Angelic Avenger by Kaye Chambers Read Free Book Online Page B

Andy?”
    I knew he was bluffing, but the look Andy gave both of us promised retribution and told me he believed the threat. I smiled serenely as I mentally cataloged his fate. He was cosmically screwed, anyway, because there was no way anyone could get away with manipulating the bloods without consequences. That thought brought me back to the one standing behind me, close enough where his fury still radiated across my senses.
    Was there a rule against dating half-bloods?
    I didn’t think so. No one had bothered to tell me, anyway. Maybe it really was better to ask forgiveness over permission, after all.
    The thought was broken when Honora left the room. Stepping away from Gray, I followed her, knowing there was no help for it. I knew first-hand what it felt like to find out the love of your life was out to take you to the cleaners. It hurt, but she had something that I hadn’t. Me.
    I glanced over my shoulder to see Andy being followed out by Gray as I followed Honora into the anteroom that Mr. Trumpet and I had walked through and closed the door behind us. Blinking at the thought, I realized that I’d not been introduced to anyone except Gray Devereau, so didn’t even know the man’s name. Mentally shrugging, I figured there would be plenty of time for that, later…after the crisis was dealt with.
    Honora sat down heavily and struggled to hold her tears in as I sat beside her, gently pulling her into my arms in one of those motherly hugs that are a woman’s answer to every hurt imaginable. She took the comfort I offered and cried as I sat there. I wanted to say all sorts of nice things, but the only thing that kept popping into my head was what finally popped out of my mouth when her sobs subsided to hiccups.
    “You want me to kill him for you?”
    She burst out laughing and I grinned. She thought I was joking. I
so
wish she’d say yes. It’d look like a heart attack and if I did it while he was driving, he could drive off the road and crash in glorious style. I really liked that idea. I was contemplating creative ways to make sure he suffered enough to regret his actions when she finally shook her head. Disappointment was dust in my mouth. Would she notice if I did it, anyway?
    “No, thank you.” She sighed and dabbed at her eyes with a tissue I supplied from my purse. “I don’t want him dead. I just want him gone. I can’t believe I was so stupid. The boys must think I’m completely hopeless. Why didn’t anyone say anything?”
    “They cared too much to hurt you and as long as you didn’t sign the contract, no harm was done, so you don’t have to worry about that. Even if you had signed it, it would have worked out okay. They love you for you and would have backed you regardless. Friends like that are worth far more than something as paltry as money.”
    I tried to keep the wistful note out of my voice but knew I’d failed by the way she looked at me. I laughed it off with a smile as I fished out a pack of make-up remover wipes and began to wipe off the smudged mascara.
    “You look like a clown,” I teased as I sensed the tension easing out of her. “Do you feel better?”
    “Yes, no, I don’t know. I don’t…”
    That magic voice caught and I put my hand on her arm.
    “It’s okay,” I whispered and let my understanding shine out from my face. “It gets easier once you get over the ‘how could I be so blind and stupid’ self-loathing phase.”
    “You sound like you know.” She looked at me curiously. She was too polite to ask, but I could sense the need to know she really wasn’t alone in this. It was always more acceptable to find women who were gold-digging from men instead of the other way around. Men were always excused as being duped. Women were always portrayed as stupid. Talk about the double standards in society.
    “I do.” I smiled and realized that I’d not told anyone what had happened to me. The angels knew because it was all written in the big book of everything. I’d