We walked upstairs and I sat on the couch, trying to relax so Jared wouldn’t be distracted by my fear.
Claire sat beside me, fidgeting.
“You want to watch a movie?” she asked.
I slowly turned my head toward her in disbelief.
“You want to watch TV?” she asked, leaning over to grab the remote from the coffee table.
“No,” I snapped.
Claire blew her bangs from her face and sat quietly beside me for awhile. After a long, awkward silence, she took in a deep breath of air.
“I was a daddy’s girl,” she mused. “When we used to go on vacations, tagging along with your family, of course, I’d get so jealous when my dad would compliment you or even mention your name. When he would be away, with Jack, I would get so angry that you were spending time with him instead of me. My mom would try to explain, but…to a little girl that would rather be with her dad than at an amusement park, I refused to even try to understand.”
Claire’s eyes darkened. “When Jack died…I hated him,” she swallowed. “When my father started feeling weak just an hour later…I hated you. My Dad was an Archangel. I never thought I would lose him. He was lying there, fading away, and all I could think about was that I had all of this strength, this speed, the intelligence…I was built to be a savior and I couldn’t save my own father.
“As hard as it was for me, Jared took it harder. When Dad took his last breath, I thought Jared was going to die with him,” she closed her eyes and a tear fell down her cheek.
“I was angry with him at first. I felt betrayed that he went to you. But now I see that he didn’t have a choice. You were the only hope he had left…you were the only one that could make sense of his purpose for existing, and he needed you. He needed to know that our lives were worth something. I can see that now. And I’m glad you have each other.”
I didn’t realize my mouth was open until she looked at me with wet eyes and chuckled.
She scooted closer. “I shouldn’t have hated you. My father loved you like family and it was just as important to him to keep you safe as it was any of us. It didn’t mean he loved me any less, I know that now. I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you.”
I wanted to hug her, but thought better of it. To my surprise she clasped my hand between hers.
I shook my head. “I owe you for so much — for the time away from your father, for my life…for Jared. You don’t owe me anything.”
A warm smile spread across Claire’s face and she squeezed my hand. “So we’ll start over.”
I started to speak but her eyes widened, and in the same second she stood with her back to me. I peeked around her to see the door slowly open, and for one fleeting moment I expected Jared to walk in.
But it wasn’t Jared.
A man in a charcoal-grey suit and tie strolled in through the door, looking around as if he were appraising the loft. When he smiled at me, Claire’s hands balled into fists at her sides, and her knuckles turned white under the pressure of her grip.
He was extraordinarily handsome, teeth gleaming white, black hair perfectly trimmed and slicked back. At first glance he seemed benign, but I recoiled when his black eyes bored into mine.
“How nice to see you, Claire,” he spoke, a low hissing sound underlying his voice.
Claire reached down and gripped my shirt in her fist, slowly pulling me up behind her. “You just missed Jared, Shax.” Claire said.
My blood ran cold. A Duke of Hell was standing just feet from me in my home. I gripped Claire’s arm and she reached around to pull me against her back, slowly side-stepping until we were standing exactly between the kitchen and the front door. Shax watched us shift with his shark’s eyes, as if he were alert to our every breath.
“Jared is looking for me?” he said, dropping his chin to look straight at Claire. “How interesting.”
The iron stairs clanged with heavy footsteps, and five men encroached upon the doorway. Shax took a few casual steps forward as the men positioned themselves in a half-circle behind him. I dug my fingers into Claire’s arm when I saw a familiar pair of eyes. It was Grahm.
“Nina,” he nodded with a smug smile.
“You take one step near her and you’re a dead man,” Claire seethed.
A wicked smirk twisted Shax’s mouth. “Now, now, Claire. That’s no way for a young lady doing His work to behave.”
“What do you want, Shax?” Claire snapped.
