Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
I wasn’t able to save Julian.
And Lucas was right to remind me that I will let my thirst for vengeance cloud, my judgment. I can’t get Julian back, but killing Paimon and making him suffer in the same way Julian did…to hurt him like he’s hurt me…fuck, it would feel so good.
“Meet again at oh-eight hundred hours tomorrow?”
“I am not getting up that early,” I say, though I probably will since I have an infant to feed. “And like I said, I need to think about this.”
“Perhaps you have a way for us to contact you,” Lucas says in a level tone that’s somehow mocking. “Since you love messing with humans so much.”
“Give me your number and I’ll hop inside a body to make a call.” Drea smiles.
“I’ll do you one better,” I say. “I’ll summon you.”
Her smile falters. “You’ll what?”
“Summon you. I know you’re name. You can either draw out your sigil or I’ll find out.”
“I’ll draw it for you.”
“Perfect,” I reply and Lucas zooms to one of the registers, grabbing a pen and a napkin. He gives it to Drea and she draws her sigil on it. It’s not one I recognize, though it’s similar to Varrador’s.
“Okay then,” I say and take the napkin from her fold it in half. “I will get a hold of you tomorrow. Take the body back to where you found it.”
Drea holds out her hand and beams. “Pleasure doing business with you all.”
“It’s not a done deal yet,” Lucas remind her and eyes her hand, not taking it.
“Well, it’s definitely something you should seriously consider,” she stresses. “We all want the same thing: Paimon’s head on a silver platter. Oh.” She looks at her wrist, pretending to check the time. “Well I’ve got to go. I look forward to being summoned.”
She walks around the bar and head towards the door. I telekinetically open and close it behind her, starting at the spot where she’d just been. Lucas and I wait a few minutes Before either of us speaks.
“Well?” I start wrinkling my nose as I look at my husband. My heart is in my throat and I let myself finally acknowledge how dangerous this situation could have been. “What do you think?”
“To be quite honest,” he starts. “I think she’s telling the truth about wanting to stop Paimon. It doesn’t surprise me that not all demons would want to be under his rule. He’s not as powerful as a Lucifer is, and without being able to sit on the throne, he cannot offer them the same protection in a sense.” He tips his head to the side, listening to something that I can’t hear. “Yes, you can come out now.”
The office door opens and closes and Eliza and Eamon come out. Juliet is getting fussy, so I take her from Eliza and sit in a nearby booth to nurse my daughter.
“I know both of you nosy vampires were listening,” I say. “So might as well tell me your thoughts too.”
“I agree with Lucas,” Eamon says. “I don’t quite know the rules of Hell or how that all works, but as I said, anytime there is a change like this there are to be uprisings and fighting back. I’ve seen it many times over the years, and just because we’re dealing with demons doesn’t make it less likely to happen. So, I think the demon is telling the truth.”
“It’s definitely a risk,” I acknowledge. “But if there really is a way into Hell that doesn’t require half my coven or other angels, we kind of have to take it.” The only other way I thought I’d get back into Hell would be to open the Gates again. Which is a risk on it’s own. Not only is it obvious, but anything can rush out…like the Horsemen.
“Out of curiosity,” Eamon says, looking around the bar. “What are your other options?”
“Shut the Gates to Hell for good,” Eliza suggests with a shrug.
“In theory, that isn’t a terrible idea,” I start, “but that means no souls—human or demonic—can be sent to hell. And closing for good…it’s subjective. Lucifer was cast to Hell for good and he’s gotten out multiple times over the years. Granted, years are centuries apart, but still, it’s not full proof . I cast my eyes down to Juliette and feel weird not in my stomach start to form. I can’t say shutting the Gates would last a lifetime. Since I don’t know how long…” I can’t finish my sentence, but everyone is thinking it. I have no idea, how long of a lifespan a nephilim has. It would make sense to assume I inherited a sense of immortality from my father.
But as for Juliet, we have no idea. She’s only a quarter angel, which statistically would make her have more of a human lifespan, still, trusting the Gates stay shut for the next, seventy to ninety years isn’t a risk I’m willing to take. And in the chance I also age like a normal human, I won’t be around to re-close them, if anything were to happen to me.