The Angel Trap

by Michelle Madow

  How did Flint still think this was the right decision? I glanced to the side to look at him, but he stared blankly ahead. Whatever he was thinking, I couldn’t get a read on him.

  Lavinia stopped chanting, and the silver light disappeared. It took my eyes a second to readjust to the moonless night.

  “It’s ready.” She walked to Azazel and handed the goblet to him. “His Grace will drink first, and then he’ll pass the chalice around the circle. This spell is strong and dark, so remember to only take a sip. Anything more will likely be lethal.” Her tone was laced with warning as she spoke the final sentence.

  Azazel took a sip from the goblet and passed it to Flint, who then swallowed the blood and lowered the goblet, turning to me.

  I gasped at the sight of his eyes. Because my brother’s familiar brown eyes were gone. Now they were red. Demon red.

  Just like the shifters who’d attacked me, Noah, and Raven in the alley in Nashville. Whoever those shifters were, they’d completed a blood binding ceremony with a demon. It had done something to them—something that had changed them deep within.

  People sometimes said that eyes were the window to the soul.

  Did this ceremony just change my brother’s soul?

  “Take the goblet,” Flint commanded. “Drink.”

  I took the goblet from him, my hands shaking. The pewter material was cold, like it had just come out of a freezer. The blood inside smelled dirty and tainted.

  I didn’t want to drink it. But given the circumstances—including the complacent potion still running through my veins—I didn’t have a choice.

  I glanced over at my cloaking ring. It was still on the ground outside the circle, where I’d been standing before the ceremony.

  Thank the angels I’d been able to fight past the complacent potion for long enough to remove the ring. Otherwise, all hope would have been lost.

  Please Thomas, I thought as I raised the goblet to my lips. Find me. Together, we’ll fight this. Because no matter what this blood binding ceremony does to me, I love you, and I promise my heart will always be yours.

  Despite the chalice being cold, the blood was warm when it touched my tongue. It tasted bitter and sticky. I forced it down, pressing my lips together in disgust as I swallowed.

  It was a good thing we didn’t need to take any more than a sip. I didn’t think I would have been able to endure it.

  The blood settled into my stomach, the darkness seeping from my center all the way to the ends of my fingers and toes. I thought it would have felt cold, or uncomfortable. But it didn’t.

  It felt safe. Like a blanket giving me protection I hadn’t realized I’d needed. I felt strong. Invincible. Calm.

  Before, my emotions had been a swirling mess, like a hurricane. Now they were tranquil and steady. I saw everything clearly now.

  It was all thanks to Azazel. And Flint, of course, for having the sense to make this alliance. I’d have to apologize to my brother later for giving him such a hard time about this. By making this alliance, Flint was keeping me safe. He was keeping the entire pack safe. I understood that now. I was grateful.

  I turned to the shifter next to me—a woman named Marie who was a few years older than me. We’d never had much in common—she was a big gossip, so I’d never trusted her with anything meaningful—but she was always fun to hang out with.

  She took a sharp breath inward when her eyes met mine.

  “Don’t worry,” I assured her, handing the goblet to her. “You’ll feel so much better after you drink.”

  Once she took the goblet from me, I walked out of the circle, toward where I’d been standing earlier.

  “Where are you going?” Flint asked.

  I leaned down and picked up my cloaking ring from the grass, examining it with a knowing smile. “I must have dropped this during the excitement earlier,” I said, sliding the ring back onto my finger where it belonged. “It’s a good thing I noticed. There are some people who might be looking for me—we wouldn’t want them to find us and bring trouble to our pack.”

  “No.” Flint smiled as I rejoined his side. “We most certainly wouldn’t.”

  I watched as the goblet made its way around the circle. Once each shifter drank, their eyes turned red and they visibly relaxed. Finally, the goblet made its way to the final member of the Montgomery pack—Michael, who stood on Azazel’s other side.

  The young boy looked terrified as he raised the goblet to his lips.

  But once he drank, his eyes turned red and he was calm like the rest of us.

  “Wonderful,” Azazel said as Lavinia took the empty goblet from Michael’s hands. “Now that you’re bound to me, you have my protection, as I have yours. We’re an alliance. A family. And I’m pleased to officially give your alpha Flint Montgomery permission to mate with my daughter Mara.”

  Flint bowed his head to Azazel. “Thank you, Your Grace,” he said.

  “You’re welcome,” Azazel replied. “We’ll have to celebrate, since the first mating between a demon and shifter will be a moment that will go down in history.”

