Chapter Ten
“Carol?”
Stewart took a step toward Raziel, his expression pained. “My sister? Ethan’s mother? That Carol? Are you sure?”
He wished he could spare Stewart’s feelings, but he couldn’t bring himself to lie. Raziel was devastated as well. It might have been a one-night stand, but Carol was still Ethan’s mother.
“I’m sorry,”
he said sincerely, unable to fathom why she would do something like this to her own newborn child. How could any parent...
And the fact that she’d been human, like her brother, made it even more implausible for her to have done it alone.
Ethan could recall his birth clearly, just as he’d recalled being in her womb.
Just like he remembered the tube in his mother’s hand.
Raziel had been right. The Sollis had been put there intentionally.
Zymore returned to the living room, his hands stuffed into his pockets, a nonchalant air about him. Standing, Raziel tracked him with narrowed eyes.
The guy could be avoiding his gaze because he’d been kicked out of the room, but Zymore was never one to back down. Something felt wrong. His instincts screamed it.
“Where were you?”
Raziel asked, his voice low and clipped, drawing everyone’s attention.
Zymore stopped near the center of the room. “Needed fresh air.”
The son of a bitch was lying. Raziel’s jaw tightened. “Fresh air?”
“Yes.”
Zymore sighed. “You know, the stuff you breathe in and out of your lungs.”
The atmosphere grew heavier, the silence thick with tension. Stewart, standing near the back of the room, glanced uneasily at Killian, who stood rigid, his jaw tight. Quinton straightened from where he leaned against the wall, his eyes sharpening. Ryker bared his canines, looking as if he was ready to maul the angel.
Cody shifted beside Raziel, his fingers brushing his arm lightly. The warmth of the touch grounded Raziel for a moment, but it didn’t diminish the knot tightening in his chest.
“You’re lying,”
Raziel said flatly.
“Like I give a shit what you think,”
Zymore snapped. “Paranoia doesn’t suit you.”
“Paranoid?”
Raziel’s voice rose, his wings spreading slightly. He should never have allowed the bastard to stay. Sadly, there had been a small part of him that thought maybe the guy was telling the truth, that Zymore really had their backs. “You’re working with him, aren’t you?”
The thought sickened Raziel. He’d allowed the angel—who had stood by and watched him get beaten—around his son, around his mate and the bear shifters.
“You just proved my point,”
Zymore scoffed.
“I’m not paranoid enough,”
Raziel snapped. He looked around for Ethan, only to realize his son wasn’t in the room. Panic set in. How had the toddler slipped from under all their watchful gazes? “Where’s Ethan?”
Everyone glanced around just as the sound of small footsteps drew Raziel’s attention. Ethan entered the living room, the bear no longer in his arms. How had he gotten out of the room? He’d just been standing by Raziel. His tension eased for a brief second at the sight of his son—until he saw the figure stepping behind Ethan.
Bashar.
Raziel’s heart stopped. The corrupt angel placed a hand on Ethan’s small shoulder, his smile calm, almost pleasant. But there was nothing pleasant about the cold gleam in his eyes.
He’d used the Sollis to mask his arrival. That’s why the entity had been so active. Bashar had been using it to spy on them. It dawned on Raziel that it hadn’t been the Sollis saying Cody’s name clearly.
It had been Bashar somehow speaking through it.
“Raziel,”
Bashar greeted, his tone infuriatingly calm. “It’s been too long since your last beating.”
“Ethan!”
Stewart tried to run toward him, but Killian grabbed him and pulled his mate back, a deadly snarl rolling through his chest as he looked at Bashar.
Raziel’s body moved instinctively, his wings spreading slightly as he stepped in front of Cody. “Let him go, you rotten bastard.”
“All in good time,”
Bashar said. The air seemed to thicken, every breath heavier than the last. Raziel’s eyes darted to Ethan, who looked frightened and pissed off as they locked eyes.
Stay calm, amoretto. I’ll get you out of this.
Ethan gave a subtle nod.
Bashar’s gaze swept over the room, his smirk deepening. “It’s funny, isn’t it? How humans will believe anything you tell them. Carol, for instance. She trusted me completely when I visited her after Ethan’s birth. She didn’t even question why an angel would take such an interest in her child.”
“She was my sister, you piece of garbage!”
Stewart shouted.
