by Diem, J. C.
“What if he wants to break up with me?”
“I very much doubt that he will.”
“Why? Candy is far more suited to him than I am.” She was rich and beautiful and I was living on Sophia’s charity.
“He does not care for her the same way that he does for you.”
“You can’t possibly know that.” He was an angel and had magical power, but he wasn’t a mind reader.
“I have seen the way he kisses you. It is very different to how he kissed Candy.”
Blowing out a defeated sigh, I knew I had to see Zach. If he was going to dump me I’d rather it was face to face than over the phone. I texted him back that I’d meet him and put my phone away. Seeing a café, I automatically headed towards it then stopped. It was too dangerous for me to bring attention to myself. Entering the café while wearing my cap would draw attention, but I couldn’t take it off. My face had been plastered over the news more than once and I couldn’t risk being recognized by showing my face in public. “I could really use some tea right now,” I said wistfully.
Looking around to make sure there was no one suspicious nearby, Leo pushed me into the recess of a doorway. “Wait here. I will be back in a moment.” He disappeared and I saw him appear in the café a moment later. He snatched up a cup that was placed on the counter and zapped himself over to pour a dash of cream into it. He knew me well enough to know that I didn’t take any sugar. He was back at my side before anyone even noticed the theft. The string from the teabag was hanging over the edge, so he’d chosen correctly. I’d have to be practically dying of thirst before I’d force myself to drink coffee.
“Nice work,” I said admiringly as he handed the beverage to me. “You’d make an excellent burglar.”
“I am a man of many talents,” he replied with false modesty.
“Can I ask you a question?” I said as we resumed walking. We had plenty of time before he’d need to teleport us to the library.
“Of course.”
“How did you and Brie choose your vessels?”
His face became drawn and he shoved his hands into his pockets. “That is a sad story, but I will tell you if you really wish to know.”
I’d already been curious, but was now even more so. “I’d like to hear it.”
“Brie and I have inhabited many vessels during our missions over the millennia. In the past, we have always chosen adults. We had heard that angels were being harvested by the Collectors in this city. Brie thought it would be a good idea to choose teenagers this time. She believed it would be harder for them to identify us.”
“It was a good idea, but she couldn’t have known about the rune that lets them see your auras.”
He inclined his head in agreement. “We found the twins hiding in an alley in the middle of the night. They seemed perfect for our cover and we prepared to take possession of them. It was only after we accessed their minds that we understood why two children were out so late.”
“Who were they hiding from?” I asked.
“Their foster parents. Their real parents had died in an accident when they were nine years old and they went into foster care. At first, they thought they were lucky when a couple agreed to take them both. It did not take them long to show their true colors. They were abusive and their punishment escalated each time the twins earned their wrath. It was only a matter of time before they would go too far and cause irreparable emotional damage to them both.”
Empathy flowed through me for the kids. “Why didn’t they tell someone they were being abused?”
“They did,” he said with a shrug. “They informed one of their teachers. She brought their foster parents in for a chat. They convinced her that the twins were lying in an attempt to gain attention.”
It made my blood boil to hear that two innocent kids had been so vulnerable and that no one had been willing to help them. “What happened after that?”
“Their foster father took his belt to them both while their foster mother held them down. They had lived with the pair for five years and the abuse had started to change once they hit puberty.”
“Change how?” I asked even though I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
“They were forced to strip naked and to watch each other be punished.”
“Eww,” I complained softly. “That’s wrong on so many levels.”
“Brie and I spoke to our vessels and asked their permission to utilize their bodies. We promised them that we would ensure they would be safe once we had no further need of them.”
“That’s fairly unusual, isn’t it? I thought you guys just invaded whoever you wanted to use and wiped their memories of the events later.” My mother had asked Lilly’s permission, but she should never have interfered in the girl’s death in the first place. Fate had given Asteraoth twenty of Hannah’s descendants to choose from. Lilly had been the one who had been in the right place at the right time to be chosen.
“We did not think it was fair to use minors without their consent,” he said with a shrug.
“I’m glad you managed to rescue them from their horrible foster parents before something really bad happened to them.”
“They decided that running away was a better option than staying. They grew up in Manhattan and they know the city well. They intended to live on the streets and to steal whatever they needed to survive.”
“So, your thieving abilities are really thanks to your vessel?”
“Yes,” he confirmed with a grin. “As are the artistic abilities that I drew on when I created the Tarot cards for Sophia.”
That reminded me of the devil card that had somehow become part of the pack. The raven had become linked to me for a short time after it had scratched me. Thankfully, I’d managed to avoid being clawed by my feathered nemesis since then. It had been noticeably absent since I’d returned from hell, but I was sure it was here somewhere. I could almost feel its eyes on me right now.
Spooked, I chugged down some tea then checked my watch. “We should head to the library and scope it out before Zach arrives,” I suggested.
Leo took my hand and whisked us both to the building that had become our regular meeting place.
₪₪₪
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sam was usually with me when I met with Zach. I felt sad that he wasn’t here even though Leo was here to keep me safe. My best friend was changing faster now. It was selfish, but I hoped he would be able to remain an imp long enough for me to complete my missions to hell.
