by Kim Loraine
"Here, lass, put this on." Grant's Scottish timbre pulls my attention from the two women I've called sister for millennia. He tosses his shirt at me and I pull the fabric over my nudity.
The shirt is long enough to hit me mid-thigh and for once, I'm grateful for the man's size. The navy blue cotton is thick and warmed by his body. Even if it does smell like the shifter he is. "Thanks," I say, biting back a comment about him possibly giving me fleas. Now is not the time.
"What is going on, Gwen? How did you two summon me from a place warded by angels?"
My sister furrows her dark brows and bites her lower lip. She really doesn't want to tell me.
"Out with it," I say.
"You're going to die." Her skin has gone pale, all the rosy sweetness of her cheeks lost to the fear in her eyes and the tremor in her voice.
My stomach twists with dread as a sick feeling crawls up my throat. "Aren't we all? That's part of life."
"Helena, now's not the time for your flippant commentary." Izzy's well and truly fuming. Her temper has been much quicker since Grant turned her into a shifter.
"Well, excuse me. I'm the one who got pulled out of the damned shower and into the middle of God knows where in nothing but the body God gave me."
"Do you know how much effort it took us to break through those wards your angel has put up?"
That question only serves to rile me up further as the memory of their first attempted summoning rises to the surface. "Oh, and by the way, do you two have any idea of the massive headache your first try left me with? I could barely see straight after that."
Izzy frowns. "What?"
"The first time you tried to summon me. Earlier."
"We…Hel, this is the first time." Fear flickers in her eyes. "Someone else is trying to get to you."
"Well, that's bloody obvious," Grant grumbles. "I'm sure she's made her share of enemies over the years. There are plenty of beings who'd want to take her."
"Beast," Izzy warns.
"No, Izzy. He's right. I'm not exactly universally loved. Trouble is, no one should be able to call me without something to help pinpoint my location."
"We found a strand of stray hair on your brush, and even with that it took every ounce of power we have." Gwen's voice is soft and steady, but I can see the effect the spell had on them both. Her eyes are ringed with dark circles and there's a faint smear of blood under Izzy's nose.
"So why then, would you waste your strength calling me to you when you could have easily used your damned phones?"
"Gwen already told you. You're going to die. She saw your death in the arms of Tamiel. Don't you understand? You're on a fool's errand and it's going to lead you straight to purgatory." Tears, actual tears pool in her eyes. This is worse than I thought.
Grant is by her side in an instant, his arm wrapping around her slight frame and pulling her close. He presses a kiss to the top of her head and whispers so low I almost don't catch his words. But they're there. Like a punch to the gut. "Hush, my beauty. All this stress can't be good for the bairn."
"Bairn?" Jesus and all the saints. "You're fucking pregnant?"
Grant pulls her even closer, narrowing his eyes in my direction, but Izzy gently removes herself from his grip. "It's only been a day since we realized." Her hand drifts to the non-existent swell of her belly and she smiles. Then her expression darkens. "So, you see, we can't let anything happen to you. My daughter will know her aunts. Both of them."
Grant cocks an eyebrow and smirks. "Daughter?"
She shrugs. "Just a feeling. It could very well be a boy."
"Or both. Maybe we'll get a two for one deal."
"Bite your tongue, Beast."
I sigh and roll my eyes. "This is all a fascinating glance into the disgustingly romantic world of shifter mating, but I've got some pressing business to take care of." My thoughts drift to Tamiel—naked, hard, and waiting for me. Why hasn't he come for me? Surely he can find me. But then my stomach sinks as I realize the truth. He doesn't want me. Not without my siren song as influence. He’s too strong to be controlled if I’m not there to keep him under my spell. The idea of losing him, of losing the connection we'd started to forge—even if it's only due to a spell—has my skin itching. "Send me back."
"Helena, no. Didn't you hear me? You're going to die."
"It's not like I've never died before."