  “Yes.” Flint smiled at Mara, who beamed in return. “It certainly will.”

  “And I have to admit that it’s gotten me curious,” Azazel continued. “If a shifter can imprint on a demon, what about a greater demon? Could one of you imprint on me?” He tilted his head in curiosity, letting his gaze meet everyone’s in the circle. Eventually he focused on me, his eyes lingering up and down my body for much longer than any of the others.

  Whatever he was looking for, I hoped it pleased him.

  “Sage Montgomery.” My name sounded like honey as he spoke it. “You’re strong, smart, and beautiful. If I’m able to imprint on a shifter, I want it to be you.”

  I widened my eyes in surprise. “Thank you, Your Grace,” I said, lowering my head to show him the proper respect. “You honor me greatly.”

  “I know.” He smirked, appearing to enjoy this. Good. I wanted him to be happy. “And I don’t want to wait to find out,” he continued. “Come here now and kiss me.”

  I walked toward him, my eyes locked on his. He was so handsome—like a god.

  But as I approached, I felt a stirring deep within. I wasn’t sure what it was… but it seemed to be trying to tell me something.

  It was telling me to stop. To remember something important—a feeling I was supposed to have. Not for Azazel, or for anyone in the pack.

  It was a feeling for someone else. An important promise I’d made him.

  A promise my heart was begging me not to break.

  “Sage?” Azazel’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Is everything okay?”

  I blinked, comforted by the caring way my master gazed down at me. The reminder of his protection made whatever I’d been feeling before disappear in an instant.

  What had I been feeling before?

  I wasn’t sure, but I needed to answer Azazel’s question. It was rude to keep him waiting.

  “I’m just nervous, I suppose.” I shrugged and smiled, feeling silly for causing my master to worry. “It’s not every day that I’m selected for such an honor.”

  “Understandable.” He twisted a strand of my hair around his finger and leaned closer, focused only on me. “How about you put an end to those nerves and kiss me now?”

  “I’d love to.” With that, I rested my hands against his chest, stood up on my tiptoes, and pressed my lips to his.

  Thank you for reading The Angel Trap! I hope you loved this book as much as I loved writing it. I know that ending was pretty intense, but you won’t have to wait long for the next book in the series—The Angel Gift—since it’s releasing on September 30, 2018. To pre-order The Angel Gift, CLICK HERE.

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ellemadow.

  If you haven’t read the first season of the Dark World Saga yet—The Vampire Wish—I recommend checking it out while you’re waiting for The Angel Gift. If you’re curious about what happened to Noah when he was the First Prophet of the Vale, and if you’re interested in the story about Prince Jacen picking a vampire bride, the answers are in The Vampire Wish series. And the best part is—the series starts with a FREEBIE, The Vampire Rules!

  CLICK HERE or visit michellemadow.com/freevampirerules to grab The Vampire Rules and start reading it now.

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  You can also check out the cover and description for The Vampire Rules below. (You might have to turn the page to see the cover.)

  Before he was a vampire prince, he was just Jacen.

  As one of the most promising athletes in the country, Jacen has his life all mapped out for himself. Train hard, win worldwide swimming championships, and go for the gold in the next Olympics.

  But while celebrating a successful swim meet at his hotel bar, he meets a mysterious woman named Laila. Not only is Laila beautiful, but she’s smart, witty, and charming. So when she brazenly invites herself up to his room, he jumps at the opportunity to spend the night with her.

  He gets far more than he bargained for when she bites his neck and abducts him to the hidden vampire kingdom of the Vale, changing his life forever.

  If he can even call it a life anymore…

  CLICK HERE or visit michellemadow.com/freevampirerules to grab The Vampire Rules and start reading now.

  About the Author

  Michelle Madow is a USA Today bestselling author of fast paced fantasy novels that will leave you turning the pages wanting more! Her books are full of magic, adventure, romance, and twists you’ll never see coming.

  Click here or visit author.to/MichelleMadow to view a full list of Michelle’s novels on Amazon.

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  THE ANGEL TRAP

  Published by Dreamscape Publishing

  Copyright © 2018 Michelle Madow

  ISBN: 1722489057

  ISBN-13: 978-1722489052

  This book is a work of fiction. Though some actual towns, cities, and locations may be mentioned, they are used in a fictitious manner and the events and occurrences were invented in the mind and imagination of the author. Any similarities of characters or names used within to any person past, present, or future is coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author. Brief quotations may be embodied in critical articles or reviews.

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