by Diem, J. C.
Walled in by mansions, I had nowhere to go but downhill. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to outrun the magical wall of acid. Unfurling my newly formed wings, I launched myself into the air a few moments before the acid washed over where I’d just been standing.
With my new size and burdened by armor, I was too heavy to fly very high. I flapped my wings in desperation and flew towards the rooftop of the closest mansion. It was three stories high and I couldn’t quite reach the top. Jamming my hands into the hard stone wall, I clambered upwards then made my way to the highest peak of the roof.
Peering over the edge, I watched the acid wreak havoc below. Walls crumbled and buildings began to collapse. Unable to sustain the spell forever, the Hellmaster finally cut off the flood. Screams of pain and anguish came from the lower tiers, indicating that the acid had caused extensive damage down there as well. I would no doubt be blamed once they realized their prince was dead.
Feeling the house become unstable beneath me, I launched myself into the air as it crumbled. Spreading my wings, I glided over to the next mansion. It was only missing the front wall that was closest to the road and seemed to be stable enough.
Sitting in the shadows between two peaks of the roof, I was hidden from view from the road below. Wrapping my wings around myself, I settled down to contemplate my uncertain future.
₪₪₪
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Not long after the flood of acid abated, servants were sent to figure out what had caused it. I heard a small group of them making their way up the hill towards the palace. Shifting closer to the edge of the roof, I peered down at them.
Dressed in the usual black sackcloth, they stared at the devastation with wide, frightened eyes. Most of the mansions along the path of destruction had crumbled due to their foundations being eaten away. Only a few had withstood the devastation, including the one I’d taken refuge on. Instead of a cobbled road, the ground was now bare dirt.
“I do not like this,” one of the servants said in a low voice. “I do not believe our Prince is responsible.”
“If it was not him, then who could have caused this?” another asked.
“You know who it was. It has to be Hellscourge. She has murdered the other rulers and she will be coming here next.”
“Surely she does not have the power to cause this kind of devastation,” another pointed out. “Not even the rulers of the realms are capable of this.”
“If it is not her, or our Prince, then who could have ruined these buildings?”
“I think it was the Hellmaster,” someone said then took a gulp of air at her audacity. “It is the only explanation that makes sense.”
“Why would he do this to us?” the first servant asked plaintively. “We have done nothing to deserve his ire.”
“Perhaps the Prince will be able to answer that question,” someone else said. They fell silent as they headed to the highest tier where the palace squatted like a gigantic black dog hunkering over a bone.
Settling back into my hiding spot, I only needed to wait for a few minutes before screams of terror rang out. “The Prince is dead!” a hysterical voice shouted. The servants fled from the palace to report their findings.
As I’d expected, a stampede began, but it didn’t spread throughout the entire city. Only half of the residents fled. The rest chose to remain and to carry on as if nothing had happened. They probably thought I was headed back to Earth by now. None of them were aware that my plans had changed.
Several hours passed and ash began to float down from the sky to coat me. One of the nearby volcanos had become unsettled and it was making its displeasure known.
Growing tired of blinking the flakes away, I stood and moved over to the front of the house. Peering over the edge into the interior that had been left exposed by the acid, it seemed stable enough. Dropping down to what had been a bedroom, I searched until I found a room without windows to let in the ash. Settling into a corner, I resumed my brooding.
I wasn’t sure how many days passed before my silent moping was interrupted. It couldn’t have been more than a week. I’d been sitting still for so long that my neck creaked when I saw the air shimmer a few yards away. Blinking, I wondered if I’d lost my mind when a girl materialized out of thin air. About five foot seven, she was slim and had long black hair. Her slender legs were encased in dark blue jeans. She wore a white tank top beneath a blue leather jacket. Seeing me, she stumbled back a step. Her right hand moved to a gun in a holster beneath her left arm. It hovered in the air as she seemed to be listening to someone.
