Archangel of Mercy (26 page)

Chapter Thirty-four

S
ILENCE
vibrated in the air, but frantic fragments of disjointed thoughts—
memories?
—tumbled through her mind.

She had always known he had not forsaken them . . . He had not willingly severed their telepathic link . . . One day she would return to him . . .

They were crazy thoughts. A sign of desperation. Was she trying to fool herself that she, Aurora Robinson, had in a previous life been Gabe’s
beloved
?

It was dreadfully seductive. How easily she could let herself believe it. But it was a fantasy. Not real.
She would not allow her reality to blur.

Tenderly, she cradled his face between her palms, their bodies meshed as if they were one. He had promised to save the ones he loved, and been unable to keep his word. This was the crux of Gabe’s guilt, and he had never been to blame. How could he have known the extent of his goddess’s wrath?

No wonder he loathed her.

“And when it was over”—she hesitated, wondering if she should continue to probe—“she released you?”

“No.” His voice was devoid of emotion. “We rose up against her. Destroyed our City, annihilated the whole damn planet in our battle for freedom. But we were too late. Earth had reset her clock. And the human gene pool had been . . . cleansed.”

“I’m so sorry.” They were trite words but not meaningless. What else could she say?

He rolled onto his side, still holding her, so they faced each other.

“It was my fault. We’d long ago decided to save our own—our beloveds, the Nephilim and current lovers. But I suggested we try and preserve the nucleus of the civilization as well. If I hadn’t done that then there wouldn’t have been the uprising. Our goddess wouldn’t have discovered our plan until we’d executed it.” A trace of bitterness seeped into his voice. “Until it was too fucking late for her to do anything about it.”

The Archangel Gabriel. The Angel of Mercy. The stories had been right, after all.

“It wasn’t your fault.” If only there was some way she could make him believe that. But after so many centuries what hope did
she
have of changing his conviction?

“I’ve never forgiven humans for how they betrayed us to our goddess. For how, as the Earth shifted around them, they turned their wrath on our Nephilim and murdered them.” He offered her a mirthless smile that ate into her heart. “After the destruction of Nibiru we avoided Earth. Utilized our Alpha powers and explored the universe, which was something we’d never been inclined to do before then.”

“But you live on Earth.” The words slipped out before she could stop them and she bit her lip. “I mean, you came back to Earth . . .” Her voice trailed into silence. Not because she didn’t know what to say, but because she was unable to say it.

“It’s our curse.” He sounded resigned. “No matter where we travel or make our so-called permanent base, the Earth calls to some primitive core deep inside us. Whether we live here or not, few of us can stay away for more than a few decades or so. Ironic, isn’t it?”

It wasn’t ironic. She knew why he couldn’t stay away. Mentally she steeled her nerve. “It’s because you all know, even if it’s only subconsciously, that one day your beloveds will be reborn.”

This time the silence was so profound she thought she’d pushed him beyond his limits. She threaded her fingers through his, willed him not to turn from her or tell her it was none of her business. It didn’t matter how every word pierced her heart. All that mattered was Gabe speak of his past in the futile hope that, somehow, it would help heal his wounded soul.

“The knowledge isn’t subconscious.” He raised their joined hands and focused on their entwined fingers. “We knew it would take millennia for the human race to recover from the brink of extinction. Knew that, eventually, the odds would once again be in our favor.” Finally he looked back up at her and the raw despair in his eyes caused her heart to compress in hopeless empathy. “But the odds have never been in our favor, Aurora, because we were never meant to exist. Humans were never supposed to fall in love with us. We watched our beloved Nephilim die, knowing our blood in their veins damned them for eternity. How could we put the ones we loved through that, life after life? How could
we
keep going through that, again and again?”

Her throat ached with unshed tears for all that he’d told her. And all that he had not. And again the seductive, insidious feeling of having known Gabe in another time haunted her. She tried to suppress the thought because it wasn’t just crazy it was insensitive, but she couldn’t help it.

He’d just told her that, in time, their loved ones would be reborn. Aside from encroaching madness how else could she explain the flashes of knowledge she’d experienced? The eerie certainty that she had once understood the language of the ancients; that she had once known the beauty and splendor of Gabe’s incomparable wings as he wrapped them around her?

Was it possible she was the one Gabe had loved so fiercely, so long ago?
He had irrevocably lost his daughter, but wouldn’t he embrace the chance of loving his child’s mother once more?

“But what about you?” She pressed his knuckles against her breast. Against her heart. “Have you never searched for your beloved?”

