Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 98961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
Murmur sets Juliet down on the altar and her cries echo around us.
“No,” I cry and try one last attempt to hit Paimon with an energy ball. Murmur deflects it, sending it back at me. It hits me in the shoulder and I fall back, landing on my broken wrist. I scream in pain but drag myself forward.
This isn’t happening. It can’t be.
“Juliet,” Lucas grunts, trying as hard as he can to break free from the black smoke. Crying out in pain, I push myself up again, right as Lucas breaks free. But it’s too late. Paimon has the dagger positioned above our daughter and with a smirk, he brings it down.
Chapter
Thirty-Nine
“No!” I scream and suddenly I’m pushed back. But this time, someone catches me. Great white wings are spread before me, and hellfire springs up around Lucifer. My dad grips my shoulders, holding me upright and my uncle is here too.
“It’s okay,” he tells me, fingers pressing into my skin. Warmth spreads through me, healing all my wounds in an instant. The dagger clatters to the floor and I look, eyes wide with terror for blood. It’s like time has stopped, and then I hear Juliet cry.
She’s alive.
Michael straightens me up and I inhale, fueled by pure rage. I step around Lucifer and see Paimon shimmer out of view. Murmur staggers back, holding his hands up.
“Lucifer, my old pal,” he says and then drops to his knees. Lucifer’s eyes are glowing like red hot coals straight from the pit of Hell. I run up the altar steps, crying with relief when I pick up Juliet and see she’s unharmed. Lucas is at my side in an instant, putting a hand on Juliet, needing to make sure she’s okay.
“Don’t even try,” Lucifer says to Murmur and waves his hand. Hellfire springs from the ground. I’ve seen it swallow demons whole before, and it only takes a few seconds. Lucifer is burning Murmur slowly on purpose, punishing him for what he did to me.
Lucas wraps me in his arms, putting Juliet between us both. I can’t stop crying and I go back and forth between hugging Lucas and Juliet to checking and making sure she’s really okay.
“It’s all right,” Lucas tells me as he strokes my hair. “She’s okay. You’re okay.”
“What should I do with these, brother?” Lucifer asks and I look up, blinking away my tears. The seven people Murmur intended as sacrifices are in some sort of trance, kneeling before the altar.
“Heal them,” Michael tells him. “If you remember how.”
Lucifer looks at me and winks. “I’ve done a bit of healing recently.”
I sniff and lift my head off Lucas’s chest. “You…you came.”
“Of course, my daughter.” Michael comes up the altar steps and takes Juliet from my arms. “She is unharmed,” he says and then whispers something to her. She quiets down and he hands her back to me. I kiss Juliet step close against Lucas. “Would you like to go home?”
“My car is here.”
“We will handle it.” Michael turns waiting for Eamon to join us. He slowly walks toward the altar, looking like he’s not sure if he wants to join us. I can’t really blame him. Lucifer puts a hand on one of the victims, healing them and then making them fall asleep. Lucas and I step closer together and he puts his arm around me right before Michael flies us home.
“How are you feeling?” I set a glass of wine on the coffee table and kneel down next to Kristy.
“I’m good,” she tells me. “Like really good. I had paper cuts on this hand and the start of carpal tunnel syndrome. They’re gone. I should have gotten healed by an archangel sooner.”
“And here I am hoping you don’t have to get healed by one again.”
“Is anyone going to ask about my nails?” Eliza holds up a hand. “It takes months for vampire nails to grow like this. And I mean months, like half a fucking year.”
I sit on the couch between them and put my arms around her. “I love you, you know.”
“Don’t push it. I got blood in my hair and my pigs won’t come out of their hidies.”
“And now I want to say I love you,” Kristy laughs and takes a big drink of her wine. “Okay, but what is the deal with the hot blonde vampire?”
“Kristy! Listen to you,” I joke and she laughs. “And honestly, I don’t even know.” I look at Eliza. “I’m sensing there is a lot more history between them that we don’t know about.”
“I agree,” Eliza says, looking through the family room at Lucas and Eamon in the kitchen. Lucas is holding Juliet and is explaining to Eamon how to make grilled cheese. “I didn’t know I was the source of their contention until recently.”
“That must be really weird for you.” I lean back on the couch. The broken glass is cleaned and the two busted windows are covered in tarps. My dad and Lucifer are handling the zombie bodies. Kristy, Eliza, and I are all showered and dressed in jammies.