Azazel led Michael back to the pack, and the young boy’s eyes were empty in shock and terror.
At the sight of him, all of my hope that this might somehow stop was sucked out of me. Flint had somehow convinced the pack to buy into his crazy belief that we were meant to enter into this alliance with a demon. And for those who hadn’t drank the “team up with demons Kool-Aid,” Azazel had literally terrified them into submission.
The beginning of the end of the world was happening, and I was just standing there watching it.
With so much going on, no one paid me any attention. Thanks to my silence, my pack mates must have assumed I supported Flint’s decision.
Stupid complacent potion.
Time was running out. Under this potion, Flint could command me to take part in the blood binding spell. I didn’t know what a blood binding spell with a demon was like, but it couldn’t be good.
The last thing I wanted was to be bound to Azazel.
What would happen to me if I were forced to go through with it?
I didn’t know, and I didn’t want to find out. But I couldn’t fight. I couldn’t speak. Even if I could, what could I do? Azazel was powerful beyond belief. If I spoke out against him, he’d kill me. If I ran, I’d crash into the perimeter spell. And then he’d kill me.
The only way out of this was death.
I needed help. If only I could just get the cloaking ring off my finger. Then maybe someone—hopefully Thomas or Noah—would be able to locate me and do something.
I tried to push past the complacent potion and reach for the ring. But just like every time before, nothing happened.
I needed to fight harder. So, staring at Azazel, I let all my hatred for him bubble to the surface. His red eyes shined with evil as he surveyed the pack, his hand still holding onto the boy’s.
This monster was taking everything from me. My brother, my pack, my freedom—they were all going to be gone. And it was all because of Azazel.
I couldn’t let that happen. Especially because I’d just gotten what I’d craved for so long—I’d imprinted. And not just on anyone. I’d imprinted on Thomas. The man who’d owned my heart for so many years.
My future with him was being snatched away from me before I’d gotten a chance to taste it.
If only the imprint bond worked across far distances. Then I could reach out to Thomas, tell him where I was, and he could do something to help.
Unfortunately, communication through an imprint bond only worked when you could see the other person. Anything further required a full out mate bond.
Thomas could only find me if he could track me. And I refused to let the kiss we’d had a few hours ago be our last.
With that thought, my hand started to move toward my cloaking ring. Slowly, as to not catch Lavinia’s attention, but it moved. Soon, I was sliding the ring off my finger, forcing my expression to remain neutral as I dropped it to the ground next to my feet.
I glanced at Lavinia to see if she’d noticed. She hadn’t. She was completely focused on Azazel. Apparently she was so convinced that I’d be unable to fight the complacent potion that she was barely paying me any attention.
Freedom burst forth from my chest.
With the cloaking ring removed, Thomas would be able to find me.
Fighting against the potion had taken all my energy, but I’d done what I could. Hope wasn’t lost.
“Lavinia.” Azazel looked at the witch and smiled in anticipation. “Bring forth the goblet. Sage, come stand next to your brother. It’s time for us to form a circle so the blood binding ceremony can begin.”
40
Sage
Of course, I did as Azazel instructed and walked to stand beside Flint. The complacent potion gave me no other choice.
Even if I could still fight against the potion—which I couldn’t, since every bit of my energy had been used to take that ring off—I didn’t want to die. Now that I’d imprinted on Thomas, I had too much to live for. Especially now that he’d be able to track me.
Lavinia walked behind a nearby tree and pulled out a large pewter goblet and a matching dagger. She must have stowed it there when she’d cast the perimeter spell and prepared the grounds for the ceremony.
The dark witch approached Azazel, holding the goblet and dagger out before him. “Your Grace.” She stared up at him, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. “We start with your blood.”
Azazel took the dagger and carved a vertical gash along his forearm. Such a cut would have mortally wounded a human—but he didn’t even grimace. He just held his arm above the goblet and allowed his blood to seep from his body and flow into the chalice.
“Enough,” Lavinia said once he’d given so much blood that the goblet must have been halfway full.
Azazel pulled his arm away, the gash knitting itself together. In seconds, the wound was healed.
Lavinia took the dagger. Holding both it and the goblet, she turned to Flint, who was standing proudly by Azazel’s side. “I won’t need as much blood from you and the members of your pack,” she said. “Only a drop. Use the dagger and take the blood from your palm.”
Flint did as instructed, allowing a drop of his blood to fall into the goblet. Then he handed the dagger to me.
I stared at the weapon in my hand, dread filling my soul.
“Go on, Sage,” Lavinia purred, stroking the goblet. “It’s just one drop.”
I glanced around the circle. For the first time tonight, everyone’s eyes were on me.
Not one of those pairs of eyes shined with hope. They were either scared or resolved.
I never would have believed that the Montgomery pack could have been beaten into such submission if I wasn’t here to witness it myself.
If Azazel could do this to us, what were the demons going to do to the supernaturals all over the world?
It hurt my heart to think about it. If the Earth Angel and her army didn’t start doing something soon… we were doomed.
“Sage.” Flint seethed. “Cut your palm with the dagger and add a drop of your blood to the goblet. Now.”