Her dark brown eyes assessed me as she listened to a voice I couldn’t hear. They seemed far older and wiser than her youthful face. She appeared to be about my age, or maybe a year older. She was as out of place here as I’d once been. “What is your name?” she asked. It was strange to hear an American accent and English rather than the demonic language I’d grown used to.
“I’m Hellscourge,” I replied in the same language. “Who the hell are you?”
“I’m Alexis Levine, but my friends call me Lexi.” Planting her hands on her slim hips, she studied me intently. She was far smaller and weaker than me, but I couldn’t see any fear in her eyes. “What is your human name?”
“How do you know I used to be human?” I was covered in armor from my horned head to just above my cloven feet. All she’d be able to see was my scarlet eyes and fanged mouth.
“Fate told me,” she replied simply. “She sent me here to talk to you, assuming you’re the person I’m here to see. Since you haven’t tried to kill me yet, I’m betting you’re the right one.”
Instead of feeling hope at her explanation, all I felt was despair. Fate had abandoned me and I’d become a monster. “My name is Violet Harper, or it was before I turned into this thing,” I said bitterly and gestured at my hideous face that was hidden from her.
“Fate neglected to mention that you’d changed into a demon,” she said. From her tense stance, she’d had dealings with my kind before and they hadn’t been pleasant.
“What does she want?” I asked, not bothering to hide my annoyance.
“She isn’t allowed to interfere directly, but she sent me here to give you a message.”
Stepping towards me, she moved with unnatural grace and I knew she wasn’t as human as she looked. “What are you?” I asked when she came to a stop a couple of yards away.
“I used to be a human, but I was bitten by a werewolf.” Holding her hand out, her nails grew into claws and long black fur sprouted on the back of her hand.
“Werewolves aren’t real,” I grated. “I’m pretty sure I would have seen one by now if they were.”
“We might not be real in your dimension,” she said dryly and made her hand change back to normal, “but we’re very real where I come from. We have all kinds of creatures and monsters. I’m more than just a werewolf now. I’m a hybrid with a couple of other supernatural beings as well.”
It shouldn’t have surprised me to learn that my version of Earth wasn’t the only one that existed, but I was still rattled by the knowledge. “What message does Fate have for me?” The sooner I heard it, the sooner she would go and leave me in peace again.
“Your mate is not to blame for his actions,” she said.
“I don’t have a mate,” I said flatly.
“Really? Fate told me you do and that his name is Nathan.”
Turning my face away from her, I hunched my shoulders. “We were never more than friends. Besides, it’s his fault that I’ve permanently become a demon.”
“Do you really think Fate would allow you to stay like this forever?” Lexi said almost scornfully. “She’s putting you through hell so you’ll gain the skills you need to save your world from an apocalypse.”
“Did she tell you that?” I asked cynically.
“She didn’t have to. I know that’s what she’s doing to you because I’ve been through the same process myself.”
Intrigued despite my
self, I wanted to know more. “What are you talking about?”
“I was chosen to save my world, too. I used to be a normal teenager, then my entire life changed. At first, I was angry at Fate for throwing me into the deep end without any kind of guidance. Luckily, I made friends who are more like my family now. Thanks to their help, I saved humanity from being destroyed.”
A memory tickled the back of my mind and I recalled the first time Fate had spoken to me. It had been just before I’d met Bob and had crashed his car into a tree. Fate had told me that I was humanity’s only hope of survival and that if I died, their entire species would be wiped out. “I’m happy for you that you succeeded,” I said. “But I’m not that lucky. I’ve failed my mission and demons are going to take over the world soon.”
“You haven’t failed yet.” The look she gave me was challenging. “Are you going to sit here forever, or are you going to get off your butt and save your mate from a fate worse than death?”
I flinched and wrapped my arms around my legs. “Nathan made his choice,” I said stubbornly. “He said he’d rather let me die than allow me to become evil.”
