Guardian Unraveled (Fallen Guardians 3)

by Georgia Lyn Hunter

  The warrior glanced back. Nodded. One corner of his mouth quirked. “I’ll be around for a while before I leave for patrol again. Need another sandwich.”

  Dagan understood exactly what he meant; he’d wait until he knew all was safe with him and Shae. “I know.”

  Týr froze. The shock and pain crossing his face at those two words—as if Dagan had yanked him out from an abyss—felt like a kick in his gut. So much hurt and enmity through the centuries.

  “I need my sandwich,” Týr muttered and walked out.

  As the door shut behind Týr, Shae turned to Dagan. “I’m glad you found your friend again.”

  He nodded, his expression brooding. “All that agony, rage, and animosity for something I could have ended eons ago. But given the mess I was, I couldn’t see clearly. I was too steeped in bloodlust and anger.”

  “You mended things now, and that’s what matters.”

  He stroked her upper arms and lowered his brow to hers. “I think you had to come into my life and whack me upside the head first.”

  Shae smiled and lightly ran her fingers over his healed wound. Then said softly, “I was so scared when you started shaking. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  He brushed her hair away from her face. “Yeah.”

  “But you didn’t feed long enough.”

  He pressed his lips to her pulse in a tender kiss. “Stop worrying, I’m good for now.”

  But she recalled the horrid demon-bolt wound on his side and knew it always carried an evil taint until completely healed.

  “Dagan—” She pushed away from him. He was too distracting when she was trying to think. “You should feed a little more. It will give me peace of mind.” She gestured at the scab on his torso. “That wound still carries a stain...”

  He stared at her for a long moment before he nodded. Taking her hand, he led her to the chaise lounge set near the undraped, night-dark windows. He sat down and pulled her onto his lap, the soft lights reflecting their images on the windowpane.

  He smoothed her hair away from her neck. When she realized this was it, her lungs nearly shut down.

  “Ready?”

  “Jeez, don’t warn me, just do it.”

  “And you sliced your wrist?” he drawled, amusement brightening his eyes.

  She grimaced. “Yes, well, escaping from evil demons and such, the adrenaline rush can make you do things…”

  Smiling, he lowered his mouth to her throat. At the sensation of his warm tongue circling her pulse in a predatory way, her heart rate escalated. His fangs lightly grazed her skin, the erotic teasing making her shiver. His mouth fastened over it and he sucked as if drawing her vein closer to the surface.

  His fangs sank into her neck, and a delicious warmth spread through her, she barely felt the sting. Shae wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers tangled in his long hair, holding him close. He drank deeply. With every pull, it felt as if he were thrusting inside her. She rubbed herself against his rock-hard groin, a low moan escaping her.

  Her fingers tugged on his hair, the edges of her consciousness clouding, and she sagged against him…

  Shae’s motionless body cut through Dagan’s blood high. He tore his mouth away from her throat and licked the puncture wounds closed.

  “Shae?” He grasped her face, her normally fair skin gone chalk-white.

  Her eyelids fluttered open. “I’m okay… Just a little lightheaded.”

  “Fuck! I took too much.”

  “Yes, there was that risk, but you stopped, didn’t you?” She patted his chest. “Now I know you’ll be safe.”

  “At your expense?” he snapped, furious at himself then he narrowed his eyes. “Did you eat?”

  Her eyelids drifted closed. “I will…in a moment.”

  “Godsdammit, Shae!” Choking back a violent volley of curses, he rose from the chaise lounge and carried her across to the massive bed. He set her on the cover and stacked the pillows behind her. “Don’t move.”

  Pulling open the bedside drawer, he found her stash of candies, retrieved two, and gave them to her. “I’ll be right back.”

  He flashed to the kitchen and grabbed a tray.

  Hedori appeared from his quarters. “Sire, may I be of help?

  “Yes. I need food for Shae. Her sugar level’s low,” he explained, his frustration at himself still riding high. Heavens, he was so damn grateful to be able to control his bloodlust and feed from his mate. But dammit, he had to be more careful with her and not aggravate her hypoglycemia.

