Heart of an Angel

by Rosalie Lario

  After leading her into an abandoned warehouse, Nate opened a crude manhole and motioned for her to climb down the ladder into a shaft made of iron. It led to a cavernous tunnel, with rust-colored bricks covering the walls and a domed ceiling. Though the tunnel had clearly been abandoned long ago, it was easy to see it had once served as a subway entrance.

  “Holy moly.” She let out an impressed whistle as she observed her surroundings.

  Nate graced her with a little smile that made her heart give a tiny skip in her chest.

  Just a half smile, thank goodness. Not a full-blown one. Somehow she knew one of those would make him far too devastatingly gorgeous, and that was something she couldn’t handle right now. Not with his beautiful bare chest glinting in the dim orange lighting of their enclosed space, or his muscles flexing as he moved, begging to be touched.

  God, I want you. So much.

  Abby bit her lower lip, forcing the words back. Fighting the urge to jump the man and rip off what few clothes he wore. Though he’d admitted he was unmated, the words he hadn’t said were clear as day. He’d lost a mate, and he still mourned her death. She would respect that.

  But she wasn’t about to give up. Seeing him now, after all these years, only reinforced what she’d instinctively known that night on the rooftop.

  Nate was meant to be hers. And she wouldn’t rest until he recognized it.

  “How did you find this place?” She worked hard to keep her tone neutral, as if she wasn’t fighting just to keep her hands off him.

  One of his thick, straight brows arched and he led her to where a crude set of stairs had been laid to help passersby navigate a ten-foot drop in the floor level. “Actually, it wasn’t us who built the hideout you’re about to see. It was another nephilim, along with a group of people who never believed the angels’ agenda. They call themselves rebels.”

  “Another nephilim?” she echoed. The thought of seeing another person like her caused a ball of anxiety to form in the pit of her stomach. Yeah, she knew there were others of her kind, but she’d never considered she might actually meet one.

  “There are in fact several of them in our group.”

  Nate led her deeper inside, toward a long, narrow tunnel with a worn cobblestone floor. It grew measurably warmer as they went along, and she finally unbuttoned her coat and slipped it off her shoulders. She couldn’t help but notice how Nate looked away as she did so, as if he couldn’t bear to look at her.

  As if he wanted her, too.

  Her heart pulsed erratically, and she forced a deep breath into her lungs. For all she knew, he hadn’t noticed her at all. Even if she sensed differently…

  They walked for about fifty feet before coming to a stop at an iron door that had electric sconces set on either side of it. Turning to face her, he gave her a deep, searching look that practically melted her clothes off her body. “I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that secrecy is of the utmost importance when it comes to our location.”

  Abby snickered. “Trust me, I won’t be giving you away to the angels anytime soon.”

  He gave her a half grin. “I didn’t think you would.”

  Yes, I know. Because they’d kill me before I so much as said a word.

  She knew all too well the dangers of being a nephilim. Her unofficial research, prompted by Nate’s words that night he’d saved her, had clued her in on that.

  He grabbed the handle and yanked it open to reveal the other side.

  Abby’s mouth fell open. “Oh my God.”

  Abby stepped through, gazing around in wonderment. She was in a large chamber that held a long table with several flat-screen monitors. A man sat at the table, sliding his rolling chair back and forth as he scanned each of the screens and typed something into the keyboard lying on the table.

  “What is this place?” she whispered.

  The man pushed away from the table and stood to offer her his hand. “What it looks like. We’re monitoring angel activity throughout the city. My name is Rick.”

  Snapping her jaw shut, she set her coat on the table and shook Rick’s hand. Then she snuck a glance at Nate. “I had no idea.”

  “That’s the whole point,” Rick said agreeably.

  “When we first met Ruby, we found out she and her group of rebels had not only built a home here, but a base of operations to monitor the angels. That way they could live off the grid and spy on the angels at the same time.”

  “Wow.” The thought of all they’d done floored her. “They didn’t trust the Consortium, then?”

