by Nina Bangs
Holgarth walked away with no comment about how he’d spent his time while Sparkle hummed. Passion, for one, never wanted to find out.
“He’s right. You can move back to your own rooms.” The Big Boss glanced at Edge, Ganymede, and Sparkle. “I’ll meet you three in the lobby after the last fantasy.” His narrowed gaze skimmed Passion, Murmur, and Bain. He offered them a brief smile before starting to walk away.
“What should I call you?” Passion hoped he got the unspoken message. He wasn’t her boss.
He paused. “Bourne? I loved the movies. And I’ve never been a Bourne before.” He turned away and kept walking.
“Fine. Bourne it is.” Passion pulled her hand from Edge’s grip without meeting his gaze. “I’ll move my stuff out of the dungeon.”
She knew she sounded stiff, but now that everything was sort of back to normal, she felt uncomfortable with the whole sex–by–compulsion event. The part of her conscience that still answered to Archangel Ted thought she was trying to use Sparkle’s humming as an excuse. She wasn’t. She’d wanted to make love with Edge, with or without a compulsion.
Passion started to walk away. Murmur and Bain followed close behind. Edge didn’t try to stop her.
“Intense dude.” Murmur smiled. “Dangerous but cool.”
Bain didn’t comment.
She hurried to put some distance between them. Passion wasn’t interested in talking with anyone right now. She’d headed toward the stairs leading down to the dungeon when she spotted Hope entering the castle. Hope waved at her. Passion groaned. Looked as though she wouldn’t get any alone time.
Passion stepped into a small alcove to wait for Hope to reach her. For the first time, she thought about not telling Hope what had happened here. Sure, she’d tell her about the Big Boss showing up, but not all the other stuff. What if Hope felt obligated to tattle to Ted? There were some things Hope might think were too evil to keep from him. Passion didn’t want a visit from the avenging angels if she could help it.
Just then Murmur and Bain walked past her alcove. They were headed toward the courtyard. Passion didn’t pay much attention to them until she caught a little of what they were saying.
“This is getting ugly, Murmur. I’ve covered for you so far, but I won’t put my job here in danger because of you. What’s the holdup?”
Bain’s voice had a dangerous edge that Passion hadn’t heard before.
“What’s the matter, Bain? Afraid I’ll screw up your vengeance plan?” Murmur smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m almost ready to make a decision. But I won’t lead my demons into battle until I’m sure I’m on the right side.”
Bain laughed. “You mean the winning side.”
Murmur’s smiled widened. “I’m totally self-serving. And any side I support will always be the winning side. Not many can stand against me or mine. Remember that.”
Whatever else Murmur and Bain said was lost as they moved away from Passion. What was that about? She drew in a shaky breath.
But she didn’t have time to think about whom to tell because Hope had reached her.
Passion stepped out of the alcove. “Nice of you to stop by the castle once in a while.” Sarcasm was useless with Hope, but Passion kept trying.
Hope stopped. “I’m so glad you’re here. I have a bunch of stuff to tell you.” She was like a can of soda someone had shaken, all fizzy with excitement.
Passion controlled her urge to stomp all over Hope’s obvious happiness. “Where were you?” She continued toward the stairs. Hope walked beside her.
“Baybrook Mall on the mainland.” She almost glowed. “I talked to a lot of people about turning away from darkness until mall security interfered.” She frowned. “They threatened to make me leave the mall if I didn’t stop bothering people.”
“Then why didn’t you come back sooner?” In time to stop Sparkle.
Hope’s glow returned. “I ran into Kemp in the mall.”
Kemp? “The guy from here? The one with the buzz cut and the bad attitude who wouldn’t talk to us?”
“Yes. He’s really nice. He believes I’m doing the right thing. Murmur left right after we got to the mall. He’s not very open to goodness and light.” Murmur’s desertion didn’t seem to bother her. “But he’s a great dancer. Anyway, right after Murmur left, Kemp showed up. I was going to get a cab back to the castle, but Kemp offered to take me to the movies. After the show, he drove me home.”
