advice. Speaking with Azal, agreeing to assist him in any way, was like opening the door for the rest of the angels. Would they start dropping in and asking for favors too? No way would she be going down that path again!
“Hell, no,” she said to the empty apartment as she got out of bed.
She started the morning routine–stretch, start coffee, find food not expired in the fridge–and forced her thoughts to focus on Nathan Ink. Tall and good-looking in a hard sort of way, she couldn’t help but admire the black, shiny rock star hair that swung loose and free at his shoulders. She pondered the tattooed line she’d seen running up from his chest and around his neck. What kind of tattoo would an angel have? And those big muscles–Faye wondered if angels worked out at the gym, or was that just the natural form of his mortal shell?
And what a sexy mortal shell it was, Faye thought, stirring her coffee.
His wary attitude gave her no clue about the real nature of his activities, which she was supposed to be checking on. Of course that was only if she chose to do so. Right now, that was feeling like a pretty big if.
A soft thud outside her door announced the arrival of the morning paper. She glanced at the clock and stretched again. Only six hours ago she’d helped someone cross to the other side of the veil. The after effects always took a toll on the body. She winced at the various aches in her muscles.
Faye opened the door and picked up the morning paper from the welcome mat, relieved the paperboy had managed to throw it up the stairs for once. Though winters in Texas were typically mild, barely getting below fifty, she didn’t relish walking down the cool steps in her bare feet to fetch the Statesman. Faye slipped off the plastic cover and skimmed the morning headlines. The slight breeze rustled her hair, and a scent, delicate and soft, tickled her nose. Her senses went on alert.
“See anything interesting?” Azal asked.
Faye turned back to the interior of her apartment.
“I thought I smelled shit,” she said, and pointed down the stairs. “Get out. I didn’t say you could come in, Azal.”
“I didn’t ask.”
Faye shut the door, frustrated. She moved about the room, snapping open the shades, which allowed light to flood the place. Azal stood in the center. Sunbeams gathered around his brown hair, giving him a glow that would have caused awe in most people. Faye had seen the show before, and while she might have still been impressed by it, she would never let Azal know that.
“Did you talk to Nathan?”
“Yes. I don’t know why you bother to ask. I’m sure you already know the answer.” Faye went into the small kitchen and opened the fridge. “Is this going to become a habit? Are you planning to drop in whenever you want?”
“I brought éclairs.”
She peered at him from over the top of the refrigerator door. “What kind?”
“Chocolate covered.”
“With custard or whip cream for the filling?”
“Whip cream, of course.”
“Okay, you can stay for a few minutes, but only because I’m hungry.”
“I figured as much.” Azal watched her plop onto the sofa and grab the box he’d placed on the coffee table. “I like your apartment. And your shop. You’ve done well for yourself.”
“Thanks.”
“I see you kept the MG. Your father loved that sports car. I remember when he bought it, how proud he was to drive your mother around in it.”
“Can we cut the small talk?” She didn’t want to think about her father and the MG. It had taken her a long time to stomach driving it again, the memories almost too much to bear at first. Faye picked up an éclair, and then offered the box to Azal. “You want one?”
“I need to know about Nathan. How did he seem to you?”
Faye bit into the sweet pastry, observing his body language. His shoulders were tense, and impatient energy crackled through him. “He seemed fine to me. I don’t know the guy, so I don’t know what his normal temperament is like.”
“Did you notice anything odd?”
“He’s an angel who tattoos people. Where should I begin?” At his small sigh of frustration, she continued. “He’s in the habit of glamoring things so no one finds his lair or his shop unless he wants them to, but that’s not out of the ordinary. Lots of earthbound angels do that in order to keep a low profile.”
“True. What about his shop then? Did you see anything there?”
“I didn’t go in, but I did watch him and an assistant finish a tattoo on a client.”
“An assistant?” Azal asked, and Faye could almost see his ears perk up. He sat down next to her. “Man or woman?”
“Woman. Young and black with long dreadlocks.”
“How did this customer seem when he left the shop?”
Faye bit into her éclair again, thinking back to Curt. He’d staggered on his way out of Hell’s Leak, and there had been that strange glow flickering just under his skin. Not to mention Heidi and the way she’d been drawn to Curt by his smell.
“I’m not sure,” she said. “I thought something was different with him. There was this light that pulsed through his body, but when I followed him…well, he turned out to be some average guy with a hard-on for every woman he sees. I think I was just picking up on his pheromones. It happens sometimes.”
“The assistant’s name is Judith. She’s actually an apprentice, and we’ve been watching her closely for some time.” Azal leaned back on the sofa. Faye stole a quick glance at him, surprised to see sadness crinkling the lines around his eyes. On impulse, she reached up and smoothed out one of his curls.
“You’re tired. I’ve never seen you this bad off.”
His eyes closed at her touch.
“Everything has changed,” Azal said. “I loved you so much, Faye. I loved what was yours, and I’m ashamed that I lost them.”
Her hand dropped like a stone. An image of Chris popped into Faye’s mind, followed by thoughts of her parents. They were all gone. Dead. Doomed to be murdered when their protector was distracted. All a part of God’s plan. Her gaze flicked to the picture frame on her bedside table.
“I try not to think about what happened,” she said, getting up. “I try not to think about you or the other angels. I’m surviving.”
“Yes, you are. But are you living?”
“Let’s talk about something else.”
“Fine.” Azal snapped his fingers, and the television clicked on to Austin Daily, the local morning news program.
“Police are still trying to find the man responsible for a string of murders in the central Austin area. If you have any information, please contact
