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His smile widened, and he waved a hand toward the room, looking around. “It’s a nice little home he has made here for the two of you, huh? You know, knowing him and his reputation, he just never seemed like the type to settle down. I’ve heard stories throughout the cosmos of how many it takes to truly satisfy him.” He looked at me, no arrogance or cockiness marring his face. For once, Kaden had shocked me. “You should probably practice more.”
I ignored his jab, worry replacing anger.
“Where is he?”
Kaden shrugged dismissively. “Detained.”
“What do you want?” I asked, even though I knew the answer.
“You.” He sneered, his eyes sliding over my body, sending a shiver of disgust through me. “Grab her.”
Cameron and Vincent lunged forward, each grabbing hold of my arms. I bent, trying to break their hold and failing miserably.
“Cameron. Stop,” I begged, pleading at this point. I hoped I could reach Cameron. However, Vincent had hated me since day one.
“I wish I could,” he said. “I really wish it was different, but it’s not. He has him, and I can’t let him stay there alone with them.”
I paused in my struggle. “Him? What do you mean?” Then it hit me. “Xavier? He has Xavier?” His eyes darkened, no longer that lush cobalt blue but violent red. My heart sank. “Oh, Cameron.”
“Was it worth it? For her? For Gabby? Giving up and forsaking everything. Becoming a monster. Was it worth it?” Cameron asked, his pain palpable. “I feel like it is for someone you love. Someone you can’t live without. A fair trade, you know?”
My heart lodged in my throat.
“This is lovely, but we really have to be going,” Kaden said, summoning a portal.
We fell, and my scream of rage was cut short. Cameron and Vincent landed, but my feet didn’t touch the ground, the two of them easily holding me between them. Kaden landed in front of us and nodded toward a large stone slab. Seeing the wrist and ankle restraints, I kicked, struggled, and bit as they lifted me onto it.
I swallowed, reality hitting me like a punch in the face. “Cameron. Please. Please don’t do this. Samkiel needs us.”
“I’m so sorry, Dianna. Of all the people in the world, I know you’ll understand,” Cameron said, guilt dripping from his words.
Kaden stood with his hands in his pockets. “He would do anything for Xavier. Same as you for your sister-not-sister.”
“How?” I ignored his jab, staring at Cameron, my heart breaking. How easily he’d fallen, just like me. “You’ve tried to make more, but you couldn’t.”
Kaden ran a hand across his jaw, the movement familiar and foreign all at once. “Well, as it turns out, I cannot turn mortals. If I try, we get the Irvikuva. Something about the bloodline falling so far from ours or whatever, but I can turn celestials. Well, desperate celestials. In order to work, my magic requires a selfish greed, a desire to do anything for their goal. Not many have that drive, determination, and commitment.”
He smiled wide, displaying gleaming white teeth.
“Celestial?” I arched my back and craned my neck, trying to look at him. “But you turned me.”
It didn’t make sense.
“Yes, yes, I did. One thing about your forged adoption papers, they don’t tell you everything.” He looked toward the carved-out doorway, and a moment later, I heard two sets of heavy footsteps. “You were always a weapon, Dianna, just not mine.”
Xavier and a man who looked oddly familiar stepped from the darkened hallway. Tall, lean, and built like the celestials, but time had carved deep lines at the edges of his eyes. His hair was as dark as mine, falling well past his broad, strong shoulders and curling at the ends. I inhaled sharply, not because his eyes glowed celestial blue but because I had spotted the book he held cradled in his hands. The same book Samkiel and I had searched for, the one I’d been willing to die for. I knew with perfect clarity who he was.
“Say hello to Daddy,” Kaden gloated as my blood turned to ice.
Azrael.
Eighty-Six
Dianna
Kaden disappeared down that damned hall with my father. I struggled and screamed as Cameron grabbed my wrist, locking an obsidian cuff around it. I twisted and writhed, my back scraping against the cold stone slab. Vincent gripped my ankle so tight I knew it would bruise. My other foot shot out, kicking him in the chest. He locked the cuff in place, the blow not even phasing him.
“Don’t do this!” I screamed. “I don’t care about me, but what about Samkiel? He helped you, all of you.”
