Los Angeles

by Tiffany Aaron

  “My bedroom is at the end of the hall upstairs,” Cassandra explained.

  “Go on up and get ready for bed. I’ll check the doors and windows down here.”

  He brushed a kiss over the top of her head before tapping her on the ass to get her moving. She laughed as she headed to the bathroom. It was strange to have someone else in the house with her again.

  She’d been married three times since civilisation started appearing. Each husband had been lost to old age and the fragility of humans. Her heart had broken when she buried them, yet she’d never planned to keep from loving again.

  Love was a natural condition of angels and mortals alike. To be so understood that someone wanted to cleave his life to hers was the ultimate goal for everyone, and Cassandra was no different.

  Not that she loved Nevan. Not yet anyway, and maybe they would never grow that serious about each other, but they already had a deeper connection than she’d had with any of her other partners. Their union would be far more intimate and while knowing that scared her, she wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity.

  After washing up and brushing her teeth, she went to her bedroom where she stripped before climbing under the covers. She wasn’t worried about condoms, though Nevan might want to use them. If he did, she hoped he had one. Not having a love life tended to ensure she wasn’t prepared when a man spent the night.

  God had never seen fit to grace her with children with her other marriages, so she assumed fallen couldn’t have offspring. When she’d first had that thought, she’d been disappointed because all she’d wanted to do was give her husbands children. Then she’d told her last husband and he’d married her anyway, saying children weren’t important enough to not having the woman he loved in his life.

  A few minutes later, Nevan knocked on the door and she listened to him enter. “Everything is locked up tight.”

  The mattress dipped where he sat. She rolled up against his back then ran her hand over it. There was a bump by his shoulder blade and one on his lower back.

  “Bullet scars?”

  He grunted then two soft thuds told her he’d removed his shoes. The bed returned to normal before another lighter bump said his pants were on the floor. She scooted over when the sheets lifted a little. After encircling her waist, he shifted so that she was under him.

  “Do you have a condom?”

  Nevan froze. “Yeeaah.” He stretched the word out.

  “Did you want to use one?” She ran her hand through his short cropped hair. “I can’t get pregnant, but you only have my word on it. Plus I don’t have any diseases.”

  His heat left her for a moment then rustling came from where he’d put his pants. When he returned, a cool object dropped onto her chest. Cassandra closed her fingers around the foil square. Smiling, she set it up by her pillow before grabbing Nevan’s ears to tug him up to her face.

  She crushed their lips together and every inch of her body exploded with need. Entangling her arms and legs with his, she rubbed against him, loving the way his body hair scratched over her breasts.

  He trailed kisses over her throat down to her nipples where he licked one then the other until she squirmed under the rather harsh texture of his tongue on her tender flesh.

  “Oh.” She arched when he slipped his fingers between her thighs to rub over her clit. His calluses were amazing and each press of them caused little shocks to race through her body.

  Once her breasts were aching, he eased down to wedge his shoulders between her legs. The bristles on his jaws scraped the inside of her thighs then against the soft inner lips of her pussy.

  “Christ!”

  Nevan used his tongue and fingers to pleasure her until she could barely contain her orgasm. He took her to the edge again and again, backing off just before she went over. Just when she couldn’t take it anymore, he buried four of his fingers inside her while sucking her clit hard.

  Cassandra screamed as she came, tugging on Nevan’s hair enough to make him grunt. When she could finally breathe, she went limp and listened as he opened the packet to roll it over his cock.

  “Please, Nevan,” she begged, wanting to feel him inside her. She held out her arms to him and sighed as he covered her.

  After he slid in, Cassandra lifted her hips and he braced his hands on either side of her head. His breathing sped up while he thrust in and out. The cooling sensation of his sweat dripping onto her face was evidence of how hard he was working. The musky scent of sex filled the air.

  His movements became jerkier and his breathing stuttered as Nevan’s climax overwhelmed him. He took her harder and deeper, not that Cassandra would complain. She wouldn’t mind the bruises or the ache tomorrow to have such joy tonight.

