by Zoey Ellis
“You are my angel,” he said, looking into her eyes. “You make me better.” He lifted her up, guiding her onto his cock. “I need you. And I will always protect you.”
She moaned as his hard shaft slid into her, that tingling sting making her shudder as he filled her up. He wrapped his arms around her, moving her up and down on him as she rested her forearms on his shoulders.
“Even those sounds you make.” He placed his forehead on hers and he pumped into her slowly. “Perfection.”
She ground her hips into him, and he moaned. “And the way you move on my cock, Elithea. It’s so exquisite.”
He kept a steady rhythm, somehow knowing she needed to revel in the feel of him, somehow knowing she needed the slow build this time.
“I could never do without you, Cam,” she said, staring into those beautiful gray eyes, her pleasure building.
“And you never will. I will always look after you.”
Wrapped up in him, his cock sliding against the delicious spots inside her, his arms around her, his eyes looking deep into her own; she felt safe and protected. He had made her feel that way, even with everything that was going on. “I love you, my mate,” she murmured, as she finally opened herself to him, allowing his attentions to melt away her barriers.
He broke into a smile so stunning, her desire for him overwhelmed her, causing the shattering cascade of her climax.
Afterward, they lay on the bed, Cam laying his head on her belly. She stroked his hair, running her fingers through it, her whole body relaxed. Satisfaction and contentment hummed through her, but she couldn’t help wondering if this was the last time she’d ever get to make love to him. Although he had every intention of not letting anything happen to her, not everything was within his control.
“Do you think—?” She abruptly stopped, not wanting to spoil the moment. There was only so much he could reassure her.
Cam looked up at her face, lifting his hand to stroke her cheek. “Nothing is going to happen to you, Thea,” he said softly. “I don’t think the Dominion League actually think you are a threat.”
Thea frowned. “Why?”
“They wouldn’t be training you and encouraging you to improve your abilities if they thought you were dangerous. You can’t be that much of a threat to them if they’re making you more powerful. Stop worrying until you know more.”
That made sense. Thea breathed out an unsteady sigh of relief. As she lay stroking Cam’s head, she decided that Zak was right. The best thing to do would be to find out when she was conceived and deal with whatever that information brought with it.
She noticed Cam still staring up at her.
“You think about things a lot, Thea.”
She smiled. “I know. I always overthink when I’m worried or stressed about something. I try to keep myself busy when that happens.”
“It’s not healthy. At some point, you have to let your mind rest.”
“I can’t help it.” A silence grew between them for a long moment, before she said, “What if they keep us apart? They definitely won’t let you mate with me if I’m not even a half-angel.”
He stilled. Maybe he hadn’t considered that. He rose up onto his hands, looming over her with a stormy expression. “No one will keep me away from you, Thea,” he said, in a tone that brooked no argument. “No one. I will fucking destroy anyone that tries.”
She shivered at the intensity of his gaze, the promise in his tone, the growl in his voice.
“Now.” He spread her legs and ran his fingers up her stomach to her breasts. “If you need to be kept busy, I can help you with that.” He lowered down between her legs, squeezing her breasts, his eyes still on her.
This time their lovemaking was wild and rough, with Cam encouraging her to command what she wanted until she was growling at him to fuck her hard. In her moment of bliss, with Cam pressing her head into the bed, her ass high in the air as he pounded into her pussy, her worry wasn’t even a distant memory—it didn’t exist.
As she sunk into a deep sleep in his arms, Cam was all she could think about and she knew he would make sure everything would be all right. She trusted him.
***
The next eight months in the human world were monotonous but felt more productive. Cam’s Power friends had done most of the groundwork, finding the correct location of many of the charges they had yet to visit. They used the portals to travel to China, Poland, Canada, The Gambia, Australia, Scotland, Kenya, Pakistan and England. Thea was amazed at how different the cities, climate, and people were, and everywhere they went, Cam had an apartment for them.
Some of Thea’s mother’s charges did remember her vaguely, but weren’t able to give them any further information. Still, Thea wasn’t as worried as she first was. Cam’s declaration to look after her made her feel safe and hopeful. She called Amber every month that passed and they caught up about things that had happened since their last chat. Thea was actually able to tell her about some of the amazing places she visited and Amber was progressing steadily in her job. Thea regretted she wasn’t there to celebrate with her.
Eventually, they came across a charge that was truly helpful. She was a thirty-year-old Nephilim called Olivia working as a demon-hunter in Argentina.
Cam had explained that the energy caused by angel and demon fights repelled humans; they simply felt a need to move away from the vicinity. So when they saw a number of people turning away from entering a walkway behind a theater in the center of Buenos Aires, they guessed a fight was taking place.
They stayed out of the way and watched Olivia vanquish a Spectra. When they approached she backed away, adopting a fighting stance. Her auburn hair was tied back into a neat bun and her face was hard. She spoke in French, raising her voice in alarm, but Thea couldn’t understand her.
Thea slowed and raised her hands. “We’re not here to hurt you.” She shifted into her angel-form, its rushing energy encasing her. The woman’s face widened, her stance relaxing.
