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R oman stared out over the city below. The colors of the sunrise crept across the sky, dotting out the stars and chasing the darkness of the night away. And what a night it had been.

He had thought that after he had a taste of Charlotte, he would be done with his infatuation with her, but he was mistaken, very mistaken.

Making love to her had blown his mind. In all his countless years on this planet, never had a woman made him feel as she had. His whole body had felt like it would burst into flames from her touch. Just her kiss scorched him to his very soul. He would never be satisfied; he would always want more.

Memories of her naked body flashed through his mind—the sound of her moans, her plump breasts, the feel of her warm body sliding against his. Roman shifted uncomfortably, his pants tightening as his erection pressed against them. Then, on top of it all, the shock of her being a virgin had been thrown into the mix.

At first, he had been horrified, but then a primal, possessive emotion had consumed him. The thought that he was the only man to have known her body in such a way had pleased him. That she was truly his and his alone. The protective instinct that overwhelmed him whenever the thought of her in danger crossed his mind was uncontrollable. He couldn’t fight it any longer—he had feelings for her. He knew it was crazy, but there was no denying it anymore. As long as he was still breathing, nothing and no one would hurt her or take her away from him.

MINE , his thoughts growled.

He shook himself. What the hell was he going to do? Lucifer wanted her and wouldn’t stop till she was his. Roman wanted to kill Lucifer for even thinking he could have her. If the devil sent his people after her again, Roman had a bad feeling his fellow fallen angels would truly see what he had become.

When he was around Charlotte, he could barely control himself. Since he’d crawled out of Hell, only once had he fully released the beast inside, and it was sheer luck that none of his brethren had been with him that horrible night. When the thought of Charlotte in danger entered his mind, he found it harder and harder to control the turning. His biggest fear would be her seeing it, seeing the monster he really was. The way she had backed away from him in the bedroom had nearly ripped his heart out. She couldn’t find out what he really was. None of them could.

He heard the door to the house slide open. Roman turned, looking back across the yard and the pool to see Armaros standing in the doorway.

“They are all here, Roman. Cassandra is here as well.”

Roman frowned. “Cassandra? Why is she here?”

“She needs to be here. We are going to need their knowledge of the prophecy to figure this out, and we need their help to deal with Lucifer’s witch.”

Roman nodded. If Armaros says we need the witches, then we need the witches. “Okay, I’m coming.”

Armaros went back inside, leaving Roman alone with his thoughts. He turned, looking out over the city once again.

“I won’t let you have her,” he whispered, turning to head back inside.

* * *

Roman watched the fallen sit around the marble table. Lucian’s sired, Declan, was also there. Lucian explained he would stay at the mansion for a while. Since Tora had read his mind, it wasn’t safe for him back at his home. It wasn’t safe for most of the Lycan at the moment. God knew what information she got from his unconscious mind. Lucian had ordered all the Lycan in the compound here in Los Angeles to flee the city until he could guarantee they wouldn’t be overrun by demons. He’d also warned the compounds throughout Europe to be on high alert.

Cassandra, the beautiful yet mysterious witch, also sat amongst them, her long raven hair hanging in long waves down to her waist. Her dark green eyes were bright with curiosity as she quietly sat, watching the angels around her. Her gaze eventually landed on Roman.

He nodded to her. “High Priestess.”

“Roman.” She nodded back. “Thank you for having me in your home,” she added, her gaze drifting over his shoulder.

“Grigori, you are my hero,” Charlotte said from behind him.

Roman turned, his gaze hungrily seeking her out. She stood there, holding a plate with a giant sandwich on it. Grigori was beaming at her, obviously enjoying having someone in the house other than the angels to feed.

He raked his eyes over her. Her beautiful blonde hair was twisted up into a messy bun. She wore his sweatpants and jumper, both items of clothing so big they swallowed her tiny frame. He could tell she had rolled the waist of the pants down several times, trying to make them fit, but they were still baggy and long.

The sleeves of the jumper were rolled up to her elbows, the awful scar the demon had given her visible, triggering an anger deep inside of him that slowly started simmering under the surface.

Hurt her. Hurt what’s mine , his mind whispered.

Charlotte was grinning at Grigori as she walked into the room. But when her storm-gray eyes locked with Roman’s, her smile lit up her entire face.

God, she is so beautiful , he thought as she walked over to him. “Charlotte, what are you doing here? I asked you to stay in the room.” He frowned.

