what did he do? father andrew asked.

her throat constricted, but she forced the words out. he murdered. over and over. and he enjoyed it. she closed her eyes. it was my fault. i should have let him die.

ye had no way of knowing, connor said.

she opened her eyes to see the compassion on connors face. he wasnt judging her, and that touched her heart. it was still wrong of me. i should have trusted in the fathers wisdom.

i guess faith is hard for all of us, father andrew said with tears in his eyes.

she nodded. my healing powers were stripped, and i was made into a deliverer. my punishment was to deliver all the women who were raped and murdered by the monster i had allowed to live.

he killed women? robby asked, his face pale. what was his name?

otis crump.

all four men flinched.

bloody hell! robby jumped to his feet.

marielle stiffened at the furious look robby shot at her before he stalked away. her mind raced, seeking an explanation for their reaction. otis had been human all the years she had delivered his victims. shed been so relieved when hed finally been imprisoned that shed immediately put in a request to become a healer once again. while her request was being considered, shed been assigned to delivering the elderly. she hadnt found the work objectionable until tonight when zackriel had told her to deliver the children who had been attacked by cheaters.

the order had infuriated her. it was the cheaters who should be delivered, not the innocent children.

ive heard enough, robby growled as he paced around the dinette set. angus will have my report. we will have nothing to do with her.

connor strode toward him. wait

nay! robby glared at marielle. she may have killed shanna, and she came damned close to killing my wife!

marielle gasped.

father andrew and gregori stood, so she rose to her feet, also. her heart pounded as she tried to understand what was happening.

this proves how dangerous she is to us, robby announced.

nay, connor protested. it proves how important she is. her fate has already been linked to ours.

i have to agree with connor, father andrew added, then turned to marielle. robbys wife, olivia, worked for the fbi. she was the one who put otis crump in jail.

marielles skin pebbled with goose bumps.

aye, but the bastard still tormented her for years! robby yelled. and then casimir teleported him out of prison and transformed him. he nearly killed olivia!

marielle stumbled back and knocked against the rocking chair. ii didnt know.

yere a bloody angel. yere supposed to know everything! robby shouted.

she shook her head. i dont. humans, even vampires, have free will. i cant predict what theyll do.

ye can predict i want nothing to do with you, robby growled. and im telling angus to do the same.

then yere a fool, connor said quietly.

robby spun to face him, his face darkening. his hands curled into fists. ye care to repeat that, connor?

enough! father andrew strode toward them. robby, your wife is all right, and otis crump is dead. marielle had nothing to do with him being transformed.

robby shot an angry look at her. she was supposed to let him die.

aye, she disobeyed, connor said. and she was punished for it.

marielles vision blurred as tears threatened to fall. i am aware that my mistakes have caused others to suffer. i am truly sorry. her gaze met connors, and the fierce determination in his eyes gave her comfort.

robby, gregori began. he ran a hand through his thick hair. dude, we cant just . . . drop her. what would happen to her?

robby folded his arms across his chest, scowling.

she can sense death, connor announced.

robby glowered at him.

the next time casimir and his minions feed and the victims start dying, marielle will know, connor explained before glancing at her. ye know exactly where death is happening, aye?

she nodded.

wow, gregori whispered.

weve always followed casimirs trail of dead bodies, connor continued. but then we arrive after the fact, after casimir and his minions have escaped. imagine how it will be if we can arrive while theyre still feeding and we catch them by surprise?

robbys eyes lit up. i could finally kill casimir.

marielles heart expanded in her chest. this was itthe noble mission she needed to accomplish so she could return to heaven. it was perfect! all those arguments with zackriel where shed insisted that the evil vampires be stoppedshe could now use her powers to make it happen.

connor looked at her, his eyes gleaming. we need her. shes our secret weapon.

i agree that marielle was sent to us for a purpose, father andrew said. he turned to her with a worried frown. but we must be upfront with you, my dear. battling casimir is dangerous. are you willing to help us?