The complacent potion took hold of the command, and my body started acting on its own. I pricked my palm with the dagger, held it over the goblet, and allowed a drop of my blood to fall into the chalice.
I choked down a cry, understanding why complacent potion was illegal. No one should be allowed to control another person like this. Ever.
“Perfect.” Lavinia took the dagger from me and continued around the circle, collecting drops of blood from each member of the Montgomery pack. The only person who didn’t participate in the ceremony was Mara. Once Lavinia made her way back to Azazel, she brought the chalice into the center of the circle and added her own blood to the mix.
Then she reached into the inside pocket of her jacket and pulled out a vial. “Lastly, the blood of someone I’ve recently killed,” she said with a chilling smile, uncapping the vial and dumping its contents into the chalice.
When the vial was empty, she tossed it to the ground and used both hands to hold the goblet in front of her. She stared into it and started chanting in Latin.
The wind whipped around us, and a silver glow surrounded the goblet, growing larger and larger as she chanted. Eventually, the light radiated out to fill the entire circle, bathing us in its chilling glow. When I breathed in, coldness filled me to the bone. It was like I could feel the evil of the spell all the way down to my soul.
How did Flint still think this was the right decision? I glanced to the side to look at him, but he stared blankly ahead. Whatever he was thinking, I couldn’t get a read on him.
Lavinia stopped chanting, and the silver light disappeared. It took my eyes a second to readjust to the moonless night.
“It’s ready.” She walked to Azazel and handed the goblet to him. “His Grace will drink first, and then he’ll pass the chalice around the circle. This spell is strong and dark, so remember to only take a sip. Anything more will likely be lethal.” Her tone
was laced with warning as she spoke the final sentence.
Azazel took a sip from the goblet and passed it to Flint, who then swallowed the blood and lowered the goblet, turning to me.
I gasped at the sight of his eyes. Because my brother’s familiar brown eyes were gone. Now they were red. Demon red.
Just like the shifters who’d attacked me, Noah, and Raven in the alley in Nashville. Whoever those shifters were, they’d completed a blood binding ceremony with a demon. It had done something to them—something that had changed them deep within.
People sometimes said that eyes were the window to the soul.
Did this ceremony just change my brother’s soul?
“Take the goblet,” Flint commanded. “Drink.”
I took the goblet from him, my hands shaking. The pewter material was cold, like it had just come out of a freezer. The blood inside smelled dirty and tainted.
I didn’t want to drink it. But given the circumstances—including the complacent potion still running through my veins—I didn’t have a choice.
I glanced over at my cloaking ring. It was still on the ground outside the circle, where I’d been standing before the ceremony.
Thank the angels I’d been able to fight past the complacent potion for long enough to remove the ring. Otherwise, all hope would have been lost.
Please Thomas, I thought as I raised the goblet to my lips. Find me. Together, we’ll fight this. Because no matter what this blood binding ceremony does to me, I love you, and I promise my heart will always be yours.
Despite the chalice being cold, the blood was warm when it touched my tongue. It tasted bitter and sticky. I forced it down, pressing my lips together in disgust as I swallowed.
It was a good thing we didn’t need to take any more than a sip. I didn’t think I would have been able to endure it.
The blood settled into my stomach, the darkness seeping from my center all the way to the ends of my fingers and toes. I thought it would have felt cold, or uncomfortable. But it didn’t.
It felt safe. Like a blanket giving me protection I hadn’t realized I’d needed. I felt strong. Invincible. Calm.
Before, my emotions had been a swirling mess, like a hurricane. Now they were tranquil and steady. I saw everything clearly now.
It was all thanks to Azazel. And Flint, of course, for having the sense to make this alliance. I’d have to apologize to my brother later for giving him such a hard time about this. By making this alliance, Flint was keeping me safe. He was keeping the entire pack safe. I understood that now. I was grateful.
I turned to the shifter next to me—a woman named Marie who was a few years older than me. We’d never had much in common—she was a big gossip, so I’d never trusted her with anything meaningful—but she was always fun to hang out with.
She took a sharp breath inward when her eyes met mine.
“Don’t worry,” I assured her, handing the goblet to her. “You’ll feel so much better after you drink.”
Once she took the goblet from me, I walked out of the circle, toward where I’d been standing earlier.
“Where are you going?” Flint asked.
I leaned down and picked up my cloaking ring from the grass, examining it with a knowing smile. “I must have dropped this during the excitement earlier,” I said, sliding the ring back onto my finger where it belonged. “It’s a good thing I noticed. There are some people who might be looking for me—we wouldn’t want them to find us and bring trouble to our pack.”
“No.” Flint smiled as I rejoined his side. “We most certainly wouldn’t.”
I watched as the goblet made its way around the circle. Once each shifter drank, their eyes turned red and they visibly relaxed. Finally, the goblet made its way to the final member of the Montgomery pack—Michael, who stood on Azazel’s other side.
The young boy looked terrified as he raised the goblet to his lips.
But once he drank, his eyes turned red and he was calm like the rest of us.
