Music drifted up from the clubs and bars as the city moved at a rapid pace below. Lazarus looked down from the top of the building he stood on, the wind ruffling his hair, coasting across his fevered skin. It did little to cool his blood. Shit, he was on fire, burning from the inside out, and had been since he laid eyes on Eve.
He needed it to stop.
An image of Scarlet invaded his mind, a memory that succeeded in shooting ice through his veins and putting another crack though his heart.
“What did you get her?” Tobias asked Lazarus five seconds after walking into his apartment.
“A gun.”
Tobias grunted and looked down at the jewel-handled blade in his hand. “Well, I’m giving mine to her first.”
Lazarus shook his head and scowled at his brother. It was Scarlet’s twentieth birthday and there was no way Tobias was going to give his baby girl a present first. The guy had been acting weird lately, overprotective of her, especially since they’d started taking her along to retrievals. They all loved her, but T’s behavior seemed extreme.
“What the fuck is up with you?” Lazarus said, starting to get pissed off.
Tobias rubbed the back of his neck and actually winced. “Okay, so there’s something I need to talk to you about.” The guy stalled out, looking fidgety as hell.
Lazarus straightened. “What?”
Scarlet walked in, a small smile on her lips. “I guess I’ll tell you, since Tobias is obviously going to chicken out.”
Both Tobias and Lazarus turned to her, and he noted Tobias looked shocked.
“Tobias is my mate,” she said, stopping beside the male.
Lazarus went rigid and Tobias stared down at her with his mouth hanging open. “You know?” he said to her.
She smiled up at T, beautiful and open. “Yeah, of course. I’ve felt something…I don’t know…a connection between us since Laz brought me home. It’s changed, though, grown stronger the last few months. It’s become something different…um…more.” She blushed. “Was that the same for you?”
Tobias made a choking, growling sound and nodded.
She chuckled at the male’s continued slack-jawed expression. “So are you gonna kiss me now or what?”
“Like hell,” Lazarus barked out.
Tobias touched Scarlet’s face, with an expression on his own that Laz had never seen before. Awe. There was no other way to describe it. “Yeah, I’m gonna kiss you, sweetheart, a lot,” he said. “But first I have to let Laz kick my ass. It’s only right.”
Scarlet nodded sagely, her lips kicking up in a grin. “Agreed.” She motioned to the door. “I’ll be down in your room when you’re done.”
Tobias sucked in a sharp breath, eyes darkening, and Lazarus took advantage of his momentary distraction and tackled him. Yeah, he knew this was out of the male’s control, but it didn’t change the fact that his friend was about to mate a female he considered his daughter, and Lazarus was going to kick the fucker’s ass before he worked at accepting it.
“I’ll be down shortly,” Tobias called back, then grunted when Laz punched him in the gut.
“Don’t damage any of the important parts!” Scarlet called as she walked out the door.
Tobias groaned. “You’re totally gonna go for the important parts now, aren’t you?”
“Fuck yes,” Laz said.
They’d made their peace and Tobias had made Scarlet his mate. The knight had loved and cherished her, protected and respected her, had been the kind of male any father would wish for his child.
Pain sliced through him. And then Lazarus had destroyed them both.
Lazarus felt the angel’s presence at his back before the guy made his arrival known.
“You called?” Silas drawled.
Arrogant asshole.
“Ouch,” he said, amusement in his deep voice.
Lazarus turned to face him. “Get the fuck out of my head, angel.”
Silas stared at him, silver eyes missing nothing, head tilted to the side. Under the moon, his hair looked like strands of spun gold, the black streaks through it such a contrast it was hard to look at. “You have so much anger and pain, Lazarus. Getting in your head isn’t exactly a barrel of laughs for me either.”
He looked at the angel who’d trained him many lifetimes ago, the male who had branded him as one of Heaven’s warriors, and shook his head. “Then stay the fuck out.”
He ran a hand through that unusual hair. “I don’t like being taken by surprise, Laz. You know that.”
He wore his usual uniform—black jeans and tee. The battle scenes tattooed on his arms in black ink were on full display. His gold wings shifted then settled again, arching high over his shoulders. When they were still they looked like they were made of solid gold, like he carried the intense weight of them on his back.
Lazarus held his gaze. “Since you know why I called you here, let’s not waste any more time.” When Silas said nothing, he knew there was something the fucker was hiding, something Lazarus wasn’t going to like. “What is she?” The wind whipped away his words, but the angel heard him. He heard every fucking thing. “Tell me,” he roared. Because he knew Eve was no ordinary demi, not after the way his brothers had reacted to her.
