“He’s fine,” he answered.

“Good.” I cleared my throat. “We need...to talk about Gabriel.”

“We don’t have to.” Layla placed the glass on the nightstand, next to my mother’s book. “Not right now.”

“We do,” I said. Bambi nudged my hand, and I returned to petting her head. “Has anything happened?”

Layla shook her head as she started twisting the pale strands of her hair.

“I’ve been...patrolling.” Roth said the last word like it was a foreign language. “With everything that happened, I...”

He didn’t finish, but I thought I knew what he’d been about to say. That he needed to be doing something.

“Gabriel hasn’t been spotted. No Wardens have been killed,” Layla continued, staring at Roth. “We did manage to get the school closed.”

“How?”

“I went back the next night, started a small fire that might have done some intensive damage to the classrooms.” Roth grinned.

Smart idea, since all those ghosts were evil to their core. No human should step foot in that school. “What about Stacey and her diploma?”

“They’re finishing the rest of the summer classes at another school.” Layla looked at Bambi, who seemed to be purring. Like a cat. “She wanted to be here, but she’s...”

Layla didn’t need to finish. I already knew. Stacey was hurting. That I could understand.

“I think I took out most of the Shadow People.” I got to the point of this conversation as I watched Peanut eye the snake. “The ghosts are still there, and I guess Gabriel will bring more Shadow People in. I don’t know why, but Gabriel needs me alive. At least until the Transfiguration.”

“We have a little under a month before the Transfiguration,” Roth said, folding his arms over his chest. “A couple weeks until we either find a way to stop Gabriel or the beginning of the end kicks off.”

I closed my eyes. “I can’t...stop him.”

“Trinnie,” Peanut said. “Don’t say that. You can.”

“I can’t.” I answered him without Layla and Roth realizing. “He’s an archangel. You saw what he’s capable of. Even with the angel spikes, we’d have to get close to him. I would have to get close to him. He’s impossible to beat.” Opening my eyes, I stared up at the stars. It was hard admitting this, knowing I was no longer the top of the food chain, but it was the truth. “At least, by myself I can’t. I’m not bonded anymore, and I doubt my father will bond me to another Warden. It’s too much of a risk if Gabriel senses him and decides to use his blood instead of mine. I’m not weak, but I’m not as strong as I was when I was bonded. Even then, I couldn’t beat an archangel alone.”

“So, we need to find a way to weaken or trap him,” Layla suggested. “There has to be something.”

“There is,” Roth said. “I know of one thing that can take down an archangel.”

My gaze shifted to him. “What is it? Another archangel? Obviously none of them want to get involved. My father didn’t even—” I pressed my lips together, wincing as my jaw ached. “They’re not stepping in. It’s up to me.”

“I’m not talking about any of those self-righteous and seriously unhelpful bastards who created their own little homegrown terrorist.” His amber eyes glowed. “I’m talking about the one being who’d love nothing more than to take down one of his brethren.”

Layla twisted at her waist, understanding creeping into her pale face. “You can’t be thinking what I’m thinking you’re thinking.”

“I’m not just thinking it,” he said. “I’m planning it, shortie.”

“Lucifer,” I whispered. “You’re talking about Lucifer.”

“Holy gumdrops,” Peanut whispered.

Roth’s smile was pure violence. “I’m not just talking about Lucifer. I’m talking about releasing him. All we have to do is convince him, and I don’t think that’ll be hard.”

“But he can’t walk Earth in his true form,” Layla reasoned as I eased back against the pillow. “If he does, it forces the biblical Apocalypse into play. God would never allow it.”

“Call me crazy, but I doubt God is okay with Gabriel attempting to give Heaven an STD,” Roth argued. “If Heaven closes its gates, no souls can enter. Those who die will be trapped on Earth. They will either turn wraith or, worse yet, be dragged into Hell and corrupted. Beyond that, there’d be no point in anything. Life would essentially cease upon death. And death will happen at a rate we’ve never seen before, because with the angels locked away, there’s nothing stopping demons except Wardens. Earth would become Hell.”

Gabriel had said as much.

“But why would Lucifer want to stop that?” Layla demanded. “Sounds like a great time for him.”

