Archangel's Resurrection (Guild Hunter #15)(84)

His wings glowed, his eyes fierce. “Zanaya, Consort of Archangel Alexander, I pledge all I am and all I will be to you. To the end, my Zani. Till we are the merest echo of existence in the cosmos.”

Hands shaking, she curled her fingers around his nape as she pressed her forehead to his. “To the end, my general. Until time itself stops.”





43


Alexander hovered face-to-face with Zanaya at the point at which they had to go their separate ways. He didn’t want to leave her with the bond between them newborn and fragile, but he was an archangel—as was she; they had duties to the people who looked to them for stability and protection.

Things had calmed in the years since the war, but the scars lingered. Especially after the post-war vampiric uprising, where thousands of vampires across the world had given in to bloodlust and ravaged the mortal populations.

Alexander had come down hard on the vampires in his territory, his capacity for patience murdered when Lijuan forced him to kill children. “The ones who helped contain the uprising,” he told Zanaya after catching her up on that piece of history, “and the ones I know have their bloodlust under vicious control, they of course continue to have my trust.”

Alexander had never been one to quickly give—or retract—his faith. “But the others must now earn back the trust of not only the Cadre, but the rest of society. Far too many vampires thought to take advantage of the aftermath of war and some in your lands might consider stirring during the transition of power.”

“I thank you for the warning,” Zanaya said, her hands on her hips and her features grim. “You’re still content to lend me a few of your people?”

“For as long as you need them. All are eager to help set up a territory and I know full well I risk defections.” A grin. “How can I blame them when you own my heart, too? So if you wish to make offers in time, I won’t consider it a mortal betrayal.” He clutched at his heart.

Her laughter was startled and bright. “I plan to steal vast numbers of your people, General. Be warned.”

“I will then be honor bound to lure some back.”

Smile yet a brightness in her gaze, she said, “Titus advised me that he’d lend me a few of his trusted people, too.” She raised an eyebrow. “I’m not wont to trust strangers bearing gifts, but I feel nothing but goodwill from him.”

“You can believe him without question,” Alexander confirmed. “Titus is as open as the sky. He doesn’t do cunning—and he truly does wish for a rational archangel as his neighbor.”

“That was my feeling as well.” Zanaya shook her head. “I continue to be astonished at this friendship, lover. You, with all your political wiles, and this blunt hammer of a man.”

“He keeps me honest. Back when I was itching to start a war with Raphael, Titus wrote to me to tell me he’d heard rumors of the same—and he respectfully called me an idiot.” His lips kicked up. “I should’ve listened to my friend.”

“You have much to tell me of your life while I Slept.”

“I’ll tell you all, anything you ask. For now, I can confirm that if Titus trusts the people he has offered to send you, they won’t betray you. Of course, they shall be cheerful spies for him, but that’s to be expected.”

Zanaya’s shoulders shook. “There’s another thing—he looked suspiciously gleeful when I mentioned that you’d offered to second squadron leaders Zuri and Nala. Is there something I need to know about the two?”

Alexander chuckled. “The twins are his older sisters—two of four—and forever ready to tell their younger brother his business. So he is likely delighted at the idea that you’ll keep them busy with the innumerable tasks that come with setting up a new court. And there you could have no better help—Zuri and Nala are powerful and experienced warriors who can stand in for your second for the time being.”

Zanaya’s eyes widened. “An archangel with four older sisters? Titus begins to make more and more sense to me.” Lifting her hand, she touched her fingers to his cheek. “I must go now, my consort. But I’ll see you again soon.”

Taking her hand, he pressed it to his cheek. “Will you come to my territory? Now that we’ve confirmed that Antonicus Sleeps, I shall like to introduce you to Xander, this bright young piece of my heart.”

Open joy in his Zani’s expression. “I’ll come as soon as I’ve stabilized the situation in my new land.” A kiss passionate before she turned to the right, her wings homeward bound. But she looked back several times to where he hovered, watching after her.

His heart tore in two at seeing her move away from him, his mind bombarding him with memories of how he’d lost her the last time.

Move, lover. A martial order . . . that held a caress. The sooner we can both complete our duties, the sooner we can meet again.

Giving a curt nod even though she was now too far away to see it, he turned and headed to his own territory. It wasn’t a long flight in the grand scheme of things, and he arrived before nightfall . . . to find Xander flying toward him from the very edge of his lands.

“Grandfather!” His grandson waved, his grin huge and his face so reminiscent of Rohan’s that Alexander’s scarred heart threatened to spasm with the agony of it.