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"Then I will choose for you, for there cannot be life without death, or action without consequence This you know"

His hands fisted "What of me? Take my life, and allow the pair of theiven to the humans you allowed to be slain?"

A question that was really a state the Deity’s mind There never was "May I see him?" he asked "Will you tell me how you saved hile eleoodness…but left as festering"

"I left nothing"

"You left Unforgiveness"

Was he iut "Where is he?"

A light appeared in front of Zacharel, growing brighter…brighter still…until he worried he would be blind for the rest of eternity "Look, and see Your brother and your woman"

ANNABELLE SPENT FIVE MINUTES alone That was it Just five She had no idea her entire world would change before the sixth ticked past--when Koldo reappeared in the hotel rooiveness," Koldo said, shoving him in her direction

Instinct caused her to scrarabbed…a lamp, she realized when the "weapon" was in front of her, the cord jerked out of the socket Her knives were on the nightstand, and the nightstand was far fro, Koldo?" she de on?"

"Hello, Annabelle," the creature said "Don’t you re to you, demon Koldo?"

"He cannot leave this room, but then, neither can you," Koldo said "I rin widening

"I brought you to her, as you de Zacharel here"

"That is not--"

"Your plan, no Do not think you will be able to leave on your own My cloud now surrounds the outside of this roorowl erupted "What ga? One word froed Do you hear ed!"

"That’s a lie They’ll be rescued before that happens And by the way, you didn’t think of everything," Koldo replied easily "I did Annabelle, he’s all yours" And with that, he vanished, leaving Annabelle a second time

A moment passed before she was able to orient herself, to look past her fear and her confusion and the sudden burn in her chest When she finally realized who--and what--she faced, she released a shrill scream "You!"

Here he was, her parents’ killer, except he was even bigger than she remembered him Taller, far more muscled, but still with that barbarian’s face and a va poison, she was sure, and a tail swishing between his legs

"Do not worry, mate of mine I won’t make you suffer just yet I’ll play with you first The fun stuff will begin when Zacharel swoops in to the rescue And he will Koldo will not be able to stop him"

"I’m not your mate" A violent tremor threatened to rock her off her feet, the burn in her chest intensifying Steady Caliveness, the coho sends his ated as he said, "You’ll pay for that, and so will Zacharel Where is he, by the way? Not far, I hope" He looped around her,every inch of her A hungry predator who’d just spotted prey

She turned with hi important" Subtext: you’re not "This is between you and me" And I will come out ahead I have to

"This was never between you and me I waited centuries to strike at Zacharel, and wasn’t sure I’d ever have the chance Then your worthless druggie of a brother suine my surprise I knew instantly who you were to ed a portion of your spirit with ained I’m a very patientto knock her ankles together and her body to the ground

Because of Zacharel’s tutelage, she expected the action and ju his cheek before shattering on the floor

He stilled, rubbed the now black spot "That wasn’t very nice"

"Neither was your lie There’s no way you could knohat I would corin blooh venoh her doubt

"No" Still he circled her, again and again She wanted to leap at hiet this party started, but she had to work her way to the nightstand first

"What if I told you that I was Zacharel’s brother? His twin? His other half?"

One inch…two… "You’d have a better chance of convincing h his claim solved the mystery of the essentia--why Zacharel had see met her

That tail whipped out a second ti little presents behind…like the bodies I left for you, all those years ago Your parents, yes? Killing theht voain another inch

"I could have left them alone, you know, but I wanted you trapped in one location I knew you would be blamed and locked away, ready to be rescued by a beautiful dark-haired angel And so you were"

Might sob "What do you gain froeance Zacharel killed the man I used to be I woke up in hell, forced to live with the very beings responsible for my torment"

"No," she repeated "You lie!" That tail caed to jump both times Zacharel had done the same to her, so she knew to leap backward, out of the way of a third strike