Wasting no time, she acted on instinct, calling after him. “Um, Asriel!”

When he turned to face her again, she crooked her index finger, beckoning him closer.

Asriel obliged, narrowing his gaze, but he kept his hands behind his back.

Malina could not help staring at his wide shoulders, surprised by his graceful movement for such a large man. His gait resembled floating, his feet barely touching the ground when he walked.

“Yes?” Even his one-word response resonated with her somehow.

“I was wondering…Do you know what the best puppy food is? Every time I turn around some company’s coming up with a new one, and each one says theirs is the best. It’s been a long day and I really don’t feel like standing here reading all these labels.”

Her gaze flashed to the ripple of his shoulder as he pointed, and she also noted that his long fingers were tipped with short, clean nails. Either he’s exceptionally clean, or he works inside, but with a body like that, he must do something physical. She looked away, images of the two of them together so vivid, she was certain he’d see them in her eyes.

“The veterinarian suggested these three.” He pointed to two brands in the aisle, then led her to the next aisle over to show her the third.

Her body continued to react to his presence in ways she had never experienced, and she found herself wanting to remain near him. Asriel exuded quiet energy, a rare calm. The best description she could offer was one word: Power. Only someone with a great deal of power could be as cool as he seemed.

Light seemed to emanate from him, a unique aura, and she wondered if she was the only one who could see and feel it. But there was also something dangerous, even dark about him. Unable to identify the source, she mentally brushed away the bone-deep feelings of recognition and yearning. It was as if some insentient part of her knew him, as if his presence was awakening something inside her from a deep sleep.

Malina had always been curious about women who claimed conversational ineptitude, but now she found herself in that position for the first time in her life. This new feeling came with a painful revelation: Despite her dream of a man desiring her for more than sex, she had no idea how to interact with them in any other way. Her brothers were the exception, but her reaction to Asriel was not sisterly by far. She had no idea what to say to a man, especially this man; however, she would not be deterred by choice of words.

“So you have a puppy, Asriel?”

He seemed distracted, and she wondered what she had done to lose his attention. He obviously felt the thunderbolt between them or he would not have reacted so quickly to end their physical contact. He’d jerked away from her as if he’d touched a live wire, and that reaction told her he felt the sparks too.

“Yes.” He smiled down at her, but there was no warmth in his eyes, now; they had become icy, a chilly blue.

Married?

The back of her neck tensed, burning, and she placed one of her hands there to relieve the discomfort. Please don’t let him be married.

Feeling like a fisherwoman, helpless to stop the largest catch of her life from wiggling off the hook, she had to do something, say something to pull him onboard.

“Please pardon my rudeness, Asriel. I’m Malina.”

She offered her hand, eager to find out if their touch would cause the same reaction as before, but instead of accepting her hand in his, Asriel bowed, an old-world courtesy, causing her lower abdomen to flip-flop in a good way.

Malina smiled and took a step closer before realizing what she was doing, nearly touching him, but he took a graceful step back.

“Pleased to meet you, Ms. Malina.”

Always willing to accept a challenge, she had to know. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

“No,” he said. Short and final.

Okay then. Different approach. “Will your wife mind if I call you, in case I have questions about the puppy?”

He hesitated, every second ticking by in slow, agonizing motion, his eyes devoid of emotion.

Finally he offered, “I’m not married, but I must admit that your technology eludes me. I have a new number and did not think to write it down.”

Malina held out her hand. “Let me see your phone.”

Asriel reached into his pocket and complied.

She thought she saw a spark in his eyes as he handed the phone to her, but it faded so quickly, she could not be sure it wasn’t her hopes and desires flaring instead.

She quickly touched the “settings” button to find his number, then removed her cell phone from her purse and called him. When his phone rang, she saved her name and number to the device, then smiled and handed it back to him.

“There. Now you have my number, and I have yours.”

He accepted the phone with a polite smile, too cool for Malina’s taste, but the lightning bolt returned when their fingers touched. His smile disappeared again, his eyes grew intense, and a thoughtful expression crossed his face.

“Thank you,” he said, sounding very businesslike. Have a good evening.” He turned and walked away as quickly as he had appeared.

Deflated, Malina stood in place, replaying the last few minutes as she watched the most tantalizing man she had ever met walk away. Not only had he not tried to get into her panties, he was absolutely captivating, but he was gone, just like that.

What did I do wrong?

For once, she had not allowed her mouth to run non-stop. She’d kept her wits about her, behaved sensibly, not saying anything too stupid, none of her usual prattling on, and no profanity. Finally, she sighed. “Well, chalk it up to the perfect ending of a shitty day. At least I found Jasper though.”

She picked up one of the puppy food brands he had led her to, placed it in her cart, approached checkout, and glanced at the veterinarian on duty.

She could not explain it, but suddenly, asking the veterinarian about Asriel seemed important.

The doctor smiled as Malina approached, and stood to help her.

Malina held up the bag of puppy food she had chosen. “Hi. I asked a man, another customer, I think, about the best puppy foods, and he said you told him this is a good one. His name is Asriel. Do you know him?”

The woman looked puzzled. “Hmm. That’s strange. No man has asked me about the puppy food brands this evening, but that is one of the best. Are you sure it wasn’t another night?”

“It was just a few moments ago. Are you the only veterinarian here?” She tried to stay calm, but those inner voices of hers were starting to speak up, telling her she had imagined him.

Apparently sympathizing with Malina’s distress, the veterinarian continued to try to help her find a plausible explanation. “I’m the only one here. My partner is my husband, but he’s not here tonight. Could this man have been an employee, perhaps, and I advised him at another time? Can you describe him?”

Malina offered a detailed description. It wasn’t difficult, considering she’d memorized every one of his masculine features from the very second she’d encountered the blue-eyed stranger.

Following Malina’s description, the doctor shook her head and furrowed her brow in confusion. “I’m sorry. There’s no one here who fits that description. I’m certain I would remember him, based on what you told me.” She laughed, easing some of Malina’s tension.

“Well, I’m sure there’s a logical explanation, but at least he advised you well. Maybe he spoke with my husband some other night.”

“Maybe.” Malina smiled and backed away, thinking back to his exact words. Actually, she realized now that his words had been quite vague, though her body’s reaction to him certainly was not.

Worried, and grasping for an explanation to allay one of her greatest fears, she asked the cashiers, describing Asriel to each one, but no one admitted to having seen him. Not one to give up easily, Malina asked for the manager, hoping she knew something about Asriel.

The manager started off with the usual professionalism; “Yes, how can I help you?” By the time their conversation ended, however, she resorted to a definitive denial.

“Honey, if this man looks anything like you’ve described, I’m sure no hot-blooded woman in here could forget him.”

The manager offered her a “you poor thing” look, and returned to her paperwork.

Chapter Three

Minions, and now this strong sense of connection? Asriel transported outside the store and shot straight into the air like a rocket, destination Orlos. This had to be a set-up. There was no doubt in his mind, now. It took everything he had, every ounce of self-control to keep from touching her, and her body’s reaction to him only made matters worse. Everything inside him, his very soul yelled Mine the instant he saw her.

Restlessness and that annoying yearning emanating from his soul returned as soon as he left her, but he forced the realization to the back of his mind, unwilling to acknowledge the connection or explore the reason. He focused his mind solely on avoiding Camael’s trap. He marched into the library, where to his surprise, Camael greeted him, wearing an annoying smirk on his dark chocolate face, his blue eyes gleaming.

“Did you know?”

“Did I know what, brother?”

“Don’t play the innocent with me. You are an evil bastard.” Asriel could not contain the ominous tone of his own voice, the desire to do battle with Camael so great, he wanted to set aside every law protecting The Council.

Camael sighed. “We are all evil bastards, brother, our very conception doomed according to The One God, but that is neither here nor there. It also does not answer my question.”

Camael stood and sauntered over to the open deck, keeping his back to Asriel. “Ah, but you, Asriel. I forget that you think yourself above the rest of us. You think following every law with precision somehow grants you immunity from baser instincts, but of course we all remember the last time your tight rein on your emotions snapped and all hell broke loose…literally. Perhaps if you—”

“Cut the shit, Camael, you self-righteous prick! Just because you are Council, thanks to me, by the fucking way, that does not grant you immunity from an ass-kicking. The woman you directed me to watch was attacked by minions tonight.” And once I touched her, I knew; We are connected.

Camael turned to face him again. “Interesting, but it has nothing to do with me. If you did give me an ‘ass-kicking’ as you say, my work would be done. To see the great and mighty Asriel fall could not give me greater pleasure than to know it was his very strength that landed him in Hell, and, of course…that ever-present temper of yours, no matter how masterfully you hide it. Do not stand here and think to chastise me because you chose to abdicate your Council seat. No one forced you to decline. As for the woman being attacked, I do not understand your anger. You were there to protect her, were you not?”

Realizing he’d find no answers there, Asriel turned to leave.

“Oh, and one more thing about the woman. Malina, is it?” Camael taunted.

Asriel spoke over his shoulder, not bothering to turn around or give Camael the satisfaction of raising his voice. With every ounce of calm he could muster, he began, “I will not—”

“You will, and you will follow orders to the letter! It may surprise you to know that this command did not originate with me, Asriel.”

Like the pompous brat he was, Camael continued to yell at him, but Asriel ignored the method of delivery, instead focusing on the grain of truth in Camael’s words. Who, then, chose me for this mission? And, more importantly, to what end?

He allowed his mind to wander, fully aware of Camael droning on and on in the background, barking out more detailed orders.

The woman, his lead, affected him in ways he found difficult to control. For Asriel, it was a first, an unwanted challenge. Other Nephilim, brothers he had known well, had defected because of desires such as this, fallen, doomed to walk the Earth as vampires or worse, to fight beside the evil one and possibly die under his rule, with no chance of forgiveness from The One God.

He had spent much of his adult life commanding Seeker units, warriors specifically charged with locating defectors and stripping them of the light, essentially dooming them to walk in darkness, leaving them unable to withstand the sun’s rays. Either that, or they were returned to Orlos where Council meted out pitiless justice as punishment for defection. How Asriel’s actions affected the women his brothers defected for had never occurred to him. Now, all of a sudden, Malina’s future seemed more important than any Orlosian law or mission.

Asriel shuddered inside, but his refusal to expose concern or any sign of weakness to Camael helped him maintain his calm veneer. Despite his cool expression, he could not forget that if caught by Seekers, a defector’s life made death enviable, but Malina’s fate concerned him even more than his own. Having already witnessed an attack on her life immediately following his arrival, he feared that his presence and attention could place her in even greater danger, and could not accept the idea of her life being forfeited simply because of her connection to him.

The incessant grating of Camael’s voice drew him back to matters at hand and he turned to face him again.

“Your resources are unlimited. You will procure a place to stay, as close to your lead as possible, and you will do whatever else is necessary to appear human - that is, until you manage to wedge your way into her life more effectively, at which time you will simply watch and wait, keeping her safe until your charge shows himself.”

Convinced Camael did not know details about the situation The Council had ordered him into with Malina, Asriel moved on to the other matter. “Are you certain this charge, Joseph Ward, still lives? According to my research, he could just as easily be dead by now. He has neither been heard from nor seen in—”

Camael waved his hand, imperious as always. “I have my orders. You have yours. The woman, your lead, has value as well, and watching over her is equally important. She has already survived at least one minion attack. As is often the case, our information is incomplete. That is the only answer I have.”

“Why would minions attack her if she has no connection to us? To me?”

“Did I not already say she has value? Apparently, that is enough to bring about their attacks. She is not the first human to be targeted, remember? Or have you forgotten that during your last long-term mission there—”

Asriel turned abruptly, refusing to hear more of the oncoming reminder of his greatest regret. Thousands were destroyed, a tragic example of the damage he could do without emotional attachments, when driven by pure instinct and instinct alone. He could not imagine the amount of destruction he could cause if he developed feelings for a woman.

Camael called after him, stopping him in his tracks, and he waited with his back still turned. “Oh, and Asriel, The Council would like to see you closer to the woman sooner than later. Is that understood? Be grateful you have The Council’s sanction to remain on Earth. It is a second chance for you. Otherwise, you would be forced to live as a renegade defector, drinking human blood just to survive there. That is something, is it not?”

Asriel kept his response to himself, heading for the Orlos/Earth dimensional wall again, his stomach coiled in knots. The Council’s sanction could be lifted at any time based on nothing more than a whim. If that happened, he would be required to return, no matter the outcome of his mission and no matter what happened with or to Malina.

Until then, no one had ever said anything about him having to wedge himself into her life or watch over her. Someone, at least one member of The Council, knew who and what Malina was. He was sure her value was much more than he could have imagined, but their plans for her future were anyone’s guess. This situation gets worse by the minute.

Ultimately, Asriel had no choice. He would have to get on with the task at hand - get closer to Malina and watch over her in hopes that Joseph Ward would make himself known soon, and he had to do so while leaving her life relatively in tact. His desire to protect her stemmed from a place deep inside, set apart from anything The Council ordered. Still, I refuse to become attached to her despite her alleged value. He nearly laughed at his own ridiculous declaration. Placing both his hands at his shoulders, he pressed down on the relaxation points at the back of his neck. I might as well face it. I’m in deep shit.

***

The moon could barely be seen through the thick blanket of clouds as soft rain turned to showers, producing a sound like rushing ocean waves. Streetlights and her headlights shed sparse, cloudy beams as Malina sped home in her doorless Jeep, sitting beneath the heavy plastic that provided a make-shift roof. She could not stop thinking about Asriel.

Normally, she had to know a whole lot more about a man before giving him her number, but there was nothing normal about this man. No other had ever commanded such a powerful reaction before. Every part of her responded to him, answering a question his presence alone asked. As she drove, there was one desperate thought on her mind: I hope Asriel will call.

In her eagerness to feed her new baby, Malina had all but forgotten about Pete’s unexpected and unwanted visit. As she neared her apartment, she prayed he would be long gone by the time she got there. No such luck, though, because Pete’s BMW was the first thing she saw when she turned the corner. She had been gone more than an hour, yet his car remained in the same place it had been when she’d peeled out to get away from him. Bracing herself for an unavoidable confrontation, she turned into her driveway.

Just before hitting the garage door opener, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye, and turned to see a figure slumped against the apartment building. She did not have to get any closer to determine that it was Pete, but experience, in addition to the pelting rain, compelled her to dial emergency services instead of inspecting the situation for herself.

She opened the garage door and pulled inside first, then grabbed her phone to make the call. After describing the scene to the operator, she grabbed Jasper’s food and ran upstairs to check on Abby and the pets.

She could hear the television playing inside, but there was no other sound or movement. Even the few seconds it took to unlock the door seemed like an intolerable eternity, and several scenarios and possibilities tumbled over one another in her mind, all of them bad.

She swung the door open, gasping with relief when she found Jasper and Max curled up on the sofa next to Abby, who woke to greet her with a stretch and a yawn.

Jasper jumped down and raced to her, his short legs sliding up to her feet, tail wagging, and Max opened her eyes briefly, then closed them again for another nap as if to say “Oh, it’s just you.”

“Hey, the guy I was telling you about from work is outside, slumped against the apartment building like he’s been knocked out or something. Did you hear anything?”

Abby frowned, then stood, yawning again. “He’s here?”

Malina shook her head. “So I take it you didn’t hear anything. Yeah, he’s here, slumped against the building, like I just said.”

Abby walked over to the window and looked out, but Malina’s question had been answered by Abby’s lack of awareness, only to be replaced by more questions. She itched to go back outside and find out what happened, but the attack outside the club before Matt got her job at the investment firm had taught her a lesson she would never forget: curiosity can be life-threatening.

Anxious for emergency services to arrive, she busied herself by feeding a very attentive Jasper, then showed him his new bed and crate. Malina was accustomed to taking care of herself, no matter how unpopular her decisions, and she despised the fear the attacks had instilled, this newfound caution registering as cowardly.

She paced. “What is taking them so long?”

“It’s only been about ten minutes, Lina.”

Malina grabbed her hooded raincoat, an umbrella, a small tarp, and started for the door.

“Where do you think you’re going? If he’s just lying there, what can you do for him? Wait until the professionals get here, Lina.”

She knew her friend was right, and she did not care for Pete at all, but the thought of something happening to him at her home did not sit well with her, nor would it bode well for her when his father found out. She had no idea what happened, but she could at least keep the man from drowning in the rain.

She responded to Abby. “I know you’re right. I tried, but I can’t just stand around waiting.”

If the situation had not been so serious, she would have laughed when Abby pulled her robe tighter around herself; her way of silently declaring “You’re on your own, sister. Don’t even think I’m going out there with you.”

Malina stepped into the garage and exited through the side door, then walked beneath the small, almost nonexistent overhang that did little to stop the rain from drenching her. She pulled the hood over her head and looked around, much more cautious than she would have been a few months ago. Carefully, slowly, she approached Pete’s inert body.

Soon as she got close enough, she opened the umbrella and jostled him. “Mr. Arthur? Mr. Arthur. Pete?”

He opened his eyes, horror and shock mingling in their depths. “Wh-what happened?” he stuttered.

He started shaking his head vigorously, a low moan crescendoing into a high-pitched wail just as Malina heard the sirens, the sounds of alarm serving their purpose as recent events flashed before her eyes like images from a rewinding digital movie.

Chapter Four

Armed with unlimited resources, Asriel purchased a Mercedes-Benz GL Class SUV and secured the services of a driving instructor, then contacted a real estate agent and scheduled an appointment to view high-end homes in Malina’s neighborhood. With his exceptional eyesight, he could watch over her from a distance, but for some reason that was still not good enough to satisfy the strict demands of The Council.

In his experience, material things put humans at ease, and he knew the sooner he gained Malina’s trust, the sooner he could leave this cesspool of temptation and prevent Camael’s plan from working. Convinced Camael did not know the details of The Council’s plans or goals, Asriel still believed his brother would do everything in his power to instigate his fall. Unfortunately, taking steps to gain Malina’s trust made his vow to avoid attachments much more challenging.

Asriel landed in a narrow alley and looked down, remembering the entire city beneath his feet. Cahokia was now Indianapolis. The thriving metropolis could not hide what lay beneath - not from him anyway. Eons had passed since his last visit, yet memories of the destruction he had wrought on the ancient city, now buried, still plagued him.

The real estate agent met him in the lobby of the townhome complex he’d chosen to view. Following a quick intake of air, the woman spoke. The blonde, a woman of average height, wore a traditional navy-blue suit with matching pumps and a name-tag bearing the name of the real estate agency.

Straining to look up at him, she offered a toothy smile and stuck out her hand in greeting. “Good morning, Mr. Michaelson. I’m Betsy Palmer. It’s very nice to meet you.”

Asriel nodded, returning her smile as he shook her outstretched hand.

She looked at him for several seconds, then batted her eyes, apparently trying to gather herself. “Well, uh…Let’s take a look then, shall we?”

Directing Asriel to walk beside her, she took a hasty step back, turned, and started toward a reception desk. They passed two armed guards and Betsy waved her hand in their direction.

“Our luxury flat has excellent security, a private elevator, and offers private access to the rooftop just as you requested, Mr. Michaelson.”

Betsy led Asriel through the lobby to the elevator, meticulously describing the home they were about to see.

Asriel’s mind wandered as she spoke, remembering Malina’s skin, soft mocha his mouth watered to taste, full, rounded curves, soulful amber eyes, fire in their depths, the jolt he needed to remind him of the fiery hell he’d face if he succumbed to desires he thought he’d mastered long ago...until now. Something about this woman caused them to resurface, rushing him like an army of minions or Fallen angels, weakening his resolve.

The scent of her desire had reached out and grabbed hold of his cock, nearly forcing his hand. She’d somehow made his heart thump wildly, answering a call he had never heard before, one he thought he would never hear. Touching her in such a moment of weakness would have been suicide.

How can I resist this woman I feel such an inimitable connection with? Her brashness in taking what appeared to be a fighting stance against minions, asking for his phone number, coupled with the fact that she saw him when she should not have been able to, provided an added, desirable surprise. Exposing more of her layers would be pleasurable enough to tempt any man, including him.

The real estate agent continued her sales pitch as they stepped onto the elevator, her eyes questioning. “This hospital-sized lift is on a separate electrical system, equipped with a back-up generator, so it will continue to run even if the others shut down. You’ll be grateful for that, being on the top floor.”

Asriel offered the woman a hollow smile, the irony of her statement and tragedy of his predicament in full focus. The humans expended so much effort on an amenity he had absolutely no use for. On top of that, it was quite possibly the last home he would know, given his inability to stop reminiscing about a certain woman who knew next to nothing about him.

Moments later, three bell-like sounds announced their arrival as the elevator doors slid open, revealing earth-tone marble floors, a marble fireplace, leather furniture with clean lines, and an open kitchen with marble countertops and stainless steel appliances. Again, something he would never use.

“This home comes furnished, or you have the option to choose a complimentary interior design contract - your choice of designers, of course, but since you’re new to the area, I would be happy to recommend one of the city’s most reputable designers to you.”

“If the place meets my approval, I will purchase it furnished.” Asriel’s patience had already worn thin, and this meeting had only lasted a few minutes. He certainly did not want an interior designer.

Asriel followed the agent as she described each room, but his mind drifted to Malina again. He had very few memories of his mother, having been taken from her and placed in warrior training as a toddler, but he remembered over-hearing an Orlosian defector upon capture decades earlier, and those words still haunted him. The warrior spoke of an overwhelming yearning, his need to be with his mate, a woman formed only for him, their hearts joined in creation.

At the time, Asriel had simply dismissed it as insanity, part of the enemy’s plot to bring about the fall of all Nephilim descendants, to turn them from lives of penance and force them to abandon any chance of gaining The One God’s forgiveness. Now, he doubted his hasty judgment. From the time he laid eyes on Malina, he was already doomed, recognizing her as part of him. No matter how hard he tried, he could not stop thinking of her, and he longed to know more about her.

