Echo of an Earth Angel (The Earth Angel Trilogy: #1)

by Sarah M. Ross

  “There is a strong emotion coming from the couple sitting over in the corner of the bar. Try again. This time, really focus on pushing your energy outwards. You have to completely let go of anything you personally are feeling and put it deep into the background.”

  Tessa tried again, closing her eyes once more and concentrating on feeling anything else. She was surprised she could feel a few mild emotions of people passing by the hotel lobby, but nothing stood out. Then, very faintly, she felt pain. It felt like a bad toothache. It was the sort of pain that gnawed at you and couldn’t be relieved. Only it wasn’t her pain and the more she focused on it, the worse the pain got. She could feel twinges of hopelessness and despair too.

  “I feel it,” she whispered to David, amazed she really could. The thought of someone hurting sickened her, but she squelched it with her need to focus. “I can feel that woman over there is in pain. But she seems fine.”

  “She is hiding it well. If I had to venture a guess, I’d say late stage cancer. As you get the hang of this, you’ll start to feel people’s pain more and more frequently. It’s one of the stronger emotions people emit.”

  “Oh that’s awful. Isn’t there anything we can do?”

  “I try to help as many as I can, but for some it’s just their time.” David turned to wipe a tear from her eye, and Tessa laid her head on his shoulder. She knew everyone died at some point, but it was hard to digest when the idea that she could help was so tangible. She stayed snuggled up to David for a few minutes and let him comfort her.

  After turning the bartender down for another Shirley Temple, she leaned into David. “Why don’t we take a quick walk before dinner? We still have some time.”

  Taking her cue, David smiled broadly and stood up. “Why m’lady I’d be happy to accompany you anywhere you’d like to go.” He held his arm out for her to take. “Shall we?”

  Tessa laughed at his quirky antics, especially when he pretended to tip a hat at her. She stood up and took his arm, and curtsied to continue the game. He wrapped an arm around her and threw down some money for the drinks. Tessa sighed, enjoying the feel of him against her. They walked outside the front doors to the street. Not removing her hand from his arm, she stopped walking after ensuring the valets weren’t eavesdropping and turned toward him.

  “I just needed to get out of there. I’m so nervous just sitting and waiting. I mean, what’s he doing? Watching TV? I was thinking, he’s an angel, right? So maybe he doesn’t need to use the elevator to come and go. Maybe he flew. He can do that, right?”

  David nodded. “I considered that too, but it didn’t seem likely. It would draw far too much attention in such a crowded city. But sitting there waiting is getting us nowhere. What do you have in mind?”

  “Let’s check other entrances to the hotel to see if he could have slipped out one of them and check the garage to see if Morgan’s car is still there. We could break into it and look for any clues. Maybe she was able to leave one for us.”

  “Great ideas.” David took her hand. “Let’s start by going out through the kitchen. There might be a service elevator that goes to the penthouse for room service or something. Maybe he used that.” David led her back into the hotel and through the kitchen, but the service elevator required an employee key card, so that was out. They headed to the garage. Tessa knew Morgan’s code for the doors, and unlocked it with ease. They searched every inch of the car. Unfortunately, the only thing they found was blood in the backseat.

  “It is just a few drops,” David reassured her as Tessa turned green. “She probably just bumped her head or got a nose bleed. This isn’t enough blood to assume she’s been seriously hurt, I promise. Nico is holding her to get to me. He wouldn’t hurt her because then he’d lose his leverage. While he may be an ass, he’s not homicidal.”

  Tessa was glad David was there and felt comforted as his arms wrapped around her for a few moments. It was exactly what she needed. Morgan was all the family she had left, and Tessa couldn’t even begin to imagine what she’d do if Morgan was taken from her too.

  ***

  Nico rushed to Maggie’s side, praying she was okay and that he hadn’t lost her again. In all of his years as an angel, he never wished he were a Healer, but now he cursed the fact that this was not one of the powers bestowed upon him. There was too much blood pouring out of her. Too much. He felt for a pulse, but found none. He listened for breathing, but heard none. It was too late. She was gone. He’d lost her again. He gingerly laid her down and went to the driver of the car. Seeing the man was only shaken up, Nico used his compulsion to remove the memory from him and make him think he ran into a mailbox after a cat darted out, and then punched him in the eye for good measure.

