Fate of a Blood Moon (The Hades Blood Moon #2)

Chapter 42

Rachel

T he door of the cabin slammed open and Jackson ran to where Andrei had pinned me. He shoved Andrei hard, breaking his hold on my throat. Once I had room to move, I scrambled on all fours, scooting away from him. Jackson shifted, and I thought it was to prevent me from running, but he was putting himself between us.

“Calm the fuck down! What the hell are you doing?” Jackson shouted, his fangs now out, too, challenging him. Liam also came around the corner, standing next to where Valentina still lay. He didn’t do shit, though, only stood there with his arms folded and an arrogant and amused grin flitting across his lips.

Would either of them actually protect me from him if it came down to it?

I crawled closer to Valentina, pushing past the asshole Liam, and placed my hands on her wrists. The chains were glowing when my fingers skated across them, and I dug under the cuffs to try and pull them off. Instead, the metal seared my fingertips, and I jerked them away.

What the hell is this?

“You … you had sex with Jase?” Andrei seethed from behind me, and I looked at him, meeting his deadly eyes.

“Ah, shit,” Jackson cursed, but he kept his hands raised. “I doubt Rachel would—”

“Yes,” I blurted out confidently, my eyes never leaving Andrei’s. “Yeah. I fucked your brother, and I loved every second of it.”

Poking the beast was pretty idiotic, but watching how angry it made him—his walls falling apart—made me feel justified. He had no right to feel betrayed. Andrei shattered whatever relationship we had by manipulating my thoughts within the bond and assaulting me.

Andrei took another step closer but stopped, his eyes suddenly softening. “Why?”

I shook my head. No way in fucking hell I’d tell him the truth. “Boredom,” I lied, watching his expression shift to skepticism. He didn’t believe me.

“Boredom,” Andrei repeated, his dark hair blowing slightly in the wind. “I see.…” His voice trailed off before taking a few steps and sitting on the edge of the bench that he’d just smashed with the force of my body. His eyes took on an unsettling calmness, and he sat silently and stared at me.

Silent Andrei was never a good thing.

Jackson looked around before going over to Andrei. He kneeled and touched his chest, forcing Andrei to gaze at his best friend. Jackson was probably the only one who could tame him.

“We are five hours away from sunrise. This plan won’t work if your brother beats us to the caves. We don’t have time for this. We can let the two of you kick the shit out of each other once we get to Crete. For now, calm the fuck down and let it go.”

It was a good thing Jackson was Andrei’s little bestie. Or his head would be rolling down this deck by now. That was how angry Andrei was.

Surprisingly, Andrei nodded and settled on the bench, no longer in a blind rage. I didn’t want to look at him anymore, so I moved closer to my mother and wrapped my arms under her shoulders, pulling her upper body and head to rest on my lap. I leaned back and watched the stars as we made our way to the island.

About an hour later, we pulled into the port in Heraklion. The city was asleep, with only a few lights flickering in the darkness. Jackson grabbed the Book of Shadows and flipped to the map that showed a direct path to Mount Ida.

“The Dikteon Andron Cave is right on the slope of the mountain,” Jackson said while Andrei gripped my upper arm to pull me away from Valentina. Liam moved over to her and effortlessly lifted her over his shoulder. The chains binding her rattled a bit as they hung loosely over his chest. Whatever spell had Valentina subdued like that, it was powerful as hell. We walked down the dock toward a narrow road that led into the town.

“What about the Door of the Veil?” Andrei asked.

“It’s supposed to be deep in the cave, away from the tourists, and concealed by magic. We can find it since we now possess the key,” Liam said. “If we have any issues, I’ll use my magic. I’m not sure how far that will get us, but it won’t hurt to try.”

“Fine,” Andrei said. “Wake Valentina up. Now.”

Liam gently laid Valentina on the ground and touched her head. A black swirl of magic swept over her body, and she groaned. Her eyes fluttered open, and her face filled with horror after realizing who was there.

“Rachel!” she cried out, attempting to run toward me, but Liam swept a hand over her fingers, and the magical chains tightened around her wrists and squeezed around her neck.