Leo and I stood on the upper level of the library, watching the people below. I finished off my tea and placed the cup in the trash. When I turned back, Zach was standing in the doorway staring up at me. Leo was almost as discreet as Sam. He’d faded into the background before he was noticed. I’d barely felt it when he’d pilfered my dagger from my pocket.
Even from here, I could see that Zach was in turmoil. Meeting my eyes briefly, he turned towards the table where he could pretend to work on one of his many assignments.
Giles entered the building and took up his post near the doors. He used his usual disguise of a newspaper in a pathetic attempt to hide his face. I wasn’t sure why he bothered. Zach always knew when he was being followed.
Instead of rushing to meet Zach, I took my time to descend the stairs and to make my way to the desk where he was setting up his books. His face was pale when he glanced at me.
My palms were sweating by the time he finally turned to face me and left Giles’ sight. He stopped a couple of feet away and just stood there, staring at me with a guilty expression.
“I saw you kiss Candy,” I said before he could confess the deed to me.
He let out a breath and his shoulders slumped. “I was going to tell you,” he said miserably. “I was just trying to find a way to break it to you.”
“You promised me you wouldn’t kiss her,” I said and was unable to hide my pain. He reached for me and I took a step back. “If you’re going to break up with me, do it now. Don’t dra
w it out and add to my torture.”
His misery increased and he was almost on the verge of tears. “I don’t want to break up with you. I love you,” he said desperately. “I didn’t want to kiss her. You have to believe me!”
“Then why didn’t you push her away?” My anger was trying to rise and my voice rose with it.
He made a shushing motion and looked around to make sure that I hadn’t drawn any attention. “It’s my Dad,” he said. “He’s been pushing me to take things to the next level with her.”
“He can’t force you to sleep with her,” I said incredulously.
“No, but he can persuade me that it’s in my best interests to keep Candy happy.” His hand went to his side and he winced.
“What did he do to you?” I asked. He hung his head and refused to look at me, but he didn’t try to stop me when I stepped forward and lifted his shirt up. A fading bruise about the size of a large fist marred his ribs. Shocked, I met his eyes. “Did he hit you?”
“He didn’t mean to,” Zach said softly. It sounded as if he was trying to convince himself of that. “He’s just frustrated that Mrs. Weller is playing so hard to get. She won’t bring new clients to his bank until I’ve made more of a commitment to her daughter.”
“I can’t believe he abused you,” I said and my anger was palpable. Coming on the heels of Leo telling me about what had happened to his and Brie’s vessels, it was even harder to take. Hurting defenseless children was unforgivable and anyone that did so deserved to go to hell for it. I’d seen the kind of torture that human souls received for their ill deeds. It was a fitting punishment for their crimes.
“He rarely lets his temper get away from him,” Zach said hastily.
“He’s hit you before?” I asked and he nodded reluctantly. “Now I see why you’re so afraid of him.”
“He’s not usually this bad. He’s just feeling a lot of stress right now.”
I could see he believed what he was saying even though it was clear to me that his father wasn’t a good guy. I drew him in for a hug then went on my tippy toes to give him a soft kiss. “I forgive you for kissing Candy,” I said and his grin was relieved. “Just try not to make a habit of locking lips with her.”
Taking a book from the shelf, he returned to his seat. “What were you doing near my home?” he asked. “Are you stalking me now?”
His tone was playful, but the glance he sent me was serious. “I’ll leave that to Giles,” I replied with a smile. “I was just showing my friend where you lived. It was pure coincidence that we were nearby when you left the restaurant.” That was a flat out lie. I’d been there solely to spy on him and his date.
“I’m sorry you saw what happened between Candy and me,” he said heavily. “I’m also sorry I didn’t get a chance to meet Sam.”
I wasn’t about to tell him that another friend had been with me and that he was watching us both right now. “Maybe some other time,” I replied lamely. “How did your father’s meeting in Washington, DC go?”
“It was long and boring, as usual,” he said dryly.
“Where did you go after the meeting?”
“Back to Denver. He had some business to finish off there and he thought I’d want to catch up with my friends. He doesn’t realize that you were my only real friend there.”
“Things would have been different if you hadn’t picked me to have lunch with on your first day.” Rich and handsome, he’d been popular even after he’d chosen the weird loner to sit with.
“You were the prettiest girl there by far,” he said. The dimple in his left cheek appeared when he turned to grin at me. “I would have been happy to risk total ostracism if it meant I could have just one kiss from you. When you introduced yourself, I knew you were the girl for me.”
“That was your fault,” I said in self-defense. “You were so self-assured and cocky when you told me your name that I couldn’t resist being snarky.” I pretended to shake an invisible hand and repeated what he’d said in a masculine and over-confident tone. “Hi, I’m Zachariah, but I prefer to be called Zach.”
Fluttering his eyelashes, he looked at me coyly. “I’m Violet, but I prefer to be called Your Majesty,” he said in a falsetto tone.
