Think, Sadie.
He charged, she ducked, but his blade slid along her forearm. Taking her weapon with her, she swiveled, hoping to catch his neck. He tilted back, out of reach, but she continued her spin and kicked him in the gut. He slammed against the invisible wall surrounding them.
Her arm sizzled, but she could only afford a quick glance. That was long enough. Green fumes puffed from the long slice in her forearm. The scent of burning flesh stung at her nostrils.
“Nice, isn’t it?” Aggie grinned, tossing his weapon from one hand to the other.
He rushed Sadie again, eyes flaring red, fangs dropped, and his dagger pointed. Her blade met his, and sparks flew. She spun and jabbed. The dagger grazed his shoulder, but he kicked out her knee. Bones shifted, ligaments popped, and as she met the ground, another blast of agony ripped through her shoulder.
She lurched forward into a somersault but rammed into the shield keeping her inside with this maniac. Aggie laughed, twirling his lethal weapon. “How’s that one feel?”
He was too strong. Too versed in magic. Her energy waned, seeping out of the new wound along her shoulder.
Be strong. Come on. Get up.
She drew in a breath. “
Morte Aeterna
,” she whispered. Repeating it, readying herself for the final blow.
She just needed to get the dagger in him, anywhere, while reciting the chant.
Aggie’s left eyebrow cocked and a crooked grin lifted his dark lips. “So, you did find it.”
Yet he didn’t look worried. Facing final, true death, he wasn’t even fazed.
Something felt off. Very wrong.
She raced toward him, screaming the vanquish, dagger pointed. Even if she just nicked him, she’d make it count by repeating the vanquish.
Aggie cocked his head and grinned.
“
Sileo
,” the demons at the corners bellowed in unison.
And with that word, Sadie’s voice vanished.
She continued charging, and her throat burned as she screamed, but there was no sound.
She leaped that last foot and sank her dagger into Aggie’s chest. He bellowed, but it was more of a laugh than a shriek of pain.
No. That would be hers. The agony of his dagger in her stomach radiated out. Heat rivaling a nuclear bomb ignited deep within her chest. Instantly energy waned as if siphoned out.
“You can’t end me.” Aggie licked her cheek. “I will enjoy watching your Mate wither away again, and I will be sure to visit Dasha as well. You will be wiped out of existence. An orphan with no roots, no family, no friends. It’ll be like you never existed.”
Sadie’s back arched of its own accord, and a silent scream streamed from her mouth. Unheard by everyone but felt to the very core of her existence. She’d failed, and with her failure, everyone she loved would suffer.
Darkness crept into the corners of her vision. She stared at the gray, ominous clouds. It was as if Aggie’s evil and her dire situation drew in the foul weather. A preview of the doom that would follow if Aggie would succeed in overtaking Lucifer.
A cool breeze filtered in.
Wait. A breeze? How was that possible if—
A drop of rain landed squarely on her forehead. Then another. Cold, too. Her stomach constricted as he turned the weapon buried deep in her gut.
There wasn’t a roof on this invisible box! She ordered her wings out, and Aggie’s eyes widened.
Up. Up. Up.
She let go of the weapon, grabbed his shoulders, and thrust into the air. Her wings flapped, straining under the added weight.
Push. Push. Push.
Aggie tensed, then started to move as if to get free from her grasp. She squeezed with all her remaining strength, mentally calling out to Theo for his energy, her mom, her dad, Justin, even Halena.
Still, Sadie’s voice was absent, but she kept on. If she could get high enough, out of the reach of those demons holding them in the box, just maybe she could speak again.
And vanquish Aggie for good.
Her stomach strained. Feathers streamed from her wings from the exertion of carrying Aggie. Bones in his shoulder shifted beneath her grip.
She hugged him tighter, holding the dagger in his chest with her body weight. His hands now crept up, clawing for the weapon. She snapped her forehead against his and kept gaining altitude. He thrashed. They dipped, but Sadie pushed through the burning. Through the pain.
Sure, she’d die, but she’d take Aggie with her.
“
Morte Aeterna
.” A scratch of a noise came out. But it was working. Aggie yelled and clawed at her already shredded stomach.
“
Morte
—”
He knocked Sadie’s dagger loose.
And there went her one chance.
