Trusting an Angel

by Missy Jane

  “Damn demon taint,” Rafe growled. “Without it we’d have all our answers by now.”

  It was true. Jake had spent just enough time with the demon for the taint to scramble his thoughts too much for their probing. Each of them had tried reading his mind and then they’d tried together. They got some impressions and echoes of violent desires, but no real coherent answers. Jake seemed to know they were at their wits end. He refused to talk.

  “I say we just start beating on him until he starts talking,” Uri said.

  Tempting. Dear God was it ever so tempting. But it wasn’t their way. Jake might not be innocent, but he was still human and therefore under their protection. They couldn’t physically harm him without provocation. He was under control and not trying to hurt another human, so their hands were tied.

  Zerach’s head shot up as the door swung open. Dora glided in like a ray of sunlight.

  “I asked you to wait,” he said.

  He’d sensed her growing impatience as she’d waited in Mike’s living room.

  “Let me try,” she said.

  He frowned at her but Rafe and Uri looked at him with interest.

  “It couldn’t hurt,” Rafe said.

  Zerach growled and demanded she leave the room through their bond, but all she did was smile at him.

  “You’ve been in here for hours. What could it hurt to try honey instead of vinegar?”

  She spoke low enough for the angels’ ears only. Jake watched her from across the room with a mix of venom and desire.

  “We’ll be right outside the door,” Uri said. “Plus he’s tied up. She should be safe.”

  Zerach clenched his fists to keep from grabbing her. She finally walked up and kissed him. “Please, love. Let me try.”

  It took everything in him to give a curt nod and walk out of the room. She wanted his trust and faith; he had to prove he could give her both. Dora was a strong and intelligent woman. Dealing with Jake Deagan should be a piece of cake. Besides, he had the bond to anchor her to him and allow him to know everything that went on in the room. He opened up his connection to his brothers so everyone could listen in.

  …

  Isadora waited until the door closed before she faced Jake. He looked terrible. Bloodshot eyes, mussed hair, and dark stubble aside, he also looked defeated. His shoulders slumped, and he seemed to barely be able to keep his head up. He glared at her as she slowly paced in front of him.

  “I don’t have shit to say to you, Izzy,” he croaked.

  She stopped moving to watch him in silence. He matched her stare for almost a full minute before finally looking away and straightening in his seat. Isadora crossed her arms over her waist and regarded him with the sadness she felt in her heart. “We used to be good friends, Jake. I really would have married you, you know.”

  True shock registered on his face. She moved to the side so she was in his line of sight again. “I just don’t understand what you could’ve possibly needed that you couldn’t get on your own. Why summon a demon at all? It makes no sense.”

  He leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling, and she thought he would remain stubbornly silent. With a huff of frustration she shrugged and headed for the door. “I’ll mourn our friendship and the boy I knew and loved. Good-bye, Jake.”

  She turned the knob and he cleared his throat. “Wait.” He had to clear his throat again twice before his voice was strong enough to carry. “Wait, Izzy.”

  She released the knob and faced him, leaning back against the door. “Yes?”

  “Did you really love me?”

  Without hesitation she nodded. “You were my first crush, my first kiss. The first boy I dreamed of marrying when I was little.”

  He looked away again and swallowed hard. “When did that change?” he asked.

  “When we grew apart. One night I saw you across a crowded ballroom with a woman on each arm and realized I didn’t even know you anymore.”

  He hung his head, shaking it slowly from side to side. “I never gave up on you.”

  She didn’t know what to say to that so just waited for more.

  “I think I’ve always been a little in love with you. I never gave up on the idea of making you mine. When we were small I wanted you as my wife. Then it became more of a sexual obsession. You were always so covered up, so proper. I wanted to unwrap you and learn all your secrets. My dad had always promised I’d have a bright future. Successful company, important friends, respect from everyone, the whole nine yards.”

  He finally lifted his head to face her again and the agony in his gaze was overwhelming. “Imagine my surprise when I found out he’d lied. He was cheating on my mom, you know. And his whore decided to blackmail him. She took everything, Izzy. Every penny he had to spare and even what he didn’t, that bitch took it and didn’t look back. I found out one day when I walked into his office uninvited and found him with a gun in his mouth.”

  She gasped and threw her a hand over her mouth. She’d always respected Mr. Deagan a great deal. “I’m so sorry, Jake.”

  He laughed without a trace of humor. “Yeah me, too. That was the wake-up call I needed to realize it was time to do things my way. I’d been relying on him to smooth my path. I’d taken it for granted he was going to hand me everything on a silver platter. Well, he couldn’t and it was nearly too late. I damn near lost everything.”

  “So you summoned a demon? How did you even know to do that?”

