charges.
And yet, here she was, a helpless one caught firmly in her net.
“I fed you so you wouldn’t need to feed on humanity. And yet, here you are.” He waved one hand at the room. It was much like the one where he’d found her before…decayed and steeped in the ghosts of immorality.
Faded paper peeled away from the walls and a human girl sat in the corner, crying and unaware of their presence. Her misery permeated the room, carrying with it the fragile thread of power.
Power a demon could take.
Meela took a deep breath and willed her thundering heart to slow down. “I don’t remember that conversation.”
“I remember it. Clearly.”
“Really? All I remember is you feeding me. Nothing was said of not looking for another meal.”
Meela turned her back on Evan and tried to pretend her heart didn’t give a happy little flip at the sound of his voice.
Her breath caught as he moved behind her. His robes just brushing her flesh, the gossamer cloth catching on the rough edges of her scales. His hand cupped her shoulders and she closed her eyes as tight as she could. Closed them before she could glance down. Closed them before she could see his golden skin against the dead blackness of hers.
“ I’ll feed you. I’ll take care of you. All you have to do is ask,” he whispered.
She shrugged his hands off and stepped away from temptation.
“And what happens when you’re not there?”
“I’ll be there.”
“No, you won’t.” He couldn’t be. If he wasn’t here, she wouldn’t have an opportunity to betray him. If he didn’t leave her forever, Lucifer could force her take him.
She couldn’t let that happen.
The back of her skull began to itch and searing heat spread from the spot. Fire coursed through her veins, taking root in her muscles.
The thought of protecting Evan had triggered the oath sworn to the Master. It coiled through her, making her arms twitch and locking her jaw against the words that would drive Evan away to safety.
“I cannot become dependent on you,” she said instead. If she couldn’t warn him outright, perhaps simple discouragement would save him.
Silence stretched out behind her, so long, so deafening that she had to fight the urge to look to make sure he hadn’t left her alone again.
“What happened?” His whisper broke the silence as completely as an explosion. Barely audible over the human’s sobs, it echoed through her soul louder than a shout from a hilltop.
“You left and reality happened. You can’t keep bad things away, Evan. Lucifer is my Prince, my Master. When you leave I am still subject to him, and you can’t change that.” And neither could she.
Silence fell again but this time she had no doubt he was there, watching her as intently as she watched the human.
“I can. I’ll take care of you. You just have to let me.”
The promise tore at her. She wanted to believe him, wanted to throw herself in his arms and beg him to take her away from all this pain and misery.
But he was just one angel, and Lucifer commanded a Legion. There was nothing Evan could do to help her.
He walked around her to kneel in front of the weeping girl. He reached out and placed a hand on her head. She seemed to feel his presence, despite not being able to see or hear him. Her despair waned and her crying eased to sniffles.
If only he could erase Meela’s heartaches so easily.
“I will leave you now.” He stood abruptly and moved away from the human.
Meela stared at Evan, not sure she’d heard correctly. “Alone? With her?”
“Alone and with her. Come to me afterward.” He strode toward the door.
“Wait, after what? Where will you be?” She followed him, her heart pounding so hard she could barely hear herself speak.
“You will know. My power is still within you. It will lead you to me if you allow it.” He cupped her jaw in what should have been a reassuring gesture, but it just managed to scare the shit out of her.
He was really leaving. He
And yet, here she was, a helpless one caught firmly in her net.
“I fed you so you wouldn’t need to feed on humanity. And yet, here you are.” He waved one hand at the room. It was much like the one where he’d found her before…decayed and steeped in the ghosts of immorality.
Faded paper peeled away from the walls and a human girl sat in the corner, crying and unaware of their presence. Her misery permeated the room, carrying with it the fragile thread of power.
Power a demon could take.
Meela took a deep breath and willed her thundering heart to slow down. “I don’t remember that conversation.”
“I remember it. Clearly.”
“Really? All I remember is you feeding me. Nothing was said of not looking for another meal.”
Meela turned her back on Evan and tried to pretend her heart didn’t give a happy little flip at the sound of his voice.
Her breath caught as he moved behind her. His robes just brushing her flesh, the gossamer cloth catching on the rough edges of her scales. His hand cupped her shoulders and she closed her eyes as tight as she could. Closed them before she could glance down. Closed them before she could see his golden skin against the dead blackness of hers.
“ I’ll feed you. I’ll take care of you. All you have to do is ask,” he whispered.
She shrugged his hands off and stepped away from temptation.
“And what happens when you’re not there?”
“I’ll be there.”
“No, you won’t.” He couldn’t be. If he wasn’t here, she wouldn’t have an opportunity to betray him. If he didn’t leave her forever, Lucifer could force her take him.
She couldn’t let that happen.
The back of her skull began to itch and searing heat spread from the spot. Fire coursed through her veins, taking root in her muscles.
The thought of protecting Evan had triggered the oath sworn to the Master. It coiled through her, making her arms twitch and locking her jaw against the words that would drive Evan away to safety.
“I cannot become dependent on you,” she said instead. If she couldn’t warn him outright, perhaps simple discouragement would save him.
Silence stretched out behind her, so long, so deafening that she had to fight the urge to look to make sure he hadn’t left her alone again.
“What happened?” His whisper broke the silence as completely as an explosion. Barely audible over the human’s sobs, it echoed through her soul louder than a shout from a hilltop.
“You left and reality happened. You can’t keep bad things away, Evan. Lucifer is my Prince, my Master. When you leave I am still subject to him, and you can’t change that.” And neither could she.
Silence fell again but this time she had no doubt he was there, watching her as intently as she watched the human.
“I can. I’ll take care of you. You just have to let me.”
The promise tore at her. She wanted to believe him, wanted to throw herself in his arms and beg him to take her away from all this pain and misery.
But he was just one angel, and Lucifer commanded a Legion. There was nothing Evan could do to help her.
He walked around her to kneel in front of the weeping girl. He reached out and placed a hand on her head. She seemed to feel his presence, despite not being able to see or hear him. Her despair waned and her crying eased to sniffles.
If only he could erase Meela’s heartaches so easily.
“I will leave you now.” He stood abruptly and moved away from the human.
Meela stared at Evan, not sure she’d heard correctly. “Alone? With her?”
“Alone and with her. Come to me afterward.” He strode toward the door.
“Wait, after what? Where will you be?” She followed him, her heart pounding so hard she could barely hear herself speak.
“You will know. My power is still within you. It will lead you to me if you allow it.” He cupped her jaw in what should have been a reassuring gesture, but it just managed to scare the shit out of her.
He was really leaving. He
Similar Books
