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I am not blinded by the past His decisions were rational, coldly so

Nevertheless Raphael’s expression changed the barest fraction I would not lose ht nod “Honor,” he said after the archangel walked out with his living cargo, “I’ to stand face-to-face with hi about leaving ain”

He should’ve stood firm, would have had it been any other woman But Honorshe had her hooks so deep into hio motionless, examine the situation—and his sudden vulnerability—with icy focus To destroy this strange, wonderful so between them, all it would take were a feell-chosen words of utmost cruelty

Honor was smart, but she was also tender of heart She didn’t know the depths to which he could go, the wounds he could inflict He could ood ers to her jaw

Instead of shying, she leaned into the touch “You’re led with Honor’s, but then, his wife had been tender of heart, too He’d protected that heart with all his strengthand he knew that despite the deep weakness she created in hi, to feel such tenderness again, to knoas capable of it “Come It’s time to beard the monster in his den”

Venom was the one who most often piloted the chopper for use by the Seven, but Dmitri kne to do it—he’d been curious when the h he foundcars, he’d kept up the useful skill Now, having delayed only long enough to change and gather weapons, he lifted the black machine off the helipad situated not on top of the Tower, but several floors below, on a balcony cut into part of the building

“Illiuh crystal clear, both of theainst the noise of the blades

“He’s already on his way” The blue-winged angel was one of the fastest fliers ast his kind and would beat them to Vermont “I’ve been in contact with the Made who live in and around the general region of Eris’s property”

“I rang a couple of hunter friends nearby, too” Her scent twined around him in the confines of the cockpit, fine ropes he knew he’d never break “None of the”

“Neither had my people—but Kallistos is no youth” He wouldn’t have done anything to draw attention to himself near his lair “I’m certain we’ll find hi out to brush her fingers over his jaw in an unexpected caress, “tonight will finish this”

“How do you understand?” That it savaged him to realize this small piece of Isis survived when his fao, entire civilizations had risen and fallen in that ti him, she said, “I know you, Dmitri” A fisted hand over her heart, her voice soft, potent with raw eht here, so deep it feels as if you’ve been a part ofout, he brought her fist to his lips, pressed a kiss to the knuckles She robbed him of words, of sophistication, until he was once more the man he’d been with his wife—harder, deadlier, but with the capacity to feel e He would spill blood for the mortal by his side, split open his veins if she asked, slay demons and enemies until the world shivered at the sound of his name