Chapter Thirty-Two

“You sure your head’s in this?” Roman asked as he parked the rental car up the street from the Roman Catholic church in Namibia. Two white church spires loomed high in the sky with circular stained-glass windows that trekked from the midpoint downward. “If you’re distracted and messed up, stay in the car.”

“I’m good.”

Total lie. It’d been seven days since his epic confrontation with Vivi.

Roman’s dark eyebrows slashed inward. “You’re half here.” He whipped off his wire-frame sunglasses to make eye contact. “I had an episode when I broke it off with Nova out of a misguided sense of needing to keep her safe. It was—”

“An episode?” Flynn interrupted. “That’s what we’re calling the four weeks you drank yourself into oblivion all day every single day? You lost your mind, turned green, and almost wasted away. If your angel friend hadn’t showed up, you’d have died. I’d say that goes way beyond an episode. I’d label it a complete meltdown.”

“Shut up.” Roman scowled at Flynn. “Ky, I’ve been there. You’re handling it a lot better than I did. She’s not the same person you knew anymore.”

She remembers me.

Roman said, “Take comfort in knowing she’s somewhere no one will find her. Somewhere not in danger.”

“I got it,” Ky snarled, instantly regretting it. He wasn’t okay. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. Couldn’t stop wishing he’d chosen differently, perhaps tried to save her from losing her memory, or making her at least like him. Friendship was at least something, a way to keep her in his life. Nah, that wouldn’t work. There had to have been a way to erase the triggers without erasing her entire mind with that experimental human drug. “I’m not going to die today.”

Roman pinched his nose. “This is a mess. You should stay in the car. In fact, please, stay in the car.”

“I’ll bake out here in the heat. I’m going inside for the air-conditioning.” Ky stared out the window from his spot in the back seat of the sedan. He said the mantra they’d come up with long ago, “Fight hard. Fight right. Fight to the end.”

Flynn fist-bumped with him.

Roman nodded.

“What’s the plan?” Ky asked. “We waltz in the front door and get this done? Or do something less obvious? Might be smart not to draw the witch’s attention.”

Flynn scrolled through screens on a tablet. “I can’t find reports of anything weird associated with the church or any unexplained deaths in the area. No local police reports related to the church. Nothing like would be typical for a witch on a murder spree. I’m thinking Gerard’s intel was off or this is the wrong place.”

“We shouldn’t trust him at all. He’s on Slate’s payroll,” Ky muttered.

“We can at least make sure there’s nothing evil inhabiting this place. Everyone armed? Protective charms on?” Roman patted the hexenspiegel and touched the two protective talismans around his neck before he exited the car.

Ky palmed the protective amulet around his neck and the pendant of St. Michael. He also draped a crystal on a chain on top of them, one guaranteed to protect against the worst witch spells, and tucked all three neck talismans into his shirt.

A beige sedan pulled in next to their car. Out of it came Vivi and Nova.

What? How were they here? Ky asked, “Is this what you’d call keeping her somewhere safe? This could be a fucking ambush. They need to go.”

Vivi’s eyes sparkled with mischief when she caught him staring. She flashed a devastating smile. So flipping beautiful with her hair in a braid and the dark tactical outfit that had to be sweltering in this heat, but was sexy.

Roman stormed to them. “Nova…come on; we talked about this on the plane. It’s distracting for me—and Ky—to have you here.”

“They were on the plane?” Flynn asked.

Nova scratched her face and avoided eye contact.

Vivi bit her lower lip and suppressed another smile.

“Did one of you spy on me in the bathroom?” Flynn shuddered.

“Did something happen in the bathroom we should know about?” Ky asked.

Flynn whacked Ky in the arm. He held up his hands and yelled, “We need a family rule: no one is allowed to stow away on the plane or be invisible. No one! It’s fucking creepy. We have enough weird in our lives not to add the concern about being spied on by invisible people on our own plane.”

“Agreed,” Ky chimed in.

Silence from the ladies.

“They didn’t agree, Ro.” Flynn pointed at them. He muttered to himself, “I’ll sweep the plane before takeoff from now on and shoot anything that makes noise.”

