by S Lawrence
“I’m ready.” The words are filled with venom. Years of holding my anger and my feelings hidden inside boil to the surface. “Why don’t you tell me what I must do?”
Torryn flinches at my tone, and Lucifer steps back before lowering his head slightly. Good. I won’t have them thinking I’m some weak, pliable person that they can control. I’ve had enough of being controlled by anyone.
Lucifer sits and motions to my chair, where my food sits forgotten in front of it. That pisses me off more as my stomach growls again. I grab it and stomp around the table, practically throwing it into the microwave before punching the number pad hard enough to shift the machine backwards. I stare as the numbers count down.
When it dings, I pull my plate out and turn back toward the table. Torryn hasn’t moved. Not a muscle. I avoid direct eye contact as I make my way back to my chair. I sit and start eating.
“I’m waiting,” I mumble around a mouthful of food before continuing to chew.
A long sigh is released from behind me and then he finally moves, making his way around to the chair at my left across from Lucifer.
“Luc meant we didn’t want to hit you with everything at once and with Grace,” he pauses. “Well, with Grace being gone, I didn’t want to upset you.”
I hear that unspoken ‘please’ in his voice again and I feel myself soften slightly.
“But a prophecy about saving the world is pretty important,” I argue. “I do have some say in this, don’t I?”
“Of course, we would never force you to fight the Fallen. I’m not even sure you need to. The prophecy is vague.” He frowns at some thought his words bring.
“Why don’t you tell us what Dagen explained, and we can go from there,” Luc says.
I consider his request, knowing if I tell them what I’ve been, told they could keep anything else from me. Looking back at the demon to my left, I think about what Caliel had said and my choice. I chose to trust Torryn; I just hope I hadn’t made a mistake.
I keep my eyes on him as I speak. Truly Dagen hadn’t said much. I had known I was a descendant. Now, I know myself and the other six are supposed to help end this war. Somehow.
There is definitely more to the prophecy, and Torryn’s muscles relaxed slightly when I finished talking. Most people probably wouldn’t have noticed, but I’ve spent my life watching for signs of what others are about to do.
There is something they don’t want me to know yet. I continue to eat and let the silence stretch. I have found that many people feel like they should fill it and so they talk. Silence has never bothered me.
The tension swells like a bubble until finally Torryn shifts in his chair. I smile down at my plate. I figured if one broke, it wouldn’t be Lucifer. My face is still turned down but I turn my eyes to the side and see him smirking at me. He knew my ploy and bows his head a minuscule amount. I’ll take it. Maybe he, at least, won’t underestimate me so much in the future.
“There is more, of course.” Torryn’s voice is low but it draws my attention.
Placing my fork on my plate in silence, I swallow the bite of food I had in my mouth. Picking up the hand-stitched linen napkin, I wipe at my lips giving myself a moment to calm my nerves, or at least try to.
After I finish and lay the cloth back where it was, I shift in my seat, turning my body toward him some and then bring my eyes to his. I remain silent.
“There were seven names written in the prophecy,” Luc states, and I turn to look at him. “Seven angels that fell under the Fallen’s blades that first day. The ones that dared to take a stand. Seven murdered and sent to the Darkness. Seven Princes of Hell pulled from the darkness and remade into demons. Chosen to fight, chosen to protect, and chosen to fulfill their destiny.”
My head whips back to Torryn -- a prince, a demon, and the one that draws me. Destiny. The word tumbles through my brain, and I feel my heart clench as another thought follows it. What if that is the only reason he spoke to me to begin with, my role in this war?
Stupid girl, dreaming of, what, love? A demon and love, I must have lost my mind. Pushing my chair back, I stand and stare at him before glancing at Lucifer an instant, then I spin and run.
I can’t face them, can’t hear one more revelation right now. I realize I’ve lost everything. I have no family, no friends, and no hope.
My sole purpose is helping to end a war that I didn’t even know about a few days ago. I run until the ground turns spongy and wet beneath my bare feet. Stopping at the water’s edge, I let the tears fall. I’ve cried more in the last week than in my entire life and I see no end in sight.
How am I supposed to fight a war? I am no fighter and I have no mystical powers. I have nothing to offer.
I feel his presence before I see him, before he speaks. I don’t look at him, still angry that he tricked me. I jump away as something slides over my leg, eyes wide as I look down.
There is a certain giant black cat. I frown.
“I think that’s not going to work for you now. You just as wells show yourself.” The frown has morphed into a glare as my anger has grown. He just sits in that body and stares at me. “I thought you were my friend. My only friend.”
I swipe at the tears that have started to fall as I turn away from him. A hand lands on my shoulder gently, but I refuse to look at him still.
“Lillian,” he starts, but I shrug his hand off and begin to move away from him.
“I really don’t want to talk to you right now.” Following the edge of the water, I walk further from him and the house.
His voice comes from all around me, a whisper carried on the breeze that’s blowing. “Grace sends her love.”
My heart clenches and I spin around, but he’s gone, and I think for a minute I imagined the whole thing. I let my head drop forward and I stare at the mud that has squished up between my toes. The image blurs as more tears fill my eyes and then begin to drip out, falling and mixing with the brown water that has begun to form tiny pools over my toenails.
