“I don’t know. You were asleep when I got here about six hours ago. What happened, Danielle?” Her friend looked concerned.
“I’m fine and I’ll be better tomorrow. Resting is the best thing for me.”
Janet smirked. “I can think of one thing that would be better than sleeping for you. I met your newest boyfriend. The man is yummy. I can see why you wouldn’t introduce me to him.”
There wasn’t any point in pretending not to know what Janet was talking about. “Grant was here. When was that?”
“He hadn’t been here long before I showed up and he didn’t stay long. He’s a hottie, Danielle, but I’m not sure he’s the right one for you.” Janet seemed unsure.
“Did he say something about me being crazy?” She laughed at Janet’s nod. “Don’t worry. It’ll take a while for him to get used to me. I don’t plan on giving up on him though. He’s the best lover I’ve ever had and I don’t want to go back to a lonely bed.”
“Hey, that’s all I need to hear. Now do you think you can take care of yourself? I have a date, but I’m willing to break it if you need me to stay.” Janet stood to move toward the hallway.
Shooing her out, Danielle said, “I’ll be fine. Food is sounding really good. I think I’ll order delivery and just laze around tonight. Have a good time. I want a full report on this guy when we get together on Sunday.”
Janet blew her a kiss and Danielle listened to hear the front door shut. Grant had come to check up on her. She couldn’t help the happy feeling racing through her. Don’t be foolish, she told herself. Just because he came doesn’t mean he cares for you. It just means he’s nice. Those thoughts didn’t stop her from reaching for the phone.
“Hello?”
“Hi,” she said.
“Danielle, how are you doing?”
The concern in his voice made her smile. “I’m doing better. Still a little tired, but I’ll be fine by tomorrow.”
“Are you sure? You didn’t look good when I stopped by earlier today.” He sounded hesitant. “Janet did tell you that I stopped by, didn’t she?”
Laughing, she rolled to her back and said, “Yes, she mentioned you were here when she came by. That’s why I was calling. Thank you for checking in on me.”
“You’re welcome. When Largent called, he didn’t sound very good, so I was worried about you.” He paused. “What happened at your meeting, Danielle?”
She told him the truth. “Someone wanted to take my power and there was a bit of a struggle. Nevan got there before anything worse could happen.”
“Who was it?”
“The woman who left the note. She was going to tell me what they were looking for and since you wouldn’t tell me, I had to take matters into my own hands. It was silly to think she was trying to help, but there you go. I’m not always the smartest person in the world.”
“You got hurt because of me?”
“No, I got hurt because I’m too trusting for my own good. I should have waited until Nevan got there before I went anywhere near the meeting place.” She pushed herself up to lean against the headboard. “Again, my arrogance got me into trouble.”
“Are you feeling well enough for me to stop by and see you tonight?”
She had been hoping he’d ask. “Sure, you’re more than welcome to stop over. Maybe you could pick up some take-out. I haven’t eaten all day and I’m really hungry.”
“I’ll get Chinese.”
“Great. I’m going to hop in the shower, so just use the spare key to let yourself in.”
“Okay. I’ll be there in about thirty minutes, depending on traffic.”
“I’ll be waiting. Thanks.”
“I’ll see you later then.” He hung up.
She put her phone down then set her alarm clock to go off in twenty minutes. She had enough time to take a nap before she hopped in the shower. After pulling the blanket over her head, she fell asleep to dream about Grant.
* * * *
Grant heard the shower running as he let himself in. After setting their food on the counter, he headed to the bathroom as he unbuttoned his shirt.
“Did you leave enough hot water for me?” Tugging back the curtain, he took in the breathtaking sight Danielle made wet and slick.
“You’ll have to share with me. I’m not ready to get out.”
When he was naked, he slipped under the pounding stream. She soaped her hands then rubbed his chest. He leaned back against the wall, letting her take care of him. His muscles relaxed and pleasure built. She played with his nipples, teasing and tugging, and he moaned.
“That feels great.”
Smiling, she nodded as she knelt on the floor of the shower. “I thought it would.”
She slid her hands down to massage his thighs. His stance widened as she made her way to his feet. When she trailed her fingers over his arches, he couldn’t help but laugh.
“Someone’s ticklish,” Danielle murmured as she sucked his cock in.
“Shit,” he cried out as his cock hit the back of her throat. He’d never had a woman take him in that deep.
She hummed and the vibrations traveled from his shaft throughout his body, warning every nerve ending of the climax to come. His legs shook as she swirled her tongue over the head of his cock, teasing the slit leaking pre-cum. A wave of lust washed over him like the water sheeting down his body. He threw his head back and hit the wall, causing him to see stars, but it didn’t stop his hips from arching. He wound his hands in her wet hair. He wanted to start thrusting, but he didn’t know if she was ready for that.
She slipped her hand between his thighs and cupped his balls. They tightened and he could feel his climax building in his groin. She nibbled up and down the throbbing vein on the underside of his shaft. He whimpered when she let him slip out before looking up.
“Go ahead, Grant. I’ll be fine.” Her voice was husky.
