Angels of the Knights - Fallon (Book One)

  “You should know that I’m a virgin, Kade, and plan to remain that way.”

  “A virgin? Even before, you never…?”

  “Never.”

  “And, you plan to remain a virgin until you’re married?” he asked incredulously.

  “Married?” she scoffed loudly. “I don’t think marriage is in the cards for me, Kade.”

  He didn’t laugh and his eyes narrowed in seriousness. “Oh, you’re going to marry me someday. Soon.”

  “Kade!”

  He jumped off the bed and knelt, grabbing her hand in his. “I know it sounds crazy, but I mean it. You’re the one for me, Fallon.” He had never been more sure of anything in his entire life.

  A lone tear made its trek down her face, but she didn’t respond.

  “Am I alone in how I feel, Fallon, or do you feel the same about me?”

  She shook her head. “It wouldn’t matter how I feel. I could never put you in the kind of danger that is my life.”

  “I can help protect you, Fallon! Your cause is now mine. We will fight together. Don’t you want someone by your side?”

  His question must have struck a nerve because she began to sob inconsolably.

  “Don’t answer me now,” he whispered. “But, think about it, okay?” She was lying on top of the blanket, so he lifted one side and held it open. “Come on. Scoot in.” Surprisingly, she heard him and lifted her body to snuggle under the covers. When he got into bed beside her, she didn’t protest. “Go to sleep now. I’m watching over you, Fallon, tonight and for all the nights to come. You’re not alone anymore.”

  Chapter 10

  A Sinful Confession

  Marc Ellis sat in his office at the university and watched through a wall of glass as the students made their way to morning classes, his furious thoughts of Fallon Anders consuming him.

  The girl knew, of course, what he was the moment he walked into his sister’s house for dinner last night. Her Kur would have told her that.

  He slammed his hand on the desk. What were the chances that his idiotic nephew would meet and bring home a Knight of Emperica! The Knight. The Knight he had been ordered by his superior to lure to Alden as she was responsible for the deaths of more Kjin in the past three years than any Knight in memory.

  And, his plan worked. She was here and soon the means to dispose of her would arrive as well. His soldiers were assembling, and his associate at the church was seeing to the details at his end.

  His only real concern was that the fool girl might disclose their true natures to his nephew. If she did that, he would be forced to leave Alden and start all over with a new body. He prayed to Tyras it didn’t come to that. He enjoyed his life here with all the money, prestige and beautiful young co-eds he could get his hands on. No, he wouldn’t be pleased to have to begin again.

  The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that she wouldn’t say anything. The Knight was bound by her angelic oath to keep humans safe and dragging Kade into this would only endanger his life. In the end, she would handle this on her own, and it would be her undoing.

  He knew the Knights were under the mistaken belief that the Kjin were not organized, but they were wrong. A new hierarchy existed among their ranks, and he enjoyed a high position second only to his superior—a singularly ruthless demon by the name of Cesar Grant who had access to Tyras himself.

  With Tyras powerless to send additional Kjin to earth, he commanded Grant to preserve the demons on earth at all costs until his plans could be put into motion. What those plans were, Marc didn’t know. He knew only that several Knights had been singled out and targeted for assassination.

  Marc’s orders were simple.

  Kill Fallon Anders.

  ****

  Fallon came awake slowly, reluctant to let go of her dream. Burrowing deeper into the sheets, she reached out and her hand found Kade. She smiled. It wasn’t a dream after all.

  She fought the urge to wrap her arms around him and snuggle into his back. He said he wants to be with me. How crazy is that? For the moment, she decided to allow herself to believe that it could work. Why not? Impossible as it seemed, the biggest obstacle had already been overcome. He knew what she was. He knew, and he still wanted to be in her life.

  She turned to gaze at him. With his lips slightly parted and his hair tousled from sleep, he looked so innocent. So beautiful. It seemed like she had known him all her life instead of just a few days. Still, she had to find out for sure if he was an Intuit. If what they shared turned out to be the allure of Intuit attraction, it would be difficult for either one of them to say goodbye.

  Until I erase his memory, anyway.

  He murmured sleepily as she rose from the bed. “Fallon?”

  “I’m here,” she replied.

  “Don’t go.”

  “I’m just getting into the shower. We’re late for classes.”

  He raised himself up on one elbow and the sheet fell down to his waist. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. How on earth has he been hiding all those muscles?

  “How are you feeling?” he asked.

  “Much better, thanks to you,” she said, trying to ignore the sight of his smooth, naked chest. “I’m sorry about last night.”

  “I’m not. I found out that you’re an angel and that I am hopelessly in love with you. Nope, not sorry at all.”

  In love? She stopped breathing, but Kade didn’t seem to notice.

  He reached out for her arm. “Wait. I just thought of something. After what you told me last night, it’s obvious that you’re not really a college student.”

  “Today, I am a college student and it’s a cover I have to keep for now. So, get out of here and get ready. I’ll meet you outside in about thirty minutes.”

  Reluctantly, he got out of bed, retrieved his shirt from the floor and pulled it over his head. “I’ll see you in a few.”

