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Uriel’s arm muscles flexed as she tightened her grip around his throat. Her legs gripped his waist.
Shade’s wings fluttered. Strain showed on his face, and then he dropped them both to the floor.
Uriel leapt clear, rolled, and came up in a fighting crouch, her dagger held before her. “You know the rules, Asmodeus.”
“Who’s Asmodeus?” Lillian popped her head out and peered around the side of the sofa.
Eddie let her go. She had a broken mirror, a busted wall in her greenroom, and water pouring over the greenroom floor. The water mixed with blood and feathers and crept closer to the couch. Three lone intact mugs sat on the shelves. And Eddie had no budget and no explanation to make any of that go away.
These flying fuckers could fix this. All of it.
Shade stumbled to a kneeling position. His wings drooped, his head dropped forward, and his chest heaved. “Yes, I know the fucking rules. I was waiting for you to show up.”
“And amusing yourself with the human woman while you did.” Sophia’s teeth flashed in a vicious snarl. “Humans are forbidden. Another rule you conveniently forgot?”
“Christ, Uriel!” Shade swiped blood away from his face with the back of his hand. “Do you think I would have done that if I had a choice?”
Eddie absolutely wanted to yell yes to his question.
Uriel didn’t look so certain. Then again, Uriel hadn’t been the victim of Shade’s little game of head rape. “Why?”
“I needed her lust.” Shade raised his head and locked on Uriel. “I have received a wound from an obsidian blade.”
“From who?” Uriel blinked at him.
“One of Wrath’s horde,” Shade said.
“Wrath?” Uriel looked taken aback. “Wrath gave you a mortal wound?”
“Not Wrath himself.” Shade pushed himself to his feet. “But his horde ambushed me, and they had an obsidian blade.”
“Wrath would never give an obsidian blade to his horde.” Sophia’s eyes flashed, and she pulsed with light. “You’re lying.”
“Stop.” Shade held his hand up. “I am in no condition to fight you. And I am also well aware that demons should not possess an obsidian blade. But these did, and they used it on me.” He shrugged. “I used the hell gate to escape them.”
“Why here?” Sophia stopped pulsing, but her eyes still glittered.
“I had been here recently.” Shade indicated Eddie. “She summoned me.”
From her hiding place, Eddie shook her head. “I didn’t summon him.”
“But she’s not a witch.” Sophia frowned at her. “I also sense the hell gate is open. Did you open it?”
“No.” If she had, Eddie would kick herself. And also, probably more importantly, close the crappy thing.
Shade shook his head. “Then how—”
“Macbeth.” Sophia scoffed. “They were rehearsing it when I arrived. The witch’s curse opened the hell gate.” Then she grew thoughtful. “But even with the curse, there would need to be a witch to cast it.”
Lillian held her hand up. “I’m not one of the witches, but I am Lady Macbeth.”
Nails skittered on laminate and the hounds rounded the corner into the greenroom.
Shrieking, Lillian ducked behind the sofa.
Leaping back, Uriel raised her dagger. Her wings flared behind her and started glowing. “I thought something stank.”
The hounds smelled a bit, but Eddie thought stank was rather strong. She eased out from behind the sofa, not taking her eyes off Asmodeus or Uriel. “They came through the hell gate before him.”