She took him deep again and he couldn’t stop from thrusting. Holding her head still, he plunged in and out of her hot mouth, moaning with each hard suck she gave him. He banged his head against the wall again. Shit. That one would leave a lump, but he didn’t worry about it.
“I’m going to come, Danielle.”
She hummed and sucked until his climax burst from him in a low keen. He jerked and poured his seed into her. His mind blanked and every atom in him exploded into passion. He closed his eyes and instead of darkness, a bright light bathed him in a loving touch. When his hips stopped jerking, he managed to open his eyes to see Danielle licking him clean.
Danielle stood then kissed him and he could taste his own essence on her lips.
“We need to get out of the shower before we turn into wrinkles, love.” She turned off the water before helping him out onto the bath mat.
He watched her as she toweled herself briskly then turned to him. Danielle took care drying him off and by the time she was finished, he was hard again. He’d never recovered this fast before, but he wasn’t going to argue. He remembered what it felt like to fuck her and he wanted a repeat performance of that.
* * * *
Later, after another episode of love making, Danielle reheated all the food then filled her plate before sitting at the table. Grant got his meal then joined her.
She didn’t want to ask, but she needed to know. “Where are we going with this relationship, Grant?”
He reached over to take her hand. “I’m still not sure about where we’re heading, Danielle. There’re so many mysteries surrounding you and I’m not convinced I’ll understand them when you finally tell me. I do know that I could get addicted to you very easily.”
“Really?” She turned her hand over to entwine her fingers with his.
“Yeah and something’s telling me that I’m going to reach the point where I don’t care what your story is. There’s a voice in my head telling me that we were meant to be together.” He shook his head.
“Is that voice male with a slight accent?”
A strange light came into his
eyes. “How did you know?”
Laughing, she brought his knuckles up to her mouth and kissed them. “It’s a voice I’m very familiar with.”
“Why would I be hearing the same voices you are?” His eyes widened. “I can’t believe I’m even considering the fact that I might be hearing voices in my head.”
“Hang out with me much longer and you’ll see things you never thought existed. I’ve heard that voice most of my life. Occasionally, I get to talk face-to-face with the man it belongs to.”
Grant’s skin paled. “It’s a real man?”
Tilting her head, she considered his question. “No, I wouldn’t call Mika’il a man. He’s much more than that.”
“More than a man? Who is he?”
“I’m not sure I have the words to describe him. He’s a warrior and a pacifist. He’s a father and a brother. To a few people, he is everything.” She squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry. He won’t hurt you. He isn’t allowed to bother mortals.” She used that word on purpose, wondering what Grant’s reaction would be.
He stayed seated and relaxed. “You’ve used the word mortal before when you’ve talked about me and others. Does that mean you’re not mortal? How old are you?”
“According to the government, I just celebrated my thirty-second birthday.” She hedged.
“Screw the government. How old are you really?” He obviously wasn’t going to let her dodge his question.
“I existed when God brought man into being. I watched as man took his first steps.”
“That would make you…”
“Very old. No matter how you look at it and try to add it up.” She took her plate to the sink. Bracing her hands against the counter, she stared out of the window. “I’ve seen civilizations come and go. Human devils basking in riches and human angels living in squalor. There isn’t much about events in history that I can’t tell you. I’ve lived and seen it all.” She turned to see Grant studying her with narrowed eyes. “I’ve never lied to you about anything, Grant. Maybe I’ve hedged the truth on certain things, but I’ve never lied.”
“I was just thinking how good you look for being thousands of years old.” He smiled at her, then stood to move over to her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her closer. “Danielle, I’m not sure I believe you, but I’m working on it. You’ve accused me of having a closed mind, but that’s not true. I have to have an open mind to accept some of the things I’ve found in my digs. It’s just going to take me time to absorb it.” After leaning down, he kissed her forehead. “Let’s get some sleep. You still need to rest and I need to take you to the lab tomorrow.”
Nodding, she let him help her into the bedroom. She lay down and he climbed in with her. He curled up behind her, spooning her body with his. The tenderness of his touch brought sad tears to her eyes, not sure she could trust in him sticking around once the entire truth came out.
Chapter Nine
“Where did you get these?”
Grant traced the scars on her shoulder blades, making her skin twitch. The scars were still sensitive after all these centuries. She tried to move away from him, but there wasn’t much space in her bathroom for the two of them. “They’re from my old life.”
“The life you were banished from.” He traced the path of the scars with his tongue.
Tears filled her eyes and she fought back a sob. Now wasn’t the time to weep like a baby. She’d had a long time to deal with the loss of her wings. Grant’s gentle touch shouldn’t affect her this deeply. “Yes. They took the very symbol of what I was from me.”
“Your wings.” His statement shocked her and she turned to look at him. He cupped her cheeks, swiping the tears off her skin. “Nevan told me you are a fallen angel.”
“Look who’s talking out of turn,” she murmured.
“I’m right, aren’t I? Those scars are where your wings once were.”