That motherfucker.

“I can’t use my magic. I’m sorry,” she said, her eyes glaring at Andrei and back to Liam.

“Welcome back to living, Miss Vasile,” Andrei said. “Did you enjoy your nap?”

Valentina hissed, showing her sharp fangs, but the only effect they had was the three men laughing at her attempt to intimidate them.

“This really will go more smoothly and painlessly if you cooperate,” Liam said. “And don’t even think of making a move against me, dhampir. A flick of my wrists, and I’ll squeeze these chains so tight that they sever her pretty little head.”

I shook my head. “You sick fuck.”

Valentina scrunched up her face and balled her hands into tight fists. These men had no idea of the wrath they were about to face when she broke free from those chains.

Jackson looked back up at the path. “We need to hurry. If we don’t get to that cave before Jase does, we might not get this shit done before the sun rises.”

Andrei nodded. “Before we do, though, I still need something.” He glanced at Valentina first. “Not that I don’t trust those chains, but if she were to break free, I can’t risk the two of them using their powers on us.”

He looked down at my right arm in his grip. He released it and instead seized my wrist, bringing my hand up between us. The ring glinted in the light of the streetlamps.

“Give me the ring. Or I’ll follow through with my promise to kill her, just like I should have done in that church. When she dies, I’ll feel nothing.”

I smiled. “But then you lose your leverage,” I reminded him.

“Then I’ll hang by the shore until Tony gets here and chain him up exactly like Valentina. You know I will.”

My anger flared to life. “Still jonesing for this stupid devil trinket? Jesus Christ, you’re like a starved dog. Desperate for any semblance of meaning in a wasted immortality. You’re nothing but a power-hungry asshole who has nothing to his name but pain and hatred. What a disappointment you’ve become, Dimitriou. This ring will do nothing but tear you apart, and I hope it hurts.”

A deathly quiet filled the air, and Andrei’s eyes glowed with red hues beneath the dark brown. He squeezed my wrist hard, making the bones pop and creak under the strain. Despite the pain, I didn’t flinch.

“Give. Me. The. Ring.” Andrei nodded once, and Liam jerked the magical chain, choking Valentina to the point of gagging.

Goddammit.

“You’re a weak man,” I said, pulling the ring from my finger. He pried it from my hand and shoved me into Jackson’s arms.

“Good girl—”

“Shut the fuck up,” I seethed.

Andrei paused before a smirk pulled at his lips, and he slipped it on. A rush of power pulled from my aura onto him, the ring sizing to his finger with that crackle of energy.

Andrei closed his eyes, and his fangs slid free. There was something so erotic in his face then, like he relished in the flow of dark power more than he did fucking.

After the ring’s power settled, Liam pointed to the small parking lot beside us. “Alright, let’s steal a car and get out of here.”

We walked around the lot before Liam spotted an SUV that could accommodate us. He touched the handle and used magic to pop the lock without triggering the alarm. Once we settled in the car, Jackson gave us the all-clear, started the engine with the help of Liam’s magic, and headed out to the main street.

“That road should take us to Mount Ida,” Liam said, pointing to an upcoming intersection. “I’ll navigate from back here.”

It was mostly silent for the next hour. While Jackson drove, Andrei and I sat beside each other in the back seat, with Liam and Valentina in the row in front of us. Every so often, Valentina would look back at me, and we’d share a look of understanding. The last time we saw each other, we had fought, so much anger brewing between us. But at that moment, I knew that once these bastards released us, she and I would work together to fucking kill every one of them.

There was always the uncertainty about whether we should summon Ezrylos or destroy the summoning circle if things went wrong. Now that nightmare was already upon us, and I didn’t have a clue how to get out of it.

The weight of my bloodline felt so damn heavy under my skin. Not only that, but if anything happened to Jase, my mother, or Tony and Lucy, I would never forgive myself.

It’s all too much.

I closed my eyes and rested my head against the back seat, the coolness of Andrei’s skin against mine causing a ripple of nervous energy to flow through my body. The ropes of anxiety banded around my ribs loosened a little when I pictured my friend’s faces instead of focusing on the man beside me.

