by Owner
“He did what.” Her mother’s voice had gone cold and emotionless, which was so much worse than her angry tone. “What else did he say?”
“Nothing.” Heavenleigh shook her head. “Poor thing can’t even remember his name right now.”
“But he knows who you are? This isn’t good.”
“Do you think you could recognize him Mom?”
“I’m not sure… we look different up there, something akin to big balls of energy. When we come down and take our human form we’re changed. Perhaps I can recognize the lingering presence of his grace. No promises though, it’s been a long time.” Her heart ached for her mother. She could hear the wistfulness in her voice. Even after all this time she missed her brethren.
“I take it you’re coming over?”
“Yes, I am missy and don’t think for a second you’re off the hook. There’ll be
consequences.”
Oh, she wouldn’t dream of it. Mom would be holding this over her head for years to come.
She could hear it now, Little Ms. Neutral took a walk on the angel side…
“I know once you met him you’ll understand.” This angel was special.
“Please don’t tell me you have feelings for this man.” The worry in her mom’s voice hurt. It probably seemed all too familiar, demon falls for angel. After the way her parent’s romance had ended it was probably a slap in her mom’s face.
“Okay, I won’t.”
“Oh, Jesus, Mary and Joseph!” Spoken in angelic tongue the words spoke to her agitation.
Her mother’s absurd outburst made her laugh. “Friends of yours?” After her fall her mother had taken on the name Layla. She came off as a very Catholic, ageing rock and roller. If only people knew her real history.
“Did you get his grace?”
“No… I didn’t think I could touch it.”
“We need to go back to the site immediately. If a demon uses a human vessel to get their hands on it…”
“Okay Mom. Meet me at the Palacade Park.” Hanging up she stumbled out of bed, plodded to her closet, and pulled out a pair of stretch black pants, white wife beater, and a black hoodie.
Yeah she didn’t t look conspicuous. Hurrying to the bathroom she pulled her hair up into a high ponytail, took a gulp of mouth wash, swished it around in her mouth and spat. Jogging back out to her desk, she scribbled a quick note to the mystery angel telling him she’d be right back.
Knocking lightly she entered when he didn’t protest.
It was impossible. Yet, somehow he was even more attractive rumpled by sleep. His mused hair and peaceful expression made her want to crawl under the covers with him and do things that would make his wings ruffle. She melted. The thought of making love to him with his wings expanded made her shiver. Some Fallen kept them and others didn’t, her mother had, and they were beautiful, fluffy, baby pink plumes that wrapped around her when she’d been at her lowest or hurt. Angels had never been her type. They were usually extreme, either, too buttoned up and righteous, or completely off the rails as they reveled in every sin they could find.
Remembering her mother would be left alone until she got there, she placed the sticky sheet of paper on the bedside and left. Grabbing her keys off the kitchen counter she was out the door and driving balls to the walls. She turned into the parking lot, relieved to see her mom still seated in her white truck. Pulling up beside her she parked and hopped down as her mother did the same. Her eyes were golden and power rolled of her.
“What’s wrong Mom? You’re in angel mode.”
“I feel it, his grace sings to me.” Her eyes glossed over with unshed tear. “After so long on earth this way… I wasn’t sure if I would.” Clearing her throat she glanced away. “We should hurry before the others come to collect it.” Her mother nodded her head toward the sky. Sensing her urgency Heavenleigh began to lead her into the forest.
“Angels?”
“Yes. Falling to some is the most dishonorable thing an angel could do. They see it as throwing God’s ultimate gift right back in his face. They must be seeking him or the humans would have flooded this site by now.”
“And what does he think?” Heavenleigh jerked her chin upward
“God?”
“Yes.”
Her mother tilted her head. “God is like a Sphinx. In the sense that he won’t choose for you, he rules with love and a firm hand, but not bonds of slavery. ” She shook her head. “It’s hard to describe.”
“Can Fallen return?”
“It’s happened before, but it’s not a normal occurrence.”
Heavenleigh’s throat tightened. “Do you want to go back?” Life without her mother would be a living hell.
“It’s here.” Her mother’s voice changed, distorted to a unisex tone that made her skin crawl.
They approached a hollowed out log. “It hid during the commotion between you and the demon.”
“It can do that?”
“Yes, it works under the will of its master, and even damaged the angel’s subconscious knew this needed to be protected.” She knelt down, held her hands over the log, and closed her golden eyes. “It wants you.”
“I’m sorry… what?” Confused Heavenleigh shook her head.
“You are meant to be the owner until the angel remembers.” The awe on her mother’s face twisted her gut. She was not worthy of an honor like this.
“Why me?”
Her mother glanced up, eyes swirling gold. “He’s bound himself to you somehow.”
“He did what!” Her head spun. Fear, anger, and excitement swirled together inside her. It justified her urge to keep him safe, but it opened the door to a shit load of problems.
“Linked your life path’s… or perhaps it wasn’t him.” She paused, a thoughtful expression painted onto her face.
“Mom, I’m confused why would he do that? Why would anyone?” Heavenleigh threw her hands up in the air and took a few steps back. Even know his grace called to her.
