Dark Kings (Feathers and Fate #1) - Sadie Moss Page 0,19

kind. But that she was an angel?

Well. I didn’t fucking see that coming.

She managed to take out more of the invading demons than I would’ve expected, but then she turned her focus to closing the portal, letting the creatures overtake her as she did.

Several of their dark forms hunch over her body, howling and tearing at her.

I should just leave her. Leave this entire mess, go back home, and have a glass of whiskey.

But for some reason, I find myself continuing on the path toward the collapsed angel. The moment I reach her, I grab one of the demons by the throat, yanking it away from her. Blood tips its claws, and it slashes out at my arm.

Motherfucker. I tighten my grip until I can feel its throat give way under my palm. Bones snap. Muscles collapse. Then I drop the dead demon and go after the other ones, letting greed for their deaths fill me until the last one falls.

My suit jacket is torn in two places, and blood seeps from the slash marks in my forearm. Sirens wail in the distance, and I look up, cursing under my breath. Most of the humans in the area fled when the angel began battling the demons, but someone obviously called the cops.

The last thing I need is to be associated with this fucking mess in any way. My business relies on my human counterparts trusting me, and evidence of the supernatural has a way of spooking people. That’s why the government usually covers up these kinds of incidents, finding ways to brush them off with a thoroughly dull, completely false explanation.

I have no doubt they’ll clean this all up and blame a broken water main or something wrong with a subway line.

Still, I certainly don’t want to be here when the police arrive.

Turning on my heel, I begin to walk quickly toward the mouth of the alley. But once again, my body seems to have a mind of its own. My footsteps slow, and then stop. I glance over my shoulder at the small figure lying ashen-faced on the ground.

The girl. Or rather, the angel.

She looks so small and helpless like this. She was beautiful in my office. I could smell the desire on her. It made me want to walk across the room, seal my mouth over those pert lips, slide my hands over those curves, and steal every ounce of innocence in her.

But that was before I knew she was a creature of Heaven. Believe me, I have just as much disdain for the angelic as I do for the corrupted. I want no part in their pointless fucking war, and I don’t trust any of them.

Besides, there are plenty of beautiful women in the world. My brothers and I have had many of them, but there are always more—an endless supply. And those other ones won’t be angels.

My lip curls as my hands clench into fists. She came to me. Masquerading as a human, with a thinly veiled excuse for being in my office, she barged into my life. Why?

I want an answer to that question.

And as much as I despise all Heavenly creatures, she doesn’t look like an annoying angel right now. She looks human. Bloody. Weak.

Dying.

Damn it.

I scoop her up and carry her from the alley as the sirens grow even louder.

As I step out into the street, I ooze a bit of extra charm. My brothers and I are all quite gifted at getting people to listen to us. To fall under our spell. Business deals? Convincing someone to commit murder? Urging them to lie or cheat? It’s all the same. We just pluck on that particular sin of ours.

When I dial the strength of my sin up too much, utter chaos will break loose. But if I ratchet it up just enough… it will charm the people around us into focusing on their own greed instead of wondering why I’m cradling a bleeding woman to my chest.

The angel is very small in my arms. Fragile. She weighs next to nothing, except for her wings. Those droop down to the sidewalk and drag a bit over the cracked cement as I make my way quickly toward my building.

They’re… I wouldn’t say they’re beautiful. They’re just fucking wings. And yet, I find myself running a finger over a single white feather in the elevator on the ride up to my apartment.

Once I reach my floor, I lay the angel down on the couch, ignoring the