Dark Angel (An Angel Novel Book 2)

by Jane West

  “You know something about my mother that I am not aware of?”

  “Sweetheart, I’m only beginning to get to the good stuff.”

  “Then spit it out.” I drummed my fingers over the table, holding my stare.

  He broke into a smile. “Mustafa and your mom had an affair. He was the one who helped provide the enchanted car for her.”

  It was like the bottom had fallen out, and I was falling. “My mom was messing around with… Mustafa behind my dad’s back?”

  “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but yes.”

  “How did it happen?” I rolled my eyes by the mock in Aidan’s blues. “That’s not what I meant! How did my mother get involved with him?”

  “If you must know.” He exhaled. “In the beginning, Mustafa was assigned to watch over your parents. As the romance between Mustafa and Sara progressed into full bloom, he shirked his duties and lusted after your lovely mother. Unable to stop herself, she fell in love with him, and they ended up ”

  Abruptly I interrupted. “Spare me the details. I’m not that naïve. Why are you telling me this?” I wore, just one more knife to twist in my side.

  “I’m saying you may or may not have any of your Druid father’s DNA.”

  “Shut up! You never mentioned three years ago anything about conception between”—I swallowed hard—“that monster and my mother!”

  “You seem to be missing the point!”

  I glared up at him, “then freaking enlighten me.”

  “There is more than one way to skin a cat.” He paused for his meaning to sink in… or was it to taunt me? Aidan went on to explain. “Celestial birth isn’t like human birth. First of all, it’s unnatural. Angels were not created to procreate. That’s why the giants of old were so damn vicious.”

  “That’s supposed to make me feel better?”

  “Let me elaborate, please.”

  I nodded, holding my tongue any further.

  “I didn’t lie about the genetic alterations. The Family’s scientist through alien advancement were able to create something solid unlike the giants of old. I did not lie about Sara suffering from an alien disease onset by the pregnancy.” Aidan drawled. “However, I may have evaded a few details.”

  “Are you saying that Sara and Mustafa are ” I couldn’t say it.

  “Oh, they had an affair, though don’t worry. You were still a test-tube baby.” He grinned, he’d been jerking my leg. “You were not conceived as the Nephilim. The half angel-half human creatures were impossible to control. The Family wanted a super strength being who’s manageable.”

  “Manageable?” I scoffed.

  “Our scientist used your father’s DNA in order for Sara to carry you to trimester. Once the risk of losing the fetus had waned, our scientist altered your father’s DNA. They replaced those cells with a genetic DNA, enabling cell tissue to metastasize. In fact, the damage your mother suffered came from the super-cell regeneration. Coupled with the angel’s DNA didn’t help either.” Aidan paused, dragging in a harsh breath like a longtime smoker. “There are only traces of your father’s DNA. That is why you reek of human.”

  “I’d rather smell like my father than stink of alcohol and greed.” My eyes tightened. “It sickens me to think how far your family will go to get what they want. Both my parents are dead because of your family’s supreme self-preference.”

  “Sweetheart,” his cadence in his voice spewed with arrogance. “Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.”

  “That’s original. You got that quote from Napoleon Hill.”

  “Touché! I’m impressed. You are smarter than the average hybrid.”

  “Thanks!” not!

  “However, as irreconcilable our difference may be, it was your parents who came to my family.”

  I sat there appalled. Where did he and those crazy cloaks get off?

  “I don’t care!” I shouted. “Lives are lost because of your pernicious ambition. You and your Illuminist family has to be stopped.” Aidan’s brow shot up, surprised. “What? You didn’t think I’d figured out your secret society?”

  “Actually, I am quite surprised.”

  “You forget too easily. My father was one of the thirteen bloodlines.”

  “True, but Jon forfeited his position. The Illuminati do not take kindly to apostates.”

  “I remember you once carried the same beliefs and teachings as my father.”

  “And I remember you once shared my bed.”

  A short laugh escaped my lips. “I guess I saw the error of my ways.”

  “I can protect you.”

  “I’m sorry?” my brows furrowed.

