Page 72 of The River of Hatred

“A magical number,” Lana singsongs. Aim ignores her.

“We’ll take a car and a bike, then. If that’s okay, Neph?”

I lift my eyebrows at the casual nickname but keep my mouth shut. I’ll stir some shit up later when time’s not a-ticking.

The burly demon crosses his arms. “I’ll take a Harley and you and Mike are driving the Mustang and Dodge, no one else.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Aim says with a smirk.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Nephithar grumbles. He turns to his consort. “Do you truly believe someone might have followed them?”

“I would’ve sensed anyone nearby,” Lana chimes in.

“She’s right,” I say. “Her Celestial-meter is freakishly strong.”

The demon blows air out of his nose, then turns on his heels before stalking off. Hopefully to put some tight armor on. Or maybe he fights topless like the barbarian he is.

What?My heart got taken, not my corneas.

Syrin walks over to my cousin. “Come on, Naamah, let’s talk in the garden.”

Naamah jumps up and clasps her hands. “Wonderful!” she says, following the angel to the French doors in the family room, leaving her lover behind. “Do you read? How do you feel about smut?”

I shake my head – my cousin is gonna have that angel reading taboo books in no time.

I look at Father’s main squeeze. “I know you want to join them, Lana, but go put on your leathers instead. If you get a scratch Ash is gonna lock me in the dungeons again.”

Lana sighs dramatically, then pushes herself back from the table. “Jess, you still got your armor?” She skeptically eyes our girl’s powder-blue T-shirt with a cartoon of a baby seal on the front.

“Yes, ma’am,” Jess replies. “Cleaned it and everything.”

The tall redhead raises an eyebrow. “Of what?” she asks, then quickly adds: “You know what, I don’t want to know.”

“No, you don’t,” I say with a chuckle.

Once the girls leave, I eye a still-stunned Kevin. I snap a finger in front of his face. “Hey, Kevy. Need me to help you change clothes?”

That successfully gets the mortal's attention (and me a disdainful look) and he follows after his teammates. Just me and my angel now. I give him my best sultry look.

“What about you?” I ask. “Want me to help you put your armor on?”

Ithuriel blushes, then stands up and smooths the front of his sweatshirt, ironing out invisible wrinkles. “I’m afraid that would defeat the purpose of us hurrying,” he murmurs.

When he almost reaches the door, he turns and hesitates for a second before speaking again. “But perhaps you can help me take it off after?”

Chapter 35 – Ithuriel

These contraptions that humans call cars are death cages on four wheels. And the way they drive them? As if they’re not half a second away from prematurely ending their fragile mortal existence.

“I can hear your teeth grinding back there, angel,” the demon Aim speaks from behind the wheel. “I’m not even going above the speed limit here.”

Sariel, occupying the front passenger seat with his arm hanging out the open window, turns back to laugh at me. Sitting beside me in the back, Jessica glares at the boys before leaning against me.

“Ignore them. They’re not the ones in a car for the first time ever.”

I kiss the top of our human’s head and wink at Sariel, who’s still observing us. His lips spread into a wide grin at the sight of my insouciance.

“Are we there yet?” Jessica sighs impatiently after another five minutes. “I hate being in the back, it always makes me nauseous.”

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