His attempt to regain control by returning to Orlos before the completion of his mission had been thwarted by Camael, and every moment he spent in Malina’s remote vicinity, their connection grew more prominent and undeniable. His entire being, including his soul and the curse of free-will, warred with his instinct for constancy.

Standing so close to her without pulling her closer and making her his had required every ounce of self-control. Her scent was heavenly, though he had to admit he knew nothing of the Heaven he compared that sweet and enticing aroma to. Asriel prided himself on keeping a tight grip on his imagination, but Malina drove him to imagine things, very dangerous things.

“Ahem!” The real estate agent cleared her throat to get his attention, and Asriel realized she’d turned to move toward the balcony.

Enough of this. “I will pay 15 percent below asking price for this home immediately, in cash.”

The agent stammered and stuttered, blinking her eyes rapidly as she ushered him to the dining room table and began pulling papers from her briefcase in a hurry, as if she feared he might come to his senses or change his mind.

She whipped out her phone and started making phone calls, shoving papers in front of him to sign.

Four hours later, Asriel stood alone in his new home with the keys and deed in hand.

He opened the French doors and stepped out onto the balcony. Eight stories up, he had the perfect vantage point to watch over Malina’s apartment, which was just one street over. With easy access to the rooftop just above him, he could be at her side in seconds. Now, it’s off to the pound to find just the right puppy, then I have a certain investment firm to contact.

***

“W-wings. Like, like torn curtains. Came straight at me like a bat, real fast, like one second he was a long way off, and before I could blink, he hit me and knocked me down. God, the pain! T-tore at my neck l-like a wild an-animal. Thought he was gonna kill me.”

Malina stood outside Pete’s hospital room, eavesdropping as he attempted to tell his father what happened. He sounded insane. She was certain the senior Mr. Arthur would assume his son merely suffered from the effects of a concussion and strong medication. She, however, carefully considered what he said, and his description caused memories of tattered wings to resurface in her own mind.

She saw flashes of her attacker outside the club. The similarities in Pete’s words and what she remembered were too close to dismiss as coincidence. The attacker outside the club had tattered wings, as did her more recent attackers on Jasper highway. She thanked God she had not seen their teeth, but even without that detail, she had never been more frightened in her life. Just thinking about it caused her tell-tale knees to shake.

The connection between the two attacks, the attack on Pete, and her Nana’s visions was not clear to her yet, but she knew they were related somehow. Nana had told her of her visions too many times for Malina to miss the similarities. Nana never showed any fear, nor did she mention tattered wings. Instead, she always described beautiful wings of golden brown, but the man in Nana’s visions did draw from her neck like a lover from a vampire novel.

Mr. Arthur stood to leave and caught her standing by the door. “Ms. Tarver? Do you have any idea why my son was attacked at your residence last night? Any idea why he was even in the vicinity of your home?”

“No, sir. I came home from shopping and found him.” You ass. I’m not to blame for your idiotic son’s actions.

“I see.”

His lips said one thing, but his narrowed gray eyes and wrinkled brow told her something entirely different. He did not believe her. Not that she cared. It was not the first time someone suspected her of something she had nothing to do with.

Malina left the hospital to return home as soon as Pete’s condition stabilized; at least when he was as stable as possible for someone who claimed he’d been attacked by a bat-like creature with tattered wings and pointed teeth. She checked her phone, making sure the volume was as loud as possible. If Asriel called tonight - and she prayed he would - she did not want to miss it.

The steady downpour continued throughout her trip home. Exhausted from an unbelievably long day, she showered, unable to keep herself from imagining Asriel there, touching her as warm, soapy water flowed over their bodies. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, with Jasper curled up next to her. She dreamed of the man who’d saved her, his image blurred, and in her dream, he had blue wings.

***

Malina looked up from her computer. Emma sat facing her with a pensive look on her velvety pink face, brows raised, and blue eyes wide. She wanted something.

Emma McDowell was the assistant manager of Vaxande Investments’ Midwest Division. The older woman had taken to Malina from day one, and Malina genuinely liked her.

“I need your help.” Emma’s words came out in a rush, her expression graduating from pensive to worried, then she beckoned for Malina to follow her into her office. Malina closed the door behind them and worried her bottom lip, interested in finding out what could have made her mentor so nervous .

Emma started wringing her hands and sat behind her desk.

Malina bent to sit across from her, but Emma waved her around to sit beside her instead.

“Look at this.”

Emma typed an address in the browser and turned the screen so Malina could see the page when it opened to Emma’s office inbox. She pointed to the message, but before Malina could read it, Emma began paraphrasing it for her and relaying to her what Mr. Arthur said.

“Since he’s at the hospital with Pete, Mr. Arthur wants me to take this meeting with someone, one of the wealthiest clients we’ve ever had. I’m rushing through the research now, but no one seems to know much about him. These high-rollers from “old money” can be secretive, but this is extreme. No pictures, nothing about where he lives, absolutely nothing personal - not even a birth date. I don’t even know how old the man is.”

The pitch of Emma’s voice climbed higher, and her tempo grew faster the more she talked. She stopped, took a breath, then leaned toward Malina. “You know I’m usually fine when I’m prepared, but I need you to come with me on this one.”

“What do you need me for?”

“Well, the one thing we do know is that he’s a man. You’re outgoing, pretty, and smart. I’m betting you can draw his attention away while I try to keep my last minute sales pitch together.”

She playfully popped Malina on the thigh and stood, carrying the laptop to a small round table in her office. “Lunch is in twenty minutes, so stay in here so you can eat with us. I’ll introduce you as my indispensable assistant, and I’ll be telling the truth.”

Malina stood to stretch her long legs, then went to the restroom and took a breather so she would not have to interrupt the meeting later. Now that she knew Pete was not dying, the fear of losing her job faded. Her thoughts immediately returned to Asriel and the fact that he had not called. Logic told her she was being unrealistic, but just because it had been less than a day since she’d given him her number, that did not mean she could relax. First man I’m really interested in, and he’s so freaking calm about it, I might have to put fire under his ass to jolt him into making or at least reciprocating a move.

By the time she returned to Emma’s office, lunch had arrived, and so had their guest, at least five minutes ahead of schedule. Malina’s heart stuttered, nearly coming to a stop when she walked in and caught a glimpse of those familiar blue eyes.

“Mr. Michaelson, this is my indispensable assistant, Malina Tarver. I hope you don’t mind that I asked her to join us. She knows the ins and outs of our investment packages. I trained her myself.”

Asriel stood, helped Malina into her seat like a true gentleman, then pushed her chair to the table for her. “Ms. Tarver, pleased to meet you.”

Malina saw no hint of recognition in his eyes, in spite of the fact that his deep, accented voice wrapped around her like the mesmerizing music of a well-played oboe. Well this explains the quiet power I sensed in the pet store. She glanced at Emma, expecting her to react as well, but apart from an approving glance, Emma seemed focused on business.

Asriel refrained from eating, stating that he had another appointment, so Emma presented him with the different plans and asked him to look them over. “Please call anytime, or we can schedule another meeting to discuss any details. We’d be more than happy to design a package specific to your interests, Mr. Michaelson.”

He took the pamphlets and stood to shake Emma’s hand. He turned to Malina briefly, then quickly returned his gaze to Emma. “May I call on Ms. Tarver with questions if necessary?”

“Wh-why certainly. Certainly!”

Before Emma could say anything else, he grasped Malina’s hand between his large palms. As soon as he touched her, her body lit like kindling, flames licking every organ. She rolled her neck and exhaled an audible breath until he released her.

“Thank you for your time, Ms. McDowell,” he said to Emma, never taking his gaze off Malina. “Ms. Tarver, please walk me out, if it’s not too much of an inconvenience.”

“I-I’d be happy to,” Malina stuttered, pleasantly surprised.

Emma touched Malina’s back in approval, a silent “that’s my girl” gesture.

As soon as they stepped outside the building, he turned to her and smiled. “So, any suggestions? For a puppy lover, that is?”

She laughed, relief washing over her, the combination of passion and pleasure heady as they stood facing one another. “Why don’t we discuss it further over coffee or dinner, Mr. Michaelson?” Her runaway heartbeat pounded in her ears. She feared being too forward, but she was more afraid of letting him go with no idea when or if she would see him again.

He offered a two-note chuckle in response, his smile deepening. “Tell me where, and it’s a date.”

Chapter Five

Yard House vibrated with chatter and movement, every table was occupied, and the bartender moved from customer to customer so fast, her tips from that evening alone would probably finance her vacation. The firelight in Malina’s eyes burned even more brightly than Asriel remembered, and her curly brown hair fell to the center of her back, accentuating her waist. His cock stirred when she moved in that damnable red dress. What is it about that fucking color? Reminded him of blood, a constant craving despite his immunization.

Asriel wondered if she even realized her body was swaying to the jazzy music in such an alluring way while they waited for their orders to arrive. Her subtle, seemingly unintentional movements seduced him, pulling him deeper and deeper into a hidden place where he no longer feared falling, no longer cared what happened to him. Still, his fear of overwhelming her, of frightening her away, made him careful. She deserved to live the fantasy nearly every human believed; few ever lifted the veil to see the war of principalities and powers raging around them, the chaotic battle inside them.

Asriel stood, holding out his hand. “Your body says she wants to dance.”

She laughed, blushing as she placed her fingers at her temples. “Oh, my goodness! What was I doing?” Even her show of embarrassment produced a warm glow near his heart.

He lifted his brow, and she stood. “Never would have taken you for a dancer, Asriel.”

“Is a question wrapped up in that statement somewhere?”

“Well, I just mean you seem so formal and um…”

“Strait-laced?” He wrapped his fingers around her upper arm and pulled her up, supporting her until she fit snugly in his arms.

“Well, I was about to say stiff, serious, intense.”

She got the stiff part right, but not in the way she means. “People always seem to get that impression.”

Grateful for the years he’d spent studying humans and their ways, he lifted her arm and adeptly swung her onto the small, circular dance floor, then moved behind her, the brush of her full hips far more tantalizing than the gourmet smells surrounding him.

Her long brown curls bounced as she moved, the sweet scent of her desire rising up, calling to him.

Every one of his senses intensified, riveted to her carotid; the life-sustaining fluid rushing through her made his mouth water, despite The Council’s efforts. Thanks to their sanction and the painful immunizations, his body did not need her blood to survive, but he wanted it, the desire to taste her so strong, he put his lips to her neck, finding the sound and feel of her blood intoxicating.

He took a deep breath and immediately wished he had thought better of it. His heightened senses were reeling now, dooming him even faster, her innocence a mere thread between them. He knew that the moment they became intimate, if things progressed that far, The Council would revoke his immunization, rendering him susceptible to every putrid illness and ailment that plagued the pathetically weak human race, and he would be dependent on human blood for survival, Malina’s illusions of him shattered by a moment of weakness.

He felt her hands on his wrists as she spoke. The sights, sounds, and scents of the present resurfaced, jerking him back and planting him in the present again as if returning from a time warp.

“Mm. I think our food is here,” she said, her soft voice the perfect accompaniment to the feel of her soft curves pressed against him.

He nodded against her hair, fighting his reaction to the vibration in her throat driving him to hold her longer, then took her hand and led her back to their booth, grateful for the interruption.

She held a forkful of salad to her mouth and spoke around it. “You have sisters or brothers, Asriel?”

“Yes. A brother, unfortunately.”

He thought about Camael, and the intimate moment shattered. Few would guess they were born of the same mother, whom they rarely saw. Twenty-five years separated them, a mere glitch in time, yet Asriel remembered all too well the time when it was his father, not Camael’s, sitting on The Council.

“Why ‘unfortunately’?”

“We’re not close. At odds actually.”

“Oh.” She offered him a sad smile, her long black lashes brushing her cheeks when she glanced up. “That must be hard.”

Asriel remained silent, wanting to avoid any discussion of his grim family saga. His sporadic encounters with women of his kind, Primas, had been purely sexual. The “desensitization training,” as The Council called it, had the goal of taking the sexual edge off warriors in an attempt to make them less vulnerable to the luring of human women when they were on various missions. At the moment, Asriel would say that training had failed miserably. His body could not have reacted to Malina more strongly if he had never seen a female before, let alone lain with one.

“Is he here in Indianapolis, too?”

“No.” But I’m sure he’s laughing his ass off if he has any idea what I want to do to you right now.

“Don’t like to talk about yourself much, huh?”

“I’d much rather talk about you. How did you end up in the investment business?”

She laughed, accepting his reticence easily. Her genuine smile and impromptu response flooded him with warmth, reminding him again to tread carefully, to avoid spoiling her sweetness.

“Out of all the things you could have asked me, that’s what you want to know?”

“It’s… a safer topic.”

She shifted in her seat. “O-kay. Well, my brother got me the job. Emma trained me, and I’ve been surprised by how much I enjoy it.”

She offered him a sheepish look and continued, “I have to admit, I didn’t ask you to dinner so we could discuss the investment packages, but I really can answer questions if you have any. Now, as for being safe, that’s not really my thing. I wouldn’t have asked you to meet me if I was always looking to play things safe.”

“No questions about investments. Dinner was a good idea, and...”

“And? Will you tell me the truth if I ask you something important, Asriel?”

The sound of his name flowing from her sweet lips sent a pleasant jolt through him. He narrowed his eyes, hoping he could give her an honest answer without breaking another cardinal rule. “Ask.”

She put her fork down and looked into his eyes, her beautiful amber irises searching. “Why are you really here in Indianapolis? I mean, unless you’re into the races or something - and I get the feeling you’re not - I don’t understand why a man like you would come here. Also, why did you turn so cold all of a sudden in the pet store?”

“That’s two questions.”

She snapped her fingers. “Mm. Sexy and sharp. I was hoping I could sneak that second one past ya.”

Sexy? Asriel cleared his throat. “In answer to your first question, my family sent me here to take care of some important business.”

“Investments?”

“You could say that.” If you consider yourself an investment. Continuing before she questioned him further, he gave her a partial answer to the second question.

“I didn’t realize I seemed cold. I had to take care of something unpleasant right after meeting you. In retrospect, I suppose my preoccupation with yet another task must have seemed cold to you, and I apologize.”

“You’re forgiven. Anyway, if you were really cold, you wouldn’t be here right now, would you?”

“No. I wouldn’t. Tell me more about you.”

“What would you like to know?”

“You said your brother got you this job. What’s your family like?”

“Well, I don’t have any sisters, but two perfect brothers is plenty to deal with.”

“There is no such thing as a perfect human being,” he said, then chuckled.

“Well, they’re pretty close. Matt’s a detective with the Indianapolis Police Department, and Malcolm, my oldest brother, is already a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army. I’m the wild card.”

“Wild card?”

“The one nobody ever seems to be able to figure out. I got A’s and B’s in school, even went to college a couple years, but I’ve always been in one kind of trouble or another. I don’t like rules much, so I never quite fit into the rest of the perfect family…and I don’t know why I’m telling you all this.”

Malina parted her wide, delicious-looking lips and touched the roof of her mouth with the tip of her tongue.

Asriel dropped a hand and gripped his knee tightly. His cock pressed against his pants, stirring the strongest current of need he had ever known. Silent screams warred within him, one from his mind, the other from his soul.

“Don’t stop. I asked. That’s why you’re telling me. What about your parents?”

“Uh-uh. Enough about me. Your turn now. For one thing, I still can’t place your accent. For another, you’ve never been married?”

“No. Do your parents live here, too?” He did not want to lie to her, so he nudged her away from questions about his home or origin.

She glanced down, her eyes suddenly overcast, a shadow visible behind the light. “My adoptive parents are dead, murdered. They adopted me and my brothers when we were babies.”

Asriel could not believe he’d failed to discover that about her in all his research; it seemed to him that such an important fact would have been included in her dossier somewhere. “I’m sorry. How old were you when it happened?”

“Seventeen, and I was in the house. I’d just had a big blow out with them, said things I had no business saying because I overheard them comparing me to my brothers. They said I was trouble and always kept them on their toes. I know now they didn’t mean it the way I took it, but I was so angry that I yelled at them and ran upstairs when they tried to talk to me.”

Unsure how to respond, he stayed in his comfort zone. “So you didn’t see who killed them?”

“No. I didn’t even hear anything. I was pouting, so I put my earphones on and turned my music up as loud as I could so I wouldn’t have to listen to them. Whoever it was set the house on fire afterward.”

“How did you get out?”

“Someone pulled me out of my bedroom window.”

“Your bedroom was upstairs?”

“Yes” She shook her head. “Strange, I know, especially since I never saw him. I landed on my butt, unharmed, but after he broke my fall, he just disappeared, kind of like a guardian angel. At least I like to think of it that way.”

Asriel wondered who could have pulled her from an upstairs window unless her rescuer had wings, and with that thought came a multitude of additional questions.

Malina whispered, as if talking to herself. “I vowed then that I will never, ever run from a fight again. If I hadn’t run upstairs, if I’d just stayed down there and talked it out with them, maybe they’d be alive now. They were good people. They loved me, despite everything I put them through, and I never even told them I loved them.”

Asriel reached over and covered her hand with his own. “You were only a teenager. All teens are crazy. I’m sure they knew you loved them.”

She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. “I can’t imagine you ever being a crazy teen. I’ll bet you were serious, even then.”

“Oh, I’ve done more than my share of acting out. So it’s just you and your brothers now?”

“And Nana, my grandmother. She’s in a nursing home, but I’m trying to save enough to move her to a better place.”

Malina paused as the waiter stopped at their table and cleared away some of their dirty dishes.

“Now, since you don’t want to talk about yourself and I refuse to bore you with more details about me, shall we talk about the investment packages? That way, I won’t be just flat-out lying to my boss when I tell her we talked business.”

They spent the remainder of the evening discussing investment packages, but Asriel found himself distracted by her openness and easy smile, the enticing shadows her long lashes cast on her cheeks each time she blinked, the bounce of her curls, and the sultry rhythm of the nerve at the juncture of her chest and neck, just above her collarbone. His desire to taste her was so strong, he nearly broke his cover, stretching the boundaries of his calm, civilized veneer.

He nodded and commented appropriately as she placed brochures in front of him, but the questions remained: Who pulled Malina from her bedroom window all those years ago? And how can I ever leave her now that I know she exists?

***

Malina stopped at the front desk, completed the guest registry, and started down the hall toward her grandmother’s room. She peeked inside the chapel as she passed. She was always drawn by the absence of sound there. The wood, fixtures, or perhaps some other presence seemed to absorb all noise, giving the small mahogany bench-filled room an ethereal air of peace - something she desperately needed.

These visits with Nana always left her anxious and depressed, but she felt even worse when she stayed away for more than a few days.

The cloying smell of stale urine assaulted her nostrils as she passed some of the rooms, but the nursing assistants just stood around talking as if their olfactory glands no longer registered the stench.

Nodding as she passed the nurses’ station, she continued to the private room she’d recently procured for her grandmother. The cost of the single-occupancy space gobbled up her small budget each month, but she always managed somehow. She took odd jobs and all but sold herself to keep her only known biological family member as safe and comfortable as she could.

Malina stepped through the open door. “Hey, Nana. Sorry I’m late.”

“There’s my Lina!” Estelle Ward opened her thin arms in welcome, smiling as Malina moved toward her and dropped her purse in the chair next to the bed.

Malina lowered the rail, an expert at adjusting her grandmother’s bed, and embraced her beloved Nana, kissing the paper-thin skin of her neck.

When she pulled back, ending the hug, Estelle held her at arms length, smiling.

“I swear, girl, you are prettier every time I see you!”

Malina pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down, still holding Nana’s frail hand. “And just where do you think I got that from?”

“Why me, of course!” They shared a laugh. Malina loved the sound of her Nana’s voice, low-pitched with an edge, and always laced with love.

She reached into her purse and pulled the bag out just far enough for Nana to see the contraband of the day. Today, it was a king-sized Hershey’s pure milk chocolate bar.

Graced with impeccable physical health for her age, Estelle Ward’s visions, fears, and nightmares had landed her in the nursing home following the death of her son, and Malina had been toiling away ever since to place her in a better facility. Lack of money was her only hindrance. In the meantime, she did everything within her power to make her grandmother happy, even if it was something as simple as sneaking in chocolate.

“Oh, you wonderful girl!” Nana reached for the candy.

“After dinner, woman. That way they won’t catch us. I have one for each of us, so we can eat them together while I guard against the diet police.”

Nana laughed, placing her frail hands in her lap. “So, tell me, dear, how has your work week gone so far?”

Since dinner at Yard House, she and Asriel had met for lunch, dinner, walks in the park, and even a movie. They talked every day. So far, he seemed amenable to whatever she wanted to do, but apart from little things he said here and there, he remained distant. Not only that, but flashes of the man on top of her office building still mingled with her constant thoughts of Asriel. She wanted to share something about the new man in her life with Nana, but despite their time together, she knew very little about him, so she decided it was best to wait until she had more of a story to tell.

The last thing the poor woman needed was to be reminded of her own visions of men no one else ever saw, and even though Asriel turned out to be real and more wonderful than she ever could have expected, she was not so sure whether or not there was a connection between him and the man on the roof, nor did she understand why Asriel kept so many secrets. She hoped to push their ‘friendship,’ as he continued to call it, to a much more intimate level, and she craved more information about him.

“Where were you just now? You seemed… far away,” Nana said, pulling her from her thoughts.

“Oh! I’m sorry, Nana. Just thinking. Same old stuff. Boss’s son who’s been hitting on me at work, asking me out, you know I told you about that a few weeks ago. He’s been in the hospital a while. That’s why I’m late. I had to run by and see him after work.”

