Which was basically how I was feeling. A sort of a sodden WTF, and the only thing familiar to hold on to was this man beside me.
Which was basically how I was feeling. A sort of a sodden WTF, and the only thing familiar to hold on to was this man beside me.
She called for help, one of the men said from the shore. You told us to bring her.
The man threw back his head and laughed, unexpected and unguarded, and relief washed through me. His teeth were white and even. Id been imagining the fangs, of course. Vampires werent real. I couldnt believe I even remembered that particular hallucination.
He scooped me up in his arms, and I rested my face against his wet chest as he carried me out of the surf, not quite sure why. The footing must have been uneven, yet he carried me without a misstep, almost gliding over the rough sand. Id never been carried in my lifedespite my short stature I was built upon generous lines, and no one had ever been romantic enough to scoop me up and carry me to bed.
Of course, that wasnt what this man was doing. Come to think of it, what the hell was he doing? I looked up at a huge stone building set on the edge of the sea, and I squirmed, trying to get down. He ignored me. That, at least, felt familiar.
He didnt put me down, and I found I knew him well enough not to expect that he would. Hed kissed me. Sort of. Hed put his cold, wet mouth on mine and breathed life into me, when he was the one whod been on the verge of death.
You wanna put me down? I demanded in a reasonable voice. Not that I expected him to be reasonable, but it was worth a try. He said nothing, and I struggled, but his grip never tightened. It didnt need to; it was loose but unbreakable. Who the fuck are you? I demanded irritably. What are you?
He didnt answer, of course. The other men came up to us, and I had the oddest sense that they were surrounded by some kind of haze or aura. It must be a reaction to the salt water. No matter how hard I tried to focus, things stayed as hazy as my memory.
We can get rid of her now, Raziel, before its too late, one with a cold, deep voice said. She has no more need of you, nor you of her.
The language sounded oddly old-fashioned, and I tried to turn my head to see who was speaking; but Raziel, the man who was holding me, simply pushed my face against his chest. What about the Grace? Surely that would work.
There was a moments silence, one that didnt seem to bode well for my future. With my foggy brain, he was the only thing familiar, and I panicked, reaching up and tugging at his open shirt. Dont let them take me. I sounded pathetic, but there was nothing I could do about it. Id swallowed some salt water before Raziel grabbed me, and my voice was raw.
He glanced down at me, and I knew that look. It was as if he knew everything about me, had read my diaries, peeked into my fantasies. It was unnerving. But then he nodded.
I will keep her, Azazel, he said. At least for now.
Better than nothing, I thought, not precisely flattered. I was tempted to argue, just for the sake of it and because hed sounded so damned grudging, but I had no idea where I might go, and I didnt trust those other men whod tried to
drown my companion.
At least for the moment, as long as he held me, nothing could harm me. I could deal with the rest of it when it happened.
For now, I was safe.
CHAPTER SIX
HAD I LOST MY MIND? I WILL keep her. Ridiculous. I had no use for a human.
It was early evening. Id spent most of the day in the pool, letting the seawater wash my battered body, healing the pain that still spiked through me.
Azazel was looking at me. What are we going to do with the woman? Now is not the time to bring someone new into Sheol, particularly someone with no set purpose. Uriel moves closer, and the Nephilim are at our very doorstep. We cant waste time with inconsequentials.
Where is she? I said, stalling for time, my voice cool as I stretched out on the black leather sofa. The searing agony was gone, but my body ached as if I had run a marathon and then been trampled by a herd of goats.
Sarah has her. She and the other women will take care of her, calm her fears.
Will they tell her the truth? I wasnt sure that was a good idea. The woman was smart, fearless, and just the kind of woman to fight the status quo. The kind of woman who would drive me to insanity and beyond with her ways.
She probably knows already. At least part of it. What she remembers, that is, Azazel said in the icy voice that terrified most of our brethren and managed to roll off my back. Wed been through too much together for him to intimidate me.
We can always make her forget, I said. She has been with me so long the Grace would have to be very strong. Shed be confused for weeks. But it would work. Shes already forgotten what happened when I first took her.
But where will she go, old friend? She died yesterday. Her body has already been cremated.
Shit, I said, thoroughly annoyed. I thought she was Jewish.
You know that some of them no longer follow the old ways.