  Returning to Maggie’s side, he gently picked her up and retreated farther into the alley. He wanted to be alone with her for a few minutes. Noises from traffic and the hustle from neighboring streets reminded him that they wouldn’t be alone for long. Someone was bound to have heard the crash and report it. Sitting in the middle of the alley wouldn’t give him privacy; they were too exposed where she laid now. He sat on the back stoop for a few minutes and held her, savoring his one last time to hold her. He knew he needed to get rid of the body, so it didn’t tie back to him, but letting go again wasn’t going to be easy. Spying a cart full of sheets, Nico grabbed several and wrapped her up in them. He walked to a nearby dumpster and opened the lid.

  “Until the next life,” he whispered before kissing her forehead. He covered her face and dropped her inside. Scanning the area quickly to make sure still no one was around, he expanded his wings and flew to the hotel roof. He needed back into his suite to clean up and wipe down any evidence.

  ***

  Tessa and David left the parking garage and headed toward the rear entrance of the hotel containing two side doors by the kitchen. “Locked,” David called out, so they headed down an alley to try the delivery bay entrances. After trying both of those doors too and realizing they were locked too, Tessa stopped and let out a sigh.

  “Now what do we do?” Tessa asked despondently, leaning up against the railing. She kicked a few rocks in frustration and racked her brain to think of what their next step should be.

  “Let’s try the hotel room. At least a walk by to see if we hear anything. Maybe we’ll get lucky,” David suggested. It was the only option left. He reached out and took her hand, and she smiled at the union. If she had to do this alone, she’d have lost it by now. Thank God David is here with me, helping me through it.

  They walked back toward the hotel entrance when Tessa stopped and peered down at her shoe. Great, just what I need. She stepped in gum and ruined her amazing Alexander McQueen ballet flats. She may not be up on all the latest trends when it came to fashion, but shoes were her vice. She couldn’t help but drool when she slipped her feet into a great new pair of Jimmy Choos or Badgley Mischkas. She stopped and leaned against a dumpster to try to wipe it off with a handi-wipe from her purse, but wasn’t able to remove all of it. With a disgusted sigh, she balled up the wipe and opened the lid of the dumpster to dispose of it.

  Suddenly, David grabbed a hold of her arms and stopped her. “What the…” Tessa started, but David put his index finger to his lips indicating she should be quiet for a minute. She didn’t need to ask any more questions because right then, her whole body felt like it was about to explode. She dropped to her knees and clutched her head.

  “David!”

  “Shhh, it’s okay. Focus on me and not the pain. Focus on my voice. Just breathe.”

  Tessa tried to do as he said, but she thought for sure blood would start oozing from her at any moment the pain was so bad. It felt as if ice rushed through her veins and gave her the worst brain freeze she’d ever experienced.

  David rubbed her back and kissed her temple. “Breathe, Love. It will pass in a moment. Don’t let it consume you. I’m right here, I’m not going anywhere.”

  After a few minutes, David’s voice began to drown out e
verything else and Tessa could stand up again. David kept a tight grip on her and she happily let him support her, the ache leaving her body as his hands warmed her. “That was…awful. Does it always feel like that?”

  “No, it doesn’t. I could sense it too, but it is so faint that you shouldn’t have reacted so strongly.” David tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear. “I’m so sorry I didn’t prepare you better. I shouldn’t have waited so long to find you.”

  “I’m just glad that you did.” Heat flushed in Tessa’s cheeks as she stared into his eyes. Her whole body relaxed when he was near her and she wanted to lose herself in that for just a little while. David ran a single finger down her arm, stopping at her fingertips. She clutched it into her own, her whole body almost humming with satisfaction. Neither spoke, allowing—just for a minute—lust and want to engulf them. Tessa wanted nothing more than to act on it, but before she could get carried away with her emotions, she changed the subject. “So what exactly was that? It was a hundred times more intense than the woman with cancer from the bar.”

