Page 59 of Providence

Marco signed that he’d take the guy on the left. I nodded, lifting my gun, and leaned around the corner, nailing the fuck in the eye. Killer double tapped his in the chest and one in the eye. Fucking show off.

We waited a moment, then ran for the window. We needed to see what was happening inside the house. I pushed Marco out of the way, putting my fist through the sheet of glass, the shards cutting my hands. Blood dripped down my fist, but healed almost immediately.

“Handy,” Marco growled, using his elbow to knock out the remaining pieces of glass. “Let’s go save my fucking kids.”

I squeezed his shoulder and climbed in first. “Our kids, Asshole.”

33

Serendipity

Iconcentrated on the feel of Goliath’s hand in mine, reassuring and solid. It almost felt that while his hand was in mine, I’d be bulletproof. As long as I didn’t think about the fact that Judas was facing an army of mercenaries and a shady fucking organization was trying to get at my kids. We raced down the hall, and it felt like the hallway in a horror movie. It just kept going on and on, getting longer and longer. I sucked in ragged breaths. It was going to be okay.

Then someone fired a gun right beside my head, my ears ringing as pieces of Goliath’s skull splattered on my face.

No!

I stared down in shock as Goliath fell at my feet. No. No, this isn’t what’s supposed to happen.

“GOLIATH!” I screamed, my eyes searching for the shooter, but a hand grabbed me, dragging me into the guest room.

The manic face of Scott Burns glared down at me. “What the fuck have you spread your legs for, you angel whore?” He yelled in my face, his spittle splashing against my cheeks. “Nothing survives a shot to the head. Not even you,” he said, pressing the gun barrel to my skull.

“Fuck you, asshole,” I choked out, the image of Goliath with half of his head missing burned behind my eyelids. He needed to be okay.

“Oh, you’re the one about to be fucked, bitch. I won’t get the baby, but I’ll still have you, the fucking baby maker. I can make a hundred more angel brats. I’ll sell them like pets to the fucking rich and powerful. And you? You’ll be chained to a fucking wall like the freak you are,” he screamed in my face.

He dragged me toward the window, his gun raised.

He only got two steps before a golden winged angel appeared in front of the window. Gusion smirked as Burns unloaded a full clip of bullets at him. He shook his head like he was disappointed.

“Oh, that doesn’t work on us. Unless you have the Sword of Michael stuffed up your ass, you are shit out of luck.” He was suddenly in front of us. “Take your hands off my daughter, before I break every damn bone in your body.”

I wrenched out of Burn’s grip as Gusion wrapped his arm around the man’s throat, lifting him in the air, amused at the way he flailed.

I wanted to hug Gus. Wanted to tell him I forgave him for everything. That he was here when I needed him the most. Instead, I scrambled away, back out the door to Goliath.

“Be okay. Be okay,” I prayed to anyone who’d listen. I fell to my knees, pressing my fingers to his throat. He was alive. Could he really heal from this? I grabbed his arm, pulling him into the room with my father, who had Scott pinned to the floor and was choking the life out of him slowly, grinning the whole time.

“We need him alive,” I told him, my focus still on Goliath. I steeled my stomach and looked at the gaping hole in his head. Even before my eyes, I watched it knit together as if by tiny, skilled surgeons.

I breathed a sigh of relief, leaning down to kiss his lips. “Thank God. I couldn’t lose you either.” I stood up, looking at Gusion, who seemed to be sitting on Burns’ chest, slowly breaking his fingers one by one.

He must have seen the horror on my face, because he shrugged. “He doesn’t need hands to speak. The things that Tenebrae has done to those I love? He deserves worse.”

I didn’t know what the hell to say to that. I wouldn’t deny him his vengeance though. “The kids…” I whispered, and he nodded.

“Go. I’ll watch your consort. And this dog.” He snapped Burns’ wrist and I was definitely going to vomit. I scooped up Goliath’s gun, and shoved out the door.

I raced out into the hallway and toward the basement. I lifted my gun when I saw two men climbing through the window, but took my finger off the trigger when I recognized their faces profiled by the light.

“Marco,” I whispered. He was okay. “Cain!” I yelled, running toward them so fast that the tears pouring out of my eyes ran across my cheeks. I wrapped them both in my arms and they squashed me between them.

Cain’s arm landed on my hip, and he whispered soothing words into my hair. “We’re here. I got you. It’s okay.”

I turned to Marco, and my tears turned into sobs. “I thought you were dead. Marco. I saw your body-” my voice broke. “And you looked dead.” My body shook with the force of my tears.

He kissed the tears from my cheeks. “I’d never leave you. I love you, Sera.”

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