Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
She tried mentally reaching out to Viper. Nothing. He wasn’t close enough for her to psychically touch, then.
“Are you the newest member of the Seven?” Mia asked Ophaniel.
“No, just one of many slayers.” His wings rustled slightly. “My superiors offer me the jobs that no one else wants to do. And they want Samael dead.”
Maxine’s head whipped to face Ophaniel, her lips parting in shock. Ah, she hadn’t known who Viper was. The other celestial displayed no such surprise.
Ophaniel looked at Ella. “My superiors also want you dead. Samael cannot be rewarded for falling by being allowed to live happily ever after with you.” He studied her expression. “You did not react on hearing his true name, so you must have already known it.”
Ella said nothing. She couldn’t really confirm it, due to the geas. “You wrote the notes I received.”
“Freddie wrote them,” said Ophaniel, gesturing at his celestial companion. “I embedded power in the ink.”
Ella’s brow knitted. “What were you trying to compel me to do?”
“The first two were intended to make you suicide. The latter two would have caused you to kill Samael.”
Her demon snapped its teeth. It wanted to tear out the insides of each person outside of the shield, but more particularly this archangel. “You had to have eventually realized I wasn’t going to fall for a snare, so why keep trying?”
“The fourth note was more of an attempt to force Samael into confessing all. I knew from Prophet’s surface thoughts that Samael was keeping you partially in the dark. I thought if you knew the truth about him, you might just do the smart thing and kill him.” He exhaled heavily in annoyance, as if he’d expected better of her.
“You were also the one who tried breaking into my apartment.”
“Guilty,” he admitted, though he didn’t sound at all regretful. “I would have taken you, had it been possible. You’re too heavily guarded for me to get near you. Joe is the only teleporter in your circle, but you would not have allowed him to take you anywhere.”
“You said you can’t use demons as puppets, but it clearly worked with him,” said Mia.
“No, he merely eventually succumbed to the suggestions I planted,” Ophaniel told her. “I was only successful because he is currently vulnerable—haunted by jealousy, pain, and bitterness. I had to wait until he was so eaten up by those emotions that his defenses were down before I could really influence his will. He probably wouldn’t have been half so problematic for you recently if I hadn’t been working on him daily. His subconscious fought me hard, not wanting any harm to come to you.”
The shield flickered like a faulty light bulb.
Ella’s heart slammed in her chest, and her demon spat a curse.
Ophaniel’s lips tipped up, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “The child’s psychic strength is faltering, I see.”
She telepathed her sister again. Ask Dice if Viper is close to unraveling the other wards yet.
Just did, said Mia. He says they need a few more minutes.
Ella wasn’t sure they had a few more minutes.
Ophaniel’s gaze bounced from her to Mia. “Your eyes keep going out of focus, so I would imagine you’re having telepathic chats with each other. Or is it with your men?” His mouth curved. “Samael must be going wild right now, unable to get to his mate and child. Such a shame.”
Ella couldn’t fight a frown. That smile … it wasn’t triumphant or cruel. In fact, it was more like nostalgic. As if thinking of Viper brought him pleasant memories. The “Such a shame” part even sounded genuine. “You know him well?”
“Well enough.”
“Setting up his mate and unborn child to die doesn’t bother you?”
A shrug. “It’s nothing personal. I’m simply doing my job. You understand.”
“No, no, I don’t. I don’t understand how anyone would want to harm a child.”
Ophaniel’s sapphire-blue gaze sharpened on Ella. “You are not stupid. You know why my superiors would be disturbed by the life in your womb and want it destroyed. They can hardly permit a half-demon half-fallen archangel to walk the Earth.”
If the Uppers knew of the baby from Ophaniel, then he’d been aware of her pregnancy before now. But how? Suspicion pricking at her, she looked at Maxine, who only smiled. “How did you find out?”
“It was more of a guess really,” replied the harpy.
“Maxine is well-known among celestials,” said Ophaniel. “Always a wondrous source of information for the right price.”
Unreal. Ella had assumed that Maxine used what information she scrounged up to blackmail or manipulate other demons. She hadn’t for a moment suspected that the woman would be passing it on to celestials. “Why? Why would you betray your own?”
“Why not?” Maxine challenged with a casual shrug.
Ella blinked at her. Why? Not?
“Oh, you were expecting some tragic, traumatic backstory?” Maxine gave a gentle shake of her head. “No, dear. Call it a … family business. Generations of us have been such sources. It is how we initially attained wealth.”