asked.
“Captivity with an Irish coven is boring. I was reading books.”
The corner of her mouth twitched. “ You were reading.”
“What? I dropped out of college. I have been known to read for fun and education.”
“We need the wolves,” Elise said again. “I also need you and Brianna. It’s not up for debate.” There were several requirements to open a gate to Eden, one of which was a bound kopis and aspis pair. Elise and James no longer fit that requirement. “But I don’t think the werewolves will slow us down as much as you think, Anthony. We’re about to cut their numbers down.”
Levi scoffed. “What, are you going to leave part of the pack behind?”
“That’s exactly what I’m going to do. Before she was murdered, Rylie asked me to exorcise the pack,” Elise said. “She intended it as an act of mercy, but I think it’s a better suggestion than she may have realized.”
“Exorcise werewolves?” Levi’s tone made it sound like she’d suggested giving each other piggyback rides to the Eden gate.
“I’ve done it before.”
“No way,” he said.
She wished that the werewolves had picked someone—anyone—other than Levi to represent the pack at their meeting while Abel was in mourning. Someone who was slightly less of an idiot. “Werewolves are the guardians of humanity, and their form should be purer while exorcised. They’ll be assets in the last battle.”
“We’ve only seen one exorcised wolf before, and it was fucked up,” Anthony said. “How do you know these ones will be any better?”
“I don’t, but angels and demons colluded to wipe shapeshifters off the face of the Earth for a reason.” Elise clenched her fists. “And Rylie would have wanted it like that. Any protests?”
“Yeah,” Levi said.
She turned to the others. “Any other protests?” That was mostly directed toward Abram.
He just shrugged.
“I’m going to bring my army from Dis to escort us to the gateway in the Himalayas,” Elise said. “Belphegor wants Earth to be like Hell? Great. My legions will be right at home. I’ll find the nearest sinkhole and meet you all on the way.”
“A thousand demons,” Anthony said.
“More than that.”
He smiled mirthlessly. “So you want a wolf-spirit army on top of your demon army, all to kill this one guy. Nobody does overkill like you do.”
“‘One guy’ who also happens to be a god,” James said. “There’s no such thing as overkill. If anything, it’s a waste of time and resources to attempt to move an entire army when Belphegor can wipe them out of existence with a thought. And this is assuming that we’ll even be able to confront him by going to the gate.”
“He’s not that powerful,” Elise said. “I don’t think he’ll reach his full abilities until the genesis. That doesn’t mean it won’t be a difficult fight, though. Belphegor still has the Fates and hybrids infected with my blood. We’ll need to be able to take them down.”
“Dangerous guesswork,” James said. “Too many assumptions.”
Elise wasn’t making assumptions, but she kept her mouth shut instead of correcting him. Nobody else knew everything she knew—that Abram’s blood could unlock the gates, that Belphegor wanted her to join him in Eden, that she was hunting for Nathaniel.
If she could get the army to the gate, she could break into Eden and kill Belphegor before he reached his full power, and before he had his hostages.
It was their only chance.
Elise headed for the stairs, signaling that she was done with the conversation. “Let the wolves know that they’ve got an exit from this ride if they want it. I’m going upstairs to prepare for the exorcism. Have the volunteers waiting for me when I get back.”
“Elise,” Levi said. When she didn’t turn around, he called again, “Hey! Elise! I’m still talking to you!”
Anthony’s response was quiet as she walked up the stairs. “And she’s obviously done with you, so shut your
“Captivity with an Irish coven is boring. I was reading books.”
The corner of her mouth twitched. “ You were reading.”
“What? I dropped out of college. I have been known to read for fun and education.”
“We need the wolves,” Elise said again. “I also need you and Brianna. It’s not up for debate.” There were several requirements to open a gate to Eden, one of which was a bound kopis and aspis pair. Elise and James no longer fit that requirement. “But I don’t think the werewolves will slow us down as much as you think, Anthony. We’re about to cut their numbers down.”
Levi scoffed. “What, are you going to leave part of the pack behind?”
“That’s exactly what I’m going to do. Before she was murdered, Rylie asked me to exorcise the pack,” Elise said. “She intended it as an act of mercy, but I think it’s a better suggestion than she may have realized.”
“Exorcise werewolves?” Levi’s tone made it sound like she’d suggested giving each other piggyback rides to the Eden gate.
“I’ve done it before.”
“No way,” he said.
She wished that the werewolves had picked someone—anyone—other than Levi to represent the pack at their meeting while Abel was in mourning. Someone who was slightly less of an idiot. “Werewolves are the guardians of humanity, and their form should be purer while exorcised. They’ll be assets in the last battle.”
“We’ve only seen one exorcised wolf before, and it was fucked up,” Anthony said. “How do you know these ones will be any better?”
“I don’t, but angels and demons colluded to wipe shapeshifters off the face of the Earth for a reason.” Elise clenched her fists. “And Rylie would have wanted it like that. Any protests?”
“Yeah,” Levi said.
She turned to the others. “Any other protests?” That was mostly directed toward Abram.
He just shrugged.
“I’m going to bring my army from Dis to escort us to the gateway in the Himalayas,” Elise said. “Belphegor wants Earth to be like Hell? Great. My legions will be right at home. I’ll find the nearest sinkhole and meet you all on the way.”
“A thousand demons,” Anthony said.
“More than that.”
He smiled mirthlessly. “So you want a wolf-spirit army on top of your demon army, all to kill this one guy. Nobody does overkill like you do.”
“‘One guy’ who also happens to be a god,” James said. “There’s no such thing as overkill. If anything, it’s a waste of time and resources to attempt to move an entire army when Belphegor can wipe them out of existence with a thought. And this is assuming that we’ll even be able to confront him by going to the gate.”
“He’s not that powerful,” Elise said. “I don’t think he’ll reach his full abilities until the genesis. That doesn’t mean it won’t be a difficult fight, though. Belphegor still has the Fates and hybrids infected with my blood. We’ll need to be able to take them down.”
“Dangerous guesswork,” James said. “Too many assumptions.”
Elise wasn’t making assumptions, but she kept her mouth shut instead of correcting him. Nobody else knew everything she knew—that Abram’s blood could unlock the gates, that Belphegor wanted her to join him in Eden, that she was hunting for Nathaniel.
If she could get the army to the gate, she could break into Eden and kill Belphegor before he reached his full power, and before he had his hostages.
It was their only chance.
Elise headed for the stairs, signaling that she was done with the conversation. “Let the wolves know that they’ve got an exit from this ride if they want it. I’m going upstairs to prepare for the exorcism. Have the volunteers waiting for me when I get back.”
“Elise,” Levi said. When she didn’t turn around, he called again, “Hey! Elise! I’m still talking to you!”
Anthony’s response was quiet as she walked up the stairs. “And she’s obviously done with you, so shut your
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