“You be careful with that one. I told you that from the beginning. Sounds like he could be dangerous. Why is he in the hospital, and why are you visiting him?” Nana gave her the look, knitting her brows together.

Malina did not want to tell her that something happened to Pete at her apartment because she knew it would only concern and worry her, so she remained silent.

“Tsk-tsk.” The older woman clearly did not approve of her silence on the matter, but Malina was grateful that her grandmother dismissed it for the time being. “Don’t get too brave, girl. I know you took that martial arts and all, but you make sure you don’t end up alone with that one, even in that hospital. I’ve got a bad feeling about him. You hear me?”

“Don’t worry, Nana. I’ll be careful. I never go inside his room. I just stop by to check on his progress because his dad’s my boss. How about you though? What’s been going on with you lately?”

“How much can an old lady get into in a nursing home?” She glanced down at her hands, her brow puckered, and Malina knew.

“You saw him again, didn’t you?”

“I’m not gonna bother you with all that today, Sweetheart.”

“You can tell me, you know. You need to be able to talk to somebody about it.”

Nana sighed, keeping her head down. “Fine. He’s been here almost every night since your last visit. He’s probably close now, honey. If my mind is playing tricks on me like everybody says, I don’t mind so much as long as I can still see him. Says he’s watching over you too. Doesn’t want the same thing to happen to you that happened to your father.”

She suddenly looked up, tears building in her soft, amber eyes, still filled with so much life and warmth. “Dear God, I wish you could have known your daddy. As troubled as he seemed, he loved you just like his father before him, with everything he had and everything he was.”

Now it was Malina’s turn to look down, fisting her hands as she fought to control the contempt in her voice. She failed, and her words openly conveyed her pain and anger over being abandoned, no matter the reason.

“I’m sorry, Nana, but I certainly never felt his love. I never even met him, so there was no chance to get to know him. It’s hard to believe he loved me so much when he never bothered to show his face.”

Nana reached over and touched her forearm. “We didn’t know where you were or that you were even alive, child. Your mother told Joseph she was going to have an abortion, then left while you were just an embryo. He had no reason to think she wouldn’t do it. She told him he was a monster, and she wanted no part of him growing inside her.”

Malina narrowed her eyes. She’d heard it all before, but it never got any easier to take. The initial pain she’d felt the first time Nana told her about her mother was shielded by anger, but the hurt would never completely go away.

“We didn’t know your mother had come here until we received news that she’d been killed. She and your father were still married, thank God, or we wouldn’t have known anything. Even then, finding out what happened to you was like finding a needle in a haystack because she left as soon as you were born. They said she just up and left in the middle of the night while you were in the nursery.

I don’t like telling you this, but you need to see the truth, put the blame where it belongs, and it’s not with your father, God rest his troubled soul. He searched and searched, and when he finally found you, he knew you were in the best place you could be, child. He didn’t want any of them to know about you. He wouldn’t even tell me where you were until a few days before they killed him.”

“He didn’t want any of who to know about me? Who are they? I always feel someone watching me, sometimes more than one, and I have a right to know who is…I deserve to know who I really am!”

Nana hissed, withdrawing her hand. “Why didn’t you tell me? You’ve never said anything to me about feeling someone watching you.”

Malina massaged the back of her neck, drowning in guilt for breaching the forbidden conversation with her grandmother. She certainly had never meant to burden her with it, but now that she’d opened her big mouth, she knew Nana would never let it rest.

“Mrs. Ward, are you about ready for some dinner?” the nurses’ assistant said as she rolled the tray into position across Estelle’s lap and set it down.

Grateful for the distraction, Malina offered her Nana a wan smile and sat quietly, helping her unwrap the utensils and remove the covers from her food. She wanted so much to tell her about Asriel, but too many questions remained between them for now.

Neither said anything more about being watched or visited, and they ended their evening together with light conversation over an episode of “NCIS,” sneaking bites of Hershey bars while the nurses and assistants weren’t looking.

Chapter Six

Malina heard the crash of thunder before she reached the exit. Visiting hours were over, and she’d stayed two-hours longer than she’d planned. She stepped outside and ran to her Jeep, grateful she’d at least thought to reinforce the heavy plastic making up the roof of her Jeep. Of course, with no doors on her base model, she’d be soaking wet long before making it home.

She slid onto the wet seat, grabbed a paper towel from the glove compartment, and started the engine. The rain, coming down in sheets, sounded like a rushing river, and crackling thunder and lightning prompted her to drive faster than she should have on the slippery roads, trying to get out of the storm as quickly as possible.

Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten anything since lunch, other than that sneaked-in Hershey bar, so she glanced down, rummaging through her purse to find her crackers - her emergency food stash for times like this.

Malina looked up just in time to see the tail end of a skidding truck heading straight for her. She didn’t even have time to take a breath before the collision. The clanging of metal scraping against metal barely registered as she felt her body being lifted. She looked down to see her small SUV bending under the weight of the heavy truck.

Seconds later, as if coming out of a trance, she lay supine on the side of the road, held by two strong arms, with a broad chest cradling her head. She tried to turn around, but he clamped his arms across her.

“Don’t try to move too fast. Your body was still jarred quite a bit.”

She knew that voice, his masculine scent, and that slight accent was unmistakable.

“Asriel?” How? What are you doing here?

He shifted his weight and she realized her entire body was resting on top of his, her legs against his jeans, her bottom in his lap, and his body reacted like every other man she had ever known: his erection pressed upward, between her legs. Friendship, my ass!

If she had not been so dazed, she would have jumped for joy. He purported that he did not want an intimate relationship, but his body definitely had other ideas.

“You okay, Lina?”

Partially blinded by the rain and passing headlights, she put her hand over her eyes and gazed up at her brother. Matthew was dressed in his navy-blue uniform, almost black from the rain, his badge picking up flashes from the lightning.

Damn! Do those people have to call him every time I get myself into trouble?

“I think so, Matt. Who called you? Did the other driver get hurt?” She thought about what she was doing just before the truck skidded and swerved - rummaging through her purse for crackers instead of paying attention - and she hoped he would never find out.

“I wasn’t far from here, so when I heard the dispatcher mention a Jeep, you know I automatically thought about you. He’s been taken to the hospital already. They think he had a heart attack.”

“Oh, no. What’s his name?”

“Can’t think of it right now. I’ll get it for you tomorrow, Lina. Right now, you need to concentrate on you. They told me you refused to go to the hospital. What the hell, Lina? You need to at least go so they can look at you and make sure you’re alright.”

“I’m fine.” She tried and failed to keep the snippy tone out of her response, but knowing he would offer to pay, her pride would not allow her to confess that she had no health insurance. A hospital was out of the question.

“I tried to keep you from buying that thing, to let me and Jamie help you buy some decent transportation, but…” Matt trailed off as if spotting Asriel all at once, then leaned over to shake his hand where he sat, still holding Malina. “Hi. I’m Matt. Thanks for saving my sister.”

Asriel must have nodded, because she did not hear his response.

“Come on, sis. Let’s get you out of this rain before you end up with a cold or something worse. I took care of the insurance stuff.”

Damn. Somehow Matt must have known she didn’t have any auto insurance either, another reminder that she had a long way to go before relegating the feeling of being a failure to the past.

Matt reached down and started to pull her up, and Asriel grasped her waist and supported her until she stood.

Asriel removed his arm and started to slip away, but Malina clamped her fingers around as much of his wide wrist as she could.

“No. Please don’t leave.”

After a short hesitation, Asriel glanced at Matt before nodding. “I’ll stay.”

She should have been shaken up by the near-death experience, but instead, his deep bass entered her veins and rushed through her like fire again. He was too sexy to actually exist, and even now, he was all she could think about.

“Oh. You two know each other?”

Matt’s entire demeanor changed, taking on a protective big brother stance as he sized Asriel up.

Malina smiled. “Down, big brother. We met a while ago in the pet store. We’re—”

“Friends,” Asriel finished for her.

Yeah, yeah, Friends. She hoped they were on the way to becoming much more than friends, and that Asriel would eventually give in to what his body obviously already wanted. Regardless, she appreciated his help, and his timing was too fortuitous to be coincidental. “Anyway, what happened to getting me out of this rain?”

She took a step and her ankle gave out, pain spiraling up her leg. When she started to slump, Matt grabbed at her, but Asriel was there in an instant, scooping her up as if she weighed nothing. The near fall alarmed her, but other than that, being wrapped in Asriel’s strong arms set butterflies in motion at her core, rousing her to release a soft moan.

Asriel glanced down at her, but she simply closed her eyes; the accident was a perfect cover for her wanton response to his closeness. Actually, accidents were nothing new to her, having lived through so many, so her thoughts were more focused on Asriel and the miraculous rescue than anything else.

Matt gave Asriel an odd look, then directed him to put her in his squad car. His emergency lights on top were still flashing blue.

Asriel placed her in the back seat and smiled, “I’ll check on you later,” he said, then turned to leave.

It occurred to Malina that he had not said much since telling her to stay still. The thought of letting him walk away in that pivotal moment twisted her up inside, deflating her like someone wringing a rag dry. Heat rose to her face as she panicked. No!

“Asriel! Wait!” She had no idea why she reacted so strongly, and even less insight about what she would say when he turned around, but turn around he did, and she stared at him long enough to notice that her mouth was open but no words were coming out.

True to the gentleman she thought he was, he placed a hand on the hood and leaned inside. His breathtaking face was so close, his lips just inches from her own, and he touched her cheek with his free hand.

“I almost forgot to tell you,” he said. “I slipped your wallet in your pocket. There wasn’t enough time to get your whole purse. It was open on the seat, but I thought your wallet would be most important to you, with your I.D. and everything.”

Why won’t you kiss me? “Oh. Thank you.”

Just as he turned away again, she took an emotional leap. “If you…” She started to ask aloud, then thought better of it, fearful that he might say no. She beckoned him closer to whisper in his ear instead. “How do you feel about having a house guest for a day or two? My roommate can’t lift me, and my brother and his wife have two kids. Enough said?”

Asriel nodded, sending victory chills through Malina’s body, almost alleviating the soreness that was already beginning to set in from the abrupt crash.

She touched Matt on the shoulder. “Matt, I’m going to stay with Asriel for a couple days.”

Matt turned to look at her with his mouth open. Only God knew what he was about to say, but Asriel handed him a card, drawing his attention away from Malina.

“Here’s my number and address. You can check on her any time, and I will take her to the doctor if necessary.”

Asriel lifted Malina out of the car, then tapped the car-roof, signaling Matt to go ahead.

Matt watched for a moment with his mouth still open. Then, as if coming to his senses again, took his usual big brother tone and announced, “I’ll follow you to your place.”

“Call Abby for me, Matt, and tell her to feed Jasper or bring him to me. I don’t want her to be worried when I don’t show up.”

She glanced up for Asriel’s approval after the fact. “Guess I should have asked you this first, but do you think your puppy will mind meeting a friend?”

“No. She won’t mind. We can stop and pick him up if you like.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Would you?” She kissed him on the cheek, sore, but giddy with excitement over the possibilities.

Malina smiled. She dearly loved Matt, but being a police officer, suspicion was second nature to him. Recognizing Asriel on a spiritual level, she had absolutely no doubt she would be safe in his care. She wondered where his car was parked, how far he had to walk, where he lived, and more than anything, how he could possibly have freed her from her Jeep in time, but at that moment, she felt content to relax in his arms, enjoying his strength. Despite the pain, Heaven seemed to be opening its gates to her, trouble-magnet and all.

She could not wait to ask Matt what kind of accent he thought Asriel had, but more than that, she hoped she could get him to tell her over the next few days. If not, she was sure Abby could recognize it. She closed her eyes, the pain in her neck and head growing more intense every minute.

***

Asriel placed Malina in the seat next to him and fastened her seat belt. She had dozed off, but her lashes fluttered a little before she opened her eyes and gave him a smile. His throat caught with another unfamiliar emotion, but before he had to say anything, her lids fluttered shut again, and her breathing steadied as she slept.

Asriel caught a glimpse of a figure in the alley and took a detour to investigate. He kept her in sight, but whatever or whomever he saw was gone before he could get close. He returned to the car, grateful to his driving instructor and The One God for allowing his forsaken children to retain their intelligence. Otherwise, he never would have learned how to control the tin can on wheels.

Malina shifted slightly, and he touched the tiny lines on her brow. Though some of his brothers were graced with the gift, healing had never been among his strengths. He sensed her pain, though, and did what he could to remove it.

The next few days were going to be busy and confining. Spending time stuffed into an aluminum box did not appeal to him, not even a little bit, but it was not as if he could reveal his true identity to her and fly her wherever she wanted to go, so he braced himself and hit the accelerator.

Malina seemed honest, real, and open, and no one of the opposite sex could possibly ignore her beauty. At some point Asriel had left himself unguarded. As a result, she had seeped under his skin, wrapping him in hearty, sweet-smelling vines. He sighed. So far, he had not crossed the line of no return, but he didn’t know how much longer he could hold out.

He drove to Malina’s apartment, aware of Matt following, and knocked on the door.

Seconds later, a young woman with big brown eyes, her hair in two plaits, opened the door.

“Hi, Abby. I—”

“Asriel? Oh my God. You have got to be Asriel. You’re the Asriel I haven’t been able to get her to shut up about lately, aren’t you? I was always gone someplace when you came to pick her up before.”

Asriel smiled.

“No wonder she couldn’t stop…That woman can keep a secret like nobody else I know! Matt told me she was gonna stay with you for a few days. So whose idea was that?”

Asriel remained silent and Abby chuckled, covering her mouth. “Do you talk at all? So what are you gonna do? Carry her around in your arms?”

“May I…?”

“Oh, yes! Excuse my lack of manners.” The vocal whirlwind stepped out of the doorway and allowed him to pass. “I just wasn’t expecting you to be so, uh…I wasn’t…” She averted her gaze, nodding toward the back of the apartment, and mumbled, “I’ll get the puppy.”

Asriel turned, making sure Malina was still okay in the car, then left the door open so as not to leave her unguarded. Minions could attack in seconds, and she was in no condition to fight, although he had to admire her readiness.

He gave the apartment a cursory look, noticing the worn brown sofa with matching recliner, a small kitchen with another door, apparently leading to the garage downstairs, and earth-tone wall fixtures. The place looked lived-in and warm, unlike the neutral walls, marble floors, and dark leather furniture included with the townhouse he had just purchased to cement his facade.

Abby placed Jasper in the crate with his bed, then handed Asriel the bag of puppy food and an overnight bag for Malina . “These are a few of her things. She might need them.”

Asriel tucked the crate under his arm and carried the bags in his hand.

Abby watched him with rapt attention, but did not say anything else until he started to leave. “I’m gonna walk out with you just to see how she is.”

He nodded, and she followed him out to the car. “Nice ride, Asriel.”

He offered her a smile in polite response. The car was simply a prop to him.

Asriel placed Jasper and the two bags on the back seat, then purposely turned his mind to other things so he would not overhear Malina and Abby’s conversation. So far, he had managed to keep his conversations with Malina light and noncommittal, but even that did not protect him from growing attached to her. He nearly laughed when he thought about his original vow to himself. “Attached.” What a fucking understatement.

As Abby continued talking to Malina, Asriel caught a glimpse of something in the bushes beside her apartment building. This time, he recognized it for what it was. Vampire.

Asriel slipped away and materialized behind the creature, who turned to face him, the look of horror making him almost unrecognizable - almost.

“Sirbiel?” Asriel took a step toward his former brother-in-arms.

Tattered wings and the stench of decay could not completely remove the Fallen Nephilim’s former beauty. When he closed his mouth, hiding the jagged teeth, his face looked the same.

“Asriel. It has been a very long time, my brother Nephilim.” The creature’s deep voice had become tight, strained. “Yes, it is Sirbiel. Tell me, has the great and mighty Asriel come to remand me to Hell now?”

Ignoring the taunt, Asriel stepped closer. “We once fought side by side. How have you come to this? They told me you had either been killed by the Fallen or joined their ranks.”

“Yet here I stand, and you know there is only one explanation as to how I came to this. I grew tired of being alone, without the love of a woman. I defected, Asriel, and now I am watching over my progeny. I have not joined ranks with the evil ones. I should ask you the same question. How did you come to be on Earth again, and more importantly, what is your business with my granddaughter?” With that question, he vanished.

Asriel could easily have followed and overtaken him, but getting Malina to safety was more important to him. He could always locate the vampire later, now that he knew of his presence.

When Asriel returned to the car, the women were still talking, with Abby leaning into the window. He considered the implications of Sirbiel’s situation and the question he had posed. The vampire spoke the truth. He had defected, and had been located by Seekers, causing The Council to lift sanctions and revoke immunization against human disease. Obviously, rather than fight beside the Fallen, Sirbiel had chosen to remain on the surface to protect Malina.

Asriel’s conclusion landed between his ribs and crashed into his stomach, rendering him motionless while reality took root. If Sirbiel spoke the truth, and there was no reason to disbelieve him, Malina was not completely human. That important fact alone served as proof that her previous minion attacks were very personal.

Chapter Seven

“What?” Malina’s heart thumped a breathless rhythm as Asriel’s intense gaze shot a blazing path from her chest straight to her clit, with no yielding and no detours.

He faced forward again and continued driving the short distance between her apartment and his townhouse, leaving her question unanswered.

Being abandoned by your mother tended to make you a bit distrustful of others - their loyalty and motives - but her automatic connection with Asriel from the time she met him left no room for doubt.

Malina had learned the importance of secrets early in life, but although she shared very little with others, she had never been one to lie to herself. She understood Asriel’s need to keep secrets. Everyone had them, but she wanted this man and needed to get closer to find out why.

Their conversations were fluid and pleasant, and she was awed by his ability to draw so much from her while sharing so little. She looked forward to their discussions, but she could not help noticing how little he shared about himself. What is it about Asriel that strikes such a resounding chord deep inside me?

He turned into the stone driveway and hit a button on his key-fob. The black iron security gate slowly opened, revealing earth-tone stone and brick townhomes with attached carports and garages. He pulled into one of the garages and parked, then held up his forefinger, a clear order for her to wait.

It was her first time seeing his home, and now that she was about to view the inside, she reacted like a child anticipating a birthday party, but more than just seeing where he lived, she hoped to find clues there. She longed to understand how his mind worked, and seeing where and how he lived was a step forward.

Seconds later, he walked around to her side of the car, picked up her overnight bag, and lifted her without warning. Malina wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him as she relaxed, lost in her body’s reaction to him. Again, she would have given anything to know what he was thinking, but his expression gave nothing away.

Asriel carried her inside and placed her on the sofa, a scene that conjured up images of being carried across the threshold. She nearly joked about the similarity to break the awkward silence but thought better of it when he immediately went back to the car and returned with Jasper and his things.

“You should eat before you lie down. I’ll send the courier out for something. What do you have a taste for?”

Her stomach had been growling fiercely before the accident, demanding more than chocolate, but now she did not feel hungry at all. “I’m not really hungry. You don’t have to go to any trouble.”

He stood over her, his handsome face devoid of expression but intimidating nonetheless.

She wrapped her arms around herself and gazed up at him. “Why are you glaring down at me like that?”

“You should eat, Malina. I’ll order seafood for us, something I know you like.” With that statement, he hit speed-dial on his cell phone which he’d obviously mastered since she’d met him at the pet store.

Asriel placed Jasper’s things beside the water and food bowls he already had on a raised, ergonomic dog mat, left the room, and returned with a huge Rottweiler puppy at his heels. “This is Megan. Megan, meet Malina.”

She leaned over and petted the oversized puppy. “Hi, Megan. Nice to meet you, pretty girl.”

As Megan had no tail and and showed very little response, Malina could not tell much about the puppy’s disposition, but compared to Jasper, her tiny, excitable Dachshund, there could be no match. If Megan decided to eat him instead of welcoming him, Malina knew her sweet baby would be gone in seconds.

In spite of her condition, Malina held her breath, ready to spring to Jasper’s rescue when Asriel opened Jasper’s crate. When Jasper stepped out, his short, bowed front legs set wide, he looked up at Megan as if they were an even match. Megan licked him on the head and Malina finally released an audible breath.

“Whew! That could have been ugly.”

Asriel grinned, stooping to one knee to pet both dogs. He directed them both to their food bowls and she heard him whisper something to Megan when she started toward Jasper’s food. Malina could not hear what he said, but whatever it was stopped the big dog in her tracks, and the puppy looked up at him as if she understood and spoke impeccable English.

Less than an hour later the concierge arrived with their food and placed it on the dining room table. Asriel handed him a tip, and the young man left them, a tooth-baring smile splitting his thin face.

Asriel lifted her from the sofa and carried her to sit in one of the six dining room chairs, keeping his eyes on their pets. It occurred to her that she should tell him she could walk. But why ruin a good thing? If this was the only way she could feel his arms around her for the time being, she intended to take full advantage of it.

He poured a glass of Bollinger Brut - NV Magnum for each of them, then sat across from her.

Malina bowed her head to pray, and Asriel shifted restlessly, as if the act made him uncomfortable.

Ending her prayer with a traditional “Amen,” she lifted her head, her stomach suddenly gnawing at her back from hunger. She wanted to ask him about his reaction to her prayer, but quickly decided that was way too personal, especially since she didn’t even know where the man was from yet.

Malina breathed in through her nose and let out an appreciative moan. The delectable aromas, coupled with the beautiful presentation of the food was satisfying before she even tasted it, and she had tasted enough fine wine to recognize that Asriel had chosen the good stuff for their meal.

“Your brother is very protective of you.”

“Matt? Yes, he is. Our oldest brother, Malcolm, is even worse. He’s in the military, and he’s bossier than Matt.” She began to massage the back of her neck, attempting to alleviate the sudden tightness and pain there.

