Loving Angel (A Divisa Novel Book 4) (16 page)

Christ. If one female wasn’t mad at me, then the other one was. I couldn’t win.

“Why do you look like you’re suckin’ on a lemon?” Angel asked, eyeing me.

I leaned the back of my head against the wall. “Because I will never be able to erase the memory of my cousin sprawled all over what’s-his-face from my mind. I’m going to have nightmares.”

Angel’s wrapped her arms around my waist, resting her chin on my shoulder. “You better go talk to her.”

Her touch was soothing, giving me a clear head. She was right. Being at odds with Lexi was the last thing I needed, and admitting that I’d acted on pure emotion yet again was going to be my college motto. I rounded the top of the stairs, a whole speech rehearsed in my head, but when I got to her room, it was empty. Sheer pink curtains danced in the corner under an open window.

“Shit,” I grumbled, exhaling.

Chapter 20

My initial reaction was to take off after her. It would only take me a minute to get a whiff of her scent and catch up to her. Lexi’s skills on covering her tracks were about as accurate as her tracking.

They stunk.

She was great at many things, but hunting wasn’t one of them. I planted my butt on the edge of her bed, staring out the window into the darkness blanketing the sky, the milky Chinese star still clutched in my hand. I had a choice. I could…

1. Find Lexi and drag her back home kicking and screaming like a toddler.
   
2. Or I could make a phone call to my source, in an attempt to try to uncover information about this never-seen-before weapon.
   

After all the heat I took for humiliating Lexi and giving Colin the boot, I was leaning toward the less dangerous of the two. The weapon. It was safe to say that it might be best if Lexi and I both had time to cool off.

There was only one other person that came to mind who knew more about weapons than me. Ironically, getting them to talk to me was going to be difficult, if not downright impossible, but I had to bite the bullet. Hell, she might shoot me on sight. It was a gamble I was willing to take.

Maybe we could put our differences aside for one night, grin and bear it for the sake of… Shit, who was I kidding? I couldn’t think of one good reason why Emma would help me. There was a better chance that it would snow in summer. Yet, it wasn’t going to stop me from trying and appealing to the tiniest part of her that might still have compassion, a heart even.

Tapping my thumb against the four-pointed star, I listened as water from the bathroom Lexi and Angel shared ran through the pipes. The sound was like white noise. Calming. Tranquil. Rhythmical.

I pulled my phone from the back pocket of my jeans and snapped a few pics of my new toy. Now that my mind was made up, I sent Travis a text, adding one of the pictures.

He was quick to reply.
Is this a new hobby?

I gave a chuckle/snort.
Hardly. Do me a favor? Show this to Emma and find out if it is a weapon used by hunters.

That’s asking a lot considering… She’s barely talking to me.

I wrote back.
You are with her though, right?

The phone lit up in my hand.
Hang on.

Setting the phone aside, I sat twiddling the star, studying the engravings along the blades as I waited for Travis to respond. As soon as the phone vibrated, I snatched it off the bed.

She wants to meet
flashed across the screen.

I thought about it for a whole minute. There was always the possibility that it was a trap, but it was a chance I had to take if it got me closer to finding out who was taunting us.
When and where?

Thirty minutes. At the Underground Café.

I’ll be there.
I texted back.

Emma says bring the shurkien.

Shurkien?

She must know what it was, which was both a relief and nerve-racking.

The Underground Café was a twenty-four hour joint that served stale coffee and runny scrambled eggs. It couldn’t compare to the Village Diner back home, but few could. If Emma was agreeing to meet at a public place, I could safely assume she wouldn’t attempt to drive a dagger into my heart.

Slipping the phone back into my pocket, I stood up and walked into the hallway. I didn’t bother with the lights. They were unnecessary when you had night vision. I stopped outside the bathroom door, hearing the splash of water. My fingers turned the knob, and I stuck my face into the open crack with the intent of telling Angel that I was going out, but as soon as I heard her slightly off-key voice singing, I changed tactics. It was a temptation I couldn’t resist.

