Loving Angel (A Divisa Novel Book 4) (3 page)

Chapter 4

Summer…

It was supposed to be time for fun in the sun. Devin must have forgotten what it was like to be young, because only two weeks after graduation, he started harping on me about getting a job.

Me? Work?

He was smoking crack.

Now he had two of us to nag daily. The difference between Travis and me was I didn’t spend my day wasting away in front of the Xbox. I was too busy trying to keep us safe and figuring out how I was going to do that in a new town and a new school. Here, in Spring Valley, I knew the area and people, but I didn’t know squat about what kind of demon activity they had at the University of Illinois. Or worse—hunters.

“You both need to do something, other than become permanent fixtures on my couch.” Devin said, digging his keys out of his pocket. They jiggled together as he hooked the little ring through his middle finger.

Travis grunted, eyes glued to the TV. He was apparently in an epic online battle with my girlfriend in one of those shooting games, which made him act like a Neanderthal. One syllable words only. Someday soon, I was going to massacre that black box.

Throwing my arm over the back of the couch, I glanced up at Devin standing to the right of my shoulder. “Just think, in three months, you are going to be missing us, old man.”

Little salt and pepper flakes dusted the sides of his temples and his newly-grown scruffy beard. “I’ll believe it when I see it. In the meantime…”

“What do I need to work for? I don’t need the money.”

“It builds character, Chase.”

A wry grin tugged at my lips. “I have plenty of character. I have an abundance of character.”

Travis snorted.

I glared.

Devin shook his head. He left for work mumbling something about giving up, which we all knew was a bunch of bologna. Devin wasn’t a quitter. He would never stop believing in us or pushing us to be fine young men.

It didn’t hurt to let him think that was achievable.

Lexi was off doing what she did best—shopping. Travis returned to his game, slapping on his headset and kicking back his feet. I could hear Angel through the earpiece telling him to get his head out of his ass.

I sighed. Guess I was on my own. “I’m going to work out,” I muttered to no one in particular. Travis ignored me. The house could be engulfed in flames and he wouldn’t budge. As I got up, I heard him swear, which could only mean that my slightly geeky girlfriend was kicking his butt in the game.

I smirked.

How I ended up with such a nerd for a girlfriend surprised not only me but everyone around me. Except, she wasn’t what I would classify as a typical nerd. She was hot. Only Angel could make being a gamer sexy. Just thinking about her lounging on her bed with her fingers working over the remote brought a smile to my lips.

I took the stairs two at a time, heading down the hall lined with childhood photos. Devin was a sentimental sap, but he was also a realist. Having three half-demons under one roof with volatile tempers, he had the good sense to turn one of our spare rooms into a home gym. I spent more time in there than anyone else, possibly because I had more demons to battle inside and out.

Ever since graduation, I hadn’t been able to let go of the feeling that something wicked was just around the corner. I couldn’t see what was coming, but there was a bristle of unease at the back of my neck. For Angel’s sake, I suppressed my suspicions. No point worrying her if it turned out to be nothing. And if it did turn into something, then
I
would deal with it.

Right now, I needed to clear my head, and my demon needed a physical outlet. Frustratingly enough, even after an hour-long grueling workout and sweating my brains out, the pea-size pit in my stomach felt no smaller.

My brain mulled over all the possibilities. There were the obvious ones. Ghoulish slaves from the fiery inferno. Bigwigs down under. Wacko hunters. None of them clicked. I pushed myself, relishing in the burning of my muscles. I harbored out my irritation, my restlessness, and my apprehension for another hour before I called it quits. Nothing was working, and my body was shrieking at me in protest. I set the weights aside, a light sheen of sweat covering my body, and plucked the water bottle from the floor. Guzzling it dry, I felt the tattoo at my hip come alive.

Knowing she was waiting downstairs sent my heart racing. I forced myself to walk downstairs at a normal pace and not go hypersonic. Using the white towel draped around my neck, I dabbed the sweat from my face as I reached the bottom. Angel and Lexi were sitting in the family room surrounded by magazines, brochures, and pamphlets. I felt her excitement curl in my belly as our gazes collided.

Her eyes followed me as I plopped down beside her, leaned over and brushed my lips across hers, knowing we both wanted the contact.