"But this time it's permanent."
I flick my gaze to Gwen. "Tell me something, Gwen. What do you see when you try to tap into your future? Do you see me?"
She blinks and shakes her head. "No."
"But are you both still living in those futures?"
"We are."
"There it is." I clench my fists and close my eyes as a tidal wave of mixed emotions hits. It's a curious combination. Fear, relief, love, anger. All of them collide, but when I open my eyes and see Grant has taken Izzy in his arms again and has his large palm resting on the place their child grows, I know I was right to leave. I can't be responsible for their deaths. "I have to go back."
"We can't send you." Gwen's tone is colored with sadness.
"What? Why?"
"We only called you because we had something to focus on. Now we have nothing to help break through the wards."
Of course. I think that devastatingly handsome fallen angel has my brain addled. How the bloody hell am I going to get back to him? I suppose I could transport myself to Manhattan, but I haven't been outside his flat. If I tried to send myself into the city without a clear picture of where I want to go, I may end up stuck in the in-between.
The air shifts and my ears pop with the change of pressure. God help me, but I feel him before I turn to see him. It's like my treacherous heart recognizes Tamiel. Everything in me lights up.
"Thank you, Father," he mutters as I turn and catch his gaze. He's fully dressed, but his dark hair is still damp and falling into his eyes. He looks every inch the avenging angel, ready to fight for me with the sword of Michael blazing in one hand.
"Put that thing away before you hurt someone," I say, trying to hide my overwhelming desire to fling myself into his arms.
The light around the broadsword dims before the entire thing disappears. "So, you left me on purpose. Was that your plan? Wind me up and leave me wanting?"
No. "Yes. Exactly. I'm a sadistic bitch."
"Helena—" he starts, but I hold up a hand.
"Izzy, Gwen, thank you for your concern. But I know what I'm doing, and if it means keeping you, and my future niece safe, I'll gladly spend eternity in purgatory. God knows I've committed my share of sins. It's probably exactly what I deserve." I shoot a glare at Tamiel. "Let's go."
His brow furrows, but his gaze trails down my body to my extended hand. "I don't understand."
"Take me home. With you."
Relief floods his features and he twines his fingers with mine, his grip tight and tense.
"Don't summon me again," I say as my sisters fade from view.
Tamiel
Helena has barely spoken two words in the three days we've been back in my apartment. She refuses to leave her room with the exception of needing to eat—and that only happens when I force food on her. It wouldn't be so bad if she'd speak to me, but all she does is work secretly in that damned room.
I knock on her door, three sharp raps of my knuckles offering an assertive need to see her. In truth, I'm desperate. I can't stand this. The silence. It's like she's a ghost, here but not. I'd rather she hate me and return to our verbal sparring matches than shun me.
"Come on now, love. It's time for you to take a break."
I turn the knob and crack open the door, peeking in to find her sitting cross-legged on the center of her bed with a silver bowl and dagger in front of her. The air is scented with blood, making my fangs beg to descend. I haven't fed since I brought her back from the woods outside Grant's home.
"Helena, what are yo—"
"Shh, I'm concentrating." She holds up a hand and I see the s
light wound on her finger from where she must've offered her blood for this spell.
One hand is pressed to her chest, and she takes a deep breath. The air is thick with magic, a heavy, dark feeling unlike anything I've ever sensed around her before. "Helena." This doesn't feel right. It feels unnatural.
Then, as though a blanket is thrown over her, snuffing out everything, the magic dies. She leans back and sighs, opening her eyes and slouching in defeat.
"It didn't work," she grumbles. "Why didn't it work?"
"What, love?"
As if she doesn't even realize I'm here, she grabs the bowl and dagger and takes them into the adjoining bathroom. The scent of smoke fills the air and I run to her. She's not been in a good place. Not since I brought her back.
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" I shout at her as I breach the doorway and see her standing over the sink with the contents of the bowl burning bright blue flame.
