Warrior Angel

by Heaton, Felicity

  Even when she was murdering a song.

  He smiled at the sound of her poor singing. He didn’t know the tune, but it was upbeat and carried a note of cheerfulness that made his smile widen. Perhaps she was happy too. She certainly felt it.

  The underlying current of bliss had even been there this morning when they had bid a rather awkward farewell to Villandry and the nurse at the demon medical centre.

  Villandry’s expression had been as black as night and there had been malice in his red eyes as he had stared at Einar. Taylor had come under his scrutiny too but she had been quick to make an escape out into the sunlight where the vampire couldn’t follow.

  She had blushed several amusing shades of crimson when Einar had joined her on the quiet street. He had been sorely tempted to tease her but had let it go. He didn’t care that the vampire had heard them making love.

  In fact, he was glad that he had.

  Now Villandry knew that Taylor was his.

  Einar hoped they didn’t need the vampire to help them again. He was sure the fiend would attempt to provoke him by flirting with Taylor or bringing up their past.

  That thought crowded his mind together with others about the club and what had happened on the rooftop, bringing reality crashing back in to ruin what had been a dreamlike few hours alone with Taylor.

  Another of the demons was dead but one remained—the one who had managed to sink his claws into Einar.

  Would that demon believe that he had killed him?

  Einar wasn’t sure if that would work to their advantage at all, but he hoped it would make the demon more bold, maybe a little reckless if luck was with him. If the male thought he was dead, he might be open about travelling around, might come out of hiding and give Einar a chance to hunt him down and capture him.

  Desire for revenge swept through him like wildfire, fierce and consuming, but he tamped it down. Two of the demons had already died. He needed the third so Heaven could question him and get to the bottom of the plot these three demons had been involved in with Commander Amaer.

  There had to be a reason that an angel had been working with them.

  Was it something to do with the Euphoria that Taylor had spoken of?

  She had sounded as though she hadn’t approved, and so had the boss of Cloud Nine. Was it considered taboo in the demon world? He had hunted amongst the mortals and demons for centuries and had never heard of it.

  Even if it wasn’t anything to do with Euphoria, he needed to report it to his commanders. He couldn’t allow demons to run a club designed to enslave mortals and harm them for the sake of giving pleasure to the wretched creatures who had poisoned them.

  He mulled over what Taylor had told him. She didn’t suspect they were killing humans at the new club where Euphoria was being peddled, and as little as he wanted to admit it, because it gave him less reason to burn the place to the ground, he believed they weren’t murdering the mortals.

  If they were, humans would realise something was wrong with the club and would stay away.

  Something was happening though.

  A hundred human bodies had been destroyed in the warehouse event a few years ago and the shadowy demons and an angel had been responsible for it. Something had killed those mortals. He just wasn’t sure what. All he had to show for his investigation was two dead demons and no answers.

  He clenched his fists and glared at the ceiling.

  If only he had been able to examine one of the human bodies. Maybe it would have given him clues as to what had happened to cause so much death. The demons had incinerated the evidence though, the fire so hot that all that remained at the factory were ashes and fragments of bones. None of it had yielded any evidence to assist the investigation.

  Had they been hiding something or just protecting themselves from angelic intervention?

  Amaer had brought the demons’ activities to the attention of Heaven by calling Lukas to the warehouse and pinning the crime on him.

  Had it been part of their plan, or had that caused tension between the demons and Amaer?

  He rubbed the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, frowning as his head ached.

  Heaven had looked over all the evidence and had come up with nothing. He wasn’t going to do any better without apprehending the last demon and bringing it in for interrogation.

  They had to come up with a plan and a way to get them into the club unnoticed, or at least close enough that they could lure the final demon out again. He was sure the wretch had returned there, possibly even lived in the hellhole. Damn, the fiend might even run it.

  Einar tossed the bedclothes aside, swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood.

  He went to wave a hand over himself to call his armour and then thought the better of it and called just his dark brown loincloth instead. Calling his armour from where it rested on the couch in the other room would drain some of his power and he needed to save it in case there was another fight between him and the demon tonight. It was strong and he couldn’t risk it injuring him again. He might not survive this time, so for once he would manually put his armour on later.

  Besides, there were advantages to wearing little clothing.

  He stalked across the bedroom and out into the living area of the hotel suite.

  Taylor whirled to face him, her back to one of the tall sash windows, a smile lighting up her face as her eyes landed on him. Whatever she had been about to say fled those tempting lips and her blue eyes darkened as they raked over him.

  The evening light highlighted her curves and the fact she wore only black panties and a matching spaghetti strap top, both of them tight against her body, revealing it to him.

  A groan rolled up his throat as he prowled towards her.

  Her gaze fell to his body, heat chasing in its wake as she took him in. Her lips parted and her tongue swept across them.

  He stalked towards her, drawn by her beauty and the soft but hungry look in her eyes. Maybe they could plan their attack later. Right now, he had far more interesting things on his mind.

  Like making love to her again.

