“The guys took longer to get annoyed with me than I expected, and I’m terrible at deception,” I explain.

For whatever reason, they only look confused.

“I don’t want them knowing about this. They’re a little sensitive about the way I’ve been handling these things. Apparently they don’t enjoy watching me be pummeled, and it’s sparked some discord within our already somewhat unstable unit.”

I flash a smile at them when they just continue to blankly stare back at me.

“But I’ve noticed a big change these past few days, even in the ever-irritable Jude,” I add, feeling my heart do little happy dances.

The dynamic has shifted since Jahl’s attack. As though a shared goal has finally brought us closer, after being humbled by our future adversary that…could kill us and or end the world…and still kill us when he finally breaches Hell.

If I broke Lucifer’s seal in a battle without being all the way leveled-up, I question if he can truly keep Jahl out if we level the world, seal up Hell, and gamble all our hopes on the Devil’s plan.

“We haven’t come to discuss your abominable relationship,” Peter says through clenched teeth.

I nod in agreement. Even if a vow of chastity isn’t involved, I’m guessing these guys don’t make out well with the ladies. They seem a little too righteously boring.

“Don’t get offended, but…do angels get boners?” I ask to sate my curiosity.

Five glares unanimously find me. Rafael seems in better health as he cracks his neck to the side.

“Have I asked that before or something?” I ask…since they don’t seem offended so much as annoyed.

“I’m assuming you wish to begin so you can get back before you’re caught,” Rafael states with as much patience as he can muster.

I nod again, getting back on track.

“Only this time, I want you all to attack me at once,” I say as the chakrams appear on my hips, and my outfit shifts.

Seriously, though, I need to see how many level-up perks I have now.

“You’ll be killed if we do that,” Azrael argues dismissively.

“Not to mention our balance would be affected,” Peter points out very quickly, staring at me as though I’m a wicked temptress.

Rolling my eyes, I turn and strut away, putting some distance between us.

“If you’re asking The Apocalypse to save the world instead of destroy it, then I think that cancels out your argument,” I note, darting a pointed look over my shoulder at Peter. “I need to level all the way up to do that, and it comes at the cost of you risking a fall to help me grow stronger. Shouldn’t the righteous be more selfless than the damned?”

Azrael blows out a breath, Rafael drops his head back, the two quiet angels sit and observe, and Peter just narrows his eyes at me.

“She has a point,” Azrael states reluctantly.

“The damned always have a point,” Peter volleys, eyes never leaving mine. “It’s how they coerce you into doing their bidding with a smile on your face, never realizing how thick and murky the water has gotten until—”

“Yeah, yeah. Blah, blah, blah,” I interrupt, batting a dismissive hand. “Only I’m not good at deception,” I add in reminder, smiling like the evil woman I am.

“You’re unquestionably good at getting your way,” Peter fires back.

“I’m not seeing the logical argument on your part. If you don’t help me, you keep your balance and the world likely turns to ash the second that thing breaks free from its cage. Or, you risk a fall, help me level up, so I can go break all the rules and play the hero.”

“Don’t make it sound as though you’re doing this for the greater good,” Rafael says in an emotionless tone, eyes still fixed to mine. “You don’t care if the world is ash or in one piece, so long as you get to carry on with your ‘love’ story.”

“I don’t understand why my motives are being called into question when you still get what you want. Make a deal with the devil, and you get what you get,” I say with a shrug, still smiling. “Do you want my help or not? It comes at the risk of falling in an effort to propel me forward in my evolution.”

Peter mutters something under his breath as he turns and puts his back to me. Rafael is oddly calm, probably because he’s already locked into this agreement. Azrael looks as though he dreads this with all his might, but I can see the concession in his eyes.

The two quiet angels keep their mouths shut as though they’re waiting to be instructed.

“It could kill you,” Azrael says again. “Then what’s the point of all of this?”

“It won’t kill me,” I say with possibly a little too much confidence. “Probably,” I add just to be sure not to jinx myself and all.

Peter is turned back around and already berating the others when I spin to face them from my newfound distance. “I can’t believe you’re even considering this. Why do we keep listening to her maddening theories and—”

“And so far she’s come a lot farther than any of us expected,” Rafael says as he pushes off from the rock. “I’ll do my part. You four decide if you’ll do yours,” he adds as he faces me head-on, preparing for battle.

“What do you want from us exactly?” one of the two quiet angels asks.

I smirk. “Hit me with all you got, and when I try to fight back, you fight twice as hard. I’m stronger than my siblings. I need to be stronger than you. Quick question: Will the world really implode if I fight Lucif—”

“Don’t!” they all shout quickly, eyes wide and horrified.

Talk about riling angels…

“Okay then. I’ll take that as a yes,” I say on a sad sigh.

I’d really hoped Lamar was exaggerating.

“There should be a safe-word,” Azrael says to me, grudgingly taking a spot next to Rafael. “That way we don’t manage to unintentionally kill this feebler version of you while we’re in purgatory, where you’re only that much weaker.”

I want to throat punch them for calling me weak.

I smirk as I prepare myself for the beating of a lifetime.

“Don’t worry. If it gets to be too much, that’s when I’ll really come to life. I’ll level up. Then I’ll adjust your balance by retaliating. Fair warning, it’ll probably hurt like hell. Everyone’s a winner.”

I clap my hands together as the two nameless angels flank Azrael and Rafael.

Peter lets out a sigh of defeat, shaking his head as he comes to take his own spot.

“If we fall because of this, I want to remind everyone I opposed this ludicrous request from a being who can’t be trusted,” he adds just to be sure he’s not the one at fault if I pull a fast one on them.

I snort. “Even angels cave to peer pressure, eh?”

Without any warning, bright light blinds me, as a ripple of the most painful pulse I’ve ever felt rips through my body. A scream is torn from me before I can hold it back, my eyes almost feel as though they’ll explode, and dirt sprays my legs like razor-sharp sand.

The light grows even brighter around me, consuming me, running through my body as my veins burn like my blood is boiling acid in my veins. Another raw scream escapes me, my body not even responding to my commands.

I can’t even attempt to hit them back, because I can’t move. My body slams against the ground, and my back bows, as the light grows all the more glaring until it’s all I can see.

Over and over again, I try to lash out, only to seize in more pain, as though trying to fight back only gets me punished that much harder. Each attempt results in more torture, the pain so unbearable that I regret ever coming up with this plan.

My throat closes up, cutting off my scream, as the thought of a safe-word crosses my mind. I couldn’t have even used it, because I’m left writhing in silent agony by the second minute of a full-on archangel assault.

A ringing starts in my ears, growing louder and louder as my lungs starve for a fresh breath. My heart thumps so heavily it feels as though it’s trying to batter its way free from my chest. My fingertips explode from the pressure, spraying my black blood into the light until it burns away.

Just when I’m ready to lie down and give in, my eyelids growing heavy, as the pain gets so intense that I can’t even bring myself to futilely fight against it anymore…there’s a loud pop, pop, pop…

The rapid-fire popping is reminiscent of popcorn in the microwave, just before something explodes from my body.

The light fades so abruptly that dots speckle my vision instead of me getting a view of what’s going on. A dull roar of pain comes from somewhere close by, as I whimper, turning over on my side as the dots slowly fade.

Ash is raining down on us, and the angels are picking themselves up off the ground—all five of them.

My eyes land on Peter’s wild ones, as he starts slapping his head, moving toward me rapidly…like he got a taste of the dark side and wants more.

Their balance is truly a precariously fragile thing in comparison to mine.

Something coils around my hands, and I look down, finding purple gloves appearing slowly, stretching up my arms as the telling sensation of power washes over me.