Fury Unleashed

by N. J. Walters

  The devil might own her body, be able to force her to work for him, but she would not let him own her soul. That still belonged to her.

  Lucifer’s evil laugh sent a rush of terror through her. “Then he’ll kill you.”

  …

  What was Lucifer up to? His ploy to try to get Morrigan to stab him was a blatant display of power. He’d wanted to put a stop to it but had learned his lesson earlier. He wouldn’t weaken her position by stepping in.

  And she’d fought. Sweat had beaded her brow. Pain had etched itself deeply on her face. And still, she’d battled the compulsion.

  Not only had she won, but she’d also launched the blade at Lucifer.

  That show of willpower and strength had impressed them both.

  Lucifer waved his hand as though expecting him to obey the command. He gave a snort of laughter. “I don’t answer to you. Never have. Never will.”

  This was unfamiliar territory. When he hunted, he stalked his victim, killed them, and moved on before his target even knew he was there. Chitchat was way outside the norm.

  Something about this little scenario was wrong. The devil wasn’t one for wasting time unless it served a purpose. “Waiting for Gabriel, are we? Afraid to face me on your own?” If there was one thing he could depend on, it was Lucifer’s vanity.

  As expected, he pushed away from the wall. “I’m afraid of no one.”

  “Of course you’re not.” Kayley stroked his arm and his ego. Lucifer shoved her aside. She staggered back a few steps but didn’t seem the least bit distraught by the rough action.

  Black lightning arched from the center of his palms. Manifesting his swords, Maccus deflected the blast that would have incinerated Morrigan.

  “You’re as fast as I remember. But Morrigan belongs to me. If I say she goes back, then she goes back.”

  Maccus kept his face expressionless. “You’re right.”

  Behind him, Morrigan gasped. His shoulders tensed in anticipation of a blade between them. It was mildly surprising when it didn’t happen.

  It was a risk to have her at his back, but a calculated one. The wings tattooed there might not allow him to fly, but they were impenetrable shields that not only covered his entire back but wrapped around his sides as well.

  “Don’t you care about your little pet? How unfortunate for her.” Lucifer made a tsking sound and wiped an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye. “Poor Morrigan. You can’t depend on anyone, can you?”

  Gripping his discipline with all his might, he feigned a relaxed posture. “You can take her.”

  Morrigan pressed her hand against his side, gripped the skin tight, and twisted. He had to swallow back a smile. Oh, she wasn’t happy with him and was giving him a taste of her extreme displeasure. But she trusted him, at least on some level. Otherwise she’d drive his dagger deep.

  “That only means I’ll have to come down there and retrieve her,” he continued.

  Lucifer’s smile faded. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “I wouldn’t count on that if I was you. Maybe all your demons need is the right motivation to rebel.”

  Not that he’d really do that. Oh, he’d retrieve Morrigan, but no way was he allowing demons out of Hell. Humans wouldn’t last a week before they’d be annihilated. And strangely enough, he liked humans. They were as creative as they were destructive. They were passionate and had such deep emotions. He couldn’t say he truly understood them. It was as though their short life spans made them experience everything more intensely.

  “This is boring.” Kayley sighed and shoved her long hair over her shoulder before examining her manicure. “I didn’t allow my party to end early so we could stand around and talk.”

  “What do you want?” Morrigan stepped out from behind him and confronted her sister. “Why did you do everything you did?”

  He heard what went unsaid. Why did you do what you did to me?

  She glanced at her nails a final time and then buffed them on her sleeve. “Fame and fortune. Beauty.” She paused and walked her long nails up Lucifer’s arm. “Power. And I have it all.”

  “But you were only a child.” He feared Morrigan would try to go to her sister, and then he’d have no choice but to stop her. Thankfully, she didn’t move farther than his side.

  “I was never a child. You were. You lacked any sense of ambition, content to live in a squalid apartment, clean up behind other people, and serve strangers their food. I serve no one.”

