don’t care. And why do you care, little Lily pad? From what I hear, they’ve tossed you on your ass for shacking up with this one.” He jerked his head back at Julian. “Screwing the enemy? How deliciously cliche. You’re not the first, but you know that. That pretty blonde had spread her legs, too.”
“Do not talk about Anna,” she spat.
Another hoarse, wheezing laugh escaped him. “Tell me, was it worth being kicked out of the Sanctuary for him?”
Anger snapped along her skin. “I wasn’t kicked out.”
“Yet,” Baal murmured, lifting his head again to pierce her with the same vibrant, blue eyes Julian had. “Is his cock so good that it’s worth losing everything?”
“That’s it,” Julian snarled as he brought Baal to his feet. He looked at Lily. “He’s not going to tell you anything. You want to do the honors?”
Part of her wanted nothing more than to shove the blade deep into Baal’s throat, but there would never be another chance to capture a Fallen. A tiny flame of hope ignited in her that she could get him to talk. And if she just had to deal with his insults, she could live with that.
“Give me a few more minutes,” she said, drawing in a deep breath. “Do you know who the Nephilim is, Baal?”
His bloodied lips twisted into a smirk. “Yes. So do you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Then it’s Micah?”
Baal sneered. “How about I make you a deal? I’ll tell you who it is if you let me tell you a secret.”
“Lily,” Julian warned. His powerful muscles bunched around Baal’s neck, surely choking him. “This isn’t wise.”
Maybe not, but she couldn’t care less what his secret was. “I need something that links Micah to you all. Just his name won’t work. I need evidence.”
“Sure. I can do that for you,” he said.
Hands clenching, she waited for him to continue.
“You have to come a little closer, darling.” Pain and anger flickered across his face when Julian’s arm tightened. “It’s kind of hard to talk with…this asshole choking me.”
“Don’t come any closer,” Julian warned, eyeing Baal. “He’s up to something.”
Lily took a cautious step forward anyway. “He’s always up to something.”
Baal sneered through the blood. “Do you know I’ve killed every dark-haired, green-eyed woman I’ve come across in the last eight years? Hundreds of them. And very slowly. They reminded me of you, sweetheart. And all of them—every last one of them—screamed for mercy. Just like you screamed.” His eyes drifted shut, and he groaned low in his throat. “They begged, and I heard you begging each—”
Moving inhumanly fast, Julian spun Baal around and slammed him into the cement beam. “Shut up,” Julian snarled. “Shut. The. Fuck. Up.” Each word punctuated with a brutal jab to the face.
Lily felt sick as images of faceless and nameless women assaulted her. That was Baal’s secret? She realized then he wouldn’t give her any information on Micah. He wanted to taunt her with his cruelty and sickness.
“That’s not all,” Baal gasped. A mouthful of blood ran down his chin. “I fucked—”
His words were cut off by a wet, sickening crunching sound. All these years Lily dreamed of the moment when she’d be able to watch the life go out of Baal’s eyes, but when it finally happened, she turned away. She felt hot and cold all at once. Nausea rose sharply.
Then there was silence, and all she could hear was the sound of her own ragged breathing. Seconds later, a flare of intense white light lit up the parking garage. Baal was no more. Her shoulders slumped as his words went on replay.
Strong arms surrounded her, turning her and holding her close. Lily tipped her head back. “Do…do you think he was telling the truth?”
Julian smoothed a hand down her cheek as he stared over her head. He didn’t answer.
Lily sighed. “All those women—”
“It’s not your fault,” he said, looking at her. “None of what Baal did is your fault.”
She knew it wasn’t, but it didn’t make it easier to swallow. “I guess I should’ve listened to you.”
Julian laughed, but there wasn’t any humor. “You’re Lily. I really didn’t expect you to listen to me, but I wish you had.” He bent, brushing his lips over her forehead. “At least it wasn’t a total waste. Baal is dead, and the information the minion provided may turn out valuable. And we now know it’s Asmodeus pulling the strings. That’s something.”
“Damn it. I know Baal knew who it was.”
“He would never tell you if he did. Many would rather face an eternity in Hell with Him instead of betraying Asmodeus.” Julian kissed the top of her head as he clasped her hand, threading his fingers through hers. “It’s late. Let’s go.”
She let him pull her away, but she couldn’t help but look back. A black mark seared the cement beam that Baal had been against, the only reminder of the fallen angel. Shuddering, she thought of those women, and how she would have been one of them if it hadn’t been for Julian all those years ago.
Chapter Twenty-six
Sunday should have consisted of more hunting and sleuthing, but instead it involved eating in bed and bad action movies.
And sex, lots of sex.
“I’ll never let you out of this bed,” Julian murmured. “I think I could keep you here forever.”
She climbed on top of him. “Haven’t you had enough?”
He grasped her hips, sliding her toward his erection. “I’ll never have enough.”
Really, she believed him. He had been insatiable. Not that she was complaining. It was nice to forget everything for a little while, especially after the night before. Hovering above him, she clasped his hands to the mattress. “I have to go back to the Sanctuary tomorrow.”
“I can’t believe you are going back to that place.” He glowered at her.
“Julian.” She sighed.
“I cannot fathom your devotion to a place and people who have so willingly turned their backs on you.”
She wiggled a little, watching him squirm as he tried to concentrate. “Not all of them have turned their backs on me, Julian.” Luke had called her cell at least a dozen times since last night. “I know it’s hard for you to understand, but it’s not like being cast out of Heaven. I’m allowed back into the Sanctuary. And well, you’re not allowed back into Heaven.”
He gave her a droll look.
She snickered. “Anyway, you promised you wouldn’t bring this up anymore.”
He quirked a sandy-colored brow at her. “Some promises are hard to keep.”
Lily grinned. “Well you need to work on that.” She slid down him, her lips so very close to the part of him that was growing rapidly. “Tomorrow I have to go back. And tomorrow night we need to start looking for more minions.”
He was watching her with eyes filled with anticipation. “Yeah, tomorrow…Nephilim stuff. Sure.”
“Julian, I have never heard you so unintelligible. That sentence didn’t even make sense.”
“No?”
“No.” Her pink tongue flicked over the throbbing head of his cock.
His lips parted. She did it again, and this time her lips followed the path. His hands balled into fists under hers. Peeking up through her lashes, she gazed at his enthralled face and wanted to bring him to the same pleasure he had so selfishly given her in the beginning.
Of course, Julian had other plans, and in one swift movement, he sat her down on his throbbing member. She tipped her head back, reveling in how good it felt.
Somewhere during the weekend, Lily had decided that proving Julian wasn’t evil became as important to her as finding out who was betraying them. When she shared this with him, he actually laughed and then wished her
