Crave (Tainted Angels Book 1)

by D H Sidebottom

  “You think I’m scared of God, Willa?” I stood, frozen to the spot when his fingers played at the buttons on the front of my shirt, the breeze catching more and more of my hot skin the more buttons Rax popped open.

  “You don’t understand …”

  He pushed my open shirt off my shoulders, his pupils firing at the sight of my silk-covered breasts. “What you don’t seem to understand, Seraph, is that I’ve been fighting God since my birth. I’m a Gehenna, it’s what we do.”

  Giving in, I lifted his t-shirt over his head, my eyes dropping to his magnificent chest. Unable to resist, I laid my palms delicately over his pecs and ran the tips of my fingers down between the deep contours of his abdominal muscles. I smiled to myself as I watched the six perfect bulges jump beneath my touch. “Then you need to teach me, Halam.”

  He paused, regarding me for a moment. “What? The guy is on your side.”

  “Apparently not,” I whispered as I softly followed the line of his jeans’ waistband with my fingernail. “Apparently he wants to end my life, just like he did with my mother.” I knew I’d revealed too much and I stiffened, angry at myself.

  He snatched my shirt off the sand and pulled it over my shoulders. Then he took my hand in his and I frowned as a hatch opened beside him. “Where are we going?”

  He looked back at me and pulled, then when we appeared in a huge courtyard, I gasped when I was welcomed to the sinister smile of the man greeting me.

  “Diablo!”

  “Hello, Willa.”

  His voice was a lot softer than I had ever imagined. My body jerked and I blinked when Delilah threw her arms around Diablo.

  “Hey, pretty girl,” he whispered in Delilah’s ear, his arms holding her tight to his long, thin body.

  He wasn’t anything like I’d imagined. He was tall, roughly 6 ft. 7, and his head was a manic array of blonde, brown, red and silver hair. He reminded me of a peacock, as his hair spread out in a fan over the top of his head, the most colourful Mohican I’d ever seen. He was packed, his muscles bulging through his long sleeved red cotton shirt.

  He laid his hand softly to the back of Delilah’s hair and tenderly brushed down its length, smoothing it away from her face so he could take a good look at her. “How you doing, honey?”

  “I’m good.”

  When his eyes swept back around to me, Delilah stepped away. Smiling to me, she held out her hand.

  Hesitantly, I clamped hold of her and stepped forward. I caught the hitch of Diablo’s breath as, cautiously, he ran his finger down my nose. “You have your father’s nose, dear girl.”

  His pain was palpable, the grief he still held for his son making my eyes well with tears. He turned to Delilah. “I gather you have told her everything.”

  When she nodded he turned to Rax. “Thank you for bringing her.”

  Rax remained silent, bowing his head respectfully.

  “So you know who I am?” Diablo looked back at me.

  “You’re my … my grandfather.”

  His smile could have broken world records. His chest stuttered and he took hold of my hand. “You have no idea how many years I have waited for that word to leave your lips.”

  My heart burst as his love for me poured from him. His smile was soft, as though he was scared of frightening me. Grabbing his hand, I clasped it between mine and squeezed tight. “I believe it is around two thousand and forty eight years.”

  Rax gasped behind me and I smirked, turning and giving him a wink. “How does it feel to bed an older woman, lover?”

  The range of mouths that popped open caused me to blush. “I can’t believe I said that out loud!”

  Diablo barked out a laugh, his pure blue eyes twinkling delightedly. “So like your mother.”

  “Hey,” Delilah elbowed him none too gently. “What you trying to say, old man?”

  “I wouldn’t have you any other way, pretty girl.”

  She palmed his face, dropping a kiss to his other cheek. “While I’m here, can I go see her?”

  Diablo regarded her for a moment then nodded. “She’s in the rose garden.”

  Delilah skipped off, her long legs still encased in her thigh high boots, the heels clicking loudly on the stone floor as she hummed a happy tune.

  Silence descended and Diablo gazed at me like I was a gift from heaven – or maybe not, considering where I was. Noticing my uncertainty, Diablo gestured to a long blue couch to the left of us. “You must be wondering what the hell is going on, huh?”