  “I. Can. Protect. You.” He repeated, sharply.

  I blinked, staring at him. Then the sting set in and I asked, “like the way you protected Dawn?”

  He stilled, a vein began to throb at his temple. “Dawn’s fate was out of my hands. Sad things happen, and one must move on.”

  “And you call this moving on?” I waved my hand at his liquor and half empty glass.

  “Yes, quite frankly I do.” His supremacy epitomized the true mark of the Illuminati. “We’re about to be in a shit-storm.”

  A curt laugh escaped my lips. “I think I’ve been in a storm for some time now.”

  “You have no clue to what is coming.”

  “It’s not exactly easy keeping up with your multiple personalities. I’m getting whiplash.”

  He smiled like he’d discovered the cure for cancer. “This system as we know is coming to a screeching halt. The great tribulations will devour this world.” Then his eyes switched to something I couldn’t describe, but it left me quaking in my shoes. “The end… is approaching, and it will destroy any living creature in its wake.”

  I swallowed. “Why should I believe you?”

  “You don’t have to trust my words. You already sense it. I see it in your eyes.”

  “How?” he had my attention.

  “First the religions will go. Then the governments will collapse, starvation and disease will spread throughout the world.” Aidan sighed. “If you don’t join the Family, then I you might as well plunge a dagger through your heart. You’re as good as dead. Suffering will be boundless.” His eyes were disturbing, yet calm. There was something in his movement, his voice, that made me certain he was speaking the truth.

  Then he did a one eighty flip, he flashed a lustful sneer, raking his eyes over me. I was losing my patience with all his mood swings. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde much?

  He leaned in and whispered, “Join me and I’ll show you what a real man does to a sweet morsel like yourself.” He carefully drew back, sitting straight in his chair, watching how I’d respond.

  Vile threatened as his scent of liquor and cigarettes repulsed me. When did he start smoking? I sat there silently, staring at the stranger who sat across from me.

  I realized by Aidan’s straight-line glint at Val that he had shifted his interest, riling the Zop. Yet the blue eyed stranger didn’t know the Zop leader as well as I did, Val would never fall for such lame bullshit. I on the other hand didn’t have that kind of moxie.

  That was when I erupted. In one swift move, I grasped my knife, raising it above Aidan’s head, but Val had grabbed my hand in midair, right before I thrust the steel blade through my target’s stone heart. I glanced up at Val as he’d snaked one arm around my waist and held my wrist with his other hand. When our eyes locked, I calmed, nodding for him to take the knife. I glanced at Aidan, and his face gleamed with loathing.

  I’d reached my limit. My lungs were closing, the air was stifling. I shared a quick glance with Val, and he took my que. In one sweep, he gathered me into his arms, and in a blink, we’d disappeared.

  Considering how my presence irritated Aidan, I figured, out of sight, out of mind. The situation became too volatile for me to remain. Once I was gone, and no longer an eyesore for Aidan, he’d sleep off the booze. Although just for back u
p, I’d hoped Jeffery made good with that cast-iron skillet, just in case.

  New World Order

  We landed in the back alleyway a few doors down. In the background, a cat hissed, and a couple of dogs were barking.

  Once my feet were planted, I’d made a run for the nearest dumpster. My dinner from last night was coming up, and I couldn’t stop it. After I’d finished puking my guts up, I realized Val had been beside me, holding my hair back. Could this guy get any better? I tossed a weak smile at him as I so indelicately wiped my mouth. Then our eyes hitched. We stayed like that for a few minutes, then our moment ceased as Val asked, “Let’s do something fun?” The gold specks in his eyes glistened.

  I bit my bottom lip. “I don’t know.” I shrugged.

  “I think it would do you good.”

  I chewed on my lip, weighing whether I should leave the guys and Sally alone. Then I caved. “Oh, why not! What do you have in mind?”

  “Let’s go to a good old-fashioned bayou cookout. Some human friends of mine are throwing it tonight. It’ll get you out of the house and away from him.”

  “Him meaning Aidan.”

  “Yup!”

