Chapter One
ZAK
Zak stared down Amber.
She looked the same as she always did since he'd been treating her; bouncy, golden hair framed her petite face, her brown lashes fanned out underneath her closed lids, and velvety honey skin. She was a petite woman, and even though she was in her thirties, there was an innocence about her that made her seem younger.
She lay on her bed, a pillow propped up under her head and her hands clasp over her stomach. She looked peaceful, but Zak knew she was still struggling to gain consciousness.
Zak placed a hand on the crown of her head and the other hand on her chest. He closed his eyes and drew on energy from the Stream. Like all angels, Zak had the ability to connect to the pure angelic energy that existed in the Angel Realm. He used the unfiltered, raw energy to treat Amber directly, since her wounds were so severe.
As he fed the energy into Amber, he could feel the resistance within her. The dark ridges on her soul seemed to bristle and burrow into her, trying to reclaim as much of her as they could. Zak had been trying to heal her for eight months, and only now did those scars seem to be losing their potency.
After a long moment of seeping a blast of angelic energy into her, he ceased and opened his eyes. The treatment had to be strong and regular to heal her quickly, and without damage, but it also had to be short. He kept his hands where they were and continued staring at her. She was unlike anyone he had ever met before. Not only was she beautiful, but she had a double quality in her human energy. A softness edged with a mellow strength that permeated her entire being; it was unusual and quite fascinating. He wondered what kind of person she was. He had tried to gain some kind of insight from her sister, Thea, but couldn’t really gain a true understanding. During his time in the human world, decades ago, women who looked like Amber used their looks ruthlessly to get what they wanted, but he had the feeling she wasn’t like that. He continued to drink in her presence; he enjoyed the quiet moments when he treated her, wondering what her voice sounded like, guessing the color of her eyes, what she looked like when she smiled, when she was angry—
"How is she today, Dr. Phillips?"
Zak turned to see a man standing at the doorway. Ethan.
"She’s improving," he said, as he stood. "She is still at risk, but I feel more convinced that she will recover."
Ethan nodded, his blue eyes flicking to Amber before returning to Zak. He was an easygoing man with decent looks; brown hair and slight build. He didn't seem like he was right for Amber but it's not like they were together. They had had a child together and didn’t seem to be any closer than just friends. Plus, Zak had no idea what her type was.
"Thank God," Ethan breathed. He visibly relaxed. "Do you know when she'll wake up?"
"I'm afraid I don't know," Zak said. "It may take more time."
Ethan exhaled harshly. "And you still can't tell me what’s wrong with her?"
Zak schooled his features. Since Amber had been ill, Ethan had been trying to pin down what was wrong with her, but of course Zak couldn't tell him anything that made sense. Amber’s symptoms didn’t align with illnesses in the human world. Zak had to constantly reassure Ethan that he was a specialist in the field of Amber's illness and that he only had to trust him, but he was aware the excuse was wearing thin.
"I've told you, Mr Harris, her condition is extremely rare. I can give you the official name, but it wouldn't tell you anything."
Ethan nodded, and his eyes drifted back to Amber for a moment. "And Thea is paying your fee?" he asked, his eyes snapping back to Zak.
"Yes, and it includes full after-care. I won’t stop treating Amber until she is fully recovered."
Ethan sighed. "Okay. Have you finished your treatment for her today?"
Zak nodded and picked up his bag of medical equipment and medicines that were completely for show. "I'll be back again tomorrow." He made his way out of the bedroom and glanced back to see Ethan approaching Amber's bed. Zak would be back later on that night, however the humans wouldn't be able to see him. He told himself he wanted to make sure no one harassed her too much during the hours he wasn’t there—he didn't trust anybody, not after the way she had been attacked—but really, he enjoyed sitting quietly with her.
He walked through to the living room and noticed Amber's daughter, Maddy, on the couch. Her reddish-brown hair fell over her face as she leaned forward over her cell phone. She was a slim, lanky teenager who tend to be quiet whenever Zak was around but when he was in his angel-form and invisible to her, she came across as a responsible, mature young woman.
"Your father is visiting your mother now," Zak told her, pausing in the middle of the living room. "You can go in and see her too if you want."
Maddy nodded, her large eyes tracking over him. "Is she awake yet?"
"I'm afraid not, Maddy. But I hope she will be soon."
Maddy stood slowly, keeping her eyes on him, and then headed towards the bedroom.
Zak took a moment to speak to the nurse hovering in the kitchen—an Archangel of course. She kept an eye on Amber when no one was there. After he confirmed some minor revisions about her basic care, he exited the apartment.
