“I’ll be fine. You don’t need to worry about that.” He reaches across the couch and pats my leg. “But I want to make sure you’re especially careful over the next few months. If they send me away, no one will stand between you and Azrael. He hates demons, and if it were up to him, we’d restart the war tomorrow. Now that he’s the leader of the Archangel Council, I worry he’ll want to use you, or possibly kill you to make an example.”
“I’ll try to be careful. I think I’m safe here. Uriel won’t let anything happen to me.”
“I hope so.” He sighs and drops his head. I’ve never seen him look so defeated before. “Things would be a lot easier now if I’d taken the leadership position when it was offered to me. Having Azrael in charge can only lead angels down a dark path.”
“Why did you turn it down? You seem like the obvious choice to lead the Archangels.”
"I turned it down to protect you.” He looks up at me with pain in his bright blue eyes. “I couldn’t risk having that level or attention or scrutiny on me at all times, not without it leading people back to you. If I’d taken the job, it would have put you in danger.”
He gave up the highest position an angel can have. Turned down the leadership of the Archangels. For me.
“Do you regret that decision?” I ask.
He reaches over and takes my hand. “Never. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but everything I’ve done has always been to protect you and Jonah. I just wish my decision didn’t put you in greater danger now.”
"Wow. Um, thank you." I stammer through the words, fighting the wave of emotion his confession brings up. He might have been an absent dad, but all along he was doing what he thought was best for me.
He nods and slowly rises to his feet. “Don’t worry. I’m going to make sure you’re well protected.” He bends down and presses a kiss to the top of my hair. “I’ll see you again as soon as I can.”
I stand up, hating that he has to go, and fearing for his future. “Thanks for coming today. Goodbye, Father.”
He gives me one last warm smile, and then disappears in the blink of an eye.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Callan
Gabriel appears in front of me, and I nearly deck the guy. I’ve seen him teleport many times before, but I doubt I’ll ever stop wanting to reach for a sword when it happens.
“Thank you for meeting with me,” the Archangel says, as he glances around the lounge in the bell tower. “Interesting décor.”
“Courtesy of your daughter.” We removed most of the pink sparkly stuff, but Marcus insisted we keep some of the stuffed animals, and we’ll never be able to get all the glitter off the floor.
Gabriel laughs. “She’s full of surprises.”
“Would you like something to drink?” I ask, trying to remember my mother’s lessons in politeness. It still hurts that she cancelled on Family Day at the last minute. I get that her new job at Aerie Industries is important, but I never see her anymore. Not that we’ve ever been super close, but it’d be nice to know she is proud of me, like the other parents were with their kids today.
“No, thank you.” Gabriel sits in Bastien’s armchair like it’s a throne. "I've got a very important task for you."
I sit on the couch, my back stiff and straight. “Yes, sir?”
"Your father and I had our differences, as you know. But the one thing we both agreed was that we wanted peace and unity between demons and angels. Nothing has changed in that regard, even after his death.”
I nod. As much as I hate demons, I don’t want the war to begin again. That’s why I wanted to help the Order get the Staff of Eternity, and why I encouraged Jonah to go to Faerie to get it. If they send the demons back to Hell, another war can be averted. That was my hope, anyway.
Now I’m not so sure I want that anymore. As much as Olivia drives me mad, the thought of sending her to Hell feels wrong. Maybe I’m starting to think she belongs here too, as much as the rest of us.
Damn that woman, I wish she’d get out of my head.
Gabriel leans back in the chair as he continues. “Olivia is a sign that things could change between angels and demons, now that both races are living here on Earth. That also puts her in grave danger at all times. I’ve tried to watch over her as best I can, but I need your help.”
“My help?”
“You are a fearsome warrior, are you not?"
I sit up a little straighter. "I am."
“I would expect no less from Michael’s son. And as the son of Jophiel, you must be honorable as well. That’s why I’ve chosen you for the most important thing I could ask of you—the protection of my daughter.”
Fuck.
“Are you certain you want to choose me? Olivia and I… We don’t get along on the best of days.”
“I don’t care about that. I only care about her safety, and I know you’re the person who can protect her the best.”
I glance down at my hands. I’ve been trying to avoid Olivia as much as possible, and this is going to make that a lot harder. But I can’t exactly say no to an Archangel.
“Please, Callan,” Gabriel says, with more emotion in his voice than I’ve ever heard. “I’ve already lost my son. Please make sure I don’t lose my daughter too.”
I glance away, my jaw tightening at the reminder of Jonah. I made promises to him too about Olivia. Promises that I couldn’t keep. Surely he would want his sister to be safe now that she’s staying at Seraphim Academy. If I agree to this, I’m not just doing it for Gabriel, but for Jonah too.
“All right,” I say. “On my honor, I’ll protect her with my life.”
“Thank you.” He stands and offers his hand, and I shake it firmly. “I feel better knowing her safety is in your hands.”
I swallow hard and nod. What the fuck have I gotten myself into?
He clasps me on the shoulder. “I should've been around more for you after Michael died. And while he was alive too, perhaps.”
