by Brenda Trim
Bhric motioned to the room around the corner then held up three fingers and counted down until they were all running to confront whoever was in the room. The second the room came into view, Evzen noticed a large two-story room with more guards than he expected. And, then there were the hellhounds prowling around the perimeter.
As he assessed their situation, Evzen noticed this room was in better shape than the rest, but just as medieval. Candelabras adorned the walls between large tapestries of Angelica sitting on a gold throne. The chair in the image was gaudy with flowers carved on the arms and rich velvet upholstery. And, of course, a replica of the chair was up on a dais.
A hellhound ran toward them while Nikko and Bhric confronted guards. Evzen dodged the beast, but the trainee to his right didn’t and was taken down by massive paws. There wasn’t time for him to assist the young male as he was ambushed.
He tried to cast an explosion, but his magic sputtered and died with a fizzle, forcing him to slam the staff through the throat of the sorcerer attacking him. There was no way he could chance accessing his mantle at the moment. It would leave him too vulnerable.
A blade hit Evzen’s shoulder before he could remove his staff. Yanking with all his might, he got his staff free and was turning to hit the male behind him across the head. The pain collided with rage and he connected with enough force to shear off the top of his skull.
Nikko shouted a second later, but Evzen couldn’t see him. Tristan was kicking and throwing hounds and males out of his way. It was impossible to tell who was in charge at the moment, and it was too chaotic to listen to what anyone was saying to see if he could pick the male out by his voice.
The trainee that was bitten by the demon dog managed to stab the beast, killing it. But he wasn’t able to get out from under the creature. Evzen jumped past a pair of guards not looking his way and crouched next to the young male. Evzen managed to push the hellhound off the trainee but didn’t move him to safety before the two he slipped past drug him to his feet.
Evzen returned his staff when one of the males tried to grab it. A sorcerer was tied to his staff and could be injured or weakened if theirs was destroyed. The absence of the implement seemed to take his remaining energy.
Through the bodies, Evzen spotted Nikko on the ground and had a moment of panic. If they couldn’t get the upper hand this would go south quickly. Evzen grabbed one of the guards and tossed him into the other. As they tumbled over one another, Evzen’s gaze was caught by a female standing in an archway across the room. There was something familiar about her, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.
Her deep purple eyes captivated him, and immediately Evzen’s aching body ignited with lust which made him walk toward her. What was her name? Why was she here? That last one was a stupid question given that she wore the same guard uniform the rest had on, if black clothing could be called a uniform. It was their weapon’s belt and expressions that told Evzen these were guards for the current drug lord.
Evzen’s distraction cost him as an arm manacled around his throat, cutting off his air. He took a blade to the ribs and punched the face over his shoulder. A grunt was all he got in response. The male didn’t loosen his hold one bit.
They couldn’t lose this battle. This was supposed to be a reconnaissance mission. He could kick his own ass for not realizing this was likely to go sideways. The alluring female surged into motion and rushed toward him. “I’ve got this one, Brent.”
Electricity traveled over his skin the second her skin met his. He gritted his teeth against the desire it elicited in him. This was not the time or place to get caught up in a female. “Don’t kill my friends,” he pleaded when he saw another trainee down. If he could regroup he could get them out of the castle. He wanted to sigh in relief when he caught her nearly imperceptible nod.
“Brent,” the female called a second later. “Don’t kill the others. We can use them as a bargaining chip with the king. Take them to Sterling.”
“Got it,” the male responded and picked up the trainee attacked by a hellhound. Within seconds they were all being dragged through the archway. Bhric was unconscious with a silver blade sticking out of his chest. Nikko didn’t look much better.
The green and blue lights of a portal flickered ahead of them, but the colors were quickly overtaken by black. It was exactly the taint he suspected would happen if a sorcerer tried to reach for their magic in this location. “Toss them into the cell, now,” the angry male voice ordered. Evzen craned his head and tried to see who was talking, but he was being passed through the portal and tossed into a cell by the female before his eyes found the leader. But he had a name. Sterling.
