The Third Throne: Angel of Death

by Tabitha Barret

  She blinked a few times, befuddled by the beautiful face in front of her as he emerged from the shadows. The drawing implied that he was good-looking, but the artist had failed to capture his true beauty. He was moderate in height and lean, unlike Lucifer or even Hades, but she knew that he should not be underestimated. He wore dress pants, a button down dress shirt, and a long wool coat that hung open. His jawline was strong and his cheekbones were high and chiseled, complemented by a thin, graceful nose. Alazar’s skin was so pale and smooth that it nearly glowed in the darkness. His hair was solid black, parted down the middle, and came down to his ears, shorter than it had been in the drawing.

  It occurred to her that he had an elfish face that folklore would describe as spritely or tricky. She finally admitted to herself that he was just plain gorgeous. He had luscious pouting lips, though she had trouble getting past his eyes. They were shockingly blue and unearthly, the source of his power. Once he locked his imposing eyes on his victim, he would take control of their mind and make them see what he wanted them to see.

  Alazar took off his new wool coat, not wanting to get blood on it. It was his latest attempt at keeping the cold at bay, though it did little more than his cloak. Still, it looked good on him, better than it had on his last victim, the car salesman. He didn’t like robbing the dead, but the jerk hardly needed it where he was headed.

  He tried to focus on the woman before him, but was oddly anxious. It was an unfamiliar feeling, one long lost to him. It seemed that Nathanael’s presence had rattled him more than he thought. He tried to dispel the feeling, knowing that it would be a distraction. He focused on how he would tempt the woman in front of him. Women found him attractive, which irked him, but it made it easier to start a conversation.

  By the time he reached the end of the alley, he had his coat laid across his arm. He knew exactly what he wanted to say. The words formed on his tongue just as the woman moved back into the light of the street lamp.

  A black dress, the black dress, the one from his nightmares greeted him as his body seized up and the coat was forgotten on the ground in a heap. How the hell was Serena alive? Where the rumors of her demise false? He was going to kick the bloody hell out of Maraquette for telling him that Serena was dead. He was about to run for his life when he stopped and decided that it was better if he made sure that she stayed dead this time.

  He prepared to lunge forward to grab her, lest she try to run, when he noticed her hair. Serena had dyed her hair, which seemed odd and unnecessary. The hideous blonde was now sporting long raven hair. No matter, he would pull it out by the roots.

  Anjali saw the confusion on Alazar’s face. He was staring at her dress. Perhaps she should have gone with the T-shirt and jeans option. She was about to speak when her head hit against something hard. An arm was choking her as she was pressed against a brick building.

  “I don’t know how you are still alive, but I’m going to make sure you don’t see daybreak,” Alazar growled into Serena’s ear as he pushed his forearm into her neck, hoping to snap it.

  After all the horrible things he had endured by her hand, he was finally going to take his revenge. He thought about the beatings and being tied to her bed while she did deplorable things to him. The thoughts made him press harder against her throat. Balthazar would laugh at him for seeking vengeance, though he would probably be angry with him for killing Serena after Balthazar had vowed to do it. Regardless, the bitch would be dead and he would deal with Vengeance later.

  Anjali’s vision blurred and was filled with black spots as she gasped for air. The attack had caught her off guard and had forced the air from her lungs. Stunned from the blow to the head, it took a moment to figure out what she should do. She had never actually been in a fight before. She’d been hit, but she had never been in a fight with someone who had fists, not paws.

  She looked around for something that would help her. Alazar was stronger than she had assumed, given his size, and was seriously pissed. She waved her hand, pulled a metal trash can from across the street, and hit Alazar in the back with it. The blow knocked him sideways causing him to lose his balance, freeing her neck. She slid to the ground and coughed uncontrollably. Clutching her neck, she gulped down the cool air until the black dots disappeared and the street came back into focus.

  Alazar swore and regained his balance. The bitch wanted to play. He was more than willing to oblige her. Before she could run, he grabbed her by her newly dyed hair, and threw her across the street into a lamppost. He laughed when she hit the post and crumpled to the ground. The glass lantern smashed into a hardware marquee, causing debris to crash down onto the sidewalk and Serena.

