“What do I care? You’re going to kill me anyway.”
“True.
Isn’t she marvelous, Tris, She’s been part of the plan since the beginning. Didn’t you know that?” the
Grigori
asked.
Fury boiled under his skin. The darkness from the abyss within him rose up and latched on to the rage. It twisted and turned and fed on itself. At each quick turn, it grew stronger and stronger until it built up and gripped him until he could feel the layers of his personality peeling away, revealing all the instincts and emotions that had been left from his pent-up rage. He wanted to believe with all his soul that Daniella was innocent of what the
Grigori
was saying, but he could not pull his thoughts away from what the fallen angel was spinning.
“Don’t listen to him. He’ll twist it all around,” Daniella said.
“Don’t worry about her. I’m the only voice you hear. Take the knife and complete your destiny. Release that rage. Lori has been holding you back. He’s been your watchdog, making sure you follow the rules and don’t go off the deep end.”
“Tris, Lori’s your friend. Put the knife down,” Daniella pleaded with him.
He glanced back at her and at his hand. The point of the blade
pressed
into Lori’s skin, and his eyes held a panicked look. So close, and the power that was locked inside of him fanned through his being. All he yearned for was to plunge that dagger into his friend and release the power. Tris never thought he wanted anything more than that. This was the path he had been set upon when he first fell for
Caillech
. What the
Grigori
said was true. Lori had always been his guard dog. He wanted to eradicate the nest in one swoop when Lori wanted to at least show them a little respect and some mercy. They did not deserve mercy. Neither did Lori. It was time to take his place
“Did you hear me? I said do it!” the
Grigori
demanded.
“Tris, look at me. Drop the knife.”
Tris gazed at Daniella, and all he saw was the true monster that she was. “You’re next.”
She shook her head. “I know you can see him for what he truly is. Remember who you are. Please, Tris. You can’t become like him. I love you too much to lose you.”
He pushed the point of the dagger into his friend’s chest. Tris shook his head and had a moment of clarity. He saw Lori hurt and dying. The
Grigori
was an evil monster twisted by his deeds. Everything in Tris screamed to let the blade descend into the other angel’s chest. It would erase everything that had happened, and he could move into the next phase of his path. When he looked into Daniella’s eyes, something in his heart wrenched. Joe had said that he had lost something, and looking into those wide doe eyes of the vampire before him, he realized what it was.
Tris lifted the dagger for one final swing to take Lori’s heart. At the last minute, he turned and sunk it into the
Grigori’s
chest. The shocked expression on the creature’s face was something he had not expected. Tris drew the curved dagger he had at his waist, and with one powerful slice he severed the head from the
Grigori’s
body and watched it sail across the room and land next to Daniella. His body fell to the ground. Once it did, Tris snapped out of the haze he had been in. The anger remained inside of him, but he could control it now. It simmered, so he could see straight. He took a deep breath and realized how close he had come to losing himself and everything he had worked for. He quickly went over and freed Daniella. Once the silver was away from her skin, she began to heal, or at least her body tried to. She still seemed to be badly burned. Tris rushed over to Lori and undid the bindings that held him. Daniella knelt down and undid the bonds around his ankles. Tris caught him and eased his friend down to the floor. Lori was further gone than he had thought. His wings were already wilting. The light was fading from his friend’s eyes.
“You did it,” Lori whispered.
“You shouldn’t talk. We have to get you back to Joe. Then he’ll be able to heal you.” Tris felt his eyes water.
Daniella knelt next to him and glanced at Lori. He smiled at her. “You’re going to be okay.”
“You’re so beautiful. You have to show him it’s the only way.”
Her brow scrunched together. “Show him what?”
He lifted his hand and placed it over her heart. Daniella arched her back and screamed. A glow erupted around her and the fire flared around her in what looked like great wings. A pulse of power pushed out of Lori and around them. Lori’s hand dropped, and Daniella slumped forward onto Lori. Tris felt all of his chances fall away, and he wondered if he could actually be saved.
* * * *
Daniella felt a pouring of energy flash through her body once Lori touched her. It seemed she was suddenly struck by the sun. It burned her from the inside out, and suddenly she felt a great weight on her back that pushed her over; she had never felt anything like it before.
It was so warm she could not sort out everything that had happened. She had almost lost Tris. Seeing him hovering on the edge of darkness ready to kill Lori, she realized something. She was in love with Tris. She did not want to lose him, and that was a revelation she was not sure she had figured out until that very moment. As she watched him teeter closer to whatever edge he was on, his eyes grew darker as though a storm was raging inside of him. He might have been an ass to her at times when his defenses were up, but she had seen underneath those walls when she had spent nights in his arms. Whatever Lori had done to her, it added weight to her back, but something else was happening to her. The burn had settled in her hands and forced her to open her eyes. Lori had stopped breathing, but even in death he looked stunning, even with the wounds. A glow emanated from her hands. Daniella stared at them.
