Loving Angel (A Divisa Novel Book 4) (5 page)

My inner boyfriend alarm went off. “It was Lexi’s idea.”

Lexi sashayed up to Angel. “Who else do you know that can throw together a little party this fabulous?” With a girlish grin, Lexi handed Angel a rectangular box that was wrapped in purplish-pink paper.

Angel tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Lexi, you didn’t have to get me anything.”

She smiled, showing off her dimples. “Girl, it gave me an excuse to spend money. Of course I had to get you something.”

“My checkbook has the proof,” Devin said, wrinkles gathering under his salt and pepper beard as he grinned. He gave Angel a peck on the check. “Happy birthday, brave one.”

Angel beamed at the nickname Devin had recently given her. He declared that anyone who could date me had to be a brave soul. The two of them had come a long way since the night her mom was kidnapped by my demon father. It was a long story, but the end result turned into Devin and Angel growing closer. There was trust and a common love for Chloe and her safety.

Tears glistened in her mom’s gentle eyes as she hovered in the kitchen. Her jeans had a smear of white stuff on the thigh that looked like flour. She enfolded Angel in a hug, and I heard her whisper, “Happy birthday, college girl.”

“Thanks, Mom,” she replied, leaning against the counter.

Angel might hate being in the spotlight, but I thought she illuminated.

Shortly after gorging myself on decadent cake, I noticed someone was missing—the girl of the hour. I found her outside on the porch, staring into the shadowy woods. “Hey.”

She drew her eyes from the forest and looked at me, but it was a blank stare, as if she didn’t recognize me.

My breath caught.

Not again. No. No. No.

She blinked, and the haze was gone. A shuddered rippled through her body as she hugged her arms around herself. “Hey.” A small, tentative smile touched her lips.

A whoosh left my body, my brows knitting. “Are you okay?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

I don’t know, maybe because a minute ago you looked right through me. For the second time tonight, I might add.

She was hiding something from me. I sensed it. Not to mention the little things lately that rubbed me the wrong way. I’d never gotten around to asking her how she’d been able to track that demon, and now that it was on my mind, I wouldn’t be able to let it go until I got answers. If only it wasn’t her birthday…

I sighed.

For now, I was content holding her in my arms, but soon, very soon, we were going to have to face the fact that something was amiss. Whatever was out there, whatever came next,
I
would take care of it.

“Did you see that?” she asked, her finger pointing up at the sky. “A shooting star.”

I nuzzled my face along the side of hers, resting my hands on her hips. “Sorry. I missed it. I was too busy looking at you.”

Twisting in my arms, she looped her arms around my neck. “That was so cheesy.”

I rubbed our noses together and stole a kiss.

She flashed me a smile. “I think it’s a sign.”

Yeah, I’m sure. Trouble.

Chapter 8

College. The next chapter in our lives. Together.

I wouldn’t have it any other way. However, the actually leaving sucked.

I’d never seen so many females cry. They cried while we packed, a production in itself. Lexi didn’t understand the concept of packing light. If it were possible to take every last item in her room, right down to the porcelain unicorns she still collected, she would have.

Devin had to put his foot down, because in his own words, “I’m not renting a damn U-haul.” And that put an end to Lexi’s extravagant wardrobe. She puckered her lips, unhappy. Knowing my cousin, she would immediately scope out the nearest mall.

Angel was Lexi’s polar opposite. She came out of her house that Saturday morning of D-day, dragging a large black and silver duffle bag behind her. Grinning, I watched her struggle with the overstuffed bag that probably weighed more than she did. I moved before she saw me, and when she did notice me, I startled her.

“Dammit, Chase. Why do you do that? Does it give you some kind of twisted pleasure?”

I loved the way her mind worked. “Do what?” I asked, feigning ignorance. She hated when I snuck up on her, but it was so darn fun. How could I resist?

She angled her head at me. “Playing dumb is so not cute.”

Effortlessly, I tossed her bag over my shoulder. “You want cute…” I waggled my brows.

Her lips fought a grin, and she pushed at my chest with her hand. “Shut up.”

“I’ve had snappier comebacks from a bowl of Rice Krispies.”

I got the stink eye.

“Is this all you’ve got?”

“Yep. And another bag I already stashed in the backseat. I’ve got this, Hercules. You can put the killer guns away.” She reached for the strap slung over my shoulder. Miss Independent.

Well, tough. She was going to have to get used to me being around, helping. It was no longer just Angel and her mom anymore. The sooner she accepted that fact, the easier we’d get along. I smirked and stepped back. “How killer?”

She rolled her eyes.

