by Maya Daniels
“They were spread out to protect the warehouse.” Eric grunts, his back bumping on mine as he punches and kicks. “We didn’t think ahead, as usual.”
“I thought”—Slashing with the dagger, I use one of the demon's arms as a hold to kick two others in their snarling faces. I stab him in the eye when my feet touch the ground—“that you like traps. If I remember correctly, Maddison said you specifically look for them.”
Eric chuckles at that. “That was when I didn’t have a mate with a target on her forehead.”
“Thanks, monster boy.” Wincing when a claw digs into my arm, I bite my lip so I don’t make a sound and distract Eric. “I appreciate the reminder.”
“You are hurt.” Snapping, Eric turns into a whirlwind.
I stumble when his wings burst out and his body grows larger. All my movements stop because everywhere I turn, all I can see is Eric’s back and his wings. He is moving around me so fast that if I try and fight, I’ll probably stab him accidentally. So, I stand like an idiot for extended moments until he finally stops in front of me. His chest is heaving, and his head is hanging down as he collects himself. Slowly he goes back to his human form, the beautiful wings disappearing into his back.
My eyes widen when I look at the street, and all I see is bodies piled up on top of one another. Like a low wall, they surround us on all sides. Eric blows out a breath while I turn in a small circle, looking at what he did. He wasn’t joking when he said he will go insane if I get hurt. My eyebrows have climbed all the way to my hairline from the sight around me. And then, my gaze lands on Narsi who is licking his lips while blood is dripping down his chin.
“I ate his face…” The Trowe hisses happily, making Eric snort.
Groaning, I cover my face with my hand.
“Let’s get out of the open.” Eric grabs my hand, pulling me along with him in the shadows of the scarce houses on the street.
“I hope the others didn’t get into too much trouble.” Hanging onto him like he is my lifeline, I find it difficult to swallow past my dry mouth.
“They’re fine.” Glancing over his shoulder, to assure himself that I’m not ready to kneel over I’m sure, Eric keeps moving. “These were not high-level demons. They shouldn’t have been that strong at any rate. The jinn are feeding them power and making them stronger.”
Ignoring Narsi because his bloodied face and creepy smile are etched on my retinas, I dart my eyes left and right, expecting more to spring at us at any moment. I told everyone we should act unpredictably to get one step ahead of the jinn, but if this tells me anything, I think we did exactly what they expected us to do. God damn it! Eric’s comment finally penetrates my swirling thoughts.
“Wait.” My stomach drops to my toes. “They can do that? Like, make others more powerful? I thought they can only change their powers for themselves when they steal someone’s identity.”
“They can do it temporarily, from what I’ve heard.” Eric doesn’t sound worried at all about this, which doesn’t surprise me.
“We were ambushed,” Maddison speaks from right behind me.
With my heart jumping in my throat, I release Eric’s hold, whirling around and slashing in a wide arch in her direction. The dagger flares, bursting in gold and red light as I watch it horrified, slicing the air right at Maddison’s neck. The slight widening of her eyes is the only indication that she realized her error and shouldn’t have scared me. I can’t stop my reaction, although I do try to jerk my hand back before it connects to her skin.
My jaw unhinges itself, dropping to my chest when the beautiful woman in front of me bends her upper body backward, following the blade in its descent, the sharp edge missing her throat by a hair. It’s like she’s breaking the physics of time and space, her body looking boneless for a second, her long, red mane spreading around her head like living flames. The strength of my attack would’ve taken me down if a hand didn’t grab my arm, holding me upright.
Maddison straightens, smoothing her hair with one hand.
“No sneaking up,” she says nonchalantly like I wasn’t about to open her throat like a zipper pouch. “Understood.”
Snickering, Eric pulls away so he can make room for Maddison and Leviathan to hunker next to us. I’m still gaping, part in horror, part in awe at what happened. The tightening of the fingers still gripping my forearm snap me out of it and I see that it was Leviathan that tried to stop me from stabbing at Maddison. His eyes are eerily glowing on his handsome face, the look in them warning me not to touch him. The fallen is struggling for control, and I go unnaturally still, the danger I find myself in freezing me in place.
