A Gathering of Angels by Cate Dean Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cate Dean
Lucifer, and the fallen?” After a moment, Lea nodded. “I am one of them. I stood with him, defying the Father who created me, and was cast down for my pride. The tattoo on my hip is—was—a barrier, keeping the demon trapped, and the majority of my power along with it.”
“But you don’t have any power now, not that you can touch. Just an echo—and it’s not evil. Not evil,” she repeated, and stepped forward. “Which makes my reaction even dumber. Because I already knew you wouldn’t hurt me. Him, though.” She pointed at Marcus. “Him I can’t read at all. He reeks of power, but I don’t see it.”
Claire smiled. “Marcus is a Jinn. I’m guessing you’ve never come across one before now.”
“Get out. Seriously?” Moving across the cell, she studied him. “You don’t really grant wishes, do you?”
Marcus flashed a smile. “Now, that depends on the wish—”
“Rein it in, Jinn.” He turned to Claire, one eyebrow raised. “You know that doesn’t work on me. How long have you been able to heal without the show?”
“A while now. How is your wrist?”
“It aches, but not like before. When—”
“While you were berating me about Annie.”
“I don’t want her caught up in this—” Her right leg twisted under her, the flare of pain driving straight to her bone. “God—”
Marcus caught her when her knees gave out. “I’ve got you, now.” He picked her up and settled her on the thin mattress. “You are going to sleep, and I am going to figure a way out of this mess.”
She struggled to sit. “I can’t—”
“You look like death.”
“Well, thank you.” Marcus gently applied pressure until she was prone, and once her head touched the flat pillow, exhaustion swept over her. She gave in and closed her eyes. “Marcus?”
“Right here.”
“Annie knows about me—what I am.”
Warm, calloused fingers brushed across her forehead, continuous, soothing.
“Yes, sweet, she knows.”
“Does she—hate me?”
His fingers paused, slid down to cradle her cheek.
“She misses you.”
Tears stung Claire’s eyes, lodged in her throat. “And you?”
His lips pressed against her forehead, and he whispered, his breath warm on her skin.
“You left a hole in my heart.” She opened her eyes, tears slipping free. The gold-laced green eyes she remembered so well met hers. “An ache that refused to go away. I wanted to believe, as Annie did. But the hope hurt almost more than the grief. I never believed in miracles, Claire. Until I saw you.”
A door slammed in the station, and a raised voice filtered back to them. Claire gripped Marcus’ hand when she recognized it. “The chief is back.”
He eased himself out of her grasp. “Stay put. I will see how far I can get with him—her.” He shook his head and stood. “I will happily take a straight up demon over a dead witch bent on vengeance. No offense.”
“None taken, Jinn.”
Relief swept through her when he smiled, really smiled. “Ready yourself, both of you. If this ends badly, we may need to make a quick exit.”
“Marcus.” He paused just outside the cell. “Try not to piss him off.”
“Your command, milady.”
Claire watched him stalk through the doorway, six feet plus of simmering anger. She could no longer see the power that radiated from him, but his swagger told her he was going in guns blazing. Once he was out of sight she sat, easing her legs off the cot.
“Lea—I’m going to hunt down a spare key for that cell. Once you’re out, I want you to grab anything we may need. I have a feeling we’re going to be making a run for it.”
*
“ I ordered you not to let anyone near her! Did I not tell you what would happen if—”
Marcus halted just inside the doorway, and the man whirled, one hand already raised. Dark energy burst out of his palm. Marcus dropped to the floor, feeling the heat of it scrape across his back. He crawled to the nearest desk, cursing all witches, and rolled
“But you don’t have any power now, not that you can touch. Just an echo—and it’s not evil. Not evil,” she repeated, and stepped forward. “Which makes my reaction even dumber. Because I already knew you wouldn’t hurt me. Him, though.” She pointed at Marcus. “Him I can’t read at all. He reeks of power, but I don’t see it.”
Claire smiled. “Marcus is a Jinn. I’m guessing you’ve never come across one before now.”
“Get out. Seriously?” Moving across the cell, she studied him. “You don’t really grant wishes, do you?”
Marcus flashed a smile. “Now, that depends on the wish—”
“Rein it in, Jinn.” He turned to Claire, one eyebrow raised. “You know that doesn’t work on me. How long have you been able to heal without the show?”
“A while now. How is your wrist?”
“It aches, but not like before. When—”
“While you were berating me about Annie.”
“I don’t want her caught up in this—” Her right leg twisted under her, the flare of pain driving straight to her bone. “God—”
Marcus caught her when her knees gave out. “I’ve got you, now.” He picked her up and settled her on the thin mattress. “You are going to sleep, and I am going to figure a way out of this mess.”
She struggled to sit. “I can’t—”
“You look like death.”
“Well, thank you.” Marcus gently applied pressure until she was prone, and once her head touched the flat pillow, exhaustion swept over her. She gave in and closed her eyes. “Marcus?”
“Right here.”
“Annie knows about me—what I am.”
Warm, calloused fingers brushed across her forehead, continuous, soothing.
“Yes, sweet, she knows.”
“Does she—hate me?”
His fingers paused, slid down to cradle her cheek.
“She misses you.”
Tears stung Claire’s eyes, lodged in her throat. “And you?”
His lips pressed against her forehead, and he whispered, his breath warm on her skin.
“You left a hole in my heart.” She opened her eyes, tears slipping free. The gold-laced green eyes she remembered so well met hers. “An ache that refused to go away. I wanted to believe, as Annie did. But the hope hurt almost more than the grief. I never believed in miracles, Claire. Until I saw you.”
A door slammed in the station, and a raised voice filtered back to them. Claire gripped Marcus’ hand when she recognized it. “The chief is back.”
He eased himself out of her grasp. “Stay put. I will see how far I can get with him—her.” He shook his head and stood. “I will happily take a straight up demon over a dead witch bent on vengeance. No offense.”
“None taken, Jinn.”
Relief swept through her when he smiled, really smiled. “Ready yourself, both of you. If this ends badly, we may need to make a quick exit.”
“Marcus.” He paused just outside the cell. “Try not to piss him off.”
“Your command, milady.”
Claire watched him stalk through the doorway, six feet plus of simmering anger. She could no longer see the power that radiated from him, but his swagger told her he was going in guns blazing. Once he was out of sight she sat, easing her legs off the cot.
“Lea—I’m going to hunt down a spare key for that cell. Once you’re out, I want you to grab anything we may need. I have a feeling we’re going to be making a run for it.”
*
“ I ordered you not to let anyone near her! Did I not tell you what would happen if—”
Marcus halted just inside the doorway, and the man whirled, one hand already raised. Dark energy burst out of his palm. Marcus dropped to the floor, feeling the heat of it scrape across his back. He crawled to the nearest desk, cursing all witches, and rolled