by Nina Croft
“I’ll make sure.” Lowering his head, his lips brushed hers. “After all, I’ve got something to live for now.”
“And so have I.”
Epilogue
“So it’s safe here, then?” Tara asked.
Roz nodded. “I presume so. But Piers was being very mysterious.”
Another two weeks had passed. Faith had spent most of them in Ash’s bed making love and coming to terms with her change in circumstances. Every morning she’d stand in front of the mirror and say, “I am immortal,” ten times. It still hadn’t sunk in.
She hadn’t attended any of the many meetings, but she was aware that the others had not returned to the Order and were still residing in Ash’s house. Ash claimed they had heard nothing from Raphael but were being cautious. And with good reason; she’d come to understand just what Ash had risked when he’d saved her life. If Lucifer—and she was impressed she could think that name without screaming—hadn’t freed him from his debt, he would have been in serious trouble. And all for her.
Then today, Piers had called a meeting and insisted everyone attend and it was to take place at the Order. So here they all were, back on Earth and in Piers’s office. Waiting for Piers.
Tara and Christian sat side by side on the black leather sofa. Roz perched on the arm, one leg swinging and beside her stood a tall “man” who Faith had never seen before. Dressed in tight black pants, long boots, and a sword at his side, he would have stood out even if he hadn’t been the most beautiful being she had ever seen.
“Who’s that?” she whispered to Ash.
“Total asshole,” Ash replied. “Actually, that’s the Walker. He’s Roz’s father and the fae representative on the committee.”
“A fairy?”
He smirked. “Yeah. Say it a little louder.”
There was no love lost there. Ryan sat behind the desk, reading something on the monitor. He glanced up as though sensing her regard. “Hi there, angel.”
“Piss off, Ryan.”
“Not an option, but it’s good to have you back on form. Let’s hope this means we can get back to work and reschedule these meetings. I’m going crazy doing nothing.”
“You need to get yourself a woman,” Ash suggested, pulling her against his side. But she knew he was also eager to get back to work. And she’d accepted the job with the Order as well, though she wasn’t sure in what capacity yet. She was going to take some time and feel her way around the place, but she looked forward to it.
Also present was Carl, the werewolf, Graham, and a young man Tara had introduced her to as Jamie. Who apparently could turn into a cat just like Shera. She’d got to the point where she’d believe anything.
A shiver ran over her skin, a tingle running along her nerve endings, and she rubbed her arms.
“What’s wrong?” Ash asked.
“I don’t know.”
The tingling grew stronger. A second later, the door was flung open and Piers stepped into the room. A man followed close behind, and Faith felt Ash stiffen beside her.
“What the fuck is he doing here?”
Piers grinned. “Meet the brand-new member of the Committee for the Integration of blah, blah, blah.”
“You are fucking kidding me?”
“Afraid not.”
Faith studied the second man. She was guessing this was Raphael, though he didn’t look in the least angelic. Tall and stunning, with pale blond hair brushed back revealing a face of mesmerizing beauty.
“Holy shit,” Roz muttered.
“You’ve got that fucking right,” Ash snarled. “He’s holy, and he’s a complete piece of shit.”
“Well, for the time being, he’s our piece of shit,” Piers said. “It seems Raphael has been a bad boy in giving information about us to the humans. This is his punishment.”
“Fuck off, Lamont,” Raphael murmured. His dark gaze searched the room settling on Roz. “Ah, the abomination.”
The Walker placed himself between Roz and the angel, and Piers took a step toward her. “Yeah, the abomination you’ve taken an oath not to touch.”
“She’s safe from me.” Raphael’s gaze continued on, until it reached Faith. His eyes narrowed. “Is this the one?”
Ash gave a curt nod.
Raphael moved closer. A low growl trickled from Ash’s throat but the angel ignored him and reached out a hand to her, stroking down her cheek. The touch felt like fire.
“Blood of my blood,” he murmured. “We must talk sometime—prepare you for the changes to come.”
Without waiting for an answer, he strolled away. Perching on the edge of the desk, one long leg swinging, he surveyed the room. “So, can we get a move on? Some of us have more important things to do.”
“Pompous git,” Ash muttered.
“Changes?” she murmured as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against him. “What changes?”
“I have no clue, but it will be an interesting journey of discovery.”
Hmmm. She’d definitely be having that chat with Raphael at some point. But it could wait, now that it didn’t look like he was going to try and kill Ash or her or Roz. “So are we all safe now?”
“For the moment.”
That was enough.
All her life, she’d gone after the bad guys, and now she was in love with a demon. She’d been alone and now she had found a place to belong. She’d thought she was dying and she was going to live forever.
Best not to think about it too much and just take one day at a time…for eternity.
Acknowledgements
To my fabulous editors at Entangled Publishing, Liz Pelletier, and her assistant Robin Haseltine, for all their wonderful comments, edits and encouragement. To all the great women at Passionate Critters for reading my stories and letting me know what they really think. And finally, to my husband Rob, who puts up with me, and encourages me, and does a great job of hiding it when he’s totally fed up with me vanishing into my imaginary worlds and filling the house with vampires and werewolves.
