She looked down the street in the direction of the building from her vision. If what she saw was correct, they were dealing with more than just a demon. The way the vampire stared at her sent a chill straight into her heart.
The vampire! Logan had kept going on and on this morning about a new vampire that he couldn’t catch. Maybe she was the one he was looking for.
Anjali pulled out her phone and dialed his number. It rang almost to the point where his voicemail would pick-up. Then Logan’s mellow voice filled the lines. “Anjali, are you ok?”
“I’ve had an interesting day.” That was an understatement.
“Did you stalker turn psycho on you or something?”
“Um, not exactly.” More like was the best lover I’ve ever had but continues to keep secrets from me.
“Do I need to come over and deal with him?” His words held a hint of anger.
That brought a peal of laughter from her. The idea of Logan trying to beat Will into a pulp seemed ridiculous to her, especially now that she had a glimpse of that glowing sword her dark angel carried. It seemed great against demons, but how would it work on vampires? “What do you know about that vampire you’ve been hunting?”
“It’s a female, blonde, and able to disappear faster than any other bloodsucker I’ve ever hunted. Wade thinks she may be an old one, but we’re not sure who it is.”
“I may have a lock on her location, if you’re interested.” Her voice trembled as she told him about her vision. As much as she worried about dragging her best friend into this, having a trained vampire hunter on their team may tip the scales in their favor.
“Do you think she’s involved with your escaped demons?”
“Think, nothing. I know she is.”
A hissed curse followed. “Anjali, we need to call in Morwen or Wade. This is something bigger than the two of us.”
“Don’t call them yet. We have Will.”
“And what exactly is Will?”
Anjali drew a deep breath. Should she tell Logan the truth? “You’re not going to believe me.”
He must have heard the hesitation in her voice because they next words out of his mouth were, “Tell me where you are. I’ll be there as fast as I can.”
Vassago looked around Hell and grimaced. Nothing had changed in the last century. An eerie red glow flickered off the walls from an unknown flame. The stench of brimstone burned his nostrils and choked his throat. He was grateful he’d only been banished to Earth and not this plane.
With quick strides, he approached the massive stone castle ahead. He shoved past the guards outside the gate and continued forward with the force of a tank. Screw protocol and waiting to be granted an audience with Lucifer. It was time he knew of the mutiny happening behind his back.
No one touched him until he came to the doors outside Lucifer’s private quarters. As soon as a Fallen laid hands on him, Vassago whipped out his hilt and formed a blade of blue flame. “Back off. I need to speak to him now.”
“Who are you to barge in here?” The two guards drew their own swords, harnessing the eerie red flames that illuminated Hell.
The door opened, and a voice boomed, “Let him in.” In a softer but more sinister note, it added, “I can handle Vassago on my own.”
The Fallen lowered their blades, but didn’t pull the fire back. Vassago waited until the doors closed behind him before he doused his own blade. “Thank you for calming them down, Lucifer.”
The Leader of the Fallen grinned and stood up from behind his massive desk. If they’d been in Manhattan, he could have almost passed as some CEO of a major corporation. Everything about him spoke of suave sophistication, from the precise way every blond hair on his head was gelled into place to the wrinkle-free suit he wore. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company? Come to apologize for destroying two of my demons?”
“Nope.” He tucked his hilt back into his jeans. “I’ve come to warn you about a rogue Fallen.”
Lucifer laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m in perfect control of my legions.”
“Are you so sure?” He arched his brow. “If so, where is Asheroth?”
The charming demeanor faded, and his lips formed a hard, thin line. “Are you suggesting one of my top generals is about to betray me?”
“I have it on good account that he’s the one that freed the Skinwalkers, or at least, played a part on it.” He leaned over the desk. “If you don’t believe me, call him. I doubt you’ll get an answer since he’s not on this plane.”
A scarlet glow simmered in Lucifer’s eyes, and his shoulders stiffened. “Do you dare question my dominion?”