“No.” There was a chilling finality in his tone and shivers scuttled over her exposed flesh, as if the temperature had just dropped several degrees. Why had she asked him that question? Because a terrible certainty clutched her.
She didn’t want to know the answer.
“Eleni—my beloved—wasn’t a full-blood human like most of the beloveds. She was part Nephilim—descended from an archangel. Our beloveds were our soul mates but because of her heritage Eleni didn’t possess a soul. If she had I would have searched for her until the end of time.”

Pain enveloped her heart, the sensation so heavy and all-encompassing it compressed her lungs, crushed her chest. Fragile hopes and elusive dreams crumbled into dust, as if they had never existed.

Because they never had existed outside of her frighteningly vulnerable mind.

She had never loved Gabe in a previous life, because his beloved had been part angel. And although he couldn’t search for Eleni, he would never stop loving her until the end of time.

“I know what you’re thinking.” He stirred restlessly, and panic clawed through her, magnifying her pain. He couldn’t know what she’d been thinking.
Please let him not have guessed the stupid hopes she’d harbored.
“Eleni wasn’t immortal. She would have died eventually and there would have been no hope of us ever being together again. I know that. Always knew it. But she was taken before her time.” His fingers tightened around hers, willing her to understand. But she did understand. He didn’t have to try and justify his love to her.

She envied that love. And knowing how deeply he adored Eleni only made her, masochistically, love him all the more.

“Nephilim, even when their blood is diluted by generations as Eleni’s was, still lived longer than pureblood humans. We could have had a thousand years or more together. Not long, not for me, but longer than we had.”

She closed her eyes against the bleak expression that clouded his eyes, against the hollow knowledge that this was all he could ever give her, and kissed his knuckles. It wasn’t enough, but maybe it was enough to know that once he had been capable of a love she had only dreamed could exist. And maybe it was enough to know that she, too, was capable of such love.

For her beloved, damaged Archangel of Mercy.

Chapter Thirty-five

D
RESSED
in long black pants, leather boots and black top, Aurora figured she looked the part for a trip into a pirate’s lair. Not that Gabe was any more willing about taking her to the Fornax system as he had been last night but at least he’d stopped arguing. They were sitting in the kitchen, facing each other, and now he was painstakingly initiating telepathic contact with her.

Unlike the day they’d met, when his intrusion had been the equivalent of a casual glance, this time he was penetrating inside her mind. It was electrifying and utterly erotic, although by the tortured frown of concentration on Gabe’s face he was totally missing the sexual connection.

She clamped her lips together before she said anything that might incriminate her. For sure, she knew the brain was the most erogenous zone of the body but for god’s sake, it was almost impossible to sit still when every nerve ending trembled on the precipice of orgasm.

“Am I hurting you?” He ground the words between his teeth. He gave the impression he was in physical pain. “I’m going as slow as I can. Your brain is beautiful.”

For a second she gaped and then an incredulous laugh escaped. “Okay, and now I’ve heard everything.” She trailed a finger along his jaw. “No one has
ever
told me that before.” What’s more, Gabe meant it literally. For some reason that was even more of a turn-on.

His frown intensified, as if he didn’t appreciate her levity. “I don’t want to inadvertently damage you. I have no idea how deep inside your brain your protective network penetrates.”

And until she’d met Gabe she had no idea she’d possessed such a thing. Did her mother even know about it? Or was it such a part of her people’s biology that it was hardly worth commenting on?

Gabe bit out a curse in his ancient language and reared back. Alarm streaked through her and she grabbed his hands and pulled him back toward her. “What’s wrong?” Had he discovered something terrible lurking inside her brain? “What happened?”

He let out a frustrated grunt and jerked his head in denial. “Nothing. Just had a message from Zad—another archangel. He’s at the beach and on his way here.” Gabe sounded disgusted. “Talk about crap timing.”

Had Zad turned up to continue what Mephisto had started? She never had told Gabe everything the other archangel had said to her. Mainly because she had no idea what he’d been going on about. But clearly, he had meant
something
. And hadn’t, as far as she could make out, told Gabe.

From the corner of her eye she saw a figure emerge from the edge of the forest, and she followed Gabe onto the terrace. He threaded his fingers through hers and pulled her to his side, a blatantly possessive gesture. It was as though he was expecting a less than benevolent exchange with the approaching archangel and didn’t want there to be any misunderstanding as to her status.

Although what, exactly, that status might be she wasn’t sure.

Trepidation fluttered in her chest as Zad drew nearer. She didn’t know why she was so nervous. Zad was hardly likely to try and fry her mind when Gabe was right by her side, was he?

“Zad.” Gabe didn’t sound overly friendly. “Caught me at a bad time. I’m running late.”

Mesmerized, Aurora stared at Zad as he came to a halt by the edge of the terrace. His mahogany wings were coated in fine dust and were ragged around the edges as if he’d just escaped from a falling building. He was dressed casually enough in black jeans and shirt but understated power radiated from him, as tangible as a living entity.

