by Nina Croft
They came to a halt in front of her. “This is Phoebe and Rachel,” Bella made the introductions. “I presume you remember them by their other names.” Then she hooked her arm through Imogen’s and almost marched her out of the building. “Let’s go get some coffee; there’s a café down the road.”
Imogen allowed herself to be taken. A few minutes later they were seated at a table, steaming cups of coffee in front of them. “So you all remember everything?” she asked.
“I remember that you weren’t very friendly,” Phoebe said.
“I always thought you were a little stuck up,” Bella added.
Phoebe snorted. “Tell it like it is.”
“And I thought the same of you.” Imogen shrugged. “I thought you all looked down on me because I was a prostitute.”
Rachel giggled. “That sounds really funny coming from you in that outfit.” Then the smile left her face. “We would never have looked down on you for that. But let’s put the past behind us and be friends now.”
Imogen’s eyes pricked. She nodded. “I take it you’re all...the same as me. You’ve been reborn.”
“Yes. Because of the Elixir. But we can’t talk to you about it.”
She should have expected that. “Why?”
“We just can’t,” Bella said. “We shouldn’t even be seeing you. Torr says we’re a load of blabbermouths, and we’ll let something slip we shouldn’t and ruin everything. He told us we weren’t to see you until...” She trailed off.
“Until what?”
“We can’t say,” Rachel said. “But we’ve been where you are now, and we know something of what you’re going through.”
“Just tell him how you feel,” Bella said.
“What? You mean pissed off? I think he knows.” She could feel her blood pressure rising. “I nearly got killed by freaking demons last night. So did my congregation. Happy Christmas and welcome to the End of Days, brought to you by Reverend Lockley.” She glared at them all in turn. “Just tell me something. Anything.” She wanted to tear her hair out, scream at them to talk to her. “Is Devlin evil? Are they all evil?”
“We’re with them, aren’t we?”
“You love them?”
“More than ever.”
That didn’t mean Devlin loved her. If he did, he would have told her already.
Bella’s phone rang, and she pulled it out of her pocket and listened. Then blew out her breath. “They’re back. Look, I’m sorry, but we really can’t talk to you.”
She gritted her teeth. “Why?”
“We can’t tell you that either.”
Agh!
At that moment the door to the cafe was pushed open without warning, and Devlin stood there. He’d clearly been running, was slightly out of breath. He glanced around the room, his gaze settling on her, and he walked over, coming to a halt by the table, a wary expression in his eyes.
Imogen glared. “I don’t suppose you can talk to me either.”
“Soon.”
“Well, soon isn’t good enough.” She pushed herself to her feet and stalked past him, then glanced back at the others. “Happy Christmas.” And she left the cafe, marched down the street. She was aware of Devlin coming after her. He put a hand on her arm, and she stopped but didn’t turn back.
“Imogen, please stay with me.”
There was an edge of desperation in his voice, and part of her wanted to give him anything he asked. But a sick fear coiled in her belly. There was so much he was hiding from her. Had he become evil? Had something twisted inside him that day? Why couldn’t he just tell her? She was beginning to believe she would forgive him anything.
Except lying to her. Again.
“I can’t. I have work to do.” Which wasn’t a lie. She had people to visit. The sick, who couldn’t make it to a service over the Christmas period. She was already behind. Maybe, she would just immerse herself in work. Keep busy until Devlin decided he could tell her what was going on.
“I’ll come with you,” he said.
“I don’t want you with me.”
She walked on. But was aware of him trailing her to the train station. On the train, he sat opposite her. She pretended he wasn’t there. It was hard. He was so big.
When she got off the train at Barnsdale, he was still with her, following to where her car was parked. She whirled around and faced him. “Go away.”
Without waiting for an answer, she climbed into her car and slammed the door.
CHAPTER 18
As Devlin watched her drive away, a sense of despair almost dragged him to his knees.
Time had nearly run out, and he couldn’t bear the idea of her dying again because of him. She had so much to offer the world. She was such a good person.
He’d woken up this morning with her wrapped in his arms, and for a brief moment he’d forgotten everything and had experienced a moment of almost unbearable happiness. As though he’d been transported back two thousand years to before everything had gone to shit. To when they could both say “I love you” with no fear of repercussions.
He’d almost said the words out loud, and that would have ended everything. At the last second, the present had come back to him.
He made love to her instead, tried to show her with his body what he wasn’t allowed to say with words. And he really believed he’d gotten through to her.
Then her defenses had gone back up.
The irony was, if she hadn’t remembered, then he might have had a chance. But while she remembered she loved him, she also remembered his betrayal.
Now he had to admit that he’d failed.
He threw back his head, uncaring of who might see him, and howled. Above him, lightning flashed in the dull, white sky.
His phone rang, bringing him back from the edge. It was Torr.
“Something has breached the wards,” he said.
“What?” Devlin’s brain wasn’t working.
“You need to get to her. And this is no lesser demon. It’s something big.”
