Free Archangel's Heart by Nalini Singh

Until Illium accidentally spotted his friend by a river near the Refuge. Aodhan was gone by the time Illium returned from his task as a courier, but in his friend’s place, he’d found a delicate stack of stones that cast an astonishingly intricate shadow—a stack placed so it would be washed away when the river next rose.
    Raphael could still remember Illium’s tear-wet eyes, his trembling voice when he reported his find. “Aodhan’s not gone.” A husky rasp. “He’s still alive inside. We just have to wait for him to find his way back to us.”
    Tonight, Raphael glimpsed faint flecks of yellow and blue paint in Aodhan’s hair. “I think you can guess the knives that will be out,” he said in response to the angel’s question, “all of them ready to stab us in our backs.” He sipped from his wine, nodding in thanks at Montgomery, who’d come in to top up their glasses. “This is a meeting of vipers, Aodhan. Your task will be to keep Elena safe.”
    Elena threw a roll at Raphael’s head.
    He caught it, startled. “Elena, did you just throw a bread roll at the Archangel of New York?”
    â€œI felt like throwing my biggest blade but I restrained myself,” was the response. “Aren’t you proud of me?” A saccharine sweet smile.
    Illium choked on his laughter, while Aodhan managed to keep his face expressionless, the shattered mirrors of his eyes suddenly deeply interested in the small centerpiece on the table. Montgomery had been about to leave the library, hesitated, then gave in to his better nature and training, and slipped out.
    Switching to private mental speech after putting down the offending roll, Raphael said,
You have to be aware you need protection. Michaela will likely bring Riker as her escort just to spite you.
And the twisted vampire male wanted a piece of Elena.
    The fact Raphael had torn Riker’s heart out of his chest, punching a bare hand through Riker’s ribcage to grip the pulsating organ, might hold him back—or it might not. Because Riker wasn’t quite sane after so long in Michaela’s service. Not after the things she’d done—and who he’d been before he became her pet vampire.
    I can take that asshole.
Elena stabbed at her meal with her fork.
    There’ll be others, you know that.
    She looked up, her eyes holding not fury or even aggravation but something else, something deeper, more important.
Of course I know that, Archangel. I’ve been your consort for more than three years, and during that time, many people have tried to tear off my head, rip me limb from limb, stab me, you get the drift.
    His blood iced, his anger directed not at Elena, but at those who had attempted to harm her. Most of them were dead.
I do get the drift, Consort
, he said to Elena when she raised an eyebrow.
    Her lips kicked up at his edgy tone but her eyes remained serious.
I also know you’ll concentrate better in the meeting if Aodhan is with me. I like Sparkle. I don’t mind hanging with him while you’re wheeling and dealing in the Cadre.
    As Elena had been Consort for several years, Raphael had been an archangel with a consort. So he knew that, right now, he was being called to account.
Perhaps I should ask Illium and Aodhan to leave.
The two members of his Seven were chatting quietly to each other, totally at ease despite the jagged sparks in the air . . . because this was their home, too.
    It had become so after Elena became Raphael’s. His Seven had always come and gone from the Enclave house, had stayed here at times, but never had they been so at home here. It was his hunter who’d made that happen—and it wasn’t only the Seven she’d affected. It wasn’t chance that Montgomery had begun to court Sivya only after Elena had been living here for some time.
    She’d brought life with her, brought heart.
    They can stay.
Elena took a sip