Sparks of Blue (Dark Light Book 2) Read Free Page B

that mean? Are you, like, an angel with healing specialty or something?”
    Laughing for a different reason, Belle shook her head. “All angels do have some sort of healing abilities. Most are limited to self or flesh wounds, or only work if they’re prayed for, that sort of thing.” Gwen nodded when she paused, and Belle debated the wisdom of the rest of her words. But it wasn’t like it was some big secret anymore. “I’m a Nephilim.”
    Head tilting to one side much the way a dog’s head might, Gwen slowly asked, “A … what?”
    “Half-angel,” Belle clarified. It was no surprise Gwen didn’t know the term. Most people didn’t, and of course those that did assumed they were myth. They were supposed to be, after all. But Gwen still didn’t need to know any of that. “I’m the one with the specialty in healing,” she continued instead. “All Nephilim inherit one angelic power, if you will. Healing is what I got. And I’m very good at it.”
    “Oh. Wow.” Gwen broke into a grin and nudged her nearest leg. “That’s seriously cool. Do you get to spend a lot of time with hotties like Kai?” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “’Cause I am totally jealous. I have to die never getting to be laid by a body like that, and it sucks .”
    Belle didn’t know whether to laugh or scream at that declaration, so instead she shook her head and steadied her breathing. “They might look good on the outside, but inside they’re mostly … dry.” Just in case someone was listening, Belle didn’t want to get a lecture for calling all angels everywhere assholes. Even if it was true.
    Gwen shrugged. “Who cares about the inside? It’s not like I’ll be around long enough to see it.”
    At this, Belle frowned and held up her pointer finger for a dramatic lecture. “Listen, that’s the last I want to hear of that, okay? My job isn’t to keep you alive until your soul is collected. It’s to heal you. So that curse is going to go away, and you’re going to live to see thirty-one. Got it?”
    The hair on the back of her neck stood up at the same time as Gwen’s attention snapped to something behind her, her eyes instantly wide with fear. Even a human could feel the demonic vibes from this intruder.
    Belle swung to her feet, putting her back to Gwen and bracing herself for a fight. She didn’t have her weapon in hand, but she’d trained hard. No demon would best her easily, even without her sword. Including the terrifying one standing before her with the eerily glowing red eyes and pointed teeth. He must love clichés.
    Smirking dangerously, the demon said, “Outta the way, little Nephy. I want the human.”
    Belle bristled at the slur. “Move me, demon.”
    That was exactly the wrong thing to say.
    ****
    Securing the perimeter was probably the dumbest, most obvious excuse he’d ever used in his long, long life. Kai cursed his idiocy as he walked away from the room. But it couldn’t be helped. He couldn’t get Belle’s consoling, sympathizing words out of his head and they echoed around like some stupid threat. She wasn’t dying. If for no other reason than he’d never allow it.
    Kai ground his teeth, wishing Isabella had given this assignment to someone else. There were angels who liked Belle, who didn’t look down on her for being Nephilim. Like Jaelyn. He’d heard they even sometimes ate together. Why the hell did she choose me? Half the armada was well convinced he held the disgustingly common negative opinion of Nephilim as a species, or at least where Belle was concerned. He hated letting anyone think it, but it was necessary all the same. The more preposterous the idea of him caring about Belle, the safer she’d be.
    But that was probably the problem, he realized.
    Nephilim were generally looked down on among angels. And any real relationship—let alone intimacy—between an angel and a Nephilim was forbidden. While Isabella didn’t appear to particularly dislike Nephilim, she would