“If you put holes in my mate or my plane, I’ll kill you,” Roman said, but there was no bite to the threat.

“We’re here. We’re helping.” Nova crossed her arms while Vivi removed a holstered handgun from the duffel bag in the back seat and tucked it into her belt. She continued to weapon up with two knives, oblivious to the hell no vibes from the three of them.

She put two extra magazines in her side pocket and announced, “I’m ready.”

“Do you know how to use those?” Roman asked.

Vivi smirked. “I might not remember how I got trained or how many I was sent to kill, but I didn’t forget how to kill.”

Could he be any more in love with this badass?

Yeah, love. That’s what he felt for her.

A sense of relief saturated him for recognizing it. But this could be a trap. Neither lady should be anywhere near here.

Roman ran a hand over his face. “Fine. You two stay outside and guard the entrances. Nova, stay invisible. Flynn, give them earpieces.” He held up a hand when Nova was about to speak. “No. You’re not going inside. Not until we figure out exactly what we’re dealing with. Then, and only then, will we call you on the earpieces to help. Okay?”

She pursed her lips. “Fine.”

Vivi shrugged. “Your loss if you get blown to shreds going in.”

Ky couldn’t stop staring at Vivi as too much emotion saturated his brain.

Flynn shoulder nudged Roman as he walked past. “Look, he’s gone gooey-brain.”

Roman sighed dramatically and said quietly to Nova as he walked by, “See? This fucked up Ky. This is why I said no. I needed his head tight.”

“I’m fine,” Ky snapped.

“Your ass looks hot in those pants, Ky!” Vivi called out.

Roman shot her an agitated death glare.

Ky’s cheeks heated, as did the rest of him. Was this real? Was she actually flirting with him? That might mean she forgave him or remembered something.

He turned in order to figure out what was going on, but Roman grabbed his arm. “Later. You deal with this later.”

A locked side door of the church? No problem. Ky used telekinesis to slide open the dead bolt and twist open the doorknob lock. Once inside…nothing. No smell of decay indicative of a witch gone bad. It smelled of wax from the thirty or forty candles burning in front of a small statue of Mary.

Nothing attacked them.

His sixth sense didn’t tingle to indicate supernatural danger. Instead, the church gave off a sense of comfort and inspired him to pray. He touched a finger to the goblet of holy water near the candles, made the sign of the cross, and muttered the rosary.

Roman copied.

Flynn studied the humans in the main chamber at the front near the pulpit.

An elderly nun sat in a pew next to a young boy while the boy’s parents sat a pew away. She spoke to him in hushed tones and pressed rosary beads into his hand.

Roman met Ky’s gaze. The nun wasn’t what she seemed. He could feel the magical energy coming off her, but he didn’t sense the tarnished, twisted evil that came off power-hungry magicals who’d begun invoking black magic. The energy off her felt almost mystical.

The nun rotated to face them. Deep wrinkles slashed through the dark skin of her kind face. Concern flashed through her eyes, but she stood her ground as she took a few steps toward them. “Can I help you gentlemen?”

The boy and his parents watched, curious. It was obvious that they didn’t understand English. Good.

Roman removed a small crystal and let it dangle on its chain. He spun a slow circle as he walked up the aisle. It swung back and forth. If it picked up evil, it changed color, but it remained clear. “We were sent to investigate a threat. Are you experiencing anything unusual? Anything scary?”

The nun waved a hand. “I help with health care of the locals, which should be of little concern to you. I serve God.”

“I am sorry to bother you, ma’am.” Roman glanced at both him and Flynn, and shook his head. Nothing evil here.

“Why were we sent halfway around the world?” Flynn asked. “Why here?”

“Have you noticed anything off? Anyone who isn’t behaving?” Roman asked the nun.

The nun shook her head. “I haven’t met any like you in a very long time. None come to this part of the world. But you three seem different than others of your…kind.”

“How do you know about…” Ky trailed off. All three of them whipped around when the front door of the church opened and shut.

