“You’re sick?” Nate asked her.
“Not exactly, long story for later,” she reiterated his words.
“Let’s take this inside,” Michael, who’d stood aside as all this unfolded, finally spoke.
Aethan strode indoors with his sister—hell, hissister!
“Who would have thought,” Ely whispered, giving him a single-arm hug. “When I found the love ofmylife, thatyouwould find your sister.”
“I never expected it, but this…” He shook his head, emotions overwhelming him. This female who fought for him even when he’d given up, she believed. Now here he was.
“You knew about this?” Aethan demanded of the archangel after seeing Echo seated near the burning fireplace.
“No.” Michael’s expression hardened. “Not until last night did I have an inkling.”
“Echo?” Ely hurried over and took the seat next to his sister. “Are you all right?”
“I don’t know.” Echo grimaced, seeming as if it was an effort to do even that. “I guess it’s because I still feel drained like I’m about to collapse.”
Nate frowned, her weakness and exhaustion tightening around him like barbed wires. Before he was even aware, he found himself crossing to her. He hunkered down by the two females who meant the most to him. He took both Echo’s hands in his.
She blinked in confusion, then she slowly sat up as his instincts took over…and his energy flowed to her…
Both her eyes started to glow an eerie, swirling silver—
“What are you doing?” Aethan growled.
Nate ignored him as he let his sister feed on his energy…
Right in front of him, her paleness vanished, her lethargy faded, and her eyes shone, one sparkling like the cool moon, the other bright like the sun.
Echo exhaled sharply, seeming to come back to herself. She blinked, seeming to take stock of herself, then she grasped his hands. “I don’t know what you did, but thank you! I feel so much better!”
“Echo?” Aethan crouched at her other side, studying her face. She smiled at him, curling a blue ribbon of his unbound hair around her finger, and Nate rose. He grasped Ely’s hand and drew her away.
Damn, the room was small. He stood at the open door once more, breathing in deeply, aware he needed to recharge soon. Thank the damn stars he only had to wait for night and the moonlight to do so now.
“Nate?” Ely stepped in front of him. “What is it?”
He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. “Nothing I can’t handle.” He met Michael’s gaze. So many things weren’t adding up, yet he sensed this angel knew the answers. “What’s going on?”
“In a minute.”
A knock sounded.
“Come in,” Michael called out.
The door opened. Hedori stood aside, and Aba walked in.
“Thank you for your time,” Michael said to his sire.
Aethan rose to his feet, as did Echo, looking much better now.
Aba nodded in greeting, his dark gaze taking in everyone. He crossed to Nate’s side, and Ely smiled at him and did the intro. “Aba, that’s Aethan and his mate, Echo.”
“She’s my sister,” Nate added.
Aba’s head snapped to him. “Your what?”