  “A little.”

  He nodded then beckoned for Rax to sit down also. “When I found out about your relationship with Rax, I asked him to do me a favour.”

  I eyed Rax suspiciously but Diablo quickly took my hand. “He didn’t go behind your back, Willa. Nothing like that. I told him he wasn’t the one who should tell you the story of your … existence. Delilah wanted to do it, even if it took her a while.”

  I nodded, understanding. After all, I was her daughter so it should have been her decision. “I understand.”

  Rax blew out a relieved breath and I smiled his way.

  “But I don’t understand why now.” It was a question that had been hurtling around my head since Delilah had filled me in on everything.

  Diablo’s face dropped, his eyes lowering to the floor. “God has created a new breed, a breed specific to hunting your scent. The disease that is possessing so many is crafted by him so the ones affected will kill to take your blood, the only cure, or the thing that will put them out of their misery. He’s getting close, Willa. Marie … Marie’s death wasn’t just a mugging. They smelled you on her.”

  “No!” My head shook furiously as my hands tightened into fists. The air in the room crackled as I thought of what my best friend had gone through. She’d died. No, she’d been slaughtered – because of me. “Why am I so important?” I whispered, burying my face in my hands. “Why? Why does he want to kill me? I’m his grandchild for pity’s sake!”

  “I’m so sorry, precious. It’s also because you are my son’s child,” Diablo choked out as he enveloped me in his arms, the heat from his body already making my skin pop with perspiration. At least something of the stories was true; the man was fire itself.

  “Sorry.” He grimaced when he felt my body tremble under his scorch. As if switching off the central heating, his body cooled down and once again he gently pulled me against his body.

  As insane as it sounded, I could feel his love sweep around me. It was as intense as any hatred I had dealt with throughout my existence. I sniffed softly, smiling at the scent of chocolate and honeycomb. “You smell like a Cadbury’s Crunchie,” I said, my filter broken again.

  Rax’s eyes popped wide open and I cringed at my rudeness.

  Shit!

  “Uhh …”

  Diablo fell back onto the sofa, holding his belly as he cackled loudly and freely. “A Cadbury’s Crunchie.” He shook his head in amusement. “I’ve been called worse.” His laughter died down and he smiled. “And you smell like your father. Truffles.”

  A nice feeling settled into my belly and I smiled. “I wish …”

  “I know.” Diablo nodded. “Me too.”

  He stood up abruptly and cleared his throat. Picking up a crystal decanter full of amber liquid, he poured three glasses then passed one each to Rax and me and then sat back down, downing his own in one go. “You’re not going to like what I have to say, I’m afraid.”

  I noticed Rax flinch beside me and I placed my hand on his arm, calming him instantly.

  Diablo smiled and looked around me to Rax. “You’re good for her. Have you mated?”

  My eyes widened and my whole body flushed with heat. “Uhh.”

  “Yes,” Rax said. “We have.”

  Diablo nodded then grinned. “That’s good. Did you feed?”

  This time he looked at me, waiting for my answer. He was so casual he could have been asking me if I’d been to KFC for lunch. I just nodded quickly.

  “Good,�
� he mumbled. “I knew you were assigned but I know Willa can be …” He quickly shut up and grinned sheepishly at me. “Uhh, I mean Willa is … sensitive … and rightly so.”

  I cleared my throat, my shoulders snapping straight. “What do you mean ‘we’re assigned’?”

  He frowned at me. “Assigned. Fated to be coupled.”

  “What?” Both Rax and I croaked out.

  Diablo’s brows shot high and he gulped. “Ahh, I take it Delilah didn’t mention that bit.”

  “No she did not!” I snapped, standing up and glaring at him. “You mean mine and Rax’s relationship is … a set up? Fated?”

  “Well, it’s not like that …”

  “The hell it isn’t. You mean he only fancies me because he’s supposed to!”

  “No, no, no, no ….”