Wearing a white NY Yankees baseball cap, khaki pants, and Birkenstocks, a late-twenties man strolled in. His electric-blue eyes were so bright they looked like someone plugged them into an outlet.

“Zadkiel? What are you doing here?” Roman asked. At a whisper he said, “Nova, did you miss the angel walking in the front door? Little heads-up, please.”

“We didn’t see anyone,” Nova said.

“That’s the angel in disguise?” Ky asked Flynn.

Flynn whispered back, “Yep.”

“Thought I’d pop by,” the archangel said. “Maybe warn you to get out of here…like now.” He whipped off his cap to show his hat hair.

Ky’s ears picked up something. The unique, high-pitched signature of an exploding weapon about to impact in seconds. “Bomb! Roman, you get the ladies. Flynn and I will get the people. Run!”

Roman ran for the front door.

Ky threw the nun over a shoulder and snagged the child she’d been speaking with.

Flynn grabbed the few other people to clear everyone from the church. They sprinted across the grounds as far and as fast as they could.

…

For a moment, Ky thought he’d been in a plane crash. Been there before. Felt exactly like this. Smelled the same with the dust and the smoke. And the pain. Each breath burned as if drawing fire directly into his lungs. He couldn’t hear anything over the ringing in his ears.

His last memory pushed itself into his brain.

The smoking pit of the church sat hundreds of yards away. Shame to have destroyed such a beautiful bit of architecture.

Vivi. He tried to make sound but nothing came out. Or maybe it did but he couldn’t hear it. Hearing still wasn’t working well. He rolled to his back and cradled his head.

Someone tried to assassinate them? They’d been sent here on purpose. To die. Apparently, whoever it was didn’t care about human casualties.

Whoever did this wasn’t done. They’d make sure they died. Survival kicked in.

He sat up, left thigh stinging. An eight-inch shard of jagged metal had lodged deep into the muscle. With a yank, he ripped it out. Blood gushed.

Flynn rocked on the ground nearby with both hands against his head. When he removed his hand, blood dribbled out of one ear. His head was bloody from abrasions and a scalp laceration. Flynn looked to have shielded the humans he’d rescued, who were equally stunned. He helped them stand while shaking his head and pointing to his ear when they spoke. None appeared to be wounded, which was a miracle.

Where was Vivi? Adrenaline shot through his system, getting him to his feet. He felt as if he couldn’t get enough oxygen into his lungs as he scanned the area.

Roman had landed near a concrete wall. The nun, seemingly unscathed, cradled his head in her lap. She muttered and moved rosary beads through her fingers. Roman breathed but remained unconscious. Blood pooled under him. Roman looked to have sheltered the nun and child from the explosion with his body.

Behind him, Vivi held Nova, who appeared unconscious. There was so much blood on both of them that he couldn’t tell who it came from.

He mouthed to Vivi, “Are you okay?”

She nodded.

Ky shuffled over to Roman, his head roaring and thigh reminding him with each step its reminder it’d been mauled by a piece of metal.

He knelt and touched Roman’s right arm, which was a macerated mess. The blood would stop. The flesh would heal, but it was ugly. “Fight to stay with us, Ro.”

He shuffled to Vivi. “Get inside. I’m sure more are coming to make sure we died.”

“Get out of the open,” Ky yelled to Flynn, although it sounded far away to his ears.

Flynn shook his head and pointed at his ears. “Can’t hear. Coming back, though.”

Ky said loudly, “Someone wants us dead. Wave number two of hostiles likely coming in soon to make sure they got the job done.”

When Flynn didn’t respond, he pointed to a building and mouthed, “Inside.” He struggled to a stand and dragged Roman inside. The nun trailed behind.

At the sound of screeching wheels, he peeked out the window.

A van came into view around a corner. Presto, wave number two had arrived.

Another three vans followed close behind, navigating debris in a beeline for their location.

Humans. An army of them.

He recognized the nondescript dark uniforms of the drivers.

He’d die before returning to a prison. Or letting them get Roman or Flynn or the ladies. This time the humans wouldn’t let them escape. It’d be a one-way trip straight to death.

