“I’ll burn them to the ground for you.”
The fire in his voice crushes my fear, and I know as long as he’s beside me, I’ll be okay.
“My Angel.” I press a kiss to his neck and finally surrender to the dark without any fear of what might be lurking behind it.
Right before I succumb to the comforting spell, I hear Angel whisper something softly —something that sounds a lot like love —and then he kisses the tip of my nose.
It can’t be love, right? What else rhymes with love?
19. Adding names to my shit list
Nevaeh
Isprint down the hallway, excited to spend another night cuddling Angel and giving my nightmares the middle finger. Turns out, my mate is a nightmare repellent. I’ve slept like the dead for the last week, and it’s all thanks to Fates for putting me on the path to find Anxo.
I round the corner and spot Angel marching toward me with a determined glint in his eyes. Before I can ask where he’s going, I’m effortlessly tossed over his shoulder like I weigh nothing.
Angel kisses my hip once, sending goosebumps all over my body, and continues walking like I’m not dangling from his shoulder like a rag doll.
“Angel, what do you think you’re doing?”
“Taking you on a date.”
“And making all my blood rush to my brain is part of it?”
Angel snickers but doesn’t set me down until we reach the rooftop. I swear, this man is obsessed with this roof.
He heads for a shadowed corner, and that’s when I notice a hidden staircase. It’s easy to miss if you’re not paying attention.
I expect him to stop and put me down, but Angel climbs the stairs to a smaller rooftop, completely unfazed by my added weight on his shoulder.
When he finally sets me back on solid ground, it takes a second for the world to stop spinning. But then I look up and forget how to breathe.
I’m not particularly fond of humans, their realm, or their existence in general, but I can’t say the same for their sky. Billions of twinkling stars are scattered like a blanket aboveme. A half-moon is peeking from behind a cloud that weirdly looks like a man with a horn,and it’s impossible to tear my eyes from the sight.
Angel clears his throat, bringing my attention from the stars to the miracle standing in front of me, and my jaw drops in disbelief.
A comfy mattress lies in the center of the roof, a fluffy blanket tossed at the foot. Dozens of candles flicker in a glowing square around it, casting a soft golden hue. In the corner, my favorite snacks are neatly stacked beside a mini cooler that’s probably filled with all the sugary drinks I love… the same Angel judges me for by calling them unhealthy.
When I step closer, the shimmering protective barrier ripples, parting to let me through.
“Angel, it’s beautiful… but why?”
My mate gives me a look like I’ve asked the stupidest question imaginable. “I know how much you like stargazing, so I thought this would make a great second date.” He shrugs, a little bashful as he sits on the mattress and asks me to join him with that irresistible curve of his lips.
I said I loved starry nights once—in passing—and he didn’t just remember that tiny detail but used it to create something so magical.
I don’t know what I did to deserve someone like him, but nothing will stop me from keeping him.
I slip off my slippers and carefully slide in next to him, careful not to knock over any candles. Angel immediately tucks me to his side, and I nuzzle my face in his neck. When I playfully bite him, he knows I’m demanding kisses and attention.
After our first kiss, Angel went from constantly needing to be around me to touching me at all times, or he throws a fit. I love the way he craves me.
With my head resting on his shoulder, I stare up at my second-favorite view. I’ve always felt comfortable with darkness, whether around or inside me. The sky remindsme not to think of my own darkness as something that overshadows me, but what makes my stars shine even brighter.
Angel clears his throat, stealing my attention again. I watch him swallow tightly, and I know tonight is about more than just gazing at the stars.
A puff of fog escapes his lips as he breathes out. “I’m sorry to put this on you without warning, but this date has an ulterior motive. There are a few things you need to know before we go home.”
