Page 30 of Wicked Believer

I give them both a warning look. “I care less about whether it’s true and more aboutwhobelieves it to be.”

“You mean our angelic siblings?” Az lifts a brow.

Wrath stands silent for a moment, watching me with his arms crossed. “You don’t truly think Michael would lead them to—”

“That’s exactly what I think.” I flick the ashes of my second cigarette.

“Well, that’d certainly make things more interesting, wouldn’t it?” Wrath scratches at his stubbled jaw. “Except for when it comes to your pet.”

“His littlehuman, you mean?” This from Az.

The shadows across the rooftop twist and curl, nipping at Azmodeus’s heels. “Call her human one more time, brother.” The burn of hellfire flashes in my eyes.

“Shewashuman.” Azmodeus grins. “Until recently.”

“Not any longer,” I growl.

“Touchy, touchy,” Azmodeus taunts.

“And whatexactlyis she now, Lucy?” Wrath takes a purposeful stride toward me, crowding my space as only he would dare as he makes a show of straightening my tie for me. “We all grow impatient waiting for the answer, you see.”

My siblings are more than eager to bear witness to Charlotte’s budding abilities, and if any one of them ever dared to believe they could reclaim the bit of my Father’s power I gifted her, well ...

An image of what could be flashes through my mind, my jaw tightening.

All the more reason I need to get out in front of this.

Already Death nearly stole her from me once.

I won’t allow it to happen again.

“And you’ll have it,” I say, smiling coolly as I take Wrath by the shoulders. “All in due time.”

Wrath steps back to his rightful place, capitulating.

For now, at least.

Azmodeus brushes something from my shoulder. “Don’t forget, big brother, you still owemeanother favor, you know.”

A yet unnamed favor.

I don’t need Azmodeus’s little reminder to know that particular debt will cost me. I incline my head toward him. “And you’ll receive your payment in full when the time comes.”

“And Michael? The others?” Wrath mutters beside me.

Our angelic siblings, he means.

“Deal with the Righteous and Mother. Find out what she’s up to.” I turn, grinding out the last of my cigarette as I step into the ether. “Leave Michael and the others to me.”

Chapter Ten

Charlotte

A short while later, we pull up outside The Happy Dumpling, the Chinese restaurant housed below mine and Jax’s apartment, and to my surprise Dagon manages to snag a spot directly outside the storefront. I exit the vehicle, a member of the security team in tow, only to be met by an elderly Asian woman, who leans out the restaurant door, shouting at me in Chinese. She gestures wildly toward the car.

“Sorry, Mrs. Huang,” I call to her, wincing at how furious she looks before I signal for Dagon to circle the block or park somewhere else while he waits for me.

Miller and Garcia, who I’m pretty sure are both ex-military, if they’re even human, exit the second detail car that blocks the street. They come up onto the sidewalk to flank me.