Her Sinful Angel by Felicity Heaton Page A

air grew cooler as the sky rapidly changed, the sun drifting lower towards the mountains to her right and the forest there. Another shiver danced down her back as the white cragged peaks of the mountain changed to gold and threads of pink and yellow laced the fluffy clouds as they all raced to her right. The blue vault turned orange beyond the mountains and then a rainbow of colours burst upwards, from pink to yellow to green and then the deepest blue she had ever seen.
    Her breath hitched as the sun sank below the cragged peaks on her right and a huge full moon rose on the left side of the valley. It glowed red as it ascended into the darkening sky and slowly turned orange and then paled to a white so bright that it hurt her eyes, but she couldn’t make herself tear them away from its beauty, not even to see the valley stretching below her bathed in blue hues.
    Stars emerged, one by one, gradually brightening until they broke through the light of the moon to shine above her, like nothing she had ever seen before.
    A chill erupted across her skin as she tipped her head back, her breath lodging in her throat and her heart pounding as she took in the most beautiful heavens she had ever witnessed.
    She was amazed.
    Her gaze followed the spine of the Milky Way above her, her mind numbed by the beauty of it, empty of thought as she stood beneath it and tried to take it in.
    It was incredible.
    A laugh bubbled up, born of the joy bursting to life in her heart, and she turned to face Lucifer to thank him for what he had done, because he had done it purely for her.
    That laugh died as her eyes met his. They were intent and focused on her, sending a different sort of shiver through her, an awareness of him that stole her breath.
    “Is it to your liking?” he whispered and drew his hand away from the barrier, lowering it to his side.
    Nina nodded and swallowed hard as she realised something. He was to her liking too. He was handsome, charming and considerate. He had been treating her well and taking care of her, all because he had found her outside his home. She knew that now. He was the one who had found her and had brought her inside to protect her, but she still didn’t know why she was here or who had taken her, or if it had anything to do with her ex-husband and his demand that she return to him.
    She still only had a vague memory of the events that had happened and it frightened her.
    Lucifer shot his left hand out and grasped the wall there.
    Nina gasped and rushed into the tunnel, grabbing him by his waist before he could collapse.
    He snarled and pushed her away, sending her back out into the valley.
    “I am fine,” he bit out and glared at her. “It is none of your concern.”
    It struck her that she was concerned. She was concerned because she had wanted to see the stars and now he looked as pale as those orbs that twinkled above her, drained of colour.
    “Return with me.” His gruff command echoed along the corridor as he turned and strode away into the darkness.
    Nina lingered, able to understand why he was upset but unwilling to obey his orders. She hated it when she showed weakness around anyone too. She didn’t like to let people see her vulnerable. Not anymore. Not for a long time.
    She drew down a few deep breaths and turned her back to the castle, giving herself a minute to smooth out her feelings and admire the stars that he had made just for her.
    No one had ever given her a more beautiful gift and it seemed a shame that she had to leave them. It felt as if she was wasting what he had given her, what had taken him great effort to change for her, but she also didn’t want to leave Lucifer alone up there in the castle, waiting for her.
    Could she come back tomorrow?
    If she did, would the stars still be here or would the valley have changed back to day?
    She stared at the moon, charting its position by the peaks of the mountains below it, and realised that, just like the sun, it wasn’t moving. It gave her