by Brenda Trim
Her hands clutched his broad shoulders and held tight. One of his hands slipped beneath her shirt and teased the flesh of her lower back. His touch was electric and sent zaps of energy arching through her blood along with desire for more.
She was about to wrap one leg around his hip so she could rub her clit against his shaft when his phone pinged with a response. Cursing, he broke the kiss and picked up the device. “My brother’s will meet us at the house, along with Dante and the others.”
“Will Aison be there?” She wanted to apologize to him for nearly killing him.
“Yes. The skin and muscles around his shoulder have healed and he is ready to get his revenge.”
Lia twined her fingers with Araton’s and followed him to this backyard. He pressed a kiss to her lips, and she felt her skin tingling from more than banked arousal. He was turning them invisible.
His wings were magnificent as they expanded and flapped rapidly. She held on tight as they lifted into the air. The night below them was quiet and peaceful. When they landed in the yard of the house that had seen violence two weeks ago, she thought she was mistaken about her hunch.
“What if I’m wrong?”
“You’re not,” he whispered as he glanced around.
Together they snuck up to the front porch. It was similar to the one at Les Augres Manor with massive white columns holding up the roof and an old wood bench off to the side of the double front doors.
She ducked when she saw movement through the large window. Sheer curtains hid details, but there was no doubt someone was inside the house. Pulling her gun from the back of her pants, she held it down by her thigh.
Araton looked back at her and motioned to the front door. The glass was frosted to obscure the inside, so she had no idea precisely what they were walking into, but she trusted her angel.
Keeping close, she followed him as tested the knob. Surprisingly, it was unlocked and they were heading inside before anyone else arrived. The second they entered chaos erupted.
Demons ran down the stairs and chilling laughter echoed from the parlor to the left of the entryway. Araton called his flaming sword to his hand and started swinging. Heads literally rolled with each swipe of his weapon. Turning her back to him, she focused on the demon in the parlor.
A handsome man walked out with a smile on his face. She lifted her gun and pulled the trigger. The guy jerked back, and black blood spurted from his chest the second her bullets penetrated.
“Get out of here, Dove. It’s not safe for you,” Araton shouted as he continued to slash and slay.
“I’m not leaving you,” she vowed.
“How sweet. I know Lucifer would prefer you to stay when he takes over so he can kill the angel,” the good-looking demon replied. Lia’s blood froze in her veins with his words.
No way would she ever be the death of Araton. She lifted her hand to point her gun at her own head and screamed when a loafer kicked her wrist. The bone snapped and her gun went flying.
Araton was surrounded by hellhounds and countless other demons while the attractive archdemon prowled closer to her. She went to run like Araton had told her, but that placid dark orb in her chest burst open and enveloped her like a tidal wave.
As her vision wavered, Lia held onto thoughts of her angel and staying with him. She refused to be the reason he died. A cry left her as her body collapsed to the ground. There was no doubt the stabbing pain in her head was from Lucifer trying to take the wheel.
“Fuck you,” she spat. It wasn’t happening this time. Araton believed in her and she was going to prove he was right to place his bets on her and not the devil.
She tried to fight when the archdemon picked her up, but she couldn’t let up on her battle against Lucifer. Not even when she heard her angel scream. The last thing she saw before the world around her vanished was his brothers and the Dark Warriors bursting through the front door to join the battle.
She reached for Araton praying that she could fight the Dark Lord long enough to return to her angel. She should have told him she loved him when she’d had the chance. Her life couldn’t end like this without telling him he’d made her believe in love at first sight.
Chapter 19
“Lia!” He shouted and slashed his sword frantically. The fucking archdemon just disappeared with her in his clutches. It was plainly obvious right before he took her that Lucifer tried to take control of his Dove and she was fighting his possession.
“What is it, brother?” Abraxos asked when he appeared a second later.
Araton swiveled and swung his weapon of Light through the bodies of the two demons closest to him. “The archdemon set a trap and took Natalia. They ambushed me and separated us. She was fighting Lucifer when they disappeared.”
“Fucking hell,” Abraxos blurted as he joined the fight.
Ayil had arrived when Araton was explaining what happened and jumped in with his weapon. “We need to find them before they get any further with their goal.”
“Ya think?” Araton muttered then cursed when a rage demon sliced through his left bicep. With a snarl, Araton cut its head off and kicked it at a Sheti demon. Those fuckers smelled like rotting ass and looked like lizard men. They were some of the vilest beings that existed. Mainly due to their smell but also because they could withstand more than most of their kind.
Dante and the Dark Warriors were on scene a few minutes later and they made quick work of the remaining enemies stalling Araton’s departure. The archdemon knew neither he nor his brothers could leave a contingent this large to go chasing after him and Lia. And it was killing Araton that his duty to the humans was interfering with him rescuing her.
If Gabriel got wind of this, the archangel would not hesitate to kill Natalia to eliminate the threat she posed and cut off all possibility for Lucifer to use her to gain freedom. But there was no way he would ever allow that to happen. Lia was his everything.