If Kemp hadn’t kept Hope at the movies, she might have gotten back in time to do some good. Passion hated the way she was starting to suspect everyone. Pretty soon she’d be sitting on her own little desert island surrounded by a shark-infested sea of suspects.
“That’s great. I’m glad you had a good time.” Did she sound sincere? “Well, we don’t have to stay in the dungeon anymore. The Big Boss showed up, so he’ll take care of his people. We can go back to our room.”
“The Big Boss?” Hope’s eyes lit with interest. “What’s he like? Did he have the colors of sin around him?”
“He’s…” How to describe someone who was so much more than his physical appearance? She shrugged. “You’ll meet him. His name is Bourne. And I couldn’t see any colors around him.”
“But you always see—”
“Not this time.”
“Why couldn’t you—”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
Hope got the message and lapsed into silence.
Once Passion reached the dungeon, she threw her things into her bag and left quickly. She didn’t want to run into Edge until she’d figured out how she felt about him, about her, about them.
Instead of going directly up to her room, she got off the elevator at the lobby. The restaurant stayed open late because of the fantasies, and she decided she needed some comfort food to take back with her. A burger and fries sounded good. She was learning things she never knew about herself. In human form, she became an eating machine when she felt stressed. She’d probably be heaven’s first fat angel. If she was an angel.
Passion was thinking about Edge when she slammed into someone as she left the restaurant. Clutching her to–go box tightly, she rushed into an apology. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was…” Then she recognized the person she’d bumped into.
“You’re still here?” The old woman looked horrified.
“I thought you left.” Passion had seen Bill help her out of the hotel on that awful day.
The woman sniffed. “I paid for a month, and I’m not leaving because of a false alarm.” She narrowed her eyes at Passion. “What happened to that man? He should be locked up in a loony bin somewhere. Scared me out of a year of my life. And at my age, a year is important.”
“He’s still here.”
The woman looked more outraged than scared. “He’s a danger to everyone in this hotel. I saw his eyes. Killer’s eyes.”
“He’s doing better now.” Lame, Passion.
“Well, he made a big dent in my trust. Don’t think I’ll be helping any strangers for a good long time.” Her stare was a little creepy.
The woman pursed her thin lips. “You were trying to help him too. Maybe you should stick to helping people who deserve it.” Then the woman walked away. She had a determined stride. Nothing old or doddering about it.
Passion blinked. What was that rant about? The woman’s last comment hit a little too close to home. Ted didn’t think she should be trying to help the irredeemable ones either. She pressed her lips together. Ted would call it her mutinous expression. To hell with what Ted thought. She didn’t believe Edge was beyond redemption. He didn’t kill innocents. Listen to yourself. You’re pitiful. Murder is murder.
Okay, enough soul-searching. It just made her crazy. Maybe she should’ve bought two dinners.
When she let herself into her room, Passion found Hope already there. She’d unpacked her few things and was propped up in bed with Sparkle’s laptop.
“I have twenty-three new friend requests.” S
he didn’t look up from the screen. “I told everyone what heaven looked like, and now they all want to argue with me.” She shook her head. “Why can’t humans accept the truth?”
“Because they don’t know you’re a real angel.”
“I told them I was.”
“Humans need proof, Hope. Besides, your truth doesn’t line up with what they want to believe, so they dismiss it.” In a moment of unclouded–by–lust clarity, she realized that was true for her too. She wanted to believe in Edge’s innate goodness, and so she ignored everything Ted said. Because she really liked Edge. She might even be getting close to loving him. Passion closed her eyes. And how stupid was that?
Someone knocked on the door. Since Hope didn’t make a move to answer it, Passion did. Kemp was standing on the other side. His hair was still in a buzz cut, and his eyes were still almost black, but he was smiling this time.
“Could I talk to Hope?”
Passion started to turn toward Hope.
“Oh, and I’m sorry about the first time I saw you. I was doing something important and…” He looked embarrassed. “You guys interrupted.”
