Eternal Sin (Primal Sin #2) - Ariana Nash Page 0,29

even guardians need to step away sometimes.”

“No, guardians don’t step away. Ever. When I became a guardian, I gave up all things.”

“Everything?” Solo asked in a small voice.

“Everything.”

“There is no pleasure in your life at all?”

“There’s pleasure…” he answered automatically, and had been about to mention how the battles brought him pleasure, how killing demons brought him pleasure, but none of those things ever had. He’d done them because it was what guardians did. But there had to be pleasure somewhere in his life, didn’t there?

“What about a hobby?”

“A hobby?”

“You know… like…” he gestured at the air, clearly struggling, “fishing.” Solo mimed an overarm throw, and Mikhail frowned.

“Fishing?” Mikhail echoed. “For fish?”

“Well, not demons,” Solo laughed a low, melodic laughter, and the sound of it shot a dart of lust to Mikhail’s useless member, making the damned thing begin to sit up and take notice.

Mikhail gasped at his body’s own betrayal and staggered. He spread his wings, instinctively wanting to flee.

“Your Grace?” Solo reached for him. “I’m sorry, I had no idea fishing was so traumatic—”

And then he was close, so close, head tilted up, eyes bright and full, and his lips were the kind meant for kissing, weren’t they? By Haven, Mikhail didn’t know, but his body did, and before reason could regain control, his lips were on Solo’s. Just a small skim, nothing really. But then Solo sighed, like he’d been holding his breath, waiting, and Mikhail tasted his mouth a second time, this time deliberately teasing the male’s lips apart, waiting for resistance, but none came. He should resist. Why wasn’t he?

Solo’s soft, wet tongue brushed Mikhail’s, seeking acceptance, or permission, or something that Mikhail didn’t understand, like he didn’t understand any of this. Severn was… Severn was special. The allyanse had made it so. But there was no allyanse in this moment, just two angels on a rooftop, each seeking the other in a way they shouldn’t.

Mikhail jerked back, stumbling, falling over the fallen bricks. His wings flung out, losing feathers in his ungainly attempt to balance himself, only just succeeding.

Solo touched his own lips, as though not quite believing. His eyes widened, and he flung a panicked look at Mikhail. “What was that?”

Mikhail fought the fledgling-like urge to fly away. “A mistake. Nothing.” His heart hammered.

“Was that a kiss?”

Oh, why wouldn’t the Thames rise up and drown him? “I’m sorry. It was… wrong of me.”

Solo touched his lips again and looked at his fingers. “I’ve never been kissed before.”

“I’m ashamed, Solomon. I should never have touched you. It was wrong of me, and I apologize. I’m not entirely in my right mind, as you may have seen, and these emotions are—”

Solo launched himself skyward in a flurry of red feathers. Mikhail watched his silhouette slowly disappear among the nighttime clouds. Well, that was a fucking disaster, as Severn would have said. Kissing Solo was yet another crime he could add to his long list of vulgar and hideous acts of late. And the worst of it was, for a moment, it had felt good. He wanted him back, not like he needed Severn—because of the allyanse—he just needed someone, anyone, to hold him. He was so very alone, and before Severn, it hadn’t mattered. But now, it seemed, the loneliness was the hollowness inside of him, and for a second or two, Solo’s kiss had made him feel fuller, not as empty, not as cold. Did it mean anything, or was it just his broken mind desperately reaching for company, even if that company was so thoroughly wrong?

He didn’t want to stand on this rooftop alone. He didn’t want to be alone anywhere. It hurt, though, and he was cold, and empty. He folded his wings around himself.

It didn’t matter.

Soon, he’d have Konstantin in custody. Remiel would come. He’d present the source of all these problems to the other guardian and then kill Konstantin, proving the allyanse was nothing and Mikhail was perfectly capable of leading London’s angels in the battle against demons. All of this emotional nonsense would die with Konstantin.

The rank of angels flying above the shimmering clouds was several hundred strong. Each one was a capable warrior, and the sight of them made Mikhail’s heart soar too. Severn would not escape them this time.

Solo had tracked his tagged demon to the same location, where she’d stayed for over a week. It had to be the demon stronghold. A scout had reported the warehouses looked empty, but the tagged demon was inside them,