“That’s a good question. Come.” She waved her over.
Unable to resist the pull Heavenleigh moved to kneel beside her mother. Her ears hummed as she reached a calm space amongst the chaos of her mind.
“Hold your hands out. I won’t lie. This will burn.” Her mother’s voice pierced the veil of white space she’d slipped into.
“Wait. What?.” Heavenleigh screamed as a searing pain started in her hands and seeped inside to race through her bloodstream. Time stood still as her body caught fire from the inside out. An undeterminable amount of time later she opened her eyes.
“Heavenleigh?”
“I’m here.” Power unlike any she’d ever know circled through her body. Flexing her power muscles she gasped. She was full of him, could feel his masculine power swimming inside her.
The intimate feeling hardened her nipples. The boy cut underwear she wore grew damp. “I don’t understand how this is possible.”
“As you’ve marked him he’s done the same for you.”
“Why?”
Her mother shook her head. “That’s something he’ll have to answer. For now he’s in your care.” Her eyes receded to the normal brilliant jade color and she was again her mother. They rose to their feet.
“I think we should leave before something else happens.” Heavenleigh scanned the area for interlopers.
“Agreed. Besides I’m curious to see the one who’s caused so much upheaval in less than twenty-four hours. He’d have to be a trouble maker of epic proportions to handle you though, so it makes sense.” Her mother smirked and they began to move.
“What do you mean handle me? No one’s handling me.” Heavenleigh’s lip curled up.
“Your scent says otherwise.” They hiked through the woods, moving swiftly.
“Mom! Don’t go all… angel on me.”
“You’re broadcasting very loudly and this isn’t about desire. It’s about mating.”
Heavenleigh stumbled over a tree root as they reached the clearin
g. “Mating?”
“We can talk about it at home.”
“Oh believe me, we will.” They loaded up into their cars and pulled out of the parking lot.
Mate? She was no one’s property. Not even the Angel Man. She’d lived her life, content with sexual escapades. No, she didn’t have anything against men, or women for that matter, her duality tended to make people nervous, which pretty much left out long term commitment.
There’d been some close calls, times she thought she’d found the right person. In the end it was about what she was, not who. So, tired of pain and disappointment she closed the door on that option. No sense beating her head against a brick wall. Now this man… this angel, literally drops from the sky and threatens to turn the life she’d carved for herself upside down. As much as she wanted to be angry … it excited her. She was twelve kinds of fucked up.
Back at the house Heavenleigh locked the door behind her and leaned against it.
“Okay spill it, because we’re not doing anything else until I’m caught up.
Sighing her mother sank down onto the black leather couch. “We watch the world go by up there and sometimes we get a little too attached, so we lend out protection, appoint ourselves their guardian angel.”
“I thought everyone has one of those.” Confused, she frowned.
“Technically yes, but this is on a more personal level.”
Her mother’s amused smirk made her scowl. “Sounds creepy.”
“Perhaps. Our minds are not the same as a human’s. What you’d view as an invasion of privacy we might see as observation.” She shrugged.
“Okay, so he’s my angel stalker?”
Her mother laughed. “I wouldn’t say it that way.”
“Mmm hmm.” Heavenleigh pursed her lips and her mother rolled her eyes.
“What he’s done, binding his essence to yours is a huge honor, but it worries me. Because it means there’s a threat out there bigger than we can handle on our own.”
Oh great, just what she needed, more drama and danger. Sixty years off the grid, one favor, and her life was going downhill in a hand basket.
“Did he have to fall to do that?”
“No.” she shook her head. “I can’t say why he did that.”
“Okay. So this bond, what does it affect?” The word bond made her think of metaphysical handcuffs. She didn’t like that.
“Are you worried about free will?” Her mother arched a sculpted eyebrow, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Yes.”
“No, those are your own. Think of it as a direct link. You can share thoughts, powers, know if one another are in danger.”
“Wow.” Her mouth formed an o.
“Now you begin to understand.”
Stunned by his sacrifice she felt a case of warm and fuzzies creep up. This incredible being thought so much he linked his life with hers.
“Now, can I meet him?”
“Sure.” She nodded still reeling from all the information laid on her. “Follow me.” A quick trip down the hallway and she paused then knocked. Heavenleigh pushed the wooden barrier in a few inches and peered inside. Angel Man remained unconscious. Opening the door fully she stepped inside and watched her mother as she entered. A gasp left her lips.
“Mom, what’s wrong.”
“This is not an ordinary angel.”
“You know him?”
Her mother stepped closer, stopped at the end of her bed and sniffed. “No, I can’t place his identity, but I do know he’s an Archangel. One who’s fought beside Michael… that’s all I can tell. I’d call in a favor, but I think its best we keep him and his location to ourselves. I’ll take over your shift for you. We don’t want him waking up and wandering off.”
“How long did it take you to remember?”
“I was different… I had someone very powerful waiting to restore the jumbled mess my brain had become.” Heavenleigh’s eyes widened. It was more than she’d ever heard her mom say about her father.
“He was powerful?”
“I’m sure everyone in hell knows his name.” Her tone was wry and flat.
