Archangel of Mercy (10 page)

Chapter Fourteen

S
EEING
the demon touch Aurora as if she was displayed on an auction block caused Gabe’s blood to boil and it took more self-control than he’d exerted in a long time not to leap to his feet and catapult Eblis across the club.

He shouldn’t care what Eblis said or did. It meant nothing. And yet he couldn’t let it slide.

“This female isn’t for sale or hire, Eblis.” He glanced at the demon’s fingers that were still entwined in her hair. “Remember that.”

Eblis tugged his fingers free, apparently unconcerned that Gabe had declared territorial rights within the boundaries of his own club.

“You’ve taken this female under your wing?”

From anyone else Gabe would’ve taken issue with the jibe. Except, coming from Eblis, it wasn’t a jibe. The ironic truth was, despite how millennia ago the archangels had rejected their goddess as utterly as she had once rejected the demons, if Gabe still possessed his wings he and Eblis would still be blood enemies. Yet the loss of the one thing that defined both archangels and demons had been the catalyst for this unlikely friendship.

“She’s mine.” Since those words were tantamount to ownership he knew Eblis—and even Mephisto—would no longer consider Aurora fair game.

“Hey, that’s good by me.” Eblis snapped his fingers for more drinks. “I’ve no desire to plow in your property. You should’ve said something.”

A shudder rippled over Aurora, and Gabe waited for her outburst. He couldn’t believe she’d let that remark go uncontested. But still she didn’t utter a word, and irritation spiked.

So now she was giving him the silent treatment? What game was she playing? He gripped her jaw and forced her to look at him. And saw her eyes.

They were glazed, out of focus. As if she was slipping into shock. After everything that had happened, she was slipping into shock
now
? It didn’t make any sense to him, but one thing was sure. Her terror was real. With a muttered curse he poured her some water and forced a few drops between her lips.

“Hell, Gabe. I would never have touched her if I’d known.” Insincerity dripped from every word Mephisto uttered. “You
really
should have said.”

“I’m saying it now.” To reinforce his words, Gabe slung his arm around Aurora’s shoulders and pinned her to his side. She was annoying, disrespectful and drove him mad with her endless questions. But, bizarrely, he’d much rather face all those unpleasant aspects of her personality than this unnatural stillness.

“If you want to keep her safe from the Guardians when she’s not on your island,” Mephisto said, “you’ll have to make it official.”

So Aurora had told Mephisto about the Guardians. He didn’t know why that irked, but it did.
What else had she told him?

To keep her safe from the Guardians all he had to do was take her back to his sanctuary. They couldn’t touch her there. But without his personal protection any passing immortal who took a fancy to her could take their chances.

Fuck that for a scenario.

He’d never given his protection to a mortal. But he knew all about the ostentatious ritual involved. How the mortal had to go through a complicated cleansing ceremony and the oath of allegiance and obedience they had to give to their immortal protector. And, of course, how it all had to be undertaken on ancient, sacred ground on the night of a full moon.

Apart from the fact he couldn’t see Aurora either prostrating herself at his feet or swearing undying obedience to his every command, there was really only one aspect of the whole thing that was essential.

He held out his hand, palm up, to Mephisto. The other archangel raised his eyebrows but didn’t make any comment as he handed over his ceremonial athame.

“Give me your hand,” he said to Aurora but she appeared frozen, so he released his hold around her shoulders and manacled her wrist with his thumb and forefinger. Ancient ritual dictated the lucky recipient of an immortal’s favor should smear their naked body with their mixed blood. If it wasn’t for the fact the ceremony predated Mephisto’s existence by several millennia Gabe would’ve been inclined to think the whole performance originated from Mephisto’s warped imagination.

For one agonizing second, as the tip of the blade touched his skin, he hesitated. Logically he knew he was doing this only to ensure Aurora’s safety. But still, he couldn’t help the splinter of guilt that burned through his heart. As if by participating in such an ancient ritual he was somehow betraying the memory of his long lost love.

