Page 30 of Raphael
The name sends icy claws down my spine. Not for its infamy or connections, but for the visceral jolt of recognition. I whisper past stiff lips, “Kane? But he’s... That’s impossible!” Because handsome ambitious Kane occupies Lucifer’s own Inner Circle, the trusted elite, guarding throne and kingdom interests.
Dominique nods somberly. “Yes, Tharaux sits at the right hand of our mutual benefactor, even now. Tricky as jackals, that one—he hid his tracks masterfully, despite familiarity granting him access.” His shields slip for just a moment, fury blazing like solar flares in his eyes. “Such treachery cannot stand unanswered.”
The cold proclamation sends prickling unease down my neck. But Dominique blinks away wrath just as quickly, leaving only weariness weighing his sturdy frame.
Oblivious to my philosophical musings, Dominique briskly closes the ledger pages away. I startle back as the case clicks loudly. He straightens to tower over my seated form, painting a stark silhouette against wheezing fluorescents.
“Our business concludes for tonight, Miss Morningstar.” As if handling fine crystal, Dominique draws my unresisting hand up to brush a courtly kiss that I barely register. Dangerous though this immortal may prove, I sense truth in his genial overtures. An ally still, however ruthless his hard-handed methods.
“Go home and rest if you’re able. I shall set events in motion to remove the viper from our midst before more virulent damage spreads.” A paternal pat to my shoulder turns him momentarily back into jovial foreign uncle before darkness reclaims his presence. “You’ve done well uncovering the rot within. Let those who are more skilled in handling such ugly situations as betrayal take care of the rest. The most challenging battles often fall to the generals’ trusted officers.”
I simply nod, words still paralyzed behind a throat gone desert dry.
Dominique’s mysterious gaze, filled with genuine understanding and not just a facade, finally snaps me out of my daze. I clear my throat, smoothing the front of my dress in a visible effort to pull together some dignity before I flee these oppressive chambers.
“Very well, Mr. Uphir. I shall await your signal when the unpleasant business has concluded.” Polite fictions structure my tone, holding shock’s lingering tremors at bay. I will not shatter here displaying weakness. However harrowing the pitched path ahead, I am still Lucifer’s kin. Kane and all oathbreakers shall soon discover exactly what fury awaits those foolish enough to cross Morningstar blood.
Dominique smiles, seeing determination eclipses numb horror in my eyes again. “On that glad day when justice served draws closed this unfortunate chapter, do call me Dominique. After all we discussed tonight, formalities seem rather obsolete.” A real grin flashes, warming his striking visage into an approachable radiance once more.
I return it weakly, the expression foreign after so much anger and confusion this evening. But I grasp the significance he extends with such a familiar address. The beginning wisps of alliance between our houses weave a new tapestry for LA’s future power structures.
For now, I simply murmur repeated thanks and farewells before fleeing the stagnant warehouse, his confidence in my shaken spirit bolstering my faltering steps. The shadows seem to peel reluctantly away as I pass back through the dingy metal door into the open night.
No magic saves me from stumbling several times in these ridiculous designer heels over the cracked concrete, their usual empowering staccato reduced to shuffling echoes. Dominique and his revelations stripped me bare emotionally. My fortitude diminishes until I collapse behind the steering wheel. It’s only then that my iron restraint crumbles, and I am overwhelmed with delayed sobs.
As I fumble for my keys, the hair on the back of my neck prickles unexpectedly. I freeze, senses straining—the empty lot and hulking machinery seem watchful all of a sudden. I peer hard into murky corners, searching for what triggered the creep of eyes tracking my path. But nothing moves, save a stray candy wrapper scraping past.
After endless tense heartbeats, I slowly resume rifling through my bag. Just frayed nerves and paranoia after everything that happened with Uphir. The meeting left me jumping at shadows, clearly. Releasing an unsteady breath, I firmly banish eerie sensations to random wind gusts.
With trembling hands, I finally get my car purring into life.
I’m only a business major with a PhD in economics. But now, I find myself thrust into a dark and dangerous realm of mobsters and treacherous demons. Raphael was right to be concerned for me tonight, but thoughts of him can only break my heart further. The man devotes his life to protecting and rescuing innocent children, while I devote mine to plotting and scheming against my family’s enemies... Our worlds cannot but collide, creating chaos and turmoil.
My blood boils at the thought of that conniving Kane. It was him all along, pulling the strings and watching with twisted satisfaction. But his time is up. As I prepare to see him tomorrow at the club, I can feel the rage bubbling within me. Yet, for the sake of our plan, I must keep a cool facade and act oblivious to his deceit. Revenge will be sweet, but patience is key.
Gradually, the wracking torrent of emotions lessens, tears slowing to hitched whimpers. Dragging a tattered breath, I peer up blearily from my folded arms. The sight of this deserted industrial graveyard barely penetrates. How can I drive anywhere like this?
I dig my cell phone hastily from my bag, which miraculously remains intact despite the rough jostling within. Raphael’s name flashes on the screen with a missed call, bright as a beacon through the storming darkness. My nerves flutter in uncertainty. Can I brazenly seek his aid after walking away without explanation? I was cruel leaving him so abruptly after we just discovered such heartening happiness together.
My finger hovers over the call button, paralyzed by fear and vulnerability. I know that breaking things off with Raphael is the right decision, given our differing worlds and bloodlines. But part of me resists, struggling with the thought of losing him... If Eve were here, she would scoff at my reliance on enemies for comfort, instead of turning to my own kind.
CHAPTER19
Raphael
I stridethrough the bustling hospital corridors, nodding absently to familiar faces while battling to focus on the stack of charts in hand. But concentration keeps slipping through my grasp. Visions of raven hair and worried maroon eyes dance ceaselessly through my thoughts instead.
It’s been a full weekend since Helena fled my condo after receiving that cryptic late-night message. Yet it feels far longer bearing this cold knot of dread within my gut. I keep replaying our last moments together, searching for clues in the abrupt danger that whisked her from the warmth of our newfound intimacy. Did I miss some vital sign of her turmoil before it boiled over? Could I have kept Helena safely tucked in my embrace if only I’d pressed her to confide in me earlier?
Logically, I know no action could alter whatever ominous forces now swirl around her. Helena likely hid the truth deliberately to shield me—noble stubbornness runs strong in Morningstar blood, it seems. But knowing that does nothing to quiet the panic battering my composed facade the longer her silence stretches.
I pass the rooftop garden entrance, tempted to slip outside for an anxiety break. But escaping work won’t hasten responses from Helena. It will only amplify my fretful thoughts and send them spinning in endless circles. Duty comes first, then the reward of seeing my beloved whole and well again soon... I desperately hope.
Somehow, I battle through the morning meetings and rotations competently, despite my inner chaos. By the time lunch break arrives, I’ve checked my phone to disappointment dozens of times.Enough. I need to hear Helena’s voice before my imagination renders me useless with grisly possibilities.
Ducking down an empty hallway, I tap her name with bated breath, pacing as dull rings menace my calm. But it flips straight to voicemail once more. I inhale sharply. Adamantly tamping down swelling dread, I dial again, listening to those damned endless tones...
“Hey! I can’t reach the phone right now. Leave a message and I’ll get back to you.”
