Angel's Desire Page 2

  "The prison needs to be exposed," she told him, panic lending an edge to her tone. "Humans need to be notified."

  "Agreed. However, over the years whenever we've tried telling humans about the angels' real agenda, they've never believed us. We'll need proof. If we could get into this facility, we could provide humans with undeniable evidence of the angels' treachery."

  He had a point. Most humans really believed that angels were their salvation. They would need solid proof to be convinced otherwise.

  "Where is this prison?" she asked him.

  "Somewhere in Alaska."

  "Somewhere?" She blinked as the reason for his presence hit her. "But you don't know exactly where."

  "Correct." He nodded, lifting a brow. "That's why I'm here."

  Oh crap. Tayla took in a deep breath. Since her mother and father had died, Ethan was the only remaining person who knew about her special gift. She had a knack for finding things that were lost.

  "I don't know, Ethan. The things I find are little—a set of keys, a misplaced ring. You're asking me to find an entire underground structure."

  For the first time since entering her apartment, he approached her. She didn't even realize she'd subconsciously inched backward until she hit the wall.

  "I believe you can do this. I wouldn’t be here otherwise." When she averted her gaze from the intense look in his eyes, he reached down and nudged her chin upward, forcing her to look at him.

  Soft tingles of energy shot from his fingers to her chin and down her body, like little butterfly kisses. She couldn't mask her reaction in time. Her nipples hardened, and a pulse thrummed between her thighs. Her body responding to his touch.

  When Ethan's pupils dilated and his nostrils flared, she knew he could smell her desire. Embarrassment warred with passion. She wanted him. Always had. It seemed some things never changed.

  His head inched down, as if he was going to kiss her, but just when she held her breath in anticipation, he instead murmured, "You know how important this is, Tayla. You might be able to help save the human race."

  Something that felt an awful lot like disappointment unfurled in her chest. Of course he wasn't going to kiss her. She took several deep breaths in the hopes that it would tamp down on her lust. She did not want him to kiss her. Not really.

  Focus on something else. Like the extinction of humans. Like his involvement in your father's death.

  Okay, so that was a total mood-killer.

  "I just don't know if I can do it," she said. "Alaska is big. Huge. And the facility is underground. What if I can't find it?"

  "We don't know unless we try."

  Yeah, good point. She straightened her spine. "What do you need me to do?"

  Satisfaction and a hint of determination filtered off Ethan as he drew away from her. Most people wouldn't be able to sense those emotions, but thanks to her angel blood she could. Of course the fact that it went both ways was a major source of consternation right now.

  "Come with me," he said

  "To Alaska?" That was a long way away. Which meant they'd be spending a lot of time together. Shit.

  "Yes. But first we'll go to my compound. Others will want to come with us. We can cover more ground that way, increase our odds."

  Others. He meant other Fallen. More angels who'd escaped the sentence of death imposed by the rest of their kind.

  Like her father hadn't.

  The bitter anger she felt whenever she thought of her father's death crept back into her. Though he hadn't raised her, or perhaps because of it, she'd worshipped him. After all, he was an angel. An angel. She'd known of their existence for years before they'd been revealed to the rest of the world. But her father had never trusted the other angels. With the exception of Ethan, his best friend, he'd never revealed to anyone that an affair while visiting this dimension had resulted in a nephilim child. And then, when the veil between the dimensions had collapsed, leaving angels permanently stuck on Earth, he'd gone to great pains to hide her existence. With good reason, it turned out, since he was eventually executed for his defense of humankind.

  Tayla brushed the despairing thoughts of her father aside. She dreaded going with Ethan as much as she anticipated it. But if the end result was the discovery of this prison, it would be worth the discomfort. "How long will we be gone?"

  He merely cocked a brow at her.

  She sighed. "Great. Let me call Essie at the shop and tell her I'm taking an extended vacation." Not that she'll believe any of the reasons I give her. At least she knew The Inner Circle, the tarot reading shop she'd opened up with the fake work visa she'd gotten, would be safe in Essie's hands.

