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“I had to.” His strong chin trembled with the effort to remain calm. “When I saw how those episodes were destroying you, I had to do something. Luke couldn’t help. No one knew how to stop them. I took a chance and it worked. All Seth needed was Psyche’s Urn and he could stop the fits. That’s what I did.”
“It didn’t stop the fits!” My body shook with rage. I clenched my fists to my sides. “It released my demon. Made me a prisoner in my own mind. I’ve been a captive for the past several day and you didn’t notice. You betrayed me and you abandoned me. How could you?”
Hot tears trailed down my cheeks. Clutching a hand to my chest, I forced myself to breathe. Horror filled Gabe’s eyes and his jaw fell open. He reached for my hand, but I pulled away.
“I did it to save you,” he whispered in a hoarse voice. Coming closer, he pressed his forehead softly against mine. “I couldn’t lose you, Lizzy. I would’ve done anything.”
Even with my eyes closed, I could recall every inch of him. My green-eyed angel. The scar on his cheek. The smoldering gaze that made my knees quake when he looked at me. The curve of his muscles down his arms and the strength in his hands when they held mine. I felt his misery and his hopelessness. I’d felt that way, too.
I hated to admit it, but if the roles had been reversed, I might have done the same thing. A life without Gabe didn’t seem worth living. I’d have given Seth most anything he wanted to save the life of my warrior angel. I couldn’t blame him for what he’d done.
“This reunion is touching and all,” Seth interrupted from the sidelines, “but there’s just one question remaining.”
He flew across the room in a burst of speed and closed his hand around my throat in a vice-like grip. I was slammed against the wall before I could blink, with Gabe knocked to the ground. Seth raised me off the ground, his hand cutting off the air in my windpipes. Rage boiled in his dark eyes as he stared up at me.
“How. Did. You. Break. Free?” He punctuated the words with a hiss from deep inside his throat. “Obviously, Mona has failed me. The question is, how?”
My lungs screamed for air. I kicked out, but couldn’t make contact with Seth’s body. He stared at me expectantly, as if I could answer him with his hand wrapped around my throat.
“Let her go!”
Gabe lunged into Seth’s back. The Prince of Hell swatted him away as if he were a small child.
“Speak,” he commanded, lowering me to the floor.
I gasped as cool air filled my chest. My neck throbbed where he’d crushed, but it was nothing compared to the sweet relief of oxygen returning to my brain. I coughed and hacked, attempting to catch my breath.
“Tell me the truth.” He bared down on me, his massive bulk blocking out the light. “How did you break free?”
“Nephilim powers,” I croaked, too afraid to come up with some lie. It still felt like his fingers were wrapped around my neck. “My skin began to glow. It forced her back, deep inside.” I tapped the side of my head.
He leaned back, amusement in his eyes. “Hmmm...interesting. Very interesting.” Laughing, he tossed his shoulders and glanced between Gabe and me. “She’s stronger than I gave her credit for. You were right, she is quite a warrior.”
Gabe watched me through the crook of Seth’s arm. Rage and worry burned simultaneously in the dark pools of his eyes. His jaw flexed and he clenched his hands at his sides.
“This is a disturbing incident.” Seth walked away from me, shaking his head. “Disturbing indeed. No doubt, our plans have changed.”
“Call off the attack,” I snarled.
No one would be raiding the manor tonight. He was through.
He turned sharply to face me. “I assume you’ve warned the others?”
Raising my chin, I didn’t blink. “Of course. Your plan has failed.”
At that moment, a rumble of voices and shouts could be heard coming through the door. Someone ran down the hallway, pounding on the doors. I smiled with pride. Raquel had alerted the board. The rest of the manor would be up and ready for war within moments. Seth and his armies had failed. He’d lost his man inside. He’d lost his advantage.
“What to do? What to do?” He paced the floor, folding his hands in front of his chest.
I exchanged confused glances with Gabe. This wasn’t the behavior of a defeated man. If anything, he was acting like this was a board game and he merely had to change strategies, regardless of the fact that we finally had the upper hand.
“Seth, Six Prince of Hell, you are finished.” The words spilled from my mouth as I grabbed the dagger at my waist. “Give up now, or we will be forced to send you back to where you belong.”
His chin snapped up. “Where I belong? This is where I belong. As your ruler.”
My grip tightened on the hilt. “You belong in Hell.”
Running a hand over his hair, he smiled at me. “Soon enough, my pet. But not today. Today, I believe I will cash in on a debt that I am owed.”
