Fear fastened tight claws around Sophia’s throat. Not only for herself but for the billions of humans who would die if the horsemen all rose. “We have to stop this.”
“Yes, we do.” Chris put a hand on her shoulder. “And your part in doing that is minding this hell gate and protecting those children.” He looked intently at her. “It makes no difference whether you act while you’re doing that or not.” Removing his hand, he shrugged. “And take it from someone who does the same thing. No one of us can fix this on their own. We’re going to have to rely on each other, or we’ll never make it.”
Chapter Nineteen
Haziel lay like a contented, satisfied feline in Wrath’s arms as sunlight painted pink and peach smears across the horizon. Wrath’s warm breath huffed across her nape. The dead weight of his arm flung over her made her feel cocooned in his love. The world outside their bedchamber wouldn’t wait much longer to intrude, and then they’d have to get up and deal with an ever-growing list of problems.
Stirring, Wrath grew tense. Voice was raspy with sleep, he asked, “Did you feel that?”
Haziel sent her senses questing. Wrath’s power was greater than hers, and he was more sensitive to power shifts. Then she felt what had woken him. Ancient power rattled the power balance, and a power she recognized only too well. “The horsemen.”
Ancient and grating against her senses, the power swelled.
“Pestilence is awake.” Wrath growled. “Fuck!”
Fuck, indeed. The last time she’d tangled with Pestilence, it had almost cost her life.
Wrath’s seal pulsed with unadulterated fury.
A demon yelled from the courtyard below. Another yelled back, followed by a war cry and the clash of steel.
“We need to go.” Wrath unwound from her and stood. “Pestilence is affecting the seal.” He shoved his legs into discarded fighting leathers. “And my seal is the most stable. Hell knows what Pestilence is doing to the other seals.”
Haziel couldn’t look at him, not prepared to have her suspicions confirmed. “They wake because of me.”
One arm through his shirt, Wrath stopped and stared at her. “Eh?”
“Pestilence used my power to rise.” Haziel had been helpless to fight the horseman, and now they’d all pay the price.
“Angel.” Wrath perched on the bed beside her and tipped her chin up. “This is all on Ramiel.”
“But—”
“He sent you there knowing what the risk was. Pestilence has woken because your fucking archangel couldn’t control his jealous fit. Also this demon rebellion is turning shit inside out.” Wrath kissed her gently. “If I hear you blaming yourself for this, I’m going to turn you over my knee.”
He always had a way of making her feel better. “Is that supposed to be a deterrent?”
Chuckling, he kissed her again, longer and harder this time, before pulling away. “Now get up, before we both forget our responsibilities.
As much as she’d love to forget those responsibilities, Haziel hurried into fighting leathers and strapped crystalline daggers to her hips and thighs. Hell was not somewhere you went unarmed, especially not at this time. “What’s the plan?”
Even in their short time together, she and Wrath already worked as a tight unit.
“Check my seal first.” He slid an onyx broadsword into the scabbard between his shoulder blades. “Then lust and pride. With Lucifer and Shade gone, those seals will be the most vulnerable.”
She’d guessed he’d say that. She tossed him an apple from the bowl in their sitting room as they strode through. “Then the others?”
“Yup.” He bit into the apple. “Fucking Ramiel.”
She pushed her still niggling guilt aside to focus on the bigger issue. They had cracking seals and no way of stopping it. “Will you send for Eddie to stabilize your seal?”
“No.” He shut her down.
As she’d known he would but had still thought it worth the try. Wrath’s seal was the most stable because of Eddie’s repair. But that repair had knocked Eddie out for an entire day and had only been a partial repair.
As she followed him down the stairs to the throne room, she chose not to voice what they both knew. It may be dangerous for Eddie to repair the seals, but they were rapidly running out of choices. If one seal still held, it could delay the end of days, and Eddie was the only being who could do that.
Pestilence rising had red-lined the situation into critical. Shade and Wrath protected Eddie and hadn’t allowed her to attempt the more difficult repairs to the other seals, but they may have to face the hard reality and let Eddie do her thing.
She took to the air after Wrath, admiring the red and gold filaments that made his wings glitter in the harsh morning light.
Apassionata was waiting for them at the entrance to Shade’s palace.
Typically Wrath, he didn’t waste time on pleasantries. “The seal?”
“Good day, Apassionata.” Heavens but Haziel’s male needed lessons in politeness and how to get beings to cooperate. “You’re looking well.”
“Seraph.” Apassionata gifted her his beautiful smile and bowed his head. “As are you. Word has it that you are a hell dweller now.”
“Word is correct.” She sent Wrath a quelling glance before he opened his mouth and said something brusque again. You could get just as much information out of beings by being courteous. “We’ve come because we’re concerned about the lust seal.” Apassionata had stayed loyal to Shade, and they were on the same side. “I’m sure you felt what we did this morning. We wanted to know if it had any impact on the seal.”
“It’s not good.” Apassionata chewed on his pillowy bottom lip. “It was weak before then, but it may not hold if another horseman wakes.”
“Fuck!” Wrath growled.
Cresting waves of lust rolled over Haziel, stronger than last time she’d visited Shade’s palace with Wrath. Perspiration slid down her sides, her core throbbed, and her breasts swelled.
Clenching his fists, Apassionata panted. “Something must be done, or what little control there is over this demesne will disintegrate. All lust demons will be affected.”
The grim set of Wrath’s features told her he was reaching a similar conclusion. They might have to let Eddie attempt the repair.
She touched his arm. “Wrath?”
“Don’t say it.” He shook his head. “Let’s check the other seals.”
They reached Lucifer’s palace as the sun was sinking. They didn’t need to go further than the courtyard to ascertain that the situation here was no better. Fights broke out amongst Lucifer’s remaining guards as waves of pride buffeted them.
Nighttime was dangerous in hell, but neither of them thought of stopping.
At the border to Ava’s demesne, Rapace allowed them immediate access. “She’s been waiting for you.”
Ava was pacing her throne room. It had been repaired since the fight between her and Wrath last time they were there. Ava’s normal beautiful gown had been swapped for fighting leathers. “Wrath.” She nodded before giving Haziel a brief smile. “And Haziel.”
“You felt it.” Wrath stepped in front of Ava.
Ava grimaced. “I don’t think any of us could have missed it.”