Bhric flew past him and Evzen crossed to the prince and removed the weapon. By the time he tossed the weapon aside, bars were clanging closed behind them and the female was looking at him with an inscrutable expression.
With a shake of her head, she turned and walked out of the area, breaking the spell. Evzen turned back to the prince. “Fuck,” Bhric groaned a second later, making Evzen breathe easier. “What the hell happened?”
“We lost,” Tristan muttered as he hovered next to a trainee that was a sickly shade of gray.
“You okay? I need to check Nikko,” Evzen asked Bhric.
“Aye. Is he alright?”
“I’m not sure. Look for a way out while I check him.” Evzen inspected Nikko and realized the warrior wasn’t going to make it for long. “I need to create a portal and get us out of here.”
Bhric met his gaze and Evzen saw the prince understood what he was saying. Closing his eyes, Evzen tried to access his staff, but nothing happened. A few calming breaths and he tried again.
His eyes snapped open a second later. “I can’t access my magic.”
“Bluidy fucking hell,” Bhric snarled. That about summed it up, Evzen thought.
* * *
Chapter 20
Abraxos stepped into line with Ayil as he stalked from the archAngel hall and headed for the park. “What happened?”
“They aren’t going to kill Kennex,” Ayil replied.
“Why the fuck not? She set off a bomb in Heaven,” Araton added as he walked with them.
Ayil stopped and pushed his brother against a tree. Abraxos grabbed his arm and tried to dislodge his hold only Ayil was too pissed to move. “Don’t you dare talk about the female I love that way. She did what she needed to try and get rid of the asshole hurting her.”
“Jared,” Araton growled at the same time Abraxos said, “What?” Ayil could trust Araton to see the bastard for what he truly was. The benefit of his brother always looking for a fight, he saw the world differently whereas Abraxos typically sought sexual release and missed facts.
“I’m going to make that motherfucker pay for how he hurt my Kennex. I don’t blame her for wanting to blow him to pieces. Raphael never should have let him live after what he did to Zakara.”
Araton rubbed his throat after he was let go and shook his head. Ayil started walking again, glad the Earth Angels were already fixing the park. Kennex didn’t need to be confronted with evidence of the destruction she caused. His female was sensitive enough that she would carry that guilt for a long time to come.
“He hurt Kennex?” Abraxos asked, quickly catching onto the gist of the situation.
“Yes. For over a decade he hurt her, which eventually forced her to flee and leave her family to believe she was dead. I am going to rid the universe of his filth. Where is he?” barked Ayil.
Araton didn’t miss a beat as he called his sword of light to his palm. “He left the scene after giving his report. I think he was headed to Bladz. No doubt he’s there enjoying a drink and acting as if he isn’t pond scum.”
Ayil noticed Zakara and Ramiel outside the bakery and wanted to tell them he was going to avenge her, too, but he remained on track. Individuals that abused their power disgusted him. And, he couldn’t help but wonder how many others Jared had hurt in his long life.
After getting away
with what he did to Zakara, the male continued to find victims and escalate his abuse. The rage coursing through Ayil was out of place in Heaven, but he wasn’t about to wait to make Jared pay. If he did, he ran the risk of the Archangels taking that right from him.
Kennex wasn’t his chosen mate yet, but as the male that loved her he was the one that would avenge her.
Ayil found Jared leaving Bladz several minutes later. When he saw the male kiss Felicia, a sweet Earth angel, Ayil lost his shit and screamed as he ran for the male. Ayil stopped himself short when he heard Felicia gasp, but didn’t need to ask his brothers for help.
Araton and Abraxos were escorting her away within seconds and Ayil was confronting Jared. “You thought you could get away with hurting my female?”
Jared shook his head and kept his distance. “What are you talking about?”
“You haven’t heard who tried to kill you earlier,” Ayil realized.
“I wasn’t the target,” Jared denied.
“Oh, that’s where you’re wrong asshole. My Kennex planted that bomb so you couldn’t hurt her or any other female ever again.”
