Alazar smiled shyly. “You were right about me. I was suffering from the other Predznak’s temptations. Once I accepted what was happening to me, I was able to push away all the doubt and focus on my own thoughts and feelings. The answer was easy, once my head was clear,” he smirked.
He took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. He slowly sank to one knee and looked up at her enchanting face.
“I, Alazar, the Angel of Death, accept Anjali, the Bringer of the Apocalypse, as my one and only Master so that I may serve as her Predznak, until my end of days. I vow to help her bring about the destruction of the mortals when she deems that they have lost their faith in Father and are no longer worthy of his love. I will be devoted to her and to the other Predznak from this day forward. No other shall sway my loyalty, as decreed by Father and Heaven. All I do henceforth, l do to serve her as she serves Father and Heaven,” as he spoke, his power rose to the surface. He felt the cold chill of death reach out to Anjali, seeking her acceptance.
Anjali watched in amazement as Alazar pledged himself to her. She had never heard the pledge before, but instinctively she knew what it meant. He was proclaiming that she was his Master and that he would follow her always. Opening her mouth to speak, she hesitated, not knowing what to say. She closed her eyes and searched for the words to complete the ritual. Alazar was supposed to become a part of her, but she wasn’t sure how to start the process.
He saw Anjali struggle for the strength to accept him. Perhaps it was too late for them to join together after all. He waited patiently while she sought the patience to forgive him for the terrible things he had done.
She began to panic when she thought that she might not be able to bind Alazar to her. Perhaps he wasn’t worthy, or maybe something inside of her had changed. Tears filled her eyes at the thought of rejecting his vow when she suddenly realized that her right hand felt like it was on fire. Her ring was cutting into her finger. She relaxed and immediately knew that her ring was the problem. It was binding her power. Though she hated taking it off, fearing what might happen, she knew it was the only way to complete the ritual.
Carefully, she pulled off the small piece of metal that kept the world safe from her power. She smiled when Alazar took her hand and slowly removed the ring for her.
“It’s okay. I’ve got you. I won’t let you lose control,” he nearly cried for joy when he figured out that her ring was the source of her concern, not her objection to his declaration.
She smiled and nodded her head. The second the ring was free from her finger, the dark force inside of her swirled, threatening to erupt. She grabbed Alazar’s hands and held on to him, trying to push her power back down.
“Don’t be afraid. Have faith that this is supposed to happen,” Alazar said encouragingly.
She nodded and relaxed. Clearing her mind, she looked down at him and thought about his proclamation. The tumultuous storm inside of her rose up and met with the cold sensation coming from Alazar. Instead of clashing, their power merged. It danced and intertwined until she couldn’t tell where her power ended and his began.
Alazar’s eyes were a brilliant blue and glowed. He looked at peace. She could see the ends of her hair floating, which meant her eyes would be glowing as well, but she wasn’t completely lost to the power pouring out of her. She maintained her senses and didn’t feel like she was rampaging. In fact, she was calmer than she had ever been before. She suddenly knew what she had to do.
“I, Anjali, the Bringer of Apocalypse, accept you, Alazar, as my Harbinger and Angel of Death. You shall serve me henceforth as I do God’s will and the will of Heaven. We shall smite down the faithless and prepare for the day that paradise is once again achieved,” she knew that her voice sounded different, threatening and yet authoritative. She didn’t fear the words, but accepted them as truth.
She felt her power rush back inside of her, but this time, she felt some of Alazar’s cold power slip inside of her as some of her power rushed into him. A piece of the other would forever live inside of them. While she didn’t feel complete without the other Predznak, she knew that she was closer to achieving her goal. She no longer felt alone. Alazar was hers now and she could feel the bond between them grow. She smiled, knowing that they would be together for eternity.