Oddly, she found that thought comforting.

“I was passing,” Zad said, his voice deep and melodic, and Aurora still couldn’t tear her gaze from his dark eyes. “Thought I’d stop by.”

She felt tension spike from Gabe. He clearly took exception to the way Zad hadn’t yet taken his intense stare from her. But unlike the way Mephisto had looked at her, there was nothing predatory in Zad’s gaze. He looked at her as if he was
seeing her.

What a crazy thought. She blinked a couple of times to shatter the moment, and thankfully Zad finally transferred his attention to Gabe.

“Like I said.” Gabe sounded a little defensive, although Aurora couldn’t think why. “I have a date with Kala. You know how she is if kept waiting.”

Was Kala the pirate they were scheduled to meet? She’d better be.

“Not personally.” Zad shot Aurora another glance before returning his attention to Gabe. “Don’t let me keep you. I’ll stay here and entertain your guest.”

In the same second that Gabe shoved her away from Zad, Aurora realized there was no sexual undertow in the other archangel’s words. He meant, literally, he would entertain her while Gabe was gone. And the weird thing was she was almost tempted.

“No need.” There was a definite edge in Gabe’s voice. “Aurora’s coming with me.”

“You’re taking a human to the Fornax Galaxy?” Zad’s voice remained even but Aurora could feel the fury vibrating beneath each word. Fascinated, she glanced between Zad and Gabe. What was going on? Why did Zad give the impression he was concerned about her welfare when he’d never even met her before? And equally, why wasn’t she irritated by his interference?

“She’s under my protection.” Gabe was obviously irritated enough for the both of them, if the glare he was directing at Zad was any indication. “
No
one
touches her.”

Neanderthal or not, there was no denying the jolt of pleasure that seared her chest at his blatant declaration of possession. Although why he felt the need to stake his claim to Zad she couldn’t imagine. If
she
knew Zad had no interest in her sexually then why on earth didn’t Gabe?

Zad turned to her and held out his right hand, palm up. His gaze meshed with hers and his challenge was blatant.

“Zadkiel,” he said.

Gabe’s grip on her right hand became painful. His message was obvious.

But he didn’t own her. And while she had no idea what Zad was up to, she was absolutely clear on one thing. Gabe was completely wrong if he thought Zad wanted to seduce her.

She placed her left hand on top of Zad’s. “Aurora Robinson.”

Briefly, he squeezed her hand before he stepped back and turned to Gabe. Who looked murderous.

“Occasionally,” Zad said, “I have been known to be wrong. But whatever the truth is, any mortal woman who defies you has my blessing.”

Gabe growled. Zad unfurled his wings and took another step back.

“Let her in, Gabe.” Was that a command or a plea? And what the hell did he
mean
?

She watched, awestruck, as Zad soared into the sky and disappeared. And then she turned to Gabe, who was glowering at the distant forest as if he’d like to incinerate it.

“Who
is
he? What did he mean?”

“You know who he is.” Gabe sounded pissed. “The Archangel Zadkiel.”

“No.” She frowned at his obtuse attitude. He knew she was asking for more than Zad’s name. “I mean, who
is
he?”

He transferred his glare to her and she was certain he wasn’t going to answer her. She folded her arms and glared back. After a moment his expression transmuted from frustrated anger into something that looked like disbelief.

“Why do you defy me at every turn?” It wasn’t a threat. He sounded as if it was a revelation that not only she dared to defy him, but he’d not struck her down long ago for doing so.

“I don’t know.” She decided she might as well be honest, since the look of bemusement on his face had dissolved her flare of irritation at his attitude. “It just comes naturally.”

For a second she thought he was going to take issue with that comment. And when she thought about it, it
was
hard to believe that she treated Gabe like a regular human man. She doubted she’d forget his immortal status if he still possessed his wings. Yet would it really make that much difference? No matter how she should behave in the presence of an archangel, he’d still be the same to her however he looked.

Finally he let out a measured breath, clearly deciding to let the matter go. Probably because he couldn’t figure out the answer any better than she could.

“Zad was the first archangel to fall. Centuries before any other of us did. Zad and his beloved”—Gabe hesitated for a second, and a ghostly finger of presentiment trickled along her spine—“were Eleni’s distant ancestors. Eleni was almost the last of Zad’s direct bloodline. He adored Eleni.”

—

GABE WOUND HIS
arm around Aurora and teleported to the largest planet in the seventh system of Fornax, directly into the outer sanctum of Kala’s personal penthouse suite. It wasn’t strictly protocol, but it effectively bypassed the numerous security measures set up to block a multitude of lesser beings from entering the building. The female guard who gave him a piercing once-over was a high-grade half-blood demon and didn’t appear impressed with his arrival.

