by S. J. Day
The same snap of his fingers that had wrought the instantaneous change in the color palette also urged her to turn around. She spotted him and her entire demeanor changed. Her shoulders went back and her stance widened. Defensively aggressive.
“Lilith’ Sammael murmured. “How good of you to come so quickly.”
“As if I had a choice,” she retorted, but her breathless tone gave her away.
He terrified her. He could make her tremble and cry, cower and beg. And she loved it, which gave him power she’d rather not cede. She’d been grateful when he tired of her so many, many centuries ago.
Which begged the question: what had possessed her to incite his wrath, when even his amusement was a horror to her?
“You did have a choice.” He moved to the chaise by the fire and sprawled across it. “You chose to barter something of mine for your own gain. Which is why you are here now. Had you chosen to barter something of your own, you would not be.”
Her chin lifted. “You have something that belongs to me. I needed something of yours to entice you to give it back.”
“Hmm” His mouth curved. “You speak in near riddle. I need to punish you soon, so hurry up and tell me what you wanted.”
Lilith hesitated, her gaze darting about as if she was trapped, which she was. He couldn’t allow anyone to steal from him. Such offenses had to be dealt with harshly and swiftly, as he’d proven to Asmodeus.
“I want Awan.”
Surprise reverberated through him, followed by a growing delight. “I had forgotten about her.”
“I haven’t.”
“You could have just asked me.”
She clasped her hands behind her back. “I knew you wouldn’t give her to me.”
“Did you? And you reached that conclusion how?”
“Because,” she pouted. “You’ve always made certain that I never get what I want.”
Sammael propped his head on one hand and looked into the fire. “You think too highly of yourself, if you believe I deny you for the simple pleasure of it.”
“Prove me wrong.”
He raked her with an insolent glance. “Nothing about you gives me pleasure… except this request.”
Lilith stood frozen, then a look of wonder crossed her beautiful face. “You’ll recycle her?”
“Yes, but you will not be seeing her for a while.” He breathed on his claws, then buffed them across the settee’s velvet. “You see, a prison cell that has recently become vacant must be filled.”
She inhaled sharply.
“Come now,” Sammael crooned. “You have been missed around here. You should have many visitors. Most will be very eager to reacquaint themselves with you. And have no fear, I will not be one of them.”
He waved her away. Two demons emerged from the shadows to take her by the arms.
“I hate you,” she spat.
“My dear Lilith.” Sammael laughed. “I really would not have it any other way.”
***
“Are you okay?”
Eve glanced up as Reed straddled the picnic bench beside her. The ocean breeze ruffled his hair, giving him the deliciously disarrayed look of a man fresh out of bed. She’d only seen that look on him a few times, but it was a look she loved.
“I miss Montevista,” she admitted. “And I’m angry about it. It’s not fair.”
“Babe...” The frown on display above his Armani sunglasses betrayed his concern. “He’s in a better place. Trust me.”
“Look at Sydney.” She jerked her chin toward the sullen Mark who sat at a table near the grill where Alec flipped burgers. “She was just starting to get her mojo back. Now she’s back to square one.”
“This job is rough.” Reed surreptitiously stroked the side of her pinky finger. “I worry about what it’ll do to you.”
Eve worried, too, which was why she’d brought her parents along today. They kept her grounded. Her dad sat at a table with Kobe Denner and Ken Callaghan, one of her marked training classmates. Her mom was working her way through the gathering with a tray of mini sushi and her shockingly naughty sense of humor. If some of the Marks were jealous that Eve still had her folks in her life, they weren’t showing it today. Montevista was on everyone’s mind and grief trumped envy every time.
“I’m going to go sit with her,” Eve said, climbing off the bench. Reed came with her.
Sydney was accepting a plate from Alec when they joined her. The grill he manned was massive; large enough to cook hamburgers for a dozen oversized Mark appetites at a time. It had taken a trailer to get it out here—a tailgate party done on a Gadara Enterprises scale. Eve had mentioned her desire to do something for the Marks who’d come under fire because of the bounty, and Ishamel had swiftly taken it to the next level.
“Hey, you.” Alec leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the forehead. “You feeling medium, or medium-well today?”
She was about to reply when the distant rumble of a Harley gave her pause. Pulling tendrils of windblown hair out of her lip gloss, she watched through her sunglasses as a platinum blonde on a hog maneuvered into the parking lot. Dressed in a black leather halter vest and chaps, the rider drew every eye except for Alec’s.
The bike rolled to a halt beside the trailer as Alec turned his head. The pretty blonde winked at Eve. then blew a kiss at Alec.
