Page 1 of Secrets in the Shadow

Chapter One

Invisible to everyone but his son, Raziel stared down at the toddler, watching as Ethan played with his toys on the carpet, making small noises that sounded remarkably like an engine.

His child was beautiful, the spitting image of his mother, with her golden locks and both their emerald-green eyes.

If only he had known the human was pregnant with his child. But he hadn’t, because Raziel had been locked away in a cell, endlessly tortured for secrets he refused to reveal.

Ethan looked up at him, smiling as he held up a plastic truck. “Pay whiff me?”

The small truck was scuffed and worn, its bright colors dulled by countless adventures in tiny hands.

Raziel’s throat tightened. He was risking everything just being here, but since discovering he had a child, he couldn’t stay away. I would love to. He pushed the thoughts through his amoretto’s mind, the boy too young to do the same.

But before Raziel had a chance to even play with the car, the bear shifter stood from the couch and walked over, making Raziel take a step back to get out of his way.

“Sure, cub.” Killian lowered himself to the carpet with ease, his movements fluid despite his imposing frame, and reached out to tickle Ethan’s belly. The toddler wiggled and squealed, the sound as angelic as the heavens Raziel had forsaken. Then his son pushed his uncle’s hand away.

“No you!” Ethan held up his truck once more, his tiny arm stretched toward Raziel. “Pay whiff him.”

Father. Raziel longed to hear his son call him that, but he had discovered the babe’s existence only two days ago. Ethan had no idea who he was.

And never will so long as Bashar hunts you.

Fury roiled within Raziel, but it was a hollow, bitter thing. Half his abilities were gone, ripped away by Bashar’s cruel hand. Angels weren’t meant to take one another’s powers entirely.

It was against their divine nature, but Bashar had torn away as many as he could. Raziel also bore the scars of endless beatings, tortured for secrets he would never betray.

An angel couldn’t die—at least, none had died to confirm this—but there was worse than death. Twice Raziel had had his wings severed, and growing them back was the worst pain imaginable.

Bashar had threatened to cut off his head, and since Raziel didn’t want to find out how painful regrowth would feel, he’d escaped. Barely.

Now he was a hunted angel, ingesting disgusting concoctions to mask his whereabouts.

“Who, buddy?” Killian glanced around the living room, scenting the air. “Do you see someone?”

He sees a father he has never known. A father who was unaware he had a precious son.

In the eyes of his pantheon, Ethan was an abomination. Half angel, half human. The zealots wouldn’t hesitate to smite the boy if his existence was discovered.

Angels couldn’t die, but a Nephilim could.

Yet another reason Raziel needed to walk away from Ethan and forget his child existed.

“Da man,” his amoretto said as if it should have been obvious. Raziel smiled at how put out Ethan appeared.

Killian pushed to his feet, his muscles bulging, his gaze darting around. They were the same height, but Killian had a lot more body mass. “Show yourself,” he snarled.

If only Raziel could.

He was sick and tired of being in hiding. And now that he knew he had a child, it was downright torture.

“I will end you to protect the cub.” The promise of death flared in Killian’s eyes.

Which was why Raziel continued to leave his son with this family of bear shifters. With only half his powers, he couldn’t keep Ethan safe.

And that fact gutted him.

While Killian scanned the room, Raziel squatted and smiled at Ethan.

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