Hell's Phoenix

by Gracen Miller

  “Hmm.”

  “Where’d they come from?” He scanned the room, but didn’t spy the mother or a nest of the monstrous critters. These looked too young to stray from their den, but their pearly eyes were open, so they were at least four weeks old.

  “They came to me when I called forth my clothes the first time.” Cupping the pups, she lifted them to her nose and cooed at them. “My sweet cherubs.” She nuzzled both Hellhounds to her neck.

  “Ah…that is not a good idea.”

  She ignored his statement and stood. “We gotta go now. I cannot remain neutral for long.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “You’re getting out of Hell.”

  “I’m not leaving Hell. I made a covenant with Micah. Everyone I love will suffer if I renege.” Not that he remembered any of them. All that mattered was that Mads would suffer.

  “Obviously, you weren’t paying attention, Nix, I now own that covenant. Those rules don’t apply.”

  “You can’t know that. It’s a risk too big to take.”

  “What I’ve just done for you.” A dark frown settled on her face. “Don’t even think about fucking with me right now, Phoenix Birmingham. I’m not in a fucking kind of mood.”

  What’d she do for him? He’d helped drag her to Hell. He’d given Micah his wet dream and had been instrumental in bringing about her worst nightmare. It would be more accurate to say what he’d done to her.

  The shirt she wore clung to her damp flesh, exposing the full roundness of her breasts. She settled the Hellhounds on the floor at her feet and they whined at the loss of her affection. Nix couldn’t decide if he were amazed or appalled by their immediate devotion to her.

  “Mads, baby.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her away from the mutts. They followed her progress. “You may be okay suffering whatever Micah doles out, but I couldn’t bear it.” He kissed her forehead and breathed deeply. With the emergence of her Lynx, she smelled different, but still so fucking good. “If he harmed you, I would go crazy.”

  “If I promised he wouldn’t harm me, would you agree to the exit?”

  Nix shifted and peered down at her. “There were others in danger of torture as well. Those I called family.”

  “What are their names, Nix?”

  There were gaping holes in his memory from his mortal life. Those things reminded him of his humanity and dismissing them from his mind made going rogue so much easier.

  He stepped away from her and shoved his fingers through his hair. “Their names do not matter.”

  “I’m sorry for the horrors I’ve brought upon your family. If I’d never come into your life, never sought help, you quite possibly would’ve never reached this predicament.” She stared at him for a long time in pity or horror, he couldn’t decide which. “Alessa, I need you.”

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Madison created a magical doorway and plucked her friend through it.

  “Alessa? How’d you get here?” Confusion marred Nix’s voice.

  “Hey, Nix. You’re looking good.” Alessa grinned with a wink and hooked a backpack over her shoulder.

  Madison resisted looking at Alessa because she didn’t want her friend to see how far demonic she’d gone. Holding onto her humanity with a white-knuckle grip, for the first time in her life, she claimed control of her future and peace with being a demon.

  “Alessa, Nix doesn’t remember his family. I need you to remind him of the man he was.”

  “I remember them.” Nix sent her a displeased frown.

  “Then I ask you to give me their names again. Just one.”

  They glared at one another, his silence telling.

  Alessa directed her question to Madison. “How do I remind him?”

  “I don’t know. Doing what you two always do together should help jar his memory.”

  “Why can’t you help him? All we ever did was screw, and I don’t want to do that, especially not with you watching. It’ll feel like I’m violating our friendship somehow.”

  That’s just ridiculous. She’d never vowed any strong affection for Nix. Had denied it repeatedly.

  “I’m too dark right now. I couldn’t help him if I tried.” She lifted her gaze and her friend whistled low at the sight of her eyes.

  “Christ on a stick,” she muttered. “They’re worse than before.”

  Because the transformation from human to demon is complete. “Nix needs your help.”

  Alessa nodded. “M’kay. Looks like you might need my help as well.”

  “No.” She rubbed her forehead with her palm. “I’ve never felt better.”