Jared’s eyes widened then narrowed. “That Phoenix bitch knows better than to step out on me. She isn’t yours and never will be.”
Ayil would have punched him, but Araton and Abraxos held him back. He looked at his brothers and let the betrayal he felt. Abraxos shook his head nearly imperceptibly. Ayil had no idea, but if anyone would get what Kennex meant to him it was his brothers. He’d never told them he loved anyone in his life.
“If Kennex if yours, why don’t you have any sign that you mated her?”
Jared’s face screwed up in disgust and he shook his head. “Mate her? Not likely. I barely managed to keep control of her. Although it was fun to break her. All that crying and screaming she seemed to have learned her lesson. Apparently, I shouldn’t have stopped last time if she went right to you.”
Ayil shook off his brothers’ hold and stalked toward Jared. “You enjoyed hitting a female for daring to reject you. You don’t deserve her or anyone else. Your freedom to do what your twisted mind wants is over.”
Jared was too cocky for his own good. Ayil wanted the bastard to know he was paying for how he hurt Kennex. “I don’t think so. Raphael won’t touch me, and neither will Arianna. Why are you so bent out of shape? You don’t want that Phoenix. She isn’t worth your time.”
Ayil flared his red wings as a reminder of his station in Heaven. Jared was an Earth Angel and wasn’t trained to fight or really defend himself. “You don’t have to worry about Raphael. You hurt the wrong female, asshole.”
Jared’s head reared back when Ayil jumped toward him. As tempting as it was to call his sword, Ayil didn’t. He was going to relish beating the shit of Jared. Ayil swung his fist, and it connected with Jared’s jaw.
The crack was highly satisfying and Ayil couldn’t help but wonder if he hurt Kennex like that. Jared shouted and called his sword of light. All Angels had weapons of light to protect them from demons and this jerk was using it on a fellow angel.
“I don’t think so, asshole,” Ayil snapped and yanked the weapon from his hand. Ayil tossed it and Araton snatched it from the air before Jared could recall it and have access to it again.
Jared snarled and swung a fist toward Ayil. “You’ll regret that.”
Ayil ducked but not quite fast enough and Jared’s blow landed on his shoulder blade and made him spin around. Fuck that hurt.
Stopping his momentum, Ayil kicked out with his left foot and sent Jared flying. Ayil followed with a punch but missed when Jared ducked. The fucker picked up a rock that he tossed at Ayil on his way up. Caught off guard, Ayil wasn’t able to avoid the stone before it hit his temple. The force made the rock stick in his skin. Blood gushed out a second later, blurring his vision on that side.
Araton and Abraxos rushed toward Ayil, but he held up his hand. “No. This is between me and Jared. I will be the one to take care of him.”
Jared laughed at that as he strutted around Ayil in a circle. “Yeah, cause you’ve been doing such a bang-up job.”
Ayil took stock and sent healing cells to his face while he jumped in front of Jared, stopping his momentum. Ayil meant to punch him, but they were both moving and ended up flying through the air a few feet before landing with a thud on the ground.
Ayil hadn’t pulled his wing in and he cracked it for the second time that day. It left Ayil unable to move for several seconds during which Jared took advantage and jumped on his. He pushed his knee into the injury and when stars blinked in Ayil’s vision, he feared he would be killed and lose Kennex.
Refusing to allow this piece of shit to win, Ayil forced his pain aside and thanked God for the training he was given. With a growl, Ayil pushed Jared off his body and reversed their positions.
Jared’s fingers dug into the skin of Ayil’s upper arms. A knee to the ribcage dislodged Jared’s hold. Ayil’s fist was landing on his face a second later. Blood splattered as Jared’s breath left him.
Not letting up, Ayil punched Jared over and over. One fist to his face, another to his ribs. “This is for Kennex, and Zakara, and every other female you’ve harmed.” His fists never stopped despite how much blood splattered his fists and arms. This male would never harm anyone again. Ayil gave over to his rage completely and enjoyed every crack and scream of pain.
“Ayil,” Abraxos barked. “He’s had enough. He isn’t going to get to Kennex ever again. You’ve gotten your revenge.”