she nodded. yes. i am. her gaze drifted back to connor, and her heart filled with joy. the heavenly father had not abandoned her. hed sent connor to rescue her and protect her. but more than thatconnor and his friends were presenting her with a wonderful opportunity to make the world a safer place and, by doing so, prove she was worthy to return to heaven.

she was eager to spend more time with connor. and she was still curious about the darkness he hid in his heart. perhaps at some point, she would get up the nerve to ask him about darcy.

chapter ten

marielles plan wasnt working out.

connor teleported to romatech with robby to discuss strategy with angus and emma mackay. before leaving, he explained that angus had served as the general of the vamp army, and now, he and his wife were head of mackay security and investigation, the modern-day company that fought against casimir and his malcontents.

i canna guard you when the sun is up, connor told her.

you wont be here? she asked, bewildered by how disappointed she was. how quickly shed learned to depend on him. but there was no depending on him when he would be dead in about two hours.

what about the demon? father andrew asked before connor could respond to her question. would he come here during the day?

its possible, she murmured. somehow, the thought of connor actually being dead during the day was more disturbing than the possibility of seeing darafer again. no wonder connor seemed enveloped in sadness. she couldnt imagine never watching a sunrise or catching sight of a rainbow.

ill find someone to guard you, connor said, then vanished.

she missed him immediately.

father andrew busied himself in the kitchen, making them each a cup of tea. it tasted all right, but not nearly as good as the chocolate connor had given her. the priest had many questions, but gregori soon declared she needed a break, and he knew exactly what would cheer her up.

it was called disco dancing. and it did make her laugh. father andrew watched them, smiling, but eventually, slumped over on the couch fast asleep.

poor guy. gregori turned the volume down on the cd player. its gotta be way past his bedtime.

soon afterward, three forms wavered, then solidified.

hello, ladies. gregori greeted them with a charming smile. may i present our resident angel, marielle?

they all stared at her as if stunned.

she smiled a welcome, even though she felt a stab of disappointment that connor hadnt returned. the three women looked interesting, though. one had purple spiky hair and was dressed in a clingy black outfit with high-heeled black boots and a black whip around her waist. she was holding on to another woman who wore blue jeans, a flannel shirt, and cowboy boots. her thick, long hair was a beautiful mixture of brown, gold, and red. as soon as she materialized, she stepped away from the woman with purple hair.

the third woman looked very young, although her ability to teleport indicated she was a vampire and could be any age. she had brown hair, severely pulled back into a ponytail, and she wore blue jeans and a plain cream-colored sweater. her arms were filled with tote bags.

vanda, good to see you. gregori grinned as he gave the purple-haired woman a hug. i see married life hasnt crimped your style. hey, marta, how ya doin?

the young vampire smiled shyly in his direction as she headed into the kitchen. im fine. she set her tote bags down on the counter. we brought some things for the . . . her gaze darted nervously back to marielle.

god bless you. marielle smiled, and martas face reddened before she turned away.

so youre an angel? the woman in cowboy boots asked as she hooked her thumbs into her belt loops.

have we met? gregori asked. you look familiar.

the woman gave him an impatient look. we might have. i fought in the battle at south dakota, but i was in wolf form for most of that.

marielle stiffened. the woman was a werewolf? she had nothing against shifters, but the wolf form tended to make her uneasy since it was a guise so many demons enjoyed adopting.

this is brynley, vanda introduced her. phils twin sister. she glanced at marielle and clarified, phil is my husband. and marta over there is my sister.

i see. marielle tried not to look confused. vampire sisters? and one of them was married to a werewolf? and had purple hair?

delighted to meet you. gregori smiled as he approached brynley. phil and i are good friends.

oh yeah? brynley cast a wry look at vanda. well, he has weird taste.

vanda snorted. i think shes including you in that insult, gregori.

surely not. gregori pressed a hand to his chest, affecting an injured look. im one of the nicest guys youll ever meet.

brynley looked unimpressed.

well dressed, too. gregori adjusted his cuff links.