I stare at him in surprise. It was well-known that Gabriel and Michael didn’t get along. As the leader of the angelic spies, Gabriel works in the shadows, trying to get information before making a decision. When he acts, he prefers a knife in the back to an outright confrontation. My father, on the other hand, often acted first, usually with violence, and then thought later. I should know—I often got the brunt of his violence, a secret I’ll probably keep to my grave, since there’s no way I could tarnish the image of the beloved Archangel Michael. Everyone admired him, and no one knew what a total dick he could be in private. But I think maybe Gabriel knows, from the look on his face now.
“One more thing.” His fingers on my shoulder tighten, digging into my skin painfully. “If you ever betray or hurt my daughter again, you’ll have to answer to me, and Michael’s legacy won’t be able to protect you. Do you understand?”
I swallow. “Yes, sir.”
“I’m glad we understand each other,” the Archangel says.
He vanishes, and I let out a long breath. I better call Bastien and Marcus and get them over here. I’ll need their help to protect Olivia, since she won’t let me near her. What was Gabriel thinking, putting me in charge of her protection? The woman hates my guts, and the feeling is mutual. Plus she’s still plotting some kind of horrible payback for me.
This is going to be a disaster.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Olivia
Every year the three supernatural schools—Seraphim Academy, Hellspawn Academy, and Ethereal Academy—choose a sport to focus on, and this year it’s soccer. It’s well-known that the fae always kick everyone’s asses at soccer, so our team has been training non-stop, which means I don’t see Marcus as often as either of us would like.
Tonight is the first game, and it’s against the fae. It’s another chance for Araceli’s dad to visit her, and another chance for me to complete my task for the Order.
The bleachers are packed as Araceli and I fly over to them. On one side, angels fill the stands, and the ot
her side has a much smaller number of fae. Very few of them like to leave Faerie at all, so these are probably all family members of the players, here to show their support.
As we set down on the angel side, I notice Araceli looks a little paler than usual. “You don’t have to be here,” I tell her.
Last year, Araceli’s boyfriend Darel was killed at one of these games. The Order made it look like it was a demon attack, but we know it was them. She’s avoided the games ever since, and as she glances over at the fae side of the field, I think it’s not just because of Darel that she’s nervous. Araceli has never tried to hide her fae side, but she hasn’t exactly embraced it either. I don’t blame her, since they totally rejected her.
She straightens up and tucks her purple streak behind a pointed ear. “I need to do this. For me.”
I nod. “Do you think your dad will show?”
“Probably not, but I did leave him another voicemail letting him know about the game.” She offers me a weak smile. “I am trying.”
She looks so sad while trying to put on a brave face, that I throw my arms around her and give her a big hug. “You’re doing great.”
She gives me a squeeze and then steps back with resolve in her eyes. “Besides, we need to make sure the Order doesn’t try anything tonight. Even if my dad’s not here, they might try and kidnap one of the other fae.”
“We won’t let that happen.”
We scan the bleachers, but don’t see Araceli’s dad anywhere. I think she’s probably right that he won’t bother coming. It’s frustrating, and not because of the Order—after reconnecting with my father, I want Araceli to be able to do the same with hers.
“May we sit with you?” Bastien asks, as he comes up behind me. He rests a light hand on my lower back almost possessively, and it sends a little thrill through me.
Callan’s beside him, and he scowls as he notices Bastien’s hand, but says nothing. I don’t really want him anywhere near me, but I guess he’s a package deal with Bastien. Ugh.
“We’re not really planning to sit,” I tell them slowly, then glance at Araceli. Can we trust the Princes? They’re in the Order too, and there’s no telling what task they’ve been given. For all we know, they’re supposed to steal one of the fae away.
“You don’t plan to cheer for Marcus?” Callan asks, making it sound like an insult.
“Of course we do,” I snap back at him.
“We want to check out the fae,” Araceli says. “Me, mostly. I’m so curious about them, with my heritage and all.”
Bastien narrows his eyes at me. “And no doubt Olivia is interested because of Jonah.”
“Fine, but we’re going with you,” Callan says, his voice leaving no room for argument. For anyone but me, anyway.
I shoot him a glare. “No one’s inviting you along.”
He stares me down. “Too bad. It’s not safe for you over there.”
“Since when do you care?”
“Since your father put me in charge of your protection.”
“What?” I can’t keep the horror off my face. “You?”
He raises his chin and gives me a cocky smirk. “Looks that way. So wherever you go, I’ll be there, making sure no one tries anything.”
I want to wipe that arrogant look off his face so bad. “That’s really not necessary. I’m not the one in danger here.”
“You’re obviously worried about the fae being kidnapped by the Order,” Bastien says in a matter-of-fact tone. “We can help you.”
“We don’t know if we can trust you,” Araceli says, and I’m proud of her for standing up to them. Last year, they scared the crap out of her.
“I swear on the light of truth that I have no intention of harming the fae,” Bastien says, and a white glow surrounds him. He makes Callan do the same, and even though he repeats the words with an eyeroll, the light surrounds him too. “There. Now you know we speak the truth.”
I glance at Araceli, since I’m not familiar with this, and she nods. “Fine,” I say. “Come with us. We’re going to patrol the area during the game and look for anything suspicious.”
