Authors: Carrie Ann Ryan
“Lightning, you say?” Agnes, another council member, asked.
Shade nodded.
“It doesn’t matter; she will have to be killed. We cannot allow abominations in our midst,” Caine spat.
Rage filled Shade, but he held his ground. He was in enough trouble as it was.
“Caine, I’m disappointed in you,” Agnes said. “Lighnting is from the gods, or our God, as you’d put it. It is a blessing.” She leveled her too-knowing gaze at Shade. “A blessing that must be handled with careful hands, but I’m sure you and your mentor are doing just that.”
Shade gave a quick nod, relieved.
Caine threw up his hands. “Fine. Let Ambrose deal with the
blessed
, but it’s a moot point. Shade, you’re the reason we’re here. You killed a council member, and you have no proof of his so-called crimes.”
Shade growled. No, of course, he didn’t have proof. He wasn’t allowed to search Striker’s home as he was the murderer in the council’s eyes.
Agnes gave him a look of pity, but she didn’t say anything. He clenched his fists. They wouldn’t kill him, would they? He’d fight his way out if he had to do so.
“Shade Griffin, for your crimes against the angelic council and all they govern, I sentence you to a life on the ground. You’re to lose your wings.”
Fuck. No.
Caine flew from his seat, sword in hand. “Kneel and take your punishment, traitor.”
“Is this how you reward someone who saved your life?” Shade asked, ready to flee if he had to. He didn’t want to kill his way out. He just wanted to get back to Lily and keep his wings. Each was such an integral part of him. He wouldn’t be himself without them.
“You killed a man who did more for this council than you ever have.”
“Now that’s a lie,” Shade growled.
Caine raised his sword, and Shade tensed.
“I would refrain from doing that if I were you, Caine,” Ambrose said from the doorway.
Shade’s body relaxed somewhat at the sound of his friend’s voice. The other angel had found something. After all, the council had only barred
Shade
from Striker’s residence, not Ambrose. Ambrose may have been there, but he hadn’t laid the final blow. There was no such thing as guilt by association by angels. If they killed then they also were killed. Hopefully, just not this time.
“You were not invited to our chambers, Ambrose!” Caine bellowed.
Ambrose raised a brow, cool and collected. “I see. Since when was it in the best interest of the council for a warrior to be tried and convicted without counsel?”
“Since he killed a member of our council and doesn’t deny it!” Caine screamed.
“Of course I didn’t deny it. I only deny the reasons you think I’ve done it,” Shade argued.
“Ah, yes. Those reasons.” Ambrose hurled a gold-plated book at Caine, who dropped his sword caught it.
Shade stood, the last of the tension leaving his body. That book must be the proof they needed.
“What is this?” Caine asked.
“Your proof,” Ambrose answered.
“And? It’s a book.”
Ambrose let out a sigh, and Shade held back a laugh. “If you would open the book and read it…” Shade bit his tongue. “The book clearly states all of Striker’s exploits. Like how he gave the dust to a human man named Glenn. You see, Striker wanted to find a pretty woman who didn’t have a man in her life so that Shade might fall for her. Honestly, it was such a stretch that I’m surprised it worked. How he wanted me and Shade dead. Oh, and how he was the leader of the rogue angels in the Angelic Wars.”
The other council members let out gasps and Shade wanted to scream. Really? He’d already told them all this, yet they hear about it from a book and now they believe? Yes, it had been written in Striker’s hand, but he’d have thought that, after having fought for them for a thousand years, he’d at least have earned a fraction of their trust.
Apparently not.
Caine cursed and leafed through the gold-plated book. Gold-plated? Really?
“Striker was an arrogant and stupid man to have left this around.”
Ambrose grinned. “Indeed.”
Caine closed his eyes, and Shade waited. “In light of these new developments, I rescind the order to take your wings, Shade.”
Shade waited again.
Caine cursed. “Fine. I apologize.”
He nodded. “Forgiven, but remember, the lightning-struck victims are mine.” He’d told the women he’d protect them, and he would.
“Agreed. Take care of them. Not all will be as…lenient as I am.” Caine walked away and Shade held back a snort. Yes, others might want to hurt the women, and that’s why he and Ambrose would protect them.
Caine turned back. “Oh, it seems we have an open seat on the council. Do either of you want it?”
“No,” he and Ambrose said quickly.
Caine threw back his head and laughed. “Didn’t think so. Oh, and Shade, congratulations on your true half.”
Shade smiled, thinking of his green-eyed beauty. He was going home to his Lily and was keeping his wings. What more did he need?
He and Ambrose walked outside, the wind in their hair. “Thanks, old man.”
Ambrose smacked him on the back, careful of Shade’s wings. “Anytime. Now, I do believe the girls are at Dante’s Circle. Should we head there?”
“About time.”
****
Lily leaned into Shade’s side and sighed. It was over, at least mostly. She still was a bit OCD, but she could at least control it better now that she’d accepted her powers. Shade was safe from the council, and so was she, come to think of it. She snuggled closer to Shade, his freshly cleaned smell soothing her. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.
“Hey, you okay?”
“Mmm hmm.”
He grinned and bent to capture her lips. She sank into his taste as if she would into the most decadent chocolate she could buy.
“Uh, enough with the PDA already,” Faith said, interrupting them, she threw a pretzel from a bowl on the table.
“What did I say about throwing food?” Dante asked, then sat, straddling a chair at their table.
“That we shouldn’t do it with you not around?” Nadie asked, batting her eyelashes.
They broke out into laughter, and Dante rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his beer. They’d closed the bar and gathered at their usual table, drinking their usual drinks and having a most unusual conversation.