“What’s that?” Tris asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t know.” Daniella wanted to say more, but something made her place her hands on Lori’s chest and another on his forehead. It was as though some invisible force guided her hands. She closed her eyes and had to heal Lori. When he touched her, something seemed to have opened up inside of her and she could finally say she felt complete. There was no more room for doubt. She pushed the glow inside of Lori. The more she pushed, the colder she became. Daniella kept it up until there was nothing left. Someone touched her shoulder.
“You’ve done enough. If you do more, then you’ll give up the gift Lori imparted to you.”
She glanced over and saw Joe gazing at her with sadness in his eyes. She focused down at Lori. His wounds were healed, but he was no longer breathing. Tears came to her eyes, and the warmth of one trailed down her cheek. Daniella touched it first and stared at it with questions rushing through her mind. “What did he give me? What’s happening to me?”
“Come on, we need to get you out of here before Lucifer sends his minions.” He helped Daniella up. She glanced in the corner and saw Marlon blending in with the shadows, but no one else saw him. They made it out of the library before she turned around and saw Tris still kneeling by Lori’s body.
“Isn’t he coming?” Daniella asked.
Joe shook his head. “Tris has to make a choice about what he wants to do. No one can make that for him.”
“But he didn’t kill Lori. He can’t become as twisted as that thing. He can’t.”
“He failed at his mission. He let Lori die and almost let you be killed. He doesn’t have a place in the Fallen anymore. He’s already shaded in darkness.”
“But doesn’t that mean he should get another chance? Aren’t even
Fallen
angels given a second one?” Daniella could not think about anything happening to Tris and him not being in her life.
“Sorry, Daniella.
It’s not up to you anymore. Besides, you’re much too valuable now to be around Tris.”
She broke away from Joe and rushed back to Tris, who had not moved from Lori’s side. She knelt next to him and touched his shoulder. It was ice cold. Daniella placed her hand on his cheek and turned his face toward her, but even then it seemed he was staring right through her.
“Tris, come on. You can’t do this.” She held his face between her hands and tried to reach him, but it seemed he was completely lost. His gaze had turned black. It was as though he had already given up hope.
Joe stood behind her. “He’s almost gone.”
“And you’re going to let him go? What kind of an angel are you? He’s one of yours, and you won’t even try to save him?”
“Because I’ve already saved him and made him into a Fallen when he could’ve been one of the
Grigori
already.
I gave him a chance to be a Fallen, but he’s kept his rage and it’s twisted him. I can’t help him get over that. Tris has lost faith because he can’t even see what you are now.”
Daniella shook her head. “What am I now?”
“You’re an angel now; well, most of you
is
. Lori gave that spark of
himself
to you so that your other side would awaken fully. You’re still a vampire; that isn’t something that we can change, but the angel part of you puts you in another league. I’ll explain more of it later, but Tris has to make up his own mind. We can’t force him to do something he doesn’t want to do anymore.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Please, we need to go so Lucifer’s minions don’t find you.”
Another tear fell down her cheek and landed on Tris’s hand. Daniella pressed her lips to his and found them to be cold and lifeless. A wailing began in the distance and the shadows grew denser. Marlon stepped from the darkness and made
himself
known.
“I’ll watch over him.”
Something silent passed between Joe and Marlon. Daniella got up and leaned into Tris’s ear. “I love you, Tris. I wasn’t lying about that. Please come back to me.” She kissed him on the cheek quickly and drew
back,
letting Joe take her away from the man she loved.
Chapter Eight
Tris heard what Daniella had said to him, but he could not believe it. How anyone could love him? Lori was lying before him, and nothing he did had saved his friend. Joe had given up on him and taken Daniella away. It was probably for the best, because no one would want him. He glanced down at his hand and saw the tear glistening on his skin. No one had ever cried over him before. The impression of her lips still burned on his cheek and on his mouth. When Tris had looked upon her, the light inside of her had blinded him. That could only mean one thing. She was an angel, and he was not. When he glanced at his hands, Tris could no longer see the glow around his. When he opened his wings, some of the feathers fluttered to the floor. He was descending faster, and soon he would be the creature that he killed.
“Tris.”
A sharp sting went across his face, and that made him focus. Marlon was standing before him.
“What?”
“Do you really want to become one of the
Grigori
? Do you want to give up Daniella?”
