Sing, Canary - Ashley Amy Page 0,2

was written... in blood.

Sealed and bound, they both had a seat at the table of power.

Earlier tonight, my father was going to tell everyone who he planned to give the keys of his kingdom to. Too bad he was pronounced dead before we got to that part of our evening.

For the demons' next leader, the houses of power would take a vote from the candidates because they didn't have children. The vampires had never had a seat because they were their own rival in our ring.

Being pulled to my feet, I let the taste of my blood linger on my tongue. I reveled in my purpose through it.

Survive.

That's all I had to do.

Freedom waited for me in the coming days. As long as I survived this prison, I'd reign outside these iron bars, with all my white feathers to show for it.

Being an angel of the light was a tricky path one had to learn. I was held to the highest standard, communing with the creator.

He told me to be careful, keeping his peace. When my mother was still alive, she taught me his principles of guiding men. Evangeline Stamos never had a single, colored feather. Though, I knew she'd be proud of my grey feather, branding me as sinned. I did it in honor of her perfection.

My father, Armoni Stamos, went dark at a young age and never looked back. Even though he became a man of evil, he wouldn't let me fall. Every time he looked at me, he saw my mother's golden strands of hair and electric blue eyes.

His new wife had been killed a few months ago, leaving only me and Caine to carry on both legacies. My eyes drifted over to the man that had just caused me to fall.

He was handsome. His soul was just tainted with more black than anyone I had ever known. His darkness didn't make me feel sick to be around, though.

No, I wanted to save him. That sliver of humanity that lingered in his morning eyes, christened to my natural calling as a guardian.

I saw his look of remorse only one time. It was in the early morning when my father sent me to wake him. When I entered his room, he didn't see me at first.

I invaded a private moment, but I would never regret it. In that single moment years ago, I saw Caine the way no one could ever imagine.

His black hair was always longer over his eyes. His lean body was tall and trim. I remembered seeing him in just his boxers, showing his muscular middle and arms.

A woman lay beside him, but that wasn't uncommon for my stepbrother. He bedded many through a week's time.

I wondered, in that rare moment of truth, if it was his philandering ways that caused his look of compunction. It was when he turned to check on his naked partner that his eyes found mine.

In a single second, that vulnerability was gone. I knew I'd never see that side to him again. I just had no idea it would also trigger him to lead the pack against me.

Axel and Caine were partners for most missions. Their friendship was sealed in the blood of our family’s enemies. I became Axel’s enemy the second Caine told him I was one.

Like his lion animal, his hair was a sun-soaked yellow that hinted toward a coppery color. His golden skin only highlighted his massive muscles. Shifters like him, ran as giants among men. Their predator came forward within their man for others to give them distance in a crowd.

"You ready to be ruined, sheltered princess?" Axel growled over my shoulder.

I bit my tongue, knowing I couldn't use it as a weapon to keep my feathers clean. He just laughed with Caine when my silence greeted them.

The guards escorted me into a cell. Of course, I wouldn't be alone inside of it. Caine got pushed in as well, as the warden chuckled.

"The son of Seraph and the daughter of Armoni. I can't believe they finally got you two behind bars. Welcome to Hell, angels. You'll be wishing you’re in the real one soon enough." Closing the wall of iron, they undid the cuffs behind our backs.

Caine and Axel shared a look that told me the two had a plan while in here. Well, so did I.

My own eyes took in August as he was hauled off with my cousin. He dipped his chin toward me as we stayed silently united. We could do plenty