  “Okay, but I don’t have anything to wear.”

  Val’s eyes swept over me.

  “I don’t want to wear sweats.” I tugged on my top.

  “No problem. I’ll take you shopping.” Val offered.

  “That’s sweet, but I can call Jeffery and he—”

  Val stopped me in midsentence. “No! I don’t want to risk Aidan coming in Jeffery’s place, and my pad’s out.” Val thought for a minute as he kicked a rock. “Aidan acts like he owns you.”

  “You got that too.” I shook my head. “I don’t know what I ever saw in him.”

  Val raked his fingers through his hair. “Men like that think women are a possession.”

  “I agree.” I paused briefly. “Have you had many encounters with the pompous Aidan when you were dating his sister?”

  Val released a buried sigh. “Some.” He answered curt, brow arched. “I wouldn’t exactly say Helen and I dated. It was more of a mutual enjoyment.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “She wasn’t the relationship kind of gal too unpredictable.” Val leaned against the picket fence, hands stuffed in his pockets.

  “How did you come to dislike Aidan so much?” Some things were better left alone, but I was more curious than nine cats.

  The corner of Val’s lip pinched. “Let’s go somewhere a little more suited for private conversation.” Val glimpsed over his shoulder.

  “Lead the way, chief!”

  In a single swift motion, Val had me pressed against his body, wrapping his arms around me like a warm blanket. Erratically my heart began to pound. It was obvious how he affected me. The glint in his eyes revealed he knew it too, and a faint smile painted my face. Val and I had feelings for each other. It was apparent in our gaze.

  It was different with Val. Aidan and Val were as different as night and day. A relationship with Aidan had been doomed from the very start. I was so young and inexperienced. How could I have possibly known what I wanted? Setting aside all things, he was the father of my child, a child, I was denied knowing. Would I ever feel closure with Aidan? Could I walk away without looking back? These were questions I couldn’t answer, and I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to.

  My mind felt overloaded, like a fog in the early morning. Right now all I wanted was to be with Val. With him, everything seemed simple and easy. The dreadful memories of old seemed further in the distance when I was with him.

  “You ready to fly?” Val jarred my thoughts as I looked into his smiling face.

  “Ready as I’ll ever be.” I smiled back.

  ***

  Wow! I raked over the surroundings. We had landed somewhere in the midst of the bayou. I stood on a short dock leading up to a boathouse. In its rusty state, it was charming. Floating above water, it was nothing more than a bare, wood-framed cabin that looked like it had never been touched with paint.

  In the background birds were chirping as the sound of water trickled slowly downstream, insects humming and dragonflies fluttering about, hovering on the surface of the murky water. In its rawness, it was breathtaking.

  “Welcome to my humble abode.” Val smiled, proudly.

  “Yeah, it’s pretty humble all right.” Even through my climbing panic, I couldn’t peel my eyes away as I peered about in every direction Spanish moss hanging from the low branches, cypress trees, majestic, with a broad buttressed base and green foliage clinging to its massive trunk.

  “It’ll grow on you.” Val promised.

  “Are there alligators?” I felt my lips go cold.

  “Silly girl, it’s the bayou! Of course there are gators!”

  “Holy mother of god! This is the best you can do?” My brows knitted, affright.

  “Oh, come on! Where’s your adventure? Don’t worry! Gators aren’t out.”

  “That’s a relief.” I wrapped my arms around my waist, trying to hold back my need to scream bloody hell.

  “But when twilight falls, it might be best if you didn’t venture too far from the cabin. They like to roam at night.”

  “Holy shit! Take me home! I mean it! I hate gators!” I rested my hands on my hips, glaring at Val. It didn’t help ease my nerves any when he roared with laughter. Men were such difficult creatures—or should I say Zops.

  I just shook my head and stalked past him, entering the dim cabin. Val followed behind me with a trail of laughter. Duct-taped much?

  “I’ll open up the windows. There’s usually a great breeze that flows through.” He turned around with a huge grin, and froze when he saw the look of terror plastered to my face. “What’s wrong now?” His brows scrunched.

