She glanced back at Max, whose shadows now churned with anxious energy. His arrogant expression turned suddenly uneasy as he watched the approaching angels. “Looks like we’ll just have to continue this little party some other time.” He turning to walk away, seemingly eager to put some distance between himself and the guardians.
He stopped and looked back at Olivia, his dark eyes boring into her with pure, unabashed hatred. A malicious grin split across his face. “I wonder what Ashley’s up to.”
Dread rushed through her like ice in her veins. She stepped from behind Liam, and before she even gave any thought to the sheer stupidity of the act, she lunged toward Max. “You stay away from her, you evil son of a bitch! If you even touch her…” The steel band of an arm caught her around the waist, cutting off the last words of her threat. Liam lifted her off the ground before she could get within an arm’s length from Max.
“Olivia, don’t,” Liam growled softly beside her ear.
Max’s coal black eyes glittered with amusement. “Too late,” he sneered. “You’d better keep a close eye on that one, Liam. She’s impulsive, and apparently suicidal.” Max faded into the shadows, his sadistic laugh carrying on the breeze that blew past her.
“We’ve got to go!” she cried, struggling to get free from Liam’s unbreakable hold. She flailed in the air, helplessly. Without her feet on the ground, she didn’t have any leverage. Olivia slid her thumbs between her stomach and his forearm and tried to pry herself free. Her back was crushed against the unyielding muscles of his chest. “Let me go!” she cried, trying to wiggle herself free. “He’s going after Ashley! I have to stop him!”
“Olivia, quit!” his voice came out in a sharp command, and the hold on her only tightened.
“Liam, you’re squishing me,” she panted, legs flailing, trying to get some traction if her feet could only reach the ground.
“Then hold still,” he growled. “I’m not letting you go like this! Do you have any idea what you nearly did? You almost got yourself killed, dammit! The second you would have touched him, he would have snatched you across dimensions, and you would have been dead. Just like that! Only your soul can transcend, your body is stuck here.”
She suddenly stopped struggling as the weight of his words sunk in. If Liam wouldn’t have stopped her, she had every intention of launching herself at Max and scratching his eyes out. That’s what he’d been hoping for, she suddenly realized with bone-chilling clarity. Even now, he was manipulating her.
“Are you done?” She knew he wasn’t as angry with her as he was alarmed by how close she’d come to dying in front of his eyes.
Olivia nodded. She didn’t have enough breath left in her lungs to speak. Her feet finally impacted the soft sand and the vice grip around her middle released. She spun around to face him and saw something she’d never seen in his eyes before—fear. Liam reached out and caught her face in his hands.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes. We have to go, Liam. I have to get to Ashley before something terrible happens.” She stepped out of his touch and took a hold of his hand, pulling him toward the car. “We have to go back to Evercrest.”
“Ashley’s okay. Balen is with her.”
“Balen? Is he?”
Liam nodded. She should have known…
Chapter Twenty-Two
The late afternoon sun was already starting its evening descent as the Mustang tore down the stretch of two lane highway. Rays of sunlight cast across the tops of palm trees and filtered through the orange groves. Olivia squinted, shielding her eyes from the glare, and tapped her foot impatiently against the floor. Her anxiety echoed in his veins with a haunting buzz that put his own already taunt nerves on edge.
Liam reached over and flipped her visor down, blocking the sun’s rays, and pressed his hand against her jiggling leg. She stopped the repetitious movement and looked over at him anxiously.
“It’s going to be all right. Balen won’t let anything happen to her.” He knew his words were of little comfort after the damage Max had done.
“How did you know to send Balen to Ashley’s house?”
He didn’t answer her. What in the hell could he say? A sudden spike of panic pierced his chest.
“Oh shit!” She covered her face with her hands. “He already did something to her, didn’t he?”
“I went by to check on her this afternoon when you told me she didn’t sound well.”
“No!” she cried, shaking her head in denial. “He hurt her, didn’t he?”
“She’s going to be all right. Balen won’t let him near her again.”
When he pulled up to Ashley’s house, Olivia had the door thrown open and was climbing out of the car before he had it parked. She was pounding on the kitchen door when he walked up behind her.
“Ashley!” she yelled. Her voice was thick with unshed tears. “Ashley!”
She was still banging on the door when it swung open. Balen stood on the other side, and he looked like shit. His head tipped down, shoulders hunched with exhaustion. What in the hell happened here?
“She’s upstairs,” he said softly, stepping to the side to let Olivia through. Balen’s amber gaze lit on her for a moment as she flew past him and ran upstairs.
“Good Lord,” Liam gasped, walking in through the doorway. He grabbed Balen by the arm and took a closer inspection of his friend, who looked like he’d been to hell and back. This warrior was a force to be reckoned with. He’d battled beside him for centuries, and in a few short hours, this mortal female had reduced him to a shell of himself. “Did you touch her?” he demanded. “I told you not to touch her!”
“I didn’t touch her!” Balen ripped his arm out of Liam’s grasp. “It’s her grief, she’s suffocating me.”
“Shit…I’m sorry.” He sighed heavily and dragged his hand through his hair as he sat down at the kitchen table. “I didn’t think she’d have this kind of effect on you.”