He shook Roman. “We need a spell or something. Wake up. Come on. I need some soldier-of-God magic. That angel of yours disappeared.” They could’ve used his help.

Nothing.

He and Flynn directed the rest of the dazed parents and kids into the building. The upper floor had been demolished but the lower looked stable.

“Are you okay?” the nun asked, staring at Roman, but her question was directed at Ky.

“No ma’am. None of us are, but we’re going to protect you,” Ky said. “Can you do anything to protect this building? Magic would be nice. I can’t quite figure out what you are, but it’s not…” He glanced at the humans huddled together and lowered his voice. “You’re not human. Those people outside are about to light us up either with another missile or bullets.”

“I will pray for you. For us.” The serenity and certainty of her declaration made him believe. She took the hand of the boy who stood near her side staring at Roman. “He listens to me. And to you. He will watch over us.”

Ky took her free hand in his and bowed his head. “Thank you. We could really use God on our side. I don’t want any of you hurt. I swear I’ll do my best to keep all of you alive.”

They needed way more than prayer, but it might help. Maybe God would hear.

Someone from outside called out, “Vivienne, we know you’re in there. Escalate. Level. Two. Kill them.”

Chills worked their way through his shoulders. Were those trigger words?

Eyes glazed over like she had been in the building, Vivi stood. She had bleeding cuts all over her face and blood dripped from her left arm. As if she didn’t feel any pain, she raised her gun, targeting him.

He tackled her the moment it went off. It caught his side. Nothing serious. He bear-hugged her. She struggled, managing a solid headbutt into his chin.

Breathless with the struggle he said, “Vivi. I need you with me. It’s Ky. You’re safe. Listen to me, love. You are safe.”

She stilled.

Was it real or a con?

“You’re safe. I got you,” he said. “You’re safe.”

“Did I shoot you? Oh, shit, I think I did. Oh God. Ky, I didn’t mean to. I don’t know what came over me.”

“How do I know you’re you? If I let go, will you become a psycho killer on me? Tell me who I am.”

“You’re Ky. I don’t feel it in my head anymore.”

He quickly disarmed her and let her go.

Her eyes weren’t glazed anymore. Tears streaked down her cheeks. “Oh my God, I shot you.” She fell to her knees and covered her face. “I’m so sorry.”

A spray of bullets went through the wall of the building. Ky dove for Vivi, pulling her down beneath him as he went to the ground. He protected her with his body as the bullets continued, a few entering his back. The building rocked as a grenade detonated. Concrete bits and dust shrouded them.

So much for concrete being a good barrier. Cheap construction.

The weakness from losing blood and damaged organs would hit him soon. That meant he had to do whatever necessary to ensure all remained safe now before he couldn’t.

He unburied from the concrete everyone he could find, taking a head count. All humans alive. Vivi and Nova still breathing. He crawled to Flynn, who’d shielded other people from the blast. Flynn’s lower half was crushed beneath a concrete barrier. “My back,” he wheezed out. “Legs are going numb.” His face turned ashen, and he blinked rapidly.

Vivi crawled next to Ky.

“I’ll lift the concrete and you pull him out.” He heaved to lift the fallen column enough for her to pull him out. Ky squeezed Flynn’s shoulder. “I’ll handle outside. You keep it together in here.”

“Don’t know if I can heal this.” Terror reflected in Flynn’s eyes.

“You will.”

Another spray of bullets. He ducked.

Vivi sucked in air. Her hand came away from her stomach. “I’m shot. Pretty sure my leg is broken from the blast before.”

He pressed around her stomach and then looked at her leg. “Everything should heal.”

“It hurts.”

“It’ll heal. I swear. But you need to stay in here. Hidden.”

His mind whirled as he checked in on Roman and Nova, both of them bleeding too much. They were going to die. If this was it, he wasn’t going to give up. He’d fight for them. “Everyone stay here.”

“There’s too many out there. You’ll get killed. You’re not in good shape either.” Flynn shifted, flinching at the small movement.

“Ky?” Vivi caught his arm from where she’d managed to lean against a slab of fallen concrete.