Asriel frowned. “Pain?”

“Just my neck. It must have gotten jarred a bit when the truck hit me.”

He stood and walked around the table to stand behind her, then placed his hands on either side of her neck. “Show me where it hurts.”

When she showed him the spot, he began a deep, slow massage, kneading the muscles in her neck and sliding her hair around to her shoulder so he could minister to the base of her skull. His strong hands and expert technique were so soothing that she found the undulating rhythm sexual and therapeutic at once. She relaxed and closed her eyes, letting her head rest against his thick forearms as he continued molding the strained muscles in her neck. Within seconds, she forgot about her food completely.

“Tell me more about that night, the night when you lost your adoptive parents.” Malina gasped. Skipping over the usual questions and lead-ins, Asriel went straight to the sore spot, barreling through their moment of peaceful oneness like a bulldozer.

Flashes from that night struck her, each accompanied by the beat of an amplified bass drum. She had fought long and hard to stop herself from reliving that horrible night, but for some reason, she could never resist answering his questions. Why is he bringing this up again?

“I know it’s hard to believe but it happened just like I told you before. I was upstairs in my bedroom, heard them screaming, and before I could run downstairs someone grabbed me from behind and pulled me out. I landed on my back and it knocked the wind out of me. When I woke up, all I saw was lights everywhere, so bright I wanted to close my eyes again, but then I remembered…”

She sighed, blinking as tears fell. “They were good people, Asriel, good parents. They Took care of me and my brothers when no one else wanted us.”

He cupped the back of her head in the palms of his hands and lifted her to sit straight in the chair again, and she felt her body shaking, especially her knees.

“I am so sorry your life has been…difficult, Malina.”

He bent down on his knees to face her, then wrapped her in his arms and held her until her teeth stopped rattling, the tremors in her stomach finally coming to a halt.

She opened her eyes, still wrapped in his arms, and realized she must have dozed off.

“Ready to lie down?” His low whisper poured over her, balm for her physical and emotional pain, and she wanted him to hold her forever.

If you lie down with me. “I’ve never talked to anyone else about that. I don’t like to think about it.” She placed her hand over her trembling knees in an attempt to regain control. Malina hated showing weakness, but with Asriel, she found herself baring her soul at every turn.

“I’d better shower first, but I am exhausted all of a sudden,” she said, offering him a sad smile.

“You’ve had a long day. I’ll show you where everything is.”

He bent to pick her up again, but as much as she wanted his arms around her, she decided to come clean. “I think I’d better try my ankle before that shower.”

She took a few steps and picked up Jasper, relegating the events surrounding her parents’ deaths to her mental closet again. She was desperate to know Asriel’s secrets, but he always seemed to know just what questions to ask rather than giving her any answers.

Willing to accept whatever he had been keeping from her, she wondered about his past. Among other things, she wanted to know how he ended up in just the right place to save her. Most of all, though, she prayed they could be more than friends.

He led her to two bedrooms and told her to choose the one she preferred. After choosing, she placed Jasper on the bed and went into the bathroom to turn on the shower. She toed off her shoes, removing the rest of her clothes down to her underwear in seconds, then stepped into the shower with a shiver of pleasure. The hard pulsing of hot water warmed and relaxed her achy bones and joints and she allowed her mind to wander.

Asriel’s striking good looks could easily draw the attention of most, but Malina had never been into looks. Superficial things had never meant anything to her before, and still did not. Why judge people based on something so totally unrelated to character? she thought. She could not explain her obsession with Asriel, nor how quickly it had developed, but she could not deny her willingness to go the extra mile for him, either.

She stepped out and dried her body off with a large, fluffy white towel, wrapped her hair in a smaller one, then put on her long, pink terry robe, grateful to Abby for packing it. By the time she walked back into the bedroom, Jasper was already curled up on her pillow, sound asleep.

The reality of what she would have to do next invaded her mind, overwhelming her and forcing her to face reality. She shoved her feet into the house shoes Abby had sent and looked up to find Asriel watching her. There was some sort of light in his eyes, but perhaps that was wishful thinking on her part, because when she looked again, it was replaced with his usual annoying calm, like still blue waters.

“Find everything you needed?”

“Yes,” Malina said, nodding.

Asriel smiled. “Well, if you don’t need anything right now, I’m going to shower. I’ll check on you before I turn in.”

She listened to the running water in the next room, and her thoughts clicked over to all the drama of finding new transportation and replacing her phone. She refused to borrow money from Matt or Malcolm, adamant about ridding herself of the “family fuck-up” position. She was sick of always being the one who needed to be bailed out of trouble.

Hoping to find out more about Asriel while he was in the shower, Malina went into his bedroom. She stopped for a moment and listened, confident that the shower was still running before she went straight to his bedside table. Finding nothing there, she crossed the room to his chest-of-drawers where she was surprised to find only a few items of clothing. More curious than ever, she slid the doors of his walk-in closet open and peeked in. Again, very little, two identical black suits, both Armani, a few white shirts, two blue shirts, each a different shade, and two pairs of jeans, also identical, completed his wardrobe. Strange. Serial killers have more clothes than he does! Why does someone so wealthy own so few clothes?

She tensed, squeezing her eyes shut, kicking herself mentally for becoming so engrossed in her search that she did not notice when the shower stopped. Malina turned to face him, wearing a sheepish look on her face.

Asriel padded toward her, barefoot and dressed only in loose-fitting white pajama bottoms. She couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped her. His body was even more beautiful than she had imagined or dreamed.

“Dessert?” he asked, showing no signs of surprise or anger.

Her mouth was still agape, and it took a moment for her to gather herself to respond as if she had not been caught snooping through his things. “Uh… what?”

He pointed to his bed. “Sit.”

She did, and he left the room. Struck by the surrealism of the moment, she rested her forehead in her hands and closed her eyes, only to jackknife from his bed when he returned carrying a plate of cheesecake topped with juicy strawberries.

Asriel set the plate on his bedside table, put his hands on her shoulders, fluffed her hair with his fingers, and gently pressed her back down on the bed. “I won’t bother to ask if you found anything interesting while you were searching my bedroom because I know there’s nothing for you to find, but I brought you some dessert.”

She shook her head, inhaled, and closed her eyes again.

“I am so, so sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

He smiled and crossed his arms over his chest, drawing her gaze to the array of muscles in both areas. Her mind filled with images of touching him, her fingers exploring every contour, every nuance of his body.

“Your brother called to check on you. I told him you were nosing around in my bedroom.”

Mortified, she covered her mouth with both hands. “You did not!”

“No, but I should have.”

Asriel smiled, changing the subject. “About dessert...”

“That’s not fair. You’re using my weakness against me.”

“You’re one to talk. You’re temptation walking.”

His blue eyes smoldered as his gaze captured hers. This time, she clearly saw the light of interest in his eyes, and that look offered a glimpse into those not-so-still waters.

Encouraged again, she offered him an innocent smile. “Only if you share it with me.”

When he sat on the bed beside her, she noticed he’d brought two spoons. “I come prepared.”

He reached behind her and added an extra pillow to the head of his bed, then slid her back, propping her against them. “You manage the cheesecake.”

Asriel walked around to the other side of the bed and sat beside her, keeping his feet on the floor.

“Now you’ve got your back to me,” she said, pouting.

He put his feet on the bed so they were sitting side by side.

Jumping at the opportunity to find out what lay hidden behind Asriel’s tranquil veneer, she picked up one of the spoons and filled it with cheesecake. “Let’s play a game, Asriel.”

He gave her a skeptical look, and furrowed his brows. “What kind of game?”

Malina grinned, reveling in the chance to be more intimate with him. “You can’t use your hands, so you have to depend on me to do everything for you. If you move your hands, you lose.”

“So what do I win in this game?”

“What do you want?”

The lines on his brow grew deeper, as if he had never been asked that question before. “For you to be safe.”

“What kind of answer is that? That’s something for me, not for you. What’s something you’d like to win?”

He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll play. I just can’t move my hands, right?”

“Right.”

She took the opportunity to feed him, using her fingers to wipe the strawberry sauce from his mouth. His expression remained unreadable. Alternating between spoons, feeding Asriel, then herself, what she enjoyed most was the way he watched her every movement with rapt attention. She leaned over and kissed the corner of his mouth after feeding him the last bite. Still, he remained motionless. His eyes were smoldering, whirling blue thunderclouds, and she smiled, kissing the other corner of his mouth.

She gazed into his eyes. “You won.”

“And what’s my prize?”

She leaned in closer and purred, their lips nearly touching. “That remains to be seen. You never told me what you wanted.”

Chapter Eight

Slow, steady thumping at her back woke her. She started to turn and realized she was in Asriel’s arms, in his bed, still fully dressed, her legs sprawled over his. The moment she moved, she realized he was already awake, just watching her. The atmosphere seemed to intensify, crackling, and Malina used his chest as leverage so she could turn to face him.

She licked her lips, her tongue darting out to savor the sticky residue from the last of the delicious strawberry sauce. Asriel’s gaze followed her movement and she froze, but only for a moment, something akin to anger forcing her mouth to open and embarrass her once more. “I don’t understand you. You say you’re not married, not seeing anyone, you’ve got no children, and I know you’re not gay, so what is it? I mean, I know you’re wealthy and I’m, well…not, but I don’t want your money. I just want…” You.

She jumped up from the bed, shocked at her own near confession, but grateful she’d finally found the sense to close her mouth.

Asriel’s calm, annoyingly tolerant expression struck her as evidence of his disinterest, but Malina knew better, and she had had it with the emotional seesaw ride.

She walked away, wanting to end the disappointing day and hope for a better tomorrow, but before she reached his bedroom door, he spoke her name, his deep voice quickly translating to a command. Malina obeyed, stopping in her tracks. She heard the slight creaking sound of the bed, and immediately Asriel was right behind her, holding one of her hands in his larger one. With his arm around her waist, he pulled her against him and pressed his lips to the side of her neck. The thrill of joyous anticipation shot through her and every pleasure point begged to be touched.

Malina tried to turn and face him, but he would not allow her to, insistent on holding her still. She felt his heart beating against her back, then her own stuttered, joining the rhythm he set, his long, strong legs against the back of hers, slightly parted, just enough to feel his heavy cock pressing against the top of her ass.

What seemed like long moments passed while they stood there, their bodies syncing until she only heard one heartbeat, theirs together.

Suddenly, Asriel’s hands seemed to be everywhere at once as if he’d heard her silent plea, running through her hair before cupping the back of her skull and the sensitized area he massaged earlier, that place at the back of her neck, gliding along the curve of her waist. Then, his tantalizing lips were at the side of her neck again.

He nipped her there, and she felt a pinch when the soft skin broke, but she could neither respond nor question, lost in the overwhelming sensations zinging through her body everywhere he touched. He brushed the underside of her breasts with his fingers and swung her around to face him. Her breath caught as she allowed her every movement to be directed by him.

His hot, ice blue gaze met her fiery amber one, and his lips covered her already parted ones. His kiss was firm, supple, and demanding, with the subtle taste of copper on his tongue from where he had just bitten her. He tasted every corner of her mouth, inside and out, nipping her lips, and she returned the favor, hungry for him.

Her breaths came shorter and shorter when he pulled her impossibly tighter against him, her soft, full breasts melting into his muscular chest, her silky gown and his thin, cotton pajama bottoms providing little separation between them.

Sliding her palms along his back, she felt ridges, long and symmetrical on each side, adjacent to his spine just at his shoulder blades, the same location as the scars on her back she had always called birth marks. Unlike her flat scars, his were raised, and much more pronounced, but the haze he created with his closeness, his kiss, and his caresses demanded full attention. She mentally filed her questions away for later.

She raised her arms and ran her hands through his soft, thick hair. The warm scent of sandalwood wafted up with every touch, and he hissed, releasing a long, animalistic sound. As suddenly as it had started, all movement stopped, suspended, the air still charged around them.

No! Please, don’t stop! She ran her hands along his chest, sliding down to breach the elastic of his pants, but he grasped her wrists in an iron grip, raising them to eye level, and pulled away from her.

“No.”

As if the first time was not enough to crush her, he repeated the four-letter word.

“No. I—”

She shoved at his chest with her hands. “ ҅ No, I’ what, damn it? How about I will not make Malina feel like a fool! I will not say and do things to give her hope, just to get my jollies. God forbid you actually allow yourself to feel something, Asriel.”

Even in that heated moment, she recognized his anguish too. Asriel looked anything but jolly. His normally expressionless face was twisted with turmoil, pain, and deep unsatisfied longing, but she did not care. She was too wrapped up in her own pain - pain he had inflicted.

Hurt, angry, and exhausted, her body still screaming with unresolved passion, Malina needed to take control, feel anything but the deep ache that was swelling in the pit of her stomach. “No, my ass. Damn you, Asriel. You don’t get to decide for me. How about you will not get another chance to hurt me like this again.”

She stormed out of the room, fully aware that Asriel was following her. He was so close, she could feel him, but he did not touch her again. She closed her bedroom door, paying no regard to the fact that it was still in his home, then fell into bed and unceremoniously slid her fingers down to her clit, tears pouring down her cheeks as she relieved the aching need to be filled. If only Abby had packed her vibrator. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do about the searing pain in her heart. Of all the fucking times to fall in love… and of all the fucking men to fall for.

With her eyes swollen from tears, she decided to leave and call Claude from Abby’s phone, then delete the call so no one would know. As much as she hated the idea of lying to Abby and going back to her old job, she was in dire need of transportation and she promised to get insurance this time. With Claude, the pay and tips were good, the good-hearted old letch would be happy to see her, and the late hours would not interfere with the office job Matt had gotten for her. Now, she just had to make sure Matt didn’t find out, but on second thought, the possibility of Asriel finding out gave her a perverse thrill.

The old adage about getting what you wish for surfaced to mock her. Malina had prayed for a man who wasn’t trying to get into her panties, but this was not what she’d meant at all. If she hadn’t felt so miserable, she would have laughed at the irony.

Although his actions tonight were as confusing and mysterious as everything else about him, she knew Asriel wanted her. Even if his desire was only temporary, his actions offered hope. Admitting it was like pouring salt into an open wound, but she held on to that ray of hope like a drowning woman clutching a life raft. Nobody kissed like that unless they had every intention of finishing what they started. And they certainly don’t bite!

***

Even the thick walls of his townhouse could not mask Malina’s quiet sobs in the next room. Cursing his preternatural hearing and the entire situation, Asriel gave up on sleep and climbed to the roof, having tossed and turned for hours. Megan jumped up from her bed in the living area and followed. The internal war between his logical, law-abiding mind and his heart raged on, tying him in knots, and his heart seemed to be winning. His desire to go to her and finish what they’d started was nearly tearing him in two.

The shy new moon cast very little light, allowing the intermittent streetlights to outshine her, but Asriel saw clearly as he took in the view, a large part of the city within range. Despite her many quirks and her total disregard for logic, Malina made him happy. Happiness was something no war-ravaged Nephilim ever expected or considered, lest he become a defector and live the rest of his life in hiding or in darkness. Despite what he knew, he could not deny the feeling of calm she brought to his long, lonely life, yet all he managed to do in return was hurt her.

He considered Sirbiel’s statement again, his claim that Malina was his granddaughter. Asriel wondered if The Council was aware of Malina’s true identity. If so, do they expect me to bring her to Orlos to mate with a Council member? Before Asriel could finish the thought, he realized he would fall or die before allowing another to have her.

He had no idea why or how, but their connection was real. Solving the rest of the puzzle and figuring out what he would have to do to keep her with him was more imperative than ever, and he could not bear the thought of dragging her into even more confusion, but one thing was already abundantly clear - Malina was his.

He went back downstairs, resolved to locate Sirbiel the next day and find out what he knew, if anything, including how Joseph Ward was connected to Malina. Asriel heard movement in Malina’s room and knocked on the door. When she did not answer, he opened the door slightly.

Jasper jumped from the bed and trotted over to him, so he bent down and scooped the dog up, then closed the bedroom door again, deciding to leave her in peace.

Megan fell in beside him as they went outside. When he returned, Malina’s door was open, and she was sitting on the side of the bed with her overnight bag next to her, all packed and ready to go.

“Thanks for taking Jasper out for me, and thanks for letting us stay. I think I’ll sleep better in my own bed. Will you take me home, now?”

“Why would you want to barge in on your roommate in the middle of the night? And do I have a choice?”

“No. Either you take me, or I’ll walk. It’s just one street over.” She stood, picked up her bag and held it in front of her with both hands.

“You’re angry with me. I get that, but do you really believe having a lover is so much more important than having a friend?”

“That’s not the point, Asriel, and there’s no reason you can’t be both.”

“You don’t know that, Malina.” He felt as if the ground was crumbling beneath him.

“What are you not telling me, Asriel?”

When he did not respond, Malina sighed, shaking her head as she threw up a hand. “Whatever. I’m just tired of guessing and hoping. I’ve told you things nobody else knows about me, but you refuse to tell me anything about you. It’s not fair, and I could slap myself for tolerating it as long as I have. I’m sick of the secrets. You act like you’re bound by all these damn rules, but I have no idea where they come from, who made them, why, or whether any of it is true in the first place. Hell, I don’t even know the rules. Seems there are so many. I mean, you don’t feel like a liar, in here.” She lifted one hand from her bag and pressed it to her heart. “But I have to admit I’m so caught up in you, I could be blind, dumb, and stupid.”

He moved toward her, trying to conjure up the magic words that would calm her and convince her to stay, but nothing came to him, and she hugged her bag to her chest, putting more distance between them. Words had never been his strength, and neither was providing comfort, but he had never wished for those gifts more than he did in that moment.

“Unless you’re about to tell me something you haven’t told me, open up to me about something you think, feel, or want, don’t come any closer. Please take me home so I can stop dreaming and get back to surviving. At least that’s something I know how to do.”

Hurt, disappointment, anger, and fear flooded through him all at once, the emotional collision nearly knocking him off his feet. The thought of being relegated to watching her from a distance again robbed him of air, but the wall he had erected long ago forbade acknowledgment of any strong emotions or attachments. He wanted to tell her everything, to share everything with her, but he would never forget the catastrophe he’d wrought the last time he allowed his emotions to escape. Choking his feelings once again, he held himself together, presenting his notorious calm front.

Asriel leaned over and took her bag. He considered the cruel irony of their situation. She wanted to get back to surviving, but he was tired of centuries of merely surviving. For the first time in his very long life, he understood what he was missing, and he wanted it all, but first, he needed answers. As always, he could not make a move without some idea of the consequences, and he needed to be sure his actions would not jeopardize Malina further.

Ever watchful, Asriel spotted Sirbiel again as they left his townhouse. He offered the vampire a subtle nod, grateful he would not have to waste precious time locating him. He opened the back door so Megan could jump in, then placed Jasper and his things next to her. At least the two puppies appear to be pleased with one another.

After helping Malina into the car, he drove her home in silence, saddened by her unwillingness to even make eye contact with him. When they arrived, he looked over at her and held up his finger for her to wait.

“The investment packages. When can we meet again to discuss them?” It was a weak attempt, but an idea had finally come to him, and there was some leverage to it. Thankfully, she had a boss and he knew she cared about pleasing her.

Malina looked at him, narrowing her eyes, and a frown marred her brow. Her temples throbbed. “You said you didn’t have any questions.”

Asriel glanced at the small mark he had made on her neck before regaining control of himself again.

“I don’t. As a potential customer, I don’t need to have questions to discuss my options, do I?”

When she did not respond, looking down again instead, he pressed his edge. “I’ll give you a couple of days and call you.”

Asriel walked around and helped her out of the car, then reached inside for Jasper and the bags. Megan started toward the door, but he whispered to her and she sat down again, ready to wait patiently.

“How do you get her to obey you so easily?”

“Instinct.” If only I could get you to obey as easily, he thought. You’d be staying at my townhouse allowing me time to find the answers I need.

He inhaled the scent of Malina’s hair and her natural aroma affected his mind, body, and soul. His desire to claim her was so great, he nearly broke every Orlosian law right then and there. He almost could not bear the thought of her walking away from him, even if only for a few days. He already imagined the longing he would feel watching her, the torture he would experience when he was no longer able to hear her laugh, smell her hair, or feel that powerful jolt they shared whenever they touched. Instinct.

He took her key and unlocked the door to her apartment for her, then stepped inside with Jasper and the bags.

She folded her arms across her chest, her signature movement for “keep your distance,” then unfolded them just long enough to hold the door for him to leave. He couldn’t help but notice that her knees were shaking as she closed the door.

The near blackness of the new moon mirrored his emotional state as he drove home. He stepped inside his empty townhouse, and the silence was suddenly deafening. Megan sat in front of him, apparently sensing his sadness, and butted his leg with her head, so he rubbed her head and massaged her ears.

Asriel’s mind worked overtime, even more so than usual. His next order of business was a conversation with the vampire, and he would get the answers he needed one way or another.

***

“Well, aren’t you just a sight for sore eyes! What brings you down here?” Despite Malina’s misgivings about being there, Claude’s warmth toward her was something she’d always appreciated, and his French accent brought back fond memories.

Claude wrapped his meaty arms around Malina, who slowly gave up on the idea of turning around, scrapping the whole plan and getting the hell out of there before Matt found out, or God forbid, Asriel figured it out. Getting on with her life was imperative, but she could not stop thinking about Asriel. No. I’m doing this because I need to. I’m here now, and it’s just until I can get on my feet again.

When Claude surpassed her comfort zone, continuing the embrace beyond the casual few seconds, she slid her arm from around him and fisted it between them, pressing her knuckles into his round belly.

“Cut it out, old man. You know I don’t play nice with others.”

