36. Blaise

Icaught Toby before he hit the floor. Cradling him to my chest, I carefully lowered him the rest of the way.

"Toby? Tobes!"

There was no response. I lifted his eyelids to see his eyes were unfocused and unresponsive. My hands shook as I sought out his pulse. It was there, but super faint.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," I chanted. I couldn't think. What would Toby do?

Well Toby is a doctor, so whatever he would do is probably not in your wheelhouse.

That was true. Okay, so what about one of the others?

Suddenly, I heard Mori echoing in my brain. That's not how it works in this family. If we're summoned, we answer. It's as simple as that.

I scrambled for my jeans. Where was it? Where was it?

Itfelt like forever before my hand wrapped around my phone. I pulled it out hastily, typing in a message to the group chat reserved for emergencies.

SOS, Toby's flat

Various icons flicked up, showing it had been read. Dropping the phone on the floor, I crawled back over to Toby's inert body.

"Please, Toby," I whispered, tears rolling down my cheeks. "Please wake up."

But he didn't. Wherever Toby was right now, it was somewhere he couldn't come back to me from.

Lifting his upper body, I laid his head on my lap. The whole time, I kept up a litany of pleas. Begging whoever might be listening. "Please, don't let him die. This can't be it for us. Please bring him back to me. I'll do anything. Anything."

I didn't hear the door open. Didn't realise anyone was in the flat until a gentle hand touched my arm. I jumped a foot, my arms tightening protectively around Toby.

"It's okay, big fella," Harlow said gently. "It's just us."

I blinked away tears to see all the demons had joined us. Out in the living room, I could hear the humans bustling around. Someone was filling the kettle while a clinking noise suggested somebody was putting cups on the counter. "You came."

"Of course we did." River's voice was fierce as he knelt beside me. His arm went around my shoulders, squeezing me tight. "We've got you, all of us."

Ferry sidled closer, his face grim as he studied the still unconscious Toby, but when his eyes met mine, they were kind. "Can you tell us what happened?"

It didn't take long for me to cover it, even with me having to stop several times. "He hasn't moved since."

"Can I examine him?" Mori asked, kneeling on his other side. "My skills are nothing on Toby's, but I've picked up a few things from him over the years."

I nodded, laying him on the ground and moving back slightly to give Mori room. It was only then that I realised I was naked. Cursing under my breath, I ducked into Toby's en-suite and washed up hastily. There was a knock on the door just as I was finishing up.

I opened it so hastily that I almost pulled it off the hinges. "Is he awake?"

"Nope," River said grimly. "Figured you might want your clothes though. The others might not mind seeing you nude, but I'll be happy to never see your balls again."

I took them with a grunt, slamming the door in my twin's face. His comment had lessened the tension in me slightly. Yes, Toby was unconscious, but everyone was here. They weren't going to let me go through this alone. They weren't going to let Toby go without a fight.

Once dressed, I slipped from the bathroom silently. Conversation was happening all around the room, but I didn't pay attention to any of it. I just watched Toby, willing him to wake up.

I'd been through storms of emotion like this before, but it still didn't prepare you for a situation like this. With Bailey, there'd been guilt and horror, but when it was Toby in danger, those emotions were elevated to a new level. I hadn't felt this level of desperation since we'd been at the portal and Toby's immortality had been in danger. Thank fuck Noah had arrived when he had. It was a shame there wasn't an angel around to save us this time…

Angel.

Scar.

Angel.

Ezekial.

It was like someone had sharpened everything in my brain, showing me the only avenue we hadn't explored. The one that might hold the fucking answer.

"Holy shit." I jumped to my feet. "Ezekial."

"Ezekial?"

My head snapped in Dimitri's direction. He and Dagon had just arrived, looking dishevelled by the wind. They must've been away somewhere when I'd sent the summons. I rushed over to him, grabbing him by the shoulders. Ezekial was a member of the Seraphim, the unit that until recently, Dimitri had counted himself as part of. "Ezekial. Where is he? Where can I find him?"

"Why do you need to see him? He's not the most helpful fucker at the best of times."