He had no idea when it all changed for him, but he was done denying how he felt. He loved her more than reason and he was going to do what he did best. Act on his impulses. Thank God today that was rescuing Lia and mating with her, sending Lucifer back to Hell with no hope for parole.
Sure, the Dark Lord had gotten a taste of freedom and he would want more, but the situation with Natalia was unique. He’d been thinking for a week about how Lucifer managed to possess her when every other attempt had failed.
Unfortunately, Araton’s rash actions were to blame. His blood had not only kept her alive, but it also strengthened Natalia to be able to survive the powerful possession. It was her strong personality that refused to allow complete control that minimized the damage Lucifer could do through her.
It made Araton love her even more. There wasn’t a more perfect female alive. And, he was going to tell her that. But first he had to find her.
Cutting the head from the last hellhound, Araton released his sword and bent at the knees. Sweat beaded his brow and his heart raced in his tight chest. The smell of charred demon hung heavy in the air making him want to hurl, but it was the fact that he could hardly catch his breath that bothered him. And it had little to do with the battle he’d just waged.
There was no room in his mind for anything except Natalia. She needed him and he was going to be there for her.
“We need to find her. Now!” Araton demanded.
“There is nothing we can do until we find where the archdemon took her,” Ayil told him as he clapped him on the shoulder.
Araton was shaking his head, ready to argue for taking action immediately when Dante cut him off. “We have to clean this scene up before we go anywhere. Humans will lose their fucking minds if they come across this shit.”
“He’s right,” Abraxos cut in. Lifting his right hand to his side, Abraxos had his flaming sword in his grip a second later. Without waiting for a reply, he started cutting into dead carcasses.
Ayil joined in and reluctantly so did Araton. Many of the demons had been turned to ash by the angelic weap
ons wielded by him and his brothers. He should be concerned about cleaning up the rest of the mess, but he could think of nothing but reaching Lia before it was too late. His churning gut told him she was close to losing the battle against Lucifer forever.
Needing a distraction, he sliced into the dead bodies forcing his flame through them. “Were you able to find any information?” Araton asked Dante.
The Cambion Lord shook his head as he kicked parts towards him and his brothers. “There were rumors about the Dark Lord having returned. Of course, we know that’s true. I didn’t learn anything more. But I got the impression they were here in New Orleans. Everything seemed to hinge on the energy from this city’s history.”
“That makes sense,” Araton said as he stored his blade and lifted his arm to check the injury to his bicep. It was still bleeding, and the flesh gaped open half an inch. It ached but wouldn’t slow him down. He doubted anything would at this point. The determination to save Lia increased with each passing minute.
“They’ve been putting more effort into this area. There are archdemons all across the world casting spells, but fellow Warriors have reported a decrease in activity in recent days,” Araton continued.
“What does that mean?” Aison asked as he rubbed the shoulder that Lia nearly sliced clean through days ago. He imagined it still bothered the shifter. An injury like he suffered might heal quickly, but there was usually lingering discomfort. Araton had been injured enough times to know how that worked.
“It means that demons saw success here and efforts concentrated in our fair city,” Luke interjected.
“Precisely. They aren’t likely to start over new somewhere else until we free Lia from her connection to the Dark Lord,” Araton added. “We need to be prepared to launch an attack on the archdemon as soon as we locate Lia.”
“If history tells us anything, the seven of us will not be enough to beat him. I think we need to call Zander and Hayden in for reinforcements,” Dante suggested.
“You contact them and bring as many Dark Warriors as you can. I’d ask for more Warrior Angels, but if Gabriel discovers what happened he will come and kill Natalia. And I will never let that happen,” Araton vowed.
Ayil clapped his hand on Araton’s shoulder. “We won’t allow you to lose her,” his brother promised.
Abraxos nodded then sang, “Don’t give it up, don’t say it hurts. ‘Cause there’s nothing like this feeling, baby. Now that I found you. I want it all. No, there’s nothing like this feeling, baby.”
Araton punched his brother in the arm and flared his wings. “Let’s meet up in one hour at Les Augres. I’m going to search the city for signs of where she could have been taken.”
“You’d better not go after her if you find her,” Ayil told him.
“I won’t,” Araton replied. No fucking way was he going to wait if he located Natalia. He would do anything to save her. Even if that cost him his life. A hand on his shoulder stopped him from taking off.
“I mean it, brother,” Ayil growled. “Rushing in without back up will cost her life. I know you love her. Trust me, you will never recover if you do something stupid that costs her life. If there is ever a time for you to think before you act, now is that moment.”
It was the only thing that Araton would have heard with his current state of mind. He could hardly think about anything for more than a split second before it went right back to thinking of Lia.
“Fucker,” Araton cursed at his brother. “I won’t do anything without you guys. I’ll see you soon.” Pushing off, Araton was soaring through the air a second later.
The knot in his gut tightened and his heart raced faster as he flew. His wings beat the air harder and he went faster. With each stroke his mind churned over where she was and if Lucifer had taken over her psyche again.
Lia would never forgive herself if she killed anyone else. Not that it was her fault, but she would take the blame for not killing herself. She had a heart of gold and the courage of an angelic warrior.