  “Yes! That’s exactly what you’re saying.” My belly hurt but not as much as the pain in my chest. I’d lost my virginity to a man that had been ‘coded’, if you like, to do just that. It wasn’t because he liked me, was attracted to me, or even just wanted to get off. He’d only made love to me because it was set in stone that he should. His soul had been manipulated to find me desirable. Man, how was that for a slap in the face?

  “Willa,” Rax tried as I stood clenching my teeth together so I didn’t say anything offensive.

  Yet as was the norm with me, my hurt too potent to hold back, I swallowed back the bile that lifted up my throat. “Well, I’m sorry that you had to fuck me because it was an order.”

  “What?” he choked out. “You weren’t an order!”

  “I want to go home.”

  Diablo’s face saddened. “I’m afraid I can’t allow that, Willa.”

  “What?”

  “You’re in danger, precious. If God discovers who you are, no one is safe!”

  “If you think I’m going to sit back and let him hurt my friends and family then you can think again. They need me there! No way am I leaving them to get slaughtered because of me!”

  “Willa,” Diablo urged when he saw the warp of air beside me. “You can NOT be alone. It’s too dangerous. If he finds you, he will kill you, granddaughter or not. You’re too much of a risk for him.”

  “A risk of what?” I snapped. “I’m just me. I’m just Willa Eden, soul taker. I can’t even fight properly for hell’s sake. Why am I so damn special?”

  “You’re the Alpha’s granddaughter Willa!” he cried out, growing angry with my flippancy as his hands held on to my arms so I didn’t jump through the hatch.

  Rax’s gasp made me flinch.

  “Oh yeah!” I scoffed bitterly. “Hadn’t you heard that one?”

  He blinked at my rage but remained silent.

  “Have you no clue to what that means, Willa? What that makes you?”

  “It makes me her granddaughter. That’s it. I’m still just Willa Eden!”

  “No,” he whispered. “It makes you more powerful than The Almighty herself.”

  The air in the room froze with his revelation. My heart jumped inside my chest, my skin prickling with unease. “What?”

  “Sit down, please,” Diablo urged. “Please, Willa.”

  Giving in, unable to process anything, my legs wobbled and I dropped on to the sofa. “How can I be more powerful? That’s impossible.”

  “The Alpha created me and God. There was no one else to impregnate her because she was the primary being, the first ever. She didn’t birth me or God, we were just created, summoned from the stones. She doesn’t run in our blood, she isn’t related to us like that. We just are. We were both given the realm Gehenna to create our own kingdom. Others were summoned from the stones, but none as powerful as God and I. We were the primes, the first to be created so we held the utmost of the stone’s powers. Of course, with each creation afterwards, the magic was less powerful, hence what you know as ‘the food chain’, some more powerful than others but each worthy in their own way. But The Alpha wanted a family of her own so badly. Anyway, one day, she called to me. She wanted me to impregnate her. She craved for a blood child.”

  I blinked at him. “Okay, just a regular request then.”

  He smiled and nodded. “Oh yeah, but of course, who was I to say no?”

  “I bet.” I chuckled, imagining his face at the time.

  “So, she became pregnant and gave birth to Strauss, my son. He lived both with me and The Alpha and it worked out fine. But unbeknown to us, God was furious, jealous that she had chosen me, so he severed ties with both of us and set up on his own, creating Empyrea, his own realm.”

  “I missed him. He was my brother,” Diablo admitted but then his face saddened. “Many years later, Strauss came to me, telling me who he had fallen in love with.”

  “Delilah,” I said.

  “Yes,” he whispered sadly. “Of course, I also fell in love with Delilah. I mean, who couldn’t love the mouthy angel? And then it all went wrong.”

  I nodded, knowing the rest of the story. “I’m so sorry.”

  His smile was wide and he took my hand. “Don’t be sorry, precious. My son lives on in you. For that I could never be sorrowed.”

  “But I still don’t understand.”

  “You hold the blood of The Almighty, Willa. Your soul is created from The Almighty and a prime. God nor I possess her blood or a piece of her soul. You are the only blood relation to her. Well, apart from Strauss, but, of course, he is no longer with us. Not only are you created from her blood and soul but as mine and God’s granddaughter, you also possess the powers of the Miriam Stones. You have abilities that you could never dream of, powers that people crave. That he would sell his soul to both possess and obliterate.”

