Eternal Rider - Larissa Ione [85]
“Like guilt for putting you in this position. Like wanting to keep you safe for more reasons than just because I’ll go evil if I don’t. Like lust that makes me want to throw you down and take you until we’re both too tired to move. And like I’m a fucking idiot for feeling all of that.”
Her mouth worked, but nothing came out. And Limos and Thanatos were still staring. Fortunately, a blond man materialized in the room and rescued them all from a whole lot of awkwardness. Cara thought she must be getting used to the weirdness, because she barely even blinked. Nope, she was just thankful for his timing.
Limos squealed in delight and threw herself into his arms. The man’s grin lit up the entire room. And was he… glowing?
“Who is he?”
“Reaver.” Ares raised his hand in greeting. “He’s an angel.”
“Fallen?”
“Nope. A real live Heavenly angel.”
Well, there was something you didn’t see every day. She wasn’t sure what she expected an angel to look like, but she’d always pictured them wearing white. Not Reaver. He looked as if he’d stepped out of a modeling shoot for GQ. His black slacks and gray shirt couldn’t fit better over broad shoulders that tapered to a slim waist and long legs, and he sported a gold watch that even from here looked as if it cost more money than she’d made in her entire life.
Limos beamed up at Reaver, who returned the expression of affection. “Does Limos always greet him like that?” Cara asked.
“Yes,” Ares grunted. “He indulges her, for some reason.”
“Ares.” Reaver separated himself from Limos. “I stopped by your place. Saw Pestilence’s handiwork. I was concerned.”
“Aw, Reavie-weavie is worried about us,” Limos chirped, and the angel rolled his sapphire eyes.
“I took what was left of the Guardian’s body to The Aegis,” Reaver said, and Cara was suddenly very glad Ares and Limos had kept her from witnessing the scene in Ares’s backyard. “Did you accomplish anything in your meeting with Kynan and Arik?”
Limos, looking proud of herself, bobbed her head excitedly. “I broke Arik’s ribs.”
Reaver exhaled on a deep sigh. “Anything else?”
“They’re going to research the dagger and Limos’s bowl,” Thanatos said. “And they’re going to arrange for the release of the hellhound…” He drifted off, his stare going blank.
“Than?” Limos grabbed his wrist. “Than! What is it?”
Thanatos swayed, and his eyes sparked with an unholy fire. “Death. So… much… death.” He reached out as if trying to grab hold of something.
A gate opened, and then he was gone. Just… gone. As if he’d been sucked into the light against his will.
Alarmed, Cara stepped back. “What just happened?”
Ares’s next breath came out on a hiss. “Thanatos is drawn to large-scale death—if it’s big or sudden enough, he’s taken against his will.”
“A battle?” Limos’s armor snapped into place, Transformers-style. When Ares remained silent, Limos whacked her forehead with her palm. “Right. Insensitive much? You can’t sense anything with Cara around. I’ll track him down.” She opened a gate and was gone.
“How can she track him?” Cara asked.
“We can land our gate in the last place our brother or sister’s gate opened. And no, we can no longer track Pestilence.” He gestured for Cara to return to her seat. “I need to call Vulgrim.” He fished his cell phone from his pocket as Reaver sank down at the table across from her.
“So. How are you doing?”
“Um… fine?”
“You don’t seem surprised to be talking to an angel.”
“I’m sitting in a room with the second Horseman of the Apocalypse.” She’d made out with the second Horseman of the Apocalypse.
“Good point.” His shrewd gaze flickered over her, and she got the feeling he was looking right inside her. “How much of your situation have they explained to you?”
“You mean, that my death will bring about the end of the world, and I probably only have a few days to live if we don’t find a fallen angel?”
Reaver dragged his hand through his hair. “Yeah. That. Do you know that even if you’re able to transfer the agimortus to a fallen angel, you’re still bonded to a hellhound? Which means you