then smiled at him.
“So you’re talking cryptically now?”
“It’s my new thing. Now hold on tight.”
Eden did as he asked, sliding her arms around his waist. It felt good to be close to her again. To know how she really felt about him.
Darrak loved her more than anything in the universe and he always would.
He wasn’t doing this for the universe. He was doing it for Eden. He’d anchor himself to this rotting hellhole in order to ensure her safety. She just never had to know the truth.
So be it.
He was finally able to phase the three of them out of Hell without any issues this time and back to the comfortingly bland interior of Triple-A.
Okay, he thought with grim resolve. Time to go kill Lucifer.
Dawn wasn’t far off.
Ben paced outside the motel where he’d taken Leena, his cell phone pressed to his ear.
“What is it?” Caroline asked when she answered on the third ring. It didn’t sound as if he’d woken her up.
“I need your help.”
“Haven’t we already made a mess of everything? My daughter hates me. And she hates you, too.”
“Why quit when you’re ahead?”
She sighed. “What can I do?”
“I need you to take over the body of a guard at the Malleus so I can break out someone they’re holding prisoner.”
There was a long silence. “You’ve got to be joking.”
“Afraid not.”
“Who are you trying to break out?”
Ben wondered how much he should share with her and decided not to hold anything back. “An angel named Daniel.”
Another stretch of silence. “Daniel.”
“Makes you wonder why he’s their prisoner, doesn’t it? He’s got something they want, which is all the more reason to free him.”
“What does this Daniel look like?”
“I only saw him once. He’s . . .” Ben’s grip on the phone tightened. “Tall, pale, red hair . . . green eyes.”
“Where should I meet you?”
She hadn’t taken much convincing. That was good. In fact, she’d agreed much quicker than he thought she would. This wasn’t going to be safe or easy.
Ben told her where to meet him and when—fifteen minutes. Then he headed for his rented van.
Leena was already sitting on the passenger side, inspecting the cuff he hadn’t removed from her wrist yet. He knew the moment he did she’d take off on him. She must have been watching him, waiting for him to leave. It was only a little after seven o’clock.
“No way,” he said. “You’re staying here.”
She looked at him like he was stupid. “You obviously don’t know me very well. Anything I can do to screw up the Malleus’s plans is something I want to help with as much as possible. Don’t argue, Ken doll. I’m coming.”
Ben knew anything he said would be a waste of breath, and he didn’t have time for this. “Fine. But you’re staying in the van as a lookout.”
“I can do that.”
He got in and put the key in the ignition. “I know the real reason you want to come along.”
“Oh yeah? Do tell.”
“You want to stick with me because you’re afraid to be alone. You think if you stay in that motel somebody’s going to come for you. But when you’re with me you know I’ll protect you.”
She glared at him. “I don’t need anyone’s protection. Especially not yours.”
His grip closed on the steering wheel as he backed out of the motel’s parking lot. “You don’t have to worry. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“Yeah, well. Maybe I’m the one who’s going to protect you.”
“I’ll take all the help I can get, actually.”
There was silence for a moment. “You used to be a cop, right?”
“Yes.” He eyed her sideways. “And let me guess, you used to be a criminal.”
This earned him a true smile. The woman really should smile more often—it was a good look for her. “I did what I had to do to survive.”
He was quite certain she had.
Ben drove to the meeting spot to find Caroline already waiting for them. Good. He was determined in a way he’d rarely felt before. It might be the last thing he ever did, but freeing an angel seemed like a good decision after a mountain of bad ones.
Caroline wasn’t the only one looking for redemption these days.
“Wait here,” he told Leena. “And keep the engine running.”
She saluted. “Yes, sir.”
Caroline followed him to the nondescript entranceway in the side of the brick wall. She looked tense.
“Everything okay?” he asked. Stupid question to ask at a time like this but he wanted to make sure she wasn’t about to flake out