Demon Bound

chamber, resonated deep within Alice’s flesh.
    A Gate.
    Disbelieving, she turned to Jake—and laughed aloud as he snatched her up, swung her around.
    He did not completely release her when Khavi made an impatient sound, but set her feet on the floor and remained at her back, his arms linked around her waist. How casually he did that. Yet it was with the greatest self-awareness that she lightly rested her hands on his forearms.
    She felt very young when Khavi observed them with an air of indulgence that was both amused and annoyed. An expression, Alice feared, that resembled what she had bestowed upon her students whenever she’d found them with their lovers instead of training.
    It was fitting, however—with Jake, she did feel younger than she had since she’d accepted Teqon’s bargain. No less burdened—but so much more hopeful.
    Khavi’s gaze locked on hers, and she spoke solemnly in ancient Greek. “You will not fulfill your bargain, and so your companion will die.”
    Jake? Oh, God. Oh, dear God.
    Desperately, Alice retranslated Khavi’s words. The meaning didn’t change. “No. I do not believe you.”
    Her denial meant nothing. Khavi shrugged. “I have seen it. In his attempt to free you, his heart will be cut in two by Teqon’s sword. How could he survive?”
    He couldn’t. Oh dear God, he couldn’t. No Guardian could.
    And she could not conceive of this. She could barely speak over the panic tearing through her. “Show me what you saw.”
    A still image filled her head: Jake, his swords held out to his sides like a brash man inviting a blow. Determination had hardened his features; his blue eyes were filled with fear and hope. A black ribbon was tied around his left wrist.
    And Teqon’s sword was embedded in Jake’s chest—through the Styx logo on his T-shirt.
    Alice’s heart suddenly seemed to be pounding against icy needles, each beat piercing, bleeding. This couldn’t be a trick—Khavi couldn’t have known about the logo; Jake hadn’t worn that shirt since they’d been in Hell.
    You going to fill me in anytime soon? Jake asked.
    Alice tightened her fingers on his arm, unable to respond.
    Without a shift in tone, Khavi moved into English. “Anaria slaughtered an army of humans. Those Guardians who assisted her were given a choice to Fall or Ascend. But Falling would not remove a grigori’s strength, and her actions were no better than a nosferatu’s—so Michael ordered her death.”
    Too numb to be surprised, Alice stared through the open doors, at the Gate she couldn’t see. When she returned to Caelum, she would . . . she would . . .
    What?
    “It was as if Michael had removed his own heart by giving the sentence, and Zakril would not let him bear the burden alone. So Zakril claimed it was his right as husband to carry out the execution. But he did not.”
    “Michael thinks he did,” Jake said.
    Khavi smiled. “Unlike Anaria, Michael has no Gift to see Truth. Zakril lied. We hid her instead, hoping that with enough time, Michael’s anger would lessen, and Anaria would be forgiven—enough to live, even if she was never transformed to Guardian again. And that she would also see the error she had made, and atone for it. Many others came with us, those who had believed in her, and who wanted her to try again for Lucifer’s throne. Anaria shared with Zakril and me what she had learned from Lucifer. We built this place, the temples, and moved as often as necessary.”
    “Whenever Michael got close?”
    “Yes, but he only knew that I was among those who had left Caelum, and I had nothing to fear from him. He would not kill us for believing what Anaria had believed. Usually, we moved because demons found us.”
    “So, except those times, you were all cozy together. What’s with the statue of Anaria and Zakril, then?”
    Behind them, Lyta whined softly. Khavi’s face lost expression, but the quickness of her speech revealed her urgency. “I do not know. Zakril, Aaron, and I had been searching out a location for the next temple. When we returned, the statue was there, and most of the Guardians had been killed. Anaria told us she was tired of hiding, that she wanted to resume what she had begun.” She turned away from them. “We subdued her. Zakril still had Lucifer’s sarcophagus, and we sealed her within. We only intended to hold her until we could find a place Zakril could remain with her, and be completely isolated from others. We separated to look. He must have