Enrapture | The Angels Series Book 2 | Slow Updates

Chapter Six

He tensed when he heard her call him. Part of him wanted to keep moving, act as though he hadn't heard her. The other part of him still felt terrible for hurting her. He never should have put his hands on her. He was such a jerk.

He relented, turned around to face her. She was running through the black sand with a brown satchel hanging over her shoulder. Her small feet kicked up the sand and a breeze whipped around the skirt of her dress – threatening to reveal her delicious thighs.

Desire rode him hard, forcing all sense to the side as he raked his gaze over the length of her slender body. She suddenly stopped half the distance away from him and looked as though the wind had just been knocked from her lungs. Her wide honey eyes locked with his and he didn't miss the way her breathing became labored. Even from a distance, he could scent her arousal in the air.

Damn.

This woman was sure to be his undoing if he didn't get his own desires under control. He told himself to turn around and keep walking, but that pulling in his chest started up again. What was it about her that had him so enthralled? She completely enraptured him with her wide, innocent eyes and full, pouty lips. The way she looked at him now suggested she wanted to throw caution to the wind and leap into his arms. What's more, he found himself wanting her to do just that.

He huffed, feeling utterly hopeless to resist her. She had run out here after him, and as much as he wanted to believe she was a liar and a manipulator, he could not. For some reason, he found himself wanting to trust and believe her, even when he had no reason to.

He slumped his shoulders a bit and stalked toward her. She remained frozen, her feet planted firmly in the black sand and her hands clutching at the straps of her leather satchel as though it was her lifeline.

His body acted of its own accord and he reached for her face, cupping her cheek in the palm of his hand. He stepped closer to her, his massive frame devouring the distance between them, and tilted her head back so that she was looking up at him. He saw her entire body tense, whether in fear or anticipation he was unsure. Her honey eyes darkened and his question was answered immediately. She wanted him. From the looks of it and the way her desire rolled off her in waves, she wanted him as badly as he wanted her.

How he wished he could act on those desires. He really did. But he needed proof that she wasn't the enemy. He wouldn't trust blindly after all he'd been through recently. If he couldn't trust Heaven itself, there was no way he could bring himself to recklessly trust this stranger – as enticing and desirable as she was.

He leaned closer to her and inhaled the fragrant scent of gardenias. She reminded him of Eden and the way the flowers bloomed and filled the courtyard with their sweet perfume. He wanted to drag his tongue along her flesh and see whether she tasted just as sweet as she smelled. Instead, he rested his forehead against hers and dragged his thumb across her lower lip.

"What have you done to me?" he whispered, darting his gaze between hers. She sucked in a sharp breath and her lips trembled against the pad of his thumb. He wanted to dip his head and capture her soft mouth in his but held onto his control. He released her on a sigh and leaned back, creating some distance between them. "I'm sorry if I hurt you."

She shook her head in the negative, and he wondered whether she was conscious of the fact that she had risen her hand and brushed the tips of her fingers over her bottom lip, as though trying to confirm whether he had really been that close.

"I'm alright. I...need to go with you. I need you to trust me. I'm meant to help you on your journey, Michael. Whether you want me around or not, it's imperative that we stick together."

He raised a brow at her but didn't try to argue. His interest was most definitely piqued, and he needed to know more.

"Why is it so important?"

"I know who you're hiding from. The truth is, I've been hiding from the same being for many, many centuries. We have a common interest, Michael. We can help one another."

Now he was really interested. She couldn't possibly know of the existence of the Seraphim. No ordinary shaman had that sort of power. He decided to take the bait and see what she knew.

"Do tell, little seer, from whom do I hide?" he fought back a smirk as her eyes seemed to fill with surprise for a brief moment. The smile was wiped from his face just as quickly as it had formed.

"Uriel," said Athena, holding her chin high and daring him to deny the truth. She squared her delicate shoulders and straightened her back. He nearly burst into a fit of laughter from the adorable way she tried to make herself seem intimidating. So she knew some things after all. The existence of that particular species of angel had always been kept well hidden. He was one of the very few who knew of them. He was beginning to think there was much more to the little shaman than she was willing to let on. Even so, now wasn't the time to act on it. She might prove useful in his next mission.

"I won't ask how you know of Uriel. Something tells me you won't talk anyway." She nodded in agreement and he shrugged. "Very well, Athena. You may accompany me. There might be use for you in my next task. As you already know, Gabriel wants my head on a spit. I need to confirm that you are who you claim to be. So, little seer, let's get a move on. Saint Gabriel will not be pleased to see me."

She nodded eagerly – too eagerly – and flashed him a brilliant white smile. He raised a brow at her, confused by her reaction. Just how long had she been cooped up in a cave? He had only been hiding from Uriel for a few human months. He couldn't imagine the trials this beauty had been through in order to remain hidden from him for centuries. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth when she fell into step beside him, a bounce springing her feet and giving away her excitement.

He felt sorry for her. He wondered what she had been through, and why Uriel had forced her into hiding. No shaman was worth Uriel's attention. But then again, he already had the feeling that she was no ordinary shaman. No. Her aura was much too powerful to belong to a creature as weak as a fortune teller.

What's more, shamans were usually mortal. They could sometimes extend their youth and lengthen their lifespans with a bit of dark magic, but her aura was pure. Her immortality was not gained through magic. It was her birthright.

It would be fun, he supposed, peeling away the layers of her boundaries.

He would uncover the truth.