"I'm not going to risk leaving any trace of myself. Someone tried to summon me and it wasn't my sisters. If I'm lucky, they won't be able to try again." She braces her hands on the counter and stares at me in the mirror. "If they had a trace of my blood it'll be gone by now. Unless…"
She turns her gaze to me and I don't like the look in her eyes. "Unless what?"
"Unless there's someone who has a steady supply of my blood who's been giving them what they need."
"You can't be serious." Anger and hurt build in my chest. "I'd never do that to you. Besides, if I wanted to give you up for some benefit to me, I'd have done it as soon as I got you here."
She has the grace to look abashed, but the expression quickly turns to despair. "I don't understand it then. How did this happen? I'm always so careful. I've managed lifetimes without being discovered. Why now?"
A flash of her last death, the one I'm plagued by, when my fallen brothers saw my reaction to her, when they killed her because of me.
Then it hits me. Oh, Father in Heaven. It was me. I can see it all now. Kit scoring me with his claws. The demons, some of them who used to be my brothers but who gave in to their darkness. They'd know. They'd know me and it wouldn't be too far a leap for them to remember who Helena is to me.
"Helena," I say, my heart breaking for what I'm about to tell her. She turns and faces me, and my chest tightens when her bronze gaze locks on mine. "It was me. I'm so sorry."
9
Helena
"What?" My vision runs red at the words Tamiel just uttered. It was him. Of course it was. Why had I allowed myself to think the angel wouldn't betray me? He's a man after all. "Get away from me."
"No." His voice is strong and clear. There's not a hint of passive in him.
"So help me, Tamiel. If you don't get out of my sight right the hell now, I can't be held responsible for the damage I'll do to your favorite appendage."
He doesn't listen. Tamiel moves closer and puts his hands on my upper arms. What he doesn't know is I've been using the black moonstone to find power sources each day since we returned. I'm stronger than ever. Muttering under my breath, I bind him where he stands. There's not a chance he'll be able to break through this, at least not until I'm away from this place. I can only hope he didn't hear the waver in my voice. My heart hurts from the knowledge that he'd do this to me.
"Helena, what are you doing?" He releases me from his grasp and frowns as I back away.
"Leaving. I can't make you go, but I'm just a visitor here. When that spell wears off, don't come looking for me."
"What spell?"
He moves toward me as though I hadn't just bound him with the most powerful magical chains I could conjure. No! Fucking fallen angels. Why can't they just be affected by magic the same as everyone else? My siren song worked on him just fine.
"Leave me be," I say through a tight throat. If he comes closer, I might give in to his charms. "You betrayed me. You're…I thought…I thought you were different."
"I didn't. I swear it." His striking irises burn through my resolve. "I promise you, I'd never betray you, love. It was the demon scratches. I had your blood in my system."
God help me, I want to believe him. I want to fall into his arms and let him love me until the sun stops burning in the sky. My heart nearly stops at that. I've never felt such a depth of emotion for any man.
"How do I know you didn't just stage all that so I'd walk into this trap willingly?"
Heaving a sigh, he runs a hand through tousled hair and looks down at his shoes. "Why would I come for you when your sisters summoned you? If I'd been trying to get you into a demon's hands, I'd have let you go." He cups my cheek as he steps close again. "You're mine. There's no changing it. We're written in the stars, whether it's to be a tragedy or a romance remains to be seen."
"It's always a tragedy when I'm involved."
He shakes his head and presses his forehead to mine. "Then we'll just have to rewrite the stars and make the story ours."
This has gone too far. I can't keep this inside any longer. Tamiel deserves the truth because dammit, I think I might be falling in love with him.
"Tamiel, I…there's something I have to tell you."
"You can tell me anything."
"We're not written in the stars or destined for anything. I wound my siren song around your heart after the first time you fed from me. None of this…what you're feeling…it's not true. You're drawn to me because my song makes it that way. Once I release you, that'll be it. You won't want me."
