Page 125 of Knight’s Absolution

He had no room for it, didn’t want it.

Silas glanced his way. The angel had clocked him as soon as he’d landed, but he’d stayed away. Time was up. He headed toward Rocco now, a tense expression on his face. Rocco’s demon shrieked his rage and clawed more fiercely.

Thankfully, none of Roc’s brothers noticed, too caught up with their females. Whatever the fallen angel had to say, Roc didn’t want to hear it. Nothing he could say would bring Kyler back to him. Everything else was a waste of fucking breath.

“Why don’t you come join us?” Silas said when he stopped in front of him. “Your brothers would love to see you.”

“As fun as that sounds, I’ll pass.”

Silas stared at him, his silver eyes boring deep. “There’s still hope, Roc, you need to hang on to that.”

Nope. No. He couldn’t do this now. “How about you fuck off with your positive-thinking bullshit, yeah?”

“Believe me, I know I sound like a fucking asshole,” Silas said. “But I have this feeling…I’ve been getting these feelings and…”

“Fuck yourself with your feelings, Silas,” Rocco growled. “Your feelings won’t bring my female home…” He cut himself off, the pain of talking about Kyler was too much.

Rocco walked away to the sound of his demon’s screams of pain. Just the mention of Kyler was too much for both of them, the screams grew so anguished and loud, Rocco almost blacked the fuck out.

It was as if Rocco’s own pain had become a separate entity in the form of his demon. Darker, more violent, completely and utterly broken.

Somehow, he managed to stay conscious and dove off the side of the compound roof. There was only one place he could handle being right then. His wings carried him on autopilot, across the city to the spot he’d last seen her, the only place he could feel close to her anymore.

The alley was dark, shadowed, and overflowing with malevolence.

He landed and strode to the brick wall at the end—to where the portal, dark and smelling like death, opened every solstice and equinox and spewed out demons. Where he and his brothers slaughtered as many as they could to protect mankind. The evil could be felt here even now.

His female was surrounded by that same evil, was living in it, in that darkness, with creatures that would take pleasure in causing her pain.

With Diemos, who was evil itself.

He pressed his hands and forehead against the warm brick and roared with everything inside him, his demon joining him with so much force, he lost his sight for long seconds.

Rocco pushed away panting, and shoved up his sleeve. He looked at the scar there, at the half-mutilated angel brand he’d tried to cut out when she was taken from him, and drew his knife.

The next time the portal opened, he was going in.

And no one could stop him.