I pushed the door, letting it slowly swing open as I leaned against the doorframe. Angel was covered with purple bubbles that piled higher than the rim of the tub. Her earbuds were in, the air smelled like a garden, and she was belting the lyrics to what I was pretty sure was a country song.

Who would have thought that the city girl had gone country? Certainly not me, and I knew she hadn’t either. I stood in the doorway with a grin on my lips, waiting for her to notice me. It was nice to take a moment and appreciate the little things, appreciate her—literally.

I didn’t have to wait long. Our bond made it nearly impossible to sneak up on the other. Already, I felt the tingle intensify as her lashes fluttered open.

I watched in mischievous pleasure as her eyes went wide and she jumped out of her skin. Unfortunately for me, those blue eyes darkened to a simmer after seeing my face. It didn’t help that in her startled reaction, she’d knocked her iPod into the water. Immediately after, she tore the earbuds from her ears and wore a scowl on her pretty lips. “God damn it!” she protested, shifting up higher against the tub. “You owe me a new iPod.”

I laughed.

“Oh. You think that’s funny.” She took a swooping armful of water and bubbles, flinging them at me. To her chagrin more ended up on the floor than on me.

And that only made my smile grow.

“Why exactly are you interrupting my spa night?” she asked, crossing her arms sheepishly over her chest.

I flicked a bubble off my shirt. “Don’t get modest on me now. You are completely covered by purpled bubbles, and it’s not like I haven’t seen you before.”

“Still, a knock wouldn’t kill you.”

“Did you put food coloring in your bath?” I asked, truly curious. It wasn’t the bubbles that were colored, but the water.

The steam flushed her cheeks. “No, dork. It’s called a bath bomb.”

“Oh, great. That’s better. You put a bomb in the tub with you.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re so lame.”

I crossed my ankles, admiring the view and wondering if it was really necessary that I do this now. Leaving her alone weighed heavily on my conscience, making me short. “I’m going out.”

“Where?”

“Does it matter?” The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

She looked up, hurt. “I guess not.”

I could be such a dipshit. Stress and constantly dodging danger did that to me. My eyes softened as I sighed. “Look, I’m sorry. If you don’t want me to go—”

“No. I’ll be fine,” she quickly protested. “I’m just going to shave my legs and catch up on some TV.”

“I don’t like leaving you alone.” Lately, I never knew what she was going to do. The last thing I wanted was to come home and find her wandering around like a robot in the front yard or having a demon bash.

Her nose scrunched up. “I’m not going to go frolic with the demons at night, Chase.”

I coughed. “I swear, sometimes it’s like you can read my mind. It’s freaky.”

Burrowing deeper under the bubbles, she said, “Leave so I can finish my bath in peace.”

“I won’t be long,” I reassured. We suffered from separation anxiety. It was a pain in the ass, and telling her I’d be back shortly didn’t ease the pressure that clamped on my chest.

She nodded, pasting on a smile for my benefit.

I turned and shut the door, heading outside before I did something stupid. My mind was churning a variety of scenarios, all of which included me swooping her out of the bath. I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to keeping walking.

A brutal burst of wind rushed behind me, as if it knew something evil lurked nearby. The star was secured in my grasp as I ran, my feet barely touching the ground. It felt liberating. Bottlebrush and scrub scraped against my legs. Through the woods wasn’t the shortest or easiest path to get to the Underground Café, but I needed the challenge.

Lexi and Travis were waiting inside for me at a booth, each with a drink. Travis was on his second Coke, and Emma was stirring a cup of black coffee. I slid into the opposite side of the booth, my gaze glancing under the table. “So, how many weapons do you have pointed at my manhood?”

Emma’s bright green eyes were fixed on me. “I wouldn’t make any sudden movements.”

I cringed. “Excuse me if I don’t share your enthusiasm.” I was young, but I still wanted to have kids someday. Even little brats like me, so protecting my baby maker from Crazy Pants was currently a priority.

She leaned eagerly on the table. “Did you bring it?”

I titled my head to the side. “Does a blind man fart in the dark?”

Travis snickered until Emma jabbed him in the side, and the chuckle turned into a cough, but he couldn’t hide the twinkle from his eyes.