“The Primus is expecting me.” He tightened his grip on Aurora’s hand and hoped that, for once, she’d do as he’d asked and keep her mouth shut while they were here.

“Wait here.” The guard flicked a disinterested glance at Aurora and her lip curled in clear affront that he’d dared to bring a mere human, uninvited.

He still couldn’t believe it himself. He’d fully intended to leave her behind but Zad, damn him, had forced his hand. As soon as the door swished shut behind the guard Aurora let out a ragged breath.

“This isn’t quite what I was expecting.” Her voice was scarcely above a whisper. “I was imagining the pirates would live in a dodgy dive somewhere.”

He completed his third scan of the room since arriving before looking at her.

“Don’t, under any circumstances, refer to Kala as a pirate.” Gods, when had he ever given Aurora the impression Kala was a pirate? “She’s third-generation pureblood demon and doesn’t let anyone forget it.”

“Oh.” For one misguided second he thought she was going to leave it at that. “So, I don’t really understand. What’s the connection between the demons and the pirates?”

He swallowed a groan of frustration. Aurora really picked her moments.

“When the demons were banished from Earth, a lot of them ended up in the Fornax Galaxy. So too did a lot of their half-blood descendants—those who survived the initial banishment, that is.” He attempted to psychically penetrate the inner sanctum, to discover what Kala was playing at by keeping him waiting. His mental probe bounced off the wall and exploded in his mind, like deadly shrapnel. He gritted his teeth and struggled to remember what he’d been saying. “But over millennia the chasm between the demons and those they considered unworthy of acknowledging as their descendants widened. Remember I told you they breed indiscriminately? They only claim parentage if the offspring is exceptional. Most of the time demon spawn is left to its own devices.” If demons, like archangels, were able to procreate only with the one they loved would they also cherish every child? “The crème of the hierarchy spread throughout this Galaxy, conquering worlds populated by primitive mortals. Their abandoned descendants, for the most part, merged into the mortal population. But a segment carved out lucrative careers in piracy.”

Her eyes widened in comprehension and her lips parted as another inevitable question formed in that irresistible brain of hers. But the door to Kala’s inner sanctum swished open, and the guard beckoned with one autocratic jerk of her head.

Twilight slanted through the faceted glass wall that gave panoramic views over the impressive sky city, bathing the luxuriously appointed room in a surreal glow. Kala, tall, sleek and demonically beautiful, stood in front of her desk, arms folded, pale gold wings partially extended. She always confronted him that way. Flaunting their haunting beauty, the cream highlights threading through the gold in a perfect inverse of his own long lost wings.

For the first time the sight didn’t make him want to demolish something.

“Primus Kala.” He inclined his head in a gesture of greeting, acknowledging her rank.

“Archangel Gabriel.” She flicked Aurora a glance. “I see the rumors are true. You are ensnared by a human female.” Chilly amusement tinged her words. “How quaint that you felt the need to bring it with you.”

Gabe refused to rise to the bait despite the fact Kala had deliberately used the one language in the universe that Aurora could understand. He wanted answers from Kala and he’d get nothing if he pissed her off.

“I’ve heard there’s a pirate tribe based in the Seventh System who trade in minors from the Andromeda Galaxies. Heard any of
those
rumors?”

Kala didn’t rise to his bait, either.

“Those that specialize in minors have no need to raid the Andromedas. We have plenty of our own ripe for harvesting in the lesser Sectors.”

Aurora made a choking sound and her nails dug into his hand. He tightened his grip, a silent warning to bite her tongue. She was under his protection but they were in Kala’s jurisdiction, and if Aurora annoyed the demon it was doubtful Kala would give a shit about ancient protocols.

He hadn’t been giving a shit about them just lately either.

“My intel was clear.” At least, Eblis had been clear that pirates from Fornax had been discussing a solar system located in Andromeda. His informant who’d named
this
planet had been virtually incoherent with terror and hadn’t categorically stated anything much that made sense. But fortunately Kala was unable to penetrate his mind, just as he was unable to penetrate hers.

“Your intel,” Kala said, “is faulty.”

“If the Higher Councils in the Andromeda Galaxies discover the trade they’ll turn Fornax inside out.”

“There is no trade, Gabriel.” Kala rolled her shoulders and her wings expanded a fraction more. “The dickless wonders who rule the Andromedas would stand no chance against Fornax. And they know it.”

“But this isn’t any ordinary child, is it?” Aurora said. Damn, she just couldn’t help herself, could she? Fortunately Kala completely ignored the interruption, acting like Aurora’s outburst was as meaningful as a pet cat stretching.

“If you have solid evidence, by all means do share. Otherwise you know what you can do with your
intel
.”