Page 26 of Dancing With Death

The other man is otherworldly and beautiful. His cheekbones are almost as sharp as the other man’s, but his skin is a cool taupe color—a light brown with a hint of gray. His head is shaved and his light yellow-brown eyes are locked on me. His wings are a dove gray, and they look so soft. I wonder if he would let me pet them.

Mate.

I jolt at the word bouncing around in my head. Mainly because it’s not my voice.

My eyes are still locked on the angels—sorry, fallen angels—and I see the second man’s lips turn up at one corner.

Clearly, no one warned you about angels. Many of us are telepathic, mate of mine.

My eyes widen as I realize the angel is talking inside my head.

What. The. Actual. Fuck?

“Umm…Wraith?” I tap his hand, unable to tear my gaze away from the angel.

“Yes, trouble?” he asks, voice taut with worry as he follows my line of sight. His next word is practically a hiss. “Cassian. What are you doing to my mate?”

Cassian’s lips curl up, and it’s not a friendly smile. “She is your mate? That’s…interesting.”

“What did he do, Audrey?” Wraith asks while Donovan blocks my view of the angels with his body.

I glance between the two of them with wide eyes. “He spoke inside my head, and he called me his mate.”

Silence falls around us, and I swear I’d be able to hear a pin drop. We’re not the only ones in the room, but everyone has fallen quiet. It’s as if they’re waiting to see what the fallout will be.

Hell, maybe they are. It’s clear Wraith doesn’t much care for the angels before us.

“Over my dead fucking body,” Donovan snarls as he spins toward the angels.

I get another glance at Cassian’s smirking face before Donovan shoves him, and he stumbles back.

“Donovan!” I screech, jumping to my feet even as Wraith grabs me.

“Do not get between them, trouble. Cassian and I have a long history—none of it good. He and Donovan usually get along, but I think it’s been a lot on his hellhound today, having you around so many people he doesn’t know.” Wraith sighs. “Just let me handle it. Stay here.”

Wraith disappears into his shadows as Riggs pulls me toward him, only to reappear just behind Donovan and Cassian. The angel takes a swing at my hellhound, and I have to fight back a snarl of my own.

Ophelia slides into the booth beside me. “It looks like you’re going to shake things up in the underworld, Audrey, and I’m here for it.”

She laughs while I blink at her. I have no idea what the hell is going on right now, but I don’t like it one bit. Part of me wants to kick the angel out of the booth to get her away from me. She’s the one who led them over here. She’s the reason this is happening.

We were sitting here having a great time—until the three of them walked up.

I wince as Donovan lands a blow to Cassian’s jaw.

“I’m Sol,” the last angel says from where he’s leaning against the booth next to Ophelia. “Sorry about the fistfight. That was rather unexpected. Especially since we all had drinks with Donovan last weekend. I’m assuming it’s a mate thing.”

I shrug, still completely lost. “I’ve only been in the underworld for six months, and it turns out that most of what I thought I knew was wrong.”

“So you just graduated. Congratulations.” Ophelia offers me a smile. “I’ll get you a drink.”

“They’re over there fighting, and you’re offering to buy me a drink?” I grimace as Wraith steps between Cassian and Donovan, catching a glancing blow from each of them, but he doesn’t even flinch.

“Enough,” he says it quietly, but there’s enough power behind it that it feels like he yelled. “Donovan, this isn’t like you. Go sit with our mate. It seems we need to have a conversation with Cassian.”

Donovan doesn’t look happy—especially not when he sees me flush against Rigg’s side with Ophelia sitting beside me. Ophelia quickly exits the booth while Riggs releases his hold on me. That doesn’t appear to be enough for Donovan, though, as he reaches out to snag my leg, dragging me to the edge of the booth.

“Mine,” he snarls before his lips descend on mine. He claims me with his kiss for everyone in the pub to see.

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