“I did not bat my eyes like that,” I protested with a snigger.
“It was your snark that made me fall for you,” he told me seriously. “You didn’t care about my money or my father’s status. You treated me like I was just a normal guy.”
“A normal, hot guy,” I corrected him. “I couldn’t believe it when you sat down at my table.” I shook my head at the memory. “You could have committed social suicide by picking me.”
“Which just proves how shallow people can be,” he replied as he copied something down on his notepad. He had a laptop, but he tended to work with physical books for his assignments. “I guess I was tired of hanging out with other rich kids. They have no substance.”
“Yeah, we poor kids might not have any money, but we have tons of character,” I said self-mockingly.
We hadn’t really been poor, but my mother’s job hadn’t exactly paid a lot. Luckily for my mom, I wasn’t a high-maintenance teen. As long as I had a steady stream of eBooks to read, I was happy.
Smirking, he turned back to his assignment for a few minutes so Giles wouldn’t become suspicious. I kept watch on his stalker, who sent frequent glances in our direction. I was hidden behind the shelves of old books and he had no idea I was there. If he caught even a glimpse of me, our cover would be blown and Zach would be in serious trouble. Now that I’d seen how bad his father’s temper could be, I’d have to take extra care that we wouldn’t be caught.
₪₪₪
Chapter Twenty-Three
My anticipation built when Zach stood up and stretched. I saw the glint in his eyes when he approached me. I barely had time to brace myself before his arms came around me and his mouth came down on mine. Heat exploded inside me and I fisted a hand in his hair and pulled him against me.
Zach groaned and his body immediately responded. Every time we locked lips, my ability to think was wiped away. It was even worse this time. Seeing him with another girl had brought my possessiveness to the forefront. I wanted to make him forget he’d ever met Candy. The only way I could do that was with my body.
Breaking away to take a breath, Zach’s hands went to my hips and he pushed me away slightly. “You’re such a contradiction,” he said with a breathless laugh. “You say you want to wait, then you kiss me like you want to tear my clothes off.”
I took a deep breath and smoothed his tousled hair down. “Sorry. Every time we kiss, I forget about my problems. I guess I get a bit carried away sometimes.”
“Don’t apologize for being passionate,” he replied and kissed me on the forehead. “I’m going to wait as long as you want, but it’s getting harder by the day.”
“I noticed,” I said dryly.
He smirked and pulled his shirt out of his pants to hide his reaction to me. “You have a dirty mind. I think I like it.” He gave me a quick kiss then grabbed a book and returned to the table.
Now that he and Candy were back together, she was a constant invisible presence that hovered in the back of my mind. She’d crashed our date in the library once before and she could turn up and surprise us again. My mind played out a fantasy of pulling my dagger and slicing my rival’s hair off until she was bald. It was a good thing Leo had taken my weapon away from me.
“That’s a wicked smile,” Zach observed. “A penny for your thoughts?”
“I was picturing having a girl fight with Candy.”
His gaze went distant and he smiled dreamily. “Now I’m seeing it, too. You’re both dressed in bikinis and are wrestling in a vat of mud.”
I snorted out a laugh. “In your dreams.”
“I have dreams like that about you nightly,” he grinned.
“You dream about me mud wrestling with Candy?” I arched my brow in query.
“No. But somet
imes you’re in a bikini.” He turned his head and slid his gaze up and down my body. “Most of the time you’re not wearing anything at all.” A blush crept up my face and I had no response for that. “Do you dream about me?” he asked. His voice had grown husky.
“Yeah,” I said in a near croak. My mouth had suddenly gone dry. I also dreamt about the rival that he didn’t even know he had. I wasn’t about to admit that Nathan and Zach were both sometimes naked in my fantasies.
Smiling knowingly, as if he knew what I was thinking, he returned to his books. No one interrupted us this time and we had two whole hours together. It was torture to be so close to him, yet only being able to kiss him every now and then and only for a short time.
“I’ll have to leave in a few minutes,” he said at last and started packing up.
“Then we’ll have to make this last kiss count,” I replied.
Picking up the books that he’d used, he headed towards me to return them to their shelves. Sliding the last one into place, he pinned me against the book shelf and kissed me. It started out tender, but quickly filled with heat. His hands roamed up and down my back then moved to my sides. I didn’t try to stop him when they slid to my front and covered my breasts. My head fell back to give him access to my neck. “Does that feel good?” he murmured as he nuzzled my jaw.
“Yes,” I said throatily. Lust had me in her talons and she wasn’t about to let me go.
“It will feel better against your naked skin,” he whispered into my ear. His knee slid in between mine and his thigh brushed against my most intimate place. I gasped in surprised pleasure and his hands went to the clasp on my bra. He was going to take it off and I didn’t have the willpower to stop him.
“What are you kids up to?” a suspicious voice called from the far end of the rows of books. We broke apart in a daze to see an elderly woman glaring at us. She was a patron rather than a librarian. “This is a library, not a bordello! You should be ashamed of yourselves!” With a final glare, she stomped off.
