Messenger's Angel: A Novel of the Lost Angels by Heather Killough-Walden Read Free Book Online Page B

Eleanore Granger—who was now not only married to one of the archangels but very much in the public eye as the wife of a famous actor, and hence virtually untouchable—Juliette Anderson was the only archess known to exist. And thus far, Daniel was fairly certain that only
he
knew she existed. The archangels themselves were clueless.
    If Daniel acted fast enough, he would gain the upper hand on every player on the board, archangel or Adarian. He would have Anderson in his possession and he could use her as the evidence he needed to prove to Abraxos that he was a valuable member of the team.
    That was why he was here, in this hotel room in Scotland. It was why he now tossed Juliette Anderson’s stolen suitcase on the hotel bed and unzipped it, pulling the lid up and over to let it drop against the comforter. It had been ridiculously easy for him to steal from the baggage car on the tarmac, as any nonliving item he was carrying also turned invisible when he used that power. He wondered what she must have thought when her suitcase never came down the chute onto the baggage claim carousel. He let his eyes graze over the contents, slowly taking it all in. The first thing he noticed was the plush elephant in the center of the cushion of clothing. It looked a tad worn, its stitching weathered, its dark gray color faded in spots. Around its neck was a makeshift collar sewn out of scraps of velvet. Lettering on the collar read, “Nessie.”
    Daniel grinned, unable to help himself, and lifted the animal out of its nest. “Nessie, huh?” he said to no one. Juliette was sure to miss the stuffed animal. It had a distinctly personal feel to it, and for a moment, Daniel felt a touch guilty for the theft. But it was fleeting and passed quickly. Out of curiosity, he placed it to his nose and inhaled. It smelled like Parma Violets. It was a distinct candy-flower scent and surprised him in its rarity. Gently, he laid the elephant on the quilt and returned to the contents of the suitcase.
    There were a few trade paperbacks on the subjects of archaeology and Caledonia. Among the books was one on the interpretation of dreams. Daniel frowned at it, wondering at the oddball subject, and then tossed it aside. After a few minutes of sorting through decidedly delicious undergarments and petite-sized clothing, he found what he was hoping to find. He pulled it out of the suitcase and held it to the light.
    A USB memory stick.
    With a smile, Daniel tucked the memory stick into his pocket, then lifted a soft white pair of cotton panties from the pile of messed-up clothes. This, too, he shoved into his pocket before he pulled on his Belstaff jacket and headed toward the door. Divinations regarding a certain individual were more easily performed when he possessed something that belonged to the person he was divining about.
    As Daniel passed the bathroom, he glanced at the man reflected in the mirror. The blond stood six feet three with broad shoulders, a strong chin, and ice green eyes possessing deep, dark pupils like inky black pools. Daniel stopped and smiled at his twin, noting the cruel tilt to his lips. It was a reflection he’d seen millions upon millions of times and yet it gave him pause for the simple reason that it was there. When your most valuable Adarian power was invisibility, it felt reassuring to know you became solid once again at the end of it all.
    The lobby was grandly decorated, sporting marble flooring, gold-veined mirrors, and vase upon vase of real, live orchids. Daniel made his way past several hotel workers, nodding at the women who openly ogled him, and slipped into the business center where the hotel kept several desktop computers for guests to use.
    The room was empty, which was fortunate. Daniel sat at the computer farthest from the door and slipped the small memory stick into the drive slot on the computer’s tower.
    The smile on his lips spread as he opened the drive and began perusing the titles of the files within it.