  He unbuttoned his shirtsleeves and rolled them up as he pondered all the things he was going to do to her. Lucifer wouldn’t be able to identify her body and the dress would be burned. Nothing would be left of the maniac.

  Anjali tried to shake off the pain in her back and what she assumed was a broken rib. She pulled her hair out of her face and saw Alazar stalking closer. She tried to get up, but her skirt and left sleeve were pinned under the debris of the broken marquee.

  “Alazar, it doesn’t have to be this way,” Anjali took a pain-filled breath.

  Alazar chuckled. “No, this time I’m going to crush your soul and then kill you. I assure you, things will be very different.”

  He threw out his hand and smiled cruelly.

  She was wrenched from the ground by Alazar’s power. Her dress and sleeve ripped as she flew into his open hand. He lifted her off the ground by her neck and choked her.

  She tried to pry his fingers from her throat, but her hands were shaking from the lack of oxygen. Dizziness overwhelming her. She needed options. If she took off her ring, the whole city would crumble. She pushed that option out of her mind. She could try to fight him, but the last time she had punched someone, he had gone blind in one eye. Not wanting to cripple her angel permanently, she knew a physical altercation was out of the question. No matter how angry he was, she needed him. Option three it was then. She flicked her wrist and threw a parked car at Alazar.

  The force of the car hitting Alazar removed his hand from her and she fell to the ground, gasping. She cringed as she watched him and the car soaring through the air before they smashed through a bakery window.

  Crap, she hadn’t meant to kill him, only stop him. She had underestimated her power in her desperation to escape his hold.

  Radek stepped out of the shadows across the street, having witnessed the fight. He ventured forward, but she waved him off. She didn’t need him caught in the middle of her showdown. He nodded and stepped back into the alley.

  Snowflakes started to drift down as she picked herself up off the ground. Every part of her was aching but she had to get up. She had to try to reason with him or at least knock him unconscious, drag him to the Hall of Mercy, and force him to see reason, while chained and unable to hurt her.

  Alazar blinked a few times, trying to figure out where he was. It took a moment to register the car sitting on top of him. The bitch had thrown a car at him? That was a new one. He was going to enjoy this. He lifted the car off his chest and hurled it back at her. He was going to smash her to pieces with it.

  Anjali dropped to the ground and covered her head as the car missed her by an inch and demolished the dress store behind her. She looked up and saw Alazar stretch out his neck and arms, putting his bones back into place. She was relieved to see that he was alive until she felt her body leave the ground violently. She was thrown high up into the sky. Cold air and snowflakes rushed passed her while the street moved farther and farther away. Before she could scream, the ground zoomed into view and pain overtook her.

  Alazar took delight in seeing Serena flying through the air only to crash into the pavement. He had missed her with the car, but gravity was inevitable and the pavement would be hard to miss. As much as he enjoyed tossing her around, he wanted to make her bleed. The bitch liked to play with knives, so he was going to show
her just how much fun it was to be carved to bits.

  He worked through the pain of his fractured bones and partially collapsed lung just so that he could finish her off. He’d suffered worse by her hand so he knew how to hide his pain. She would only use it against him. He wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.

  Anjali carefully pushed herself up onto her knees. She saw the hatred in Alazar’s eyes and knew she had to stop him before he grabbed her again. She threw out her arm and used her power to push him into the air. Unfortunately, the angel unfurled his giant black wings and gently glided through the snow-filled air. She was surprised by his gracefulness when he landed softly on the ground. He was picturesque with his dark hair and black wings as the white snow covered him. She realized that she didn’t want to fight him. She was the reason that he was so angry. She had left him alone to suffer without a master, a master that could help him control the darkness inside of him. Maybe she deserved his wrath.

  “You’re going to have to do better than that, baby,” Alazar painfully folded his wings into his back. He didn’t need her ripping them off.