The demon looked down, and then his eyes shot up to target me from under his thick, black eyebrows. “I think we all know what I want, Claire. Nina’s father took something from me,” he tilted his head and stretched his long neck, “it’s quite an embarrassment for a thief to be stolen from — especially the greatest thief that’s ever lived.”
Claire laughed without humor. “You’ve never lived, Shax. And it’s nice to see that you’ve developed some humility.”
“I want the ring, Claire,” he hissed.
“You don’t need the ring. Jared has your stupid book.”
Shax’s beady eyes narrowed. “Where is he?”
Claire shrugged, slowly pushed me back as she took a half-step forward. “He took it to you. I’m sure he’s in your building as we speak.”
“And why would he do that?”
“He didn’t want a filthy demon for a house guest,” Claire growled.
Shax eyed me with curiosity. “Or was he trying to avoid us coming near his Taleh? I understand he’s fallen in love with her. How precious.”
“You can leave, now,” Claire said, more of a demand than an offer.
Shax’s crooked mouth pulled up into a half-smile. “Thank you, Claire. We were just on our way out. But we’ll be taking Nina with us. Jack owes me that.”
“And I owe Jared one,” Grahm said with a smirk.
“I’ll rip out your throat before I’ll let you touch her!” Claire snarled. The guttural sound that came from her throat when she spoke was frightening.
Grahm signaled his men, and they walked cautiously past Shax. Claire gestured behind her for me to stand back as she crouched slightly, set to defend me. One of the men lunged at her, and so quickly that I missed some of her movements, she incapacitated him without effort. The second man tried to swing at her, but she jerked to the side just as two other men rushed from the side. I took a few more steps back as I watched her head butt one of the men, blood spattering in the air, and then strike another in the throat with her fist. The man made a horrific gurgling noise before falling to the ground.
Just as Claire turned to face Shax, Grahm pulled out a gun and held it to Claire’s forehead. She froze.
“I was just going to take Nina, but I think it would better settle the score if he came home to see your pretty face blown away and a sweet little note to let him know we’re violating his girlfriend in a hundred different ways before we kill her.”
I felt my legs disappear, and I reached back to steady myself against the table as Grahm gave me a lewd once-over with his eyes.
Claire smirked. “You’ll fit right in where Jared’s going to send you, Grahm.”
Grahm cocked his weapon, and I felt a solitary tear seep from my eye and trickle down my cheek. Time passed in slow motion as I looked at Grahm’s arrogant expression and then back to Claire. The scene was surreal: Full grown men sprawled on the floor in pools of their own blood, and tiny Claire, a fair-haired teenaged-girl moments away from execution. I held my breath as I watched her slowly close her eyes and wait for the bullet to leave its chamber.
In the same second that Grahm’s finger pressed against the trigger, Claire’s body blurred. The bullet from his gun whirred past me and into the tile above the stove, and Claire rammed her elbow in Grahm’s face, sending blood exploding from his nose. The blow sent him flying through the air, landing at Shax’s feet. Grahm sat up on his knees, teeth gnashing in pain. The blood pooled in his palms and dripped through his fingers onto the floor.
“Enough!” Shax commanded
.
Claire immediately backed up against me. She turned her head slightly, still keeping her eyes on Shax. “I’m going to hold him off, Nina…you’re going to have to run. Jared will find you,” she whispered.
“You think you can hold me, Claire? You’re nearly human.”
Claire smiled. “Maybe so, Shax, but my angel side can still kick your ass.”
Shax wasn’t amused. He crouched in preparation to attack, and a strange snarl emanated from his chest. Inside his throat, a screech and an animalistic growl intertwined. It was the most terrifying sound my ears had ever experienced. The demon’s black irises bled into the whites of his eyes, and I braced for impact.
As if I had blinked and missed a second of time, a dark massive figure stood between us and Shax. Claire’s body relaxed and she maneuvered us around him, bringing Shax back into view.
Jared stood in the doorway, glowering at Shax with a lethal expression. Sensing my fear and relief, his attention broke to me and instantly he was at my side, pulling me from Claire’s grip to the safety of his arms.
