I am?" She really hoped it wasn't the angel thing again.
"An angel," Ian was the one who answered. "Ry thinks you're an angel. That's why he's here. Are you?"
Ohhh…this wasn't good. It hadn't been a coincidental term of endearment when he'd called her an angel before. They actually meant it.
Alice looked back and forth between the two men, her heart starting to pound. The cost of exposing her identity was so great. Angels of life weren't allowed to connect with anyone. One job. One loyalty. That was it. She couldn't risk revealing angel secrets to them, but the idea that they already knew made her worried. How did they know? As much as she wanted to find out who they were, why they'd come after her, and why Ian had appeared right at the moment when she'd almost died, she couldn't afford to have them around. She needed to get rid of them, and fast. "I need to go—"
"What? You're not walking out on me." Ian clasped her arm. "I've been searching for you for two months."
Another chill rippled over her. Why had he been searching for her? That couldn't be good. But she didn't have time to engage. Not now. Who knew how long she had until death succeeded in claiming her? Minutes? Hours? Days? She couldn't afford to take the time to interrogate the warriors. "I have to get dressed." She glanced up again at the sky. Still a dark red sky and a turquoise moon, but a clear sky. Desolation flooded her. What would she do if she couldn't get the help of the Mageaan? Seeking their help had been a risky choice, for sure, but without their assistance…how would she find Catherine?
She pulled out of Ian's grasp and hurried toward her stash of clothes on the beach. The third warrior hadn't moved. He was still standing there silently, watching her, and she noticed that he didn't have brands on his forearms. So, not a Calydon. Then what was he? What kind of male would the elite Order of the Blade allow on a mission with them? Her skin prickled as she bent to pick up her clothes, then she froze when he crouched beside her, his shoulder against hers.
"Where is Flynn?" he asked without preamble.
She stared at him, her heart starting to pound at the mention of the man who had betrayed her. The man who had once been her best friend, her only friend, who had killed her two months ago. "I don't know." She looked quickly down the beach, suddenly nervous that Flynn had found her again, but she saw only empty sand.
"I tracked him here." The man leaned closer toward her, his gaze intense. The green glow in his eyes was getting stronger, and she felt the air temperature begin to rise. Was he making it change? What was he? "You have Flynn's blood in your system," he said. "You and he are connected. So, where is he?"
"His blood is in my body?" Fear congealed in her belly. "What are you talking about?"
"Vaughn." Ian's mace was suddenly at the man's throat. "You need to back off. You're giving off a bad vibe right now."
For the second time in five minutes, Alice felt relief as Ian stepped between her and another man. Why was she feeling so many threats right now, and how come Ian seemed to be able to give her peace? It didn't make sense. It shouldn't be able to happen. She shouldn't be able to get peace from anyone. It was forbidden and impossible, at least for her. She was a special angel. For her, there were more rules, more limitations, and so much further to fall.
But there was no mistaking that she felt safer with Ian between her and the other men. Dammit. She had no idea what was going on, and she hated feeling out of control.
Vaughn didn't move away. If anything, he leaned closer to her, ignoring the trickle of blood running down his neck from Ian's mace. "Where is Flynn?" he asked again.
"I don't know," she shot back. "Why would I know?"
"Because he claimed you."
Ian growled, and nausea churned through Alice. "Another man claimed me?" The pressure was mounting from all sides, from all these men, Alice grabbed her underwear and yanked them on, keeping her body hidden beneath the long shirt as she did so. "Flynn hasn't claimed me. He was my best friend until he killed me. I hope to God he doesn't find me