Claude laughed, releasing her and taking a few steps back with his hands up. “Oui. I will never forget it. That temper of yours helped keep me in business. Hope you’re here to get your old job back.”

“I am, and it wasn’t just my temper that helped keep you in business.”

Claude’s peach-colored face split into a tooth-baring grin, his hazel eyes lighting up like rare jewels as he gave her body an admiring once-over. “You are right. Who needs bouncers when I have my Lee-Lee around, oui? You have made my day, my girl! I have just the costume for you. Looks like your measurements haven’t changed.”

She followed him back to the dressing area, taking in the decor. Like her measurements, Esquire hadn’t changed either. With good lighting, ivory poles throughout the room, tables in the center, and comfortable but tasteful seating along the walls, Claude’s establishment lacked the usual seedy men’s club treatment. Actually, if not for the stage, the club could have passed for an expensive restaurant.

Claude refused to be lumped in with stereotypical pimps and less-than-reputable gentlemen’s club managers, and he ran a tight ship, insisting that guests treat his dancers with respect. He also maintained a strict “no-prostitution” policy, and violators ended up with walking papers.

They passed the stage, and Malina was reminded that she’d have to get back to her pole exercise routine to avoid getting winded during her performances.

Just a few feet down the carpeted hallway, Claude opened the wardrobe room. Inside, costumes to fulfill any man’s fantasy lined the walls, and circular clothing racks filled the center of the large room. Regular dancers kept their favorite outfits in their personal dressing rooms.

While Claude searched along the wall for what Malina assumed was a particular costume he envisioned her wearing, Malina thumbed through some of the outfits on the circular racks.

She couldn’t help smiling as she recalled performing in everything from a black and white maid’s uniform to a rather creative mermaid suit. She had never liked having men gawk at her like hungry dogs staring at a steak, but she really did enjoy dancing, and some of the costumes were hilarious. Best of all, the pay was three-times what she made at Vaxande, and the hours were shorter.

Claude walked over to her carrying a long, silk, red dress with a split nearly reaching her breasts. Draped over his other arm was a cheetah-print cat suit. As he neared her, his eyebrows broke into the “dirty old man” jiggle.

Malina lifted an arched brow, pursing her lips as she accepted the costumes to try on. “This is just temporary, Claude.”

Claude did not respond. Instead, he directed her to one of the dressing rooms with an attached bathroom area, room to keep her personal wardrobe favorites, and a large combination safe for personal valuables. A small sitting area lined the personal valuables wall, seated make-up mirrors lined another, and full-length dressing mirrors on the two remaining walls allowing for an easy front and back view completed the room’s layout.

As soon as Claude left the room, Malina tried on the two outfits. Her thoughts turned to Asriel again as she slipped into the sexy ensembles. Even after he’d dropped her off at home, she had slept very little, her mind on him, and when she finally fell asleep, he invaded her dreams.

She no longer fantasized about Asriel’s reaction if he found out about her dancing job. Those thoughts had been borne out of anger. As she looked around and faced reality, the thought of him sitting at one of the tables in the audience horrified her, as did the thought of never being close to him again. But you’re not really close to him because he won’t allow it.

She rolled her neck and wiggled her shoulders as her brutally honest inner voice continued. First of all, he hasn’t even told you where he’s from, let alone anything else of real importance.

Despite her many unanswered questions, she knew he was good, and their connection remained undeniable. Malina had never been in love before, but the stories she’d heard told her she wanted no part of it, yet here she stood, so in love she could barely function without him invading her thoughts. She spoke to herself in the mirror, checking the rearview mirrors as well. “Stop being a fool. Love makes people stupid.” Then why the hell does it hurt so damn much? No matter what I do, being with him, knowing he’s hiding something important, being without him or giving up on him… It doesn’t matter what I do now. It’s too late.

She blinked, only to sigh when she realized Asriel’s image was unwavering. “Onward and upward… or something like that.”

Malina dialed Abby on the temporary phone she’d bought, just to let her know she’d be back with her car soon, then took one more look at the fit of the cat suit. She left the dressing room in search of Claude, with the cheetah tail swinging behind her and her matching heels click-clacking with each step she took.

Claude turned when she found him in the kitchen. “Ooh la la! You are a vision, my dear.” He blew her a kiss.

Malina kicked one leg out and put her hand on her hip. “So… tomorrow night, then?”

Claude rubbed his hands together. “Perfect. Your fans will be thrilled to see you dance again.”

Chapter Nine

After a quick walk with Megan, Asriel met Sirbiel on the rooftop.

Sirbiel folded his arms, his tattered wings hanging behind him. “Why would The Council send an elite Seeker such as yourself after my granddaughter? You specialize in punishing and killing law-breakers, not protecting Nephilim offspring.”

“I’m here as a Watcher this time, not a Seeker.”

“Who the hell came up with that bright idea? Never heard of a Nephilim warrior switching roles before.”

“Nor have I, and I haven’t been able to find out whose idea it was either. Tell me about Malina.”

“What are you planning to do with her?”

“What Watchers do - protect her.”

Sirbiel laughed, a harsh, grating sound. “But who will protect her from you? All I’ve ever known you to do is destroy, Asriel. I helped train you, remember? What has changed?”

Asriel ignored Sirbiel’s questions. He felt his own was much more important. “I was originally sent to protect Joseph Ward. Uziel said he is connected to Malina. What do you know about him?”

Sirbiel dropped his head, and his voice took on a somber tone. “Joseph was my son, Malina’s father. I tried to protect him, but when one of your Seeker squads found me and relegated me to the state you see me in now, I could no longer watch over him during daylight. That’s when minions murdered him. His mother, my Estelle, took his death very hard, especially because of the way he died, and I nearly lost her too.”

“I am truly sorry, Sirbiel.” Asriel had no other words. His mind continued to associate the loss of family with losing Malina. Just imagining the pain Sirbiel must have suffered, having a family, prized above all else, then losing them, sent a wave of pain through him, and he knew Malina had been through the same.

“It appears someone has lied to you, sent you here under false pretense. Surely The Council knows my son was murdered. It happened eight years ago. Not only that, but minions could not have destroyed him on their own. He was too strong for that. The mindless bastards had to be led by one of the Fallen, or worse, a Seeker commissioned by The Council. You know as well as I do, that either way, The Council would be well aware of Joseph’s death by now.”

Asriel motioned toward the stairs leading to his townhouse, and Sirbiel followed him inside. “I knew at least one of those assholes was lying, but there’s no information linking Joseph to you. I had no idea he was your son. You’re right, of course. His Nephilim blood was too strong for The Council to be unaware of his death.”

“After we are deprived of light, we are no longer privy to the workings on Orlos. Tell me, why did you not assume your Council seat after your father’s death, Asriel?”

“You were with me in Cahokia, Sirbiel. Did you forget what happened? What I did?” It was a rhetorical question.

Sirbiel’s mouth dropped open. “I have not forgotten, but how long will you make yourself pay? It was one act of rage. Do you think the rest of those Council bastards haven’t wrought ten-times the horror of that, probably fifty times over? How long do you think they made themselves suffer for their premeditated atrocities?”

Again, Asriel ignored the line of conversation. His focus lingered on Malina. “Does your granddaughter know anything about you?”

“I’ve done my best to keep her from knowing, but she did inherit that keen Nephilim ability. I’m a shadow she senses, but she has never seen me.”

“Tell me what happened? As I said before, we were led to believe you joined the ranks of the Fallen.”

Sirbiel chuckled, drawing a frown from Asriel. “Malina’s resemblance to my Estelle is uncanny. I still remember the unsettling feeling of restlessness, how I searched for relief, only finding the answer when I met Estelle. I finally understood, then. I became restless at her conception, with her soul calling to mine. I defected, kept the forbidden secrets, and remained undetected by Seekers for more than twenty years. When my punishment was exacted, I had no choice but to stay above ground and watch over my family. I would never join the Fallen. My family is everything to me.”

“So Joseph and your wife knew?”

“Joseph did. He inherited everything, including our wings. Estelle still has trouble grasping most of it, but even as a child, Joseph understood secrets. He hid a great deal from her so she wouldn’t worry. More importantly, how much are you going to allow Malina to know about you?”

“As little as possible.”

Sirbiel’s response surprised him. “But she has feelings for you and you for her. An enemy may have sent you here to expedite your fall, but you don’t have to allow their plan to direct your actions. As her grandfather, it sickens me to say this because I have seen first hand what you are capable of, but you are drawn to Malina, not only as her protector, but as one soul is drawn to another. Even when you were a child, I respected your honesty. You should extend that same honesty to yourself and to Malina. There is an alternative to falling, Asriel.”

“Spit it out, Sirbiel. What is this alternative you speak of?”

“The sun will rise soon, but because I love my granddaughter and want what is best for her, I will leave you with two things. First, you should know that one of the Fallen has a very personal vendetta against you, and he is the one who poses the most immediate threat to my granddaughter.”

Sirbiel glanced at the window, then continued speaking as he headed for the rooftop. Asriel accompanied him, listening carefully.

“The second, and most important thing you should consider is this: You know as well as I do that no Nephilim directed by The Council will ever hurt a female. Each one is too precious to us. Your feelings for Malina have nothing to do with The Council. I’ve learned a great deal in all these years, and I would sacrifice everything again just to be with the woman I love. Are you willing to do the same?”

***

A loud thunderclap struck and sizzled as Malina reached for the door. She heard her phone ringing and pulled it from her pocket. Asriel. Elation and relief immediately converged in a nervous, churning stomach. He had told her he would call, but he’d done so at the worst possible time, when she was headed to Esquire to make her comeback debut. She knew it made no sense, but she felt as if he would somehow know what she was about to do, even over the phone. She decided it would be best to call him back the next day.

Moving backward on a hamster wheel seemed like a perfect description for how Malina felt when, thirty minutes later, she parked Abby’s red Altima in one of the spots reserved for the dancers. She hopped out of the car, activated the alarm, then ran into the back of the club. She hugged Dusty and Bruno, the armed guards, and they opened the steel door and let her in.

“Lee-Lee!” Carmen met Malina right inside the door with her arms outspread. She was dressed in the shortest nurse uniform Malina had ever seen, cut just above her nipples and sleeveless with a bustier-shaped torso. “Oh my goodness. I am so happy to have you back with us.”

“Carmen, you act like I’ve been gone for years. We talked at least once or twice a week after I left.”

“I know, but it’s not the same as hanging out here. I noticed you got your old dressing room back, right next to mine.” Carmen beamed, but her entire expression changed when one of the other dancers passed by and cut her eyes at Malina.

Carmen returned her gaze to Malina. “Once a skeeze, always a skeeze.”

They shared a laugh.

Carmen grabbed Malina’s hands and pulled her down the hall toward their dressing rooms.

“I don’t know what her problem is. Jessie’s always been jealous of you, Lee-Lee, but I know at least one person who’s gonna break his zipper when he sees you.”

Malina frowned, trying to think who Carmen could be referring to.

“Don’t be looking all confused. You know Ben’s been crazy for you since the first time he laid eyes on you.”

“Ben’s still working here?”

“Yep. He’s lead bartender now, and he never stopped asking how to get in touch with you. He always looks so desperate. You should give him a chance.”

“Sounds creepy to me. He never asked me out or even said anything to me. Just stared.” She gave herself a little shake. “Gives me the heebie-jeebies. Anyway, I kinda started seeing someone.” Asriel stayed on her mind, despite all the horrible things she’d spat at him in anger, and she prayed that the passion he exhibited after catching her in his bedroom was a sign of genuine interest.

Carmen tugged at her again. “Hurry. I’m on in fifteen minutes, and you’re right after me.”

Malina’s exuberant friend added one more suggestion just before heading to the stage. “Put your hair up, then let it fall while you’re on the pole. Sexy! Oh, and be prepared.”

“Prepared for what?”

“Claude told Ben you were dancing tonight.”

Damn. As if I need another man to deal with. The only man she wanted to deal with was distant and secretive, and after their last encounter, she had to be realistic about things. No matter how much she loved him, she could not force him to return her affection. As sad as it made her feel, Malina acknowledged that hoping for a relationship with Asriel would only bring more pain.

***

“You have reached the voicemail of Malina Tarver. Please leave your…”

After hearing the automated female voice on Malina’s voice mail for the third time in two hours, Asriel hit the “end call” button, skipped the elevator and stairs, and flew down to his car from the roof. He knew he had no right to be angry, but logic did not seem to matter at the moment. Since he’d tasted her blood, he immediately knew where she was at all times, and something told him she was in trouble yet again.

Flying the entire distance would have been much faster, as the turning of rubber on asphalt was like a slow motion echo of his heartbeat, but he made the thirty-minute trip in twenty, parked in the club parking lot, then forced himself to remain still long enough to regain his composure. Moments later, Asriel stepped inside the club to look for Malina, but a prickly sensation at the back of his neck drew his attention.

He turned and locked his gaze on a man behind the bar. The man’s eyes grew large and round, betraying a minion influence that Asriel recognized immediately. Asriel headed toward the bar, weaving through tables, chairs, and couples on the dance floor. By the time he reached the back wall, the man was gone, leaving the bar deserted.

Asriel pressed his fingers to his forehead. He is of no consequence right now, he tried to remind himself, but the man’s presence confirmed his suspicions and Sirbiel’s statement - Malina had been targeted for years.

Another song started to play, and the crowd roared, standing to clap and cheer. Among all the excited chaos, Asriel turned again and immediately zoned in on the woman they were all lusting after as she gracefully stepped up on stage and wrapped her leg around the dance pole.

Every ounce of calm he’d managed to find seconds earlier dissolved, overrun by a brewing Category Five hurricane. One minute he saw her at the other end of the club, swaying and swiveling her hips to a sexy tune, something about “Fever,” a tantalizing vision in a skin-tight leopard-print leotard and matching pumps, her curly hair flowing over her shoulders, and the next, he was towering over her on the stage before a crowd that had gone completely silent. They stared at him in awe, without so much as a cat call.

Asriel focused all of his attention on Malina. He could not quite place the look on her beautiful face; it was somewhere between shock and terror, and her edible lips formed a silent “Oh” before breathing his name. “Asriel?”

Time stood still, and their gazes locked in silent agreement: No more waiting. Consequences be damned. Asriel fisted her hair in one hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist, then yanked her against him. He claimed her mouth with his the moment their bodies made contact.

Oblivious to the complete absence of sound, with exception of the crooning soloist, “Fever! In the morning. Fever when you hold me tight…,” Asriel lifted Malina into his arms and exited the stage.

“Which one is yours?” he demanded as he headed toward the dressing rooms.

Apparently unable to speak and still somewhat in a daze, she only pointed.

Just as he turned the knob, he caught a glimpse of a woman from the corner of his eye. She was obviously another dancer, because her skimpy costume was quite similar to Malina’s.

“Lee-Lee? You all right?”

From her place in his arms, Malina pressed her lips together, then stuttered, “I-I…think so. Oh! Carmen, this is my friend, Asriel.”

Her emphasis on the word ‘friend’ did not escape him.

She offered him a sideways glance, raising her brows. He ignored her snide introduction and pushed the door open. He set her down on her feet, then stood in the doorway, effectively blocking the other woman from entering. He had no patience for pleasantries; his need to claim her had become a living, breathing force all its own, quickly overtaking his mind, body, and soul, and he no longer had the strength or desire to fight it.

“How did you get here?”

She placed her hands on her voluptuous hips and faced him with bravado, but her runaway heartbeat, coupled with the scent of desire, gave her away. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I borrowed Abby’s car.”

“I’ll take care of it. Please get your things.”

Malina frowned, unmoving.

“Now, Malina.” His voice came out harsher than he wanted, but she immediately moved, doing as he asked.

Asriel turned at the sound of a man’s voice behind him, a voice with a pronounced French accent. “Excuse me, sir. I am Claude, the owner of this fine establishment. Lee-Lee works for me, and she was in the middle of a show. I am afraid I must insist that you—”

Gritting his teeth, he responded as calmly as he could. “Consider Lee-Lee’s show canceled.”

Claude craned his neck, attempting to look around Asriel and speak to Malina. “Lee-Lee, are you all right, my girl?”

Asriel felt fire between his ears. “Malina is not your girl. She’s mine, and she is officially retired.”

Claude’s eyes grew into saucers, and seconds later, two men faced Asriel, big men with their bulky arms crossed in front of him, like a human wall.

Asriel took a breath to calm himself, an effort that failed miserably. He lifted both bouncers with ease, fisting their Esquire logo T-shirts in his hands. Their feet dangled as he strangled them slowly. He pressed them against the far wall, then whispered. “I don’t want to have to hurt anyone tonight, gentlemen, but considering the mood I’m in right now, it won’t take much for you to make me.”

He stared into each one’s eyes and asked, “Are we clear?”

Their thick, sweaty necks bobbed nervously as they strained to breathe, their eyes wide with shock and fear.

Asriel turned to Claude. “If I ever find her in here again, I will hold you personally responsible. Do you understand me?”

“Oui. oui, Monsieur.”

“Good. Now, pay her for tonight because she’s…” He looked at Malina, staring hungrily at the cat suit that revealed every voluptuous curve, sending his libido into overdrive. “…dressed to do the job.”

“I don’t believe you just did that,” Malina whispered, her amber eyes golden fire as she glared at him, making him impossibly hotter. “What gives you the right to—”

Cutting her off, he simply pointed to her suitcase, silently commanding her to keep packing.

After placing a few items in her bag, she turned, facing him again.

“Is that everything?” He wanted to make sure she never had to return to this place or have contact with these people again.

She glared at him and raised her brows; she obviously had no idea her look of defiance only served to heighten the fire already melting his prized reserve. She let out a yelp as he lifted her into his arms again. They passed the other dressing rooms in a blur, their occupants staring at them from the doorways, some with their mouths agape and others just smiling.

Asriel carried her through the back door, covering her with his jacket, and placed her in the passenger seat. He quickly latched her seatbelt around her before taking his place behind the wheel. When he glanced over at her, she swung her head away from him, staring straight ahead.

“Why the hell did you come down here to get me? That was embarrassing. We’re just friends, remember?”

“You wouldn’t answer my calls.”

“So? What, I don’t have a right to refuse your calls now?”

“Not if you don’t want me to come looking for you.”

“I was wrong about you. You’re an ass.”

“Very likely, but we both know what’s happening between us now. I’m sorry I didn’t acknowledge it as soon as you wanted me to.”

“There you go, deciding for me again. What is allegedly happening between us?”

“I’m certain you are mine. I wouldn’t feel this way otherwise. I take my eyes off you for one day, and this is what you do? You don’t even realize the danger you’re in, do you?”

She swung around to face him again, then folded her arms and stared straight ahead before she turned to glare at him once more. “Not all of us are independently wealthy like you, Asriel. I need to save money and get my grandmother out of that run-down nursing home. Now, I need a new phone and car too. I don’t go home with any customers, and I don’t turn tricks. I just dance… and I’m damn good at it.”

“I’m sure you are, but from now on, dance for me alone, please. And for the record, when you’re dressed like that, no one is bothering to admire your…rhythm, or looking at your dancing skills.”

Chapter Ten

Asriel pulled his jacket around her, covering nearly to her knees, and lifted her from the car. She would never admit it to him, but inside, she was purring. This was the side of him she had longed for, and being completely honest with herself, she had yearned for this since meeting him in the pet store, their connection immediate, undeniable, and she had begun to think she would never really get to him or break through his calm veneer. Knowing she had the power to do just that, felt damn good.

He carried her through the lobby, garnering stares from the few people there at that hour. Next, Asriel dropped Abby’s car keys in front of the night desk clerk, and hit the call button soon as they stepped onto the elevator. After just a few words, she realized he was sending a courier for Abby’s car and letting them know where to pick up the keys. Obviously, he did not want to be disturbed. That was fine, though, because neither did she, and watching him handle everything with such authority was like foreplay.

Instead of stopping in his great room, he carried her straight to his bedroom before placing her on her feet. She turned her head to the side and removed his jacket. She handed it to him and then just stood there with the sweetest smile she could manage. Some might say he had already made the first move by showing up at the club to get her, but she wanted more. Her heart could not handle another rejection from him, so she waited and struck a pose.

“I like cats,” Asriel said, smiling at her in the seductive leopard-print cat suit Claude had so wisely selected.

Her lips tilted of their own volition.

“Show me how you get out of that unlawful contraption.”

She removed the Lycra from one shoulder, then the next, then rolled them to force the neckline to a point just above her breasts. She then peeled off each sleeve ever so slowly. Her intention was to get her hooks into him so deeply this time that he wouldn’t be able to back away like he had before.

Her movements were enticing, maddening, even, but her body screamed for her to get on with it. Once her arms were free, she worked the material past her full, high breasts, her espresso nipples sensitized, pebbling from exposure to the slight chill in the air as it zipped through her.

Asriel remained in the same spot. On the surface, he appeared to be perfectly calm, but she could taste his desire as she shuttered her eyes and glanced down to find definitive evidence, the pronounced indentation of his cock pressing against his pants.

Sliding her palms down her ribs to her waist, she grasped the soft knit and slid it further, down to her hips. She swiveled them slowly, snakelike, bending her knees alternately in a private belly dance, then witnessed the dam break.

Asriel covered the distance between them, standing less than an inch from her in an instant, rending the soft material into strips. Then, to her surprise, he stepped back again, leaving her standing there in her leopard stilettos, his blue eyes devouring every inch of her, penetrating her soul when their eyes met.

Before she could breathe again, his mouth was on her, brushing her collarbone. His touch was feather light at first, but then he pointed his tongue, filling the hollows just above that spot, at either side of her neck. He slid his hand around and behind her neck and caressed the nape, then caressed the underside of each breast with the other hand. His fingers drew tiny circles until she stretched, attempting to close the hair of space between their bodies, but Asriel stopped to remove his shirt, one button at a time, slow motions created for torture.

