Desiring A Demon (Archangels) (11 page)

She was grabbed from behind
,
and Mike’s voice sounded in her ear. “Hang on and don’t lose the connection.”

“I won’t.”

He let her walk ahead of him to his back door with the others close behind. “Zerach, stay with Rafe,” Mike said. “We’ll find Forge and return with answers.”

As soon as they were outside
,
Mike lifted her and took to the air. Once again
,
the fear of flight hit her but she ignored it to concentrate on locating Forge. She pointed in the direction her instincts screamed she should go
,
and the angels followed.

They headed south toward Galveston.

They hovered over Bolivar Peninsula and she pointed to a two
-
story house that had seen better days. Most of the roof tiles were missing
,
and the chipped paint had faded from either brown or red. No cars stood in the gravel driveway
,
and the grass was so overgrown it hid the few steps leading to the front porch. From the sky it appeared to be empty but her instincts and her ears told her otherwise. Someone inside was arguing and he wasn’t being quiet about it.

The angels landed on a rooftop a few blocks over
,
a relic not yet rebuilt after the last big hurricane. When the roof creaked beneath their feet Asta wondered how long it would hold them.

“You stay here,” Mike said. “You’ll only get in our way if you follow.”

The six of them flew off, returning to where Forge remained hidden. Asta waited until she no longer saw them in the sky, then made her way to the first floor.

She needed to find a way to help Rafe. Mike could kick her ass, torture her, whatever he wanted to do. It no longer mattered. She ran back to the house and crouched by a window and listened to the battle raging inside. Just as she was debating which way to enter the house, she was grabbed from behind and pulled against a hard chest.

“I’m really getting sick of this shit,” she muttered.

“Oh?” Forge asked. “This is what you get for bringing your feathered friends to my party.”

He spun her around to face him and shoved her against the side of the house. She threw up her hands and pushed against his chest, keeping a scant few inches between them.

“Back the fuck off,” she growled.

He laughed. “I thought you liked it rough.”

“You don’t know what I like, you sick fuck.”

“Tsk, tsk. Name calling?”

“What the fuck are you doing to Rafe?”

“Rafe?”

“The Archangel Raphael. You’re using me to hurt him. Why?”

He barked out a laugh. “You think I need a reason to hurt one of those self-righteous assholes? Putting him in pain was icing on the cake. You’re my real prize. Too bad your daddy said I can’t claim you yet.”

“Ugh. As if I’d let you touch me.” She tried pushing against him again but it was no use.

He chuckled and palmed one of her breasts roughly. “A bit on the small side, but still fuckable.” He dropped his hand and took a step back. “I’ll tell you what, demonling. I’ll wake up your feathered friend in exchange for a vow. You come to me when I call you. No matter the day or hour. I call, you come.” He held out his hand for her to shake. “Agreed?”

She didn’t hesitate to grab his hand. “Agreed.”

Though she wanted to snatch her hand back, she knew better. She waited the eternity for him to release her.

“Don’t forget,” he said
.
Then he disappeared before her eyes.

“What the fuck?”

She looked around and realized she was dealing with a much stronger demon than she’d thought. Did the angels even realize the extent of Forge’s powers?

“Asta!”

She started at the angry voice. Mike grabbed her shoulder and spun her around to face him. “I told you to stay put.”

He was covered in black blood and the soot of demons, but didn’t appear to be injured.

“I found him…Forge. He agreed to wake Rafe.”

“In exchange for what?”

“Does it matter? Let’s go! Back to Rafe. Please.”

He shook his head as his brothers came out of the house. They looked at each other in silent conversation, then Mike, Uri
,
and Sel leaped into the air. Cam grabbed her and followed. Soon they were back at Mike’s house.

“What about her?” Cam asked after leading Asta into the living room.

Mike shrugged and pointed to the sofa. “She stays there while we check on Rafe.”

“Can I see him now, too? Please?” she begged.

Mike didn’t even turn around. “No.”

Cam released her before following his brothers upstairs.

She sat and stared at nothing as fear and worry clouded out every other thought. What good was she? All she ever did was cause trouble and hurt those around her.

