“Who is Wrath?” Rodney broke the compulsion and stopped abreast of Sophia. “I have no person named Wrath on the volunteer list. Is this another person residing above stairs?”
So close. Shade bumped his forehead against the car roof. So fucking close. He wanted to tell Sophia and Wrath to fuck off and let the world burn.
Eddie screwed up her face and groaned. “Why?”
With the heat coursing through him, Shade could incinerate the world on his own. “We could ignore them all,” he whispered, willing her to say yes.
Eddie wavered and then sighed. “You know we can’t.”
“We could.” There would be consequences, but it would be worth it.
Eddie leaned her forehead against this chest. “You know we can’t.” Her eyes were fever bright as they met his. “Not today we can’t.”
A phone was thrust between them. “Edme.” Rodney huffed. “I insist we discuss this list of persons I have seen apparently resident in the theatre.”
Eddie’s power stirred as she turned to the antiseptic little man. “Go away and do as Shade told you.”
Her power lashed at Rodney and drove him six feet back. He staggered to stay on his feet, then turned and trotted into the theatre.
Sophia watched him go before turning to them with a raised eyebrow. “Not very subtle.”
“He shook off my compulsion when you and Wrath arrived,” Shade said.
Eddie wrestled her power back under control. “He annoys me.”
“Understandably.” Sophia looked genuinely apologetic as she said, “I’m sorry but you both have to come. Wrath has news.”
Shade managed to find a civil tone. “What is it?”
“It’s Belle.” Sophia’s sapphire eyes clouded with worry. “Gabriel dissipated the mist, and they were able to reach her palace. Belle was not there.”
“What?” Sophia had stopped him for this? Belle was notorious for going off on her own. “So what?”
“No, Shade.” Sophia shook her head. “Her seal is nearly fractured, and none of her demons know where she is.” And then she dropped the bomb. “And Gabriel is clueless as to where she is. Belphegor has disappeared.
Chapter Thirty-One
Bianca had expected hell to be a whole lot more brimstone and whole lot less jungle. She had followed Raphael through the hell gate, through that disconcertingly gray place, and finally into what looked like the amazon jungle.
Bird and insect calls filled the sultry floral air trapped beneath the canopy. Vibrant sprays of flowers climbed an immense tree trunk and disappeared over them into vibrant blue, green, and purple foliage. “Are you sure this is the right place?”
“Yes, now hush.” Raphael stilled and cocked his head as if listening intently.
Well, that was rude. An iridescent bug buzzed out of the bushes to her right, hovered a moment, and dived back into the shrubbery. “Does all hell look like this?”
Raphael shook his head.
Bianca had never been to the amazon, but she’d seen pictures.
Raphael stood stock still, doing whatever it was he was doing. What he wasn’t doing was answering her questions, and she had more brewing by the second.
Before they’d come through the hell gate, there had been a quick gathering about Belphegor’s disappearance. Gabriel had gone looking for her. It had been a smaller gathering than normal. Only Wrath and Shade had represented the hell princes. Ramiel, Sophia, Gabriel and Raphael had made up the heaven contingent. Everyone else had been off doing vital things that nobody bothered to share with her. And Lucifer was clearly still refusing to come to the earth plane. Always a woman who liked a bit of insurance, she’d gotten the support of the gathering for her to get Lucifer and use the grimoire to track the amulets, hopefully to whoever was making them.
“Right.” Raphael straightened. “Transport is on its way.”
She’d been hoping he would fly her to Lucifer. “Transport?”
“You’ll see.” Raphael smirked.
“Do we know where Lucifer is?” She spread her arms to gesture around them. “He could be anywhere.”
Tapping his chest, Raphael grinned. “I have an internal Lucifer finder.”
“Very useful.” Because there wasn’t much else she could say to that.
Raphael looked disappointed but said, “He’s at his palace.”
Of course, Lucifer would have a palace—cue internal eye roll. “I thought he came to hell to find Ashe.”
“He has.” Raphael swung to his left. “Your chariot awaits, my lady.”
And by chariot, Raphael meant…well, chariot. Between one breath and the next, it arrived with nothing more than a draft to announce its presence, drawn by six pitch-black horses, which had probably been selected because they matched Lucifer’s eyes. Horse was the nearest point of reference to the large, glossy creatures with red eyes and fangs. She should have been able to hear or see it coming.
“Lucifer designed this.” See, she was right about the eye-matching horse thingies.
Raphael helped her into the chariot. “It’s the fastest way to travel hell.”
“No compressing?” Bianca got a firm grip on the chariot’s side.
Raphael shook his head. “It’s frowned on here. They can’t have hell princes popping in on each other whenever the mood strikes.” Raphael scoffed. “They make war on each other often enough as it is. Compressing would turn hell into a blood bath.” He pantomimed someone popping out of nowhere. “Poof! Wrath arrives in Shade’s demesne. Thwack! Shade lops Wrath’s head off. Very messy.”
And far more in line with the human idea of hell.
The horses surged, and they were off.
Bianca had no idea how fast they were going, but their speed sent her hair streaming out behind her and nearly peeled her lips off her teeth. Air rushing past her nostrils made breathing difficult. The jungle turned into one continuous green-blue blur.
Raphael leaned one hand nonchalantly on the side and gestured with the other like a tour guide. “We are currently traveling through Shade’s demesne. Each demesne reflects the hell prince who rules it.”
She tried to ask how long it would take, but the wind snatched the question out of her mouth, and she gave up.
“Lust was placed between Wrath and Pride to keep the brothers apart.” Raphael grimaced. “Wrath and Lucifer have a particularly contentious relationship.”
With no way to ask any questions, Bianca clung on and prayed the horses didn’t crash into anything.
The jungle blur changed but they were moving too fast for Bianca to make out details.
