Page 51 of Roman

Grigori smiled back with a laugh.“Grazie, it is a pleasure, my darling.At least you appreciate my exceptional cooking skills.”

“It’s a fucking sandwich, Grigori, not a soufflé,” Lucian said, rolling his eyes, making the others snicker.

“See what I have to put up with?”Grigori threw his hands up, looking at Charlotte and causing her to smile and giggle with a mouthful.

Roman glowered at Grigori, cursing himself for not thinking of it first and ensuring that she had been fed and had everything she needed.He then noticed Cassandra silently watching him with her intense green eyes, her gaze flickering from him to Charlotte, a small smile on her face.

“Roman?”Maalik’s voice brought his attention back.

Roman gave his brother a quick look, then once again glanced around the room.“We’ve got a serious problem, and we need to figure out the best course of action.Charlotte, for some time now, has been having visions, violent demon-filled visions.Sometimes, they appear to be of a near future where Lucifer has risen, bringing with him the demon horde and the Earth has fallen into flames.”

“How do you know she is even telling the truth?”Turel asked, his amber eyes watching Charlotte, his brown shoulder-length dreadlocks swaying as he turned his gaze back to Roman.

“Because I have seen them,” Armaros answered quietly from his seat.“I do not know why, but whenever Charlotte has one of these visions or dreams or whatever the hell they are, I am there as well.”

“Wait, what do you meanthere?”Sabriel asked with a frown.

“Just what I said.I am there with her, watching her, witnessing everything that is taking place.And sometimes, fighting these things and protecting her.”

“They are but dreams.How is it you are fighting demons if it’s not real?”Sabriel asked.“It makes little sense, Armaros.”

Armaros shrugged his shoulders.“It doesn’t make much sense to me, either.All I know is that powerful magic is behind this.If she gets injured, the wound will follow her back here.There has been another instance, just tonight, where something happened, and I don’t just mean in the so-called dream.It was real.Charlotte and I were at the gate to Hell.”

The fallen immediately started talking amongst themselves, some seeming to question what Armaros was saying, and others worried about what was happening.The only person who remained still as a statue and silent was Ariel.Her eyes were wide and remained fixed on Charlotte, her face pale.

“You are sure of this?”Cassandra asked over the top of everyone, the room falling silent as the witch spoke.

Armaros nodded.“Yes, I am certain.”

“Something else happened.Warlock, tell me what it was,” she demanded in a quiet voice, her eyes never wavering from his violet stare.

A hint of shock passed over the tattooed angel’s face.Roman could feel the tension between them.Never had Roman heard one of the witches call him a warlock.They reserved that only for the most powerful males of their kind.It was a sign of respect and honor for a male witch to be called a warlock.The hatred between Armaros and the witches ran deep over centuries.Maybe that slight gesture of the word was the start of forgiveness between them.

Armaros gazed at Cassandra for a moment as if lost for words, the witch nodding for him to continue.“Yes, as I said, we were at one of the gates to Hell.Charlotte was standing on the edge of it when a demon purposefully attacked her, slashing her arm.I was too far away to reach her at that point.As I landed, I killed the demon, but it was too late.Her blood had fallen into the pool of the gate and altered it.”

“Altered it how?”Ariel asked.

For the first time in centuries, Roman thought he saw a flicker of fear in her expression, causing him to frown.

“It was as if her blood unlocked it,” Armaros said, uncertain.“The minute a drop of her blood hit that gate, it turned red and awoke it.The movement and wind coming off the gate were so intense that Charlotte and I had to yell over the noise just to hear each other.Her wound is proof that what I speak is the truth,” he added, as some of the fallen still seemed to question what he was saying.

Roman leaned forward over the back of the chair, gently reaching for Charlotte’s arm.“May I?”he asked her, and she gave him a small, shy nod.“This is what the demon did.Even with Armaros’s healing power, it would not go away.”Roman gently tilted her arm so everyone in the room could see the wound.

“Impossible!”Cassandra’s shocked voice cut through the silence of the room.She rose, making her way around the table to Charlotte.The witch reached for Charlotte’s arm, looking down at her.“Is it okay if I take a closer look?”

Charlotte glanced up at Roman.

“It’s okay,” he assured her.“She is a… friend.”

Charlotte nodded to the witch, extending her arm.

Cassandra gave Roman a small nod, then gently took Charlotte’s arm.She stilled, looking at Armaros.“Do you feel that?”

“Yes,” he nodded.“It’s the same in the dreams as well.The magic is ancient, a long-forgotten power.”

“The magic is almost identical to yours, Armaros.I think that’s why her visions are linked to you,” Cassandra answered, slowly running her fingers along one of the scars while her eyes glowed white, giving her an unnatural appearance.

Several of the fallen jumped up out of their chairs, their hands going for weapons.

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