PART ONE

Hell’s Nightmare

1

THE DEMONIC HAD TRIED TO BREAK ME OVER AND over again, but even with my dress drenched in Will’s blood, I stayed standing. This night had begun so beautifully and so full of happiness, and it had ended in terror and blood. But this wasn’t over yet. Will wasn’t dead. The demonic had done this to him, and now only a demonic reaper could save him.

The tip of my sword pointed at Cadan’s chest, but he looked more concerned for me than afraid for his life. The others—Ava, Marcus, and Sabina—couldn’t help me, but I knew Will’s brother could. He was the only person I knew who had met a Grigori, the angels bound to Earth instead of Hell, and the Grigori knew everything about angelic magic and medicine. Will was dying from a reaper’s venom, and only the Grigori would know how to heal him. I needed Will by my side to win this war. I couldn’t defeat Sammael and Lilith and their demonic legions without him.

Cadan’s opalescent gaze was fiery and hard on mine. “Ellie, you can put your sword down. Tell me what happened.”

“I wouldn’t ask this of you if I knew of another way,” I told him. “You’re the only person who can help me.” I held at swordpoint someone who loved me and asked him to save the life of the one I loved. It was so screwed up.

“I told you I’d do anything for you,” he said, but I caught the hesitation in his voice. “I keep my promises.”

“I don’t care what I have to do or how dangerous it is.” I sniffed, my hand and sword shaking. “I just have to save him.”

“Ellie.” He slowly moved toward me, his hand out. His jaw clenched in pain as the angelfire licked up his arm to his rolled-up sleeve. He took my wrist and pushed my arm away before the burn did any permanent damage to his skin. His body was close to me, so close that I wanted to fall into him and be wrapped in his arms, to just be held and cry myself to exhaustion. Will always did that for me. That was no one’s job but his.

With a sob, I let my sword vanish, and Cadan exhaled with relief and pulled me into him, his eyes roving over my bloody and tattered dress. His hands fell on my waist and his thumb pressed hard against my skin, testing me, I assumed, for injury. When I didn’t flinch from pain, he sighed again.

“This is all Will’s blood?” he asked.

I nodded and wiped at the tears on my face. “Merodach brought another reaper with him—Rikken. Will killed him, but not before he was bitten. It’s some kind of venom. I don’t know.”

“I knew Rikken,” Cadan said. “A bottom-feeder Bastian scooped up when he discovered what Rikken could do. Bastian collected the unusual ones and ensured they remained loyal for when he would need their abilities.”

“The Grigori know everything, right?” I asked shakily. “About angelic medicine and magic? They would know how to save him. They have to!”

“It’s likely,” Cadan said. “But the Grigori I know is dangerous. Taking you to Antares could do more harm than good. I have a friend who can give us a better lead.”

“Antares? The Watcher of the West? She’s the Grigori you know?”

He nodded tiredly. “She’s one of the four elemental Cardinal lords. She’s also the Grigori that I—and Will—descend from. Bastian’s line.”

“But Bastian was demonic,” I said, confused. “Only the angelic reapers are descended from the Fallen Grigori angels. The demonic reapers are descended from Sammael and Lilith. That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Bastian’s father was angelic.”

“You’re joking,” I said. “There’s no way that Bastian is half-angelic.”

“My grandfather was a direct offspring of Antares. This is a very, very well-guarded secret. Antares’s blood in our veins makes us more powerful, but our blood isn’t as pure as a reaper who’s closer to the source like Merodach and Kelaeno. They came directly from Lilith’s womb.”

“Will killed Kelaeno,” I said, defiant of his claim. “And my angelfire scarred Merodach.” Those two had monstrous strength, but Will and I had both proved they weren’t invincible.

Cadan gave me the smallest of smiles. “You are an archangel and Will is a bit of a freak. You’re lucky to have him as your Guardian.”

Tears burned my eyes. “But I won’t if he dies.” I needed Will. I loved him and I couldn’t do this without him.

“Ellie, please sit down for just a minute. I’ll get you something to drink.”

He directed me to the sofa and crossed the living room into the kitchen. Alone, I couldn’t help but look around. His apartment was spacious and decorated with a lot of glass and modern artwork. Across the living room was a wall of windows, stretching from floor to ceiling and overlooking a large balcony. Beyond, the city blazed. I was suddenly aware that I was alone in a demonic reaper’s home. It was so normal here, and that observation surprised me. Had I expected demonic reapers to live in caves or in a hollow tree somewhere? Sometimes they were so…human.

Cadan returned with a glass of water. I accepted it, but I could only take one sip before I started to feel ill.

“I’ll take you to the place my friend frequents,” he said. “He knows a Grigori named virgil, so we’ll look into this lead before we jump to a more dangerous one.”

“Then let’s go.” I shot to my feet. “We’re running out of time.”