  Ethan leaned against the wall she'd just abandoned, watching her while she called the shop and made her bumbling explanations to Essie. When she hung up, he said, "It would be best if we left straightaway. You'll be able to bring nothing more than a backpack full of belongings, but Mara or Lily can procure the clothes you'll need while you're with us. Once we get to the compound we'll—"

  "Hold it right there." She held up a hand, cutting him off in mid-speech. "We're not going anywhere until I take a shower."

  He blinked, then laughed, a sensual, rolling sound that made her nipples even harder than they already were. His lips curled into a grin. "As you wish."

  *****

  Ethan strode back and forth across the tiny room that served as Tayla's entire apartment. It was beyond him how she could live here. But then, he'd always abided confined spaces. Even more so after his escape from the small hut that had served as the final resting place for so many of his kinsman.

  Flashes of light amidst the smoke. The agonized screams of his brethren. Tendrils of flame searing his flesh, making death seem like a wonderful reprieve from the mind-numbing pain.

  He shook off the nightmares of memories that always resided in the recesses of his mind, ready to spring out with the slightest provocation. It would do no good to dwell on the past.

  The spray of the shower sounded out from the door separating the bathroom from the rest of the apartment. Tayla was in there. Nude.

  Ethan couldn’t help but imagine her ringing out the honey-blonde curls that framed her face. Touching her delicate hands to her small, bare breasts. Her soft blue eyes fluttering shut as her fingers drifted lower over her creamy flesh.

  Was she thinking of him while she showered?

  Just the thought of her touching herself elicited a firestorm of emotion from within him. He wanted her. Had ever since the time he’d accompanied her father, Caleb, on a visit when she was sixteen years old. What a surprise to witness her ascent into womanhood, to feel such strong attraction for her. It had shamed him. Almost a woman, but she'd still been a child, and he himself had been mated to Bethany at the time. His feelings for Tayla had been sick, disgusting, and completely inappropriate.

  When she'd thrown herself at him while Caleb was in the other room in deep discussion with her mother, he'd lashed out. Told her he didn't want her. When the truth was he had. Badly. But she'd been too young for him, for the things he longed to do to her. Straying with her would have been the ultimate betrayal, not just to Bethany and Caleb, but to Tayla herself. She'd deserved better than that. She'd deserved to be left alone so that she could grow into womanhood unmarred by the sins of angels.

  What would Tayla say when she discovered his ulterior motive for seeking her out? It was true. He did hope she’d be able to use her mystical ability to find the Alaskan facility. Given that they didn't know the Tribunal's agenda or when it would put its plan into place, they were better served finding the underground prison as soon as possible.

  But more than that, he'd come for her.

  She might not know it yet, but she was his mate. Her essence called to him as no other's ever had. Mating with another of angelic blood and sharing of their essence provided strength and immortality. Without this an angel would eventually, after many years, grow old and die. His body told him Tayla was the one whose essence he was meant to
share. Yes, though he may have once tried to deny it, she belonged to him.

  And he would stop at nothing until she admitted it.

  Chapter Three

  After all these years, he still took her breath away. That was Tayla's first thought when she stepped out of the bathroom, hair damp from her shower, to see Ethan stalking throughout her miniscule living room. It was obvious he hated being in such a small space, yet he endured it.

  The muscles in his back flexed and rippled with every movement, showcasing the pure strength of his body.

  Damn it all, he's just so sexy.

  He turned to face her, and if she didn't know better, she would've sworn he'd heard her thoughts. His eyes grew heated as he looked her over, from the top of her head to her bare toes.

  "You certainly look clean," he said, his voice husky.

  As usual, her body responded to him. The muscles in her legs weakened until she had to back up against the wall for support. "I—"

  The sound of a knock on the door cut off whatever she would have said. Ethan's alarmed gaze met hers. He cocked a brow at her in silent question.

  She gave him a bewildered shrug, but then a familiar voice sounded out. "Tayla, you home?"

