Angel's Roar: Feathers and Fire Book 4 Page 4

  Nothing. We were alone. I finally sat down. “Okay. What’s this about, Angel?”

  He tapped a finger on the desk absently, as if considering his response. “First off, you should know that I go by a different name, now. It was apparently confusing to some of the locals,” he said, sounding vaguely puzzled, as if not understanding why his name had been confusing.

  In a literal fashion, I could understand his confusion. Angel the Angel. What was so confusing about that?

  But he didn’t understand humans very well. Or monsters. It was like calling everyone on the street Human and then wondering why they gave you strange looks.

  “Oh? And what do you go by, now?” I asked, not really caring one way or another.

  “Nameless,” he replied, watching me.

  I looked up, frowning. “That’s an unusual choice…”

  He shrugged. “I’m not good at coming up with things like that, so it seemed to fit.”

  “Right,” I said, as if it made perfect sense. “Any reason you keep changing your name? Didn’t… He give you one, originally?”

  Angel – Nameless – glanced down at the desk, seeming… tired. “I feel that our original names hold us back. Too long a history attached to them. I feel it has gone to some of our heads. That we expect mankind to drop to their knees in rapture when they hear our names. It… isn’t right.”

  I watched him discreetly, wondering what it meant for the world if an Angel was having an identity crisis. Or maybe he was a body snatcher. A demon in disguise. Because he seemed entirely different from the last time I had met him. I casually angled the toes of my boots to face him – since they could detect demons – but felt nothing, which was even more baffling.

  “Okay, Nameless. I’m here. You’re here… The why still eludes me.”

  He nodded. “I realized that authority didn’t work with you. That I mishandled you.”

  “You are never going to be handling me, Ang— Nameless,” I corrected myself. That new name was going to take some getting used to. “Let’s lay that point out front and center, and then proceed from there.”

  He took a deep, relaxing breath, and then nodded. “Okay.”

  I waited. Then I squinted suspiciously. “What is this? Good cop tactics?”

  He shook his head sincerely, even managing to look mildly guilty. “No. I misjudged you. Old habits are hard to break. I’m used to working with Nephilim who already know what they are. Have known what they are their entire lives, practically. They want this life and consider it an honor. But you… had it thrust upon you. I never took that into account. Or your stubborn, simple-minded Free Will.” A faint smile cracked his features, softening his comment. “I have seen the error of my ways, but as you can see, it is not easy for me to admit.”

  Something about that smile was contagious, and I found myself relaxing. “Okay.”

  He studied me. “You have lost much for one so young. I do wish we had found you sooner.”

  Something in my stomach tightened, and I felt the Whispers in the back of my mind, but I pressed them down, wanting to focus entirely on this conversation. I was sitting down with an Angel, and he was nothing like the last time I had encountered him in the diner with his two Nephilim thugs. Which one was the real version? Or was he genuinely remorseful for mishandling me? That sounded Angelic. But… it was more likely – at least in human circles, which I wasn’t in at the moment – for one of the two to be a deceit. A ploy.

  Something was up, and I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to like it.

  Chapter 7

  I looked up, trying to get a read on his motivations, but came up with nothing. “I have,” I admitted. “But I don’t think finding me any sooner would have changed things. My disdain for authority is pretty much ingrained. Being an orphan will do that to you.”

  “I know a few things about parental abandonment…” he said with a guilty sigh, leaning back in his chair. I stiffened on my stool. Had that been… a joke, or literal? He wasn’t smiling, though. He just looked sad. “Sometimes it is necessary, but it still inflicts a deep pain. I would help you find absolution, but I’m not sure you want it. The offer is there, nonetheless.”

  I found myself dipping my chin appreciatively. I checked my mind to verify he wasn’t softening me up with some power play, but I couldn’t even sense his power unless I focused on it.