  Her sorrow was like a living thing. He was torn between wrapping her in his arms and destroying the one responsible. He did neither.

  “You serve the King of Hell,” Morrigan gently reminded her.

  Kayley’s cheeks turned red, embarrassment or rage, he wasn’t sure. Likely some of both. “No, you serve Lucifer. I made sure of it,” she reminded her sister.

  “Enough.” Maccus kept his voice low, but both women startled. “You’re waiting for Gabriel.” It would take both of them to have a chance of taking him down. He should leave and go home to his fortress until they forgot about him again.

  Lucifer made a show of checking his watch. “He’s late, as always. I’ll have to keep you entertained in the meantime.” He pointed at the far wall. The brick shimmered and swirled.

  “He’s opening a portal,” he warned.

  “What does that mean?”

  This was where she’d run. Pain banded around his chest and gripped his heart. He ignored it. “It means we’ll soon be overrun with demons.”

  Demons he’d have to fight and kill. The tiny sliver of his soul shivered and shrank deep within as if to hide from the coming battle.

  But he’d never backed down and couldn’t afford to start now. It wasn’t only his life on the line.

  The swirling circle sucked the light from the alleyway before bursting open. Demons poured out, one after another. Beside him, Morrigan gasped and then swore.

  “What?” he demanded.

  “They’re all former bounties.”

  Of course they were. Who hated her more than the demons she’d captured and had dragged back to Hell? Swords still drawn, he stepped forward, preparing to dispatch them all back to where they came from.

  …

  Morrigan swallowed past the lump in her throat. The emotions churning inside her threatened to choke her. Her baby sister was truly gone. There was no trace of the little girl she’d all but raised.

  But there was no time to dwell on that as the first demon launched itself at her. With the dagger Maccus had given her in one hand and her own in the other, she went low, sliding on her knees across the gritty ground. She was extra glad for her leather pants, which weren’t just a fashion statement. They were for protection. She sliced up, disemboweling the demon before popping back to her feet.

  Maccus had already dispatched three demons and was engaged with three more. He feinted and stabbed, spun and dipped. It was breathtaking to watch him in this dance of death. Spellbound, she couldn’t look away. He was magnificent.

  But what was this doing to him?

  Giving a mighty battle cry, she threw herself at a demon, stabbing him in the heart. As he fell, she jumped onto his body and used the momentum to propel her toward another. Blood flew, coating her clothes and skin, flowing to the ground and making it harder to keep her balance. Her hands grew slick. She wasn’t sure if it was sweat or a combination of sweat and blood dripping into her eyes. There was no time to stop, no time to pause for a breath.

  Always, she was aware of Maccus. He was a machine. For every demon she put down, he killed at least four, maybe more. The portal remained open. The demons spilling from its depths weren’t ones she recognized. She’d hunted a lot of demons over the years, but not this many.

  Lucifer and her sister remained a safe distance away, like spectators at some gladiator sport. Her heart hardened and fury f
illed it, not only for what had been done to her, but for what they were doing to Maccus.

  They were enjoying the bloodshed, hoping he would go over some invisible edge and become a monster.

  She fought her way to his side. He whirled, eyes black as pitch, teeth gleaming in a mask of fury. His mighty sword swooped toward her.

  He was lost in the bloodlust. There was no way she could duck out of the way in time. The blade whooshed by her—so close a breeze brushed her face—and a scream echoed through the alley. She whirled around in time to watch a demon fall to the ground as if in slow motion.

  Then time caught up, and they were fighting once again. He hadn’t been lost at all. He’d been protecting her.

  Caught in a web of timelessness, she fought until her arms were like lead and her muscles quivered with fatigue. She lost count how many times she slipped and regained her footing. The stench of blood and other body fluids was overpowering. Sulfur burned her nostrils, and the blood of the demons did the same to her skin. There was so much of it.

  How long could she go on? There was seemingly no end to the demons whose bodies littered the area, making it even more difficult to fight.