Shax was cautious in the Archangel’s presence. “The book is mine, Samuel!” His sinister eyes were wild and shifted between each of us like a cornered animal.
Samuel tossed the book at the demon’s feet, just beside Grahm. “Take your blasphemous book and leave from here. In the name of the Most High, I will end your existence if you come near this family again, foul beast!” Samuel bellowed, his voice shaking the walls.
Shax recoiled from the command of the Cimmerian and backed slowly out the door, hissing at his injured minions to follow.
Grahm smiled at me with blood-stained teeth. “I’m going to see you again soon, baby doll.”
Jared lunged at him, but Samuel held his hand to Jared’s chest. “Let them go,” he ordered.
Jared watched Grahm, reluctantly allowing him to retreat with his wounded partners. Claire stood at the entryway and made sure they were gone before she closed the door.
“Has anyone told you that you have excellent timing?” Claire asked, smiling at her brother.
“Once or twice,” Jared said.
Claire ran towards Samuel at full speed, leaping up to wrap her arms around him, her legs dangling two feet from the ground. I jumped at the sudden movement, but as soon as Samuel hugged her and a wide smile flashed across his face, I sighed in relief.
“I think you missed your calling, little girl. You were meant to be Cimmerian,” he chuckled.
Claire giggled and squeezed his neck. “I’m half human so it evens up the odds, Sam. If I were Cimmerian, you’d be out of a job.”
Samuel bellowed a laugh and shook his head. “And you accuse Shax of lacking humility!”
Jared turned to me. “Are you all right?”
I didn’t want to lie, so I remained silent.
Jared pulled me into his chest and kissed my hair. “It’s over.”
“Not according to Grahm,” Claire said after Samuel set her on her feet.
“It’s over,” Jared said in a firm voice.
Claire wiped the blood from the floor and straightened the furniture. She skipped about, the confrontation and victory making her a tad giddy. I watched her as she hummed an indistinct tune while she cleaned.
An hour later, Claire said her goodbyes to drive to Ryan’s hometown as the sky outside faded to deep blue. The loft was as before, the furniture in place, the broken glass hidden in the trash, the blood mopped up and the red stained rags thrown away.
“Are you hungry?” Jared asked, poking his finger through the bullet hole above the stove. I shook my head and Jared turned to face me. “No?”
I shook my head again.
“Nina,” he chided. “You’ve barely said a word since I’ve been back. Are you sure you’re okay?”
I closed my eyes. “I’m fine.”
“It’s normal to be afraid. Talk to me.”
“Just…don’t leave me again. Okay? Claire was prepared to defend me with her life, but I was so scared, Jared. I was so afraid they were going to kill me and you would die.”
He walked across the room and held my cheeks gently in his hands, raising my eyes to his. “You were afraid to die only because I would?”
I smiled, but my face crumpled around it. “I’m so weak, Jared. I’m just a stupid, weak, human, and that makes you so vulnerable. It’s not fair.”
Jared chuckled in amazement and shook his head. “Nina…,” he breathed out a small laugh, rendered speechless. He leaned down and kissed my lips, his mouth conveying what he couldn’t say.
Chapter Nineteen
Saving Grace
Over the next weeks life had returned to normal. Jared and I spent our time painting and rearranging the furniture, and the space metamorphosed from Jared’s dark loft to our bright and cheerful home.
I wouldn’t have thought to change a thing, but Jared insisted I add a feminine touch. I hung up self-portraits we’d taken of ourselves, bought a new floral comforter, and even picked out new china. Jared regarded the transformation with wholehearted gratitude. There were times that I thought Jared wanted me make the changes so that he had tangible proof that I was in fact living there.
A month after I had officially moved in, Jared wanted to celebrate with an evening out. I put on a strapless black dress with red pumps and Jared made the effort of putting on a tie. We walked out to the curb and Jared straddled his Vulcan. I raised an eyebrow, pointedly looked down at my short skirt and then back at him.