  He smiled knowingly. “I’m containing my power at present. I didn’t want to give you a reason to act defensively. This is just a talk. Not a recruitment pitch. I’ve given much thought to this conversation. Especially after you… well, our last encounter.” He looked torn between smiling in amusement and frowning in displeasure, leaving his cheeks to spasm between the two like a mini seizure. I knew Angels weren’t accustomed to displaying emotion in the first place, so his reaction was the equivalent of him attempting to pole-vault while quoting Shakespeare.

  “I don’t think Alyksandre knew it was just for a chat. He made it sound important,” I said.

  Nameless nodded. “Everything is important to him. Every injustice is a personal slap of disrespect to our cause, in his eyes. But he is also working on mastering his vehemence. His people skills.”

  Sensing the correlation Nameless seemed to be assuming from my comment, I clarified. “He was the perfect gentleman. Not rude. Just… concerned. Wary.”

  “And should one not be wary after their first encounter with you sent them sprawling into the street, booted from a church? And when the second meeting put their boss in danger?” he asked in a soft, neutral tone. Not sounding amused or angry. Just… controlled, stating the facts. Oh, he wasn’t pleased about it. Not at all. But he was keeping his emotions in check.

  I felt like I had walked into a Twilight Zone episode.

  “You sent Alyksandre to pick me up in the middle of the night because you wanted to tell me you mishandled me during our previous encounters. But… you don’t have any further requests for me,” I said, summarizing the meeting so far.

  He grunted. “To balance my… self-control, I might have relished the idea of causing you a small inconvenience by choosing the time of our meeting,” he admitted, smiling down at his hands. “I have plenty of requests, Callie, but I have come to realize that we don’t share the same priorities.”

  I studied him. “Well, the way I see it, that’s one of the problems. I’ve taken down two demons. And Gabriel, the only Nephilim who offered to help, died. It seems our relationship could be defined by mistaken priorities. I’ve been shouldering all the weight, while your crew has been swimming in the piety pool.”

  The wooden desk cracked, making me jump instinctively. It was only a hairline fracture, and Nameless had gone forcibly still, closing his eyes. I waited, holding my breath. “Yes…” he finally admitted, letting out a breath and opening his eyes. “My apologies for the desk. It is not easy to admit fault. I never claimed to be perfect.”

  I nodded very slowly, letting a few moments pass before speaking. “This is pretty strange, Nameless. I can’t tell if I’m in trouble or not. Or if I should care if I was. If you know you should have helped, why didn’t you?”

  He nodded. “I haven’t always been free to choose my assignments – let alone act at all – in worldly events. But… the walls seem to be weakening. I have more sway now, but not as much as we need to stand against the Armies of Hell. This newfound… freedom to act is likely a result of the demons appearing here in recent months.”

  “That makes sense.” I actively ignored his comment about Armies of Hell on the horizon, wanting to be able to get some sleep later. “So, you knew my fights were important, but were unable to get too involved. Any idea why?”

  “No,” he said, sounding troubled. “But that is why I might have come across too strongly during our first interaction. I wanted to rectify the situation, and instead took my frustration out on you. I saw power, an unmarked Nephilim slaughtering demons on her own.” He lifted his head to stare at me with his intense, pale eyes. “I wanted
you to lead my Nephilim.”

  I blinked in disbelief. Talk about bad ideas. I would have gone on a rampage with an army of Nephilim at my back. I hadn’t been in a very sane place when I first met Ang— Nameless.

  He stood, resting a palm over the desk. The wood groaned as it grew back together. He then walked over to the wall and leaned against it, folding his arms as he faced me.

  “If that ever sounds appealing to you, I would appreciate it if you’d let me know…” he said.

  I nodded. “I will… consider it. But I’ll be honest, I’m wary of abrupt changes of character,” I told him, pointedly looking him up and down.

  He nodded. “That’s why I asked you here. If I met you now, bared my breasts, admitted my past mistakes… then perhaps our healing could begin sooner. Give you more time to trust me before things get worse.”

