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Baby? “I am a warrior,” he said, squaring his shoulders. “I know I am due several whippings first, and I willingly accept them. ”
“You are due, yes. You took responsibility of Annabelle, and yet you allowed harm to come to her on more than one occasion. You even caused her harm yourself. Then you sat back as she harmed others. ”
“Yes. And I accept whatever you decide to do, but I ask that you help me, too. ”
A pause.
Such a thick silence.
Then, “You desire my help with Annabelle even though she is a demon’s consort?”
“She is not a demon’s consort,” he gritted out. “She is mine. ”
Unperturbed, the Deity continued on, “And you wish for me to help you challenge the demon who thinks to take her from you. ”
“A demon who has harmed many humans in his quest to reach her. ”
Another bout of silence, just as thick but now so heavy Zacharel’s shoulders drooped under the weight.
“Much has changed for you since we last spoke,” the Deity said.
“Yes,” he repeated. His heart drummed erratically.
“Tell me, Zacharel, what you have learned. ”
This, he did not have to think about. “I have learned the value of human life. I have learned the value of love and commitment. I have learned to place another’s needs before my own. ”
“Have you truly?”
“Yes. ”
“Let’s find out, shall we. Tell me, Zacharel. Would you sacrifice yourself for your Annabelle?”
So casually asked, but with the Deity, there was always a purpose. “I would. ” No question.
“Would you sacrifice something dearer even than that? Would you sacrifice your brother’s life to save her?”
He frowned. “My brother has no life to give. He is dead. ”
“No. He lives. ”
Zacharel…had no response to that. Like the angels, the Deity would not lie. That meant… That couldn’t mean… Could only mean…
“True death is not what you think, angel. A spirit cannot die. ”
“But the Water of Death—”
“Is not what you think, either. Your brother is alive. He survived. ”
Hope filled him. Joy filled him. So fervently had he prayed for something like this. “More than the water, I also burned his body. ”
“And his body was put back together. ”
Hadrenial was alive!
They could be together, he thought. They could fly together. Talk and laugh. His brother could meet Annabelle, and they could be a family. They would be a family.
“I ask again,” the Deity said. “If both Annabelle and your twin stood before you now, if you could only save one life, whose life would you choose?”
In a single heartbeat, his hope withered. His joy fled. “Why would you ask me to make such a choice? As punishment for my crimes?” he asked, stomach twisting painfully.
“You have hurt several humans though you knew better. You saved a human at the risk of your own life. You are due both a punishment and a reward. ”
A punishment and a reward. He could have his brother, or he could have Annabelle, but not both. Hadrenial, the most beloved of the angels, so pure of heart, so caring and kind, Zacharel had been humbled. Or Annabelle, who was just as caring and kind. Hadrenial, whom he had missed with all of his heart. Annabelle, whom he craved with the whole of his body. Hadrenial, whose life was cut short by torment and tragedy. Annabelle, who challenged and confounded him at every turn.
“And if I cannot choose?”
“Then I will choose for you, for there cannot be life without death, or action without consequence. This you know. ”
His hands fisted. “What of me? Take my life, and allow the pair of them to live. ”
“When no such choice was given to the humans you allowed to be slain?”
A question that was really a statement. There would be no changing the Deity’s mind. There never was. “May I see him?” he asked. “Will you tell me how you saved him? I removed his love. ”
“There is more to man than a single element, Zacharel. You took his goodness…but left what was festering. ”
“I left nothing. ”
“You left Unforgiveness. ”
Was he implying… No. No! Yet even hearing the word was a blow to the gut. “Where is he?”
A light appeared in front of Zacharel, growing brighter…brighter still…until he worried he would be blind for the rest of eternity. “Look, and see. Your brother and your woman. ”
* * *
ANNABELLE SPENT FIVE MINUTES alone. That was it. Just five. She had no idea her entire world would change before the sixth ticked past—when Koldo reappeared in the hotel room.
A grinning demon stood at his side.
“Unforgiveness,” Koldo said, shoving him in her direction.
Instinct caused her to scramble backward. She reached back and grabbed…a lamp, she realized when the “weapon” was in front of her, the cord jerked out of the socket. Her knives were on the nightstand, and the nightstand was far from her reach.
