A Slither of Hope (17 page)

“No.” Cam looked from me to Kade and back again. “Our wings don't heal anything. We just naturally heal faster than humans.”

Great. So, once again, I'm the freak in this situation.

“That's…why I went to the hospital. I thought if one could heal a scratch, maybe a handful could heal my dad.”

Kade's sigh filled the room. It wasn't the frustrated, angry sound I expected. “Just don't leave here again, okay? It's getting worse out there. There are Fallen everywhere. And there's no telling what they'd do if they got their hands on you.”

“So, don't trust the angels. Don't trust the Fallen. Got it.” I was hiding stuff from both Cam and Kade. But I sure wished there was someone out there I
could
trust.

Chapter Twenty-One

Kade

She was hiding something from me. I felt it even before I watched her slip
The Lost Apologues
under the bed. I'd read that book cover-to-cover so often I could quote the damn thing.

I bore right on the church's street corner, crumpling a doctored photo of Ray in my hand.

She had no idea the lengths I'd gone to in order to keep her out of Lucifer's clutches. And the worst part was I couldn't even tell her. I wanted to, though. It might scare her straight and keep her cute little ass inside.

Camael had his own agenda where Ray was concerned, too, and I didn't trust the white-winged traitor as far as I could throw him, especially with Elyon in the picture. The thing about Protector angels and their superiors was that nothing short of Falling tore a rift in that kinship.

If he was still there when I got back, I could always try knocking his head off his shoulders again. That had been fun, despite the mud. Giving him unlimited access to Ray by showing him where we lived wasn't my brightest idea, but it had to be done. He may not have been my first choice, but he'd give his life to keep hers safe.

I stopped just beyond view of the church. A vortex of emotion knocked into me, sucking the will from every pore in my body. This was getting bad. Worse than last time. If I didn't get in and out, I was in trouble. But with any luck at all, I'd never have to face those four again. Otherwise I was afraid of what I might turn into. The bond, the need to be bonded to a coven, was strong.

Just one more time, then I could put them in my rearview for good.

“Kasade,” Sorath said in greeting, “I wondered when we'd see you again.”

“Just couldn't stay away,” I said through gritted teeth.

The three unknown Fallen remained in their seats, their eyes down. A gesture of respect. Obviously Sorath had been doing some talking since I left.

“To what do we owe this honor?”

This round of bullshit had better work. “A friend emailed me this picture.” I flattened the photoshopped printout between my palms. “I thought it might be of interest to you.”

Sorath looked at the picture of Ray standing in a gas station convenient store with her back to the camera, tiny gray wings on display. Then he snatched it from my hand. “Where was this taken?”

“Off of highway five, about a-hundred-eighty miles south.”

“When?”

He was taking the bait. I schooled my face into a mask. “Sixteen hours ago. There's a timestamp in the lower right-hand corner and I wrote the address on the back. She's got a good head start, probably running for the border.”

All around me my world was being pulled in two different directions. Wanting to stay and needing to leave. This would all be worth it when Sorath packed up this band of merry misfits and headed for Tijuana.

Sorath held on to the picture, turning it over in his hand. Being this close to him kicked up the scent of cheap cigar tobacco. I remembered him burning one of those God-awful monstrosities after every battle we won. I also remembered him closing a few wounds with them too.

He dialed his cell phone and waited for an answer. “I've got a tip that our gray-winger is on her way down to you. How reliable is the source?” He repeated the question for my benefit, looking me over and taking his sweet fucking time doing it. “Not sure. I do have a piece of photographic evidence though. I'll fax you over what I have and you can check it out.”

Ancient Warriors with technology. It didn't surprise me. I'd learned to Photoshop, so why couldn't Sorath use a cell phone and fax? But I didn't anticipate it going down like this. I didn't factor in him sharing the possible glory of a capture and contain with another coven. Not in a million years.

Fuck.

“Kasade.” Sorath handed the ravaged photo over to one of the three who disappeared further into the basement. “Where did you say this picture came from?”

“I told you—”

“Who did it come from, not where?” he bellowed.

