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Roaring, I holler my anger into the night, hoping that all of Heaven can hear my fury. “Return her now or I will torture Andre until you do. I will push him toward the ledge of faith until he loses it and abandons you just as Micah had.”
Zade whips around, freefalling with Raven a few feet. She screams and hugs him with her entire body, freaking out about the sudden drop. Blowing a breath of fire, I encircle the grass around Andre in red flames.
Jumping from the high branch of the tree, I prove to Zade that he shouldn’t ignore my threat. I don’t fucking care if Raven might have a growing thing for Andre. I don’t care if this might piss her off. The only thing that might stop Zade from carrying my angel-girl off is doing something he won’t be able to live with himself over if he knows he can prevent it by obeying me.
“Three seconds, Zade!” I shout, landing in the hellfire circle trapping Andre. He doesn’t move or fight, keeping his gaze locked on Zade and Raven.
“Please, Zade. Don’t test his wrath. You know there is another way,” Andre says, straightening his shoulders.
“Time’s up,” I say, growling from deep in my chest. I whip my tail across Andre’s chest, slashing open his shirt.
“Kase, stop. Don’t do this,” Raven says, her pleading voice echoing from above. “It’s not Andre’s fault.”
“Release her!” I shout, ignoring her pleas. She can’t help the feelings crashing through her, but I’ll accept her rage over my actions to ensure she stays safe with us. “Now!”
Colliding into Andre, I knock him onto his back, impaling my claws into his wings and shoving them inches into the ground. Andre hollers as my touch burns over his feathers. A gust of cool wind blows over me. I ignore Raven’s cries and bend down, staring at Andre in my devil form. The red power crackling over my skin reflects in his glassy eyes. He doesn’t beg me to stop, taking every ounce of my wrath.
“Bring her back now!” I shout again, the guttural tone of my voice making Andre flinch. “This is your last chance, Zade. Raven is mine. If you take her, you will be the one who faces my fury next.”
Because I can’t lose her. I can’t even imagine an eternity where she doesn’t claim the throne in Purgatory to bring balance to Heaven and Hell and offer humanity a change. With her bringing Hell to its intended glory and purpose, we will have the power we need to be the Higher Power’s equals. I will not let one blasted, righteous, idiotic angel get in our way. I will do whatever it takes, even if I have to rip Andre apart and make a point that I don’t fucking care who takes my wrath. I will destroy the world for Raven. I didn’t realize the truth of my thoughts until this very moment.
“She is mine!” I sink my teeth into Andre’s shoulder, biting him hard enough to burn my lips and tongue because of the holiness of his being.
Thrashing in agony, Andre finally tries to fight back, unable to suffer through another round of the torture I have planned. Raven screams, her voice catching on the wind. A thud sounds from beside me, and Raven’s familiar fingers grab onto my tail and yank. I whip around and snarl, snapping my jowls, but not at her. Zade stands behind her with glowing heavenly power swirling between his palms. Raven charges me and slaps her palms to the sides of my head, trying to break my focus. She looks me straight in the eyes, her body stiff, her muscles flexing as she braces for my reaction.
“I will do anything to ensure no one takes you from me,” I say, heaving a few breaths as I transform back into my human façade.
“I brought her back, so let Andre go,” Zade says, scowling at me.
“Let him go? He was not my prisoner. He could’ve fought me and chose not to.” I growl, releasing a breath of smoke about Raven’s head. “If anything, it’s you who should let him go.”
She sinks into my arms, snuggling close. I thought she might hold my actions against me, but her body and soul prove me wrong. If anything, she liked it. She enjoyed seeing exactly what I’ll do on her behalf and what lengths I’ll reach to keep her with me and safe, even at the expense of the damn angel she clearly lusts after.
“Andre,” Zade says, ignoring my quip. “Come on. Let’s get out of here. We can call Cassius.”
Andre groans, rolling onto his side to push up onto his knees. Spots of glowing hellfire pepper over his wings where I stabbed him with my claws, but he doesn’t try to touch them. He just gets to his feet and dusts his pants off.
Turning to Raven, Andre gives her his attention instead of showing an ounce of gratitude to Zade for bringing Raven back. Andre risks my wrath all over again to stand only a foot away from us. I growl in warning, ready to shove him away if he considers touching her, but he keeps his righteous hands to himself.
“Are you okay, Raven?” Andre asks, tightening his jaw. “Zade didn’t hurt you, did he?”
“Andre!” Zade snaps, his voice lacing with shock and anger. “Of course I didn’t hurt—”
Flaring his nostrils, Andre swivels and faces Zade. “Leave us. I will catch up. I’m doing what I told you I was going to do, and you need to accept that. What you did, Zade...you could’ve hurt her.”
Zade frowns, unfurling his wings. “But Andre—”
“Leave! I will call you when I’m through.” Andre expands his burned wings, blocking Zade from us.
I narrow my eyes, wondering what his plan is now that he sends his brethren away. Zade launches into the air, the flapping of his wings sending more of Andre’s feather’s scattering across the lawn. Raven grimaces and catches one, quickly dropping it as it burns her with the lingering grace.
“Let me,” I murmur, catching her by the wrist. I tug her hand to my mouth and kiss her palm. If the feathers were still swirling with the full power of his grace, she might’ve faced another angelic brand. Andre’s lucky it didn’t. I might not tear his wings apart for such a thing, but Dante would. I know he still thinks about how Micah branded her before his jump.
“Raven, I’m sorry,” Andre whispers. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
I glower and tug a demon blade from my jacket. “It doesn’t change that it did. I want you fucking out of here, Andre. I was being nice by not intervening while Raven had her fun, but that’s over. You’re done fucking with my girl since you proved how worthless you truly are.”
“Kase, hold on a sec. Andre didn’t know Zade would follow him,” Raven says, getting between us.
