Page 26 of Angel Lost

“Now the angel is down off his high horse, perhaps we should get on with it?” Kai sounds bored. “Ticktock, Lorelei.”

Screwing my eyes shut, I heave a breath, then extract myself from Zephyr’s grip. Best get it over with. Grabbing my knife from my waistband, I press the tip to the palm of my hand, clenching my teeth as the first droplet of blood oozes to the surface.

Chano’s hand smacks into mine, sending my blade flying. It clatters across the floor, all eyes fixed on it.

“Not your call, Chano.”

“She made her choice, hell-boy,” Kai jibes. “You don’t get a say. Not after abandoning her all summer.”

Chano’s tail lashes to the side, but otherwise he ignores Kai.

“Wrong order, chica,” he says calmly. “We do the slave bond first. Make sure that we can pull your aether away. Then you make your oath with the trickster.”

I look between Chano and Kai. “So, he has to trust us, but we don’t trust him?”

“It’s fine, Lorelei.” Kai places a hand on my arm, Chano’s eyes boring into where he touches me. “It’s fine. Let’s get this done.”

“Anyone else feel he’s too keen?” Chano grumbles, snatching my arm away from Kai and hugging me tight to his side.

We gather the few items necessary. So little for such a strong spell; it’s terrifying. A candle, a bowl, a knife. So, so little to take complete control of someone’s life.

“Don’t we need a brand?” Zephyr asks, and I grimace. This is going to hurt.

“Got a tattoo kit. It’ll do,” Kai says, pulling a box from where it’s neatly stowed in a cupboard.

“Why do you know all this?” Chano barks.

Kai stills, only a muscle in his jaw working.

Zephyr flicks his hair over his shoulder and interjects. “We talked about this already, bonehead.” He gestures to the back of Kai’s neck. “It’s been done to him. He’s slave bonded. Like me.”

Kai relaxes. “Thanks, man. I can’t talk about it directly—”

“Shut up.” Zephyr’s expression hardens. “Don’t thank me. I don’t like you. I just want this over with.”

My stomach clenches as I take Zephyr in. He’s pale, his breathing is quick and, although he’s trying to hide it, his hands have a tremor. The very thing he’s desperate to be rid of…and here I am, blindly accepting it. And forcing him to be part of the process.

“Z?”

He blinks.

“Zephyr, you don’t have to do this. I get it. It’s against everything you are, everything you stand for. I’ll find another way.”

“It has to be your allegiance, Lorelei,” Kai says. “There isn’t time—”

I stamp on his foot, and he yelps, hopping around, cursing.

Zephyr smiles, but it’s sad somehow. Then, he shakes his head. “As much as I enjoy seeing you beat the fae up, he’s right. Even if there were another way, there’s no time to find it. I’ll do it.” Then, so quietly I almost don’t hear him, he says, “For you.”

Kai yanks a chair out from the table and sprays it with disinfectant before gesturing for me to sit. I perch self-consciously on the edge of the seat, watching him bustle around the room. With short, precise movements he creates a sterile field, upending his kit and gloves on it before stepping back.

“Right, gentlemen. We cut our hands, blood goes in the bowl, we do not touch the bowl without gloves, got it? After we’re done, I add the ink, cast a cleansing spell in case any of you have blood boogers, and we’re good to tattoo, okay?”

One at a time the others slit their palms and allow their blood to drip into the innocuous silver bowl. There are no complaints, no whining. Chano and Zephyr grimace. Farrell remains entirely impassive. But Kai? Kai grinsas he slices his hand open. What the ever-loving hell-born is wrong with him?

“How do we brand her?” Zephyr asks. “Mine was done with the Cuelebre house seal.”

Kai nods stiffly, mixing the blood and ink, heating it slowly over the single black candle.

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