The Order Boxed Set (95 page)

If you were willing to pay the price.

But not now. Not yet.

“Roz? We have to find her.”

“I already asked. Christian has sent out a message, but Piers is too clever. No one knows where they’ve gone. Until he makes contact, we can’t find them.”

“What’s wrong with her?”

“Brain aneurysm. I told you she blacked out my last night on the job. Well, apparently it was a minor one and the doctors warned her there would be another.”

“And she told no one?”

“No.”

That had been what the headaches were about. He hadn’t thought to question her further. He’d believed them a sign of human frailty. There had to be a way to save her. He gathered her against him. She was warm. She couldn’t die.

“She told me to tell you that she doesn’t think you’re a monster,” Ryan said. “She believed it for the best, if you thought she didn’t care. But she was wrong. She wanted you to know that.”

Ash put her down gently and jumped to his feet. She couldn’t end like this. An idea was gnawing at the back of his mind. He tried to ignore it, but the notion grew until it was a roar in his head.

He realized that it had been easy to turn down Raphael’s offer. And the reason had everything to do with Faith. He couldn’t hide from that truth now.

If she died, did he really care what happened to Roz and the committee? Any of them? His mind veered away from thinking about Tara. That would only cloud the issue.

“There’s nothing you can do,” Ryan said.

Ash whirled on him in fury. “You know nothing of what I can and can’t do.”

In that moment, he decided. He’d take what Raphael had offered. Only he would ask for another life. If they saved Faith, he would give them Roz. Somehow.

And he would live with the decision. Presumably, alone, because this would prove once and for all that he was the monster she’d called him. He went back to the bed and scooped her up in his arms, so her long dark hair drifted down.

“What are you doing?” Ryan asked.

“I’m saving her.”

She seemed so fragile as he carried her out and into the courtyard. He sensed Ryan behind him but ignored the other man. Once outside, he changed his form, his wings sprouting from his shoulders. He was aware of a door opening, Tara and Christian running toward him, but it hardly impinged on his consciousness.

He gathered her close.

Tara was talking with Ryan now, low and urgent, but nothing to do with him. He had to get away, before anyone thought to stop him.

He launched himself into the air.

“Father!”

Shock stopped his upward flight and he hovered, staring down to where his daughter stood below in the courtyard. She’d never called him father before.

He remained silent. There was nothing to say.

“She wouldn’t want this,” Tara called. “She’ll hate you.”

“It doesn’t matter; she’ll be alive.”

And he headed off into the twilight.

…

He was taken straight to Lucifer, who eyed his burden with interest.

“A present?” he murmured. “How sweet, but she hardly seems lively.”

Ash ignored the comment. There had been no sign of life from Faith during the journey here. Tara’s words kept repeating in his mind. Not the hate bit—he could live with that. But the fact that she wouldn’t want this. He was aware she had risked her life many times in the course of her duty. Now, he would save her life at the cost of so many others.

Because he knew once he set this in motion, many would die in the battles that followed.

And he would be indebted to finding Roz and handing her over. A virtual slave, compelled to do his utmost to complete his task, until Roz was dead. There could be no shirking.

He pushed the thought aside as he strode past Luc and into the room where he’d met Raphael earlier. The angel rose to his feet and turned to watch him, brows drawn together when he saw Ash was not alone.

“What…?”

Ash stooped down and laid Faith on the rug in front of the fire. The flames cast a flickering glow over the pale skin of her face, giving her the illusion of life.

“Can you save her?” he asked.

“Why would you want that? She’s a human. What possible interest is she to you?”

“Can you fucking save her?” he snarled. “Yes or no.”

Raphael strolled over. He stared down at Faith, his eyes narrowing. Did he recognize her from MI13?

“You want this life instead of the one we offered you?”

“Can you do it?”

Raphael pursed his lips. “Easier, in fact. Her soul has not yet left her body.”

There were always choices. Sometimes it might not seem that way. Ash had choices. He could accept their offer. Betray his friends, because they were friends. Betray his daughter. Give Faith her life back at a price she would never be willing to pay.

In that moment, something broke inside him.

