He snorted. “You’re just sorry my trigger-happy associate made you lose yourbet.”
I startled, stopping a few feet from his rigid form. “No.” I shook my head. “I’m sorry Iinterfered.”
“You think things would’ve gone down differently?” Jarodasked.
“Leigh, Leigh, Leigh.” Tristan grinned. “Welcome toLa Cour des Démonswhere justice is restored one bullet at atime.”
My stomachclenched.
“Call Francis,” Jarod said. “And give Sasha some money to cover the meals and thedamage.”
Tristan nodded, seeking out the man we’d come to help but had failed. As he gave his statement to the female cop, I stared at Jarod, desperate to understand the source of hisanger.
“Thank you for keeping your promise. And for not shooting anyone yourself,” I saidgently.
Even though it was selfish of me, I wondered if the Ishim would consider his intervention tonight an act of valor. He had neither given the order to kill nor held the gun that stole threelives.
And he’d protectedme.
How I wished I understood their systembetter.
Just as I had that thought, three winged men marched into the restaurant, wringing a gasp from mylungs.
Angels hadcome.
And not justMalakim.
Chapter 24
Asher strode over to us,flanked by two gold-robed Malakim. Where Asher’s wings were deployed, the turquoise and copper glittering in the dim lighting, the other two angels had their wings tucked into their backs, only the gilt tips of their feathers peeking out. Unlike the Malakim, Asher wore jeans and a white T-shirt that made his torso appear broader than when I’d seen him in hisleathers.
“Get the souls out of here,” he murmured, nodding toward thebar.
Cloaked in angel-dust, the Malakim wound around the police, then squeezed in next to the riddled corpses before kneeling and placing their palms on the dead men’s chests. Like honeyed threads, the souls stuck to the pads of the Malakim’s fingers. They coaxed the glowing threads until they detached themselves from the immobile bodies, and then both angels closed their fists androse.
It wasn’t the first time I’d watched the Malakim extract souls, and yet my amazement never tarried. My heart gave a hopeful thud that, one day, I’d be able to perform this type of magic. Granted, the angels didn’t deem this magic, but to me, the process feltmagical.
The realization that only two Malakim had come made my gaze return toAsher.
Asher who was talking in low tones withJarod.
I forgot all about the unharvested soul as I noted the familiarity of their interaction. This wasn’t their firstmeeting.
Asher’s alarming reaction the night I’d given him my sinner’s name washed over me. HeknewJarod. Personally. Although this shouldn’t have shocked me—the Seraphim were reputedly omniscient—the awareness grated against my wingbones.
What had Asher told meagain?
Don’t spend too much time trying to reform a Triple.His words trickled through me clear as the night he’d spokenthem.
Tristan sidled up next to me. “I don’t know about you, but I’d really like to break out of thisjoint.”
I crossed my arms. “Do those two know eachother?”
“The guy’s some distant cousin. Every time he stops by, he warns Jarod to behavebetter.”
Distant cousin? That was the cover Asher used? I supposed no one would be the wiser. It wasn’t as though Jarod would force the Seraphim to spit into a test tube to have his DNA mappedout.
As though he heard us discussing him, Asher’s turquoise eyes beamed intomine.
