Michael rolled his eyes. Actually rolled his eyes, like a parent dealing with a child who refused to put on his shoes. “Give the idiot the shard. Now.”
I had to turn my head to keep from laughing. Not many people got a way with calling Angelo an idiot.
Costin opened his mouth as if to protest?—
“Don’t.” Michael didn’t even look at him. “You get a piece too. You’re all testing my patience.”
Rose gave one piece to Angelo and the other to Costin. Neither of them looked happy about sharing. Neither of them said a word.
“Before you wonder, those pieces contain the power of Excalibur. I’m expecting both of you to protect it. If a demon gets it, you’ll face me.”
"One more thing." Michael's gaze moved between Angelo and Costin. "These eight belong to me now. Every one of them bears the mark of Excalibur. They are my warriors, sworn to my service." His voice dropped. "If either of you punishes them, threatens them, or so much as makes their lives difficult for what happened here — you won't be dealing with them. You'll be dealing with me."
He looked at Angelo. Then Costin. Letting it land.
"They answer to me. Not you. Not anymore."
He didn't have to explain what that meant.
Lightning flashed. And he was gone.
He didn’t have to say what would happen. Lightning flashed and he was gone.
The silence after Michael vanished was deafening. Angelo stood rigid, jaw clenched, holding a piece of shard he'd been told to accept by an archangel who'd called him an idiot. Twice.
Dimitri broke first. He looked at Angelo, then at the scorched ground, then back at Angelo.
"So... that went well."
Angelo turned on him with a look that could have stopped a heart.
Dimitri shrugged, completely unbothered. "I'm just saying — you threatened to kill the one guy who's now untouchable, your wife shoved you in front of everyone, and an archangel called you an idiot." He tilted his head. "Want me to get you a drink, or...?"
"Dimitri," Enzo warned.
"What? Someone had to say it."
Costin put the shard in his jacket pocket. “What did Angelo mean you worked for him?”
Selena looked at me and then the others. “We’re demon hunters. When Michael calls, we have to answer.”
“Or become a burnt pop tart,” Dimitri murmured.
"Something like that," Valentin said.
"We're going home now." Serenity clasped Angelo's arm. "You got what you wanted. And we have more things to discuss in... private."
I wouldn't want to be Angelo. The look in her eyes and the tone of her voice meant he was going to spend a month or more in the doghouse.
Without a word, Angelo shifted into a bat and flew into the air. Dimitri and Enzo followed.
Serenity looked at me. "I'm sorry, Rocco. It won't happen again."
Before I could respond, she unfurled her white wings and launched into the sky after them.
I watched her go. In all the time Angelo had held my life in his hands, not once had he apologized. His mate had just done it for him in five words. Then again, he was the vampire mafia king. Fearless. Ruthless.
But merciful he wasn't.