  “The pain was so faint for me, I feel fifteen more at this moment that are stronger,” David replied, stepping away from Tessa for a moment. He closed his eyes and zeroed in on the emotion, hoping to gain clarity to teach more to Tessa. What he felt unnerved him. “Stay there, I need to see something. I think—I think whoever it belongs to is close to death.”

  “Oh my God, you don’t think it’s Morgan do you?” Tessa fretted.

  “I really don’t think so; I don’t see why Nico would hurt her. Kidnap her to further his goal: yes. Hurt her just to be mean: no.”

  He went on the other side of the dumpster and squeezed his eyes shut in concentration. After a few moments, he opened his eyes wide. “Whoever is feeling the pain is inside here. Quick, help me open the other lid. We need to look inside.”

  Tessa ran to the other side and pushed the lid open. She wasn’t afraid to get dirty every now and then, but she was disappointed that she’d ruined the clothes she just spent so much money on. She hoped to give the outfit to a “Homeless seeking jobs” charity where she often donated.

  “I’ll go in. Just stay there.” David deftly jumped into the dumpster and Tessa wondered if this was his first time doing so. After a moment, he cursed and she knew something was wrong.

  “What? What is it?” She stood on her tiptoes trying to peer over the edge. She silently chanted please no blood, please no blood.

  Without answering, David grabbed what appeared to be a pile of sheets. He placed it over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and climbed out. Carefully setting it down, he unwrapped a corner. “I think it’s Morgan.”

  Tessa fell to her knees crying as David revealed Morgan’s face. “Is she…” Tessa asked in a whisper.

  “No, she’s alive. But barely. We need to heal her as much as we can and get her to a hospital.”

  Tessa turned her eyes upward and swallowed big gulps of air. “How do I do that? Please tell me how to help her.”

  David took her by her shoulders and turned her to face him. “Tessa, it’s in you now. This power. This ability. Just place your hands on the wound and your abilities will take control. You can do this.”

  Without hesitation, Tessa’s hands went to Morgan’s body, and they began to glow. David clutched them in his lap and gave her a warning, “We can’t heal her fully. Just enough so she won’t die. The hospital will take care of the rest. I know it’s hard, but it’s the only option we have if we don’t want to get captured or deliver her our fate.”

  Tears pooled in Tessa’s eyes as she placed her hands once again on Morgan’s badly bruised torso. She ignored the overwhelming sensation to vomit and kept her hands where David told her to as he placed his hands on either side of her head. The warm glow started as her hands made contact with Morgan’s body, and she saw out of the corner of her eye David’s hands were glowing too. She returned her concentration to Morgan and breathed a small sigh of relief when Morgan stirred slightly and emitted a small cry. Being in pain meant she was alive. That’s all the encouragement Tessa needed.

  Tessa sobbed, freely allowing the tears to fall down her face. Her insides churned, cramped, and spasmed, but she wouldn’t remove her hands for anything. As she slowly shifted her hands up and down Morgan’s battered body, Tessa’s emotions warred. This was all his fault! He is the reason the Hunters were after her, and went after Morgan. She was pissed and frustrated and wanted to punch something. But then she thought about how grateful she was David came into her life. Without him, she would’ve had several panic attacks and broken down repeatedly by now. He was a rock in her storm. And he was helping to save her best friend’s life.

  “Tessa, maneuver your focus to her right arm. I think it’s fractured. I’m working on her head contusions, but I’m pretty sure there’s internal bleeding, and I’d guess a subdural hematoma.”

  Tessa nodded and did as instructed. If he told her to hop on one foot and squawk like a chicken to save Morgan, she would without complaint.

  Morgan twitched and moaned, which Tessa hoped was a good sign. She never opened her eyes, but motion at all gave her hope.

  “David, do you think—”

  Before she could finish her thought, there was a loud thud behind her. David shot upright and stood defensively in front of Tessa and Morgan, but Tessa wouldn’t leave Morgan and didn’t even bother to turn.

