by Sadie Moss
They all wanted to help.
Because Earth is their home. They love it, and they protect what’s theirs.
They might have flaws—I can’t deny that, they are the sins, after all—but they want to help. They want to do what’s right. And I can’t stop them from doing that. If I did that, I’d be stopping them from being the men I’ve come to love. So as much as I don’t like it, I have to let them do this.
To be fair, they don’t want me in the line of fire either, so at least we’re all together in this “being worried about each other” business.
It’s good, in a way, to be fighting alongside the brothers. Not just because I love them, but because I know they’re doing this because they want to, not because they feel it’s some kind of duty or obligation. It’s the same for me. This isn’t about my duty as an angel. This isn’t about Heaven or Hell or about winning accolades from my superiors.
I’m not going to let people die. It’s as simple as that. Humans are complicated and not all of them are good, I know that. But there are so many wonderful, complex people out there. The Earth is a strange and beautiful place, and I can’t let it fall to a disgruntled angel and demon. They want to hurt everybody, enslave and dominate humanity, and I can’t let them do that.
So, sanctioned by Heaven or not, here we are. I’m going to take care of this, one way or another.
I do wish that I could contact other angels, in case there are those that want to help, but I’m afraid they wouldn’t believe me and it would just cause more of a mess. And Anderson might somehow hear about it, which is the last thing I want.
It’s going to be just the eight of us, but we’ll figure it out. If we can just find out what Salinas has planned.
He said that because the plan with the portals was foiled by yours truly—ha, take that—he’s going to have to go with “the nuclear option.”
“But what does that mean? What nuclear option?” I ask, scrubbing a hand down my face.
“Valentina said she’s going to look into it for us,” Sawyer says. We’re gathered in the kitchen, where Remi is stress-baking. It’s adorable that he does this when he’s upset. We have more baked goods to eat than we know what to do with. “She’ll send out word through the witch community.”
“Isaac said he’d see what he could find,” Ryland adds.
“What did you have to pay him?” Nix drawls, arching a brow.
Isaac truly is a neutral party. He isn’t going to turn us in to the demons, but he’s not going to just put his ear to the ground out of the goodness of his heart either.
“Nuclear,” Ford mutters. “Sounds like a fucking nuclear bomb.”
“They wouldn’t really set off a bomb, would they?” Sawyer asks, sounding alarmed.
Knight signs wildly, and Remi translates. “It would certainly kill off a lot of humans.”
“But the whole point is to take over the humans,” I point out. “Subjugate them. You can’t take over an Earth that has nobody left on it. Where’s the point in that?”
“But they could mean it metaphorically.” Beck purses his lips thoughtfully. “Maybe they’ve got some kind of weapon or spell that will kill enough humans to weaken them. Humans have grown strong. They were always strong in spirit, it’s true, but now they have technology to rival our magic, to rival the strength of demons, perhaps. And Salinas may have many minions on his side, but he doesn’t command all of Below. He doesn’t have the full might of their army at his disposal. He’ll want to press for every advantage that he can. And if he does kill many humans, some of them will go to Hell and some will go to Heaven. But there will still be plenty of leftover here, and those humans will make more humans. He’ll still have his slaves. I’m guessing he would call it an acceptable loss.” He shrugs, his black hair gleaming in the sunlight that pours through the window. “It’s like when I’m planning a business takeover.”
Yikes. That’s chilling. That a man—or demon, rather—is willing to kill so many people to clear his way, to weaken them so that he can take over.
It makes me shiver.
When I look around, I see that the other sins look as disgusted and horrified as I feel. It makes me feel warm inside, a bit, just a reminder that while they might be sins, they’re not monsters. They’re good men. They care. They’re complex people, and they’re more than just their sin. What Salinas and Anderson are planning is malicious. Not the kind of thing these men would ever condone or support.
“Fuckin’ assholes,” Ford growls. “They’re gonna get what’s comin’ to ’em.”
Knight nods empathetically in agreement.