About the Author
Nina Croft grew up in the north of England. After training as an accountant, she spent four years working as a volunteer in Zambia, which left her with a love of the sun and a dislike of nine-to-five work. She then spent a number of years mixing travel (whenever possible) with work (whenever necessary) but has now settled down to a life of writing and picking almonds on a remote farm in the mountains of southern Spain.
Nina writes all types of romance, often mixed with elements of the paranormal and science fiction.
www.ninacroft.com
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The Order Series
BITTERSWEET BLOOD
The Order, Book 1
by Nina Croft
After her aunt’s death, Tara discovers that her entire life is a lie. Determined to solve the mystery of her past, she hires private investigator Christian Roth. A vampire and ex-demon hunter with a crazed demon hunting him down, Christian’s life is anything but normal. As the secrets of Tara’s past collide with the problems in Christian’s present, she finds herself fighting her attraction to the investigator. Falling in love is not a part of the plan, but some rules are meant to be broken.
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BITTERSWEET MAGIC
The Order, Book 2
by Nina Croft
Roz has been indebted to the demon Asmodai for five hundred years. To gain her freedom she must complete one last task for him—obtain a key that had been hidden in a church centuries ago.
Piers, the Head of the Order and an ancient vampire, is intrigued by Roz and plans to use his power to get inside her head. But Piers has no idea Roz is immune to his mind-control...or that he is simply a pawn in her mission for freedom.
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Blood Hunter Series
BREAK OUT
Blood Hunter, Book 1
by
Nina Croft
Two-thousand-year-old Ricardo Sanchez, vampire and rogue pilot of the space cruiser, El Cazador, can’t resist two things: gorgeous women and impossible jobs. So when beautiful Skylar Rossaria approaches him to break a prisoner out of a maximum security prison on Trakis One, Rico jumps at the chance. Being hunted has never been so dangerous–or so fun!
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DEADLY PURSUIT
Blood Hunter, Book 2
by Nina Croft
Jon likes to work alone. Now, he’s stuck on the space cruiser El Cazador until he can figure out just what he’s supposed to know that puts him on everybody’s most-wanted-dead list. To make matters worse, the crew includes runaway High Priestess of the Church of Everlasting Life, Alexia, who has designs on his virtue—such as it is. Jon knows that Alexia is an accident waiting to happen. With the Church chasing their missing priestess and the Collective pursuing their escaped assassin, being hunted has never been more deadly…or more fun.
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DEATH DEFYING
Blood Hunter, Book 3
by Nina Croft
Captain Tannis of the starship El Cazador is part snake, part human, and—according to some—all bitch. She is one job away from her lifelong goal—to achieve the immortality she craves. The assignment: protecting the most powerful man in the Universe, Callum Meridian. But with a coup brewing and the crew of El Cazador close to tossing Callum off the ship, the two will have to work together to make it out alive. As sparks fly, can Callum really trust the one woman hell bent on using him?
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OPERATION SAVING DANIEL
by Nina Croft
Daniel has never stopped loving Melissa. Ten years ago when he gave her a little freedom, he always intended that one day they would be together. Right up until the moment he was bitten by a werewolf. Now, with Melissa back in town hoping to save him from marrying his long term girlfriend, AKA The Evil One, Daniel has to hide what he is. He won’t risk anyone else, especially the woman he loves. But Lissa is back. Their attraction is stronger than ever and Lissa is nothing if not tenacious.
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THE DESCARTES LEGACY
by Nina Croft
Lucas Grafton has spent the last ten years hunting the Conclave, a secret organization who took his wife, his child, and his very identity. Now he has a lead—an imminent terrorist attack on London—code-named Descartes. Born with a genetic illness, Jenna Young must solve a twenty-five year old mystery if she wants to stay alive. When Luke’s need for revenge collides with Jenna’s hunt for the past, they must work together and stand against the Conclave.
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BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD
Speak of the Devil, Book 3
by Patricia Eimer
Demon spawn Faith Bettincourt is saving kids from Death in her pediatric unit, one soul at a time. At least until she accidentally runs over the Angel of Death and is forced to take his place. Now she’s taking lives instead of saving them. As if that weren’t bad enough, her boyfriend Matt’s ex is back, and she’s brought the Apocalypse with her. When the chips are down, what’s a girl to do but take matters in her own hands, consequences be damned?
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MUSTANG SASSY
by Daire St. Denis
When Sass Hogan catches her boyfriend doing the tongue-tango with another girl, she takes a tire iron to his ’67 Mustang Fastback. Only she’s destroyed the wrong car. Jordan Michaels, a.k.a. Joran Carlyle of Carlyle’s Classics, wants his car fixed, and he wants Sass’s auto body shop to do it. As Sass and Jordan get to know each other, they start to fall hard. But how will Sass react when she learns the man of her dreams is trying to put her out of business?
