by G. K. DeRosa
“What happened?” Sammarah sank to the floor beside us. Her wide eyes scanned the bodies and broken furniture.
“Looters. One of them shot Duke and Declan saved him with his angel light. Then he passed out.” The words came out quick and jumbled, my own mind not having fully processed what happened yet.
She laid her hand on his forehead, and a smile of relief flashed across her face. “He’s going to be okay. He expended a lot of energy healing Duke. His body needs to heal itself.”
My throat tightened, unshed tears burning my eyes. I wrapped my arms around myself and exhaled sharply. “He’s going to be okay.”
She nodded. “I’ve seen it happen before. He simply needs to rest. Can you help me move him to the couch?”
“Of course.”
It wasn’t pretty, but somehow we managed to get all six feet and almost two hundred pounds of him off the floor and onto the sofa. I slumped down beside him, panting from the exertion.
Sammarah brought over the wet dishcloths and placed one over his forehead. She yawned and stretched her arms over her head.
“You can go back to sleep now. I’ll stay with him. I’m sorry I woke you; I just didn’t know what to do.”
She gave me a mom smile, one of those that can only come from a mother and my heart felt full. “Don’t apologize. He’s my son, and I appreciate that you care for him so deeply.”
Heat seeped up my neck, pink coating my cheeks.
She placed her hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “He cares a lot about you too. More than either of you care to admit, I’m sure.” Now I was certain I looked like a tomato.
She turned toward the stairs, and a hint of sadness settled in my chest. For a second I had been worried I’d get the crazy Sammarah. You never knew which one would show up. I was lucky I’d gotten the coherent one.
I sat back on the couch and cradled Declan’s head in my lap. It would be easier to replace the cold towels in this position. Or at least that’s what I told myself.
It was odd seeing Declan this way—so vulnerable. My chest constricted at the thought of losing him. He and Sammarah were all I had left now.
I ran my hand over his cheek, forcing the dark thoughts away. It seemed slightly cooler.
His lids fluttered, and a low groan slipped from his parted lips. They were more pink than usual, probably from the fever ravaging his system.
“Declan?”
Slowly, his eyes opened revealing large dilated pupils. “Liv,” he muttered.
“Just rest, Declan. I’m right here.” I brushed back a few errant locks and readjusted the cold towel.
His hand popped up and fingers wrapped around my neck, drawing me closer. “Liv,” he whispered again and a smile lit up his face. Heated lips pressed against mine, igniting a smoldering fire in my gut. His tongue slipped inside my mouth, and my heart rate skyrocketed. He deepened the kiss, locking my head in place. He tasted like the warm rays of summer—or maybe it was the raging fever, but for a moment I forgot about everything else. I thought I’d lost him before and now I needed this—the assurance of his lips on mine, the heat of his touch.
His lips moved gently over mine, his fingers curled in my hair and a soft moan slipped out. He released my neck, his bright eyes fixing on me. “Thank you.” His head slumped back, and his eyelids drooped.
“Declan?”
His breaths came out slow and even, his chest rising and falling in a rhythmic pattern. He fell asleep?
I slouched back on the couch, my fingers lingering over my lips. Had I imagined that? No. My skin still tingled from the feel of his heated lips against mine. Glancing back down at Declan, I shook my head.
What am I doing?
Chapter 4
A pang shot up my neck and I winced, my head rolling to the side. My eyes slowly opened, meeting a pair of sparkling dark ones.
“Finally,” Declan huffed. “I’ve been banging around in the kitchen for the past half hour.” He shot me a smirk, and set a bowl of cereal down on the coffee table in front of me.
“Well someone’s in a good mood.” I straightened, setting off a series of cracks down my spine. My back screamed at me for spending the night on the couch.
He sat beside me and shoveled a spoonful of Lucky Charms into his mouth. “Why shouldn’t I be in a good mood? Duke’s alive, the bad guys aren’t and all is well again.”
What about the kiss?
