The white crow tengu that his father had captured centuries ago and bound to his service against her will was a lot tinier than Nick had imagined her. More fragile in appearance … especially given her nasty and biting sarcasm. But in reality, she was similar to a tiny, adorable pixie. Like Simi in her real form, she had pointed ears and a pointy chin.

She was so beautiful. In a unique, impish way. How he wished he’d been able to free her in the human realm and not here. But maybe she’d be able to cross over again. Someday.

And at least she again was in her own body.

Gaping in disbelief, she stared down at her hands and turned them back and forth before she met Nick’s gaze. “I’m restored?”

Nick nodded and offered her a smile even as the darkness stole his sight. “With my dying breath, I free you from your slavery. I’m just sorry it took me so long to figure out how to do it.”

Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

Nick came awake slowly as he remembered Livia’s vicious attack on him in Agonia. And he knew he was dead.

Because I’m an idiot.

He’d been looking for treachery to come at him from everyone but the one who’d actually done it. Xev. Dagon. Acheron. Ambrose. Caleb. Aeron. Lerabeth.

Even Kody and Menyara.

Yet it had been the one he hadn’t been paying attention to who’d done it.

Yeah, ain’t this a bitch? Never failed. Never came from the bus you saw, that was blowing the horn and flashing its lights. It was always that sneaky SOB in a small Toyota coming up behind you that you missed.

Nick swallowed, wishing things were different. But he knew better. There was no way to have suffered such a vicious neck wound and not feel pain from it.

Not without death.

And he’d never felt better than he did right now.

Nothing hurt.

He bit his lip, scared to open his eyes and find out where he’d ended up for eternity. He was hoping he’d gone north to a pearly gate where Peter would be waiting with a lengthy list of all the things he’d screwed up in his life, but as the Malachai, he wasn’t betting on it.

Please don’t let it be really hot here. New Orleans in August was about as hot as he wanted to deal with. And he definitely didn’t want to smell rotten eggs for eternity. He’d had enough of Kyrian’s dirty laundry for that.

And Bourbon Street alleyways after Mardi Gras.

“Nick?” A soft, gentle hand stroked his cheek. One that didn’t belong to Kody or his mother.

Confused, he opened his eyes to find Nashira there. “Am I dead?”

A slow smile spread across her beautiful, fragile features. “No. We saved you.”

“We?”