KNIVES AND SHEATHS

The original version of this shortstory was meant to be a scenein ARCHANGELS STORM

, but I deleted it in anearlier draft and theinformation shared here aboutLijuan eventually became partof chapter 8 in the book.

However, I thought the sceneoffered a nice glimpse of Elena andRaphaels relationship, so I decided to

edit and extend it into a short story. Ihope you enjoy!

Knives and Sheaths

By Nalini Singh

Hanging up the phone after gettingsome further details from Jason about thedeveloping situation, Raphael turned towhere his consort stood on the other sideof the private office attached to theirTower suite. She was currently slidingknives into the special forearm sheathsshe used for the most lightweight of herblades, a scowl on her face.

Damn it. Pure aggravation. Ireally need to replace thesethis sidesthreatening to fray right off.

Deacon would not do suchshoddy work, he murmured, naming theweapons-maker so respected that hehandled commissions from immortalsaround the world, his waiting listextending years into the future. However,regardless of the incentives offered,Deacons first loyalty was to the guild ofhunters of which he had once been amember.

Elena colored. Im tooembarrassed to ask him to make me new

onesI bought these on a whim from aweapons-maker in Turkey. I feel like Icheated on Deacon. Ripping off andthrowing the sheaths on the bed, she puther hands on her hips. So, Lijuans upto her old tricks?

Its not so surprisingshebelieves herself beyond even theCadre. Raphael had once thought Lijuanright, but now hed seen her wounded,knew the other archangel could bestopped.

Elena reached back to redo herbraid with quick, competent hands, oneof which bore a healing knife wound

shed sustained during a training session.It would be gone within the next twohours, her strength growing at anunexpected ratebut then, his consorthad never once done the expected.

Youd think after seeing theresults last time, no one would volunteerto become reborn, Elena said, her eyesfilled with memories of the horrific nightin the Forbidden City when a deadwoman had jerked back to shamblinglife in front of them. She has to becoercing them A shake of her head.No, most of her people treat her like agoddess, so I can believe theydsacrifice themselves to her vision, even

knowing the horror. She couldconceivably build an army.

Yes. It was a future that couldnot be permitted to come into being, forLijuans reborn were a plague. Jasonsinformation is that shes only making oneor two at a time before executing hercreationsbut we cannot stopmonitoring her.

Braid done, Elena picked up theinferior knife sheaths and chucked themin the trash, putting her throwing knivesonto a table with the mournful look of awoman being parted from the mostprecious of jewels. No, and not only

because of the rebornLijuan isntgoing to be satisfied until youre dead.Her irises gleamed metallic silveraround the rims, immortality havingtaken a stronger hold on her in thepreceding months. And I wont besatisfied until the bitch is boiling in herown blood.

Raphael raised an eyebrow. Iwould say youve been spending toomuch time with Dmitri were he here.

No, thats all me, she said witha smile that was a blade to his heart, itcut so deep. She tried to hurt you, andshell keep on trying to hurt you because

she knows you have the potential todestroy her. I dont intend to sit back andlet her, archangel or not.

A warrior, he thought, his wingsunfurling, that was who he had taken forhis consort. If you will permit, hesaid, I would assist you in your task.Lijuan cannot be allowed to blanket theworld with her perversions.

His consorts face dissolved intolaughter before she reset it into asuitably haughty expression. I dopermit. Walking across to join himwhere he stood with his back to theplate-glass window that looked out over

the steel spires of Manhattan, she ran herfingers across the inner surface of hisleft wing. Your wingsthe goldfilaments arent like before. Its as ifeach has been coated with finely crushedglass, until it glitters like living flame.That she found him beautiful was anunspoken kiss.

It is a time of evolution. Now wemust wait and see if another Lijuan isborn amongst the Cadre. He rubbed hisfinger over the arch of Elenas ownwing, felt her responsive shiver.

Enough talk of Her GrandEvilness and her nefarious plots.

Wrapping both arms around his neck, hishunter dressed in black leather andarmed to the teeth but for her bareforearms, said, Kiss me, Archangel.

I am but your slave. He caughther laughter in his mouth, felt it in hisveins, the passion between them asmoldering flame.

Pulse a drumbeat when theyseparated, she parted moist lips to say,Youre lethal.

He smiled and knew it held thearrogance of deadly powerit was whohe was, what he needed to be to rule.

But his consort was not a woman to bescared by such a thing, and shedemanded another kiss before steppingback, cheeks flushed and breath shallow.No melting my bones. I have to go haulthree baby vamps off their asses andback to their angel.

I sense a note of disgust.

Im one of the most experiencedhunters in the city, and Sara puts me onbabysitting detailId think it was aconspiracy, but turns out a whole groupof baby vampires got it into their headsthat they need to rebel against thehierarchy. A snort. Ransoms got two

on his list today, and Ashwinis bringingin three.

Its astonishing, Raphael said,moving to the sprawling breadth of hisdesk, how people do not find such acause until after they have been Made.The lure of almost-immortality was adrug, but the reality was a hundred yearsof subservience to the angels, and thatreality could have a bitter taste.

Buyers remorse doesnt negatethe Contract. She rubbed absently at herforearms. I should be back in threehours tops, since none of my targetsappear to be geniuses. Do you have time

to spar with me? With Dmitri, Venom,and Jason all gone, Im losing practicetime.

I need to meet with Nazarach,he said, speaking of one of the powerfulangels in his territory, but Janvier hassettled in and should have some time, sospeak with him when you return.According to Dmitri, the youngervampire was the dirtiest street-fighterthe leader of Raphaels Seven had evermet. Hed be able to assist Elenaincrease her arsenal of tricks, give herfurther tools to survive the immortalworld. Come here, Consort.

Giving him an arch look, shesauntered over. You summoned?

He opened the small box sittingon his desk and brought out two butter-soft knife sheaths meant for herforearms. "I cannot have you out in theworld without your blades."

Raphael! Gathering up the gifts,she made feminine sounds of pleasure heusually only ever heard as she laysweat-slicked and naked in their bed.This is Deacons work. Oooh, theyfeel Doing up the buckles, she slid inthe knives and shivered.

Careful, Elena. I may decide youenjoy those sheaths far too much.

Grinning, she twisted and pulledout the blades in a quick draw, testingpositioning and tightness. God, Deaconis talented. She slid the knives back ina second later, and spun into his armswith the lithe grace of a fighter, hersmile fading into an intensity of emotionso raw, it was a stormcloud over heririses.

You know me. Her fingersbrushing his cheek.You see me. Thank you.

He brought her closer to his body,her weapons hard edges against him.You are extraordinary. And you aremy consort. Mine to know, mine to see.

Lips curving, though the intensitydidnt abate, she rose up on tiptoe andwhispered, "Knhebek, Archangel," theemotion in her a vivid wildness as shespoke words of love in the language thatmeant so much to her. Knhebek.

ARCHANGELS STORM