Page 57 of Indecent

“What?” Alex barked. “He can do that?”

Menadel sighed, her gaze falling away. “It shouldn’t be possible. Ramiel spent years perfecting a ritual that would allow him to absorb the Wrath of demons. He called them ‘fodder’ for his own ends. We tried to stop him when we learned what he was doing, but he escaped the Holy Host and went to Hell, where we could no longer track him without causing an uproar there.”

“No more of an uproar than he already did by showing up and killing everybody,” Daniel said, mostly to Chaol, who nodded.

Menadel didn’t miss it, though, and inclined her head in agreement. “I regret that he caused such distress in Hell, but angels can’t freely cross Hell’s gates. We have rules of our own that must be abided, or else we risk going down the same corruptive path as Ramiel himself. But now, you’ve brought him to Earth. That is very good. Here, we can face him, although there is something you should know.”

“What’s that?” Isaac drawled, like he was already dreading the answer.

“He has sought out the Paladin Guild.”

“Well, that’s just lovely,” Shadrach said.

“Why would he do that, if he hates humans?” Daniel asked.

Menadel’s golden eyes met his. “How do you think those holy warriors would react to an angel who tells them he wants to kill as many demons as he can get his hands on here on Earth?”

Daniel’s face fell.

“They’d be overjoyed,” Luke said with a groan.

“Exactly. He doesn’t have to tell them his plans for Earth. All he needs is their cooperation until he’s strong enough to raze the surface of mankind. They’ll think they’re doing God’s will, not knowing they’re aiding in the extinction of the human race.”

They would fall for it, too, Daniel knew. He could just picture Ramiel appearing in all his holy, golden glory, telling Sloan that he’d been leading the guild down the right path all along. Feeding him lies about how he’d been sent by Heaven to help their cause. Of course they would target the Sentinels. Sloan’s followers would go into a frenzy, thinking this proved all their most heinous thoughts about the Sentinels. There would be no reasoning with them now, not with an actual angel in their ear.

Daniel was grateful that Talon had had the foresight to issue a warning to the guild about their plans to attack. It had fractured the guild, and they were weaker now than ever.

“Okay, so how exactly does one kill an angel?” Shadrach asked.

Menadel’s golden eyes searched the room, lingering on the demons at the front of the crowd. “Demons will be vulnerable to angels, even here on the surface. You were designed to be weaker than the Holy Host.”

“That’s some bullshit,” Malachi growled.

“What does that mean, then?” Talon asked. “The humans should take the lead on this one? I think I speak for all of us when I say we don’t like the idea of that.” He shot Alex a discomfited look.

“We have to be the ones to kill the angel?” Alex asked, sounding faint.

Daniel exchanged a look with Chaol. They were the only demons in the room who didn’t have a human partner to worry about. The transformation was more worth it every day.

“It means we will have to work together,” Menadel said kindly, glancing from face to face. “All the most powerful demons on Earth are in this room. I have no doubt that Ramiel will be coming for you, and we need to be prepared to face him when he does.”

Draego tilted his head, then turned to look at Daniel. “I suppose that means we should get started with your training. You’ll need to know how to control your new powers.”

Menadel’s gaze wandered the room. “I will ward this place against intrusion. Ramiel will not be able to enter without express invitation.”

“We’d appreciate that,” Talon said, looking nonplussed, like he couldn’t quite believe it was happening.

Draego looked at Daniel and tilted his head toward the door. “Come. Let’s get started.”

Daniel and Draego weren’t the only ones who stepped outside. Half the demons tagged along to watch, and some of the humans, too. They lined up near the metal siding of the building, the demons huddling near a standing ashtray and lighting cigarettes.

Chaol stood apart from them all, folding his arms with a pensive look on his face as Daniel and Draego faced off. Daniel should’ve been paying attention to the harbinger who was about to attack him, but he couldn’t tear his gaze from Chaol’s stiff form. It didn’t sit right with him that Chaol was standing away from everyone else. Instinct told him to go over there and wipe the frown from his face, maybe drag him over to where Nicolas and Ashmedai were watching with Julian and Valac. Daniel had told Chaol he was family now, and the others had basically agreed. But none of them were acting like it. Chaol held himself apart from the others.

Chaol had protected him in Hell, but here, he was the one who was disadvantaged. He had no friends or allies beyond Daniel’s own, and most of them probably wouldn’t claim him now that they knew about his connection to Amon. His brother had been their enemy, and most of them didn’t trust him. It wasn’t fair, and Daniel wanted to rage at them. Was he lonely? Did he regret coming to the surface with Daniel? He didn’t have to fight in Daniel’s battles. He could have left Daniel to come to Earth and deal with the angel alone, but he hadn’t. He deserved a chance to belong here as more than just Daniel’s partner. He could have friends here. Family. A clan. How did Daniel get him to see that? How did he get the others to accept him?

A solid punch to the solar plexus sent Daniel staggering, gasping for breath.

“Pay attention,” Draego said.