I pushed the stray thought to the back of my mind and labeled it do not open ever. If he wanted to pretend nothing happened, that was fine by me. Ignoring the minor stab in my chest, I took a bite of the cereal. Ooh, evaporated milk.
Duke came over and placed his paw on my leg whining.
“Here you go, buddy.” Declan threw a few pieces of cereal into his open mouth.
I swallowed down my churning emotions with the cereal and turned to him. “Thanks again for saving Duke. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I’d lost him.” I patted my furry friend on the head, burying the images of his bloodied body from the night before. “What you did was amazing. I had no idea nephilim could heal wounds like that.”
He shrugged. “It was no big deal.”
“No big deal? You passed out right after.” I paused to steel my tone. “I thought you were going to die.” I couldn’t help the slight quiver in my voice as I finished. The idea of losing Declan rocked me to my core. I still hadn’t recovered from Asher, and I didn’t know how much loss I could handle.
He dropped his spoon and took my hand. “I’m sorry I scared you. It took a lot out of me. I don’t use my angel power much, and it’s a bit rusty.”
I gulped, the feel of his warm fingers around mine bringing back vivid memories of the heated kiss.
“What?” His brows knitted.
“Nothing.” I stuck another spoonful of cereal in my mouth.
“Liv… no poker face, remember?”
“Nothing, it’s just… I thought you’d say something about—” My words were cut off as Sammarah appeared around the corner.
Her face lit up as her gaze moved over her son. “It’s good to see you awake.”
“It’s good to be awake.” He winked. “I’m fine; I just needed a good night’s sleep.”
She cupped her hands around his cheeks and gave him a hug. “I snuck down to check on you a few times, and you were sleeping like an angel.”
I coughed, choking on a mouthful of raisin bran.
Sammarah giggled. “Sorry, pun not intended.”
Declan stood and sauntered into the kitchen, returning with another bowl of cereal for his mom. Sammarah sat on the chair across from us and dug in. We ate in silence, but every once in awhile I’d catch Declan’s mom watching us over her bowl. A wry smile curled her lips as if she had some big secret. She looked like she was about to burst from keeping it in.
“How did you sleep through all that ruckus last night, Mom?”
“I don’t know. I suppose I was really tired.”
I scanned the room, just realizing the bodies were gone and all the furniture was put back in its place. “What did you do with the looters?”
“Threw them in the dumpster down the street where they belonged,” he growled.
He wasn’t wrong. Humans hurting other humans were the lowest of the low in my opinion. And still I couldn’t get over how easy it had become for me to see people die. We had to survive—there was no time for guilt.
Sammarah sat straight up and placed her bowl back on the table. “Now that all of the ugliness is behind us, we can focus on finding the shield.”
Ugh. I wasn’t sure I was ready for this magic and mystical bloodline talk yet. It was too early in the morning.
“Were you able to decipher anything from the book?” Declan’s expression grew serious.
She pursed her lips as she fiddled with a long lock of dark hair. “No, unfortunately not. It’s written in a language I’ve never seen before. Even with the reference books I took from Nathanael, I haven’t been able to m
ake out a single word.”
A sharp sigh escaped my lips. “So what are we going to do now?”
She averted her gaze toward Declan. “Besides your father, there’s only one other person that could have the answers we need.”
Declan’s face paled. “You can’t be serious?”
“What other option do we have?”
“I could sneak back into the tower. I’m sure I’d find answers there.”
“No!” The word flew out of my mouth before I could stop it. I never wanted to be anywhere near that building from hell. “And who are you guys talking about anyway?”
Declan faced me, and his lips twisted into a scowl. “My uncle, Azazel.”
Another angel? “And you don’t want to see him because?”
Declan’s gaze darted across the table to his mother then back to me.
“Don’t lie to me,” I warned.
He grunted. “Because he’s crazy… and fallen.”
Mind. Blown.