“
Morte Aeterna
.” She said the words, but they were useless. No dagger in his body. Yet the one in her was taking its toll.
Tired.
Heavy.
Then Aggie flinched. A deep, guttural bellow followed.
“Do it now, Sadie,” Theo yelled from the ground.
The Mavet stuck out from Aggie’s back. Theo had thrown it.
“
Morte Aeterna
,” Sadie yelled, finally hearing her full voice.
“No!” The demon’s dark face turned ashen. Red eyes morphed into stone. His fangs to dust. His body sagged, the dead weight dragging Sadie’s already waning energy even more.
His face cracked, then faded away to sooty ash along with the rest of him.
And then she plummeted to the ground.
Chapter Sixty-seven
“Sadie.” Theo rocketed to where she would land, weaving through the demons as they fled at the death of their leader.
Almost there. He had to be there for Sadie. To catch her.
Fifty feet was a long way to fall, even for an immortal. It’d hurt. Her limp body floated through the air, and her wings suddenly disappeared.
He turned on the speed and caught her just before impact. The momentum knocked him to his back.
She sagged against him. Warmth rushed over his neck, then his chest. “Sadie?”
No response. He rolled her over and saw the damage. “Sadie!” A green soot oozed from her cuts, the stomach wound being the deepest. Two up her arm, one along her neck. Why weren’t they healing?
He sat up and dragged her into his arms, cradling her to look at her face. “Sadie. Hold on.” He latched his hand onto her forehead and closed his eyes, opening himself to take in her injuries.
A punch to his gut stole the air from his lungs, like he was blocked from taking in her wounds. “Sadie. Let me in. I can help.”
“Blade. Cursed. Lucifer’s blood.” Her voice was tense yet quiet.
“Shit.” He cupped her face. “Hold on. Hold on.” His heart hammered. “I’ll splice us home. Halena will help. We’ll figure this out.”
“No. Time.”
“No. No. Sadie. Let me take this from you. You’ll live without me. Please. I’ll have peace knowing you live. Let me have it.”
She raised her hand to his face. “Batya. Most treasured from our hearts.” The ruby ignited in the ring and Sadie’s body went limp.
“No.”
“Move, son.” Paxon went to take Sadie from Theo’s arms. He hissed and held tighter.
“Do not try to separate them. He will defend her with his life.” Abby knelt before Theo. “Son. She was wise to bring you here. Let me touch her.” She nodded. “Hurry.”
“Do it. Save her. Take me if need be. Spare her.” Tears stung Theo’s eyes.
“There will be no such talk. You are intertwined, together you will stay.” Abby looked at Paxon. “Help me.”
They clasped hands, then both touched Sadie. Abby’s glowing hand rested on Sadie’s forehead. Paxon’s glowing hand pressed against her chest, near her heart. Rightfully so. She had a warrior’s heart and was wise beyond reason.
Please let this work.
Theo scanned the area. The sun had begun to set. He had no clue where they’d been spliced to, but it was an open area, high up from what he could tell through the murky divide between earth’s and Heaven’s realms.
“Agares delved deep into the black magic for this. Very powerful,” Abby said. Her voice was tight. She grimaced.
“Be strong, Abigail,” Paxon said.
“I feel your strength, love.”
“Take all you need.”
It all made sense. Paxon and Abby were Mates.
“I give you mine as well.” Theo closed his eyes, opening his senses. Peace and light flooded his consciousness. There was Sadie, cloaked in white. Glowing as if the sun shone on her. She held her hand up, clasping something. Through the brightness Theo made out a man’s hand. Only it was huge. Glowing. No skin, only light.
“With you I am well pleased,” a voice boomed. “Batya.”
Sadie gasping for air yanked him from the vision. “Great One,” she whispered. Her eyes flashed white, then red before returning to their normal oceans of blue.
Abby settled back, breathing heavily. Paxon knelt beside her, holding her steady. “I’ve got you.”
Theo looked into his Mate’s bright eyes. She smiled and cupped his cheek. “Hi.”
He nudged his nose against hers and kissed her lips. “You okay?”
She nodded, then looked to Abby and Paxon. They now stood, hands clasped behind their backs, and smiled. “Well done, dear,” Abby said.
“How’d you know to come here?” Paxon asked.
“It felt right.” She looked at Theo and nodded. “Help me up?”
