Hell's Redemption- The Complete Series Boxset

by Grace McGinty

  “Of course.”

  “The irony of our circumstances is not lost on me, Acerezeal. The people of this city pray daily, but it is the devils who offer to save them. Thank you for your offer, I will keep it in mind, but for now this is my burden to bear.” He stood and began wiping down the table.

  Memphis and I took our leave, waiting until we were in the bombed out building above to sift back to the landing room in Hell.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  I needed a nap. I needed to decompress from the turmoil of Raphael’s chop shop hospital, preferably in the arms of someone who loved me.

  Unfortunately, Luc was off rubbing shoulders with the world’s superpowers at the U.N. Summit. I walked into the living room, which was kind of an ironic name for any room in Hell, and flopped down onto an overstuffed couch with a pale blue floral pattern that was completely out of place in this realm. It made me laugh, but damn it was comfy.

  Gusion walked in carrying a bundle of herbs that stunk.

  “I would like to speak to Arcadia, if she’s receiving?” He asked like a nineteenth century gentleman.

  Hi Gus, what’s up?

  “I was looking into your, err predicament, and while I can’t find a way to put your soul back in its rightful body, I did find a way for you to spirit walk into someone else’s dreams. I found it in a text I received from the wise woman of a tribe of Pictish warriors that ceased to exist long before civilization advanced enough to stop believing in magic.”

  I loved Gusion. Sometimes you were fooled by his good looks, his charming manner or his manwhore ways, but underneath that was a scholar with a genuine compassion for the plight of man.

  That would be so amazing. It's just, I need them, you know? Would Ace be there? No offense Ace, but I’d like to have sex once in my life without you waiting in the wings, filling out scorecards.

  Gusion laughed and I winked. I only ever scored them once or twice. Spoilsport.

  “Unfortunately, Ace is the link to keeping your spirit on the earthly plane. She goes where you go by necessity, but she is more of a tether than an active participant.”

  Arcadia sighed dramatically, but I could feel her excitement bubbling inside me. I can live with that. When can we do this?

  Gus waved around his bundle of greenery like a scepter. “Now, if you’d like?”

  Arcadia let out a squeal of delight and I winced. That was not a pleasant noise inside someone else's head. “I think she would like that.”

  Gus sat next to me, and I swung around so I could lay my head on his thighs. He ran his fingers through my ebony locks, and I resisted the urge to purr.

  “Stop making that noise, I have to concentrate,” he mock chided. “Otherwise I might turn you into a goat rather than sending Arcadia’s spirit anywhere.” He grabbed his bundle of herbs, and I noticed golden string tying the bundle at each end. I could smell sage and rosemary, but couldn’t identify some of the more pungent scents. One smelled like the river Styx. It wasn’t pleasant. He snapped the bundle in half with ease, even though it was probably as thick as my wrist. He wrote an unrecognizable rune on my forehead, and I screwed up my nose as the scents got stronger. Arcadia better appreciate this. Gusion chanted in a dead language that I couldn’t decipher, and then I was being tugged out of my body and through the spirit realm at breakneck speed. In a fraction of an instant, we were standing in Eli’s bedroom, staring down at his sleeping form.

  “Ace?” Cady whispered, and I looked at her. She was whole and in beautiful Technicolor, but still a little off, as dreams have a tendency to be.

  “I’m here.”

  “I can’t see you. Or feel you. It’s like you’re gone.”

  Huh. This must be what Gus meant about me being a spectator.

  “I’m definitely here. Don’t worry, I’ll just hang outside the door until you’re done. Have fun.”

  Arcadia smiled radiantly. “I will.”

  I walked toward the doorway and stopped. Not because I wanted to, but because I was physically unable to leave the room. Dammit. Gus was being literal when he said we were tethered.

  I went and stood in the corner, between Eli’s dresser and the wall. If they couldn’t see me, I could at least give them the illusion of privacy. Arcadia climbed into bed with Eli, wrapping her body around his until she resembled a naked jetpack.

  “Eli.” She ran her fingers down his bicep. “Eli.”

