Free Dirty Angel (Sainted Sinners #1) by Vivian Wood Page B

Kirael.
    “She needs to get into Hell,” Kirael said, splaying his hands on the table. “And back out, presumably.”
    Another long silence, so thick it could’ve been cut with a knife.
    “Usually humans try to avoid going to Hell,” Lucan said, though his tone was mild enough.
    “Yeah, well. Not this human,” Vesper said, narrowing her gaze.
    “She’s rescuing another human,” Kirael said, then hurried to add, “A live one. I already asked.”
    “A prisoner of the Fallen?” Ezra asked, his brows drawing down into a scowl.
    “A… captive,” Kirael said, glancing at Vesper. “At a blood brothel.”
    “Goodness,” Mere Marie said, shuddering.
    Vesper saw Kirael shoot Mere Marie a glance, and then Mere Marie lifted a shoulder in response.
    “It is what it is,” Mere Marie said.
    “Why would you not simply… purchase this captive? It is a brothel, after all,” Lucan demanded to know.
    “Because the price is my death,” Kirael said, stopping Lucan cold.
    “Lucifer has put bounties on us?” Ezra asked, sitting up a little straighter. “What kind of fool would come after a Fallen?”
    Kirael cleared his throat, but thankfully didn’t point out that Vesper was exactly that kind of fool.
    “I don’t think that’s the matter at hand,” Mere Marie said, waving a hand. “The question is, can we get someone into Hell? The gris-gris I gave Kirael won’t fool them twice.”
    Kirael and Lucan looked to Ezra, who sighed.
    “It is possible…” he said, but he didn’t sound very happy about it.
    “Ezra set up most of the entrances and exits in and and out of Hell,” Kirael explained for Vesper’s benefit. “He knows all the tricks.”
    “Getting in isn’t the issue. It’s leaving again that would be difficult. Think of breaking into Hell like robbing a bank. If someone sounds the alarm and activates the security measures, you’d be trapped inside ,” Ezra sighed.
    “Where, presumably, Lucifer would then maim and torture you to death… and that’s just the beginning. Once he has your soul in his possession, that would be…” Kirael said, then went quiet. Leaving everyone at the table to finish his thought for themselves.
    “We’d need to call in a favor to get you out. We’d need an insider’s help,” Ezra said.
    Kirael snorted. “Who’d help us?”
    Ezra turned to give Lucan a meaningful look.
    “No,” Lucan said, seeming to catch Ezra’s meaning after a moment. “No! Absolutely not.”
    “You want to find the Null, or not?” Ezra asked.
    “Nothing is worth that,” Lucan snapped.
    “Lucan…” Kirael said.
    Lucan shoved to his feet, clearly agitated. “I’m not contacting Stella. Just… no.”
    “She’d do it, for you,” Kirael challenged.
    “She’d do it to piss off Lucifer,” Lucan qualified. “And again… no . I’m not talking to that she-demon.”
    “Maybe you two should just fuck and get it over with,” Ezra suggested somberly.
    In a flash, Lucan’s fist was in the air, poised to crash down into Ezra’s face.
    “ STOP ,” Mere Marie shouted, her voice resonating through the room with unnatural force.
    Everyone froze. Vesper, halfway out of her seat, dropped back down and swallowed.
    Mere Marie was no one to mess with, that was for sure.
    “Does anyone know a better way?” Mere Marie asked. “Someone holding onto a secret Fatale?”
    “What’s a Fatale?” Vesper asked, confused.
    “A being, a female, that can take out almost anyone or anything, if given the right… motivation…” Ezra said. “Provoke a Fatale enough, and it’s like calling down a nuclear strike. It just levels everyone in the vicinity.”
    “So… let’s find one,” Vesper said, looking around.
    Kirael shook his head. “She was kidding. There aren’t any more Fatales, unless someone somewhere hasn’t matured.”
    “Matured?” Vesper asked. Ezra jumped in to clarify, his face lighting up as he explained.
    “Yeah, they’re sort of like a dormant volcano.