  Dagan stared through the window, rubbing the ache in his chest. She cared enough about him to put her life on the line—no one had ever done that for him.

  The job didn’t count, they were all brothers in their fight against evil, and their fealty belonged to Gaia. Hell, he’d survived Tartarus, and he’d thought he could survive this too, living an almost mortal life. Truth was, he would have died far sooner. And Shae knew it, too.

  “Dagan?”

  He turned. Hedori nodded to the tray. “Thanks. How’s Jenna?” he asked.

  “She sleeps…but in fitful snatches.” An undercurrent of anger scored the male’s stoic tone.

  After being trapped in the Dark Realm, Dagan couldn’t blame her. The emotional and mental trauma she’d gone through—would continue to go through—hell, it was going to be a long haul. But knowing Shae was with her, he hoped it gave her some peace, at least.

  Dagan headed upstairs to his quarters and found the bed empty. Dammit! He dropped the tray on the coffee table in the turret living room and headed for the dressing room. There she was, looking into the closet.

  When she saw him, her lips curved in a smile.

  “For godsakes, Shae! What the hell are you doing? Didn’t I tell you to stay put?” He swept her up into his arms and crossed to the living room.

  “Dagan,” she sighed, curling her arms around his neck. “I want to change and go see Mom.”

  “Later, when you’ve rested. You’re not going to be any good to her if you’re sick.”

  Her loud exhale sounded a lot like a grumble as he set her on the settee. “You know best, oh master.”

  He popped the soda and handed it to her. “It’s good you know that.”

  She rolled her eyes. It didn’t deter him. He waited. Once she’d drunk some, he took the can, set it aside, then put the tray on her lap. “Eat.”

  “You know I’m not an invalid, right?”

  At her argumentative tone, he cut her a dark look. “If you won’t take care of yourself, then I will.”

  Scrunching her nose at him, she uncovered the plate, picked up the spoon, and paused. “You know what’s weird? I haven’t eaten any Dextrose in the last two days, and I didn’t feel dizzy at all. Actually, all I felt was this energy and heat spiking inside me until you took my blood.”

  He stared at her for a second. With her growing powers, it could be possible that parts of her were changing. “No matter, I’m not taking chances with your health. Eat.”

  As she made inroads in her meal, Dagan sat on the coffee table, his mind on something else. Hell, he still wasn’t sure if he’d imagined it. “Shae, what did you eat earlier today?”

  Lines puckered her brow. “Hmmm, I had a peanut butter sandwich and a banana. Why?”

  His mouth kicked up in the corners. “Because I tasted it in your blood.”

  “What?” Her spoon clattered to her plate, her eyes darkening in worry. “Is that a bad thing?”

  “No. Just strange after all these millennia. It has just a hint of flavor…” he paused, trying to think of how to explain it to her. And failed. Hell, the only other thing he’d ever consumed was weak black coffee, water, or red wine. He’d completely forgotten the taste of solid food.

  “Like blood-flavored red wine?” she teased.

  Smiling, he kissed her on the pulse point that had given him the blessed relief he’d sought for a hundred lifetimes.

  “What about the goddess? Didn’t you taste food with hers?�
�� she asked.

  “No.” He sat back and studied her. Shae was beautiful with that coppery-red hair, porcelain skin, and her gold-gray eyes. More, she completed him on so many levels, and now this. “I don’t know what it is about you. You’re human, yet your blood fulfills me in more ways than I expected.”

  “Well, I’m your mate,” she said, picking up her spoon again. “And I also have these abilities, maybe that’s why.”

  Perhaps.

  After she’d eaten, he scooped her into his arms and put her back on the bed, pulling the covers over her. “I’ll be gone for the remainder of the night. And you rest.”

  “All right.” She covered her mouth, smothering a yawn. “But I should check on Mom first.”

  “Your mother’s asleep. Hedori told me. It’s been one helluva night with your new power emerging, then me feeding from you. So try and sleep, Shae-cat, ‘cause when I return, you’ll wish you had.” He kissed her brow. “I’ll see you later.”

  She lifted her hand and stroked his whiskered jaw, her bracelets sliding back. “Okay.”