I started walking across the yard, keeping my pace at human speeds so she wasn’t running to stay beside me. With a quick swing, I lugged the bag into the trunk of Angel’s Fusion. When I turned around to face her, I sensed something was bothering her. “You’re worried. Why?”

She went still. “It’s not what you think.”

“Then tell me what it is,” I more or less demanded.

Her eyes traveled to the old white two-story house that had been her home for the last year. The morning sun caught hints of caramel in her dark hair as it spilled down her back. “I never thought I would miss this place.”

It was more than just
this place
, but I played along. “NIU is only an hour away. You can come home as often as you’d like.” I didn’t mention that this was her idea. All I wanted was for her to be happy, and I wasn’t getting happy vibes from her.

She kicked a pebble with the tip of her sneakers. “I know. It’s silly, but I can’t help but be afraid to leave.”

I leaned against the side of the car. “Spring Valley or your mom?”

Frustration rolled off her. “My mom. How will I know that she’s safe?”

“Devin is here—”

“Devin isn’t
you
,” she argued.

Damn straight. No one was like me. The sheer confidence she held in me warmed my innards. I pushed forward and ran my hands down her arms.

“She knows too much, Chase. Who is to stop the hunters or demons from killing her?” she asked wearily.

Her nervousness was valid. “Angel, Devin might not be superhuman, but he can hold his own for an old dude. I trust him. You should, too. He cares deeply for your mom, and isn’t about to let anything happen to her.” I gave a light tug on her arms, and she moved into my embrace. My arms wrapped around her waist, offering her reassurance.

She shifted her head, resting her chin on my shoulder. Those blue eyes wandered back to her house. “I hope so,” she muttered. “I really do, because if anything happened to her—”

I swept my lips over her temple. “Nothing will. Travis will still be here to keep patrol of the area.”

Her chin lifted. “For now. Eventually he will follow his heart. He already misses Emma, and she hasn’t even left.”

True.

Angel was stubborn, and I wasn’t sure there was anything I could say that would alleviate her worries. Before I had time to try again, Devin and Chloe stepped out of the house followed closely by Lexi and Travis.

I guess it’s time.

Except when you where dealing with Lexi, time wasn’t of the essence. It only took ten more trips to and from the house to collect forgotten pillows or a bottle of nail polish she couldn’t live without. By the time the car was loaded and ready to go, I was antsy to get on the road.

Last night Angel and I had a heated discussion over whose car we would drive. There was no sense in bringing both. Angel won. Apparently my car was too flashy for college life, and then she brought up that my driving record sucked.

One flipped car and I was never going to live it down.

“You guys got everything you need?” Devin asked, giving Lexi a pointed look.

She scrunched her nose, rolling her turquoise eyes.

“Car gassed up?” Devin started going down his parental checklist.

I might be rash and hotheaded, but I was prepared. “Full tank.”

“I guess all that’s left is to say goodbye,” Devin stated.

We, in our own ways, had been stalling.

Angel took one look at her mom and tears started tracking down her cheeks. My heart seized. We could directly affect each other’s emotions, but what I wouldn’t give to be able to absorb her hurt.

“I can’t believe my baby is going off on her own.” Chloe hugged Angel, and they clung, neither of them ready to let go.

Angel rubbed her eyes. “I promise to come home often. You won’t even know I’m gone.”

Chloe brushed the hair off her shoulders. “Drive carefully.”

Angel’s gaze flashed to mine for a split-second. “I will.”

Then Chloe took me by surprise, which rarely happens. “Take care of my baby,” she whispered, thick emotion clogging her throat. She gave me a tight squeeze.

“Always.” This was one vow I would uphold.

She exhaled slowly. “I know.”

Angel’s mom was still adjusting to the reality of the world we lived in. Demons were real. Evil was real. Hell was very real. And there were people who lived among us that were a bi-product of all the above.

She was doing fairly well, considering what I’d done to her daughter. I’d sucked Angel right smack dab in the middle of my perilous world. No matter how hard I tried to stay away, warn her, or push Angel away, she’d refused to listen. Now she was pretty much condemned, alongside me.

What are boyfriends for?

I often wondered if I had tried hard enough. On a subconscious level, I’d always wanted her. Had I, on a darker plane, known what I was doing? Had a part of me wanted to mix her up in my life because I had wanted her? Desperately?

It didn’t really matter now.

“Oh, and just to be clear. I’m too young to be a grandma. You might be living under the same roof as my daughter, but I expect you to be responsible,” she added, lifting her light brown brows.

Gulp
.

Tongue-tied, I gave a slight tip of my head. Sex talks with my girlfriend’s mom weren’t my forte. They were downright awkward.

