“I like your sweatshirt,” I said.
He grinned. “Thanks. It’s the original internet cat. He’s dead.” His smile faded, and he sort of winced. “I’m not good with people.”
My stomach rumbled, and I clutched it. “I know it’s the middle of the night, but I don’t suppose you have anything to eat around here? I slept for a full day, so I’m positively famished.” A succubus had no problem ordering servants around.
He nodded enthusiastically. “One moment.” He hurried out of the room, the door whooshing shut behind him.
At least Elan seemed harmless, and was a relief to be around another fae—even if he had no idea I was just like him.
Elan returned a moment later, his shoulders hunched but a smile on his face. “Food will arrive soon.” He pointed to the arched doorway inset into the wall behind the bed—the room I’d been too scared to explore. “You’ll find the bathroom just there if you need it. Everything will be provided for you here.”
I’d been hoping the arched doorway might lead to a “secret documents with dragon maps” room, but I supposed that was unrealistic.
“We even have a bar in the Tower of Wrath for when… for when you are allowed to leave your room.”
“Wonderful. Tell me, Elan, since I’m a new guest here. What are the angels like?” I asked.
Elan rubbed his forehead. “I’m not sure if I can say. I’m not sure if it would anger them.” He spoke in a furious whisper. “All I can tell you is that they are celestial creatures untainted by our bestial trappings.”
Before I could finish rolling my eyes, a female servant pushed through the door with a tray of steaming food. The air filled with the scent of fresh bread, and my mouth watered in anticipation.
The girl’s dark hair framed a long face, and she smiled nervously. As she slid the food onto the bedside table, her hands shook. Human, this one. The angels seemed like they hated humans, but I supposed they needed someone to serve them.
As she leaned in closer to me, arranging the food on the tray, she whispered so quietly I nearly missed it, “I hid your things.”
Relief flickered through me. Maybe she’d kept my knife safe.
As the girl slowly backed out of the room, I turned to the tray. There before me was a feast that far outshone anything Yasmin had been able to provide while trying to fatten me up. For a moment, I stared at it as if in a dream.
Warm bread lay next to slabs of bacon, the steam curling into the air. Roast potatoes sat beside them. Two hard-boiled eggs had been sliced and seasoned. And for dessert, sugared almonds and a bowl of fruit and custard.
I have died and gone to heaven. Suddenly, infiltrating the home of the death angels seemed like the best decision I’d ever made.
Elan raised his eyebrows. “Is it to your liking?”
“Elan…” I breathed. “This looks amazing.” I began shoveling bacon and potatoes into my mouth.
He grinned. “I oversee the cooking here. I think it’s the only reason they allow a fae to remain in Hotemet Castle. I’ve been a chef in homes such as this since the twelfth century.”
Hotemet Castle. It has a name. For a long moment, I didn’t speak, too focused on the food before me. The rich, savory flavors melted in my mouth, enrapturing me so much that I hardly noticed Elan filling a wineglass.
I closed my eyes, losing myself in the pure pleasure of the food. “This is why the fae remained on Earth,” I muttered.
“What?” Elan asked sharply.
I opened my eyes, jolted from my reverie. “Your race. You’re angels who chose to stay on Earth because you loved the earthly pleasures, the food and the dance. Isn’t that right? You stayed on Earth so you could make delicacies like this.”
“Of course. We each have our own particular skill. Mine is cooking.”
I tore into a buttery piece of fresh bread. “You said the angels allow you to stay here because of your cooking. They eat, then? The angels?”
He nodded.
I honestly didn’t know the first thing about them, but apparently angels on Earth had fully corporeal bodies.
I arched an eyebrow as I chewed. Maybe they’d become like us, then. The fallen—angels lured in and trapped by the temptations of Earth.
Probably best to keep that particular heresy to myself.
Elan straightened. “I’m a high fae. I believe the angels view us as superior. If I were a feral fae…” He mimicked a “throat-slitting” gesture, his eyes widening.