The spatula in his hand clattered onto the cement.
Eve looked at Reed. “Who’s that?”
“Awan.” He grinned like the Cheshire Cat. “Cain’s wife.”
“Ex-wife,” Alec correctly swiftly.
Awan licked her lips and purred, “Hi, honey. I’m home.”
She was a lili. The demonic green eyes gave her away. They were laser-bright and filled with mischief.
Eve stood. This was the mother of Alec’s children; the only progeny he would ever have. She had a piece of him that no one else ever would.
Eve’s turmoil must have reached Alec, because his fists clenched. Awan laughed. With a saucy wave, the lili roared off as quickly as she’d appeared.
For a long moment, no one said a word.
Then, Sydney broke the tense silence. “Uh. . . I thought your wife was your sister.”
Alec snatched the spatula off the ground and threw it into the back of the trailer. “My father kicked Lilith to the curb long before I was born. There’s no relation between me and her kids.”
Eve cleared her throat. “Your c-children were half demon?”
His shoved his hands through his thick hair. “One quarter demon.”
What could she say to that?
Her mom walked up with an empty tray and a bright smile. “What a great party!”
Reed tapped his steepled fingertips together and kept on grinning.
***
Tossing her bath towel over the hamper, Eve left her bathroom. A quick glance at the clock told her it was nearing eight o’clock in the evening. She pulled on her favorite pajamas and shook out her damp hair, contemplating how best to spend her evening. A feel- good movie while curled up on the couch sounded like heaven to her. She usually preferred blow’em up action flicks, but she’d had enough explosions for a while. Maybe Becoming Jane would do the trick or something stupidly funny like Blades of Glory.
She moved down the hallway toward the kitchen, seeking comfort food. Hot coffee, maybe. And something sweet. She deserved it after today.
Straight ahead, the balcony door was closed. It was starting to get cold at night. Summer slowly turning into autumn. What a year it had been so far. Last Christmas she’d grumbled at RSVPing to the Weisenberg Group’s company party without a date. Now, she had her dream job at Gadara Enterprises and two determined men she couldn’t resist.
Admittedly, the dream job was more of a nightmare and the two men were both in the off stage of the on-and-off relationships she had with each of them, but she wasn’t going to think about that now.
Eve was turning into the kitchen when Stevie Nicks’s beautiful “Crystal” replaced
the silence. She stopped midstride. Then cautiously started forward again, continuing to where the hall emptied into the living room.
On the coffee table, a silver champagne bucket held a napkin-wrapped bottle next to two half-full flutes. The man at her entertainment center felt her gaze and turned to face her. Although he appeared casual and relaxed, his dark gaze was avid.
“Hi.”
“Hi, yourself.”
He approached, picking up the glasses along the way. “I hope you don’t mind that I popped in.”
“You’re always welcome. Nothing is going to change that.”
A cool flute was pressed into her hand. She looked down, catching sight of something circular glittering at the bottom. Her breath caught.
“I’m glad to hear that.” he murmured with his warm fingers wrapped around hers. “Because I have a question to ask you…”
APPENDIX
THE SEVEN ARCHANGELS
1 These are the names of the angels who watch.
2 Uriel, one of the holy angels, who presides over clamor and terror.
3 Raphael, one of the holy angels, who presides over the spirits of men.
4 Raguel, one of the holy angels, who takes vengeance on the world of the luminaries.
5 Michael, one of the holy angels, to wit, he that is set over the best part of mankind and over chaos.
6 Sarakiel, one of the holy angels, who is set over the spirits, who sin in the spirit.
7 Gabriel, one of the holy angels, who is over Paradise and the serpents and the Cherubim.
8 Remiel, one of the holy angels, whom God set over those who rise.
—The Book of Enoch 20:1—8
THE CHRISTIAN HIERARCHY OF ANGELS
First Sphere: Angels who function as guardians of God’s
throne.
• Seraphim
• Cherubim
• Ophanim/Thrones/Wheels (Erelim)
Second Sphere: Angels who function as governors.
• Dominions/Leaders (Hashmallim)
• Virtues
• Powers/Authorities
Third Sphere: Angels who function as messengers and soldiers.
• Principalities/Rules
• Archangels
• Angels Malakhim)
ABBREVIATED PLAYLIST
(in no particular order)
“The Judas Kiss”—Metallica
“Dare You to Move”—Switchfoot
“Love Remains the Same”—Gavin Rossdale “Broken, Beat & Scarred”—Metallica “Crystal”—Stevie Nicks
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
APPENDIX