Never had he imagined being in this position. But Mephisto’s mocking words had forced him to face another stark fact. If he didn’t go through with it, how would he know for sure, after he returned Aurora home, that the Guardians wouldn’t one day find her again? He sliced open his palm and before Aurora could move he drew the blade across her palm as well. She flinched and shot him a look of shocked incredulity.

“What the hell?” Her voice was barely audible, as if she was having trouble locating it. He loosened his grip around her wrist and pressed their bloodied palms together.

“This human from Earth, Aurora Robinson, is under my protection.” And that was it. All it took was the immortal pledge and a drop of immortal blood and Aurora was his. He saw Mephisto narrow his eyes, obviously checking her aura. He didn’t bother checking it himself. He waited until Mephisto once again looked his way. “You clear on that?”

“Right.” Mephisto was frowning and surprisingly made no further comment on the pledge, as if something had distracted him. “So are you dumping her back in Ireland?”

It was the logical thing to do. Now that he’d extended his official protection the Guardians couldn’t touch her, no matter where in the universe she was.

Something dark and deadly coiled deep in his gut. Aurora now belonged to him and he’d damn well keep her until he tired of her and only then would he let her return home. “When I’m ready.”

Aurora pulled her hand free and looked at her palm. The wound was already healing, due to the immortal properties of his blood, but she didn’t seem to find it strange.

“The Guardians can’t get me anymore?” Her voice was husky and although he knew it was because she was recovering from whatever had almost sent her over the edge, it still managed to arouse him. He’d got the intel he needed. He’d take her back and this time nothing would stop him from finally having her.

“That’s right. They can’t touch you without incurring the wrath of the Immortals.”

She didn’t look suitably awed that he’d bestowed such rarely given protection her way. Instead she refused to maintain eye contact and glanced around the club in an oddly furtive manner. As if she was scoping out the place for alternative exits.

No chance.

“I really need to use the bathroom.” Her voice was little more than a whisper. He almost told her not to bother, that they were leaving. Then again, once he wrapped his arms around her and took her back to his island he didn’t intend letting go until he’d slaked this insane desire.

He looked at Eblis, who jerked his head at a nearby slave.

“Take this human to the restroom. She’s valuable, you understand?”

The slave, a seven-foot muscular eunuch from one of the less civilized planets in Sextans, bowed. Gabe felt Aurora recoil.

“I don’t need an escort.” She sounded outraged. Didn’t she realize that walking through this club, dressed as she was, was asking for trouble? Not everyone here could read auras and therefore know she belonged to him.

“Would you rather I took you?” He saw the scandalized glance Eblis shot his way but ignored it. If he wanted to play bodyguard he damn well would.

She pushed herself up and slung him a glare that should have irritated him after everything he’d just done for her, but instead caused his blood to heat further. He’d give her five minutes. And then they were leaving whether she was ready or not.

“No, thank you.” Her voice was clipped and she edged past Eblis, who leered with appreciation at her cute ass. “I’m sure I can manage.” She then tottered on her astronomically high heels after the slave. Her jaw angled proudly and her arms were still plastered across her breasts.

Damn leather outfit. Mephisto was a perv. What was he trying to prove by making her dress like one of his sacrificial whores? Gabe shifted on the seat as arousal thundered through his groin. On Aurora, the outfit was the sexiest thing he’d seen in centuries. He couldn’t wait to rip it off her.

“Interesting.” Mephisto hooked one booted foot across his knee. “Never thought I’d see the day when another woman had you by the balls, Gabe.”

At any other time he would’ve slung Mephisto across the club for daring to raise the past. But right now he was more interested in seeing whether Aurora made it across the floor without falling off her heels and breaking her ankles.

But damn, the glimpses of her rounded ass she displayed with every exaggerated step she took were pure exquisite torture.

“Cut the crap.” Eblis gave Mephisto a filthy look that could reduce lesser beings to puddles of slime. “Since you didn’t come bearing gifts, what the fuck are you doing here?”

“Just delivering Gabe’s investment.” Mephisto ruffled his feathers. “Went to so much trouble over her, I didn’t think he’d want to leave her in my capable hands for longer than necessary.”