“It’s okay.” And it was. The survey had been a crazy idea. Once again, Passion noticed that Kemp was a great-looking guy when he smiled. He still wasn’t human, though. She didn’t have the nerve to ask him what he was.
A few minutes later, Hope left with Kemp. Passion was alone. With her thoughts. Of Edge. Damn.
A hot shower didn’t do a thing to cool down those thoughts, so she changed clothes, grabbed a light jacket, and headed for the door. No way was she staying here to stare at her bed.
Passion left by the hotel entrance so she wouldn’t run into him and wandered through the park. The cool air didn’t do much to clear her brain. She ended up sitting on a bench in front of where the pirate ship was moored. The pirate fantasies were done for the night, so it was just her and a bunch of tangled thoughts.
Passion was so busy picking through her conflicting emotions that she didn’t realize someone had sat down next to her until he spoke.
“Nice night.”
Startled, she almost jumped off the bench. “Zane?”
He wore a hoodie, and his face was in shadow. He nodded. “Mind some company for a few minutes?”
Passion shrugged. Fear pushed at her, but she ignored it. If he wanted to hurt her, he probably wouldn’t choose to do it while they sat in full view of anyone still wandering the park.
He didn’t say anything and the silence began to wear on her. Finally, she asked a question. “Why are you so angry?” She winced as soon as the words left her lips. Impulsive questions got her in trouble.
His hood was pulled too far forward for her to read his expression, but she sensed surprise. “What makes you think I’m mad?”
She shrugged. “Just a feeling. I’m good at reading emotions.” And besides, red, the color of rage, is doing the cha-cha around you.
“Lots of things make me mad.” He didn’t offer any specifics.
“Mad enough for you to manipulate the cosmic troublemakers’ minds?” Passion got ready to run like hell. She must have a death wish.
He laughed. “Relax, mystery lady. I’m not angry with them.” His laughter faded. “I’m saving all my rage for someone else.”
“Are you human?” Since he hadn’t gone ballistic with her last question, she took a chance on asking another.
“What do you think?” He didn’t seem upset.
“All I sense is human, but logic says it would be tough for a human to do the kinds of things you can do.”
She could see a flash of white teeth within the depths of the hoodie. “Anyone with enough power could cloak what they were.”
Passion huffed her frustration. Why wouldn’t he just answer the damn question?
“I have a confession.”
Uh–oh. She got ready to run again.
“I sat down here because I have some questions for you.”
She relaxed a little and smiled at him. “I’ll probably be as straightforward with my answers as you were.”
“I guess that’s fair. Disappointing but fair.” He leaned back against the bench. “What are you?”
Passion sighed. She was getting tired of that question. She should lie to him, but she couldn’t summon the energy. Tonight had worn her out. Edge had worn her out. “I thought I was an angel, but now…?” She shrugged. “I don’t know what I am.”
“Interesting.” He sounded sincere. “So what powers do you have?”
“I’m not supposed to have any while I’m on the mortal plane. I’m being punished. But I can still see the colors of sin. You’re surrounded by red. Lots of rage.”
She could feel his tension. “I see. What else?”
Passion hesitated. “Nothing.” She’d blabbed enough.
“I get it. You don’t trust me. Smart lady.”
The question-and-answer session had gone on long enough. Time for her to go back to her room where she could trade glares with her big empty bed. She stood. “I think I should—”
He put his hand on her arm. “Wait. I have one more question.”
She resisted the urge to move out of reach. “Sure.”
“What do you know about Holgarth?”
She blinked. “Holgarth?” Where had that question come from? “Not much. He’s a wizard, and he rules the castle with an iron fist. Oh, and he’s the master of snark. Why?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. Just wondering.”
Liar. As much as she didn’t want to talk to Holgarth, she should probably tell him about Zane’s interest.
A final question popped into her head before she could walk away. “Why are you staying here? I mean, all of this must be boring to you when you could be in Vegas draining the casinos dry. You could even have your own Vegas show. Criss Angel could only wish he was as good as you.”
“I’m waiting for someone.” He didn’t sound amused.