  “I’ll do this, Mads, but only if you agree to watch all of it.”

  “Why?” God damn it, she didn’t want to watch Alessa and Nix do anything together. Not touch, not kiss—nothing—because jealousy would rear its nasty head and with her newly discovered inner devil, it might not end well.

  “So you’ll admit on some level how you feel about him.”

  “Jesus Christ.” She sputtered off a string of Xapil curses. “Feelings aren’t going to do us any good! Have you checked out my eyes? I’m gone, Alessa, the demon in me is alive and well, and I won’t be coming back from this. The Ark of Heaven needs an honest woman who can—”

  “Keep arguing with me and we’ll get nowhere fast.”

  Madison clenched her teeth and relented. “I’ll watch.” She’d watch, but she wouldn’t guarantee how it’d affect her fragile psyche.

  Alessa approached Nix, her steps slow, while she twisted her hands. When she spoke, it was about their shared experiences. She started with the details of their friendship, how he saved her life and helped her through the difficult reality of her werewolf husband. When she moved into their intimate moments, Madison knelt and scooped up the pups to hide her unease.

  “Remember our first time, Nix?” She couldn’t see Alessa’s face, but a dreamy expression had Nix looking younger. Alessa ran her hand across his belly and their familiarity startled her. “You were so sweet. Such a gentleman. You allowed me to set the pace because you didn’t want to rush me after Richard’s death.”

  She remembered Alessa mentioning Richard was her husband.

  Nix ruffled his fingers through the other woman’s dark hair and he pulled her close. He rubbed his lips against the top of her head. “I remember, Lucky. I wanted it to be good for you.”

  Alessa cupped his ass. Squeezed. Madison envied their intimacy, something she’d not even had with Micah.

  “When you thrust inside me, I almost forgot my name.”

  Her hands tingled at the visual that ripped through her head. Madison glanced at them and electricity sparked between her fingertips. One of the pups yelped and she buried her face in its furry neck, muttered ‘sorry’ over and over.

  Her emotions were too on-edge and the Lynx wanted to claim Nix as hers. To avoid injuring the hellhounds further, she settled them near her feet once again. Prayers spilled from her lips in whispers, hoping the journey down memory lane would help her friends begin a lasting relationship when they exited Hell.

  Nix kissed Alessa’s forehead and Madison resisted the urge to look away. But she’d made a promise and she would stick to it.

  “You okay, Madison?” Alessa’s hands pushed beneath Nix’s shirt and slid up his chest.

  She’d never be okay again. Not ever. That had nothing to do with what Alessa and Nix were doing though.

  Bullshit, Lynx contradicted.

  “Why wouldn’t I be okay?” Madison ground out between clenched teeth.

  Alessa groaned her frustration and glared at Madison, before reminding Nix of some incident involving red lingerie.

  “Tying you facedown with your pantyhose was a lot of fun, Lucky.” He grinned, dimples blazing, and Madison did look away that time. “Driving into you from behind and hitting your g-spot as I fucked you,” his voice grew husky and Madison blinked away the erotic visuals. “The way you screamed—”

  Alessa halt
ed his words with a finger to his lips. “Yeah.” She sighed wistfully and Madison held her breath, stunned by the ease with which they discussed their familiarity. “I came so hard I did forget my name and thought my heart would never beat right again.”

  Oh, come on! Climaxing that hard wasn’t possible. Alessa must be feeding his ego.

  “Good memories, Alessa.” Nix kissed her, long and deep, the wetness of it the only sound penetrating the room. “Why are we reminiscing?”

  And why did I agree to watch?

  Watching them kiss…her fingers twitched to scratch out the other woman’s eyes.

  Hello, green-eyed monster.

  I need to get a freakin’ grip! This is about Nix, not me.

  “What’s your cousin’s name, Nix?” Madison asked, her voice feeling tight.

  “You know his name, Mads. My God, your eyes!” He released Alessa and walked to Madison.

  “I’m aware they’ve changed. Humor me. Tell me your cousin’s name.”