Jared laughed out loud and dismounted. “Just kidding.”
He walked over to the Escalade and opened the door.
“So, where are we going?” I asked.
“Somewhere new. You’ll like it,” he said before closing my door.
We pulled up to a dark, brick building. He helped me to the curb and held open a glass door, kissing my cheek as I passed. A small Asian woman greeted us, and Jared grabbed my hand, leading me to a table bearing a beautiful arrangement of pink and white tulips. We were the only patrons in the small eatery and I smiled at Jared as he sat in front of me. The woman walked half-way across the room to a waiter’s station to fill our water glasses, and I leaned against the table.
“Are they getting ready to close?” I whispered.
Jared chuckled. “No…I arranged for us to have the place to ourselves.”
“Oh,” I said, watching the woman bring our water and menus.
Jared uttered something in Japanese to the woman and she nodded, leaving us alone.
“Have I told you how exceptionally beautiful you look tonight?” Jared asked.
“Only four or five times,” I smiled. “Thank you.”
The woman returned, chattering something I didn’t understand. Jared looked to me and then back at her. “No, I think we’ll need a few more minutes.”
“Are we meeting your mother here or something?” I asked.
“No. Why?”
“I was just wondering…why all the effort? The tie, the flowers, the empty restaurant…the secrecy.”
Jared raised an eyebrow. “What secrecy?”
“You were sneaking around the loft earlier. I may be human, but I’m not blind.”
Jared’s laughter filled the room. “I can sneak past trained assassins, but I can’t get anything by you.”
“That’s because they’re not around you every second of the day,” I qualified.
Jared smiled, pressing his lips together. “We’re celebrating.”
“A month of cohabitation. You mentioned that.”
“Exactly,” he smiled, an edge of nervousness to his voice.
I narrowed my eyes and pursed my lips at his evasive answer, but I let it go. He was obviously having fun keeping it from me.
I chose a dish from the menu that seemed close to my usual. When the waitress returned, Jared ordered in perfect Japanese.
I tapped my finger on the table.
Jared watched me fidget with an amused expression. “Do you have somewhere t
o be?”
“No, I’m just waiting for the explanation.”
He leaned forward. “You’re very impatient this evening.”
I sighed and leaned back against my chair. “I’m sorry. I just feel a surprise coming on.”
“Do you, now?” he teased. “And why is that?”
“C’mon, Jared. I know something’s up.”
He smiled at the waitress as she brought our plates of food, and I sighed.
Jared led us into conversation about other things as we ate. He had made plans for us to have dinner at Lillian’s that weekend. Ryan had returned to spend a few days with Josh, so Claire was in town. I discussed my fall schedule, and we talked about the changes living off-campus would pose. We also decided to call Beth and Chad and invite them to our place for dinner as soon as possible.
“I’ve always liked Beth,” Jared mused.
“Me, too!” I teased, feigning surprise.
“She’s always been a good friend to you, but I particularly appreciate the talks she gave you in my favor. She’s a smart girl, that Beth,” he said, nodding with a smug smile.
I spun the noodles around my fork as I spoke. “There were moments I thought you had her on the payroll. She was very persistent.”
“That’s why I like her,” he smiled. “She knows what’s good for you.”
“She knew better than I did that we would end up together.”
“You didn’t think we’d end up together?” Jared asked, looking a bit surprised.
“Well…I wanted to. But at the time I didn’t think we should,” I explained, stabbing my fork into some type of meat.
“I’m glad you got over that,” he said, deep in thought. “I don’t know what I’d do if…,” he looked at me with deep affection. “You make me so happy, Nina.”
“You make me happy, honey,” I cooed.
Jared raised his brow at my uncharacteristic use of an endearing term and smiled, but his expression changed as his thoughts did. “I know things have happened pretty fast between us,” he grimaced. “Most people would say too fast, but we’re not most people.”
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