Encounter with the Devil

by Maya Daniels

  It’s all games.

  “It is okay, Helena.” Lucifer rubs my back with one of his hands soothingly. “I know you don’t trust me, and I do not blame you for that. If we can’t save Eric, there is still Colt. He might be rough around the edges, but he can be brought under control.”

  “What?” Startled by his words, I gape at him, stupefied. “Did you just try to pimp out your other son in case the man I love dies?”

  “Don’t be absurd.” Looking down his nose at me, he seems insulted. Good! He damn well should be. “I know this is a tough decision to make. I’m only trying to soothe your fears.”

  “By telling me if Eric dies, it’s okay because Colt is just there like some lady in waiting or something?” My fingers dig into his shoulders, making me wish I had claws as well so I can scratch his perfect, angelic face. “Listen to me and listen really good, asshole. You should be kissing Eric’s feet and bowing to him.” When he scowls at me, I nod to emphasize my words. “If it weren’t for him, you would’ve had an army straight out of Heaven at your gates this very moment. So, before you dismiss him as you are obviously known to do, how about you think about that?”

  Lucifer searches my face with a calculating look. Uneasiness crawls like icy fingers under my overheated skin and pouring sweat. This whole thing is so messed up it makes me dizzy. His face loses focus for a moment when a spell of lightheadedness hits me out of nowhere. Swaying in his arms, he tightens his hold around me when I almost slip from his grip.

  “Easy there, girl.” Jostling me higher up his chest, he falters slightly in the air.

  “There is nothing easy about this, Lucifer.” Through clenched teeth, I push the words out without vomiting all over him.

  “How much you care for him is admirable, Helena.” Softening his dark eyes, he sighs, “As much as it pains me, unless you trust me enough to give me your blood, I’m afraid I’m powerless to stop whatever it is that’s coming next.” He points his chin above us.

  With dread, I jerk my head up to look at Eric. My eyes are stinging from the blasting heat from the fires burning above our heads. Blinking away the tears that gather on my lashes, at first, I don’t understand what Lucifer was pointing at. When my stinging gaze travels up the black body of the dragon, up his chest and neck, a scream pierces the air around us.

  Leviathan is lowering his head down, his eyes large enough to be seen from this far burning with some crazed satisfaction at the look on my face. No, no, no, no, my mind chants as the large mouth full of razor-sharp teeth stretches in some ghoulish twisted smile, the forked tongue snaking out of it as if tasting my fear.

  I’m not sure how I can notice anything else apart from my heart dying slowly in my chest at the scene unfolding in front of me. Lucifer’s hand that was rubbing my back in soothing motions slowly inches lower, snapping me out of the horrifying state I’m in. Urgency moves my limbs faster than my brain can comprehend the action. I snatch my dagger from the small of my back where I had it tucked for safekeeping a second before his fingers brush the waistband of my pants. The dragon roars in rage, confirming my fears that this whole thing is some Mortal Kombat game we are all playing.

  “Looking for this?” Sneering in Lucifer’s face, I press the sharp blade under his chin. “You developed a nice tick in your jaw, I see.” He glares, but I ignore it when a random thought hits me like a brick. Tick.

  The clocks.

  When we passed the hallway covered on all sides with clocks, they were all working. I have no idea why that didn’t dawn on me as something important enough to mention at the time, but right now it’s like a featured art piece in the middle of my head with all the light of the sun illuminating it. What happened that made them start working? Was it me and Eric? Did we trigger it somehow with our bonding, keeping in mind that Beelzebub said he fully claimed me permanently? Or is it something Lucifer did that started up this clusterfuck?

  “Remove the dagger, Helena,” he growls at me, icily. “Or he will die, along with everyone else.”

  “How about you tell your pet dragon to release him, and I’ll think about it, huh?” Putting pressure on his neck, a smile starts forming on my lips when beads of blood coat the burnished metal.