“Yeah, well, neither did I. What in the hell did you get me into?” Balen demanded. His amber scowl glinted with a bright amethyst hue.
Liam didn’t blame him for his anger. He’d be pissed too if the tables were turned.
“It’s like I can feel everything she feels. I don’t like it, and it’s freaking me out, to tell you the truth.”
“Are you sure you didn’t touch her?” This didn’t make any sense. He shouldn’t be connected to the human.
“Dammit, Liam, for the last time, no, I didn’t touch her!”
“Then you’ve been accepted as her guardian.” It was the only reasonable explanation he could think of.
“Her what? Oh no! I told you, I’m not a babysitter!”
“It’s the only thing that makes sense. If you didn’t touch her and you can still feel her emotions, then she’s been bound to you.”
“Hey,” Balen said, holding his hands up, taking a defensive step back. “I didn’t sign up for this, and you said she wasn’t saved.”
“She’s not…yet.” Liam added thoughtfully. “You know, I don’t have all the answers either. I’ve only been doing this for eighteen years.”
“Yeah, well that’s eighteen years longer than me, and you volunteered for it. Nobody asked me!”
“Then refuse.” He didn’t know what else to say. This was nothing short of an effing disaster. If he’d had any idea this was going to happen, he never would have set Balen up for it. Hell, if he was honest with himself, if he had any idea what he was getting himself into all those years ago, he just might have told the High Court to find someone else.
“You know I can’t do that,” Balen said with a sigh of resignation.
“Who knows, maybe it’s only temporary, until this thing with Max gets finished. It could be worse, you know. At least you still have your wings and you can stay in our world.”
Balen sat down at the table next to Liam and watched him for a minute. “Crossing over really messed you up, hasn’t it?”
“In more ways than one, brot
her. Learn from my mistake, just don’t touch her or you’ll seal the thread that ties you to her and that bond will be unbreakable.”
“What the hell did Max do to her anyway?” Balen growled, his eyes glinting amethyst at the mention of the fallen angel’s name.
“You don’t want to know.”
***
Olivia burst into Ashley’s room and found her curled up in a ball on top of her bed.
“Oh, Ash,” she whispered, running over to her. “I’m so sorry.” She wrapped her arms around the bundle of blankets that contained her friend and let the tears go, no longer able to hold back her grief.
“Did Liam tell you?” Not even the muffling pile of blankets could hide the shame in her voice.
“No, Max did.”
“I’m so sorry, Olivia.” Ashley began sobbing again.
“I’m the one who’s sorry, Ashley. It’s my fault you got pulled into this in the first place. I had no idea that Max would come after you. You have to believe me.”
“It’s not your fault.” Ashley climbed out from under the covers, her voice rising in anger. “I let him do this to me!” she said shrilly, pulling the neck of her sweatshirt down, exposing the top part of her chest.
Olivia brought her hand over her mouth to cover her shocked gasp.
“I let him take me home. I let him get me drunk.”
“It’s not your fault,” she interrupted. “He took advantage of you. You didn’t know how manipulative and dangerous he was.”
“I wouldn’t have even left with him in the first place if I hadn’t been trying to get away from some asshole manhandling me at the club. That guy scared the shit out of me, and at the time, Max seemed like the safer bet.”
“I know. I trusted Max too.” She gave Ashley another hug and held her friend while she cried. She couldn’t help but feel responsible for Max’s assault. It was because of her that he’d targeted Ashley, and what made her blood run cold was the knowledge that this was only the beginning. He wanted her dead, and until that happened, he was going to make sure she suffered first.
A few hours later, Olivia came back downstairs. She walked into the kitchen and was met with two sets of golden amber eyes staring back at her. Her step faltered for a moment—she’d never seen Liam’s eyes this color before. They were hauntingly beautiful, mesmerizing really.
He stood up from the kitchen chair and walked over to her. She folded herself into his arms, waiting for the warm, comforting numbness she so desperately craved right now.
“Sounds like you should have followed your own advice,” Balen drawled sarcastically.
The soothing warmth Olivia expected didn’t come. “What’s wrong?” she asked, pulling back to look up at him, searching his amber eyes for answers. “Something’s wrong, I can feel it. Your eyes, I don’t know this color.”
Liam pulled her back into his arms and held her tightly. “I’m fine. Everything is going to be all right,” he crooned. “It’s just sadness. I feel your pain and it’s very—draining.”
Olivia glanced over at Balen, who looked as exhausted as Liam sounded. “Is he going to be okay?”
“Yeah, he’ll survive. He’s just not used to being around humans, especially under these circumstances. And he just got some disturbing news. He needs a little time to adjust, that’s all.”
She looked back up at Liam anxiously. “What news?” If he knew something more about Ashley…
“I’ll tell you about it on the way home. Are you ready to go?” He placed a kiss on the top of her head and smoothed his hand over the back of her hair.
“I’m not sure I should leave her.”
“She’ll be safe. Balen’s here.”
