Wanted Angel - Sadie Moss Page 0,21
kind Below.
“You can’t be serious,” Ford says, his tone flat. He’s cleaned up, the blood and dirt gone and a few bandages covering the worst of his injuries. “Are you fuckin’ kidding me? Fuck that. We can’t go in there!”
“Trin definitely can’t go in there,” Nix adds, and the fact that he’s using my name, even if it’s a nickname of my name, tells me how serious he is right now. Nix always calls me sugar or babycakes or something equally ridiculous like that. He must really mean it.
Knight nods vigorously, apparently in support of Nix.
“What other choice do we have?” Sawyer points out. “I’m sure Beck and Ryland have gone over all the other possibilities—”
“Trust me, we don’t like this any more than you do,” Beck cuts in. “But we haven’t found any other way to get rid of a demon-mark. And the sooner we get rid of this for Trin, the safer we’ll all be.”
“I’m not sure I can go down there,” I admit, scrunching up my face. “I’m an angel. It’ll feel… wrong to me, and wrong to all of the corrupted down there. Like a guitar string that’s out of tune. That’s the best way I can describe it. They’ll all know I’m there, and they’ll come after me, especially with the demon mark calling them. It’ll be a war zone the second I step down there.”
“Do you know of another option?” Ryland asks, in such a prideful and condescending tone that I’m actually tempted to punch him just to knock some sense into him. I’m not trying to be a whiner. I’m trying to warn them about the danger of what they’re suggesting. I’m trying to keep them safe. Am I supposed to just let them risk themselves for me like this without speaking up?
Ford gives a small, rough smirk, and I know he can sense my anger.
“There has to be another way,” Nix insists. “You only spent an hour or two on this. We need more time.”
“More time isn’t going to fix anything,” Beck replies. “We need to act as soon as possible. The longer we wait, the more likely it is that someone finds us and the greater the odds that someone breaks through the security. It’s only a matter of time.”
I have to admit he has a point there, but I’m not sure I’m willing to get on board with this plan so easily. Surely there must be something else we can figure out?
Ford tenses up. I’ve got no doubt he’s about to launch into some tirade, but Remi quickly steps in between him and Beck and Ryland. Always the peacekeeper. I never would’ve expected that to be Gluttony’s role in the group, but now that I know the brothers as people and not just their respective sins, it makes sense.
“Clearly, tempers are running high. We’re all short on patience,” he says smoothly. “It’s been a tough time of it and we haven’t really had a chance to rest. Any of us. How about I make us dinner, we’ll relax and get some sleep, and then we’ll tackle this in the morning, all right?”
Everyone looks at each other. I, for one, think it’s a great plan, and I say so out loud.
The others grumble, but none of them object. It fills me with warmth to know that they’re listening to me. Or, well, they’re listening to Remi. But also me, a little bit, right?
Nix’s kitchen is a technological marvel, designed to provide him with the best and most delicious food while requiring him to do as little work as possible to get it. Typical Phoenix. Remi sets to work at once, eager to be in a new kitchen just like he was eager to be in Beckett’s. I suspect this is a hobby of Remi’s, exploring new spaces for cooking.
The others all settle down, except for Knight, who helps to set the table. I try to help him as well, but he waves me off and gestures for me to sit. I do as I’m told, sticking my tongue out at him playfully. He blushes, a pink tinge coloring his brown skin, and it makes me blush a little too.
In his own way, Knight is holding me just as much at arm’s length as Ryland is, although I know the two men are keeping their distance for very different reasons. I’m not sure Ryland wants me at all—in anything beyond a carnal, physical sense. Knight wants me, but for reasons I can’t