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Category: Erotica/Paranormal Erotica/Dark Fantasy
Description: What happens when a demon falls for an angel? Tangela Teshua just recently buried her parents and has given up her city apartment to move back to the country house they left her. However, their deaths and her move are not the biggest changes coming to Tange's life. Tange learns she is a guardian angel--or at least she will be when she over comes the challenges Satan will put in front of her. Andras Belial's father assigned him the task of destroying the newest being on the lighted path. But another battle looms on the horizon for Andras. His inner demon struggles against the strange formation of feelings, of a conscience growing to life. He falters even more when he meets Tange, the beautiful angel just might be able to save him. Lucifer, infuriated that not only has Andras turned his back on his heritage but he has joined forces with an angel, sends an assassin demon after both Andras and Tange. Can they keep the demons at bay long enough to find happiness?
eBook Publisher: Resplendence Publishing, LLC, 2011 February
eBookwise Release Date: April 2011

2 Reader Ratings:

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Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [158 KB]
Words: 33613
Reading time: 96-134 min.

Tangela Teshua stood surrounded by boxes in the living room. The familiar pale purple walls with mauve, gold and pink rose wallpaper border were layered with fine dust. She inhaled deeply and imagined she could smell her mother's perfume still swirling around her. Her throat dried and pain knotted in her chest at the thought of her parents. They had been gone three months, and she was finally able to move into the little house they had left her.

Bitter anger filled her. Tangela had been in Memphis on vacation when the accident had occurred. A twenty-one year old girl had been out for a few drinks with her friends when she'd slid behind the wheel of her car.

That, coupled with the cell phone planted on her cheek, had led to the tragedy. The little blue Honda had broadsided the larger Dodge sedan carrying Tange's parents and slammed it into a guardrail.

"Tange?" Tangela's best friend, Daniel Farmer, stepped up beside her and set the final box down. "You don't have to do this. You can stay with me for a while."

She shook her head. "I should be here. I need to be here. It's home, where I belong."

"But you're out in the middle of nowhere."

"Middle of nowhere? There are three houses just down the road."

"Half a mile or more down the road. Look, Tange, you shouldn't be alone. Not right now anyway," Daniel argued.

"What's gotten into you?" Daniel had always been the over-protective big brother type, but he was beginning to grate on her last nerve. "What exactly is it you think I can't handle? I've lived out here most of my life. I know these woods better than I know the back of my hand."

"But a single woman alone out here? It's not safe."

Had it been anyone else making such a condescending remark Tange would've kicked their ass for them. Daniel meant well, so she decided to let it slide, this time. "I can dial nine-one-one. I know how to defend myself. I can kick some serious ass. I beat you down." She playfully slapped him in the arm.

"I remember," he murmured while rubbing his shoulder. "But it's not someone that worries me."

Tange stared at him. "Something? I know a few bobcats have been seen around here, and I remember hearing someone saw a small bear. I'm not worried. You don't bug wildlife, wildlife won't bug you."

"There are worse things out there, Tange." He stroked his chin, paced to the window and stared out into the darkening sky.

"I don't know," he muttered. "Is it the right time?" He strode back and forth before finally turning to face her. "I think I should move in here."

He was mumbling, pacing and talking to himself. It was as if her Daniel had been swallowed by a pod or something. She didn't worry about them living together platonically; she wasn't a starry-eyed kid with a crush on a slightly skinny bookworm with big blue eyes and sandy blond hair.

This new side to him ground her nerves. He acted like she was some weak little girl that needed the protection of a big strong man.

"No."

"What do you mean, no? Come on, Tange, think it over. You're all alone. There are things out there that can hurt you, and you might not be able to protect yourself from them."

"Things. What kind of things? I told you, I'm not afraid of the wild animals slinking around the property."

He drew up to his full six-feet two-inch height and leveled a gaze at her. "I don't care what you say, I'm staying."

She couldn't believe him. What was his deal anyway? "The last time you got this attitude with me, I kicked your ass, remember?"

It was a memory that would be forever etched in her mind. A date with the high school football hero ended badly when Daniel had shown up on Make-Out Lane and interrupted a mad dash for third base. Daniel had grabbed her and dragged her out of the car, scolding her for her "improper behavior". It had been so humiliating! But rather than scream and shout back, she'd called on all the classes she'd taken in her martial arts training, lifted her leg and slammed into his chin with a roundhouse kick that would have made Chuck Norris proud.