“She has the mark,” Silas said.
Lazarus clenched his fists. He fucking knew what the guy was going to say, but goddammit, he’d hoped he was wrong. “What mark?”
Sympathy lit the angel’s eerie silver eyes. “She has the Beast’s mark. She’s a descendant of Lucifer’s handmaidens.” Silas took a step closer to him. “Lazarus, she’s a hell’s gate.”
Lazarus strode away as fear and anger pumped hotly through his veins. Lucifer’s handmaids had served only him. Whatever he wanted, they got, which meant they had the ability to move between realms at will. Eve being a descendant, having the mark, meant she also carried the ability to open a gate.
Making her Diemos’s number one target.
Fuck.
The demon needed her. When Lucifer left and took his handmaids with him, he’d trapped the other male in Hell.
If Diemos left during the equinox, before he had an army here on Earth, and 24/7 access to the hell’s gate, he risked being locked out and losing the throne he’d worked so hard to take.
He wanted control over the portal above all else.
Lazarus shoved his hands through his hair. He wanted to plow his fist into the angel’s face, but it was pointless. Silas would see it coming. “That’s why she collapsed back at the compound? The equinox affected her as well?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he rasped.
“She’s safe,” Silas said. “The amulet, it has the power to mask what she is, block it.”
Lazarus turned to him. “It can protect her if she remains unmated?”
Silas shook his head. “I didn’t make the amulet for that purpose.”
“You didn’t answer my question, angel.”
Silas sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Yes. Theoretically, it could protect her throughout her mortal life. Render the gate undetectable by demons…until the time of her death.”
A wave of grief washed over him so powerful he barely managed to hold his ground and not stagger back. Without mating, her life would be longer than a mortal, but it would end.
But then a full mortal life, one full of love and laughter, would be better than an eternity tied to him.
Lazarus fought to control his conflicting emotions. “The amulet, it would protect her, though? She’d be safe?”
Silas’s square jaw clenched. “Yes, as long as she keeps it on.”
How could he even contemplate this now? Now he knew what she was and what she could unwittingly unleash onto the world. Still, he had to ask. “I’m not certain,” he started carefully, “but the way things are progressing, I don’t think it will be necessary for us to mate.” The roughness of his voice was humiliating. He hated showing weakness, especially in front of this male.
“You can’t hide from me,” Silas said softly.
“No shit,” he muttered.
“Are you sure about this, Laz?”
“No.” What was the point of lying? He’d see right through his bullshit.
“I guess the decision is yours. If you can dispatch Tobias before you’re taken by your demon, you may have a chance.” He shrugged. “If you’re successful, and you then choose not to take Eve as your mate, you’ll return to the way you were before Tobias’s betrayal.”
His gut clenched. No Eve. The idea wasn’t as appealing as it would have been a short time ago.
“And Eve?”
“The amulet will keep her safe, and once she is trained and released, she can carry on with her life the way she sees fit.”
“Right.”
“But your connection to her would still be there. You’d feel her. But harder still, you’d have to allow that connection to strengthen. You’d have to embrace it to make sure she was safe, to ensure she never removed the amulet. Lazarus, you’d know when she was happy and when she wasn’t. Could you live with that every day? Feeling her living her life, living it with her in that way? Maybe even knowing she was with someone else…someone that wasn’t you?”
His demon, who was usually subdued around Silas, shrieked, the sound vibrating through his skull. Its claws pushed at the tips of his fingers, trying to break free. Lazarus hated the idea as much as his demon, but it would be for the best for Eve. As long as she was happy.
And safe, away from him.
“I would think long and hard before you choose this route,” Silas said. “Mating with you is the only way to destroy the gate she carries permanently. Also, there’s only one amulet in existence, and Eve will have it.” He shrugged his wide shoulders again. “Who knows what trials you and your brothers will face in the future?”
His eyes glittered through the darkness. Yeah, the angel knew. He knew exactly what trials they would face.
Fuck.
“Then tell me, what should I do, Silas?” He hated the desperation in his voice, but fucking hell, he was desperate.
Silas shook his head, his wings extending, ruffling in the breeze. “It is not for me to say.”
In two steps, Lazarus was in front of him. He grabbed the front of the angel’s shirt and shoved. Silas staggered back a step. Lazarus knew he’d only managed it because Silas had allowed it.
“Tell me,” he roared. “For once, would you just fucking tell me what to do?”
The angel’s eyes gentled then he repeated, “It is not for me to say.”
Lazarus shoved away from him and walked to the edge of the building, trying to regain his composure.