Wonderful. I sipped my wine. “Why? What have they got against those animals? They seem to like hounds, why not the feral fae?”
“They are abominations.” He looked at me gravely. “A hound is simply a hound. A feral fae is an angel in the body of a true beast.”
“Right. I forgot about that. Elan,” I asked. “Why did they tell you I was here?”
“Kratos said you saved his hound. He says that he owes you Culloch’s life, and that we’re supposed to take good care of you.” His throat bobbed. “I can’t promise everyone else will be as welcoming as I am.”
“And who do I need to look out for, can you tell me that?”
A heavy silence filled the room, and Elan looked around himself nervously. I speared a flaky potato and brought it to my mouth, waiting for Elan’s answer. I had the feeling he wanted to help me, but these people scared the shit out of him.
After a moment, he took a few nervous steps closer, then pressed his hand to one side of his mouth. He mouthed a word that looked something like Johnny.
That couldn’t be right.
I cleared my throat, whispering, “Did you say ‘Johnny’?”
He lifted a finger, shushing me, then nodded.
“And who is he?” I asked.
Elan stole a quick glance at the window, and in the darkened skies outside, I saw the gleaming of a sentinel drifting by. A chill rippled over my skin.
When the sentinel had passed, Elan turned to me and mimicked flying wings with his arms.
An angel? So there was an angel here named Johnny. Seemed awfully modern.
Elan bowed his head. “I have to go now.”
He cast another nervous glance at the window. “Have a good night, then. You’ll want to rest more. They’ll all want to speak to you in the morning.”
Goosebumps rose on my skin. All of them: Kratos, Johnny—and Adonis.
As he walked to the door, I called out, “Elan. Tomorrow, do you think we could keep the fire lit? It’s dark and drafty in here.”
“Sure. Sleep well.”
When he closed the door, I almost regretted his departure—maybe it was his unassuming personality, or maybe it was the lantern he’d carried with him.
All I knew was I’d have to permanently perform here. An angel’s interest could be explained by only one thing. I was supposed to be seductive and alluring. It would be a dangerous line to walk—luring them in just enough, without pulling them in too far. I wasn’t going to sleep with Kratos, but I had to keep his interest just enough for him to want me around.
I couldn’t let them know what I really was. A fallen angel in the body of a feral beast. An abomination.
Chapter 14
I woke to ruddy sunlight streaming through my window. I rubbed my eyes, blinking. At the sight of daylight, relief bloomed in my chest.
While I’d slept, a servant had left a tray on my bed—coffee and pain au chocolate.
May the gods bless you, Elan. Earthly gods, Old Gods, all of them.
Based on the fact that steam was rising from the coffeepot and the pastries, the tray hadn’t been in here long. I poured myself some milky coffee, then dipped a pastry into it.
I could imagine my sister Hazel here, her long limbs tangled in the bedsheets, messy hair falling in her eyes as she chomped the pastries, crumbs falling over her nightgown. When I closed my eyes, I could almost hear her voice, hear her snarling with frustration as her computer crashed or laughing at some weird animal video online.
I had to find her. An
d on top of that, I had to do what I could to make the world safe for her.
I’d gotten about halfway through the pain au chocolate when the door opened, and Kratos strode into the room. In the morning light, he looked resplendent in his crimson and gold brocade clothing, even if his wings weren’t making an appearance. Maybe he only brought them out for killing.
With the covers pulled up around my shoulders, I summoned the haughty demeanor of a succubus. “Hello, Kratos. May I introduce you to the wonderful earthly custom of knocking before entering a room?”
He bowed his head curtly. “Welcome to my home. Since you saved Culloch’s life, it is only fair that I allow you to recover here. You will have all the food you desire.” He gestured at the balcony above us, which I could now see was lined with rows of books. “You’ll even find books to entertain you.”
“The room is sufficient,” I said haughtily. “But why keep the door locked? I’m not a prisoner, am I?”
He narrowed his golden eyes. “You do realize that your lodgings would be far inferior if I’d left you in the streets.” Under his smooth voice lay a steely threat.