Soon, we arrived at the two paths leading to the cave. Jackson parked the car outside the perimeter to avoid detection by the security guards. Liam and Andrei gathered the supplies, and we headed toward the paths.

“According to the Book of Shadows, the hike will take twenty minutes before we reach the mouth of the cave,” Liam explained, holding the book close to his chest while still gripping the chain that bound Valentina with his other hand. “The paved path on the left means we won’t have to do any rock climbing. Jackson, Andrei, keep your senses open to any night hikers or security.”

After Liam ensured he had the necessary spell supplies from his backpack, we started the trek to the cave. Liam led us up the mountain, while we trailed behind, Andrei keeping a firm grip on my wrist. There were a few moments when Valentina lost her balance, slipping on rocks, or when Liam pulled too hard on the chains. That fucking asshole, Liam, was going to be the first to have his head ripped off when I got my hands on him. The tang of magic fluttered between me and the witch, which I prayed he didn’t notice was coming from me.

Despite having so much more to learn, my magic had grown over the last four months when training at the academy. Even my dhampir abilities were stronger. Being so close to another witch made my magic flare to life, like a protective response to a threat. My vampire nature also responded to the magic beneath our feet, making my skin crawl, and the beast within my mind growled in agitation.

The area has a lot of power. Even if Zeus’s birth here is purely a myth, the magic is real and saturated.

“What’s making my skin itch like this?” Andrei asked.

“Yeah, I feel it too,” Jackson added.

“The cave’s magic repels anything unnatural, and vampires fall into that category because of the source of your power,” Liam explained. “But since I have the Fire key, its power lets us enter and remain here without the cave rejecting those with vampiric blood.”

“Well, we need to go faster because this is fucking awful,” Jackson snapped.

“Hopefully, once we’re inside the cave, it’ll let up,” Andrei noted.

When we reached the end of the trail, I noticed that someone had pulled a large metal gate with several padlocks and chains across the mouth of Dikteon. The area had several security cameras in place. Andrei gripped my arm and moved us past Jackson and Liam, carefully avoiding detection. The chains and padlock were simple metal with no hidden wards. Liam reached out and closed his eyes, chanting a cloaking spell I remembered from training with Black Onyx as a child. It made sense why Andrei and Jackson would bring this witch along. Even though they knew I wouldn’t risk Valentina’s life, having another witch do their dirty work made the process much smoother.

Please, I silently begged whoever or whatever was listening . Please let Jase, Lucy, and Tony get here soon.

One thing I was comforted to know: Jase memorized the map.

There was a calm ripple of power beneath the ground as it moved through Liam, dancing in the air between us. Deep-black mist flowed from his body when he opened his eyes and spread across the ground. The cameras vanished in the thick fog, and Andrei quickly grabbed and tore apart the chains and padlocks before pushing the gate open.

Jackson, Liam, and Valentina hurried inside the cave, while Andrei stopped and turned toward me. “Listen,” he whispered, closing the gap between us. “I don’t care what happened between you and Jase. You know damn well who you belong to. When all this is over, you’ll return to New Orleans with me, and we’ll make everything right. You know just as much as I do that no one else will take care of you like I will. I can offer protection that no one else can. Stop fighting me on it.”

I blinked. He can’t be serious. “You’re the one I need protection from,” I said. “Back at the train station, I thought what I felt for you was real. For a moment, I saw you as more than just a monster bent on capturing me and hurting everyone you came across. I wanted to love you. I really did. But all I feel now is hatred and betrayal for the first man I gave my heart to in decades. You’re no different from the Black Onyx—the assholes who kept me on a leash to use and control me. I do not belong to you, Andrei. I never did, and I never will.”

Andrei tightened his jaw and gripped my arm again, twirling me to face the cave. “Walk.”

The cave was massive, with stalactites and stalagmites covering the walls. Although it was pitch black inside, my enhanced vision allowed me to make out the interior layout.

“Okay, Liam, give me the key. Let's see where it leads us,” Andrei ordered.

Liam’s jacket rustled as he pulled out the pouch with the Fire key and handed it to him. “Go ahead.”

