Ruined By Power (Empire of Angels Book 2) Read online

  “Yes, of course,” Dani said. “I will—I’ll try, I mean. We haven’t been matched yet, but I’m sure Asteroth is pushing her. I’m sure that what she does with him won’t be as good as her training with you though. I mean, how can it? I’ll ask him, though. I’ll make sure she’s worked hard—”

  Cam turned his gaze back to Thea as Dani continued to blab, and they shared a smile. The urge to move closer to him almost overwhelmed her, but she pulled Dani’s arm instead. “See you after,” Thea said to Cam as they headed back to training.

  “I think I’m gonna die,” Dani murmured, as Thea dragged her along. “I just met Camael… Wait till I tell my brothers.”

  Thea just laughed and shook her head. It seems she wasn’t the only one affected by that gorgeous angel.

  In the hall, Asteroth waited for them, a twinkle in his deep brown eyes. “You are matched together this afternoon.”

  Dani and Thea grinned at each other.

  “Your task, Daniah, is to stop Thea from getting over to the back of the hall. You must do everything you can to stop her.” He turned to Thea. “And you, Thea, must do everything you can to place your hand on the wall. You are not allowed to block or in any way impede Dani from drawing energy from outside.” He gestured to the gap in the ceiling of the hall then looked between them both. “Understand?”

  They both nodded and then turned to face each other. Dani‘s eyes narrowed as she took on a wide, low stance. Suddenly, she no longer seemed like the carefree angel Thea knew.

  “The other angels will be watching for their own training and may provide you with feedback.” He gestured to the other training angels who were sitting along the wall of the hall. “The battle ends when Thea is either unable to move for ten seconds or places a palm on the wall. Begin.”

  Thea shifted and flapped up into the air, intending to glide over Dani’s head.

  Dani put her hands together in front of her, steepling them under her chin. Then she did something with her arms, some swift, fluid movement and brought her hands forward, tilting her palms upward toward the ceiling. Dark smoke started to form a few feet above her head, swirling and morphing into the shape of rain clouds. Electricity pulsed through it, bolts of lightning just waiting to strike.

  Shit. Dani was powerful. Thea created a shield. She edged over to the right, eager to avoid the clouds, but Dani extended them out in front of her, blocking her way.

  Thea inched forward, wondering if it would actually hurt to go through it, but a small bolt shot out and hit her shield, which shook but remained stable. Dani grinned, a mischievous look in her eyes.

  Thea grinned back. That had been a warning, but it also told her the bolts wouldn’t penetrate her shield. She threw her spear at the clouds and they spluttered, some of the electricity muting.

  Thea dropped to the ground and backed up, deciding to take it at a run. She lowered her center of gravity and ran straight at Dani, who used her hands to let out a couple of bolts of electricity, shooting it straight at Thea. Her shield shuddered and disappeared, but before she could recreate it, Dani threw another bolt that hit her shoulder.

  Thea’s left side jerked back, but she was already passed Dani. Another bolt hit her back and she stumbled forward. A rush of wind came at her, throwing her sideways. She focused her mind and created a shield, which helped to deflect the wind.

  Dani was moving her arms with such grace and elegance, it was almost hypnotizing to watch.

  Thea formed one long spear with angelic energy and threw it at Dani, who dodged it, her violet blue eyes widening. Thea created energy ball after energy ball, throwing them at Dani and trying to anticipate which side she would dodge. As she did, Thea rose into the air and inched back toward the wall.

  One of the energy balls connected with Dani’s hip and she cried out, but didn’t change her focus. Dani’s whole body flickered with power. She held her hands out, palms up, hands like claws as lighting crackled between her fingers and palms. The lightening suddenly shot out at Thea, who strengthened her shield.

  Dani rose off the floor, her body now fluttering as though she was made from breeze. Thea watched her amazed; she’d never seen anything like it.

