Page 18

Wraith

W e end up staying at Lucifer’s after the war council meeting ends at five o’clock in the morning. None of us can bring ourselves to head home, and I’m sure my mate would like to spend some time with her family before we go to war.

It’s after noon when we drag ourselves out of bed and down to the kitchen. We’re all starving since we hadn’t given food much thought before passing out for the night.

I can’t believe that tomorrow’s the day.

Tomorrow can bring anything. Any of us could die—including my mates, which I’m not happy about, but I know better than to voice those concerns .

I want nothing more than to beg them to remain home and safe from the angels’ wrath.

But I can’t ask that of them when there’s no way I can avoid the battle myself.

I’m one of the four horsemen, and the apocalypse is coming if we can’t stop it.

It’s literally what me, Gael, Octavius, and Riggs were created for—to prevent the coming apocalypse.

We’re definitely not the ones meant to initiate it like the mortals’ stories tell them. It’s always been funny to me how they twist the heroes into villains and villains into heroes. I’ve never understood it, but it’s not really relevant to my life, so I don’t usually worry about it.

But this time, I hope they get it right. If they even realize what’s going down. Humans especially like to bury their heads in the sand and ignore the world around them when they can’t easily explain something away with their science or religion.

“Good morning,” Nex says as we step into the kitchen, his eyes moving to Brenden and then Audrey before he glances away. “Breakfast is almost ready. No one else is up yet—“

“Ahh, but we are.” Lucifer steps into the kitchen, eyes narrowed on the incubus. “I hope you made enough for everyone. ”

Nex nods his head. “I did, sir. I probably made too much, if I’m honest with myself.”

Lucifer waves off his words and gestures for us to follow him. We step into the dining room to find Wren and Ana already seated at the table. Lucifer indicates the seat beside him. “Audrey, if you’ll sit here?”

She glances at us, and we all shrug. If she wants to sit beside him, she can. If she doesn’t, one of us will.

“Sure. Yeah.” She moves to take her seat but freezes when Nex steps into the room.

“Umm…Brenden? Audrey? Would you mind helping me bring the food in?”

My eyes narrow on him, but he shoots me a pleading look, and I have to bite back a sigh.

None of us are happy about the incubus’s actions, but he’s doing everything he can to make it up to both Audrey and Brenden. Tomorrow, we’re going to war, and I’m sure he wants to say his piece before then. I can’t blame him for that.

I nudge Audrey toward him. “Go.”

She stares up at me in shock. “What?”

“Go help him. You’ll need to hear him out eventually, won’t you? Do you really want to go into battle tomorrow with all of this hanging over your head? ”

She looks uncertain, her eyes searching out Brenden, who just shrugs.

Brenden is much better at hiding what he’s feeling, but right now, even I can tell he wants to hear Nex out. He also won’t do it if it’s not what Audrey wants.

“Yeah. Sure. I guess we can do that.” She grabs Brenden’s hand and they follow Nex back into the kitchen.

I stand beside the doorway, my back flat against the wall, as I nod for the others to take their seats. Cassian makes a face and sits in the seat next to Audrey’s—asshole. Not that I blame him. I would’ve done the same damn thing.

Donovan, on the other hand, shakes his head and flattens himself on the other side of the door.

We both turn our heads so we can hear what they’re saying.

“I know neither of you is ready to forgive me, and I understand that. I’m not going to talk about how badly I fucked up because we all know that, and there’s no reason to go through it again.

But I can’t go into tomorrow without saying this.

” Nex pauses. “I love both of you, and I plan to spend the rest of my days making this up to you. It doesn’t matter if you never want anything to do with me.

I will do what I can to make your life easier.

I will do anything you ask of me except leave you. None of us will survive being apart.

“If you want me to clean the toilets every day or scrub the floors with a toothbrush every other day, I don’t care.

Anything you want from me is yours. If the worst happens tomorrow and I don’t make it, I want you to know I’ve spent the last few weeks enjoying providing for you.

It doesn’t make a dent in what I owe you, but it’s a start.

I don’t wish the pain of my death on either of you, but if that’s what it comes to, I’m okay with it.

Especially if it means I can protect you.

“And I just want to say I’m sorry once again.

I don’t want to be the man who does things like what I did to you.

Both of you make me want to be a better man, and I’m working on that.

I need both of you to take care of yourselves tomorrow.

No playing the hero to save someone else.

” Nex clears his throat. “I know it’s selfish of me, but the idea of anything happening to the two of you makes me want to lock you in a room and leave you behind. ”

“If you think for one second—“ I snort at Audrey, who, of course, focuses on that one part of his speech.

“I said I wanted to—not that I would try to,” Nex says, cutting her off.

“I know both of you will insist on being there tomorrow. All of your mates know that, Audrey. They know that arguing with you won’t do any good, so they’re not bothering.

