Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 112287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 561(@200wpm)___ 449(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 561(@200wpm)___ 449(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
Aegaeon and Raphael had split up to do the flyover across Qin’s scattered territory. Raphael knew it’d take them at least one and possibly two weeks, because this wasn’t simply a flight. Both of them would be landing in multiple areas, because the aim was to be seen. He and the other archangel would also be deploying a firm hand where trouble had begun to foment.
General Atu had lived up to his reputation as a man on whom an archangel could depend; he’d curated an up-to-date list of possible insurgents and hot spots. It included a city held by a powerful vampire who hadn’t been raised to that leadership role by either Astaad or Qin.
As evidenced by Raphael’s own second, vampires could hold the most senior positions. Angelkind had never stopped strong vampires from reaching their full potential—that would be an idiotic waste of resources when intelligent and strong vampires were far more useful than vacuous court angels with not an original thought in their well-coiffured heads.
But vampires couldn’t simply annex a position of power, for that betrayed a disregard for authority that could lead to wider unrest. More to the point, it showed a dangerous lack of critical thinking, because angels—specifically archangels—were the apex predators.
The vampire named Minjarra had apparently forgotten that.
Having been briefed on Minjarra by General Atu, Raphael wasn’t in the mood to play games when he hit the glittering cosmopolitan city on Australia’s eastern seaboard. The sprawling island continent comprised the largest single piece of Qin’s territory.
Astaad had kept three residences here. Though none of those residences had been as favored as his homes on remote islands in the tropics, he’d made regular appearances at them throughout the year, often staying up to a month—he’d also done flyovers in between those stays.
Qin, per the general, hadn’t left the island for the past two years.
Two years was a long time when it came to vampires and bloodlust.
After flying into the city awash in the pale sunset hues of early evening, Raphael didn’t bother with subtlety. He didn’t have time for it. Still in the air, and only a short distance from Minjarra’s grand estate—an estate right next to one of Astaad’s former residences—Raphael blasted out a message using his violent mental power: Minjarra, I summon you to a meeting! You have ten minutes.
He said nothing else.
The man would know where to go—and who had summoned him. Raphael had come in on a flight path that’d had people on lower floors of high-rises rushing to their windows and cars screeching to a stop in the street as drivers shoved their heads out the window to stare up, alongside wide-eyed pedestrians.
Fear had pulsed off the city, its citizens’ terror a single heartbeat.
Because archangels didn’t fly that low unless they wanted to make a point.
When he landed on the flat roof of Astaad’s residence, it was to be met by an angelic squadron Atu had contacted in advance. “Archangel.” The squadron leader went down on one knee, her squadron moving as one with her.
“The stronghold is secure, but Minjarra has continued his encroachment into Archangel Ast—Archangel Qin’s lands.” The correction was fast, the error telling. “He makes no threats and his people carry no weapons, but we have found him and his teams in various remote parts of the estate.”
“What does he say when you confront him?”
“That he made a promise to care for the animals that live on the estate. I was assigned here by General Atu after the war. Neither he nor I know of any promises or agreements.”
“What is your judgment of him?”
A hesitation before the squadron leader squared her shoulders. “He is blatant in crossing into the territory despite multiple warnings, but he and his people do seem to be focused on the welfare of the animals, and have never acted with aggression. I don’t believe he wishes to grasp at power. In this, I am in disagreement with my commander, General Atu.”
“Report acknowledged.” The squadron leader’s take on Minjarra intrigued him. It was certainly a more nuanced report than that offered by Atu. “Take to the skies above his estate.”
“Archangel.”
He stayed on the roof after they took off in the martial glide of a trained wing. He could glimpse the whitecaps of the ocean on the horizon, though it was some distance away on foot. Far closer—on the left edge of the roof—sat a loud bird. It scolded him with all the mannerisms of an old biddy vampire. He must tell Elena about the white crested thing that he knew was unique to this continent.
“Archangel.” The squeaky voice had him turning to face a tall and curvaceous vampire who held a tray in trembling hands. Her skin was golden brown, but her face bleached white with fear. “Cold drinks. Food.”
“My thanks.” He drank the entire glass of ice-cold juice that held little black seeds, but waved off the food after placing the glass back on the tray. “I will eat later.”