Read The Kiss of Angels (Divine Vampires Book 2) for Free Online

Just when I feel as if I get close to a truth, it slips away.”
     
    “That’s the nature of truth.” He smiled. 
     
    “Still, if those… if Alex and Sam, if they hadn’t intervened…” Muriel shuddered, watching the nurse put the tiny baby back into the incubator.  He had calmed down again, and a few of her other charges had woken and had begun to cry.  “He’s safe anyway.”
     
    “For now.”
     
    “Are all angels of death so cynical?” Muriel rolled her eyes and nudged him.
     
    “Are all cherub’s such optimists?” He grinned. 
     
    They stood there smiling at each other, babies crying all around them, the nurse going from bin to bin to check on them, and in the midst of all of it, Muriel felt that thing again, that feeling she couldn’t quite identify.  It made her want to pull a handful of arrows from her quiver and shoot them everywhere, all at once. 
     
    “Muriel!” Jari startled them both, appearing through the nursery glass in a rush.  “There you are! I told everyone what happened.  A black soul! No one believes me.  You have to come tell them—”
     
    Jari already had her by the arm, dragging her away, but Muriel managed to shake her off, turning back to the seraphim.  He looked amused by Jari, but Muriel wasn’t amused.  She was annoyed. 
     
    “In a minute, Jari,” she said, pointing.  “I’m talking to—”
     
    “Oh!” Jari looked up at the seraphim, surprised.  “Where did you come from?” 
     
    That’s when Muriel realized he’d been invisible to Jari until that moment. 
     
    “This is Chariel,” she said, introducing him to her bow-partner. 
     
    “Char.” He gave a little nod of his head in Jari’s direction.
     
    “He’s an angel of death,” Muriel explained.  “After you left, he died.”
     
    “Who died?” Jari cocked her head.  Then her jaw dropped.  “No! Not the guy with the black soul!”
     
    “Sorry to disappoint you, Jari.” Muriel crossed her arms and glared at her partner.  “I think his wife might be a little sadder than you are.”
     
    “She was his ex-wife,” Jari said quickly, sighing when Muriel narrowed her eyes at her.  “Okay, okay! I just wanted to show off.”
     
    “I know you did.” Muriel sighed too, looking at Char and shaking her head, like what are you gonna do? He just smiled. 
     
    “Can you blame me?” Jari protested, reminding her, “You made that shot with your eyes closed!”
     
    “I still don’t know how I did that.” Muriel shook her head, remembering.  It seemed like such a long time ago, that moment, but in reality, Norman’s body was probably still warm, and Eliza’s tears were surely not dry yet. 
     
    “You just trusted your feelings,” Char reminded her softly. 
     
    “Well now you have to come tell everyone the story.” Jari’s eyes narrowed a little as she looked at Char, taking Muriel’s arm again and starting to move away.  “Anyway, practice is starting.”
     
    “I guess I should go.” Muriel glanced back at him, standing there alone, and she found she didn’t really want to leave.  “I don’t suppose I’ll see you again?”
     
    “Not unless I want you to.” He glanced at Jari, then back at Muriel. 
     
    “Right.” She turned to go, following Jari, who passed easily through the nursery glass.  Then Muriel turned back.  “Char?”
     
    “Yes?” He was looking at the newborn in the incubator, watching his chest rise and fall. 
     
    “Do you?” Muriel asked softly.  He turned his head to look at her.  “Want to?”
     
    He nodded.  Then he smiled. 
     
    “Come on!” Jari burst into the room again, grabbing Muriel’s arm, not letting go this time as she pulled her through the glass. 
     
    But Muriel couldn’t help looking back, and she saw Chariel watching her go.
     
    Still smiling. 
     
    And so was she. 
     

Chapter Four

     
    “But what if we get a call?” Jari pouted.  Her irritation turned down the corners of her mouth as