Straining to hear anything from above, she stood and walked to the foot of the stairs. Mike’s voice, so full of authority, rang loud and clear. Sel’s confident voice sounded also, followed by Cam’s patience and Uri’s concern. But Rafe’s voice was absent and her chest ached at the thought. For a second she thought of leaving, walking right out the front door and not looking back. But she couldn’t leave without knowing he’d be all right.

She made her way up the stairs slowly and as quietly as possible, expecting one of the angels to show up any minute and kick her right back down. As soon as she could see the open doorway to one of the guest bedrooms she stopped. They were chanting quietly but she couldn’t make out the words. From her vantage point
,
she made out Zerach’s back as he stood beside a bed. She hoped they’d at least let her
see
Rafe for a brief second. Was he physically hurt? Was anything else wrong with him?

What felt like hours later, but was probably one hour at the most, Zerach turned away from the bed and his brothers. He caught sight of her and frowned. She stiffened but didn’t move as he walked toward her, shutting the door behind him.

“You should be downstairs,” he said.

“It didn’t work,” she replied with tears thick in her throat.

He sighed and shook his head. “No, it didn’t. What the fuck were you thinking, Asta? Forge could’ve snatched you again.”

She swallowed hard. “I have to do whatever I can to help Rafe.”

“Forge is a…half-demon. What the hell made you think you could reason with him?”

“I can be reasonable.”

He laughed at that, though weakly. “That’s debatable.”

“He’s got some crazy powers for a half. I mean
,
like, he can disappear from plain sight and shit. But as far as I can tell he’s only half, and he told me he was
,
too.”

“We were never certain. All of my sources have pegged him as human
.
This actually explains a lot.”

“What did he do to Rafe?”

He glared at her a moment. “We’re not sure. There are very few things that can affect us, but now that we know Forge has demon-tainted blood, his actions make more sense.”

“Is there anything I can do to help? I’ll do anything, I swear.”

“You’ve done enough,” Mike said quietly
.

She looked up to find the other angels watching her. She hadn’t even noticed them leave the bedroom. “I never meant to hurt him.”

He nodded. “I know, but that might be what got him into this in the first place. Forge is using that connection to hurt him somehow.”

Her shoulders drooped as the slight hope of seeing Rafe faded away. She allowed her tears to flow freely again. “I was just trying to help.”

“Intentional or not, this might be your doing, Asta,” Cam said. “And we still don’t know how to wake him. It’s best if you’re not near him until we figure this out.”

She lifted her chin and gave a curt nod. They might completely distrust her now, but she’d be damned if she’d cower in front of any of them.

Mike crossed his arms. “We’ll let you know if anything changes.”

Maybe they should kill her and get it over with.

“She should tell us absolutely everything she knows about Forge, and every second of her interactions with him,” Sebastian said from the foot of the stairs
.

She nodded and, after one last look at the closed bedroom door hiding Rafe from her sight, she headed down the stairs.

It took a few minutes to tell them every detail of Forge opening the portal, and then about her encounter with him in Galveston. Zerach seemed the most annoyed about her being able to find the man he’d spent the better part of two years searching for.

“He doesn’t see me as a threat,” she explained. “He knew I was looking for him and thought it was funny. I’m a pest to him.”

“He must like something about you from what I saw in Bolivar,” Mike said.

She fought down her automatic reaction to flip him off. “I don’t know what it looked like but I was trying to push him away when he grabbed me. I asked what he did to Rafe.”

“And he told you?” Sel asked. “Just like that?”

She almost lied, but if they caught it things would only be worse between them. “No. He asked me for a vow and I agreed. Then he agreed to wake him.”

Their looks of distrust changed to surprise and concern.

“What the fuck did you vow, Asta?” Uri asked.

“What does it matter?” she asked. “The vow has nothing to do with any of you, or Rafe.”

“Of course it matters,” Zerach said. “Tell us.”

Feeling like a little girl being reprimanded by her older brothers, she hesitated. She sensed they weren’t going to like her answer.

“He asked for my vow to go to him when he calls me. No matter the time or day, he calls, I go.”

The angels made varying noises of annoyance, anger
,
and defeat.

