Archangel’s Enigma (Guild Hunter #8)(77)
Author: Nalini Singh

“They’re not asleep—they’re just not sure about you.” Reaching out, he ran his hand down her back and over her wings. “Now they know you’re mine.”

She couldn’t restrain her shiver. His eyes seemed to glow. “I’m going to find the Grimoire.”

The low, deep promise sent a surge of pure want through her veins, temptation an ache in her breasts, tension in her abdomen, damp readiness between her thighs. “I’d break my vow for you,” she whispered, heartbroken at the idea that she might never know him as intimately as a woman could know a man.

Fangs flashing, Naasir bent to her throat to breathe deep. But even as her eyes began to close, her blood honey, he pulled back and shook his head, the shaggy silver of his hair glinting in the faint light of dawn. “You must keep promises,” he said. “Even those to yourself.”

Her lower lip shook. “You see how bad my control is over my base urges,” she whispered. “You’re having to school me.”

Naasir smiled as if she’d said something wonderful. “I don’t see a problem. My mate should find me irresistible.”

She wanted at once to kiss that wicked mouth with its sinful smile, and bare her teeth at him for his arrogance. “I’m not your mate.” Could never be, her bloodline of the enemy and bound to that enemy.

Naasir growled. “I’ll make you change your mind.”

Andromeda wanted to play with him so badly that she did something unforgivable—she encouraged him to think they could have a future. “Oh? How?”

“Wait and see.”

The monkeys started calling out then, one swinging upside down from a branch above to stare right into her face. When she cried out and jumped back, the monkey and Naasir both laughed. The others joined in, the sound raucous.

Scowling at her unrepentant partner, she pushed at his muscular arm. Undaunted, he grabbed her hand and held it possessively in his.

She curled her fingers around his palm, not challenging his right to touch her.

*   *   *

Two hours of walking brought them to the spot where Naasir had arranged for a large vehicle to be waiting for them, watched over by a vampire who saluted Naasir then took off in the direction of Amanat. Modified to transport injured angels if necessary, it had plenty of room for her wings and the rest of their journey to the airfield passed quickly.

Since Philomena likely had eyes on the airfield as well, they’d had to make a decision about whether to arrange a different jet, or to do the unexpected. Since it was unlikely they could arrange another jet as fast as those in Raphael’s fleet, they went with the latter option. Driving the vehicle right to the jet in order to offset the chance of a surprise attack, they had the pilot file a flight plan that took them across Favashi’s territory and deep into Michaela’s.

Once Philomena passed on the information to Xi, he’d either follow them to their destination, or send a squadron after them while going with his own instincts—which would likely lead him to Rohan’s palace. Regardless, he’d be at least a five-hour flight from Andromeda and Naasir’s actual destination.

Once in the air, Andromeda settled in while Naasir prowled the aisles like a beast caged. “Come here,” she said after ten minutes, having moved to an extra-wide seat meant to accommodate two angels who wanted to sit side by side.

He scowled but came. “I don’t want to sit.”

“Lie down and put your head in my lap.”

Still scowling, he stretched out on the seat as she’d suggested. His tension remained unabated. When she began to stroke her fingers through the heavy silk of his hair, however, his eyes closed and he made a rumbling sound in his chest. Smiling, happy to simply be here in this moment with him, she continued to pet him until he fell asleep. Even then, she didn’t stop, the pleasure in doing this for him a glowing warmth inside her.

When he stretched some time later and opened his eyes on a yawn, it was to look at her with a sleepy gaze and say, “This is a mate thing to do.”

Yes, it was. “Is it?” She forced a teasing smile. “If I’m your mate, shouldn’t you be doing it in return then?”

He reached up to place his hand on the back of her neck, his skin warm and a little rough. Her pulse thudded at the contact, her senses lost in the silver mysteries of his eyes.

“I wouldn’t just pet your hair,” he said. “I’d stroke your wings, especially the places I’m not allowed to touch yet.”

“Naasir,” she whispered, leaning so close to him that their breaths mingled. “Why did you not find me sooner?” They could’ve had centuries together instead of mere weeks.