  How many demons would Lucifer sacrifice?

  A brilliant light blinded her. She threw her arm over her face to block it while at the same time thrusting a blade into a demon’s ear. The creature screamed and dropped.

  Something heavy hit her, driving her hard into a brick wall. She stabbed the creature’s side, but the blade was deflected.

  “It’s me.”

  Shit, she’d stabbed Maccus. Or tried to. “Sorry,” she gasped.

  He chuckled. He actually chuckled. The sound was rough, a bit rusty. She’d smile if she weren’t so tired.

  They’d both lost their damn minds.

  “No problem.” His big body blocked her view, but the light still seeped into her, even with her eyes closed.

  “Gabriel?” she whispered.

  “Yeah.”

  She was glad to have the wall at her back and Maccus pressed against her front, holding her up. Otherwise, she’d be on the ground. And she most definitely didn’t want to sit in demon guts and blood. She holstered her weapons and wiped her hands on her pants, trying to clean them as best she could, which really wasn’t much at all. Her clothing was too filthy.

  She was a bounty hunter for Hell, a badass by any definition, but she was out of her depth. This kind of fighting was brutal and dirty, nothing like anything she’d ever seen. Not even in Hell.

  Maccus was in his element, not even breathing hard. As steady and ready as he’d been at the beginning. He could do this for days and likely had in the past.

  The scent of burned flesh tainted the air and made it almost impossible to breathe. She gasped, not getting enough pure oxygen.

  “Fuck.” His mouth slammed down on hers. He was kissing her? Now?

  Taken off guard, she didn’t fight, didn’t object. Every cell in her body lit up, responding to his touch, his hot masculine taste. But he wasn’t kissing her, not really. He was blowing much-needed air into her lungs.

  When the light winked out, he spun back around, leaving her leaning against the wall, slightly breathless.

  Gabriel stood about ten feet from Lucifer and Kayley. His eyes swirled with anger, and a muscle in his jaw flexed. The bodies of the demons were gone, as was all the blood and guts. The swirling portal had vanished. She sent up a silent prayer of thanks for that small miracle.

  Sliding down the wall and curling up in a ball while the rest of them fought it out held real appeal. But this was her fate, her life.

  Locking her knees to keep from doing a face plant, she pushed away from the wall, ignoring the way her arms and legs shook with fatigue. Knives in hand, she stepped alongside Maccus.

  “I told you to be discreet.” Gabriel motioned to where the portal had been. “I hardly think a battle with demons in a back alley in New York City qualifies.”

  Lucifer shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. “I had it under control. No one beyond the alley could see or hear a thing.”

  The archangel rolled his shoulders, obviously trying to quell his annoyance. “You opened a portal and released demons into the world, which uses a great amount of power. I had to use mine to clean up the mess. The point is to not draw attention.”

  Why did they care about that? And whose attention were they trying to avoid?

  Was there was someone or some group more powerful than them who were a part of this?

  She shivered and managed to stay upright when her knees threatened to give out. Whoever it was, she had no desire to meet them. They had their hands full without adding more parties to the mix.

  Gabriel’s smile sent an arctic chill rushing down her spine. What in the name of Heaven was coming next?

  Chapter Eighteen

  Morrigan was exhausted but still on her feet. She’d fought like a Valkyrie, an Amazon, like the demon hunter she was. She hadn’t run but had stayed beside him, slashing and wounding demons. Yes, she’d stabbed him, or tried to, but it hadn’t been intentional. She’d mistaken him for a demon.

  Lucifer had surprised him. He’d expected the portal, but not the flood of demons. He had no idea how many he’d killed. It was a waste of resources. Not that the fallen angel cared about his demons, other than for his own pleasure. Still, fewer demons meant less power.

  Had he been trying to wear Maccus down for Gabriel to fight? That almost made him laugh. He could fight for days, weeks, even years. He’d done it before, and he was stronger now.