“Umm, guys!” Doing my best not to startle him, I keep my gaze locked on his, “Little help here.” I really don’t want to hurt him, but I feel that power that destroyed the jinn surge up through my chest, ready to be unleashed.
“Stand down, Leviathan.” Maddison sounds exasperated, and without a care grabs his arm, yanking him away. “I was at fault.”
Eric is looming over my shoulder, heat coming off him in waves. I can feel his rage like a caress on my skin, the damn power inside me eating it up like I am starved for it. Panic seizes my lungs at that, but Leviathan blinks, his face clearing out. Shaking his head, the fallen frowns and looks at all of us like it’s our fault he almost went nuts. Well, it’s my fault, but I didn’t ask them to scare me. I’m little jumpy right now, so sue me.
Just like that, the air settles like nothing happened and I take a deep breath. If we keep it up like this, we might kill each other by the time we must deal with the jinn. Eric wraps me up in his arms, angling his body so that he stands between Leviathan and me, and I don’t push him away. Snuggling closer to his chest, I breathe him in.
Maddison leans in, looking down the street.
When I glance down, because it’s a little too quiet for my liking, to check on my sidekick, I see Narsi crouched on all fours, his ugly, wrinkled face tilted like a bird at Leviathan. Bile rises in my throat and, reaching out, I snatch a handful of his hair, pulling him to me.
“No more eating faces, Narsi!” Whisper-yelling at him, I drag the Trowe on the other side of me.
He looks like he is pouting, but I’m so unnerved by the whole face-eating thing that I push it to the back of my mind with the rest of the stuff that I’m going to freak about later. It’s very fortunate that we get moving again as well. Staying alive trumps creepy sidekicks any day of the week.
We all move silently through the night in a direction that Maddison is taking us. Leviathan is glued to her, ignoring the rest of us, which is fine by me. Now that I think about it, the dragon guy acts weird around Maddison. He either likes her or hates her. You can never tell these things since he always looks like he is about to punch you in the throat.
“I see Colt.” Maddison glances at us and bolts down the street, skipping the hiding part.
When I see the group of demons, double the size of what Eric and I dealt with, surrounding our friends, I run after her with everything in me. Narsi releases an excited hiss, and I tune him out so I don’t puke.
We barrel through the demons as soon as we reach them. Maddison is stealthy, twirling around and picking them off one by one from the back. Narsi disappears excitedly through the crowd gathered in front of us. I guess it’s a good meal day for the Trowe, I hope he doesn’t get heartburn if he eats too much. A burst of hysterical laughter comes out from me at that disturbing thought.
Eric moves with his usual grace, every punch and kick flowing gracefully like a macabre dance. I slash and hit everything I can get my hands on, the warm blood spraying around us, saturating the air with the coppery scent. Leviathan is the only one not fighting. He simply charges the demons from their back, sending them flying all over the place like bowling pins.
When we reach our friends, we all form a circle and start making quick work of whatever is left of the demons. The nagging at the back of my mind gets stronger, and I manage to look around. My chest contracts in a meta
l vice when I see what’s been bothering me.
“Where is Raphael?” My heart is beating in my throat.
“We lost him a block away.” Colt grunts. “They trapped us between buildings, and we had to split up.”
“Calm down, Helena,” Beelzebub shouts, ripping the horns from a demon and throwing them like a boomerang at those closest to him. “He will be fine. It’s not like the jinn are trying to capture him.”
His words stop me in my tracks, and I almost end up impaled on a sword. Colt kicks the blade away from my chest, staring at me like I’ve lost my mind. And maybe I have. My brain hurts from thoughts fighting for attention as I stand like a statue in the middle of a life and death fight. Colt is joined by Eric and Beelzebub, the three of them surrounding me with their bodies so I don’t get killed, because right now I can’t fight. I can’t even move from the crippling realization that followed the seemingly insignificant comment on Beelzebub’s part.
