She gulped, not wanting to admit how things had unfolded but knowing she owed him an explanation. The dark one, Reyeshe has visited the heavens many times because of his woman, Danika. I saw him once and followed him here, curious about the life a demon-possessed warrior could have built for himself.
Wait. Aeron scowled over at her. You followed Reyes.
Yes. Hadnt she just said that?
But you followed Reyes. Anger radiated from him, body and tone.
Yes, she whispered, understanding. Suddenly she wished shed kept that part of the story to herself. She knew how protective Aeron was of his friends, and his dislike of her had to be growing by the minute. I didnt hurt him, though. II spent every day afterward traipsing these grounds. Following you. Wanting you. I was chosen because I, better than anyone, knew your routine.
Or had the elders sensed her mounting desire for him, and thought that if she were the one to eliminate Aeron, she would eliminate that appalling desire, as well? Shed often wondered.
Just so you know, Reyes has a woman. Aeron arched a brow, disrupting the etching of ghostly souls on his forehead. Screaming souls rising toward damnation. But that hardly matters. I want to know how you would have killed me.
She would have formed a sword of fire, just as Lysander had taught her, and taken his head. That was the quickest death an angel could deliver, she was told. The quickest and the most merciful, over and done with before a single thread of pain could be felt.
There are ways, was all she said.
But you fell and are now unable to complete your mission, Aeron replied, and now his voice was tight with dread. Someone else will be sent in your place, wont they?
Finally he was beginning to understand. She nodded.
His frown gave way to another scowl. Like I said, I will allow no harm to befall Legion. Shes mine, and I protect whats mine.
Oh, to be his, she thought, the longing inside her fiercer than her lingering pain. Thats why she was here, after all. Better to experience a moment with him than a lifetime with anyone else.
She would have liked more than a moment, yes, but a moment was all they had. When her replacement came, and he would, Aeron would die. Though her heart sank at the thought, the circumstances were as simple as that. Aeron would be defenseless against an opponent he could not see, hear or touch. An opponent who would be able to see, hear and touch him.
And, knowing heavenly justice as she did, that replacement would be Lysander. Olivia had failed, and so her mentor would be held responsible for her shortcoming.
Lysander wouldnt hesitate to deliver the final blow. He never did. Yes, he was different now that hed mated with Bianka, a Harpy and descendant of Lucifer himself. But to walk away from Aeron meant that Lysander, too, would have to fall. He would have to give up his forever with Bianka, and that was not something the elite warrior would do. Bianka had become his everything.
I thank you for the warning. Aeron pushed to his feet. If hed said something before that, shed missed it, distracted as shed been. What was wrong with her? Shed come here for him, but since her arrival, shed mostly retreated into her mind.
Youre welcome. But theres something Id like in return. II would like to stay here, she rushed out. With you. I can even help with your maid duties, if youd like. So many times shed watched Aeron clean this fortress, grumbling about his hatred for the assigned chore.
He bent down to untie her wrists, his motions so tender he elicited only the barest twinges of pain. Im afraid that isnt possible.
Butwhy? I wont be any trouble. Honest.
You have already caused trouble.
Her chin started trembling again, the emotional numbness shed experienced fading quickly. He still plans to get rid of me. Fear, confusion, despair all bombarded her. She buried her face in the pillow, not wanting Aeron to see. She was already at enough of a disadvantage with him.
Woman, he growled. I told you not to cry.
Then dont hurt my feelings. The words were muffled from the cotton pressed against her lipsand yes, from her tears.
There was a rustle of clothing, as if he were shifting from one foot to the other. Hurt your feelings? You should be grateful I havent killed you. You caused me untold grief this past month. I had no idea who followed me or why. My loyal companion couldnt remain with me and had to return to a place she loathes.
A place she deserved to be, despite Aerons earlier assertion, but whatever, as some of the Lords were fond of saying. Im sorry. Despite everything, she really was. Soon, he would lose all he valued and there would be nothing either of them could do to stop it from happening.
Dont think like that or youll start crying again.