  “Jesus!” Nevan surged into her then froze.

  Her second orgasm of the night was smaller and shorter, but still amazing. Nevan’s strength must have given out because he collapsed, yet he was polite enough to roll to the side so he didn’t squish her.

  She winced when he slid out of her. “Wow. That was…” She couldn’t think of any words to describe it.

  “Yeah.” Nevan kissed her hard before climbing off the bed. Cassandra wasn’t prepared when he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. “Let’s take a shower.”

  “Okay.”

  Their shower was quick then once they were dried off, Nevan carried her back to bed. This time he didn’t cart her around like a bag of potatoes. He was a gentleman, making sure she was tucked in nice and tight before he started to get dressed.

  “Wait. You’re not staying?”

  When he paused in the midst of pulling on his pants, the weight of his gaze landed on her and she smiled, hoping she looked convincing.

  “Are you sure? I know you didn’t plan on me being here.”

  “Well I’m not going to kick you out. It’s been a while since anyone’s shared my bed. I’d like to wake up with you tomorrow.”

  There was nothing wrong with being honest. The sibilant whistle of his pants sliding through his hands to hit the floor gave her a warning before he joined her in bed. He spooned her and she tangled their fingers together.

  The hushed tone of Nevan’s breath filling his lungs then him exhaling soothed her. Cassandra closed her eyes, focusing all of her other senses on Nevan’s presence.

  * * * *

  Cassandra murmured and Nevan awoke as her voice grew louder. They’d moved apart during the night so she lay on her right side facing away from him. He reached out to touch her shoulder.

  “Cassandra, wake up.” He shook her a little, hoping she didn’t startle. “You’re having a dream.”

  She rolled on her back with her eyes wide open, yet he wasn’t sure she was awake. “Don’t do it.”

  “Don’t do what?”

  Frowning, she tilted her head and her voice went deeper. “The one way I can find out about the magic is if I cast a spell.”

  “A spell?” What the hell is she talking about? “Magic?”

  “Aye. My bloodline descends from a powerful high priestess. I should have the sight or magic in my blood. I need to open the gate.”

  Nevan realised there was something different about her face. He wanted to reach over and turn the light on, but he was afraid it would wake her and he’d lose whatever was going on with her. Her face looked odd, almost like another person lived inside her.

  “Gate? What kind of gate?” He shifted the pillows around so he had something to lean on while he talked to her, though he had a feeling he was chatting with his cousin.

  “He says we can open a gate to welcome her back. It’s time for her to return, and when she does, the power will flow.” Cassandra closed her eyes and breathed deep.

  Nevan wished he had a notepad and a pen to write it down because he wasn’t sure if she would remember it when the dream—or vision—was over. “Who is she?”

  Cassandra frowned and her voice began to sound more like her own instead of deeper. She twisted her head from side to side li
ke she was trying to clear her mind. Nevan didn’t like her being caught up in the vision, but she was telling him things he needed to know about what might have happened to Patrick.

  “Come on, Patrick. Stay with me. Who is she?” He leaned over Cassandra, staring into her hazel eyes. It was obvious there was another spirit struggling with hers for her body.

  “She’s our ancestor, Nevan. Be careful,” Patrick warned before his spirit was shoved out by Cassandra’s much stronger one.

  Gasping, Cassandra shot up and Nevan had to get out of the way before she nailed him in the chin. He took her in his arms, holding her tight so she wasn’t alone. He smoothed his hand up and down her back.

  “It’s all right. I’m here and I won’t let anything hurt you,” he murmured in her ear.

  Her unladylike snort surprised him, causing him to ease her away to look down into her face. Not that he could tell much by her blank eyes and the exhausted expression she wore.

  “You do realise that I’m pretty indestructible, even while being blind.” She smiled.

  “Maybe you are, but you are vulnerable in many ways.” Nevan pecked her cheek. “What were you dreaming of?”