Fallen angels really exist? My mouth hung open like a fish out of water. I searched for words, but they were all stuck at the back of my throat.
“It happened a long time ago,” said Sammarah. “Much before Declan was born. Come to think of it, it was probably before I was born.”
“How does that happen?” My tongue suddenly started working again.
Sammarah’s expression fell as her eyes cast down. “Azazel spent too much time on Earth. His beliefs were warped, his values distorted until it was too late for him.”
“His wings were clipped, and his angelic powers taken away,” added Declan. “The only thing he was left with was his immortality. It could have been much worse, but the Angelic Council was lenient at my father’s behest.”
“Which was a punishment in and of itself.” Sammarah fidgeted with her fingers in her lap.
“So where is he now?” I asked.
“Last I’d heard he’d gone out west. He didn’t want any part in the war.”
Declan spun at his mom. “You’ve kept in touch with him?”
She nodded. “Over the years I reached out to him when I needed help in my research. I haven’t spoken to him since the war ended.”
“So all this time he knew you were alive?” Declan’s hands fisted at his sides.
I guessed he’d been in touch with his fallen angel uncle too. Sucks being lied to, huh?
“I know where he is.” He stood and cleared the empty bowls from the table then stalked into the kitchen.
Sammarah reached over and squeezed my leg. “I guess we’re going on another road trip.” A big crazy smile lit up her face and dread bubbled up in my chest.
Here we go again.
Chapter 5
I sucked in a breath as the crumbling façade of the Sears Tower loomed over us. The top portion where the upper viewing deck had been was gone. The decaying remains were splattered across Adams Street, blocking what used to be a bustling downtown.
I’d never been to Chicago, but my dad had gone on a business trip a few years back. He didn’t travel much either, and he’d taken so many pictures of the city, it felt like I’d been there myself. A small smile tugged at my lips as images of the cold Chicago deep-dish pizza he’d brought back for me flashed across my mind.
My stomach growled. It hadn’t been half bad once I reheated it. Although nothing compared to a New York pie.
“We have to leave the car here and go the rest of the way on foot.” Declan reversed and pulled into an empty garage down the block.
I hated the idea of leaving it alone. A functioning car was a hot commodity these days. Although a carjacker wouldn’t be able to use it for long without Declan’s angel light to power it.
We all got out and Declan pulled our duffel bags and the old tarp out of the trunk. We’d made it this far using it for cover, and I hoped our luck would hold out.
Declan led the way onto the desolate streets. He picked a path through the rubble, avoiding the majority of the wreckage. Chicago, like most of the big cities had gotten hit hard by the fighting. Most humans had fled to the less populated areas.
We trudged on, skeletal remains of once great buildings caging us in. I wondered why Azazel had chosen to stay in this gloomy place.
No one knew for sure, since communication had been cut months ago, but I wondered if the situation was better out west or in the rest of the world. Maybe after all this was over, I’d head toward California.
By yourself?
That stupid voice in my head was back. My chest suddenly felt heavy, making my shoulders slump forward. What was I going to do when this insane mission failed?
“We’re almost there.” Declan appeared at my side and threw me a grin.
“Good.” After two days on the road in a cramped car, I was looking forward to some nicer accommodations. “So what’s your uncle like?”
He snorted on a chuckle. “He’s unique.” He glanced up at some buildings down the block. They appeared more residential in style, and I assumed that was where we were headed.
At the end of the street, I could just make out the muddy waters of the harbor.
“It’s that building right over there.” Declan pointed to a medium sized beige structure only a block from the water.
A hint of anxiety snuck its way into my chest. “Is he going to be happy to see us? Or me?” As intriguing as the idea of meeting a fallen angel was, I was also slightly terrified. If the good angels had done so much damage, what would a fallen one be like?
“He’s gonna love you.” Declan threw his arm around my shoulder and drew me into his side. The sudden touch sent tingles all over my body. I must have tensed because Declan peered down at me, an odd expression twisting his lips. “What’s wrong? You’ve been acting weird for days.”