“So, you’re telling us that the reason we were all struck by lightning was because the gods, or God, wanted to awaken something in our DNA?” Becca asked.
Ambrose nodded. “Either that, or it’s nature’s way of bringing forth more supernaturals.”
“So, we just have to have sex with our true half, and
bam
, we’re growing horns or wings?” Amara asked, playing with her glass of rum and Coke, but not drinking.
Lily blushed and hid her face against Shade’s side. Her friends laughed good naturedly, but God, talk about mortifying.
“That’s what we think,” Shade answered, laughing.
“Don’t laugh at me,” Lily pouted, holding back smile. He was just too cute for his own good.
“I’m sorry, baby.” He kissed her again and she forgot what she was supposed to be mad about. He was particularly good at that.
“I’m glad you’re okay though, Jamie,” Nadie said. “I don’t know how you healed so fast, but maybe it’s a good thing everything is changing.”
Jamie gave a small shrug and darted her gaze to Ambrose, who pointedly ignored everyone at the table. Whatever had happened in Ambrose’s room when he’d healed her had made them both act oddly, but Jamie wouldn’t spill. Whatever it was, Lily was glad that her friend had healed, though the question as to how danced on her tongue.
“Well, I don’t think any of us are feeling any different. So, maybe nothing will happen,” Eliana said, looking hopeful.
“I don’t know,” Lily countered. “I started feeling different once I met Shade in the park.”
“Yeah, because he was hot,” Faith said.
“Thanks, dear,” Shade teased.
Faith saluted him with her glass and took a drink.
“Faith?” Lily asked.
“Yeah?”
Lily leaned into Shade and narrowed her eyes. “Mine.”
Faith threw back her head and laughed. “He’s all yours, dearie. I don’t need a man.”
Shade tugged her closer. “I like when you’re all possessive.”
She smiled up at him. “I just wanted to make it clear.”
He kissed her again, and Dante threw a pretzel. “Get out of here if you’re going to do that. Some of us like to eat in peace.” He darted a glance toward Nadie, but she wouldn’t look at him.
“You threw food!” Lily laughed.
“It’s my bar and my prerogative. Now get lost.”
Shade stood and took Lily with him. “Sounds good to me.”
“I guess I’ll see you guys later. Just be careful, okay? If you start to feel funny or full of energy, let us know. Because that means you might have met your true half.” She waved bye and stole a glance at Jamie, who had lowered her head, her skin pale.
Huh. Her friend was hiding something.
“Let it go, sprite.” Shade kissed her temple and walked her to his bike. Mmm…his bike.
“I just want to know what’s going on with Jamie,” she said while he put on her helmet.
“You will.” He adjusted the straps and kissed her nose.
“I love you, Shade.”
“Marry me.”
She froze. “What?”
He cursed. “Damn, I was going to wait until we drove to the forest to meet the brownies to ask. You just look so cute with your little helmet on, I couldn’t help it.”
“Did you just ask me to marry you?”
Shade shuffled his feet, looking uncertain. “Yes?”
“We’ve just met.” But something inside clicked. He was hers as she was his. Oh, she loved this man and wanted to for eternity.
“I know, but we’re true mates. I know that doesn’t mean anything to you yet, but it does to me. Lily, I want to see you when I wake up every morning and make love to you before bed and in the middle of the night. I want to plan our lives and show you the world. I want to see you grow round with our young. I want to see our babies grow up and have babies of their own. Please, Lily. Marry me.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she jumped into his arms. “Yes!”
He caught her and held her tight. “Oh, thank God. I was so afraid I messed it up.”
“Well, maybe you should have let me take off the helmet because I look like a dork, but I think you did perfectly.”
He grinned and kissed her. She wrapped her body around his, ignoring the catcalls of her friends. They must have heard her scream. Shade’s warm body surrounded her, and she finally felt at home. Maybe a strike of lightning wasn’t so bad after all.
The End
Coming soon in the Dante’s Circle World, Her Warriors’ Three Wishes.
Ambrose’s story.
About the Author
Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate - even if it’s just in her books. Happy endings are always near - even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first.
Her first book,
An Alpha's Path,
is the first in her Redwood Pack series. She's also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She love meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.
Also from this Author:
Now Available:
Redwood Pack Series:
An Alpha’s Path
A Taste for a Mate
Trinity Bound
A Night Away
Coming Soon:
Holiday, Montana Series:
Charmed Spirits
Santa’s Executive
Redwood Pack
Enforcer’s Redemption
Dante’s Circle:
Her Warriors’ Three Wishes
Have you tried Carrie Ann’s first series, The Redwood Pack?
An Alpha’s Path is now available
Chapter 1
The thundering in Melanie Cross’s ears increased as her breath became shallow. Palms sweaty, she bit her lip and nervously tapped her foot, as she took in her surroundings. The lobby looked like a palace. Tall, cream colored pillars and chocolate molding surrounded the opulent sitting area. Gorgeous light fixtures with tear drop crystals hung from the walls and the ceiling, giving the room a soft glow. Warm and inviting. But she didn’t want to feel invited. She wanted to leave. Run away and never look back.
What was she thinking? Melanie was a smart, hardworking person. A freshly printed PhD in Nuclear Chemistry and a painstakingly long, nine hundred page, leather bound thesis sat on her desk, proved it. She could accomplish things on her own. Her ideas were acclaimed, and her work referenced numerous times. Any job her heart desired, now hers for the asking. Because of this she was about to bypass the normal post-doc route of working underneath yet another professor. Now she would be an Associate Professor with her own research group at an Ivy League University.
She gained a few close friends over the years, and even though she didn’t have an overly active social life – okay she didn’t have one to speak of – she thought her life was just peachy.