I know it’s hard to trust me, but if there’s anything you can trust me on, it’s this—if they could get away with it, they’d lock you in a room and leave you there where you’re safe. ”

Audrey makes an outraged sound, but Brenden chuckles. “He’s right, firecracker. I’d lock you and all your mates in a room if it could keep them safe and you happy, but that’s not how we’re going to win this. Nex, you know where I stand on this.”

“I do. You stand beside Audrey and the decision she makes. I understand. I don’t expect forgiveness. I just needed to tell you to be safe and that I love you.”

“I’m glad you don’t expect forgiveness because I can’t give you that.” Audrey’s voice is much softer now. “But please keep yourself safe as well. I’ll never be able to forgive you if you die.”

Silence falls in the kitchen before I hear shuffling footsteps. Donovan and I hurry away from the door and drop into our seats just as Audrey and Brenden step into the room, with Nex following right on their tails.

When Brenden leans over to place the platter of pancakes and French toast on the table, he turns his head. “Don’t think I didn’t know you and Donovan were listening.”

My eyes shoot up to Audrey, who’s taking her seat, but she is talking quietly with her family.

“She doesn’t know, and I understand why you needed to listen. We’re going to be okay, Wraith.”

When Brenden goes to straighten back up, I grab his arm. “You don’t know that.”

“You’re right.” His smile is sad. “But I’m going to keep holding onto hope that we’ll all make it out of this unscathed—that we’ll eventually be able to work this out with Nex.”

I nod, releasing him.

Hope can be a dangerous thing, but it’s the only thing that’s going to get us through the next couple of days.

“I know your answer, but I have to ask. Do you think the three of you can stay behind tomorrow?”

I bite back a laugh at Lucifer’s question, my eyes flashing to him, Audrey, Wren, and Ana. All three women roll their eyes as Lucifer slumps back into his seat.

“The Fates told me I have a destiny, and I think they were talking about this,” Audrey says, her voice soft as she reaches for Lucifer’s hand. “Everything in my life has been leading up to this moment, even if I didn’t know it. Wren’s too.”

“I’m sorry, Dad, but Audrey’s right. This is something we have to do.” Wren reaches for Lucifer’s other hand, tears shimmering in his eyes.

“You called me Dad.”

Wren grins. “Isn’t that what you are?”

Lucifer nods, turning his attention to Audrey, who snorts. “Yeah, no. We’re not there yet. Maybe one day.”

He beams at her before his attention falls to Ana. “And you?”

“If you think I’m letting my daughters battle a tyrannical angel without me, you’re sadly mistaken. ”

Lucifer huffs but nods. He already knew what their answers would be, but I guess he had to try. It’s the same thoughts that have been running through my head, but I know better than to mention them to Audrey. She’d hand me my ass if I implied she wasn’t capable of taking care of herself.

“Well, now that we’ve discussed that. How’s everything going with the plan?” Audrey asks, pulling her hand from Lucifer’s so she can eat.

“The mortals are currently evacuating Leyton as we speak. There’s an old nuclear station that’s close enough to affect the city, so we made them believe it was still active and about to blow.

All the cities and towns in the surrounding area are evacuating as well.

” Lucifer eats a few bites of his food before continuing.

“As they leave, we have our forces moving into their places.”

“And you’re sure the angels won’t realize what we’re doing?” Brenden asks, sounding unsure. “If they’re planning an attack there tomorrow, won’t they be watching?”

Lucifer nods. “I’m sure they are, but they won’t see anything we’re doing.

Hecate, Nyx, and Erebus are in Leyton, using their powers to make sure the angels see what we want them to see.

I’ll be joining them after we finish eating.

I also recommend that you head there as soon as possible.

We all need to be in place when they attack, and we don’t want the gods using all their power to keep up the illusions needed for too long. ”

“As soon as we finish eating, we’ll head back to the academy. We’ll get all the students gathered and go to Leyton. I’ll send word to the reapers then, as well.”

“Good. Good.” Lucifer’s voice is gruff when he meets my eyes.

I can see how worried he is about the outcome of tomorrow, but it’s more than that. He just found his daughters, and he’s not ready to lose them. Something I can completely understand. I’m not sure how we’ll survive if we lose any of Audrey’s mates, let alone her.

Nope. We’re not thinking about that.

If I do, I won’t be able to do what needs to be done.

All I can do is hope everything works out in our favor, and at the end of this, that we’re all together.

It’s not a guarantee, but I’m damn well going to do what I can to make sure it happens .

A glance at Cassian, Donovan, Brenden, and Nex shows they plan to do the same.

We’ll do our damnedest to keep our mate safe, without smothering her.

After all, apparently, this is her destiny—no matter how much I hate it.