  If I was thinking rationally, I would’ve phrased my threat a hell of a lot better. Since I’m not, I watch with the breath stuck in my lungs when Lucifer smiles triumphantly at me before looking over my head at Leviathan. The Trowe screams from the ground, the sound alarmed like he is about to die himself. Torn between dreading to look at Eric’s dangling body, checking on my sidekick, and not wanting to look away from the most significant threat that I hold captive with a dagger under his chin, panic pushes the anger I’ve buried in my chest to the surface.

  No, not just anger, I realize, stunned. Anger and sadness mixed together, indistinguishable from one another. What kind of a pathetic existence all of them must have to resort to this? Trading the lives of their children to obtain the unobtainable ideal of their perceived victory. To be willing to die out of pride or greed for something that will never satisfy their insatiable hunger for more.

  Golden light surrounds Lucifer and me. My body trembles in his arms, the force of my emotions pulsing from me in waves that I can’t control. Flabbergasted, I watch Lucifer’s movement’s stop, his intent, furious gaze emptying out like his soul has left the shell behind. My stomach flip-flops, expecting us to plummet to the ground, but we stay up in the air. One strong pulse from my chest sends golden streaks striking through the sky in different directions, leaving me the only one able to move freely.

  Twisting around in Lucifer’s arms, I turn to check on Eric. A sharp pang of fear slams my ribcage when I see that Leviathan has released the hold and Eric is frozen in the air halfway to the unforgiving ground, still unconscious. At least he stopped and is not falling. The thought calms down my erratic fears.

  The dragon is poised as if ready to strike at my turned back. His demonic sneer sending shivers up my spine while his outstretched claws are pointed in my direction. Just like Lucifer and Eric, he is surrounded by the golden glow turning him into a macabre 3D character that will star in all my nightmares if I survive this. He looks so eerie that even knowing he is unable to move, I’m reluctant to look away from him.

  Unsure how much more time I have until everything comes back to life, I pull my gaze away to check on the Trowe. His scream still rings inside my head as vivid as if he is doing it right this moment. I find him just below me and Lucifer, his tiny body almost indistinguishable from this height. The wrinkled, eyeless face is turned up as if he was looking at me, but his small arm is pointing in the direction of the gates. I follow it and almost release my hold on Lucifer when I see the hordes of demons surrounding the place. They were not gone as my eyes told me, or they’ve come back while I was preoccupied with getting to my mate. Whatever happened, they were here now. All frozen, surrounded in a golden glow but not less terrifying.

  Swallowing the lump of terror that stuck in my throat, I wonder how the hell did I get myself in this situation. Better yet, how the fuck am I going to get myself out of it? My mind spins, coming up with ideas and dismissing them the next second. Whatever I can think of, nothing seems possible for me, Eric, and my sidekick to get out of here in one piece. And without giving your blood to Lucifer. The smartass voice inside me finds it necessary to remind me; like I can forget such a thing.

  My heart keeps slamming against my breastbone, the sound of my gasps of air echoing in my ears. I keep twisting and turning, looking from one disaster to another while unable to stay still, even if it means I’ll drop from the frozen Lucifer statue. I mean, I froze them all like this, right? That means I should theoretically be able to unfreeze them.

  Theoretically being the paramount term.

  “I’m not sure we have time to keep staring at them if you want to get out of here.” The deep voice makes me jump out of my skin, eliciting a shrill shriek from me that pierces the silence.

  My grip on Luc
ifer slips, my sweaty hands sliding from his skin. I stare up at the still raging inferno above me, the fires turning the person that spoke into a menacing dark shadow while the air rushes past my ears, and I plummet down, gravity pulling me harder to my death.

  My hair flies up around my face like a banner, obscuring everything but the fire and the two dark shadows above me. The one on my left is Lucifer, still a floating statue, judging by the frozen state of his wings. The one on the right, however, doesn’t stay there long. Like an arrow, the wings fold close to his back, and he closes the distance faster than I can blink. My neck almost snaps when my fall is jerked to a stop, and arms wrap around my knees and back.

  “Let’s not die yet, she-devil. I believe you have important things to do.” Colt smirks at my stunned face.

  “Why aren’t you frozen?” Rubbing my neck, I wince at the stabbing pain from the whiplash he just gave me.

  “I don’t know.” Shrugging, he slips back that annoying mask he wears all the time. “You like me, but you are not aware of it, yet?”

