Page 77 of Vanish Into Light

Because I’m having too much fun, he said inside her head, grinning wickedly.

Beck said, “This is tedious. If you’ve come here to monologue, it’s a waste.” He stepped up on Rose’s other side, wings half-spread, tail lashing the ground, fangs bared in a nasty smile. “If we’re going to fight, let’s just get right to it.”

“Fight?” Raphael lifted a single, groomed brow. “You know me, brother. I’m more of a lover than a fighter.”

“Brother?” Lance asked with a snort. “Yeah, no.”

“Oh?” Raphael’s gaze shifted over. “He hasn’t told you, then?”

“Told us what?” Lance bit out.

Beck advanced a step – and so did the conduits behind Raphael.

The angel himself grinned, slow and delighted. He folded his arms and got more comfortable against the doorjamb, with the air of someone settling in for a long conversation. “Oh. Oh, this isrich. It’s bad enough you foisted yourself on poor Rosie – she’s a lost cause at this point, I guess – but the beefcake, too?God, Lucy, you’re just the greediest thing.”

He never told you, did he?The words swirled like silken smoke in her head.Poor idiot – I don’t even think heknewat first. But he does now. He has for a while. And he says he loves you, but he left you in the dark, didn’t he?

Beck’s wings stretched wide; Rose felt the breeze they stirred against the side of her face. Lance’s hand tightened on her shoulder. Beck stalked forward. “Alright,Rafi, that’s enough ofthatshit.” He lunged forward, half-leap and half-flight, claws sharp and fully-extended toward Raphael’s face.

The conduits made to move forward. But Raphael – smug expression wiped clean – said, “Wait,” and lifted his hands to meet Beck’s attack.

Rose tried to follow – but Lance’s arm clamped around her waist and he held her back.

No.

She was in the basement, amidst chalked sigils, and Beck had his knife thrust through the heart of an angel, while Lance held her, while hekept herfrom him.

No.

She was standing in ashes while Beck, winged and horned and tailed, flattened an angel to the ground and clawed at his face.

It was what she was meant for, apparently: standing by and losing Beck.

Raphael’s hands glowed blue, before he gripped Beck’s shoulder with one, and placed the other in the center of his chest. He bared his teeth, dodged Beck’s next swipe, and just – stayed there, pressing.

Beck laughed, low and growling. “You stupid conduit. You’re just a body-snatcher – I’m the real thing.” He lifted a hand…and phased it through Raphael’s face.

Raphael screamed.

The conduits surged forward, converging on them.

Rose lunged–

“Lance, keep her back! Stay out of this!” Beck snarled, before he was covered with conduits.

Rose scrambled to get loose as Lance dragged her back. She was stronger than she’d been, back then, but she was still no match for him in a contest of sheer strength. She could have outmaneuvered him, sparring, but this wasn’t a spar – it was a death grip. He had her around the waist and across the chest, and he didn’t react when she clawed at the backs of his arms, his hands.

“Let me go! Let me–”

“No,” he said, firmly, right in her ear, and squeezed her hard enough to force the air from her lungs. “He’s got this. Look.”

She dug her nails into his wrists, but she did look, blinking back the panic, because what else could she do, while Lance held her helpless as a doll?

A conduit – she didn’t know which kind – went flying across the room and splintered the wall paneling when it hit, and fell, limp, neck bent back at a broken angle.

Another lifted up in the air, choking, Beck’s tail wrapped tight around its throat.

Three more fell, eyes sightless, staring, and no longer glowing.

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