Page 2 of Angel Betrayed

“Sammael.” His brother’s voice boomed as Sammael dropped onto the marble floor. “What have you done?”

Sammael rose slowly and let his wings stretch behind him. His shoulders rolled as he stared at Azrael. He didn’t have to answer to the other angel. When it came to the hierarchy of the death angels, Sammael was at the top. Everyone else should bow to him. They would all learn that lesson. “Don’t dare to question me.” He was the power. It was past time that he started to use that strength.

But his brother just shook his blond head. “You took them. It wasn’t their time.”

“I made it their time.” No apology. His gaze swept the room. Heavy with thick, white columns. Walls adorned with gold. Perfect. Opulent.

Prison.

Sammael turned away and headed for the gold-plated doors.

Az appeared in his path and blocked his way. The other angel had always been fast.

I’m faster.

“We don’t judge,” Az said, voice flat. “We deliver those that are charged to us. We are not to interfere in the lives of humans. You know this.”

Ah, his brother had better be careful. It almost sounded like some emotion had slipped into Az’s voice.

“I know we have the power to kill,” Sammael told him. “So I killed.” And for the first time, it had felt…good. Want more.

“No, you punished.”

Perhaps. But those men had deserved a good punishment. An eye for an eye, and a death for a death.

“There are others who dole out punishment,” Az continued, his bright blue stare seeming to blaze right at Sammael. “Uriel is?—”

“I just served them up to Uriel early.” Uriel and the band of punishment angels that served under his wings. Wrath. Destruction. Annihilation.

Oh, how he envied them.

Envy. One of the seven deadly sins. Angels weren’t supposed to sin. Only humans could sin and be forgiven. Angels weren’t allowed that luxury.

They can torture. They can kill.

What about me?

“They would have found their way to Uriel’s hands sooner or later,” Sammael said with a dismissive wave. He didn’t back away from his brother. He never would. “I just sped up the process.”

Az shook his head, and his hair brushed his shoulders. “You disobeyed.”

Sammael was tired of pretending. Not perfect. Never was. “And I’ll do it again.” He let the grim smile tilt his lips once more. “Humans don’t have the power. We do. I do.” He’d be using his power from now on. Humans would learn they should be afraid.

“That is not the way!”

“It is for me.” He shoved his brother aside. “The rules are changing. The ones who get in my way, they will fear, and they will die.” Because he wasn’t going to watch anything, not anymore.

“Brother…” Az sighed after him. “Do you know what you’ve done?”

The golden doors wouldn’t open. Sammael grabbed them and pushed as hard as he could, but they wouldn’t budge. The wind was howling again and that painful screech filled his ears.

Angels don’t feel pain. But that wind—the noise hurt.

The wind caught Sammael’s body and carried him into the air. He hung suspended, his wings flapping helplessly and his body straining, as Az slowly walked around him.

“There’s still time,” Az murmured, brows pulling together. “Ask forgiveness, brother. Change your ways and you can?—”

Watch for an eternity. Hear the screams and do nothing. See the blood and only know the smell of death.

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