I pulled away from him and turned to findHawk, Vargas, and Erin standing by the corner of the building. Theywere all pale, their shadowy eyes hollow, but their shoulders werethrust back proudly. Vargas had his hand clamped against his upperarm, and blood trickled from between his fingers, but the othersappeared unharmed as the three of them walked over to join us.
Corson stepped beside Azote’s body and kickedone of the black wings until it flopped onto the ground. “This wasa big blow to Lucifer. He just lost one of his higher-upangels.”
Though Azote was dead, Kobal positionedhimself in between me and the angel. His body was rigid as hischest brushed against my arm and he stared at the mutilated body.“I know.”
I’d thought he’d be happier about thatdevelopment. Instead, he had the look of someone about to attend awake. He lifted his eyes to meet Corson’s gaze. Something traveledbetween the two of them, but before I could question him on it,Erin spoke.
“That was an angel?” she asked in a chokedvoice.
“Azote,” I murmured. “One of the angels whofell with Lucifer.”
Kobal’s eyebrows drew together sharply. “Howdo you know who he was?”
I glanced at him before looking back at theblack blood flowing from Azote’s neck. “I just knew, somehow.”
I decided to wait until we were alone beforetelling him everything Azote had said and the reaction he’d had tothe sparks dancing across my fingers. Sparks which had affected himfar more than my fire had. I understood what had Kobal so on edgeas I realized I would most likely be able to use my ability againstLucifer too. Kobal and Corson had already arrived at thisconclusion.
Did I dare get that close to Lucifer in orderto use my ability to wield life against him? I didn’t fear him, andI didn’t fear death; I didn’t want to die, but I would die to savethose I loved and countless others if I had to. However, I worriedLucifer may somehow be able to turn me to his way. He must knowwhat had severed the angels’ bond to the flow of life. Could he doit to me?
It didn’t matter. We still had a lot ofdistance to travel before we got to that point. I’d worry about itwhen we were closer to the gateway to Hell. Now, I had to beconcerned about making it there. Turning, I surveyed the road, butsaw no trucks driving down it. I spotted Bale as she jogged out ofthe shadows and across the lot toward us.
“Where is everyone else?” I demanded, myvoice shriller than I’d expected.
“They’ll be here soon,” Kobal assured me. “Wewere simply able to move faster by foot.”
“Because you destroyed our ride,” Balemuttered.
I glanced at Kobal questioningly.
“Bit of an accident,” he said with anegligent shrug.
My gaze ran over his body. Bruises marred hissmooth jaw and blood streaked the corner of his right eye. He woreno shirt, but his pants had holes in them with blood crustingaround them. On his chest were the faded, puckered marks of whatlooked like… “Are thosebulletholes?” I demanded.
“We had a run-in with some humans who havesurvived in this area for a long time. I left them alive.”
“Theyshotyou?”
“They did.”
My teeth grated together. The idea of anyonehurting him drowned out any happiness I experienced over learningthere were more survivors out there. “I’d have killed them.”
His mouth quirked into a heart-melting smilethat had the tension in my shoulders easing a little. His fingersslipped over my cheek, brushing aside loose tendrils of hair as hestepped closer to me. “I promised you I’d be more tolerant of thehumans.”
“Not ones who try to kill you!”
His smile only widened. I glared back at him.“I believe I said the same to you at one point.”
Crap. I’dwalked right into that one, which was something he well knew as hiseyes sparkled with amusement.
“The way Eileen was killed was wrong and,well, shocking,” I murmured. “But…”
“But?” he prodded when my voice trailedoff.
I lifted my eyes to search his much-lovedgaze. My heart swelled as my fingers curled around his thick wristsand my body instinctively swayed closer to his. The flow of hislife force flooded me, easing some of my exhaustion and pain frombattling Azote. “But I better understand why you did it, now. I’mglad you kept the humans who attacked you alive.”
He chuckled as I released his wrists. “Areyou now?”
“Yes,” I said reluctantly. “But if they trysomething like that again—”