“Come, Roman, the poor girl was starving. You need to take better care of her,” Grigori told him, giving Charlotte a quick wink as he escaped to the other side of the room before Roman could punch the crap out of him.

“In all fairness, I was starving. I also decided since this whole meeting has to do with me, and everyone wants to have a big sit down and discuss my future, it’s only fair I get to be present for it,” she told him matter-of-factly as she brushed past him.

Her scent filled his nose, arousing all his senses. She sat herself down in his seat, all the warriors going silent, looking at her shocked, then glancing toward Roman. None of them seemed to know how they should act. Charlotte seemed oblivious to their reactions, taking a huge bite out of the sandwich and letting out a delightful moan, making Roman shuffle uncomfortably. The sound was so erotic it took all his might not to bend her over the table and rip her clothes off.

“Grigori, this is the best sandwich I have ever had in my life.” She smiled over at the angel.

Grigori smiled back with a laugh. “Grazie, it is a pleasure, my darling. At least you appreciate my exceptional cooking skills.”

“It’s a fucking sandwich, Grigori, not a soufflé,” Lucian said, rolling his eyes, making the others snicker.

“See what I have to put up with?” Grigori threw his hands up, looking at Charlotte and causing her to smile and giggle with a mouthful.

Roman glowered at Grigori, cursing himself for not thinking of it first and ensuring that she had been fed and had everything she needed. He then noticed Cassandra silently watching him with her intense green eyes, her gaze flickering from him to Charlotte, a small smile on her face.

“Roman?” Maalik’s voice brought his attention back.

Roman gave his brother a quick look, then once again glanced around the room. “We’ve got a serious problem, and we need to figure out the best course of action. Charlotte, for some time now, has been having visions, violent demon-filled visions. Sometimes, they appear to be of a near future where Lucifer has risen, bringing with him the demon horde and the Earth has fallen into flames.”

“How do you know she is even telling the truth?” Turel asked, his amber eyes watching Charlotte, his brown shoulder-length dreadlocks swaying as he turned his gaze back to Roman.

“Because I have seen them,” Armaros answered quietly from his seat. “I do not know why, but whenever Charlotte has one of these visions or dreams or whatever the hell they are, I am there as well.”

“Wait, what do you mean there ?” Sabriel asked with a frown.

“Just what I said. I am there with her, watching her, witnessing everything that is taking place. And sometimes, fighting these things and protecting her.”

“They are but dreams. How is it you are fighting demons if it’s not real?” Sabriel asked. “It makes little sense, Armaros.”

Armaros shrugged his shoulders. “It doesn’t make much sense to me, either. All I know is that powerful magic is behind this. If she gets injured, the wound will follow her back here. There has been another instance, just tonight, where something happened, and I don’t just mean in the so-called dream. It was real. Charlotte and I were at the gate to Hell.”

The fallen immediately started talking amongst themselves, some seeming to question what Armaros was saying, and others worried about what was happening. The only person who remained still as a statue and silent was Ariel. Her eyes were wide and remained fixed on Charlotte, her face pale.

“You are sure of this?” Cassandra asked over the top of everyone, the room falling silent as the witch spoke.

Armaros nodded. “Yes, I am certain.”

“Something else happened. Warlock, tell me what it was,” she demanded in a quiet voice, her eyes never wavering from his violet stare.

A hint of shock passed over the tattooed angel’s face. Roman could feel the tension between them. Never had Roman heard one of the witches call him a warlock. They reserved that only for the most powerful males of their kind. It was a sign of respect and honor for a male witch to be called a warlock. The hatred between Armaros and the witches ran deep over centuries. Maybe that slight gesture of the word was the start of forgiveness between them.

Armaros gazed at Cassandra for a moment as if lost for words, the witch nodding for him to continue. “Yes, as I said, we were at one of the gates to Hell. Charlotte was standing on the edge of it when a demon purposefully attacked her, slashing her arm. I was too far away to reach her at that point. As I landed, I killed the demon, but it was too late. Her blood had fallen into the pool of the gate and altered it.”

“Altered it how?” Ariel asked.

For the first time in centuries, Roman thought he saw a flicker of fear in her expression, causing him to frown.

