Total pages in book: 207
Estimated words: 196971 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 985(@200wpm)___ 788(@250wpm)___ 657(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 196971 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 985(@200wpm)___ 788(@250wpm)___ 657(@300wpm)
While still holding a wildly thrashing Zari captive, the archdemon used his other hand to punch a bigger hole into the wall until he was able to pass through it.
Bloody red eyes threatened to engulf her soul, but Martin had slipped inside of her and made Zari blind to the archdemon's thrall.
The archdemon roared in rage. "How are you doing it?"
"Just keep trying," Zari advised, "and maybe you'll get lucky even—-" She wasn't able to finish, the creature having lost its temper all over again.
The archdemon struck the woman with the back of his hand before throwing her against the wall. He saw her lip start to bleed, but instead of begging for her life, he was livid to see the trapper able to pick herself up like she didn't feel a thing.
And that was the truth, since it was Elsa now inside of Zari, Elsa who did not know the meaning of pain.
"I might not know what you are," the archdemon hissed, "but I do know that no mortal can survive this."
And when Zari saw the archdemon make a twisting motion with his clawed fingers to create a ball of fire—-
That was when she remembered—-
The fires in her vision, the fires that always seemed to be the bane of her Master's existence—-
Hellfire.
This was her vision slowly coming into reality, the vision that had her crying and drinking herself to sleep.
In that vision, Hellfire had killed her Master—-
But it was different now, Zari realized.
Because there was that other vision she had seen, right in this very apartment...
She was almost hysterical in relief, and she couldn't even make herself flinch as the archdemon took aim.
Go ahead, mother-effer.
Zari closed her eyes.
And nothing happened.
When she opened her eyes, Alexandru was standing right in front of her, having shielded Zari from Hellfire with his own body.
And yet...
Even with his entire body ablaze—-
He was alive.
Unharmed.
And he was staring at her like she was the one who had grown himself a pair of horns.
You know, Alexandru said hoarsely.
Yes.
A shudder rocked his body. His pet knew that he was an archdemon. A full-blooded demon, with nothing vampire left in him, and yet—-
You love me still?
Always, Master, and while I'd love to chat...
Zari heard the archdemon behind Alexandru start to run towards them.
Can you please kill him first?
IT WAS ALREADY SIX in the morning the next day when Zari was finally alone with her Master again, this time in the safety of his private island fortress just an hour's drive away from Manhattan. This, apparently, was his "true" home, while the one in the city had merely been his multimillion-dollar crash pad.
The Board, having realized how easily it was for one of their Wardens to be compromised, had shocked everyone by unanimously voting to disenfranchise themselves...along with appointing Micah as the new and permanent leader of AGNEX.
While majority seemed to welcome the new change in leadership, a few others, well...
That's the half angel's problem for now, Zari thought. As much as she wanted to help Micah, she also had priorities, and topmost at present was enjoying her long-delayed honeymoon.
As Alexandru carried her into his private Roman bath, she couldn't help shaking her head as she took in the unflinching display of wealth around her. Marble walls, gargoyle fountains, and - in keeping with modern inventions - there was even a row of pool beds equipped with aqua massage technology.
Zari flashed Alexandru a mischievous smile as he lowered her to her feet once they were waist-deep in the pool. "I'm curious, Master. Is there something like a Forbes 500 for otherworlders?"
"Why do you ask?" Alexandru mocked. "Are you thinking of tossing me over for your boss in case he's richer? After all, he is an angel while—-"
"No, of course not." Zari felt ashamed and horrified all at once, not realizing how her words could easily be misinterpreted as a taunt on his new...er...form.
Even though his arms had already fallen away, she didn't hesitate to move back into his arms, bubbly warm waters splashing and swirling about their naked bodies as held on to his shoulders and raised herself on her toes.
"I'm sorry." She tried kissing him, but her Master turned his face away, and Zari felt even more desperate. "I really didn't mean anything. I just—-"
And again, that was when she felt it.
The slight rocking of his broad shoulders—-
Her head jerked up, and Alexandru's smirk said it all.
"Master, you bully—-"
But of course she wasn't able to say another word, with her Master using a burst of speed to get them to the other end of the pool. The next thing she knew, her Master was lying back on the pool bed, and she was on her knees between his legs, with Alexandru taking hold of her nape as he slowly but oh so firmly pushed her head down—-
She didn't even think of refusing.