After Andrei took out the key, a warm red-orange light emanated from the metal, casting long shadows that made the rock formations look like jagged fangs. The glow looked like the flame from a candle, and as Andrei turned, the tip of that magic started shifting, directing the light deeper into the cave. At the same time, I felt a tug at my heart, pulling me forward. Something was calling out to me from the darkness—a song of ancient power and eternity.

The cave’s darkness wasn’t normal. It had a tangible aura that set my nerves on edge. The feeling of being watched by countless curious entities overwhelmed me, as though they were eagerly awaiting any intruder to walk into their sacred space, ready to sink their teeth into our flesh. My heart beat faster with every step as terror threatened to swallow me whole.

“Are you okay?” Andrei whispered, as if he gave a fuck. “Your heartbeat is almost deafening in my ears.”

“Leave her alone,” Valentina said, distaste in her tone. “You’re bothersome enough as it is.”

That earned her another yank on the chain, but we grinned at each other. Suddenly, the key’s light flared into a brilliant flame, blinding us momentarily.

“What the hell is happening?” Jackson cried out.

“My guess is that we’re near the Door of the Veil,” Liam replied. He looked around and pointed toward something shining thirty feet ahead. “The key is reacting to that pond.”

When my eyes adjusted to the light, I saw what he was pointing at. Several jagged stalagmites were concealing a small pond. My chest tugged again, even though my vampire nature rebelled against it.

“Rachel, you’re going to get rid of that water with your element,” Liam said. “And let me warn you now. If you use your Water against us, I will show you exactly what I can do with Spirit.”

I may not be able to get into Liam’s head and control him, but I sure as fuck felt his intention then. He put the images in my mind at exactly what he’d do to me if I fucked this up.

“Okay.”

I stepped away from Andrei and moved toward the pond. Thankfully, he didn’t follow me but blocked the exit, so I couldn’t run out. I kneeled at the water’s edge and examined the glassy black surface. It looked harmless enough, but the energy was undeniable. My Water magic stirred beneath my skin, eager to be released. Cautiously, I dipped my fingers into the water. I felt a strange sensation, like liquid magic had lain dormant for centuries, guarding something that should never be disturbed.

Liam stepped forward with the Book of Shadows, with Andrei beside him, using the light from the key to read the page he had opened. “According to the book, The Door of the Veil is underneath the pond. Get started.”

Without acknowledging his entitled tone, I stood and backed away from the water. I raised my hands and focused on all the teachings my mother had given me since we arrived at the academy, allowing purple mists to flow from my fingertips.

“Rachel?” Andrei said in a warning. “Remember, we have your mother’s life in our hands.”

Get fucked. I moved my magic around, letting in dance in the air.

“Focus. You’ve been practicing this magic for months,” Valentina reminded me, acting like no one else was here but us. Not that we both wanted to give them what they were forcing us to do, but we knew the consequences if we didn’t. Getting us inside was our safest move.

I groaned. “Maybe if you weren’t always on my ass about how worthless I was with my powers, I could focus better.” My magic hummed again, as if urging me to hurry. “Let’s see what happens.” I looked over my shoulder at Andrei, Jackson, and Liam. “You all should back the fuck up, or we might be limping out of here if it backfires.”

Mists poured from my hands and moved across the ground toward the pond. The mists touched the water, and ripples appeared across the smooth surface. Soon, violet fog shrouded the pond, and my arms grew heavy. Splashing and churning waters echoed in the cave as my magic melded with the pond.

Liam stepped forward with the Book of Shadows cradled in his right hand, his left hand raised.

“Water of blood, heed the call,” he said, reciting the spell. “Lift the veil and reveal the door of the heavens. Obey and open the gates of righteous light. Only the Burning of Angels will ignite the depths.”

A tremendous roar echoed through the cave, like a thousand rivers crashing against the walls. Andrei threw his body over me, and we fell to the ground. Jackson cursed in the darkness. Instinctively, I tried to shove past Andrei to protect Valentina, but he wrapped his arms around me, holding me back. The roaring water seemed to last forever before an explosion of purple and black mists shook the cave. In the distance, I heard several rocks crash to the ground. After a moment, I raised my head to look at the pond.

