Scowling at his display of weakness, he steadied his hand and flipped away her hair, careful not to touch her injured skin. He pinched the scooped neck of her robe and gently tugged. The soft material ripped easily, revealing the expanse of her back.
Once again, his eyes widened. Between her shoulder blades, where wings should have protruded, were two long grooves of broken skin, tendons torn to the spine, ripped muscle and even a peek at bone. They were savage wounds, violent and unmerciful, blood still seeping from them. Hed had his own wings forcibly removed once, and it had been the most painful injury of his very long life.
What happened? The hoarseness of his voice threw him.
Ive fallen, she rasped, shame dripping from her tone. She buried her face in the pillow. Im angel no more.
Why? Never having encountered an angel beforewell, besides Lysander, but that bastard didnt count because he refused to speak to the Lords about anything of importanceAeron didnt know much about them. He only knew what Legion had told him, and of course, there was a very good chance her recounting had been colored by her hatred of them. Nothing shed described fit with the female on his bed.
Angels, Legion had said, were emotionless, soulless creatures with only one purpose: the destruction of their darker counterpart, the demons. Shed also claimed that, every so often, an angel would succumb to the lures of the flesh, intrigued by the very beings heor shewas supposed to loathe. That angel would then be kicked straight into hell, where the demons she had once defeated were finally allowed a little vengeance.
Was that what had happened to this one? Aeron wondered. A trip to hell, where demons had tormented her? Possible.
Should he untie her? Her eyesso guileless, so innocent. Now they said help me. And save me.
But most of all, they said hold me and never let go.
Hed been tricked by such innocence before, he thought, stopping himself before he could act. Baden had been tricked, as well, and had died for it.
A smart man would learn a little more about this woman first, he decided.
Who took your wings? The question emerged as a gruff bark, and he nodded in satisfaction.
She gulped, shuddered. Once I was cast
Aeron, you stupid shit, a male voice said, hushing her. Tell me you didnt Paris stalked into his bedroom, but ground to a halt when he spotted Olivia. His eyes narrowed, and he ran his tongue over his teeth. So. Its true. You really flew out there and grabbed her.
Olivia stiffened, keeping her face hidden from view. Her shoulders began shaking as if she were sobbing. Was she finally scared? Now?
Why? Women adored Paris.
Concentrate. Aeron didnt have to ask how Paris knew what hed done. Torin, keeper of the demon of Disease, monitored the fortress and the hill it sat upon twenty-eight hours a day, nine days a week (or so it seemed). I thought you were gathering the others.
Torin texted me, and I went to him first.
And what did he tell you about her?
Hallway, his friend said, motioning to the door with a tilt of his chin.
Aeron shook his head. We can discuss her here. Shes not Bait.
Another swipe of his tongue over his straight, white teeth. And I thought I was stupid when it came to females. How do you know what she is? Did she tell you and you couldnt help but believe her? His tone was sneering.
Shes an angel, despot. The one whos been watching me.
That wiped the scorn from Pariss expression. An actual angel? From heaven?
Yes.
Like Lysander?
Yes.
Very slowly, Paris looked her over. Female connoisseur that he wasor used to behe probably knew everything about her body by the time he was done. The size of her breasts, the flare of her hips, the exact length of her legs. That did not annoy Aeron. She meant nothing to him. Nothing but trouble.
Whatever she is, Paris said, far less angry than hed been, it doesnt mean shes not working with our enemy. Need I remind you that Galen, the worlds biggest blowhard, says hes an angel?
Yeah, but hes lying.
And she cant be?
Aeron scrubbed a hand down his suddenly tired face. Olivia. Are you working with Galen to harm us?
No, she mumbled, and Paris stumbled backward, just as Aeron had done, clutching his chest.
My gods, his friend gasped. That voice
I know.
Shes not Bait, and shes not helping Galen. A statement of fact from Paris now.
I know, Aeron repeated.
Paris shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. Still. Lucien will want to search the hill for Hunters. Just in case.