He pressed a gun into Vivi’s hand. “If I don’t make it back, kill anyone who comes inside. I’m counting on you. I need you to keep everyone safe. Keep Flynn talking. If needed, I know you have some healing ability. Please help him.”

Vivi’s eyes looked clear when she nodded.

Ky squeezed Vivi’s hand. “I should’ve died a month ago. I got a second chance. We can cheat the Grim Reaper only so many times.” He leaned down to touch Roman’s shoulder even though he was still out, which made him worry about a head injury. “Flynn, I think you two will still have Shane. I swear that person I saw had to be real. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t hallucinating. If it was him as a spirit, then I’ll send his ghost back to stay with you.” He and Flynn locked gazes for a few silent seconds. “It’s my honor to die to protect you. I’ll make sure you’re all safe before I go. I swear.”

“No. I’ll go with you,” Vivi said in a tearful, broken voice. She tried to stand but her leg wouldn’t hold her. “Don’t do this.”

“There’s no other way. I won’t allow any of us to get captured to end up in one of those facilities.” Ky added hoarsely, “You’re needed in here.” The word goodbye wouldn’t come.

She grabbed his hand. In silence, they stared at each other. She squeezed his hand and took in a shaky breath. “Live.”

“Ky, no!” Flynn grabbed his ankle as he stood. “I just got you back.”

“Pray for me. I could use a miracle from a deity.” He forced a smile but suspected it came out stressed. “I swear I got this.”

As he gimped to the door, he kissed the St. Michael pendant and touched over his shoulder where he felt the tattoo shifting. He whispered, “Be my protection against the devil. I’m begging you. We have to protect all of them. It’s us against them.” I’m in rough shape.

A mental scan of the outside discovered there were too many. Fighting ten to fifteen while this weak and expecting a few more hits, he could handle. An army over thirty who might have another missile or something worse? No.

He’d gamble that the humans planned to capture them intact.

A glance behind him found Roman still out and Flynn dragging his body across the floor with clear intent to join him, but the lower half wasn’t cooperating.

“I need you in here, Flynn, to protect them. You have to be the second barrier if they get through me.”

Injured and weak, Ky was the only reasonably functional Lanzo brother. None of them died without a fight. It’d been instilled as their mantra from his father.

His hand trembled as he loaded a new magazine into his Glock. He used his left hand to steady his right before palming the magical sphere to help him focus his energy. One bullet could do way more damage if he used the sphere and telekinesis.

Stop shaking.

The concept of actually dying, of walking into it voluntarily, scared him. He hadn’t realized the strength of his sense of self-preservation until now. The dual halves of his soul fought—the one that knew he was the only one here functional enough to try to save them, and the half with a drive to survive.

No choice.

He’d said his goodbyes to Vivi, at least figuratively, even if not out loud. This is for you and your sister, who needs Roman.

A sense of lightness overcame him. Maybe he was going crazy, but he felt invulnerable as he kissed St. Michael again and whispered, “It has been an honor, Michael and God, to be in this life. Thank you.”

He touched the doorknob, sensing rather than seeing the bullets coming in. “Everyone stay low.”

“You’re glowing,” a voice said behind him.

Okay, whatever on that.

Focused, he wrenched open the door. Bullets struck him. Two, three, six. It didn’t matter. He felt nothing. I am the gift.

He shot. One bullet on its way. Two humans down.

Second shot, three down.

I do not miss.

More bullets dove into him, but he didn’t feel them so much as sense them. He experienced no pain, no weakness, no hesitation as he moved fast—actually a lot faster than he should’ve been able, given blood loss and leg injury, but he wouldn’t think about that; this is the gift.

Another person was shooting by his side against the horde. Terrible aim, since each shot missed a target, but it did create an intimidation effect on the enemy. A side glance found Flynn had managed to drag himself to the doorway. Stupid, heroic guy. But he respected his gumption.

I will protect against the devil. Ky dodged some of the bullets coming his way as if they moved in slow motion, while placing perfect shots. Each bullet he fired had purpose. Each represented one fewer evil trying to kill those inside who didn’t deserve to die. Those whom he was willing to forfeit his life to protect. He continued until he’d emptied the two magazines.

