Page 80 of Archangel’s Lineage

Thanks to Montgomery, she’d become known for gowns in shades of blue, but today, the butler and the tailor with whom he worked had gone for a gown so deep a blue it was near black. Softer than many of the styles she’d previously worn, it had long sleeves and a V-neck created by overlapping panels of fabric.

Fitted to the waistline, it then flowed to the ground in a grace of air. It bore two slits, one on either side—but those would only become visible should she kick out her legs to access the weapons strapped on them.

Her amber studs glowed in her ears, and on her wrist sat a bracelet of white gold carved with elements taken from the Guild’s historic coat of arms. A gift from Beth for a milestone birthday in mortal terms. A gift he knew his hunter would treasure for all eternity—though he’d also seen her touch it with sorrow in every line of her face.

His Elena. A born hunter. An angel Made. A sister tender. And a woman who never gave up, no matter what the obstacle. Her loyalty was unbreakable, her love a fierce caress that he carried with him every second of every day.

“Raphael, are you listening to me?”

“Knhebek, hbeebti,” he said, reaching up to cup her cheek. “More than eternity itself.”

Her eyes shone with a light that shouldn’t have been possible in an angel so young. “You stop my heart, Archangel.” Elena didn’t know what had gotten into Raphael, but the way he was looking at her... It stole her breath, destroying her in the best way.

It was tempting to kiss him, fall into him, but they couldn’t afford to be distracted with several of their guests already crossing the Hudson. Most had arrived in the city earlier in the day, a couple late the previous night because of the distance involved in their travel, but all were itching to meet Marduk. Enough to leave their seconds in charge of territories all hit by various natural disasters—but none would stay on after the meeting for the same reason.

Because while this might appear a social occasion with everyone in formal dress, it was rather a council of war in peacetime. The Cadre had to meet—because all their usual avenues of information and answers had failed, with a distraught Jessamy having informed the Cadre that she had nowhere else to search.

Even Vivek had admitted that he was going around in circles at this point.

Marduk was their last chance.

She saw the same knowledge in Raphael’s eyes, and between them passed a silent vow that no matter what, they’d walk into it together.

For now, she turned her head to kiss his palm, then ran her own hand over the black of his formal leathers. Sleeveless, and sealed down one side, the stark color of the jacket was unrelieved but for the golden design on one shoulder: his sigil, which now included a dagger. Included her.

He wore no sword today, in deference to the fact that he was a host welcoming others into his home. His hair remained a touch longer than he usually kept it. Despite the softer look of it, he appeared as ruthless and as dangerous as ever, his eyes a searing hue that burned. Only she knew of the heart within the lethal power of her archangel.

“Where is our guest of honor?” she said past the primal urge to drag him away to a private place, anchor herself against the unknown with the physical.

Raphael seemed to be having the same problem.

Raphael, we can’t.

47

A touch of his fingers to her lips—a silent promise—before Raphael took a deep breath and became the Archangel of New York rather than her lover. “Last I knew, Marduk was watching people in Central Park from one of his high vantage points. As we haven’t yet seen a single photo in the media articles about him, I assume he’s using glamour to conceal his presence.”

“Do you think he has any concept of time? I mean, will he show up before the meeting starts?” Elena glanced at the central doors that led into this room, then at the set on the other end. Those doors were inside the house, and most of the time, they were left open.

Today, however, both sets would be closed while the Cadre was in session.

“I’m not certain—I’ve built in time enough for me to fly out and get him.” A raised eyebrow. “But I have a feeling he’s planning to make an entrance.”

“Why doesn’t he freak you out? He’s not... like other angels.” She frowned. “I like him, but there’s something there that’s... not anything close to human. I used to think that about archangels once, but Marduk blows that out of the water.”

Raphael shrugged. “I see him as a wilder variant of our bloodline.” He shifted so that he faced the main entrance, held out his arm for her. “Our guests begin to arrive.”

Elena caught the scent of green forests overlaid with spice as they walked toward the orange radiance of late afternoon soon to turn into evening. Her angel-scenting ability remained unstable and weak, might never get any stronger, but this scent she knew. “Elijah and Hannah.” So far, she hadn’t picked up Hannah’s scent on its own, but she had picked up that Hannah carried a hint of Elijah’s scent, a kiss atop the skin.

“Eli.” Raphael greeted the other archangel with true warmth, their friendship having become set in stone over the years since Elijah had first reached out a friendly hand. The blond angel with his golden skin and wings of pristine white was older than Raphael, had once been a war general under Caliane.

His consort of over nine hundred years, Hannah—her ebony curls beautifully arranged in an updo dotted with diamond pins and her dark skin glowing, her wings a lush cream with a whisper of peach in the primaries—was one of the most elegant women Elena had ever met. Quite frankly, she’d been intimidated by the angel until she got to know Hannah—and found in her a friend warmhearted and funny.

The artist the world knew as refined and talented also had quite the facility for hilarious caricatures and rude cartoons. The latter of which only her closest friends ever saw.

“I have to keep up some appearance of being a proper consort,” she’d said with a grin after Elena told her that her wicked wit deserved a wider audience. “Also, secret fun is always better.”

Elena greeted her with a tight hug that was returned with equal delight. “How are you?” She knew Hannah had been knee-deep in mud prior to her and Elijah’s flight to New York, assisting people affected by a flash flood.

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