Chapter Twenty-Nine
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RAMIEL WAS RELIEVED that they’d fled before Caterina’s sire had sensed her. Their skills had been boosted, which gave them an edge against their enemies. He had no doubt they would have been captured if they’d lingered for even a few seconds longer.
Now that he’d seen Manhattan for himself, it was obvious his commander and brothers weren’t there.
The island was too small for both factions to have their bases there.
Rahab’s minions were everywhere, which would make it difficult for the knights to sneak in.
Every bridge and tunnel would be guarded now.
“I’m going to have to search for my boss elsewhere,” Ramiel said.
“Are you sure your brothers aren’t hiding somewhere in the city?” Caterina asked. They’d slowed to a fast walk and were heading back to the truck.
“Amaros’ wards hide our base, but it would be too dangerous for them to venture outside,” he replied.
“Rahab controls Manhattan. He has lackeys everywhere. My brothers are too smart to allow themselves to be trapped somewhere on Manhattan Island. Their base will be somewhere close enough to reach the battle ground without being caught coming and going.” He didn’t mention the knights would be able to teleport when enough of them had been gathered up by their boss.
That was a secret he wasn’t supposed to share with anyone.
“Strategy really isn’t my thing,” Caterina confessed. “I’m more of a blunder around without any idea of what I’m doing kind of fighter.”
He chuckled and she grinned. “You did well while you were fighting the humans last night, female,” he reminded her.
“I learned how to use knives for my performances,” she said. “But I’ve never used weapons against anyone before.”
“Your acrobatic skills are just as impressive as your pyrokinetic talent,” Ramiel said in admiration.
“I’ve always been flexible,” she said with a sultry smile.
Tearing his gaze away, he automatically sent out his senses as they approached the house where he’d left the truck. “I can detect some humans,” he said when he picked up on four people.
“They’re trying to steal our ride,” Caterina realized when they saw the four men in the garage. “We should have closed the door,” she said with a scowl. It was obvious the truck was still usable, since the tires weren’t flat.
“Their souls are black,” Ramiel said and prepared himself for a fight.
“I’ve got this,” his female said confidently, then he felt magic emanate from her hands.
“What the hell?” one of the men shouted, yanking his hand off the door handle of the truck. He’d been trying to yank the door open.
“Damn it!” another male snarled, waving his scorched fingers. “What’s wrong with this truck? Why is it so hot?”
“I think it’s going to explode,” a third man said. He’d picked up a crowbar and had been about to smash a window open.
Backing away, all four turned and ran. They didn’t notice the knight and cambion who were crouched down behind a nearby parked car. “Good work, female,” Ramiel said. He would have cut them down, but it seemed she wasn’t in the mood for bloodshed.
“It was crude, but effective,” Caterina said, pleased with herself. She withdrew her magic and the truck rapidly cooled down. Thunder rumbled and she tilted her head back. “It looks like the storm will hit us soon. I hope it doesn’t have giant hail this time.”
“Is that what smashed so many windows?” Ramiel asked. He’d noticed a lot of vehicles and buildings had suffered from damage.
“Yeah,” she confirmed. “The weather has been crazy for the past few years before the Rapture. It’s starting to calm down a bit now, though.”
“Do you have any recommendations about where we should go to strategize?” the knight asked.
“I know a place where we should be safe for a while,” his cambion replied.
Ramiel followed Caterina’s directions. Raindrops began to fall when they were halfway there. An hour later, it was bucketing down and he was having trouble seeing the road. The wipers were working as fast as they could, but driving was treacherous.
“We’re almost there,” his female said just before he could ask. “Turn right just ahead,” she added.
Turning onto a muddy driveway, Ramiel drove up to a huge isolated house that was set back from the road. He parked beneath a huge carport and switched off the ignition. “What is this place?” he asked. He’d passed a sign, but it was raining too hard for him to read it.
“It’s a bed and breakfast,” Caterina replied. “I stayed here for the night once with a guy I met.”
Instantly jealous, Ramiel had to work to keep his expression neutral. “I can’t sense anyone inside,” he said. “I should scope it out, just to make sure it’s safe.”
“Okay,” she agreed.
Climbing out, the rain instantly soaked him to his skin when he raced over to the house.
All of the doors were locked when he tried them, including the French doors on the wrap-around porch.
Shouldering the back door open, he couldn’t smell any decay as he shut the door.
“Why did she have to take us to a place where she slept with another male?” he muttered.
He’d had sex with countless women, so he knew he was being an idiot, but his jealousy was still hard to banish.
The house had three levels and they were free of corpses when he checked each room. Unlocking the front door, he sprinted back to the truck. “It’s safe,” he said. “No one’s been here since the Rapture.”
“The owner was really nice,” Caterina said. “I’m sure she was chosen to go to heaven by God.”
She got out and they gathered up their gear. Ramiel carried her box of supplies to the house. Leaving her belongings just inside the door, his female returned outside.
“What are you doing?” he asked in consternation as she held her arms out and tilted her head back.
“I’m enjoying the rain,” she said with her eyes closed.
The sight of the lithe cambion’s clothes clinging to her body was impossible to ignore. Going rigid, Ramiel drank the scene down, committing it to his memory. She pulled her long, curly hair free from the ponytail and shook her head, running her hands through her locks.
Groaning inside his mind, the knight tore himself away before he did something stupid, like going down on his knees to beg her to share his bed. “Get a hold of yourself, Ramiel,” he muttered in annoyance. “This isn’t one of the stories in that alien warrior romance series you’re reading!”
The rain hammered down, but at least the hail remained absent.
Moving over to the window, he watched Caterina through a crack in the drapes.
Longing rose inside him. He wished Amaros was there to guide him.
The warrior didn’t want to start something with his female only to break her heart if their union wasn’t meant to be.
“She might not be the only one who ends up with a broken heart,” he murmured, feeling himself falling deeper beneath her spell.
Grinning happily, his cambion strolled up the stairs, then squeezed the water out of her hair. She stood still, then her clothes began to steam as she used her innate magic to dry herself off. From her delighted grin, she’d just learned a new trick.
He quickly moved away from the window and stood in the parlor just to the left of the entrance. He was pretending to study the paintings on the wall when Caterina walked in.
“I just learned how to use my magic to dry myself!” she declared.
Half turning so she couldn’t see his treacherous groin, Ramiel smiled in response. “I’m glad you didn’t accidentally set your clothes on fire,” he joked.
“Me, too,” she said ruefully. “Do you want me to dry you off?” she offered.
“I’ll pass,” he said and she snickered. “It should be safe to turn some lamps on, as long as the drapes are closed,” he said.
“Why don’t you get changed into dry clothes while I take care of that?” Caterina suggested.
Grateful for a chance to collect himself, he waited for her to begin closing the drapes before he retrieved his belongings.
Carrying them up to the second floor, he chose the first door and entered the bedroom.
“I need to stop reacting like a randy teenager every time I’m around Caterina,” he scolded himself quietly as he removed his clothes.
The sight of his cambion’s t-shirt and shorts plastered to her delectable body would be sure to haunt his dreams later.