so much as a chip in the cement barrier.
How could Dante convince her to take a chance on him? History proved to her over and over again that love was complete bullshit. Dante was convinced the reason the Goddess created Fated Mates was to combat the ugliness relationships had been tainted with. If Dante had a choice, he was fairly certain he would deny his desire for more to protect from inevitable heartache.
Except he would never break her heart. He needed to find a way to prove to her that he would never go anywhere. In the meantime, he would do what was necessary, so he didn’t become a risk to those around him.
And, he wouldn’t leave it to Zander to take his life. He’d do it himself and save his friend the burden of carrying that through eternity. The Vampire King had done so much for him and his kind. It was time he paid it forward.
There was a kernel of hope deep in his heart that he couldn’t smother entirely. It sprouted when he buried it and was vying for life inside him. That tiny part whispered there might still be a way and encouraged him to show Chloe how much she meant to him while he had the chance.
Chapter 15
Chloe was gone. She left that morning and Dante hadn’t been able to sleep a wink since. He couldn’t believe she walked away from him. That kernel of hope lulled him into believing he would win her over before he lost her entirely.
He was full charged and sated at the moment, but before long he would need to consider taking his own life. Killing a supernatural wasn’t easy. They’re immortal, or nearly so. Only beheading or removal of his heart would end his life. Demon poisoning would weaken him, making it easier to remove his heart or head.
He’d have to procure some demon venom and keep it on hand, so he could jump off a bridge or building. That would send his skull flying from his body and keep him from healing until all life bled from his body.
A lump formed in his gut now that he had tentative plans in place. It wasn’t an easy pill to swallow, but he needed to know what he was going to do so he couldn’t change his mind when the time came.
There’s a lot to do before you die, dickhead. Pouring himself some coffee, he grabbed a pastry and took a bite of the sweet, cheesy danish. His mind continued to churn over details of his plan when something hit him between the eyes.
Chloe was right. The demons in New York aren’t recreating the events in New Orleans to bring Lucifer over. They’ve not seen one single shred of evidence of the dark symbols at each of the sites they’ve encountered.
What were they planning? There was no doubt in his mind it involved Chloe. Otherwise they wouldn’t target her. She’s smart enough to avoid capture again. Like she said, she could fight her own battles. She was a fucking Warrior Angel for fucks sake.
Axel entered the kitchen and opened the fridge. He stood there for several seconds before grabbing a bagel and cream cheese. “Where’s your angel?”
“Gone. I assume she went back to her friend’s house.” Dante fought the urge to rub the ache in the middle of his chest.
The connection he shared with Chloe flared last night and for hours there was this brilliant gold thread binding them together. It faltered before he woke up and now was nothing but smoking remnants. It left him empty. That hurt almost as much as his mating brand did.
“What the fuck do you mean gone?” Zander’s voice was at a roar as he entered the room followed by Izzy. “She’s no’ safe out there on her own. We fought off two groups of demons last night.”
“Don’t yell at him dad. I know you’re scared I lost my power, but that’s not his fault.” Izzy laid a hand on Zander’s arm.
Dante’s heart skipped a beat. He’d been so worried about his situation that he’d forgotten that development from last night. “Are you sure you lost it? That Behemoth was a middle level demon. Perhaps you aren’t capable of killing those of his level.”
Izzy turned to face him, and he sucked in a breath. The sorrow in her eyes was unbearable. “I used to be able to kill all demons. When I was taken to the Underworld, I eliminated any that approached me.”
Zander pulled