  “Have I mentioned how much I hate snakes too?”

  He cuffed his hand over his mouth. Obviously he was stifling a laugh. “No, I don’t believe you have.” Humor in his tone was as deep as his voice.

  My face soured like a double dose of lemons. “Well, I don’t like snakes either!”

  Val crossed the floor in only one stride and gathered me into his arms. “Freckles, nothing is going to happen to you here. What you see is the life of the bayou, a mystical place of great wonder. That’s why so many of our kind are drawn to this place.”

  “Just for the record, I’m not the usual Zop.” Suddenly the light banter between Val and me changed as the memories flashed through my mind of the conversation with Aidan. I shivered, worrying. “Do you think Jeffery and Dom are safe? Sally too?” I chewed the inside of my cheek.

  “I think they’re perfectly fine. Maybe Aidan will take a liking to Sally again?”

  “Aidan and Sally were a couple?”

  “You didn’t know?”

  “I reckon not.” I dragged in a fretful breath. “They both denied hooking up.” In spite of their claims, I had suspicions that neither one was entirely truthful. “How long have they been messing around?”

  “It’s been on again and off again for years.”

  “Did you see them together?”

  “Yeah, from time to time. I’d crossed their paths now and again when Helen and I were together.”

  “Really! Were they serious?”

  “Not from what I could tell,” Val opened a window, then made his way back to me. “Or at least Aidan wasn’t committed. He had another girl stringing alone besides Sally. Why? Do you know something that I don’t?” his brow arched.

  I shook my head. “Probably not. It’s just Aidan’s and Sally’s story seems off. You know, he says, she says.” I tipped my shoulder, curtly. “It’s not important now.”

  “Aidan only tells what he feels is necessary.” Val’s words were smothered in bitterness.

  I felt unsure about the next question, but I couldn’t stop myself. “Did you ever see Aidan and Sally together in Tangi?”

  “No, it was here in New Orleans. They have a huge plantation on the outskirts of town
.” Val seemed to know more about Aidan than I did. It struck me wrong too.

  “They as together?”

  “Yes. As in plural, couple, pair...”

  “I get it! I get it!” I held my palm out. In my next breath, I asked, “so, they have the floating castle?”

  “No. This one is permanent. It’s an old plantation just on the outskirt of the city.”

  “Plantation? On land?”

  “He didn’t tell you?” Val sounded as surprised as I.

  “No, he didn’t.” Clearly I was left in the dark about a lot of things.

  “Don’t beat yourself up over it. Aidan is a master of deception.”

  I sensed something more between Val and Aidan. Funny how history repeated itself. Sam came to mind. “Why do I get the feeling that there’s something you’re not telling me?”

  Suddenly, Val’s face tensed. “Let’s go sit outside on the porch and get comfortable.” He touched the small of my back, ushering me to the deck.

  “Sure.” I smiled. While I seemed at ease on the surface, my mind was reeling on the inside. What other inconceivable trouble must I face before the sun sets today? I fretted.

  I was happy to get out of the cabin and into the river air. The smell of musk and dirty socks triggered my sensitive stomach. The cabin definitely had the traits of a guy’s pad.

  After we both settled down in a couple of chairs in a corner of the deck, Val rested his elbows on his knees, leaning forward. When my eyes lifted, I saw uneasiness in Val’s expression.

  I clasped his hand. “What’s wrong?” I asked, worry tingled my body.

  “I’ve known Aidan from way back.”

  “Oh.” I stiffened.

  “I never told you this, but I have a sister.”

  Taken aback, “You have a sister?”

  “Had, depending on how you look at it.” Val’s jaw twitched.

  “You said had as if in the past?”

  “Yes. My sister’s been missing for a while now.”

  “Oh, my!”

  “Helen and my sister were friends.” A pain hit. Hearing her name whirled me back to a dark secret I’d been keeping Helen’s death. I knew eventually, I’d have to tell him. But for now, I pushed it down and focused on Val as he explained. “Aidan dated my sister, Sienna.”