Angel of Fire - Chasing Destiny - Book Three ***COMPLETE!!!***

Angel of Woe

Chapter 43

Courtney used Vycandor's unexpected arrival to put me on blast. "Speak of the devil himself. Here's the object of Chaos' affection in the flesh." Her glare bounced back and forth between Thomas and Vycandor, before landing smack on me. "You're a liar and a cheater. You've never been good enough for either one of them. Maybe now you'll finally realize that you can never be forgiven for your sins."

Thomas calmly held up one finger on his left hand, and three fingers on his right to get her attention. "Do the math, Courtney. One cross, plus three nails, equals forgiveness."

Her watery blue eyes opened wide in disbelief. "You can't be serious?"

Thomas met her gaze head on. "If God can forgive Chaos, then so can I." His words stung like a slap against her cheek, even though I'm sure he didn't mean them that way.

On second thought, never mind. I knew Thomas too well. He meant them.

I had to pick my chin up off the floor. Like literally. I was still trying to figure out why Courtney was trying so hard to come between Thomas and me, that I just had to ask. "What difference does any of this make to you? I mean, besides the fact that you still feel a misplaced need to protect what's not yours. It's like you're obsessed with us."

She smiled, but it didn't hold any warmth. "The answer is very simple. While you've been chasing your destiny, your destiny has been chasing you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"In your case, Chaos, it means that love does not necessarily conquer all."

I was getting tired of the bread crumbs she kept dropping. There was some kind of something going on. She was up to no good. I could feel it in my bones. I just couldn't prove it. Taking a step forward, I balled my hands into fists and was prepared to beat the answers out of her if I had to. Before I had the chance, Vycandor emerged from his dressing room. He looked melt-in-your-mouth sexy. His dark beauty, his regalness, his penchant for wearing supremely tailored Victorian suits, and buttery soft leather boots with killer heels left me speechless. Frothy lace spilled all the way down the front of a white high collard shirt left purposefully unbuttoned, giving me a glimpse of his lean bare chest. Only Vycandor could wear an outfit like this and get away with it. He made the out dated clothes seem utterly masculine somehow. Like a Hollywood version of a vampire – beautiful and deadly.

As usual, the only thing missing was the cape.

Compliments aren't really my thing, so I said the first thing that came to mind. "Dracula called. He wants his clothes back."

Vycandor acknowledged me with a nod of his head. Long, dark hair spilled down the front of his exposed chest and played peek-a-boo with the slightest movement. "Call me old-fashioned, but I do miss chivalry. I don't think there's anything wrong with dressing to sweep a woman off her feet." He paused to bow graciously, extending a pale hand. If possible, more lace spilled over his long, graceful fingers as he reached for my hand and drew it to his lips in a tender kiss. He smiled then as he titled his head to look up at me, a slow spreading of cherry red lips. "Don't you agree, Chaos?"

I risked a glance into his eyes. He looked at me like he knew what I looked like without my skivies on. I felt suddenly under dressed in my simple cotton gown. Naked somehow. Or maybe, just maybe it was my overactive imagination playing tricks on me again. I needed a diversion. And quick. It was beyond embarrassing that every time I got a glimpse of his bare chest my brain stopped working like it was out to lunch. Especially when it happened right in front of Thomas.