  Shit. Oh shit. Of all the rotten luck. Or was it something more than just bad luck?

  Stiffening with fear, she motioned Ethan toward the bathroom and followed behind him to shut the door.

  When he reached the doorway, he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Who is it?"

  "Larry. He went to high school with me, and he likes to visit me at the shop." When Ethan visibly relaxed, she added, "He's a Consortium Guard now."

  He tensed, then placed his hands over her shoulders and stared into her eyes. "Be calm. There's really no way for him to know I'm here."

  "Are you sure?"

  "The best the Consortium could do is track the car, but even if it did discover that it's kept under an alias, the car is parked blocks from here. No one could reasonably trace it back to you."

  He was right. Still, Larry's presence put her on edge. "Okay. I'll take care of him."

  Ethan shot her a curt nod before letting go of her and grabbing hold of the doorknob. With one last lingering look, he pulled the door closed.

  Tayla took a deep breath and tried to calm her raging nerves as she headed toward the front door. Lately Larry had taken to visiting her at the shop, making her think he might be romantically interested in her. But this was his first home visit. She couldn't help but be wary of the circumstances. Why would his first visit to her apartment come at the exact same time she had a Fallen hidden there?

  Stop being so paranoid. She couldn't help it, however. Ethan being here was so, so dangerous, and much as she might hate him—she did, didn't she?—she didn't want him to die on account of her.

  Larry knocked again, more insistently this time. You have to answer; otherwise he might not go away. She anxiously smoothed down her clothes and unlocked the door. It opened to reveal Larry, with his light blond hair, chubby build, and pale skin tone. He threw her a friendly but inquisitive smile. "Hi, Tayla, is everything okay?"

  "Hi, Larry. Um...yeah." She tried her best to sound casual, not wanting to show she was frightened. "Why? What's up?"

  He shifted in place and let out a nervous-sounding laugh. "Oh, I just happened to be at your shop when you called Essie. She mentioned you were taking an extended trip, and she didn't know when you'd be returning. I thought something might be wrong, so I figured I'd drop in and check on you."

  Dammit, Essie. She'd probably given him her address too. For some reason she seemed to think they'd make a good match. At least that meant his visit didn't have anything to do with Ethan. She forced herself to relax and gave him a wan smile.

  "Nothing's wrong. Just a—a sick aunt. She doesn't have much time left, so I decided to stay with her until the end. However long that takes."

  "Oh." He placed his hand on the doorjamb, leaning into it. "So sorry to hear that."

  "Thanks." Somehow she got the distinct feeling he was waiting for her to ask him in. Too bad. One, the fact that he was a Consortium Guard automatically made her twitchy, even if he had sat next to her in eleventh grade algebra. But more importantly, Ethan was in the apartment. No effing way was she about to have a Guard in the same room as him. "Yeah, so...thanks for stopping by."

  He blinked, looking surprised, and straightened. "Oh. Listen, I uh, meant to ask you something, but I hadn't gotten around to it yet. I mean, I know you're going to be gone for a while, but maybe when you get back"—his cheeks turned bright red—"we could have dinner or something."

  She stiffened at his question. Not that she was totally surprised he'd asked her out, but she hadn't thought it would happen while she had a Fallen hiding out in her bathroom. Despite her best effort to fight it, unease oozed out of her powers. Even as human as Larry was, she feared he would begin to sense her discomfort. She had to get him out of here, fast. "Maybe. Why don't we talk when I get back?"

  His face brightened. "Sure, sounds like a plan. Have a safe trip. My thoughts and prayers are with your aunt."

  "Thanks." She hadn't meant to give him false hope, but somehow she had the feeling he'd taken her words as a yes.

  Larry had already walked a few steps when he paused and turned back to her. His brow furrowed. "Tayla. Be safe."

  Why on Earth did his words sound like an ominous portent of doom?

  She watched as he made his way through the courtyard, not resting until she heard the clank of the heavy wooden door shutting behind him. What was she going to do about him?

  Well, of all the things she had to worry about right now, that was the least of them. The potential extermination of humankind was infinitely more important than a case of unrequited puppy love.

