Demon Forged

little demon babies with the lucky girl. Is that what I’m hearing?”
    “I’ve only said that Belial’s demons wanted Anaria alive, despite the prophecy.” Irena’s eyes glowed with amusement. “I am trying to consider details. You are the one who put them together.”
    “So I did.” Taylor dragged her hands through her tangled red hair. She turned and studied the frozen image on the screen, as if trying to see past the human face Rael wore. “And I can’t buy it. I mean, where is this woman?”
    “It’s a stretch,” Lilith agreed. “Pure speculation.”
    “Yes.” Michael nodded at the screen. “We’ll pursue the question of the woman later. For now, let’s go on.”
    Alejandro watched the remaining questions, his body tensing through each one. On the recording, Taylor danced closer to the one they wanted to hear, and he couldn’t shake the sudden, heavy feeling of impending disaster.
    “You obviously didn’t hire someone to kill her, risking exposure in the process.”
    “No, detective. I didn’t.”
    “Lie,” Castleford said.
    A breathless silence hovered over the room. Alejandro absorbed it, his stomach twisting.
    With a feral smile, Irena pushed away from the wall. “That is it, then.”
    She strode to the door. Alejandro recognized her gliding, effortless step. Irena was on the hunt. She meant to slay Rael now.
    Lilith shot to her feet. “Irena—”
    “Lilith,” Michael said sharply. “No.”
    Alejandro didn’t wait to hear what either had to say. He caught up to Irena as she left the room.
    “You have come to talk me out of it.” Her accusation echoed in the narrow hall. “Don’t try. He killed a human.”
    “I don’t want to stop you.”
    She cast him a hard glance. “You lie.”
    “I won’t stop you. But I ask that you wait.”
    Her mouth twisted in a sneer. Her pace increased, and she formed her wings.
    His patience snapped. He caught her wrist, twisted, and slammed her face-first into the wall. He shoved his body against her, her wings tight against his chest.
    He snarled into her ear, “Wait.”
    Between them, Irena’s fingers clamped around his wrist, mirroring his hold on hers. Aside from that small movement, she stood still, her cheek flat against the wall. Her eyes shone bright green.
    She could kill him without turning around, he knew. She could break him a thousand ways. But she didn’t move.
    “You deliberately push me,” he realized. “Why?”
    “Because you can take it,” she snapped. Before he could feel the pleasure of that compliment, her lashes swept down, hiding the glow of her eyes. “And I wanted to see what you will fight for.”
    His hand tightened on her wrist. “I do not fight for Rael.” His voice and his fingers bit into her, but he couldn’t make himself ease back. This was her opinion of him? “A woman is still dead, Irena. Rael pulled the strings but he didn’t pull the trigger, and if you slay him now, we may never know who did.”
    Her vicious smile appeared again. “I’ll make him tell.” “And if he does not? Then her killer is never punished.”
    “Our purpose isn’t to police humans, or to help humans punish each other.”
    “Not our purpose. But when demons have destroyed human lives, helping to pick them back up should be our duty .”
    She didn’t respond, and he prayed she was taking his argument in and giving it due consideration.
    In a softer tone, he continued, “That is not the only reason I ask you to wait. Rael must be slain . . . but SI must keep Thomas Stafford alive. I need time to prepare for that, Irena. It has to be done carefully.”
    Her brow creased as she puzzled through his words. He felt the moment she understood. Visceral rejection ripped through her psychic scent. She tore her wrist from his grip.
    Alejandro stepped back. He had his reasons solidly outlined, but he couldn’t voice them past the tightness in his throat. God, how he’d hoped she would accept his decision. She’d been pleased to hear about Bradshaw’s role at the FBI. But she obviously didn’t feel the same about his intention to replace Rael.
    She turned, pressing her back to the wall. Her wings created a soft frame of feathers around her rigid form. Her eyes glittered.
    “That deception will be no different to the people you would serve than Rael’s deception is now, Olek.”
    He saw that it was different. But he knew that every argument he made, Irena would call splitting hairs.
    “So be it,” he said. “It