“Because it’s not his idea,” Roth said. “If Gabriel and Bael succeed? His ego will take a blow I’m not sure he could survive. There’s only space for one Hell and one ruler of Hell. His throne room is lined with the heads of demons who thought they could take over.”

Was it disturbing that I sort of wanted to see his throne room?

Probably.

“So, we’re stuck between one possible Armageddon and another possible Armageddon?” Layla sat back.

“Pretty much.” He nodded. “Either we sit back and wait until Earth goes to Hell—”

“Or we bring Hell to Earth,” she finished. “You think you can convince him?”

“Pretty confident.” He rubbed his fingers under his chin. “I just need to talk to him and hope he’s in a good mood.”

Layla laughed, but it was that slightly crazed-sounding kind of laugh.

“Do it,” I said, spine straightening even though it caused immense pain. Bambi lifted her head, eyeing me like she didn’t think sitting up was a wise idea. “Talk to Lucifer. Convince him. But there’s something else I want.”

“Anything,” Roth swore, and I doubted that was something he did a lot. Perfect.

“I want Zayne,” I said.

“Trinity,” Layla whispered. “He’s—”

“I know where he is. I know that he’s gone. I want him back.” My heart started pounding, Zayne’s voice so painfully real in my thoughts that I sucked in a sharp, brittle breath. There’d be nothing that would stop me. “I will get him back.”

Roth came to the bed and sat. His familiar wiggled on the other side of me. “Trinity, if I could do that, I would. I would do it for both of you. I swear it, but I cannot. No one—”

“Not true.” I met his amber gaze. “Grim can. And before I do a damn thing for my father or for the human race, I want Zayne. I want him back, alive, and I don’t care how selfish that makes me, but he deserves to be here, with me.” My voice cracked, and Roth lowered his gaze. “I deserve that, and the damn Grim Reaper will give him back to me. Tell me where to find him or how to reach him.”

Layla closed her eyes for a long moment and then she asked, “Have you seen him since you woke up?”

“No.”

“Does that mean he’s crossed over?” she asked.

“It could mean that,” I answered. “But Zayne said even death wouldn’t stop him. He wouldn’t have crossed over.”

You know that’s not always true, whispered a stupid voice of reason.

People died unexpectedly all the time—people who still had plans and loved ones. While alive, people fully believed they’d come back if they could, but most of the time people changed when they entered the light. Their desires and needs remained, but they crossed into the great beyond, and whatever that was reshaped them.

But Zayne hadn’t come back, even as a spirit, and I fully believed that if he had crossed over, he would have, even if it was to make sure I was okay.

“But what if he has crossed over,” Layla said quietly. “What if he’s found peace? Happiness?”

My gaze sharpened on her as my chest hollowed.

“What if he’s really okay? And he’s waiting for you when it’s your time.” Tears filled her eyes. “Is it okay to take him from that?”

No.

Yes.

A knot lodged in the back of my throat. What if he was at—No. I couldn’t let myself think that. I wanted him back too much. I couldn’t do this without him. I just couldn’t.

“He would want to come back to me,” I said. “I don’t think he’s crossed over.” The knot expanded, pushing out painful words. “I never got to tell him I love him. I should’ve told him that, but I didn’t and his last words to me were that it was okay—” My voice cracked as I clamped my mouth shut. It took several seconds before I could speak again. “I will get him back.”

“Trin,” Peanut whispered, and I looked over at him. “Think about what you’re saying. About what you’re planning to do.”

“I have thought about this,” I told him and then looked to Roth. “It’s all I have thought about. I know what it means.”

It wouldn’t be easy.

It would be damn near impossible, and I had no idea if Zayne would return to me as a Warden or as my Protector, but that would be a bridge we’d cross together.

Because I would succeed. Gabriel had been wrong. Rage and ruin had not corrupted me. They powered me. I would do anything, give up anything, to make Zayne’s return happen. Anything. Because we’d promised each other forever, and we would have that, one way or another.

Slowly, Roth lifted his gaze to mine and then, after an eternity, he nodded. “I will tell you how to find him.”

And he did.

43

It was a surprisingly cool day for July as I walked the worn dirt path of Rock Creek Park, thick clouds shielding the glare of the evening sun. Sunglasses were still perched on my nose, but I wouldn’t need them much longer. Night was about to fall.