  “Yeah, I wouldn’t count on it, asshole. You can drop me now if that’s your plan.” Glaring at him, I tighten the grip on the dagger still clutched in my hand, making sure he sees it. “Your father tried that shit and look at what happened. You can join him if you like.”

  Colt twists his mouth like he tasted something horrible. “I’m not sure what is going on but that”—Tilting his chin up towards Lucifer, anger burns in his gaze—“is not my father. I noticed the difference when he walked you to the arena. That’s why I went looking for answers.”

  “And I should just take your word for it?” I’m hoping he can see on my face how stupid I think his expectations are if that’s the case. “You really think that’s a jinn?”

  “You have felt his power; do you really not notice the difference?” A slight frown forms between his eyebrows, reminding me so much of Eric my heart hurts.

  Now hearing it said out loud, I know that my body warned me of the danger I was in, I was just too preoccupied to listen to it. Down here in Hell, my GPS is silent. I’m not sure if it’s because of my powers finally snapping back in place, or because everything is evil so it doesn’t know what to think. Eric is not evil, my mind reminds me.

  “I noticed something different, yes. I just thought Lucifer was a jerk, as usual, trying to mess with my head.” Flicking my eyes to check on Eric, I look back at Colt. “It’s all a game to him. Can we get Eric now since you are so helpful for once?”

  “I have to set you down first. I can’t carry you both at the same time.” Turning his body, he descends slowly, aiming for the place where the Trowe is standing.

  “If you hurt him in any way, Colt…” I stare at him until he looks me in the eye. “I’m going to carve you up like a thanksgiving turkey so slowly, Hell will seem like Heaven compared to that. And this is a promise.”

  “Got it.” Setting me on my feet gently, he takes a step away from me. “I’ll be right back.” He shoots up in the sky, leaving only a blast of air and a cloud of dust behind him.

  Shading my eyes, I keep my gaze on him while inching closer to my sidekick. My knees buckle, and I barely stay standing when I see him take hold of Eric, and they begin to lower slowly. I’m guessing the extra weight is making Colt move slower than usual, going off his words and the speed he used to bring me to the ground. Assured Colt is keeping his word, I turn to the Trowe. A hysterical giggle comes out of my mouth when I see his twisted face. He froze while screaming whatever it was that he was trying to tell me, leaving him looking scary and hilarious at the same time.

  Or, I’m just losing my mind.

  “I’m sorry.” Not knowing what to do and feeling horrible for doing all the things so far to the poor bugger, I pat him awkwardly on the head.

  As soon as my hand touches him, the golden light disappears. Oblivious to the time that has passed, his hissing shout, “misstresssssss, looookkkkkk,” splits the air, followed by a scream coming from me. Jerking his head in my direction, the Trowe squeals again to which I join him.

  “Stop yelling!” Pissed off that he freaked me out, I snap at him, and his mouth closes with a snap.

  “What in the fates name is going on here?” Beelzebub’s whispered yell makes me and my sidekick scream again like frightened little girls.

  “Okay! The next one to scare me will die!” yelling with frustration, I brandish the dagger at all of them, including Colt, who is finally lowering Eric to the ground. “How are you not frozen as well?” Glaring at Beelzebub, I point my blade at him. “What the hell is happening?”

  Jaw clenched and hands fisted at his sides, Beelzebub walks my way briskly. “I ducked.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “What he said,” Colt answers instead, finally standing up from his crouch over his brother. “That’s how I’m still moving. I ducked, too, when you sent those projectiles out of your body.” Shrugging, he folds his arms over his chest. “I thought you saw me and wanted to kill me if we are honest. I wasn’t going to stand to test it out after our last encounter.”

  “I couldn’t see where it came from, but I’m too fast when it comes to saving my hide.” Grinning, Beelzebub rolls his neck. Seeing him move on those smooth walls, I believe his words without a doubt. He looked like the Tasmanian devil crawling up.

