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Sariel shook her head. “And if you slip, or one of those gives way, you’ll be free falling and then smashing into the side before we can even pull you up. I have a better idea.”
Alastor gave a frustrated sigh. “Of course you do.” He turned to her, irritation all over his face as he looked down at her. “Ok, Sariel, what’s your great idea?”
She simply smiled, and with a soft sound and a sudden small breeze her wings materialised in front of us. I’ll admit, I couldn’t help but stare. So did the others, even Ash becoming motionless, his eyes moving over the gleaming white feathers that seemed to possess a faint glow in the darkness. Sariel rolled her shoulders.
“I can take the rope across and bolt it down. I know how to, and it means all of you will be safe crossing.”
Alastor shook his head. “No.”
Sariel’s lips pressed together in frustration. “You don’t trust me to set the rope up safely.” It was a statement, not even a question, and although her voice was flat, I got the sense she was more upset that she was letting on.
Alastor took a breath. "It's not about trust, Sariel. Normally, we'd have a backup—someone to double check the work."
“And who was going to double check yours?”
“Theo. I would have him come second.”
“Or I can do it. You can come across first and check. Even if I haven’t done it right, it’s still safer than going without. You double check before the rest of them come over.”
Alastor frowned, eyes darting from her to the yawning darkness below. “We don’t know if there’s anything out there…” he said, his voice more hesitant than I was used to. I looked around the cavern, a sudden sick feeling at the thought of what could be out there in the darkness. Theo’s comment about a giant building the steps was suddenly not so funny.
Sariel stepped forward, placing her hand on Alastor’s arm. He looked down at where she was touching him, then back up at her face.
“I can do this, Alastor. Please, trust me.”
He hesitated, but then his shoulders dropped a fraction, and he sighed, but with a curt nod, he agreed. "Fine. But be careful."
She smiled, and it seemed to light up her whole face. “Yes sir.”
Alastor gazed at her a moment more, and then turned away. “Theo, you got those bolts set up yet? Sariel’s going to fly the rope over and secure it on the column and she’s going to need the drill and a couple of bolts.”
Theo stood up from where he was crouched near the doorway. As we'd been talking, he’d installed two metal bolts and had fastened the rope securely. I moved back slowly as he walked past me to where Sariel was standing and handed her the end of the rope and the equipment she needed.
“Thanks,” she said, attaching the rope to her own harness, and clipping the drill and bolts onto her belt.
“Double up, little badass,” Theo reminded her. “Two bolts are better than one. Same goes for mates.” He grinned as her headsnapped up and her mouth parted in shock. “Oh, you are so innocent, I love it,” he said, his grin getting more wolfish at her reaction.
She shook her head at him, apparently not knowing what to say to that. I smiled, knowing exactly where Theo was going. Humour was his thing, and he was using it to get her comfortable with the idea of mates… and two of them. Innocent she might be, but Theo certainly wasn’t.
His grin faded as he glanced at her wings, curiosity winning over caution. He stretched his hand out towards one, then paused. "Can I?" he asked.
She nodded, and he reached out, fingers brushing along the smooth feathers with a reverence that bordered on sacred.
“So soft,” he murmured, his fingers trailing gently through the feathers.
I stood there, watching them, and to my surprise, felt a strange longing to do the same. I shook myself. Yes, she was beautiful, and she had an inner strength that I could feel, despite barely knowing her, but she was an angel, and if she was going to give up her calling for someone, it would be the two shifters who were fated to be hers. Not a human. So, there was no point in even thinking about it. Which of course threw my mind headlong into thinking about it. My fingers trailing through her feathers, over that perfect pale skin just begging to be marked… there was something pure about her that called to my darker desires, and it was dangerous. That urge to debase and corrupt and claim… an innocent woman was one, an angel who had never been touched… fuck.
I turned around and leaned my forehead against the cool cave wall, closing my eyes and trying to find the sickening guilt buried inside me that would make the thoughts go away, and with them the raging hard on I now had at the thought of-
"Carlisle, you good?" Sariel's voice pushed into my thoughts, as I was fighting to recall the face that should be the only one in my head, in my desires. God, I wanted a drink. Or something harder. “Carlisle?”
“Yeah, I’m good. Sorry. Not a fan of heights if I'm being honest. Can we get this over with?” I asked. I wasn’t lying. The fear would focus my mind again.
“Of course, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realise.” Her hand rested on my shoulder, and I swallowed hard, trying not to imagine her touch anywhere else. It had been a long time since I’d been with anyone, and I had no fucking clue why my body was suddenly reacting this way.
“It’s fine, just give me a minute,” I said, my voice strained as I concentrated on the rock wall in front of my eyes.
“Of course,” she said, pulling her hand away. I took a deep breath as she stepped away, then turned around, hoping my situation wouldn’t be too obvious in the semi darkness.