  Now that things were out in the open between them, and they were both aware of the growing feelings of the other, he couldn’t deny his desire for her. It went beyond lust and hunger, deeper than love itself. He needed her so much that he could only think of protecting her and keeping her safe, of keeping her by his side forever.

  A stab of cold chilled his heart.

  Forever wasn’t an option.

  It was impossible to do his duty and remain with her. He knew that. What they had was beautiful and something he didn’t want to give up though. There had to be a way.

  The voice at the back of his mind said that he knew there was only one way for them to be together.

  Was he strong enough to do such a thing?

  She reached out to him, a smile on her face, and then it fell away and fear filled her eyes.

  Einar frowned.

  The window exploded.

  He shielded his face with his arms.

  Taylor screamed.

  It tore through him, chilled his blood and then set it on fire.

  He lowered his arm, his heart beating fast against his ribs, sending adrenaline rushing through his body. Glass littered the floor and hung from the broken white window frame. His gaze darted around, searching for Taylor.

  She was gone.

  Einar ran to the window, over broken glass that sliced into his feet, and leaned out, searching for her. It took him a moment to spot her. A young man dressed in black was carrying her, his dark scaly wings beating the air as he lifted with her, rising up above the rooftops.

  The demon.

  Taylor struggled in his grip, flailing and kicking at him, but the man only tightened his hold on her.

  “Taylor!” Einar stepped up on the window ledge and launched himself out into the wide street.

  His wings burst from his back so fast it hurt and he beat them before he could fall into the road be
low and shot after her and the demon.

  The demon looked back at him, a shock of bright red hair covering one eye, and grinned to reveal pointed teeth. He dug his fingers deep into her arms. Taylor shrieked again.

  Einar set his jaw and flew after her, determined to save her from the demon. He wouldn’t let the bastard harm her. He would protect her as he had silently promised, would uphold that vow no matter what happened to him.

  A dark jagged line appeared in front of the demon and his heart hitched at the sight of it, panic flooding him. It split in two and grew, widening and opening, black filling the hole in the centre. By the time the demon reached it, it was large enough for him to pass through.

  He disappeared into the darkness with Taylor.

  Einar flew faster, his wings furiously beating the chilly air, and stretched out his hand, desperate to make it through and follow the demon to the other side. He pushed harder, gritted his teeth and ignored the burn of exertion in his wings.

  He had to reach Taylor.

  He had to save her.

  The portal came within reach.

  Shrank and winked out of existence right in front of him.

  He stopped in mid-air, staring at the point where the portal had been.

  Fury burned through him, blazing so hot he couldn’t contain it as the thought of Taylor at the mercy of the demon tormented him. He threw his arms out at his sides, flung his head back and cursed the sky.

  The world trembled below him and dark clouds gathered above. Screams filled his ears and car alarms blared. He breathed hard, fighting his desire to unleash his power and trying to purge his hunger for violence.

  It was difficult as images of the demon torturing Taylor filled his mind, tore growls from his lips and had darkness bleeding into the edges of his soul.

  Only the thought that she wouldn’t want him to succumb to the black needs, wouldn’t want him to endanger himself like that when she had come so close to losing him once already, gave him the strength to claw back control little by little, gathering enough to calm himself.

  The sky lightened again and the earth stilled.

  Einar stared in the direction of the club.

  The demon would pay for taking Taylor.

  He called his armour to him. The rich brown plates edged with dull gold appeared one by one on his body. His breastplate moulded over his chest and his back. His vambraces encased his forearms, and his boots and greaves protected his feet and shins. The pointed slats around his hips were the last to form. He closed his eyes and called again, and his sword appeared at his waist.

  His hand went straight to it and he drew the blade.

  It gleamed in the light of the setting sun.

  He gripped it and fought to curb his anger.

  It was impossible when he knew that Taylor was in danger.

  Heaven called him. Orders to report to court.

  Einar ignored them.

  They could punish him later.

  Right now, he had a demon to kill and the woman he loved to save.

  He plummeted towards the street and then beat his wings at the last moment and shot along the road just above the vehicles, invisible to human eyes. He took each corner sharply, never slowing for a moment, zigzagging through the city towards the club in Soho where they had sent Villandry.

  The demon would be there.

  This ended tonight and he would be the victor.

  CHAPTER 14

  Einar wrestled with himself as he flew towards the club, his blood on fire with the need to save Taylor and make the demon pay for taking her from him. The urge to kill him was strong, but he fought against it, clinging to his tattered control because he needed the male alive. Not for the sake of completing his investigation, his mission on Earth, but for the sake of protecting Taylor.

  And maybe himself too.

  He couldn’t report to Heaven’s Court and declare that he had not only fallen for a demoness but he had killed all of those responsible for the deaths of the humans. If he captured the demon, they might be lenient in their punishment and they might not make her a target for another angel to take down.

  It was going to be difficult though. The hunger to kill pounded inside him like a war drum, driving him to obey it. Denying it was going to take all of his strength.