Alazar slowly rose from the ground and placed the ring back on her hand. He was amazed to be able to feel the tips of his fingers again. Gabriel had been right. She was worth the wait. His entire world was different. The moment her power touched his, his pain disappeared and he felt like he had in Heaven. He was complete again. He remembered love and compassion. His heart nearly burst when his emotions rushed through him. All his doubts disappeared and he was filled with a renewed purpose. He was once again the Angel of Death and he feared no one, so long as his Master was by his side.
Looking down at her, he felt their bond strengthen. He would tell her anything she wanted to know, do anything she asked of him, and feel content for the rest of his life. She made the cold tolerable, the isolation bearable, the hatred lighter, and the love stronger. Was this love? Giving yourself to someone completely, without asking for anything in return? He’d always demanded something of everyone he’d ever come across, acceptance of his lies, corruption of their soul, and the loss of their innocence. Yet, he asked nothing of this woman, except, perhaps, acceptance. He wanted her to accept his flaws and keep him forever.
“What is the second condition?” he asked. He was eager to prove himself to her.
Anjali saw the change in him immediately. All his apprehension was gone. He stood tall, ready to take on the world with her. “Never leave me,” she said as she took his hand in hers.
“Never,” he replied. He kissed the back of her hand, excited by her request. He belonged to her now and he was happy to be welcomed home.
“I will never push you away again,” she smiled when he kissed her hand.
Alazar quickly looked up at her. His eyes were filled with pain. “Why did you deny me last time?” he didn’t want any secrets between them, not any more.
She brushed a stray hair from his face and was rewarded with an amazing smile. “I told you the reason, but you didn’t believe me. I didn’t want you to think I was using your newly found emotions to trick you into submitting to me.”
Alazar straightened himself and lifted Anjali up onto the window seat. “I’m glad that you had the presence of mind to understand that there was something wrong with me. You are braver than anyone I’ve ever met, and stronger than the fiercest warrior because of your faith, not because of your power. You are an amazing woman. I want to be worthy of you,” Alazar put his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes.
“You are. You just forgot for a while,” she smirked at him.
“I will be what you need. I swear it,” Alazar kissed her forehead and stepped back.
She knew what he was sacrificing to be with her, to stay with her in Hell. She wanted to be what he needed. She couldn’t fail him again. She was surprised when Alazar stepped back from her, afraid that the memory of Serena’s dress would make him run. “It’s the dress, isn’t it? I don’t have to wear it when we’re alone. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
“What? No. I could care less about the dress, oddly enough,” Alazar smiled. “I want to remember the sight of you like this every time I look out this window. You look happy. It’s the best view in the world.”
Turning her head and looking out over the realms, she made a pledge to Alazar. “I swear you will never feel the pain of the realms again, so long as you are with me,” she knew Alazar would understand the duality of her pledge. As long as he was on her side, she would neither punish him, nor allow anyone else to punish him.
Alazar was comforted by her vow, but he knew that Lucifer would take issue with his plot to assassinate her. He doubted that Lucifer would be so forgiving. He hated the thought of Anjali being attacked by Aganon.
“You said that Aganon struck you from behind. T
hat seems to be Maraquette’s trademark. Her newest pet shot me in the back and then she snapped the bonds on me,” Alazar growled and unconsciously rubbed his wrists. He paused when he thought about Derick. Shit. Maraquette was still searching for him. The poor kid was lost somewhere in the woods. He’d been so worried about his own neck that he had forgotten about Derick.
“Wait, Michael didn’t make the holes in your chest when he captured you?” Anjali was shocked. She had assumed that Michael had done the damage. She felt slightly guilty for attacking him so mercilessly.
Alazar shook his head. “No, Maraquette was responsible for my wounds. We have to find Derick. He needs our help. Maraquette will be searching for him,” he pulled her arm, ready to disappear until he realized that he no longer had permission to leave Hell. He had been stripped of that ability when he had left.
“Derick? What does Derick have to do with this? Why would Maraquette want him? Furthermore, why would she attack you? I’m confused.” she pulled her arm away, trying to make sense of his statements.