“No, but I thought you’d like to know that this little incident has captured the attention of God, and if we don’t take care of this soon, He’s taking matters into His hands, and we all know what that means.” He straightened and turned to the door. “If you want to send someone to take care of Asheroth, I’ll take care of the demon,” he said as he walked away, not turning back.
He’d taken all he could handle of Hell and eagerly returned to the portal. Now that Lucifer had the bug planted in his ear, he’d take action. Nothing pissed off the Prince of Hell like one of his own trying to undermine him. He estimated he’d have reinforcements within fifteen minutes of returning to Earth.
The guards at the portal watched him with a mixture of hate and envy as he entered the combination and stepped into the sweet air of the plane they were forbidden to enter without Lucifer’s permission.
Anjali stood huddled in the alley by the apartment building when he found her. “Where did you go?” she asked as soon as she saw him. Then she caught a whiff of his clothes and wrinkled her nose. “Never mind. I can smell it on you.”
“When dealing with a rogue Fallen, it’s best to keep his boss in the loop.” He left the alley with her right on his heels. “Where to?”
She hesitated for a moment before she answered, “Follow me.”
She started to dart out of the alley, but he caught the hood of her jacket and pulled back. He extended his glamour over her again, turning them both invisible. “Save your energy for later, especially if you need to run away. Besides, this way, we have the element of surprise.”
He took flight again, allowing her to direct him to the location of her vision. As soon as they landed on the rooftop of another abandoned apartment building, the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Something felt very wrong about this place, as though the barriers between planes had been breached, and the darkness wanted to seize control.
He wished he could keep her invisible without touching her, but his abilities didn’t extend that far. “Wait here.”
She grabbed his arm as he tried to leave and pulled him into a kiss. He could almost taste her fear and desperation as her tongue coiled with his, as if this would be their last kiss. His heart skipped a beat. Once again, he regretted taking her with him and toyed with the idea of taking her back to her apartment now that he knew where to find the demon.
“Be careful, Will,” she whispered as she released him.
“You too.” He ran to the door leading to the building but stopped in his tracks when the air wavered in front of it. His hand tightened around his sword, and he gathered his angelic fire, ready to attack if Asheroth appeared in front of him.
“How disgustingly touching,” a suave voice mocked. Lucifer appeared, dressed for battle with an armored vest and his sword of black fire drawn. “Are you done playing with your little human?”
“Shut the fuck up, Lucifer.” He pushed him aside and yanked the door open. “Let’s just take care of this before it gets out of hand.”
“After you.”
They descended the staircase for two flights before he caught a whiff of the blood and brimstone. He tensed. The fire flowed into his blade, and he pointed down the deserted hallway on the other side of the door. Lucifer nodded and tightened his grip on his sword.
He cracked the door open, searching for any alarms or trap
s before stepping out of the stairwell. The air wavered for a split second in front of him before something slammed him into a wall.
Chapter Fifteen
Anjali hopped from one foot to the other on the rooftop, unsure what to do after updating Logan on her location. After all, she only said she’d try to stay out of the fight. She didn’t promise to stay on the roof the entire time. And after experiencing the agony of the Skinwalker’s venom, she wanted to trap that son of a bitch and send it back to Hell.
But most of all, she wanted to be there to watch Will’s back. He seemed to trust Lucifer, but she didn’t. That Fallen had a reputation for betrayal, after all. His words earlier that evening echoed in her mind. I’m immortal. I can fight them and not be killed. Maybe so, but they could sure rough him up a bit.
She bit her bottom lip and wondered how he went from an annoying stalker to someone who had her gut all tied in knots with worry. Damn that irritating, boorish, delightfully seductive Fallen Angel. He should be her enemy, not her lover. And yet, her panties became soaked the second she remembered how wonderful he felt inside her. Just like he didn’t want to lose her, she couldn’t imagine living without him.