She scrunched her nose. “You smell gross, and you taste like a block of salt.”

I stretched out, my lips twitching. “A body this good doesn’t come easy.”

“You better not leave any stinky stains on that couch,” Lexi nagged, her nose still buried in a magazine.

Angel’s thigh was pressed up against mine. Whether it was conscious or not, we were always touching. “Who said anything about you having a nice bod?” she retorted flatly.

“You don’t need to say it. I can feel it,” I murmured.

“This is getting awwwkward,” Lexi said, flipping the page of her
Cosmo
.

A little color flamed on Angel’s cheeks. She brushed the hair behind her ears and quickly changed the subject, taking the heat off her and putting it on Lexi “So, have you talked to what’s-his-face?” she asked Lexi.

My head snapped up, and I noticed the sparkle in my cousin’s aqua eyes. “Who?”

Angel tucked her legs underneath her. “Just this guy Lexi met on campus during her visit.”

This was news to me. “Wait. What? Why didn’t I know about this?”

Lexi peered over the top of the magazine. “Because I knew you would flip your lid as you are now.”

“I am not flipping my lid,” I growled.

The two of them snickered.

I frowned, sitting up. “Someone better start talking, or I will do my own investigating.”

That sobered them up pretty quick. Lexi shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I met a guy during my college tour a few months ago, and occasionally we text.”

My protective instincts flared. “Define occasionally.”

Lexi could be so naïve and trusting when it came to the rest of the world. Out of the three of us, she had always wanted to be as
normal
as possible. Maybe it was a girl thing, not that I was being sexiest. She had the hardest time dealing with rejection from other kids. I had been her defender from the time we could walk. With Travis and me at her side, we sheltered her from all the d-bags and bullies—maybe too much. For someone viewed as evil and dangerous, she still had a sensitive heart.

Lexi huffed. “You are sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

Angel piped in, giving her two cents. “I have to agree with Lexi. She is allowed to live her own life. Not every decision needs to be run by the almighty Chase Winters.”

I would deal with her later. “How often do you talk to him?”

“I don’t know. Four or five times.”

My eyes narrowed. “A month?”

“Not precisely,” Lex said, glancing downward.

“Lexi,” I rumbled.

She tossed the magazine to the floor, sitting at the edge of the seat. “Fine, you jackass.”

Insults basically bounce off me. They were ineffective.

“If you must know, we talk…Every. Stinking. Day,” she admitted in a rage. Her sea-green eyes began to shimmer gold.

My fists curled. “I’m gonna kick him to Timbuktu,” I snarled.

She threw her blonde hair over her shoulder. “You will do no such thing, Chase. I would never forgive you.”

“I can live with that if it keeps you from making a serious mistake,” I said with conviction. I wasn’t going to stand by while some frat boy decided to play with my cousin for shits and giggles. She didn’t know how guys thought. I, on the other hand, could give lessons on how to be a class-act jerk.

She pouted, sticking out her bottom pink lip. “You don’t know that. What is life without taking risks?”

Safe
.
Secure
.
And boring.

“She has a point, Chase. You could at least give him a chance,” Angel added, the two of them ganging up on me.

I seared Angel with a glower and folded my arms. We were no longer sitting thigh-to-thigh. Her lips thinned. After I was sure she was going to keep quiet, I fixed Lexi with a disapproving gaze. “Lex, you don’t even know this guy.”

She bolted to her feet. “What does it matter? No one ever will be good enough. I might as well join a convent.”

I raised a brow. “That’s not a bad idea—”

Thank God for my demon reflexes. I ducked just as a rolled-up magazine came whizzing straight for my head. The paper missile hit the wall behind me with a thundering crack. What happened to my sweet, obedient cousin? Where the hell did she go? And who was this defiant hellcat in front of me? Angel was rubbing off on her.

The tip of her chin quivered. “You and Travis have both found someone, and I am happy for you. But why shouldn’t
I
have the same kind of happiness?” There was a quiet sadness to her words that speared me in the chest.

Inside, I could feel Angel’s displeasure and her sympathy for her best friend. This was going south, fast. There was nothing I wanted more for my cousin than happiness. I just wanted her to be a little more cautious. And let me scope him out. I didn’t think waiting for the Chase-stamp-of-approval was too much to ask. If he passed the test, then I would butt out…so I told myself. “I would never deny you a chance to be happy. I might be an asshole, but I am not spiteful.”

