Save her. Punish him.
That the demon wished to save first and punish second proved the depths of his affection.
Aeron had scoured the entire city of Buda. He had raided buildings, terrorized citizens and killed. Oh, had he killed, and happily, too, no trace of guilt, having discovered many Hunters still lingering nearby. He might never be able to remove the blood from his hands. But there’d been no sign of Olivia. No hint of her scent. No rumors, no sightings. He. Was. Desperate. And only growing more so.
“Come. There’s no better time to begin.” He led Lucien down the hallway to his bedroom, where he threw open the door.
Legion, who was once again lounging on the bed, sat up. The sheet fell to her waist, revealing bare breasts. “Finally. Are you ready to do this or what?”
He ignored her—as he had since tossing that vial at Strider—so angry with her he no longer knew how to treat her, and stepped aside, allowing Lucien deeper inside the room.
Legion released a frustrated sigh. “Company? Now?”
Wrath hissed at her.
Aeron sensed that the demon liked her still, as he did, despite his rage, because there were no urges to hurt her. But no longer was Wrath calmed by her. She’d destroyed their piece of “heaven,” and neither of them could forget.
Lucien was careful not to glance toward the bed. He stopped in the center of the room and spun slowly. He was here to lock on to Olivia’s spirit trail—a trail he could then follow to wherever she was being held. Aeron’s hands fisted.
“Gods,” Lucien said, the awe in his tone clear. “She has the purest spirit I’ve ever beheld.”
Aeron couldn’t see it, but he could feel it, and nodded. “I know.”
“Who?” Legion asked with a pout.
Again, he ignored her. Six days left until he had to be with her, but just then he wasn’t sure he could do it, even to save his friends.
“I’ll follow it as far as it goes,” Lucien told him, “and if I—”
“When you,” Aeron corrected, a low growl forming in his throat. She is fine. She has to be fine.
The warrior nodded. “When I find her, I’ll come back for you.” With that, Lucien disappeared into the spirit realm to follow that trail.
Gods, he felt helpless. He wanted—needed—to be out there, actively looking for her himself. But his first attempt had wielded no results, and deep down he knew his second wouldn’t, either. Galen could have taken her anywhere, and Lucien would reach her much faster. If Aeron left the fortress now, Lucien would then have to hunt him down, once the warrior discovered her location.
“Aeron!” Legion jumped to her feet, scowling over at him as she clutched the sheet around her. “This is about the angel, I take it. Well, she’s gone. Let her stay gone. We’re better off. Why can’t you see that?”
“We aren’t better off without her,” he shouted, no longer able to temper his ferocity. He faced her, pinning her with the fierceness of his stare. Why couldn’t she see how much he needed Olivia? “She’s better than any of us.”
Disbelief glimmered in her eyes like tears. “I didn’t believe her, but she was right. You…you love her.”
Aeron didn’t allow himself the luxury of answering. If he admitted, even to himself, that he loved Olivia, he wouldn’t be able to let her go when the time came. He would keep her, no matter the consequences. “Tell me what happened when she left. Tell me the truth, damn you!”
She opened her mouth. To lie. He knew it; Wrath sensed it. “Don’t.” With anyone else, the demon would have plagued him with an urge to lie in return. Legion’s sins had never bothered Wrath before, hadn’t even registered, but as pissed as they were with her, things were changing. “The truth, godsdamn it. Only the truth. After everything I’ve done for you, do I deserve anything less?”
“Y-you’re right. I—I’m sorry. I just thought…I thought it’d be easier for you if you thought she was…willing to leave you.”
No. Fuck, no. A raw cry from him, from Wrath. “So Galen…”
“Has her. Yes. I’m sorry, Aeron. So sorry.”
Having his suspicions confirmed…well, he might as well have cut the heart from his chest and torched it. His beautiful Olivia was indeed with his enemy, probably hurting unbearably, for mercy was not something Galen’s army practiced.
He tilted back his head and roared.
“Aeron. Tell me what I can do to—”
“Quiet!” As he glared over at her, he bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood. “You’ve hurt a woman who gave up her life to save us. Us. Not just me, but you. She’s the reason you’re still here.”
“I’m sorry,” Legion repeated raggedly, pulling from his gaze and peering down at the floor. “I really am.”
“Doesn’t matter.” That didn’t bring Olivia back.
Punish.
Wrath’s demand, tossed out so determinedly, threw him. Even though the demon had been edging in that direction already.
She betrayed us.
Careful. Wouldn’t you rather save Olivia? Aeron asked.
Anger morphed into sorrow. Heaven.
He’d take that as a yes. Pushing Legion from his mind, Aeron stalked to the closet and began to prepare for Lucien’s return, strapping on as many knives and guns as his body could hold.
Just in case, he also grabbed what remained of the River of Life. Half the bottle. Strider hadn’t heeded his instructions all that well, but a little was better than none. Hopefully, Olivia wouldn’t need any. But if Galen had hurt her, there wasn’t a hole the bastard would be able to hide in or a piece of fabric he’d be able to shield himself with. In the end, Aeron would find him.
Vengeance.
Yes. Vengeance would be his.
WHAT HAVE I DONE? Legion thought, horrified, as Aeron stalked out of the chamber he’d decorated to amuse her. He was suffering. And she was the cause. He was right. He’d only ever treated her with kindness, and she’d reduced him to this. His eyes were bleak, his voice ripe with despair.
Her stomach churned with sickness. She would have done anything, anything, to make this better for him. Maybe…maybe even step aside so that he could be with Olivia again. No. Don’t think like that. Because she’d made that wretched bargain with Lucifer, her course was set—and so was Aeron’s.
There had to be something else she could do, though. Something that would make him happy again. Something like…
The answer hit her, and she closed her eyes. No, no, no, she thought. Then, Only way.
For Aeron.
With shaky hands, she tugged on her clothes. A pair of pants and a T-shirt she’d borrowed from Danika. She could get the angel back. Not for Aeron to be with, but so that he could finally tell her goodbye. Legion couldn’t follow spirit trails like Lucien, but she could sense her brethren. That’s how she’d found Aeron the day they’d first met. She’d sensed his demon nearby. She could sense Galen, as well.
I should never have let him leave with the angel. Despite the Cloak hiding him, she’d known the moment he stepped into this room. She’d said nothing, too busy hoping he’d destroy her competition. I’m a bad, bad girl.
Find him. Yes. Okay. That’s what she’d do. She’d present Aeron with both Olivia and Galen. And then Aeron would love her again.
“LEAVE ME ALONE, child.”
“I’m not a child.” Gilly placed her hands on her hips, the picture of feminine pique. Too-young feminine pique. “You need someone to care for your wounds.”
“My wounds,” William told her with a frown, “are healing just fine.” Since the moment he’d returned to the fortress, riddled with slices, she’d been fussing over him.