Was he waiting for the person causing all that red? Maybe he wouldn’t answer, but she had to ask. “Who?”
His smile was a flash of white in the darkness. “Think I’ll let that be a surprise.”
13
Edge had wanted to follow Passion. He’d wanted to carry her off to his room—because no way was he giving Hope something juicy to post on Facebook, or worse yet, blab about to this Archangel Ted person—and show her that Sparkle had nothing to do with the sound-and-light show they’d created together.
He couldn’t, though. Holgarth was waiting to start the next fantasy, and Edge was his evil vampire of choice. And since this would be the last fantasy of the night, Edge would have to meet with the Big Freaking Boss, aka Bourne, afterward.
Edge got through the fantasy and headed for the lobby. The others were already there. Bourne had found them a table tucked into a shadowed corner. They all had drinks. God, that’s exactly what he needed. He thought about Passion. Okay, maybe not exactly.
He slipped into the one empty chair. His drink was already on the table. “Whoever got the drink, thanks.”
Ganymede was in human form and looked pissed about it. He glared at Edge. “That would be Sparkle.”
Sparkle sighed. “Big, blond, and sulky here didn’t like being dragged off his fat cat butt and away from the TV and ice cream.”
Ganymede narrowed his eyes to slits. “I’d DVR’d Top Chef, and I was just getting into it. This better be worth it, Boss.”
Bourne looked bemused as he stared at Ganymede. Edge didn’t blame him. Death and destruction could rain down on Ganymede, and he’d simply sit in the middle of the storm with his ice cream and TV remote. He wasn’t normal.
Ganymede turned his bad temper on Sparkle. “And she’s acting as though I’m the only one who wanted a little downtime after the night we had. Ask her what she said when she had to leave in the middle of doing her nails to come down here?”
“I. Don’t. Care.” Bourne had evidently had enough. “All I need are a few troublemakers who c
an work up a decent bloodlust, who want to go out and tear someone apart for the sheer joy of it, who love coming home covered in the blood of their enemies. Is that too much to ask for?” He exhaled deeply. “But I guess I’m old school.”
Edge felt his rage building. How long had he wanted to put his fist into the face of the Big Boss? But up until now, their leader had been this faceless power who’d manipulated their lives without regard to what they wanted. Bourne had a lot to answer for.
Don’t say it. Keep your mouth shut. Edge knew what Bourne was capable of, knew he could destroy without moving a muscle. But something in Edge wouldn’t be denied.
Yeah, this was about Passion. Up until now, he hadn’t much given a damn about anything, couldn’t work up a decent mad about his existence. But he’d finally found someone…Don’t wimp out on me now. Say it. He’d found someone who felt right for him, who felt like his mate.
And he couldn’t have her. He was tied to forever as Death. Edge could imagine a typical day at their house. “Thanks for making breakfast for me, sweetheart. I’ll be home late. Tough day at work. Three drug lords, two serial killers, and a partridge in a pear tree. Don’t wait up for me. Love you.” Yeah, Passion would be happy with that kind of life.
Knowing his next words might be his last, Edge let his feelings rip. “If you want a bunch of man-eating tigers, you don’t declaw them and pull their teeth.”
Bourne stilled, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on Edge. “I sense some hostility.”
His voice was so soft that Edge had to strain to hear it. “You think?”
Sparkle tried to defuse the moment. “Don’t listen to him, Bourne. He doesn’t mean anything.”
Bourne never took his attention from Edge. “Oh, I think he does. Why don’t you lay it out for me, Finis.”
God, he hated that name. “No one ever asked me what I wanted to be. I was born, I killed. And for tens of thousands of years I was okay with that. I was like a child. I didn’t reason out anything. Then I got older, hungrier. Killing had become a compulsion. I destroyed whole villages, hundreds of people at a time. Finally, I hit the big time. I took out Pompeii. Oh, you covered it up. Ganymede made the volcano blow, and you planted new memories in the minds of those who escaped. But it was then you realized I was off the leash.”