  He pressed his lips to her wrist and saw the—fuck! With everything that had happened, he hadn’t had a chance to speak to her about the marking.

  “Shae—” He drew her hand away from his face and sat on the bed. “When did you get this tattoo?”

  She glanced at the thing, shrugged. “Probably after my dad died. I don’t recall.”

  He had to unclench his jaw to explain what he’d learned. “This isn’t a tattoo. It’s a mating mark. Aza put it on you, and since you have no recollection, he probably blocked your memory of the incident.”

  “What?” Her eyes widened in horror, then she glanced at the brand and went motionless.

  “What is it?”

  She chewed her lip.

  His eyes narrowed, and his gut twisted. She knew something. “Shae?”

  Her gaze lowered. She tugged her bracelets, before lining the three in a row and blocking the mark. “When my mom disappeared, I was devastated,” she said quietly. “Aza was at the penthouse the day after. He offered to help me find her, then asked me out on a date. I agreed, only because he was Other and I thought he could—”

  Dagan jerked to his feet, unable to keep still, his fingers clenching so he wouldn’t ram his fist through something.

  Her gaze rushed to him, then she continued, “As the weeks passed, he had no news, but he often came to the penthouse. I started to avoid him. Then Harvey said he’d help me find Mom. He told me about the broker demon. It was a sure thing to getting a lead on Mom. I told Aza I couldn’t date him anymore. He was a little upset when I broke it off, but he seemed to accept it. Dagan, I lost one parent, I couldn’t lose her, too.”

  He didn’t say anything because if he spoke now, he’d probably yell at her for being so damn impulsive, and now she’d tied herself to a fucking psychotic Fallen.

  He headed for the door then stopped. Shit. He couldn’t just leave her like this. It wasn’t her fault but that damn fucker. He rubbed his jaw and turned back. She hadn’t moved an inch, her expression pained. “Dagan—”

  “It’s okay, baby. I’ll deal with this. I just want you to be careful. Anything that requires you being out of the castle, you call me. If he gets ahold of you, he’ll claim you, and that mark will nullify our bonding.”

  “No!”

  “Yes,” he said grimly. “I don’t have the patience to look for a way to remove that damn brand. I’m going to have to kill him.”

  Chapter 24

  Dagan stood to one side of the living room in Hedori’s quarters while Michael spoke to Jenna. He’d discarded his shades, and she didn’t react to his eerie irises. Her gaze clouded with pain and confusion, darting between him and the archangel.

  Hell, Dagan wanted her to have a little more time, but Michael insisted it was imperative to speak to her, find out what he could about Samael’s plans.

  And why he was here instead of out on patrol.

  “I don’t know who took me…I don’t know anything,” she whispered again, curling into the corner of the couch, her knuckles white beneath her tan skin as she continued tugging at a lock of dull red hair. Ten minutes of questions, and still nothing.

  Thank the stars Shae had been spared from seeing her mother this way.

  Suddenly, Jenna jerked to her feet, her hands clenching together. “Please, I don’t want to talk. I don’t want to do this anymore.”

  A coppery whiff drifted to him. His gaze snapped to her hands. Shit. She’s hurting herself, he telepathed to Michael.

  “Jenna,” he said quietly. “Look at me.” Hell, the power in the Arc’s voice made Dagan want to crawl over and stare at him. “Calm down, we won’t hurt you. We simply want to find out what happened.”

  Her agitated movements slowed.

  “You’re safe here,” he reiterated, his tone softer now, which surprised Dagan, considering he was sure the Arc was created from solid rock.

  “No one will harm you again. Will you come and sit down?”

  As she lowered to the couch once more, Michael sat on the armchair across from her, keeping a distance. Hedori walked in and stood adjacent to her, near the windows overlooking the herb garden.

  Her wary gaze shifted to Hedori, then to Dagan and stayed on him. “You rescued me from that dark place.”

  Dagan nodded. “Yes, we did. The Guardians and I—everyone here, will keep you safe.” He cut a quick look to Hedori, who resembled a statue. His eyes, the only things showing emotion, blazed a deep, deadly orange.

  “Jenna, can you recall what happened?” Michael asked. “How you ended up in this dark place?”