  A sudden whirlwind materialized around them, hard and punishing. It blew Thea across the room and she rolled in the air and tumbled to the ground. As she jumped to her feet, the wind caused her eyes to water and became stronger as Dani traveled towards her, trying to get between Thea and the wall.

  Thea ran toward to the wall. It was only a few feet away now, but with the wind hitting her at such speed, it felt like she was being punched. It seemed to burrow into her skin and tunnel down her legs, forcing her to a standstill and disorienting her. If she stayed here too long, Dani would win. Thea stopped fighting it and closed her eyes, her hair now loose and whipping around her. She started creating another shield but realized She could feel energy pulsing all around her. She could feel the wind. And the other students against the wall. And Asteroth, and Dani. Instead of the shield, she created a wall of energy and snapped it around Dani, pushing her aside.

  With a yell, Dani was thrown across the hall and to the ground. The wind disappeared and Thea stumbled from the sudden lack of pressure.

  Gasping for breath, she ran to the back wall and placed her palm on it, exhausted.

  Chapter Six

  CAM

  Cam didn’t take any more assignments. He told Zak to reallocate them to other Powers.

  He, instead, focused on escorting Thea to and from her training each day. It became the focal point of everything he did. She always looked gorgeous, whether it was in the morning when she was raring to go or in the evening when she was sweaty, tired and sometimes, irritable. As aroused and tempted as he was by her, he kept his distance. He never entered her quarters or gave her the chance to invite him in, though he could feel her disappointment in the way she looked at him at her door. Once, she had asked him directly, and he told her they would be together soon and he would explain when he could. She seemed to be okay with that.

  He asked her about her training every day and she told him about each session. It was clear she was enjoying it, and part of Cam hated that it wasn’t him training her and seeing her progress and develop her new abilities and skills. But he was pleased she was experiencing training with other angel orders. He couldn’t have provided that for her. She was most excited every time she was matched with her friend Dani, the Virtue he’d met. For a young trainee, Dani was pretty powerful in her own right, and Thea came away from their battles carefully planning how to attack her next time. That was an excellent sign of her development as a warrior. She and Dani seemed to have become close and had a mutual respect for each other that reminded Cam of his friendship with Karaya.

  During her first fight with Dani, Thea began sensing angelic energy, which was a great sign. If she could feel the energy of angels and demons, it would be extremely helpful during hunting, or any assignment the Dominion League was planning to send her on.

  After nearly a week of escorting Thea, Zak finally told Cam they had been summoned to appear before the Dominion League.

  “Let me do most of the talking,” Zak said, as they sat waiting in the reception of a golden building. The Dominion League building stood on the outskirts of the central gardens that held the Stream. “Only speak if you are asked a question.”

  Cam nodded but knew he would not be coming out of that place until they agreed to partner him with Thea.

  “And do not tell them anything about Thea being your natural mate,” Zak said, lowering his voice. “Save that conversation for the Thrones. They are the only ones that can approve your mating with Thea, and you don’t want the Dominion League thinking you are too emotional to be assigned to work with your mate.”

  Cam frowned. “A lot of angels are partnered with their mates.”

  “Yes, their arranged mate, not natural mate.”

  The door opened and the angel at the reception desk indicated for them to ent
er. Inside, a richly furnished office stretched the length of the whole building and an enormous round table sat in the center. The Dominion League was made up of twenty angels and it looked as though this was their main meeting room. However, only three angels sat at the table. It made sense; sometimes only representatives of the League would meet with angels. Still, Cam couldn’t see why it took so long to meet if it was only three of them in attendance.

  One of them was Asteroth, the other two, Cam didn’t recognize. The one in the center was tawny-skinned and thin with silver hair and pale eyes, while the one to the right was stocky with blond tufts at his chin. All three of them were older, and power radiated off of them in slow, lazy waves.

  “Asteroth, Barakiel and Gzrel,” Zak said, greeting the angels in turn. “Good morning. We are pleased you have agreed to see us.”

  The Dominion angels dipped their heads in acknowledgment as Zak and Cam settled in chairs on the opposite side of the table.