Olivia caught that sulking glare Balen shot Liam. She wasn’t a mind reader, but she’d have to be blind not the see that Balen was less than pleased to be here. She stepped out of Liam’s arms and walked over to him. She stared down at him for a moment, really taking a good look at him for the first time. He was very handsome, and built tall and muscular like Liam. His ashen blonde hair was cut short, worn in boyishly messy disarray. Or maybe that was the result of a stressful afternoon. The same effect would be gotten by one repeatedly dragging their fingers through their hair. A little soul patch of matching blonde whiskers arrowed below his bottom lip.
When he looked up to meet her eyes, she was unable to hold the liquid amber gaze that burned bright as a flame. “Thank you, Balen,” she whispered softly, casting her eyes to the ground as she walked past him without waiting for a response. It was obvious his being here had come at a great cost.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Olivia was silent on the way home. She stared out the passenger window, numbly looking out into the darkness. Max was out there somewhere, waiting for her. The thought sent a shiver of dread crawling up her spine.
“You okay?” Liam asked. He glanced over at her as he placed his hand on her shoulder.
She turned to look at him and nodded her head. His brows were pulled together in a worried frown. The amber light in his eyes now only remnants among a deep violet backdrop.
“I know you’re not. I can feel it.”
She reached over and took his hand, intertwining her fingers with his. Right now, more than anything, she wanted the comfort of his touch. “I will be. It’s just a lot to take in.”
“I’m sorry…” he said softly.
Olivia studied him as he glanced between her and the road. “What do you possibly have to be sorry about? I’m the one who got involved with someone who’s trying to kill me, someone who seduced my best friend. I’m the one who’s sorry. All you’ve ever done was try to protect me, to keep me safe.”
Liam pulled the Mustang over to the shoulder of the road and forced the gear into park. He turned abruptly, his sudden movements startling her. “You give me too much credit, Olivia. I haven’t protected you as I should. I haven’t protected you from myself.”
“I don’t want you to,” she whispered, not understanding where this sudden outburst was coming from.
“You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“Yes, I do. I know what I want, just as certain as you know what you want,” she argued.
“I can’t have what I want, Olivia, because what I want is you!”
Liam looked like he was in physical pain. She reached up to touch the side of his face. He closed his eyes as a strangled, tormented groan rumbled inside his chest.
“What if I choose to give it to you? It’s my decision,” she said boldly, “my free will…”
“This isn’t about what either of us wants. It’s about what is lawfully right. You weren’t created for me.”
“I know what I feel, Liam, and no one has ever made me feel the way you do—so safe, loved, cherished.”
“That’s because of what I am,” he countered. “Everything about me appeals to you because I haven’t been tainted by the imperfections of your world. You’re no more able to resist me than the descendants of Cain were able to resist the fallen before the Great Flood. Would you still feel the same way about me if I were mortal?”
“Would you still love me if you were mortal?” she challenged defensively. How could he actually sit here and doubt the sincerity of her feelings for him?
“Yes.”
“Enough to die protecting me?”
“You know I would.”
“Then how can you even think for one second that my feelings for you are not just as genuine? I love who you are, not what you are! I don’t love you because you’re an angel. I love you despite the fact that you’re an angel.”
“That’s right,” he said coolly. “I am an angel, and we’d both do well to remember that. You’re my job, Olivia—my assignment.”
She gasped in surprise and drew back as if he’d struck her. In fact, it probably would have hurt less if he had. His words stung like salt in an open wound. She huffed and wrenched her hand away from his. Olivia threw open the car door and jumped out, slamming it loudly behind
her, and stormed off. She had no clue where she was going. At the moment, she didn’t really care. She just wanted to get as far away from him as she possibly could.
“Olivia!” Liam called, getting out of the car.
She kept on walking, refusing to acknowledge him.
“Dammit!”
She jumped at the loud bang of fist against metal. She glanced over her shoulder and was surprised to see Liam was gone. Olivia turned back without looking and took another step, walking right into a wall of solid muscle. She let out a surprised yelp and stumbled back. Liam grabbed her waist to steady her. The heat from his hands burned straight into her stomach.
“You can’t just walk off like that, Olivia. It’s not safe.”
“Oh yes, I can,” she shot back. “It’s a little something called free will. Remember? And this is me, free willing myself away from you! Why don’t you take the night off from your ‘job’? I’m sure you could use the break!”
“You know that’s not what I meant!” Tension crackled in his voice.
“Just go home,” she said sadly, trying to fight back tears. “I just really want to be alone right now.”
“I’m sorry, I can’t do that.” He bent down and hoisted her over his shoulder, turning her world upside-down. Her pulse pounded in her ears as all the blood rushed to her head.
“Put me down!” she demanded.
He marched back to the car and wordlessly dumped her into the passenger seat. He firmly shut the passenger door and touched his finger to the outside of the window. The locks instantly engaged with a soft click. She narrowed her eyes in a seething, defiant scowl and reached for the door handle. She yanked the lever, expecting the lock to release from the inside. Liam stood outside the door, watching her with a triumphant gleam in his eyes. She rattled it a few more times, slamming her shoulder into the door, trying to disengage the lock. She seethed when the quirk of a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth.
“Dammit, Liam!” She banged her palm against the window. “Let me out of this car!”
The Redemption Series Page 19
