Sparks of Blue (Dark Light Book 2) (2 page)

“How many nights?” the older man behind the counter asked.

“Just one,” Kai requested. “Two beds.” No way in hell was he sharing with the human. Hell, he was probably going to be stuck on the floor.

Beside him, Belle shifted her weight restlessly but remained silent. He imagined she would have preferred a separate room, but she wholly understood their purpose here. In this, at least, she understood he wasn’t deliberately torturing her.
Don’t give yourself so much credit.
After all this time, her hatred of him was probably genuine. The only one about to endure days of torture was him.

****

Belle had opted to remain in her professional outfit for their jaunt to the local hospital, despite that the pants made her legs itch. Getting to choose her clothes for the next week or two would probably be the best part of this damnable assignment.
It certainly won’t be hearing Kai’s voice all the time. Or seeing him daily.

She hoped Gwen Manning was likable, or this was going to be the worst kind of torture.

Kai graciously fell a pace behind her as they stepped from the elevator. Maybe he actually felt like this sort of environment was more Belle’s wheelhouse, or maybe he was already scanning for danger. She didn’t know, and she didn’t care. They had a sick, cursed human to rescue and that was what she needed to be focusing on. She just hoped Kai wasn’t staring at her ass.

They rounded the final corner between them and their goal, and Belle came up short. Her feet stopped the same instant Kai settled his hand firmly on her shoulder in wordless warning. Not that she needed it. Her eyesight was almost as good as his, and he damn well knew it.

The door to Gwen’s room was closed, but the blinds were open, and an orderly was bent over beside her, about to stick a needle and a mystery fluid into her IV line. Mere inches above the juncture at her arm.

Belle’s half-angel vision assured her that orderly was actually a demon. She could see his real, scarred face and darkly glowing eyes. That was her personal secret. It was rare for any Nephilim to have demon-sight and absolutely unheard of for one to have
two
angelic gifts. Her angel-level healing was known, as she’d wanted it to be, but she couldn’t afford to reveal her extra sight. In fact, she’d only ever told two souls.

One of whom was already moving with a faux-calm stride toward the hospital room. And the fact that he’d continued to keep her secret was probably the only thing she was truly grateful to him for.

Belle rushed in behind Kai, instinctive worry for her patient flaring to life in her chest. Gwen was still asleep but not sedated. She could wake up any moment.

“Angel!” The demon hissed, jumping back from the IV with the needle still in his hand. “Stay out of this!”

“You don’t give me orders,” Kai said. His deep voice was cold and deadly. He rounded the bed and pulled a blue-burning sword from the sheath he’d hidden at his side in the same breath. The little demon wasn’t nearly fast enough to avoid the blade, and his body erupted in a mix of black and blue flames. The black flames were hellfire, but the blue was all Kai. Even the usual tell-tale scorch mark on the floor disappeared beneath Kai’s power.

“Ohmigod!” a female voice exclaimed. Belle looked over to see young Gwen Manning attempting to scurry backward on her hospital bed. “What the heck is going on here? Who are you?”

Kai sheathed his sword, hiding it once more from mortal sight, and said nothing. Which was for the best. Kai didn’t exactly have what one would call “people skills.”

Smiling gently, Belle held her ground so as not to further startle Gwen and said, “Take a deep breath. My name is Belle. We’re not here to hurt you.”

Gwen looked back and forth between them, her shoulder-length, light brown hair swaying with the motion. Her hazel eyes were wide, and she opened her mouth several seconds before she finally looked straight at Kai and said, “What happened to your sword?”

Belle didn’t have time to cringe.

“I sheathed it.” Ever blunt, just the way she remembered.

Gwen shook her head again. “Uh-uh, I don’t see a sheath.” Her gaze settled on the IV lines in her arms and she mumbled, “Man, what did they give me?” She reached as if to jerk them from her arm and Belle rushed forward.

“Be careful!” Belle dropped her hand on Gwen’s, ceasing the movement just in time, and said, “You could hurt yourself doing that. Let me take them out for you.”

“Why should I trust you?” Gwen challenged.