“What are you?” Olivia breathed.
“I’m a Nephilim, like you,” Thea said.
The woman shook her head. “You’re not like me. I don’t have an angel-form.”
“I didn’t realize I had one for a while,” Thea said, shifting back. “I wanted to know if you could tell me anything about my mother.”
Olivia frowned and spoke again in French.
“Sorry, I don’t speak French,” Thea explained. “Can you keep speaking in English?”
“Thea, you need to be in your angel-form to understand her,” Cam said, from her side. “She said you look just like her guardian. I think she means your mother.”
Thea shifted. “You knew my mother?”
“Yes, I suppose so. You look too alike to be anyone other than her daughter.” She looked between Thea and Cam. “I need to head back to get an assignment, but we can talk on the way.”
She led them out from behind the theater and along a busy street filled with cafes and restaurants. “What happened to her?” Olivia asked.
“What do you mean?” Cam said.
“I last saw her when I was nine.”
“What happened when you last met?” Cam asked. “Did she seem different in any way?”
They threaded through knots of people drinking outside of a restaurant. “Yes,” Olivia said slowly. “She seemed distracted, worried. She was normally always calm and serene and made me feel safe. But that last time, she was on edge.”
Thea drew a little breath. Finally, someone who knew something. “Do you know why?”
“No. She never spoke about herself.” Olivia glanced at Thea. “What happened to her?”
“I don’t know,” Thea said. “I’m trying to find out.”
“What was she like guiding you?” Cam asked.
“Great,” Olivia said. “Your mother was good for me. She helped me through some things… some difficult situations and terrible family issues. I grew up in Luxembourg and there aren’t many Nephilim there. My father
rarely visited us and my mother was tightly controlled by her family, who had a lot of money and high social standing. So when I kept insisting I was seeing strange things… many harrowing things happened. I don’t know if I could’ve gotten through it without her.”
Thea nodded, but a shot of annoyance burned through her. So her mother could help others with their family issues, yet she was the cause of so many problems for her own daughter.
“It got so bad once, she actually helped me psychologically,” Olivia continued, turning into a large square. “Before I met her, I thought I’d never be able to deal with what happened to me, but she softened my memory a few times and I was able to process it.”
“What do you mean she softened your memory?” Thea asked.
“She was good at doing stuff like that from what I remember,” Olivia said, as she arrived at a small hub of other angels who looked at Thea and Cam with interest. “I asked her once and she said she could go into people’s minds and treat them somehow. I don’t know exactly how it worked, but I’m sure all Archangels can do it.”
Thea smiled at her. “Thanks for answering our questions. I wish you all the best.”
Olivia smiled and bid them goodbye.
Thea sighed as she and Cam headed back the way they came. “She’s been the only one to remember my mom so clearly, but I’m not sure how much she helped.”
Cam stopped on the sidewalk and turned her toward him. “She helped enormously, Thea.”
“She did?”
“If your mother was so skilled at memory manipulation, she probably made most of her charges forget her. Maybe she didn’t make Olivia forget her because she was young or she had already been in her mind.” He paused, watched Thea closely. “And she probably manipulated your father’s memories. That could be why he can’t remember her much or why he has memory problems.”
Horror rose in Thea so violently she couldn’t speak. Her mother caused her father’s mental issues? She sucked in a breath. Why would she? That meant that not only had her mother abandoned her, but she’d also left Thea alone with her father even after she destroyed his mind. A whirl of mixed emotions shuddered through her and she couldn’t find her voice.
Cam pulled her close and she leaned against him, not sure what to even say. They stayed that way for a moment, Thea listening to the steady thud of his heart.
“Your father could be holding onto a great amount of information about her,” Cam said, softly. “But he might not be able to communicate it.”
“What if he’s just forgotten her?” Thea asked, her voice a whisper. “Forgotten everything about her and their time together?”
“No, I think she did something different to your father,” Cam said, thoughtfully. “She managed to get her charges to forget her and still function normally, but your father was left with lingering issues. I think it’s worth exploring if there’s anything he can remember.”
“Okay,” Thea breathed. “That makes sense. What now?”
Cam kissed her forehead and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “Let’s talk to Zak,” he said. “He might have an idea.”
Thea nodded. Zak had a warm and calm presence but was also sensible, matter-of-fact and experienced. They headed back to the Angel Realm and Thea hoped he would have an answer for them.
Chapter Thirteen
THEA
“Hey! Long time.” Dani grinned at Thea as she entered the common room. “Where have you been?”
“On an assignment,” Thea said wryly, dropping down into a chair. Zak had been shocked by Cam’s theory but agreed that it was likely. He had gone to find an Archangel that might be able to help with healing her dad’s mind and told Cam to check in with Asteroth to update him on the new information.
Dani’s eyes widened. “Already?” She crossed her arms and shook her head. “So not fair. I’ve still been in training, and it’s been so boring without you.”
Thea smiled at her. “Believe me, this assignment hasn’t been all peaches and cream.”
“What happened?”
