Read Online The Angel's Assassin by Samantha Holt - Free Book Online Page B

juddering on its
tip. Collapsing to the ground, he knelt in front of his sword, bowing his head
to it as he kept his hands around the hilt.
    God’s blood, he was
a beast. He had terrified her, as was his intention, but why then did he feel
so much remorse for it? He was performing an act of kindness, releasing her
from his grasp. It was true, he was dangerous. As she stood there, offering
herself to him, complete and utter horror had assailed him. He could have slit
her throat then and there and had done with it. Yet, would he have done it?
    Never before had he
felt any kind of guilt over his actions. He had been paid well and performed
each act with cold efficiency, never caring whether his victims deserved their outcome
or not. A deluge of emotions seemed to engulf him, unfamiliar ones – hope,
fear, love…? Nicholas knew now he would never have done it, he could never have
killed Annabel. Her unquestioning trust and kindness had been the undoing of
him and he suspected he would never be the same again.
    He knelt there for
some time, the damp earth seeping through his hose until his knees became numb.
A vision came to him in a blinding light. It was Annabel, shining and golden,
an angel from heaven. She beckoned to him, calling him forwards and he found
himself powerless to resist. Some danger lurked behind her, he knew not what,
but he knew it was up to him to act. He understood now that she was his
salvation, guiding him to save his soul from the devil. He would protect her
and in return she may just save him from the fiery pits of hell. As the mists
retreated from his vision, the realisation that he had just sent her off into
the unknown struck him.
    Aye, he was
dangerous, but he knew now she had naught to fear from him and more to fear
from the world she now faced alone. What a brute he was, sending her off to
fend for herself. An awareness of his fate came upon him and knew what he must
do. For all his sinful deeds, he was being given a chance to atone for them. Annabel
needed his protection and he would protect her day and night, even from
himself. He loved her, he was sure of that now, but she was as pure as an angel
and he would not sully her with his hell bound soul.
    Nay, instead he
would watch over her. Always. That would be his penitence. And if she should
find love with another, he would watch from afar, ensuring no man ever hurt or
mistreated her. His duty was clear to him now and he hauled himself to his
feet, groaning as his knees ached.
    Now he just had to
find her. Where would she have gone? He suspected the most likely place was the
inn. Annabel knew little of the area and she would probably have hoped to find
help there. He uttered a quick prayer, begging for someone to watch over her
until he could find her. He had never prayed before, not once, for he knew
no-one would listen to him and his blackened soul, but he reasoned they would
for Annabel’s sake. He headed in the direction of the inn and trusted that she
would be there, for if not he would hunt to the ends of the Earth to track her
down.
    ***
    Annabel didn’t stop running until
she reached the inn, pushing her way past the innkeeper and up the stairs.
Slamming the heavy door behind her, she slumped on top of the mattress, her
heart thudding in her chest. Tears burnt in her eyes as she remembered
Nicholas’ face. She had never seen him so angry before. In truth, she had never
seen him angry at all. Even when he fought his way out of Alderweald, he had
done so with a cold efficiency.
    How had he gone
from wanting to kiss her to threatening her? He wanted her, Annabel had seen
the desire there and he had nearly admitted as much. Why did she anger him so?
And why did he think he was dangerous? He had petrified her with his sudden
fury, the fiery emotion so unlike him.
    As her hammering
heart calmed, she began to wonder if she should have stayed, if she should have
held onto her courage and tried to reach the man underneath the anger. Surely