Turning to the Lieutenant, I shake my head. “I must decline your offer. I have a job, and the Almighty would not take kindly to…moonlighting.”
She shrugs and offers me a small smile. “I had to try.”
Letting my angelic powers wash over the whole of the world, I search for Sinclair and Zoe. Until I know they are safe, I will protect them. Whether they want me to or not.
TWO
Gabriel
The lights of San Francisco twinkle like some sort of celestial disco beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows of Sinclair’s penthouse. I should have left eighteen hours ago—as soon as I knew Sin and Zoe were safe. But my wings burned and blistered so terribly, I will not be able to fly for weeks, and much of my angelic strength is gone.
After hours of rest, I am finally well enough to travel. Yet I have also found myself with two “minders” who huddle together across the spacious living room, talking in muted whispers.
“He's going to get himself killed,” Maddox says.
“Or worse.” The half-breed angel’s mate, Killian, shakes his head. “He'll come back covered in tattoos, pierced, and with a raging case of syphilis.”
“Fuck me. The Almighty will smite us for not taking better care of him.” Maddox's cheeks drain of all color. “We can't let him leave.”
“Doyouwant to try to stop him?” Killian asks. “He's a bloody archangel!”
“You do know I can hear you, yes?” I straighten to my full height, wincing as searing pain lashes across my back. Perhaps I am not as recovered as I thought I was. A strange feeling—almost a shudder—rolls through me.
My existence could have—shouldhave—ended in Hell. But the collective power of five other angels gave me the strength to help Sinclair and Zoe escape with their lives.
Maddox draws in a quick breath and clutches Killian’s arm. “I knewyou should have cast a spell first.”
I arch a brow. “As if that would have stopped me. I can eavesdrop from halfway across the world. And you, of all the beings in the earthen realm, should know that.”
Maddox bristles. His mate presses a kiss to his cheek. “He's baiting you, luv.”
“He's an ass.”
I chuckle. “That I may be. But I am also the bringer of justice, the revealer of truth, and?—”
“The interpreter of the Almighty's plan. Yes,we know.” Maddox runs a hand through his hair, tugging on the strands until his eyes crinkle with pain. “But while you’re here in the earthen realm, you’re subject to earthenrules. You can be injured. Killed.”
I brandish the tip of one wing. A single burned feather falls to the floor. “Obviously. I am not an idiot, half-breed.”
Killian steps in front of Maddox. “You have seen what I can do, Gabriel. Insult my mate again and you and I will have…issues.” Power glows from within the warlock, crackling over his fingers. “I may not be able to stop you, but I can make your existence quite painful before you end me.”
In all truth, the warlock probably could stop me. Creating a magical tether to anchor Sinclair to the earthen realm so he could pull his mate from Lucifer’s endless torment should have been impossible, even with the help ofsixarchangels. Yet Killianmanaged to do so without dying.Though it cost him. The dark circles under his eyes have not faded, and he looks almost…hollow.
“Apologies.” I force the foreign word from my lips. In the celestial realm, I am revered. By most. Seraphiel would like to see my end, I am certain. But the others...I have cultivated my reputation carefully over millennia. The lesser angels know not to challenge me. It does not end well.
“Are we done here?” I smooth my hands down my white robes, dispelling the last of the soot into thin air. “I do not wish to dawdle. Immersing myself in this realm will occupy me while my wings heal. And perhaps allow me to better understand those I am tasked with watching over.”
“No. Not even close.” Maddox thrusts a wad of green paper at me.
“What is this?” I wrinkle my nose at the scent. It reeks of…old. Of greed and desire and sweat from hundreds—if not thousands—of humans. I can sense them all. Different races, ages, religions. Their stories race through my mind. None of them linger for more than a blink. Unimportant, yet…not, at the same time.
“Money,” Killian says. “You will need it for everything. Lodging, food, travel?—”
“I am an angel. I do not need lodging. Or food. Or to rely on humanmeans of transportation. Nor do you, for that matter.”
Killian links his fingers with his mate's, a small smile curving his lips. “I have rather mastered teleportation. But you cannot simply appear and disappearin front of humans, Gabriel. They will talk. A lot. And your power alonecould kill or injure them.”
“Then I will ensure I am away from them first.” I try to hand the money back to Maddox, but he rolls his eyes.