“She was so eager to see the good in me,”
Bashar continued, ignoring Stewart. “So eager to believe that her son had a higher purpose. The Sollis—such a simple thing to place, really. And now it thrives in so many.”
“She told me to keep Ethan’s secret,”
Stewart whispered. “Carol was trying to warn me.”
“And she had no idea what she’d been pulled into,”
Raziel growled, his gaze burning into Bashar. “You used her faith against her. Twisted her trust into a weapon.”
Bashar’s smirk deepened. “She made it so easy. Humans always do.”
“You’re nothing but a coward.”
Raziel’s wings flared slightly. “Hiding behind a child, using him as a shield. You’ve fallen lower than I thought possible.”
Bashar chuckled. “Coward? No, Raziel. This is strategy. You see, I have no desire to kill Nephilim. They’re far more useful as tools. An army of them, strong enough to destroy angels who refuse to follow me.”
“You’re an idiot,”
Raziel said, his voice steady despite the storm of fury brewing inside him. “You’re going to fail.”
“We’ll see.”
Bashar smirked.
From the corner of his eye, Raziel saw Zymore cross the room, heading toward the front door.
“Zymore,”
Raziel said, his voice sharp. “What are you doing?”
The angel didn’t answer. He simply smirked at Raziel, and then opened the door, stepping aside to let three figures enter. The angels moved with an air of predatory calm, their presence suffocating as they stepped inside the house.
Zymore turned to Raziel, his smile turning cruel. “Teaching your mate not to trust so easily might’ve saved you a lot of trouble.”
“You slow-talking jerk!”
Cody shouted seconds before the room exploded into chaos.
“Killian! Quinton!”
Raziel barked, shocked when the shifters moved instantly. Papa Everhart collided with one of the zealots, their clash sending shockwaves through the floor. Killian took on another, driving his beefy fist into the angel’s face with a loud crack.
The third angel turned toward Nate, who stood with his hands raised, the air around him crackling with energy. Raziel frowned as a sudden gust of wind swept through the room, followed by a flurry of snow that seemed to materialize out of nowhere.
Nice. Maybe Raziel had judged him too quickly.
“Back off,”
Ryker growled at the zealot, stepping protectively in front of Nate. His voice was low, menacing, and the angel hesitated for a moment before charging. Ryker roared and met him head-on, their impact reverberating through the walls.
Raziel’s focus remained locked on Bashar, who had stepped farther into the room, watching the chaos unfold with a smug grin.
Raziel’s blade sang as he drew it from its sheath, the sound slicing through the tense air like a scream. Bashar stepped closer, his movements deliberate, his own blade glinting with a menacing light. The house seemed to groan under the weight of their presence, the room crackling with energy as their angelic powers collided, invisible but oppressive.
“You were a fool when you followed Hadad,”
Raziel snarled, his wings flaring behind him like a storm cloud about to break. “And now you’re a puppet with no strings left to pull.”
Bashar’s lips curled into a predatory grin, his wings snapping wide, the edges razor-sharp and menacing. “Funny, coming from someone who’s string I’ve pulled with such joy.”
He lunged, his blade cutting the air with a deadly hiss.
Raziel pivoted sharply, parrying the strike with a resounding clash of steel. Sparks erupted between their weapons, cascading to the floor like dying stars. Bashar’s strength pushed against him, but Raziel braced himself, teeth bared as their locked blades screeched in protest.
“Is that all you have?”
Raziel growled, shoving Bashar back with a surge of power. The corrupt angel staggered but recovered quickly, his grin returning with an unholy gleam in his eyes.
“Not even close.”
Bashar’s wings beat the air, propelling him forward in a blur. He struck again and again, each blow calculated and brutal. Raziel met him head-on, their movements a blur of speed and precision. The room shook with every clash, furniture splintering and walls cracking as their fight tore through the confined space.
Raziel ducked beneath a vicious swipe, spinning low and striking out with his own blade. The edge nicked Bashar’s thigh, drawing a hiss of pain and a streak of dark, otherworldly blood on the floor. The droplets twisted into a gnarled black rose bush with thorns that gleamed like obsidian. The bloom was a dark mirror to Bashar’s corrupted essence.
“How befitting,”
Raziel sneered, his chest heaving as he squared off with his opponent.
Bashar’s eyes darkened, his grin slipping into a snarl. “Neither are you.”
