Underworld Lover (A Guardian Angel Romance #2) (27 page)

Josh stepped back, motioning them to follow. “We’ve got to get started. We’ll go in my car. Let me introduce you to Melanie, and then we’re going to have a reunion.”

“Reunion?” Angie asked.

“Claire and Daniel have agreed to help us. And Angie,” he said as he stopped to face her, “she is due to have a baby on Christmas Day.”

Angie beamed. “You taking us to see them now?” she asked.

“After we pick up Melanie. Yes.”

Josh called Melanie and arranged to pick her up at the shop. He could see Angela liked her immediately. James seemed to be self-conscious about his sexual energy and his dark side, so kept his distance. Josh thought he was nervous. He kept looking outside the storefront windows, as if expecting Peter to come by any second.

Melanie introduced Travis to the bunch. A strong cloud of marijuana smoke and its pungent odor preceded his entrance from the storage room. Josh thought in his present state Travis could be pleasant to Peter himself.

“Your friends are cool, way cool, man,” Travis told him as they were leaving.

“Remember, Travis, no mention to anyone about this. Even your girlfriend.” Josh made sure Travis got how serious he was by flashing red in the center of his eyes. It made the teenager back up a step, but he wouldn’t remember seeing it afterwards.

“No problemo. These guys belong to some underground movement or something?”

“If I told you, then I’d have to kill you.” Josh smiled back at him.

“Wow. Cool. I’m totally cool with that.”

Josh put Melanie up front with him, leaving the couple in the back. Melanie had been asking Angela too many questions about her darkness, and it bothered him to hear this. He made a note to separate the two as much as possible and decided to mention it to James as well, later.

He pulled the black Hummer into Daniel’s driveway. All of a sudden, the front door burst open and Claire came running out, wearing a baggy pair of jeans and a white smock. Her feet were adorned in yellow Crocs with “jewels” buttoned into the little holes. At first Josh thought something was wrong, but the smile the size of her whole face was hard to miss.

She clamored up to Josh’s window, asking as she banged on it, “Where is she?” Spotting Angela in the back seat, she ran around the car to the other side and threw a big bear hug around her as Angela attempted to get out of the car. “Oh, Angie, Angie. You heard the news?” Claire asked her as she leaned back to take a good look at Angela’s face. Angela was crying.

“Yes. I am just…” Angela was overcome. “Claire, I feel so…I am so happy for you, how it all worked out.”

“Yes, well we have some work to do, but it’s wonderful how everything worked out. And, my dear, I wouldn’t want anybody other than Daniel by my side as we fight this thing.”

Josh was impressed with the size of Claire’s love for Angela and knew now the anguish she’d felt when Angela had turned. He watched Claire sigh.

“This was the battle we signed on for, when you and I were Guardians, remember?” She gave a little laugh. “And now you are dark and I am human.” Claire hugged Angela again and said, “But we are still together, and we will always be friends.”

Josh could see James was fidgeting, obviously unsure of himself. He understood the guilt the dark angel must feel. As if on cue, Claire came over to James and embraced him too. Holding one of their hands in each of hers, Claire searched their faces.

“I have long dreamed about this day. I knew we would stand together again to rout out this scum,” she said.

James was shedding tears, his lower lip quivering. “Silly James,” Claire said as she wiped his cheek with the back of her hand. “Come inside. Welcome to our home.”

Josh and Melanie walked behind the trio, holding hands.

“She’s incredible, Josh,” Melanie whispered.

“Yes.” He was now thankful he’d never turned her.

Melanie squeezed his hand and leaned against his shoulder.

Daniel was in the kitchen, preparing food. He wore a flowered apron with a rose-colored bow, tied behind his waist, and was singing in Portuguese to a guitar melody that Claire quickly turned down. He raised his glass of red wine to the new guests.

“Welcome to Casa Nova,” he said, “The house of new things.”

“No, sweetheart, you’re the Casanova, remember?” Claire wrapped herself around his muscular body. Their kiss ignited the room. He whispered something in Claire’s ear in Portuguese and she blushed. He set down his wine, turned her around to face the little crowd, and held her back to his chest, then placed his two hands on her belly.

“My child welcomes you too.” He beamed.

