Sweet Temptation (21 page)

“She finds color in the darkest places,

She finds beauty in the saddest of faces.”

—“Walk Away” by The Script

I
know she's coming to California, the newly eighteen and graduated Anna. I've been warned by the twins, and I've prepared myself to be unmoved. She's only coming to inform us what's going on—the mystery we've been kept in the dark about for the good part of this year—and then she'll leave again. I'm certain Belial won't allow her to linger. The demons are having a summit in Vegas, so Anna has a short window of two or three days to travel unseen.

This is business, not personal, and I won't allow any emotion to interfere. Marna says Anna's traveling without Kope now, and I'm dying to know why, but I won't ask. Cool, calm, and collected.

This is all very easy to say until I see her standing at the railing of Blake's deck, overlooking the cliff side and beach where we've been surfing.

The moment I see her up there in pink and silver, blond hair blowing in the breeze like a siren . . . every feeling I've suppressed comes crashing over me, wave after wave. The emotion that trumps all others is anger. Seeing her makes me furious, and I know it's irrational, but I'm seething about how she's made me love her, how she's gone and fallen for
him
. I don't care what Marna says. I know Anna. She wouldn't hook up with Kopano if it didn't mean something to her. She's not impulsive like most people.

I wonder if she's truly happy with Kope or if she's just settling. I wonder if she enjoys touching him as much as she enjoyed touching me. I wonder if Kope is able to control himself now that he's finally being physical with someone. I wonder how it would feel to punch him in his perfect face.

We're quick to climb the steps to Blake's house. I want to tell all of Blake's friends to get lost instead of ogling her like the fine piece of arse she is. I mean, bloody hell, the girl fills out that outfit perfectly. She looks strong and toned, and she's as fresh-faced and shy as ever. I stand in the back while Blake tackle-hugs her and the other blokes try to flirt. I'm overflowing with loss in her presence. It hurts to look at her, so I grit my teeth hard and lean against the rail, staring out at the ocean instead.

Blake, smart lad that he is, sends the other blokes away, and it's just the three of us. Anna takes on the same position as me, leaning against the railing, staring out in thought, looking
gorgeous. It's as if this is a holiday for her, while I'm over here in knots.

The anger is back, full force, along with an urge to lash out.

“Where's your boy?” I ask. When our eyes meet, I know she sees my anger. Fuck cool, calm, and collected. I want something real. I want to see her as mad as me. I go on. “I'm surprised he left your side. I thought Belial and Alocer would've arranged your marriage and you'd have a pack of adopted orphans by now.”

The perfect little couple and their perfect little life. They probably talk about how they pity me and the others.

Blake tries to laugh off my comment, but I'm not going to let him defuse this. I want to see Anna blow up. I stand tall and face her. She starts to say something but is distracted at the sight of my body. I've bulked up quite a bit since she last saw me. I'm filled with animalistic pride at the way her eyes take me in and fondle me.

She finally snaps out of it and says, “We're friends. Just friends.”

Bollocks.

“Do you snog all your friends, then?” I'm about to suggest she snog Blake, so he's not left out, but he takes off into the house.

Anna's eyes appear sad, but I'm not buying it.

“I never meant for it to happen, Kai. We were—”

“I'd rather not hear the details, thanks.”

She is still too calm. I need to see her get angry. I need to know that I can still bring out the vixen in her the way she brings out the beast in me. I need to know I can make her
feel something other than pity.

She tries to sidle closer and I move away from her. I need a drink and she needs a reminder that she's Neph, just like me—imperfect and cursed. I stride to the bungalow and toss back a cold beer. Her eyes are on me as her jaw locks. She's knows I'm attempting to stir her up. She comes right over, trying to get me to stop and talk, but I dodge her.

When she touches my arm I turn to fire. I fight back an urge to take her straight down to the floor where she can feel the weight of me on top of her. I pull away quickly. She doesn't get to touch me whenever she likes. Not anymore.

Anna follows me about the deck, determined to make me see that what she's done is fine.

“Is this all because of Kope?” she says to my back. “You're acting like . . .”

I turn, staring her down.

“. . . like I cheated on you or something.” She finishes in a small voice that pierces my heart, as if she truly never knew she was mine.

I walk away, considering what a fool I've been. I toss the bottle in the air over and over, wishing I could smash it into a thousand bits. Anna still follows me.

“You really have no right to be upset with me,” she says. “I heard what you told him on the phone.”

Him.
My stomach sours, but I laugh it away. Anna should know actions speak louder than words. Plenty of my actions have shouted my love for her, but she chooses to cling to flimsy words instead.

“Words are powerful, Kai, and so is a
lack
of words. You
wouldn't even talk to me anymore. I didn't know what to think! And then to hear you tell him that? How was I supposed to feel?”

I will not take the blame for her actions. Could she not sense the anger and sarcasm in my voice when I spoke to Kope?

“Nothing I said could've pushed you into his arms if you didn't want to be there.”

She huffs. “Yeah, well, in one really bad, freaked-out moment, that's where I ended up, but it wasn't planned. It felt . . . wrong.”

A chuckle escapes me at the malicious joy I experience over their kiss feeling “wrong.” Is it possible there's something imperfect about Kopano after all? “Perhaps your boy Kope is just out of practice. Although some things should come natural for him.”

She throws her arms up and lets them fall to her side with a defeated slap. “All right, you're being unreasonable. We'll talk when Blake comes back.”

She looks away, too calm. What will it take to piss off this resilient girl? She walks to the edge of the pool, and my mind searches for something to push her buttons and bring her to life.