All out.

No shots from the building, which meant Flynn was out of ammunition, too. What were they supposed to protect themselves with now, if any got past Ky? He was the only line of defense.

Wheels screeched as a minivan came to a halt. More reinforcements?

Someone, who looked a hell of a lot like Shane, shot out of the still-running car, shooting and screaming. Gun replaced in its holster, Ky removed two knives. His momentum carried him forward. With a roar, he tore through all still standing near him. No one will hurt those I love any more.

He paused at the last human who fell to the ground, rosary beads in his hand, praying. Gut instinct told him this one deserved life. He wasn’t like the others.

Possibly-Shane came to stand next to him, also pausing in indecision.

When he remained frozen above him, bloody blade hovering, the man looked up. “May God forgive me. I’m sorry.”

“Run,” Ky whispered. “Leave us. Leave this evil group, which is unworthy of you.”

No more humans targeted them. The only one not dead ran for a van.

As if someone yanked out his power cord, Ky collapsed, depleted. Likely bleeding.

He felt his new companion approach, felt an arm thread behind his back and lift him to a seated position. The man pulled his sunglasses off his face.

Electric-blue eyes. Only one person he knew had those.

Thank you, God. I knew he lived.

Shane, oh God, Shane lifted and helped him to the door. “Don’t die, not after that show.”

“How’d you know to come?”

“You’re a mess. So many holes. And, oh my Gawd, what happened to Roman…and Flynn?”

Once inside, Shane put him down on the floor. He tried to press over the too many bleeding entry and exit points. “Don’t die. Hold on, Ky. I’ll figure out something to stop the bleeding. Really could use an angel here.”

This was it. The big end. He rolled to look for Vivi only to find her passed out, but breathing, on the other side of the room. As his eyelids drifted closed, he thought of his father, whom he missed, the original generous soul who taught them to value life. Taught him to put faith in integrity. Vivi’s face came into his head, her smiling and being free in her element outdoors. Knowing some small part of her remembered him… That was the memory he’d cling to. She would never forget.

“You’re safe,” he whispered as if she could hear him. If I can watch over you as a ghost, I will.

Light. Maybe this was the end. Perhaps he did get a heaven or hell or something after death.

No, this was real light. Someone literally glowing sat next to him, and it wasn’t Shane.

“This will hurt.” The heavily accented words came out almost melodic in a deep and rich tone from the glowing entity.

Ky forced his eyes open to stare into… All thought exited his brain. “You…you’re…you’re real?”

“You think only Roman gets help from one of us? I heard you.” Notorious for speaking little, the angel grinned a wide expanse of white teeth. His smooth, dark skin and long dark hair seemed too beautiful to be real. His features mixed all ethnicities to make him human neutral. There was no doubt this was the archangel Michael. He emitted a blue light that shone as if coming straight from his pale blue eyes. His gaze, both resolved and absolute, radiated confidence, as if he never made wrong decisions.

Ky had studied everything he could find written about Michael. His physical appearance could be different depending on the part of the world, but this was one of the most powerful angels. One of Michael’s large, warm hands touched Ky’s chest. His heart felt as if it would beat right out of it, thrashing his ribs until it hurt.

He gasped as the sensation of someone ripping apart his body blindsided him. Unconsciousness loomed. His brain sought the relief of nothingness as a way out of the pain.

Stay awake. I will not waste my one moment of meeting my saint.

“It’s okay to pass out. Most would,” Michael said.

“Not right now. I’ve missed enough by being forced into unconsciousness.” A few shaky breaths later, the pain lessened. He realized Roman was being tended by Zadkiel. Two angels in one place? Unheard of.

“Thank you,” Ky whispered.

Michael bowed his head. “You made wise choices today.”

“We made the only choices.”

Michael’s eyes softened as he said so quietly, Ky almost missed it, “Exactly. You passed the test to demonstrate you would choose the lives of others over yourself when faced with zero chance of survival.”