“No.”
“Then fight for her. Remember what you are. We used to be friends. If you don’t embrace that, then what Lori did will be in
vain.
Daniella loves you. Don’t you want to be with her?”
“Yes, but Joe has already cast me out. Why would she not do the same thing? She’s an angel now, and what am I but one who has lost faith? I’m nothing to her. She has a life ahead of her, and I have nothing. I am nothing.”
“You’re not
nothing
. If you believe that, then you’ll become a
Grigori
. Tris, she isn’t
Caillech
. Get over it. Remember who you are.”
Tris thought about what Marlon had said. There were too many things that he needed to work out. It would be easy to give in to the darkness. He would lose Daniella. He would lose everything. Joe said he was done for. Even if he could go back to being an angel, then he would still have to be doing what the Fallen did. If he gave up his wings, then he could not be with Daniella either because she was an angel. She was too good for him. He knew that now, and his heart ached without the thought of being with her. Lori had always told him to let go of the hatred he had in his heart. That was what had caused him to be manipulated. All he wanted was to hold her. Lori would want him to be happy. So many years of hatred had bottled up inside of him; he could not work through it all overnight, but he wanted Daniella. It didn’t matter what he was, he wanted her in his life. He had done and said horrible things to her, and he had to make it up to her. He had to show her that he was a better man.
He gazed back at Marlon. “She really said she loves me?”
“Yeah.
If it wasn’t for that love, you wouldn’t have been able to break through the haze you’re in. It means that you love her too. But I already think that you knew that. Go, take Lori. Go.”
“What about you? How? What?”
Marlon placed a finger on his lips. “Not your worry. Leave a few of Lori’s feathers. I have to tell them something.”
Tris grabbed his weapons and picked up his friend. He hurried out of the house and felt the cool breeze on his face. Being outside, more of his senses came back to him. The darkness within him still lingered, but he knew that he could control it now. The anger was there simmering, but it was not so strong that the
Grigori’s
influence was not on him. Tris hugged his friend’s body close to him and went back to the house to tell the others what had happened and face whatever reckoning he had coming to him. It would be better than the alternative.
I’ll make amends in any way that I have to.
Back on his property, he laid Lori, his friend, there.
I should be the one lying there and not you.
He gazed up at the sky and closed his eyes. All his thoughts drained away and he thought of the
One
lingering in Heaven.
Once I saw nothing but
You
and loved only You. Then I found something else. I thought it was love, and it became warped. I know I can’t go back into Heaven permanently. And I don’t want to become one of the
Grigori
. I really do love her. That was your gift to us. I’ve done wrong, I know. Lori gave his life so that Daniella could realize her purpose as an angel. I know you can’t give her back what was taken, but please spare her. If you punish me for my transgressions, I’m willing to take whatever you can give me.
Help me with this anger I feel. Help me so that I don’t use it to hurt her.
Tris bowed his head and felt a tear slide down his cheek. It had been a long time since he had talked to the One who gave him life.
Hesphital
said he had to have faith. Right now that was all that kept him going. Something soft landed on his arm. A small blue butterfly had settled on his arm. It fluttered its wings and flattened them into his skin. There it became one with him. It was a sign. He had been forgiven. A shaft of light hit Lori in the center of his chest. It spread outward and slowly engulfed his body until it dissolved and there was nothing left of his friend except a single feather. Tris picked it up, and the butterfly still did not move from his arm.
“What was that?”
He looked over and saw Daniella standing in the sun. Another ray flowed over her mocha skin, and he saw the outline of wings. Seeing her in the light was something else that he thought he would never see. Tris was being given a second—no, third—
chance,
and he could not blow it this time. Daniella was so magnificent. She was a goddess. She was the sum of everything, and Lori had given her what remained of his spark, his heavenly life, and it had molded her into what she was now. Both the dark and the light auras swirled around her. On her cheek now was a small pale pink butterfly that he was not sure if anyone else could see.
“That was him returning to Heaven. He gave up what he is so that you could become what you are meant to be.”
“There’s another butterfly on your arm. It wasn’t there before.”
Tris ran his fingers over it and felt the power race up his skin. The One had granted him another chance. Now he had to prove to Daniella that he was worthy of her, that everything he had said to her was wrong, and it did not matter that she was a vampire or an angel. “I’ve been given a second chance. Although I’m not sure if that means I’ve also been given another chance with you.” Tris dared a gaze into her dark eyes. He took her hand and kissed the back of it. “I’ve said horrible things to you, done unspeakable things, and didn’t believe in you. I don’t expect you to forgive me right away, but I was hoping that you might be able to.”
