Read Online Archangel Rafe (A Novel of The Seven Book 1) by Lisa Hughey - Free Book Online

she’d said it before but she was willing to say it again. He was a lot more fun when he didn’t speak.
    “What happened when you healed the alternative healer?”
    Okay, so they were pretending. She’d gotten pretty good at this in the last year or so. Pretend your heart isn’t breaking. Pretend that although your life is completely falling apart that you’re fine with it. More than fine. Great. Couldn’t be better.
    Until she arrived home and cried into her pillow in her king-sized bed all alone.
    She sank down onto the cold sand, crossed her legs, propped her elbow on her knee and rested her chin on her fist. If she really was here, Angelina might as well enjoy the beach.
    “Angelina?” he prompted.
    “Um. I felt like I could see his bloodstream. Like I was in it.”
    “And what did you see?”
    She wrapped her arms around her knees and huddled in on herself. What she’d seen was crazy. She had gone off the deep end. And if she didn’t have her family to worry about she might have stayed there.
    “There were globs of what I assumed was cholesterol.”
    Rafe sank down beside her. “Okay. Then what?”
    “I scooped them all up, but it felt like I was choking or drowning.” Then Rafe had rescued her.
    He raised his eyebrows. She tried not to get lost in his brilliant gaze, gleaming silver with the setting sun. “And his blood was clear?”
    She shrugged. “Seemed to be.”
    He was silent, head cocked, as if he were running scenarios through his mind. “Amazing.”
    Whatever.
    “Do you realize what an incredible gift you have?” Rafe jumped up and began to pace, kicking up bits of sand and little pieces of driftwood. “Of course you don’t, because I’ve gone about this all wrong.”
    The temptation to believe him, to fall into his fantasy was so strong. A healer. Then she would have hope and a purpose. But then reality hit her.
    “I don’t have a gift.” She’d given up the dream of becoming a nurse long ago. She didn’t have it in her to go there now. “I don’t want it. Give it to someone else.”
    “What?”
    She’d surprised the Archangel. Maybe this was what she needed to do. Reject the gift and then she’d be back home.
    He worked his jaw for a moment, then narrowed his gaze. “You will be able to accomplish much good.”
    “I don’t want it. I have too much responsibility already.” She wrapped her arms around her stomach. “Don’t you get it? I can’t handle one more thing. I’m hanging on by a thread as it is!”
    I don’t want it. Take it back and go away. Her plea came out as a whisper. “I just want to go home.”
    His hand hovered over her, his bicep bunched under the leather jacket, and his mouth twisted in disgust. “You truly don’t want your gift?”
    “Not a gift. Another responsibility.”
    Rafe tried to entice her. “You’ll live a longer life. Be free of illness yourself.”
    Nope.
    “I’ll have to figure this out,” Rafe muttered under his breath. “You truly do not wish to learn how to heal?”
    He stood tall and imposing, arms across his chest emphasized an incredible set of pectorals and biceps. She sighed. Being held in those arms was the only peace she’d had lately. And she thought maybe she could keep him but get rid of the ‘gift’.
    She shook her head, completely spent. No. “I can’t.”
    His expression, so beautiful before, turned menacing. As if the anger on his face filled his body, he seemed to grow larger, harder, and scarier with every heartbeat. He didn’t understand. She couldn’t.
    “Damn the Cosmos. Not now.” Rafe shook his head.
    “What?”
    “I have to go.”
    “Fine. Leave. I’ll just sit here on the beach and lose my mind.”
    “You’ll have to come with me. I don’t have time to take you home first.” Rafe wrapped his fingers around her bicep. “Hold on.”
    And suddenly they were in hell.

ELEVEN
    Rafe translocated Angelina with him and into the heart of this new problem. Fire raged around them, flames