My first instinct was to pull the blankets up even tighter over my chest, to scream at him to leave, then to lock the door. But he wouldn’t keep me around here very long if I didn’t tempt him the way a succubus was supposed to.
I let the sheets drop and arched my back. “Like I said, the room is lovely.”
For a moment, his gaze slid down my body, and I realized just how much of me was showing—in the pale pink nightie, most of my cleavage was on display, my skin peering through the lace fabric. I let the strap of the nightgown fall, exposing just a little more of the curve of my breast.
I sensed his gaze mentally stripping the rest of my meager clothing off, and I had no doubt whatsoever as to what he was thinking about. Despite myself, my cheeks flushed at the way he was looking at me.
“Oops,” I said, pulling up the strap again.
The open-mouthed expression on his face told me that I now had the upper hand. His gaze locked on my breasts, and golden light beamed from his body.
I slipped my legs over the side of the bed, making sure he had a view of my skin all the way up to my thighs. Then I leaned back on my hands. “Nice of you to come visit me.”
For a moment, he seemed to have lost the ability to speak, his fists clenched tightly, eyebrows drawn together as if a brutal battle raged in his mind.
After a long pause, he spoke in a husky voice. “We haven’t had many female visitors here,” he said, as if by way of explanation. “I lived in isolation for a long time.”
I cocked my head, keeping my back arched. “That sounds lonely.”
He took a step closer, apparently entranced by my body. “We have a mission, and I should not let myself become distracted by earthly temptations, or I’ll become one of the fallen.”
So he hadn’t spent much time around women. Were angels even allowed to touch women, or was I his forbidden fruit? Whatever the case—given the way he was undressing me with his eyes and probably thinking about touching my body—I had the impression that the urge to fall nearly overwhelming him.
I hated him more than anything. And yet, weirdly, the thought of him lusting after me didn’t bother me like it should.
“Well, I wouldn’t want to tempt you away from your mission.” Seduce him and make him trust you, Ruby. I toyed with the hem of my nightgown, pulling it up just a tad to expose more leg. “How is your hound? Recovering from the attack?”
“He is fine, thank you for asking.” His powerful voice rumbled over my skin. “The other angels will want to meet you, of course. They don’t trust outsiders and demons.”
I smiled coyly. “And you trust demons?”
His eyes wandered down to my chest again. “Perhaps ‘trust’ isn’t the right word. You intrigue me.”
Based on your eye contact, I don’t have to wonder too much which part of me intrigues you. “Where are we, exactly?”
“Hotemet Castle. Outside London. It’s been hidden through magic for thousands of years.”
“Will I be able to look around? I’d like to see what sort of a place I’m living in.”
With what looked like considerable effort, he raised his gaze to mine. “Perhaps I could give you a guided tour.”
Of course. He wasn’t going to leave me to wander around unsupervised to search for his secret apocalyptic plans. He wanted to see me naked—that didn’t mean he trusted me.
A flicker of movement in the window caught my eye, and I watched as another sentinel drifted by, eyes locked on me.
I yawned lazily, feigning relaxation. I half wondered if I should let the strap of my nightgown fall lower. His restraint—the fact that he didn’t want to become fallen—suggested that he wouldn’t be too eager to jump into bed with me.
“Kratos,” I purred. “Tell me what fallen means? I don’t understand your kind so well.”
“When angels fall, we become like the beasts. Like the fae. It would destroy our mission.”
Destroy his mission. That sounded like something worth exploring.
I sipped my coffee, still aware that his gaze was devouring me. “So you haven’t spent much time around female company?”
“I was raised to remain separate from humans and demons—to think only of my purpose.”
“And what purpose is that?”
His gaze shuttered. “Like I said. You intrigue me, but it doesn’t mean that I trust you.” His fists clenched again, knuckles whitening.
“Mmm. Well, Kratos, I’m sure we will get to know each other better.” Was it possible that this ancient warrior angel was a full-blown virgin?