Mike glared at her even harder. “So…he calls, you go? Like you’re his lapdog now. And what do you think he’s going to do with you once he has you?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know
,
and I don’t care. Rafe is my only concern. You can believe me or not. I really don’t give a fuck, but it’s the truth.”

They were quiet
,
and she hoped the tide was turning on what they thought of her.

But then Mike stood and looked at his brothers. “We’ll take shifts watching over Rafe, but now someone needs to keep an eye on her
,
too. Should we take her back to his house and leave her there with a guard or lock her in the attic here?”

She gasped and jumped to her feet, backing away from all of them. “You’re
not
locking me in an attic.”

“We need to put you where Forge can’t get to you. He’s already blown up one front door, the attic would be a bit harder,” Mike said.

Zerach gave her a sympathetic look. “Why don’t we let her choose? I don’t feel she’s a threat to Rafe.”

“I don’t know what the hell she is at this point,” Mike growled. “And I’m not willing to take any more chances. If Forge is able to control her actions, there’s no telling what he can make her do.” He glared at her. “And you can’t promise that’s not the case…can you?”

She sighed in defeat. “No
.
You should’ve killed me when we met.”

“We don’t kill innocents, Asta,” Uri said. “And right now
,
I don’t sense any true evil from you.”

“Neither do I,” Cam agreed.

“Or me,” Sel said.

Zerach shrugged in apparent agreement but Mike and the others said nothing.

“Whatever,” she said. “The only thing I’ve done intentionally is search for Forge and make that vow to him. If you want to lock me up for that, fine. But I’m not a threat to Rafe.”

Mike opened his mouth when a cry of agony from upstairs caught their attention.

“Rafe,” she whispered.

His brothers ran up the stairs but she knew better than to follow. The pain in Rafe’s voice had her doubling over in sympathy. How could she have hurt him when he was the only one in the world she truly cared about?

The other angels headed for the kitchen and left her alone with her misery. She curled up on the sofa and wept until Rafe’s voice quieted. Somehow she had to help. Being near him made her feel only slightly better, but guilt ate at her. The angels might not sense any evil, but what if they were wrong? What if deep inside she was evil and it was trying to get out? Would she be strong enough to fight it?

For the next hour
,
she contemplated what would happen when she turned into a full demon. If the urge to kill got too great, she’d take her own life. No way would she ever hurt someone else. Maybe she could kill other killers, rapists. Maybe she could use her evil to do something good?

She laughed at herself. Who was she kidding? Turning into a demon wouldn’t make her a superhero. This wasn’t a comic book world where she could defend the weak and fight crime to thwart her evil instincts. The best thing for her was to leave and never have anything to do with Rafe ever again. She was tainting his thoughts
,
and he’d already defied Mike because of her. She never wanted to come between him and his brothers. This episode proved she was as toxic to him as she’d been to everyone in her life, starting with her mother.

Pain shot through her chest at the realization that Rafe was better off without her in his life. Though she’d known it since day one, being with him made her forget what she truly was sometimes. He hadn’t treated her as if she was an evil time bomb waiting to go off. He hadn’t treated her as if she held the plague. She’d felt human around him… Normal.

Chapter Ten

Such intense pain had never wracked Rafe’s entire body for what felt like an eternity. He moaned and struggled to find a comfortable position in the somewhat familiar bed. Mike’s house? But why?

Shadows moved around him
,
speaking in the ancient language he and his brothers still reverted to from time to time. He stilled and tried to grasp the words. They were talking to him, calling to him. But why? He reached out for the closest form and grasped a strong arm. When he pulled it neared and Mike’s face formed clearly.

“Mike,” he whispered, his voice little more than a croak.

“We’re here, brother. Give us time.” He moved back so his face was obscured again. Rafe lost his grip on Mike’s arm, then lost consciousness.

When he woke again the room seemed brighter, the shadows not so deep. It was silent but he sensed he wasn’t alone. When he reached a hand out, it was gripped by an equally strong one. Zerach. Rafe pulled until his brother’s face became clear.

