Chapter 24
Dagan stoodto one side of the living room in Hedori’s quarters while Michael spoke to Jenna. He’d discarded his shades, and she didn’t react to his eerie irises. Her gaze clouded with pain and confusion, darting between him and thearchangel.
Hell, Dagan wanted her to have a little more time, but Michael insisted it was imperative to speak to her, find out what he could about Samael’splans.
And why he was here instead of out onpatrol.
“I don’t know who took me…I don’t know anything,” she whispered again, curling into the corner of the couch, her knuckles white beneath her tan skin as she continued tugging at a lock of dull red hair. Ten minutes of questions, and stillnothing.
Thank the stars Shae had been spared from seeing her mother thisway.
Suddenly, Jenna jerked to her feet, her hands clenching together. “Please, I don’t want to talk. I don’t want to do thisanymore.”
A coppery whiff drifted to him. His gaze snapped to her hands. Shit.She’s hurting herself,he telepathed toMichael.
“Jenna,” he said quietly. “Look at me.” Hell, the power in the Arc’s voice made Dagan want to crawl over and stare at him. “Calm down, we won’t hurt you. We simply want to find out whathappened.”
Her agitated movementsslowed.
“You’re safe here,” he reiterated, his tone softer now, which surprised Dagan, considering he was sure the Arc was created from solidrock.
“No one will harm you again. Will you come and sitdown?”
As she lowered to the couch once more, Michael sat on the armchair across from her, keeping a distance. Hedori walked in and stood adjacent to her, near the windows overlooking the herbgarden.
Her wary gaze shifted to Hedori, then to Dagan and stayed on him. “You rescued me from that darkplace.”
Dagan nodded. “Yes, we did. The Guardians and I—everyone here, will keep you safe.” He cut a quick look to Hedori, who resembled a statue. His eyes, the only things showing emotion, blazed a deep, deadlyorange.
“Jenna, can you recall what happened?” Michael asked. “How you ended up in this darkplace?”
She remained silent for an endless moment, and just when Dagan thought she’d retreated into herself, tears rolled down her almost pallid face. “We had an argument, Shae and I, over that musician. Every time he called, she would go, and then she’d come home hurting because he would be with some other woman. Though she denied it, I knew—she’s my child. How could Inot?”
Jenna inhaled a shuddering breath. “Shae didn’t go that evening. She worked instead and was on her laptop. Everything happened so fast—there was a crackling noise, then an explosion. The blast threw me across the room, and I hit my head on the wall…” Her fingers plucked at the ends of the sweater sleeves. “I don’t remember what happened after that, all I recall is waking up in that darkplace.”
Dagan jammed his fist into his pants pocket. Shae hadn’t told him the reason for the fight, and hearing Jenna reveal how much the human had hurt her pissed him off. His territorial nature demanded that he kill the bastard. His Guardian oath kept him glued to thefloor.
He stilled, a thought that had been nagging him surfacing again. He summoned the pewter dagger. He hadn’t had a chance to read it again. Maybe she’d knowsomething.
The moment it took shape in his palm, he crossed to her and held out the weapon. “Jenna, do you recognize thisblade?”
She stared blankly at the dagger, then her eyes widened. She snatched it from him. “Where did you getthis?”
“So you’ve seen itbefore?”
A sob broke free. “This belonged to my h-husband. It disappeared when he was killed.” Her gaze lifted to him. “We thought the murderer had takenit.”
At her revelation, Dagan rose to his feet. This was a damn shitfest. The blade belonged to an angel, one who’d apparently still possessed his wings when he mated Jenna. It was why Shae had inherited those kinds of abilities—no! Terror crashed through him at the truth—at what it meant forShae.
Born of an angel and a psi, it made her extremely powerful. Anephilim.
Michael and his band of warrior angels had annihilated all the Watchersandtheir half-angel offspring. The Arc cut him an unreadable look, obviously picking up his violentemotions.
It’s not my call to make a decision about Shae. But I’ll do what I can,he telepathed him then returned to his questioning as if this were some godsdamn tea party. “What was your husband’sname?”
Too edgy to remain still, Dagan paced back to the door, his rioting mind trying to recall any laws with loopholes to keep Shaesafe.
Another long pause before Jenna answered. “GusIon.”