"He helped me before," I said impatiently, gesturing at the scar on my face. "He was the one who explained that those with fire in their veins can't be cursed. If anyone knows the answer, it'll be him."

Dimitri's eyes softened. "He might not though. Ez is a highly intelligent being, the most intelligent I've ever come across, but he doesn't know everything."

"Please," I begged him. "I have to try."

Dimitri hissed before twisting his head to the side. Dagon had appeared beside us, his arms folded over his chest. "Stop being so annoyed at me. Of course I'm going to take him."

"Then hurry the fuck up and do it," Dagon said. "If it was Lucky who was unconscious, you'd punch anyone questioning you before helping you."

Dimitri looked suitably chastened. "Sorry. Yes, I know where he is. Or at least, where he should be. Even if he's not there, the other Seraphim should be. One of them might be able to help. I won't be able to enter the complex with you, no demon can, but I can take you to the entrance and point you in the right direction."

River spoke from behind me. "I should go with you."

"No," I said, turning to face him. "I need you to do something else for me."

My twin lifted his chin. "Name it."

"Don't let him come after me." My eyes drifted past River to rest on Toby's inert form. "If he…if he wakes up, keep him here until I get back. He's in no state to travel. If he comes after me and collapses again, we might not know about it until it's too late."

River shuffled on his feet. "I mean, I can try. Toby isn't great at listening when it comes to you."

"You can stop him," I said urgently. "Of all of us, you're probably the only one who can without hurting him."

He sighed, exchanging a look with Mori, who shrugged. "I'll see what I can do."

I'd take it. I gave River one tight hug before dropping to my knees beside Toby. It hit me then that I hadn't knelt for him since we'd reconnected.

This wasn't how I'd imagined it happening.

Everyone pulled back slightly, giving us a moment of privacy. The lump in my throat thickened at their thoughtfulness.

"Hey, Tobes," I whispered, stroking his hair back from his face. He was so still, missing the vibrancy that seemed to light him from within. "I think I might have found an answer. I don't want to leave you. I really fucking don't. You've apologised to me so many times, and I've just realised I didn't apologise to you. I'm sorry I gave you a hard time over hiding things from me. You were just trying to protect me. I'm sorry I waited so long before talking to you again."

A tear splashed on Toby's cheek. I went to wipe it away but stopped myself, instead watching it dry on his skin. Was it strange to be happy I was leaving a part of myself with him? Without a mating bond, it was the best I could do. "Most of all, I'm sorry we wasted these past four months. We're not going to waste any more time though, Tobes. I'm not letting you go. I'm going to try whatever I need to to save you. I promise. I'm going to try."

Leaning down, I pressed a shaky kiss to Toby's lips. They were colder than usual, like the life was slowly draining from him with every second that passed.

There was no time to lose.

Getting to my feet, I approached Dimitri. "Let's go."

Ihad no idea where the Seraphim complex was. No one did. It was the most guarded estate topside. The only way to find it was if you were accompanied by a member of the Seraphim.

Or, in my case, a former member.

To my surprise, we weren't flying for long. We were in the air for less than ten minutes before our feet were touching the ground.

I glanced around in confusion. We were in a park, but there was no mistaking the city noise around us. High-speed trains sounded on one side while a cacophony of horns and yelling came from the other. "Are we in London?"

"Yep." Dimitri's lips were pinched as he gestured at the church before us. "St. Pancras Old Church, to be exact. It's been a place of worship for humans for over a thousand years. The Seraphim have called it their home far longer than that though. It's probably why the humans were drawn here. Maybe the constant presence of God's most loyal soldiers made them feel closer to her."

The bitterness in his words had me glancing at him. "Do you miss it?"

"Yes and no." He gave me a tight smile. "I miss my friends and being part of the unit, but given the choice again? I'd choose Dagon and Lucky. Every time."

I took in his stiff posture, realising suddenly how much it was costing him to do this. "Thank you for bringing me here."

Dimitri inclined his head, his hair falling forward to obscure his face. "Anything for a friend. And just to avoid any confusion, I mean you, not Toby. Well, obviously I'd do the same for him, but…you get what I mean."

I gave a small chuckle. "I do."