Opting, for once, to take a page out of Kai’s book, Belle looked Gwen in the eyes and said, “I’m a healer. He’s an angel. We’re here to protect you from the demons.”

Gwen’s focus snapped to Kai, who fortunately remained silent and was likely frowning, and then back to Belle. Seconds ticked by and Belle wondered what was swirling around in Gwen’s head. Not for the first time did she wish one of her abilities was mind reading.

A whoosh of air rushed from Gwen, and she slumped back against the bed as if in relief. “Finally,” she exclaimed. “I was starting to think I was crazy.”

Chapter Two

“No offense,” Gwen declared as she followed Belle into the hotel room, “but I thought angels could afford something a little … nicer.”

Belle jerked her thumb over her shoulder. “Take that up with him, I didn’t pick it.”

Thanks, Belle.
Kai shut the door and flipped the so-called security latch as Gwen’s attention swung his way. In the short hour since they’d met, he’d come to realize this sickly human had more spunk than half the angels he fought beside. Apparently, she didn’t have one of those debilitating problems.

“So?” Gwen pushed when Kai didn’t offer an answer.

“It’ll suffice for tonight,” he returned, moving toward the window on the opposite wall. The curtains were drawn, as he and Belle had left it, so he had to lift an edge to look outside. Their room was on the second floor, facing the front parking area and the road beyond. It was evening, and the sky was covered with sporadic clouds so the passing vehicles had their headlights on. He didn’t see anything suspicious.

One of the beds squeaked, and Gwen asked, “So what are we doing tomorrow, then? Am I dying?”

“Wow,” Belle said. She planted her hands on her hips as Kai looked toward the women. “That’s a positive attitude. I’m pretty sure I mentioned I’m a healer; so no, you’re
not
dying.”

Gwen snorted inelegantly from her seated position and arched a brow. “Sorry, but I’m not sure what ‘healer’ means to you. I
am
sure I’m cursed. My heart’s going to fail at midnight on my thirtieth birthday—which is two months away. It’s already getting weaker.”

Finally, some new information. Frowning, Kai crossed his arms and took up a position in the one unoccupied corner. “Cursed how?”

Belle perched on the edge of the bed across from Gwen, seemingly willing to wait for the answer to his question. For once.

At this Gwen sighed and her shoulders sagged. “I don’t know,” she said. “There was something in my parents’ will. They said they were ‘so sorry, but it was the only way to save your brother,’ and that my soul ‘belongs to the demons’.” She paused, swallowed her obviously building emotions, and looked up. “They said ‘you’ll have a heart attack when you turn thirty’.”

“That’s horrible,” Belle murmured, sadness weighing down her usually breathy voice.

Kai knew his eyes were narrowed in thought when he asked, “They sold their daughter to a demon in order to save their son? Where is he now?”

“And your parents,” Belle interrupted. “You said this was in their will?”

Gwen nodded. “They committed joint suicide about five years ago.” Bitterness filled her voice as she explained, “They couldn’t bear the guilt any longer, apparently.” She released another breath and looked back to Kai. “My brother, Ben, was born sick. He nearly died before leaving the hospital and chances of him surviving the
week
were small. All our childhood lives we heard it as ‘a miracle’ that he grew healthier instead.” Gwen swallowed her emotion again. “But I guess they actually just traded his life for mine.” She shook her head, her gaze falling to the ground, and mumbled, “I wish they’d told me sooner, you know? Or asked… He’s my little brother, I’d happily die for him, but … but I didn’t live the way I would’ve if I’d known how limited my time was.”

Belle moved and sat beside Gwen, draping a slender arm around her shoulders. “I’m so sorry,” she said gently. “I can’t imagine knowing my sister was the reason I was dying.”

Something twisted in Kai’s gut at her choice of words, and he lifted his gaze to the ceiling. Her words shouldn’t have bothered him. Sure, he knew she had a sister and he knew just as well that the sisters were as close as could be. Madelyne was one of the few who knew the past between him and Belle and for as flighty as she could be, he trusted her to keep that secret. More importantly, Belle’s words were hypothetical. Her sister wasn’t in any danger and she sure as hell wasn’t dying for any reason. The problem was him.