Josh had never seen Daniel so happy. He remembered all the days he’d spent trying to convince the painter that his life was worthless—after Daniel’s breakup with Audray and lack of success with his art. He’d wanted the good-looking Brazilian man to be his partner in crime, had envisioned they would explore the vastness of the human world and its charming women folk together, tasting, playing, and scheming for all eternity.

Now this plan seemed like a cruel joke. He was completely satisfied with one little human waif, and now might have to die to protect her from a life of debauched immortality.

Death itself would be a more welcome friend than that outcome.
He squeezed Melanie’s waist and planted a kiss to the top of her head.

Josh introduced Melanie to both Claire and Daniel. Daniel kissed her hand. “You and I have something very important in common,” he said.

“Oh?” she responded. “What’s that?”

“We’re the only two here who have never been anything other than what we are today.” He wrinkled up his nose. “You understand me?”

“Yes, my love.” Claire told him. “I don’t care what he says, or whether or not he makes sense. I just love to listen to him speak.” She smiled and everyone else laughed.

They sat to eat, Daniel and Claire waiting on the dinner party. Wine flowed. At one point, Josh noted Daniel had poured some Ravenswood, and he pointed to the label.

“We drink the Merlot only. The Meritage is awful stuff.” Josh gave a knowing glance to Daniel, who winked back. Josh knew the Meritage had been Daniel’s favorite, because the special blend of three wines reminded Daniel of Audray’s infidelity.

As they were finishing up their early dinner of pasta and salad, a knock was heard at the front door. A short shadow graced the frosted window. Claire and Daniel exchanged warm glances. Daniel got up and let the new visitor in.

It was Doris, one of the transporters from Heaven. She was dressed in her usual cabbie attire, and a yellow leather cap was balanced toward the back of her head, her bright red hair sticking out underneath in tufts all around the edges of the cap. Her short stature wasn’t enough to carry her extra weight gracefully. She stepped into the room and gave a shrug, her hands stuffed into her brown bomber jacket. She still wore the steel-toed boots she was famous for. Josh noticed she got embarrassed at the attention being placed upon her.

“Everyone, this is Doris,” Daniel said.

Doris extricated one paw from her jacket and gave the gathering a nervous wave. She locked onto Josh’s eyes and squinted.

Josh instantly crossed the room, and while standing in front of her, clicked his boots together, bent down, and softly kissed her fingers. Her painted red eyebrows rose as she looked up at his huge frame hovering over her.

“Oh my God!” she said, and then clamped her hand in front of her mouth. “Sorry. That’s never happened to me before.”

Claire laughed openly. “Doris, you goof. You’re the only Guardian here. You’re our connection to Father. You have the direct line we need right now.”

Josh looked at the room full of people who were considering this new piece of information. He chuckled to himself at the thought the legendary renegade foul-mouthed cabbie was the only true angel in the room. Everyone else was either dark or human. This would not have been a plan he could have come up with. And this was precisely why it wouldn’t occur to Peter.

He found himself feeling hopeful for the first time in months. Perhaps they had a shot, after all.

Chapter 38

Dinner dishes were cleared off and the group sat around the table sipping coffee and tea. Josh and Daniel sat next to each other and Josh noticed how relaxed Daniel seemed, finally. They drank a hundred-year-old Spanish port. Daniel’s lips were bright red, his eyes a little watery, and his cheeks had pinked up. The way Claire glanced over at him, Josh suspected Daniel would be in some trouble when they were at last alone.

“I’ve missed this, man,” Josh said to his former best friend. They raised glasses and drank. Daniel’s white shirt was opened one button too many and he had pulled out his shirttails. A bit of tomato sauce had spilled over his heart. Each glare Claire gave him earned her back a wet air kiss and beaming smile. Nothing was going to get in the way of Daniel’s mood.

Melanie saddled up to Claire and Angela, who continued holding hands across the table and were speaking with Doris. Josh was going to pull her back to his side when he heard Claire address Doris.

“So, Doris, can you bring Father a message? We need to talk to him. I obviously cannot travel to Heaven any longer,” she said looking at her belly.

“You want me to just ask him to fry this sonof—”

“Doris, that’s enough.” Claire cut her off.

“But if he’ll do it, things would be a whole lot easier, right?”

“He won’t.” Josh spoke up, unable to control himself. “I know he won’t. It’s our battle, not his.”

