Redeeming Angel (26 page)

“
Not even
close.”

Okay. Then who?

“
It’s you, Lucerna,” Kira
said.

“
Me
?” I shrieked. “Are you insane? I’m not a slayer. I can barely
use a knife. I trip over my own feet. And the sight of blood makes
me squeamish. There’s no way I’m a slayer of anything. You’ve got
your facts screwed up.”

“
The fire you conjure is
not just heat and flames. It’s every demon’s greatest
fear.”

I stumbled back a step, pressing a
hand to my throat where my heart had leapt. “I don’t believe it.
The only reason I can even produce fire is because of Alastair. Why
would he give me something that could ultimately destroy him?” It
didn’t make sense.

“
If only the universe was
so cut and dry. There are consequences, checks and balances, a way
to level the field. When you and Chase defied the laws of death, it
forged your first bond and also triggered Alastair’s immediate
interest in both of you. As you already know, the two of you really
fumbled the whole Triplici. For Alastair to get what he wanted, the
two of you had to complete the three bonds, each one securing your
link directly to Alastair. Only then was he so close to what every
demon in Hell wants—freedom—so close he could taste it.”

“
Oh God,” I
muttered.

She nodded. “Pretty surreal. There
hasn’t been a tie between Earth and Hell like yours in centuries,
but what Alastair didn’t account for was how far Chase was willing
to go to save you. Or me,” she added, a half grin on her lips.
“When Chase broke the connection Hell had over you, severing any
chance at invading this realm, Alastair probably realized the fatal
flaw in his plan—his own son. I can’t help but be amused by the
irony of it all. The three bonds that connect you to Chase are
complex, as I am sure you’ve figured out. His natural need to
protect you is part of the bond. I’m sure you’ve sensed
it.”

Have I ever.
There was nothing I wouldn’t do to protect him.
Our relationship was anything but normal and healthy.

“
For Chase to save you,”
she said, shifting her weight as eagerness filled her gaze, “he had
to overcome the ingrain obligation to never hurt you. But the only
way to cut the tie was to do just that. In theory, it might sound
possible, driving a knife into the person you love to banish the
darkness. But, the type of love and affection you share forbids
such harm. It is part of the laws of the Triplici. I don’t know how
he managed to do it.” Her voice grew soft at the end and filled
with wonder.

My heart skipped. “You don’t know
Chase. Nothing stands in his way. Not Hell. Not the universe.
Nothing.”

“
I imagine it caused him
severe pain,” she said.

The thought of him hurting sent a dull
ache to my chest. I could recall the torment I’d felt after the
blade pierced my skin in sort of a murky perspective. I knew it was
my body, but the screams in my head where so much louder than those
I actually voiced. My soul had felt as if it was being ripped in
half. “He’s never said.”

“
Well for you and the rest
of the planet, it was a good thing he did, but having that much
blackness extracted from your body all at once leaves
scars.”

“
I’ve noticed,” I
murmured.

“
You’re a smart girl. Those
leftover remains of Hell are what give you the ability to destroy
demons.”

I shoved a hand through my hair. “It
doesn’t make sense. I’m no one special. I’m not a
fighter.”

“
That’s just how the cookie
crumbles, Lucerna.”

“
Why do you keep calling me
that?” I barked.

“
It means candlelight. It’s
what demons call someone like you.”

Someone like me. A slayer. I couldn’t
begin to fathom what that meant. “I don’t know how to be a slayer,”
I mumbled more to myself than her.

Kira sent me a dry look. “Well,
sweetheart, you better figure it out soon. Alastair is coming. And
you’re the only chance we have at surviving. The way I see it, your
biggest problem isn’t learning to control your skills; it’s
Chase.”

My pulse began to level. “What do you
mean?”

“
That boy will protect you
fiercely. He would give up his life before he let you put yourself
voluntarily in harm. Some of that is the bond you’ve created, but I
am guessing most of it is his nature. To do what must be done, you
will use a great amount of energy. Destroying a demon as old and as
powerful of Alastair will be no easy feat. Your body will be
depleted—physically and emotionally.”

“
So you are saying if I do
this, I could possibly die?”

A little light went out of her scarlet
eyes. “There is always that chance. It could also separate the ties
between Chase and you. Nothing is guaranteed, and the power you
have is unpredictable.”

“
I don’t understand. Why
tell me all of this? Aren’t you afraid I will turn you to ash now
that I know what I can do?”

There wasn’t any fear or concern in
her expression, just an abundance of cockiness. “Is that your plan?
To set me aflame?”

I didn’t say anything. I let the idea
dangle in the air, neither confirming nor denying.

Her lips twitched. “I think you and I
both know it would be foolish to kill the only demon on your side.
I’ve proven that I’m invaluable in keeping you alive.” She crossed
her arms. “Actually, I’m still waiting for a thank-you.”

Don’t hold your
breath.
“Release Chase from his deal and I
won’t incinerate you,” I countered, working an angle to my
advantage.

Energy crackled through the air
surrounding us. I’m guessing she didn’t like my proposal. She was a
schemer at heart. “I could call your bluff.”

God, please let this
work
—
just this one
time. Pretty please, with a cherry on top.

I closed my eyes, focusing all my
attention on the fragment of darkness that dwelled inside me,
summoning it, yet still staying in control. I was beginning to
recognize the signature feeling right before my hands became a
torch. As I opened my eyes, I let out a small laugh. Orangey-red
flames tipped with a touch of blue flared at my fingertips. “Try
me.” I was loaded and I had the ammunition to do it.

For the first time in my
life, I didn’t feel powerless—
j
ust the opposite. I could take on
the world…or Hell.

