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I stand between Dante and Kase, staring at what I’m about seventy-percent sure is Elias’s house. No light filters through the curtains, and I’m uncertain whether he’s home. His car isn’t in the driveway, nor was what was left of the car crash and the Good Samaritan who...I can’t think about it. If I do, then I’ll feel bad. I don’t have time for that. Andre can carry the guilt of the man dying. I don’t need that kind of bullshit piled on with everything else.
Kase unsheathes a dagger and motions for me to take it. “The fucker is clever. I can feel the protective shields from here, so I need you to break them. When we have him, I’m going to force him to tell us where he learned this shit from. We don’t have time for wannabe saviors screwing with us, trying to do the Higher Power’s work.”
“No torturing him,” I say, straightening my shoulders. “I mean it.”
Kase scowls and clenches his fingers into fists. “Why the hell not? He deserves it.”
“Because there are better ways to get information. He’s sick, Kase. Desperate. He doesn’t want his soul in the claws of a demon as much as we don’t. If we go running in, whipping tails and threatening to impale him with your horns, he’ll never be on our side.” I lace my fingers through Kase and Dante’s fingers, bringing their hands to my chest. “Please, you guys. I know you have bad history with him, but apparently I don’t. Andre says Elias is my soul—”
Dante covers my mouth, cutting off my words. “Don’t you say it, Raven. He lost his chance when he abandoned your soul. We would never do that. You are ours.”
I smirk against his hand. “Dante, there’s no need to envy Elias for falling from grace for me. Had he not, I wouldn’t even be in this position. You don’t have to thank him or anything. You don’t have to like the guy. All I’m asking is that you don’t torture him and let me do my job.”
“You’re lucky I’m trying to be good for the chance to get in your pants,” he mutters, flaring his nostrils.
I kiss his palm before tugging his fingers from my lips. “Keep telling yourself that. I think you might be keeping your psycho in check because you like me.”
“Not only like you. I’m obsessed.” His diamond-shaped pupils expand and retract. “Enamored. You have no idea of all the things I want to do on your behalf and in your name like the goddess you are to me. You can always count on me to kneel before you to worship that pretty soul and sinfully seductive body of yours.”
I laugh and shake my head. “You’re too much.”
“I have to be with the bastard traitors creeping in and cock blocking me. If I didn’t love having your mark, I would show Andre exactly what this pain is like. I have just the contraption in my collection.” Opening his hand, he reveals the reddish, puckering burn from my kiss. The effects must last longer on devils, because the only thing I felt was the tingling of my soul from his closeness.
“Enough, you two. He’s coming. Let’s wait for him inside.” Kase doesn’t give me the chance to peer around to see what he sees. Tightening his hand around mine, he tugs me, and Dante by default, along with him.
Transforming his fingers, he extends his dagger-sharp claws out and uses one to pop the lock. Headlights flash behind us, and Kase and Dante usher me inside. Kase pushes me behind him protectively, and the three of us stand just out of the way of the door, ensuring that Elias won’t see us when he comes in.
A strange clicking noise sounds through the room, and Dante and Kase tense. Hissing, Dante expands his wings and pulls me to him, wrapping me in the protection of his muscular body. Kase explodes into his monstrous feline form but doesn’t get far. Water rains from the ceiling, soaking everything.
“I cast you back to Hell, demons,” Elias says, flicking his thumb over a lighter.
Whipping his tail, Kase locks it around Elias’s neck and drags him closer. The lighter falls from Elias’s hand. Bright flames ignite across the floor, eating away at something in the carpet that creates a circle with symbols out of the flames until it dissipates and causes Kase to release Elias.
“Nice try, Elias. You should know better than to try a holy banishment on us. Instead of sending us to Hell, you really just pissed me off.” Kase bares his sharp fangs with another growl. “Now fucking break the circle and make things easier on yourself or I’m going to ram my fucking horns up your—”
“Kase.” I smack Kase’s muscular hindquarters from the safety of Dante’s arms. “I told you to let me handle it.”
Red light sparks his devilish gaze, and he shifts back into his handsome human façade. “You have thirty seconds, angel-girl. I’ve run out of patience.”
I wiggle from Dante’s arms, silently begging him to help me keep Kase in control. “I need at least two minutes.”
“You can have three,” Dante says, digging his fingers into Kase’s shoulder. With his other hand, he nudges me forward and pulls Kase against his chest, making him swap places with me.
And damn. I kind of don’t want to face Elias when Dante is pinning Kase to him. I would have more fun seeing what I could get away with while Kase is restrained.
My wandering thoughts distract me too much. I miss Elias raising a silver dagger at me. Rushing forward, he tries to jab the knife into my stomach. I scream and stumble out of the way, holding my hands up in surrender instead of trying to fight.
“You’re dead, you bitch. This is your fault. Heaven won’t help me because of you,” Elias accuses. He swings his arm, slashing at the air.
“Are you kidding me? Heaven won’t help you because you abandoned the Higher Power.” I glower and reach into my jacket for the dagger Dante gave me for protection. I meet his threat with my own. “I should be the one blaming you, dickhead. You doomed me to Hell with you.”
“You’re out of your damn mind!” Elias charges me, his face sharp in anger.
I brace for him to stab me. I expect to see the fiery gate to Micah’s level of Hell.
But then the floor shakes, knocking Elias off his feet. Kase and Dante stomp together. I’m so thankful for their help, even if I did say I wanted to handle this on my own.
Launching from the floor, I tackle him. I aim the blade at his throat. “You have five seconds to chill out or I’ll give your soul to your demon master earlier than you want.” I have the urge to nick him with the point, but I force myself to hold steady. I will not let Kase and Dante hang that psycho urge over my head.
