Noise caught her attention and she followed the sound into a room used as a cooking station. Fruits filled bowls and baskets. Pots held edible plants. The sun shone brightly through a large glass pane.
Something crashed and shattered on the ground. Eve spun around and caught a glimpse of a long-haired Angel disappearing behind another door. Eve froze. If that Angel didn’t want to be seen, then fine, she wasn’t about to go chase them down.
Eve was too exhausted for that crap.
Ever since Lucifer told her about the food being tainted, she’d not touched a bite. Her trays remained filled and stacked right along with Lucifer’s slop bowls. No matter how good it smelled, or juicy it looked, Eve didn’t touch a thing they served her.
Constantine urged her to eat this morning, but she shook her head and pushed the bowl away. She trusted Lucifer more than anyone else here.
The Angels here were sheep. Lucifer was a wolf.
That’s why he was a threat.
But all because her instincts said Lucifer was the safest to side with, her belly had other ideas. Eve’s mouth watered at the bowls of oranges. Quickly snatching a couple, Eve stuffed them into the waistline of her pants. Next, she looked for something to pour fresh water into. If she was this thirsty, she could only imagine how much Lucifer was suffering.
Another noise sounded from the common area and Eve swirled around just in time to see Michael approach. “What are you doing in my private chambers?”
“Looking for you,” she answered quickly. Too quickly.
“Thou shall not lie,” Michael said calmly. “It’s a rule here in this sect. Liars are not to be trusted. And if you cannot be trusted, you cannot be in the Brotherhood.”
“I’m not lying.” Eve stood ram-rod straight and kept her gaze locked on his. “I asked to be let out of Lucifer’s cell so that I could speak with you about the progress I’ve made. I thought you would like to know about it.”
Michael’s brow arched. “Do tell.”
“I removed that vile gag you had in his mouth.”
Michael’s gaze swiftly shot to her hands. It made Eve smile.
“I still have all of these,” she wiggled her fingers at him. “But he is suffering. That hole you call a window is barely big enough to allow any sunlight through. He needs fresh air. Sun. The Moon. Surely you don’t intend to make him suffer just for existing?”
Michael rocked back on his feet. “Suffer? Is that what you think I’m doing? Making that Angel suffer?” He moved in closer, clucking his tongue and shaking his head. “Do not presume to understand my intentions, Eve. You do not know me well enough yet.”
“And how would I know you at all? You strike me down and lock me away within ten minutes of my arrival here.”
Michael shrugged. “It was necessary. Everything I do has purpose, Eve.” His eyes wandered down her face, past her shoulders and to her waistband. “Are you hungry? My warriors tell me you haven’t eaten since your first evening with us.”
“Yes,” she admitted.
“Then why are you forcing yourself to suffer and starve?”
She wasn’t sure why she said it, but, “I like to make my own food. Prepare it how I prefer.”
“Beggars cannot be choosers. Here, you eat what is served to you.”
Eve tossed him an easy smile. “Then I shall choose who serves me.”
Michael’s head tipped back and he laughed uproariously. “Gracious, female, wherever do you get it?”
“Get what?”
“That confidence?” Michael’s eyes warmed and a genuine smile appeared. His sandy brown hair dangled loosely around his temples, playfully. “You are a breath of fresh air, Eve.”
“Which brings me back to my point in speaking with you, Michael. I wish to take Lucifer out for a walk.”
That wiped the smile from his face. “A walk?”
“Yes. You treat him like a depraved animal. It will do him no good. I wish to give him fresh air.”
“He’s unstable and dangerous.”
“Then I’ll take him someplace remote so he will do no harm to anyone.”
“Except to you,” Michael wiped his mouth and frowned. “You would risk your safety to give that beast a taste of wind?”
“I wish to be in the Brotherhood. You said I must train that Angel to heel, and I shall. To do so, I must insist on certain actions and getting that male fresh air is one of them.”
The silence spurred her argument further.
