Steel

Chapter 41

Thanatiel paused for a moment, pursing her sharp lips in thought. They were covered in a thick dark lipstick that made her teeth appear even whiter and more like canine fangs than human teeth. Her dark eyes surveyed the land in front of us, watching as both Heaven and Hell's armies fell like dominoes. The earth shattered beneath their collision, and I watched Grey send out another shockwave of power towards a new line of Demons rushing towards them. Ash exploded up into the air like a volcanic eruption with their deaths, but even I could feel the strain Grey was putting on himself. He wouldn't be able to keep this up.

"You truly believe he does all of this to protect you?" Thanatiel sighed out, turning her unreflective gaze back to me.

"Not just me. He knows it's the right thing. As morally grey as he is, he does know right from wrong and tries to do the right thing. But I do know he wants us to have a future, and we can't do that if Hell wins," I explained dryly. I was still so confused why Thanatiel was even entertaining a conversation with me, why she hadn't killed me yet. She hadn't hesitated the first time, why now?

"I'm tired, Jordan Greene. I'm tired of watching people and souls die for the sake of a disagreement," she relented, adjusting the jewelry that hung around her neck.

"This was never something I wanted, either. I didn't ask for this role, nor did I want it when it was given to me. I never wanted to kill others," I replied, even more confused by her confession.

She paused and looked back out across the skyline. "You will help him, yes? When he is exhausted from the long days of transporting souls and occasionally delivering them to oblivion?" She questioned.

I still didn't see where she was going with this, but I nodded slowly. "I will stand by Grey until there's nothing left to stand on," I agreed.

"Good," she said quickly, standing upright. "Call him to you."

"What?" I shot back in surprise. If she thought I would drag Grey over here so she could have the satisfaction of watching us both die-

"I know you're soulmates and have completed the bond. Call him here. Tell him I'm with you," Thanatiel explained, her dark wings curling effortlessly behind her back.

"So you can kill us both simultaneously? I don't think so," I spat back defiantly. Thanatiel's sharp lips curled in a feline smile.

"I am not going to kill either of you today. Call him, Silverborne," she instructed. I narrowed my eyes at her distrustfully, but I suppose if she'd wanted us both dead, she could've done it already. Especially if she knew we were soulmates and had completed the bond. How she knew that- I had no idea.

Grey, Thanatiel is here. Please come, I called out in my head. There was silence, deafening silence in my head for a moment before I heard him.

I'm coming, I heard his signature growl echo inside my head.

Watching the skyline, I saw Grey's dark figure swerve out of the front lines and hurdle towards me. I had no idea he could fly that fast. Streams of cloud jetted out behind his wings as he flew.

She's not going to kill us, I don't think. She's been talking with me, I explained.

And you didn't think to tell me the moment she showed up there? You could've been dead already, Greene, he snarled back.

Well, if I was, you would know, now wouldn't you? I retorted.

I'm still going to kill her, Grey hissed. I watched his rapidly approaching figure and his glowing eyes quickly soar down to the platform. The cement beneath us shook as his feet his the floor.