“Well, would you look at that?” Jackson said with a hint of disbelief in his tone. “The water’s completely gone.” He turned to me, a grin spreading across his face. “Little dhampy, you did it. Nice work.”

Looking back, I noticed an ornate bronze and copper door at the bottom of the pond, with carvings of winged beings surrounding a lock laden with runes. Andrei helped me to my feet before carefully approaching the door.

While he left me alone, I hurried over to Valentina. Thankfully, Liam didn’t pull her back with the chains. “Are you okay?” she asked me, and I nodded.

“You?”

“Not until we’re out of here,” she said. “Keep focusing on that power—”

“This is the Door of the Veil,” Andrei interrupted, running his hand over the door. “The rune above the keyhole matches the one on the key.”

Liam then instructed him to open the door.

Andrei reached down, slid it inside, and twisted it. The key glowed brighter than before, and its magic vanished into the lock with a wisp of flame and smoke. There was a clang of metal and then silence.

Then we waited for … anything.

As we all stepped forward, the bronze doors began glowing, illuminating the cave before vanishing. There was a collective gasp as the door opened to reveal underground granite stairs.

“Alright, so there’s that,” I said, brushing dirt from my jeans. “Go on, Andrei, you can go first.” I shot him a seething glare.

Andrei slipped the key back into the pouch, tucked it into his pocket, and then seized my upper arm. “Thanks, but Valentina goes in first.”

Liam pulled on the chain around her neck, forcing her to walk down the stairs.

My mother descended into the cave with Liam right behind her, and they disappeared into the murky darkness. As I waited to hear her voice, anxiety dug its nails into my stomach.

“We’re okay!” she called, her voice echoing from the hole.

“Alright, get your asses down here!” Liam shouted. “Just watch your step. There’s evidence of a previous cave-in near the stairs.”

Jackson went down first, using the headlamp to illuminate the steps, and then Andrei and I right after. When we reached the bottom, the room glowed with quartz crystals that appeared to have been activated by the opened door. A circle of blue-white marble pillars surrounded the enormous cave. On the floor was a carving of a giant pentagram. The top of the symbol pointed toward an obelisk carved from black stone with veins of gold across the surface. At the center of the obelisk were runes etched around a small hole.

I sniffed the air and grimaced. “It smells like stale dust in here.”—I turned to Andrei—“and old blood.”

“It’s likely from the angel who had to sacrifice themselves to seal the door,” he replied, pointing toward the cavern’s edge where a pile of dusty bones lay. The wings rested further away, indicating that something sharp had severed them and fell away from the body. I drew a sharp breath.

“I assume that’s the angel from the story—Zahar. That angel must have cut off his wings and then … killed himself,” I said. “It’s as if the celestial part of them took longer to deteriorate, so they still have flesh and feathers.” My stomach knotted as I sensed the immense yet dormant power of the space. It felt like the stone tower lay sealed in a slumber, meant never to be awakened.

Like what the witches did to my mother.…

“Rachel?” Valentina asked. “What’s wrong?”

Shaking my head, I replied, “It’s nothing. This place is just really fucking creepy.” I looked over at the witch. “What does that book say to do now?”

I didn’t want to help Andrei get the sword before Jase and the others got here, so we could destroy the obelisk, but I knew that if we didn’t make progress, every second was one step closer to them hurting us. Maybe now, if we summoned the angel and got that sword, at least we’d live another day and figure out a new plan that wouldn’t leave us all hopelessly fucked.

Liam didn’t answer. Instead, he walked to the edge of the pentagram and studied the carvings on the ground. “Jackson,” he finally spoke. “Grab your switchblade. Andrei and Rachel, search the wings for anything unusual .”

Andrei and I went to the angel’s body and carefully sorted the dust-covered wings. My nose wrinkled as paper-thin flesh crumbled in my hands as I searched. The feathers were still in pristine condition and silky to the touch. The sacrifice this angel made to conceal this place made my heart hurt. Zahar loved Ezrylos so much that he was willing to die for him to be safe.