Devlin hurried out of the car park, his brain scrambling to work out what was happening. There was something in the village. Inside the wards. A higher demon. It had to be an astral projection. Or a possession. No way could anything have come through physically with the wards in place.
The vicarage was a mile away. He needed to get to her fast. He looked around, found an alley between two buildings close by. Once out of sight, he dropped to his knees. He let the change wash over him and a second later, he stood on all fours, sniffing the cold air. The sky was heavy with snow. But he could catch the faint tang of sulfur on the air. He growled low in his throat.
He bounded out, uncaring who saw, headed at full speed for the vicarage. He leaped over the six-foot wall that surrounded the garden just as the door opened, and he skidded to a halt in the cover of a yew tree. A man stood on the porch. Devlin recognized him—John. He didn’t like the man. He’d been far too familiar with Imogen. All the same, he wouldn’t have wished this on anyone.
He lifted his muzzle, sniffed the air. The scent of sulfur was stronger here, but overlaying that was a sharp, sweet, familiar scent.
Lilith.
Rage filled him, and he closed the space between them.
Imogen hadn’t seen him yet. She was intent on the man, brows drawn together in a frown as though she could sense something amiss. “John? What is it? Are you all right?”
Of course the fucker wasn’t all right. He’d been possessed by the biggest, baddest demon around, and she had no goddamn right. A growl escaped his throat, and at last Imogen turned toward him, her eyes widening as she caught sight of him.
He wasn’t the one she should be worried about.
***
Imogen stood frozen in place. The biggest cat she had ever seen was crouched on her front lawn watching her out of dark eyes. And she used the word cat loosely. It was huge. As big as the lions in the zoo. And black as midnight. It stared at her, its gaze intense; there was something in those eyes. Som
ething she recognized. A familiarity that her brain refused to identify. Its lips curled in a snarl, showing sharp white fangs, and a shudder ran through her. A low growl rumbled from its throat.
Her eyes darted to John, while the rest of her stayed very still.
He stood with a strange smile on his face. Had he not seen the freaking cat? How could he not see it? It filled half the garden. Should she just back away, slam the door? Hide under the bed? But she couldn’t leave John on the doorstep to be eaten, and he was just standing there like an idiot, an inane smile on his face.
“Imogen,” John said. And his voice sounded strange. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
Her eyes flicked to the big cat. Its tail lashed out, signaling...annoyance? It was almost as though it was trying to tell her something. She had no clue what was going on here, but her fear was fading. Or rather not fading, but its focus was shifting as the cat stayed still and presented no immediate increased threat. She looked again at John. There was definitely something wrong. And no, she wasn’t going to invite him in.
“No?” John was still smiling. It was creepy, and she had to fight the urge to back away.
“Can’t you see it?” she asked, making a very small gesture toward the big cat. Maybe she was hallucinating.
He ignored her question. “I wanted to see for myself what all the fuss was about.” His eyes ran up and down her so her skin crawled. “And really, I still have no clue. I’m sorry, but you’re...ordinary.”
It was slowly dawning on her. This wasn’t John. Something had taken over his body. This was possession. “What have you done with John?”
“Just borrowed his body for a while.”
She swallowed. “And will you give it back?”
He heaved a huge sigh. “Of course. Sadly, it won’t be of much use to him by that point. I forgot to mention that little bit. But his soul will join me in the Abyss. Humans are so weak and easily tempted.”
“What did you tempt him with?”
“You, of course. He’s wanted you for a long time. I failed to tell him that you would be dead. But then, so will he.”
“Who are you?”
John pursed his lips. “I am Lilith, Queen of the Abyss. And you are playing with what’s mine.”
“What is yours? I don’t understand. Tell me what you want from me.”
“I want you dead.” He cast a glance at the cat, then shook her head. “You really don’t know, do you?” He snorted. “You can’t see what’s in front of your eyes.” He took a step forward and the cat growled again, coming upright. Standing, it reached Imogen’s shoulder. It edged closer.
John shrugged. “Oh, don’t get in a twist. I’m not going to hurt your precious wife. I wouldn’t risk it. I don’t need to. She’ll be dead soon anyway. And you’ll belong to me. As you pledged all those years ago.”
It took Imogen a moment to realize “John” was talking to the cat. She blinked.
The John turned and walked away.
The strength went from her legs, and she sank down to the porch, sitting with her arms wrapped around her knees. She closed her eyes. Sat there for what seemed an age as the cold seeped through her clothes and into her bones.
When she opened her eyes, the cat was gone and Devlin stood in front of her. She was beyond being surprised. “What will happen to him?” she asked.
“His body will die, and his soul will go to Hell.”
“Can’t you save him?”
“No. He was doomed from the moment he made his deal with Lilith. But Hell isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be. He won’t burn. Unless Lilith is feeling particularly vindictive.”
She tried not to think of that. John’s death was down to her. But the ultimate choice had been his. He must have had some idea of what he was dealing with. She looked at Devlin. “Am I going to die?”
He glanced away, but not before she saw the pain flash in his eyes. Was that why he wouldn’t say I love you? Was he holding himself at a distance because he knew he was going to lose her?