He grins. The cheeky bastard. "No."
"Excuse me?"
"I said, no. You might think you did that, but your song must not have worked on me. Angel, remember?"
Oh, how I wish it were true. My song works on any creature with the ability to desire me. "Angels aren't immune."
"I am."
"But…but you brought me here. You did what I wanted."
"Because I wanted to make you happy. I wanted you."
Then I realize the truth in it all. I'd been a fool. He told me about his lost love, his soul mate. "I can't claim a heart that's already been taken," I whisper the words, but he hears me and closes his eyes.
"Exactly."
"And you really didn't betray me with the demon?"
Now both of his palms hold my shoulders as he stares deep into my soul. "Do you need me to swear on the Bible or something? I'm sure I could find one somewhere."
Guilt washes over me, heavy and suffocating. I don't like this feeling. I'm ashamed to have disappointed him. But he just watches me with a calm expression, as though he already knows what I'll say. "I'm sorry—"
He interrupts me with a tender kiss. It's filled with gentle exploration and far too much affection. But I'm not going to stop him. I want this. Him. Us. Forever.
Too bad forever doesn't exist.
Tamiel
Thank fuck I don't have to keep up the facade of a spellbound idiot. My resolve to do whatever Helena wished was fading as she became more entrenched in her crusade.
"We need to track down this demon of yours," she says from her spot across from me at the dining room table. I'd prepared a meal for her before our little tete-a-tete in her room and after all was out in the open, I'd been able to convince her to eat.
"After you eat. It's been days and you've barely taken any food."
She spears a piece of steak and inspects it dubiously. "Are you sure you know how to cook? This is much more complicated than the toast and jam you've been bringing me."
"I followed the steps to the letter. I guarantee this will be better than any Michelin star restaurant."
Cocking an eyebrow, she snorts before putting the bite into her mouth. Then her expression changes and she lets out a moan that sends every bit of blood I have rushing to my cock. "Oh, mother of God."
"Blasphemer," I tease.
"You bet your tight arse. That is absolutely sinful."
"I said as much, didn't I?"
"You did."
She tucks into her meal and I sit there watchin
g like a besotted fool. Even the movement of her lips as she savors the meal is beautiful. I don't want her to have to fight for her future. I should be the one ensuring she's safe and loved. Loved? Bloody hell. I'm on dangerous ground if I'm tossing around that word.
But aren't we destined for love? She and I are meant to be.
When she polishes off her steak and roasted vegetables, she calmly sets her silverware on the plate and levels her gaze on me. "As I was saying, we need to find the demon who attacked you."
Bugger.
"I've every intention of hunting him down like the dog he is." My answer is cold and determined. But I won't make eye contact with her because I know she'll be ready with a fight.
"We are going to hunt him down. We have to find out what he did with my blood and whether they have more."
The idea of her going after Kit makes my skin crawl. He's charming and charismatic on the outside, but I know what he likes to do to beautiful women. "I don't think that's wise."
"I'm sorry, I must not have heard you correctly. It sounded like you said you don't think I should accompany you to take down the demon who nearly killed you."
"That's exactly what I said."
"You're daft. You need back up. I'm all you've got."
I cross my arms over my chest. "I can call Devin."
"Devin? As in the long-haired vampire who fancies himself a southern Charlie Hunnam?"
I can't suppress my laughter. She's right. Devin would fit right in on an episode of Sons of Anarchy. I think he does it on purpose. He's smart enough to know what will attract his dinner. "Yeah, him. He's been holding down the fort, as it were. I can get him to come back to the city if I call."
"No way. This isn't his fight. It's ours."
Ours. Fuck. "I don't want you near this."
"Are you mad? I've been near it since the beginning. The demon knew to summon me. This is more about me than it is you. Now stop playing the dominant alpha and let's get some kind of plan in place before they are successful in their next summoning."