The nun stood and transformed into a much younger woman. “I concur, Michael, with the choice of these four as protectors and will report back on their success today.”

“You’re an angel, too?” Shocked, Ky said, “We’re all God’s warriors? Not just Roman?”

Michael nodded in the direction of the other angel. “That’s Gabriel.”

“She’s not a he?” Ky asked.

Michael chuckled softly. “Gabe can be a he or a she. Or whatever they want.”

Roman, now awake, blinked around him. He stared at Ky and slurred out, “How’d you… What’d you do? There’re three angels here. And…holy fuck? Is that Shane?” He slammed a hand over his mouth. “Sorry, angels.”

Shane snickered. “Told you your foul mouth would get you in trouble one day.”

“Fucking…flipping language police,” Roman muttered as he rose to a shaky stand. He limped over to Shane and decked him.

Shane cradled his jaw. “What was that for?”

“Faking your death. How could you? You almost killed all of us over it. You broke Mom’s heart.” He pulled Shane into a hug. “This is for still being alive. Thank you, God.” Roman pulled away to look around. “Will someone please tell me what happened to have three angels and everyone like this?”

“Ky tried to martyr himself to save us,” Flynn said. “Seems that doing it was the right choice for us to pass some sort of test in God’s eyes. Would’ve been nice to skip the paralysis and pain part.”

Roman pulled Nova into his lap. He felt her pulse and released a long breath. A sharp look up found Zadkiel. “Why not fix this problem with the radicalized lycans and other paranormals in these brainwashing facilities yourself?” Roman asked. A few silent moments later, he sighed and nodded. “Because it’s our job. Got it. We’re on it.”

All the humans remained still and speechless, shocked in their positions on the floor.

Zadkiel pressed something into Roman’s hand before giving Michael a strange look.

Michael leaned in toward Ky. He experienced a feeling of peace and clearheadedness unlike anything in his life. The smell of comfort—that of the foods he savored in all their glorious freshness to the point of brilliance—surrounded him.

Michael glanced toward Vivi. He whispered, “You’ve left it unfinished. Unresolved.”

“Vivi?” He blinked up at Michael.

“Choices must be made. It needs to be decided.”

What’d that mean? He needed to end it with her once and for all? He swallowed hard past the dryness in his throat. “Thank you for what you did today. For always being with me.”

“It is you whom I must thank.” Michael bowed to him. “Thank you for believing. The world needs you. Not the monarch. The world.”

Zadkiel stood abruptly. “Roman, you must make all the humans forget us. Let me call your ride.” He dialed on his phone. “This is Zadkiel. Yes, the angel. I need you to be in this location at exactly ten thirty-six in the evening on Tuesday with an SUV fully gassed up.” He rattled off their address. He slipped his phone back into his dark jeans.

“That’s the call I got a day and a half ago,” Shane said. “How’s that possible?”

Helping Roman to his feet but supporting him beneath a shoulder, Zadkiel helped him move outside but didn’t answer Shane.

Michael did similar to Ky. And Gabriel helped Flynn.

“What about the Curmsun Disc?” Roman asked.

“The humans got themselves into that pickle,” Zadkiel said. “Let them realize their mistake. They’ll ask you to clean it up. Ultimately, you’ll deal with it.”

“How’d you make a call back in time?” Flynn asked.

Zadkiel smiled mysteriously but didn’t answer.

“We probably don’t get one of those phones when we start working for God, do we?” Flynn asked.

“Probably not.” Zadkiel chuckled.

“Unfair. Why the hell not call Gabriel and warn him…her to get out of the church, then?” Flynn asked.

“That’s not how this was supposed to play out. I was sure of you, but the others were not. We needed to know, when faced with death, would you run to preserve yourselves or forego yourselves to rescue others.” Zadkiel glanced Shane’s way. “This was the only path to inspire to act the one who can free you of the curse. Like you, the one fundamental belief that carries him through is family. He needed to see this. To see how far they’ve gone. To remove the curse will not be easy, but once done you will have new jobs as protectors.”

All three brothers stared at Shane. Their answer to remove the curse.