“He doesn’t have wings anymore. He’s fallen. He was once a guardian angel, the first to be assigned a human ward to protect, and he seduced her. He had his wings taken from him, and he was thrown from Paradise. He became the king of the Underworld.”
“Uh…huh. So if guardian angels are a thing, why haven’t I ever seen one?”
I tensed. This was where things were getting dicey. “You probably have… They can hide their wings from humans. Celestial beings are a form of shifter, not terribly unlike mortal shifters from Earth.”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay, you know I think I’m starting to believe that whole cult excuse you gave me. Because someone has been brainwashing you, Gabe. We should really make some calls and get you a therapist.”
My teeth clenched as my celestial beast paced angrily inside me.We’re not getting through to her. Force her to stay in this car if it comes to that. Tie her up if you have to.
Jesus Christ. Was I really contemplating forcing her to abide by my wishes? There were other guardians who would stoop to such things if it meant keeping their ward safe. But I couldn’t have her hating me, I wouldn’t be able to bear it.
Though it seemed we were already well on our way to that.
“I’m not lying to you. And Lucifer doesn’t just own Siren’s. He’s buying up property left and right all over Seattle. In other major metropolitan cities too.”
“Why would he want to do that if he’s the supposed King of the Underworld?”
“I don’t know. I think about it every night since I heard he opened up that portal. To own everything between Paradise and the Pit, most likely.”
“The Pit?”
“It’s what we call his domain in the Underworld. The connection between the nine levels of Hell that make up the Underworld.”
“Wow.” She shook her head in disbelief, her dark hair shaking softly around her shoulders. It was already dry from the car’s heaters and wild from the mess I’d made of it.
A fist of guilt gave my heart a merciless squeeze. I swallowed. “Do you believe me?”
“I believe that you believe in it. Which iswayworse than you making up this stupid lie to keep me out of that club. It’s not really about my safety, is it? You just don’t want anyone else to have me. You’ve always been freakishly possessive.”
Her dark eyes glistened with fresh tears that I longed to wipe away. But I didn’t move, didn’t dare touch her.
“Take me to Siren’s.Now Gabriel.”
She wasn’t asking. She was telling. And I didn’t have it in my heart to fight her on this. So I started the engine and pulled the car back onto the road.
“Fine,” I snapped, having to fight my true nature with every fiber of my fucking soul in order to guide the car toward the devil’s den.
We road the entire drive in silence. When I rolled the BMW up alongside the curb in front of the old church, Siren’s red florescent sign lit up the car cab with an ominous red glow. A prickling foreboding sensation rooted itself in my gut, and my throat burned with bile seeing all the motorcycles parked in front of the old converted church.
Several of the motorcycles parked outside were accompanied by tattooed beef slabs leaning against the church’s wooden porch railing, watching us with territorial disdain as we pulled up.
The overwhelming stench of mongrel wafted through the car, filling my nostrils. Every nerve in my body fired up, every muscle tensing.
Don’t. Let. Her. Leave. The. Fucking. Car,my celestial beast growled into my ear with an urgency that brought my skin to prickle with bumps.
Mel sniffed at me, still fuming, and made a move for the door handle.
I engaged the child locks.
She swiveled her head around, eyes blazing with infernal fury. It’s the closest I’d come to the scorching fires of the Pit. I shifted under the blaze of her anger. She’d never been this upset with me.
Guilt permeated through me while the euphoric bliss of finally being with her ebbed away. I knew this day would come, where I would eventually hurt her, and boundaries would have to finally be drawn. But why did it have to be on her birthday of all days? Because I was a horny, selfish bastard, that’s why.A big fake. I wasn’t the exalted celestial knight Paradise praised me for. And I wasn’t anything close to being the man Mel had fallen in love with.
I was just a fake.
Maybe I should ask Azraella for a new assignment. She might not question me, and it might just save my wings.
My stomach somersaulted when I considered the notion, and I dismissed the thought as soon as it had come. No, I couldn’t leave Melanie, no matter how bad things got between us. She’s more than my ward. She’smine. My true mate. Our bond had always been strong, and tonight it had been cemented.