  “You,” David stated, seething in anger like Tessa had never seen. Both David and the other person were behind her, so she was a bystander in the situation. She focused on Morgan and put her trust in David to take care of the rest.

  ***

  Nico finished cleaning the stains out of the hotel room and returned to the dumpster to dispose of the soiled towels. It’s not like I can leave them for the maid, he mused. When he appeared in the alley, he was shocked not only to see two Healer angels practicing in public—an unspeakable crime in itself—but to see they were vainly trying to save his Maggie, whom he knew to already be dead. His blood boiled to the point of blind rage that they would desecrate her body like a cadaver in med school, but he gained control and swallowed it down. After witnessing this debauchery, he realized one good thing could come of this. He confirmed it was in fact the Healer angel David Allegri. No one else would be stupid enough to be so careless with their sacred ways. After months of searching, he found his prey. He’d bring David in to the Ducibus and receive his hefty bounty. His just rewards. Nico almost smiled at the mere notion.

  He wondered what to do about the girl. She obviously practiced healing too, but as he mentally scanned through the list of defected angels, he couldn’t place her. Who was this girl? Why was she here? He tried to study her more closely, but David stood guard above her, almost protectively. Hmm. Does Boy Wonder have a crush? He read into the emotions of the girl to gain a better understanding, but all he got was worry, fear, and despair. These were not the emotions of a detached angel, but of someone who knew the girl personally. The roommate. She had to be. Nico knew there was more to this story than what met the eye. No bother, he’d just take both of them in. Surely there was some price on her head.

  “Well, well, well. What have we here? Two Healers, attempting to practice in public. Tsk, tsk David.” He paused with a smirk. “That’s right. I know who you are. I thought you of all people would know better. Although you do have a history of breaking the rules, don’t you?” Nico dropped the rags and sauntered toward the duo.

  David stepped in the direction of Nico, all but growling. “If it isn’t Nico Barelli.” David stopped when they were nose to nose, neither man backing down. “I see you still have a way with the ladies.”

  “Make all the jokes you want, little boy. You and I know where you’ll be by day’s end,” Nico sneered, resisting the urge to knock him down a few pegs—physically.

  “You’re not taking me in.”

  “You’re right. I’m taking both of you in.”

  ***

  David’s anger
caused him to physically shake with the effort to restrain himself. As much as he wanted to beat Nico to the point he would be picking feathers out of orifices for the next century, he needed to stall and come up with a game plan. He couldn’t risk Tessa. Not even saving his life was worth risking hers.

  “The girl has nothing to do with this. Leave her out of it. She’s legit and was simply helping me clean up your mess.”

  “Lies! You’ve told so many you reek of them,” Nico hissed. “Hey, girl, how many lies has he bamboozled you with? You can believe nothing he says. Did he tell you he chose to leave the rank of the Healers? Lies! He was kicked out! Forced out after—”

  “That’s enough, Nico! You’ll not do this. I’ll not allow you to cause discord when all she tried to do is help. She’s pure of heart, and you cannot take her. Feel her out. Is there even one shred of malice anywhere near her? No.” He paused for a second and glanced back at Tessa. Her face tilted toward him, and she was biting her lip to keep the tears in while holding her hands on either side of Morgan’s face. She didn’t deserve any of this, and his heart broke knowing what was about to happen. “You can take me in. But you will leave the girl alone.”

  ***

  Tessa jerked her head around at David’s words. She’d been listening to the two half-heartedly, trying to maintain her focus on Morgan. But when David agreed to get taken in by the man hunting him, she couldn’t sit idly by. She couldn’t allow him to sacrifice himself. Moving her hands down to Morgan’s broken leg, Tessa turned to face the men.

  “You can’t do this, David. You can’t just give up.”

  “Tessa, I have to. It’s the only way to keep you safe.”

  “No, we’ll find another way. You haven’t done anything wrong. You don’t deserve this.” Tears started to fall down Tessa’s cheeks at the thought of losing the one person who could help and guide her into this new life. She couldn’t do this without David. She needed him. And when she thought of not being around him anymore, she ached deep in her soul.