Ayil stopped and looked up at his brother. Shaking his head, he got up and stood there panting as he accepted the sword from Araton. “Thank you, brother.”
A shout sounded behind him as Jared got to his feet and stumbled toward Ayil. “I don’t think so. This isn’t over.” The Angel may have been bloody and bruised, but he had a stick in his hand and was ready to continue his destruction. He was never going to stop hurting others. If he was banished from heaven, humans would become his victims.
Refusing to allow that to happen, Ayil swung the sword and sliced through flesh, muscle and bone. Jared’s head rolled from his shoulders in a spray of blood.
“Now it’s over,” Ayil spat as he dropped the sword to the ground.
Kennex followed the massive angel, praying this wasn’t the end for her. For the first time in a long time she had hope for her future. It was no longer one endless road of running. With Ayil by her side, Jared wouldn’t be able to find her.
She glanced around the immaculate white room but didn’t see Ayil or his brothers. There was a long table and at least eight or nine Angels with massive white wings sitting there. One of them was the male who discovered she was the one responsible for the bomb.
“Thank you, Amenadiel,” stated the male she recognized. “Kennex. I am Raphael. Ayil came to us on your behalf. He believes you shouldn’t be punished for your behavior. We haven’t passed judgement yet because I would like to hear your explanation.”
Her heart hammered in her chest. They wanted to hear her side of things, but they had no reason to believe her. Kennex closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. She told Ayil how she felt, so there was no reason to hold back now.
“I came to Heaven with Ayil and planted that bomb. When I set it off I did so because you startled me.”
An Angel to the right of Raphael leaned forward and clasped his hands. His brown eyes were closed and guarded. It made a shiver run down Kennex’s spine. “That seems like a simplified answer. I’m Michael, but the way. I want to hear why you manipulated Ayil to bring you to Heaven so you could carry out such a plan.”
Kennex hated talking about what Jared did to her. In fact, she’d never told anyone except Ayil the truth. Now, she was expected to tell a roomful of Angels. Sweat beaded her brow and her skin chilled.
“It wasn’t like that. I didn’t exactly manipulate Ayil. I admit I wanted to use him to get to Jared, but I fell in love with him. And, my plan wasn’t just to hurt Angels. I’ve wanted t
o kill Jared for many years and I allowed that to blind me to anything else. I nearly lost what I found with Ayil because of what Jared did to me.”
“I am Jophiel, archAngel of life. What exactly did Jared do to you?” a female Angel with brown hair and hazel eyes asked. She was petite compared to the large males surrounding her.
Remaining focused on the female, Kennex clasped her hands in front of her to stop from fidgeting. It was highly disquieting to be the focus of so many powerful beings. If anyone could stop Jared from harming anyone else, these Angels could, so Kennex needed to tell them everything possible.
“I met Jared about fifteen years ago when I was just out of transition. At first, he was kind and caring, but that changed the first time I refused to have sex with him. He punched my face and broke one of my arms. When he came into my room again, I tried to scream for my parents and that garnered me a crushed windpipe.” Kennex paused and swallowed as memories threatened to swallow her whole.
Tears filled her eyes, but Kennex refused to let them fall. “That was the first time he stripped me and forced himself inside my body. I kept as quiet as I could after that so he wouldn’t hurt me. Eventually, I ran away from my parents and bought a spell to hide my existence. I haven’t seen them in over a decade,” she said on a sob.
“How did you end up here with a bomb?” Raphael asked.
“Somehow Jared found me. He showed up at my apartment and attacked me. The only reason I survived his tirade was because my neighbor heard the fighting and came to my rescue. The coward teleported away before he was caught. The next time he grabbed me outside my house and teleported me. I bit him during the process and we fell somewhere in Ojai where he nearly beat me to death and raped me. After burning him, I flew home and knew I had to do something to stop him. I doubt it will help me right now, but I feel awful for my decision. I love Ayil and allowed Jared to take the one good thing I’ve found in life.”
