Chapter 14

FOURTEEN

Gabriel

Willow looks so small wearing my sweater. And exhausted. Her eyelids are bruised and swollen, the skin at her neck tinged with red. She fiddles with the rolled-up sleeves as a weak shiver runs through her body.

The clock ticks over to 4:00 a.m. I set the glass of water on the nightstand, then tuck the blankets around her before I back away. She's still wary of me.

"You should sleep. I will stay awake. If anyone comes for you, I can take us back to Sinclair's. His penthouse is heavily warded."

A delicate snort escapes her lips. "You look like something the cat dragged in, Gabriel. I'm not sure you could take us anywhere right now."

I look around the room. "There are no cats here."

"It's a figure of speech." Willow yawns, her swollen eyes closing for a long moment before she forces them open again. "How can you be an angel and know so little about the world?"

"I did not care to learn." The truth surprises me. As does the ease of admitting it. I run a hand through my thick locks. "In the celestial realm, we want for nothing. We do not hunger or thirst. We do not need to sleep or eat. But without needs—without desires—it is too easy to become...apathetic."

"So you don't normally spend time…here?" She wriggles until she's lying on her side, her head on the pillow. If she stays awake another five minutes, it will be a miracle.

"In the earthen realm? No." Guilt roils deep in my gut. "I had to right a wrong." If Willow were not so exhausted, I would tell her everything. How I failed Sinclair centuries ago. How my actions led to Zoe's torture. How I lost my wings and fear I will never get them back. She is so easy to talk to, and she has not judged me for my actions. Yet. But I sense she is barely holding on. "This is a conversation for another time. You should rest."

She looks like she wants to protest, but with a sigh, she loses the battle. Her breathing slows, and I reach for my phone. I ignore three messages from Sinclair asking for an update. I am so angry with him for scaring Willow, I would surely say something regrettable. What I need now is one of the most powerful warlocks in all of history.

Gabriel: What do you know about a mostly non-corporeal being called a "whisper"?

Ten minutes pass before my phone screen lights up with a reply.

Killian: Not a bloody thing. But I can look through my spell books. Provided you tell me why you are asking.

Gabriel: I cannot.

Killian: Then fuck off, mate. I'm busy.

His words sting. Though I deserve them. The past ten days have enlightened me about many things. Including how poorly I treated Killian and his mate when they tried to teach me about the earthen realm.

Gabriel: Please. I know I have been an ass. But this could be important.

The three dots at the bottom of the screen bounce for so long, I wonder if he is writing an entire book. Or perhaps cursing me with every profane word he knows. I would deserve that.

Killian: If this turns into another "we could all die" cock up, I am going to be very pissed off.

I slap my hand over my mouth before I laugh and wake Willow. If I did not value my continued existence, I would tell the warlock that he is always very pissed off.

A soft whimper wakes me. I leap up, suddenly on full alert. Fuck. Willow is shaking, her face twisted in pain.

"No. Please…" she moans.

I'm at her side in two steps and gather her in my arms. Her eyes flutter behind her lids. A nightmare. A measure of relief washes over me. They haven't found her. She's not in physical danger.

"Willow?" I link our fingers and bring our joined hands to my lips. "Wake up, deliciae ."

Darling. This woman is precious to me. The ancient Latin word is instinctual, as is protecting her.

Tears tumble down her cheeks. Her muscles tense. I can feel every sliver of emotion. The power thrumming within her aches to be released.

"Can't…" A strangled cry escapes her lips, and her eyes fly open. Magic bursts over her skin, a million tiny sparks dancing in the darkened room. "Gabriel."

I slide my fingers into her hair, dragging my thumb along the edge of her jaw. She sighs, and my body comes alive. A pure, raw need so intense, if I give in, I will lose all control.

"You are safe. You will always be safe with me." My cock juts painfully against my zipper. This is not the time. Willow needs my protection, not my seed.

"I wish I could believe that. What I have to do…it's not fair. I want…" Trembling fingers skim my cheek. With every word, I lose another part of my soul to her.

"What do you want? Tell me, and if it is within my power to give, it will be yours."

"I want to live. I want…you."

She doesn't speak, but her thoughts are so very clear to me.

Dipping my head, I brush my lips to hers. Barely a touch, but she moans, and I am lost. To her. And I don't know that I will ever be found again.

Willow

I can't do this. I shouldn't. But in Gabriel's strong arms, the burden of the Blade eases. I can still feel it calling to me. But I'm able to breathe. To want. To need.

His lips were velvet against mine. One taste. One kiss with my angel and I can go.

My angel?