Her jaw dropped. “Damn Mom when you rebelled you went hard.”
“Apparently.” She smirked, shaking her head. “I wasn’t young, but I was naïve. Being in Heaven is the ultimate in overprotection.”
She chuckled. “Yeah, I bet! What was he like?”
“Charming, sexy, dangerous, while it was good it was ... nuclear.” A school girl sigh escaped her lips.
Fascinated by the dreamy expression on her mother’s face she dug deeper. “What did he look like?” Was her mom seriously getting nostalgic about Senior asshole who’d abandoned them?
“Stunning, and I do mean take-your-breath-away-gorgeous. It was his beauty that swayed me, made me believe he was misunderstood, and repentant.” She snorted. “As you can see I was wrong.”
“Do I have any of his features?” Her muscles tensed.
“Do you really want to know?” Her mother glanced at her, brown meet brown head on.
“Yes.”
She took a shaky breathy. “Y-You have my eyes, my chin, and a hint of my coloring, but the rest is him made female.”
Devastation rocked her. She clutched her chest, embarrassed. “How could you bare to look at me all this time?”
“Heaveleigh, you’re the only good thing that man ever gave me. I’ve avoided talking about him because I knew the next question would be his name, and I dare not speak it. He’s a powerful man. I live every day in fear he’ll discover what I’ve done.” Her mother wrapped an arm around her, pulled her close and kissed her forehead.
“He doesn’t know about me?”
She shook her head. “No, and for that I’m grateful.” Her mother stroked her hair absently.
“Am I why you left?”
“Among other things.” Her face shuttered. Q &A was over. “I’m going to get out of here so I can have the bar open and start inventory. If anything happens, contact me immediately.” She tapped her head to indicate the familial mental link they could communicate on.
“I will.” She walked her mother to the door and locked it behind her then wove a few more wards. Strengthened by her newly gained power boost, the recent addition to the wards made the previous ones look likes child’s play.
Chapter Three
When he surfaced from sleep and turned his head to the right, she was there. Heavenleigh.
Warmth spread through his chest.
“Well hello there Sunshine.” She held up two fingers. “Can you tell how many fingers I’m holding up?”
“Two.”
“Welcome back to the world of the living.” She lowered her hand.
“Thank you.” He sat up in bed, and groaned. His body was still stiff and his head ached.
“Do you remember last night?”
Frowning he searched his memory. “I remember waking up here with you.”
“Nothing about how you got here?” She leaned into the bed.
“I remember falling…” His stomach did a dive bomb. The sensation of free falling rushed in. He’d fallen for what felt like forever before he collided with something… the earth? No. A person wouldn’t survive a drop from that distance. A silent alarm tripped. There was something very different about him. “I’m not a normal man.” He shook his head, apprehension raised the hair on his nape and his arms.
“No, you aren’t.” She shook her head.
“You know?” He furrowed his brown.
“A bit, but I don’t think it’s wise for me to dabble with your memory. It’ll come back when it’s ready.”
“I sense going to a hospital would be a bad idea?” Inclining his head to the side he gathered information in the tiny bubbles of memory that remained among the darkness.
“If you want to stay free and alive I’d say yeah.” She nodded an amused expression on her face.
Her sarcasm made him smile until paranoia crept in. “How do I know I c
an trust you?”
“Right now I’m all you got, but to be fair, you did come here looking for little old me.”
Placing a hand on her chest she spoke in a slow drawl and batted her eyelashes. He sensed it was a joke, but he didn’t understand it. Not wanting to look more ignorant he kept his questions to himself.
“That’s true.” He nodded. She was the one thing he remembered. Memories of her from birth up flooded his mind. “I have pictures of you inside my head from the moment you were born. How is it we haven’t met?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Hmm.” He grunted.
“Why don’t you take a break from thinking, hop in the shower, and let me make you breakfast?”
He peered down at his tattered… robe?
“I got you covered. I went shopping why you were out. It’s just sweats and a t-shirt but it’ll be better then you’re um… garment? The bathroom is through the door on your right. I’ll leave your clothes on the bed and you can come into the kitchen whenever you’re ready.”
Climbing out of bed he stood. “Thank you for your kindness.”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll find a way to pay me back.” Her gaze raked over him, hungry and full of lust.
An echoing need sprung in his chest, and his dick went rock hard. Swallowing to moisten his dry throat he nodded. “I look forward to it.” Embarrassed by his brazenness he shuffled into the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Clearly he was not a man who slept around.
One hot shower later he approached the table, drinking in her short denim mini skirt, and form fitting t-shirt that said fifty percent angel, fifty percent devil with horns and a halo hooked on the percent signs. Not wanting to scare her he cleared his throat.
“Hey Angel Man pull up a seat. Brunch is almost ready, nothing fancy, just some French toast, and scrambled eggs.”
His belly let out a loud rumble. “It smells delicious.”
“Thank you.” Moving over to the table she sat the plates of hot food in the center.
“So I’ve been thinking. We need a temporary name for you, until you remember you own.”
She sank down in the seat across from him and focused her attention on him.