“A friend. Someone I keep in contact with. Someone like me.”

“Another coven-less rebel.” He ground out a laugh. “Why would you bring this to my attention?”

The weight of his nearness hung heavy around my muscles like a snare. I hadn't prepared for this. His question left me feeling unbalanced, out of sorts. “They lost a brother.” I gestured to the two nameless Fallen in the room with my chin. “This came to my attention.”

“But why help a coven you refuse to join, Kasade?”

Good damn question. Yes, I'd said I wouldn't join them. No way I'd change my mind on that one. So what was my play here?

“I'm not made of time.”

“The lure,” I blurted. “Being here that night, with all of you, it made me realize what I've been missing.”

Sorath's eyes contracted. “So this is a peace offering?”

What a bucket of fuck I'd poured all over myself. “I haven't changed my mind, Sorath. But when I saw this I couldn’t stay away.”

The seriousness in his face broke when a small smile crept up his lips. “I'm wearing you down. Admit it.”

I averted my eyes like a sheepish schoolgirl. I should be ashamed of myself. The things I do for that damn girl. “Maybe.” Doubtful.

“You did good, brother. If she has moved, the L.A. coven will track her down. If she has gotten past them, Mexico City will be on alert as well.” The toothy grin I came to recognize as trouble when we were Warriors flashed across his face. “We should celebrate.”

Celebration for Lucifer's army consisted of murder, murder, and oh yeah, murder. “No thanks. I'm on a diet.” I turned to leave, my objective being met, but Sorath's aura pulled me back in.

“I don't think so.”

Against the will of my twitching muscles, I dipped my wing and looked over my shoulder. The Fallen that had left to fax the picture lumbered through the doorway with a group of priests and nuns following him.

“Stay for the feast,
Kade
.” Sorath disrespected my chosen name by drawing it out the way he did.

A soul cocktail of priests and nuns. Not a chance. I had to get out of here. Now.

I leaned toward the exit. Not good when I swore I was bolting out the door.

Heat and hunger permeated through me. Being around these former angels, whose sins might not be so different from mine, was like living in a gladiator arena, each enemy prepared to lob your head off at the first sign of treachery.

I turned, snatched the back of the closest priest's head, and tilted it back.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

His essence filled me the instant I opened my mouth. Something better than liquid, hotter than coffee filed down my throat. It was a river and an ocean all at once. Fire poker-hot on the outside and glacially cold through the middle. Nothing on Earth could compare. Nothing. Greedily, I gulped down more, feeling the man's body shudder beneath my touch. Nothing could compare.

The priest’s shaking intensified, pulling me out of my reverie.
Don’t die on me now, buddy. You have so much more to give.

I curled my fingers deeper into his shoulders and looked down at him. His pupils lulled back into his head. I closed my eyes again, wondering why the hell I looked at all. With my eyes closed, even with the priest’s essence still flowing steadily into me, all I could think about was one word.

Love.

Love?
Well fuck me. That did it.

I snapped my jaw shut. That was enough.

A red hue saturated the room. The others were taking, stealing. And I wanted so badly to rejoin them, to continue with the priest until there was nothing left. I'd forgotten how sweet the good tasted; how it felt to be truly full, satisfied, not just sated. But that one human word hung my hunger out to dry. My heart twisted painfully. I used the distraction to my advantage and pulled the priest and myself out of there.

It must have taken me five minutes to round the corner, but when I did, the pull faded. Marginally. My vision darkened, all color giving way to a very primal black and white. I turned my black eyes on my still breathing priest.

“If you ever see any of those men again, you run. Close your eyes and never look back. You hear me?” The man, maybe in his fifties, nodded. “Now head to a shelter. You remember nothing except you want a transfer, one far, far away from here.” When he didn't move, I snarled, “Go!” and watched him run.

If I wasn't going to Hell before, I sure was now.

My body quaked with need. Need to chase him down and finish the job. Need to return to the basement and feel whole once again.

No. I'd done what I had come here to do. It did nothing to help Rayna or me, but it was the only shot I had.