“It was as if her blood unlocked it,” Armaros said, uncertain. “The minute a drop of her blood hit that gate, it turned red and awoke it. The movement and wind coming off the gate were so intense that Charlotte and I had to yell over the noise just to hear each other. Her wound is proof that what I speak is the truth,” he added, as some of the fallen still seemed to question what he was saying.

Roman leaned forward over the back of the chair, gently reaching for Charlotte’s arm. “May I?” he asked her, and she gave him a small, shy nod. “This is what the demon did. Even with Armaros’s healing power, it would not go away.” Roman gently tilted her arm so everyone in the room could see the wound.

“Impossible!” Cassandra’s shocked voice cut through the silence of the room. She rose, making her way around the table to Charlotte. The witch reached for Charlotte’s arm, looking down at her. “Is it okay if I take a closer look?”

Charlotte glanced up at Roman.

“It’s okay,” he assured her. “She is a… friend.”

Charlotte nodded to the witch, extending her arm.

Cassandra gave Roman a small nod, then gently took Charlotte’s arm. She stilled, looking at Armaros. “Do you feel that?”

“Yes,” he nodded. “It’s the same in the dreams as well. The magic is ancient, a long-forgotten power.”

“The magic is almost identical to yours, Armaros. I think that’s why her visions are linked to you,” Cassandra answered, slowly running her fingers along one of the scars while her eyes glowed white, giving her an unnatural appearance.

Several of the fallen jumped up out of their chairs, their hands going for weapons.

“Stop!” Armaros snapped at them all.

Cassandra never took her eyes off Charlotte’s arm, nor did her eyes cease to glow. “I’m not here to hurt anyone.” After she whispered a few sentences too low for Roman to make out, her eyes went back to normal, and she let go of Charlotte, staring at her with surprise. Cassandra looked to Armaros. “Angel blood runs in her veins. Have you not felt it? It is being hidden, blocked somehow. But it is there.”

Angel blood. Roman’s mind spun.

“This is a joke, right?” Charlotte asked nervously from her seat.

“Who are your parents?” Cassandra asked her.

Charlotte sat, shaking her head. “I… I don’t know.”

“How can you not know?” Roman questioned her.

“I was adopted, at least that’s what my grandmother, my foster grandmother, told me before she died.”

“What was her name? Does she have any family?” Cassandra asked her, watching Charlotte closely.

“You really had no idea?” she asked Armaros.

He shook his head. “None. I don’t understand how I wouldn’t have felt it?”

“The angel blood is the cause behind her seer abilities. The question, more to the point, would be, who is her father?” the raven-haired witch asked, looking around the room.

All the fallen shook their heads with a not me mumble. Ariel was texting on her phone while Sabriel looked around, stopping on Gabriel.

“My money is on Gabriel or Phoenix,” she said with a smirk, both the angels immediately glaring at her and yelling insults.

“Is there a way you could use your magic to seek out her bloodline?” Roman asked the witch.

Cassandra shook her head. “Like I said, it’s blocked. I can barely feel it, but I think that’s the reason Armaros didn’t know. His angel blood and essence probably overpowered it. I can barely sense it myself, but I do not lie. This human girl is no human at all. She is a descendant of an angel. Now that I have seen her myself and found this out, I understand why Lucifer needs her to break to seal.”

“And why is that?” Roman asked while his brothers continued to argue amongst themselves about who Charlotte’s father might be.

“For a long time, our elders have guarded and passed down this prophecy, always hoping it would never come to pass. It clearly states the sacrifice must be a seer with the blood of an angel running through their veins. Lucifer must consume her beating heart for the spell to work,” Cassandra told them, the room going quiet.

Ariel rose quickly, heading out of the room.

“Where are you going?” Roman snapped.

Ariel glanced over her shoulder, her fiery red hair shining in the light, never slowing her stride. “Something important has come up. I will ring you later.” And with that, she was gone.

Roman stood, staring at the doorway, stunned. What the hell is more important than what is going on here? he thought angrily.

“You failed to mention that when last we spoke,” Armaros said angrily to Cassandra.

“You never claimed she was a descendant of an angel, so the information didn’t seem important to share. I thought I would come to meet her and find out for myself that the crisis would be averted because she was a mere mortal. But that is not the case.”

Roman couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Charlotte, a descendant of a fallen angel. He had to protect her. Lucifer wouldn’t be the only person after her if this news got out.

The witches, they would want to kill her , Roman thought slowly, turning to Cassandra, his eyes glowing.