Nearly a full century since the last night he’d spent in Belle’s arms and his heart hadn’t moved on. He wasn’t so sure anymore that it ever would.

****

Belle glared at the closed hotel room door for long seconds after Kai left. She couldn’t say she was surprised that he wanted a little space from them—from her—but it hurt, dammit.
She
was the one who should’ve been needing space, and here she was feeling oddly abandoned as he walked away. Again.
This assignment is going to be a disaster.
Why had she insisted on making something of herself in the angels’ eyes after Kai had left her? Had she really thought it was some kind of revenge?

“Man, he’s a downer,” Gwen mumbled. “Does he seriously have the male version of resting bitch face?”

The words pulled Belle back into the moment, and she laughed. “That is the best description I’ve ever heard,” she said with a grin. Sobering herself, Belle asked, “What I’d like to know is, if the demons have a lock on your soul in two months, why are they actively pursuing you now?”

Gwen’s grin faltered, and she shrugged. “I’m not sure. I mean, I
really
wish I knew.”

Guess I should’ve figured she doesn’t have the answers.
How much easier would the assignment be, after all, if their patient had the solution to the external problem.

“So,” Gwen began, swinging around to sit sideways on the mattress and pulling one leg up. “You said you’re a healer? What’s that mean? Are you, like, an angel with healing specialty or something?”

Laughing for a different reason, Belle shook her head. “All angels
do
have some sort of healing abilities. Most are limited to self or flesh wounds, or only work if they’re prayed for, that sort of thing.” Gwen nodded when she paused, and Belle debated the wisdom of the rest of her words. But it wasn’t like it was some big secret anymore. “I’m a Nephilim.”

Head tilting to one side much the way a dog’s head might, Gwen slowly asked, “A … what?”

“Half-angel,” Belle clarified. It was no surprise Gwen didn’t know the term. Most people didn’t, and of course those that did assumed they were myth. They were
supposed
to be, after all. But Gwen still didn’t need to know any of that. “I’m the one with the specialty in healing,” she continued instead. “All Nephilim inherit one angelic power, if you will. Healing is what I got. And I’m very good at it.”

“Oh. Wow.” Gwen broke into a grin and nudged her nearest leg. “That’s seriously cool. Do you get to spend a lot of time with hotties like Kai?” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “’Cause I am totally jealous. I have to die never getting to be laid by a body like that, and it
sucks
.”

Belle didn’t know whether to laugh or scream at that declaration, so instead she shook her head and steadied her breathing. “They might look good on the outside, but inside they’re mostly … dry.” Just in case someone was listening, Belle didn’t want to get a lecture for calling all angels everywhere assholes. Even if it was true.

Gwen shrugged. “Who cares about the inside? It’s not like I’ll be around long enough to see it.”

At this, Belle frowned and held up her pointer finger for a dramatic lecture. “Listen, that’s the last I want to hear of that, okay? My job isn’t to keep you alive until your soul is collected. It’s to
heal
you. So that curse is going to go away, and you’re going to live to see thirty-one. Got it?”

The hair on the back of her neck stood up at the same time as Gwen’s attention snapped to something behind her, her eyes instantly wide with fear. Even a human could feel the demonic vibes from this intruder.

Belle swung to her feet, putting her back to Gwen and bracing herself for a fight. She didn’t have her weapon in hand, but she’d trained hard. No demon would best her easily, even without her sword. Including the terrifying one standing before her with the eerily glowing red eyes and pointed teeth.
He must love clichés.

Smirking dangerously, the demon said, “Outta the way, little Nephy. I want the human.”

Belle bristled at the slur. “Move me, demon.”

That was exactly the wrong thing to say.

****

Securing the perimeter was probably the dumbest, most obvious excuse he’d ever used in his long, long life. Kai cursed his idiocy as he walked away from the room. But it couldn’t be helped. He couldn’t get Belle’s consoling, sympathizing words out of his head and they echoed around like some stupid threat. She
wasn’t
dying. If for no other reason than he’d never allow it.