“That level of greed and violence is abhorrent, yes,” Ryland says, and despite his fancy language, I can see in his taut face and his flashing eyes that he really means it.
Sawyer’s phone pings with a message. He pulls it out, reading whatever texts he’s getting. “It’s Valentina,” he says, his face darkening. “She’s got the information, and I’m afraid none of you are going to like it.”
I brace myself. Beckett nods at Sawyer, who clears his throat. “Apparently, they’re setting up some kind of… well, it’s not a nuclear bomb, but it sounds damn close to it. They’re reaching out to some in the supernatural world so that their allies can get clear of the blast, which is how Valentina found out. They’re combining their hellish and angelic abilities.”
Oh, shit.
My heart sinks. Combining hellish and angelic abilities? That’s a lot of freaking power. And I have a feeling I know what they’re planning.
“Salinas is going to unleash a beam of powerful hellfire from Below, and Anderson and the angels on his side will reflect it back to Earth using their heavenly light…”
“…creating a rain of hellfire,” I finish for him.
My stomach clenches and twists. Everyone else looks furious, except for Nix and Knight, who look a bit like they might throw up.
“It’ll be like the Apocalypse,” Remi says in a hushed voice. For the first time that I’ve known him, he’s not paying attention to the food he’s cooking—well, except for that time we kissed in the kitchen. But that was for a nice reason. Now? He’s just staring ahead into the middle distance, his eyes slightly unfocused, like he can see it happening in front of him, a train wreck he can’t tear his gaze away from.
“We can’t let that happen,” I inform them firmly. “We won’t let it happen. We’ll stop them before they succeed.”
Knight signs a few things, and Nix translates. “Are we sure that we can’t just talk to Above or Below about it? I mean, whoever’s in charge on either end won’t be happy with this coup.”
“Oh, so you’ve got the fucking Devil himself on speed dial?” Ford snaps.
Knight glares at him and Ford immediately softens, nudging the tall man with his shoulder. The brothers really do have such a soft spot for Envy. I love it. And I understand it—I have a major soft spot for him too.
“Maybe,” I say slowly, chewing my lip, “if I could get ahold of the people really high up in charge, I could do that. But I can’t. There’s no way I could get to them without Anderson or someone on his team stopping me. And I’m sure it would be the same if one of you tried to talk to the demons who are higher up than Salinas Downstairs.”
The others have to nod their reluctant agreement. Remi tears his gaze away from the nothing he was staring at, jumping in surprise and diving for the stove so that the food doesn’t burn.
“So then how do we stop it?” Sawyer asks. “Besides asking them politely if they’ll consider leaving us and all of humanity alone and going back home, no harm done.”
“I don’t suppose the sheer power of love will work,” Nix grumbles with an eye roll.
“We have to intercept the hellfire before it comes into contact with the heavenly light and is reflected,” Ryland announces, his eyes narrowing slightly as he thinks. I can practically see the gears moving in his brain. “Even without the heavenly light, the hellfire will be dangerous. It’s best to ta
ckle that and then deal with the angels later.”
“Yeah? And how do we do that?” Ford asks sarcastically. “Just call down some fuckin’ rain, I suppose?”
“Hellfire isn’t just fire,” I point out. “It’s so much more than that. It’s almost like lava. It’s not made of oxygen like regular fire is. It’s… thick. It kind of has a mind of its own, like it’s an animal.”
“We could try to contain it,” Beck starts, but then Ryland and he share a look, and he shakes his head. Clearly, that won’t work.
“We could try to nullify it,” Remi offers, stirring whatever delicious-smelling food is in the pan on the stove. “We know enough people with magical abilities. Surely we can find some devices that’ll help us.”
I look around at the others. I don’t think that’s half a bad idea, and from the way that everyone—especially Beckett and Ryland—looks thoughtful, I think that we’re finally on the right track.
“All right,” Ryland says with an air of finality, and I know that we’ve hit upon the beginnings of a proper plan, “here’s what we’ll do…”
Chapter Twenty-Two
TRINITY
We’ve got our plan set, I remind myself for the hundredth time.
