Xev grabbed Kody in a firm hold. “Kiss him.”

She widened her eyes. “Are you out of your mind?” Nick was more likely to kill her than welcome her while in this state.

“Trust me.”

“Are you out of your mind?” she repeated.

“Do it!”

Before she could protest again, he shoved her against Nick. Only this wasn’t Nick. This was the monster Malachai. Huge and muscled, he glared down at her with a hatred that terrified her. There was no recognition in those glowing red eyes. No humanity or soul.

They were searing.

He growled at her and she waited for him to rip out her throat, and laugh while he did it.

Every part of Kody wanted to run, screaming, for cover. But her mother had been the great Bathymaas of antiquity, the original goddess of justice—Bethany of Atlantis and Egypt—a goddess of unbelievable power and courage. Her father had been Styxx Anaxkolasi of the House of Aricles, prince of Didymos. One of the greatest ancient generals to ever lead an army, and one of the strongest of the Chthonians to ever live. She would not dishonor them or herself by backing down from any threat.

Not even this one.

With every molecule of courage she could muster, she faced the demon before her and held her ground. Hoping and praying Xev wasn’t setting her up to die, she laid her hand on Nick’s mottled cheek and searched those foreign eyes for a sign of something familiar.

All she saw was hatred and despair.

“Nick?” she whispered, aching to reach him before he was lost to them forever. “Can you hear me?”

Are you still in there somewhere?

Please be in there, somewhere.…

He cocked his head to study her and narrowed his flame-filled eyes.

With her other hand, she reached up to trace his brow as she did whenever they were alone in his condo. “I need my sweet Cajun to come back to me. Who else is going to translate all the things in this city I don’t understand like ‘fais do-do,’ ‘fixin’ to,’ ‘makin’ groceries,’ and ‘neutral ground,’ and tell me the difference between bebette and bebelle?”

“Bebelle, cher.” Though he still remained in full Malachai form, she heard the slight softening of his demonic voice in the whispered endearment he only used for her.

You better be right about this, Xev.

Completely petrified, she buried her hand in his sleek black hair and slowly lowered his lips to hers. At first, he growled angrily, and started to pull away, but the moment her tongue swept against his, he changed. His arms hesitantly wrapped around her body to hold her in a gentle embrace as his wings came down. Those wings cocooned them in a feathery caress before they finally vanished with the lightest stirring of air.