He's not mine. He belongs to God. Or at least to the celestial realm. And I belong to the Blade until my last breath. A breath I'm terrified will come all too soon.

Every second we spend together, I want more. How much longer until I can't walk away?

"Willow, you do not know what you do to me." His voice rumbles in his chest, deep and smooth.

What I do to him?

He's setting me on fire. With every touch, I lose another piece of myself. The first rays of morning's light seep through a crack in the curtains. I have to run soon. Leaving him won't be easy. Getting away will be even harder. But if I don't, AURA won't just come after me. They'll set their sights on him too.

I wrap my arms around Gabriel's neck. It's been so long since anyone's held me. I don't remember the last time I went on a date. Two years? Three? My job was all I cared about. All I needed. God, I was so stupid.

When our lips meet, the world falls away. I ache to get closer, but the blanket traps my legs. His tongue teases mine. Finding the hem of his shirt, I yank it up until I can reach his skin. He's so warm. Hard ridges of muscle flex at my touch.

A low growl builds in his throat. I could live in his scent. Do all angels smell so damn good? Our kisses turn desperate. I find his nipple and skate my nails over the sensitive skin.

I feel everything . The goosebumps racing over his abs. His lips trailing down the curve of my neck. His heart beating in time with mine. His hard length pressing against my ass. My fingers close over the button on his pants.

"No!" The word escapes as a snarl, and the haze of desire clears in an instant.

I jerk back. Humiliation crawls up my cheeks. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have?—"

"Fuck." Gabriel eases me back down to the bed so gently, I want to cry. "You did nothing wrong. Nothing ." He backs away, turns, and adjusts himself with a groan. "I want you, Willow. With all that I am. But if I give in…I could hurt you. Or…worse."

The sting of rejection eases a fraction. Regret pours off him in waves. "You wouldn't hurt me," I whisper. "I'm not sure of anything else in my life right now, Gabriel. But I'm sure of that."

He runs a hand through his hair, pulling on the dark strands. I shove at the blankets and swing my legs over the side of the bed. My blood pressure bottoms out, but I don't care. I have to touch him.

The world goes soft as I get to my feet, but I force a deep breath and stagger over to him. Wrapping my arms around his waist from behind, I press my cheek to his shoulder.

"I'm not asking for forever. Or even a day."

He turns, his hands sliding down my back to cup my ass. His amber eyes hold endless depths of need. "What are you asking for, deliciae ?"

"Just an hour to be… me . Or hell. Five minutes. I'm scared, Gabriel. Once I find the Blade?—"

He frowns. "What blade?"

Shit.

"Forget you heard that. Please." Even as I say the words, I know he won't. He can't. He cares about me—despite not knowing a thing about me.

"Willow. What blade?" His warm fingers skim the back of my neck until he tangles them in my hair. "Talk to me. I can help."

"You can't. No one can." I sniffle and swipe at the tears welling in my eyes. "Hannah and Isaac…they'll find me. And when they do, they'll force me to find the Blade. To wield it. I can't let that happen."

Gabriel

I tighten my fingers in Willow's hair. "Angels can sense human emotions. One of our many gifts . But today, it is a curse. You are terrified. Whatever you are planning…you do not have to do it alone."

"Yes, I do." She tries to wriggle free, planting her palms against my chest for leverage, but she is no match for my strength—or my determination to protect her. "Let go. Please."

The tremble in her voice—along with her plea—is like a dagger to my heart. I release her, and take two steps back. "You said you trusted me. Is that still true?"

I sense her struggle. A part of her does. Completely. But is it enough?

"I trust you . I don't trust myself. I thought Hannah and Isaac wanted to help people. I thought I'd be safe with them. I let them put that thing in me. I knew they had witches working with them, but I took them at their word when they said they were human. My whisper knew. She tried to warn me, I think. But I didn't listen. I didn't know how."

"You are not to blame, deliciae . The woman is part fae—or vampire, I suppose, as they can also enthrall their prey."

Willow cringes. "Prey. God, that's all I was to them. Prey. A few pretty words, and I was theirs. I'll always be theirs."

"You belong to no one," I growl. The room—the entire hotel—vibrates with a wave of my angelic power. If I am not careful, I will bring the old building down around us. The scant two hours of sleep I managed in the uncomfortable chair were enough to strengthen me, but my control is hanging on by a thread.

Before I can—again—beg Willow to tell me about the Blade, my phone buzzes on the dresser.

Killian: You bloody angelic twat. Maddox and I should be packing for Tahiti. Instead, we're going to Newfoundland to track down a Valkyrie vampire. Get yourself and your witch to the Bureau. Sin and Zoe will be waiting.

"Well, fuck."