  “I won’t be baring my breasts, just to be clear, but…” I locked eyes with him. “I do appreciate this. Truly. I won’t say I’m convinced, no offense, but I am surprised. And open minded.”

  “They say women forgive, but never forget,” he murmured with a faint smile.

  “And men forget, but never forgive,” I replied, returning the smile.

  A look of genuine amusement crossed his face. “I like that.”

  “So, that’s it? You aren’t about to shackle me into servitude?”

  “No,” he said, almost sorrowful. “You are free to go.” He extended a hand towards the door. “I appreciate you giving me a chance to speak my mind. I don’t blame you for feeling hesitant.”

  I studied him suspiciously. This was all too weird. I was a pretty good judge of character. But that was with humans, not Angels. Was I missing something?

  “Okay. Nice talk.”

  I turned and walked back to the door, ready for his hidden card.

  I heard papers shuffling and glanced over a shoulder as my hand rested on the door handle. Nameless was reading from a small stack of papers, old parchments of some kind.

  I hesitated, calling myself nine kinds of idiot.

  “Just out of curiosity, what kind of requests did you have on your plate?”

  He looked up at me, not a flicker of victory or surprise on his face. In fact, he looked hesitant.

  “We can handle it. I’d rather have your trust, first. But thank you for asking.” He resumed reading his papers, not dismissing me, but as if trying to be polite. I knew this tactic, dangling a carrot, but I was still too curious to leave it hanging. I could always decline after he told me.

  “I just meant that maybe it would be beneficial to exchange information, at least. A good starting point. We both want the best for the city, right?”

  He looked back up at me, nodding thoughtfully. “But I also want what is best for my Nephilim and Heaven. If I can’t have all your devotion to that cause, I’m not sure I want any of it. It would only make things worse.”

  “Just consider us allies exchanging information. I definitely don’t want anything bad to happen to your cause. I’m just not sure I want to get the tattoo yet.”

  He finally set his papers down.

  “Do you drink tea?”

  “Sure,” I said, making my way back to the table, wondering if I had made a mistake. Oddly enough, I could tell that Nameless harbored the same thought.

  Were things really that bad in Kansas City?

  I sat down, and Nameless began to talk.

  Chapter 8

  I studied Nameless thoughtfully, considering what he had just shared with me. “Just a scouting mission…” I repeated, watching his eyes.

  He nodded. I glanced over at Alyksandre who had entered the room halfway through Nameless’ explanation. He stood beside the bookshelf, decked out in dark military fatigues with a sword over his shoulder, having dropped the plaid shirt and jeans. I arched an eyebrow.

  “Just in case,” he said. “We are always ready for the worst.”

  I leaned back on my stool, tapping my chin with a finger. The tea had helped perk me up, but I knew Claire would be getting anxious soon. I should have been home by now.

  “And what exactly are you scouting?”

  “We’ve heard about a powerful object buried in Kansas City. That’s one of the reasons we came here in the first place. To find it. So far, no luck.”

  “So, this is a regular mission you’ve been doing for months… And you haven’t found anything?”

  He pursed his lips, likely taking my question as criticism. I hadn’t intended it as such, not really, but I let him think so. “Yes. Tonight, will be one of many searches we have done over the last year. All unfruitful, and all without conflict. Although you might get dirty. That’s the extent of the danger – at least judging by what we’ve experienced on our previous excursions.”

  “Where did you find out about this new location?”

  His eyes tightened, not directed at me for asking, but as if not pleased about the answer. “A private party who recently came to town. I’d rather keep their identity classified, for their own safety.”

  “I have one question before I make my decision.” He nodded agreeably. “What were your Nephilim up to tonight?”

  He blinked, caught off guard. Then he turned to Alyksandre. “You’ve all been here, correct?”

  The Nephilim nodded, frowning. “Other than when I left to get Miss Penrose. Yes, we’ve remained indoors. Why?”

