Demon Fire (The Angel Fire Book 3), Marie Johnston [books suggested by bill gates TXT] 📗

think Andy’s hiding the fact that my father is dead. While we work on getting close to this Andy without putting more humans at risk, my mate will work on getting our mission officially sanctioned by the senate, thus keeping our wings on our back.”

Sierra hugged her arms around her waist, pulling her shirt tight against her breasts. That bra she had on hid nothing, but the sheer blandness of the color helped with the thin shirt. “You don’t think the senate will change their ways, do you? After eons of shunning us?”

“You should all be monitored at the very least.” His tone was cold, accusatory. “Sandeen, care to come join this meeting?”

“Nope.” Sandeen tried to fit a small puzzle piece, turning it in three different directions before giving up.

“Demon,” Jagger said.

“Angel,” Sandeen said, his tone bored.

Jagger stomped to the table and lifted the woman from her seat.

“Hey, watch the host,” Sandeen cried. “She’s fragile.”

“As if you care.” Jagger eased Sandeen onto the couch.

Alma’s shirt was twisted around her torso and her black slacks were hitched up to her knees. Sandeen harumphed and straightened the clothing out. “Alma bruises easily, asshat.”

“We need answers, demon.”

“You haven’t even asked the questions.” Sandeen settled into the cushions, his expression appraising. Whatever he said next was going to piss off someone in this room. “Sorry to hear about your father, by the way. Was it quick?”

Jagger’s hand twitched and rage clouded his expression.

Urban jumped off the couch, placing himself between the two. “Stop it, demon.”

“No, seriously, though. If we’re not ignoring the fallen anymore, should we call Jameson by his real name? James?”

“Shut it,” Urban said.

“I say we take him out.” Harlowe studied her nails. “If he’s going to cause trouble and backstab us as soon as possible, we should get rid of him right now.”

“Do it,” Jagger ordered. “He’s worthless to us.”

A half smile tipped his lips. “Am I?”

“You can do it now, Harlowe,” Jagger said.

A sinister grin curved Harlowe’s lips. “I beat you once, demon.” She flicked open a pocket and reached inside. Words Boone didn’t understand came out of her mouth.

Sandeen’s eyes flared, panic deep in their depths. “One, I was in a human, it wasn’t a fair fight, and two, Sierra is pregnant. She was pregnant when she fell.”

Chapter 11

A strangled gasp stuck in Sierra’s throat. “You bastard.”

Sandeen did a half bow from his seated position. “Most demons are.”

Boone shook his head. The others stared at her. Harlowe’s hand dropped. She was no longer intent on killing Sandeen. Urban sank into the couch where he’d been sitting earlier. And Jagger.

Oh, God, Jagger. It stung that he was the one who’d confronted her about her betrayal. He’d been a good enough teammate, friend, and angel to allow her to make amends and let her scrape together enough dignity to turn herself in. She had to hang on to that instead of how he was treating her now.

“You’re what?” Jagger said between clenched teeth.

Her heart hammered. He wouldn’t figure it out, would he? “Sandeen isn’t lying. For once.”

“You’d be surprised how little I lie.” Sandeen’s enjoyment was so obvious, part of it had to be Alma’s. The bright eyes, the straight back, the way the host vibrated with excitement. Both of them were enjoying the show.

Harlowe shook her head, her stare incredulous. “How’d this happen?”

“I bet the who is the interesting part.”

Sandeen needed to shut the hell up.

Disgust twisted Urban’s face. “Stede?” His expression fell. “No . . . did he—”

“No. I wasn’t forced.” She pressed the fingers of one hand to her forehead and paced. Boone stepped out of her way. Did the man have to witness all of her humiliation?

She’d brought it all on herself.

Turn. Pace. Turn. The living room was large enough to get a little velocity going. If she went fast enough, maybe she’d defy physics and disappear.

She’d taken transcending for granted. “It was a mistake. A giant mistake.”

“Sierra, if the father is another angel . . .” Harlowe’s eyes were wide. “We have to check the records.”

“We’ve checked.” Sierra had been part of that. They’d researched all of the fallen in their history. “There’s nothing there.”

“The baby might not be able to be born on Earth,” Harlowe said.

“The father’s not an angel.” Now drop it. She couldn’t go back to Numen and she wasn’t giving birth in the creepy Mist.

“That leaves two options.” Sandeen was wiggling in his seat. “Human or fallen.”

Jagger’s sharp gaze stabbed into her and he got really still. “The reason we suspected you is because of a hint my father gave us. How did he know, Sierra?”

Jagger had figured it out. The truth was so atrocious he hadn’t dared speak it. But the unhappy knowledge glowed in his eyes.

She inhaled and exhaled. Inhale. Exhale. “He wanted me to keep you safe and I wanted him to keep Stede off the trail. It just . . . happened.”

“Pregnancy doesn’t just happen to our kind, Sierra.” Jagger stalked closer. She stood her ground. He had a right to be upset. This was her punishment. Her shame.

But Boone was there, blocking her.

“Get out of my way,” Jagger hissed.

Boone’s back was ramrod straight and blocking her view. “No, man. You back up.”

Fury rippled over Jagger’s face. “I’m not going to hurt her.”

“Then you won’t mind backing up.”

Jagger lifted his chin and met her gaze over Boone’s shoulder. “You get to him too?”

“You’d better stop right there.” Boone’s low voice sent delicious waves coursing through her blood. The only other male who’d protected her like him had raised her. Only Papa knew what she was. Boone didn’t. “She’s been through a lot and that baby’s been through a lot.”

The steam eked out of Jagger when Boone mentioned the baby. “That baby is my brother or sister.”

“Excuse me.” Sierra sidestepped Boone. “I’ve had enough of people making decisions for me. This baby? Is mine.”

“Have two fallen had a baby before?” Harlowe asked. “Will it have . . . wings?”

If only wings were Sierra’s worst fear. “I don’t know.”

Harlowe snapped her fingers. “Junie Perez. The fallen Director Vale and Odessa