  She remained silent for an endless moment, and just when Dagan thought she’d retreated into herself, tears rolled down her almost pallid face. “We had an argument, Shae and I, over that musician. Every time he called, she would go, and then she’d come home hurting because he would be with some other woman. Though she denied it, I knew—she’s my child. How could I not?”

  Jenna inhaled a shuddering breath. “Shae didn’t go that evening. She worked instead and was on her laptop. Everything happened so fast—there was a crackling noise, then an explosion. The blast threw me across the room, and I hit my head on the wall…” Her fingers plucked at the ends of the sweater sleeves. “I don’t remember what happened after that, all I recall is waking up in that dark place.”

  Dagan jammed his fist into his pants pocket. Shae hadn’t told him the reason for the fight, and hearing Jenna reveal how much the human had hurt her pissed him off. His territorial nature demanded that he kill the bastard. His Guardian oath kept him glued to the floor.

  He stilled, a thought that had been nagging him surfacing again. He summoned the pewter dagger. He hadn’t had a chance to read it again. Maybe she’d know something.

  The moment it took shape in his palm, he crossed to her and held out the weapon. “Jenna, do you recognize this blade?”

  She stared blankly at the dagger, then her eyes widened. She snatched it from him. “Where did you get this?”

  “So you’ve seen it before?”

  A sob broke free. “This belonged to my h-husband. It disappeared when he was killed.” Her gaze lifted to him. “We thought the murderer had taken it.”

  At her revelation, Dagan rose to his feet. This was a damn shitfest. The blade belonged to an angel, one who’d apparently still possessed his wings when he mated Jenna. It was why Shae had inherited those kinds of abilities—no! Terror crashed through him at the truth—at what it meant for Shae.

  Born of an angel and a psi, it made her extremely powerful. A nephilim.

  Michael and his band of warrior angels had annihilated all the Watchers and their half-angel offspring. The Arc cut him an unreadable look, obviously picking up his violent emotions.

  It’s not my call to make a decision about Shae. But I’ll do what I can, he telepathed him then returned to his questioning as if this were some godsdamn tea party. “What was your husband’s nam
e?”

  Too edgy to remain still, Dagan paced back to the door, his rioting mind trying to recall any laws with loopholes to keep Shae safe.

  Another long pause before Jenna answered. “Gus Ion.”

  That distracted Dagan. Not two names. One. Gusion. A throne. A powerful damn killer. And the other rogue Michael had been hunting.

  Dagan frowned. Wait, just how had the throne escaped the law-keepers all those years ago? His mating to Jenna should have blinked on their radar.

  “How did Gusion block your mating?” Michael leaned forward, his powerful forearms braced on his thighs. “I’m sure he would have explained the dangers about immortal-mortal mating to you? And about the law-keepers?”

  A slow nod, she whispered, “He found an Oracle, she helped us with a concealment incantation.”

  She’d have had to be a very powerful one. Dagan knew only— “Lila,” he said.

  Her breathing quickened, terror whitening her face. “Please, I can’t…”

  It didn’t matter. They had their answer.

  Michael stared at her for a long second. Then, “Do you know who I am, Jenna?”

  Her gaze lowered again to her fingers destroying the edges of her sleeves.

  “I am Michael.”

  “No!” she shrieked, jumping to her feet, startling Dagan and Hedori to move closer. “You—you’re responsible for my husband’s death—”

  Power sizzled. Her hands flashed out. Michael flew off the seat, hitting the bookshelf opposite him hard and breaking the wood. The silvery light in his shattered blue irises flared brightly.

  Hedori grabbed her wrist. “My lady, stop.”

  Jenna elbowed him in the belly, stupefying him. Her eyes pinned on Michael became charcoal-gray holes.

  Dagan leaped for her before she turned the Arc into a sack of skin. Except Michael straightened, the glow around him intensifying. She groaned, losing her concentration, and swayed, her eyes closing.

  Hedori swept her up into his arms and headed for the guest bedroom.

  “Someone’s not only tampered with her mind but also set you up as a target,” Dagan said.

  “I figured that.” Michael stalked out.