We take a quick walk through the angel side of the bleachers as the game begins. Marcus and the rest of the team run out onto the field to massive cheers. I notice that asshole Jeremy is also on the team, along with Cyrus’s boyfriend Isaiah, but don’t know the rest of the players.
The fae team runs out next, moving with otherworldly grace across the field. The fae side claps enthusiastically, but don’t cheer or yell, like the angels did. Nope, they’re way too refined for that. I study them closely, taking my first look at full-blooded fae. Most of the players are men, but there are a few women too. They’re all tall and willowy, with pointed ears, sharp, beautiful features, and hair that looks dyed, ranging from sunflower yellow to lime green to snow white.
“How do we know they’re not using glamour?” I ask. We learned a little about glamour in the last Fae Studies class, and how the fae can use it to create illusions, change their appearance, or trick people. Only Ofanim like Bastien are completely immune.
“Look up,” Bastien says, pointing at hundreds of tiny hovering balls of light scattered above us, which cast a bright glow over the field and the bleachers. “Uriel and I spent hours filling the sky with those. The light of truth prevents fae glamour, along with Ishim invisibility and imp illusions. If anyone plans to make a move today, they will do it without any of those powers.”
We stop and grab some hot dogs and beer, while the game continues. I take a minute to watch Marcus run across the field in his sexy little shorts, showing off his sculpted calves, and then cheer with everyone else when he scores. The game is tied so far, which is better than anyone thought we would do, and the crowd is buzzing with excitement.
Then we make our way along the outside of the field to the other side, where the fae are sitting. As we approach, we see two guards at the entrance to the bleachers, who seriously look like extras in the Lord of the Rings. They both hold spears and wear elaborate, shining armor, although the one on the left has bronze leaves on his chest, while the one on the right has copper flowers. They must be from the Autumn and Spring Courts, respectively.
“Halt,” the spring fae says, blocking our path with her spear. “What is your business here?”
I hesitate, trying to come up with a quick lie, but Bastien steps forward and offers them the truth, of all things. “I am Bastien, son of Archangel Uriel, and his personal assistant. We come to ensure your people’s safety, and to offer our assistance.”
The autumn fae looks offended by this very suggestion. “As you can see, we have security well under control.”
“Is there anything we can get you?” Araceli asks.
Both fae study her intently for a long pause, before the female guard says, “That won’t be necessary.”
Their spears continue to block our path, so we turn around and head back. Not much else to do. We’re obviously not wanted there, and even though we could fly over them, that seems especially rude, and likely to cause problems between the two schools.
“Whatever happened to fae hospitality?” I mumble, as we make it back to the angel side.
“They’re our guests,” Bastien says. “If they’d invited us, things would be different.”
Araceli asks, “Is there nothing we can do?”
“Not without sneaking over there,” Callan says.
“My necklace!” I say, grabbing it. “It should let me go invisible, even with your little light of truth bubbles floating around us. I can fly over the fae side for the rest of the game, just to make sure nothing bad happens to them.”
“That could work,” Bastien says.
Callan grabs my arm. “I’m coming with you.”
I shake him off and step back. “No way.”
“I made a promise to your father. Trust me, I don’t like this any more than you do, but I must keep you safe. And I know you can make me invisible too.”
I pinch my brow,
trying to decide if I’m more annoyed with Callan or Father at this moment. “Fine. Callan and I will fly over to the fae side and keep watch. You two make sure everything stays calm over here on the angel side.”
Araceli and Bastien nod, and head off to sit with the rest of the crowd. I watch them squeeze next to Grace and Cyrus, and then Callan and I head behind the bathrooms so we’re out of sight.
I hold out my hand to him. “We need to be touching for this to work. Don’t let go of me.”
He nods, but instead of taking my hand, he slides his arm around my waist and pulls me close. He’s warm and strong and I get a taste of his hateful desire again as our bodies press together.
“We don’t need to be this close,” I say, although I don’t move away.
He looks down at me with inscrutable eyes. “It will make it easier for you. We don’t want to accidentally break contact.”
I suck in a breath and try to block out my own flaring lust. Then I gather light around us, taking it from the glowing baubles floating above us, the moonlight, and the lamps around the field. I bend it around Callan and me until we’re invisible. “It worked. Let’s go.”
Callan holds me against him and launches into the sky before I can even extract my wings. He carries me like I weigh nothing as we dart over the field, while I make sure to keep us hidden.
“I can fly, you know,” I say, digging my nails into his arms. His really strong, masculine arms.
“This is safer.”
I huff, but there’s little point in arguing with him when we’re already there. I’m reminded of the other time he carried me, when I was attacked by demons and hit with a light-infused blade. His wings are pure white and edged in gold, and I have the strongest desire to run my fingers along them.
We do a few passes overhead, but don’t see anything unusual, and then we land behind their bleachers in a spot of grass. Callan sets me down and takes my hand, before stepping back, then wipes his other hand on his jeans like he’s got to brush my cooties off him. I roll my eyes and sit on the grass to wait, tugging him down with me.
Seraphim Academy 2: Sinful Things Page 11