  Rick let out a low chuckle. “We always sensed the peace and security angelkind offered us was too good to be true.”

  So she wasn’t the only one.

  Nate stalked toward the table, the muscles in his back bulging with his movement. Abby swallowed hard and tore her gaze from his delicious torso.

  “Ruby planted cameras strategically throughout the city.” Nate pointed at one of the screens, which showed a view of Central Park, just outside the entrance to the angel tower. “We can get a sense of the Tribunal’s comings and goings this way.”

  “We took some of the monitors with us when we shifted our home base to the Adirondacks, close to the Fallen compound,” Rick added. “Means I have to periodically scroll through our system to get a view from all the cameras.”

  Abby’s mouth dropped open again. “You mean you’ve got more than this?”

  “Over twice as many,” Rick said.

  “How many of you are there?” she breathed.

  Rick let out a chuckle. “Less than you’d think. Eighteen of us rebels.”

  When she turned her astonished gaze to Nate, he simply nodded and said, “Come. Let me show you the rest.”

  He led her down a narrow corridor, showing her a makeshift kitchen, bedrooms, and even a bathroom. All the while she felt the low level pulse of awareness that indicated the presence of others like her. Nothing like the burning pulses of desire Nate’s presence elicited, however. But if he felt it too, he didn’t make mention of it.

  By the time they stepped into what Nate called the recreation room, she realized one thing. Nate was stalling, doing everything he could to ignore the one important fact she’d told him out by the water.

  That he was her mate.

  He’s scared.

  The thought that this angel—the yummy, out of this world man she’d dreamt about for so many years—could actually be scared of her and of their connection elicited a tug of empathy within her chest. He’d loved and lost, and clearly that colored his every action. Part of her wanted to comfort him, to tell him everything was going to be okay. But the rest of her just wanted to throw him to the ground and rip those jeans off him. Funny how she could be so jealous of a pair of pants. They covered the sinfully male body she longed to explore.

  “Ruby and her gang trained here every day when they lived here,” Nate was saying. “They became very proficient in a variety of weapons, always preparing for the inevitable battle between angels and humans.”

  She ignored this, getting straight to the point instead. “What about what I said back there?”

  He came to a stop, looking for all the world like a deer caught in headlights.

  “About you being my mate?” she added.

  A long, shuddering breath escaped him. “Abby, I don’t—”

  “You do feel it, don’t you?”

  He said nothing, just swallowed hard. And that was when she knew. He felt it, too.

  A burst of sudden, intense desire panged into her, making her nipples hard and her inner thighs quake. She gasped when it hit her.

  Too intense. Not just me.

  He wanted her too. Badly. His desire for her thickened the air between them, urging her to close the distance.

  So she did.

  Alarm colored Nate’s expression, and he backpedaled. “Abby, no—”

  Before he could say any more, she closed her hands around his neck and urged his head his head down. She noted with satisfac
tion that it didn’t take much coaxing for his lips to crush against hers.

  His mouth was electrifying. Sinful to the core. He tasted decadent, like chocolate and cream. Smelled just as she’d remembered, like warm vanilla with a hint of luxurious spice.

  God, but he was amazing.

  Sparks of desire wound between them, pushing her past all sense of reason. Her hands slid down his back, memorizing every curve, every angle, of his silky skin. The heat of it warmed her fingertips, pulsing electricity through her veins.

  Sweet heavens. This was far more fantastic than she could have ever imagined.

  Apparently Nate thought so too, because he let out a groan that reverberated through her very core and moved his hands down her back. He slid them beneath her black knit sweater.

  Every inch of flesh he touched sparked with desire. Crying out against his mouth, she smoothed her hands over his jean-clad ass. It was firm as steel.

  Oh, hell yeah.

  They were wearing far too many clothes.

  Half out of her mind with need, she moved her fingers to the button of his jeans. It didn’t seem to want to cooperate, but she was so far gone she’d tear the stupid thing off if she had to. Anything to feel his naked flesh against hers.