“You have to be careful this far out.” His deep voice rumbles at my ear as his arms come around me. Torryn.
His sigh lets me know I said his name out loud. Leaning into him, I let myself relax. That motion of release destroys the last shred of my control. The sobs shake my entire body, and years of tears begin to cascade from me.
I turn, clutching at him and pulling him closer. I wish I could melt into him as all my heartache and rage pour from me.
He doesn’t try to quiet me. He doesn’t tell me it’s alright. He stands in silence like one of the giant trees and lets my storm crash into him.
Twenty-Eight
TORRYN
Her tears are destroying me.
Both my demon and angel natures want to punish those that have caused her this pain. I realize that I could be included in that list.
I should tell her the rest, tell her she is mine. I’m not going to because she’s not. Fuck. I want her to be. The scent of her is wrapped around me. Her arms are branding me.
I am hers.
I close my eyes, making my decision.
I will not free her from one prison just to lock her in another. I will not be another person taking her control from her. I will give her liberty, even if it means losing this war.
“Can you take me away from here? Away from everything?” Her question is quiet but filled with hope.
I would give her anything. I don’t bother responding. Instead, I just sweep her up into my arms and begin striding toward the house. I carry her around to the front, ignoring the eyes I feel on me.
Stopping beside the blue and black Challenger Hellcat parked in the drive, I set her on her feet but keep her tucked in close as I try the door. It opens silently, and I glance in and smile at the key-fob lying by the shifter. I’ve told him before he shouldn’t do that.
“Come on, let’s go,” I murmur at her ear, and she nods and starts to climb in.
I cringe at her feet and put a hand on her arm. She glances back
, and I watch her eyes widen as I focus my powers and the mud slides off. In seconds, it was like she never left the house. She wastes no time getting in and slipping over to the passenger side.
“Buckle up, Buttercup.” I grin at her as I push the ignition and the beast roars to life.
She laughs as the engine vibrates the car, and I shift into drive and stomp the gas. Yanking on the wheel, I spin us around, dirt and gravel flying as I fishtail before I gain control. We shoot down the tree lined drive, everything a blur as the car reaches sixty in less than the three point five seconds it is known for.
My phone was ringing before those three seconds was up also. Dagen’s ringtone plays loudly until the voicemail picks up. Lillian looks over at me.
“Why didn’t you answer?”
“It was just Dagen.” She frowns but I don’t elaborate. I toss my phone down between us in the center console.
Seconds later, it begins to ring again, and quicker than I thought she could move, she grabs it. Punching the button, she answers it.
“What the fuck are you doing with my car?” The phone is halfway to her ear when Dagen’s voice fills the interior.
“Dagen?” Her voice is soft, and I hear him curse in the background.
Reaching out, I wrap my fingers around hers and pull at them gently. She releases the phone easily, eyes still wide.
“Damn, man, calm down.” I smile at her before turning my attention back to the road. “I needed to get her out of there for a little while. She needs a break. I only had my bike.”
He rants for five minutes about how there’d better be not a scratch when I return his baby but ends with a quieter ‘good luck, man.’ I keep the phone to my ear for a full minute after he hangs up. His words and his hopeful tone hit straight at my fears.
Driving in silence, I try to figure out how I’m going to explain the next part. My head whips to my right as her hand covers mine on the steering wheel.
“What’s wrong?” I almost miss the quiet question, I’m so focused on the feel of her fingers rubbing over my knuckles. “Is he that mad you took his car?”
“No. Well, yes, but he’ll get over it,” I try to reassure her. My hands relax some as I fight to shove the worry away.
“Are you sure? You seem…” I look over at her as she pauses. Her mouth opens and closes twice before she begins to speak again. “You just seem worried.”
I assume she had been thinking of saying scared and decided against it.
“I guess I am but not about Dagen.”
She nods before looking out the window. I turned off the highway a few minutes ago, and we are making our way down an almost one-lane road to where I have my boat stored. I figure she’ll be safe out in the Atchafalaya Swamp. Lifting my hand from the wheel, I guide her hand to my mouth, kissing her knuckles.
I smile a little at her swift intake of air and I wait to see if she pulls away, but she doesn’t. Instead her fingers flex, rubbing gently over my lips. Turning our hands over, I kiss her palm and then the pulse pounding at her wrist.
She shifts in her seat, just an unconscious flexing of muscles that tempts me to do more. I don’t but holy hell, I want to instead I lay her hand on my leg as I pull off the road and up to my gate. I lower the window and reach out, freezing as those delicate fingers flex on my thigh. Swallowing, I punch the numbers as quick as I can.
She is watching me through her hair like she did that first day, but even with the dark curtain, I can see the heat in her eyes. Those eyes flick right.
“Gate’s open.” Her voice is filled with female satisfaction and interest.
I could grow addicted to that sound. I park in seconds in front of the boat house and climb out walking around the front of the car to her door. Opening it, I reach in and take her hand, helping her out.
