Predatory (Immortal Guardians #3.5)(33)

Holy crap.

With her ears ringing and her skin raw from being peppered by the barrage of small stones and shattered glass that had been caught in the blast, she lurched upright, her blurry gaze immediately searching for Niko.

He was still on the ground, but Dylan—or at least what was left of the female Sentinel—had been blown several feet away. Arel was standing over her, his face twisted with an odd combination of fury and sorrow as he bent to pick up the weapon that lay beside her ruined body.

That bit of twisted metal had to have been the source of the explosion, but Angela didn’t give a shit about the how or even the why.

She just needed to know that Niko was okay.

Falling to her knees at his side, she reached to brush her hand over his cheek.

“Niko,” she breathed, a savage pain clawing at her heart as she felt the heat rapidly draining from his skin.

Arel crossed to kneel next to her, the force of his anger a tangible sizzle in the air as he gently turned Niko onto his back to reveal the gaping wound that marred his chest.

“Goddamn that bitch.”

Angela’s fingers frantically moved to Niko’s throat. She was unable to look at his bloody, torn flesh.

“I can’t find a pulse,” she said on a soft sob. “What can we do?”

There was a long, agonizing hesitation before Arel awkwardly rose to his feet and pulled a phone from his pocket.

“I’ll call for a healer.”

“They’ll never get here in time.”

“Just—” Arel gave a helpless shake of his head. “Stay here.”

Angela watched the younger Sentinel walk away with the phone pressed to his ear before she turned back to the terrifyingly motionless man lying at her knees.

“Oh, Niko. Don’t you dare leave me,” she quietly murmured, her hands running a path along the gruesome injury as she willed his shredded heart to beat. “Not after you forced me out of my laboratory. And made me discover who I am.” Her teardrops trailed down her cheek and dropped into Niko’s tousled hair, shimmering in the copper highlights. Oh . . . God. He couldn’t die. She wouldn’t let him. “And then you went and made me fall in love with you, you irritating man.” There were more tears, and a strange heat that seemed to flow from her palms. She ignored both as she continued to pour out her raw, mindless grief. “I can’t do this alone. I need you.” She lowered her head until her face was buried in his throat, drowning in his familiar scent. “Please, Niko, please.”

She wasn’t sure how long she knelt there, rubbing her hands over Niko’s chest, but it was at last the feel of fingers lightly touching her shoulder that brought her back to her surroundings.

“Angela,” Arel murmured softly.

“No, I can’t bear it.”

“Angela, look.”

Reluctantly she straightened, assuming that Arel was warning someone was approaching.

“What?” she demanded when she realized the lot was empty.

With a bemused expression, he pointed toward her hands, which remained on Niko’s chest.

“That.”

It took a minute to see through the tears, then slowly she focused on the torn flesh that had started to knit back together.

“Oh my God,” she breathed in shock. “He’s healing.”

“You’re healing him,” Arel insisted.

She froze at his astonishing claim. “Me?”

“He has a heartbeat.” Arel’s fingers tightened on her shoulder, his urgent tone sending a flare of hope through her heavy anguish. “Don’t stop.”

“Niko.” Her hand resumed its soft strokes, her gaze glued to his face. Did he have more color than before? And was that a breath she heard? “Niko, can you hear me?”

There was nothing for long, agonizing minutes. Then, when she was beginning to fear that her grief was making her imagination run wild, there was a flutter of his lashes.

“Angela?” he croaked in husky tones.

She gave a choked cry, overwhelmed with relief. “It’s a miracle.”

Arel released a joyous laugh, his fingers giving her shoulder a squeeze.

“You’re the miracle.”

“Finally, you got something right, amigo,” Niko whispered, his gaze trained on Angela’s flushed face. “She is a miracle. My miracle.”

She shook her head. “I can’t believe it. I mean . . . I’ve been able to alter cells on a small scale, but this—”

“Gifts often reveal themselves under stress,” Arel said. “Although not usually with such spectacular results.”

“I’m not sure I could ever do it again,” she admitted, still shaken by the thought of how close she’d come to losing the man she loved.

“Your powers are yours, angel. No one will ever force you to offer more than you’re comfortable giving.” Niko lifted a hand to brush away her tears. “Now can we go home?”

“Home?” She studied his beloved features, knowing he wasn’t referring to her empty apartment. “You mean Valhalla?”

“Yes.” He managed a weak smile, his thumb tracing her lower lip. “You’re one of us now.”

Her eyes shifted to the wound that was continuing to heal before returning to meet his steady gaze.