Page 127 of Legacy of Chaos

An answer he really didn’t want to share with Eidolon.

“It’s the sexual suppressant my company developed,” he said, shifting his gaze to a window to avoid a told-you-so look from his uncle. “You used pre-s’genesisSems to create yours. I used post-s’genesismales, figuring their fertility would make my formula stronger. It did, but I believe it also made me fertile.” He held up his hand, staving off Eidolon’s next question. “Yes, I pulled it off the market.”

“Does this mean you won’t be using it anymore?”

Stryke nodded as the elevator doors opened and Cyan entered, looking exhausted but beautiful in worn jeans, tennis shoes, and a loose purple-and-white-polka-dot blouse. He couldn’t help but picture her in a maternity top, but the image faded away as reality intruded.

“Hi, Eidolon,” she said.

“How are you doing, Cyan?” Eidolon asked in a totally different voice than he’d been using with Stryke. Gone was the disappointed uncle, and in his place was a caring, soothing doctor. “Stryke told me you got your answers.”

She shrugged, but Stryke knew she wasn’t as nonchalant about it as she appeared. “Not that it matters.”

A wave of possessiveness washed over him. Possessiveness and determination. This shouldn’t be happening to either of them. The laws of nature, physics, and the entire universe be damned. Surely, there wassomethingStryTech could do. Or maybe he knew someone who could help. He had a lot of powerful friends and family members. He had contacts who were Princes of Heaven and Hell. He also had blackmail material on pretty much everyone.

“Why don’t you make an appointment with me for next week?” Eidolon said. “We’ll help you through this, okay?”

Cyan’s eyes grew misty, and she nodded. A moment later, Eidolon disconnected.

“Hey.” Stryke went to Cyan and pulled her into his arms. He wasn’t used to hugging or giving comfort, and even as he held her, his brain was in overdrive, searching for ways to fix this.

Maybe he could somehow help Hades get the new Sheoul-gra up and running. If Hades could start recycling souls again, maybe—

“Excuse me, Mr. Stryke.” Kalis’s voice filled the room. “There’s an angel named Gabriel here to see you. He says it’s important.”

Gabriel? Here?

Instant alarm shot through him. What if this was about the Gehennaportal? Or the dead angel. Stryke didn’t want Cyan anywhere near those conversations. Gabriel could be trying to cover his tracks, which could put her in danger.

On the other hand…Gabriel was a top-tier angel. Perhaps he could help Cyan somehow.

So, basically, either the timing was great, or really, really bad.

Gabriel wasin the building?

No. No, this couldn’t be. Did he know Cyan had told Stryke the truth about the Gehennaportal? Was he here to punish her or kill Stryke?

“I need you to go to my place,” he said, snagging her hand and practically dragging her toward the Harrowgate at the rear of his office.

“Excuse me?” She planted her feet and refused to budge. “I’m not going anywhere. If this is about the Gehennaportal, I need to be here too.”

“This is non-negotiable—”

Suddenly, the elevator doors slid open, and Gabriel, along with two other angels, filed inside. Gabriel, dressed in what appeared to be a burlap sack, stared daggers at the others, who swept to the center of the room, gem-encrusted blades in their hands.

Stryke released her, only to casually step in front of her, shielding her from the newcomers. “How did you get in here? I didn’t give Kalis permission. Security should have stopped you.”

“They tried,” the dark-haired guy said, his dove-gray wings flaring, his voice a perfect imitation of Kalis’s. A tremor of terror crawled up her spine at the realization of what that meant. This angel had announced Gabriel, not Stryke’s assistant. “They were all such nice people.”

“Were?” Stryke’s lips peeled back from his teeth in a feral snarl. “What did you do?”

Gabriel hung his head, but his eyes, shifting back and forth between the others, sparked with pure defiance. “Thrones have no honor.”

The other angel, his golden mane flowing hypnotically over his shoulders, stepped forward. “We need information.”

“You can go fu—” Stryke choked, clawing at his throat as an invisible force threw him across the room. He slammed into a bookcase and landed in a heap on the floor.

“No!” Cyan rushed toward him, but Dove Gray caught her by the arm.

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