The group was quiet.

“Audray know anything about this?” Doris asked.

“Audray?” Claire looked at Josh first, then Daniel. “Tell me you didn’t mention this to her, Josh.”

“No. She knows about Melanie, though.” Josh had to be careful here.

“Oh!” Melanie sat up. “She’s the distraction.”

Several of the group in unison asked, “What?” Everyone peered at Josh, who was feeling some of the heat.

Melanie volunteered to be helpful. Josh could tell he wasn’t going to like this, but couldn’t do anything to stop her.

“My father has a law firm. Peter is a new associate, and they haven’t seen or heard from him in three days now. He doesn’t answer his cell.”

Daniel threw back his head and laughed. Josh had a hard time not joining him, and managed a little smirk. Claire bore into the two of them with a glare, as if she could vaporize.

“I don’t think this is funny at all. Those two get together, and who knows what power they could wield. Let’s not get too happy about all of this.” Claire straightened her white blouse and ran her fingers through her short hair, swishing it to the sides. Josh noted how Daniel watched every movement, his half-opened dark eyes lovingly fixated on her.

Doris leaned forward and added her two cents. “That Audray. She is the worst of the worst. Never saw a human so much like a dark angel even before she turned. Gotta be deadly now.” She shook her head. “She must’ve been a handful, Josh. Probably still is.”

“Not for me. I am clearly not her type. Besides, she has her claws in Peter now. And I think the two of them have met their match.” Josh made a sideways glance to Daniel. His former friend would not look at him and appeared to still be stifling a smile.

“So I’m confused,” Melanie began. “If Audray and Peter are an item, why are we not worried she will protect him, warn him if she suspects we have a plan?”

“Because, love, Audray is incapable of loving anyone or anything but herself. To be loved by this woman would mean the kiss of death itself,” Josh said to the crowd. “I’d bet on her over Peter any day.”

“Me too,” said Doris. She stood. “Okay, I’m off to deliver my message to Father. He already knows I’m here talking to you guys. He’ll be ordering Cedric around the office and in a foul mood with Mother until he hears from me. Best be on my way.”

Claire walked the angel to the front door and gave her a long hug. Josh overheard their parting comments.

“I told you I’d see you again, kid.” Doris said.

“Yes you did. And you were right about everything. You told me to have a nice life, and I certainly have.”

“Hell, Claire. If I’d have met someone like Daniel, who knows what I would have done? Hey, do you suppose Father will come down in my taxi?”

Claire shrugged. She hugged Doris one last time and watched her waddle down the driveway. The former angel leaned into the door and closed her eyes. Josh knew she was saying a prayer for her safety, perhaps asking for the safety of her own unborn child. Josh read fear in her. She was not the brave former Guardian she wanted everyone to think she was.

An hour later, Melanie watched as Doris returned with some shocking news. Father wasn’t going to come to them. He wanted Claire to go back to Heaven, temporarily, to meet with him. And he wanted her to leave with Doris tonight. Melanie was filled with fear—for all of them.

“I’m not sure I understand, Claire.” Daniel said as he held her in his arms.

“He told Doris the baby would be safe. I must go, my love.”

It was difficult for Melanie to watch the two of them. Just about everyone, including James, was weeping. Claire and Josh were the only two who didn’t. And Josh had his eye on Claire. He must sense her fear, Melanie thought. He must sense everyone’s fear.

“Doll, I gotta hurry,” Doris begged. “He said we had to get right back up there.” Doris was pacing, hands fluttering at her sides as she walked back and forth across the room.

“Yes. Let me just get my bag.” Claire was on her way up the stairs. She came down in a few minutes later with two yellow transport bags. She handed one to Angela.

Angela took her bag, smoothing over the canvas surface, hand-embroidered with her name in script. She touched it with her palm as if it were made of fine porcelain.

“You kept this. You didn’t return it?” Angie looked up to Claire’s face.

“I couldn’t. I thought I would give it to you when I next saw you. It’s yours, not mine. And it didn’t belong up there all alone.” The two former Guardians hugged.

Josh tipped his head toward Melanie and whispered, “They can bring things back and forth between here and Heaven if they put it in the bag. Angie returned it to Claire after James performed Angie’s turning.”