He could never have her. But maybe he could save her.

The gift of life and death had always rested in the hands of the angels.

He would give Raphael one last chance. “I don’t suppose you would save her out of the goodness of your heart?”

Yeah, right, appealing to an angel’s better nature. That one always worked.

Shock flashed across Raphael’s face. Then shutters came down over his eyes. “No.”

Choices…

If he did this, he was as good as dead, maybe worse than dead. Raphael would demand his revenge, probably an eternity of revenge and Ash would be banished to eternal torment in purgatory. There was no way he could hide; he bore Lucifer’s sigil, and was Lucifer’s to control until the debt was paid—which would be never if Ash went through with this. Luc was a friend, but he’d have no choice but to hand him over—he’d presumably offered Raphael safe passage in his home.

What the hell?

He’d never liked the arrogant bastard anyway.

“You broke the Accords,” he murmured. “You worked with humans expressly against the Order.”

Again, shock flashed across the angel’s face. “So? We told them nothing they hadn’t already guessed, just pushed them in the right direction.”

Ash bent down as though to examine Faith and slid the knife from inside his boot as he straightened. The firelight glinted off the deadly blade.

Whirling, he kicked out, taking Raphael by surprise, and the angel crashed to the floor.

He was up in an instant a fiery sword in his hand. Ash kicked out again heard the snap of bone and the sword dropped from Raphael’s limp fingers. He stepped in closer, punched him on the nose, crunching the cartilage, and the scent of blood filled the air. He hit out again, grabbed Raphael’s shoulder, found the pressure point, and squeezed.

Raphael went limp in his arms. Ash stood for a moment breathing heavily. He’d done it.

Broken every rule.

Well, almost every rule. One more to go.

He had nothing to lose. He dragged the unconscious angel across the floor to where Faith lay unmoving in the flickering firelight. He would have prayed, but he didn’t think God would be in a mood to answer his prayers right now.

He lifted Raphael’s arm, pushed back the sleeve of his shirt, and held the blade of his knife against the wrist. A hiss came from behind him and he raised his head. Lucifer stood in the archway. Ash ignored him and sliced the blade over Raphael’s wrist.

Blood welled from the wound.

Archangel’s blood. The elixir of life.

He stroked Faith’s mouth parting her lips, then let the drops of blood fall from the angel’s open vein and onto her tongue.

His shoulders itched, and all the while he expected Lucifer to stop him, to call a halt, but he remained silent watching from the entrance.

Ash waited for some sign that this had worked. He wasn’t sure what to expect. Archangels’ blood could make a mortal live forever. But could it cure her?

He didn’t know.

Maybe he had saved her life but consigned her to an eternity of unconsciousness. But it would give him time.

Hope.

A chance.

She didn’t awaken, but slowly the color stole into her cheeks. The wound was closing and he squeezed a few last drops into her mouth, and shoved Raphael away. Holding his breath, he pressed his palm to her chest. Her heartbeat was a slow steady thrum, gaining strength with each second that passed. But her lashes remained closed.

He sat back and stared at her willing her to awaken. Nothing.

“Were you telling the truth about him breaking the Accords?” Luc’s question dragged him from his contemplation.

“As far as I know.”

Luc shook his head. “Get the hell out of here.”

“You’ll let me go?”

“Why not?” Luc stepped into the room. He pushed Raphael with his booted toe. “Pity we can’t finish him off. But I think that would cause even more issues.”

“They’ll make you give me up.”

“They can’t make me. And if they do then you’ll have to ignore me.”

“A little hard to do,” Ash said rubbing his arm where the sigil marked his flesh.

“I liked having you in my power, but I suppose all good things must come to an end. Now piss off. I’ll dump this piece of shit somewhere. Maybe you’ll get lucky and he’ll be too embarrassed to mention it.”

Ash’s skin prickled as he felt the sigil dissolve and he was free. He didn’t wait for Luc to change his mind, just lifted Faith into his arms and headed out.

When he landed in the courtyard, they were all waiting for him. Tara ran up. She glanced at Faith, still unconscious in his arms and pity filled her eyes. Her mother’s eyes.

