Read Online Dark Halo (An Angel Eyes Novel) by Shannon Dittemore - Free Book Online

December, because that means I’d have to tell them about Jake’s gift. And as much as I need their support, that’s really Jake’s to tell. I hedge a bit when it comes to my gift as well. I tell them Canaan’s wings and the halo give me celestial sight, but Idon’t mention that I’ve started seeing the invisible on my own. I just really, really don’t want to talk about that right now.
    But I do tell them about Damien’s pursuit and his defeat at the warehouse. I even tell them about Virtue and Mom’s grave. This part is harder for me to explain because it means telling them about my dreams. It also means confirming Dad’s worst fears: that the singing angels are responsible for Mom
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margin-top: inow’s disappearance. I try to soften the blow by telling them how Mom saved Olivia. I tell them about her too, about her involvement. Dad weeps through all of it. The others shed tears as well. I stutter a bit when the fear starts to flow. When it trickles from the pastor’s nose and slips down Miss Macy’s arm. They’re scared, but I think that means they believe me.

8
    Jake
    T he pain is worse than before, a trickle of blood leaking from Jake’s mouth. He’s been unconscious for who knows how long before he wakes. His eyes and nose are crusted with a disgusting mixture of concrete, snot, and tears. But with his arms bound, there’s precious little he can do about it. He leans forward and spits the grainy debris from his mouth.
    Damien’s gone, but he can’t be far. If he’s left Jake here, he’s got to be biding his time; he must be waiting for something.
    “I thought”—the room spins—“thought you were taking me to Danakil?”
    His cry bounces off the walls, and from its echo Damien’s voice crawls. It slinks back into Jake’s mind, cold and numbing.
    “What do you know of Danakil?” The demon’s words coat Jake’s mind, icing over his vision. The room crystallizes before him. “What do you know of that place, boy?”
    The cold slows Jake’s reflexes. Slows his mind. Exhausted, he leans into the wall.
    “Nothing,” he admits. “I know nothing.”
    A low chuck,” Dad saysow entirelyle vibrates in his ears. Gritty. Toxic. Damienrematerializes in the far corner of the room, standing in the shadows at the foot of the staircase.
    “Soon, boy. When I’m done with you, you’ll go to Danakil. You’ll meet the Prince.”
    Jake’s stomach flips. “When you’re done doing what with me?”
    Jake’s expecting an answer, needs an answer, but the demon pulls a cell phone from his pocket and snaps it to his ear.
    “Where are you?” he growls into the phone. “Then come down. We’re waiting. Yes, we .”
    Damien slides the phone into his pocket and leans against the corner, all but disappearing into the shadows.
    Jake asks again, “When you’re done doing what?”
    But the sound of a door squeaking open is all the answer he gets. He turns his gaze to the staircase, where a pair of red heels step into view. Two very long, very lean legs follow. Behind them, dark jeans and stone-washed Toms. With the clamor of stilettos on steel, Olivia Holt makes her way down the stairs, Marco moving silently in her wake.
    And then Marco’s not so silent anymore.
    “You!” He pushes past Olivia, dropping his bag and lunging at Damien, the man responsible for Ali’s death.
    “Marco!” Jake yells, wincing at the pain flaring in his shoulder.
    Marco’s face turns toward Jake, but forward momentum propels him into Damien’s chest. The demon shoves him to his knees.
    “Jake?” Marco says, still seething. “What are you doing here?”
    Jake doesn’t answer. He’s too busy watching the exchange between Olivia and Damien.
    “You have it?” Damien asks.
    Olivia’s face is hard, harder than Jake’s ever seen it. Her eyes bounce from Jake to the demon before her. “Why is he here?”
    “I asked you a question,” Damien says. “Where is it?”
    Olivia stoops to grab the bag Marco