brynley arched an eyebrow. can you bring down an elk in sixty seconds? when gregori hesitated, she shrugged. i didnt think so. she turned to marielle and regarded her curiously. are you really an angel of death? you dont look very scary to me.

she could bring you down in sixty seconds, gregori muttered.

brynley paled a bit, but lifted her chin. im not afraid.

marielle could tell that the female werewolf wasnt as tough as she pretended. did you volunteer to guard me during the day?

brynley shrugged. someone had to do it. the vamps are completely useless in daytime, and the mortal women were too nervous. i figured why not? its not every day you get to meet a real, live angel.

i appreciate your bravery, marielle said. and i can assure you that i mean no harm.

brynley nodded. thats good to know.

vanda gave her sister-in-law a fond look. brynley came to live with us about a week ago. phil and i are delighted.

brynley looked embarrassed. well, i got sick and tired of my dad telling me what to do. he had the gall to throw me a big birthday party and announce my surprise engagement in front of a hundred pack members.

youre getting married? marta asked as she unloaded the tote bags in the kitchen.

no, brynley snapped. id never even met the guy before. some alpha wolf from alaska. anyway, i packed my bags and left. i knew phil would welcome me at his school.

we all welcomed you, vanda said quietly.

youre from a school? marielle asked.

dragon nest academy, vanda explained. i teach art there. brynleys planning to teach en-glish, and marta works in the office. she ran a hand through her purple spiky hair. to tell you the truth, im glad to get away for a little while.

me, too, marta mumbled from the kitchen.

why? gregori asked. whats wrong?

vanda snorted. ten teenage werewolf boys all learning to become alpha? well be lucky if they dont kill each other.

brynley winced. theres a reason why a pack only has one alpha.

and then you throw in five were-panther orphans, plus the new were-tiger from thailand vanda shook her head. cats and dogs do not mix well.

we need more girls there. marta set a plate of food in the microwave. the werewolf boys keep trying to hit on me.

brynley laughed. well, you do look about fourteen.

with a groan, marta punched some buttons. i was fifteen when i was transformed, but that was back in 1939.

so it is a school for shifter children? marielle asked.

vanda nodded. we have some mortal kids, too, who know too much to go to a regular school. and then there are the hybridshalf mortal, half vampire.

roman figured out a way for the vamp guys to father children, gregori explained. he and shanna have two.

the woman shed almost killed had children? marielle sent up a prayer that shanna would pull through. silence. her shoulders slumped.

so i gather connor caught you up to speed? gregori asked vanda.

yes. he seemed really . . . concerned. she eyed marielle curiously. its an honor to meet you.

connor thought you might be hungry, marta said as she removed the plate from the microwave. we brought some food from the cafeteria.

and we brought other stuff, too, vanda added. shampoo and lotion and all sorts of girly things. connor said youd never had a body before, so you might need a little female . . . advice.

sounds like time for me to leave, gregori muttered. he walked over to the couch and gathered the priest up in his arms.

thank you for coming, gregori. marielle inclined her head.

gregori grinned. see you later, angel. he disappeared, taking father andrew with him.

well, come and eat while its still hot. marta set a bowl and plate at the end of the table.

she needs silverware. vanda hurried into the kitchen.

marielle walked slowly to the table, then sat in the chair that marta indicated. a real human meal. the smell drifted up to her nose, spicy and enticing. hunger grew in her belly, but a small fear accompanied it. what if she enjoyed being human too much? shed certainly enjoyed feeling connors arms around her and his lips against hers.

this is salad. marta motioned to the bowl, then to the plate. and thats lasagna and a breadstick.

it all looked so foreign. and colorful. marielle didnt know where to begin.

and heres your knife and fork. vanda set some utensils on the table along with a smaller plate. and thats your dessert. chocolate cake.

marielle sat up. chocolate? she took the fork and poked at the cake.

oh no, marta whispered. youre supposed to eat the cake last.

why? marielle put a bite of cake in her mouth.

brynley laughed as she took a seat at the opposite end of the table. ive always wondered that myself.