Kai ground his teeth, wishing Isabella had given this assignment to someone else. There were angels who liked Belle, who didn’t look down on her for being Nephilim. Like Jaelyn. He’d heard they even sometimes ate together.
Why the hell did she choose me?
Half the armada was well convinced he held the disgustingly common negative opinion of Nephilim as a species, or at least where Belle was concerned. He hated letting anyone think it, but it was necessary all the same. The more preposterous the idea of him caring about Belle, the safer she’d be.

But that was probably the problem, he realized.

Nephilim were generally looked down on among angels. And any real relationship—let alone intimacy—between an angel and a Nephilim was forbidden. While Isabella didn’t appear to particularly dislike Nephilim, she would surely not want to cause problems among her armada. That was undoubtedly why she’d chosen Kai. His deliberately crafted reputation had worked against him in the worst possible way.
Fuck it all.

He rounded the corner to the back parking area, the one he couldn’t see from their room, and walked straight into a group of demons.

Cursing his distracted mind, Kai barely dodged a tainted blade as it swung for his head. He let it slash through his arm, demolishing the sleeve of his black tee, and spun, landing a hard kick in the demon’s chest. The demon went flying as another tried sneaking up.

“Good riddance, angel!” the demon cried, intending to stab him straight through the top of his skull.

Kai caught one of his descending wrists in one hand. “Can’t say the same,” he returned before willing his flame into the demon’s chest. The demon screamed, burning alive much slower than if he’d been slashed with Kai’s blade. But such was the fate they deserved for attempting to ambush him.

“Do you have a name, angel?” a third demon asked, wisely keeping a distance between them. His hands were braced, prepared to fire, but he waited. This one was a fighter, then.

Kai glanced between him and his remaining companion, discounting the one he’d kicked off moments earlier. “It’s Kai.” He saw the moment his name registered with the pair.

The one who’d asked his name went stiff with recognition, his stance slackening slightly. “Shit,” he muttered.

The other’s eyes were wide as he took a half-step backward, then launched himself forward with a roar. “Die!” He cried it as though the word had at least six extra syllables.

Kai caught him by the throat, still not caring to draw his sword. Ambush or not, this could actually be a little freeing if he let it drag on a bit. He needed
some
kind of release. So he met the startled, frightened demon’s gaze and said, “Not today.”

The other demon bellowed something needlessly as his compatriot’s hellfire snuffed out. Gathering his concentration, the demon reared back and hurled a javelin-like spear of dark energy at Kai’s chest.

Knowing better than to take the energy blast straight on, Kai dropped and rolled, catching it by the tail end and swinging it around to redirect its momentum toward the recovering demon he’d kicked previously. He ignored the burn on his fingertips as he held onto the energy. Demonic energy was as poisonous to angels as angelic energy was to demons—nature’s frustrating little balance. But a flesh wound would fade eventually.

“Your reputation might be well-deserved,” the remaining demon admitted, stepping toward the shadow of the building. “But you should know, Kai, that includes your arrogance.” His foot landed in the shadow, and he immediately vanished, obviously wise enough not to linger after that foolish comment.

Kai released a breath before the demon’s words hit him. There was only one possible thing his arrogance could be impeding right then.

Belle!

****

Creed couldn’t believe his luck. He’d scented the bastard angel who’d been after him in that hospital room when he’d gone to investigate, so he’d brought along a few pawns to throw at him. But when they arrived at the hotel the angel was outside, wandering aimlessly like an idiot. And, like an idiot, he’d left his females upstairs. Unprotected. So with instruction to the pawns to keep Kai busy, Creed had gleefully taken himself up to the second floor. Where he laid eyes on not only the human girl whose soul he wanted, but also the Nephilim he’d scented in that hospital room.

What a looker she was, too. He could already imagine a dozen ways to enjoy torturing her. First, though, he needed to bleed out that human. Her time was almost up; he needed to kill her before that clock ran out.

“Move me, demon,” the Nephilim challenged. She had all the appearance, and the haughtiness, of an angel. But not nearly the power, let alone a fancy purifying sword.