“I don’t understand you, Michael. You say you wish for him to be trained. That implies you have plans to bring him into the Brotherhood eventually. But your actions speak differently. You harm him instead of help. You cage him instead of teach him. So, I have to believe there’s something else at play here.”
Michael’s jaw ticked, yet he said nothing.
“Is Lucifer a threat to the Angels or is he only a threat to you and your position here?”
“Know. Your. Place.” Michael snarled as he cracked Eve’s cheek hard with the back of his hand.
Even though she was prepared for the hit, Eve still stumbled back a little. “My place is with Lucifer,” she spat a mouthful of blood onto his pristine marble floor. “You are a leader, Michael. The strongest of our kind. Do you not wish to also be master of the most dangerous Angel in existence?”
She felt guilty even saying such a thing. In the past few days, Eve had done nothing but spend time with her thoughts of Lucifer and the Brotherhood and her desperation. She needed to be trained and out of this sect and she wanted Lucifer with her. Never mind why. The bottom line was, she needed both Lucifer and herself out of that damned cage and in a better position. If she had to play on Michael’s very obvious weaknesses to get there, so be it.
“I’m only trying to do the job we agreed on, Michael.” Fuck, her face hurt. “Please, let me take him for a walk. Let me make him stronger for you and the Brotherhood.”
Michael looked like he was debating it. Rubbing his bottom lip with his thumb, he stared at her for so long, she grew strangely uncomfortable.
“Very well,” he said. “You may take him.”
Triumph flooded her cheeks.
“But,” he shoved a finger in her face, “you will keep his leash on and the chain short. Am I understood?”
“Yes.” Eve’s heart raced.
“And,” Michael steered her out of the kitchen and back into his common area, “I will give you an exact place where you can bring him. I cannot risk the safety of others for the sake of one ill-behaved Angel.”
“I understand. Thank you,” she cleared her dry throat and tacked on, “sire.”
She hated calling him that, but if it got her what she wanted, Eve would call him anything.
Michael poured a glass of water from a large pitcher and took a sip before glancing at her. “Are you thirsty, Eve?” He held out the glass to her, “Take it. Drink.”
Her tongue was as dry as sand. Hesitantly, she reached out and accepted the glass. It couldn’t possibly be tainted. Not if Michael took a sip from it first. He seemed totally fine, so, “Thank you, sire.”
“You’re welcome, Eve.”
Her first sip was slow and sloppy. Having gone with no water or food for six days caused all kinds of tremors to take hold of her limbs. When that first drop of cool liquid hit her tongue, she groaned. Then she began to gulp. Then chug. She drained the glass and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
“Here, have more.” Michael refilled her glass.
“Thank you,” she sighed.
“Take the pitcher back with you. Lucifer may like some too.”
Eve’s smile slowly melted off her face. “Is it… is there something wrong with this water?”
His expression was stoic, “Why on earth would you ask that? Of course, there isn’t.”
“Is it tainted?” Surely, he couldn’t lie. If that was the code of the Brotherhood, then the male in charge most certainly would not break his own rules.
“Tainte
d?” Michael laughed. “Gracious, Eve, your imagination is as wild as you are fierce.”
Biting her bottom lip, her face grew hot.
“Come,” Michael coaxed her forward, “I want to show you where to take Lucifer.” He brought her over to a table that had a map with a large circle drawn upon it. “There,” he tapped the territory. “Take him there.”
“Okay,” she knew how to get to that place. “How long can we stay?”
Michael thought about it for a moment while he continued staring at his map of the realms. “From sunset to sunrise.”
Eve’s heart drooped a little. “He needs sunshine too, Michael, not just the stars.”
“He needs what I tell him he needs. You would do well to remember that because the same applies to you.” Michael dismissed her by escorting her to his doorway. “You can go this evening. Two of my guards will accompany you.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary.”
“I don’t care what you think, Eve. This is my sect and those are my rules.”
She nodded and kept her mouth shut as she walked away. She was too close to getting Lucifer some freedom to mess it all up now with her big mouth and bigger attitude.