  “So it’s just good old fashion jealousy?”

  “I’m afraid so. He knows exactly what you are capable of, dear girl. You are the only living being that is a threat to him.”

  “But look at me. I’m just a useless seraph. I can’t even fight against the dredgen.”

  “You are way tougher than you think. You just need to trust yourself more, learn to control the thing in your veins, and listen to your heart more. It will never lead you astray.”

  I couldn’t help but look at Rax. “It already did,” I whispered, wincing at the failure I felt deep down inside.

  The shock and pain on Rax’s face hurt me as much as my words had hurt him. But I couldn’t help the way I felt. It wasn’t me Rax was attracted to, it was who I was. His destined mate, not his chosen mate. And I would be a fool to myself if I didn’t accept that.

  “I need time alone.”

  Diablo nodded. “I’m so sorry to dump this on you, but you need to be prepared for what your grandfather is capable of. We’ve managed to keep you hidden and I’ll be damned to the Ether if I allow him to get to you.”

  Kissing me softly on the head, he gestured to Rax with his chin then left.

  “And you,” I whispered when I could feel Rax still behind me by the door.

  “You’re wrong, Seraph,” he said tightly when I turned to him. He was standing, one hand on the door but his eyes seeking out mine. “You look at me. You look deep down and tell me what I feel for you isn’t real.”

  “It’s not, Rax. You heard Diablo. It’s anything but real.”

  “You’re wrong,” he said furiously, shaking his head. “We were destined to be mated. But we weren’t destined to fall in love.”

  I stared after him, my heart thumping wildly as he closed the door and left me alone. Alone with my tears, my anger, my hurt - and my hatch.

  The horizon was a painted vista of raw beauty as I stepped on to the beach, my feet sinking in to the soft sand and pressing through the gap between my toes. My eyes were mesmerised by the blazing orange skyline, the break between the ocean and the beautifully lit night sky seamless.

  Lincoln turned to me, removing his own gaze from the view. He was wearing white linen trousers and a flowing black shirt, the material rippling in the air. His hair was a jumbled mess of blonde strands and his eyes
were a mirror image of the blaze in the distance as they softly slid down me. My white nightgown blew gently in the slight breeze and my hair was down, the tips falling over the unbuttoned neckline and tickling the swell of my breasts as the faint wind caused it to superficially dance with an invisible partner.

  “Is this a dream?” I asked him when he lifted his hand to me and I confidently slipped my tiny fingers into his large outstretched palm.

  His hold was firm as he turned back to the sunset and I stood beside him. “Yes and no.”

  “Yes and no?”

  He didn’t clarify as he kept his attention on the setting sun. I didn’t want it to disappear. I feared that when it slid behind the sea that Lincoln would go with it. “You aren’t safe here, Willa.”

  “Here?”

  “Where you are?”

  He was talking in a strange language but for some reason I understood him. I saw the fluid motion of his tongue as he moulded each foreign syllable around it and his lips formed odd shapes as he spoke in the unique language I was able to translate.

  “Where are we?”

  He turned to me, blinking away the reflection of the sky in his deep eyes. Bringing my hand to his mouth, he kissed my knuckles. “Death.”

  I frowned, the sudden rush in my veins making me dizzy. “What do you mean death?”

  “This is death,” he whispered, my eyes hypnotised by the slithering of his tongue when it slicked across his lips.

  “You’re not making sense, Linc.”

  “You left me to die, Willa. You left me to die. He came and you left me ….”

  “Linc?” I panicked as he repeated the words over and over again.

  “You left me, Willa. You left me to die. You left me for him …”

  “Lincoln!” I cried out, dropping his hand to spread my fingers over his firm chest. “I would never leave you! You’re my brother.”

  “No,” he hissed. His eyes narrowed on me, a hatred I’d never witnessed in his beautiful eyes before bore straight through me and into the part of my soul that I kept only for my brother. I could practically feel it snap away from the lock I secured it with, the pain that it brought taking me to my knees before him.