Malina caught the top of his shirt and ripped the fabric downward, forcing the buttons to pop away, and he smiled, placing her hand at the waistband of his pants. She slid one hand inside, using the other to undo his zipper. “Should have known you wore boxers.”

“Logical choice. Cleaner…and, more room.”

He bent slightly, lifted her again, and carried her to the bed. He quickly removed his underwear, then skimmed his fingers along her ankles before removing her heels; each shoe made a thump as it hit the solid wood floor. He slid his palms up her legs, inching closer, little by little until he reached the baby-soft skin of her inner thighs, where he stopped, brushing his lips across each one, sending multiple frissons of pleasure straight to her core.

Malina could not stop her body from twisting from side to side. her hips lifted to meet him when he pressed her thighs farther apart, positioning himself between them, his lips now over her breasts, where he teased and drew, and each pull echoed and multiplied in her clit, the rhythmic sensation pulling her closer and closer to the cliff.

Just as she neared the edge, though, he changed directions, moving to the delicate skin below her navel. There, he kissed and laved as he placed his hand against her folds, separating them to expose her most sensitive spot to his touch.

Her stomach clenched and unclenched in anticipation as he slid down farther, the friction between them, skin against skin, intoxicating in its own right, but nothing could have prepared her for his talented tongue when it wandered inside her. He slowly pressed the soft skin surrounding her clit, vibrating in tiny circles. Her stomach fluttered, and her inner walls pulsed. His rhythm intensified until he flattened his tongue against her, still vibrating, and that contact sent her over the edge, lights flashing, heart pounding, neurons firing as her body exploded.

Asriel lifted himself up, his hands fisted on the bed at each side of her, and plunged inside at once, stimulating every nerve as he thrust deeper and deeper, extending her orgasm. She wrapped her legs around his waist, calling his name as her core stretched to accommodate him, the tide rising again as she met his thrusts, giving as he gave, thrusting forward in unison.

She swiveled her hips and he grasped her waist, flipping her onto her stomach, then palmed the “V” between her thighs, positioning her for his invasion again while gently massaging her clit. Her vaginal walls clenched, yearning for him, and he obliged. This time, the haze lifted just enough for Malina to notice something different, but the thought was lost before it even had a chance to fully develop in her passion-enraptured head.

His cock produced wave-like vibrations inside her, intensifying his penetration, her slick vaginal walls groping and clutching him as he moved in and out. The feel of his heavy cock slowly filling her inch by delicious inch was amazing. He set a slow pace - in, hold, out, in, hold - then gradually increased the tempo, building and building until she panted.

“I-I want to see you,” she said, her voice breathy with excitement.

Asriel stopped, his cock flexing, a throbbing vibration inside her, then turned her to face him again. Malina wrapped her legs around his waist, holding him against her, but instead of entering her immediately, he asked, “Do you accept me?”

Shocked, exasperated, and too aroused to speak, she barely managed to nod, but even that was not enough for him.

“I need you to say it. Please say yes, Malina.”

Why would he wait until this moment to torture me? “Yes. Yes!” She breathed the first assent and yelled the second, letting out a loud “Ohhh!” when he finally slid just the head of his cock inside her, filling her slowly, her vaginal walls relenting, allowing him deeper access before clutching, drawing him in until she felt him so deep inside her core that she finally understood the meaning of being “one” with a man.

She writhed against him, her breasts pressing against his muscular chest. Their hips moved in a sensual dance, the heated friction between them producing moisture where their bodies touched, almost numbing the sharp pain at the juncture of her neck and shoulder - almost.

Before Malina could form the question, he increased the tempo again, the pain in her neck dissipating as he covered her mouth with his, tasting every crevice with his talented tongue; he tasted tangy, sweet, and metallic. The moment she realized what he had done, her body burst apart, a million pieces soaring. She experienced the essence of laughter, tears, exuberance, and freedom all at once as each piece of her soul found its new place, settling into unified ecstasy.

Then Malina lay still, floating, his cock still throbbing slowly inside her. When she opened her eyes and saw huge blue wings stretched across the room and pressed against the ceiling, his lips red with her blood, all she could utter was three words: “Oh. Dear. God.”

***

Coming out of the mental safe place she escaped to when she became overwhelmed, blocking further input, Malina looked around. She folded her legs underneath her on Asriel’s sofa. She wondered if she had fallen asleep there and dreamed up all the events of the last…What time is it anyway?

No light penetrated the window, so she assumed she had only dozed off for a few minutes. When she saw Asriel sitting across from her, silent and waiting, she said, “I’m not crazy, right? You’re sitting there now looking completely human, but you’re not. Earlier tonight you had wings.”

“That was last night. You slept through the day,” Asriel said, “and I still have wings.”

“Oh. You brought me in here from your bedroom?” Her voice sounded hoarse, probably from screaming in pleasure during their lengthy lovemaking session. Her body assured her that their rendezvous was real. She had never experienced pleasure like he’d shown her the night before, but what she saw immediately afterward made no sense, and shouldn’t have been possible.

“No, you are not crazy. Yes, I brought you in here when you fainted. And, to answer the other question you alluded to, but didn’t quite ask, biologically, I am only half human.”

Malina toggled between gratitude for his diagnosis of her sanity, and fear that everything else she thought she knew about the world had suddenly been thrown into question. Questions tumbled around in her head, each attempting to jump ahead of the other. “What’s the other half?” And how the hell did any of this happen? Why am I still so drawn to you? Did you really bite me? Why was making love to you amazing beyond reason? Why do you feel so different inside me?

Before she could blurt out any of those questions, he asked one of his own. “What do you know of Nephilim?” He leaned forward, but did not move toward her.

“Not much. In the Bible they were the children of angels and human women. Are you saying that’s what you are?”

“Yes, a descendant of the originals.”

Well, that explains the wings. Nana crossed her mind. Her constant talk of angels led everyone to believe her mind was failing, yet she had seen Asriel’s wings up close and in vivid color. “I asked you this before, and you lied, told me some bullshit just to shut me up. I want the truth now, Asriel. Why did you really approach me in the pet store?”

“I was sent here to protect you.”

“Sent from where, by whom? Who were you sent to protect me from?”

“The answers to both those questions are...complicated. Let’s just say I came to protect you from my enemies, and I have more enemies than I care to count. The creatures that attacked you are the least of them. They’re called minions, and they are humans who have pledged loyalty to fight with my enemies on the dark side. A common ritual my Fallen brothers employ is to force troubled humans to prove themselves before they will adopt them as their servants. Once the humans prove themselves, usually by killing someone my enemies have targeted or performing some other act to cause problems for us, they are given wings and become… what you saw.”

He looked directly into her eyes, his voice commanding. “The next time you see one, let alone two, do not try to fight them. Just run. They are never far from the Fallen, and they can and will kill you. Do you understand?”

Malina crossed her arms over her chest and stomped her feet down on the floor, facing him. “Don’t insult me by simplifying anything, Asriel. Of course I understand, but I will not run. I’m not screaming or acting irrational yet, so no matter how ‘complicated’ it gets or how long it takes, I do not want you to stop until you’ve told me everything. Do you understand?”

“Okay.” A hint of a smile crossed his handsome face, then his chest moved as he took an audible breath and stood. “I understand what you told me about your adoptive parents and your vow, but I need you to promise me you will run if you’re attacked by minions again.”

She put her feet on the sofa again, wrapping her arms around her knees. “I promise,” she whispered. Asriel had not declared his love like heroes in her fantasy and romance novels, but she felt it down to her bones, his blue eyes said the words he could not.

“You wouldn’t respond when I spoke to you or touched you. I watched you all night and day. You haven’t eaten anything since before you went to the club last night, so I’ll send for something. Then we can talk.”

She nodded, a mixture of anxiety and exhilaration pumping a steady fight or flight response through her veins, but she managed to remain calm…on the outside. She realized an entire day had passed since she saw Asriel’s true form, but the hours could have just as easily been minutes.

She watched him as he spoke with someone on the phone, then returned with two glasses of water. He handed one to her before taking his seat across from her again.

“Your biological father, Joseph Ward, was sired by someone like me. Just like me. In fact, your grandfather was one of my trainers when I was a child on Orlos, where I’m from. He still watches over you, but his resources are…limited.” Asriel sighed.

“Go on,” she coaxed, sipping her water.

Asriel frowned. “I can’t believe how calmly you’re taking all of this. Are you sure you’re all right?”

She set her glass down on the coffee table. “No, I wouldn’t say I’m all right, but you would not believe the things I’ve thought, the things I’ve told myself about the images and shadows I’ve seen, the dreams I’ve had throughout my life. I can’t remember ever having the luxury of believing I was normal. Yes, sitting here listening to you tell me all of my fantasies and nightmares are real is…well, surreal is the best word I can come up with, but to know I’m not losing my mind is such a relief. In a way I’m…grateful. Grateful that there’s a reason for the things that never made sense before. Does that sound somewhat logical to you?”

He nodded. “Yes. It does.”

“I do have another question, though. Weren’t all of the Nephilim destroyed in the flood?”

“Obviously not. Even in your Bible it says some of us survived. Most people seem to miss that part. Just before the Great Deluge, a group of my ancestors fled to another dimension. A parallel world, you might call it, and there is an ongoing war between us. Most people are oblivious to it, but when you were able see me before I revealed myself to you, I knew you were different, and I’m not sure why, but the attacks on you are personal. Your father, and now you, because you are important to me.”

“It all sounds like the scary kind of science fiction, but I really like the part about being important to you, and I’ve caught glimpses of the war in my nightmares. I always prayed it wasn’t real.”

“I’m sure it does, but you told me you like sci-fi, so welcome to my world, Malina, and I truly wish it were just fiction, but the war has raged since the beginning of time, and I assure you it is very real. Our high priest…” He hesitated.

“You don’t have anything equivalent to a high priest here on Earth, but he basically has absolute power. He has a group of advisers, and together, they form The Council, our ruling body. There are thousands of surviving Nephilim on Orlos, but nearly all of us are male. At the time of the flood, most of our women were trapped underground, and there was no time to save them. Since then, only 1 child in 500 has been female.

Council members are guaranteed wives. Warriors like me and Sirbiel, your grandfather, stand almost no chance of having a family due to the scarcity of female Nephilim. When Sirbiel left Orlos and married your grandmother, he broke the cardinal rule, just as I did with you last night. Many warriors have defected to find a life mate, but it is a crime punishable by death.”

“Is my grandfather dead then?” Malina thought of Nana and her night visitor again.

“No, but…”

“But what?”

“He’s been punished by The Council. They stripped him of his light, condemning him to walk at night. He is unable to view or withstand the sun, and he needs human blood to survive.”

“You…I…no, you’re not kidding, are you? You never kid. Um, so you’re telling me my grandfather is a vampire?”

“Actually, he’s a Fallen Nephilim who has chosen to live above ground instead of fighting beside our enemies, but if vampire is more familiar to you, I suppose that’s fine.”

“Will that happen to you too, because you slept with me?” Malina’s breathing became shallow. The thought of losing Asriel after all, robbed her of air.

“I don’t know the extent of it, but I will face punishment. At the very least, I’ll need human blood to survive, because my body can’t produce antigens on its own. Without human blood, I will die of disease.”

“You knew all this and you still…?”

Asriel smiled, and she melted, the desire to feel him inside her right then and there forcing her to press her thighs together.

“Yes, and I would do it again.”

“I…The thought of you suffering because of me… I just don’t know how to…Of course I don’t want you to have to suffer, but last night was the most beautiful, fulfilling night of my life. I…why can’t they just leave us alone?”

“Because possessing the power of angels and the free will of humans goes against the law of the One God. It is not permitted, and we were never meant to be. We are a forbidden race, Malina.”

Malina stood. “Wait a minute. If my grandfather…Sirbiel, right?”

“Right.”

“Okay, if Sirbiel is Nephilim like you, forbidden, as you say, doesn’t that mean I’m…Wait. What do you mean, like you did with me? And what’s a life mate? Does that mean you left your home for me?” Am I his life mate now, whatever that is, exactly?

Asriel stood and took a few steps toward her, but she was grateful he did not try to touch her. Everything he told her was spinning around in her head like a hurricane, only to come to a bottleneck. She needed time and space to grasp it all, but “life mate” sounded serious and permanent. As much as she liked the sound of being with Asriel forever, fear of losing him cast a dark pall over her happiness.

He stood within arms reach, hesitant as if choosing his words. “I…We joined last night.”

“Well, thank you for sharing that with me, Asriel, but that’s the one thing I sorta figured out on my own. Does the fact that we ‘joined’ mean something different to you than it does to me and everybody else?”

He touched one of her wayward curls, sliding it between his thumb and forefinger, and she instantly relaxed, much of her anxiety dissolving.

“Yes, Malina. Our joining means everything to me. Before you, my life was consumed by war, adhering to rules, and punishing others for breaking laws I no longer agree with. As a Stratos warrior, a specially trained fighter among my people and one of the commanders of our army, including Seekers, the very warriors who locate and punish defectors like me and your grandfather, all I have ever known is war and vengeance. You have given me a reason to live, Malina, and that is priceless, no matter the punishment.”

Malina nibbled her bottom lip, still afraid to believe he meant what she thought he meant. She had never been the kind of person whose dreams came true, at least not the good ones. True to herself, however, she moved toward him anyway, closing the gap between herself and the man who had the power to crush her very soul with just a few words. Her confession of love lingered on the tip of her tongue, but just as she opened her mouth to speak it, Asriel put his finger to his lips to silence her and shifted his gaze to the roof.

She grabbed a poker from the fireplace, preparing to fight, but he grabbed her and shook his head. Oh, yeah. I’m supposed to run. Right. She could not hear anything, but Asriel’s entire stance had changed. He pulled her even closer to him and released his wings, causing a burst of air accompanied by a loud whoosh!

He used one of them to shield her and backed her into a corner with his arm, the silky feathers acting as a thick curtain, allowing no light in. While she could not see the unexpected visitor, what she heard alarmed her enough.

“Asriel.” The visitor’s voice sounded so much like Asriel’s, including the accent, Malina knew he had to be Nephilim too, and from what Asriel had told her just moments ago, having one of them show up at his home unannounced could only mean bad news.

“Camael.”

“I am here to personally escort you to The Council. You have been summoned. Uziel will watch over the female.”

The Female? Something about the way he used her gender to refer to her made her sound like livestock, and she immediately disliked him.

Asriel stepped away from her, allowing her to see Camael, a vision nearly as breathtaking as Asriel. His skin was the color of onyx, but he had the same blue eyes and wings as Asriel. The combination of his presence and Asriel’s was almost too much for the large room.

Suddenly, another one appeared beside him seemingly out of thin air. Malina blinked, reaching for Asriel.

He turned to her and pulled her beside him, his voice calm and reassuring. “These are my brothers, Camael and Uziel. Camael is Council. We share the same mother, and Uziel is a Watcher. They will never harm you.”

Malina glanced at Camael again, and even more questions popped into her mind. She then watched the one who had popped into the room from nowhere, and he nodded, smiling at her. She swallowed, wondering if Asriel could do the magical appearing thing, too. Uziel’s brown wings and amber eyes set him apart from Asriel and Camael, but his features were no less striking.

She felt like a famous porn star surrounded by unbelievably gorgeous men, but…not.

Camael’s blue gaze darted back and forth from her to Asriel several times, his lips curving into a smile, and he laughed, addressing Asriel. “Oh, big brother, you are in trouble now.”

Camael came closer and reached out toward Malina, but Asriel grabbed his wrist and gave it a firm twist. “Don’t touch her.”

“No need to resort to violence, brother. You marked her. Asriel, Asriel, Asriel,” he said, shaking his head and clicking his tongue. “I have never seen you act so irrationally before. You have no idea the pleasure it gives me.”

The animosity between them was palpable, and Malina’s stomach knotted in response. She feared for Asriel. She did not understand the details, but he had told her he was in violation of their law for being with her, yet they had sent him here to protect her. The whole thing made no sense. Why would this Council they keep talking about send him here, then reprimand him because he got close to me?

Uziel stood back and listened to the brothers’ banter, hunching his shoulders when Malina made eye contact as if he was saying “They do this all the time.” She frowned in response, reaching for Asriel again. “Talk to me. Isn’t there something I can do to stop him from taking you back?”

Camael laughed again, louder, and Asriel glared at him. “Shut the fuck up, Camael, you self-centered ass! Give me a moment to speak with her.”

Camael backed away and stood beside Uziel again, but Asriel turned to them both and yelled. “Alone!”

When they both disappeared, Malina pointed to the space they had occupied just moments before. “That, uh…disappearing act - can you do that, too?”

“Yes.” Asriel touched her arm with one hand, caressing her face with the other, his blue eyes warm and sorrowful. “I have to go with my brother, but Uziel will stay here to protect you. I’m sorry for everything I didn’t tell you. I anticipated this, so I made arrangements for you while you slept. Take care of Megan for me. I…”

Malina placed her finger over his mouth and kissed him there, still reeling mentally and emotionally from what felt like a whirlwind. “I don’t understand any of this. Still in a daze, honestly, trying to make sense of it. The one thing I do know is that I love you, so whatever happens, promise you’ll come back to me.”

Asriel smiled, holding both her hands in his as he backed away.

“Promise me, Asriel. You still haven’t told me for sure what a life mate is, and I get the distinct impression you’re talking about something more than just making love when you say we ‘joined’…”

Before she could finish her plea, he disappeared, his presence replaced by stark emptiness, leaving her hollow inside, another first. Malina had never loved anyone enough to feel like part of her was missing when they departed, yet with Asriel absent from her life, she knew she would never rest until he returned to her.

Uziel instantly appeared, cleared his throat, clasped his hands together, then spoke for the first time. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Malina. Asriel has safe-guarded his home against those who would do you harm, and I will accompany you wherever you need to go. You are safe with me.”

Chapter Eleven

Transporting directly into Council headquarters was forbidden. Asriel and Camael arrived just outside the courtyard and walked in together. Asriel kept his eyes straight ahead. The natural stone floor was overlain with a clear, indestructible covering that absorbed sound, creating an unnatural silence Asriel had always found disturbing, but there was little he could do to change it. The moment he landed, the feeling of restlessness returned. He hated this place, and hated that his father had been a member of The Council even more. Most of all, he hated being away from Malina.

As they continued their march across the expansive courtyard, he wondered what Malina was doing, struck by the fact that if he had accepted his Council seat when his father was killed, he never would have met her, and now he might never see her again because of that very Council. Leaving her in Uziel’s care was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do, and every second away from her was a new method of torture.

Asriel expected to be greeted by every member of The Council, but instead, only one approached him - his mother, Alerian, blood sister to the high priest. “Asriel. Camael. My sons.”

He could count the times on one hand he had seen his mother, let alone stood so close to her. Honoring custom, he dropped to one knee to pay respect, and Camael followed suit, never one to be outdone.

“Camael, leave us. I wish to speak with Asriel alone.”

Camael’s entire demeanor changed from one of victor to dejected lamb as he left the room with his head bowed.

Much to Asriel’s surprise, his mother touched him, her hand soft and warm on his head, even comforting. His heartbeat slowed to a normal pace. He could not remember her touch, but he imagined their last physical contact was before he was weaned from her breast.

“My son. Such a likeness to your father, may he rest with The One God.”

Her voice rolled over his senses like a welcome, soothing balm, but his summons remained on his mind, along with the consequences of his abrupt departure from Malina and the unresolved circumstances surrounding his father’s death.

He looked up, his blue eyes meeting their match. “Most revered Mother.”

She smiled. “When you renounced your rightful Council seat, I decided to give you time, hoping you would, at some point, forgive yourself for actions over which you had no control. Unfortunately, you have too much of your father in you, for like him, you seem to insist on punishing yourself. It has become a way of life for you, just as it was for him.”

Asriel bowed his head again, listening and remembering as his mother spoke of his actions in Cahokia, an ancient city, his last Watcher mission before The Council revoked his Watcher status, relegating him to train Seekers and warriors instead.

“For that reason, I took your well-being upon myself and laid it upon Israfil’s heart to commission you as a Watcher…to help you remember.”

Israfil. Asriel kept his head bowed. He had never cared for Camael’s father. Like Camael, Israfil always reeked of dishonesty, and his position on The Council was a terribly sad turn of events. He glanced up at his mother, a silent request for permission to speak. When he felt her silent gaze, he began.

“Regretfully, Mother, I fear I have disappointed you yet again.”

Alerian laughed, and a light tinkling echoed in his heart. “You have always managed to sadden me and wrap yourself around my heart even tighter with your actions, Asriel. This is something only you have the ability to do, as my firstborn, a constant reminder of your father, the only man who ever won my heart. All of that aside, however, we must consider a solution to set things in order again.”

She sighed and touched his shoulder. “Come. Let us sit and resolve this upset at once.”

Upset? Asriel assumed the so-called upset was not only his refusal to accept his seat on The Council, but his unexpected feelings for Malina as well. He stood and followed his mother to a lounge that overlooked the entire province of Orlos in one sweeping, panoramic view.

Alerian motioned for him to sit beside her. “First, tell me what you remember about Cahokia and your time there.”

Asriel had no desire to relive the tragedy, but he closed his eyes and obediently revisited the time just before the city’s destruction, relaying those memories to his mother…

The ancient city bustled with energy, their wealth unrivaled, but Asriel fought to maintain control as the self-appointed leaders led a small group of people to the altar, blindfolded with heavy gray robes covering their bodies. There were twelve, always twelve, accused of committing some crime. The ritualistic garb made identifying them impossible. The chosen, as the blindfolded people were called, were forced to kneel around the altar, each representing one hour of the sun’s reign. Forbidden from interfering, Asriel watched the barbaric ritual once again, becoming concerned when he did not see his appointed charge arrive with the other women.

