The Forsaken(9)

She ushered her sisters over, forcing Nathanael to wait. It made him feel even more unwanted and unsure of what he sought. His purpose had seemed so simple, but nothing was going his way tonight.

“Sisters, let’s retire to our residence to refresh our souls,” said Meredith, gently coaxing the other Cherubs to lead the way from back stage to their dwelling.

Nathanael kept his mouth shut as he followed them out the backstage door. A covered walkway led to another building. This building, all dark brown brick, blended in more with the night. It looked in better shape than the center sitting in front, obscuring its view of the rundown block. Meredith was the one who held open the door for him. The Cherubs all moved quietly in order as they ascended the stairs to a top loft. There they split off, but Meredith was the one who urged him into what looked like a common area. Large waist-high windows framed the front of the building. The pristine cleanliness of the place and how white everything was, including the leather sofas and walls, was comforting. He moved to the window and was amazed at how even two flights up, the scenery changed. He’d been wrong. They had a wonderful eagle-eyed view of the Boston harbor and he highly suspected the amount of light streaming through the high windows in the day would make the room look almost holy.

He turned to face Meredith. Very briefly, they made eye contact, but as she’d been raised, she bowed her head and waited for him to speak.

“Where is she?”

“Isabella has gone through a lot, Nathanael,” said Meredith.

That was twice she’d warned him about his mate and his gut told him her words weren’t meant to protect him. They were to warn him. “What happened to you all?”

“Exile to Earth is not for the faint of heart, and we’ve been here for over two years now…”

It cut through him again, what Isabella had said. These angels, teens who should be cloistered away until their intended came for them, had somehow managed to survive amongst the filth of mankind for years on their own. A part of him yearned to ask how, but he didn’t want Meredith to be the one to explain things to him and he highly suspected she wouldn’t, even if he exerted his Seraphim right.

“Meredith, in the Heavens, you have been gone over a decade.”

Her gasp and faint pallor of skin forced him into action. He urged her down toward the sofa, careful to not touch her.

“You must be wrong.”

Nathanael shook his head. “No. I’m not. I can’t believe the Mistress left you alone for so long on Earth but to us it’s been even longer.”

Meredith closed her eyes. “Without Isabella, your intended, we’d have perished into the sins of man. She saved us. You must go to her and tell her what you have disclosed to me. Make her see reason for us to continue with prayer to the Mistress. Surely you are a sign we are back in her blessings.”

Nathanael wasn’t so certain that was the case. It had taken him days and lots of begging to convince the Mistress to grant him exile to Earth to search for his mate, but that didn’t explain why the Cherubs had stopped praying and paying their respects to the Mistress. It went against their nature. Surely he heard wrong.

“Isabella will want nothing to do with you, Nathanael, but you must gain her trust if we are ever to have hope of ending our penance,” said Meredith. “Her sanctuary is on the top floor, the door at the end of the hall.”

Nathanael nodded and made his way to the one Cherub who was his, even though he highly suspected she was going to fight him all the way.

*

“You think to avoid this discussion.”

The nerve of him.

Nathanael sat on the white duvet of her bed, a stark and imposing figure. Her space felt invaded, and his mere presence made her gut twist. She wished she had her Kita in her hand. Holding the weapon would make her feel better and give her something else to think about. And he’d hate it. Next time, she’d ensure all her weapons would be clearly on display just to piss him off.

After all she’d gone through, she tried never to think of home. Now, him sitting there like he owned the place—when it had been her sweat and voice that bought the brownstone—infuriated her. He had no right to make himself at home in her sanctuary. Izzy’s eyes darted everywhere, trying in vain to ignore the sight of his naked feet. Following tradition, he’d placed his black leather shoes next to the door of her bedroom. By the blessed scribes, that unnerved her.

With the towel draped tightly around her body, Izzy fought not to shiver. “Get out!”

“I don’t think so.” His bold statement snapped her cool reserve.

“How dare you? How dare you come now? And, why? I’m exiled—not worthy of a mate.”

“Guess the Mistress thinks differently,” said Nathanael, slightly relaxing his pose. She noticed that in the way he shrugged his shoulders.

He rose, moving into her space. She didn’t budge. The heavenly scent of his Seraphim body streamed through her senses. She wished he stank of that obscene-smelling cologne all the boys wore. One whiff of that stuff and it made her want to gag. Instead, soap and steel caught her senses, once again a reminder of home, and she cursed silently.

Why would the Mistress give her a mate? It was a curse leveled at both of them and for the first time that night she realized his predicament. Without a mate, Nathanael, who looked like he’d followed a traditional Seraphim upbringing by practicing daily the use of weapons, couldn’t move up the ranks. He needed her. By all that was holy, she would not become anyone’s pawn especially after all she’d suffered.