Page 39 of Frosted Torment

If I’d had a soul, it left me the instant I heard Jossy’s words.

I felt like I was going to pass out. “I go to hell because your dickhead brother decided to play a god’s game.” My breathhitched as I thought about my family. “Are my mom and other relatives in hell too?”

Vincent sat next to me as the pieces fell into place. He didn’t look at me as he rubbed his chin. “Yes. But I need to tell you something else. Vallen and Maros are the ones who killed your mother.”

The room began to spin as I struggled to process his words. I stood, but stumbled forward over the coffee table, and Jossy grabbed my arm to catch me. The walls began to close in, and beads of sweat formed on my forehead. Lex ran into the kitchen, and I heard the ice machine, but my legs grew weak.

“Sit down, Noa.” Lex offered me a glass of water and pressed a cold, wet cloth to my head.

Panic rose inside me, and I choked back the bile forming in my throat. I wasn’t going to stand there and let any of them strip away another minute of my life. I slapped away the glass, and water drenched the floor.

My head snapped up and I glared at Vincent. “Where are those two murderous pieces of shit that sent my mother and the rest of my family to hell?”

The corner of Vincent’s mouth twitched as he stood, but my eyes narrowed even more while waiting for his answer.

“We know Maros is the one after you,” he admitted. “They caught Vallen years ago. He’s locked away for his crimes.”

Wrath crept through me like icy tendrils. “Is he back in the Veil, or is he here somewhere?” I pressed him as my eyes refused to leave his.

“Noa, you can’t get to him.” Vincent blinked. “He’s untouchable and, more importantly, warded by powerful angelic runes. Impenetrable ones.”

“So he’s here.” I squared my shoulders. “What I want to know is, how are they both still breathing?” The electricity in the room seemed to crackle with my anger.

Vincent stilled as he looked around at the flickering lights, then back to me. “A master of demons isn’t easy to kill,” his voice was calm. “Maros is like an unhinged demonic Hitler with an endless supply of resources.” He dragged his hands down his face. “My brother lives because, as much as I wanted to rip his wings off, it’s a crime and an atrocious obscenity in our world. Trust me, he is suffering.”

I let out a feigned laugh and threw my head back in wonder. “This is unbelievable. And how will you protect me from an unhinged ancient demon?”

Vincent looked at me with hardened resolve. “Maros is consumed with a desire to uncover the secrets and to kill you himself. It’s why he stays hidden. And now, he’ll use the Baneful to seek you out. He did it last night, but that gives us an opportunity.”

What felt like centipedes skittered down my spine at the thought. “Using me as bait is your plan? I’m better off out there alone.”

“If you leave, you put every human outside of the ranch at risk of torture and death. You’ll end up the same as your mother.”

My eyes narrowed as I clenched my fists, and my fingertips pressed into my skin. “Vallen and Maros will burn the same way they burned my mother,” I snapped at him. “Your rules don’t govern me, Vincent. They will die.”

He disregarded my statement, likely thinking it was apanicked outburst. “We can contain this, Noa. If you want to stay alive, you need strength, which isn’t always physical.”

Lex placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, his expression soft. My head jerked in his direction. “We’ll get Maros,” he said. “But for now, the best course of action is to strengthen our defenses and prepare for what’s coming.”

Jossy’s eyes filled with empathy, and he walked around the coffee table. “We need to keep you alive, Noa. If you die before we extract the secrets, we’re all doomed.” He stood in front of me, offering what he thought was a sliver of comfort as my heart shattered. “And when we catch Maros, you can light the match yourself.”

Sobs overcame me and I shook my head. “No. I will kill them both. Vallen’s wings are mine, and once he turns to ash, I will saw them off and nail them to the fucking wall!”

A tidal wave of emotions crashed down on me, and I could sense their worry about my next move. Then, the ground beneath us began to quake. A piercing howl erupted with another rumble.

I lost my balance, but steadied myself by grabbing the mantle above the fireplace. Then, as quickly as the tremors began, they stopped. We all looked around at one another as Nevaeh burst through the door. Right when I noticed an opportunity to make a run for it, a rush of wind blew me back into Jossy’s arms.

CHAPTER 16

Adeep growl vibrated the cupboards, and dishes shattered onto the floor. I shielded my eyes with my hands until the room fell silent. When I peeked out from behind my fingers, I swallowed hard as Nevaeh stood face-to-face with a massive black wolf in the doorway.

Bigger than the white wolves I saw earlier, its head was the only part that could fit in the house. With bared jowls, it growled at Nevaeh, but she stood her ground.

“We were coming to get you,” she said, her tone annoyed.

It sniffed the air, then settled its sapphire eyes on me. My heart raced as sweat formed on the back of my neck. The wolf chuffed and bobbed its head before retreating outside.

Nevaeh’s smile was gentle as she ushered me to join her on the porch. I stepped outside and watched the wolf walk away from the house. It turned around and waited by the fence line.

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