“But I deserved it.”
“For the kiss, yeah, but not for everything else. In the end, even if you’re an asshole, you’re here with me because you’re trying to do your job. Save Heaven from the evil hag that is too much of a slut to fight Damien’s temptation or stop herself from falling right into his trap, to become his queen and have the baby that will screw up everything.”
He peered at me as if he was seeing me for the first time.
I shrugged again. “What?”
“To answer your earlier question, that is exactly why I find you interesting, Isabella Ferro. That is why I do not wish to… That is why I wish you could listen and make the right choice.”
I let that soak for a minute, and then I laughed under my breath. “And the right choice is always Heaven’s choice?”
Suddenly, his gaze turned intense and I dared say dark. “Not even Damien can give you a child, Belle, and he knows that fact very well.”
My heart thudded. “What do you mean? But he… Isn’t luring me to Hell to have the baby you don’t want me to have what it’s all about? Isn’t my future child with Damien the key to the prophecy you want to stop?”
He shook his head. “It was never about the child.”
“Then what is it about? And why has Damien been doing all this to have me as the queen of Hell?”
He sighed as he seemed to be struggling with something. Then he held my gaze with his hypnotizing eyes. “I shall have to atone for this sin, too, but I will tell you everything.”
Chapter 22
Zavariel
“Belle!” one of her lovers cried out the moment I descended outside her cabin. He must have caught her smell.
The door opened, and the three of them streamed, running, racing to her. When she let go of me, and they hid her in their embraces, my chest contracted with an annoying emotion I could not find a word to describe.
Apology upon apology, question upon question, kiss after kiss, when would it end?
I had no explanation why after I had learnt the texture, the temperature and the taste of her luscious lips, I could not bear anyone else experiencing that scalding, wicked pleasure. I had no right whatsoever to ask them to stop touching her. I had no justification why I wanted them to.
I just wanted it to end.
“Enough!” I said in Angelic.
All eyes darted toward me. The vampire was the first to speak. “Enough what? And what are you doing here with Isabella?” He switched his stare toward her. “Did he hurt you?”
He could understand Angelic? These creatures never cease to surprise me. I should be more careful around them at all times. At least, I got them to stop.
She glanced at me over her shoulder. Was she going to tell them about my shameful moment of weakness? She should. I deserved whatever chastisement they deemed appropriate.
I had no regrets, though. My first sin tasted sweeter than Heaven’s honey milk and softer than the silk angels made.
“No.” Her smile brightened her face, and then she returned it to her mates. “He saved me before I went to Damien and brought me back to you.”
I was doing the right thing, taking her back to herfamily…and not spending any more time alone with her. Watching her from afar evoked something in me that made me wish to save her rather than end her threatening existence. Staying with her alone for a short while had me sinning for the first time. What was next?
I did not wish to know.
“He’s here to help,” she added. “He’ll tell us everything about the prophecy.”
“We don’t need his help,” the impulsive shifter blurted. “We’ve been studying for hours, and we’ve deciphered the prophecy now. Come, baby, Katrina is inside. She’ll explain the whole thing.”
Her face shone with elation at the mention of her witch friend’s name. She hurried with her men inside the cabin, as if I never existed, our little yet, at least for me, precious time forgotten.
My gaze yearned after her as I decided to wait outside. I was certain they could not interpret every single word with precision. They still needed my help, and I was ready to give it even if I was breaking thousands of rules.