We’ve got our plan set.
We’ve got our plan set.
But what if it’s not good enough?
I can’t shake that fear. Any number of things could go wrong. We’re only eight people up against a powerful demon and his minions, and that’s if Anderson and his angels don’t swoop in to cause problems. We’re hoping that they’ll hold the line so that their heavenly light stays in place, keeping them from directly engaging with us, but you never know.
We’re on the king sized bed in the master bedroom right now—we didn’t really discuss it, we all just climbed in together. It’s the only bed that’s big enough for all eight of us, and I want all of them with me tonight.
But even though it’s late, I can’t sleep. It seems to be a common theme of my life lately, which I guess makes sense. My mind just won’t shut off.
What if something goes wrong?
Our plan isn’t foolproof. Far from it.
We could be attacked at any time. The devices could malfunction. The hellfire could prove to be stronger than what we can combat. I could still lose any of these men. There are seven of them, for fuck’s sake. I can’t keep track of all of them the entire time. I’ll do my best to protect them and to play my part, but…
Ugh. My stomach is one giant knot.
Propping myself up on my elbow, I look down at the sleeping men around me. Even in sleep, I can see their personalities etched into their faces.
Knight is curled up, like he’s keeping himself from reaching for the touch he wants. He’s gotten better at accepting the love his brothers and I offer, but I know it’s still hard for him. Ryland is sleeping on his back, his body straight as an arrow. Ford’s face is scrunched up like he’s dreaming about beating someone to a pulp. Sawyer is draped over the mattress like he’s sensually posing for a magazine ad, and Beck’s hogging all the blankets, while Remi lies beside me, nosing a pillow like he’s dreaming about smelling a delicious meal. Nix is on my other side, sprawled out in a lazy pile of limbs.
My heart swells as I take them all in. Their personalities are so strong and unique. I thought when I first met them that I would have to find a way to care about them in spite of who they were. Now I do so much more than care for them—I love them—and it’s because of who they are, rather than in spite of it.
After all, they might be sins, but who doesn’t have flaws? Who can truly say that they’re perfect and they don’t have their weaknesses?
As if he can sense me staring, Nix stirs, his eyes opening slowly and sleepily. He looks up at me, his gaze slowly sharpening as he grows more awake.
I smile at him. I don’t say anything, not wanting to wake the others. But Nix props himself up on one elbow and kisses me, one hand on my cheek. It’s soft. Lazy. Just like him.
“Do you know how beautiful you look?” he whispers, his voice barely audible. It’s like a lazy river, a soft slow breeze, and I bask in it.
I’m sure he can’t see it, between my dark skin and the darkness all around us, but I can feel myself blushing. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
Nix kisses me again. This time it lasts a little longer, the press of his lips a little firmer.
“When this is all over, I’m gonna make sure you don’t leave the bed for a week. I’m gonna teach you how to fully relax, you know?” He waggles his eyebrows. “After I fully tire you out. Can’t relax if you haven’t done all the hard work. Like how sleep feels better after a long day.”
I smile at him, unable to stop myself. Not that I would even if I could. It’s so sweet of him to be thinking of what we’ll do after this. Of our future. Especially since… well, it’s possible neither of us will get through this alive. There’s no way of knowing if any of us will make it. We could all end up sacrificing ourselves in the coming battle, in our attempt to contain one of the most powerful elements in the universe.
But for a moment, I let his words wash over me, allowing my mind to picture everything he’s saying. I imagine a world where we’ve won, and Nix and I are in his massive bed in his fortress, tangled up together, sleepy and sated after a few rounds of sex, idly watching television and doing nothing at all.
“We need some sleep, sweetheart. Big day tomorrow. C’mere,” Nix murmurs, pulling me in, and I curl up in his arms.