“The eradication of our offspring, all those babies and children murdered. It was because of the prophecy, wasn’t it? Not a vendetta. Your kind figured if you wiped out all Nephilim, there would be no prophecy to be fulfilled,” he growled, walking toward Cassandra as she backed away from him.

“Roman!” Maalik’s panicked voice came from somewhere in the room.

Roman could feel the anger, the fire building up inside of him as he clenched his fists, glaring at the witch.

Wants to hurt what’s mine , his mind growled at him.

For the first time in a millennium, he could feel his eyes burning. Not glowing but blazing with red hellfire, his fangs forming in his mouth, not caring that none of his fellow fallen had ever seen them before.

Must protect her.

“You will not hurt her!” he growled, stalking toward Cassandra, her eyes starting to glow with magic.

“I don’t want to hurt her, Roman.”

Armaros stepped in front of her, blocking the witch from his view, the angel’s eyes swirling with their purple magic. “Roman, brother, you must calm yourself.”

But Roman ignored him. The angry beast inside of him was raising its head and taking over. Must protect her. He stalked closer to them. Pure, unhinged fury burned through his body. He would slice Armaros in half and then rip the witch’s head off.

“Armaros, he won’t listen to you. She is his soul mate,” Cassandra’s voice drifted from behind the tattooed warrior.

The dark angel’s eyes widened in shock. “Don’t make me do this, Roman,” Armaros pleaded, lifting his hands, his eyes glowing wildly, balls of violet magic forming in his hands.

Roman roared, opening his mouth and revealing his long fangs. He took two strides, readying to leap at the angel and tear him apart. Then Charlotte’s beautiful face was unexpectedly in front of him.

“Roman.” Her voice stopped him as he looked into her eyes. The color of a stormy sky. The sight of those mesmerizing gray eyes gripped his very soul, guiding him back from the edge. “Roman, please, you’re scaring me,” Charlotte told him, her eyes wide as she took in his appearance.

You’re scaring me. Her words sliced through him.

His overwhelming desire to protect her, to keep her safe, made Roman still and bring himself back under control. He could feel his fangs retracting, the fire in his eyes disappearing as a wave of anguish overwhelmed him. He never wanted to be the cause of her fear.

“Charlotte, I’m sorry,” he murmured to her, slowly remembering everyone in the room.

The angels had all risen from their seats and backed up toward the window, eyeing him wearily. He gazed back over Charlotte’s shoulder to see Armaros still standing rigid, prepared to fight to protect the priestess. The magic still glowed from his eyes, swirling in his hands.

“Armaros, I don’t know what came over me… I’m sorry, I?—”

The dark warrior slowly lowered his arms, the violet light fading from his eyes and hands. Cassandra slowly stepped out from behind him, hands raised as if he were a wild animal, her green eyes back to normal.

“You good, Roman?” she asked him, glancing around the room.

“Priestess, my apologies,” he whispered.

What the fuck ? He almost started a war with the witches, and the worst part was, without a doubt, he intended to kill one of his closest friends.

“It’s okay, Roman. I hold no ill will. Now that it’s clear she is your soul mate, we can all be more careful as to how we treat Charlotte. To not anger you, or should I say, what is inside of you?” Cassandra said to him.

“What does she mean inside of you?” Charlotte asked, slowly backing away from him.

“Yes, brother, do tell. What exactly does she speak of? We all know you crawled out of Hell altered. But is there something more you’ve kept from us all these years?” It was his brother, Maalik, walking over to him now, his calm demeanor replaced with a look of rage.

Roman could not bear the look of fear on Charlotte’s face. He couldn’t deny it any longer. He cared for her, and if what Cassandra said was true, that she was his soul mate, he wouldn’t be able to live without her.

Maalik’s angry stare reminded him of how he was about to betray his brother. Not just Maalik, but all his fellow warriors. Since their time in the heavens, they had followed him without question, with unwavering loyalty, and for what? They were about to find out he’d been lying, that he’d kept this dark secret for centuries from them. They would hate him. The realization caused him pain. They were his family, the last people in the world he would want to hurt, but he had no choice now. Now was the time to tell them all.

He glanced at Charlotte. She will run from me , think me a monster, his mind whispered to him. He raised his head, looking around the room at everyone who had fought and been by his side for longer than he could remember, and took a deep breath. You can do this, Roman.