Page 4 of Secrets in the Shadow

In disbelief, Raziel stared at the man before him, the reality pressing down on him like an inescapable force. This human was his mate.

But… Angels didn’t have mates. How could they when they were supposed to remain pure? How could fate be so damn cruel? Raziel was being hunted by the most vicious angel to ever be created and couldn’t offer Cody shit.

First Ethan and now my mate. The list of people he had to deny was growing. And now Bashar had two people to possibly use against him to force him to comply.

Raziel would put Cody’s life in jeopardy if he claimed the human. He was a danger to his son and now his mate.

“Please, show yourself,” Cody called again, his voice trembling.

Long shadows bled into the forest, and the pale glow of the moon barely softened the cold emptiness Raziel sensed around them.

For the second time in his existence—the first just days ago—he felt confusing emotions stir inside of him.

And he wasn’t sure how to handle them.

Hatred, rage, fear he knew all too well. They were constants in Raziel’s lonely, miserable life. Sadly, not even when he’d slept with Ethan’s mother had he truly felt anything other than mutual pleasure.

Raziel was filled with so much bitterness, so much anguish. He was broken, unlovable, and carried many scars from Bashar’s brutality. Friendship was a foreign concept to him, and so was vulnerability and tenderness.

The sound of howls made Cody spin in circles, his eyes wide. The rapid thrum of his heartbeat echoed in Raziel’s ears, and the sharp scent of fear hung suspended in the frigid air, distinct and undeniable.

“See, I wasn’t lying,” Raziel said. “Now are you willing to take directions from me?”

“Whatever you are, you’re a complete jerk!” Cody stomped away but glanced behind him a few times, like he was checking to see if the wolves were closing in on him.

Even though it was the worst idea, Raziel revealed himself. “Happy now?”

Cody stopped and spun around, the quick movement causing him to trip over an exposed root and fall toward the ground. Without thinking, Raziel flashed behind the human and steadied him, the weight of the man’s warmth startling against his skin. Slim and slight in his arms, Cody brought with him a rush of feelings Raziel had no idea how to handle.

Snatching his hands back, he flashed ten feet away, causing Cody to hit the ground with a grunt.

Oops.

“If that’s your idea of chivalry, you have a lot to learn.” Cody grunted, trying to turn over, but all he managed to do was look like a flipped turtle. His large backpack was preventing him from doing anything other than flailing his arms and legs.

“Kitten, there isn’t a chivalrous bone in my body.” Raziel manifested his flask, flicking his wrist at the same time to put the human on his feet.

What puzzled him was the fact Cody hadn’t said a word about Raziel flashing or helping him just now. For a second time, he wondered if his mate knew about preternatural beings. He had to, otherwise he would be shouting loud enough to draw the wolves to them.

Right now the creatures were sniffing around, on the hunt for deer. They had hungry pups in their den that needed to be fed.

Cody looked him over, his brows furrowed, causing a cute little pucker to appear between his eyes. “Why are you only wearing pants? Where’s the rest of your clothes? Aren’t you freezing?”

“You ask a lot of questions.” Raziel leaned against a tree, shoving his hair out of his way to take another drink. Blah. He needed to go back to the unseelie who’d sold him the concealment potion and wring the little fucker’s neck. The guy could have at least made this crap taste halfway decent.

Then again, it had been an unseelie. For all Raziel knew, he was drinking poison. Not that it would kill him, but the taste was just so foul.

“Ah, I see.” Cody folded his arms, his gaze assessing.

“And, pray tell, what do you see, human?” Raziel forced himself to drink it down, though he’d rather have his tongue cut out.

“You have booze warming your veins.” He shook his head, as if pitying Raziel. “It’s a false warmth, just so you know. As cold as it is out here, you’ll freeze to death without even realizing it,” he finished in a haughty tone.

“Who are you to judge me?” Raziel snarled, taking a menacing step toward him. “Your mind would explode if you knew a fraction of the shit I’ve endured.”

Cody averted his gaze, remorse in his eyes, and then he spun and started walking. The sun had set, and now all his mate had was the moon to guide him.

The guy was going to get eaten.

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