Page 49 of Roman

“Your eyes,” she whispered.She took a step back from him, the movement causing him to frown as he watched her, confused.

His red eyes reminded her of Lucifer and the way he’d watched her from the other side of the portal.

“Why are they red?Like his.”

Roman took a step toward her, and she backed up again.He stilled.“Like who?”

“Lucifer,” she whispered, voice trembling slightly in fear as she looked at Roman, the red disappearing from his eyes.

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you.We’ve got a big fucking problem,” Armaros cut in.“Charlotte’s vision was more than a vision.It was a magical link to her.She was at one of the gates to Hell, Roman.”

Roman’s whole body stilled as he slowly turned to Armaros.

“The demon purposefully cut her so her blood would hit the pool, and it changed it… unlocked it.The prophecy is real—her blood opens the gate.Her blood will set Lucifer free, and I think he used this vision as a test.He sent the demon for that purpose to see if her blood would work, and it did.”Armaros looked between them, taking in Charlotte’s fearful glance at Roman.“He was there.We saw Lucifer.He spoke to me.His eyes glowed red as he looked at her.”

Roman looked back at Charlotte, the frown now gone.“It’s an angel thing, my eyes.I’m not like him,” he told her, stepping closer.

Of course, she thought as she saw Armaros frown, glancing at Roman.Of course, he was nothing like Lucifer.She felt silly for even thinking Roman could be anything like that monster.She gave Roman a small nod as she pulled the sheet up higher.

“It was just a vision, Armaros.A dream.You weren’t really there, so you can’t know for sure if it was really him and if the gate has been awoken.”Roman handed Charlotte the sweatpants and jumper, not looking her in the eye as he turned back to Armaros.

Armaros shook his head.“No, it wasn’t a dream.It wasn’t a normal vision, either.I’m telling you.Somehow, we were there, physically there.We were at the gate, and the first step has been done.Charlotte’s blood has awoken the gate.He was there.He must have been watching the whole time.I saw him with my own eyes, Roman.He told me she was his.All Lucifer must do now is to get hold of Charlotte and get her to the gate to finish the spell, and he is free.”

“Well, we aren’t going to let that happen.No one, and I mean no one, touches Charlotte.She ismine.”His eyes glowed red as he spoke the last words.

The way he growledminestirred something deep in Charlotte.She should have feared the primal way he’d said it.The way the word sounded like she was his possession.

Instead of fear, she almost smiled, like a giddy schoolgirl.Her fear of him from a second ago was long forgotten.This strong, handsome, dangerous immortal wanted her.Even with all the chaos her mere existence had caused him and his angels, hell, even the entire world, he didn’t care.He wanted her to be his, and she loved it.

Get a grip, Charlotte.Not the time.

“Roman, when I went to visit with the witches, they shared a prophecy that their covens have passed down throughout time.This prophecy… it’s about Charlotte.It spoke in detail of what must be done to her for the spell to work,” Armaros calmly spoke to him, looking toward her with a pained look.

“What is it?”

“Maybe we should speak alone?”Armaros said, nodding his head toward the door, trying to get Roman to leave with him.

“No.This is about me.”Charlotte stepped forward.“I’m so sick of you all only telling me bits and pieces of what the hell is actually going on.I have the right to know everything!It’s my life you are all talking about, so tell me, what is it that devil—that’s who Lucifer is, right?The actual devil, king of Hell?What is it that he wants to do to me?”Charlotte snapped, looking between them.

She could feel the frustration and anger building.She had the right to be a part of it all now.Haven’t I earned that right?she thought, gazing at the scar on her arm as she held the clothes and sheet tight in her fists.They needed to stop treating her like a child and let her have some input on what the hell was going to happen to her, even if she didn’t like what she was going to be told.

Armaros looked at Roman with a questioning glance.Roman’s blue eyes found Charlotte’s.Then he sighed, running his hand through his hair.He gave Armaros a nod.“Tell us.”

The violet-eyed angel turned to her.“To fully open the gate, he must perform a ritual.A powerful witch must shed the blood of the chosen prophet—you.They plan to slash your wrists and throat, feeding your blood into the gate.As you are about to take your last breath, someone must cut your heart from your chest and offer it through the gate to Lucifer himself.Charlotte, I’m sorry.”

They had formed an odd, unlikely friendship throughout the years in their shared dreams.She had slowly grown to think of him like a big brother.Always protecting her, always arriving at the last moment to rescue her.She took in the hurt on the normally impassive angel’s face as she backed up slowly, sitting down on the edge of the bed and hugging the clothes Roman had given her to her chest.

“He’s going to kill me,” she whispered to herself.I’mdoomed,her mind murmured to her.

Roman was beside her, his hand running up and down her back, trying to comfort her.His other hand gently tucked her hair behind her ear.“I won’t let anything happen to you.I swear it.”

Charlotte looked from Roman to Armaros, the dark warrior watching her silently.She knew what he was thinking because she was thinking the same thing.

Romanshouldn’tmakepromiseshecan’tkeep.

18

Roman stared out over the city below.The colors of the sunrise crept across the sky, dotting out the stars and chasing the darkness of the night away.And what a night it had been.

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