Seduced by Lies by Alex Lux

woods I moved in, fighting the desire to shift and hunt, worried I would put Sam in greater danger if I did.
    When the ground below me rumbled and shook and Ryder's body flew out of the woods as if he were a doll, I let go of all restraint. Sam was safe. Whatever had just happened, Ryder was alone.
    Now I could kill the bastard.
    I lunged, shifting into wolf as I did, body filling with the power of my shifter form, filled with the magic of my people, but my attack came to a halt as a black shadow fell from the sky and landed in front of Ryder.
    A man wrapped in shadows with wings black as ink.
    A dark angel.
    Beleth.
    He extended his arm toward Ryder, the hand lengthening into a black blade like obsidian. Ryder's hand turned to a claw, catching the blade and knocking it away just in time to avoid being eviscerated by the irate angel.
    Ryder completed his shift, jumping to bite Beleth with a mouth full of sharp teeth, but Beleth grabbed him by the throat and pulled him into the sky, disappearing into the night.
    My body shook with the adrenaline of a hunt denied me as I turned back to my human form. Rose, Alaric and Father Patrick joined me, all of us staring mouth agape into the sky. My mind couldn't quite comprehend the fact that this magnificent being was Drake's father. That Drake had angel blood coursing through his body.
    As we watched, a shadow fell from the sky, crashing down into the earth, leaving a small crater in its wake. Ryder, in human form, cried out in pain, his bones askew, some breaking through his skin and leaving pools of blood around him.
    Even as he screamed from the pain his body worked to heal, reforming his bones.
    Before I could shift and attack, Beleth once again landed in front of the Lycan, his hand shaping itself into a giant scythe.
    Sam ran from the woods, a trail of blood leaking down her throat. Drake would never forgive me if I let this asshole hurt his wife. I growled as Sam screamed. "He tried to kill Drake!"
    Beleth nodded, his black eyes unflinching, his body a mass of lithe rock as he raised his scythe over Ryder.
    Alaric threw himself between him. "I beg you, spare him." His body shook, whether from fear for himself or Ryder, I couldn't tell. Probably both. Even I wouldn't want to be staring down an angry angel. Still, had to give the bishop credit for having a serious pair of steel balls. "He will be judged by the Church and punished according to his sins."
    I moved in closer and raised my voice. "Death is the punishment." No more bullshit excuses. Beleth needed to end this or I would.
    Rose stepped forward, her eyes offering a brief apology before she spoke. "No. We don't know the extent of his crimes. We can't kill him."
    "He tried to kill my husband, and me!" Sam turned to look at each of us, pleading with us to give justice, or maybe vengeance, to this man. "He won't give up until he finishes the job. Isn't that enough?"
    "More than enough," Beleth said, raising his scythe again, perhaps willing to impale the bishop if he didn't move.
    I wouldn't cry over that loss, either.
    Alaric faced Beleth, not breaking eye contact. "Please, let my order deal with him. He deserves a trial."
    Beleth tensed his raised arm, then dropped it. "Then he shall have one."
    "He will not return here, I swear," the bishop said.
    "He'd better not, for your sake." Beleth didn't shout, but his words carried their own power, and threat. "Now, take me to my son."
    Father Patrick gestured for Beleth to follow him, but as he passed I stopped the angel. "Why let him live?"
    "I leave him to a trial," said the angel. "One day, I hope someone does the same for me."

    Ryder had passed out from the pain, his naked body sprawled bloody over the rock and dirt, but I took no chances, soliciting help from Tammy and Dean to secure him before bringing him back to the mansion.
    I also took no measures to make it an easier journey for him. He was lucky to still be alive.
    We stowed him in the attic, tied up like a cartoon