He raised a hand, summoning a burst of searing light that shot toward Raziel like a spear. Raziel twisted, his wings snapping around him in a protective arc. The light struck his feathers, scattering in a dazzling explosion that sent trails of dark smoke curling upward, the air thick with an acrid, electric tang.
“You’ll have to do better than that,”
Raziel spat, his wings unfurling again, feathers smoldering but intact. He surged forward, his blade swinging in a deadly arc. Bashar blocked it just in time, but the force of the blow drove him back, his boots skidding across the floor.
“You’ve grown soft,”
Bashar sneered, his voice dripping with venom. He feinted left, then struck right, his blade slashing dangerously close to Raziel’s ribs.
“And you’ve grown desperate,”
Raziel countered, deflecting the strike and driving his shoulder into Bashar’s chest. The corrupt angel staggered, his breath hitching as Raziel pressed the advantage, his blade a whirlwind of steel and fury.
Their battle raged, each strike and parry accompanied by the guttural grunts of exertion and the crackle of energy that bled from their clashing powers. The air thickened with heat and the metallic tang of ozone, every breath a struggle against the oppressive force of their fight.
Bashar’s wings flared wide, their edges slicing through the air as he launched himself upward. He dove at Raziel, his blade descending with terrifying speed. Raziel rolled to the side, the blade missing him by inches and carving a deep gash into the floorboards.
Raziel’s eyes narrowed as he sprang to his feet, his wings propelling him into the air. He met Bashar mid-flight, their blades colliding in an explosion of light that sent ripples of energy cascading outward. The room seemed to fold in on itself for a moment, the sheer force of their clash threatening to tear it apart.
“You’ve taken enough,”
Raziel growled, his voice low and menacing as he pressed against Bashar’s blade, their faces inches apart. “And you’ll take no more.”
Bashar snarled, his wings beating furiously as he pushed back. “You can’t stop me”
He twisted, breaking their deadlock and slashing upward. The tip of his blade grazed Raziel’s arm, drawing a thin line of blood that shimmered like liquid gold.
Raziel hissed in pain but didn’t falter. He retaliated with a vicious swing that caught Bashar’s blade, forcing it from his hand and sending it spinning across the room. Bashar’s eyes widened in shock, but he recovered quickly, lunging at Raziel with his bare hands.
They collided with a bone-jarring impact, their struggle devolving into a brutal melee. Raziel drove a knee into Bashar’s stomach, forcing a grunt of pain from his adversary. Bashar retaliated with a savage punch to Raziel’s jaw, the force of it snapping his head to the side.
“You’re finished,”
Bashar spat, his voice ragged as he grappled with Raziel, their wings tangling in a chaotic flurry.
“Not while I’m breathing,”
Raziel snarled, driving his elbow into Bashar’s ribs. The corrupt angel stumbled, and Raziel seized the opportunity, slamming him against the cracked wall. His blade was in his hand in an instant, the tip pressing against Bashar’s throat. “We’re about to find out if an angel can truly die.”
Bashar’s lips twisted into a defiant sneer, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. “Do it, then. Prove me right. Show everyone what you really are.”
Raziel’s grip tightened on the hilt, his chest heaving as his wings trembled behind him. The clash of swords and grunts of effort filled the room, the chaos of battles continuing around them. Just as Bashar shoved Raziel away and lifted his blade, Ethan raced toward them, Cody shouting and giving chase.
“No hurt fudder!”
He stomped his foot. A pulse of energy erupted from his son, rippling outward in a shockwave that sent everyone flying backward. Raziel hit the ground hard, the impact rattling his bones.
“I think he’s pissed,”
Raziel moaned.
Bashar lay sprawled across the floor, momentarily stunned.
“Can boo-sip.”
Ethan scowled as Cody grabbed him and pulled him back.
Raziel leapt to his feet, his blade raised.
But Bashar was on his feet too, baring his fangs.
“You heard my boy.”
Raziel swirled his swords in front of his body, daring Bashar to come closer. Then he raised his blades in a brilliant arc, ready to drive them deep.
The swords hung midair, unmoving. Raziel snatched his hands back and looked around, wondering how this was possible. His weapons were a part of him, only obeyed his command, yet someone had frozen them in place.
The sound of hands clapping drew his attention.
The stranger entered the open front door. Raziel had no clue who the person was, but he felt immense power radiating off the guy. More powers than any angel possessed.
“Who are you?”
Bashar curled his lip. “I don’t recall inviting you.”