One of the many reasons Aeron had always followed Lucien. The warrior was smart and cautious. When he finishes, call a meeting with whoevers here and tell them about the other woman. The one from the alley.
Paris nodded and suddenly there was a sparkle in his blue eyes. Quite an evening youve had so far, huh? I wonder who else youll meet tonight.
Gods help me if theres another, he muttered.
You shouldnt have challenged Cronus, my friend.
Aerons stomach clenched as his gaze swung back to the angel. Had the god king actually answered his dare? Was Olivia to be the one who led him for a merry chase? His heart was pounding, he realized, and his blood was heating.
He ground his teeth. Didnt matter whether she was or not. She could try to tempt him, but even she, with her fall of chocolate hair, baby blues and heart-shaped lips, would fail to do so.
I dont regret my words. Truth or lie, he didnt know. He hadnt thought Cronus had any power over the angels. So how then would the god king have sent her here? Or was he not responsible? Perhaps Aeron was mistaken and Cronus had nothing to do with this.
Again, it didnt matter. Not only would the angel fail to tempt him, he would ensure she left before she had time to cause a single moment of concern.
Just so you know, Paris said, Torin saw this one on the hill with his hidden cameras. Said she dug her way out of the ground.
Out of the ground. Did that mean she had been tossed into hell, and had then been forced to claw her way free? He couldnt picture the fragile-looking female doing such a thingand surviving, that is. But then he recalled the determination shed displayed while running toward the fortress. Maybe.
Is that true? He looked her over with new eyes. Sure enough, there was dirt under her fingernails and smeared on her arms. Besides the blood, however, her robe was perfectly clean.
In fact, as he watched, the tear hed made wove itself back together, much like his body did when wounded. A piece of cloth with healing properties. Would wonders never cease?
Olivia. You will answer.
She nodded without glancing up. He heard a sniff, sniff. Yes, she was sobbing.
An ache bloomed in his chest, but he ignored it. Doesnt matter what she is or what shes endured. You will not soften, damn it. She frightens and hurts Legion and has to go.
A real, live angel, Paris said, clearly awed. Ill take her to my room, if youd like, and
Shes too injured for bedsport, Aeron snapped.
Paris eyed him strangely for a moment, then grinned and shook his head. I wasnt sizing her up or anything, so let go of your jealousy.
That didnt even deserve a response. Hed never experienced jealousy, and wasnt about to start now. So why were you offering to take her to your room?
So I can bandage her wounds. Whos the despot now?
Ill take care of her. Maybe. Could angels tolerate human medicine? Or would it hurt them? He knew well the dangers of giving one race something meant for another. Ashlyn had almost died when shed drunk wine meant only for immortals.
He would have called for Lysander, but the elite warrior angel was currently living in the heavens with Bianka and if there was a way to reach him, Aeron hadnt been told what it was. Besides, Lysander didnt like him and wasnt the type to willingly offer information about his race.
You want to be the responsible one, fine. But admit it. Paris tossed him another grin. Youre staking a claim on her.
No. Im not. He didnt have even the smallest desire to do so. It was just that she was injured and couldnt take care of herself, and was therefore in no position to be anyones bedmate. And thats all Paris would want her for. Sex. No matter what the warrior claimed.
Besides, shed called for Aeron. Screamed Aerons name.
Undeterred, Paris continued, An angel isnt technically human, you know. An angel is something more.
Aeron popped his jaw. Of all the things for the man to remember from their earlier conversation. I said Im not staking a claim.
Paris laughed. Whatever you say, compadre. Enjoy your female.
Aerons hands curled into fists, his friends laughter not so welcome now. Go and tell Lucien everything weve discussed, but under no circumstances are you to inform the women that theres a wounded angel here. Theyll raid my room wanting to meet her and now is not the time for that.
Why? Do you plan to make out with her?
His teeth ground with so much force he feared they would soon be nothing but a fond memory. I plan to question her.
Ah. So thats what the kids are calling it these days. Well, have fun. With that, a still-grinning Paris strolled from the room.
Alone once more with his charge, Aeron gazed down at her. Her silent sobbing ended, at least, and she faced him again.