  Eli rolled over and wrapped his arms around her waist, snuggling his face into the crook of her neck, still sound asleep. Then his eyes slowly opened.

  “Arcadia?” He blinked rapidly. “How are you here?” He pulled back so he could see her, every tiny line, and every freckle.

  “I’m not really here. Gus sent me into your dreams.”

  “Gusion? The Prince of Hell?”

  Arcadia nodded. “They don’t really like being called that, you know.”

  Back in my hidden corner, I held in a laugh.

  Eli reached out and touched her face, his fingers tracing the curve of her cheek. Then he reached out with the other hand and dragged her close to his body, tucking her head beneath his chin. “I thought I’d never get to hold you like this again.”

  She kissed the hollow of his throat, her hands rubbing soothing circles on his back.

  “I’ve been trying-" Eli started but Arcadia hushed him.

  “I know. I know you are doing everything you can. That’s not why I’m here. I want you to make love to me, like it might be the last time.”

  Eli shook his head in denial. “It won’t be.” His voice was firm, but Cady was gently shaking her head too.

  “I know. But let’s just savor it anyway, okay?” She tilted her head back for a kiss, and Eli’s mouth covered hers with a ferocity that held too much desperation. His hands roamed everywhere, tearing off her imaginary clothes, until there wasn’t an inch of her skin that he hadn’t stroked.

  I was going to give him a ten for enthusiasm that was for sure. I felt bad, voyeuristically staring at them. I turned and faced the corner. I could probably give them that much privacy.

  “You promised to tie me up, remember?” Arcadia’s husky voice reached my ears.

  “I did indeed, Miss Jones.”

  Well. That changed things. Privacy be damned, I wasn’t about to miss Fifty Shades of Doc McBuffins.

  I turned around in time to see a length of silk rope appear from thin air. Looks like they were embracing the dream realm.

  If only I could magically conjure up some popcorn.

  He tied her hands together with the ease of a sailor and secured her to the headboard. Her feet were spread and secured to the end of the bed. I was glad I was off to the side. As much as I was enjoying this, I didn’t want to see what she had for breakfast.

  Then I watched the good doctor get to work. He slowly teased her body, a rough bite here, a tender whisper of a kiss there, working down her body until she was writhing as he reached the junction of her thighs. Then he stopped, and moved toward the base of the bed. Arcadia whimpered with need.

  “I am yours, Miss Jones. Are you mine?”

  “Yes.” He knelt back on the bed. A finger reached out and circled her clit.

  “Only mine?” She hesitated, and he withdrew his fingers.

  “Eli…”

  Arcadia seemed to be struggling to form coherent sentences.

  “In this room, Miss Jones, in this bed, you are all mine. Outside, I can share you with the rest of the world. But here, I am your master, and you are my everything.”

  He leaned forward and gave her pussy a long, slow lick.

  Dirty tactics. I liked it.

  “Say it, Miss Jones.”

  “I’m yours, Eli. Only yours.”

  “Perfect,” his murmur was content, as he slid up her body, and took a nipple in his mouth. He sucked hard as he thrust into her body. She screamed his name.

  Then there were no more words, just the soundtrack to vigorous sex. Hmm maybe an eight for technique. But t
hen I’m a little biased. Once you go Luc, you never go… err back? I looked at the ceiling, at Eli’s thrusting ass, pushed his change off the dresser just to see if he’d notice and basically killed time until Arcadia was done. But then Eli stopped. Oooh, this was about to get good.

  She was whimpering, pulling against the ropes. “You don't get to come, Miss Jones, until I say you can.” Acadia frowned grumpily. How adorable. She was still lifting her hips, grinding against Eli trying to change his mind, or at least get his dick to overrule him. Given the way he was sucking in air, it was a good tactic. “Be still, Miss Jones, or I will punish you.” But Acadia, bless her heart, would never make a good submissive. She kept straining and grinding until Eli let out a moan. He moved back and untied her feet. “I warned you,” he growled, as he flipped her over and dragged her onto her knees. He positioned himself behind her, rubbing his cock over her slit. She let out a long happy moan and then SLAP! Eli’s hand connected with her ass as he slid inside her in one hard thrust. He pumped in and out hard, and I was glad we were in the dream plane because the noise of her happy screams would have woken the dead, and even they would be aroused. He slapped her other cheek hard as he came on his own growled yell.