  “We come with a request about the Nephilim, Elithea,” Zak said. “She is being trained at center six.”

  “We know about the Nephilim,” said Barakiel, the angel in the middle. “What is it you would have of her?”

  “I would like to request that whatever assignment you plan for her, she be partnered with Camael,” Zak said, gesturing to Cam.

  “And why is that?” Gzrel, the angel on the right, asked.

  “The Nephilim is difficult. She is wayward and struggles with authority.”

  Cam shot a look at Zak. He had not mentioned that this would be his argument.

  “Although she is strong, she needs guidance and protection,” Zak continued. “Camael trained her and knows her temperament. He knows how best to protect her should she need it. I assume she will be sent on difficult assignments?”

  The angels were silent as they observed Zak and Cam, looking between them both with cool eyes.

  “If you are concerned about her protection,” Barakiel said, addressing Cam, “why did you allow her to fight the Asmos demon unaided?”

  Cam inhaled a smooth breath before answering. “She didn’t need my assistance and it would have held her back if I kept shielding her from taking risks. She needed me to have confidence in her so she would have confidence in herself.”

  Asteroth nodded. “Good. Did you enjoy training her, Camael?”

  Cam considered his question. “I enjoyed training her, but only because she is interesting. I’m not interested in including Nephilim training as part of my duties.”

  Asteroth laughed. “A blunt answer. I think you have the skills to be a great trainer if you ever change your mind.”

  Cam dipped his head stiffly. “Thank you.”

  Gzrel leaned forward. “I am intrigued as to why you would give up your own assignments for hers? You have always rejected hunting partners before and now you’re asking to take on, not only a partner, but a brand new trainee who will have assignments tailored specifically for her.”

  “Camael has mentioned previously that he would like a change of pace with his assignments,” Zak cut in. “I’ve been encouraging him to stay on course because I believed that the demons would become more brazen if he was out of the field for too long. Now, with Elyon’s latest achievement, I believe we can give Camael what he desires.”

  Cam held his breath, wondering if they would believe it. In truth, they had both argued the opposite points to each other.

  After a long moment, the middle angel turned to Asteroth. “You’re training the girl, Asteroth. Is she as wild as suggested?”

  Asteroth held Cam’s eye. “She is not wild, but I believe she does possess the characteristics mentioned. I would recommend this partnering.”

  Relief thudded through Cam, though he kept his expression emotionless.

  “I have reservations,” Barakiel said. “I do not want you away from your own assignments for long. Elyon is a good Power but you are the one who has excelled consistently for millennia. You have the experience and reputation. Zakiel’s concern about the demons becoming brazen in your absence is not unwarranted.”

  Both pride and anxiety battled within Cam at his words. Elyon trained just behind Cam but they had never gotten along. Elyon had always watched Cam closely trying to emulate him. That interest soon turned competitive, though Cam had no interest in anything Elyon did. Still, it was good to hear that Barakiel preferred Cam’s efforts.

  “In that case, I suggest we allow a trial partnering for six months,” said Gzrel.

  “Agreed,” the other two said in unison.

  Zak rose and dipped his head. “Thank you for your time.”

  “When will she be ready for assignments?” Cam asked Asteroth.

  Zak paused and then lowered back down to his seat.

  “She is being brought here for a meeting with us in an hour and she will be given her first assignment.”

  Cam frowned. “Then maybe I should stay.”

  “No,” Barakiel shook his head. “We need to speak to her alone. Zak will be her commander too so once we have spoken to her, he can brief you both.”

  Cam hesitated, wondering if he should insist on staying. It was unusual for the Dominion League to give assignments themselves, let alone to want to do so privately with only one angel of a pair.

  “I will bring her to your quarters as soon as her time with us is over,” Asteroth said. “You can speak to her then about our expectations of assignments and anything else you are concerned about.”

  Cam clenched his teeth and held in the urge to punch him. Asteroth wanted to touch his Nephilim again. What was it with him? Why couldn’t he stay the fuck away from her? “Who is bringing her here?”

