Avenging Angel (The Fallen 4)

Marna laughed and threw her arms around Tanner.

But he didn’t hug her back. Didn’t so much as move. A chill skated down her spine. “Tanner?” She pulled back to look at him. “What’s wrong?”

His smile was bittersweet. “I’ll miss you.”

But she wasn’t—

A wind swept through the house, ripping through the bedroom and rushing into the bathroom. The wind grabbed at Marna and pulled at her body. She waved her hands as she conjured clothes and tried to fight the force of the wind.

It was pulling her away from Tanner.

The wind felt like hands on her skin. Not rough. But steady, strong.

Tanner watched her. The wind tossed his hair, but didn’t move him.

Then Marna was back in the bedroom. The big window was wide open, letting in that rush of wind, and the angel that came in with wings of white.

Carmella.

Marna recognized the angel instantly. How could she not know her? Carmella—with her light brown skin and jet-black hair that trailed down her back—was the leader of the guardian angels. She’d been protecting mortals for as long as death angels like Sammael and Bastion had been taking their souls.

“It’s time to come home with me,” Carmella told her, the angel’s voice soft, almost sweet. She lifted her hand. “We’ve been hoping you would join us.”

Marna shook her head. “I’m . . . not a guardian.”

“You are now.” Carmella’s gaze drifted over Marna’s shoulder. To Tanner. “Your fate changed.”

And she understood. He’d changed her fate. An angel’s wings weren’t supposed to grow back, but Tanner . . . he wasn’t just a shifter.

Healer.

She turned away from Carmella and walked to stand right in front of Tanner. She could feel the small growth of wings now. Not itching so much anymore, not since the wings had broken through the skin. “You really did this.” With that light of his. When he’d healed her other wounds, he’d given her back her wings, too.

But it was Carmella who spoke. “Your wings didn’t burn away, Marna,” the guardian told her. Carmella’s voice was so easy and gentle, but without any emotion. “The burn is forever, but your injuries . . . even if your shifter hadn’t sped up the healing process, your wings would have returned to you eventually.”

Your shifter. “But would they have been black?” And would she have gone back to taking souls?

“You earned the title of guardian,” Carmella told her. “Because of what you did here on earth. You guarded those closest to you.”

Marna stared into Tanner’s eyes, and realized, too late, the words that Sammael had spoken hadn’t been for Tanner. They’d been for her.

Guard what you want the most.

He’d known that the Death Touch hadn’t come back to her because she wasn’t a death angel any longer.

She’d always wanted this. To be close to the humans. To be able to see them while they were happy, alive, and not on the brink of death. But . . .

But she wanted more now. Not just to see emotion. She reached for Tanner’s hand. He was staring down at her, but his gaze was blank.

“It’s time for us to go,” Carmella said.

“Just like that?” Marna whispered. After all the months she’d been down here, now the angel appeared to whisk her away? “Why didn’t you come sooner?” Marna didn’t look away from Tanner. He’d been there the whole time. He’d been the one guarding her.

“Because the battle wasn’t mine to fight.” Carmella’s sweet voice was starting to annoy her. It was that whole lack of emotion. Would a little bit of passion really kill an angel? “It was yours, and the end result—that result determined your fate.”

Her fate? Marna’s chest had begun to feel hollow. “I was supposed to die.”

“Or become a guardian.”

Why wasn’t Tanner talking? “Say something,” she gritted, angry. “Talk to me!”

His eyelids flickered. “I’ll miss you.” Growled. He’d said that before. Each time he said those words, she felt as if he was ripping into her soul.

And, what? That was all he had to tell her? He’d miss her? How about . . . “Baby, don’t go. My heart will be torn out if you leave me”? Couldn’t he just growl those words instead?

Because if she left him, that’s how she’d feel. The wings didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but being with him.

Well, he could stand there, look all stoic and strong, and act like this was the big dramatic end for them, but she wasn’t playing that game. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Now that got his attention. His eyes widened and suddenly, his hands were gripping hers hard enough to bruise. Good thing she wasn’t human. He might have just accidentally snapped some of her bones if she had been.

“You’d choose me?” He shook his head. Looked stunned and thrilled and hopeful all at once. “But . . . with your wings, you can have everything you ever wanted. You can have your life back.”

“I don’t want that life back.” It had been so cold and empty. And she didn’t want to be a guardian—just watching life pass. She wanted to keep living and loving. “I want what I have with you.” Didn’t he understand? “Tanner, I meant what I said. I love you.”

Love. Not just a human emotion. Shifters loved. Vampires loved.

So did angels.

Now only hope lit his face. His lips curved in a smile that took her breath.

“I’m sorry, Marna,” Carmella said, voice still soft. “But that isn’t how this works.”

In a blink, Marna found herself across the room and at the angel’s side. Tanner stared at them in confusion for an instant; then he lunged toward them. “Marna!”

Wind ripped through the room and tossed him back against the wall. The same wind seemed to grab Marna and lift her up. Up and toward the open window.

“Marna!” Tanner was fighting against the wind, roaring his fury and slashing out with his growing claws as he tried to reach her.

And Marna fought. She kicked and clawed with her own hands against the unseen force that lifted her higher and higher. She didn’t want to leave. She belonged on earth, with Tanner. This was her life. She wouldn’t go back to that cold, emotionless existence. Not now.

The wind beat faster. Tanner was fading from sight. She was losing him, and the last thing she heard him say was, “Stay with me! I love you, Marna. Stay. With. Me!”