“It was inevitable,” I say. I toss the bottle in the air again as she spins to face me, eyes narrowed.

“Inevitable?” she asks. I hold back a smile at the anger brewing in her eyes. “Like you and that Anna chick you work with?”

How . . . ? I miss the bottle and it clatters to the deck. “Shite.” I pick it up, trying not to show my surprise that she
knows. Fuckin' Marna. I tamp down the guilt I feel. I didn't touch another girl until after I'd heard about Anna and Kope. Still, though. I never wanted Anna to know, and it makes me feel like a filthy bastard when I think about it.

Flustered, I call to Blake to come outside. I failed to make Anna lose her cool. Point to her. I'm glad when he joins us, because together we're able to tease Anna. Tag team effort. It's brilliant, and I sit smug when we finally get her to blush, flushed with frustration.

“I don't appreciate when people are fake with me.” She says this pointedly to me, and I frown. Is
that
what she thinks? “If you guys will sit down and shut up for a minute, I'll tell you what I came here to say, and then I'm out of here. You two can find someone else to make fun of.”

I think she's bluffing about leaving, to make us feel bad, but I sit up straighter at the mention of her news.

“Remember that nun, Sister Ruth, who I was supposed to see on the road trip?” I nod. The one who passed away. “Well, she came to me as a spirit. It turns out that she was an angelic Nephilim. She descended from the guardian angel of the Apostle Paul. It's his Sword of Righteousness that she gave me.”

My mouth is agape and so is Blake's.

“She found me so she could tell me a prophecy. The prophecy foretells that the demons will be wiped from earth forever, led by a Neph of both light and dark.”

My heart is a bass drum in my chest. A Neph of light and dark . . .

“You,” I whisper. Her eyes catch mine and hold them as she nods.

All I can do is stare as my mind reels. Anna is the center of a prophecy dating back to biblical times. I shouldn't be surprised—I knew she was different, but this is huge. Dangerous.

“Tell us the entire prophecy,” I say.

Anna swallows, and rattles it off. “‘In the days when demons roam the earth and humanity despairs, will come a great test. A Nephilim pure of heart shall rise above and cast all demons from earth, sending home to heaven those righteous lost angels with whom forgiveness is shown, and sending those lost forever to the depths of hell where they shall remain with their dark master until the end of days.'”

“Damn,” Blake whispers. “You memorized all that?”

“I had to.” She rushes on, telling us about traveling she did to gain Neph allies after learning about the prophecy last year. She met Zania, daughter of Sonellion, in Syria. Anna says that Z was a hard sell, having led a brutal life with the Duke of Hatred. Her job has been to stir hatred and distrust of women in the Middle East. Apparently she's gained an addiction for alcohol along the way. Anna thinks she'll come around to our cause when the time comes.

Next she met Flynn, son of Mammon, in Australia. He's a redheaded MMA prizefighter whose lifelong match has been fighting his nature of greed. He was more than willing to go against the Dukes.

I feel a pinch of jealousy that I wasn't chosen to go with her on these missions, but I understand the safety of having Kopano. As much as I don't want to admit it, I'm glad she didn't go alone, and I know there's no way I could've gone without Father somehow finding out.

Bits and pieces of the puzzle of the past year begin to fall
into place, painting an important picture as we ask questions and piece it all together.

“We're just building the list of allies right now,” Anna says. “We can't rush it. I think when it's time to act, there'll be some sort of catalyst to let us know.”

She sounds wise and unafraid, and I marvel at how she's carried this burden for the past year, growing stronger instead of bowing under the weight. Of course Anna would be given some monumental task. This is more amazing and terrifying than I could have ever expected. This . . .

Anna abruptly stands.

“Where are you going?” Blake asks her.

She pretends to brush something off her shorts. “Home. I said what I came to say. It was . . . good to see you guys.”

That's it? After dropping that bomb on us, she's going to run off? I stare at her from where I sit, but she won't look at me.

She and Blake hug.

“Don't go,” he says.

“I really should,” she mumbles.

So, she doesn't
have
to go.

“I told you she can be stubborn when she wants, didn't I?” I say to Blake. I try to appear relaxed, as if I don't care one way or another.

“I'm not being stubborn!” She puts her hands on her hips and I raise a brow, trying not to smile at how riled she's getting. She points at me. “And you have no room to talk. You're a mule.”

Blake finds this far too amusing, laughing like a hyena.
“She just called you an ass, man.”

“I
am
an ass-man.”

Anna purses her lips, annoyed, and I'm quite enjoying it. I'll banter all day if it'll keep her here.

“Aw, c'mon, just stay,” Blake whines.

“I don't think so,” she says, and I want to spank the stubbornness out of her. She marches over to my chair and says, “Just get up and say bye to me, Kai.” Again I raise my brow and she adds, “Please.”

I get to my feet and look down at this girl, a mix of sexy, sassy, and sweet.

“Bossy, aren't you?” I ask. I'm not ready to let her go. She stares up at me, and I know she's not ready to leave either, but she won't admit it. “Right, then,” I say. “You'd best cool off before you go.”

She screams in surprise as I scoop her easily over my shoulder and run for the pool, jumping in.

When we come up for air, Anna is livid. I can see it in the wideness of her eyes and set of her mouth. She pushes me, but I grab her, and we start to wrestle. I can't help but laugh, just as Blake is in hysterics at the side of the pool.

“Let me go!” she yells at me.

“Not until you agree to stay.” I look at her, feeling her body skimming mine as she treads water. She is still angry, and for once I want to calm her. I whisper, “Stay.”
Please.