He guided her to her feet but kept his arm around her, not only for stability but necessity. He needed to feel her warmth. Feel her close.
“Thank you,” Theo said to Paxon, and extended his free hand.
He dipped his head. “We’re honored to help our child. You do well by her, I see that.”
Theo stood tall.
“Thanks, Mom.” Sadie pulled Abby into a hug. “For everything. Can you come with us? Just for a while?”
She shook her head, then petted Sadie’s hair. “This is where we belong. Come see us again soon.”
“You can’t leave here, can you?” Theo asked Paxon, then glanced around.
“You are correct.” He looked at Sadie. “We sacrificed our ability to shift through realms with what we gave The Great One to create you, dear.”
“But I saw you that one day in the woods.”
Paxon grinned. “The Great One allowed it to prompt you. It was nearing the time for you to decide about Him.”
“That’s why I can open splices to you. Because you can’t to me.”
Abby dipped her head. “And so much more. In time you’ll realize your full powers.” She looked at Theo. “They aren’t much different from your Mate’s.” She grinned. “But that is all I can say. You must discover, together, your full potential as you are not alone in this battle.”
“Aggie really wanted to challenge Lucifer?”
Paxon nodded. “The world would fall into chaos, even more than it already is under Lucifer’s rule.”
“Lucifer wanted a stronger demon. One to resist the Gatekeepers, and it appears to have backfired.” Abby shook her head. “Lucifer at least understands when he’s lost a soul to The Great One. He moves on to the next. Gathering. Harvesting. Aggie would have created anarchy, torturing and ruining people for their love of all that is good.”
“Balances would have been shifted.” Paxon shook his head. “But it is of no concern now. Sadie, dear, you and Theo succeeded. For that you’ll be well rewarded.”
“You have suffered much. For that I’m sorry. But you are so strong and beautiful.” Abby glanced at Theo. “And loved.”
Sadie threaded her arm around Theo’s waist, and he hugged her tight.
Her parents stepped back. “See you again someday, child.”
Tears streamed over Sadie’s cheeks, and she nodded. Theo tightened his grip around her and said, “Ready to go home?”
She nodded and looked up at him with wide eyes. “
Valete
.”
And with that one word, they were back where they’d come from. No more clouds and wind, but the air remained stale.
“I’ll splice us home and come back for the professor.”
“No. We’re doing that together.” She pushed up to her tiptoes and kissed the end of his nose. “Everything together from this day forward.”
“For eternity.”
Acknowledgments
I want to send out a huge thanks to super editors Theresa Cole and Karen Grove. You guys are amazingly talented editors, and I love working with you. My agent, Nicole Resciniti, thank you for taking a chance on me and for all of your support. I’m so thankful I have you by my side!
Thank you, Vicki Tremper, for your help with my French character; Kelly Whitley for your wicked-awesome critique skills; Michele Trent for your unwavering, unconditional friendship; Kendall Grey and Rachel Firasek for always being there with an encouraging word and shoulder to cry on; Lynn Boeyink, she may no longer walk this earth, but she will forever inspire me from heaven; The Rock Stars for your endless support: Katrina Whittaker, Crystal Bromke Woodmancy, Riki Cleveland, Irayda Quezada, Lisa Hamilton, Jennifer Swiger, Ashleigh Gunter, Courtney Krueger, Erin Rain, and Tawney Bland.
Finally, I want to send out a special thanks to you, the readers. Thank you for sharing in Sadie and Theo’s adventure. I write for you and value each and every one of you. Thanks for your support!
About the Author
Reese Monroe holds a psychology degree from Southwest Minnesota State University and a master’s degree in mental health therapy from the University of Iowa. Her experience as a former addictions therapist and competitive athlete lends to stories about complex heroines and the men who dare to love them.
Reese is a contributing blogger at the widely popular site New Adult Alley (NAAlley.com) and has been part of the new adult revolution for years, having penned more than twenty-five novels in the exciting new category.
Growing up in the land of 10,000 lakes and cold, snowy winters, Reese has been known to weave a little of that cool Minnesota climate into her stories, but these days, she much prefers desert living. She resides in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband and is surrounded by dear friends who are a constant reminder of how blessed she is.
Connect with Reese:
Twitter (
@ReeseMonroe1
)