“You’ll get them killed,” I shoot back in frustration. “What will God think then?”
“Nobody is watching, Tori. We’re on our own where He’s concerned.” He doesn’t need to clarify whoHeis. “Move on with your life. Embrace Earth. It holds plenty of its own perks.”
I whip around, stalking back toward Zeke. “If that’s true, then why do you insist on hunting?” I ask, folding my arms over my chest when I’m mere inches from him. “Why not go about your life?” I raise a brow, waiting for his answer.
I’m tired of him constantly questioning me. His actions make less sense. He doesn’t want back in Heaven, but he can’t help but continue God’s work here. It doesn’t add up. It never has. Yet another reason to add to my growing list of why I need to stay far away from Zeke. If he’d allow it.
“I’m a hunter, Tori. A power angel. When evil presents itself, I’m called.”
“Tsk tsk,” I say, waving my fingers in front of his face. “You’re aforsakenpower angel. According to your own words, you’re no longer needed. Nobody’s watching, so who are you trying to impress, Zeke?”
His hands are at either side of his temples, massaging out the headache I’ve certainly given him. This is our thing. Fight in circles, getting nowhere. “Maybe I don’t like to see God’s creation destroyed by those beasts,” he shrugs. “All of the perks of Earth depend on Earth’s existence. Someone has to save the humans from vampires.”
I sigh. “If it’s not the vampires, it’ll be another form of demon, Zeke. You can’t stop them from coming. Lucifer will send legion after legion until this world is destroyed.”
But not until he’s done toying with humanity—and other beings.
“If you truly have no intention of trying to get back to Heaven, then why not just throw in the towel and enjoy what time is left?” I ask, not understanding why he’s committed so much time fighting for a god he chose not to serve. I know little about why he fell, but he has admitted it was his choice. God did not cast him out.
“I’ve made it my mission to slow down his progress. Like I said, I kinda like Earth, and since I’m immortal and all, I might as well do something of significance.”
“You’re only immortal until Lucifer finds your weakness. None of us are truly immortal, Zeke. All of our existences can be ended.”
“If we work together, we’ll have a better chance of survival,” he says, leaning forward and taking a piece of my errant hair between his fingers. “We could both enjoy those perks.”
I inhale, breathing in the smell of sandalwood and wet earth, my eyes closing to hide the fact that it affects me. He affects me.
“Tori, look at me,” he commands, voice husky with want.
I do as he instructs, eyes roaming the six-foot-three warrior. He’s tanned and toned everywhere. The muscles in his arms bulge under his white Henley shirt. In the years I’ve been in this area, I’ve never seen him do a single thing aside from hunt, and it shows.
“Why did you fall, Zeke?” I whisper.
My hair falls from his grasp as he steps back, running his hands through his raven hair.
“You and I both know that’s not a conversation we want to have. When you’re ready to share, then I’ll consider doing the same.”
I sigh, knowing he’s right. I haven’t uttered a word of why I fell since the day it happened, and I have no intention to. Ever. The shame plagues me daily, and the nightmare of it all haunts my dreams.
“You have to open up to someone, Tori, and I’m all you’ve got. For reasons I don’t understand, we were brought together, and you can’t deny it.”
“It was a chance encounter,” I say, averting my eyes. “And I’ve been trying to escape you ever since.”
“I found you at your lowest point. It was fate.”
“You don’t believe in fate. It was a simple right place, right time scenario, Zeke.”
Completely ignoring my words, he goes on. “Once, I thought you’d share everything with me. You freaked out and I don’t understand why.”
He knows. I’ve told him several times a day. Because I want back into Heaven. God is love personified. In his presence, you don’t feel things like hate and anger. Here, you feel everything, and it can be painful. Why would anyone choose that? For something like human love? No, thank you.
“You know there are more fallen here on Earth,” I say, pumping as much exasperation as possible into my voice. “There have to be. Go find them.”
“There aren’t,” he says, sounding annoyed.
“Perhaps the other fallen are doing exactly what you suggested and enjoying all of Earth’s pleasures,” I mock, rolling my eyes as I say it.
He grins, moving forward and invading my personal space. I back up, caught off guard by his sudden movement. “There are a lot of pleasures, Tori. Let me remind you. Like old times,” he says seductively, leaning into me, inches from my mouth.