“Who do you think made him say that?” Lexi said with an arched brow. “Fate made me think my mate had abandoned me even though he never stopped loving me. When I thought Reece was lost to me, I descended into a pit of despair and I was teetering on the edge of a very dark place. Then a vampire called Natalie Pierce appeared to talk to me, just like I am with you.”
“Are you saying she’s a champion from another world who was also chosen by Fate?” I said incredulously. “And she’s a vampire ?”
Lexi nodded solemnly. “Fate has chosen us three to be her ultimate warriors.”
A chill went down my spine at her ominous tone. “For what?”
“It isn’t just the destiny of our worlds that are at stake. Soon, an enemy will appear who will put the entire universe and all dimensions in peril. Fate has picked Natalie, you and me to stop him.”
“Great,” I muttered as the heavy weight of responsibility settled over me again. “That’s just what I needed to hear. Who is he?”
“I have no idea,” she shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out when the time comes to face him. You’ve reached the point where you need to make a crucial decision,” she told me. “You have to decide whether you’re going to wallow in misery and let the entire universe burn, or you can stop feeling sorry for yourself and go and save your mate.”
“What does saving Nathan have to do with anything?” I asked in a surly tone.
Her answer surprised me. “He’s your reward if you succeed.”
“Nathan and I can never be together. He’s an angel and I’m a Nephilim. His kind think I’m an abomination. He harvested my essence just so I wouldn’t turn evil.”
“He harvested you because that was what Fate told him to do,” she refuted. “She has her own reasons for manipulating everyone into doing her bidding. If there was ever a chance that you’d truly become evil, she wouldn’t have picked you to be her champion.”
Hope blossomed within me at her explanation. Lexi had already been through her trials and she’d won in the end. So had the vampire, Natalie, from the sounds of it. If they could do it, then I could, too. If what she was saying was true, Nathan wasn’t really to blame for the hurtful things he’d said to me. Fate had warned me that I would descend to the pit of despair before I would find a cure for my toxin. I’d reached that point now and things couldn’t possibly get any worse than this.
Standing up, I towered over the werewolf who was also apparently a hybrid with something else. “Do you know where Nathan is?”
Lexi began to turn transparent, so I knew she was about to disappear again. “You have something of his with you,” she said as she became fainter. “All I know is that he’s somewhere in this city. Use it to find him.” Her brown eyes regarded me and she grinned. “I have a feeling I’ll be seeing you again soon, Violet. I’m looking forward to working with you and Natalie. I think it’s going to be a hell of a ride.” With that, she shimmered and disappeared.
₪₪₪
Chapter Thirty-Nine
At first, I had no idea what the object was that would help me find Nathan. Then I remembered that I’d slipped the angel carving and the sapphire rune stone into my pocket. My pockets had melded into my armor, but I concentrated and the objects appeared in my palm.
“I hope Lexi was right about this,” I muttered. Closing my hand, I shut my eyes as well and focused on the stone. Turning in a circle, it grew warm then cooled again as I continued my slow spin. Halting, I shuffled back until it became warm again. Opening my eyes, I was facing what I thought of as the east side of the city. Vepar’s mansion would most likely be on the same tier that I was on right now. Nathan had been here the whole time and I hadn’t even realized it.
Panic would spread if I was spotted and I didn’t want my quarry to know that I was hunting for her. Vepar had proven to be a massive pain in my butt so far. It would be a pleasure to end her life once and for all. A fierce grin stretched across my misshapen face as I made my way back to the missing wall of the building.
Dropping to the ground, I landed with a heavy thud. Looking around to make sure no one was watching me, I sprinted back up the now bare dirt road towards the palace. Cutting through the city wouldn’t be a wise move. There were too many eyes and ears around. Instead, I entered the yard of the palace and made my way to the wall. The rune stone became warmer with each step I took. I knew her mansion lay somewhere close by.