“You need to forgive yourself, Lazarus,” Silas said close behind him. “Scarlet has.”
When Lazarus spun back around, the angel was gone.
Brent’s thoughts streamed into her mind, and Eve laughed.
Lazarus shot Brent a dirty look.
Brent smirked, his sensual mouth tilting up on one side. “What? I’m keeping it clean.”
Laz turned to her, brow raised.
“He’s singing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle theme song,” she said.
“Jesus,” Lazarus muttered.
Lazarus was fresh from the shower, his dark hair still damp and a little rumpled from him thrusting his fingers through it. The jeans he wore molded to his powerful thighs, and his faded T-shirt clung to his wide chest and thick biceps. He looked amazing.
A zing fired through her belly when he trained those pale eyes back on her.
Nope. She couldn’t look away.
His tongue darted out, swiping across his full lower lip, and she swayed, fighting the urge to lift up on her tiptoes and taste that plump, firm flesh again for herself.
His Adam’s apple bobbed and he cleared his throat. “Let’s get started.”
Eve stood in the middle of the living room in their temporary home. Lazarus announced that morning that they needed to get back to her training. Since this was her first training session with Brent, she wasn’t sure what to expect. But Lazarus had promised to teach her to block her telepathy, and because of her lack of any kind of breakthrough at the compound, she was afraid to believe that it was possible, that she might be able to live a normal—well, normal-ish—life after all.
Lazarus moved closer and her pulse sped up instantly. How on earth was she supposed to concentrate with him standing so close?
“Just relax, Eve,” he murmured.
Easy for him to say. He didn’t go into cardiac arrest whenever she came close.
He moved around and stood at her back. Heat poured off him in waves, radiating from his chest and searing her back through the thin fabric of her dress. Her skin tingled in a pleasant way and made her want to lean back, take more of his warmth. His hands came down on her shoulders and he leaned in closer. Her knees wobbled.
Fingers tightening, he massaged lightly. “Where do you feel it, Eve?”
She squirmed. Where did she feel it? Oh no, she wasn’t going there. “I, ah…”
Brent chucked like he was the one that could read minds, and her face heated.
“Just keep singing, asshole.” Lazarus’s lips brushed her hair when he spoke next. “When you’re listening to him where do you feel it?”
Brent’s singing continued.
Eve glanced over at him. “I can’t believe you know every word of that song.”
He shrugged. “I liked cartoons.”
Laz gave her another squeeze. “Focus.”
“Right. In my head, I guess.”
“No, Eve. Where do you feel it?”
Eve tried to zone Brent out and focus on the source of her ability, which she’d never done before, and immediately zeroed in on the low buzz at the back of her skull. She reached back and showed him. “Here.”
“Different abilities manifest differently. If your ability had been a physical one, for example, you would have felt it here.” He reached around and placed his hand against her chest, his palm skimming the tops of her breasts. Her heart hammered faster. He didn’t comment, but there was no way he couldn’t feel her reaction to his touch. His hand moved to the base of her skull, massaging gently. “This is the point where all psychic powers are felt, and the point you need to visualize when you want to block it. Understand?”
“I think so.”
“Up until your first lesson, you would have tried to block your ears to escape others’ thoughts, yes?”
She nodded. “It never worked.”
“That’s because your hearing has nothing to do with the way your ability works. So from now on, I want you to picture this point right here.”
More massaging. Firm, but gentle. Goose bumps were breaking out all over her body from his touch. “Okay.”
“Now, as much as I’m sure you love hearing Brent sing, imagine this is a life-and-death situation. Your options are block Brent, or I kill him for you to shut out the terrible sound of his voice.”
Eve laughed and Brent’s eyes narrowed. Lazarus could be funny when he wanted to be. She liked it.
“I want you to close your eyes and visualize a small black hole, no bigger than the tip of your pinkie. That’s where your power flows, allowing all that noise, all those thoughts and images to reach your mind. Now I want you to imagine blocking it.”
She did as he said, picturing the tiny black hole. “Okay, I see it. What do I block it with?”
“Gum,” Brent said. “When I was training, I used to pretend to stuff a big piece of chewed-up gum over mine. Grape Hubba Bubba worked best.”
“Good choice,” she said, smiling. “Grape’s my favorite, too. I can do that.”
She was sure she heard Lazarus grind his teeth behind her. “Whatever works,” he said, still close behind her. “Now can you hear Brent singing?”
“Yes.”
“Excellent. Now you have ten seconds to block him out, or I’ll slit his throat.”
Eve tried to spin to face him. “What?”
“Ten…nine…eight…”
“No. You wouldn’t, would you?”
