As Koldo’s commander, Zacharel had the authority to place someone, anyone, in Koldo’s care. Just as Germanus had the authority to place Koldo in Zacharel’s care. But why had Zacharel done this to him? What could the Elite warrior possibly hope to gain?
Whatever the answers, Koldo would have to question Zacharel later. Right now, he wanted the shell-shocked Nicola tucked safely away. And he reeeally needed to rein in his temper.
As gently as possible, he tugged the trembling Nicola to her feet and into his arms. “Close your eyes.” He could flash whatever he held, and was thus able to take her home with only a thought. One moment they were in the office, the next they were in the center of her living room.
His arms fell from around her, and she stumbled backward. When she righted, her gaze caught on the familiar surroundings of her living room and her jaw dropped.
“I’m home. But how did... We never took a step and...only a second passed!”
“It’s called a flash. It’s what I’ve done every time I’ve arrived and left you. This time, I brought you with me.”
Her hand fluttered to her neck. “Where I’m from, flashing means exposing your naked body to someone.”
He wouldn’t touch that statement. Not after everything she’d been through today. “But we aren’t from the same place, are we?”
“I—I guess not.”
He’d been here before, but still he looked around, taking in details he’d previously ignored. The house was small and on the verge of collapse, but it was clean. The walls were yellowed with age and peeling, but scraped. Where the carpet had been ripped out, the floor was stained to blend.
The dwelling would never be worthy of her.
He should move her into one of his homes.
Yes, he thought. He’d never invited anyone to one of his homes, though some of the warriors had invited themselves, yet he suddenly longed to flash Nicola to the beach house or the ranch by the volcano, to surround her with velvets, silks and luxuries of every kind.
If she protested, he could remind her of their bargain. For however long he deemed necessary, she was to do what he said, when he said it, with no argument. But...
He wanted her agreement.
“Sit down. I’ll make tea.”
“You’re staying?” she squeaked.
Was the squeak a sign of relief? Or disappointment?
“I’m staying.” Just try to get rid of me. See what happens.
She gulped, nodded.
He didn’t like how pale and shaky she was, and though he hated to walk away from her, even for a second, he did just that. In the kitchen, he searched until he found the required items. She had one pot, one pan and two of everything else. There were a few boxed dinners, a few cans of soup, but very little else. How long had she been living like this?
Too long, he decided.
He had to fix the pilot light in order to boil the water, but soon had a steaming cup of chamomile tea in her hands. She rested on the couch, her legs tucked under her and a blanket draped around her shoulders. Some of the color had already returned to her cheeks, and the more forceful of her trembles had subsided.
“Thank you,” she said, proper and polite and so adorable his chest ached.
“You’re welcome. Drink while I check on Laila.”
“I checked on her before I sat down,” she admitted.
He should have guessed. “And how is she?”
“Well. She’s sleeping.” After blowing on the surface of the liquid, Nicola sipped from the cup. “In fact, that’s all she’s been doing lately. Is that normal?”
“Yes.” Her body was playing catch-up with her spirit. “Don’t worry. She won’t spend all of her remaining time in bed.”
Nicola flinched at the reference to the ever-ticking clock. “But if she’s better now, why can’t she stay that way?”
He heard the longing in her tone and knew this was the perfect time to introduce her to the spirit world around her.
Koldo crouched in front of her. Several curling locks of hair had escaped the confinement of her ponytail and now tumbled at her temples, framing her face. Dark bruises marred the tender flesh under her eyes, and her lips were swollen. Had she chewed them in fear? Or had she been struck?
Calm. “You’ll cease working for the grocery store. Understand?” It wasn’t what he’d planned to say, but the words escaped anyway.
“Well, duh. I already quit.” The waspish statement failed to hide the flood of vulnerability and humiliation suddenly consuming her features. “I’ll need to find another job as soon as possible, though.”
“No.” He wanted the first fruits of her time and energy, not what was leftover.
“But, Koldo, I have to—”
He cut her off, saying, “Recover. Yes.”
Nicola’s gaze lowered. “I shouldn’t have to recover. I knew better than to go back there with him. I had a feeling I should run.”
Her spirit had picked up on things the mind could not and had tried to warn her. “Why did you disregard the feeling?”
“I convinced myself he only meant to fire me, and I wanted a chance to talk him out of it.”
A mistake so many made.
A mistake Koldo had often made.
“Why did this happen to me?” she asked softly.
Because she’d gotten a taste of hope and happiness, the demons had sought to squash the beautiful emotions before they could bloom into spiritual weapons. “The world is populated by beings with free will, and free will allows for absolute good...and absolute evil.”
She nodded as he spoke. “Evil. Yes. There was a demon in the room. The other warrior said so.”
“Yes. Demons seek the destruction of mankind.”
“Why?”
“Because they despise the Most High, and He loves you. They cannot strike at Him any other way, so they destroy what He wants kept safe.”
“Why?” she asked again, then blushed. “Sorry. I sound like a four-year-old child. Who is the Most High? Why does He want me—us—kept safe?”
Rather than answer her just yet, he said, “Have you figured out what I am?”
She peeked at him through the thick shield of her lashes. “Well, I know your friend is an angel.”
“But not me?”
“You don’t have wings.”
She had meant no insult. He knew that. She had merely stated a fact. He knew that, too. And yet still a razor seemed to scrape against his chest. “I’m going to remove the top portion of my robe. Not to harm you, or tempt you—” if such a thing were even possible “—but to prove what I am. All right?”