Air hissed between Gabe’s teeth and as Aurora finally disappeared from view he turned to the other archangel. “Shut the fuck up. Whatever interest you had in Aurora before stops right now.” And at the first opportunity he was going to smash her damn cell phone Mephisto had inexplicably tampered with.

Mephisto shrugged, but his eyes gleamed with unholy glee. “Fine by me. I have no perverted desire to be lumbered with a human who’s obsessed with interdimensional travel.”

“What shit are you on, Mephisto?” Eblis sounded disgusted but also . . . intrigued.

“She’s not obsessed with interdimensional travel.” Gabe wasn’t sure why Mephisto’s accusation irritated him so much, but it did.

“You sure about that?” Mephisto said. “What do you think she was doing on the astral planes the moment before you arrived on her land, Gabe?”

An unwelcome memory stirred. When he had taken her to his island the first thing she’d asked was if he’d pulled her through the astral planes. And then she’d asked if the Guardians came from
another
dimension.

Was Mephisto suggesting Aurora had attempted inter-dimensional travel while she was on the
astral planes?
It didn’t even make any sense. Assuming someone was crazy enough to try and breach dimensions in the first place, why would they want to without their physical body?

Mephisto lied as effortlessly as he breathed. But Gabe had the uncanny certainty that he wasn’t lying this time.

“How do you know all this?” The words grated his throat and he glared across the club in the direction Aurora had taken.

“I’ve been tracking her for the last couple of mortal years,” Mephisto said. “Through her cell phone.”

“So that’s why the Guardians are after her.” Eblis sounded fascinated.

“The second she breached dimensions,” Mephisto said, “she gave them the perfect excuse to hunt her across the universe.”

Fury erupted and Gabe shot to his feet, adrenaline pumping with murderous intent. He’d given Aurora his protection
and it meant nothing
. If she had breached dimensions she had given the Guardians, the self-appointed keepers of laws so ancient their reasoning was lost to the fog of time, carte blanche to exact retribution and his protection was void. She would only be safe from the Guardians within the protective barrier of his island.

Only the beloveds of Immortals were immune from the Guardians’ grasping claws, no matter what the provocation. Unlike bestowing protection, that inevitably created a status of one-sided dependency, a beloved was their Immortal’s equal. There was no need for archaic rituals or a blood exchange. It was love that granted the same immunity. And Aurora wasn’t and would never be his beloved.

“You bastard.” He glowered at Mephisto, who remained reclining on the sofa as if he was enjoying rare entertainment. He’d known from the start a pledge of protection was meaningless.

“So what’s your next move, Gabe? Taking her back or leaving her here? I bet Eblis could sell her no problem before the Guardians come knocking again.”

All Gabe’s half-baked plans of how he could put up with Aurora for a few weeks—months, even—so long as she agreed to a few ground rules disintegrated. The Guardians hadn’t randomly picked on her for one of their distasteful abductions. They wouldn’t move onto another victim when they got tired of looking for her. They would hunt her down until they found her because they were vindictive, tenacious fuckers. The moment she stepped outside the protective barrier of his island she was vulnerable.

Unless he wanted to take responsibility for Aurora experiencing the Guardians’ unimaginable version of justice then leaving her
anywhere
wasn’t even an option.

“Tell me one thing.” Not that he expected Mephisto to but he had to ask because the blank fragment in his mind was eating him alive. “How did you wipe my memory of leaving Manhattan and arriving in Ireland?”

Confusion glinted in Mephisto’s eyes for one fleeting microsecond but it was enough. Gabe’s unexpected transportation had nothing to do with the other archangel and more than that—Mephisto had no idea how it had happened, either.

“I never,” Mephisto said, “share the secrets of my success.”

Gabe swung around, kicked the table from his path and stormed through the motley crowd. He’d always been so convinced Mephisto was the one behind his arrival in Aurora’s life that he’d not considered any other possibility.
What other possibility could there be?
But if Mephisto hadn’t dumped him in Ireland then who—or what—had?

The eunuch was standing guard outside the bathroom door but instantly stepped aside at Gabe’s approach. He shoved open the door, dislodging the spindly chair that Aurora had obviously used as a puny barrier, and saw her sitting cross-legged on the floor of the gaudily mirrored powder room.