“Save it,” Lexi snapped, clearly not in the mood to listen. She stormed out of the room in a hast. A few seconds later the door to her bedroom slammed with deafening force.

I blew out a long breath, wondering how things had gotten so out of hand.

Angel lifted her lashes. “I don’t know what makes you an asshole, but it really works.”

“Good grief. Not you too.”

“Sorry, I’m not fluent in flaming douche.” She stood up without another word.

The front door banged closed behind her, leaving a trail of her scent. It only made me feel that much more like a jerk. Maybe I had overreacted, but when you lived a life such as ours, constantly being shunned or threatened, you became guarded.

Dumbfounded, I knew I could have stopped her, but instead I slumped back down on the couch with my hands fisted in my hair, cursing all females in general. Angel and Lexi were both irrational and irresponsible. Didn’t they see I only had their best interests at heart?

I didn’t want to fight with Lex. I didn’t want to fight with Angel. Yet, I had managed to do both in three minutes flat. That was a personal best.

“Shit,” I swore to myself, stewing.

There went my night. Right out the door with the balmy June wind.

Chapter 5

Being in a relationship was more than just changing your Facebook status. It was about being with that one person who could make you feel like no one else could. Angel would always and forever be the only one for me, but that didn’t mean she didn’t drive me batshit bananas. I was also discovering that being in a relationship took more effort than I’d bargained for. And if you were as lucky as I was to date someone
special
like Angel, it was a round-the-clock job.

I hated when we fought. We had such a deep bond, and because of it, the added emotions heightened everything. It was an internal conflict. She felt my anger. I felt her hurt. She sensed my annoyance. I sensed her frustration. On the flip side, the making up part was almost worth the emotional stress.

Everything we did was amplified. That included the mushy good stuff.

I crossed the grass with purposeful strides toward Angel’s house. A few hours had passed since our untimely blowout, just long enough for everyone to cool off. Or, in my case, realize that I stuck my size-twelve foot in my mouth.

Overhead, a velvet sky radiated in the horizon, casting gold and pinkish-red rays over the fields. A soft wind blew, swaying the stalks gently in a dance. It was an unearthly countryside sight. Romantic. Unscathed. Mystic. One I would miss more than I realized when we left for the college-life. I inhaled a breath full of fresh air that you could only get from the boonies. Tonight was the kind of summer evening that you wanted to spend with someone you loved, eating ice cream or watching the sun set and the stars come out. There would be millions tonight, the sky so clear—perfect stargazing weather.

Instead, I would be groveling. My apologizing skills were rusty, asking for forgiveness because I had behaved like an asshat didn’t come easy for me. The words were like swallowing a porcupine, but I regretted how things had ended with both her and Lexi.

I flashed to her front door. A craving to see her face sprang upon me, fast and fierce. The front door flew open before I had the chance to knock. It looked like I wasn’t the only one anxious to see the other. “I’m sorry,” I blurted before my tongued backed down or said something stupid. “I was wrong to—”

Her blue eyes were direct on mine as she grabbed a fistful of my shirt and pulled me inside. My brow shot up. Before I could utter something smart, her lips were on mine, and my breath sped.

Holy hellfire.

For a fraction of a second, I was stunned, a hard feet to accomplish, catching
me
off guard. Then, because it was the most natural thing in the world, my lips moved over hers, taking what she offered. My body instinctively pulled her closer, wrapping my arms around her slim waist, and I returned the kiss with equal passion.

A winsome grin spread on my lips. “Hello, gorgeous.” If an apology got me this… A world of possibilities opened up in my impish mind.

She rubbed our noses together, a dark blue fire in her irises. “How is it possible that even when you are a complete jerkface, I still miss you?”

“That’s easy. I’m impossible to forget.”

“I’m beginning to believe that.”

Backing her inside, I kicked the door shut behind us. “Your apology was so much better than mine,” I murmured.

Her hand flattened over my heart, eyes twinkling. “I’d still like to hear the rest of it.”

My head dipped. “Later. Less talking. More lip action.”

