Bronzed skin stretched over thick veins that helped definethe sharp-cut muscles of his shoulders and arms, and if there was an ounce offat on his body, she’d turn her jewelry store into a yogurt shop.
Tenderly, she ran her fingers over his biceps and forearm,all the way to his fingers.His ring fascinated her, and when she touched theblack diamond in the center, she felt the oddest buzz, as if it contained anenchantment that was restrained and trying to get out.Even stranger, enchantedgemstones were always aligned with good, evil, or neutral energy, and shecouldn’t get any kind of read on it.Was he aware of its potential power?Oritsalignment?
Putting her questions aside, she followed a thick vein upthe back of his hand and then laid her hand over his, marveling at how muchbiggerhiswas.As an elf, she was naturally on thedelicate side, but he truly created a stark contrast in not only their size,but their coloring.Where she was light, he was dark.
Even the tattoos that looped around his shoulder blades andran up the back of his neck in twin Celtic-style braids before disappearingunder short-cropped black hair were dark.Not in color––although they were deepblue––but in nature.She recognized the symbols woven into the rope-likepattern.They were often burned or carved into objects, like cursed orenchanted gemstones, to dampen their power.
Were Razr’s tattoos more punishment for whatever he’d done?
Gods, whathadhe done?It had to have been bad toget kicked out of Heaven, but then to be saddled with extrapunishment?
She eyed the door.Maybe she’d made a mistake bringing himhome.She’d heard there was a clinic right here in London that treated demonsand fallen angels and the like...She could drop him off and then check on himtomorrow.
He shifted, wincing at the slightest motion, and she sighedin resignation.After all, a girl had to bring home the wrong guy at least oncein her life, didn’t she?And hey, he’d tried to warn her, tried to get her outof the dinner party before everything went to hell.If she’d listened insteadof arguing, maybe she wouldn’t be in this mess.
She owed him for trying.
Plus, he seemed to know a lot about the Gems of Enoch.Itmade her a little nervous, but at the same time, she’d love to learn more.Sheand her sisters had only discovered them because they’d felt them in use, andthey’dstolenthem before they’d learned what theywere.Since that day a century ago, Jedda had done as much research aspossible, but very little was known about them.
Seemedthat very few angelspublished books about their greatest weapons.Go figure.
After she finished patching him up, she went to the kitchento prepare something to eat and to plan her next move.Clearly Shrike wasserious about getting what he wanted, and if he’d really enveloped her in somesort of sacrificial demonic magic, she was in trouble.Maybe she could get herhands on the horn he wanted, but there was no way she could give him her gem,even if she wanted to.It was part of her.It was why her heart was beating andher blood was pumping.
Without it, she would die.The thing that sucked, though,was that if she didn’t give it to him, the result would probably be the same.
Chapter Seven
Coffee.Fuck, Razr needed coffee.
That was always his first thought when he woke up.Even asan angel waking up in Heaven, he’d wanted that uniquely human beverage that somany of his angelic brethren turned their noses up at.Hot, cold, black, withmilk...it didn’t matter to Razr.Just hand it over or get out of the way.
He yawned, opened his eyes and blinked, startled at thesight of Jedda sitting in a chair next to the bed he was currently sprawlingin.He’d dreamed about her, except she hadn’t been wearing a bright turquoisesilk blouse and shimmering black leggings that showed off toned thighs andcalves like she was now.
In his dream, she’d been naked.Her luxurious silver-bluehair had blanketed her perky breasts, but everything else had been gloriouslyfree of any kind of covering.She’d been walking on a beach of white sand andpink shells, and as she sauntered up to him, she’d held out his Enoch IceDiamond.
Razr had extended his hand...But he still didn’t know ifhe’d been wanting the gem––or her.The dream had flickered away asconsciousness interrupted.
“Hey, you.”Jedda reached for a pitcher of water on thebedside table.“You weren’t outas long asI thoughtyou’d be.You heal fast.”
Confused, he rolled onto his side and pushed up on an elbow,feeling the pinch of something on his back.Bandages.She’d bandagedhim?
“Where am I?”His voice sounded as wrecked as he felt.
“I brought you to my place.”She poured water into a glassand handed it to him.“I couldn’t just leave you there bleeding on Shrike’sfloor.Who knows what he’d have done to you?”
His stomachrumbled—he’d missed thesacrificial dinner, after all—and he took a drink of water to quell it.Itwasn’t coffee, but he wasn’t going to complain to someone who had helped himout.
“Where are my weapons and clothes?”When she pointed at apile on the floor, he relaxed and set the glass down.“How did you get me here?And whereishere?”
She offered a small smile.“I’m stronger than I look, andhereis London.”
Oh, right.He’d gotten that info when he’d gone to Scotland.“Near your shop?”
She shrugged.“It’s walking distance in good weather.Onestop on the Tube in bad weather.But thisisEngland, so I ride theTube a lot.Turn over.”She made a circular gesture with one bejeweled finger.Besides her gem-encrusted fingernails, she wore a lot of rings.As many asthree on each finger.“I’ll remove the bandages.”
He could do it himself, and he didn’t generally like takingorders, but he suddenly wanted very much to have her tending to him.Touchinghim.The dream was still fresh in his mind, so what the hell.
Besides, while it was technically forbidden for angels tofraternize with demons, he was, for all intents and purposes, considered afallen angel.Which meant all bets were off, and Heaven could suck it.