“Wonderful,” Azazel said as Lavinia took the empty goblet from Michael’s hands. “Now that you’re bound to me, you have my protection, as I have yours. We’re an alliance. A family. And I’m pleased to officially give your alpha Flint Montgomery permission to mate with my daughter Mara.”
Flint bowed his head to Azazel. “Thank you, Your Grace,” he said.
“You’re welcome,” Azazel replied. “We’ll have to celebrate, since the first mating between a demon and shifter will be a moment that will go down in history.”
“Yes.” Flint smiled at Mara, who beamed in return. “It certainly will.”
“And I have to admit that it’s gotten me curious,” Azazel continued. “If a shifter can imprint on a demon, what about a greater demon? Could one of you imprint on me?” He tilted his head in curiosity, letting his gaze meet everyone’s in the circle. Eventually he focused on me, his eyes lingering up and down my body for much longer than any of the others.
Whatever he was looking for, I hoped it pleased him.
“Sage Montgomery.” My name sounded like honey as he spoke it. “You’re strong, smart, and beautiful. If I’m able to imprint on a shifter, I want it to be you.”
I widened my eyes in surprise. “Thank you, Your Grace,” I said, lowering my head to show him the proper respect. “You honor me greatly.”
“I know.” He smirked, appearing to enjoy this. Good. I wanted him to be happy. “And I don’t want to wait to find out,” he continued. “Come here now and kiss me.”
I walked toward him, my eyes locked on his. He was so handsome—like a god.
But as I approached, I felt a stirring deep within. I wasn’t sure what it was… but it seemed to be trying to tell me something.
It was telling me to stop. To remember something important—a feeling I was supposed to have. Not for Azazel, or for anyone in the pack.
It was a feeling for someone else. An important promise I’d made him.
A promise my heart was begging me not to break.
“Sage?” Azazel’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Is everything okay?”
I blinked, comforted by the caring way my master gazed down at me. The reminder of his protection made whatever I’d been feeling before disappear in an instant.
What had I been feeling before?
I wasn’t sure, but I needed to answer Azazel’s question. It was rude to keep him waiting.
“I’m just nervous, I suppose.” I shrugged and smiled, feeling silly for causing my master to worry. “It’s not every day that I’m selected for such an honor.”
“Understandable.” He twisted a strand of my hair around his finger and leaned closer, focused only on me. “How about you put an end to those nerves and kiss me now?”
“I’d love to.” With that, I rested my hands against his chest, stood up on my tiptoes, and pressed my lips to his.
The Angel Gift
Dark World: The Angel Trials 4
1
Noah
Thomas and I ran through the back alleyways of Chicago with our supernatural speed, quickly arriving back at the Bettencourt.
Cassandra was waiting in his penthouse when we arrived. The bundle of the materials she’d used for the tracking spell we’d done on the demon a few hours ago was back on the dining room table. It was like she already knew what we needed.
Thomas must have reached out to her with his technopath ability—his gift that allowed him to control technology—and told her to bring the materials back here.
I was glad for it. Cassandra was the most powerful witch in this city, and we needed her help. Now.
“What’s going on?” She looked back and forth between Thomas and me in alarm. “Where are Sage and Raven?”
“They’re gone.” My soul felt empty as I spoke the words. “The demon we were hunting turned out to be a greater demon. He teleported away with Raven and Sage before we could stop him.”
I still couldn’t believe it. One second, Raven and Sage wer
e right in front of us. I was getting ready to kill my tenth demon, which would complete the quest the Earth Angel had given to me so I could join her army in Avalon.
We’d been so close to Avalon that I could practically taste it.
Then the demon had teleported away with Raven and Sage, ripping my heart out of my chest in the process. I’d gone from excited to anguished so quickly that I could still barely process the emotions.
“We don’t know where he took them,” Thomas continued. “Their phones have been destroyed, so I can’t locate them. We need you to do a tracking spell to find them.”
Cassandra hurried to the table, laying the cloth flat and getting the items set up. “Don’t both girls wear cloaking rings?” she asked.
“They do. But they’re smart,” I said. “They’ll know to remove their rings so we can find them.”
She nodded and got the necessary items into place. Four different colored candles, each representing an element and point on the compass. A pendulum with a quartz crystal. An atlas.
All tracking spells I’d observed in the past had been done with a general location in mind. This time, the atlas was opened to a map of the entire world.
Greater demons could teleport anywhere in the world.
My stomach sunk at the realization that Raven and Sage could truly be anywhere. I’d known it, but it was different seeing the map of the world laid out like that.
It was like the map of the world was mocking me for failing at keeping Raven safe.
I’d never been so worried in my life. Not even when I’d witnessed the Hell Gate being opened in the Vale.
I’d also never cared about someone this much in my life.
But at least I knew Raven was alive. Our imprint bond warmed my heart, steady and whole. The imprint bond would have disappeared if she’d been killed. She might not be safe—she likely wasn’t—but she was alive.
Right now, that warmth over my heart was the only thing giving me hope.
I could only pray to the angels, or to the gods, or to whatever was out there, that Sage was still alive as well.
The Angel Trials- The Complete Series Page 46