“Nothing.” Maybe it was because he still hadn’t said a word about the kiss. The rational side of me said it shouldn’t bother me, but the emotional part couldn’t let it go. The sneaky angel had wormed his way into my fragile heart.
He furrowed his brows, and I knew he didn’t believe me. It was time for a subject change.
“Anyway, you said your uncle moved west to avoid the fighting. Does that mean he’s on the humans’ side?”
“Azazel is only interested in his own side. While he may hate the angels—my father in particular—for banishing him, I doubt he’d stick his neck out for any humans either.”
Hmmph. So much for that tiny glimmer of hope.
“Come on.” He released me and sprinted ahead of his mom and Duke who’d taken the lead. Walking up to the shuttered front entrance doors of the building, he pulled out the now familiar lock-picking kit.
“Why don’t you just blast it with your super angel strength?”
“Sometimes being tactful is more important.”
I rolled my eyes. Since when?
With a sharp screech, he wrenched the shutters open then got to work on the door. In seconds, we were inside the foyer of the quiet building.
The place was deserted, just like most of downtown. Stale air swirled all around, making it hard to breathe. “Are you sure he’s still here?”
“Nope, but there’s only one way to find out.” He led the way toward the emergency stairwell.
Sammarah hesitated when we reached the steps, and I fell back to walk beside her. “Everything okay?”
Her fingers twitched nervously as she clasped her hands together. “Yes… no.” She glanced up as Declan turned the corner, his long strides quickly outpacing ours. “There’s something Declan doesn’t know about his uncle and me,” she whispered. She snagged her lower lip between her teeth, her eyes darting around nervously. “His uncle and I…”
It took me a second to understand. “Ohhh… You and Azazel?” I was sure my brows were almost to my hairline.
She nodded. “I don’t know how to tell Declan. It was awhile ago, but still, I feel terrible keeping it from him.”
“I’m sure you’ll find a way when the time is right.” I gave
her what I hoped was a reassuring smile. To be honest, I had no idea how Declan would react to the news. He didn’t seem very fond of his uncle, but surely he had to be better than his father.
“Are you guys coming or what?” Declan’s voice filtered down the stairs.
“Coming,” we said in unison and quickened our pace.
When we reached the fifth floor, Declan was already standing in front of the apartment. He knocked, and I anxiously waited.
The shuffle of approaching feet kicked up my pulse. The door swung open, and a tall man in a powder blue bathrobe appeared. One electric blue iris and one black one widened under a curtain of long salt and pepper hair.
“Sammarah.” He sucked in a breath. “And Declan.”
His intimidating gaze fell on me, and an overwhelming urge to hide behind Declan hit me. Besides the mismatched eye color, there was something about him that made my skin crawl.
He pointed at me, his brows furrowed. “You, I don’t know.”
Declan regarded his uncle. “This is my friend, Liv. Can we come in?”
“Of course. Pardon my manners. It’s been so long since I’ve had visitors.” He adjusted the belt around his bathrobe and ushered us inside.
The same stale air from the lobby and hallway filled the small apartment plus the additional pungent odor of booze and cigars. Or maybe it was leaking from Azazel’s pores. I wrinkled my nose as we walked in.
Azazel ran his hand through his thick locks and plopped down on the couch. He propped his feet up on the coffee table and lit up a cigar. Bleh.
All three of us stood there awkwardly. Duke was the only one that had made himself comfortable, curling up on a gray rug. I knew why I was uncomfortable and could guess why Sammarah was, but as for Declan, I had no clue.
“Sit, please.” He motioned to the couch and adjoining loveseat.
Sammarah took the large sofa and Declan and I sat on the smaller one.
“So what brings you to my humble abode?” His bright irises sparkled, faint wrinkles deepening at the corners of his eyes. For an older guy, he was surprisingly attractive. Like George Clooney hot.
“We need your help,” said Sammarah.