A loud crash echoed up the stairwell, and the entire building shook under her feet. Her heart jumped into her throat. Will.
She ran toward the sound without giving it a second thought. The battle had started, and she needed to be part of it to even the odds. If anything else, she could restrain the demon long enough for Will or Lucifer to send it back to Hell.
Two flights down, the door dangled off its hinges. Plaster littered the hallway, creating a dingy snowstorm effect as the dust settled to the ground. Her skin crawled from the sensation of the grit coating it. The blonde vampire was nowhere to be seen, but the air hung heavy with magic. Was there another witch or warlock involved that she missed in her vision?
At the other end, the Fallen Angel from her vision battled Will and Lucifer simultaneously with two glowing red swords. She froze, not wanting to distract them while she figured out how she could help. She gathered her powers deep inside her and guided them toward her fingertips. Would her magic even work against a Fallen?
Before she knew her answer, the Skinwalker burst from one of the apartments and plowed toward her. The spell left her lips like a knee-jerk reflex, and the golden rope coiled around its ankles. It fell forward and landed with its fangs inches from her ankles. She jumped away as its scorpion-like tail whipped toward her. She’d already learned her lesson to avoid it.
The rope coiled higher, binding the demon’s arms and finally catching its tail. She concentrated on the spell. The bonds tightened to withstand the Skinwalker’s writhing, even though beads of sweat trickled down her face from the effort. When she finally gained control of it, she cried out Will’s name.
He whipped around, distracted long enough for the Fallen to slash his fiery red blade across his back. Will grunted and stumbled forward. Fear paralyzed her as she watched his attacker lift his sword again, this time to deliver a more serious blow.
The focused attack on Will opened the Fallen up to an attack by Lucifer. A cold grin stretched his lips as the Prince of Hell plunged his black blade into the Fallen’s chest. An ear-piercing scream shattered the windows, filling the air with glass shards that nicked her skin. She closed her eyes and turned away to protect her face. It disrupted her spell long enough for the Skinwalker to wriggle free from her bonds and jump to its feet.
The demon’s barbed tail hissed through the air, heading straight for her face when she opened her eyes. Stone laced her bones, and she couldn’t move. Her heart sank into her stomach. Will I survive the venom this time?
A flash of blue swung through the air behind the Skinwalker. Warm, tar-like blood splattered her face as Will’s blade sliced through the demon’s tail. “Anjali, get out of here.”
The enraged beast spun around and launched an attack on him, giving her an opportunity to escape. She wobbled to her feet and stumbled to the stairwell. The air became charged with magic with each step, only she wasn’t the one drawing on it. Goose bumps puckered her skin.
The spell slammed into her before she could counteract it, lifting her like a rag doll and tossing her into the stairwell. Blood filled her mouth as she skidded across the floor. She reached out and grabbed a railing so only her feet dangled over the seven-story central shaft instead of her entire body plummeting down it.
A blur of movement passed by her, and pain raced across her skull. It took her a second to realize that whatever moved at that speed had also snatched a handful of her hair and was dragging her back up to the roof like a half-empty bag of garbage. The female vampire from her vision.
Anjali’s mind raced to try and find a weapon she could use. The only thing she could think of was a wooden stake, and even then, she’d barely been trained on how to use one. Where the hell was Logan? If ever there was a time for a trained vampire hunter, it was now.
“I should have known you would find us, even with all my best spells in place,” a voice with a French accent said as they reached the roof. The vampire lifted Anjali off the ground by her hair and coolly assessed her. “I’ve never tasted another witch’s blood before. Will it be like a complex Bordeaux, or more like a rich cognac? Perhaps I should sample your vintage and find out, oui?”
The combination of the bright glow from the feeding frenzy in the vampire’s eyes with the flash of her fangs sent an electric current buzzing across Anjali’s skin. She drew upon the magic in the air to reinforce it. No way would she become some bloodsucker’s snack.