He sighed. I accept your apology, but that doesnt change anything. You arent welcome here.
He forgave her? Finally, a step in the right direction. But
You are fallen, but youre still immortal. Yes? He didnt give her time to reply. Her clothing had healed itself, so in his mind it probably stood to reason that she would, too. Youll be fine by morning. And then Ill want you out of this fortress.
CHAPTER FOUR
AERON PACED THE LENGTH of the hallway. Hed been at it for hours, but saw no reprieve in his immediate future. Someone had to guard the angel. Not from intruders but from her intrusion, just in case she was here to sneak about and listen to things she shouldnt.
A rationalization that didnt make a lot of sense, but one he would stick with. Yes, she could have listened to things she shouldnt have as an angel, invisible and protected, but she was vulnerable now, and she could one day be captured by the Hunters and used to hurt his friends.
His hands fisted, and he forced his mind to retreat from thoughts of her torture and their deaths before he punched a wall. Or a friend.
Besides, when Olivia was well enough, which should be any time now, part of him expected her to try and escape his room to hunt for Legion. Even though Legion was absent, that wasnt something Aeron would allow. Not that Olivia, fallen as she now was, could do much damage during her search.
Still. She could reveal her findings to another angel, the one she predicted would come, and that angel could attempt to see the deed done.
Not on my watch, he thought.
His friends had already had their meetinghed heard their mutterings, then their laughter, then their footsteps as they partedbut he had no idea what had been decided. No one had visited him. Were they going to pursue the odd female hed met in that alley? Had Lucien found any sign of Hunters on the hill?
Aeron hadnt changed his mind; he didnt believe Olivia was involved with them. But they could have followed her here. Sneak attacks were their specialty, after all.
And really, an invasion would be the perfect end to this terrible night.
Half an hour ago, hed called for Legion to warn her about what was happening. Usually, no matter the distance between them, she heard his cry and came to him. Not this time. Like Lucien, she could flash from one location to another with only a thought, but she hadnt appeared.
Was she hurt? Bound? He was tempted to formally summon her, just as shed taught himthough until Olivias explanation, he hadnt understood what she meantfor that wasnt something she could ignore. The more hed considered the possibility, the more hed thought it likely that the angelfallen or nothad to be out of the fortress before Legion would feel comfortable enough to return. He remembered her fear, the way shed trembled even uttering the word angel.
He could have asked Olivia to stop doing whatever she was doing that pained the little demon and not him. Or his friends, for that matter. Theyd never sensed Olivia, not in any way. But he hadnt asked. She was healing, and he didnt want to disturb her.
Especially when shed done so much for him already. No softening.
So hed left Legion alone, as well. For now.
Not that he could imagine the fragile Olivia hurting anyone. Even at full strengthwhatever that was. Should it come to a fight, Legion would have the angel pinned, those poisoned fangs deep inside Olivias vein, in seconds.
Thats my girl, he thought, grinning. Only, his grin didnt last. The thought of Olivia dying didnt sit well. She hadnt killed him as shed been ordered. Not that she could have, but she hadnt even tried to do so. Nor had she harmed Legion, as shed probably wished to. She wanted only to experience the joys of life shed clearly been denied.
She didnt deserve to die.
For a moment, only a moment, he thought about keeping her. As calm as Wrath was around her, not demanding he punish her for some crime shed committed twenty years ago, a day ago, a minute ago, she would be the perfect companion for him. She could see to his needs, as Paris had said.
Needs hed claimed not to have. But he couldnt deny that while hed been crouched beside her, something had stirred inside him. Something hot and dangerous. Shed smelled of sunshine and earth, and her eyes, as blue and clear as the morning sky, had regarded him with trust and hope. As if he were a savior rather than a destroyer. And hed liked it.
Idiot! A demon, keeping an angel? Hardly. Besides, shes here to have fun and you, my friend, are as far from fun as a man can be.
Aeron.
Finally. News. Relieved to push Olivia from his thoughts, Aeron whipped around and saw Torin leaning one shoulder against the wall, gloved arms crossed over his chest and an irreverent smile curling his mouth.