“Six…five…”
“I’d rather you didn’t test him on that, Eve,” Brent said.
His singing, still loud and clear, echoed through her mind.
Eve tried to visualize the pinkie-sized hole then imagined stuffing it with gum. All the while Lazarus counted down.
It wasn’t working.
“Three…two…” Lazarus’s deep voice filled the room.
“Anytime now would be good, Eve,” Brent called.
Eve shut everything else out and concentrated on blocking Brent—
Silence.
The kind of silence she’d only experienced since Lazarus stormed into her life.
“One…”
She uncurled her fingers so her nails quit biting into her palms, and released the breath she’d been holding. “Are you doing that?” she asked Lazarus, because how could it be her?
“It’s all you, Eve.” She could hear the smile in his voice.
“I did it? Oh my God. I did it.” She spun around and threw her arms around Lazarus’s neck.
Lazarus rested his hands on Eve’s waist. She pulled back, arms wrapped around him, and smiled. No, she fucking beamed like he’d just brought her a new puppy. He blew out a breath, the wind knocked clean from his lungs with that one look.
“You did really good,” he managed. What else could he say? Hell, he could hardly think, let alone form a coherent sentence with her staring at him like that.
“I did, right?” she said.
Shit, she needed to stop smiling at him like that. She tilted her head to the side. “You really had me going there for a minute.”
“Did I?” He wanted to smile back, but fought the impulse into submission.
“Come on, I know you’d never actually kill Brent. Though your rather drastic plan worked.”
He reluctantly released her and pushed his hands into his pockets. As soon as she stepped back, he wanted her hands right back where they’d been. “Slitting Brent’s throat wouldn’t kill him, not the way I’d do it. Besides, he’s a fast healer.”
“Oh my God, you’re terrible.” She slapped his arm playfully.
He liked seeing her like this, relaxed, kinda goofy—happy.
She turned to Brent. “Poor Brent. Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”
Brent pushed away from the wall, that predatory smirk back on his handsome face. “Would you really, sweetheart?”
“You can leave now. You’ve served your purpose,” Lazarus said to him.
Brent sent him a look that was far too knowing and winked at Eve before he left the apartment.
Eve stared at him. “Well, that was rude.”
Her defense of the other male did not sit well with him, not at all. In fact, it made him insanely and irrationally pissed. “Was it?”
“Yes.”
“And you care why exactly?”
Her eyes widened at his harsh tone. “What’s wrong with you?”
He shoved his fingers through his hair. “Nothing.”
She went quiet and the silence stretched out.
When he made himself look at her again, her arms were crossed over her chest and she was studying him like she wanted to crawl inside his head, discover all his secrets. It freaked him the hell out that she might be able to see the truth, see the kind of male he truly was.
One thing he couldn’t hide anymore was what Silas had told him the night before. She had a right to know what she was. Thinking about how this new bit of information would affect her, terrify her, made him sick to his stomach. He’d do anything to protect her from that.
But he couldn’t. It was too important to keep from her. Too damn dangerous to keep from her.
“Thanks for this, for helping me,” she said carefully.
“You’ll need to practice. The more you do, the longer you’ll be able to hold the block. After a while, it won’t be any effort.”
The worry disappeared and her smile returned, but this time with the wattage cranked way up. “Can we try again tomorrow?”
“Sure.” His voice was back to gravel.
The look on her face, all that gratitude, and hope was making it hard to breathe. He didn’t deserve it.
She reached out, put her hand on his chest, and the brand burned into his skin there heated, causing the flesh beneath to tingle.
“Lazarus…” Her voice was soft, sweet, a lover’s caress. No one had ever said his name like that before, and dammit, he liked it. Wanted to hear her say it again.
He stepped back. “I have to head out.”
The smile faded and she crossed her arms again. “Oh…okay.”
She looked down hiding her eyes from him. He hated that, hated that he kept on hurting her, but what he hated most of all was that he wasn’t even close to being finished.
And then he felt it.
It was unconscious on her part, he was sure, but Eve was reaching out to him, calling to him, and his body responded to the volatile energy she was throwing his way in pulsing waves.
His dick, already hard, stiffened further. Jesus, he wanted her, needed to be inside her again. But he didn’t reach for her, even when it was all he wanted, all he could think about.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then?” she said in a quiet voice.
He shrugged on his jacket. “Yeah.”
His boots felt heavy as he walked to the door. His body, his demon, was at odds with his mind, screaming at him to stay and take her, make her his once and for all.
No. His only option was to find Tobias and put him out of commission. Then he could let Eve go.
He’d made his decision.