“This feather will be different from the rest,” Andrei said, kneeling over the left wing. He looked up at Liam. “You said part of the spell involved a special feather of the angel’s mate. Right?”

Liam nodded. “It didn’t say which one, but your guess is as good as mine,” Liam said. We turned to look, and Andrei was holding up part of the severed white wing. Only … it wasn’t all white.

“I’m guessing it’s that orange-tinted feather,” I said, stating the obvious.

“That’d be the one,” Liam said, glancing at the book. “According to the witch from the Black Onyx who was here during the initial ritual to seal the angel within this cave, the power was so strong that it sparked an electric current through his mate, creating a unique item to house the energy. That power concealed itself into something that couldn’t die when the rest of the angel’s body did.”

Andrei plucked it out and gently placed the wing back on the ground. “Hold out your hand,” he said.

I did as he asked, and he placed the feather in my palm. A small rush of power pooled in my hand. Something in my blood roared in warning, making my hand tremble.

Before giving any further instructions, Liam sliced my finger with a small dagger he had pulled from his pocket. “What the hell?” I cried out, but he squeezed, making my blood drip from the wound onto the curved border of the circle.

I looked down as a bright light illuminated each line of the pentagram. A forceful boom echoed from the design, sparking with energy.

Liam handed the switchblade to Jackson and glanced at the ancient pages. “Now you can walk inside. Once you reach the obelisk, place the feather into the opening. After that, step aside and stand at the center of the pentagram,” he instructed.

Carefully, I stepped inside, followed his instructions, and then moved back.

“Jackson, hand her the switchblade,” Liam said.

Hesitantly, Jackson walked over and placed the switchblade in my hand. “Don’t kill anyone with it, alright?”

Nodding, I looked over at Valentina. Her safety and mine were more important than me stabbing someone ... for now.

“Alright, now cut your palm and drip your blood into that divot in the middle. We need more blood than what I squeezed from your finger,” Liam instructed. “If this book is right, the pentagram will light up again, and the blood will flow into the obelisk and the feather. In theory, your angel blood should activate the summoning magic.”

“And then what?” Valentina asked, looking at Liam. “You’re basing all of this on the fact that the Black Onyx gave you some book you trust will summon an angel? Do you think that whatever comes out of that circle won’t try to kill us? It’s dark magic. We should leave.” She turned to Andrei. “If you ever cared for Rachel, you wouldn’t risk her life like this. I don’t care if she has angel blood to break this spell. This is wrong, and you know it.”

Andrei’s eyes turned venomous. “No one wants to play with the dark powers that be, but you and I know that killing the Devil saves us from becoming his little toys someday … and that includes you, too.”

Valentina’s eyes grew wide. She knew she was promised to Lucifer, and it was true that if this angel could kill him, maybe she would let it happen when the time came. But was she willing to sacrifice the life of a daughter she fought so hard to have all those years ago to do it?

“We’re running out of time,” Liam said. “Cut your hand now, Rachel. Do it, or I will tighten these chains, and you can hope Valentina’s head doesn’t snap off from the force.”

Liam yanked the chain, pulling Valentina across the dirt before she lost her balance and fell to her knees, trying to keep the metal from biting into her skin and cutting off her air.

“Stop!” I shouted.

“Do it!” Liam ordered, his eyes flashing red.

What the fuck?

A hostile aura surrounded us, the walls beginning to shake. A sinister darkness grew, dimming the crystals’ light into a murky gloom. Something harrowing and dangerous rose in Liam’s power that I hadn’t felt until now. Whatever magic was within him, my intuition couldn’t detect it. Like Wendy, Liam concealed his true magic, and it wanted to decimate everyone in that room if we didn’t comply.

Shit! Shit!

“Alright. Fine!” I said, desperation in my voice as I held up my hands. “I’m doing it.”

My stomach clenched, and every instinct shouted at me to stop. I couldn’t destroy the stone anymore, but we could end this if I could get the sword before Andrei did.

“One … two … three!”

