“It’s Ronen,” I said, knocking again.
Sam opened the door a crack, considering me and only sparing a glance at Rune, who made herself comfortable on the floorboards. “I assume you’re here to inquire about the infection?”
“Yes. I’m meeting with Lucifer soon, and I’m sure he wants to know?—”
“I’ve stopped the blood study, just like he ordered. The samples are gone.”
“Stopped?”
“Yes,” he answered a little too quickly.
I frowned.
Lucifer had demanded we find a cure; now he ordered Sam to stop?
“What was his reasoning?”
“That we don’t know enough about the infection? And that…” He tapped his lip, contemplating something. “That I’m too valuable to risk exposure if I tested their blood samples.”
Sam’s speech patterns were odd. He never ended a statement with a question. Nor did he pause and trail off in the middle of sentences.
“Did Lucifer say anything else? Suggest a different solution?”
Sam pinched the bridge of his nose. “After I proposed gloves, he proceeded to remind me of the state of the blood-banded in our dungeons and told me to find a different way. Check back with me in a couple days. Hopefully I’ll have a solution by then.” Then he quickly shut the door, ending the conversation.
Odd. All of it. Sam’s behavior and his explanation of Lucifer’s reasoning.
Sam had been monitoring and studying their blood before he showed me the gory mess. Logically, if Lucifer was concerned about Sam’s well-being, wouldn’t he have told him to stop the moment we saw the three infected angels? Unless he’d had a momentary lapse in judgment and saw reason later?
What the Seven Hells is going on with this kingdom, Rune?
She lifted her head from her large paws and sent confusion through our connection—and hunger.
Dorus has what we need.
Fresh flesh, and a place to settle my thoughts and questions.
The sounds of chopping,stirring, and the hustle of preparation calmed me. There was a time I never thought they could. But Dorus had her ways, with her words and food. She had my favorite breakfast prepared for me in my spot. And she had bloody chunks of meat for Rune in hers. I pressed a kiss to Dorus’s cheek in thanks. We ate. I helped out a little. Then we left and walked to the Hall of Judgment.
Pushing open the blood-red door, I glared at the tortured soulsfilling the illustration. My insides felt a lot like the fiery scene. And I hated it. It wasn’t just jealousy. Oh, it was there. It never had been until her. But it was also possession. Protection. The combination of the three was like a poison sneaking beneath my skin and slowly searing through my restraint. The more I cared about her, the more the carefully kept leash on my shadows corroded. They wanted the pet gone. Erased from her life. I had to fight against my dark nature. Only, the more I watched them interact, saw the guardian bond in action, the more I wanted to succumb to my shadows’ desires.
Alexei had been right. I didn’t have the luxury of losing control. If I did, the consequences would be far more disastrous than one murdered male.
I snapped and pointed next to the doors, ordering Rune to stand vigil. Then I rolled my shoulders back, keeping my shadows at the ready, and strode down the throne room toward Lucifer.
He lounged in his wood-carved throne, backlit by the lancet and rose windows. Red light filtered through the stained glass, smearing blood across the black marble floors. A quarter-full crystal decanter of whiskey sat at the foot of his throne right next to the carved head of a weeping angel. And in his hand dangled an almost empty tumbler.
His eyes were glassy, suit wrinkled, legs spread apart like an indignant youth—something I’d never seen before. I imagined he had already polished off half the decanter.
I kept my steps measured and my frown behind an impassive mask as I approached.
“My liege,” I intoned, bowing.
“General.” He nodded, his gaze unfocused.
I took my spot beside him on the dais. It wasn’t my place to question him in public, but I itched to demand if he was in his right mind to perform his duties. Shoving down my inquiries, we waited. And waited. No souls came in. After a few more minutes watching him sip his drink, I lost my grip on my words.
“Are we judging souls, or am I to watch you drink yourself into a stupor?” As if he wasn’t already in one.