Araton picked up demonic energy below him and stopped flying to hover in place. When he looked down, he saw a cemetery with the tombs he’d become acquainted with in the area. This one was larger than the one he’d visited with Lia a couple days ago.
Landing as quietly as possible, Araton kept his presence hidden. Demons would sense his angelic heritage, but there was nothing he could do about it. Creeping forward, he scanned as much as he could of his surroundings.
Dark signals drew him to the far west corner of the property. Initially, the ground was pure, and he thought he’d been mistaken about demons being present, but that changed the more he crossed the property. By the time he reached the tombs in the back the level of Dark infecting the area made him expect to see black soil.
Two Sheti demons yowled and raced from behind one of the small structures. Araton called his sword of light to his hand and decapitated one of the beasts. The other raked its claws across the back of Araton’s right wing.
Executing a roundhouse kick, Araton punted the lizard away from him. By the time he stopped moving the demon was snarling and facing off with him. Needing to move on and continue his search, Araton took to the air and held his Sword of Light aloft. Right before he made contact, the Sheti leapt into the air and came at him.
The move startled Araton and he dropped his sword. It disappeared before making it very far. Angelic weapons went back to their hiding spot the second they left their owner’s hand. That way no one except an angel could wield it.
The demon had grabbed hold of Araton so that it didn’t fall right back to the ground. Claws sliced his shoulder, leaving behind three deep cuts. The Sheti screeched loudly when Araton’s blood splattered its scaly skin.
Taking advantage, Araton threw the beast to the ground and called his weapon to his hand again. He was flying over the demon and slicing through the thick neck before it even knew what hit it.
Araton continued on, leaving the remnants to burn to ash. He made a mental note to have angels reclaim every inch of the resting place. There was no way to know when anyone would be buried in those back tombs and he refused to leave the demons anymore spots of power if he could help it.
Araton flew over the city and encountered two more demons, but never discovered where the archdemon was amassing his forces for the next ritual. Araton’s nerves jangled and he was ready to beg Gabriel to ask God for help.
Surely, He would be able to locate the archdemon. Humans had countless stories of Him being omniscient, but Araton had never bothered to verify that claim. Honestly, he had no idea how anyone being could be. No matter how powerful.
It seemed an impossible task to be able to function while having incalculable streams of information clogging the mind. While he didn’t believe God was omniscient, he did believe He had powers that could locate Natalia so Araton could save her.
The fact that Araton suspected Lia would be killed if Gabriel discovered her current condition was the only thing that stopped him from seeking help. Heading to Les Augres, Araton gave himself until morning before he sought more help. He just hoped Gabriel would be willing to accept Araton’s sacrifice to save Natalia if it came to that.
Landing on the lawn of the manor, he approached the front door and knocked. Aison opened the panel with a nod. “Good that you showed up. I was just about to call you and your brothers. Zander and Hayden are here. I believe they have some information.”
Araton’s heart leaped in his chest while hope soared. He half expected there to be an Angel of Hope when he entered the stately mansion with how powerful the emotion was at hearing those words.
“I’ll text my brothers,” he said as he followed the shifter to the war room. He pulled out his phone and typed a message to both of his siblings informing them to return to the Dark Warrior headquarters in NOLA. “Did someone find the archdemon?”
“No’ yet,” Zander called out from the room. Araton had asked Aison, but the Vampire King answered before his warrior was able.
“Good to see you again,” Hayden greeted then extended his hand. The male had shaggy brown hair and dark brown eyes. As the leader of all shifters, the Omega was a massive guy. From what Araton had been told, Hayden could shift into any animal. He was the only one of the shifters with this ability.
“Thank you for coming to help,” Araton told the Omega. “What’s this new information?”
“There’s nothing concrete, yet,” Zander responded and waved to the television on the opposite wall. It was on and showed the war room back at Zeum. “We have Killian with us via Skype. He’s been doing some research based on what we’ve discovered over the past couple weeks.”
Araton nodded to the Alliance member. He noticed Jace, Bhric and Izzy were with him in the room in Seattle. Kyran, Mack, Rhys and Gerrick were at Les Augres with them. He appreciated the show of support.
“Given how many sites you all have been interrupting, I suggested he look outside the Quarter,” Evzen interjected as he poked his head in from the side of the screen. “They cannot use the sites you guys have been cleansing and reclaiming, so they will need a new source of energy.”
“Based on that suggestion, I’ve looked at likely spots. The most viable one is just downriver at the Chalmette Battlefield,” Killian explained via the online connection. “The archdemon will need the energy of death to fuel their final spell. That site was where a famous battle took place. Lucifer’s goons have been gaining power with each ritual done in and around the French Quarter, but those are no longer available like Evzen said. At Chalmette, countless soldiers lost their lives a couple hundred years ago.”
“Is there a way we can look remotely?” Araton asked. All too often he forgot about modern technology and how it can help in situations like this. He didn’t know the history of the city, but a location like this would be prime grounds for demonic activity.
“I have Luke and Slate on their way to the location as we speak. They will let us know what they find when they get there,” Zander explained.
