Page 71 of Wicked Savior
“Unexpected, but well played, love,” I murmur as we walk away.
“Advice from Vargas,” she reveals with a sparkle in her eye.
When we reach the edge of the ballroom, I shimmer us to the balcony outside my bedroom. Shielded from the world, I point to the dark sky. Less than a minute later, fireworks shoot into the air, filling the darkness with colorful displays of light, but all I see is her.
I wrap my arms tightly around her. Tomorrow is only hours away. For the rest of the evening, I hold her close.
ChapterThirty-Eight
EVREN
My gloved fist grips the torque hard. Six silver canisters are lined up like soldiers near the entrance to the portal. We simplified the plan. Open, push the beasts back, flyers enter and place the bombs simultaneously, then fly out. One minute and fifteen seconds. That’s all we need to end this threat once and for all.
The five going in will be Daire, Valerian, Lucifer, Rivan, and Zephyra. Ishkova stands calmly beside me, but the tick in his jaw tells me he’s not happy to be the one staying behind. After Lucifer and Valerian, he’s the third fastest. It was the only plan that made sense, which is why, after a lot of cursing, he suggested it.
I close my eyes and take several deep breaths. When I open them, I can’t help but search his for added strength.
Lucifer leans down and places a hard kiss on my lips. “Stay safe.”
Because I’m looking up, I spot them before anyone else. “Incoming. The sky is full.”
Lucifer whirls around and stares at the sky for a brief second. “Legion!” he roars.
Valerian and Daire enter into two different portals.
Ishkova grabs Rivan and Zephyra and shimmers out.
“Steady,” he tells me.
I move to his side. We’ll face them together.
The corners of his mouth curl up, but he never takes his eyes off the angels landing on the Earth in front of us. “Five thousand. I haven’t seen this many angels here since the war with Satan. I’m impressed.”
I’m not. I bite the inside of my cheek to help steady my nerves.
A portal opens to our left and Theron steps out wearing formfitting dark armor and leading at least a thousand Dark Fae soldiers behind him.
Theron dips his chin toward me and Lucifer. On his other side, four more portals open simultaneously. Valerian leads a flight of dragons onto the field. Astor and Arden step out surrounded by a small group of witches. Daire and several hundred vampires arrive next. And in the final portal, Fallon and a large brute of a man lead another thousand or so stoic warriors, who move as if they’re a single killing machine.
The angels slide their gazes to our allies and raise eyebrows in challenge.
Lucifer raises his arm and the cloak of glamour behind us falls. Ten thousand ruthless demons and creatures of the Underworld army, including Vargas, Ishkova, and Moge, stand ready to move on Lucifer’s command.
“Now, that’s impressive,” I murmur to him.
Lucifer crosses his arms and waits for the angels to make the next move. “I like to be prepared.”
Five almost identical-looking angels step forward. All tall, fierce warriors, but there isn’t much to distinguish one from the other. “We fight in Gabriel’s honor. But first, we command you to give us his body so that he may be laid to rest as befits his status.”
Lucifer tilts his head. “Who said Gabriel was dead?”
The angel from the town square pushes through the front line, his chest puffed up with pride. “I told them. You can’t deny it. The ground opened and swallowed him whole.”
Lucifer chuckles. “I merely forced him to take a vacation. He’s alive. Maybe a little worse for wear mentally, but alive.” He motions to the canisters. “As you can see, we’re in the middle of something. Once we’re done, I’ll send him to you.”
The five look at each other, then up to the sky. It begins to fill with more angels. Some continue to fly above us, while others join the ranks on the ground. It’s double their original count, making us almost evenly matched.
“How many more can they call?”