Ray.

I couldn't go home now. Not with this epic need still humming inside me, begging me to feed, to bond myself with my brothers. I couldn't trust myself around her yet, and I couldn't return until I was sure. She was the only thing keeping me grounded.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Rayna

I dropped the angel bible in my lap for the fourth time today. “It's here, clear as day:
'With God's passing, a governing fifteen were chosen. Angels from different rankings will rule over Heaven and Earth.'
There is no God.”

The look of disbelief on Lee’s and Gina's faces shamed me into pulling back some of my pragmatism.

I was never what you'd call a religious girl. I was never baptized, never went to church, never had religious conversations with my family around the dinner table. Somewhere, deep down inside, I did believe in a higher power. And there was one, now I was sure of it, just not the one Lee and Gina had been expecting.

“And that's straight from the angels?” Gina asked, hope dying in her brown eyes.

“It's still something,” Lee cooed, squeezing Gina's shoulder.

I closed the book and slipped it back beneath my pillow. “Never mind guys. This was a stupid idea.”

“We came over to take your mind off this stuff,” Lee said, sliding his hand down Gina's back, rubbing it in small circles. A tiny smile bloomed on her face. They really were cute together. “How about a mini marathon?” He leapt off the bed, returning with his backpack. He pulled out two DVD cases. “
Torchwood
or
Firefly
?”

“That depends.” Gina straightened. “Do we have to start from the beginning? Because I'm halfway through
Firefly
.”

I could have been imagining the sheen coating Lee's eyes behind his new glasses. “You're the greatest girlfriend ever.” He gave her his goofiest smile.

She examined her pink polished nails. “I know. I rule.”

“So this is official?” I asked, hoping I wasn't ruining the mood, but since they weren't leaning in for a kiss, I guessed this was as good a time as any to ask.

“Yep. We're a couple.” Lee dropped
Torchwood
back in his backpack and brought
Firefly
to the DVD player.

Before the machine could spit out
The Transporter
, my phone rang. Hope welled inside me. It was Kade; it had to be. Cam's number came up on the caller ID.

“Hey,” I said, turning toward the now always-closed drapes.

“Can you talk?”

“Of course I can. I'm just here hanging out with Lee and Gina.”

“I have news.”

I sighed. News coming from an angel was never good. “What happened now?”

“Your father.”

Dad.

“I've just heard from his new Protector. He's awake.”

“Awake? I have to go see…”

I couldn't go see him. I couldn't go anywhere.

“Everything okay?” Gina asked.

I turned to them, smothering the phone’s receiver into my shirt. “My dad! He's awake!”

“That's great!” They both said at the same time.

“Jinx, you owe me a Coke,” Lee got out a millisecond before Gina. He kissed her nose.

I lifted the phone back to my ear, knowing his reply before I even asked the question. “I can't see him, can I?”

“Unfortunately not.”

“Yeah. Didn't think so. He's awake though. That's something. What did the doctors say?”

“They're still running tests, but so far he's doing great. They're hopeful he'll make a full recovery.”

“That’s amazing.” I collapsed in Kade's chair. “Have you heard from Kade in the last few days?”

“Of course not.”

The moment I opened my mouth, I realized how silly that question would be. Of course Kade wouldn't contact Cam. I just wished I knew where he was. It had been days since he left. And he hadn’t called to check in once. “That's what I thought. Just figured I'd ask.”

Lee and Gina turned twin sets of sympathetic eyes toward me. Pity was so much more than I could take right now. I pushed out of Kade's chair and turned my back on the new couple. Their whispers of concern didn't get past me.

“What kind of guy just leaves his girl for so long when she needs him?” Lee said.

“She wouldn't have a thing for him if he did this all the time,” Gina rebutted.

“Cam wouldn't disappear this way.”

“I can hear you,” I said over my shoulder.

“Oh, we know,” Gina added in a normal voice.

“We do?” Lee asked.

“There's…something else,” Cam said.

“I knew it was too good to be true. What is it?” Cam didn't answer right away. “That bad?”