Page 11

Audrey

I step away from Wraith’s hold as the shadows melt away, and my eyes rove over the room I find myself in.

This must be the penthouse Wraith referred to. It’s very modern, with all sleek lines and monochromatic colors. It’s very different from the house we call home.

“Brenden should be here for this conversation.” Wraith hooks my chin with his finger, lifting it until I meet his gaze. “I’m going to grab him from the academy. Cassian probably isn’t too far behind us. Don’t answer the door. Let Donovan do it.”

I wrinkle my nose. “Why can’t I answer the door?”

Donovan scoffs. “Because he doesn’t trust Cassian. Plus, I’m still feeling feral. It would make me feel better if you let me get the door when he arrives.”

“Oh, so you can punch him again?” I cross my arms over my chest, popping out my hip and glaring at him. “Is that how you plan to greet my mate?”

Wraith’s strangled laughter dances through the air. “I’ll be back in a moment.”

Then he’s gone, leaving me staring at my hellhound mate with lifting eyebrows. “Well?”

“I…ummm…Well, no. I don’t plan to punch him again. I’m sorry, pretty girl, and I’ll apologize to Cassian as well. Hearing that he was your mate and knowing the issues he and Wraith have, something just snapped.” Donovan steps toward me. “Please don’t be mad.”

A knock on the door cuts off any response I might have made.

“Are you going to answer it?” I ask, and he smirks.

“I am, mate. I just wanted to make sure it was okay with you first.” He spins on his heel and opens the door to let Cassian in. “Cass, I owe you an apology—”

Cassian chuckles, waving off Donovan’s apology. “You don’t. It’s not the first time you’ve punched me because you were feeling possessive.”

I startle when Wraith and Brenden appear out of the shadows, shaking my head as I laugh at myself. Maybe I’ll eventually get used to people popping into the room out of nowhere.

Brenden rushes across the room, pulling me into a kiss. “I missed you.”

“You goof,” I laugh, pulling away from him. “You saw me this morning. It’s only been a few hours.”

“Seconds away from you is too long,” he tells me as his eyes flicker to Cassian. “This is the new mate?”

I hum. “It is.”

He nods, sauntering across the room to offer the fallen angel his hand and flashing him a bit of fang. “I’m Brenden. Don’t fuck with Audrey. If you hurt her, I have no problem killing you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Cassian says easily. “I’m Cassian.”

“Now that we’re all here, let’s get this done and over with.” Wraith is clearly not happy, and I once again wonder what his and Cassian’s deal is. “Let’s sit down. If I’m going to be forced to be in your company, I at least want to be comfortable.”

“Wraith,” I hiss, eyes wide, but Cassian just waves it off.

“Don’t worry, little mate, I’m used to Wraith’s disdain as well as Donovan’s possessiveness. Why don’t we sit?” He gestures toward the couch.

Not knowing what else to do, I take a seat in the middle. Brenden zooms over to sit on one side of me while Cassian sits on the other side. Donovan and Wraith share the couch across from us.

When no one speaks, I glance around at them. “Don’t all speak at once. I was promised I’d be told what the fuck is going on, so someone needs to get to talking.”

Wraith frowns, his eyes finding Cassian once more before he shakes his head. “Angels aren’t exactly what you think they are, trouble. They’ve become what they are because of human’s beliefs. Angels have usually existed in one form or another throughout history, in one religion or another, but they haven’t always appeared as this. The dominance of Christianity is what gave them this form.”

“We’re actually demigods,” Cassian picks up.

My head snaps toward him. “As in, one of your parents is a god?”

“That’s usually what that means, yes.” He snorts. “When a god procreates with a human, a demigod—or angel, as we’re more commonly known now—is born. Because we are their children, most of the gods wanted us to live with them. I guess the most common name for it currently is heaven.”

I nod slowly. “But heaven’s gates have been closed.”

Cassian scowls, rubbing his hands against his jean-clad thighs. “They have been. Ophelia, Sol, and myself were banished from heaven as a punishment.”

“A punishment for what?” I ask, cutting him off.

“I’d rather not talk about that now.” He sighs, glancing at me. “Could we table that particular conversation for now?”

I shrug. I doubt it has any importance to what we’re discussing, so I gesture for him to continue.

“We were banished to the underworld where we were tasked with judging the souls of the dead—deciding which part of hell they would reside in. It was meant to be a temporary punishment, but when the gates were closed, we weren’t given the option to return home.” I’m surprised to realize he doesn’t sound bitter like I expected. “I have long since accepted my role in the world. The underworld isn’t a terrible place to live.”

