“Did you get that out of your system, my beloved?” Aziel stood in front of the portal with a hesitant expression on his face.
I nodded. “I needed Blaise more than he needed me.”
He strolled toward the bed, stripping off his clothes until he was naked. “You don’t need anyone. You’re the strongest person I know.”
“I’m strong because of you, Blaise, Kai, and Thaddeus.” I held my hands out, and he slid onto the bed next to me.
He wrapped his arms around my petite frame, and I nuzzled against his chest. “I’ve missed you so fucking much,” he said in a heavy voice.
I glanced back at Blaise, who was sleeping like a rock.
“The vampire snores a lot, doesn’t he?” He chuckled.
I splayed my palm against his chest. “Aziel, I love you.”
His heart thumped hard against my ear, and he let out a shuddered breath. “My beloved, you’re my reason for existing. I’m bonded to you, and I’ve been in love with you since our gazes met—but I don’t deserve your love.”
My mouth went dry, and I sat up to look at him. He pulled his lips into a scowl, and his black eyes seemed even darker as black tears welled up in them.
“It doesn’t matter what you think you deserve. It doesn’t change the fact that I love you,” I spoke slowly, emphasizing each syllable.
He pushed out a harsh breath with a tortured expression. “I couldn’t save you. I was useless.”
I cupped his face and kissed the tip of his nose. “Baby, no. You did everything you could. I was able to look at your face as I died, and that was all I could’ve asked for.”
A sob broke free as he clung to my chest, and my heart plummeted.
We’d been through so much together, and the moment we were finally about to enjoy life, it was taken away from us. I may have died, but Aziel lived on—and that was so much worse.
Moving into his lap, I cradled him and stroked his hair. “Gabriel shocked us all, but none of that matters anymore. We know what he’s capable of, and we have the guys with us. Thaddeus, Blaise, and Kai are by our side now. You’ll never be alone again.”
Even if something happens to me.
His body shook with tremors as I held him, and we stayed like that for a while before he could collect himself.
He pulled up, and I helped wipe away his tears.
“My apologies. I—”
“Don’t you dare fucking apologize,” I snapped, and he shut his mouth. “My death wasn’t your fault.”
His hand absentmindedly went to his black collar around his neck, and I froze.
“Jax, baby, why the fuck do you still have that collar on? I don’t recall you ever wearing one before.”
He dropped his hands, letting them curl into fists in his lap. “Blood oath,” he gritted out like it pained him.
Fury spread toward my fingertips, and hellfire ignited as my anger raged inside. “Why the fuck are you under a blood oath?”
His brows scrunched together like he was trying to speak, but nothing came out.
I ran a fingertip ablaze with hellfire down the collar’s fabric. It split open, and I watched it fall off.
My breath caught at the long white scar across his throat. It was at least two centimeters wide and ran from ear to ear.
“Lilith, I deser—”
“Don’t you fucking say you deserved it,” I growled out. “You had to be held down by atleastten archangels. That’s fucking admirable that you put up the fight you did against them. They made you watch Gabriel toy with me, strike me down with lightning,kissme, and plunge that damn sword into my heart. They let you gosecondsbefore I turned to ash. You held me in my dying breath. Your lips were the last lips I was able to feel against mine. You were the only light I saw in my death.”