Pushing away from him, she wandered into her bedroom then pulled on a shirt. She made her way to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She didn’t know how to handle this sudden about-face that Grant was pulling. With no proof other than herself, she didn’t see how he could believe her—she wouldn’t believe anyone if they came up with such a fantastic story. Well, she wouldn’t if she were mortal. After pouring herself and Grant coffee, she handed him a cup while debating what to say.
“An angel’s wings are the outward symbol of their spirit. They keep us apart from mortals. Without them, we aren’t anything special or more important than any other being on earth.” She took a sip of her coffee then grimaced as she continued, “When God banished us from Heaven, He made Mika’il take our wings. He didn’t want us to have anything to remind us of what we once were. For many of the fallen, their minds were destroyed when their wings were taken.”
Grant had set his cup down, listening to her intently. It was almost like he was trying to understand what she was telling him. She didn’t know if that frightened or encouraged her.
“Why are you doing this? Why are you acting like you believe me?” She couldn’t stop from asking.
Shrugging, he said, “I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask questions. That’s the only way I’m going to learn the truth. You don’t look or act crazy, so there must be some truth in what you’re telling me.”
“What does crazy look like? I’ve known people who look as normal as you and they’ve turned out to be sociopaths or psychotics. Insanity often manages to mask itself behind the façade of sanity without giving anything away.”
“I know, but I don’t feel like I should be worried about you. You’re not going to hurt or kill me. I doubt you’re in danger of melting down and shooting up schools. So maybe you are a fallen angel. I want to discover your past and figure out if we have any kind of future together.”
She still didn’t trust this drastic turnaround, but she could deal with his denials later. “You said you had to take me to the lab.”
“Yeah. The grad students aren’t working today and there’s something I want you to see.”
“Okay. Let’s go.”
After putting their cups in the sink, they left.
* * * *
Grant let them into the lab. He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. He wasn’t sure why he was nervous, but he was worried about Danielle’s reaction when she saw the skeleton. Even though all the bones weren’t there, she would still be able to tell what it looked like. Standing in the middle of the room, she stared at him.
“Go touch the vault door,” he said. He remembered Nevan saying she would know exactly what he had if she ever got close to the vault.
She moved toward the door. Gasping, she almost went to her knees. “What did you bring back, Grant?”
He helped her to a chair then pushed her down to sit on it, before unlocking the door to wheel out the cart. The sheet was still over the bones, but he could see her eyes widen at the outlined shape of the skull. He uncovered it, then watched her.
“Oh my God.” Danielle spoke in a hushed tone. “This is what they’re looking for.” Tears spilled down her cheeks as she sobbed.
“At first I thought it was just a very well made fake, but the more I tested it out in the field, the more I became convinced it might be real. I’d never heard of a winged humanoid species, especially in Peru.” He stared down at the bones, a certain reverence beginning to fill his heart. If angels were real, then here was the proof.
“It’s not all here. Some of the bones from his wings are missing.” Reaching out a hand, she held it over the skeleton without touching it. “I wonder who he was.”
“Unfortunately, one of the crates got misplaced. I’m not sure where it is. The shipping company is trying to track it down.” He handed her a pair of cotton gloves. “If you’re going to touch it, please use the gloves.”
Nodding, she took them without looking up. “Brittany said Lucifer might be interested in what you’ve found.”
“Lucifer as in the Devil?”
“Yes, he’s the reason
we all were banished. He incited us to rebel against God. The image you’ve created of the Devil is far more than Lucifer could ever think of being, but it’s also less than what he truly is.” Closing her eyes, she imagined beautiful white feathers covering the thin bones. She didn’t know who this angel had been, but she mourned his passing all the same.
“It sounds like you’ve got an intimate knowledge of Lucifer.” Grant moved closer to her.
“I’ve met him a time or two.” She didn’t elaborate. “Nevan knows about this?”
“Yes, he told me I should tell you. That’s why we’re here, along with the fact that since I didn’t tell you, you ended up getting hurt. I don’t want that to happen again.”
“You do realize this complicates everything. My unrepentant brethren will come back searching for this and the criminals after those emeralds will be back as well. Something tells me the emeralds are in the missing crate with the bones. We’re going to need help.”
“What are you talking about? Nevan’s doing his best.”
Danielle reached into her coat pocket then pulled out her cell phone. “We can’t leave the skeleton unattended. Bad things will happen if my brethren get a hold of it. Good thing I memorized Dominic’s number.”
“Hello?” someone with a whiskey-deep voice answered.
“Hello, Dominic. It’s Danielle.”
“Ah, cherie, it’s wonderful to talk to you. I wanted to say thank you for all your help with our slight problem.”
She couldn’t help but smile at his downplaying the Vodou curse.
“You’re welcome, but your thanks aren’t needed. Mika’il has thanked me enough for all of you. I have a problem up here.”
“I can’t get up there until tomorrow morning at the earliest. Let me call someone who’s closer. She can be there by tonight.” There wasn’t any hesitation in his voice.
She knew Dominic repaid debts and she guessed he figured helping save the woman he loved was a huge debt he had to take care of. “Thanks. I’ll be at the Field Museum. Whoever you send, have them meet me here and ask for me at the security desk.”
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