  They lay beside each other panting, two glowing handprints like brands on Acadia’s ass and I decided I could really use a cigarette. Even though smoking was bad, mmkay.

  An uncomfortable tug began to pull at my chest, a little like indigestion, but as this was a dream, it was probably more mystical than my lunchtime burrito.

  Our time was up.

  I passed on whisper soft feet back to the door and rattled the knob like I was just returning from the hall.

  “Arcadia.”

  She sighed and rolled into Eli’s arms.

  “I have to go. Tell everyone that I love them. Kiss the babies for me.” She kissed him gently, and his eyes were wet. Despite his words, deep down he thought this was it. This would be the last chance he’d get to hold her.

  We were drifting out the door, into the swirling nothingness beyond Eli’s room. “Oh I forgot, Raphael will be bring-“

  We were sucked out of the dream realm with a snap. My head was on Gus’s lap, and he was stroking the silky lengths of my hair rhythmically.

  Eli is going to get a surprise when Raphael shows up with the boys, if he hasn’t already.

  I was resisting the urge to purr like a cat in heat as Gusion’s nails scraped gently on my skull with each pass. Mmm.

  “Memphis told me what you did for the children of Aleppo. You’ve changed the course of their lives.”

  Is that a platitude or a prediction from the Angel of the Past, Present and Future?

  Gus chuckled deeply. I always thought his laugh was the most marvelous thing. It was like the rumble of thunder in an electric storm. It made you feel alive.

  “A bit of both, Arcadia Jones.” He leaned down and kissed me with reverence. “I’ve enjoyed the ability to stare at your beauty for a few hours. I’d forgotten how magnificent the curves of your face are.”

  I punched him in the shoulder. “Save the lines for the demonesses, you suave bastard. I just think you watching me sleep is creepy.” I batted my lashes at him with faux coyness. “Although, I will take another kiss.”

  He leaned down and kissed me again, this time with more passion and way more tongue. This was why Gusion fell. No angel should know how to kiss like that.

  A throat cleared in the doorway.

  “I came to see how your meeting with Raphael went. As you still possess Arcadia’s soul in your body and you are currently, as the humans would put it, sucking face with Gusion, I am going to assume it didn’t go well.” I shrugged and Luc shook his head bemusedly. “Also, I’ve had a message from Lux. Apparently Raphael dropped off two small children from a war torn country this afternoon. I assured him that it had nothing to do with me. Does anyone want to explain?”

  Uh oh. Busted. Why does this feel like I’ve been summoned by the Principal?

  “Reminds me of this time when Luc bent me over his desk and caned me like a naughty schoolgirl.”

  Arcadia made a disgusted noise. All that tells me is that A) you’ve never been to high school and B) you and Luc watch way too much porn and C) I am going to need a butt load of therapy after this.

  “Ha, butt load. That reminds me of a time when-“

  Argh enough! Lucifer, did Lux seem mad?

  Luc was barely containing his mirth. He relished making people uncomfortable. He liked it even better when his sexual exploits were the cause of people's uncomfortableness.

  “Confused, yes. Mad, no. From when I gathered, Eli had a visit to the dream realm last night and he knew to expect Raphael, but not the reason why.” He came over and stroked my face, but didn’t try to move me from Gusion’s lap. If there was a man more confident in his own appeal, I had yet to meet him. Maybe one of the Greeks, those guys literally had a god who liked to stare at his own reflection.

  “Cady is a bleeding heart. She couldn’t leave the boys to the subpar medical treatment of a country in turmoil.”

  Luc smiled. “Careful, my love, or we’ll get confused about which soul is the angelic one come time to divest you of your extra soul.”

  I rolled my eyes, but maybe Luc was right. My battered old soul would not have thought twice about those boys, beyond saving their lives from the immediate threat. As angels, we become immune to the daily suffering of the individual.

  Unlikely. Her heart is bigger than any of you give her credit for, Arcadia argued. Bless her. I was going to miss her.