“You’re using your Sloth on me,” I whisper around a yawn. The sudden onset of sleepiness that washes through me isn’t natural. I wasn’t aware of being influenced by the sins’ power the first time it happened, when I was eating Remi’s food in his restaurant. But since then, I’ve learned to tell when one of them is exerting his power and causing me to indulge in his particular sin.
I yawn again, and I can feel Nix smirking, and the next thing I know I’m asleep. It’s sweet of him to take care of me like this. Make sure I’m getting my rest.
Especially because the next thing I know—I’m being jolted awake by the alarm.
We set up an alarm using some instructions from Isaac so that when there was an unusual spike in demonic activity on Earth, we would sense it. Another demon portal, for instance. I can feel demonic portals if they’re nearby, but not if they’re far away. And since we’re out in the middle of nowhere right now, I highly doubt that we’re going to see Anderson and Salinas attacking the middle of the forest just south of the Canadian border. I mean, it’s possible, but it sure doesn’t seem likely.
But with this long-range alarm system we set up, we’re alerted the moment a large amount of demonic power tries to break through into the human, mortal world.
Apparently, given the loud blaring noise that’s sounding through the entire cabin-slash-mansion, our alarm system has worked.
Everyone jolts awake and scrambles. Ford, always the most energetic, is out of bed first, clamoring down the stairs still in just his underwear, and I can literally hear him skid to a halt in front of the system. “Hawaii!” he yells back up the stairs.
Beck and Sawyer are down the stairs next as I finish struggling into my clothes, then the rest of us follow.
“It’s Mauna Kea,” Beck announces. I hurry the last few steps down the stairs with the other men behind me, all of us bumping into each other like a bunch of lemmings. “It’s a volcanic mountain.”
Ah, crap sandwich. A volcano? Of course they would pick something like that for their portal location. It will aid the hellfire and make it more powerful.
“We have to get over there,” I say breathlessly.
“Bless the fucking witches,” Sawyer says, pulling out the package that Valentina sent to us a couple days ago.
It contains charmed objects that she and several other powerful witches created. I know Sawyer was reluctant to ask her for help with the bounty on my head, but things seemed much less tense between them when we asked for
her assistance this time.
“Containment charms, everyone,” Ryland orders, taking the charms that Sawyer’s pulling out of the box and passing them around to each of us.
I take mine. It’s a small silver cube, and it’s cool to the touch. I shove it into my back pocket, praying it’ll work when the time comes.
Beckett draws a quick chalk circle on the floor, then puts down one of the strange pieces of paper that will cast a group transportation spell.
We all gather inside the circle, and he activates the spell to deliver us to Mauna Kea.
I don’t think I’m ever really going to like being magically transported. I much prefer to get around via my legs or my wings. That’s why I have them, after all. But even I couldn’t fly fast enough to get to Hawaii in time.
“Fucking hell.” Beck curses under his breath, and I open my eyes, fighting off the dizziness as I look around.
Shit. A bunch of demons are already here, including Salinas. They’re up ahead toward the top of the volcano, working their twisted, corrupted magic.
“They’re going to use the volcano as a conduit,” Ryland says, his voice hard. “Create an explosion and make the lava carry the hellfire up into the air where the heavenly light can reflect it.”
It’s a clever plan, I have to admit that. It’s simple, but it’s going to be nearly impossible to stop.
Well, unless our plan works.
“Hey!” I yell, in case Salinas hasn’t noticed us yet. If we can stop him and the rest of the corrupted from finishing their little spell-thing, then we might not have to use our full plan at all. “I don’t think we ever finished our fight, you asshole! I’m not fucking done with you!”
Okay, so it’s not a very angelic sounding challenge, but there’s something fortifying in curse words. I feel strong, empowered, and ready for battle.
Salinas whips around, snarling and glaring at me. “You—you’re supposed to be—”
“Locked up and docile?” I shoot back, unfurling my wings as a burst of powerful energy shoots through me. I don’t have to look down at myself to know that I’m glowing with my angelic light. I’m filled with that same righteousness that I felt last time, and it carries me forward as I storm toward Salinas. “Yeah, you wish.”