Page 128 of Dark Angel

“Demons don’t need sleep. We are powerful enough already.”

“Right, of course…”

She closes her eyes, her body relaxing underneath the fluffy blanket layered on top of her. Muscles loosening, she can feel herself already being pulled into sleep when his cold lips gently brush the skin of her forehead. It’s incredibly soft and fleeting, but enough to jolt her heart awake once again.

She cracks open an eyelid to see Colton wandering away from her into the kitchen of the manor with his empty glass.

*?*?*

“How are you feeling now?” Matthew asks as Kora curls up against him on the lounge.

Lewis, Valarie and Alice all sit in the parlour with them as they wait for Clarence and Jordan to return.

She shrugs against him, soaking up Matthew’s warmth. “He’s really gone, and I couldn’t say goodbye to him.” She hushes out.

His lips roll together as Matthew pulls her closer against him. She feels another arm wrap itself around her, and Alice rests her head on hers. Her sweet berry scent filling Kora’s nose.

The door to the Hamilton manor opens, and Clarence walks in with Jordan behind him, both wearing solemn expressions.

Kora stands from the lounge and rushes to throw her arms around her brother, hugging him tightly. “I am so sorry you had to do that.”

Clarence’s arms pull her closer. Her face nestles in the crook of his neck. “I’m sorry you’re the one who found him, and that nobody could save him.”

She nods against his skin, relaxing in his enveloping embrace for a moment. “Thank you.” She murmurs, turning her head to glance at Jordan, who is standing beside them still. He gives her a short half-smile of condolence.

Clarence exhales, pulling himself away to hold his sister’s face in his hands. “We need to focus on finding Daisy now.” Kora nods in agreement, and his eyes fall onto the empty leather sheath strapped to her back. “Where is your blade?”

“Robert has it at the Ascendancy.”

“What? Why?” Jordan rushes out, his brows furrowing in confusion.

Kora’s eyes flick between the two of them as she decides to not share the truth with everyone in the room. “Robert said it’ll be safer there, so I left it with him.” Is all she says.

Jordan eyes Kora, but he doesn’t argue with her, even though he can sense that she’s not telling them the complete truth.

Her brother exhales gently, “All right. We’ll all go to the Ascendancy tonight and catch Daisy in the act. We’ll wait for her tocome to retrieve the blade and trap her. It’s the only way we can save her and rid her of Colton.”

“You think she knows the blade is at the Ascendancy?” Lewis questions as the others come to stand with them.

Clarence’s mouth twitches. “I believe Colton has his eye on us and knows more than we think. He’ll send Daisy in because of her Seraphim Mark. Colton can’t enter the building on his own, so she’ll have to steal it for him. It might not work, but we can at least try. What other option do we have?”

“We should leave soon, then.” Says Jordan, peering over at the clock on the mantel.

“Are we all going?” Valarie asks nervously.

“The more we have, the better our chances. Charles is still in the infirmary, otherwise I’d ask him to come too.”

“All right. Let’s do it then.” Matthew says with a definitive nod.

They all sit around the parlour, making their plan for the night. Valarie and Lewis are to stay at the rear of the building while Jordan and Clarence guard the entrance. Matthew, Alice and Kora on the fourth floor outside of Robert’s study, where Kora will wield Uriel’s blade.

“Do we all know our positions and what to do?” Clarence asks the group.

They all nod in agreement.

“All right. Let’s get ready then.”

They all separate to prepare. Matthew and Alice make their way towards their quarters as Lewis, Valarie and Jordan go to the attic to collect weapons.

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