Onlookers came and went, and the event lasted until the sun offered its last flicker of light. Just before the first sacrifice, the stone altar was moved, revealing a fiery pit symbolizing the sun. Asriel’s interest waned with each hour, with each sacrifice, but his instincts forced him to remain.

Just as relief started to settle in, as the sun waned and the event neared its end, Asriel’s heartbeat started to race. When the henchman reached to touch the last sacrifice of the day, Asriel felt as if he was being torn apart. Pain resonated throughout his body, and his eyes blazed as fire filled his blue irises, searing everything in his vicinity, a power he had refused to use ever since that day. His wings emerged, lifting of their own volition.

Asriel soared above them, drawing screams and prayers for mercy. Many associated his power with that of the sun, as fire spewed from his eyes like the breath of some ancient furious dragon. He carefully lifted the last sacrifice, his charge, from the henchman’s grasp and shoved the executioner into the pit instead. Some fell to their knees, some ran, while others gazed up in reverence, uttering prayers.

He heard them, but nothing could quell the anger that raged inside him, a fury that demanded release. He tried to control the fire, to rein it in somehow, but there was no controlling such hellfire and wrath once it was unleashed. The woman he rescued did not even know him. He had always watched over her in silence, like a shadow, guarding her life with his own. He had never questioned why, but now, decades later, he saw her face again.

He opened his eyes and looked at his mother, realizing for the first time, the connection between the two missions. “Who was she?”

Alerian smiled again, her blue eyes warm. “If not for her, there would be no Malina. In a sense, you were sent to safeguard your own future. The woman you saved was an ancestor of Malina’s grandmother. That line of human lives will always be connected to ours. So you see, you had no choice, my son. You had to react as you did. Her life had to be spared, no matter the cost.”

Asriel shook inside, and as the chill ran through him, he hoped his mother could not read his mind. Cold, ruthless, and formidable, he thought of her, characteristics belied by her stark beauty. Alerian’s ability to plan and manipulate were unrivaled.

“You have feelings for this Malina, do you not?”

“Yes, I do.”

“As she is at least one-quarter Nephilim, you will accept your seat on The Council, bring her here, and marry her.”

What? “He bowed his head again, partially out of reverence, but mostly to keep her from seeing disbelief and anger in his eyes. The unmitigated gall! She had put him through hell, allowed him to question himself, to trample Malina’s heart, only to force him to accept a fucking Council seat? No! No! “Regretfully, I must decline. She would not be happy here.”

“Her happiness is worth your fall, my son, the loss of your light? You no longer have immunity to human disease. You will be forced to drink human blood to survive there. Is this what you prefer?” Alerian raised her voice, but her face remained calm.

“If that is my only option, yes.”

“Damn you, Asriel, and I do mean that in every sense of the word. This woman knows nothing of our ways and little more of you, yet you would sacrifice everything you know for her, despite what I am trying to do for you?”

“I am—”

Alerian put her hand up, cutting him off. “You have always been so very wise, even as a child, and yet…”

She stood, pacing, her flowing white gown adding to her regal beauty, so at odds with her viciousness. “There is no changing your mind, I suspect. When did you become so ungrateful, Asriel? I have given you every opportunity, taken it upon myself to locate your life mate for you because I knew you were too wrapped up in following rules to follow your own heart. Now, instead of bringing her here to sit beside you, instead of serving your own kind as you should, you throw all of this in my face, as if you owe me nothing for my troubles.”

“No, that is not my intention, most Revered Moth—”

She slapped him, raking her nails across his jaw, the wounds healing before he spilled blood. “Stop that! It is a mockery, and I will not tolerate it. If you truly revere me, you will do as I ask. Your uncle, the high priest, should have his blood at his back, second in command, not some male from a completely different bloodline.”

Asriel looked at her questioningly, and doubts about his father’s death began to resurface as more pieces were added to the puzzle, but even that would have to wait. His restlessness grew with each minute away from Malina, and once again, he knew she was in trouble.

“Does your Malina at least know she is married to you now? Does she understand that she is your life mate? That you will require her blood or the blood of others to survive on Earth, that despicable orb of infidels?”

“I have not told her every—”

She stopped pacing and faced him again. “You have lain with her, so she had to accept you. Is this correct?

“Yes.”

“Then what is this hesitance I sense in your voice?”

“I did not have time to explain everything to her, Mother.”

Alerian laughed, a loud bark, then mellowed her voice, almost cooing. “Hush. I tire of this conversation. I will not allow The Council to take your light; thus, you will not be forced to walk by night, forsaking the sun as per Orlosian law. Nevertheless, a sacrifice must be made, and you will suffer.”

She touched the top of his head with one hand and placed her other on his forehead to tilt his face toward her. She smiled as she said, “I love you more than you know.”

Asriel caught a glimpse of fire gathering in her eyes and learned the origin of that inherited ability milliseconds before the blaze struck his own, forcing him to jerk. His body convulsed from unimaginable pain, so intense he could no longer think, certain that his eyes were being viciously torn from their sockets. He heard his mother’s voice as if through a tunnel, and he landed on his side, dropped from Orlos to Earth like a discarded stone, his dense bones breaking on contact.

Chapter Twelve

Uziel kept his distance, polite but ever present, allowing Malina to go about her business without interference for the most part. Whenever she moved outside his range of vision, though, he followed her, keeping his hands clasped in front of him or behind his back. He also refused to answer any of her questions about Asriel.

“I don’t think Asriel would be too happy about you watching me use the restroom, do you?” she asked as she stepped into the bathroom and started to close the door.

He stopped and arched his eyebrows. “No, I am certain he would not. Please be brief. If anything happens to you while you are in my care, I—”

“Fine.” She cut him off, grateful for a few moments alone in the restroom. She tried not to think of anything bad happening to Asriel, but her stomach continued to perform nervous flips. Asriel commanded a certain amount of bad-assery, but she could not get enough of watching Uziel’s fearful reaction whenever she mentioned that something might make Asriel unhappy. She looked in the mirror, took her time to wash her hands, and spoke aloud to herself. “My Asriel can handle those Council assholes. Nothing to worry about.”

Her stomach answered with another somersault, and tears filled her eyes. She dashed them away, angry with herself for worrying. He’ll be fine. He has to be. I can’t lose anybody else. As soon as she washed her hands and touched the doorknob, preparing to leave the restroom and rejoin her babysitter, her phone rang.

“Miss Tarver, this is Peter Arthur. I apologize for calling you on the weekend, but my son is not doing well, and honestly, I am in desperate need of some answers. If you can join me here at the hospital, I will pay you double, no, make that triple for your time.”

Malina hesitated, suspicious of his motives. She did her best to come up with a cordial, plausible excuse. “Mr. Arthur, I—”’

He interrupted, apparently realizing she was about to refuse his request. “Uh, I understand you have a grandmother in the nursing home. I could make arrangements to have her moved to a higher quality facility, in addition to paying you, that is.”

“How do you know about my grandmother?” She didn’t care about the money. With everything that had happened over the last few days, her financial problems paled in comparison, but Nana’s happiness and well-being were always paramount. Her desire to do something right for someone in her life meant everything.

“Her name is in your employee file, and I make it a point to know as much as possible about the people who work for me.”

Despite red flags, her instincts telling her he was not telling her everything, the thought of Nana being free from that place, some place nicer, changed everything. “I’m stuck right now, but I’ll be there soon as I can get away.”

If only he knew how literal that statement is.

Malina pursed her lips, refusing to allow the strangeness of her situation to affect her, and devised a quick plan to slip away from Uziel. She stepped out of the bathroom holding her stomach as if in pain.

Uziel moved closer, but he always stayed at least two feet away from her. She wondered what that was about, and she prayed Asriel would be back soon so she could ask him about it.

“Are you unwell, Malina?”

She closed her eyes, doing her best to look as sick and pitiful as possible, groaning as she sat down on the sofa. “It’s probably nothing. I think I’m just worried about Asriel, but I can’t seem to get my stomach to settle down.”

“If it were not forbidden, I would heal you myself, but Asriel is the only one permitted to do so now.”

“What do you mean? Permitted to do what? And why is he the only one?”

“According to Orlosian law, Asriel is the only one who is allowed to touch you, since you are…” Uziel stopped, a look of confusion crossing his beautiful face.

Malina tried to press him for more information, but he refused to say anything else. At least before, they had engaged in light conversation, but now he would not speak to her at all. She had quite a few more questions for Asriel when he returned because once again, he’d kept something of major importance from her. It seemed the more she tried to get to know him, the more he seemed to evade her.

Attempting to distract Uziel, she picked up the remote and turned on the television, then stood slowly, keeping her hand pressed against her abdomen. She retrieved her purse from Asriel’s guest bedroom, with Uziel right on her heels, and started rummaging through it as she returned to the great room. Next, she went back to the bathroom, turned on the water, and yelled out, “Uziel, can you please look in Asriel’s cabinets in the bedroom and bring me my medicine? I thought I had it in here, but I must have put it in his room somewhere.”

“You should be very careful what you ingest, Malina.”

She glared at the bathroom door before catching herself. “I will.”

Dismissing the string of epithets running through her mind, she left the water running, closed the bathroom door, waited until he left the room, then Grabbed Megan and her leash, the keys to the elevator, and Asriel’s car. She jumped on, knowing her chance of escape would be narrow with that flashing ability they all seemed to have, but she gambled that Uziel would not be as apt to instantly appear in a room full of people. Hopefully there’s some stupid angel law against that, too.

As soon as the elevator stopped, she stepped off and glanced around to make sure he had not used some other supernatural ability to catch her. When she was sure the coast was clear, she rushed to Asriel’s car. Grateful that Megan was used to jumping in, she breathed in Asriel’s scent when she slid behind the steering wheel. She took a moment to allow his earthy sandalwood aroma to fill her lungs. God. Do all of them smell addictive or is it just that I’m so in love with this one?

Malina kissed Megan on her furry head and opened the back door to drop her off with Abby.

Abby swung the door open with her mouth open and folded her arms. “What the hell is going on, Lina? I called and you didn’t answer, then I even called that mysterious hunk you decided to move in with on a whim and I didn’t get an answer there either. I almost called Matt, I got so...And who the hell is that?” she asked, pointing to Megan. “Seriously, girl, you can’t just keep bringing strays in here all the time. This is not a kennel club.”

“She’s Asriel’s, and she’s really sweet. I can’t explain right now, Abby, but I will. I promise. Later. Please watch my babies for me, and don’t you dare call Matt.”

Megan stepped inside the apartment and looked up at Abby as if she was introducing herself.

Abby frowned, twisting her lips as if deciding what to do. “Come on, Abby. You know me. I’m always in some kind of trouble, but I always manage to make it through. Asriel’s helping me with something important and I have not moved in with him. It’s just temporary. It’s complicated. Okay?”

Abby looked at her, still undecided, but at least listening, so she pressed her edge. “Please, Abby. Just look after Jasper and Megan for me and I’ll call you as soon as I can. Give me a few more days, all right?”

“Okay.” Abby did not look pleased as she closed the door behind her.

***

Thankful that the hospital was close, Malina managed to drive there in just over ten minutes. She felt guilty about sneaking out on Uziel. He seemed very kind, and he was only trying to watch over her, but his unwillingness to tell her anything about Asriel was annoying, to say the least. She took a deep breath, ignoring the feeling that sneaking out on Uziel and coming to the hospital alone was not a good decision. Instead, she placated herself by thinking about how happy Nana would be if she could manage to get her some place nicer, with exercise classes and activities.

She parked in the hospital’s five-story garage and ran inside to meet Mr. Arthur, surprised to hear him arguing with someone when she got to Pete’s floor. “I won’t go through with it. I’ve done what you asked, now save my son! You told me that if I called her you’d—”

“Don’t tell me what I said. You are in no position to bargain, so I suggest you drop the fake altruism and get on with it. Otherwise, your son will never see the light of day again. Actually, I’ve already more than fulfilled my end, keeping him alive this long. He would have died days ago if not for me. Your son was drained by a vampire. The only thing keeping him alive is my superior blood.”

Just as Malina reached the room, she recognized the same rattling noise she had heard when the creature attacked her outside the club months ago. There was something ominous and frighteningly familiar in the voice of the man who was arguing with Mr. Arthur. She went on instant red alert and backed away slowly.

When Mr. Arthur had called, he sounded as if he desperately needed her help, but what she overheard at the hospital revealed an entirely different picture. Mr. Arthur had been recruited by those hideous creatures to lure her there while Asriel was too far away to protect her, and he’d used her love for Nana to do it.

Realizing she did not have time to wait for the elevator, she took the stairs, chiding herself for ignoring her instincts and allowing herself to be duped so easily. Assaulted by an awful stench, she turned when someone grabbed her shoulder, nearly tumbling down the stairs backwards when she saw what was glaring back at her: red eyes, rotten, alligator-like teeth, a shadow of something that used to be human, and there were two of them. Minions, she thought, recalling Asriel’s warnings.

Setting aside her vow to never run from a fight, Malina caught her balance, shook the hand off and raced down the stairs, footsteps pounding in her head, echoing her heart as it pounded faster and faster. She did her best to heed Asriel’s advice. According to him, this was a fight she could not win.

As she rounded the banister to take the next flight of stairs down, one of the horrible creatures popped up right in front of her, grabbing her around the waist, blowing his putrid breath in her face as he spoke. “Where’s your lover, now?” he taunted. “We hear he’s been a bad boy. I hope you fucked him good, ‘cause he’s gonna pay for it. By the time they’re finished with him, he won’t even be able to protect himself, let alone look after you.”

Horrified and furious over the disgusting creature’s words, Malina lifted her knee and jabbed him in the groin, only to be shocked when his only response was a sing-song mockery.

“Oh! oh, that really hurts,” he teased.

Oh, shit. They’re dickless with no balls? And they do the disappearing thing, too?

Allowing her instincts and training to take over, she stomped his instep with the heel of her shoe, causing him to bend forward, then gave him an upper-cut to his throat. He gagged, giving her the opening she needed to dash around him. She took off, but before she could get three steps away, the other minion appeared in front of her and roughly grabbed her arm.

She took a step back and twisted, then swiveled, landing a round kick to his knees. He yelled as she took off running again. She quickly rounded the next flight of stairs, reached the bottom, and hit the exit door. She planned to take the elevator, but her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she heard a booming voice much like Asriel’s, only this one was marred by the tell-tale rattling sound.

“Stop! I know where your grandmother is, and no one, no matter how vigilant, can watch over her twenty-four hours a day. Asriel will never be allowed to return, so if I destroy your grandmother and your friend Abby, then move on to both of your brothers, it will just be you and me. Is that what you want?”

Malina stopped, anger boiling inside her again. She knew Asriel would be pissed, but she refused to keep running. The thought of something happening to her loved ones again because of her brought out her she-wolf. She turned to face the one she heard Mr. Arthur arguing with.

“Well, well. Beautiful and brave. Excuse my rudeness. Hamiel is my name.” He stared at her, unblinking, and smiled, his gray eyes hard, flinty. “Ever wonder why you were adopted?” he asked. “Why the sweet couple who took you in had to die so young?”

Malina could not stop her knees from shaking as she planted her feet more firmly on the ground.

Chapter Thirteen

Asriel opened his eyes to utter and complete darkness. He still felt the blazing fire behind them, in his skull as his entire body trembled from pain. He was unable to see anything except flashing lights from Alerian’s angel-fire. His mother had cast him down to Earth in a state between Fallen and Stratos warrior. She had refrained from stripping him of his light, thus he was not relegated to darkness, but he would still need human blood to survive, and he would need it soon. The energy he’d required in order to heal his broken bones had depleted his strength to a critical level. Only human blood could rejuvenate him.

He pushed himself up, every muscle and bone protesting as his joints realigned themselves, locking into place again. As he stood, the sounds of screams and heavy, running footfalls echoed in his head. The popping and cracking of fire suddenly registered in his ears, and he smelled the flames that surrounded him. Heat and smoke made breathing difficult. There were chimes and sirens, alarms, voices on intercoms, and the squeaking of wheels on linoleum, indicating that he had landed in a hospital.

Malina. He was relieved that his mother had at least had the decency to transport him to her location; either that, or he was somehow automatically drawn here. Asriel was not certain, but he knew Malina was close. He closed his burning eyes and relied on his other keen senses to determine her exact location.

The only escape route available to him was up. Although his superior system made him hard to kill, fire was one element he could not survive, and flying or transporting without vision could be suicide, but he made the most logical choice and released his wings to rise above the inferno.

Just as he began his ascent, he heard a familiar voice above him: “Asriel. Through here. Your female, she slipped away from me, and now they have her.”

Asriel tilted his head in the direction of the voice, making the most of his other senses to mitigate the damage his mother had done to his eyes.

Uziel whistled. “Brother, you look like hell. Your eyes are…dead. There’s no life in them.”

“Thank you for informing me of that, Uziel. Now just get me the hell out of here!”

“Oh! Yes. Sorry about that.”

Asriel heard scrambling, and seconds later, he felt Uziel’s hand on his shoulder, transporting him outside the building where he immediately breathed in Malina’s intoxicating scent, tinged with fear. He realized they had to be on the hospital roof.

He knew the moment Malina saw him, her heart rate slowing to match his own as she calmed down. In less dire circumstances, he could have taken a moment to enjoy her confidence in him, but after slowing and quieting his own pulse, he identified the presence of two minions, accompanied by a Fallen Nephilim, all advancing on him.

Apparently, Malina was being held by a human male he could not identify without his sight. Asriel pulled his swords from their invisible sheaths and prepared for battle; even a Nephilim could not heal from the wounds those swords inflicted. As expected, Uziel, who was no warrior, quickly vanished, leaving Asriel alone to face Malina’s captors.

Just as he taught the warriors under his command to do, he squatted low, balancing his large frame over both feet. His senses were on high alert, his swords at the ready across his body, anticipating his opponents’ every move. He shut everything else out, paying no mind to the running footsteps and frantic screams coming from inside the building and all around him, then focused on the Fallen Nephilim. Those who chose to fight in the Unnamed One’s army and reside with The One God’s arch enemy were much more powerful than vampires who remained on Earth.

The minions closed in with their swords drawn, but the Fallen Nephilim stood back, watching for weaknesses. Asriel relegated his weakened state to the recesses of his mind, refusing to allow his body’s groans of pain to distract him. He parried and blocked their attempts, keeping both of them in front of him by making several preemptive attacks.

When one of the minions moved just a little too close, Asriel jabbed his sword into the lower left side of the creature’s abdomen, aiming for his liver. At that very moment, the Fallen Nephilim transported just behind him and launched his own attack, thrusting his sword toward Asriel’s left shoulder blade for an immediate kill, but Asriel ducked and turned instead, sliding his foot out to throw the Fallen off balance.

Asriel heard one of the minions hit the ground behind him, apparently struck by the Fallen Nephilim’s blow, but the Fallen continued without hesitation, forcing him to transport from his crouching position and rid himself of the last minion who was now at his back to replace the injured one. Asriel made quick work of slicing through the minion, but he was distracted by Malina’s yell and missed the movement of the Fallen. A sharp pain along his ribs and corresponding loss of more of his precious blood drew his attention back to the immediate need to overcome his opponent so he could help her.

“Oh, mighty Asriel. You have no idea how long I have waited for this moment. I considered just throwing your life mate off the building when I smelled you on her, since that’s what you did to mine, but why waste a good female of Nephilim blood? After I kill you, who knows? Perhaps I will find her suitable and deserving of me. She is quite delectable to look upon, and the scent of her blood is pure bliss.”

Asriel tamped down the rage brewing inside him, understanding the advantage of a cool head. “I never touched your life mate or anyone else’s. It is not our way.”

“It is ‘not our way’? Listen to yourself, still spouting off rules. You don’t even remember me, do you? To you, I’m just another defector, and my one-of-a-kind mate was just another temptation.

When you and your fucking Seekers stole my light just because I couldn’t bear being alone anymore, she jumped from this building and took her own life. You may as well have thrown her off with your own two hands. I am Hamiel, and the name of my mate whose life you stole, was Maria. She was the only one for me, and you didn’t think twice about taking her from me. By the time I’m finished with you and your precious Malina, you’ll never forget our names again!”

Asriel regretted what happened, but he realized nothing he said could change the way his former Nephilim brother felt. Before Malina, he never thought about the life mates left behind once defectors were located and punished.

The Fallen began transporting from one spot to another, taking advantage of Asriel’s inability to see him. Asriel heard Malina yell again, but this time he recognized her cry as one of triumph. Malina spoke to someone, her speech rushed, but unafraid, and suddenly Asriel had more company, an ally to help distract Hamiel.

Asriel released his wings, flying straight up, his Fallen brother following, and they clashed in the air. Hamiel kicked Asriel in his chest, but Asriel used his wings to regain his balance, performing lightning-fast cross-slashes with his swords while he did so. The swishing sounds created an echo, helping him identify the location of his opponent, but the act also drained his limited energy..

He dropped suddenly, losing altitude as his weakened body reacted to the germs and toxins that saturated Earth’s atmosphere. Not only that, but his desire for blood quickly morphed into something much stronger; a great need, an insatiable hunger. His unprepared cells began to give way, losing the battle against human disease, and the very environment surrounding him began to infect and weaken his body. Feeling a slight breeze behind him, he turned just in time to block a death blow to his neck as his opponent attempted to sever his head.

Asriel calmed his racing thoughts, compartmentalizing the incessant messages his weakening body sent, then pivoted again, slashing straight in front of him. He felt temporary resistance the instant he connected with flesh, the change in the air alerting him when the Fallen landed beneath him.