Thea told Dani all about her mother and her assignment from the Dominions, though she didn’t mention anything about the question hanging over her about what kind of being she actually was.
“Oh, wow. I’m so sorry, Thea.” The shock on Dani’s face made her look older.
Thea shrugged. “I just have to find a way to deal with it. My commander is looking for an Archangel who can maybe reverse the effects or somehow restore his memories.”
Dani thought for a minute. “I can do that,” she said. “If your mom blocked your dad’s memories, I’m sure I can unblock them.”
“You know how to do that?” Thea asked, frowning.
Dani nodded. “Yup. Virtues specialize in the natural elements, so we can affect human tissue as well, although not as powerfully as Archangels. I’ve completed my training on manipulating human material, so I could help. It would just take a little coaxing to get his mind to repair itself.”
Thea pursed her lips, unsure. Dani was still in training. What if she messed up her father’s mind even more? She got up. “Let’s speak to Zak and see what he says.”
“Sure.” Dani rose from her seat to follow Thea out of the common room. Then she paused. “You don’t mean Commander Zakiel, do you? The Dominion angel?”
Thea rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re in love with Zakiel as well!”
“How do you know all these celebrated angels?” Dani said, her confusion almost turning to annoyance. “You’ve been here five minutes!”
Thea laughed at her scowl and gave her a knowing look. “If I didn’t know them, you wouldn’t be able to meet them.”
Dani’s face brightened, though she still pouted. “True,” she said, linking her arm with Thea. “Very true indeed.”
***
Zak considered Dani’s suggestion carefully, asking her questions and regarding her thoughtfully. They sat in Zak’s office opposite him at his mahogany desk.
Dani babbled just as much in front of Zak as she did with Cam, but Zak didn’t seem phased by it just like Cam wasn’t. Maybe they were used to angels behaving that way around them.
After a few long moments, Zak said, “I will need to speak to Asteroth and see what he thinks about your training. If he thinks you’re ready, I don’t see why you can’t try.”
Dani grinned, struggling to hold in her excitement. “Thank you, Commander. That would be amazing. I’m sure he will—”
Cam entered the office, strolling in behind them. Thea could feel his presence even before she turned to look at him; his energy seemed to jolt through her whole body. When he grinned at her, a delicious feeling stirred in her stomach and then between her legs. She would never get sick of seeing this beautiful man.
“Asteroth said a Virtue angel would be best to undo the effects of an Archangel on the human mind,” Cam said as he approached the desk.
“Ah,” Zak said, pleased. “We were just discussing that. Daniah here made the suggestion that she could do it.”
Cam nodded, with a slight frown. “Have you finished training?” he asked Dani.
“I’ve finished training on the human body,” Dani said. “But I haven’t completed my training, no.”
“All right, go and see Asteroth and have him consider your suggestion. I’ll be along in a minute,” Zak said. “I think it’s best we get his recommendation, and it wouldn’t hurt for you to soften him up before I speak to him.”
Dani grinned and made her way out of the office, partially bowing to Zak and Cam as she shuffled to the door.
Thea laughed as Cam sat next to her. “Do angels really bow to you both? Or is that just Dani?”
“Some angels do,” Zak said, ruefully. “Mostly the ones that don’t interact with Powers a lot.”
“Do you think she’s trained enough to do the job?” Cam asked.
Zak shrugged. “Asteroth only trains the best. If he says she’s capable, I trust his judgment.”
“Aste
roth only trains the best?” Thea asked, amazed.
Cam shot her look. “He’s a member of the Dominion League. Who else did you think you’d train with after me?”
Thea snorted. “There’s that humility of yours.”
Cam shot her with a scolding glance that slowly softened into a piercing look of desire.
Zak cleared his throat. “I need to speak to you both about something.”
Thea sobered. From his tone, it sounded serious. Cam straightened.
“I spoke to the Dominion League about the progress of your assignment, and they surmised that treating your father’s mental injuries will take quite a while, possibly a number of months in human time.” He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “In the meantime, they would like you to go back out hunting, Cam.”
Cam frowned. “Without Thea?”
“There’s a specific assignment that has come up that they think you are best placed to deal with. Alone.”
“What is it?”
Zak’s expression was grim. “It’s a Legion task force.”
A silence filled the room during which Cam and Zak were locked in a stare.
Thea looked between them, disturbed by their sudden seriousness. “What’s a Legion task force?”
Zak turned to her. “Every so often, demons will come together to plan something horrible for the human world.”
Thea nodded, remembering the group of Furies she and Cam had seen on their first demon-spotting evening together.
“These groups are called demon rings. The higher the class of the demon ring, the more destructive the plan. A task force is a group of demons who are trying to accomplish a goal that specifically targets the Angel Realm.”
Thea thought for a moment. “But I thought the Angel Realm could only be affected by the human world.”
“Yes, exactly.” Zak’s eyes hardened. “The task force plan and carry out horrific things in the human world that will cause enough turmoil to effect the Angel Realm. Normally, demon task forces will be Furies or Asmos. Legion task forces are particularly lethal and hard to dismantle.”
