Page 127 of Hell Fae Commander

Melek didn’t want me to die. He seemed to care about Ajax, too. In his own way.

I also suspected he’d helped convince Lucifer not to come after us.

Az had obviously helped, too, but Melek was the one Ty really seemed to listen to. At least from my observations.

Regardless of all that, it was clear to me that the Hell Fae Prince wanted something that none of us could see—and that obviously involved ensuring that we kept breathing.

Melek might be many things, but he wasn’t a liar.

If I did this, he would take the next step required to save Ajax’s life, and that alone was worth it to me. He had said it was dangerous but also something we might all need. Whatever that had meant.

“I’m ready,” I said, done debating it.This is for Ajax. And also for me.

Melek nodded, then slid the blade down his palm.

I copied him as our lips moved, speaking the incantation together.

“Nadeehar Laki Nafsi.”

A punch of power hit me in the chest, making my eyes widen. My hair flung from my face, and Melek’s pupils dilated to pinpricks as immense power filled the room.

Our blood glittered into magical sparkles, drifting up into the air and mixing together in a clear representation of what I had agreed to.

The blood vow paired with our words secured fiery ropes around my soul, making me wonder if this was what it felt like for Az.

But it wasn’t constricting. If anything, it felt freeing, as if I had been yanked up high into the clouds to look down on a new dominion.

One where I was queen.

Careful, little angel. Don’t let the power go to your head.

I blinked a few times, grounding myself.

Was that Melek in my thoughts now?Fucking hell.

Except, I wasn’t grounding myself. I was floating above the bed.

As was Melek.

The magic of our union whirled around us, winding and spinning as it tied together in a multitude of knots. Melek grinned as they turned into silver ropes that fell to the ground.

They disappeared a moment later, as if I’d imagined the odd manifestation.

“Those… will be saved for later,” he said with a wink.

He placed a burning kiss on my hand, the gesture anything but chaste despite the location.

Then he straightened and pressed his lips to my ear. “When this is over, you’ll be begging me to use those on you, little angel. And when I do, I’ll show you what pleasure your body is truly capable of.” He licked the edge of my ear with sensual promise as he added in a more serious tone, “Your deal-making skills are good, but they need work, little angel. Talk to Az. Ask him about Vivaxia…”

And then he vanished, his magic curling around me just like Ajax’s shadows.

I drifted to the bed, only to realize that the deals Melek had brought with him were now scattered from one end of the room to the other.

And for the first time, I could see the hidden, bloodied fingerprints next to the signatures.

I couldseethe blood vows.

Fuck. What have I done now?