“Rafe, what have you gotten yourself into now?” Zerach asked with forced amusement. His smile faded and he shook his head. “We’re doing what we can to free you from this, but it might take some time. Forge sure as hell knew what he was doing and his will is strong.” He gripped Rafe’s shoulder with his free hand. “Rest.”

Rafe shook his head slowly, his neck feeling like it had turned to stone. “Asta… Asta.”

Zerach frowned. “Don’t worry about her right now. Just fight the shadows, brother. We’ll get you free.”

Then he pulled back and released Rafe’s hand. He didn’t bother reaching for anyone else. Where was Asta? He closed his eyes and let the memories of her touch flood him. Warmth filled him and he calmed. Had they found her? Was she worried about him? Afraid that he was mad at her? He’d straighten everything out as soon as the damn shadows receded.

Rafe later discovered it took two weeks for him to wake. In that time
,
nightmares of Asta in pain, scared and alone, plagued him. He needed to talk to her but there was one major problem. Actually
,
four winged and one human problem, who stood glaring and firmly in his way
.

“Look, I understand what you think of her right now,” he said, and not for the first time. “But there has to be an explanation. She wouldn’t have intentionally hurt me.”

“And like I’ve said before, sex doesn’t equal loyalty,” Zerach replied.

Rafe took a deep breath to calm himself so he didn’t punch his brother in the face. “I understand that.”

“Do you?” Mike asked. “Because I’m really starting to think your opinion is still biased.”

“And yours isn’t?” Rafe countered. “You’ve had a problem with her since day one. All I’m saying is we need to give her the benefit of the doubt. You said she seemed as baffled by my illness as anyone, right?”

“That could have been faked. We just got you back
,
and I don’t want to run the risk of you getting hurt by her again,” Mike said.

Rafe took a deep breath and lifted his hands for emphasis. “Look, I understand your concern and doubt. Honestly I do. But you need to understand that I know her better than any of you. She wouldn’t have betrayed me by choice or on purpose. I need to talk to her, hear her side of things.”

“And if being in the same room with her means Forge can hurt you again?” Mike asked.

“We’ll deal with that when the time comes.” He faced his brothers’ worried faces and sighed. “I know if any of you were in my place I would argue, too, but I love her. I
need
to see her like I need to breathe. Please understand.”

Zerach nodded and stepped out of his way. “I do understand.”

The others waited a heartbeat, then cleared his path to the door.

“We’ll be in the sky above your house,” Mike said. “Just in case.”

Rafe nodded and took a deep breath, then left the sanctuary of Mike’s house and flew home.

…

Asta huddled into herself and ignored the whisperings in her head. It was Forge, and it wasn’t. Demonic voices had plagued her at regular intervals since puberty, but never had they been so clear and demanding. They were calling for blood
,
and the demon part of her wanted to heed them. Her belly cramped in hunger, her throat itched from being too dry. When was the last time she ate? Drank? She couldn’t remember
,
and her physical hunger only strengthened her demon’s unnatural hunger. She pushed it down and shut her eyes tight.

One of Sebastian’s many brothers watched her from the sofa. She remained in the recliner where Rafe’s scent was the strongest and tried to ignore the angel in the room. They didn’t speak to her much. Nathaniel had come by and one of their sisters. But usually they only talked to each other and let her know when a meal had been prepared. Not that she ever ate with them. No, she didn’t do anything but wallow in self-pity and dream about Rafe. Was he awake yet? She hadn’t talked to any of his brothers in almost two weeks, and the angels here wouldn’t say.

She closed her eyes and thought of his voice, his scent, the warmth of his skin against hers. Her memories had kept her sane as the voices of demons tried to drive her mad. But how much longer would that work? Her father’s voice beat a persistent tempo in her mind. He wanted her to return to Forge and wasn’t happy that she wouldn’t.

“Hey. ’Bout time you woke up.”

At first she thought Nathaniel was talking to her, but then she heard Rafe respond. “I know. I got here as soon as I could.”

Her head shot up and she found him watching her. He stood real and whole in his living room, simply looking at her as if he’d never left. Nathaniel rose from the sofa and patted him on the back. “I’m glad you’re better. I’ll be outside with the others.”

