Page 148 of Viper

Only one Black Saint stood within the circle. And he was glaring right at Ophaniel, his eyes hard as granite.

Viper.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Protective fury whirling in his veins, Viper glared at the archangel who stood a few feet away. He wanted to rush to Ella, hold her, soothe her, check every inch of her. But he didn’t dare turn his back on his foe—this celestial was an accomplished slayer.

Ophaniel cast him a faint smile. “Samael, good to see you again.” He sounded so genuine that Viper could almost believe it.

His entity crept close to the surface, wanting to tear apart this male it had once called a friend. “Given the circumstances, I really can’t say ‘likewise’.”

“Perfectly understandable.” Again, so genuine.

Viper touched his mind to Ella’s and asked,You all right?

I’m fine, she assured him.So is Peanut. Ophaniel didn’t harm us, he planned on feeding us to the strix.

Viper knew that. He’d heard much of what the archangel said as he fought to unravel the closest wards.

He wasn’t sure who Ophaniel’s demonic sidekick was, but he recognized the angel as being the same one Ophaniel had used as a puppet the last time he’d played messenger.

A snake-like hiss came from the crowd of strix. Viper saw her, then. A tall, pale-skinned brunette.The queen.

His entity’s attention locked on her, hate roiling in its gut for this creature that intended to feed on its mate and child; who had come at his club again and again; who had killed many humans like they were nothing.

Viper let his lips curve into a taunting smile, wanting her attention on him, not Ella. “Finally crawled out of your hole to face me yourself?”

She flashed him her fangs, her expression feral. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

“None of us should be here.” Viper darted his gaze from her to Ophaniel. “You both should have left well enough alone.”

The archangel gave a slight shrug. “It’s really nothing personal on my part.”

Viper felt his jaw clench. “You took my woman and unborn child. You set them up to die. You would havewatchedthem die. That makes it seriously fucking personal.”

“Yes, I suppose it does. But even you have to have reservations about this child. Already it makes displays of power and conjures unholy fire. It should not be born. It will embody too much darkness.”

“You don’t care about that. You don’t care about anything that’s happening right here and now. You’re as numb as I once was.”

Ophaniel wouldn’t even be fazed by the thought of dying. He might even look forward to it. Viper had been the same way once. It was Ella who’d saved him.

The archangel was quiet for a long moment. “I find I’m not so numb that I would wish to have a literal hand in killing you, so I will allow the strix to finish you off.”

Vines shot out of the ground and nabbed Ophaniel’s feet before he could teleport away. His body swayed slightly as his eyes widened and landed on Ella.

Viper looked to see that his mate had her palms planted firmly on the grass, chanting low, her gaze hard on the archangel.

She shot Ophaniel a little smirk. “You thought you were going somewhere?”

Viper’s entity grinned, approving.

The angelic sidekick glanced around, as if seeking a savior. The she-demon went as if to run. Then both also found their ankles bound by vines.

Ella’s smirk kicked up a notch. “You should have left when you had the chance. Not that it would have mattered. I’d have hunted you both down.”

Maxine snarled. “You think you’ll get out of this alive? Look around you. You’re severely outnumbered.”

“Yes, I’ve noticed.”

---