Angel in Chains (The Fallen #3)(73)

Mateo shook his head. “He has the blood. You need to know that killing his human form may just unleash something. . . else.”

What? “You’re saying we can’t kill him?” Not the news she wanted. I’ll never be free.

Mateo placed the claws on his mirror. “I’m saying you both might not survive the battle that comes.”

She put her fingers on the mirror and was shocked by its icy feel. “Is that what you’ve seen?”

He slowly glanced up at her. “To know what I see, you have to pay a price.”

Jade swallowed as fear trickled through her. His stare . . . how could dark eyes seem to blaze?

“I’ll pay,” Az said immediately.

“You can only see my future.” Jade spoke quickly, too quickly. “You can’t know about Az because he’s—”

“I’m not some dime store witch.” Power vibrated in Mateo’s words and in the very air around her. “I can see beyond earth, beyond heaven and hell. When I call, the dead answer me.”

Um, right. She slanted a glance at Az.

“But it’s not his payment I want first.” Mateo’s voice was calmer now, a good thing, or good until he said, “It’s yours.”

“No.” Az grabbed her hand and yanked it off the mirror. “I’m the one who’ll pay. Tell me what you want. Tell me the price for those bullets and—”

“You have no wings to trade me. I won’t be getting any Angel Dust from you.” He shrugged. “It’s a pity. An angel’s wings contain such powerful magic. They can bind just about anyone.”

This was the guy who was supposed to help them? No wonder Az had given her so many warnings about him. And, as she watched, the tattoos on his head seemed to alter, just a little. As if they’d just moved a few inches.

He smiled at her. “Now are you ready to pay my price?”

The claws waited on the mirror. “What do you want?”

“A debt.”

Uh, huh. “You’re gonna have to be a little more specific than that.”

But he shook his head. “Not the way it works. I do this for you, and you promise that when I come to call on you in the future, you’ll do what I want, no questions asked.”

Did she look insane? She must if he thought she’d offer him anything.

“No deal,” Az growled.

“Then I can’t help you.”

“You mean you won’t.” Now Az slapped his hand down on the mirror. “But what you don’t understand is that I’m not leaving here without those bullets.”

The mirror’s surface began to swirl beneath Az’s hand. “Az . . .” Jade began.

“I’ll bleed for you,” Az told him. “I’ll give you a pound of flesh, if that’s what you want. I’ll agree to be in your debt, but you leave her out of this.”

“Why?” Mateo seemed honestly confused. “This is all about her.”

And it was. Her battle. Her fight. Her life. So why should Az be the one to sacrifice?

“But if you’re truly willing to offer up all that you have,” Mateo murmured to Az, “then I might be willing to—”

“No!” The denial burst from her. Shit, shit, shit . . . “This isn’t gonna be you wanting my firstborn, is it? Because that’s not happening.”

Mateo’s gaze dipped to her stomach. That ghost of a grin curved his lips once more. “I do wonder what the child will be like.”

In a flash, Az had the knife at Mateo’s throat. “Cut the game, Mateo.” A trickle of blood slid down the witch’s throat. “Help us or—”

“Or you slice me open? Why use a blade when you can kill me with your hand?”

“Because I don’t want you dead. I just want you to bleed.” He tossed the knife and shoved Mateo’s head over that swirling mirror. Drops of blood fell on the glass. “Tell me what you see!”

Clouds formed in the glass. Moving faster. Faster. But Mateo just laughed. “I see you dying at Brandt’s hands. His claws tear you apart.” He turned his head and met Az’s stare. “Because you don’t have any f*cking brimstone bullets.”

That wasn’t happening. “I’ll do it,” Jade said immediately.

Az spun around. “No, Jade—”

“Too late.” A faint charge lit the air. A burst of sparks. “There’s no going back now.”

Her heart thundered in her chest. “Just give us the bullets.”

“The deal’s made,” Mateo said with satisfaction.

“Then unmake it,” came Az’s furious order, “or I’ll make sure you’re never around to collect on the debt.”

“But you’re going to try that anyway,” Mateo said. “You’re going to try and destroy everyone.”

No, he was wrong. Az wouldn’t do that.

“I’ve seen the future, Azrael. I know why that witch gave you up to the hunters months ago. I know why the world should fear you.” The faint lines around Mateo’s eyes deepened even as his tattoos continued to subtly shift. “You were the ruler of the Death Angels, and you’re going to bring hell to earth.”