Emma obviously wasn’t in a humorous mood. “Just show it to me before I change my mind.”

I ordered a chocolate shake from Steph, our waitress, and only then did I bring out the goods. A moment of appreciation and awe fell around the table like waking up Christmas morning to a tree full of sparkling gifts. I’d been staring at the iridescent star all night, and its beauty and raw uniqueness still amazed me.

That was saying a lot.

I was not easily impressed, intimidated, or caught off guard, yet this small weapon had managed to do all three.

Emma’s fingers reached across the table. “How the hell did you manage to get your hands on this?”

I slapped at her hand. “Uh-uh, uh-uh. No touching.”

Her gaze narrowed.

“I don’t trust you,” I stated simply, shrugging.

“The feeling is mutual, assmunch.”

Lounging, I stirred my milkshake, waiting for it to melt. “Glad to see we’re still on a name-calling basis. I would hate to think anything has changed.”

“Everything has changed,” Emma snapped. There was a regretful sadness to her words.

I shifted uncomfortably, the leather groaning under my weight. This was not the direction I wanted our conversation to go. My plan was to steer as far away as possible from all topics that could lead to her father. The fact that we were sitting under the same roof and not killing one another was a goddamn miracle. I had no freaking clue where Emma and Travis had been the last few days, or what was happening between them, and frankly, right now, I didn’t give two shits.

“Um, so you’ve seen something like this before?” I asked, getting this convo back on track.

Emma shook her head, swinging her low ponytail over her shoulder. “No. It’s not a hunter.”

My belly dropped. “You’re sure?”

“Positive. I have been up close and personal with every weapon at the facilities disposal. There was nothing like this. I’ve only read about it.”

“Damn. I was hoping for once this would be easy.”

“Please. Take a look in the mirror, Winters. You are a walking fun bag of problems.” As if she hadn’t just insulted me, her eyes drifted back to the Chinese star laying on the table, just at my fingertips. “The cloudy color is extraordinary.” I could hear how much she was dying to get her hands on it.

I knew it would take an act of God to get Emma and me in the same room, let alone agree on something. I just hadn’t thought that the phenomenon was going to be in the shape of a shimmering star with razor sides. “I’m not positive what kind of material it is made of, but I sense its strength. This thing is sick nasty. I get the feeling that if it struck me, I wouldn’t like the outcome.”

“Me too,” Travis said for the first time since I pulled it out. “I don’t like it.”

The feeling was mutual, but at the same time, I was enthralled.

“Want to test it out?” Emma sneered, a hopeful glint in her eyes.

My eyes flamed. “I bet you’d love that.”

Reclining, she crossed her arms. “Keep your freakish demon eyes at bay. When I come for you, it will be on my terms, one-on-one.”

Joy
. I was looking forward to it.

“So, how do we find out where this originated? If it’s not a hunter and it’s not a demon, what other options do we have?” Travis asked, leaning his elbows on the table.

My thumb tapped on the table. “I agree. Nothing good will come from it, especially since it was intended for Angel’s face.”

“I swear to God, you guys have all the fun.” Emma actually pouted.

I shook my head, thinking this girl had more issues than
Vogue
. “Oh yeah, good times,” I mumbled.

“I might be able to dig something up if I can find the book. I just don’t remember which one. It might take me some time. You know this doesn’t change things between us,” Emma said, her hands cupping her coffee mug.

My lips twisted. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Retrieving the mysterious weapon from the table, I shoved it into the pocket of my hoodie. “Well, if you two lame-brains come up with something concrete, you know where to find me. Thanks for the milkshake.”

“Have a shitty night, half-breed,” Emma called after me.

I flipped her off and swaggered into the night.

Instead of zapping back to the house at record-breaking speeds, I strolled along the moonlit sidewalk, lost in my thoughts. Sure, I had an exorbitant amount of enemies. Yep, they were piling up by the minute. So what? It was nothing new. I guess this was what Death meant when he told me there would be sacrifices for bartering Angel’s life. Knowing there was danger in our connections and living it were two entirely different things. I was just beginning to understand how perilous our love was.