Page 35 of Camael
“You’re bleeding,” he said as he reached for her side.
She shook her head. “Remi got the demon that did that. I need to focus on the seeds.”
Camael clamped his lips shut. He didn’t like this. Her skin was too pale. Holy hell, was that blood coming from her eyes now? The power backlash was literally tearing her apart while she fought to complete the ritual. His gut twisted into a giant knot. His witch was willing to sacrifice herself to save the city's spiritual foundation.
"Like hell," he growled as he pressed his hands to her shoulders. Divine energy poured from him into her. He gave her all the strength he could. "You're not doing this alone."
Her green eyes met his, and damn if she didn't manage a smile despite the pain twisting her features. "Together then?"
"Always." He let more of his power flow into her as she reached for the ley lines again.
The fight that followed wasn't physical, but it left scars deeper than any blade. They wrestled with corruption that fought back like a demon at an exorcism. He was in awe of her and how hard she worked. Most would have given up already. He exhaled when the final seed took root. The resulting explosion of power knocked them both flat. Amelia lay in his arms, bleeding but alive as her cleansing energy raced through New Orleans' spiritual foundation.
"Next time," she managed between ragged breaths, "remind me to pack some ibuprofen."
His laugh probably scared any demons still in the vicinity, but he couldn't help it. This female could stare into the abyss and crack jokes. No wonder she had his heart in a stranglehold. "Next time," he rumbled as he gathered her closer, "we do this my way."
"Your way usually involves smiting first and asking questions never."
"Exactly." He pressed his lips to her temple, tasting blood and power and victory. "Much simpler."
Dawn painted the city in shades of gold and crimson as his warriors secured the area. They'd won this round, but Camael knew the war was far from over. Right now though? Right now, all that mattered was the witch in his arms and the fact that she was still breathing. The rest - Lucifer, the traitor in Heaven, all of it - could wait until she was healed.
CHAPTER 12
Amelia's entire body throbbed as Camael carried her through the mansion's ornate front doors. The marble floors beneath his boots were still scarred from their previous battles. She tried to focus on that rather than the fact that every step sent fresh waves of agony through her. The corrupted ley lines had fought back harder than anyone expected. Thankfully, she'd been the only one to pay the price, so they weren’t down any more witches.
Her blood had dried on her clothes, leaving dark stains that would never wash out. That should be the least of her worries, but it was her favorite top. "Put me down," she insisted as they reached the foyer. The chandelier above cast dancing shadows across his face as he frowned down at her. "I can walk."
His ice-blue eyes narrowed. "You can barely stand." His massive frame radiated tension. Was it horrible that she got a little thrill over the thought of him turning into an alpha male wanting to protect and care for his mate? Not that they were mated. It seemed too early for that, but she couldn’t deny she saw him as hers.
"Then I'll lean on something." She needed to move under her own power, to prove to herself that she wasn't as broken as she felt. Her hands gripped his shoulders as she tried to steady herself. "The dining room. We need to check the tracking spells."
"Stubborn witch," he muttered. There was something like pride in his voice as he set her on her feet with infinite care. His massive frame stayed close as she took her first wobbly steps.
"I learned from the best," she fired back, managing a weak smile despite the pain that made her want to curl into a ball and cry. Neither was an option. Not when Lucifer was still out there, plotting whatever horror show he had planned next.
The mansion buzzed with activity as the Angels of Retribution regrouped. Rami was coordinating with the Dark Warriors. His phone was grafted to his ear as he issued rapid-fire orders. She saw Jo and Az through the window. They had to be securing the perimeter.
She paused in the dining room where the Rowan sisters had taken over their tactical command center. Pema looked up and scanned Amelia from head to toe as she leaned heavily on the doorframe. "I was about to tell you that the seeds are holding but something was wrong with the cemeteries. The energy’s chaotic readings don’t seem as important given how you look. What do you need? You don’t look good."
Amelia's head bobbed in a weak nod, but Camael wasn't having any of that shit. "You are not okay," he growled. "The ley lines nearly shredded her. She needs real healing."
"I’ll call for help." Pema had pulled out her phone. Her fingers flew over the screen. "Jace, we need you at the mansion. Now. It's Amelia." She listened for a moment. "Yeah, Luke can set up the portal. No, it can't wait... Because shetried to take on corrupted ley lines by herself." She rolled her eyes at whatever he said. "Just get your ass here."
"I'm fine," Amelia protested weakly. "We don't need to bother-"
"Shut it," Camael ordered. His ice-blue eyes blazed when they looked at her. "You're about ten seconds from collapse."
Before she could get another word out, Luke materialized beside them like a shadow coming to life. The sorcerer's expression was pure don't-fuck-with-me. "Clear the space. This shit's about to get real."
With a twist of his wrist, his seven-foot staff appeared in his grip. The alder wood hummed with enough stored power to make her skin tingle. Ancient runes carved into its surface began to glow as he channeled energy through the weapon. "Time to open a door," he muttered. His hands danced through the air gracefully. Power crackled around the staff's tip. It threw off sparks that painted the marble floors with patterns that made her think of the Aurora Borealis.
"The wards are going to fight this," he warned. "Amelia, can you tell them to play nice?"
“No problem,” she said at the same time Camael growled. Before he could stop her, she reached out with what little power she had left and touched the mansion's protective barriers. The wards hummed in response and accepted Luke's magic as he established the connection.
The portal bloomed in the center of the room like someone had captured the northern lights and taught them to dance. Waves of emerald and violet energy rippled through the air. They painted the walls with otherworldly light.