  This angel was hers. If she hadn’t known it before, this kiss would have proven it to her.

  She would do anything to prove to him they belonged together.

  Anything at all.

  Chapter Four

  Abby was so much more exquisite than Nate could have ever imagined. He crushed her to him, unable to help but partake in the sweet honey of her kiss. Slivers of electricity bounced off her, all but stealing the breath from his lungs. His body hardened with desire as he melded his tongue to hers.

  Honey. Strawberries. The tiniest hint of wine. A cacophony of taste exploded on his tongue. The woman was simply delicious. And so, so irresistible.

  She made him lose all sense of reason.

  When she slid her hands down to his jeans, working to free the button, reality began to intrude. Here he was, with a woman he’d barely met, and they were about to embark on a physical act he hadn’t done for over a dozen years.

  Since Talitha died.

  As much as he wanted to—quite desperately, he’d admit—could he really do this?

  Yet how could he tear himself away?

  His button finally slid free of its hole. Abby gave a moan of triumph and grasped the zipper.

  Oh heavens, yes.

  He let out a groan, almost mindless with the thought of her hands on him. Of their bodies meeting as one.

  No.

  How could he dishonor his mate by doing this with the very first available woman he met? He couldn’t. Talitha deserved for him to honor her memory.

  Much as it pained him to stop now…

  “No.” Nate tore himself away, gritting his teeth at what it cost him to do so. He wanted this arousing little female. But he couldn’t surrender to temptation.

  Not now.

  “No?” Abby gazed at him, a bemused expression on her flushed face. Her fingers flexed and then opened, as if still seeking the zipper of his jeans, her chest rising and falling with each heavy breath.

  Best not to notice that particular feature. He’d felt the softness of her lush, curvy chest when he’d pressed her to him. If he invested any more thought in it, he’d likely wind up yanking her into his arms once again.

  He gazed at Abby’s expressive face. Her emotions drifted toward him like ribbons of smoke: lust, confusion, frustration, happiness. They threatened to undo him.

  She gave a soft lick of her lips, her pink tongue flickering out in a move that was practically his undoing. “Why not?”

  Nate bit back a groan at her question.

  Why not, indeed?

  His body screamed for release. It practically sung in recognition of what she was. But his heart couldn’t help but recall another woman. Another place and time.

  He awoke from a heavy, drug-induced slumber. Though he lay on the floor, his wrists were manacled. Heavy smoke curled throughout the room, blinding him to the sight of anything more than a few inches from his face. The acrid stench of fire burned his lungs and brought tears to his eyes.

  Panic set in, and he tried to rise, but the manacles were bound to something by a chain. Maneuvering himself into a seated position, he found the source of his restraint. An iron pole had been drilled lengthwise into the ground.

  No. No!

  “Talitha,” he screamed. “Where are you?”

  There was no response.

  “Talitha!”

  Just when he’d begun to think he was all alone, a female’s voice broke through the sound of crackling fire and burning straw. “She’s strapped to the other pole, Nate.”

  “Mara!” Relief broke through him as he turned toward the sound of her voice. Mara was Michael’s sister, and they were the senior-most angels within their group of the condemned. They would know what to do.

  “I’m manacled to a pole,” he said to Mara.

  “We all are,” she responded.

  The sad resolution in her voice took him aback. She wouldn’t give up. Not Mara.

  “We need to get free. I need to get to Talitha.”

  Another long moment of silence.

  “I’m sorry, Nate,” she finally said. “A blast hit the other pole directly. They…they’re gone.”

  Gone?

  His Talitha was gone?

  “No!”

  Taking one stumbling step backward, Nate shook the horrible memories away. Through a twist of fate he and the eleven other Fallen who’d been bound to his pole had escaped when a blast had bent the iron. But there had been no such relief for the group bound to the second pole. Although angels could heal themselves almost instantly, fire prevented the regeneration process. Those who’d directly caught fire had perished. His mate had died a horrific death.

