Page 34 of Judge of Saints and Sinners

I patted his head, tugging awkwardly on the leash. “This way.”

But the dog didn’t move. His dark, nearly black eyes focused on the alleyway ahead of us. The connection between us hummed a little. Dropping my human glamour, I let the leash fall to the ground.

“Show me,” I told the dog, and he darted off down the street. I followed him at a slower clip, my boots splashing up water as the rain continued down. When Cerberus changed course and disappeared down the alley, I felt something deep in my chest, behind the muscles, where my magic usually dwelled.

But this was strange, more powerful than any lone emotion or magical impulse. I refrained from pressing a hand to it as I was compelled forward by more than just Cerberus now. I needed to get out of that alleyway. I needed to see.

My boots were loud on the sidewalk as I made my way into the darkness. A blink later, I could see it. I could see everything. There were three living souls in this alleyway. A female, at the back, her arms raised in a defensive position. The other souls were male, standing over her, their dark clothing and angry faces having no effect on me.

My magic slipped around them, and I took a breath in. These two were too easy, simple to weigh the scale of their worth. I could almost feel it, the malice of their desires, the disgusting needs that lurked below their fleshy exteriors… I judged them in an instant.

My fangs flashed as they turned to me. Their anger melted into fear as they got a good look at me. I’d done nothing to hide my red eyes, the snow-white wings that billowed out around me.

“Angel,” one of them whispered, fear lacing through his scent.

I grinned at him, letting claws lengthen from my fingertips. I didn’t even need to touch the first to vanquish him to the Underworld’s court. To my court. The second was trickier. He was soft, fearful of his own actions. But still doomed to live out his life with my brother in Tartarus. When he dived for my legs, I simply brushed a finger across his shoulders.

“You’ve been judged and found lacking,” I whispered into his face as he faded away into nothing. Into my world.

I turned to the woman, finding her kneeling on the ground. Cerberus stood over her, his hackles raised, but not at me. As soon as the living crashed to the earth, my dog’s bristling jaw relaxed and straightened.

But for all that he relaxed, the woman behind him shrank away even farther. “Please, please, don’t hurt me.”

I tilted my head. “Hurt you? I would never.”’ And I wouldn’t, because not only was the core of this woman glowing with the serenity and peace of a good-willed soul, but because I’d only come here to save her.

So why did my chest ache so severely?

Cerberus barked just once, rubbing his face against the woman’s thigh. I reached out, my claws retracting as my hand fit around hers. Her face was lovely, kind. Her wide, dark eyes were calming now, and that too calmed me.

“You’re safe now. I would never hurt you.”

“What are you?” Her voice was shaking, but even so, something about it was so soothing that I nearly swayed on the spot.

“I’m…” I stalled, looking for an answer that would satisfy. Usually I would blurt out a passing reference to nobody. But with her, I strangely wanted to tell her. “I’m Nephesh.”

“Are you an angel?”

Coppery blood covered my tongue as my fang bit down on my tongue. It was a common misconception yet never failed to irritate. But this was different. I wasn’t upset. I just simply wanted her to understand.

“I’m not one of Seraphim. I’m—” I hesitated”—something else altogether.”

“A demon?” she whispered. Recognition of something between us thrummed in my belly.

“Yes.”

After a long breath, I moved to leave her. I had done my good deed. I had sent the lacking souls to the Courthouse. I could go home now and deal with them from there. But from behind me, her voice spoke up again.

“Please, wait. Oh please, wait.”

A hand pressed against my elbow, just a touch, but it was enough to make me look sharply back at her. While she may have flinched, her feet didn’t falter. “What is it, soul?”

“I’d like to thank you.”

“Thank me?”

“Thank you.” Her smile was tremulous and beautiful all at once. “You saved my life.”

That pressure in my chest grew even more severe. I looked at her hard, wondering why I was so transfixed by her. I slowly crossed my arms. “I have. And now I demand payment.”