  When he left, she went into the bathroom to shower, and the hot water did little to calm the ache in her chest. The thought of erasing her existence from Kade’s memory filled her with anxiety as her heart and mind warred for control inside of her.

  Her heart was very convincing. What harm can there be in waiting a little longer? After all these years, why can’t you enjoy this special connection you found with Kade? At least for a few more days. It’s not like he would ever be in any real danger, right? You’ll make sure of that.

  Her head was being stubborn. You are a Knight of Emperica and you have your duty. The lives of countless people depended on your vigilance. Kade would never be safe in your world.

  In the end, her heart won.

  She decided to wait to erase Kade’s memory because anything else was unthinkable.

  Feeling more at ease, she hurried through her shower, toweled herself off and dressed quickly. Not only did she have to suffer through two classes today, but she also had to see Father Tomas.

  She grabbed her backpack and ran down the stairs. Kade was waiting for her out on the sidewalk in front of the house. He gave her a dimpled grin and kissed her chastely on the mouth when she approached. “It’s been too long,” he murmured.

  She laughed. “Yes, a whole twenty-eight minutes.”

  “If felt like a lifetime to me.”

  The sudden shrill sound of an emergency siren cut through the early morning quiet. “Where is it coming from?” she asked.

  “I don’t know, let’s find out.”

  Together, they ran the two blocks to Main Street. She looked west toward the highway that ran perpendicular and found the source of the siren. Fallon’s heart lurched as she glimpsed two vehicles, crumpled and smoking from a fiery collision. But, even brighter than the fire was the glow of all the angels hovering over the accident scene. The Sentinels had arrived.

  Fallon watched in fascination as the guardian angels flowed into the tight spaces of the cars and provide
d calming ministrations to the injured. She knew that was why most people never remembered the pain or exact details of the traumatic events in their lives. It was due to the protective force of their guardian angels and their caring, loving touches.

  Fallon’s smile did not go unnoticed by Kade.

  He put his hand on her arm. “Are there angels around those vehicles?” he asked.

  She turned to face him in surprise. “Yes, but how do you know that? Can you see them?”

  He shook his head. “No, but I can sense some kind of energy there. Sort of what I feel when I’m near you only ten times stronger. It’s like an enormous halo of light surrounding the cars, and it’s seriously making the hair on my body stand up straight.”

  Oh, my little Intuit. Does this complicate things or make them easier? “Come on,” she said softly and reached for him. “All of those people are in good hands.”

  They walked in silence to the university and said a quiet goodbye once inside.

  Fallon tried very hard to listen in on her instructor’s lessons, but it was difficult. Always eager to learn more, usually assignments like this were welcome. Now, though, she found herself distracted by Kade. Could she really have a life with him?

  “What do you think, Ms. Anders?” The professor’s voice startled her out of her musings—as it was meant to.

  “Oh, sorry, can you repeat the question?” she asked, straightening in her chair.

  He did and fortunately, she knew the answer. After that, the rest of the class and the one after went by agonizingly slow. As soon as her second class ended, she rushed out into the sunny afternoon, anxious to tell Father Tomas that she had met up with Marc Ellis. Anthony probably had the Kjin’s home address by now, but after meeting Ellis’ wife and four children, she wanted to keep the confrontation with him as far away from his family as possible. She already decided that tonight, she would break into his office at AU. If he was there, all the better. She could end his reign of destruction once and for all. If he wasn’t, maybe at least she could find some clue as to what he was planning next.

  Arriving at the church, she climbed the stone steps, entered the dark interior, and immediately felt her worry slipping away. She hurried to the back pew for a short prayer and then slipped into the confessional.

  “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been one day since my last confession.”

  “You are forgiven, child, although I doubt very much you have anything to be forgiven for.”

  She paused and the silence hung in the air like a lead balloon.

  “Fallon?” he asked with concern in his voice.

  “Sorry, Father. Yes, I think I do need to seek forgiveness.”

  “What is it, child?”

  “I…I find myself very attracted to a man I met.”

  “Do you have strong feelings for him?”

  “Very much so.”

  “I see.” He chuckled softly. “Desire and love are not sins, Fallon.”

  “But, I am an angel, Father! A fifty-year-old angel!”

  “On this earth, you are still a teenager, Fallon. Raging hormones and all.”

  “But, I’m not even human.”

  “Of course you are. You are a human who has been on a great journey and back, yes. A human with supernatural strength and otherworldly knowledge, yes, but a human nonetheless. You are not immortal.”

  When she remained quiet in contemplation, he continued.

  “Fallon, love is not denied to you. Love is one of the greatest gifts the Creator has bestowed upon us, and there is nothing more precious than sharing your love with others. A world without love is a world without light. Corinthians 13:13, Fallon. ‘And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.’ You would do well to remember that.”

  ****

  Fallon exited the confessional with a lighter heart. Father Tomas was right. Love was the most precious of all gifts, and she would not deny its existence in her life any longer.

  Turning the corner of the aisle that ran along the back corridor of the church, she ran into the altar boy, Anthony.

  The boy squealed when he saw her and dropped the papers in his hands.

  “Anthony, what’s wrong?” she asked, bending to help him pick up the documents. Why does he always seem so nervous around me?