“What are you doing, Koldo?” she demanded. “What’s going on?”
“Hello, Annabelle,” the creature said. “Don’t you remember me?”
“I wasn’t talking to you, demon. Koldo?”
“He cannot leave this room, but then, neither can you,” Koldo said. “I made sure of it. ”
“At my request,” the demon said, his grin widening.
“I brought you to her, as you demanded, but I will not bring Zacharel here. ”
“That is not—”
“Your plan, no. Do not think you will be able to leave on your own. My cloud now surrounds the outside of this room and it will ensure you remain. ”
A low growl erupted. “What game are you playing? One word from me, and the females in my charge will be savaged. Do you hear me? Savaged!”
“That’s a lie. They’ll be rescued before that happens. And by the way, you didn’t think of everything,” Koldo replied easily. “I did. Annabelle, he’s all yours. ” And with that, he vanished, leaving Annabelle a second time.
A moment passed before she was able to orient herself, to look past her fear and her confusion and the sudden burn in her chest. When she finally realized who—and what—she faced, she released a shrill scream. “You!”
Here he was, her parents’ killer, except he was even bigger than she remembered him. Taller, far more muscled, but still with that barbarian’s face and a vampire’s fangs. Horns on his shoulders, dripping poison, she was sure, and a tail swishing between his legs.
“Do not worry, mate of mine. I won’t make you suffer just yet. I’ll play with you first. The fun stuff will begin when Zacharel swoops in to the rescue. And he will. Koldo will not be able to stop him. ”
“I’m not your mate. ” A violent tremor threatened to rock her off her feet, the burn in her chest intensifying. Steady. Calm. Can’t let emotions get the better of you. “So you’re Unforgiveness, the coward who sends his minions to fight for him, huh. ” Better.
His fangs elongated as he said, “You’ll pay for that, and so will Zacharel. Where is he, by the way? Not far, I hope. ” He looped around her, much as Zacharel had once done, studying every inch of her. A hungry predator who’d just spotted prey.
She turned with him, never letting him have her back. “He’s busy doing something important. ” Subtext: you’re not. “This is between you and me. ” And I will come out ahead. I have to.
“This was never between you and me. I waited centuries to strike at Zacharel, and wasn’t sure I’d ever have the chance. Then your worthless druggie of a brother summoned me into your home and I scented you. Imagine my surprise. I knew instantly who you were to me…who you’d be to Zacharel, and so I exchanged a portion of your spirit with mine, then sent others to torment you until
his notice was gained. I’m a very patient male, you know. ” His tail swiped out, intending to knock her ankles together and her body to the ground.
Because of Zacharel’s tutelage, she expected the action and jumped up, throwing the lamp at him, slashing his cheek before shattering on the floor.
He stilled, rubbed the now black spot. “That wasn’t very nice. ”
“Neither was your lie. There’s no way you could know what I would come to mean to Zacharel. ”
A wide grin bloomed. “Isn’t there?” There was just enough venom in his voice to drill through her doubt.
“No. ” Still he circled her, again and again. She wanted to leap at him, to attack and get this party started, but she had to work her way to the nightstand first.
“What if I told you that I was Zacharel’s brother? His twin? His other half?”
One inch…two… “You’d have a better chance of convincing me that you’re Santa Claus. ” Even though his claim solved the mystery of the essentia—why Zacharel had seemed to touch her before ever having met her.
That tail whipped out a second time, faster, harder. “Perhaps I am. I so love leaving little presents behind…like the bodies I left for you, all those years ago. Your parents, yes? Killing them was so amazingly sweet. ”
Might vomit. But at least she managed to gain another inch.
“I could have left them alone, you know, but I wanted you trapped in one location. I knew you would be blamed and locked away, ready to be rescued by a beautiful dark-haired angel. And so you were. ”
Might sob. “What do you gain from all of this?”
“Vengeance. Zacharel killed the man I used to be. I woke up in hell, forced to live with the very beings responsible for my torment. ”
“No,” she repeated. “You lie!” That tail came at her once, twice, but she managed to jump both times. Zacharel had done the same to her, so she knew to leap backward, out of the way of a third strike.
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