“So angels are demigods. That probably means you have powers that aren’t anything like how Christianity describes them.” At Cassian’s nod, I bite my lip. “The three of you are who my soul would’ve been sent to if I failed at the academy.”

Cassian glances at Wraith. “Something tells me that was never going to happen, but yes, it is the three of us who would’ve weighed your soul.”

“Well, that’s cool. Maybe you can explain how you knew I was your mate?” I cuddle into Brenden’s side when he wraps his arm around my shoulders. “As a witch, I’m unable to sense my mates.”

“You’re no witch, little mate.” Cassian frowns. “Why do you believe you’re a witch?”

“Ummm…because my parents were witches. My twin Wren and I have fire magic like our mom.” Lifting my hand, I call on my fire to make a flame in my palm, jerking back when I notice it’s purple. “Why is my fire purple?”

Wraith and Donovan lean forward with matching frowns.

Cassian, seeming to understand something is wrong, clears his throat. “It hasn’t always been that color?”

I shake my head, unable to tear my eyes off the purple flames. They’re gorgeous, but I don’t understand why the color has changed. “When I was alive, it was just like every other fire. Even once I relearned my magic at the academy, it was just plain old flames.”

“When was the last time you used your fire magic?” Wraith asks, reaching out to run his fingers through it. He hisses, jerking them back and frowning at the burn on his fingers.

“What the fuck, Wraith?” I release my hold on my magic and spring across the room. “Why would you do that? Fire burns. That’s not something new. We need to get this under cold water.”

He shakes his head. “No, it’ll heal, but the fire you just called is no ordinary fire, trouble.”

“Duh. That’s why I asked why it was purple.”

“That’s not what he means, pretty girl.” Donovan pulls me into his lap. “As Death, Wraith is immune to damage from elemental magic. Your fire from before wouldn’t have burned him. There’s only one kind of fire that can burn Death.”

I swallow hard, my stomach in my throat. That doesn’t sound ominous or anything. “And what kind of fire is that?”

“Hellfire.” It’s Cassian who answers, eyes wide. “You can wield hellfire.”

My eyes find Wraith, not understanding why everyone is freaking out. “I feel like I’m missing something here.”

“Me, too,” Brenden adds.

“There are very few who can wield hellfire. There are the six gods who live in the underworld—Lucifer, Nyx, Hecate, Thanatos, Hypnos, and Erebus—and their descendants. A few of the more powerful demons, War—I mean Octavius—hellhounds. There are a few others, but they’re all from the underworld.” Wraith gives me a grim smile.

Tee hee. The original Grim Reaper gave me a grim smile.

I bite back my laughter, understanding this isn’t the time.

This happens sometimes when I get overwhelmed. My mind latches onto something that will make me laugh. It can be really annoying in serious situations such as this.

“So, what does that mean?” I ask, still really fucking confused.

“It means, little mate, that you’re not a witch at all.” Cassian pauses. “Or at least not a full witch.”

Wraith hums. “It’s possible you’re a direct descendant of Hecate. She was the original witch, and those from her bloodline have always been more powerful.”

“But she wouldn’t be able to be more than a generation or two removed.” Cassian rubs his chin, deep in thought. “You said your mom is a fire witch?”

“Yes, and before you can ask, her fire was never purple.”

“Hellfire comes in many different colors,” Donovan informs me. “It just depends on who’s wielding it. My hellfire is green, but my brother’s is blue.”

“Wraith, is it possible that one of Hecate’s sons is roaming Earth?” Cassian asks.

Wraith shrugs. “It’s possible. As you’re aware, the gods of the underworld aren’t sleeping like the gods were in heaven. If they’re even still sleeping. Who knows with those lazy fuckers? For all I know, she could have given birth to a dozen children in the last hundred years. I don’t make it over to Elysium all that often.”

I bury my head in Donovan’s neck, sucking in lungfuls of his scent. It instantly calms me. “What does any of this mean?”

“It just means you’re just as special as I always knew you were.” Donovan wraps his arms more snuggly around me.

“But it also means we have no idea what you are,” Wraith admits.

Of course not. How many times have I heard someone tell me I’m something more than a witch since arriving in the underworld? I didn’t believe any of them, but now, I’m beginning to wonder.

I saw the burn on Wraith’s hand, and they have no reason to lie.