  “Nothing. You just startled me is all.”

  “Are you okay? You seem jumpy about something.”

  His eyes hardened. “I guess I am a little jumpy. I found…” He cut off what he was about to say.

  “Found what?” she prompted, but he closed down again.

  “Nothing. Where is Father Tomas?” he whispered, his wide eyes searching the church interior.

  He’s afraid of something.

  “Father Tomas went back to his office,” she informed him and handed the papers she collected to him.

  The boy visibly relaxed.

  “Look, Anthony, I know we hardly know each other, but I’m here if there’s anything you want to talk about.”

  The boy shook his head. “No, it’s nothing. I have to go.” With that, he turned and fled out the front doors of the church. As soon as they closed behind him, she noticed that he had left one paper on the ground. She immediately picked it up and rushed out, but he was already running as fast as he could away from the church. Something was obviously bothering the boy. With a shrug, she put the paper in her pack, deciding she would return it to him tomorrow.

  The sun, a bright, yellow ball hanging in the sky, brought out a crowd of people to bask in the unexpected warmth. As Fallon walked among them, she recalled her conversation with Father Tomas with a smile. But, although she was ready to invite Kade into her life, she refused to involve him in Knight business. The less he knew, the safer he would be until it was all over. Especially when all over meant that his uncle would be dead.

  “Hello, beautiful.”

  She yelped when the voice in her ear developed hands that wrapped around her waist.

  “Kade!”

  “Boy, for a tough warrior Knight, you’re awfully skittish.”

  Oh, yeah? In one smooth move, she reached behind her head and flipped him across her back and onto the ground in front of her. She dropped down and rammed her knee into his throat. “You were saying?”

  He forced out a laugh. “Okay, you made your point, but let me up. People are watching us.”

  She grinned and stood.

  Red-faced, he smiled in humor at the snickers coming from the crowd. He took hold of her elbow and steered her away. “You are strong,” he whispered to her. “Remind me not to mess with you again.”

  She frowned at his words. “I suppose you’re used to the waif type, huh? The damsel in distress who needs a big strong guy like you to look after her? Well, that’s not me, Kade.”

  “Thank goodness!” He stopped and turned her toward him. “I want you, Fallon. Muscles, light sabers and all.” He glanced around. “But, I will admit that I’m not sure if my ego can handle you flipping me on my back in public all the time.”

  She wiggled her eyebrows at him. “You’ll just have to stay on my good side then.”

  “Well, that should be easy since all of your sides are good.”

  With a smile, she pulled his face toward her and he gave her an oh, so, sweet kiss.

  “Mmm…the lips of an angel,” he murmured.

  Several catcalls pulled them apart. Kade draped an arm over her shoulder. “Come on. I have a surprise for you.”

  “A surprise?”

  “Yes. You don’t have plans for tonight, do you?”

  Besides going to AU to break into your uncle’s office? No. And, she could always do that after Kade’s mysterious surprise. “What do you have in mind?”

  He tilted his head at her. “Don’t you know the definition of the word surprise?”

  She growled at him, b
ut he ignored her and took her hand. “I have some papers to finish for school. I’ll walk you home and then pick you up around eight. Okay?”

  She nodded. “What do I wear?”

  The glint in his eye said it all. “Very little.”

  Chapter 11

  The Lake

  A bathing suit? At night? Really, Kade? Thankfully, the warmth of the day held and the humidity was still high, draping over the town like a damp blanket.

  She didn’t know where they were going, but he told her to wear a bathing suit under her clothes. Remembering that she didn’t even own one, she hurried out to a boutique on Main Street that afternoon. The choices were overwhelming, but relying on the clerk’s advice, she finally chose a white bikini and hurried home.

  Now, as she studied her reflection in front of the mirror, she was having regrets. Especially when she realized that no one in her life had ever seen her in so few clothes. Her body was thin and toned from her constant workouts so she guessed she looked all right in it, but the top seemed too small to hold in her full breasts. She knew this style was what the other girls wore, but she felt so exposed. When all of her attempts to stretch the material over her chest failed, she sighed and threw on her tee shirt. Hopefully, it would be dark enough that no one would notice.

  When Kade knocked a few minutes after eight, she opened the door and his smile sent shivers racing through her body.

  “You ready?”

  “I guess. Will you tell me now where we’re going?”

  “Where all college kids go on a Wednesday night. A party at the lake. You know, swimming, music, a bonfire.”

  Disappointment surged through her. She was hoping to spend time with Kade alone. “A party? Kade, I’m really not good in social situations.”

  “Why not? You’re smart, funny, beautiful.”

  She turned away from him. “I don’t know. I’m just not that comfortable. I never know what to say and usually end up saying something ridiculously embarrassing.”

  He scoffed at her. “I doubt that.” Turning her back around by the shoulders, he lifted her chin so she had to look at him. “Look, I haven’t had a chance to laugh or just hang out with people my own age in a long time, and I doubt you have either. Even Knights need to have fun once in a while.”

  She frowned at him. “You make it pretty hard for a girl to say no.”

  “Then, don’t.”

  “Fine,” she snapped. And, if it sounded petulant, that was just too bad.