Luc fought a satisfied grin and lost.
She’d be mortified if she knew he possessed the ability to read her innermost thoughts.
It was the little things that gave him the most pleasure.
As Raphael watched from across the street, he huffed in annoyance. According to Michael’s spy, Lucifer was supposed to be occupied by business matters well into the night, which would’ve given Raphael enough time to engage the woman and determine whether she was what they suspected.
But the opportunity was lost.
His fear tactic—meant to unnerve her—had backfired when his ex-brother-in-arms stepped in to assist her in place of him. Raphael would be forced to employ another means of approaching her and winning her trust. He doubted she’d fall for an “interview” again.
On the far side of the cafe, away from the entry, Lucifer sat with his back to the wall, half in shadow, making it difficult for anyone to see him well. His brother’s intensity showed in the way he leaned into their conversation. He’d never been so enthralled with a human before, which made Raphael quite certain she was indeed the hybrid they’d been searching for.
The most dangerous kind of creature imaginable.
Raphael had been told since Lucifer’s fall, he’d been unable to see another angel’s light, which made it impossible for him to recognize what he beheld. Although her back was to him, Raphael could identify her subtle glow from this distance. Yet another essence resided within her aura, and he couldn’t quite determine the source from here.
Knowing he could do nothing more under Lucifer’s watchful eye, he decided to call it a night. Tomorrow would present another opportunity to capture her, find out her secrets, and sway her to their side, if possible. Because if not, she would need to be eliminated.
He withdrew his phone and sent a text to Azeraph.
Follow the woman and report back to me in the morning.
Luc didn’t miss the flash of teal light across the road, nor had he failed to recognize the static in his mind as another archangel’s presence.
Raphael.
Although it had been almost a decade since he’d seen or dealt with any of the lower tier, his ability to identify the senior of the lot had never faded.
The Creator’s favored few.
Most of the celestials gave him a wide berth, not caring to be tainted by association, and their defection ceased to hurt long ago. He did, however, intend to get to the bottom of this recent visit. Without a doubt, Raphael’s appearance indicated Michael had brewed up a special brand of trouble for the woman. He never did his own dirty work when he could rely on his younger brother’s good looks to charm others into compliance.
Luc’s attention shifted back to Nadia.
Odds were Raphael felt it necessary to scope out the new celestial entity in town. Meaning Nadia might require greater protection than he first assumed. Otherwise, they’d have sent a lesser minion in their place.
“Tell me more about yourself, Nadia,” he said smoothly, gracing her with a warm smile and a caress on her inner wrist.
Her exotic eyes widened, locking with his. “What do you want to know?”
“Everything,” he purred.
If there was one thing with which the Devil excelled, it was seduction. Most mortals assumed seduction related to a physical act. They’d be wrong. True seduction involved the mind and heart, swaying the very soul of an individual to do your bidding.
And Lucifer intended to seduce Nadia in all ways—mind, heart, body, and soul—to do his.
She’d be the unwitting ally he needed in the war his brothers intended to reignite. Relentless, Michael would continue until he was the sole survivor, basking in their father’s love. His warrior’s heart thrived on a battlefield, making him quick to reach for a sword.
Raphael, on the other hand, could be classified as more lover than fighter, but he’d been known to join Michael’s crusade against hybrids.
Fucking purists.
To the naked eye, Gabriel appeared a devoted servant to the Creator. Yet good-boy Gabe also subscribed to the motto, “What dear old Dad doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
One had only to look at Nadia to see the proof.
She was the spitting image of her sire. One who had abandoned her and left her to fend for herself. Depending on how the upcoming drama played out, Lucifer might need to serve his own brand of justice on Gabriel for leaving her alone to fend off the wolves.
