Page 167 of Wings of Lies
“What the fuck did you do to her!” he roared.
“It was meant for you, not her. She’s alive.” But I needed him to move out of my way so I could check on her wounds.
He laid her down on the ground, placing his feet in front of her, white knuckling his sword. “Who the fuck are you? Show yourself!” His power erupted in his eyes and transferred to the blade in his hands. The muscles in his legs and arms shook as he held his defensive stance.
This was the renowned Prince of the Mother of Demons?
The color of his power intrigued and confused me. Seraphim flames were almost as rare as my shadows. And on a bonded sword, no less. But those were the only two impressive things about him, especially since he couldn’t be a Seraphim.
“Did you do that to her?” Blood pooled on the table, dripping to the discolored cement. I couldn’t shake off the amount. If he caused this, I knew without a doubt the king would want me to make him beg before I broke his mind. And I didn’t mind that thought at all. My shadows whirled around me, excited for their next fix.
His eyes flashed to a deeper blue. “No.”
“The Archangel?”
“Michael,” he spat as flames heightened on his sword.
Fuck. I should’ve chased him down.
He glared at me and my silence. “Who the hell are you? Are you just going to hide behind your shadows like a coward?”
Oh, the queen’s pet had an attitude.“Don’t bait me, pet.”
“What did you call me?” He lifted his sword in a shaky hand and stepped toward me. I snorted. I needed two openings. One to knock the prince out and slit his throat, and one to retrieve the female.
“A pet. That’s what you are,” I stated. It may be an insult, but it was the truth. There were many stories about the prince back home.
He took another step, flames flickering on his blade, and then fell to both knees, sword clattering to the ground. “Lucille,” he cried, voice breaking.
Again, this was the formidable Prince of the Tenebrous Kingdom?
I walked closer to him, still hidden from view.
“No, no. Please, no,” he repeated, gathering the female in his arms. “Lucille.” He rocked her limp body. “Lucille, stay with me.” He bowed his head into her neck, murmuring into her skin. “Please. Stay with me. Let me give you the moon. You need to live. For your mom.”
The tears in his voice stayed my hand for a moment. The Prince of the Mother of Demons cared for her.
“For me,” he whispered.
“The shadows won’t kill her.”Why was I consoling him?Maybe it was the fact that this supposedly deadly male was reduced to a pile of tears just because I knocked out the female he cared for. My shadows could sense her heartbeat. Although it was slow, she lived.
The pet leaned his face close to her ear, foolishly ignoring my proximity. “It’s fading, Lucille. I can feel it fading. Please fight. Please.”
I tilted my head, staring at the two of them. There was something I was missing. But I didn’t have the time to figure it out. Pulling at my shadows, I formed another ball, throwing it at his back. The pet fell backward, bringing the unconscious female with him. My lip curled in disgust. I reached behind my head for the hilt of one of my short swords, craving to spill his blood when the female convulsed.
First the female, then the pet.
I crouched on the floor, gently rolling her off him. I removed the sheathed knife from her waistband and froze at the sight of the dark blade. Tsal-mawet. The blade used to saw off the king’s wings. The dark blade had been lost for centuries.Where did she find it?
Sliding it between my belt and waist, I scanned the gashes on her arms and legs. They steadily bled, but nothing looked life-threatening. Her healing must’ve helped with that.But why was she convulsing?I placed my fingers on her pulse and jerked back. Her skin was unbearably hot, yet she didn’t sweat.
A shot of alarm that wasn’t my own overpowered my concerns. Rune.
Someone was coming.
I expanded my shadows, covering up the female before I picked up her jerking body. Her heat penetrated the thick fabric of myfighting leathers. I shot a glance at the pet with clenched teeth, then strode for the door. Only to be blocked by the Nephilim.
Huh. He lived.