What are you doing here, Olivia? Saying her name shouldnt have affected himhed said it before, after allbut it did. His blood heated another degree. It must be those eyes of herspiercing him
A shuddering breath escaped her. I knew the consequences, knew I was giving up my wings, my abilities, my immortality, but I did it anyway. Its justmy job changed. Joy was no longer mine to give. Only death. And I hated what they wanted me to do. I couldnt do it, Aeron. I just couldnt.
His name on her lips, uttered with such familiarity, affected him, too, and he sucked in a breath. What was wrong with him? Toughen up. Be the cold, hard warrior I know you can be.
I watched you, she continued, as well as those around you, and Iached. I wanted you, and I wanted what they hadfreedom and love and fun. I wanted to play. I wanted to kiss and to touch. I wanted joy of my own. Her gaze met his, bleak, broken. In the end, I had a choice. Fallor kill you. I decided to fall. So here I am. Yours.
CHAPTER THREE
YOURS. SHE SHOULDNT have said that.
Olivia froze in horror, one thought blasting through her mind louder than any other: shed just ruined everything.
She should have eased Aeron into the truth. After all, every time shed approached him these past few weeks, hed threatened her with agony and death. That shed been invisible hadnt mattered. Hed known she was nearby. How, she still hadnt figured out. She should have been imperceptible, as insubstantial as a phantom of the night. And now that she was here, in the flesh and spilling her secrets, he probably viewed her as even more of a threat. He probably viewed her as an enemy.
Probably? She laughed without humor. He did. His questions had lashed at her, cutting deep. Yep. Shed ruined. Hed want nothing to do with her now. Well, except to bestow that agony and death upon her.
You didnt fight your way from the depths of hell to be slaughtered in this fortress. Shed fought her way out of hell for a chance with Aeron. Despite the chance of failure.
You can do this. Having surreptitiously watched him time and time again, she felt she knew him pretty well. He was disciplined, distanced and brutally honest. He trusted no one but his friends. Weakness was not a trait he tolerated. And yet, to those he loved, he was kind, nurturing and solicitous. He placed their well-being above his own. I want to be loved like that.
If only he could have seen her before shed been kicked out of the only home shed ever known. If only hed seen her before her ability to fly had been taken away. Before her newfound skill of creating weapons from air had been obliterated. Before her capacity to shield herself from this worlds evil had been removed.
Now
She was weaker than a human. Having relied on her wings rather than her legs for the whole of her centuries-long existence, she didnt even know how to walk properly. What if she couldnt do this?
A sob escaped her. Shed given up her home and friends for pain, humiliation and helplessness. If Aeron kicked her out, too, shed have nowhere to go.
Dont cry, Aeron ground out.
I canthelpit, she replied between shuddering whimpers. Only once before had she shed tearsand those had sprung because of Aeron, as well, when shed realized her feelings for him were completely overshadowing her sense of self-preservation.
The magnitude of what shed done was now a screaming force inside her head. She was alone, trapped in a frail body she didnt understand, and dependent on the mercy of a man who sometimes wreaked deathly havoc on an unsuspecting public. A public she, as a bringer of joy, had once been responsible for making happy.
Try, damn you.
Can youmaybeI dont knowhold me? she said between gasps of air.
No. He sounded horrified by the thought. You will simply desist immediately.
She cried all the harder. Had she been home her mentor, Lysander, would have gathered her close and cooed until she quieted. At least, she thought he would have done so, since the theory had never been tested.
Poor, sweet Lysander. Did he know she was gone? Did he know she could never return? Hed known she was fascinated with Aeron, spending every free moment in this plane to watch him in secret, unable to complete the terrible task shed been given, but Lysander had never expected her to give up everything for the man.
To be honest, she hadnt, either. Not really.
Perhaps she should have since her troubles had begun even before shed first laid eyes on Aeron.
A few months ago, golden down appeared in her wings. But gold was the color of the warriors, and a warrior she had never longed to be. Even though it would have elevated her station.