Focusing on slowing his heartbeat and eliminating every bit of erroneous noise, Asriel transported behind Hamiel as soon as the vengeful Fallen landed, and sliced his sword diagonally along his opponent’s shoulder. All sound and movement ceased for an instant before he heard Hamiel’s body crumple to the ground in three loud thuds, most likely his knees, elbow, and finally, his shoulders.

Asriel dropped his head, listening for additional threats. Startled at first by the sound of footsteps running toward him, he bent his knees again, only to have Malina leap on him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and peppered him with kisses on his forehead, eyes, cheeks, and finally his lips. Asriel held her tight, vowing to never let her go again.

“Ahem!”

Malina laughed and slid down his body when Asriel heard someone clearing his throat behind her.

“Hate to break up this reunion and all, but what the fuck? Uziel said you needed my help. They blinded you?”

Asriel heard Malina’s sharp intake of air before he turned his face toward her, but she listened silently as he explained everything to Sirbiel. Asriel hoped that meant she could fully accept who and what he was. “Thank you for your help, Sirbiel.”

“I really didn’t have to do much, so maybe you really are worthy of my granddaughter after all. I do wish you could have seen her in action against that stupid ass boss of hers though. Arthur, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. They said they’d keep his son alive if he did this,” Malina said.

“I knew I should have finished that bastard when I had the chance, but didn’t want to leave a dead body hanging around your apartment.”

Asriel heard Malina gasp at Sirbiel’s confession before his vampire brother addressed him directly.

“Speaking of finishing things when you have the chance, you really oughtta finish taking care of our Fallen brother, or he’ll just come after you again. Malina is a target as well. As for the boss, I doubt he’ll be telling anyone about this once he comes to.”

Asriel did not like the idea of Malina watching him do what he seemed to do best, but the thought of her being a target again prompted him to act swiftly. Obviously sensing his discomfort, Sirbiel took Malina’s hand and led her a few yards away, and they kept their backs turned while Asriel lifted his sword and cut a clean line through the Fallen’s neck, leaving his separated head rolling on the dirt and asphalt.

“We will see one another again soon, my beautiful granddaughter. I’m off to check on my Estelle. You’ve got your own personal warrior and Watcher now, and I’d say things are looking up.”

Asriel heard Sirbiel grunt, then zip into the sky, his last words offering hope, a rarity Asriel appreciated. Malina touched Asriel’s chest, then tightened her grip around his neck.

“I heard Sirbiel grunt. Was he injured?” Asriel asked.

“No. I hugged him. I don’t think he expected that.”

“No, I imagine that was a pleasant surprise.” He lifted her with him, rising into the air. Each of his wings spanned seven feet when fully extended. Smoke entered his nose, cutting off his air and forcing him to cough, so he pressed Malina’s face to his chest to keep her from inhaling the thick smog.

He wrapped his arms around Malina to protect her from debris as embers from the fire reached the taller building behind them, quickly incinerating the construction. Ashes, soot, and larger pieces of the burnt construct flew through the air. People ran from the building, some trampling others as they tried to escape the fire.

He hissed and removed Malina’s hand when she tenderly touched the underside of his wing, drawing his full attention to her again. In that instant, he knew no Orlosian law or punishment could sway him from his decision. He had to find a way to make a life with her, to tell her everything, to live peacefully, undisturbed by war and turmoil, but first, he needed blood.

Relying on memory alone, he transported them to his townhome, landing on the roof with his wings extended. Malina clutched his arm as soon as they arrived.

“Don’t worry. They can’t enter our home.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about.”

She caressed his cheek with her soft fingers and turned him to face her. “Let me see your eyes.”

After she touched him, running her fingers over his brows, Asriel felt the air shift around them and realized she was crying.

He pulled her to him. “Don’t. The alternative to losing my sight was much worse.”

“Who did this to you? The Council? Your enemies? I have so many questions that I don’t even know where to start, Asriel, I…You’ve only given me bits and pieces, but I do know that you’ve sacrificed to be with me, even if I don’t know what your life was like before. This…”

Asriel stumbled, barely able to breathe. His knees buckled and Malina’s voice seemed to be fading away. Dizziness overtook him as he slumped and landed on the metal roof.

Chapter Fourteen

Malina’s voice barely sounded like her own. Tears poured from her eyes, making her voice husky as she tried to revive Asriel. She heard his heart beating, but his breathing was labored and shallow. She glanced at his shirt and noticed a red stain spreading along his ribs. Gently unbuttoning his shirt and pressing it to the wound, she tried to stop the deep gash between his ribs from bleeding, and her mind raced frantically when the shirt became soaked.

She ran into the townhouse and returned with a small paring knife, took a deep breath, then sliced the knife across her index finger. Using her other hand, she tilted Asriel’s head up. Droplets of bright red dripped from her finger as she placed it inside his mouth, sliding it along his teeth before resting it on his tongue.

Time seemed to stand still. His heartbeat was weak, but steady, and the wound stopped bleeding. His skin started knitting together before her eyes, much like watching a time-lapse video. Just as she prepared to open another vein, certain she was at least on the right track, Asriel inhaled, then coughed, gasping for air as he ingested her blood.

“Thank God! Asriel? Asriel, can you hear me?”

He attempted to sit up, then breathed her name. “Malina.”

“I’m right here, Asriel.”

When he touched her arm lightly, she leaned over him and flipped her hair out of his way, shoving it to her opposite shoulder as she bared herself to him.

Without hesitation, he clamped his elongated incisors onto her carotid and she felt his sharp teeth piercing her skin.

She exhaled, surprised that she didn’t feel any pain. Instead, the strong pulling sensation was sensual and intimate.

Asriel placed his hand at her back and sat up, pulling her closer. She melted into him as his heartbeat became stronger and stronger, and his embrace grew more and more possessive.

As suddenly as Asriel had started drinking from Malina, he stopped, then stood, lifting her up with him.

She wiped at the moisture on her face, and realized they were her tears. Somehow, Asriel knew she was crying because he immediately brushed the tears away gently with his thumbs.

Asriel pulled her even closer and just held her before kissing the top of her head. Neither of them said anything. Malina had no idea how much time had passed, but she was so grateful to be held by him again, she didn’t care.

Asriel finally broke the silence. “I admit I kept things from you at first, but I’m not hiding anything now, Malina. There’s just so much to explain, and you can only take in so much at once.”

“It’s not up to you to decide how much I can handle, Asriel. That Fallen, the big one, could have killed you and I wouldn’t have even known what the hell was going on.”

Asriel nodded.

“We’ll get back to what just happened in a minute, but first, I need you to be clear with me about one thing. I heard the one who attacked you talking about his life mate. I’m still not sure how you’re supposed to know someone is your mate for life, but I do know I felt an immediate connection to you the moment we met.”

“I’m not sure I completely understand it either, Malina, but from the moment you were conceived, your soul called to mine. I started experiencing constant restlessness, and as soon as I saw you, I felt peace. I have done a lot of terrible things, and the Fallen who tried to hurt you today probably won’t be the last to seek vengeance against me by attempting to hurt you. I was so foolishly bent on following rules and ignoring my emotions, I disregarded all the signs, but you are mine, my life mate, and I will give anything to keep you safe and by my side.”

“So where do we go from here?” she whispered.

Malina’s temporary phone rang. Not now, Abby!

Asriel prompted her to answer it. “It might be something important.”

How could anything be more important than this? “Hey, Abby.”

She had not heard Abby sound this excited since their partying days years ago. “Okay, I know I said I wouldn’t call, but you just got two packages delivered to you that I think you need to see, and your grandmother called.”

“Nana called?” Her grandmother could not call out of the nursing home, one of the things she disliked about the place.

“Yep. I’m not telling you anything else. You need to come see for yourself.”

She glanced at Asriel, who turned his head to the side. She assumed he was probably trying to figure out what was going on. “This is the worst timing, Asriel, but my Nana called Abby, and she can’t call from the nursing home. Abby also says some packages came to the apartment for me. I really need to find out what’s going on.”

She tugged at his hand. “Will you please come with me? We, um, left your car at the hospital. I drove it there.” She winced, forgetting he could not see her, but his expression did not change.

“We can fly if you’ll be my eyes.”

Malina felt like a kid about to go on her favorite ride. “Really? I’d love that.”

They took off from the balcony. Asriel reminded her it would be a very short flight, and she wrapped her arms around his waist, facing forward to direct him. Her stomach felt a little queasy on takeoff, but the majesty of being underneath his gorgeous, powerful wings gave her chills of pleasure, satisfying her need for adventure and romance.

Before they could open the front door, Abby swung it open, a big grin on her face as she pointed to something behind them, Jasper and Megan were stationed on each side of her legs as if they wanted to share in announcing whatever the big surprise was. Malina greeted the puppies, then turned, but did not see anything unusual. Abby ushered them in, then picked up a key, handing it to Malina. “Belongs to that black Mercedes sedan, delivered to you, title and all, as a gift, and look…”

Abby ran down the hall, returning with a medium-sized, gift-wrapped box. “This came too.”

Malina took the box and looked at her questioningly.

Abby touched Malina on the arm and nodded toward Asriel, then mouthed, “Blind?”

Malina dismissed Abby’s question with a nod, realizing her mouth had been open the entire time, and Asriel was suspiciously quiet. She touched him. “You did this! How? When did you have time?”

He turned to Abby, ignoring Malina’s questions. “Did Mrs. Ward leave a call back number?”

“Oh, I was just getting to that. Saving the best for last.” Abby flipped through her cell phone and showed Malina the number.

Malina grabbed the phone and hit the ‘call’ button immediately.

“Nana?” Nana’s voice sounded warmer, more relaxed.

“Lina, that angel of yours is a blessing. Hold on to him just like I’m holding on to my Sirbiel. No matter what. He helped my Sirbiel get me out of that place, and now you can come visit us here at the apartment. Our apartment is at…”

Malina listened and memorized the address as tears filled her eyes, happy ones this time. She knew the area well. Asriel had provided her grandmother with an assisted living apartment home suitable for Sirbiel too. Nana could now live with her angel. Although Malina saw the vampire, to Nana, Sirbiel would always be an angel.

When she hit the ‘end’ button, hearing Nana so happy, Malina could not find words, so she just leapt into Asriel’s arms. He locked onto her, cradling her against him as if he saw her coming. She held his face and leaned up, kissing him on the mouth. “Thank you.”

“Hey, you two. I’m still in the room, remember?” Abby reminded Malina of the box. “If you don’t go ahead and open this, I’m going nuts right here and now.”

Placing the gift-wrapped box on the sofa, Malina ripped through the ribbon and removed the lid. She gasped, swinging around to face Asriel again when she saw the contents. He remained utterly still, and she immediately flopped down on the sofa. Inside the box she found ancient artifacts that were obviously worth more than several fortunes. Stones, relics, and exceptionally preserved writing. Based on the scattered information she knew about Asriel, the material contained angelic script, and a great deal of it.

She turned to him again. “Your history?”

Asriel nodded, and the slight tilt of his delectable lips removed any doubts she might have had about how precious and priceless his gift to her happened to be. Every question, every concern faded in those few, life-changing moments. Without words, he entrusted her with centuries of forbidden knowledge, showing her how well he understood her need for answers, and most of all, how much he loved her. Of course, he would have to translate for her, but just the fact that he wanted to share all of himself with her meant everything to her.

“All right, well, I have no idea what the hell is going on right now with this empty box thing. Must be an inside joke, but I’ll just say get a room and share your little gag gift without me.” Abby frowned, glaring at both of them. Obviously, she couldn’t see the contents of the box.

Before Malina could ask or say anything else, Abby grabbed her keys and ushered them out the way they came. “I mean it. Get out of here and take your mutt pups with you!” she said, laughing.

Malina slid down long enough to get Megan’s and Jasper’s things, put Megan on the leash, and shove Jasper into Asriel’s arms.

During the short ride home in her new car, Malina looked at Asriel, too ecstatic to trust her feelings. She floated through a tsunami of emotions, nearly giving herself a panic attack.

“Some things can wait, but there’s something else you need to know right now, Malina.”

“What?” The hesitant whisper reflected fear, but her desire to know everything about him prompted her next words. “As long as you’re not leaving me, I can deal with anything. Tell me.”

She pulled into his complex and parked, gripping the steering wheel before turning to face Asriel again, tension from his large body electrifying the car.

Instinctively, she touched his square jaw with her palm, encouraging him as her abdomen spasmed and her nerves kicked into overdrive.

Eyes focused, but lifeless, Asriel faced her. “Inside.”

Following his one-word order, he stepped out of the car, lifted Megan’s leash, allowing her to jump out, then picked up Jasper with one hand. Malina touched his elbow as they headed for the lobby, racing thoughts causing her usual fight or flight response, but she did her best to remain calm.

She remained quiet when they returned to the townhouse, noticing that Asriel did the same. Of course, it was not as unusual for him, she told herself, but she still wanted to yell. Tell me, already! What’s this big secret I need to know?

The puppies played around them, and she was overcome by the feeling that she had everything she’d ever wanted. Still, though, uncertainty plagued her, and she moved through the townhouse in a daze. Her entire life changed significantly in a matter of weeks, and it was a lot to take in.

“Asriel? If you don’t tell me I’m going to start screaming.”

Asriel approached her slowly, caressing her face before speaking. “I don’t want to frighten you.”

“Okay, and now I’m really scared. Just spit it out, Asriel.”

He speared his fingers through his hair. “Remember me telling you that your grandfather was punished for choosing to stay here with your grandmother?”

“Yes.” She touched his jaw, sliding her palm along the side of his face to the edges of his brow. Gently running her fingertips over his brows and eyelids, she fought to stop the flow of tears, afraid he was about to say he could not live like this - that he was leaving her.

“Malina, Orlosians have no indigenous illnesses, and that means we are born without immunity to disease. To survive here, I need the antibodies in human blood. When I asked you if you accepted me, this is why I needed your permission.”

“Okay.” So far, so good, she thought.

“Somehow, you instinctively knew that I needed your blood to survive tonight, and I’m trying to say that from now on, I will need your blood to survive here.”

He held his head down. “I can only imagine how you must feel, Malina. In most ways, your life would be easier if you had never met me, never learned anything about Nephilim, angels, minions, or any of this, but I’m here. I won’t leave you, and I will do everything in my power to make you happy. That the One God allows us to live is a mystery to me, but finding you in the midst of a life of war and turmoil is the answer to prayers I never thought anyone would hear.”

She moved closer to him again. “Before you came, I thought I was going crazy because of the things I saw, things that happened to me. You are beyond the best fantasy I ever could have imagined.”

“You were attacked because of me, Malina. Even before I accepted how much you mean to me, they knew.”

“No. I won’t let you take responsibility for what they tried to do. For the first time in my life, the pieces are starting to fall into place. I finally understand who I am, and you’ve given me something no one else could.”

Malina held his hand, leaning closer to him. “So, what was that about how much I mean to you?”

“Everything. No more restlessness. You give my life meaning. Peace.”

She took his hand and placed it at her breast. “Do Orlosian warriors understand love?”

“Is that not what I just said?”

Malina laughed, more than willing to work on Asriel’s conversational skills later.

He nuzzled her neck and she dropped her head back, exposing herself to him. His teeth grazed the tender area at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, the hollow beneath, just above her shoulder blade, then the sting of his bite struck suddenly, easing into orgasmic spasms, her core clenching, contracting as she broke apart, her knees buckling.

Asriel swept her into his arms again and carried her to his bedroom. Reeling from the events of the last few days, including Asriel’s about-face, Malina watched his movement. She was a witness to cosmic knowledge, with so many magical things to ponder, but her love and admiration for him overshadowed everything else as she marveled over his ability to avoid stumbling or walking into walls.

He spoke as he undressed her, his accent winding around her, seeping inside. His wings covering the tray ceiling, every nerve in her body still throbbed from the orgasm, and she finally understood what it meant to be Asriel’s life mate. It would take a lifetime to truly know him, but she was more than ready to share that lifetime with him, however long it turned out to be. A being beyond her dreams had sacrificed to be with her, confirmed for the first time in her life that she was not insane, and she belonged to him - Asriel. Every part of her awakened, hungry for more of him. Words were superfluous. As long as they had one another, Malina knew one thing without a single doubt. They could weather absolutely anything.

The End

Sneak Peek

“Destiny’s Favor” (Orlosian Warriors Bk. 2)

Suppose you met a man who looked like an angel, wings and all? What would you do if this man told you he existed with only one purpose – to claim you and only you?

Destiny Carter is a feisty, take charge, Rubinesque beauty with a tough façade, who finds herself in that age old quandary, “always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” A string of lackluster relationships, present one included, leaves her hopeless and ready to settle…Until she meets Japheth, the man her fiancé claims is his best friend! Japheth’s arrival is heralded by an attack on Destiny’s life, and instinctively, she knows this is just the beginning.

Born more than 200 years ago, Japheth looks like an angel but he’s far from it. In his world, the ratio of men to women is 500 to 1, and although he’s a superior being, he’s willing to break the most sacred law of his brothers, even drink human blood, to have one meant for him alone. When he meets Destiny, he knows she’s the one he’s been searching for. To claim her, he will have to betray a friend, risk his life, and hardest of all, humble himself enough to win her love.

Available now!

“Outreach: An Orlosian Warriors Novella”

Broken dreams, an ancient enigma tainted by the past, a mystical bond beyond time and space.

Thrilled about receiving funding for her new outreach program, Jaci meets Andreus and embarks on a journey wrought with mystery and answers to questions that have plagued her for years.

Three years after the accident, Jaci Allen believes she is as lost now as she was the day she awakened to the sudden, tragic deaths of her husband and two year old daughter. Throwing herself into her work has allowed her to avoid the reminders of her broken dreams, leaving her dangerously empty inside, always seeking…something.

Accused and convicted of the murder of his adoptive mother’s husband at the age of sixteen, Andreus admits his guilt, but acknowledges to himself that his memories of the night the abusive man was killed remain incomplete at best.

Meeting Jaci ignites the awakening of Andreus’ frightening special gifts – gifts he has not only tried to hide from the rest of the world, but from himself. Can two shattered souls find a way to heal one another?

Available now!

Gideon’s Light (Orlosian Warriors Bk. 3)

Gideon always thought he’d be the last to fall. His life depended on it.

Iris Johnson is a brilliant astrophysicist who has always believed in keeping her emotions under wraps. Adopted as a baby, she has never felt truly loved. After a terrible accident and a failed relationship, she swore off men, content with working long hours and stargazing.

Born nearly 200 years ago, Gideon is an Orlosian Warrior, a descendant of angels, and in his world the ratio of men to women is 500 to 1. Willful, insubordinate, and impetuous, he is one of the most feared seekers – elite law enforcers – because of his exceptional ability to kill.

When Gideon is severely injured in battle, his contact with Iris puts her life in danger and awakens desires he has never known. To save her, he will have to make impossible choices, commit a cardinal sin, and break the law he has sworn to uphold and defend.

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About the Author

Dariel Raye is an animal lover, animal rights activist, musician, and award-winning USA Today bestselling author of powerful paranormal romance and dark urban fantasy with IR/MC (Interracial/Multi-cultural) alpha male heroes to die for, and strong heroines with hearts worth winning. She is a mezzo-soprano who fell in love with books and started reciting stories at the age of 3. She also plays over 11 musical instruments.

Her stories tell of shifters, vamps, angels, reluctant demons, and fey (the Vodouin variety). Dariel is currently writing two series: “Dark Sentinels” (wolf shifters), and “Orlosian Warriors” (Vampire-like Nephilim). She has also published several boxed-set stories and stand-alones..

For more about Dariel, follow her blog, https://www.pendarielraye.com, BookBub, http://www.bookbub.com/authors/dariel-raye, or visit her website, https://darielraye.com. She also publishes a new release newsletter, https://darielraye.com/VIPbookclub.

If you enjoyed this book, please post a review on review sites. You can also follow her notifications for real-time updates at https://darielraye.com/booksandmusings/, and contact her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or join her Facebook group, Dariel’s Den.

More about Dariel and Her Books

Dark Sentinels Series

“Dark Sentinels Book One: Sable”

“Dark Sentinels Book Two: Torin”

“Dark Sentinels Prequel”

“Dark Sentinels Book Three: Parrish” (coming soon)

Orlosian Warriors Series

“Calm Assurance: Orlosian Warriors Bk. 1”

“Destiny’s Favor: Orlosian Warriors Bk. 2”

“Outreach: An Orlosian Warriors Novella”

“Gideon’s Light: Orlosian Warriors Bk. 3” (coming soon)

Stand-alone Books

“Dai’s Dark Valentine”

“Dark Opius: Watchtower 11” (co-authored with Muffy Wilson)

“Death’s Shadow” (co-authored with Muffy Wilson)

“Devil’s Claim” (co-authored with Muffy Wilson)

Anthologies and Boxed-sets

“Here, Kitty Kitty”

“Good Things”

For updates, excerpts, and previews

Website: http://darielraye.com

Musings (supporting other authors, Netflix binges, and a little of everything): http://www.pendarielraye.com

Subscribe for notifications here: https://darielraye.com/booksandmusings/

VIP Readers’ Club Newsletter

http://bit.ly/DarielsVIPsPlus

For more about Dariel, including updates, new releases, and giveaways, follow her blog, http://www.pendarielraye.com, follow her on BookBub for new release notices, https://www.bookbub.com/authors/dariel-raye, or visit her website for excerpts from her books, http://darielraye.com. She also publishes a new release newsletter, and hosts a readers’ group on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/darielsden. If you enjoyed this book, please post a review on review sites. You can also follow and contact her on Twitter, http://www.twitter.com/Pendarielraye, or Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authordarielraye

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