  “Gage.” Nix clutched her face between his hands and tilted her head back so he could stare at her. “What have I let happen to you, baby?”

  “Nothing that wasn’t already designed by your God.” She tried to give him a reassuring smile, but figured she failed miserably when he continued to frown. “What’s Gage’s girlfriend’s name?”

  “Zo. My uncle is James and my aunt is Georgie. Can we get past the Birmingham family tree, or do you have any other stupid questions?”

  “He’s back,” Alessa chuckled.

  “No more demon desires, Nix?”

  “Yeah, it’s me, baby.” His lips tightened. “You shouldn’t be here, Mads. You either, Lucky.” He sent Alessa a dark glower.

  Alessa might’ve shrugged, but she didn’t look away from Nix. “I wasn’t given a choice. Elias brought me to Hell, remember?”

  Nix groaned. “I was responsible for that.”

  “I planned to come anyway.”

  Nix frowned.

  “No way would I let you forfeit your life to Hell. Not for me and especially not when I was used as leverage to coax your consent.” He should know her better than that. She placed her fingers over his lips when he would’ve spoken. “Zen is on board with this rescue mission, so no arguments. You know how stubborn I am.”

  Displeasure tainted his aura with jagged lines. But at least it no longer held the stain of Hell.

  He glanced over his shoulder at Alessa. “And you? What’s your excuse for being in Hell?”

  “Stupidity,” Madison answered.

  “Madison sold me on the idea of being an underdog, and you know I love to defeat the odds,” Alessa smarted off with a shrug.

  “Not funny, Lucky.”

  “We have to go.” Madison’s right eye twitched at Micah’s mental bellow. “After the seraph, my link with Micah is strong. He’s realized my motives for wanting your covenant weren’t what he expected.”

  “Goddamn it, Mads, I never wanted you to put yourself in danger for me.”

  “Ditto back at you, Nix.” She winced as her husband screeched.

  Madison! She tried to blank her thoughts as he screamed in her head, but wasn’t certain of her success. Whether Micah could hear them or not, he continued, You couldn’t have fooled me! I would’ve known. Rethink releasing him from Hell’s covenant. This is a taste of what I can do.

  She cringed, and slapped a palm over an eye that throbbed as if it’d explode. Another surge of agony lanced down her spine and she groaned as she went to her knees. Dark retribution grew as ragged as an omen in her mind, and the Hellhounds growled from the vicinity of her thighs.

  “Micah is pissed.” Madison lowered her hand to her leg. “I can’t break the link. Y’all gotta go now!” She peered up at Alessa. “Please take him and go. I can’t have fallen only to endure failure.”

  Nix gripped her head and kissed her. Her eyes rounded in shock as his tongue touched hers. He angled her head with his hands and deepened the kiss until her eyelids drooped.

  “Focus on me, baby.” His lips skimmed hers in a feathery kiss that could drive her to distraction if they possessed the time to dawdle. Another embrace, this one slower, more carnal, and held her captivated in a warm glow of golden light. He’d doused her with his magic.

  “It’s time for you to concentrate and shove him out of your mind. You’re strong enough to kick him out. Focus on me.” His knuckles dragged down her arm and his other hand gripped her hip in a tight hold. “Remember the hotel, my mouth on you, my tongue on your breasts, and my fingers inside you.”

  “Nix!” she gasped against his mouth. “Alessa!”

  He smiled wickedly, flashing those adorable dimples she loved. Alessa chuckled lightly, the only indication she gave that she’d heard Nix.

  “Trust me, she’s not shocked.” He rubbed his thumb across her bottom lip. She shivered at the contact and his expression…too soft, too full of emotions.

  “Nope,” Alessa agreed. “Not shocked or surprised.”

  At least she wasn’t gloating.

  “You’re linked to me from my magic. We can use that against him if you cling to my link and not his. Micah is out of your head, isn’t he?”

  “Yes.” The taste of Nix on her tongue was so much better than the taste of Micah. “For now.”

  “Then let’s try and get the hell out of here.”