Stopping at the wall, I crouched down then launched myself into the air, flapping my wings as hard as I could. Dust swirled around me as I surged upwards. Grasping the top of the wall with my left hand, I vaulted over it. I folded my wings behind me and dropped down out of sight before I could be spotted. Flaring my wings at the last moment, I landed far more quietly this time.
When I turned right, the stone in my palm cooled slightly. Turning left, it grew hotter. Walking as quietly as I could with my increased size and weight, my anticipation built as I closed in on Vepar’s home. I reached the next mansion and the stone became almost too hot to handle, which meant I’d reached my destination.
Making the stone and the angel carving disappear, I searched for an entrance that I could fit through. I was far too large to squeeze through one of the glassless windows now.
I found a side door that the servants probably used and slipped inside. It wasn’t easy to walk quietly now that I had hooves rather than soft soled boots. Moving slowly, I heard voices coming from the third floor. One was female and had the gravelly tones of a lord. “I’m coming for you Vepar,” I whispered beneath my breath. She would pay dearly for everything she’d done to Nathan and me.
Sneaking down a hallway, I glanced through an open door. A servant was cleaning a huge table with a threadbare cloth. From the miserable expression on his face, he’d rather be doing anything than the task he was stuck with. Demons didn’t need to eat, but they still gathered together sometimes. Maybe they had parties where they sat around and gossiped about the other lords.
The servant notice me as I crept past the door. I found a staircase at the end of the hallway and climbed up to the third floor. A feminine laugh came from a room just down the hall. My fist clenched around the axe I’d called on without realizing it. The laugh was followed by a moan of passion and I ground my teeth together. Surely Fate wouldn’t be cruel enough to make me see the man I loved in bed with my enemy.
Halting at the door where I could hear the sounds coming from, I forced myself to push it open. Vepar’s back was to me. She undulated on top of a man who was hidden from my view. Hefting my weapon, I closed in on her. A sixth sense told her she was in danger at the last moment. She flung herself aside just as my blade whooshed through the air where her head had been a moment ago.
Landing on the floor, she called on her sword. Unlike the princes, she couldn’t make her armor appear. Completely naked, she climbed to her feet.
She looked disturbingly human without any clothes, apart from her face. She even had small mounds on her chest that were presumably boobs. “Who are you?” she demanded. “How dare you enter my home and attack me!”
“Don’t you recognize me, Vepar?” I said sweetly and made my helmet disappear. My face was demonic now, but my hair was still recognizable.
Her eyes flicked to my long locks and she drew in a sharp breath. “Well, well, you managed to escape from Prince Valac,” she said shakily. “He will no doubt be hunting for you as we speak.”
“Valac is dead,” I told her flatly. “So are the rest of the Princes. I’ve destroyed the leaders of the outer realms and now I only have the Hellmaster left to finish off.”
She went still in shock to hear that I was so close to accomplishing my goal. “You will never be able to kill our master,” she said confidently. “He is far too powerful for even you to face.”
My gaze strayed to the human in her bed. Something inside me unclenched when I didn’t recognize him. He cowered away from us both and drew the sheet up to cover his nakedness. He had dark hair and blue eyes, but he was nowhere near as handsome as my guardian. From the hue of his skin and the way his features were beginning to twist, he was well on the way to turning into an imp. “Where is Nathan?” I asked in a tone that made her flinch.
“He is resting,” Vepar said with a sly shrug. “After all, I would not want to wear out my favorite pet.”
At her smirk, my hand rose and clamped around her throat. I lifted her into the air and brought her face up close to mine. “Tell me where he is, or I’ll snap your neck like a twig.”
“You will kill me anyway,” she spat. “Why should I tell you anything?”
“Because if you don’t, I’ll torture you just like I did to your Prince before I killed him.”
Her dark face went gray at that threat. “You tortured him?” she said in an appalled whisper. It was one thing to know he was dead, it was another to hear that I’d made his end unbearable.