  Luc nodded his head in acquiescence. “Touché, Arcadia Jones.” His eyes focused back on my face. “So Raphael was a bust.”

  I nodded. “Yes. He suggested that Gabriel would be a dead end also. He is all about The Word, that one.”

  Luc scratched the dark stubble on his jaw. “That leaves Uriel.”

  “Or Michael,” Gusion added, with an obvious lack of care for his physical wellbeing. Fortunately, Luc just ignored him.

  “Uriel is in Kentucky.”

  In the States? Arcadia seemed shocked that an Archangel would be hanging out in Kentucky.

  Luc rolled his eyes at her question. “Well, there’s no Kentucky in Mongolia, so yes.”

  Gusion smiled and clapped his hands together once.

  “Looks like we are going to Louisville. I’ll get my suit!”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  I can’t be the only one who thinks it’s weird for an Archangel to hang out at the race track, right?

  People milled around, talking loudly, drinks in their hands and hats a mile wide on their heads. The cacophony almost drowned out the sound of Arcadia in my head.

  “It’s a den of mortal sin, really. Liars, fornicators, those who have eaten shellfish. Besides, Uriel is…”

  “A dick?” Gus so helpfully supplied.

  I nodded. That seemed right. Though I did like the excuse to wear my very favorite red silk sheath dress for the first time in two decades. It’s true what they say. Chanel never goes out of fashion. I looked like sex wrapped up in a pretty package in this dress, at least that’s what Luc whispered in my ear as he kissed me goodbye. By the way the human punters were ogling me, he was probably right. Or maybe it was Gusion, in his perfectly tailored grey morning suit, a matching blood red carnation. His long hair was braided into hundreds of tiny strands and then piled into a man bun on top of his head. He looked hot. Women literally stopped and stared as he walked past, some men too. Hell, if there’s been a conveniently shadowy nook, I would have fucked him in an instant. Between us we probably made a few humans question their sexual orientation.

  We are on a bit of a time crunch, you know, so if you could stop making fuck me eyes at Gusion, that’d be great.

  I realized she could see me in the reflection from the plate glass windows. I poked my tongue out at my reflection and she chuckled.

  “Uriel will be in the VIP tent.” I knew it for a certainty. Always with t
he illusions of grandeur, that one.

  We threaded our way through the Derby crowd, which was in the thousands. Security didn’t even try to stop us as we walked into the roped off VIP tent of some corporation or another. Given the amber liquid being served by snappily dressed men in penguin suits, probably one of the whiskey companies. I spotted Uriel immediately. He wasn’t even trying to shield himself. He had flaming red hair, in a shade that was not found in human hair naturally, but might come out of a bottle. His skin was alabaster pale, similar to Gus and my own. Actually, we could all be part of a matching set. Similar, but different. His eyes went straight to mine, and his lip rose in a sneer.

  Ugh.

  I resisted the urge to turn around and go home. Arcadia needed me to exhaust all avenues, even if the avenue ended in a giant dildo factory like Uriel.

  “Ah, if it isn’t the B Team. To what do I owe the displeasure of this visit?”

  I rolled my eyes. “The Father sent us to see if we can’t remove the giant stick from your ass, but I’m pretty sure not even the big guy himself could do that.”

  Fiery brows lowered. “This isn’t the way to garner my aid, Acerezeal. I’d definitely prefer you to beg, I think.” His face twisted in a smile. I wanted to punch it.

  Screw this. I’ll stay with you for eternity before begging this jackass for anything. Let’s go, Ace.

  I wanted to do as she said, but if I was honest, I would beg if it meant that she got back to where she belonged. But I had a feeling that Uriel was just fucking with us.

  “Ah, Luc’s Redeemer. You are as disrespectful as Azriel described.”

  I miss being able to flip the bird.

  “Will you help us, Uriel? Without the posturing and grandstanding and the jostling for who has the bigger dick. Just give it to me straight. Will you help?”

  Uriel pretended to ponder. “Let me think about it. Hmm. No. I wouldn’t lift a finger to help you traitors to the creator, even if you were on hellfire.”