Demon Fire (The Angel Fire Book 3), Marie Johnston [books suggested by bill gates TXT] 📗

corruption had exposed more of Numen than her kind had thought.

Andy had shown himself capable of much more. The more she could prove he’d done, that Jameson hadn’t been the only brains behind his machinations, the safer her team would be, or any angel who went after Andy. Her kind hunted demons. Hurting a human was a hard limit, killing one worse. She refused to let that little bastard be responsible for another angel’s wings.

“Will there be answers?” she asked.

“To what?” he replied coyly.

“Who’s my father?”

“Why do you think I’d know?”

She rolled her eyes, fed up with his sleaziness. “Before Stede showed up, there were only two beings in all the realms that knew, and one is dead.”

“Yes, your father mourned the fact that he couldn’t hang on to your mother before she delivered.”

Bile rose in her stomach. Her mother had suffered, and Andy sounded as regretful as the demon who’d hurt her.

He separated his hands and tapped his fingers on the table. “I’ll give you some information in return, since it feels as if the power dynamic’s a bit lopsided.”

“You’re so kind,” she said wryly.

“I consider a demon my father.”

“How?” She couldn’t come up with a way. Andy was human. He was evil all by himself, but he was human.

“He possessed the man who impregnated my mother.”

Her eyes flared. They’d known it was possible, but most children who resulted from possessed copulation didn’t know it.

“Mm.” His eyes lit at her shock. “And you’re like my mother.”

Ugh. “How?” She hated that she’d figured out the answer.

“She also fell under Jameson’s spell.” He frowned. “I’m disappointed, actually. I expected more from you.”

Was he saying that to get under her skin? He didn’t know her. He knew of her—and she wanted to know how. “What’s your father’s name?”

“That’s for another time. Now, for the conditions. You can have Jameson’s old quarters. You cannot leave. You’ll have guards twenty-four seven. No outside communication. Everything you need will be brought to you.”

Shit. Restrictions were going to be tight. “That’s a lot of rules.”

“It’s that or a dirty cell.”

She believed him. “Fine.”

“And you can’t tell anyone Jameson is dead.”

Her team had been right. “I see.”

“There’ll be serious repercussions if you do.” He didn’t elaborate.

“Anything else?”

Another sly smile. “I need your blood.”

“We can’t trust her.” Harlowe shook her head, her long braid swinging.

Alma worked on a puzzle of waterfalls at the card table set up in place of a kitchen table, humming quietly to herself. It seemed to unnerve the angels, talking openly around the woman when Sandeen wasn’t in her. Once Boone had realized that, he’d made it a point to only talk around Alma.

Boone had called Harlowe after he and Sierra had gone their separate ways. She’d picked him up and brought him to their new safe house. Alma was a risk, apparently; she was too weak to put on a flight alone to Montana. Nor could they set her up in a house by herself and spare a guard for two places, so they kept an eye on her here, both for her health and in case Sandeen came around again. Alma had been supplied with new puzzles and a tablet for streaming shows.

Boone stood by the table. Harlowe had started watching the Hallmark app with Alma and working on puzzles. The house was nearly identical to the old one, only in a different part of Henderson and without a main-floor office.

“She’s our spy,” he said.

“Who conveniently can’t fight because of her condition.”

“She can get us information. Proof for you to take to the senate.”

“That we can’t trust.”

It was like talking to a brick wall. This angel didn’t know what Sierra had gone through to protect her feelings. “Sierra doubts your senate will let you do anything to Andy. There’s been too much turmoil, too much corruption. She thinks they won’t budge from protecting all humans, that being the divine angels’ area.”

Harlowe’s jaw worked. So Sierra wasn’t the only one who thought that.

“But Sierra can hurt him. If it comes to that, she’s already fallen, hasn’t she? She can do what none of your team can. She can do what none of your realm can.” He gave that a moment to sink in. “Can you at least talk to the rest of your team?”

“We can’t risk gathering as a group. Not with Sierra involved.” Her voice ended on a rasp and she glanced away.

He understood her hurt, the anger, and the abundance of caution, but Sierra had given up her freedom. “You can still contact them,” he said tightly.

Sullen, she pulled out her phone and went to the corner of the living room, keeping her back to them.

Boone sat down next to Alma. He wished they realized how hard it’d been to let Sierra go. Her plan had one part that had made him agree to it. She’d be safer with Andy than anyone else. When he learned she was pregnant, he wouldn’t hurt her, and he wouldn’t let anyone else hurt her. They risked him using her blood, but she’d argued that it was a negotiation tactic.

He doubted Andy negotiated.

But while Sierra was at the club, she couldn’t get run off the road again.

“I like Sierra,” Alma said. “She’s a strong girl.”

“I agree.” And brave.

“My demon doesn’t want her to get hurt either.” Her soft features crumpled for a moment before she refocused on her puzzle. “I’m worried about him.”

“What? Why?”

“If he told the bad people where we were, then he must’ve been in trouble.”

“Sandeen?” Boone didn’t know anything about the underworld. Sandeen could’ve been in trouble. A demon with a heart of gold? He wouldn’t go that far, but he agreed with Alma. The demon was tricky. He could’ve used the information about the safe house to get himself out of a tight situation.

“Yes. Sandeen.” Her smile was wistful. “I call him my demon, but he’s no demon.”

“Did you see him when he stopped possessing you?”

She shook her head.

“He had horns. And fangs.”

“Bah.” She clicked a piece of sky