Free Domiel by Dawn McClure Page B

just do my job. There were times death was welcome. In cases of extreme disease or debilitating illness, the family only wanted peace for their loved ones. Those cases made my existence bearable.”
    “But you knew they were going to a better place.” That’s how she’d survived her daughter’s murder. Heaven. Her child was in a much better place, and though Kelsey still missed her terribly, she could take solace in that.
    “Absolutely. But it was the loved ones of the deceased who … it was disturbing at times.”
    She could still recall the terror and desperation in her own voice when she realized her daughter had quit moving … quit breathing. Hell, she’d still been terrorized days later when she’d had to drink from Ambrose to survive her transformation. She’d often wondered if Ambrose had read her thoughts that day.
    The intensity of his stare overrode the loud beat of the music, making it seem as though they were the only two people in the club. “You were an Angel of Souls? Like Samael?”
    “Yes.”
    Samael had fallen in the First Angelic Revolt, over two thousand years ago. Domiel had fallen mere months ago. His job in Heaven had been helping people transition from one plane of existence to another. He’d faced death on a daily basis. Hell, he’d been death. What would that do to a person? Samael had spoken to her about his time as an angel briefly, when everyone had frequented her room at the Alliance Headquarters just after her ordeal, feeling as though she’d needed her hand held to get better. The job he’d described had curled her toes.
    How many times had Domiel had to shut out those who begged for their loved ones to be spared?
    “What made you choose to fall from grace?”
    “Two things. I wanted…” Whatever it was he was about to say, he decided not to. “I decided it was time for a change. Another Angel of Souls convinced me to take the plunge. She was rather new to the job, having been a human once. Her words were what filtered through my mind when I was standing over Jade.”
    “What words?”
    “Everyone deserves happiness.”
    So he hadn’t been content at all. “Humans become angels when their soul passes to that realm?”
    “No.” He smiled. “She worked her way to that rank. She said the Angel of Souls who brought her soul over had calmed her, and she was thankful to him. She wanted the same job, so she worked for it.” He glanced toward the back. “The phone’s ringing.”
    And just like that, the connection to him she’d been feeling shattered. She had a job to do.
    She glanced at him before slipping off the chair. She had to knock a few people out of her way. A male with dreadlocks and a nose ring picked up the phone before she got to it, and she yanked it out of his hand. “Beat it, kid,” she muttered in French.
    He looked at her as though she were crazy. Considering she looked younger than he did, he had a right to. Being carded was an ongoing problem. She brought the receiver to her ear and ignored him. “Hello?”
    “Change of plans. Jade and I are at the airport in London. Samael and Azazel, along with Sven and Roger, are right on our asses. It’s a fucking mutiny.”
    The Alliance hadn’t waited for Domiel. They must have moved right after Kelsey had connected with Ambrose. “You’re coming after me ?”
    “Please! We’re coming to keep the Alliance on their toes. These assholes are asking for a fight.”
    There was a rustling sound on the other end, as though the phone had switched hands. Jade yelled into the phone. “I’ll be damned if they think they’re taking my friend out. You’re not alone, Kels!”
    Domiel had asked why people laid down their lives for others, and this was the reason. Their friendship meant more to her than anything, but she couldn’t allow them to ruin their lives and threaten their jobs for her. “Those are your own husbands you’ll be up against. You really need to think about this before you just take off like