A lot. Especially coming fromher.
Before I could reply, a noise from behind me drew our attention. Helena had begun to stir, slowly climbing to her knees as she moaned in pain. As I watched, she felt around the ash and dirt until she located her knife, then gripped it tightly as she stood, staring around wide-eyed at our new surroundings. Turning to face me, she swallowed, her other hand coming up to rub her throat where I’d gripped her.
“What happened?” she croaked, voice ragged, one hand against her head as she narrowed her eyes. Before her, the knife wobbled in the air, her hand unsteady as she attempted to look threatening. “Where the hell are we, demon?”
“Hell, actually,” I drawled, arching an eyebrow. “Or as close to it as possible since the ways were closed. This is what you would call Purgatory.”
“No.” The terror on her face was potent. Turning to Delilah, Helena pointed one gnarled finger at her, the scar that stretched across her face causing her expression to twist asymmetrically, looking almost painful. “You did this. You’ve cursed us all.”
“What?” Delilah was as dumbfounded as I was. Standing, she clutched the relic against her chest, squinting at Helena in confusion. “I didn’t do anything.”
“You did. You brought us here!” Spinning in a circle, Helena staggered around, looking disoriented as she took in the bleak, barren surroundings. “The rumors are true. The balance must be restored. You’ve ruined everything and doomed us all!”
“What are you talking about, woman?” I snarled, my wings twitching with irritation. “Speak plainly.”
“Samhain approaches, and the Veil must be destroyed!” Helena raised the knife she still held, lips drawn back from her teeth in a grimace. “The Everwood Witch must belong to the Order!”
Chapter thirty
Delilah
She moved so quickly; I had barely registered her words before Helena was in front me again, the knife clutched in one shaking hand as she reached for me with the other.
I didn’t think, just reacted. Raising my arms, I crossed them before me, attempting to protect myself.
But the strike never came.
Without conscious thought, a surge of power rose within me, cresting up and breaking like a wave, the energy spilling like a tsunami across the ashen ground and plowing into Helena. The force halted her in her tracks and knocked her backwards, her feet leaving deep grooves in the ash as she struggled against it.
For a moment, neither of us moved, Helena’s scarred face blank with shock as she blinked at me in surprise.
I was sure my face looked the same.
What had I just done?
Whatever it was, it wasn’t much, but itwasenough to give Archer time to act.
Which was good, because I seriously had no clue how to do it again.
“I warned you once, Helena.” Archer stepped between us, rising to his full height—which was several inches taller than he usually stood—and looming over Helena like Death himself. “Back away from my witch.”
Her chin lifted, her terrified eyes wide as she quivered under the weight of his demonic presence.
I couldn’t blame her; Archer typically carried an air of strength and power, something that had attracted me to him long before I had been willing to admit it.
But here? Inthisform?
There was no denying that he was the ultimate predator. As I stood behind him, watching as his sleek black wings pulsed with his rage, I could fully admit that I was far more turned on than I was afraid.
And I was absolutely afraid. Things had changed rapidly in the last few hours, and I no longer knew where I stood with Archer.
If I had ever known.
“I must deliver her to Belial,” Helena pleaded, as though she could appeal to reason and convince Archer to allowher to take me. “You know what this means. She will be the spark that signals the end of Lucifer’s reign.”
“You lie.”
“They will never stop hunting her,” Helena went on, ignoring his taunt. “You know this. She will never be safe from the Order of the Broken Veil.” She shook her head, smiling grotesquely. “When Belial gets his hands on her, he will not be merciful. Her screams will ring throughout the deepest circle of Hell and—”