As he headed to the portal that would take him to the Angel Realm, he resisted the urge to turn back. He hated leaving Amber and couldn't explain the urge to be by her side all the time.
He crossed over into the Angel Realm and shifted into his angel-form. A rushing energy encased him, penetrating every part of his being and he stretched the enormous, creamy wings that appeared on his back.
With one powerful flap, he shot up into the air, heading towards his office. The pale buildings of the Angel Realm stretched out beneath him. It was a beautiful Empire—a city he never tired of looking at. It stretched further than the eye could see and was made up of many buildings, parks, lakes, training centers, residential homes, and of course the Stream; a column of energy that rushed and tumbled toward the sky. Various angels stood in the luscious, green garden that surrounded it, their faces tilted up toward it as they connected with the pure energy to experience the Creator.
As he passed them, he angled toward one of the buildings that hovered above the Empire. He landed on the balcony of his office, and fidgeted with his shirt and tie. Humans tended to wear the most uncomfortable clothes. He couldn't understand why most of them chose to go about their day in stiff, unyielding wear, but it was necessary for him to look like one of them every time he visited Amber so he had to put up with it. He entered his office, intending to head towards the back room and change, when he noticed he had a visitor.
"Finally you are here." A large male angel sitting at the desk in the center if his office, turned to him as he entered. Adonai.
Zak stilled. "I wasn't aware that you had made an appointment to see me," he said, tersely. Adonai was not one of his favorite people. The Thrones were one of the seven orders of angels in the Angel Realm and were responsible for overseeing the Realm and all of the other angel orders. They tended to be cold and logical. However, Adonai was a breed of difficult Zak hadn’t experienced before. He had been purposely problematic in the recent trial of his friend, Camael. And although the Thrones were known to be particularly ruthless about protecting and policing the Angel Realm, Adonai had been overly harsh. Zak had looked forward to not seeing him ever again.
"I've been here for almost the entire day waiting to see you," Adonai said, lifting an eyebrow. His skin was tawny, his face hard, and his indigo-blue eyes attentive.
"Did we have some unfinished business I was unaware of?" Zak asked, making his way to the chair on the other side of the desk.
Adonai shifted in his chair. "Yes."
Zak dropped into his chair and leaned and its arm. "What is it?"
"The Thrones have decided it is in the best interest of the Realm to keep an eye on you, Zak."
"What do you mean?" Zak snapped. "Why?"
Adonai leaned forward. "Although your friends have been exonerated, you have not. Your poor conduct as commander still stands."
Zak forced himself not to react. "I was questioned for five months," he replied, calmly. "I was not told that there would be any problems with me returning to my position."
"You were returned to your position," Adonai said, his hard eyes boring into Zak's, "because the Nephilim Elithea needed you to support her while on her assignment. The Dominion League requested it."
“Thea,” Zak corrected through gritted teeth. Thea didn’t like anyone calling her Elithea except her mate, Camael. Zak worked to push down the anger that was rising in him. "So I could still lose my command position? Is that what you're telling me?" He forced his voice not to rise. "I entered the Demon Realm to help save the Angel Realm. I led that attack and received a commendation for my conduct. And now you are telling me that my command is in jeopardy?"
"You aided a warrior angel to behave sinfully," Adonai said, his displeasure clear. "And it happened over an extended period of time. We’re not saying that we will strip you of your rank. It is recognized that you have achieved a lot for the Angel Realm, and you are well respected. But you command some of the most powerful warriors that we have. We need to know that you are behaving responsibly with all of them."
Zak held himself still. "And what does that mean?"
"It means I will be… keeping an eye on you," Adonai said. "You will report to me for a little while."
There was a twinkle in Adonai's eye that pissed Zak off. "And how long as a little while?"
Adonai shrugged. "Until we are satisfied."
“I’m not a training commander," Zak said, leaning forward on the desk and leveling his gaze at Adonai. "I have millenniums of experience. I don’t need a babysitter."
"We just want to make sure that everything is running as it should be," Adonai replied. "Don't see it as babysitting, see it as assistance."
"I don't need assistance!" Zak boomed. "I'm completely capable of doing my job."
"The Thrones don't think so," Adonai said, his face impassive.
Zak jerked forward over the desk. “You mean you don’t think so.”
“No, I don’t,” Adonai shot back. “But I wouldn’t be here if it were just me that was unconvinced.”
