Page 53 of Soul Redeemed

The voice prompted Ava to spin on her heel, nearly falling backward onto her ass.

Silver eyes stared back at her through the darkness—the telling features of a Fallen angel, and one that distinguished them from the Nephilim, who were known for icy blue eyes.

She held the tine of glass up, while tugging the hem of her shirt down over the loose briefs. “You fucking touch me, or him, and I’ll slice you open.”

The white glow of teeth told her Xander smiled back at her, and the deep rumble of a chuckle echoed around her. “That’s like … foreplay for me.”

A swipe through the space separating them didn’t make Xander so much as flinch. “Stay away from me.”

“I’m not going to touch you.” He stepped into the light, arms crossed, wearing nothing but boxer briefs that Ava didn’t attempt to look at twice. “Look, I’ve been instructed to send you back along your merry little way in a scary voice, with threats of locking you in my room and tying you to my little cross of pain. But we both know that’s not going to happen.”

Chin angled up, she kept her defenses in place, still holding the glass between them. “Why is that?”

“Because I want what you want. Your man needs to get laid.”

Confusion settled over her in a frown. “You want him … that way?”

“No. I want you to do what you gotta do to set him right.”

“Why is he locked up?”

“He asked me to lock him up. To keep you safe.” He rested his forearm against the stone wall beside him, drawing her attention to muscles that rivaled Calix’s. No doubt, the male could’ve done some damage if he wanted. “This ain’t my first rodeo. These Wraths, they’re all about playing hard to fucking fuck, know what I mean? Just give the poor guy what he needs, so I can get some much needed beauty rest.”

“You won’t stop me?”

“Sweetheart, I’m giving you the fucking keys.”

The rattle of the tossed object lifted Ava’s chin higher, and she reached out, snatching the ring of metal from the air.

“The Kingdom is yours. Just stay away from the cell at the end. You open that one, and you will surely piss me off. Trust me when I say, you do not want to piss me off.”

Ava gave a nod, watching the angel retreat back into the shadows before she continued on toward the cells.

Beyond the bars, Calix lay on a creaky old cot, hands chained by Diablis steel to the wall, his body writhing and twisting up into an arc of agony as he cried out. The sight of him took her back to the lab, when Oliver had injected the poisons into her and watched her suffer.

“Oh, Gods, Calix.” Hands trembling, she fumbled with the single key that she presumed opened all of the cells.

“Ava! Ava, go! Don’t come near me!” The strain of misery bore down on his words, and Calix groaned. “Get out of here!”

“No, I won’t watch you suffer. Let me help. Let me ease you.”

“You can’t! I swear to Gods, I’ll take from you. Mercilessly. I’ll hurt you. Don’t come any closer!”

“I won’t leave you like this, Calix.” Slipping the key inside the lock, she twisted to a click and opened the cage. “I won’t.”

“Get the fuck out of here! Now!”

Ava flinched at the sharp tone of his words, undoubtedly produced by his suffering.

“I can help him.” A female’s voice hit Ava from the right, and she peered down the row of cells to the last on the left. The one Xander had forbidden her to open.

Even so, under the circumstances, the strange female’s words remained a curiosity.

“Who are you?” Ava asked, tipping her head to see beyond the bars.

“A healer. I know how to soothe his pain.”

“How?”