Alazar felt the wind stir and knew that Anjali was close to losing control. He quickly explained how Maraquette had appeared in the castle months after making their deal. He told her that Maraquette wanted him to tempt the mortals with her, except for the marked one. After that, he told her how Maraquette had pretended to befriend him and then injured him in the barn. Anjali nearly exploded when he told her about Derick’s capture and their escape through the woods. He made sure to tell her that he did everything he could to keep Derick safe when Michael found them.
The thought of someone hurting Derick was unfathomable, but the thought of Maraquette toying with him made her dangerous. Determination filled her soul as she pictured all of the things she would do to Maraquette if she hurt Derick.
The question was, how did Maraquette know Derick? The world shifted and her heart stopped when she it dawned on her that she had already met Maraquette, in the form of Cassie. Son of a bitch. Maraquette had fooled the Spirit Experts from the start. At least she felt justified in wanting to hurt Cassie. She was going to do more than just punch her in the face.
Alazar gulped when he witnessed the full wrath of the Bringer of the Apocalypse manifest. Her anger was even stronger than it had been in the tower. Though he reveled in the power that flowed from Anjali, he needed to rein her in. If he didn’t calm her down, Maraquette would be the least of their problems.
“Anjali, I promise that he was relatively safe the last time I saw him. I don’t know what she is planning, but we will find out. I will help you, but you have to release your anger and let it go. It won’t help you. Let me be outraged for you. We will stop her. I won’t let anything happen to the boy. Please, I need you to come back to me,” Alazar was pleading as he touched her face. He wasn’t sure if she could even hear him. The wind increased and rattled the furniture. He needed to work fast.
Her eyes were vacant, but he kept talking to her. “Anjali, you don’t want to do this. If you seek Maraquette out like this, innocent people will die. You don’t want that. Please, we can do this together. Can you feel me here with you?” Alazar brushed his knuckles tentatively along her cheek and put his hand on the side of her face. He tilted her head up so that he could look into her eyes. For the first time in his life, he looked into a pair of eyes and saw a future. His bleak existence was forever changed, and for the better.
Anjali tried to focus on Alazar. She pulled the wind back and tried to tame her rage. She thought about Derick and how they had made love in the cemetery and how he had made her feel. She looked at Alazar’s face and thought about how much they needed each other. The positive memories and emotions flooded her mind and calmed her. She would still kick Maraquette’s ass, but she would do it the old-fashioned way, with her foot.
She closed her eyes and listened to Alazar’s voice. The feeling of death seeped into her bones and she redirected her rage. She needed to be cold and calculating, not rash and emotional if she was going to defeat Maraquette.
“We are going to find her, and anyone helping her, and put them into the ground one by one if she harms Derick,” Anjali replied coldly.
Alazar shivered. “You sound like someone I know. Balthazar. I know vengeance seems like a good idea right now, but it won’t help you. Okay, I mean it will get the job done, but don’t let it overtake you. You should know that Maraquette tricked Pete into working for her. He’s technically her servant, though he isn’t bound to her. She’s promised to help him see his deceased parents again, so that he can beg for their forgiveness. He told them he hated them and wished that they were dead. Then they died in a plane crash right after that. That’s how I was able to put the idea of jumping off the ledge into his mind. He feels responsible for their deaths. Trust me when I say he will do whatever she wants,” Alazar took hold of her hands to keep her calm.
“Are you serious? Pete’s been a part of this the whole time? I’m going to skin him alive. You have my permission to finish him when we find him,” Anjali growled. “Once I find Maraquette, I’m going to capture her and let the Celestial Warriors deal with her, unless she kills Derick. You’re right about vengeance, it won’t do me any good, but I swear I will kill her if Derick is harmed.”
Alazar saw the conviction in her eyes. What she didn’t know was that he wouldn’t allow her to kill Maraquette. He would take care of the deed himself. He wanted to spare her from the guilt of murdering someone without her power.