“We must find Raphael!” I tell no one in particular. I’m not even sure they heard me.
“The feathered fucker is the least of our worries,” Colt snaps, obviously hearing my words. “He can and will take care of himself.”
The twins are deaf when it’s something they don’t want to hear. I love Eric to death, but he will ignore everything I say because he thinks he is protecting me. There is no way I can get out from between Colt and Eric on my own, so I latch onto Beelzebub’s arm, squeezing with all my might to get his attention.
“They have my father, Lucifer, and Mammon is willingly helping them.” Beelzebub looks at me like I’m insane, but I push through, urgency ringing clear in my voice. “They also have my mother and Michael, Beelzebub. Number three is important from what I know. They are missing an Archangel. Tonight wasn’t about me at all. They set a trap to get to Raphael.”
“Fuck!” Beelzebub roars, and everyone, including the rest of our group, jolts back from him. “Fuck!” His wings burst out and, scooping me up, he flings us in the air.
My scream is joined by Eric’s pissed off roar. Shit!
Raphael
I should know that they’ll set up traps in case someone discovers their nest in this world. We have battled many times through the ages, and yet I still keep forgetting to think things through before I jump in with everyone else. I could’ve seen this coming, and my slight might cost Helena her life.
“Fool!” Chastising myself under my breath, I fight off the few demons that follow me in this stinking alley.
There were more of them gunning for me when I had to split up from the others. Like a swarm of insects, they kept coming, and it was either merge away from the others to give us a fighting chance, or all of us perish this night. I am so tired lately that the idea of eternal sleep is not as worrisome as it would’ve been a few centuries ago. Keeping Helena safe, the promise I made that fateful day, is the only thing keeping me fighting.
Snorting, I kick off the pest trying to get his claws on me. The stinging of many cuts and raked skin from claws gives me the alertness I usually would’ve been lacking. I’m a healer, so I do not relish a fight. I’m a warrior as well, so I will give them what they want.
Because you gave your word, my mind reminds me, as if I’ll ever be able to forget biding myself to that oath.
There are fewer demons now, and a frown pulls my eyebrows over my eyes when I don’t see many bodies littering the trash-laden ground. The puddles of murky water mix with the spilled demon blood, stinking up the enclosed ally with the scent of death. Where did they go? I hope not after the others, because all of them are needed to keep the girl safe.
“Nowhere for you to run angel.” A demon gets closer, his sharp teeth bared in a warning. “They said you should live, but not that you be unharmed.”
His grin grows at my confusion, but I learned a long time ago not to trust a word that comes out of their mouth. Kicking out, my boot connects with his gut, sending him crashing to the opposite wall. My blood rushes through my body, the adrenaline exciting me for the fight. I push it down. I have to fight, but I don’t have to like it.
“I will make you bleed all your holy grace before you beg to be killed.” The demon lifts himself up, glaring at me.
“Or you’ll put me to sleep with your sweet words, demon.” I don’t have to fake the tiredness in my words. I do it for Helena, but I will not do it for the scum. “Shall we fight, or shall we sit down to chat?”
“There will be plenty of time for chatting, don’t you worry, Raphael.” His face contorts with hatred, and he throws himself at me.
His words make no sense, so I ignore them. More of them spill in through the mouth of the alley, blocking the way out. Not that I was trying to escape. The longer I keep them occupied here, the fewer there will be to go after Helena. That is the reason I tell myself, and not the fact that every cut and bruise they inflict is a punishment I give myself.
I sink into a trance-like state, my body moving in a well-practiced form of twists and turns, kicks and flips. Block, turn, punch, flip, kick, repeat. They keep coming, after what feels like hours, even two or three at a time. My skin is burning everywhere their claws or weapons touch, but I don’t stop. Either they will stop, or I will tire. For now, we keep our dance moving in a whirlwind of limbs and bodies.
