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Black Heart

Black Wings 6

by

Christina Henry

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As always, thanks to Danielle Stockley, the best editor a girl could have.

Thanks to my amazing agent, Lucienne Diver, for embarking on this journey with me.

Special thanks to the hardworking Einstein Bros. crew, especially Michelle, Guy, Kayla and Jessie.

Much gratitude to those friends who keep me sane—Anne, Pam, Sarah and Heidi.

A special shout-out to my number-one fan, Logan.

Love to all of my family, especially Chris and Henry.

1

“YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE—NOW,” J. B. SAID.

“Why?” I asked.

I faced the front window, the portable phone tucked under my ear. A strange black shadow slid across the surface of the glass, like an oil slick.

“Sokolov has sent the Retrievers after you,” J. B. said. “You have to go. You have to go now. ”

The side window in the living room was drenched in the same shadow. So were the ones in the dining room. I ran through the house, looking for an escape, but there was none. The things looked like nothing more than black liquid, but I could feel their hate. They wanted me, and they would not leave without me.

“It’s too late,” I said, backing into the dining room. I felt Nathaniel’s arms close around me.

“They’re already here. ”

We watched in silence as the black fluid oozed over each of the windows.

J. B. ’s voice was in my ear. I realized I was still holding the phone to my ear and he was still talking.

“Don’t try to fight them,” J. B. said. I’d never heard that tone in his voice before. He was pleading.

“I’m not afraid of them,” I said.

But my bravado was false. I was afraid. The apartment had been sealed shut by darkness. The Retrievers would not leave an opening for me to escape.

Someone was pounding on the door at the bottom of the stairs. J. B. was still talking, telling me not to be dumb, telling me if I fought the Retrievers, then I would be returned to Beezle in a thousand bloody pieces.

“Beezle’s gone,” I said.

The pounding repeated. I looked at Nathaniel. He shook his head from side to side.

“Good-bye, J. B. ,” I said.

I clicked off before he could say anything else.

“J. B. says not to fight,” I said. “What do you think?”

“He knows more of the Retrievers than I,” Nathaniel said. “Perhaps you should heed his advice. ”

“They’re not taking me,” I said. “On the off chance that they leave me alive, they would surely take—or kill—my baby as soon as it’s born. And I am not spending the rest of my life in some Agency prison. ”

There was the sound of splintering wood below. The Retrievers were breaking in.

“Surely Lord Lucifer will not permit this to happen,” Nathaniel said. “Call for his assistance. ”

“Lucifer’s a little busy right now with Alerian,” I said.

“He owes you more than this,” Nathaniel said angrily. “You would not be in this predicament were it not for him. He forced you to cross into the realm of the dead and retrieve Evangeline’s soul. ”