“I knew you wouldn’t do it.”

“I came so close.”

“Is she…?” Ryan stepped up close. His eyes narrowed. “She looks better.”

“She’s alive.”

“What did you do?” Christian was eyeing her up, his brows drawing together as though he could sense the change.

“I persuaded Raphael to donate a little blood.”

“Shit.”

“Exactly. So chances are things are going to get a little hot around here. You might want to find somewhere else to stay.”

“We’ll stick around,” Christian said. “In case you need us.”

Warmth stole through him at the words. Christian had once been his greatest enemy; now Ash knew the vampire would stand beside him, fight with him.

“What does that mean?” Ryan asked. “Donated blood—how did that help?”

“Not just any blood, but Archangel blood. The elixir of life.” Christian gave a short laugh. “I wish I’d been there. The bastard was responsible for Tara being taken. You should have drained him dry.”

“I was tempted.”

“But why?” Ryan asked. “Why take Tara.”

“At a guess to sabotage the committee. They don’t want the new alliances.”

“Will she be all right?” Tara asked nodding at where Faith still lay in his arms unmoving.

“I don’t know. She’s alive, but the damage is already done to her brain. I’m hoping she’ll come around.”

“Roz will help her,” Tara said.

Christian nodded. “As soon as Piers makes contact we’ll get him to bring her back here.”

“Thank you.”

He wanted away. He needed to be alone with her. “I’ll…” He shrugged but no one seemed to expect more from him, so he flexed his wings and flew to his rooms in the tower.

He stripped back the furs and laid her on the soft sheets. She appeared well now. But he shook her shoulder and got no response. Finally, he stretched out beside her and pulled her against him. She felt warm and alive and unmoving.

He’d broken the laws of heaven. Stolen the elixir of life.

And he didn’t give a toss.

If she would wake up and give him the chance to tell her he loved her, then he would take anything they could throw his way.

Chapter Twenty-Five

It was two weeks before Piers made contact, and he and Roz arrived later that same day. Ash had hardly left Faith’s side. And sometimes Tara would join him. He would tell her stories about her mother, how they had met. What she’d been like.

Faith remained unchanged.

There was no sign of retribution as yet, though Lucifer had sent a message that he’d been ordered to hand Ash over.

“Since when did those bastards think they can give me orders?”

It was probably only a matter of time. But Ash couldn’t get worked up about it. He’d deal with the problem when it occurred.

He did leave her to go down to the courtyard when Piers and Roz arrived.

Roz was glowing; the break had done her good. Piers looked the same. “I hear we missed some fun.”

Roz stepped up to him, rested her hand on his arm. “Thank you. I heard what you did.”

“You’ll try and save her?”

“Of course.”

“Now.”

She nodded. Ash didn’t wait for anything else, just picked her up, and flew her to his rooms. She sat on the edge of the bed and studied Faith for a long time. “She looks so well.”

“She’s been the same since I brought her back.”

Roz glanced at him. “On the other hand, you look like shit. You know, I always wanted you brought down, but not like this.”

“Just help her.”

She shifted so she could rest both her hands against Faith’s forehead. A white light glowed from within, moving down her arms, pulsating with life. It left the tips of her fingers and transferred into Faith.

They remained unmoving for long minutes. Ash glanced at Roz, her face was rigid with tension.

Finally, the light faded. She shook her head and sat back.

“I’ve healed the damage from the broken blood vessel, but I can’t reach her. She’s far away. Maybe it’s been too long. I don’t know.” She shrugged helplessly. “I’ll try again later. Don’t give up hope.”

But he’d put all his hopes on this and now despair gripped him in its tight hold. He nodded and waited until she let herself out.

Then he sank onto the bed and dragged Faith into his arms, pressing a kiss to her closed lips. “Faith, wake up. Just wake up, and I’ll be whatever you want me to be.”

Roz came the next day and the one after that, but there was no change. She paused at the door as she was leaving. “Ash…?”

He glanced up from the bed, where he sat with Faith held tight against his side, her hand curled limply on his chest.

“Maybe you need to get out of here for a while. I’m not saying give up but…”