  I studied the pair, focusing on every facial or bodily gesture. Then I sighed in relief. They hadn’t been the ones chasing the woman into the alley. It had been a long shot anyway, but it never hurt to check.

  “Okay. We’re just going for a looksee. Why do you need me?”

  “We don’t,” Nameless shrugged. “We’re just… exchanging information,” he said, reminding me of my request. “But you’re more than welcome to join. Maybe your… unique gifts will aid us. Maybe not. This is just an olive branch between us with very little risk of danger.”

  I let out a breath. He was right. If this put me in his good graces – no pun intended – maybe it would be worth losing a little more sleep over.

  “Okay. But do you have anything other than Miata’s around here?”

  Nameless grinned wolfishly.

  Chapter 9

  I had called Claire to let her know everything was fine, but that I would be another hour or so. “It’s actually kind of perfect. Maybe this will get them off my back.”

  “I don’t know, Callie,” Claire argued sleepily. “They’ve caused you nothing but problems.”

  “This shouldn’t be dangerous, and it has the potential to solidify trust between us,” I said.

  “Fine, but I’m coming with you,” she said in a commanding tone.

  “No, you’re not. We’re almost ready to leave, now.”

  “Then you will magic me there.”

  I clicked my teeth closed. “Magic you… here,” I repeated, my tone letting her see how stupid her statement sounded in case her sleep-addled brain had overlooked it.

  “Yes,” she said, ignoring my tone. “I’ll be ready in five minutes.”

  I shook my head. “This is kind of between me and them. Not sure how they would take it if I brought a bodyguard.”

  Her voice was much more alert than a few moments ago, and I prepared to argue for all I was worth. Claire could be vengeful. If I denied her, she would make me pay.

  “Then you will promise to take me to Darling and Dear, tomorrow.”

  “Claire, I can’t—” I froze, having spoken over her comment. “Wait. If I take you to Darling and Dear, you’ll get off my back about this?”

  “Yes.”

  I thought about it for a moment. “Fine. Deal.” She chuckled on the other line and I scowled. “You set me up! You never cared about joining me tonight. You’ve been holding on to this card for a while, now.”

  “You have no idea. I’ve been waiting for the moment you would have something going down that you wouldn’t want me to join you on, but that didn’t actually sound dange
rous. This is perfect. You fell right into my trap, and now I get to go shopping.”

  I grumbled unhappily. “I was going to take you shopping anyway,” I admitted.

  “Oh, great. Then I’ll be ready in five minutes. You can come pick me up.” It sounded like she was laughing under her breath.

  “Sneaky bitch,” I muttered.

  “Your choice. But I’ll raise all sorts of hell if you leave me unsupervised.”

  Which reminded me of something. Even though tonight was supposed to be danger-free, I realized I would feel much safer if I grabbed a weapon just in case. I was a little tired to rely strictly on magic. “Fine. I’ll be there in five minutes. I just need to let the Nephilim know. Be ready or I’ll tie you up and leave you in my closet.”

  She hung up, giggling.

  Alyksandre approached from down the hall, seeing that I was now finished with my call. “We’re ready. If you will follow me and Kevin.”

  He turned to head towards the back of the house. I very gently placed a hand on his shoulder so as not to startle him. He glanced back, shifting away from my touch out of habit. “Just the three of us?” I asked him, ignoring his knee-jerk reaction to flee from a woman’s touch.

  He nodded. “It’s just a routine search. No need to waste resources. We’ve been doing this for months. At first, we brought a large group, but soon realized that not many dangers lurked in forgotten tombs.”

  I nodded. That actually made me feel better. If the Nephilim had so little concern about this mission, then I probably had nothing to fear. Now, if this had been my plan, the universe would have realigned so that something went wrong. But we had God on our side this time.

  Maybe everyone just left the Nephilim alone out of fear. At least I wouldn’t have to concern myself with worrying over a surprise attack. “Okay. I’ve got one change. You’re bringing a friend, so am I.”