  “It was a vision.” Cassandra snuggled back into his embrace.

  He settled against the pillows then adjusted the blankets to cover them both. “Then what was the vision? I think I was talking to my cousin Patrick.”

  Pursing her lips, Cassandra seemed to be thinking for a moment before she said, “It’s entirely possible. I was in some kind of chamber and there were twelve hooded figures circling a stone altar where another hooded figure. A man I think, but I’m not sure. I’m going off of Patrick’s memories.”

  “You kept saying things like casting a spell, opening a gate. They want to bring a high priestess back somehow. She’s supposed to be an ancestor of ours.”

  She shot him an amused glance. “How impressive. Descended from royalty.”

  “Were druids royalty?” He was quite willing to admit he didn’t know anything about druids or that part of history.

  “From what anyone can tell, yes, they were like royalty. They were the most important members of Celtic society, able to move among the tribes and overrule the chiefs.” Cassandra ran her hand over his stomach, tracing the dips and bumps of the muscles. “They taught all of the stories and laws.”

  “Did they have magic?”

  Having spent all of his life seeing spirits and working with fallen angels, he wouldn’t have been surprised if they did.

  After pressing a kiss to the middle of his chest, she chuckled. “Of course they did. They were fallen angels and some of the most powerful beings on earth during that time.”

  Laughing, Nevan rolled his eyes. “I should’ve known, and don’t tell me, you know all of this because you were one as well.”

  She shook her head. “Oh no. I was living in Greece at the time. I had nothing to do with what was going on in Ireland and Britain. I had a few friends who were and they told me about their secrets. It helps when you want to find a job.”

  “Don’t you work at a woman’s shelter downtown?” He tried to remember what Tommy had told him.

  “I do now. At one point in time, I taught Pre-Celtic history at Berkley and did some consultant work.” Cassandra yawned.

  “Why don’t you get some more sleep? We can talk about the rest of this in the morning.” Wiggling, he got them back lying under the blankets. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

  “Thank you.” She hugged him before laying her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

  * * * *

  Nevan’s phone rang as he was washing up the last of the breakfast dishes. Cassandra walked into the kitchen when he picked his phone up off the table.

  “Largent.”

  “Hey, it’s Tommy. We got a hit off some prints found at your cousin’s house. I’ll text you the address and you can meet me there,” Tommy told him.

  Nevan grabbed his shirt from one of the chairs. “Sounds good to me. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He hung up then headed to the front door.

  Cassandra followed him down the hall to the foyer. She propped her hip against the hall table. “Get anything good?”

  “You’re a consultant for the police department, so I can tell you this. Tommy said we got prints from my cousin’s. We’re going to pick the person up right now.” Nevan dropped his phone in his jacket pocket before grabbing her shoulders to pull her close enough for a kiss. “Once we know more about this guy, I’ll call you. Maybe we can meet for dinner.”

  “Thanks. Be careful.”

  Nevan dashed down the steps of Cassandra’s porch to his car. After climbing in, he started his car then checked his phone for the address. He got the directions before he took off.

  He pulled up next to Tommy’s car and nodded at his partner as he got out. “What do we have, Tommy?”

  Tommy held out a folder. “One set of prints belongs to Mr August McCallen, who happens to be the owner of this corner pub. Brings a bit of Ireland to us rather uncouth Americans.”

  “Have you ever eaten or stopped for a drink at August’s?” Nevan skimmed McCallen’s file while Tommy talked.

  “No. We don’t make it out this part of town. A little more upscale than Sheldon and I like.”

  Nevan shook his head. “You and your husband should get out more. I mean you live in Los Angeles, for Christ’s sake. There are a million different restaurants and things to do every night. But you go home and have steak every night before sitting in front of the TV watching whatever it is you watch.”

  Tommy grinned at him, not offended at all by what Nevan said. “We like our lives the way they are. No need to shake it up.” Then Tommy eyed him. “Why do you look so wrinkled? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look quite so dishevelled. Did you literally roll out of bed to meet me here?”

