“Why do I have a feeling you’re going to tell us something fucking crazy?” Titan asked, tilting his head.
“Because you’re fucking right.” The teasing smirk she’d given us dropped as she sighed. “I used blood magic.”
“Blood magic?” I furrowed my brows. “Like real blood magic?”
“The kind blood witches use?” Kai asked.
“I thought blood magic died along with the blood witches, minus Mystia,” Aziel mumbled, rubbing his thumb over her wrist.
“That’s forbidden magic. I haven’t heard of any scales tipping faster than they already were,” Gabriel said, stepping closer. “How did you use it?”
Her eyes narrowed at him. “I’m not at liberty to explain how blood magic works, but I accessed it to get the bracelet off and to avoid dying. Being the Crimson Demon means I can use forbidden magic without influencing balance.”
“I’ve never heard of any being not affecting balance.” Titan’s eyes widened.
“That explains why Mystia was so fucking determined to steal your powers,” Aziel growled.
“It’s not only that,” she mumbled. “She got away before I could obliterate her. And she’s the one who was using Viktor.”
“Using him? She was behind everything we’ve faced up until now?” Thaddeus asked with his brows snapping together, and she nodded.
“Yep. And she was fucking him.” She glanced over at her family. “Sorry for the language, Mom.”
Mia shook her head with a burst of laughter. “You don’t have to apologize for language anymore....I mean, you’re older than I am.”
Lilith’s mouth fell open then she scowled. “Not in this life I’m not.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more,” Gabriel stepped closer. “But if I can help you now, I want to.”
She stared at him, and I could feel the tension sparking in the air between the two of them. “Just because you didn’t do anything bad to me while I was incapacitated, doesn’t mean I trust you. Nothing can erase the past.”
His jaw tightened and he took another step toward her. “What about forgiveness?”
I moved forward, covering half her body with mine as Kai did the same on her other side.
“Aziel told us more about what you did to her,” Kai said.
“There is no forgiveness for what you did.” The vein in my forehead pulsed as a slick heat swept through me.
His shoulders fell as he glanced back at Dean. “Dean was able to forgive me. Why won’t you?”
“I can guarantee Dean doesn’t know what you did to her before you ended her demon life,” Thaddeus said. “Would you like to test my theory?”
“I’m more than on board with that.” Kai chuckled darkly, making Lilith gasp behind us. “Tell them.”
“No.” She placed both hands on our shoulders and moved us away so she could see the sodding angel. “They don’t deserve to know what depravity you did to me that day. It’s in the past, but I can’t forgive it. You had my trust and you betrayed it in the worst way possible.”
His white glowing eyes became glossy, dimming the glow. “But we had moments in there…”
She recoiled back. “Moments? Gabriel, you starved me to delirium until I fed off your blood and essence.”
“It wasn’t my choice,” he croaked, moving his arm toward her. “You know that. Mystia ordered it and because of the blood oath, I had to obey.”
She knocked his arm away. “That’s not the point. You enjoyed it every fucking time.”
“Because I love you!” The halo over his head flickered and his wings exploded from his back.
“That’s enough,” Aziel yanked her back by the waist and tucked her behind him. “She doesn’t love you, and she never fucking will. The sooner you get that through your fucking head, the better.”