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Chapter 1
RAVEN
Go to Hell
“THERE WERE WARDS set against the divine not unlike the ones that disallow me from entering this estate. I’m sorry, Raven. I could only get within the block without Lucifer’s notice. He set them up and would know if I crossed.” Zade ruffles his hand through his blond hair, balancing on the outer ledge of the balcony.
I blink a few times, trying to keep my wave of emotions in check. This is so fucked up. How could the bastard get away with this? “I don’t care if he notices or not. It’s not like he could do much about it. You could’ve—”
“Raven,” he says, cutting me off. Lines cut across his forehead with his frown. Damn pouty angel. “I don’t think you understand. I’ve interfered enough with Hell’s affairs. I shouldn’t have even come here tonight. I’ve risked a lot, so please, accept that I’ve done all that I’m comfortable with. I have the nearest streets memorized, which you can pass on to your soul keepers. They can handle things from here.”
His glassy eyes plead with me to understand, but my wild frustration burns through me. How can I understand? My soulmate and my eternity are both in jeopardy because of this. He made me a deal and hasn’t kept good on his word.
“You’ve done nothing! I knew I should’ve confronted Lucian when I had the chance. Fought him. Done something besides trust that you could’ve helped me. This is your fault. He’s off doing some shit, and you wasted my chance.” I swivel on the balls of my feet, unable to face him. “You angels find such mercies impossible to give.”
Anger boils under my skin the longer I stare at the heavenly glow radiating from Zade in his reflection on the glass door. I can’t look into his sad eyes. He looks so pathetic, and because of his inability to do something more than spy, I might be doomed. I might never see Elias again. My heart hurts thinking about it. Even though it’s only been an hour, knowing he isn’t asleep in his room but possibly being tortured by his previous demonic master sends panic squeezing my heart. I know what Vincent is capable of. He’ll do things that’ll make Elias want to die.
“Raven, please look at me,” Zade murmurs, the light reflecting from his wings brighter as he inches closer. He risks stepping onto the balcony. “Maybe if you allow me to use your Hell-touched soul to go to Andre—”
Spinning around, I shove my palms into Zade’s chest. “Get the fuck out of here. I have too much at stake to let you use me. Andre doesn’t even want to see you. He told me so.”
Zade’s eyes glass over, and I steel myself to his sorrow. I know I’m acting like a bitch, but I don’t have time to deal with angels who are no help to me. Elias is my priority and I can’t lose him.
He tightens his jaw, refusing to budge another foot despite my efforts to push him off the balcony. “Please, Raven. I’m lost without knowing he’s okay. Cassius—”
I narrow my eyes and jab him in the chest with my finger. How dare he try to make me pity him. Is he so naïve that he doesn’t understand what a little give and take means? Only finding a half-assed location for Elias does not even compare to what he asks of me. “Fuck you. Fuck Cassius.”
Surprising me, Zade grabs my hand, tightening his fingers to stop me from running inside to slam the door in his face. “Give me something else I can do. I know this is unfair of me to request, but there has to be something else I can help with.”
I study his blue eyes, half-expecting firelight to burst across his irises. He sounds a bit more devilish than angel. Desperate. Is that enough to make him jump from grace? I don’t know. It might if I just keep giving him a push and withhold what he wants. I’m willing to try anything.
But his eyes remain glossy and blue. Disappointment washes through me that it doesn’t happen like I want. I should know better than to think things could be that easy. If anything, they’re only going to get harder than Kase and Dante’s morning woods.
Zade’s light illuminates the world around us, bathing me in a heavenly glow. It stings my skin the longer I stand in front of him, using my furious silence to make him uncomfortable. Usually, the angelic light doesn’t faze me, but I think with Lucian’s presence here in the Mortal World things have shifted a bit. I’m more sensitive.
I shiver and hug my arms around me. Now I’m only torturing myself. “If you want me to even consider allowing you to see Andre, there is one thing you can do.”
“I can’t jump from grace,” he says, pursing his lips. His wings twitch, and he reaches up and touches them like he must assure himself they’re still there and the same.
“Things would be a helluva lot easier on us if you just did, but that’s not what I need from you. I need you to find Kase, Dante, or Micah. I’ve tried calling for them, but they’re not here. Lucian steals my phone during our time, so I can’t text them either. If you can find them—”
A low growl sounds through the air from behind me. Micah’s familiar protectiveness kicks my heartbeat into chaotic thrums, and I spin on the balls of my feet to catch sight of him filling the doorframe to Lucian’s suite without entering. No one is allowed within Lucian’s quarters except for me unless they want to get in a fight. And with hours left on my time, I don’t think Micah will. Lucian could take shit out on me.
Another growl escapes Micah’s mouth. “Leave, savior! Don’t make me fight you.”
Zade launches into the air without a word, disappearing before Micah can threaten to tear his wings off next. I suck my bottom lip into my mouth and slowly look from the sky to Micah’s fiery gaze. The orange in his eyes disappears, bringing back the beautiful brown color, and I offer him a smile.
He doesn’t return it, glowering.
I can’t hide my pout. “Hey, I—”
“Raven, you must be careful opening yourself to another angel while you’re in Lucian’s care. I fear he will hurt you if he catches you.” Micah’s muscles bulge as he grips the doorframe. “None of us are allowed a moment of your time. I shouldn’t even be talking to you.”
It takes everything in me not to flip my shit and destroy everything in Lucian’s room. Fisting my hands, I bite my palms with my nails. I don’t have time for this. Lucian has Elias.
I stride closer. “Fuck him. He’s not your boss. He’s your equal. You’re just as powerful as that bastard.”
A smirk tugs the side of his mouth. “I’m aware of that, heathen, but I’m also aware of your safety. I can’t risk it. I’ve agreed not to test boundaries. It’s not Lucian who concerns me as much as Kase and Dante.”