As keeper of Disease, Torin couldnt touch another being skin to skin without beginning a plague. The gloves protected them all.
Once again, a Lord of the Underworld has a woman locked in his chambers while he tries to figure out what to do with her. Torin chuckled.
Before Aeron could reply, images began flashing through his head. Images of Torin lifting a blade, expression intent, determined. That blade descendednailed its target in the heartand emerged wet and red.
The man whod been stabbed, a human, collapsed into a heap on the ground. Dead. There was a figure eight tattooed on his wrist, the symbol of infinity and the mark of a Hunter. He hadnt hurt Torin, hadnt even threatened to do so. The two had simply passed each other on the street, some four hundred years ago, when the warrior had left the fortress to finally be with the woman hed fallen for, but had first spied the brand and attacked.
To Wrath, the act was malicious and without provocation. To Wrath, the act deserved punishment.
Aeron had seen this particular event many times already, and each time hed had to suppress the urge to act. Now was no different. He actually felt his fingers curling around the hilt of his dagger, the need to stab Torin as Torin had stabbed the Hunter strong.
I would have done the same thing, he mentally shouted at the demon. I would have killed that Hunter, maliciously and without provocation. Torin doesnt deserve castigation.
Wrath growled.
Calm. Aerons arm fell to his side, his hand empty.
Demon wanting a go at me? Torin asked matter-of-factly.
His friends knew him very well. Yes, but no worries. Ive got the bastard under control.
He thought he heard the demon snort.
The more he denied Wrath, the more its desire to penalize would growuntil the need overtook Aeron so completely, he would snap. That was when hed fly into town, no one safe, the slightest sins met with absolute cruelty and ruthlessness.
Those vengeance sprees were the reason Aeron had tattooed himself as he had. As he was immortal and prone to heal quickly, hed had to mix dried ambrosia into the ink to be permanently marked and it had been like injecting fire straight into his veins. Had he minded, though? Hell, no. Every time he looked into the mirror, he was reminded of the things hed doneand what he would do again if he wasnt careful.
But more than that, the tattoos assured him that the people hed killed, the ones who hadnt deserved to die, would never truly be forgotten. Sometimes that helped ease his guilt. And sometimes it helped dim his irrational pride in the demons strength.
sure you have control?
What? he asked, pulling himself from his thoughts.
Torin grinned again. I asked if you were sure you had control of your demon. Youre winking in and out, and your eyes are glowing red.
Im fine. Unlike Olivia, there wasnt utter truth in his voice. The lie was there for all to hear.
I believe you. Really. Soback to our conversation? Torin asked.
Where had he gotten sidetracked? Oh, yes. Im sure you didnt come here to compare me to our mated friends. Im hardly the love-struck fool all of them were when they brought their women here.
And just like that, youve ruined my next three jokes. Youre no fun.
Exactly what Aeron had thought when Olivia had mentioned her three desires. Having the knowledge confirmed, though, scraped him up inside for reasons he couldnt explain. Torin. Your purpose, please.
Fine. Your angels already causing problems. Some of us want to get rid of her, and some want to keep her. Im on Team Keep. I think we need to charm her to our side before you make her hate us all and she decides to help the enemy.
Stay away from her. Aeron didnt want the warrior anywhere near Olivia. And it had nothing to do with the mans white hair, black brows and green eyes that never seemed to take anything seriously, ensuring Torin didnt need to touch a woman to win her.
Torin rolled those eyes. Moron. You should be thanking me, not threatening me. I came to tell you to hide her. Williams on my team and he wants to be the one to do the charming.
William, an immortal with a sex addiction. An immortal with black hair and blue eyes even more wicked than Torins. A warrior who was tall, muscled and untamed. A warrior whose only tattoos were hidden under his clothes. If Aeron was remembering correctly, there was an X over his heart and a treasure map on his back. A treasure map that crossed his ribs and dipped around his waist, finally ending over his fun zone.