Daniel cleared his throat, bringing her back to the present. "I let you win that round."

"Let me win? You didn't begin to fill out until senior year, cowboy. You were still scrawny, and I was pissed."

"I'm staying. Period." He reached down to pick up a box labeled bedroom and walked down the hallway.

He was going to do it, just walk right in without so much as a by your leave.

"Daniel. Daniel!" She ran after him. "I may be rusty, but I still remember every class. Judo, Akido, Karate. I can still kick your can."

He set the box down. "So do it."

"What?"

"You think you're so tough? Bring it on. You've been threatening and pushing for most of our lives. I'm sick of it. Let me have it. Hit me with your best shot."

Was he kidding? He actually sounded irritated. No, he was angry. At her. He was invading her space, and he was angry?

"I don't want to play games with you. I'm tired, I have a lot of work to do, and I just want to be alone. Get out. Go home."

He planted his feet and set his jaw. "Throw me out again. Go ahead."

She shook her head, released an exasperated sigh and stepped back. "Look, just let me get some rest. Alone. Please?"

"I'm not going anywhere. You want me out? Then you better go ahead and throw me out."

Irritation became agitation. She threw up her hands in exasperation. A white-hot burst shot from her fingertips to the ceiling, scorching a small ring on the plaster. The concussion knocked her back, and she fell onto the floor.

Grimacing, Tangela slowly sat up and rubbed the back of her head, flicking her gaze between the singed ceiling and her friend. "What the hell was that?"

Daniel grinned and reached out to help her to her feet. "It's time."

Andras Baliel stalked the narrow alleyway. The sun had just set, and the late afternoon air was warm and still. Blood roared in his ears. His gut churned. His hands shook. He needed to kill. This waiting around was driving him crazy. Never had he been so bored in all his life. Lucifer had a report of a new angel who would soon be coming into its powers, and Andras was supposed to tempt or terminate the being of light. But until the path to the angel was revealed, he had nothing to do but haunt the human world.

An old man dressed in shabby, ill-fitting clothes weaved down the dirty alley, a little dog scurrying around his feet. The human was a worthless waste. It didn't deserve to live.

Andras darted over, grabbed the man by the collar and squeezed his throat. The man's face reddened, and he squirmed with the need to breathe.

The fear filling the man's heart was a heady rush. Humans had alcohol and drugs. Andras and his kind had terror and suffering. He savored the pain building in the man's heart and body.

"Worthless human," Andras snarled as his fingers tightened.

At his feet, a mass of dirty fur alternately barked, growled and bit at Andras' ankles. Andras raised his free hand and the dog lifted from the ground, hovering in midair like a furry balloon. He closed his hand into a fist and the dog's shrill barking became frightened whimpers. With the mongrel effectively silenced, Andras turned his attention back to the man. Tears flowed down the man's cheeks, and Andras read the plea for compassion in his eyes.

Mercy wasn't something he dealt with. Andras grinned and released his grip slightly, allowing the man the ability to speak. "Beg me," he ordered.

"Please," the man began.

"Please what?" Andras savored the power he held over the pitiful human's life. Soon the pleading would sing in his ears.

"Please...don't hurt my dog."

The man's raspy reply caught him off guard. Surely he had misheard. The human was begging for mercy--for the dog? His grip relaxed more. "What did you say?"

"Please...mister...don't hurt my dog."

A strange feeling flickered inside him. It was...what? Andras shook it off. He should split the beast wide open before the man's eyes.

He let the man drop to the ground and gripped the floating dog in both hands. Andras gradually tightened his hold on the squirming, whimpering creature, savoring the tears and fear radiating from the human waste lying at his feet. The man cried and pleaded once more, not for his own life, but for that of the worthless cur. The strange sensation that had previously flickered over Andras returned. Before he could think, his hold slipped, and the dog dropped to the ground.

The man reached out, picked up the mongrel, and held him close. He stared up into Andras' eyes, but he didn't move, didn't run.

"Get the hell away from me," Andras roared.

The dirty human didn't wait to be told twice. He scrambled over the broken concrete and ran from the alley, the dog still cuddled in his arms.

Andras rubbed his hands together. Why hadn't he killed them? What the fuck was wrong with him? A snarl surged up from deep in his chest and echoed off the jagged brick walls of the lane.'