Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
The celestials would want to lie low until tempers cooled so that they could come to earth once more. It would rankle with them that there was absolutely no angelic presence here at the moment. As such, the absolute last thing they would do was go after yet another demon.
“I agree with that much,” said Ciaran. “But why would a dark practitioner get involved with a monkhood of clerics?”
Jolene tapped her fingers on the sofa’s armrest. “While most dark practitioners like to feed off demonic power, others prefer holy power. They often capture angels for such purposes. There are presently no celestials on earth, but clerics can channel divine power as they’re descendants of the Nephilim. It isn’t a stretch to think that a dark practitioner might therefore use clerics, feeding off their faith and the holy magick they can wield.”
Now that would make sense.
“While dark practitioners know much about demons, they aren’t firmly entrenched in our world. They’re not extremely knowledgeable about all preternatural species—about our natures, our abilities, our origins. Hell, some of them sacrifice virgins to Lucifer, having no clue what he’s really like. They wouldn’t know that he couldn’t possibly conceive the Antichrist, so they wouldn’t be able to enlighten the clerics.”
“Do you think the dark practitioner in question even cares about the prophecy?” Ciaran asked.
Jolene pursed her lips. “He might. It depends on what exactly it states. If it doesn’t in any way impact him, probably not. Unless he feels that preventing the birth of the Antichrist would please whatever deity he worships—a deity that may or may not be real. Some of the ones they revere are actually completely fictional.”
“One of the clerics quoted more of the prophecy,” Naomi told them, “but not in the ancient tongue, so I don’t know what the exact translation of it is. But they believe I’ll birth the child of the devil, who’ll then lead an army of demons.” She let out an aggrieved sigh. “I need to somehow get my hands on that prophecy so I can hear it in full. We have way too many unanswered questions.”
Jolene made a sound of agreement. “I’ll relay all of this to Khloë; it might help her narrow the search she’s running on old-ass prophecies. We’ll get answers soon—I believe that. Khloë’s never let me down yet.”
Opening a smoothie the next morning, Naomi glared at Tobe over the rim of the bottle. “It’s your own fault that you didn’t hear about it sooner. I tried telepathing you last night. Others did as well. But you’d closed a mental door—probably because you didn’t want me bugging you to let Luka deal with Iain.”
His arms folded, Tobe leaned back against her cherrywood kitchen counter. “You could have left me a text or something.”
“It wasn’t as if I’d been hospitalized or anything. My wounds were minor, and they healed fast.” Naomi knocked back some of her drink. “Where were you anyway?”
“I went to a house party.”
“A house party?”
“Yes. I needed to wind down. It did the trick. Now, tell me the full version of what went on last night. I only heard the ‘appropriate for people who don’t know Lou’s your dad’ version—it’s circulating around the lair like wildfire.”
Between swigs of her smoothie, Naomi relayed the entire event to him. “Though the cleric said he has many more brothers, a person’s definition of ‘many’ is subjective. It could mean there are a dozen more clerics. It could mean double that number. Or it could be that there are many, many more.”
Tobe dug his teeth into his lower lip. “At least we’re now aware that they’re directly working with a dark practitioner, however unknowingly. That’s something.”
Naomi stiffened as a mind brushed hers—familiar, masculine, edged with dominance —and then Luka’s voice flowed into her head: I recall you saying you won’t be working tonight, so I’ll come to you earlier than usual. Will six p.m. suit you?
So formal, she thought. It almost made her smile. Works for me.
Good. A pause. Just so you are aware, I will be keeping Iain under lock and key until I’m satisfied that his obsession with you has worn off.
Taken aback, Naomi double-blinked. Uh, okay. Wasn’t expecting that.
It’s necessary. Even after the ordeal he endured at mine and Belial’s hands, he swore point-blank that his feelings for you are real. I don’t trust that he won’t seek you out again if he’s free to go about his business.
“Who’re you talking to?” asked Tobe.
She held up a finger, urging him to wait.
He wouldn’t be able to return home anyway, Luka went on, since it somehow caught fire last night. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?
Naomi felt her lips flatten. No, not at all. But she had a very good idea who would.
If you say so, he said, all skepticism. Six p.m., Naomi.