She laughed as I sealed my lips on hers. All day I tortured myself with memories of her scent, her laugh, and her contagious smile, and now, here she was in my arms. Because I couldn’t deny myself any longer, I nuzzled my face against her neck, inhaling, loving the feel of her. She intoxicated me.

I didn’t deserve such effortless forgiveness, and in all honesty, I thought she’d make me suffer. When our mouths touched a second time, things went
boom
. The kiss morphed from sweet to flaming hot. Her fingers dove into my hair, curling, and the feel of her teeth grazing my lower lip had me shivering. She nipped, not hard, but not soft, sending me reeling over the edge. It was frightening me how much I loved this girl. But then, I had sacrificed my soul, killed to protect her, and bonded myself to her for eternity. If that didn’t scream love, then I don’t know what did.

And I would do it all again in a heartbeat, for her.

Securing my arms around her waist, I lifted her off her feet with one low growl. In a blink, I had us at the bottom of the stairs. The ambrosial smell of her was like ripe peaches in summertime, swarming my senses like an aphrodisiac.

My hand clenched the banister, and all I could think of was getting her upstairs into her bedroom. Reluctantly, I pulled back. The sound of her sigh as I ended the kiss was blissful torment, but I knew that her room was off limits for what I had in mind.

Devin and Chloe were otherwise
engaged
.

Their timing blows.

Angel’s hands flattened on my chest, and she stared up at me dewy-eyed. “What’s wrong?” Her voice was husky, drawing me back in and away from the voices upstairs.

She might have supernatural abilities, but they weren’t as keen as mine. We weren’t the only ones sneaking around. “Um, to put it delicately…” My hand moved to the small of her back. “…Devin and your mom are otherwise tied up at the moment.”

I watched as understanding dawned on her face. She wrinkled her brow. “Oh—” The word got stuck in her throat as I plunked her off her feet.

We weren’t done.

She gasped, burying her head into the crook of my neck as I hiked her over my shoulder and dashed us next door to my house. I knew that traveling at demon speeds wasn’t her favorite way to get around, but I was so at ease with her I often forgot.

Her pulse catapulted as I blew into the house, and I sensed both her excitement and her desire. It was a heady feeling knowing that I did that—I put that gleam in her eyes.

In sweet slow torment, I let her body glide down the front of me. My demon erupted. It happened so fast I couldn’t control it. When
he
wanted something, he could be relentless. And right now, he wanted Angel more than revenge, violence, or chaos. It was still impossible to believe that he cared about anyone, but Angel was extraordinary.

We turned the corner into what I was pretty sure was the family room. My mind wasn’t concerned where we were, as long as we were alone. My hands shot out, grabbing her waist. I spun us around, pinning her to the nearest wall with my body, unable to wait a second more—

And before I finished that thought, I was kissing her.

She tilted her head, deepening the kiss before her flip-flops reached the ground. Her arms were fastened around my neck, and I tugged her against me, slipping my hands into the back pockets of her jean shorts, our bodies flushed. The little harlot wiggled against me, and I came undone. The small hold I had on the demon snapped. She felt the change, but instead of shying away or asking me to slow down, she met the demon head on—challenging him even.

When had she become so rash?

A breathy moan escaped her lips, rocking me to the core. Unwilling to pull too far away, I glanced down. Her long lashes fluttered as she dragged in a deep breath. Framing her heart-shaped face in my hands, I was struck speechless. Her beauty pierced my heart—high cheekbones, the fullness of her lips that were always expressive, and her eyes, the color of wondrous polished sapphires, abnormally refractive. Words didn’t do her justice.

Just as I was about to take possession of her swollen mouth again, I heard Travis clear his throat. “Hang on. Let me get the popcorn, because I love a good peep show.”

Infuriating my demon, I whipped around, my heart beating erratically, and a throaty snarl caught deep in my throat, a predatory warning.

Travis held up his hands, but his eyes were alert, ready to move quickly if necessary. “Whoa. You need to check yourself, man.” He leaned against the back of the couch, yet even in his relaxed stance I knew he was prepared. “I totally get being possessive, but you are on the verge of a losing your shit. You could hurt her.” His green eyes moved to Angel.

The fact that he suggested I would endanger her only pissed me off more. I gave another warning roar, but it wasn’t harmful. It was protective. The demon inside was staking claim on what he considered his. Angel.

