Gold #2
“Which part? Getting out of here or the witch hunt?”
“Both?”
“Have faith, Victoria.”
I huff. “Ironic that you’d be telling the angel to have faith.”
Julian laughs. “There have been many firsts since I arrived here. But we will get out. I’m biding my time. Eventually one of those lesser demons will come in here and we’ll overpower them.”
“He looks like dead weight,” I say, motioning toward Lawrence.
“He’ll be up soon. Whatever was in those syringes wasn’t potent enough to keep me down. Knowing Lawrence, he’s choosing the rest.” He rolls his eyes, but I see the affection he holds for his brother.
“What does Lawrence want with the portal to the Fae kingdom?”
“He’s on a quest …”
“Do you really think it’s a good idea to confide in this angel?” Lawrence says, coming to.
“Nice of you to join us, brother. We’re all locked in here. I don’t see any reason not to trust her.”
“You don’t have to tell me. I get needing to keep your cards close in this place. There are eyes and ears everywhere.”
“At least one of you is thinking straight,” Lawrence says, sitting up. “I meant no offense to you, Victoria.”
Julian doesn’t pay attention to his brother, diving into his agenda. “Our mates.”
Lawrence grunts at Julian’s words. “Speak for yourself. Your mate. My friend.”
Julian rolls his eyes again, and I wonder what that’s all about.
“My fiancé’s sister was stolen at birth and taken to the Fae kingdom. There’s a portal here to that world, and I need to get Lawrence there.”
“I don’t know anything about a portal,” I admit. “Luke never told me about a way to the Fae kingdom.”
“Luke?”
I blush. “Lucifer. When we first met, he told me his name was Luke.”
“So it’s true. You really have captured his heart?”
I shrug. “He has a heart, Julian. He has mine.”
“A devil and an angel? I don’t mean any insult, but how exactly is that supposed to work? He’s evil and you’re pure.”
I snort. “I’m far from pure. I’m fallen, remember. And Luke … he’s not who you think he is, Julian. He’s bound by duty to rule Hell, but he does it for the right reasons.”
“Which are?”
“To preserve humanity. He knows that’s God’s will.”
Julian offers a small smile. “I might find I like this Luke guy.”
I grin. “He’s quite a character. I think you would absolutely like him.”
“Would you two girls stop gossiping and start planning our escape? I’m wasting away over here, and that guy’s screaming isn’t doing anything for my headache.”
I’d completely forgotten the soul undergoing torture. I refuse to look, knowing my stomach will only revolt if I see what’s transpiring.
“What do you plan to do when you get to the Fae kingdom?”
“He’s going to get Molly and get out. The Fae are not known for being welcoming,” Julian explains, and Law huffs.
“What was that, Julian? The Fae are not welcoming? Isn’t that what I told Maggie? And aren’t you the one who told me I was being ridiculous by not allowing her to go?”
“Maggie?” I ask, my head bouncing back and forth between the bickering brothers.
“Maggie is my familiar.”
“His girlfriend,” Julian coughs into his closed fist, earning himself a glare from Law.
“Familiar,” Law emphasizes. “I only want to keep her safe.”
Despite his words, I can tell he likes her. If it’s not something closer to love I see shining brightly in his blue irises. I don’t say any of that, because this isn’t the time for jesting. I want to soak up as much knowledge as possible, because something tells me this is important.
“Why was her sister stolen?”
“We really don’t know. There’s a legend, and we believe the three sisters and my brothers and me have something to do with it, but we won’t know until we bring her home.”
“But didn’t you say your one brother is at war with you?”
He nods. “We also think his revolting has something to do with Molly’s absence.”
“A broken heart?”
“Something like that. We’re hoping that when she’s back, he’ll snap out of whatever spell he’s been under.”
“Will that stop the vampire war?”
“No. There are too many elder vampires and families vying for our crown. They’ll likely continue to come for us even without our brother.
But if we have him by our side, we’ll have better odds of stopping it.
Regardless, a war is coming. Whether it’s the vampire war or something even greater, war’s coming. We must all prepare for it.”
“When this is all over, and I get out of here, I’ll help you in your war.”
He nods. “Thank you, Victoria.”
We sit in silence after that, each lost in our own thoughts. I’m working through various escape plans, keeping in mind what Julian said about the lesser demons eventually coming and our ability to overtake them.
It never comes to that, because River show up and starts barking his orders again. “Time to go.”
“Now?”
“Yes, now. Get a move on.”
I rush to the cell door. When it swings open, he grabs my hand and pulls me toward a wall.
“Am I missing something?”
“This is our way out.”
I stare at the solid wall and wonder what rabbit hole I’ve fallen down. I’m no stranger to the mystical, but Hell is another facet altogether.
“Grab my hand,” he commands, and I shake my head.
“Victoria, there isn’t time to waste.”
“I’ll go if you release them too.” I nod my head toward Julian and Law.
“Can’t. Not enough time.”
I dig my heels in. “I won’t leave until they’re released.”
“Victoria,” he grits through his teeth.
“They have a quest that’s just as important as any we’re on. Please, River. Let them out.”
He groans, but heads toward the door, throwing it open. “You only have a few minutes,” River warns. “I didn’t accept Nolda’s terms, and let’s just say he’s reneged on his plans to let us leave. He’ll be here any minute to attempt to cage all of us.”
Julian and Law rush from the cell, but it’s too late. Heavy footsteps pound the ground heading this way.
River swings around, caging me between his solid chest and the hard wall. My eyes widen as he lowers his head toward mine. For a second, I think he’s about to kiss me, and if he does, I will slap him.
“Of all the inopportune times to make a move, reaper,” I hiss.
“Baby, don’t flatter yourself,” he says into my ear. “Take this. Don’t let them know you have it. You’ll have the upper hand.”
He places a dagger into my palm, and if we weren’t moments away from a fight, I’d turn fifty shades of red at my miscalculation of River’s intentions.
I slip the blade into the back of the belt wrapped around the scraps barely covering my body and don’t miss the way River’s eyes rake down my chest. I flush under his heavy-lidded stare.
“What the hell is going on?” a voice booms around the room, and my body stiffens.
Luke.