  Nevan glanced down at his shirt and grimaced at the wrinkles. He hadn’t had time to throw it in the dryer at Cassandra’s to see if they’d come out. “I didn’t stay at my place last night and I hadn’t planned on spending the night elsewhere, so I wasn’t prepared with another shirt. I didn’t have time to go home and change.”

  “You’re finally getting some?” Tommy slapped him on the shoulder then took the file back. “Good for you. You’re a good-looking guy, though I don’t know many people who go for red heads.”

  “Thanks a lot, Tommy. Let’s go bring Mr McCallen in for questioning. Maybe we’ll catch a break and he’ll confess to murdering Patrick.”

  He heard Tommy snort as he walked away. Nevan grinned because pigs would fly before they even had their first suspect confess to a crime. It usually took a lot of time and footwork to get a confession and evidence enough to convict.

  Mr McCallen was quite cooperative when Nevan asked him to come down to the station to answer a few questions. They didn’t arrest him, but made sure he rode with one of them instead of driving in on his own.

  * * * *

  The dark haired man standing on the corner watched as Nevan escorted McCallen from the pub. He narrowed his silver eyes before turning to disappear into the crowd. It was a second later that he materialised at the shelter where Cassandra worked.

  “Ms Harmen, I need to speak to you outside please,” he said to Cassandra when she sensed his presence.

  “All right, sir.” She told the other lady working the front desk with her that she would be back in a few minutes. Once they were across the street, sitting at an outdoor table, she asked, “What is it, Mika’il? Why are you here?”

  “Nevan Largent just took a man in for questioning,” Mika’il informed her.

  “I’m not surprised. He is a cop, you know. Arresting people is his job.” She folded her arms over her chest.

  “McCallen is a fallen, but not an Enforcer.”

  Cassandra straightened in her seat while Kaiser whined from where he lay by her side. “Is he someone I need to be worried about?”

  “Not yet, but he’s walking a
line. He might be involved with the murder you’re investigating, but he’s also involved in the IRA.”

  Frowning, she stroked Kaiser’s ears to settle him down. “What does the IRA do now that they’ve had their cease-fire?”

  Mika’il shrugged. “I don’t know and I have no real idea if Nevan’s techs are good enough to dig that particular gem up.”

  “I’ll make sure to let him know, not that he’ll be able to do anything about it.”

  Cassandra stared at the archangel and he grimaced, wishing—not for the first time—that she had retained her eyesight. Nothing much unnerved him, but being stared at by a blind person was odd. It was like they have a blank canvas and they’re building images of what people look like merely by the words they use.

  “Good. Remember what I told you earlier, Cassandra. Be careful with this one. Old magic can be dangerous, especially for people like us.”

  She nodded and he stood, drawing their meeting to a close. “You have to get back to work and I need to go.”

  As Cassandra headed for the cross-walk, Mika’il called out, “Have you talked to Lucifer lately?”

  She stiffened for a second before she shook her head. “Haven’t heard from him in months.”

  Mika’il didn’t reply, simply watched to make sure she got across the street and into the shelter safe before he took off. “Why would she lie to me about Lucifer?” He murmured as he made his way towards the Hollywood sign. Mika’il had a meeting with some other fallen that needed to be taken care of.

  Chapter Four

  Cassandra turned in a circle, sweeping the room with her powers to see if she could pick anything else up. Flashes of the symbols popped into her mind and she tried to fixate on them so she could go look them up. There was something different about them and while she couldn’t place it at the moment, given time she’d be able to work out what was wrong with them.

  “Why do you do this?”

  Coming out of her trance, she whirled to face the doorway where Lucifer stood. She could almost picture him in her mind, leaning against the doorframe with his hands in his pocket. A rather tranquil posture for him, and knowing what she did about him, she couldn’t imagine why she would put him in that particular pose.