  Ignoring them all, I drop on my knees next to Eric. My hand hovers above his body, but I’m too afraid to touch him in case he comes unfrozen. The hole from Leviathan’s claw is wide enough that I can stick my hand in it, but that too is frozen, and no blood is coming out of the wound. That must be a good thing, right? Doubt gnaws at me, and I lift my gaze in question, looking between Beelzebub and Colt.

  “Narsi got animated when I touched him.” Using his name for the first time, I point at the Trowe to explain why I’m looking at them for answers. “I’m worried if I unfreeze Eric that he might die from the injury.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you about that, but if we don’t start moving, I think all of us will die from some type of injury.” Beelzebub has a troubled expression on his face as he looks behind the gates.

  “I don’t know how long they’ll stay like that.” Chewing on my lip, I turn to glance at the angry, frozen horde of demons. The Trowe standing as close as he dares to me just adds to the creepy factor of the situation, especially when I can feel him breathing harshly in anticipation.

  “We either run, or we fight.” Colt glares daggers past the gates. “Or we barricade ourselves inside and hold the fort as much as we can.” Glancing at me, he looks away fast when I notice the uncertainty in his eyes. All his assholeness is just an act, I realize.

  So much like his twin brother.

  “I’m not locking myself here any longer.” Squaring my shoulders, I steel my spine. “I need to get out of here and, most importantly, I need to close the gate that’s been standing open—the one I opened—while we waste precious time here entertaining Lucifer and playing his twisted games.” Grinding my teeth and praying for Eric to be okay, I reach for him again.

  “Wait!” Beelzebub folds his large body, picking Eric up like he weighs nothing. “I’ll carry him as much as I can. We can switch until he comes out of it on his own.” Looking at Colt, he waits until the other nods to turn to me again. “If we are not staying here, I say we go now.”

  “And how will you pass the wards?” My neck hurts looking up at them, so I rub my hand over it.

  “You’ll drop the wards.” My heart skips a beat at those words and Colt smirks. “We’ll be ready to bolt as soon as it’s done, in case they all come to at once.”

  “Don’t you have wings, too?” Lifting off the ground, I dust my knees, glancing at Beelzebub. “Can’t we just fly out of here?”

  “Of course, I do.” Looking insulted, he lets them burst out of his back. “Flying out is the plan, but we can’t go on for a long time. The extra weight will slow us down. We got to gain some distance and walk from there.”

  “I’m not
leaving Narsi.” Snatching the Trowe’s hand, I pull him to me.

  “I’ll carry you both. He weighs nothing.” Colt comes next to me, and I force myself not to recoil from his touch now that my feet are on the ground. “He can climb on my back.”

  “Here goes nothing,” I murmur when Colt scoops me up while my sidekick scrambles on his legs and wraps himself around like a backpack.

  Anticipation will eat me from the inside out. I can almost see the hole forming in my stomach while I chew through the skin on my thumb. Remembering all the chastising I used to get from my best friend about it, I lower my hand away from my teeth and almost laugh at the stupidity of the action. I neither have a best friend anymore, nor am I sure that I will live past this day to worry about anything else.

  We lift in the air and stop right where I can see the shimmering in the sky where the wards form the barrier around us. The golden glow keeping everyone else frozen paints a clear picture of the monsters waiting to spring at us the second it disappears. Flicking my gaze from one snarling face to another is not helping my nerves one bit, so I decide to pretend they are not there. If I’m not looking at them, they’ll disappear, right?

  I wish!

  “Ready?” Colt mumbles as if he doesn’t want to disturb the already horrid silence.

  “No.” I lift my hands, contradicting my answer, bringing them in front of me palms facing the wards. “I need to get closer…I think.”

  What are you doing, Hel? That stupid voice in my head sounds incredulous and I know that it’s right. I have absolutely no clue what I’m supposed to be doing to bring these suckers down. It’s not like I knew what I did when we put them up in the first place. The thought occurred to me that I went kaboom and lost two days when I accidentally helped them shield us from the incoming horde, but I don’t see how else we are going to leave this damn place. It was so much easier when others were making the decisions and all I did was follow orders. How ironic that not long ago I told Eric that we had no choices. Thinking of Eric pulls my eyes towards Beelzebub, hovering near us with my mate in his arms.