Zak shot out of his chair and paced the room, unable to hide his agitation. He thought that he had gotten rid of the Thrones’ attention. But clearly they were not going to leave him in peace unless he convinced them that he was a worthy commander again.
"So to begin with," Adonai said, his voice now casual, "how many warrior angels do you manage?"
"Thirty-seven," Zak said through gritted teeth.
"And how many of them on active assignments?"
"Twenty-nine."
"Why were you in the human world?"
Zak froze, the question taking him by surprise. "Is it a crime for me to go into the human world?"
"No," Adonai said, watching him closely. "But the last time I met with you, during the trial, we established that you rarely go into the human world anymore. So why are you going in so frequently now?"
"Have you been watching me?"
Adonai stared at him, taking in his tense manner.
Zak forced himself to relax. He hardly ever let his emotions show in his manner or expression, but Adonai had a special way of annoying the fuck out of him. "What gives you the right to watch my movements? I thought this was assistance?"
"I have obviously been keeping an eye on your movements," Adonai said, as if Zak had asked the most stupid question he’d heard. "It has been nearly two weeks since you led that attack in the Demon Realm. I was giving you time to get back to your normal schedule. However this behavior you’re displaying is unusual. Why are you going into the human world so regularly?"
Zak continued to walk across the room. "I'm healing a human who was a victim of the recent attack."
Adonai frowned. "Healers have been allocated to all the humans who were affected by that. You’re not a healer."
Zak thought carefully about what he was going to say next. He had told the healer allocated to Amber that he would be personally dealing with her care.
"I have been trained to deal specifically with healing demon wounds."
"But you're not a healer," Adonai pressed. "Do you not have work that you are supposed to be getting on with as a commander?"
Zak shot him an ugly look. "Healing a human does not interfere with my work as a commander."
"The amount of times you've visited the human world, suggests that it does," Adonai said harshly. "You will not be able to continue healing this human and do your job effectively. If you would like to select a healer yourself, you are welcome to, but you must return to your own workload."
"This human is Thea's sister," Zak said, moving to behind his chair and pressing his hands against the back. "I cannot give her care over to anyone else. Thea needs me personally to look after her. I'm sure you can imagine the guilt she feels about it."
Adonai watched him for a short moment. "Yes," he muttered, leaning back in his chair. "The Nephilim Elithea seems to always get what she wants." He stood, flapping his ice-blue robes as he fixed them around him. "However, she has no right to impede on your work. Hand the human’s care over to a healer of your choosing. That's the best I can offer you. I will visit you again in a few days."
Zak said nothing as he left, but as soon as the door closed he let out a harsh breath. Shit. If the Thrones were worried about his capability to do his job, then he was at risk. He needed to show them that he was still the same Dominion angel that he has always been. Just because he had been protecting a friend, who happened to fall into sin, didn't suddenly make Zak incapable of doing his job. However, it was clear that was how the Thrones thought; very black and white.
He continued pacing in his office in deep thought. All he needed to do was prove to them that they didn't have anything to worry about. It would be difficult for them to remove him from his post anyway, considering all of the mistakes they had made lately with the trial of Camael. They would want to be careful, which is why they gave him Adonai. He shook his head, pausing in the middle of his office. It was just his luck that it was Adonai he had to report to. The guy was miserable and annoying. Still, Zak would not give them the satisfaction of finding anything wrong with his conduct. He would rather die. And that meant he had to find another healer for Amber.
One day in the Angel Realm equaled seven days in the human world, which meant that in order to see and treat Amber every day, Zak had to visit the human world seven times in one Angel Realm day. He managed to organize all of his workload around her treatment times, but obviously Adonai had noticed.
Over the next two Angel Realm days, Zak visited the human world to treat Amber, trying to decide who should be allocated to take over from him. He visited a few of the healers who trained him to question them about their current workload and narrowed down his choice to two, yet every time he saw Amber, his nerves drew tight and he wondered if he could really hand her care over to someone else.
Then on the third day, while he was healing her, Amber moved. Zak froze and then removed his hands from her slowly. She moved again, shifting her torso and arms. Her eyelids twitched, and her breath came quicker.
Zak held his breath and watched her.
Her eyelids fluttered open and she lifted them to the ceiling. They were an emerald green. Zak’s breath left him. She was utterly gorgeous, even in her dazed state.
She looked around the room, her breath increasing, and then locked onto his face.
As they stared at each other, her breathing calmed. And then she smiled.
At that moment, Zak knew without a doubt that he would not be able to hand her care over to anyone else.
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