  Madison didn’t bother telling him she wouldn’t be making it out of Hell. Nix drew her to her feet and shook his head. “I can’t believe my two favorite girls are trying to save my hide. I should wring both your necks.”

  “Wring our necks later.” Madison looked at Alessa. “I want you and Nix out of here now.”

  Amos? You there?

  Mmmhmm came her son’s reply.

  Perfect. Now if it would all just hold steady.

  Get ready for Alessa and Nix to return.

  Okie dokie.

  Nix’s grip tightened on her arm. “You’re coming, too, right?”

  “Once you’re both safe, I’ll follow.”

  “I’m not leaving you in Hell, Mads, not with that fucking bastard you call husband.” His jutted chin screeched mutiny. “The things I know about him would put ringlets in your hair.”

  “I can’t depart until the Ark of Heaven is earthbound. Zen said so.”

  “Fuck Zenny! Think about it. You control my covenant. Micah could force you to summon me. You have to come with us.”

  “No. I have to guard the door so no demons follow you out. Once you’re through, I’ll void the covenant and Micah cannot use it as leverage against us.”

  “No.”

  “I wasn’t given a choice in your deal, Nix, and you’re not given one in mine. I was born for Hell, you weren’t. Imal u muhtfuc hi aukht.” Open a pathway to earth.

  “No!” Tears shimmered in his eyes. “I won’t allow this.”

  “You cannot resist my control over the covenant.”

  “You deceptive bitch!” Micah snarled as he burst into the room.

  Madison whipped around and faced off against the man who would spell her doom. “Take him now, Alessa.”

  “Not going!”

  Had Nix always been this stubborn?

  “I command you to remain,” Micah said to Nix.

  Madison clucked her tongue to irritate him. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Micah, but I own his covenant.”

  “How?”

  No point in pretending to misunderstand his question. How could she have removed the covenant when her motives hadn’t been the least pure? “I said I wanted it to show my commitment to you and Hell. I spoke true when I said those words. Once Nix is gone, I’m yours free to do with as you please.”

  “I will flay the skin off your body inch by inch.”

  “As you please, husband. But you can’t force me to relinquish the covenant, so shy of killing me, I’ll do as I please with it.”

  Micah’s upper lip curled, triggering anger that vibrated across his body, presaging certain disaster.

&n
bsp; “You tricked me, kitten.” He frowned, seemingly mystified by her ability to deceive him. “But your eyes.” He shook his head. “I don’t understand. You were all over me in the shower.” Much to her dismay, that’d been very real. Not that she’d feed his ego and tell him. “And when you overtook Pandora, so much power leeched out it caused a magnitude ten earthquake. The resulting tsunami put most of Mexico and the southern tip of California under a hundred meters of water.”

  No! Tears stung her eyes and her hands trembled. How many had she killed? Why hadn’t Zen crushed her soul immediately?

  Madison moved enough to place herself in front of Alessa. She attempted to put Nix behind her as well, but he stepped beside her and gave her a ‘don’t try that again’ glare.

  Micah’s clenched jaw told her he wouldn’t make the mistake of trusting her twice. “Phoenix has shared my bed, sucked my dick, and participated in threesomes with me.” Madison flinched at the realities Nix had been forced to endure for thinking he saved her when he accepted the covenant. “How does it make you feel to know I degraded the purity of the Ark of Heaven?”

  “Nothing you’ve done to him has diluted the purity of his blood. No amount of sodomy or mass genocide will ever spoil his pure bloodlines.”

  “And no amount of good you do will ever cleanse your blackened soul,” Micah shot back.

  “I know.”

  “Neither of you know that with certainty.” Nix clutched her hand and squeezed.

  “I’m at home here, Nix.” She wished she could eliminate his concern, but their relationship had been built on truth. She wouldn’t sugarcoat her predicament now. “As much as I don’t wish to admit it, I’m comfortable in Hell. I don’t want to be bad, but it’s taking a lot of willpower not to enthrall you away from Alessa.”