Page 52 of Frosted Torment

“Yes, you do,” Vincent stated, devoid of warmth as his bodyleaned into Dawson’s gun. “It’s called a blood kill, Noa. Once a human receives an angel’s essence?—”

“An already dead human, defiled by a dark fallen angel,” Dawson remarked with contempt.

“If the angel dies or rejects the human,” Vincent continued, “then the only way for the human to die is by the hand of another in the same bloodline.”

An unbearable weight seemed to crush my lungs. “You’re a monster,” I seethed. “You did this, so you finish it!”

Before anyone could react, Vincent released a dagger in my direction. Lex caught it in his hand before it delivered a lethal strike to my heart. Vincent’s lip curled back, knowing he didn’t expect me to die yet.

“You asked too many questions this morning, and Maros knew you’d be a problem,” Vincent snarled.

My lip quivered as I looked up at Lex, betraying my effort to keep my emotions in check. I found myself trapped in an abyss of despair.

My body pulsed with an ache that consumed me, and I cried, “Why would you do this to her?”

He peered down at me, his husky voice cutting through me. “Sasha, not you, should be the one harboring the secrets.”

“No,” Jossy added, surprised by Vincent’s admission. “None of them should.”

Vincent scoffed with mocking laughter. “Always a good little soldier boy, aren’t you, Jossy? Sasha and I were destined to rule over this godforsaken place and the cesspool of humans. I did what was necessary.”

I blinked back hot tears pooling beneath my lashes. “Did she know that, you piece of shit?”

Vincent pointed at Sasha, whose eyes now begged for someone to end her suffering. “I helped her see reason as she died! I saved her from going to hell because she was mine.

“And once I arrested Vallen,” Vincent proclaimed, shoving Dawson aside and pointing at me, “I made a deal with Maros for Sasha to take half my essence.

“He and I would divide the secrets. Then he would drag your sorry ass away for the rest of eternity.”

Jossy helped Dawson regain his balance, then hung his head in disappointment. Vincent laughed maniacally at the sky while his honor crumbled around him. He was too far gone to care about the consequences.

“All three of you plotted to steal this world, but you cheated your brother,” I wheezed as my senses overwhelmed me. “And Ivy. How did she get caught up in your bullshit?”

“She loved you,” Vincent criticized as anger painted his face. “But as the selfish human trash that we all know you are, you would never love her back.

He crossed his arms as his eyes narrowed on me, then paused, savoring one final moment of power over my life.

“When Ivy grasped the fact you’d never choose her, the decision for her to join us was easy.”

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms, trying to calm the fury boiling within me.

“I’m straight!” I yelled as I squared my shoulders. “But I loved my friend with everything in me, and you fucking destroyed her.”

Lex shook his head and lifted his chin in defiance. He handed me the dagger, which I took willingly now.

“There’s no way Ivy went along with this,” Lex said. “You threatened her and used her love for Noa against her.”

“Believe what makes you feel better,” Vincent chided with a smirk on his lips. “But it’s the truth. Convincing Noa to do that reading on her birthday was a work of art by Ivy.”

“You love my grandmother,” I whispered and brushed back Sasha’s hair. She began to lose her youthful appearance, transforming into a grandmother.

“Loved,” he stated, stressing the last syllable. Vincent stomped his foot, enraged, and the ground shuddered with the impact. “She’s no good to me now. What are you waiting for, Noa?”

“Fuck you!” I screamed, then stabbed the earth with the dagger.

Scooping Sasha into my arms, I gently rocked her back and forth as reality swallowed me.

Dawson reclaimed his place in front of Vincent with his finger ready to squeeze the trigger. “What does Maros have planned?” he demanded.

---