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She’d held off on her shields as long as she could so as not to warn the de She couldn’t see whether Ased to protect hiive her hell about it later, she’d found the power in that last blink to throw a net over hi how hurt he was at this point or whether he had the strength to protect hinitude so quickly

Pieces of her soul had paid for that ic Now that it was released, her soul weakened, the connection lost She focused all her will on holding her own shields, holding Derek’s And with fierce resolve, holding that one tiny spark against her breast, all that reht cleared, she blinked, oriented herself It was hard She was dazed, as if she’d been caught in a bomb blast in truth But she had to see; it was critical, because the job wasn’t done She wished it was, but she was sure it wasn’t

There As hi The pieces, charged by love and Light, had e at his skin He was losing ground, but unless she could weaken that corporeal forht rebound Unfortunately, she was too weak, no y left, and she didn’t see Derek Just a pile of rock where he’d been, another chunk torn out of the wall Derek

Godda back fro and fired

Fifteen shots in thebody and the recoil of the powerful gun, she did it steady and one-handed, e chunks of his torso away, tearing those nice clothes No, she couldn’t kill a demon But an unexpected attack on the shell? Maybe that would be her ace in the hole Goddess knew, it was the last card she had to play She was slipping off the edge of the too-narrow ledge, had no strength left to hold her up But that was irrelevant She just had to stay high enough, long enough, for this

The de The precious bit of Rose pulsed against Ruby’s heart, even as herto slip, needed to let go of Rose Free, the baby’s soul would float, get where she needed to go She hoped If that happened, nothing else mattered She had to believe Derek was alive, would make sure of it He was invincible, her cowboy

Then she felt hi her up She sobbed at the sheer physical relief, like a cli hauled up was a pleasurable agony

His hands were on her now, pulling her back into the widened opening to the anteroom chamber, which, thanks to the Asmodeus & Derek Demolition Company, had a spacious front-ro to the chas a quick look up into his bloodstained face, she i out with her free hand, holding that spark against her breast with the other, she clasped his wrist so the reserve of power she found now, bolstered by his presence, caainst hers, ar through his palhter Every shard of power that shot fro from a cloud was focused as a laser, the circle of protective power and energy around him as solid as a wall They let Asy and Ruby’s will

Twining together their ic with effortless artistry, he used it with ruthless power to send her eneed And at every point their bodies touched, that power coursed through her as well

Melded together in their intent, it was thewas gone, fading She watched blearily as As in a chaotic spiral of wings He bounced off those rocks, just as she’d i And don’t come back, asshole I’m not weak I’m not your victi a hard ti As Derek lowered her to the floor, she noticed the rainstick next to them, a rainstick once more, and touched it It almost made her smile He’d used it as a weapon, but it had also been used to soothe a little girl That was the way poorked As shesound Derek was there, crouched over her, cradling her face "Ruby? Ruby, girl, look at azed up at him He was too pale under his tan She could smell his blood, feel it in the tremor in his hands "I’m sorry It hurts It hurts so badly"

"I know" His countenance darkened "Hold on"

But her attention shifted, and Derek looked over his shoulder to track it He spun, rising to his feet to block her, but she caught the leg of his jeans, shaking her head "No… he’s colanced down at her, saw the truth of it, then looked back to the silent visitor, gauging who and what he was When he figured it out, she saw his broad shoulders ease, even as his

Ruby sed Every ti had coive him what he wanted, as fiercely as she’d just denied Asmodeus But she couldn’t deny him this time Derek had helped her see She had to do it She knew that, just as she knew she’d never reach a point when she was truly ready to do it

The death angel spread his wings to half fold, his expression so He wasn’t unkind In fact, there was a deep compassion beneath his ruthless inevitability He didn’t reach out, didn’t push her He simply waited, a force as undeniable as the ocean

"Can you help her?" Derek asked He’d dropped back on his heels, his hand on Ruby’s shoulder She was shaking, too, she realized vaguely It didn’t el shook his head, nodded tohat she had at her breast She th in his blue eyes The grief he showed her openly, sharing it with her

"I would have loved her so much, Derek"