Sentinal's Tear (Book #1 in Requiem Series) [formally titled Lacrimosa]

Chapter 5

The taste of his lips...Adam.

I broke every rule, lost control, endangered my order. It's a miracle Zane and Cass found me. A miracle Aydan didn't walk outside and discover the truth. A miracle the Dark One wasn't there.

I have to fix this: find the UnHoly, finish my task. Before the Council comes and Mikayel asks questions that have no answers.

I draw in a deep breath and stow away my thoughts. Control, Sentinal. Stay in control. That time is gone. It has no meaning to you now.

Yeah, right.

"I see you're awake." Zane, my best friend and confidant, stands in the doorway. We could be twins, our angelic statures identical except for his jet black hair and the dark emerald green glow to his skin and robes. It's the color of the Mediators, angels whose job it is to protect humanity from the evil seduction of the dark creatures and relay messages from the Council. It's that last part that worries me.

Do they know?

Zane helped me transition from my life on Earth. After sixteen years in human form, you forget a few things about being an angel. He filled in the holes, healed my mind, reminded me of my duty. It was Zane who introduced me to the Sentinal order, Zane who encouraged me to trust Mikayel. I owe him my life a thousand times over.

A thousand-and-one if you count tonight's fiasco.

"Hey, I was just coming to find you. Where's Cass?"

"She's confirming your orders." Zane clenches his jaw, something he only does when he's angry. Really angry. This can't be good.

"Orders? What orders?" My voice screams the unspoken question—how much does the Council know?

"You had to know they'd see everything. What happened? Why isn't that UnHoly gone?"

"Being human happened." I turn away, unable to handle his interrogating glare. "There's something wrong with my host—her mind isn't clean. She still has memories, feelings."

"Impossible. I took care of it myself."

"Well I don't fail, whether I'm trapped in a human body or not. My host has to be the problem. It's the only explanation."

"Are you certain?" Zane's accusing tone fills me with anger, doubt.

"Of course I'm certain. What else can it be?"

The question lingers as my mind crafts the answer. My past. My memories. My feelings.

No! I refuse accept that. I purged everything centuries ago.

"You were only in form for a few hours, too fast for your host to change you." Zane pins me with his stare.

"What are you saying? That this has to do with last time?"

He furrows his brow and reaches into my mind. "Does it?"

Images and feelings race past my vision. Aydan singing to me, the feel of his skin on mine, the taste of his lips.

Blazes. What's wrong with me?

"Your form isn't the problem, Nes. Is it?" Zane takes a deep breath and retreats from my thoughts. "You're going to have to manage the emotions—yours, the girl's, whatever. You said you could handle this. The Council expects this taken care of quickly." I open my mouth to speak and Zane raises a quieting hand. "And I expect you to do your duty."

The disappointment in his voice stings more than my failure. "What do you want me to do? I didn't anticipate any of this."

"I expect—"