  This time his laugh held a hint of madness. “It’s amazing what you can learn on the Internet, huh? Have you ever Googled demons? It took me a week to find someone local who knew what to do. Then I spent months setting everything up. The demon gave me power and influence. He gave me back my legacy. And best of all, he ate that bitch who blackmailed my dad. One worthless whore as a sacrifice was all it required. Who could pass that up?”

  Then he started laughing, low at first as if he was trying to hold it in. But it quickly grew until tears were streaming down his face. He threw his head back and hooted. Isadora spun on her heel and all but ran from the room.

  She was never more grateful for the bond she shared with Zerach and the one he had with his brothers. Knowing she didn’t have to relate the whole conversation was a blessing.

  She was in the living room sipping coffee with Asta when Zerach walked in. His impatience to have her alone again was almost funny, but she felt it, too. Like a craving, the desire between them didn’t diminish with distance or with how many times they made love. If anything it seemed to grow stronger.

  “Geez, get a room, will ya?” Asta asked. “Just watching you two is making me sweat like I’ve been watching porn all day.”

  Isadora burst out laughing while Zerach simply lifted one imperial brow. “Do that often, do you?” he asked.

  Asta just grinned “On occasion.”

  Zerach smiled and took a seat on the sofa next to Isadora. She curled into his side automatically, like she’d done so her whole life, and he wrapped one strong arm over her shoulders.

  “So, now what?” Asta asked.

  Zerach sighed and ran a hand over his face. “Now we try to find this mysterious source Jake used for summoning. Cam is going through all of his computer files, and Uri is searching his house. Rafe is still trying to read and question him. Mike is…cooking?”

  Asta laughed and gave a nod. “Yup. The bastard dared to complain about lunch earlier so I told him he could make dinner. Of course, he whined and bitched but I refused to walk back into the kitchen. It’s his house anyway.”

  Zerach laughed. “I can’t believe he didn’t just order pizza.”

  “He was going to but Sel complained. Then I started teasing him about knowing how to dial a phone but not cook, and he stomped into the kitchen. He’s been in there for like two hours. I’m getting kind of worried. Do you know if he has a fire extinguisher?”

  “I don’t need one, you pain in the ass.”

  They all turned toward Mike’s annoyed growl to find him standin
g in the doorway wearing an apron over his t-shirt and jeans. “Dinner’s served.”

  He turned around and stomped off.

  Isadora was shocked by the sight that met her eyes when they walked into Mike’s formal dining room. Of all the brothers he had the largest and most elegant house. His table sat ten and it was set for a formal dinner, with china and silver.

  Asta stood gaping at the centerpiece of carved fruit. “Holy shit.”

  “Just wait until you taste his food,” Rafe said as he entered the room. “His last human persona was as a Master Chef.”

  “You gotta be fucking kidding me.”

  “Nope.”

  Zerach pulled a chair out for Isadora, and she sat with a smile on her face. All of the brothers had gone through various personas to hide their true identities over the years. She couldn’t wait to question Zerach on his.

  “I was never a chef,” he said.

  She laughed. “Damn. I was so hoping you’d been a pastry chef or baker. I could get used to waking up to delicious treats.”

  He chuckled as he sat beside her. The others filed into the room until all eight of them were present. Mike sat at the head of the table and a ninth place setting remained at the other end. Isadora gave Zerach a questioning look.

  He always sets a place for Gabriel.

  It hurt her heart to feel the loss through their bond. There was a longing in all the brothers’ gazes when they glanced at the empty chair.

  “A prayer,” Mike said.

  They all bowed their heads and Uri led them in a simple but fitting prayer. He thanked the Source for their wealth in food and health. He thanked it for their success in defeating the demon. Then he thanked it for bringing Isadora and Asta into their midst.

  Tears clogged the back of Isadora’s throat at the honesty in Uri’s voice and a touch on her thigh startled her. She opened her eyes to find Zerach’s hand there, giving her a supportive squeeze.

  We’re all your family now, love.

  All she could do was nod, too choked up with emotion to reply even in thought. He knew what she meant anyway, and kissed her temple.

  “Amen,” they all said.

  “So, Mike, how many courses were you able to churn out in the two hours I waited in the living room?” Asta asked.

  Mike took a sip of wine and faced her with a knowing grin. “Four. Salad, appetizer, entrée, and dessert.”

  She whistled and made a show of looking at the collection of fruit at the center of the table. Each piece was cut into a different animal to create a small menagerie. “And what is that?”

  “The centerpiece.”

  “Well yeah…but can I eat it?”

  They all laughed.

  Epilogue

  A full moon shone down on the courtyard of Michael’s elegant house. Isadora looked around at the beautiful garden and wondered how it compared to his former home. None of the brothers spoke of what had come before they’d decided to stay in the human realm. Even Zerach had only shared the barest impressions. Over the past few weeks she’d come to know Zerach’s brothers and they her.