  “Nate?”

  His gaze lifted to Abby, who still stood before him. Passion warred with concern on her face.

  Heavens, but she was arousing. Primitive instinct urged him to take her into his arms. To whisk her to his room and make her his, now. But above that was the recognition that making her his mate would only subject her to the Tribunal’s wrath. Would make her even more hunted than she was now.

  Talitha hadn’t survived their fury, and she had been immortal. How could he expect such a tiny specimen of womanhood, a half angel, to live when his former mate hadn’t?

  “I’m sorry,” he finally choked out. “I…I can’t.”

  Feeling like the worst sort of coward, he turned and stalked from the room. Much as he wanted to be strong and stay, much as he wanted her, he couldn’t bear to lose a loved one again.

  *****

  Abby stared at Nate’s retreating back with growing confusion. A momentary kernel of doubt planted itself into her mind.

  Maybe he didn’t want her. Maybe she wasn’t pretty enough, or tall enough, or…

  Stop.

  She forced her doubts away.

  Nate had wanted her. There had been no mistaking it. Whatever demons he might be warring, they had nothing to do with her.

  At the same time, what was she to do now? She’d spent the past dozen years convincing herself that they belonged together. That he’d welcome her with open arms once they finally met again.

  But it hadn’t turned out that way, had it? So, what now?

  Feeling suddenly lost and confused, she straightened her heavy sweater and finger-combed her hair back into place. When she stepped from the room, Nate was nowhere to be found. It appeared he’d simply left her to make her own way through this strange place.

  “Okay. Breathe,” she whispered.

  You can do it.

  Squaring her shoulders, she headed back down the path Nate had taken her on. The soft murmur of voices came from behind the door leading into the rustic kitchen Nate had pointed out earlier. One of them was familiar. Jason, the angel she’d first met—
okay, accosted—on the roof of her building earlier in the night.

  She pushed through the door, and paused.

  Jason stood on the other side of a small, square room of rough-hewn rock. A narrow wooden table with eight chairs lined one entire side of the room, and a row of stainless steel ice chests the other. The angel was still nude from the torso up. And while she could even now appreciate the pure male beauty of his figure, somehow it seemed wrong to do so while a tall, lithe redhead was plastered to his front. The redhead’s aura pulsed with a low-level energy that indicated she wasn’t quite human, yet not quite angel.

  Another nephilim. Like her.

  Jason and the woman pulled back from the kiss they’d been indulging in and turned inquisitive glances her way.

  “Sorry.” Her cheeks heated. “I was, uh…looking for Nate.”

  The beautiful redhead moved away from Jason, her brows furrowing. “He’s not with you?”

  “We, um…”

  How could she explain that she and Nate had kissed and then he’d ditched her?

  She couldn’t, that was how.

  Shifting uncomfortably, Abby finished with a barely audible, “No.”

  A glimmer of understanding shone in the woman’s eyes. “Why don’t you come in for a second? Have a snack.” She strode to one of the ice chests and opened it, reaching inside for a shiny red apple and then tossing it her way. “I’m Ruby, by the way.”

  “Abby. It’s nice to meet you.”

  Humor glinted in Ruby’s eye. She nodded toward the table, then strode over to take a seat.

  Abby took the unspoken invitation to sit down across from her, and bit into the apple. The semi-tart juice slid down her throat, but she couldn’t bring herself to appreciate the taste at the moment.

  “Jason told me about how you came out to find him.” The note of approval in Ruby’s voice was unmistakable. “That took guts.”

  “Thanks.” Although Abby didn’t know if it’d been guts on her part, or rather just flat-out desperation.

  A shiver of instinctive awareness caressed Abby’s spine an instant before Jason took a seat at the table next to Ruby. She supposed it would be the same with any angel she met, that deep sense of recognition. While it was arousing on some level, one that she’d obviously never admit to Ruby if she cared to live, it was nothing compared to what she felt when Nate was nearby.