Shouts different from the constant sound I’ve been hearing pull me out of the state I’m in. My eyes widen when the horde blocking the alley thins, demons dropping left and right. The air freezes my lungs when Helena barrels through them, stopping at my side. I can’t tell what kind of expression is on my face, but it must be comical because she grins at me.
“Need help?” Her knees bend as she readies herself to fight.
All I can do is blink at her.
I made an oath to protect her. Yet, here she is, running head-first in the fray to help me. I’ve always been a loner, keeping to myself and watching everyone from the corner I built for myself. So, they left me to my own devices, not getting involved in my life. But not her, no. She doesn’t even ask if you want her help. She barges in, no excuses or apologies.
So much like her mother.
“Stop gaping and let’s get out of here.” She attacks the remaining demons with relish.
“You shouldn’t have come, Helena.” Snapping out of the musings, I join her. “I was keeping them away. Everything was under control.”
She gives me a look saying I’m full of crap and I can’t help but smile. The upturn of my lips falters when I see her punching and kicking at the demons. Frowning, I try to look around while still doing my own part in getting us out of here.
“You lost your dagger?” I hiss when a demon gives me a nasty gash on my ribs.
“Yeah, I dropped it. We can get it on our way back.” She already reached the mouth of the alley. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
Taking the hand she offers, I let her lead me away. Like silk, her hair is streaming behind her while we dash through the twisted back streets of this neighborhood. It’s strange that she holds my hand, and I hope Eric will not get all territorial if he sees it, but I can’t let go because she has a very firm grip on me. I’m debating on sending healing through her arm, although she doesn’t look hurt at all. I decide to ask her when we find the others. I’m not at the top of my strength right now anyway.
“Why are you alone? What happened? Are any of them hurt?” I know it was stupid to leave them. She could’ve been taken for my stupidity.
“We had to split up to look for you.” She looks over her shoulder at me. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“I can take care of myself, but you have my gratitude.” Smiling, I almost topple over her when she stops.
“Let’s take a breath here.” She pulls me between two small buildings, and I have no idea where we are. “All this running got me tired.” She holds her hand on her side, and guilt eats a hole in my chest.
“Let me see, Helena.” Pulling her hand away, I look her over for some injury I might’ve missed.
“I will heal you.”
My whole body turns to granite when her small hand cups my face.
“You are always so kind, Raphael.” Looking at me through her lashes, her thumb rubs my jaw gently. “Always ready to take care of me.”
“I said I’d protect you, Helena.” Expanding my chest, I push out the air through my nose harshly. “My word is my vow.”
“I don’t know how I didn’t see it until now.” Her voice sounds hesitant, making me frown.
“What do you mean?”
“You are always there, ready to heal me, protect me. I’m an idiot for thinking it’s just what you do.” Her cheeks redden, and my chest feels tight. “When I couldn’t find you, I thought I was going to die, Raphael. That’s when I understood how much I care about you.”
My mouth is dry and hanging open, and my eyebrows hide in my hairline. I’m staring stupefied at the woman in front of me like I’ve never seen her before. At least she doesn’t laugh or call me an idiot, thank goodness.
“I know that you love me, Raphael.” She smiles. “I see it now, and I feel the same. Eric was a mistake, a demon trick, or even the jinn playing their games. I don’t want to go back there, please.”
“Helena.” I sound like I’m about to faint as if I'm human. All the air leaves my lungs in a rush. “I swore to protect you, Helena. And I do love you…just not like you think.” My throat closes in hopes it’ll stop the words that want to come out. “I…I love your mother, Helena. I swore to her that I’d protect you.”
“How unfortunate. You couldn’t make this easy, could you?” Her face distorts in an ugly mask, and before I realize what’s happening, fire in my chest folds me over. “The stupid bitch can’t even seduce a fucking angel. Satan’s daughter, my ass.”
“Helena…” Dropping on my knees, I watch her wide-eyed.
“Helena is a little busy right now, angel.” The creature smirks at me, and the world turns dark.
