Into the Void (The Godhunter, Book 10) Read Free Page B

an instant connection to the father I didn't know. At least he'd known about me, cared about me even, to have left me the ring. Maybe I could go back sometime and meet him. The ring glowed warmly and I blinked at it in surprise. Go figure, it had an opinion.
    “I'm sorry,” Azrael took my hand and a wave of comfort flowed through my tense limbs. “I can't imagine what it's like to grow up without a father.”
    “ It's okay,” I shook my head. “Both of my mothers did what they thought was best for me. My mother in this life, surrounded me with so much love, I never knew the lack.”
    “ That doesn't surprise me,” he huffed a small laugh. “She's a wonderful woman.”
    “ Yeah, Odin did something right when he chose her,” I sighed. “Will you introduce me to your father?”
    “ Of course,” he said without hesitation. “He's actually been asking to meet you.”
    “ He has?”
    “ Word has gotten around,” he looked a little sheepish.
    “ I didn't happen to be the subject of this little meeting I just walked in on, was I?” I narrowed my eyes on him and he squirmed.
    “ Some of the Angelic Host feel that you've become too unpredictable,” Azrael's jaw clenched and anger filled his face. It wasn't an emotion I saw there often so it kind of shocked me.
    “ So I'm unpredictable,” I tried to laugh it off, “how is that a bad thing? At the very least, I don't think it's bad enough that a bunch of angels should be worried about it.”
    “ They're not worried about you Vervain, it's your powers,” he sat back, letting go of my hand and withdrawing his comfort. “No one like you has ever existed and we have no idea what your capabilities are. That makes the angels nervous for numerous reasons.”
    “ Like what?” Now I was getting mad. Who were they to be nervous about my powers? It's not like I was going to hunt them down... unless they were planning on doing something horrible. “Wait, are they bad angels? I mean, are they planning to do something to humanity that might convince me to hunt them?”
    “ No, that's not it at all,” Az shook his head. “In fact, it's quite the opposite. We angels still have human belief backing us. People light candles for us everyday. Admittedly, candles are a small sacrifice but they add up and the energy we receive from humans makes us treasure them. We are indebted to your race and we feel very protective over them. It's our protective natures that have caused a problem with how they view you.”
    “ They don't think I would ever harm humans, do they?” I was aghast. I'm called the Godhunter because I kill gods obviously. I don't kill humans.
    “ I don't believe you could ever go that route, not unless it was necessary,” he leaned forward and took my hand again.
    “ But they do.”
    “ Some of them have brought up instances where power has served to corrupt humans,” he said gently.
    “ Absolute power corrupts absolutely,” I quoted. “Maybe but I'm not just human anymore. I not only have two other races, I have a trove of good friends that will help keep me on track.”
    “ These are some of the arguments I've employed,” he nodded. “Look, don't worry about it right now, Carus. They won't do anything to you as long as you have my support.”
    “ Not anything they'll tell you about anyway,” I huffed. Great, now I had to worry about a host of avenging angels descending upon me for the crime of being who I was.
    “ We share a bond now, a holy one,” he gave me a secret smile and I couldn't help but smile back, remembering our exchange of wine with Kirill. “I'd know if someone hurt you and if it was an angel, I'd know who did it.”
    “ Well that's a groovy trick and all,” I smirked, “but what good is it if they kill me? Whether you know who did it or not at that point is moot.”
    “ I was implying that the threat of me knowing should deter most angels,” Azrael's eyes shifted into sparkling diamonds and the angelic tattoo on his cheek