“I would’ve snapped Pete’s neck in the barn if Derick hadn’t been watching. Derick wasn’t friendly with his former chum, but I didn’t want him to see his friend die. I swear, we will find them, but first, we need to get out of Hell. I still have the Celestial Warriors hunting me and I have a feeling they’ve added your face to my Wanted poster,” Alazar was pissed at the thought of Michael hunting Anjali. He would destroy his brother before he ever laid a hand on her.
“All we have to do is get to the Hall of Mirrors. As long as Hades and Lucifer are occupied, it should be easy. I just hope that Mark hasn’t staked out my throne. He could pose a problem,” Anjali replied.
“Oh, I thought we would have to fight our way out through the tunnels. Your way is not nearly as much fun, but I think we can manage to get to the Hall of Mirrors. I will deal with anyone who gets in our way,” Alazar’s mood changed dramatically. He was suddenly all business.
“No. No killing. Kick the crap out of the Fallen, but you are not allowed to kill anyone, unless they intend on killing you, which may very well be the case. I won’t let anyone take you,” Anjali sneered.
“I’ll try not to kill anyone, but no promises. I won’t let them harm you,” he brushed her hair from her face.
Anjali smiled and led him to the door. Quietly opening the door, she looked around the Annex hallway, making sure they were alone. She crept out of the room and motioned for Alazar to join her.
“I know you’re the Master and everything, but I get to drive. Stay behind me in case we run into trouble,” Alazar stepped in front of Anjali and continued up the hallway, hugging the wall to avoid being seen.
Anjali chuckled, but kept her comments to herself. It was an interesting concept having someone look after her well-being for once.
They made their way to the entrance of the Annex, but Radek wasn’t there. They paused to listen for footsteps in the rotunda. Voices could be heard echoing off the walls, but they sounded far off. She assumed Lucifer had heard about her fight with Michael by now and was probably livid because she had stupidly taken on Michael and as a result, Heaven was demanding her head.
Alazar poked his head around the entryway and looked around. He grabbed Anjali’s hand and quickly led her across the rotunda and into the Hall of Mirrors.
Alazar nearly threw up when he walked inside the dreaded hall. It looked mostly the same. The only noticeable differences were the lack of chains hanging from the ceiling with rotting bodies attached to them, and an ornate throne at the end of the hall, where Hades was s
itting, looking smug. A cowering servant was standing next to him, whom he assumed was Radek.
Anjali groaned when she saw Hades. She wasn’t sure how things were going to play out since Hades was unpredictable. She was afraid he would sound the alarm and personally hold her down while Michael took her head. His dream was finally about to come true. She would be dead, leaving only two people to occupy the Thrones of Hell.
Hades sighed. “I told Lucifer that you would return here with Alazar and cause all sorts of problems for us. Do you have any idea what the Council will do to us for harboring a known Rogue?” Hades waved his arm at Alazar while reciting his prepared speech. “I found Radek fretting in the Annex, though he refused to tell me anything, so naturally I assumed the worst.”
“Get out of my throne,” she said threateningly.
“Oh, it won’t be your throne for long,” Hades snickered.
Alazar sneered at Hades. “It’s been a long time, Hades. I heard what you did to my Master while I was away.”
Hades’ toned changed immediately. “Shit. You stupid, stupid girl. Heaven hasn’t rescinded their decree and reclassified Alazar as a Fallen yet. How dare you take him as your servant while he’s still a Rogue. They will kill you!” Hades stood and approached Lady Black, while ignoring Alazar’s threat.
“Michael didn’t exactly give me a chance to prove Alazar’s innocence,” she shrugged innocently.
“I said as much, didn’t I? Michael will use this as an excuse to kill us all. You never think about anyone but yourself, do you?” Hades was furious. He expected the warriors to descend at any moment to capture them all.
“She was thinking of someone else; me,” Alazar growled. He stepped closer to Hades and stared him down.
“You’re a Rogue, you don’t count,” Hades waved Alazar away and turned to Lady Black. “You’d better make this right.”
The Third Throne: Angel of Death Page 50