“Awesome. Great.” I sit up, shaking my head. “If we don’t know, then let’s talk about something else. Like why you and Cassian don’t get along?”

Wraith clears his throat. “I don’t really think that’s relevant to the conversation—”

“They used to be lovers,” Donovan murmurs in my ear, loud enough for everyone else to hear. “Well, the three of us used to be lovers.”

“Oh.” I lick my lips, my mind immediately picturing the three of them together. My thighs rub together, because the idea of the three of them together? Yeah, that’s hot as hell. “But not anymore. What happened?”

“We had some differences of opinions,” Wraith says haughtily, leaning back to stare up at the ceiling.

Cassian snorts. “Yeah, I guess you could say that.”

Glancing between the two of them, it’s clear they’ve never resolved whatever ended their relationship. They’re going to have to if we want this to work. Deciding that now probably isn’t the best time to bring that up, I focus on Cassian. “Earlier, I asked how you knew I was your mate.”

“Hmmm, yes.” Cassian has to tear his gaze away from Wraith. “My mother was one of the Fates. I inherited her power to see the lines of fate…or at least some of them. I’m not proficient like she and my aunts are, but our mate bond was lit up like a neon sign.”

“Oh. I…uh…I guess that means I met your mom.” At his confused look, I laugh. “Donovan found a spell for me to prove that he was my fated mate. It sent us somewhere else where the Fates spoke to me. They failed to mention that one of my mates was related to them.”

Cassian frowns. “My mother and her sisters are meant to be sleeping with the other gods. I haven’t been able to make contact with any of them. How were they able to speak to you?”

I shrug. “I have no idea.”

“What did they say to you?” he demands, and I’m a little taken aback. He sighs. “I’m sorry. It has been a very long time since I was able to speak with my mother. I miss her and my aunts a great deal.”

“That’s okay. I understand.” Donovan and I relay our vision with the Fates.

Once we’re done, Cassian is on his feet and pacing the room. “You are already mated to the three of them. That means myself and someone else might not be mated to you. Do you know who the other is?”

“I do. He’s a professor at the college. Nex Novak?”

“Nex? Seriously?” Cassian freezes, his gaze falling on Wraith. “Does this mean we need to find some way to break his curse?”

“I don’t know.” Wraith sighs. “We have so many questions and very few answers when it comes to Audrey. Maybe you can try reaching your mother? If she’s spoken with Audrey, then maybe she’s awake?”

Cassian shakes his head. “I try to reach them every night in my dreams and haven’t been able to. I will do what I can.”

“I feel like this gets asked a lot,” Brenden says with a smirk. “But what now?”

Silence falls over the room, and I realize none of us have any idea where to go next. Where can we find the answers we need?

“Maybe we should try to find my mom?” I ask quietly. “Wren said she went AWOL after my death—which is very unlike her—but I feel like she might be the only one who will be able to give me any insight on what I am.”

Wraith nods slowly. “That’s not a bad idea. I’ll get someone to track her down.”

“In the meantime,” Cassian says, looking at me shyly. “I’d really like to get to know my mate.”

Wraith and Donovan tense, and I narrow my eyes. If the two of them are about to tell me I can’t, they’re going to have a fight on their hands.

“I’d like that a lot.” While I’m speaking to Cassian, my eyes never waver from Wraith.

“Fine,” he snarls. “You can come visit her on the academy grounds. She doesn’t like crowds, and I don’t want her traveling to Ephonia without one of us. At least not until she’s more familiar with the city.”

Cassian shrugs. “That’s fine with me.”

The two of them glare at one another, and the tension in the room ratchets higher.

“It’s getting late, and Audrey wanted to visit with her friends.” Donovan’s voice breaks their stare off. “Why don’t you call Diana and Celeste and let them know you’re on your way to see them?”

I nod, eyes still moving back and forth between Wraith and Cassian. “I can do that.”

“Then I will take my leave.” Cassian offers me a smile, pulling his phone out of his pocket and handing it to me. “If you’ll put your number in my phone, I’ll call you to set up a time for us to get together.”

I do as he asks before handing it back. “I look forward to it.”

“As do I.” He nods at me once more before heading for the door, leaving me with my three mates.

Holy shit. I have a lot to catch my friends up on.

Rising to my feet, I dial Diana.

“Great news, Di,” I say as soon as she picks up. “I’m on my way to see you and Celeste. I have so much to tell you two.”

Maybe they’ll be able to help me wrap my head around everything I learned today.