“Now you’re beginning to understand.”

“But why? I don’t understand.” I shook my head. “If he’s the one you wanted all this time, why do all this? You had a chance to face him in the alley. Why’d you run?”

He scowled. “That was Michael. Not me.”

“Michael?” I started to ask, but then stopped. “Oh. There’s two of you.”

“Four,” he corrected. “Though we don’t claim Gabriel or Suriel as ours. They want different things than we do.”

I arched a brow. “Care to explain?”

“Gabriel and Suriel both want to save humanity from Hell.” His eyes glittered as he took another step closer. “Michael and I, on the other hand, have seen the light. Lucifer needs to win this game, and I’ll do anything it takes to ensure it. That means killing Asmodeus, his Legion, and anyone who sides with him. Just like all those other supernaturals out there who are trying to save souls. Lucifer doesn’t know what the Legion have been doing, but I do. And I intend to prove it tonight. When Asmodeus comes to rescue you.”

All the blood rushed from my face. Of course this wasn’t about me. It never had been. It was about something far greater. The future of humanity, of this world. Az had been careful, but he’d still caught the notice of his enemies. Noah and Michael had been killing any supernatural that sided with him. And if Az showed up tonight and was unable to stop Noah…erm, Rafael…the fallen angels would take this information straight to Lucifer.

That couldn’t happen.

So, how exactly was I going to save Serena, save my own damn self, and stop this crazy angel guy from running to the King of Evil?

I’ll tell you how. I had no fucking clue.

The door thundered open and Az ducked inside. The moment he saw me, he crossed the floor and threw himself in front of me. His entire body trembled as he glared at the fallen angel who stood before us, ripples of shadows flooding off his skin.

“Mia, get out of here,” he said in a low growl that sent skitters of fear—and maybe a little bit of desire—down my back. He sounded like he wanted to rip Noah’s head off. That probably wasn’t far off the mark. The only way out of this was for him to take his heart.

“Not so fast,” Noah-Rafael said, fisting his hands. “You and Mia have signed a contract, have you not?”

Az tensed. “What the hell does that have to do with anything, Rafael?”

Rafael smiled. “Mia, tell Asmodeus that you are breaking your end of the contract. You will no longer fulfill your duties.”

“What? No,” I shot back.

“Don’t do it, Mia,” Az warned, edging further in front of me.