I’m not sure how it’s possible, but Taz’s anger spikes up even more, and now there’s no doubt that he’s lettin’ off some kind of demon mojo, because a shadow gathers around him, coilin’ with sinister fury.
Every single hair on the back of my neck stands up at attention, and my hand shoots out to grip Alder’s arm where he’s standin’ next to me, while Flint’s arm wraps around my waist like he’s prepared to drag me out of the room at the first sign of trouble.
“Triplets?” Delta snaps, her furious gaze nearly as threatenin’ as Taz’s. “How could you not fucking tell me that I had not just one sibling, buttwo?”
“And how the fuck could youloseone?” Taz snarls.
Nefta finally snaps out of her statue-still formation and starts pacin’ around, revealin’ her own anxiousness. “I know,” she hisses. “I know the implications of this, okay? I’ve always been able to keep track of Delta and Medley. I checked in on them every few years to make sure I knew where they were and that demons and angels hadn’t bothered them—made sure that their wards were holding up. But Sable...I lost track of her.”
Delta and I both suck in a breath at the same time.
“Sable,” Delta says under her breath, like she’s testin’ out the sound of our other sister’s name.
“This isunfuckingbelievable,” Taz growls, runnin’ a hand through his blond locks like he’s tempted to yank out every damn strand. “So you’re telling us that you have no clue where our third daughter is?”
“It’s not like I haven’t looked,” Nefta snaps.
“Where’d you leave her?” Delta asks.
“Somewhere in New York. I thought the family was good. Their souls were on the lighter spectrum. But when I went back a few years later to check in, I found out that they’d given her up right after her third birthday.”
The tension in the room is so thick, Mama could carve it up and serve it for supper. Unfortunately, that thought makes nausea rise up in my throat. My mouth waters with the telltale sign that if I don’t calm the hell down, I’m gonna upchuck all over their expensive hardwood floorin’ and Afghan rug.
“I...I need to go.”
Everyone looks over at me at once, and I squirm, backin’ up and slippin’ away from Flint and Alder. Their eyes fill with concern. “You okay, Peaches? You’re looking a little green, and I don’t mean your hair.”
I shake my head and take another step back, my fingers automatically comin’ up to touch the stones on my necklace as a form of comfort. The last thing I want is to be sick in front of everyone. “I just need a minute.”
Flint moves to come with me, but I hold up my hands, and he immediately stops. I don’t miss the hurt that crosses over his face. “I’m sorry,” I say, my breaths comin’ in quicker than before. “I just feel like I wanna puke, and I need a moment to think.”
“She needs a pause,” Delta says decisively, comin’ forward.
I nod my head because, yep, a pause on life is exactly what I need right now. I need everythin’ to slow down so I can catch the hell up.
“I got this,” she tells my demons, pattin’ Alder on the shoulder. “You guys stay here and come up with a plan for Morax. I’ll take Medley to my house. We can talk there without all the mayhem.”
Flint and Alder shake their heads. “No way. It’s not safe,” Alder says.
“She needs to stay with us,” Flint adds.
“She’ll be safe,” Rafferty cuts in.
“Yeah, we’ve warded Delta’s house up the ass,” Echo says.
“Yep,” Delta confirms. “And I know how to shift places now, so if anything happens, we’ll be back in a wink. Besides, look at us,” she says, comin’ to stand next to me. “We both have scythes. We’re badasses.” She shoots me a reassurin’ smile. I manage to give her a shaky one in return.
Alder’s butterscotch eyes go to me. He hands me my scythe, the blades once again gone. I immediately feel better with it in my hand. “You want to go with Delta to relax for a bit?”
I love that he checks in with me, and my heart warms. “Yeah,” I answer honestly. Standin’ in this room with eight demons and an angel is intense, but knowin’ two of them are your biological parents and one your sister, is overwhelmin’ to say the least. The thick cloud of rage in the room isn’t helpin’ anythin’ either. I feel like fury and pain are slowly sinkin’ into me, and all my body wants to do is hurl it out.
“Okay,” he says quietly, just like that, givin’ me what I need.
Flint comes forward and places another kiss to my hair before pressin’ his phone into my hand. “Use this if you want to talk to us.”
I slip it into my back pocket. “Thanks,” I murmur.
“I’ll take good care of her, I promise,” Delta tells them with a smile.