  Alazar held out his palm and summoned his favorite dagger. He wanted to end this before Serena ran and he was forced to track her down.

  “I’m sorry, Alazar. I know I’ve caused you pain, but I have come to make things right,” she offered her outstretched hand to him. She knew that he wanted her to suffer if he was resorting to the use of weapons. He could kill from a distance without ever getting physical; the weapon would certainly personalize things.

  “Sorry? You’re sorry? After everything you put me through? After everything you put the Predznak through, sorry won’t cut it. You could never make things right. I’m going to make you scream for mercy, just like you made me scream, you monster!” Alazar stalked closer to Serena. Sorry? She was sorry? What a load of crap. She was sorry that she was losing the fight. Sorry that she had come to his town.

  Wait, Serena never apologized for anything. Why would she start now? Alazar fought through his killing haze to process her apology. She had caused him pain, yes; she had brutalized him with no remorse. Why was she sorry now?

  “Alazar, you have to understand, I didn’t know. I didn’t know about you or the Predznak. Gabriel kept everything a secret. Once I found out about you, I began searching for you. Please, you have to listen to me. I don’t want to fight you. I know you are angry with me, but please, we need to settle this,” Anjali pleaded with Alazar. She slowly got to her feet. She knew that she shouldn’t show weakness, but she was in pain and ashamed of herself for creating this ruthless killing machine.

  Alazar couldn’t understand what the lunatic was talking about. Why was she bringing Gabriel into this? Gabriel had nothing to do with her torturing him. She must have completely lost her mind, which wasn’t a total shocker.

  “I must have given you a concussion, Serena, which I’m thrilled about, by the way. I have no idea what you’re babbling about, but I’m done with your stall tactics. You’re mine,” Alazar moved closer and grabbed Serena by the face.

  Serena? Alazar thought that she was Lucifer’s psycho ex-girlfriend. No wonder he was wiping the pavement with her face. Of course, if he was treating Serena like this, it didn’t bode well for her once he figured out whom she really was.

  He looked into the face that had ruthlessly attacked him while awake and asleep, the face that had laughed at his pain and misery, and the face that had taunted him while forcing herself on him. He looked into the face of the woman that he wanted dead, except now her face looked, different. His mind went blank when he realized that this wasn’t Serena. The blue eyes that stared back at him were brighter than Serena’s, the lips redder, and the skin paler. Serena had been pretty by angel standards, though her lunacy made her undesirable and loathsome. No amount of beauty could change how he felt about her.

  The woman that he held was stunning and sane. He saw no signs of insanity in her eyes, though she was afraid. He loosened his grip as he looked at this woman and truly saw her. How had he mistaken her for the lunatic? Her long soft hair rubbed against his hand and felt like silk. Her body was lean, taut, and transformed the hideous dress into a thing of beauty. She looked nothing like the witch queen.

  Anjali was surprised by Alazar’s sudden change in behavior. The anger on his face slipped away and his body relaxed as he stood before her. He stood motionless and studied her closely. Alazar must have finally accepted that she was not Serena. She gave him a moment to process the information, not wanting to startle him. He was finally looking at her with kindness in his eyes. She didn’t want to ruin the moment.

  He stupidly realized that the dress was missing the high collar. Running his hands along the top edge of her dress, he felt the jagged edge where it had been ripped away. Serena was undoubtedly dead, having lost her head. The question was, who was this woman and why was she wearing the abomination’s clothes?

  Alazar took a step back and contemplated the beautiful woman standing before him. He was compelled to look at her. Reaching out he touched the bruises forming on her neck. How could he hurt someone as lovely as this? The ice inside of him melted, just a little, as his fingertips grazed the skin on her neck. The pains of his injuries were dulled when his thumb brushed against her cheek. She didn’t say anything as he touched her face. She seemed bewildered. He chuckled at his own confusion. What in the world would make him believe that she was his enemy?