“I’ve gotten to know humans mostly through books,” he said. “Demons, too. I’ve learned about the strange mixtures of brilliance and depravity among both species.” His eyes flashed with an intense light. “I must say, some moral standards are lacking in human history, at least as much as among the demons.”
Tell him what he wants to hear, Ruby. Tell him what a succubus would say. “Oh, don’t lump the succubi in with the humans. Human culture is riddled with hypocrisy. Look at the literature. A girl tries to have a little fun for once, and she’s stuck wearing a scarlet letter A for the rest of her life, or throwing herself under a Russian train. Men are allowed to do what they want. I know you angels aren’t big on pleasure, but surely even you can see that humans are irrational.”
I was playing a role, but those sentiments were pure Ruby. Humans could be so stupid about how they viewed pleasure. They lived for a mere eighty years and wasted most of that time feeling bad about all the things that made them feel good.
That’s what civilization meant to some humans. Self-denial.
Kratos’s eyes glinted in the morning light, and he took another step closer. “Tell me more about your experience of humans.”
“Humans are not supposed to kill other humans. Unless, of course, one of their leaders has demanded it, or if their victim is evil enough, or if someone stepped on their lawn, or was the wrong color or religion.” I let out a long, weary sigh. “I think the Earth is due for a reckoning, don’t you?” I smiled wickedly, letting my nightgown strap fall once again. “Burn it all. Let’s start again. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?”
For a moment, an icy silence fell over the room. I felt as if an electrical current buzzed over my skin, raising the hair on the back of my neck.
After another moment, golden light glinted in Kratos’s eyes. “I like the way you think.”
So far, this was working out nicely. Maybe it was time to step it up another notch. I’d seen the uncontrolled lust in his eyes, knew that he wanted me. Could I actually bring myself to undress in front of this virgin, even if I hated him? Could I lure him to fall?
I rose from the bed, wincing at the pain in my shoulder. “I think I’ll get dressed now.”
His body seemed to glow brighter. “I’ll leave while you dress, of course.”
Fo
r a man who slaughtered people with dogs, he really was a gentleman.
“You don’t have to—”
My sentence was interrupted by the opening of the door, and my stomach tightened.
The angel who strode into the room was not what I’d been expecting. Slate-gray wings swooped behind him, the color a dull contrast to his electric-blue mohawk. He gripped a half-empty bottle of vodka, and he wore tight, ripped jeans riddled with safety pins and a torn black T-shirt with a skull that read Eat the Rich.
Given his scrawny physique, maybe he needed to expand his diet. His bony elbows and legs made him look about a month away from starvation. Come to think of it, there probably weren’t many rich people around since the apocalypse had taken root. But since this dude’s wings were out, was he about to slaughter someone?
All I knew was, this angel must be Johnny.
The punk frowned at me. “Ah. And here we have one of your best strategic decisions. Bringing a demon into the angels’ castle for no reason whatsoever, apart from her admittedly perky breasts and shapely legs. Which, all things considered, will probably tempt us to become fallen. Do I have that all about right?”
Kratos cut him a vicious glare. “Silence, Johnny.”
Well, well, well. I’d come here looking for divisions within the angels’ forces. Had I stumbled into a little one already?
I didn’t really like Johnny’s eyes on me, so I slid back into the bed and pulled the covers over myself. “I was actually hoping to dress before meeting the entire castle.”
Johnny chewed a piece of gum. “Too late now, I guess. I’m Johnny Savage.”
“I’m Ruby. I also go by Angela Death.”
Johnny blew a bubble, letting it pop in front of his face. “How old are you, anyway?”
This was one of the biggest distortions of reality I had to contend with. The succubi were ancient. “Four thousand years, roughly.” Only about… oh… three thousand, nine hundred and seventy-six years off my real age. “And how old are you, Johnny?”
He nodded at Kratos. “Not half as old as this ancient bastard. I was born in 1961, came of age in the seventies.”
Covert Fae: A Demons of Fire and Night Novel (A Spy Among the Fallen) Page 9
