Page 26 of Michael
I ponder her words for a moment before nodding slowly in agreement. It makes sense to me; four wings versus two certainly implies power and authority beyond my scope—though I’m still not convinced I’m not ultimately more powerful than Azrael.
We look at each other for a moment longer before she gestures towards the staircase with a sweep of her arm and announces, “Wait here for a sec. I won’t be long.” A second later, she climbs the stairs and disappears.
“Azrael...” I mumble, shoving the cards away. “I can’t believe she’d say that.”
“I don’t like seeing you here,” a hoarse voice says. The sound comes perilously close to my ear. And yet, he’s nowhere to be seen.
His frame suddenly appears in the murky hallway, and I wait until he reaches the shop’s warm light before I answer, “I don’t care for it either. But there are so many ofyounowadays, I’ve grown accustomed to it.”
He’s tall, muscular, but every inch of him is lean muscle. His black hair is slicked back, his skin is tan, his eyes dark amber. When he moves, you can tell he’s been walking for centuries.
“She’smine, Michael,” he all but hisses, dapper in a bespoke suit and immaculate white shirt. But a devil, nonetheless.
“Do you mean the shop?” I say with deliberate indolence.
“The girl,” he replies, taking a step closer.
I catch a glimpse of us in an old mirror, though it’s not the wealthy man and the doctor I see. Instead, it’s two magnificent angels—one light and one dark—each with black and white wings of silk, covered in gleaming platinum armor decorated with ancient sacred words of power.
It’s against the law for me to lay a finger on him while we’re in this store—an entryway to both our realms. I’m sure he knows it.
“I don’t think I noticed a label on her,” I reply in an intentionally irritating tone. “It’s possible I overlooked it. I’ll double-check.”
The demon stops inches away from me. “Not funny. Walk away from her,” he growls. The fires of hell flicker in his eyes as he speaks.
I take a step back and reply coolly, “I’ve made no claim on her and she’s not interested in me.” I pause. “Besides, she’s after another guy. One of yours.”
“What?” The devil starts.
“Apparently,Jack Langleyis her one true love,” I add.
His expression grows taut with anger. “You lie.”
“I try not to on principle.” I give him a light smirk.
His face flares red. “Fuck you… Fuck Jack, andfuckthat stupid necklace!”
He’s losing his temper way too fast. I wonder if he’ll break the rules, granting me the right to smack him senseless, and drag him all the way back to hell.
“What necklace?” I ask, goading him on until one of us loses our shit.
“The oneyour sistermade me give her!” he all but hisses, his fists clenched tight.
I step forward, almost on sheer instinct. “Gabrielle wouldneverdeal with a lowlife demon like you,” I rebuff.
“Oh, really?” he sneers, revealing his sharp fangs. “Then why did I lose a bet to her? And now, that stupid necklace of hers led Amanda to Jack Langley!”
The room grows quiet as his words sink into my skin like poison. Gradually, the air thickens with dread. “My sister, gambling with a devil?” I mumble, my voice laden with uneasiness.
I’m starting to guess Gabrielle’s reasons for her behavior when a deep, resonating thud shakes the walls with each step when Amanda moves down the stairs. My heart races in my chest and my body grows taut in an instant. I turn to the demon, and his eyes light up with dark amusement as he hears her approaching.
“Got them!” Amanda says, dashing down.
She stops stone-cold at the landing, hand gripping the wooden railing tight. “Richard…” Her face slackens and loses all color.
I step aside quickly, blocking her view of the mirror.
“You two… have met?” she adds in a thin, frail voice.
