Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 116098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
A vein in his temple pulsed. “Even if I believed that they know your sister’s memories were edited—which I don’t—it matters not. They will never find me.”
“You intend to hide, huh? Some Prime you are,” she taunted.
The skin around his eyes went tight. “Such big talk for someone who is facing death.” More sweat dotted his forehead, and there was now a slight tremor in each of his hands—both of which she suspected were clammy at this point. While it wasn’t exactly comforting to see them tremoring when he was holding two guns, it was nice to see that the pheromone was working so well.
“Now, I think it’s time for us to head outside, don’t you?”
Her heart jumped. “You think Castiel won’t kill you?” she blurted out, hoping to keep him talking a little longer. “He wants every last descendant dead, Euan. That includes you.”
“Right now, his priority is ending Maddox. Castiel won’t be interested in me until after my cousin is dead—I’ll have teleported away by the time he thinks to turn his attention to me.”
“He’ll hunt you down, no matter how long it takes. He wants to be one of the Seven. He isn’t going to let anything get in the way of that.”
“On the contrary, I think he’ll be inclined to let me live as a thank-you for helping him defeat Maddox.”
He couldn’t be serious. If anything, the archangel would be insulted that someone thought he needed aid—especially the aid of a demon.
“Part of me worried that Castiel would kill him early in battle. But as you’re not enduring unimaginable psychic suffering, the anchor bond must still be alive and kicking, which means Maddox obviously is, too.” He double-blinked and licked his lips. Finally seeming to notice the tremor in his hands, he frowned. “What’s wrong with me? I feel … ” He trailed off, and his eyes narrowed on her. “What have you done?”
She made sure she looked appropriately confused. “Nothing.”
“Again, you lie.” Snarling, he kicked at her knee. A broken scream tore out of her as a fresh wave of agony exploded inside her knee and reverberated up her leg. Spots danced in front of her vision, her stomach heaved, and she almost retched. God, she was gonna be sick. The pain was so intense she couldn’t quite catch her breath.
Hating that she couldn’t just wrench those guns out of his hands and liquefy his fucking brain, she took in a slow, shuddery breath. And another. And another. And another. She wasn’t going to let him reduce her to this … creature that knew only pain and couldn’t think beyond it. No. No, he wouldn’t break her.
Finally feeling she could move without vomiting, she struggled back into a sitting position, biting back whimpers at how her knees throbbed and burned.
“You do look quite pathetic.”
Trembling uncontrollably, Raini bared her teeth at him. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever hated anyone as much as she did him at that moment. Her demon was going absolutely ape-shit, wanting him dead, buried, and then resurrected to endure torment all over again.
“I am rather looking forward to the moment when Maddox sees you’re about to die,” Euan went on. “He won’t save you, nor will you save yourself. Cease trying to fight me—it is useless.”
If he thought she would just accept her fate, he was out of his everloving mind. But it seemed better to let him believe she was subdued. Hoping to look the image of defeated, she forced her shoulders to slump and let the tension deflate from her muscles.
He snickered, all scorn and derision. “Do feel free to scream again when we’re outside.”
In other words, he probably meant to kick her again.
Her surroundings flashed white, and then the three of them were a short distance away from the courtyard, where the battle still raged on around the bodies that littered the floor. Those still fighting were covered in burns, blood, and bruises. As for Maddox and Castiel, they were still engaged in a face-off, appearing evenly matched.
She instantly reached out to Maddox, Euan means to distract you so that Castiel can end you—don’t let him, be on your guard. It was a mere second later that Euan called out her mate’s name.
Castiel whipped around, an orb of gold energy in each hand, while Maddox’s gaze snapped to Euan before then dipping to her. A look of such fury rippled across his face before he blanked his expression … as if unwilling to let his emotions get the better of him. Well, thank Christ for that.
Sensing something was happening, the Black Saints and the halo-bearers ceased fighting but remained on high alert.
Euan shot Maddox a smug smile and waited, clearly expecting him to rant or threaten him, or maybe even beg him to free her. Maddox didn’t react at all. He just steadily met his cousin’s stare. But she could feel his rage humming against her psyche. It was ice-cold and ran soul-deep.