  The journey to the club passed in a blur as he fought to retain control, almost as desperate to make that happen as he was to save Taylor.

  Einar landed hard on the quiet road outside the dark brick building, breathing heavily as he furled his tawny wings against his back and scanned the area with his senses.

  Nothing on the outside. No watchers or guards tonight. The demon wanted it one on one. The demon might be stronger than him, but he wasn’t about to let the wretch defeat him.

  The sign above the entrance to the club was unlit.

  Einar walked to the door and pressed his ear to it. There were voices on the other side, muffled and indistinct. A man. The demon? He couldn’t hear Taylor. Was she alright? He took a deep breath, trying to catch her scent. He couldn’t smell any blood but her perfume laced the air. She was here.

  He opened the door a crack, enough that he could hear the voices clearer.

  “You honestly believe he will come for you?” The male voice held a snide and derisive note that had Einar itching to burst into the room and prove him wrong.

  The sound of footsteps echoed in the dark.

  “He’ll come and he’ll kick your fucking arse when he does.” Taylor.

  She grunted a moment later and her pain echoed inside him. He tightened his grip on his sword. She was right. He was going to kick the demon’s arse for her. He was going to kill the bastard for hurting her.

  No. He couldn’t kill the male. As much as he wanted to destroy him, he needed the demon alive.

  “I told you to shut up.” A loud smack filled the large room.

  The echo of pain he picked up from Taylor grew stronger.

  Einar’s blood burned. He flexed his fingers around the hilt of his sword, on the verge of bursting in and slaughtering the demon, and stilled when he sensed her calling to him.

  Only this time she wasn’t asking him to come to her.

  She was telling him to stay away.

  Conflicting feelings rang through the muddled voice. Only part of her wanted him to keep away and leave her to the demon. The other half was screaming out for him to save her.

  He wasn’t going to abandon her.

  He would save her because it was all he could do.

  He loved her.

  “This’ll keep you quiet,” the demon said and Taylor cried out again.

  The smell of blood filled the air.

  Her blood.

  The demon had cut her. Had he used his claws and infected her with toxin? Fury rippled through Einar and he ground his teeth.

  Taylor snarled.

  The demon struck her again, the sound filling the room, and spat, “If I had known you were trash I wouldn’t have bothered to pick you up. That bastard won’t come for you. Trash.”

  Einar had heard enough.

  He kicked the door in, sending it flying off its hinges, and swept through the club, knocking dark wooden tables and red velvet chairs with his wings in the process.

  The demon barely dodged his blade. He lunged to his left and Einar’s eyes narrowed on the fiend when he grabbed Taylor and twisted with her, using her as a shield. Her head drooped and Einar ran his gaze over her, assessing the damage. Her lip was split on the right side and her cheek was bruised and black. Similar dark marks peppered her bare legs.

  There were long cuts across her chest too.

  Claw marks?

  Her eyes closed and then opened again and her head jerked up. She looked at the hands clutching her arms, awareness washed across her face and her eyes widened, and she struggled against her captor.

  Grimaced when the demon twisted her arm behind her back.

  Einar readied his sword.

  The demon pressed
his claws close to Taylor’s jugular and grinned, his sharp teeth bright white in the blue lights of the club.

  “I didn’t think you would come for her. I had planned to drug her and let the boys loose on her to piss you off, but once I realised what she was, I was bitterly disappointed. But here you are, come to rescue this half-breed hunter bitch. Maybe I should have toyed with her after all, fucked her up a little, but I find her repulsive.” The young man’s face twisted in disgust. “I am surprised that you don’t.”

  Einar checked Taylor again. She was wide awake now, her eyes enormous and full of fear, fixed towards the demon’s hand against her throat. Tears lined her lashes and tore at him. It killed him to see his beautiful, confident and sassy little demoness so afraid.

  “Taylor. Look at me, Taylor,” Einar said and her gaze slid to meet his. She swallowed and her eyebrows furrowed. She had been so strong until now, almost reckless in her fearlessness, that seeing her so afraid made how much danger she was in hit home. He wanted to free her and give her reason to feel safe again, but he couldn’t do that with the demon’s claws poised over her artery. All he could do was try to make her feel safe with a promise that he intended to keep. “Are you alright?”

  She nodded almost imperceptibly.

  “That’s good. Keep still and keep calm. Just breathe slowly and try not to panic. It will slow the rate of poisoning from the toxin.” Einar held her gaze, breathing slowly himself so she would follow suit. He heard her heartbeat start to level out as she took long deep breaths and began to relax. “I will get you out of here. I will not let anything happen to you. You understand?”

  She nodded again. He smiled at her.

  The demon made a retching sound.

  Einar’s gaze narrowed and slid to him.

  “Let her go. This is between us. It has nothing to do with her.” He held his hand out to Taylor, hoping the demon would let her go but knowing that it wasn’t going to be so easy.

  The young man chuckled and shook his head, his red hair shifting with it.

  He grinned. “I think I prefer that she is between us. You seem rather irritated tonight and I want protection while I cut you a deal.”