  The door had no more than slid shut when she felt a rush of wind behind her. She whirled, and Ethan was right there, standing so close she instinctively pressed her back to the front door. "Wh—what are you doing?"

  His topaz eyes flashed and a tendril of frustration wafted off him. "An old high school friend, hmm?"

  Stunned, she blinked her eyes. "Um...yeah?"

  "You seemed very friendly."

  When he reached out to wrap a finger around a strand of her hair, she couldn't help her gasp. He was acting like he was jealous or something, which was crazy considering she'd once offered herself to him, and he'd firmly refused. "What's your deal?"

  "Why didn't you just tell him no?"

  "I don't kno—" She cut off as his finger trailed up to her neck where he slid it along the crease of her jaw. Electric tingles crackled against her skin, racking her body with tremors. A wave of longing heat coursed through her veins. God, he'd always smelled so good—like cinnamon and vanilla and earthier spices.

  I'm always going to respond to him like this.

  The thought was so distressing she had to put it aside. For now. She could reflect on what that meant later.

  Tayla tried her hardest to concentrate on their conversation. On his direct gaze. "Why are you acting like this?"

  "Like what?" he countered, his voice silky.

  "Possessive."

  Ethan laughed, the heat of his breath flicking up a few strands of her hair. He lifted his other arm to the wall, effectively blocking her in. "That’s my nature, little Tayla. You of all people should know."

  She blinked up at him. "Okay...now you're really confusing me."

  A hint of impatience drifted off him. "I didn't like the thought of him touching you."

  "What?" Shock and anger permeated her senses. He wasn't her father. He didn't get to tell her whom she could and couldn't see. She lifted her hands to his chest and tried to shove him backward, but he didn't budge. "Why are you being such a caveman?"

  A soft whisper of laughter drifted off him. "Don't you get it, Tayla?"

  In a blink, he closed the distance between them, his lips mere inches from hers.

  Suddenly she did get it. With the hardness of his
body pressed against hers, there was no way she couldn't get it. She froze, plastering herself to the wall, and her heart rate tripled in the span of an instant. "But...but you told me you didn't want me in that way."

  "You were sixteen, Tayla," he murmured, his breath hot against her lips. "Barely more than a child, and I had a mate at the time. What was I supposed to say?"

  Holy shiiit. "You had a mate?"

  He drew back slightly and nodded once.

  A sudden burst of shame brought a flush to her cheeks. She'd thrown herself at an unavailable man? Oh God, no wonder he'd rebuffed her so coldly. "I never knew."

  Ethan's eyes softened. "Why should you? I'd never spoken of it. It never seemed relevant, and when you...during the incident, I didn’t want to embarrass you."

  Tayla closed her eyes, mortified. "I'm sorry."

  "Don't be. You didn't know." He paused for a beat. "Tayla, the reason I rejected you so soundly wasn't because I didn't desire you, but because I did, and I was ashamed of it."

  "You..." She didn't even know how to respond to that. Never once in all the years since he'd rejected her had she considered that he might not have meant it. "But then, why tell me this now?"

  "If not now, then when? I lost my mate when I fell, and you cannot deny what lies between us."

  Before she could respond, or even decide if she wanted to, his lips rubbed against hers, sending electricity zapping through her body. His tongue darted out to run along the seam of her lips, and her whole body caught fire. She must have lost track of her senses because when she next took note she was wrapped around his body, purring like a contented cat and kissing him back for all she was worth.

  His hands closed over her derriere, lifting and fitting her against his body. And oh, what a body it was, all rigid curves and muscles. The hardened length of his erection rubbed against her mound, making her undulate against him.

  Kissing Ethan was a million times better than she'd ever envisioned, and she'd always had a pretty good imagination. The way he kissed her now, she could almost believe he'd lusted after her all these years, just as she’d lusted after him. But then, if that was the case, why had he taken so long to seek her out? It had been many years since she'd come of age. Many years since he'd fallen.