“He was.” A trembling smile touched her mother’s lips. She tucked an auburn strand of hair behind her ear. “He simply wanted a quiet life with us. He was tired of the heavenly wars, the bloodshed, and Samael’s plans to take over this city. He was furious at Gus’ decision. I guess that’s when he decided to kill him.” She picked up her tea. She didn’t drink and set it downagain.
No onespoke.
Hedori stood near the island counter, adjacent to Michael. He appeared pale, his features drawn. Eyesunreadable.
“When I saw your powers consume you three days ago, I thought I’d lost you,too.”
At the immense pain in her mother’s eyes, and knowing she was still grieving for her father, Shae leaped off her seat, lowered to her knees, and hugged her. “I’m here,Mom.”
“Now. But you died,Shae.”
She frowned, letting her mother go as memories of the violent night at her old home resurfaced. “If I’m a nephilim…then the seraphs would want me dead.” Her gaze rushed to Dagan. “You told me that inRomania.”
“I know.” He straightened from the doorjamb, the night silhouetting him like some deadly being ready to destroy “Now it no longerapplies.”
“I don’tunderstand.”
“You were already incinerating from the immense power,” Michael explained. “Your human body couldn’t handle it. I stabbed you in the heart to end it faster, and to give you a chance at rebirth. Given who your sire was and your inherited abilities, you absorbed Samael’s powers andangelhood.
“He was the Angel of Death, but he also possessed a singular ability, too—one he never used—torestartlife because then it would mean giving up his status as Death. It’s what happened to you. You sensed it and rebirthed yourself. You are an exception. Not a divine angel, but still immortal. You made it through the change, which can be…excruciating.”
Excruciating? Shae sagged on her heels, her mind reeling. She’d been in hell, burningalive.
Remembering the impossible agony coursing through her and begging Dagan to end her life, she shuddered. But the unadulterated torment in his eyes that she’d asked him to do such a thing would always remain with her. She jumped up and hurried to him, sliding her arms around hiswaist.
“I couldn’t,” he whispered. “I justcouldn’t…”
“It’s okay. But it’s not something I ever want to experience again.” Her fingers bunched his shirt. “I know what Michael said, that he gave me a chance at rebirth, but it wasyouwho pulled me back—you.”
He stroked her healed cheek, his eyes damp with tenderness. Before he could speak, a shift in the air signaled Aethan’s and Týr’s appearance on the terrace. They entered the kitchen, bringing in the chilly night air with them. Aethan instantly headed for Echo and drew her up into his arms, kissing her on her nape. Týr dropped onto a chair and tilted it back on two backlegs.
“It makes sense now,” Echo said, leaning against her mate and brushing away her overlong bangs from her eyes. “Why I couldn’t get a proper reading of your aura. It’s a lot like Michael’s—a silvery white. Before, it was almost translucent. Hidden. I guess it was the protection spell keeping it at bay.” She smiled, her bi-colored eyes gleaming in mischief. “If I’m the Healer, what will you do as an immortal who—ugh, it’s simpler to say—who’s anangel?”
“I don’t know…” Shae blinked. She hadn’t thought that far ahead, except for cataloguing Dagan’s work for sale. But what she’d taunted him with, about being a Guardian… That idea perked her up. Not just yet, though. Heck, she had to get used to being who she was now first before she gave Dagan a coronary. Besides, her mother was going to need help to get wellagain.
“I’ll find something, I’m sure,” she saidinstead.
Michael picked up his Coke, took a swallow, and glanced at the warriors. “Seems like this is something we need to pay attention to if there isanother.”
“Man,” Týr groaned and rose, his tilted chair hitting the floor with a thud. “Hope the next one is way in the future.” He headed for thefridge.
Michael set down his drink, lines creasing his brow. “Jenna? About those killings from monthsago…”
Her lips pressed tightly for a second. “I’m really sorry about their deaths. But I had to. Samael threatened to hurt Shae and mate her to that horrible Aza. I lived in constant terror. There was no escape from that place. Then he started to take away my memories when I became h-hysterical, or he’d put me under in a deep sleep. As time passed, I didn’t know what was real or not anymore. I thought the killings were a nightmare…” She swiped her damp cheeks with the long sleeves of her green sweater. “Now that I know Shae’s safe, I’ll accept whatever the punishment is for taking the lives of those innocentmen.”
“Mom,no!”
The sudden fierceness of the emotions in the room was so thick, light a match, and it would explode like an H-bomb. “No one will touch her,” Hedori said, his voice harsh withresolve.
Jenna frowned at him then lookedaway.
Michael shook his head. “Since Samael was behind the killings, I’ll speak to the seraphs and request a pardon. But, those abilities will be bound,” he warnedJenna.
She shut her eyes and nodded. “Thank you. I don’t want them anyway. I don’t want to ever become a liabilityagain.”
“Okay. I’ll go get this settled.” Michael vanished in a swirl of silverysparks.
Shae had to take several deep breaths to calm down. Unable to stay still, the power she’d consumed from Samael still riding high in her, she stepped away from Dagan and rubbed her arms. It was a struggle to keep her abilities leashed as anger pounded through her at what her family had endured at Samael’shands.