The airboat is up on its chains in dry-dock, but it only takes me a minute to lower it to the surface. I climb in and then once again take her hand and help her to the front seat. Leaning down over her, I pick up the earmuffs. As I rise up to place them on her ears, she leans forward and kisses me. Just a quick little peck, one that makes her cheeks flush and me hungry for more. Once again, I barely control myself, although I can’t help but lean forward, brushing my lips over hers. I linger as I apply slight pressure before moving back. She watches me as I watch as her tongue slides over her lower lip.
I wonder if she can taste me there.
Straightening, I force myself to leave her. Behind her, I let myself run my own tongue over my own lips. Tasting her there, wanting to taste more of her. Lowering myself into my seat, I adjust myself and try to ignore the hard-on straining against the front of my pants.
The engine starts easily and the large fan blades begin to spin moving out of the boat house. In seconds, we are in the bright sunlight light, and I focus using my powers to manifest a pair of Ray-bans on her face. Her head whips around, and a huge smile is directed at me as her fingers flutter over the dark frames.
I hesitate as my heart pounds. I don’t understand how that smile makes me want to fight the Fallen single-handed. Thousands of years, I’ve walked in the midst of humanity, fighting for them but unattached, uncaring for any individual and now she has taken hold of me.
“Torryn?” I barely hear her over the engines and my distraction, but the furrowing of her brows drags my attention away from my feelings. I smile and shake my head, hoping to reassure her.
I don’t think it works, but she does finally turn back toward the front of the boat… slowly. Not wanting to give her time to ponder my strange reaction, I grasp the throttle and push it forward. The boat shoots forward, gliding over the water as we race out into the swamp.
Her head swivels from side to side as we make our way through Cypress knees and huge floating masses of lilies. Snow white Herons lift into the air, startled by the engines, and silent gators glide through the water searching for shade. She takes it all in.
Her hair is streaming out from behind her. I hold my hand out and let the ends caress over my fingers. I can imagine the silk of it over my skin as I draw in a deep breath, and the scent of it tickles my nose. Her own personal scent is hard to describe but reminds me of the heat of the sun and it is mixed with the distinct aroma of the south, magnolia blossoms.
Her gasp once again draws me from my thoughts, and I narrow my gaze looking for danger but I soon realize it was the view as we broke through the thick trees that had pulled the sound from her.
I stop the boat and cut the engine. Silence envelopes us until the music of the swamp starts as the bugs and animals return to their symphony. Her hands come up and pull the earmuffs down, letting them fall around her neck.
This is my favorite place. I’ve never brought anyone here.
“It’s so…” She turns in her seat. “Beautiful isn’t enough, but I can’t think of a word that is.”
Neither can I. She is the closest thing to angelic I’ve seen since my last day in Heaven.
“I think it has always reminded me of home.” I look around at the golden reflections and realize that is exactly what I’ve always felt and didn’t even realize it.
“Heavenly,” she murmurs, and I nod, still looking out at the wide opened area.
She’s right, somewhere buried beneath the layers of hell were the memories of Heaven. Hidden under blood and death was the glorious shining city. I’ve come here for years, sitting in one form of boat or another, letting the silence and sun wash over me. I’ve sought peace and solitude here, surrounded by the multitude of inhabitants of the wilderness.
The songs of the birds and insects soothes me after battles with the Fallen.
“How did you find this place?” The boat rocks gently as she stands and moves around to stand in front of me. “Do you come here a lot?”
“I found it not long after we first moved here. Of course, back then it took me much long to get out here. My first trip out here was with a Creole man who I had helped when someone had tried to steal his business from him
. He had grown up out here. His people were slaves that had run and hidden deep in the swamp. Building a life, he had come into the city to try to get legitimate and help the family. He was doing great until he fell in love with a beautiful woman. Unfortunately, she was too white for him, according to the bigots that ran the town then. Rachelle had fled Europe because of her traveler blood and persecution because of it.” I smile at the memory of the fiery woman. “Anyway, Toby brought me here after I protected them from those that would have not only taken the business but also their lives.”
Her face softens, and I lose my train of thought.
“How did you stop the people that wanted to hurt them?” I don’t want to answer her but I refuse to lie to her just so she won’t think less of me.
“I killed them and made it very clear I’d kill anyone else who tried to take their place.” My heart pounds as I wait for her judgement.
“An avenging angel.” The whispered words take my breath. “What don’t you want to tell me?”
So many things.
“What has you so worried, Torryn?” Her hand cups my jaw as she applies pressure. I let her turn my head, look her in the eye and see fear mingled with a tiny hint of hope.
I draw a deep breath. “Before we get into that, let me get us to a more comfortable place.” I move around her to the front of the boat and turn on the trolling motor.
Silently we glide over the water toward a group of trees where, through the years, I’ve built a platform, a deck of sorts, with chairs and a hammock, a place to relax, to ignore the world and the war.
Tying off the boat, I step out and then turn to help her out. Her excited face makes my chest swell.
“It’s amazing.” She spins slowly, arms held out.
Once she stops, I hold my hand out, and she takes it without hesitation, once again surprising me. Leading her to one of the chairs, I wait as she lowers herself down, her face turned up to me. Curiosity fills her eyes as she watches me. I drag the other chair closer to her before I sit and stare out at the water for a minute.