He stepped back, his black wings opening as he prepared to take off. He was a foot in the air before I spotted the glaring flaw in the plan.

"Wait," I said in alarm, raising my hand. "Where do I go?"

Dimitri's feet touched the grass once more. "Fuck, I forgot about the wards. Hang on. Let's hope this still works."

Pulling his sleeve up to his elbow, he put his wrist to a crumbling boulder. There was a flash of light that rippled from his wrist over the grass.

I blinked in astonishment. I'd seen wards used before. Heck, I'd used them myself countless times. But I'd never seen them used to this extent.

A majestic palace had appeared in the parkland beside us. Vast, high walls of marble extended from the main building. There were towers, turrets, and balconies. It looked like it could easily house an entire army, not just the nine members of the Seraphim.

"Being part of the most elite group of soldiers comes with its perks," Dimitri said wryly. "Space and luxury being the main two."

"You're telling me," I muttered, eyeing the lavish gardens and fountains. "Do they know you can lift the wards still?"

"I'm guessing not." He shot me a wink. "Best keep that to ourselves."

He gave me a nod before blasting into the sky. I didn't waste any more time, already having lingered longer than I'd wanted to. I had to get the information I needed and get back to Toby as fast as possible.

I'd barely taken a single step before light was wrapping around my body, pinning me to the spot. I considered unleashing my flames to see if I could dissolve it, but that would probably slow things down even more.

Instead, I gritted my teeth against the pain and looked around for the culprit. It didn't take me long to find him, the giant of a man doing little to hide himself. He leaned against a tree nearby, taking a loud bite out of an apple. "You don't look like a Jehovah's Witness."

I'd never met this angel before. If I had, there was no way I would've forgotten his shock of white hair or lilac eyes. "Get a lot of those, do you?"

The angel flashed me a grin that suggested he was far more wicked than his angelic status implied. "Nah, they can't get through the wards. Mind you, you shouldn't be able to either. So, why don't you tell me who you are and then I can decide whether I can be bothered to kill you or not?"

"Bothered?" Why I was focusing on that was beyond me.

"Well, it doesn't hurt that you're extremely hot." He finished his apple and tossed the core into the distance. "And I don't just mean because you're a fire mage."

The bands of light loosened, allowing me to take a full breath. "I'm flattered, but I'm…taken."

He winked, sauntering closer. "Sure about that? You don't seem very certain."

I huffed as my impatience started to get the better of me. "Well given that the one I love is currently unconscious with a deadly curse running through his veins, I think I'm allowed some uncertainty."

The angel stopped in front of me, his suddenly serious eyes level with my own. "The one you love is dying?"

"Yes."

"And you're here to seek help for him?"

"Yes," I said impatiently. "Ezekial offered me advice in a similar situation before, and I was hoping?—"

The bands of light disappeared as he interrupted me. "Why didn't you say so? Come. Ez isn't here, but I can get a message to him. Fair warning, he left in a shitty mood, so I expect he'll also return in one."

I rubbed at the raw skin on my wrists as they healed. "Yeah he wasn't in the best frame of mind the last time either."

The angel clapped me on the shoulder as he hurried me towards the grand front door. It was three stories high and wouldn't have looked out of place at Buckingham Palace. "Yeah, that doesn't surprise me. Grumpiness seems to be his default mode. You just get used to it. I'm Nate, by the way."

"Blaise."

"Oh, you're the mage who guarded the fault line? With a vampire, right?"

I gave a curt nod. "He's the one who's dying. He pulled a cursed sword from me that day. That's…that's how he got cursed."

He eyed me curiously. "Why aren't you dying?"

"Fire magic," I answered shortly, gesturing to my face. "Cursed blades leave scars on me, but nothing more. Ezekial was the one who explained it to me."

He opened the door and gestured for me to step inside. "Gotcha. So your man has been sick for, what, six months? And you're only just reaching out to us now?"

I ran a hand through my hair sheepishly. "I would've done it sooner, but to be honest, it didn't occur to me."

Nate patted my arm condescendingly. "It's okay, we can't all be rebel geniuses. Don't worry, even if Ez can't help you, I'm sure one of the others can."