She didn’t want to die.
But why wouldn’t he tell her? If only she understood what was going on. She stared up into his dark eyes, resolve hardening her heart. “You want everything from me, but you won’t give me anything in return. How can I love you when I don’t trust you? And how can I trust you when you lied to me before and now you won’t even talk to me?” She shook her head. “Please, just go.”
For a moment, she thought he would argue. Then he nodded once, spun on his heels, and walked away, and she had to bite her lip to keep from calling him back. To stop herself shouting that it didn’t matter what he’d done in the years between. She still loved him.
She squeezed her eyes tight closed and when she opened them he was gone.
And a scream welled up inside her, and her body shook with the strength of her grief.
She didn’t know how long she huddled there as sobs wracked her body, and she cried for that first death and the loss of her salvation and her dreams. And for all the other deaths that had come after. The wasted lives. Loveless because she’d been too scared to allow herself to feel anything.
When she looked up, night had fallen. She stared out into the darkness as big, fat flakes of snow swirled in the sky, filling the air.
She was going to get her white Christmas, after all.
A light flashed in the sky, and she stared up through the swirl of snow to see a shooting star. It lit up the sky, a silver orb with a streaming tail of sparkling light.
And her tears dried, and warmth seeped into her body, filling her with hope and love.
It was nearly Christmas Day.
And she had been offered a gift beyond imagining. A second chance at love. Would she throw it away because she was too scared to trust? Was she such a coward?
Maybe she’d needed to come close to losing him again to realize that some things didn’t matter. Not what he had become in the years since she lost him. Not what he was now. She loved him. Angel or...whatever he was...she loved him with all her heart. And if she lost him again, then it couldn’t hurt more than if she threw her chances away.
She jumped to her feet.
She’d go find him, and she’d make a huge leap of faith, and she’d tell him she loved him.
CHAPTER 19
The snow started to fall as Devlin left town. He walked, hardly knowing where he was going.
He’d failed.
He’d lost her, and tomorrow, she would die.
He’d seen the resolution in her eyes. She loved him, but she didn’t trust him, and he had no way to break through her fears because he didn’t deserve her.
Once he was into the countryside, he willed his wings into being. Black wings like his heart. Rising into the air, he hovered for a few seconds, and then flew back toward the city. He landed on the roof of the Stormlord Securities building and headed down to the thirteenth floor. He hesitated outside the door to Torr’s private quarters, but could sense none of his brothers were close, and he let himself in.
He found paper and a pen and wrote a note, not to Imogen, but to his brother.
I’ve failed. She’ll never say the words, and I can’t let her die without at least trying to save her. Please don’t try and stop me.
Devlin
He left the note on the desk and then headed into the inner room. A huge sword hung in a golden scabbard on the wall.
An archangel’s sword. The only weapon that could kill a higher demon.
He reached out his fingers, stroking the hilt. Then he lifted it from the wall and hung the scabbard from his back, feeling a ripple of power run through him.
As he turned around, Bella appeared in the open doorway. He glanced past her, but she was alone, and he released his breath. Bella couldn’t stop him, though he was sure she’d try if she knew what he intended.
“What’s happening?” she asked. “Where’s Imogen?”
“Not here.”
Her eyes widened as she took in the s
word slung across his back. He was running out of time.
“Will you tell her I love her? I’m sorry I betrayed her trust, and that I’ll always love her.”
“Devlin, you don’t need to do this. We’ll find another way.”
“There is no other way.”
Then he opened a portal and leaped into the darkness.
CHAPTER 20
It was ten o’clock by the time Imogen arrived at the Stormlord Securities building. The snow was still falling, and the trains had nearly ground to a halt. She’d been eaten up with worry, a nagging sense she couldn’t shift that time was running out.
The doors were locked, and she banged on the glass.
Eventually, someone came. Not a security guard, as she’d expected, but Torr himself. He opened the door and ushered her inside.
“Where the hell have you been?” he growled, not giving her time to answer, just taking her arm and leading her to the elevators.
“I came to see Devlin,” she said as the doors slid closed.
He glanced at her. “What for?”
She gnawed on her lower lip. Something was wrong. And she had a feeling that only the truth would help her now. “I need to tell him that I love him.”
His gaze sharpened at that. “You’re too late. Devlin’s not here.”
Before she could ask where he was, the doors opened. He walked quickly out and down the corridor, pausing outside a door. He opened it, and she followed him inside. Then stopped. The room was full. Devlin’s brothers. All of them. And Bella and Phoebe and Rachel, who was crying. She looked around at them all, and no one would meet her eyes.
“What’s happened? Where’s Devlin?” She shivered. The strength that had maintained her since she made her decision to come here was draining away, leaving her weak and shaky.
Someone pressed a glass into her hand, and she sipped it automatically. Heat flowed down her throat. “Please tell me what’s going on.”
“We can’t.”
She was getting so fucking sick of people saying that. “Why the hell not?” she yelled.