“
Have it your way,
slayer
.”

I let out a whoosh of air, the flames
burning out.

“
But…” Kira
said.

Oh, of course there was a but. There
was always a but.

“
The only way to undo a
deal is with anther deal. A trade,” she said.

“
You want me to make a deal
with you?”

“
It’s the only way. The
authority that binds a deal is above my rank. I can make them and
enforce them, but I can’t break them.”

“
What kind of crap is
that?”

“
The laws of the
underworld. Never said they were fair. So what is your answer?
We’re running out of time.” Her eyes moved behind me. “Your other
half stirs.”

I didn’t even question how she knew.
The thought of Chase waking up and finding me gone sent me into a
tizzy. “Give me the deets. What kind of deal are we
talking?”

“
I’ll make it simple. The
deal is, if I ever need you to zap a demon, you do it. No questions
asked.”

Great. She wanted me to be her demon
hitman. I thought about what she was asking for two whole seconds
before I said, “You got yourself a deal.” The way I saw it, it was
a win-win. I didn’t really have a problem taking out a demon and
making the world a little safer.

Before I realized what her intent was,
Kira grabbed my wrist and made an incision with one of her
razor-tipped nails.

“
Hey!” I protested,
attempting to pull my hand away.

Her grasp only tightened. “We’re not
done yet.” She squeezed a few drops of her blood on the wound
before it healed. There was this intense heat that burned and
sizzled. I snapped back and rubbed at my wrist in an attempt to
lessen the sting. “Was that necessary?”

“
Unfortunately, it is.
Demon rules. Anyway, we’re practically family.”

I never thought I would have to put my
trust in a demon. She better be right, or we were all screwed.
“It’s done? Chase owes you nothing?” I asked to make things crystal
clear.

She smeared the pad of her thumb over
her bottom lip and then licked the drops of blood. “The deal’s been
sealed.”

Good, because I really needed to get
back inside before Chase awoke and became ballistic. I nodded, my
eyes lifting to my second-story window. The light was still out,
but a sense of urgency tore through me.

I had only taken a few steps toward
the house when Kira called, “I’m hoping my wedding invite won’t get
lost in the mail—that is, if we survive.”

I had been unconsciously twirling the
ring as I walked back. My movements paused for a split second,
until I continued on, shaking my head and hurrying my
stride.

Damn demons.

Chapter 25

{Chase
}

I woke up with the acidic taste of
panic in my mouth. Beads of sweat gathered at the back of my neck,
and I knew without turning my head Angel was no longer lying in the
bed beside me. My stomach plummeted as I jolted upright. “Angel,” I
called into the darkness.

I didn’t really expect an answer, but
I couldn’t prevent her name from tumbling from my lips.

Tossing the covers aside, my feet hit
the ground as the tingles amplified. I lifted my eyes, and her
shadow darkened the doorway.

“
You’re up,” she said,
sounding a little breathy.

I flashed across the room, grasping
her face in both hands and backed her into a wall. “Are you trying
to scare me to death?”

“
No,” she
stated.

“
Where did you
go?”

“
To get a drink,” she said,
but the inflection in her voice posed it more as a
question.

My brow shot up.

Eventually she sighed, realizing I
wasn’t going to be brushed off. “I saw Kira. Happy now?”

Happy? Not in the
least.
“Do you have a death wish?” I
rasped. “Why would you sneak off and see her alone?”

“
It wasn’t something I
planned. It just happened,” she answered softly.

“
How did it
happen?”

Her head bent back, resting on the
wall. “I woke up with this feeling something was outside, watching,
and I got up to look out the window. Even as I was leaving the
house, I knew it was a demon prowling in the woods. And you don’t
need to tell me it was reckless and stupid to go out there
alone.”

My chest rose. I didn’t know who I
wanted to strangle more. Angel or Kira. Why were all the women in
my life so utterly troublesome? Maybe it was just women in general.
It didn’t matter, because I could feel the brim of a fight in our
imminent future.

She leaned into me, pressing her hands
on my shirt. “Before you start puffing your chest, I’m fine. We
just talked. Nothing happened.”

I ground my teeth, a hard gleam in my
eyes. “I’m trying not to lose my cool. I’m trying to keep you safe,
but you keep putting yourself in danger. Angel, I
can’t—”

“
I’m sorry,” she
interrupted, raising her voice. “I know I’m making things harder.
Christ, since the day we met, I’ve done nothing but make your life
more difficult.”

I started to tell her she was wrong,
couldn’t be more wrong, but she wasn’t ready to listen.

She shook her head, a soft glint of
amber in her irises. “Don’t deny it. We both know it’s true. If you
had stayed away from me, if I hadn’t been so curious and nosy, none
of this would matter. You would be far safer if we’d never
met.”

My heart pounded, beating rapidly in
time with hers. I framed her face, forcing her to look at me. Her
eyes were bright with anger and emotion. “You. Saved.
Me.”

She snorted. “You have a funny
definition of being saved.”

“
Maybe,” I agreed. “But I
would rather have known what it feels like to love than be
safe
. We both know I’ve
never been safe a day in my life. What you gave me was so much
more.”

She pressed her forehead against my
chest. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s possible
the threat of the end of the world is getting to me, or maybe it’s
the stress of knowing it’s up to me to save the world.” Her
shoulders slumped, and the weight of her body rested on
mine.

I linked my hands around her waist.
“Kira told you, didn’t she?” I asked softly, my cheek brushing her
hair. In my mind, it was just another reason to despise my
so-called aunt. She hadn’t given me a chance to tell Angel myself.
Enraged at Kira, my fists clenched at Angel’s lower back. “I wanted
to be the one who told you.”