Chapter Seven

She took the elevator instead of the stairs and got to the ground floor in record time. She managed to stride out of the front door, still holding her book and walked purposefully in the direction she had seen the guards. When she got there, Angel was still sitting on the stretcher, He held his head in his hands even with cuffs around his wrists. As if he could sense her coming, he snapped up his face, watching her walk closer. 

Although it was dark the outdoor light shone dully over his feature, making it easy for her to see his eyes. He seemed disoriented for about a second and then his eyes shone with malice. Nadia felt her entire frame shake. She made herself hold his gaze, letting him see how contrite she was. That seemed to make his eyebrows draw together in a frown. Nadia used that time to jerk cold gazes at the guards and then she hissed.

“Really? What sort of incompetence am I witnessing now?” she said in the most bitchy voice she had ever used, folding her arms against her chest. The guards looked alarmed.  

“G - good evening … um morning, Miss…” one of the guards tried to explain.

And another one interjected when the other one kept uttering incoherent words, “We were just taking … um …” 

“Why is he in handcuffs?” Nadia snapped in a chilly tone, cutting the two mumbling idiots off. 

“The Doc said he might get violent if he became conscious…” another one succeeded in explaining.

“And does he seem violent to you now?” she asked, scowling at him as she gestured to Angel who seemed transfixed watching the display. The men darted a glance in Angel's direction. Nadia could almost feel his gaze burning a hole in her robe. His attention was fully on her. 

“Um … no … Miss … ” the one who seemed to be in charge mumbled. 

“Uncuff him at once!” Nadia snapped, causing them to give each other panic glances. When after a minute they still haven't done as she asked, she reached out her right hand, gesturing for them to give her the key. 

“Miss Rufus, he is truly dangerous … ” the leader of the lot tried to warn in a concerned tone. 

“Give me the key or I swear I will have your head when my uncle returns…” she replied, overriding his voice in a low angry growl. One of the men quickly stepped forward to hand over the key. Nadia tried not to let her fear show as she moved closer to Angel and crouched low in front of him. 

Avoiding looking into his eyes, she unlocked the custom-made cuffs and let them fall off of his big, strong wrist.  She doubted normal-sized handcuffs could fit around his wrist. She threw the key back to the one that gave it to her and then she reverted her gaze to meet Angels’. 

“I trust you can find your own way back to your apartment, Mr. Angel,” Nadia said, sounding braver than she felt. Angel slowly nodded, his grey eyes searching hers as if he was trying to decipher her intent. “Good,” Nadia said and turned to skip her eyes over the guards looking at her in awe. “Do you intend to stand there all morning, gawking!”

“No, Miss…” two of the men replied. 

When Angel stood up in his six-feet-three-inches glory, the men took a few strides backwards. 

Nadia swallowed, noting he was indeed intimidating. He turned away and started to strode off in the opposite direction. Nadia watched him leave with a sinking heart and then turned away, but she didn’t head back inside. She walked in the direction of the garden just below her window, hoping the guards would leave so she could find a way to trail Angel. 

“I can’t believe that just happened,” she heard one of the guards say. 

“Do you think it is true that she is a witch? I heard the kitchen maid say so,” another replied. 

“Did you see how amenable Beast boy got? I thought he was going to rip us all apart for sure!”

"Not once did he snarl at her...." another interjected.

"Idiot! Would you have snarled if you were him? Miss Nadia is really hot!" 

"Please! Beast boy would never have a chance with her. She didn't earn the title of the witch of Orolow Refuge for being coy. Besides, the boss might treat him like some special merchandise, he will not hesitate to kill him if he dares look in his niece's way. I heard her father is a real mean son-of-a-bitch."

"Stop your yammerings! She will never go for an animal like him. Miss Rufus is classy,” another said as their voices grew distant. 

Nadia sighed. It appeared her father’s reputation and hers back home in Orolow Refuge had reached her uncle’s household. She wondered if she would ever be able to live it down. She started to lower herself to a stone bench at the center of the garden when a stony voice stopped her cold. 

"Is that true, Nadia, would you ever go for an animal like me?" The voice was barely audible but she heard it, and it came right behind her. Before she could turn, a strong hand covered her mouth and the other wrapped around her middle, lifting her up to rest against a warm solid form. Nadia's heart did a flip. She breathed hard. He then slowly backed up into the shrub, taking her with him. 

She found herself wrapped in his warm embrace as he darted into the woods, taking her farther from the house and the guards. 

At some point, it got too dark for her to see and then he pressed her back to a tree, with his hand still pressed against her mouth, he leaned close to her face and snarled – baring unusually long, dangerously sharp teeth. 

"Tell me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now?" 

When she mumbled something, a jolt of desire shot through him as her soft lips moved against his palm, making it hard for him to focus on his anger and not remember how incredibly soft they were and what they had felt like brushing his skin. 

He then noticed how her robe gapped in the middle, exposing black lingerie, cupping her full, supple breast he remembered too well. He suppressed the urge to howl. His beast fought to surface so he could take her. He grunted and shook his head, trying to stay focused. Her beautiful eyes searched his with apprehension. Even though he could feel and smell her fear, there was also something else there that made him a tad befuddled. 

"If I remove my hand and you scream, I will wring your neck!" he growled deep in his throat, fighting to stay in character. She nodded. When he removed his hand, Nadia swallowed and then flicked out her tongue to wet her lips. Angel clenched his teeth, his nostril flared as he breathed hard.