Page 109 of I Accidentally Summoned A Demon
“Nex, I understand you’re angry, but you need to breathe. You don’t want to start a war with us,” Melchizedek said. “You know you won’t win.Theywill be on our side, and you will still lose her. The only way I can fix this is with cooperation on your part.”
“Or we’ll send for Lilith,” Uriel said. “She wants to handle this problem, and she could handle it quickly.”
“Uriel,” Melchizedek hissed.
“How dare you call yourself an angel,” Nex snapped at Uriel. “How the fuck can you look Katherine in the eyes and give her a death sentence for something she didn’t know was against the rules? What kind of fucking justice is that?” Nex turned to Melchizedek. “You looked into her soul. She told me how you touched her hand.” His eyes glowed brighter. “I may not be able to look into her soul as deeply as you, but I don’t need to. I know purity when I see it, and Katherine is the embodiment of it. There isn’t a soul in the world purer than her, and you’re going to kill her because of me?”
“No.” Melchizedek raised his hands. “We are not calling Lilith, and we won’t send someone to kill Katherine. I’m doing what I can, Nex, but you cannot leave it all on me. I need you to calm down.” His expression softened, and he took a step forward. “For her sake, calm down. You know fighting us won’t help. You’re smart. You know this,” he gestured between Uriel and Nex, “will make things worse. I cannot help if you’re so angry you cannot think straight.”
“He’s a demon. He is not going to control his temper,” Uriel said. “It’s not in his nature.”
Nex’s eyes whipped to Uriel, his nostrils flaring, fists clenching. He briefly wondered what the odds were he could get Katherine to give him Uriel’s name to kill. He could find a way back to her after. Hewouldfind a way back to her after. Nothing would keep him from her.
Melchizedek’s voice was soft and calm. “For Katherine, he can.”
Nex’s gaze drifted back to Melchizedek, his nails digging into his palms, drawing blood. He closed his eyes and breathed. When he opened them again, they were slightly less full of unbridled rage. “I don’t trust you.” Nex scowled at Melchizedek. “I don’t trust any of you.”
“I understand why you don’t trust Uriel, but when have I been unfair to you?” Melchizedek asked. “We’ve worked together for over two hundred years, Nex. When have I betrayed your trust?”
“When you marked my Katherine. When you let your brother send someone to go after that mark.”
“Nex, I’m sorry for what happened. Trust me when I say I will handle it.” He shot an annoyed glance at Uriel before refocusing on Nex. “I will make an appeal for you, and I will take Uriel with me to keep you at ease. I felt confident I would succeed until this.” Melchizedek waved over the severed angel’s head discarded in the snow. They’d be reborn, but the action was reprehensible. “Theyare not going to let that slide without discipline, Nex. You must give me time and patience. If you let me close to her, I will remove the mark an—”
“Remove the mark?” Gabriel interjected. “You cannot do that. I’m sorry things happened this way,” he said, looking at Nex. “I’m sorry Uriel acted ruthlessly, but it does not change the fact we have to do something. We at least have to separate them. It’s the law, and if we don’t uphold it, we will be disciplined ourselves.”
“Go ahead and fucking try to take her from me.” Nex’s claws emerged. “I fucking dare you.”
“Gabriel and Uriel, go inside.” Melchizedek waved his hand. “You’re not helping.”
“You cannot remove the mark from the girl,” Gabriel said.
“If you think I’d let you anywhere near her after tonight, you’re really fucking stupid,” Nex said.
Melchizedek turned up his palms. “Nex, I wouldn’t hurt her.”
“You already did. You marked her. You knew what that meant. Even if you didn’t intend to have her killed, you intended to have someone take her from me. That would’ve scared the shit out of her.”
“And now I want to make it right and remove that mark as a peace offering.”
“No.” Nex clenched his jaw. “Neither you nor any of your pets are coming anywhere near her.”
“It’s for her safet—”
“I don’t fucking trust you!” Nex’s voice boomed, shaking snow loose from the trees. “Stay away from her.”
Melchizedek sighed. “I will make an appeal for you. I suggest you and your friends be on your best behavior becausetheyaren’t going to be happy about you killing an angel. Keep your head down while I try to smooth this over, all right? No attacks on Gabriel or Uriel.”
Nex’s gaze slid to Uriel, and while every part of him wished for his normal abilities so he could rip Uriel apart, he wanted to stay with Katherine more. Nex and Uriel stared each other down for a long moment before Nex’s gaze returned to Melchizedek.
“I’m not leaving her. I don’t care what happens. I don’t care what verdict is reached. If you try to separate us, I will not go down without a fight. Keep that pathetic excuse of an angel away from Katherine.” He spat at Uriel’s feet. “If any angel comes within a mile of her, they die. Consequences be damned. I willnotlet them live.”
Chapter 39
Vulnerable
KatwoketoNexholding her tighter than he ever had. So snug, she was a little uncomfortable. She opened her eyes to his sleeping face. Her heart ached at his pulled-down lips. Even asleep, his exhaustion was obvious.
She didn’t want to wake him, but she could barely breathe. She tried to stretch and loosen his arms, but that only increased his hold, making it more impossible to move.