I pressed the blade against my hand and yanked across my palm—a biting fire bit into my skin, and warm blood pooled from the wide-lipped wound. Liam nodded, and I turned my hand so that the blood poured onto the ground. As the blood splashed, the ground seemed to rumble beneath my feet. The five pentagram points suddenly flared to life in a deep-blue hue. The star’s light began to shift toward the obelisk’s base.

When the light touched the obelisk, it traveled until it reached the opening where I’d placed the feather. There was a thrum of power and a heartbeat of silence. Then pure golden light burst from the stone and rocketed through the cave ceiling, breaking through the mountain and into the sky. Rocks and debris fell around the pentagram in heaps. I felt my eyes roll to the back of my head and fell to my knees.

“Rachel!” Andrei and Valentina both shouted simultaneously, but I couldn’t move. I could only open my mouth and scream. It was as if all my strength was being pulled into the pentagram, fueling the magic.

After what felt like an eternity, the magic stopped pulling on my body, and I opened my eyes. Something landed in the dirt before me, and I saw that Liam had tossed me the Book of Shadows.

“Read it,” Liam ordered. “Read it now.”

Andrei grabbed the back of my neck, forcing me to stay on my knees. The pentagram’s protective spell was gone and he could cross the circle. “Read the spell.”

I nodded, knowing he wouldn’t hesitate to torture me, not when he was so close to his goal. Opening the book, I turned the pages to the summoning spell. The incantation was beneath the sketch of the cavern. I started reading.

“The gates of the heavens heed the summons. Ezrylos, the Upper World’s gleaming glory against the darkness.” I stopped, tightness crushing my chest. This was wrong. This was so wrong. Whatever we were doing was going to destroy us.

“Don’t stop now,” Andrei said, the floor beneath us trembling. “Keep reading.”

I shook my head. “Blood … blood of the three realms harkens you to this earthly plane.” My voice was trembling now, barely able to read the spell as fear strangled my throat. “Come forth, angel of war!”

The light from the obelisk pulsed faster and faster as magic spilled into the cave. With a final boom, the light faded, the obelisk went dark, and the gold veins were no longer visible. The pentagram’s power waned, and Andrei wrapped his arms around me as I collapsed in the dirt, softening my landing.

“Shit. Please tell me you’re okay,” he pleaded as if he was worried about me.

“I’m okay,” I said, trying to escape his embrace. “Just … just exhausted. I can barely move.” My lungs felt heavy.

Something shifted behind us, and my eyes widened when I turned around. Standing above us was a man of incredible height, with russet-brown skin and deep-brown eyes that glowed like lit coals, and his golden wings were almost blinding. Golden armor covered his body with a silver sword etched with strange runes and symbols at his side. His face was pure menace, and he raised the sword to point it at Andrei and me. “Why have you called down the angel of war, Devil’s child?”

Ezrylos … Fuck me.

Before I could explain, the angel’s gaze shifted past me toward the perimeter of the cave, where the decaying body of the white-winged angel lay. The golden-winged angel lowered his sword, his eyes growing wide before he ran toward the body, collapsing to the ground beside the severed wings. Ezrylos gripped the weapon and placed his other palm on the white wing. All we saw was his back, his golden wings curling around the fallen angel who had sacrificed his life for him centuries ago. His mate, Zahar. The angel leaned back, his gaze fixed on the ruined ceiling above, and released a thunderous cry that boomed through the air, shaking the walls until they splintered and more rocks rained down around us.

The moment the angel stood, his wings stretched so far they almost touched the cave walls. Once he turned, the ground began to shake.

“What’s going on?” I asked, turning to Liam. “What’s happening?”

The wall beside the angel cracked and crumbled, and we all quickly ran from the projectile debris. When I looked up, Ezrylos used his wings to block the stones from hitting him.

“Rachel, watch out!” Valentina cried and leaped forward, gripping my arm to pull me away as a three-headed creature crashed through the wall, aiming to pin me beneath its claws.

“What the fuck is that?” I screamed, terror threatening to knock my legs out from under me.

Andrei and Jackson ran our way and turned around. Andrei’s hands were out front, and his fire magic hovered over his fingertips. “That, love, is a Cerberus.”