  Asta was still around, staying in Rafe’s house across town. No one seemed to know what to do with her, and she seemed hesitant to leave. She’d confessed to Isadora that she felt safer among the brothers than at any other time in her life. If they didn’t make her move on, she didn’t plan to. She and Isadora had become friends, much to Rafe’s amusement and Zerach’s bewilderment, since they had such opposing personalities.

  Sel had uncovered Jake’s summoning instructor as the man they’d all been keeping an eye on, Forge. Rumors still placed him in Galveston, but he was elusive even to their angel-sight. Sel and Uri decided to stay in town for a couple of weeks to help with the search. Cam had to get home to his clients as soon as the ceremony finished but swore to return quickly if needed. Jake was currently hospitalized in a mental health facility. He hadn’t spoken a word to anyone since his confession to Isadora. His father had come out of retirement to take care of the company.

  Isadora and Stanley had moved into Zerach’s apartment. He’d bought Bill’s company and left him completely in control. Alice had even given in and warmed up to Zerach. Of course, it helped that he’d asked Bill for her hand in marriage before announcing their engagement to the world. The beautiful diamond ring on her finger let everyone know she had finally caught the wild Zerach Maxwell. The gossip rags had gone crazy. He’d offered to hire another secretary, but she’d refused. Working with him was just one way to be near him all day long. Life was definitely much more interesting than it used to be.

  Tonight’s ceremony would cement their bond and make Zerach fully mortal. In two more weeks they would have a human wedding ceremony as well. She had told Zerach she didn’t need one but he’d insisted. He didn’t want any doubt from anyone that she was his. He spoiled her relentlessly and all she could do was bask in his presence. He was so much more than she had ever hoped for and he was all hers. Some days it felt like a dream, and she had to pinch herself to make sure it wasn’t.

  Zerach’s five brothers stood around him speaking low words of advice for the life he was about to lead. Guilt tried to rear its ugly head, but his love wiped it away as he glanced at her before turning his attention back to Rafe, who’d explained that he would retain all of his memories and his brothers would stay in contact. He would just age as a human now. The thought of losing him scared her, but his brothers each assured her they would be watching over both of them. Once she and Zerach died they would pass into another realm. Whether it was her idea of heaven they couldn’t say, but she would still have Zerach and that’s all that mattered.

  The object of her musings finally stepped away from his brothers and walked to where she waited patiently. Hunger burned in his eyes as he ran his gaze over her body, clad in a short silk sheath. Since he’d healed her scars as if they’d never been, she wanted to run around naked. He’d balked at the idea of anyone seeing her silky skin as she’d laughed and teased him. She soon found out how dangerous teasing him could be, but his sensual punishments were no deterrent at all.

  “Don’t forget I hear the thoughts in that pretty head of yours now, love.”

  She smiled up at him as he growled low in his throat before pulling her into his arms. She looped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight.

  “So, you know I was just thinking about how gloriously happy I am?”

  “Are you really?”

  “Yes, I am. How can I not be when I have my very own angel?”

  His smile slowly faded, and he looked troubled. “But I’m not an archangel anymore, Dora. My powers are limited, and I’ll begin to age now that my brothers have removed their path into my soul.”

  “Is that what they were doing over there?”

  “Yes. It’s done now.”

  She sighed and hugged him again, closing her eyes to test their bond. It remained intact and strong as ever. “It doesn’t matter, Zerach. I love you. Angel or not, super-powers or not. So long as you promise to love me forever, I’m yours.”

  He nuzzled the top of her head until she lifted it from his chest and opened her eyes. Then he leaned down and placed a firm kiss against her lips.

  “Forever until the end of time. From this plane of existence into the next, I shall always love and treasure you, and pray to the Source that you will always return my love.”

  She sighed in pure joy and contentment. “Always, my Zerachiel. Always.”

  Acknowledgments

  I’d like to acknowledge my good friend and ever-faithful Beta reader, Sandy. Without her help much of what I write wouldn’t make sense. She is also the person who originally introduced me to paranormal romance, which led to my love of romance. An invaluable lesson.

  About the Author

  Ms. Missy Jane is the alter ego of a married mother of four who was born and raised in Texas. A few years ago she finished reading a book by Mercedes Lackey and thought “Now, what if...” and a monster was created. M
issy now spends most of her time lost in worlds of her own making, alternately loving and hating such creatures as vampires, shape-shifters, and gargoyles (to name a few). When not writing, she spends her time reading, taking photos of her beautiful daughters, and training her husband to believe she’s always right.

  Excerpts from Missy’s paranormal and erotic tales can be found at www.authormissyjane.com and www.msmissyjane.blogspot.com

  Missy can also be found online at:

  www.twitter.com/msmissyjane & www.facebook.com/pages/Missy-Jane/208776832491620

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