Then he left. And they were alone. She and the Archangel she had fallen in love with.

“Rafe,” she whispered, almost unable to believe what her eyes were seeing.

“Baby, you look like you haven’t eaten in a month.”

She burst into tears and he scooped her up into his arms. He sat on the recliner and set her in his lap, then held her as he rocked.

“Shh, it’s okay. I’m here now, and it’s going to be okay.”

She didn’t protest as he carried her to his room. He undressed her with a clinical touch and gently pushed her into the shower. He didn’t ask questions, simply waited outside of the shower with a towel ready. As soon as she was finished
,
he wrapped her in the towel and carried her to the bed. He dried her off and dressed her in shorts and a T-shirt
.

“Asta.”

She kept her eyes shut tight
.

“Asta. Look at me. Please.”

“Why?”

“Why not? Am I too ugly now?”

She finally looked at him with a scowl on her face. “No, you’re not ugly…but I am. Inside and out.”

“I think you’re beautiful, inside and out. You’ve been a victim. Don’t you think I realize that?”

“I should have fought harder. I should have been stronger.”

He shook his head and gave a weak smile. “Forge is an expert at manipulation. You didn’t stand a chance against him.”

“But he hurt you because of me.”

Her breaths turned to gasps. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed.

He pulled her into his arms. “You didn’t know he was using you. No one blames you.”

“I do.”

…

That was the crux of the matter
,
and something he couldn’t fix for her. It hurt him to know she was in pain and feeling guilty, but all he could offer was comfort and understanding. She would have to find forgiveness in her own way.

“No one could’ve predicted that Forge would hurt me through you
.
You’re not evil. You’re still very much human, despite how you look.”

She sighed and relaxed against him. Though it wasn’t full acceptance of his words, he’d take it and vowed to continue reassuring her once she was willing to listen.

After a few minutes of silence
,
he realized she’d fallen asleep. He gently tucked her into bed and left the room, keeping the door wide open in case she called for him. He didn’t expect her to, but hoped she might be willing to show her need for him at some point.

His brothers were waiting for him in the kitchen.

“I think she’s telling the truth,” he said as soon as he joined them
.
“I don’t think she has some ulterior motive or plans with Forge.”

No one commented, but everyone looked at Mike, who was leaning against the refrigerator, arms crossed as usual.

He released a breath and met Rafe’s gaze. “Neither do I, but that doesn’t mean I trust her completely. I’ll admit I never felt evil or deceit from her, but we can’t read her
,
and she may be able to hide her true feelings.”

“Not from me,” Rafe said with confidence.

Mike’s facial expression spoke of his disbelief but he didn’t bother arguing. Instead
,
he pushed away from the refrigerator and headed for the kitchen door. “We’ve gotten all we can from her for now but Forge may come to reclaim her. We’ll keep a watch but you need to reinforce the wards. I want everyone staying here for now.”

Mike looked at each of them. “I have a really bad feeling. Especially Armoros showing an interest in her. Sel and Uri, go back to Bolivar and find some of Forge’s human followers. We need to see if he’s got something planned. Zerach, get online and see if you find any talk of summonings in the area or increased crime since she disappeared. Cam, stay close and keep an eye outside. Rafe will stay inside. Everyone remain alert. Sebastian, you might need to call your brothers back.”

“Where will you be?” Zerach asked.

“Cam’s massive library to read over the information Rafe found.”

They dispersed to do as Mike commanded. Rafe headed back to Asta’s side, and the temptation to lie at her side proved too great. He kept his clothes on
,
even though he didn’t want to, and watched her sleep
.
She’d lost weight and guilt ate at him. He couldn’t have healed any faster, or worked any harder to find her, but it still hurt to see her like this. The usual vibrancy that shone from her had diminished.

Touching her had become an instinct, an imperative need when he lay so close to her. He ran his hand lightly over her hair and down the side of her face. She sighed in her sleep
,
and one hand inched toward him until it rested against his chest. He placed a soft kiss against her lips
,
and they turned up into a slight smile. His heart lightened at the sight
,
and he hoped maybe everything would be okay, but he feared her demonic side might tear them apart
.