Page 49 of Wings of Death

“Zarla, I’ve only just met you. I’ve been here on Earth for half my life.”

Gods above, he must think I’m so stupid. This shouldn’t bother me. He isn’tmine, but the thought of him being mine passes through my mind, and I find it sits far too well. I want him to be mine.

But he’s not, I remind myself.

I move the blanket aside and stand. “It’s okay. It’s silly. You are free to do whatever you like. It’s none of my business.”

“Please don’t go,” he says, reaching out and taking my hand.

His thumb circles the skin on my wrist, and I enjoy the sensation. A lot. I can’t go anyway, can I? I mean, sure, I’m supposed to be his guardian and watch over him. But now that I know he’s an angel, do those rules still apply? Knowing he harnesses his own powers makes leaving a possibility.

So then what’s stopping me?

There’s a thud in the yard as Finlay appears. I dart my gaze between Kyle and him, but it’s too late.

Kyle’s gaze snaps toward me. “He’s here, isn’t he?”

“What the fuck, Zarla? You don’t have your veil up? And how does he know about me?”

I storm down the porch steps into the rain, which is pouring down hard, and I’m instantly soaked. “Are you serious? First you leave him alone again, and then you have the nerve to show up and question me?”

Kyle’s footsteps sound as he follows close behind me.

“Show yourself, asshole,” he demands.

Finlay smirks as he lowers the veil, clearly unconcerned at the potential consequences, and locks his gaze onto Kyle. “Now, now, that’s no way to greet your guardian.”

“Backupguardian,” I correct him.

Before I can stop him, Kyle builds a ball of dark power between his hands, and launches it at Finlay. It crashes into his chest, sending him flying backwards. He fumbles around in the grass and gets to his feet, eyes wide as he brushes off the mud.

“What the fuck? How did he do that?” he demands.

Now I’m the one smirking. “Oh, yeah, he’s an angel.”

He charges back over to us and then stops far too close to Kyle, their chests almost touching. Rainwater drips down his face in rivulets as he glares at Kyle. “You do that ever again, and you’ll see just how powerful I am.”

Kyle laughs and shoves his chest. “Oh yeah? So powerful you’ve got to force yourself onto a woman?”

Finlay glances at me briefly, his expression shifting from aggression to embarrassment as his cheeks redden. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. What bullshit has she fed you?”

I roll my eyes. “No bullshit, just truth.”

Finlay advances on me, but Kyle steps between us.

“Just try it,” he warns.

Finlay grits his teeth. “Just wait until your father hears about this. Hell, wait until mine does. You’ll both be called before The Throne.”

Panic creeps into my chest. “Finlay, please.”

He stares at me through cold eyes. “Here I was, thinking we were past the bullshit. I thought things were good.”

I reach out to him, but Kyle holds his arm across my chest to stop me.

“They are,” I assure him, glaring at Kyle.

“You don’t owe him anything,” Kyle tells me.

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