Page 87 of Death Trap

“There’s no way,” I repeated, shaking my head. As I continued to search all three of their expressions, every one told me they’d bought this hullabaloo completely. And that only annoyed me more. “Zero. Zilch. Nada.”

Just to really drive my point home.

Simon shook his head, as if he’d expected my outburst to the news. “I know this is a lot to absorb, Jade. Even I was a little wary when Elijah told me, but then I thought about it. And it does seem to fill a lot of the blanks we have been struggling with.”

“I have no idea what you mean.”

“Do you remember Dillion? Dillion Leon Hendrickson? The little boy from the hospital?” Simon asked.

I’d never forget him. He was my one assignment—besides Cole—who had woken up. But unlike Cole, Dillion was actually close to death; he was on life support after a nearly fatal car accident. All I had done was whisper for him to wake up and…

“Are you trying to suggest I brought Dillion back to life?” I asked, stunned.

“Not exactly.” Eli turned to me. “Unfortunately, we cannot bring people back from the dead, but we can give hope and strength to those who need it. Dillion just needed a push. He needed to know his mother needed him to stay on earth. You gave him that.”

Sounded like a whole lot of bullshit to me.

“And you mean ‘we’ as in…”

“Angels, yes.”

Was I still in Hell? Was this one of Azrael’s torture methods? Or maybe I had really passed out on the street and this was a dream. Because it sure didn’t feel real to me.

Hearing all this only brought up more questions.

“Okay, let me play along. If I really am an—”

“Archangel,” Eli said.

“Right. That. Then how could I not open Hell’s elevator door with my hand both times? I had to use Eli’s and…” I held up my hand to see Monnie’s ruby ring was no longer on my finger. My stomach dropped.

Oh shit. I’d lost it?

When Eli held out his hand, the ruby ring was pinched between his two fingers. “I took it off of you while you were still dazed,” he said, jaw tight. “Where did you get this, Jade?”

“Uh…”

“You must be honest with us,” Simon said firmly. “It is the only way we can help you.”

He was right. But wasn’t he always? It was getting a little old. “Monnie gave it to me.”

“And who’s Monnie?” Eli asked.

I looked away, knowing he wasn’t going to like my answer. “The demon of Greed.”

I didn’t look up, but I could almost smell the smoke coming out of Eli’s ears. “An original sin demon? Jade, do you know how dangerous they are?”

Compared to every other demon in Hell, no. But I had gotten a peek into Monnie’s true power when he froze everyone in the hallway but me and him. That was some no-joke stuff.

“They’re the opposite of you, Jade. The first demons ever created.” His tone was quick and sharp. “It’s obvious the demon knew what you are and gave you this. He must be in league with Azrael.”

I was wondering that myself. So far, it seemed like Monnie was doing things because he simply wanted to do them. He did direct us out of Hell the first time. He gave me valuable information to help Kay and about Cole’s demon father—if that was the truth. But then again, he made me come back to Hell, which got me trapped by Azrael anyway. Not to forget his strange offer to make me his demon baby-mama. That gave some clue that he did know what I was.

If he were working with Azrael, he could have just led me to him the first time, couldn’t he? Why make me make a second trip?

Maybe because Azrael wanted me alone? I had no idea.

It was hard to determine his true intentions.

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