After we all said our goodbyes, I think even Devin got a little teary-eyed. They stood proudly as we backed down the driveway, waving. Chloe rested her head on Dev’s shoulder with his arm around her waist. I felt the wave of relief pour through me. Angel’s. Seeing her mom lean on my uncle calmed the apprehension that had been surrounding her for days. Leaving her mom was hard.

Angel slipped on a pair of sunglasses, shading her eyes from the bright sun. For a while she and I fought over radio stations, battling between classic rock and rap, until Lexi stuck her head between us from the back seat.

“You don’t get to monopolize my only friend,” Lexi said, demanding our attention.

I rubbed the tiny stubbles along my jaw. It had been a day or two since I shaved. “I wouldn’t dream of it, cuz.”

She settled her elbows on the center consol. “Good. Let’s talk sleeping arrangements.”

My eyes narrowed as I gripped the steering wheel. “What about them?” This conversation was going to go down a dark path. I felt it.

Angel tilted her sunglasses down her nose, eyeing Lexi. “Are you sure you want to discuss this in close quarters?” she very wisely asked.

Lexi was undeterred. “We need to set some ground rules, like a do-not-disturb signal. I don’t want to walk in on you guys sucking face. I’ve seen things I wish I could white out.”

“And you plan on doing a lot of sucking face?” I asked, my voice going low and tight.

Lex rolled her eyes. “Chase, don’t be lame.”

I was going to blow a gasket. The idea of some guy feeling up my cousin in the next room made my blood boil. “I’ve got a house rule for you. No guys allowed but me.”

“How is that fair?” she challenged. “You and Angel get to shack up whenever you want, but I can’t even have a date?”

“We aren’t
shacking up
, as you so delicately imply. And anyway, Angel and my relationship is different. We
have
to be close. Unless you want us to wither away?” Cheap shot, but I was feeling testy.

“Don’t be dramatic. You don’t get to control my life anymore.”

“The hell I d—”

“Chase,” Angel hissed, placing a hand on my forearm.

A surge of calm went through me, and I snatched my arm from underneath her touch. “Angel,” I growled. “Do not manipulate my feelings.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “But things are getting a little heated in here, and your eyes were starting to glow.”

I frowned, knowing she was right.

“You suck, Chase. You take the fun out of everything.” Lexi sunk into the back seat scowling.

This conversation was far from over. I kept glancing at her reflection in the rearview mirror, but she refused to look in my general direction for the rest of the drive, which was fine by me. Lexi was absolutely batshit crazy if she thought I was going to just sit back as some jock-bag had his way with my cousin. Yeah. So not happening. She should have thought twice about being my roomie.

I needed to get my mind off the image Lexi left in my head, before I did permanent damage to the steering wheel. I wanted to slam my fist into something. The leather was already dented under my clutches, leaving behind my fingerprints.

Angel snuck a sideways glance at me.

I sat back against the seat and gave her a one-sided reassuring smile. “I’m fine. You can stop worrying.”

“If only,” she muttered. “Worry seems to be my middle name lately.”

Since we were on the topic of worries, I had one of my own I’d been meaning to bring up. “You never told me how you were able to track that demon in the woods.”

Confusion lined her face before I saw the glint of understanding. “Uh.” She fidgeted in the seat. “I don’t know. It wasn’t rocket science.” She shrugged. “I didn’t think about what I was doing.”

“You must have felt something,” I insisted.

Her fingers played with the charms on her necklace. It was the one I had given her. “How is that important?”

“You can track demons, and my guess is you can sense them as well. I’d say that is pretty damn important. Sure I can hunt demons, but it is not an ability I was born with. It is one I learned.”

A heavy sigh blew through her lips. “Geez, if you put it like that. Um, I guess I felt this hum in my blood, but at the time, I couldn’t tell if it was because I had been irritated at you for leaving.”

Leaving her behind normally put her in bitch mode.

“I also felt this magnetic pull in my gut, leading me.” She tugged on her seat belt. “Between that and the intense tingling of my marks, it was elementary, my dear Watson.”

Unable to help myself, my lips tipped. “Cute. All joking aside, this is a big deal. If we thought solidifying our bond was legendary, I dread to think what this new connection you’ve forged with Hell will unravel.” I didn’t want to alarm her, but we had to know what we were dealing with. The consequences of what she could possibly do might be damaging or worse—deadly.

Angel lowered her lashes. “We’re going to have to uncover my new abilities, aren’t we?”

I kept my eyes centered on the road. “Afraid so, sweet-tart.”

“Awesome,” came from the peanut gallery in the backseat. “And here I thought college was going to be easy peasy.”

Lex should know better by now. Nothing in our lives was ever going to be effortless or painless.

Other than that, the hour trip was humdrum by Divisa standards. For once.