  Anjali began to hope that she and Alazar could get past all that had happened in her absence. He was looking at her with amusement and perhaps, hope. She smiled at him, enjoying the feel of his hands on her skin. She felt appreciated and cared for as he gazed at her with excitement in his eyes. He was gentle and patient while touching her face. She was surprised to find that she enjoyed the way he touched her. It occurred to her that Death had a seductive side, one that could lure his victims into believing that death could be glamorous and fun. She would have to watch herself around him.

  He looked into her perfect blue eyes and saw, he wasn’t sure at first, but he saw, death. Fear consumed him as realization dawned on his beleaguered brain. He was a Harbinger, a Predznak, the one that would herald the coming of the Destroyer, and here she was, in the flesh. So much for heralding her coming, she had walked straight into his town and taken him by surprise. Dear Lord above, it was Anjali, his Master.

  Anjali saw Alazar’s enchanting face turn cold and calculating as he stepped away. Sadly, he had finally figured out who she really was and he wasn’t thrilled about it.

  “Anjali,” her name felt like sawdust on his lips. The other nightmare in his life was here and she was wearing the symbol of his undying hatred of Hell and all who inhabited it. How fitting. At least he could roll both of his fears into one and consolidate them for ease. If he defeated her, he would burn Serena’s dress and be rid of both of them.

  “Alazar,” she didn’t know what else to say. Bracing herself for another trip through the snowy air, she held out her hand to him again. She didn’t expect him to take it, but didn’t know what else to do.

  Alazar gripped the knife tighter as anger spread through him. She was standing in front of him, after all this time. He remembered his vow to the other Predznak, the vow he had made to himself nearly fifteen hundred years ago. He was going to kill his unworthy Master. He stared at her outstretched palm. Settle things, she had said. He was going to settle things.

  The knife tore through the drifting snow and slashed through her palm. A spray of blood fell across the snow-covered ground. This was how it was going to end, her dead in the street and him free for eternity.

  Anjali was surprised by the sudden movement of the knife. She hated knives and had an odd fear of them ever since Hades had tried to take her head with one. The pain was minor compared to the thrashing she’d just endured, but the action made her scream. This was what she had feared. Alazar hated her and was declaring war against her. She stared at him in disbelief and stumbled backward, trying to comprehend al
l that had happened. By all rights, she should remove her ring and force him to bow to her, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She had to find a way to get through to him.

  Alazar allowed the Destroyer’s scream to wash over him, and renew his desire to end her life. He was going to make this personal. She would know all that he had endured in her absence. That simple scream was just the beginning. She would feel every lash of Lucifer’s whip, every cut from Serena, and every torture used in the realms. He would listen to her scream until the light finally faded from her eyes.

  Alazar faltered. Why was screaming a bad thing? His mind buzzed as the street came back into focus and he looked at the snow falling around him. The accursed Celestial Warrior was still near. Nathanael was waiting for a scream. She had just summoned a Celestial Warrior. This was certainly not his night.

  “Perfect. Now you did it,” Alazar growled. He crouched and looked to the sky. A Celestial Sword could be cutting through his neck in moments.

  “What are you talking about?” Anjali was confused by Alazar’s sudden mood swing. Instead of pursuing her, he looked scared as he frantically searched the sky.

  “I saw your attack dog a few blocks from here, lying in wait, so you can give up the charade,” Alazar was a fool. Nathanael wasn’t hunting vampires. He was preparing to kill him. They were both here for him. It seemed that his Master had a few tricks up her sleeve. If she failed to rein him in, Nathanael would be called in to finish him. He wasn’t sure why Nathanael wanted to kill him with a stake, but then again Nathanael had always been a little odd.

  Anjali looked in the direction that Alazar was focusing on. “What attack dog? I’m alone,” she replied. She was beginning to worry about his mental health. There was no possible way he had seen Radek. She knew Solren had long ago lost his sanity; perhaps Alazar was suffering from paranoia as well.

  “Don’t play stupid with me. I saw your Celestial Warrior. What, you didn’t think you could handle me yourself so you brought Nathanael? You’re weaker than I thought,” he sneered at her, hoping that it was true. A weak Destroyer would only help his cause and bring about a quick victory.