She frowned.“Shouldn’t members of the Memitim Council beMemitim?”
“You’d think.But that rule has been changed, becauseapparently now that Memitim can be born to Heavenly angels, Heavenly angels getto rule.”
Lilliana didn’t like that one bit.“So that means you’ll beseeing more of your ex-lovers?”
“I hope not.”
Right there with ya.
Frustrated but not wanting to dwell on Azagoth’s baby mamas,she changed the subject.“Look, why don’t we forget about all of this for awhile?We haven’t used thechronoglassto go anywhere in weeks.Let’svisit a tropical beach or a mountain meadow.We can have a picnic, somewine...and we can talk.”
Her ability to time travel and take him anywhere in theworld for one hour every twenty-four was a gift they’d used almost daily fortheir entire relationship...until a few weeks ago when he’d suddenly become“too busy.”
He waggled his brows playfully.“You know if we go someplaceromantic like that, we won’t betalking.”
“Yes, we will,” she said firmly.“I’m not falling for yourerotic tricks, Azagoth.Not until you tell me what’sreallyupwith you.”She held up a finger to cut him off before he said whatshe knew he was going to say.“And don’t tell me it’s nothing.I know that’snot the truth.”
The temperature in the room plummeted so low she could seeher breath.But not her husband’s.No, he’d gone so cold his breath wouldn’t bevisible even in Antarctica.
“Are you calling me a liar?”
Annoyed by his sudden mood swing and tired of trying to gethim to talk, she let out a bitter laugh.
“Seriously?You cause pain and suffering every day.Youscheme with evil demons and plot with angels.And you’re going to feign outrageat being called a liar?Especially when it’s the truth?You’re angry that I’mnot dumb enough to believe your denials, is that it?Or are you mad at yourselffor not being a better liar?Either way, knock it off.You’re a bazillion yearsold.Act like it.Man up.”
She knew the moment she stopped talking that she’d gone toofar.Azagoth’s eyes went glacial for a split-second before they flared hot,orange flames lapping at his irises.
“I love you,” he said in a deep, tortured voice.“Soyou should go.”
As angry as she was, as sure as she was that she was the onewhowas inthe right, she also knew that if she wantedto win the war, she had to strategically retreat from certain battles.Azagothwouldn’t hurt her physically, she knew that without a doubt, but he was moredemon than angel, and when the angel inside him fled, the demon that remainedcouldflayher alive with his words.Staying herewould only lead to pain for them both and no one would win.
She glanced at her watch.“I have things to do.But Azagoth,we aren’t done with this conversation.”
She slammed out of his office, and as she walked down theendless hallway, his roar of anger echoed off the walls, jiggling thechandeliers and rattling the artwork.
But nothing was more rattled than her nerves.
Chapter Nine
It took longer than Hawk wanted to put down thethreat to his endangered Primori, a member of the Demonic Activity ResponseTeam, whom he’d been guarding since he was born.Jake Biemer had originallyjoined The Aegis, a demon-slaying organization, following a stint in the navy.But a few years ago, when The Aegis took a new, radical stance he didn’t like,he’d joined the other Aegis defectors to start DART.Now the guy spent his timeinvestigating demonic activity that put him in danger all the time.Fortunately,Hawk only had to respond to dangers that were somehow not fated to happen.
Seemed like ever since thenear-apocalypseseveral years ago, non-fated danger happened far more than it ever had.
And Hawk wasn’t the only one who noticed.Most of hisMemitim brethren had complained of the same thing.It was as if the glue thatheld all the laws of nature together had started to dissolve, leaving weakspots everywhere.Even Sheoul-gra’s Inner Sanctum where the souls were keptwasn’t immune.Azagoth and Hades had been dealing with cracks in thecontainment walls that hadn’t been there before.
And naturally, no one in Heaven would offer anyexplanations.
It was one of the reasons Hawk couldn’t wait to Ascend.Hewanted to get answers and then he wanted to share those answers with hisbrothers and sisters.He wanted to make life better for Memitim, and better forthe decent people they protected.To be included on the Memitim Council was hisgoal, and dammit, he would reach it.
But that wasn’t going to happen if he failed to keep aPrimori safe.Even the pieces of shit like Drayger.
Crisis averted, Hawk said goodbye to Cipher and his brothersand headed back to Underworld General.He didn’t have a plan for Aurora yet—heonly knew he had to convince her not to go to the police.
“Hey, I know the guy tortured you and was planning tokill you slowly, but really, is forgiving and forgetting too much to ask?”
Yeah, that was going to go overrealwell.
In what was becoming a routine, he flashed himself to thehospital, entered through the ER doors from the parking lot, and approached thereception desk.