  I have a weakness.

  The thought was fleeting but no less true. He didn’t dare take his eyes off his two adversaries to check on Morrigan.

  “Well? What are we waiting for?” He’d tossed his jacket aside early in the fight and was in his shirtsleeves. The night was balmy, the slight breeze wicking away the sweat from his skin. He gave his former friend his full attention. “Lucifer has had his demons. Are you waiting for angels?”

  There was a slight flicker in Gabriel’s eyes, but it was the devil who moved first. He grabbed Kayley by her long red hair and dragged her toward him. Wrapping his hand around her throat, he lifted her until her feet dangled in the air.

  Her entire body jerked as she struggled, her long red nails digging into his skin.

  “Stop.” Morrigan surged past him, but he caught her around the waist and yanked her back. He couldn’t allow Lucifer to have two pawns. One was bad enough.

  “Let her go,” she demanded even as she struggled against his hold. “Let me go.”

  “No. She deserves whatever she gets. Your sister is the one who trapped you into the life of a bounty hunter, not to save herself, but to gain power. And the devil always gets his due.” Harsh words, but she needed to hear them.

  “She’s my sister.” She kept trying to pull away, but he wasn’t letting her go.

  Kayley was starting to turn blue. This was more than a ploy. He was actually killing the woman. Maccus couldn’t work up an ounce of outrage or regret.

  “Please.” Morrigan stopped fighting him and instead turned in his arms. “I have to. She’s my sister.”

  The pleading in her green eyes, the concern on her face, ripped at what little remained of his soul.

  “No. She betrayed you.” Why did she care so much? Why was she so loyal? As much as he admired such devotion, he didn’t understand how she could believe she owed her sister anything. She’d given up her life for the girl.

  Lucifer loosened his hold, allowing Kayley to suck in a huge breath. Her eyes were glazed over and slightly wild. She blinked as though coming out of a daze. “Morrigan? Why are you here?”

  Then she got a look at who was holding her, and her entire demeanor changed from confused to fearful.

  What was going on?

  “No.” She tried to get away,
but Lucifer jerked her back, using his hold on her hair. He twisted it so the thick mass was fisted in his hand. “Run, Morrigan,” she screamed.

  “What did you do to her?” Morrigan demanded. The devil’s smile was pleasant, but his eyes promised retribution.

  “I do whatever I choose.” He brought the girl close to him and licked the side of her face. The younger woman cringed away. It was such an about-face in character, Maccus questioned his earlier assessment. Had the girl been under some compulsion the entire time?

  And why wasn’t Gabriel doing anything?

  Kayley wrapped her arms around herself, her teeth chattering in spite of the warmth of the summer night. “You have to go,” she pleaded with her sister.

  “I can’t.” Morrigan stroked his arm, the pleasure of her touch seeping into him in spite of the precariousness of their situation. “I can’t leave her,” she told him.

  As he lowered his arm, a sly expression crossed Kayley’s face. The younger woman reached out her hand to her sister. “Help me. I need you.”

  “No!” But it was too late. She’d already taken several steps away from him, away from his protection, when it happened.

  Lucifer thrust Kayley aside, drew a dagger, and threw it. Maccus dove for Morrigan.

  For the first time in his existence, he wasn’t fast enough. His fingers brushed her arm just as the blade slammed into her chest, driving her back with such force she flew through the air and hit the wall before sliding to the ground.

  Kayley laughed.

  Something inside him broke free. He threw back his head and roared. The world around him shook with the force of his anger. The buildings swayed as though rocked by an earthquake. The other three were all tossed aside as the percussive aftershock of his fury hit them.

  Morrigan was dead. They’d killed her. No, he’d killed her by allowing her to step away from him.

  His head snapped around when he heard a low, pained moan. She was still alive.

  Breathing so hard he was practically panting, he started toward her. A stone crunched in the alley behind him. He whirled around and thrust his hands outward, releasing a flurry of daggers.