Page 76 of Cops and Robbers

“That’ll be tight,” Caige said.

“I can handle it. Naomi won’t wake until we are closer to her spirit. She won’t be anywhere near here.”

“All right.” Caige nodded.

She turned to Raz, who had been quiet, his face a mask. But the link boiled with too many emotions, bordering on shock. Please, Raz.

“You’ve backed me into a fucking corner, Kate.”

“I know,” Kate whispered, eyes stinging. “I’m sorry.”

“We can’t stop now.” Raz waved his hands. “Get her ready while Caige and I empty this container.”

While they dumped the coffin, Kate focused on Naomi’s body, blurred in her teary gaze. She turned off all the monitors, rid every wire from Naomi, and took care with the needle in her arm. Kate winced as she pulled out the long feeding tube. The tears clinging to her eyelids slid onto Naomi’s skin in a puddle, but Kate didn’t stop until Naomi was free.

“You good?” Raz asked.

The container was empty. Neither his face or the cold link told her whether he asked because he wanted to know if she was finished or doing okay. Her heart sank, tears blurring her sight once more.

Click.

Red lights filled the room. Kate spun around as the wire to the bell thumper pulled tight. No! She jumped to stop it.

The thumper struck Lucifer’s Bell.

A chilling timbre vibrated through Kate—low and high frequencies, clashing minor and major notes—and locked her muscles in spasming pain, worse than any taser she’d ever experienced. She groaned, tears pricking at her eyes as the notes seemed to rip and warp the very fiber of her being.

Silence.

Kate collapsed, and something banged against metal behind her—Raz and Caige both falling to the floor. Were they possessed? Raz’s face was red while Caige rubbed his head.

“What the fuck was that?” Caige hissed.

“Lucifer’s Bell.” Raz climbed to his feet first, stumbled to the Bell, and snapped the metal thumper in half.

Kate released a breath of relief. Right. Dragons can’t get possessed by demons either. But if a human like Sajani had been in here—was that red light a warning for her to run? She eyed the entrance where multiple pairs of ear protection lined a wall. Sajani had warned her that everyone had to wear hearing protection when they came into this room because of the Bell. She’d forgotten in her haste to help Naomi.

Kate rubbed her arms, hoping to move the itching sensation crawling along her spirit and skin.

“That’s pure fucking torture,” Caige said.

Naomi lay on the bed, body stiff and her fists clenched. Nausea burned in Kate’s throat as she said, “Matsuda must have started using it against Naomi when he learned that it hurts the Fallen to hear it.”

He just tortured her because she probably refused to do something for him like he’s been doing for fifty years. A heavy silence filled the room as if everyone had come to the same conclusion.

“You guys good?” Raz asked.

“Sure,” Caige said, shakily standing.

Kate heaved herself back to her feet and nodded. “Can someone pick her up?”

Caige rushed over and gingerly swept her up into his arms. Naomi’s hands grew lax as he carried her bone-like form to the coffin. Then he froze.

“Someone’s coming,” Caige whispered.

“You guys all right?” Danielle’s voice floated down to them. “I saw the alarm for the Bell go off.”

Kate jumped over the coffin. She can’t see what we’re doing!