She trailed her fingers down his cheek, and he could not suppress the tremor that ran through him. “You do have a lot to make up for. It won’t happen overnight. You might have to show me over and over again how sorry you are. Do you think you can do that?”
He smiled and nodded,
then
he heard Joe clear his throat. Tris stood slowly and brushed his lips over Daniella’s mouth. He walked to the other angel, his leader, and waited to be judged. Tris knelt down and let the weight of the world settle onto his shoulders.
“Get up, Tris. The punishment you seek is not going to come. Your redemption is already starting. You have already been given another chance by the One who rules over all of us. There are times you might wish you had given up and gone with the
Grigori
, but for now you are granted a reprieve. Only you can show Daniella what it means to be an angel and balance her
vampiric
nature.”
“What does it mean?” she asked. “I don’t feel exactly how I did before. But I don’t feel human either.”
“You’re still a vampire, but the angelic blood in you has awakened so it gives you the ability to walk in the sun, at least for a while. You will hunger. You will find that your taste will only be for angel blood. There are ones that you might want to drink from, or maybe from the one you are already involved with. Tris will be your guide in your calling.”
“So I can feed from other angels, but you would prefer I feed from Tris?”
Joe smiled. “Yes. You could say that. For now, I’ll leave you to kiss her feet or whatever you were going to do.”
“What about Horatio? What do I tell the other two H’s?” Tris asked.
“You’ve all been taken off of active duty for now to heal and rest. Look after Daniella, Tris. If I hear or see one bad thing even uttered to her, then your wings come off. I don’t care if you have been given another chance. I’ll take your wings. Do you understand?”
He nodded. “More than you know.”
“Good. Daniella, don’t take any lip from him.”
“I don’t plan on it,” she answered.
Joe nodded and disappeared.
Tris looked back at Daniella. “I meant what I said. I want to make amends for being an ass. But I have so much pain inside, it’s not going to be easy for me to get over, so please bear with me.”
She stood up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. “I plan on it, but this time, if you say anything horrible about me, I’m going to kick your ass. Is that understood?”
Tris realized how much he could have missed out on without her.
“Yes, ma’am.
I definitely deserve some ass kissing...I mean kicking!”
Daniella jabbed him in the ribs, and he felt the force behind it.
“Kicking, yes.
And you’ll be kissing mine. I have an idea on how you can start making it up to me.” She walked her fingers down his chest and tugged on his waistband.
“I like how you think.”
* * * *
Daniella was still reeling from the changes going on inside of her. She could feel the angelic part of her and the weight of the new wings. Seeing Tris outside in the garden lifted her heart. She thought he was completely lost to her, but he had come back to her with a new purpose for life. His eyes were still troubled. Of course, he would have a tough time adjusting to his new lot in life and her new position. When he gazed upon her, it was as though he saw her for the first time. He was still riddled with grief and
emotions rattling his heart, but it was
apparent that he loved her. Daniella never thought she would fall in love, let alone fall in love with an angel. With all the information and changes going through the both of them, he was one constant. Together they would weather the storm that was going to come.
Tris rested his hand on her cheek, and a zing traveled through her from where he touched her. His caress made her remember the wonderful nights they had together before all of this had gone wrong. “Can I show you how much I care about you?”
“Does that involve ass kissing?”
He scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder before she could protest. Tris yanked her pants down and pressed his lips to her ass. Daniella squirmed to get away and giggled, but he did not let her go. “Is this good enough?”
“No! I want more. I need more of you.”
“That’s something I can grant.” Tris brought her inside of the house and stopped at the basement steps.
“Why are we stopping?”
“I don’t think you belong in the basement anymore.”
“Good decision. So where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
She wriggled on his shoulder as he walked upstairs. They got to his bedroom, and he opened the door. His bedroom was vast, and he had a lavish bed covered in a large, black velvet spread. He gently deposited her onto it. Tris straddled her. His cock pressed against her thigh, but before she could move, Tris leaned over and pinned her arms above her head.
“Going to tie me up now?” Daniella asked.
“No. I just want to look at you. How beautiful you are! The glow around you is amazing. It illuminates your skin. I can see the vampire in you, but....” He ran his thumb over her lip.
Before she could stop herself, she nipped on his thumb and felt the blood well onto her tongue. She sucked it into her mouth and watched his eyes roll into the back of his head. He lost his grip on her arms. Daniella grabbed his wrist and worked her lips from his thumb to the soft inner flesh of her wrist. The hunger rolled in her stomach, and her body still hurt from the heat and silver. His heart pumped the blood like a drum calling her home. She slipped her fangs into his wrist, and the blood flowed hot down her throat.