“Oh, you didn’t.”
His smile was downright chilling. “Panahasi couldn’t make it, so he asked me to come instead.”
Bashar’s eyes flared at the mention of Panahasi’s name. Although Raziel hated demons, even he knew to have a healthy dose of caution when it came to the demon leader.
But who was this guy?
The stranger smiled at Ethan. “Impressive, squirt. Keep honing your skills and I might have to run away from you,”
he teased.
“Stop talking to my son.”
Raziel closed the distance, putting Ethan behind him.
“Just call me Aldrin.”
He turned, looking Bashar up and down. “He isn’t much, is he? It’s always the cowards who need backup singers.”
He turned back to Raziel. “Right?"
The name didn’t ring a bell, and Raziel had had enough of strangers invading Ethan’s home. He stepped forward, but Quinton snatched him back, shaking his head.
“I don’t care what your name is.”
Bashar tried to hit him with a blast, but it was like throwing a pebble at a brick wall. Aldrin glanced down at his chest, and when his head rose, his face wasn’t exactly the same. It twisted in a terrifying display of fury, his eyes transforming into swirling galaxies. “Turn the boy around,”
he demanded.
Raziel did what he was told, wondering who this person was.
“He created the universe,”
Quinton whispered to him. “You might want to do what he says.”
“You dare strike me with your pathetic powers?”
Aldrin’s voice seemed to bounce off the walls, though he hadn’t raised it. Raziel watched in shock as Bashar and his minions slowly dissolved into tiny particles before they died out.
Raziel gained a whole new respect for the guy.
“Let’s get rid of that pesky parasite, buddy,”
Aldrin said lightly, his eyes gleaming with quiet power. He bent down and tapped Ethan gently on the nose, a playful gesture.
Raziel wasn’t going to stop him.
“Is it gone?”
Stewart asked, his hands clutched to his chest.
Ethan blinked, then tilted his head as if trying to sense the change.
“Like it was never there,”
Aldrin replied with a small smile, straightening. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Trey made me dinner, and I don’t want him piss a me.”
He winked at Ethan, then he showed the toddler how to pound fists.
Before anyone could respond, Aldrin vanished, leaving behind only a faint electrical hum that lingered in the air, as though the room itself was still catching up to his departure.
Raziel exhaled slowly, his wings shifting slightly as he glanced at Ethan. Relief and something deeper—something that felt dangerously close to gratitude—settled in his chest.
Cody raced into Raziel’s arms. He enveloped his mate, soaking in his warmth, unable to believe it was finally over. He no longer had to drink that nasty concoction or run from Bashar and his…backup singers. That made him smile.
“I love you.”
Cody gripped him tighter. Raziel nearly staggered at the confession. It was the first time anyone had ever uttered those words to him.
“I—”
He swallowed roughly, unsure he could get the words out. Cody had come to mean the world to him. His mate held a quiet strength that Raziel never wanted to live without. The human had given him something so precious, it made his chest ache in the best way.
Love.
“You don’t have to say it back.”
Cody glanced up at him, his eyes shining brightly.
“Just three little words.”
Quinton clapped Raziel on the shoulder as he walked out of the room.
Raziel looked back at his mate, his throat tight, his heart racing. It wasn’t that he was ashamed of saying the words. It was just that…Raziel had never uttered them to anyone before. “I—”
He swallowed roughly. “I love you too, kitten.”
Tears brimmed in Cody’s eyes, his lips quivering. “Let’s see if you feel that way after dinner with my parents.”
“Why are you about to cry?”
Alarmed, Raziel searched his mate’s eyes. He thought declaring his love in return would be a good thing but maybe he was wrong. It was how he truly felt and he didn’t want to take them back.
“You have so much to learn.”
Cody chuckled, brushing the stray tear away.
“No cry, Coby.”
Ethan clung to Cody’s leg. Raziel lifted his son into his arm, using the other to hold his mate. His life couldn’t be any more complete than it was at that moment. He was finally able to hold his son the way he’d craved, and his spitfire mate had stuck by his side, even when Raziel had tried to push him away.
“We’ll talk,”
Killian said to Raziel, a warm glint in his eyes as he gazed at Ethan. “I don’t see any problems with you hanging around the house.”
Raziel would spend every spare moment he had with his son, but he already had a home, and it was with his little vet tech and their traumatized cat.
THE END