A bolt of lightning sizzled between them, and the vampire flung her away with a howl. Black stars danced in front of Anjali’s eyes when she hit the concrete roof. Her lungs burned as the impact knocked the air from them. More blood filled her mouth. Will’s warning echoed in her mind. Yes, she may be a witch and a demon hunter, but going against a vampire reminded her how fragile her human body really was.
Tendrils of smoke rose from the vampire’s lips. “What kind of magic is this?”
Anjali didn’t answer. The horizon wavered as she struggled to her feet. Will called her name from below. She needed to get back to him. He would protect her.
“Where are you going, ma petite?” The vampire’s hand formed a vice around Anjali’s neck, choking off her air. “Just because I can’t bite you, doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy killing you. You’ve cost me three of my demons.”
Panic hindered her ability to draw on the magic again. She reached out, desperate to fight off her enemy while her heart still beat. Her fingers clawed the vampire’s hard, cold skin and hooked the amulet around her neck.
The vampire swung her over the edge of the roof. Nine stories below, the streets of Hell’s Kitchen loomed. Her pulse pounded in her ears, her breath no longer muffling it. Would I survive the impact?
Footsteps thumped behind her, but her screams drowned them out as the vampire released her grip and sent her plummeting to the asphalt.
Chapter Sixteen
Vassago’s heart lurched when he came up the stairwell and saw the blonde vampire holding Anjali over the edge of the roof like a pendulum. A cold smile illuminated her charred lips, making her fangs flash against the darkness. She knew she had something he cared about in the palm of her hand, and he would be forced to choose between saving Anjali and killing the vampire.
Time inched along at a snail’s pace. Black demon blood still coated his body, slickened his palms. He tightened his grip on his sword. His wings broke through the skin on his back and burst through his T-shirt. The muscles in his legs tightened, ready to spring. In his heart, he already knew his course of action.
Anjali’s scream pierced his eardrums like a knife when the vampire released her. He dived over the edge after her. His wings unfurled with a snap. His glamour stretched over him, hiding him from the people below. As soon as his fingers grazed her skin, she vanished with him. His arm wrapped around her waist, and her body collided with his a f
ew feet from the ground.
Her wet cough sprayed his chest. He pulled her closer to him and felt the wild thump of her heart through the thin cage of her ribs. She was hurt, but still alive. His mouth watered for vengeance.
He flew back to the roof with her in his arms. When he landed, the vampire had disappeared. Her scent still lingered in the air. Death. He contemplated chasing after her, but the frail, shivering demon hunter in his arms changed his mind. He had an eternity to hunt the vampire. He had less time with Anjali.
Lucifer burst through the door, dragging Asheroth behind him. “Did you get her?”
Vassago shook his head and let his glamour fall. “By the time I caught Anjali, she’d disappeared.”
A string of curses sent a shiver down his spine, despite that fact they were uttered in the language of the angels. Lucifer shoved the wounded Fallen in his hands forward. “Time to talk, Asheroth.”
“Piss off, Lucifer,” he wheezed.
The Prince of Hell’s fiery blade flashed to life, and another high-pitched wail from Asheroth rattled the windows below when it struck. “I can’t kill you, but I can make you pray for death.”
Anjali’s icy fingers tightened in the material of Will’s T-shirt, and his wings protectively wrapped around her, shielding her from the torture scene playing out before them. Disgust rose into the back of his throat. She didn’t need to witness what monsters the Fallen could truly be.
“Please, Your Highness, stop.” Asheroth held his remaining hand in front on his face and stared wide-eyed at his fingers and toes littering the roof. “I’ll talk.”
If he had been anything other than a treacherous Fallen, Vassago might have felt pity for him. His digits would regenerate in time, but the marks of his betrayal would follow him for the rest of his existence.
“The vampire witch, Colette, summoned me. She had a plan to open the divide between Hell and Earth. For my help, she promised to assist me.”
Angelic Surrender: The Kavanaugh Foundation, Book 2 Page 10