  “An Angel of the Order.”

  “Thank you for your time,” Zak said, before Cam could respond. He rose and turned, his hazel eyes flashing at Cam.

  Cam dipped his head and took his leave.

  Zak and Cam didn’t speak as they left the building. They launched into the air and headed for Zak’s office.

  “I think that went well,” Zak said, as soon as they landed. He shot a bemused look at Cam. “Though you don’t seem to understand the instruction ‘shut up until you are spoken to.’”

  “Do you think it’s odd they wanted to speak to her on her own?” Cam asked, ignoring his comment. They walked to Zak’s door.

  “Yes,” Zak admitted. “But at least they agreed to partner you, and at least I am her commander. She will do well with us supporting her.”

  Cam nodded, deep in thought.

  “Do you want to come in?” Zak asked, opening his door.

  “No. I want to be at my quarters when Thea arrives.” His jaw clenched. “In Asteroth’s arms.”

  “Stop it, Cam. Asteroth helped us today; he didn’t have to.”

  “I know,” Cam snapped, “but he seems to have a problem with touching her.”

  “She can’t fly, and he’s being helpful,” Zak said, sternly. “Would you prefer it was someone else? Asteroth is the most honorable Dominion we know in the League. Don’t fuck this up. If you act like this around others, they will soon guess why.”

  Cam sighed, pushing his annoyance away. “I know, I know.”

  Zak stepped inside his office, his hand on the door. “Come back to my office once you meet with Thea.” He paused, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “And don’t get too… distracted for long.”

  As Cam made his way back to his quarters, he allowed himself to feel the thrill of succeeding in having Thea assigned as his partner. He hoped she would feel the same. Part of him was worried that she’d resent that he asked to be partnered up with her, just like she had reacted when she found out that he requested to mate with her without asking her permission first. It was a risk he had been willing to take. He couldn’t get her to trust him again without spending time with her. He needed to remind her that she loved him, that she wanted to be with him too; that there was no need to doubt him. He would do whatever he had to do to convince her.

  Chapter
Seven

  THEA

  Thea was in the common room chatting with Dani when an angel came to find her. He seemed different from the other angels, pale with almost white hair and a distant demeanor.

  “Elithea, you have been summoned,” he said, stopping in front of the window before her chair.

  She sat up. “By whom?”

  The pale angel didn’t answer. He stood there for a moment then turned and headed to the door.

  Thea sat up straighter, alarmed. She shot a look at Dani, who hadn’t moved.

  “Don’t worry,” Dani said. “It’s probably a meeting with Asteroth or something.”

  “So why didn’t he say that?”

  “He’s an Angel of the Order. They have issues.”

  Thea observed the angel. He stood stiffly at the door waiting for her but not looking at her. “What kind of issues?”

  Dani bit into an apple and crunched away for a few seconds before answering. “There are seven orders of angels. The order that has the most contact with humans is called Angel.”

  Thea frowned. “I don’t get it.”

  “All the orders have their own name—Dominion, Virtue, Archangel and so on. But there is an order called Angel. It gets confusing because we’re all angels.”

  “Oh. So it’s like saying, I am a Nephilim in say… the Nephilim order.”

  “Exactly. We always have to say ‘Angel of the Order,’ to make it clear. They hate it. They think other angels treat them with less respect because of it. We’re all supposed to be equal.”

  “Supposed to be?”

  “Well…” Dani tilted her head and smiled. “We’re supposed to be, but,” she lowered her voice, “most angels admire Powers, Dominions and Thrones the most. We all have important duties though. The Angel order actually has a more unique connection to the Creator than most other orders.” She grinned. “So they get really pissed when others are dismissive of them.”

  “Okay,” Thea eyed the Angel waiting for her “So that’s why they’re rude?”

  “They would prefer to call themselves functional, efficient and professional,” Dani said. “They just try to stick to their own order and humans.”