“Travis, it’s okay. You know he won’t hurt me,” Angel said, lacing her fingers with mine, her body still wrapped around me.

He had to know by now that harming her was something I would never do. It was an insult for him to suggest. His eyes darted between us, surveying the situation before I noticed his shoulders relax. “Do us all a favor. Make it upstairs before you rip each other’s clothes off.”

Angel tried to unwind herself from my arms, but I wouldn’t let her. I was that selfish and not ready to go without touching her. “You read my mind,” I muttered, staring down at the girl in my embrace, Travis already forgotten.

He snickered. “I was just on my way out. I’ll leave you to it.” Travis flew out the front door, undoubtedly to Emma’s.

“Thank God,” I mumbled, laying my forehead against Angel’s.

She grinned. “Think we can make it upstairs without any more interruptions?”

Suddenly, it felt as if there was no place we could go to be alone. My fingers curled against the small of her back. “We better.”

We both moved at the same time, racing for the stairs. Of course, I could have swept her upstairs in a heartbeat, but sometimes there was romance in taking things slower. Not that I claimed to be a romantic guy. If anyone claimed such a thing, I think Angel and I would laugh in their face, though I did have my moments.

We didn’t stop until I reached my room. Fumbling with the handle, the only thing on my mind was privacy. And Angel’s lips. And her petal soft skin. I gripped her hips as she reclaimed the space between us. Sweet Jesus, there was nothing innocent about the way she kissed. Things were finally moving in the right direction as I sunk into the kiss, Angel melting against me. We were getting comfortable when my ears started ringing. My pesky cousin was screeching.

I cussed.

Damnation
.

If I didn’t know better, I would have sworn the universe was conspiring against me. It was an honest mistake mixing up our bedrooms. I should have gone left instead of right, but Angel screwed with my head. She turned me inside out.

Lifting my gaze, I was surrounded by gobs of pink. I hissed. “Hasn’t anyone in this house heard of privacy?”

Lexi had her hands on her hips, tapping her grape painted toes. “Hey, butthead, you barged into
my
room.”

Classic. What were we, five again?

Angel straightened up beside me, tugging her shirt back into place with a hint of a sheepish smile. “Sorry, we didn’t mean to disturb you.”

Lexi had on her unforgiving expression. “Glad to see one of us got an apology,” she said snippily.

Leave it to my cousin to kill the mood. “Don’t be like that, Lex,” I said, trying to smooth over the only other girl who mattered in my life.

She was wearing the pink pajamas I had given her for her birthday last year. The little rhinestones sewn into the Eiffel tower caught the lamplight. “It’s going to take more than a disarming smile to win
me
over.”

Lex preferred gifts. The kind that put a deep hole in your pocket, especially the ones that came wrapped in a little sea foam box tied with a white ribbon. “We’ll talk about this later.”

“Or not,” she sung sarcastically, shoving Angel and me back out the door, which promptly shut in my face.

I ran a hand through my hair. “I can’t decide if I should be offended or grateful.”

Angel giggled, clearly not insulted as we walked across the hall.

The sound was wonderful.

Now that we were actually alone and behind closed doors, the mood had passed. Go figure. But it didn’t matter. I loved being in her presence no matter what we were doing. Joining her on my bed, I brushed the hair off her face. “I didn’t think we were ever going to get here.” I opened my arm, and she didn’t hesitate to nestle her head on my chest.

“I felt you lose control back there. I know it probably should have scared me,” she said softly.

That we agreed on.

Resting my chin on top of her head, I felt her contentment mirroring mine. It was hard to put into words what it was like being part demon. To me, this was my life. I stopped questioning why a long time ago. “I usually have a tighter leash than that. Being at odds with you didn’t agree with the beast.”

Tilting her face up, she wrinkled her freckle-dusted nose. “He’s not a beast, and neither are you.”

It was no surprise that she saw good in me, but we both knew that I had done terrible things and most likely would again. Regardless, she was able to overlook what others could never forget. “I’m half demon, not a wounded puppy. You can’t fix me with a band aid.”

The tips of her fingers were running over the tiny stubbles on my chin. “I know what you are, and I still say you are not a beast. What you are doesn’t define you. It’s who you want to be and the choices you make that count.” Heightened color edged into her cheeks.