Michael’s voice rose to reach Gabriel at the end of the hallway, “Gabe, you and Uriel will be taking this one and her pet to the Lashing Beaches.”
“Yes, sire.”
“Oh, and Eve?”
She turned around to face Michael again, “Yes?”
“Keep the oranges today, but if you steal from me again, I’ll cut your hands off. Are we clear?”
Eve swallowed around the tension in her throat. “Yes, Michael.”
“Yes, what?”
“Sire. Yes… sire.”
“Good girl,” he smirked. “I’m half convinced there’s actual hope for you.” He slammed the door in her face and Eve walked much faster to get out of there.
Gabriel waited at the end of the hall and when he saw her busted cheek, he cursed under his breath. “Come on,” he growled, marching her in the opposite direction of the dungeon.
“It’s nothing. Really. Take me back to Lucifer.”
“I will once you’re fixed.” Gabriel’s hand was heavy on her shoulder.
“I wish to go back to him now, I don’t need to be fixed.” Even as she said those words, her emotions betrayed her. Tears started blurring her vision while they walked. Staying strong was a temporary thing for Eve. A weakness everyone would see eventually. Eve put on her bravest face in front of Michael, but now that she was out of harm’s reach, her adrenaline and stress were catching up with her. Fuck, she hated it.
Gabriel brought her into a small room with three beds and some other small pieces of furniture. The walls were stark, beds narrow. It smelled really good, too.
Constantine lay stretched out on the bed to the right and he shot up the minute he saw her enter. “What happened? Did Lucifer do this?”
“Michael did,” Gabriel growled.
“Shit,” Constantine cupped Eve’s face to inspect the damage. His eyes grew dark, “Why are you really here, Eve?”
At first it was because she needed training. But now she was starting to think it was because of, “Lucifer.”
Con cursed, “He’s not worth it. Nothing here is worth your suffering.”
“I say what’s worth it, Con.” She placed her hand over his and they both held her cheek for a moment. Something… foreign… stirred in her belly. “I got Michael to agree to let me take Lucifer for a walk.”
“I’m sorry,” Constantine’s head dipped down aggressively. “Are you saying you took a hit to the face just so our leader would let you take that beast for a walk?”
“He needs fresh air,” she argued. “And quite frankly, so do I.”
“If you needed out, all you had to do was request it,” Gabriel frowned. “You’re not a prisoner.”
“How was I to know that? I was tossed into the cage and the door was locked. You bring me my food. You have a bowl for me to piss and shit in. You never once said I could get out of there any time I’d like.”
Constantine frowned, “We figured you knew.”
“All I know, Con, is that you treat Angels like shit in this sect.”
Constantine’s frown deepened. “We…. I….” his words turned to mumbles, then he shook his head and dropped his gaze. “I’m so sorry.”
Eve tipped her head to the side and studied the two males. They were so big and had matching dark hair. They looked a little like Lucifer actually. But Con was thinner in build and Gabe was surlier. Lucifer was something else entirely. Okay, now she didn’t think they looked anything alike. “If Lucifer made requests, would you honor them?”
“Depends,” Con answered. “But he never asks for anything. I don’t think he can even speak.”
“Well certainly not with that muzzle and gag you had strapped in his mouth,” she grew furious just thinking about it.
“That wasn’t our doing,” Con said.
“Do you never disobey orders?” she provoked. Tossing her hands in the air she said, “We were blessed with free will for a reason, warriors.”
“And cursed with obligations too,” Gabe countered.
Eve didn’t want to fight anymore today, “Thank you for fixing my face.”
Constantine nodded and turned away again without saying another word.
“Gabriel, will you please take me back to Lucifer now? I only have from sundown to sunrise to walk him.”
“Come on,” he put his hand on her shoulder and steered her out of the room.
Blame it on exhaustion, but Eve allowed it. As a matter of fact, she wished she could have been carried back to Lucifer’s cell. The moment they returned to the Angel in the cage, she felt safer. “Hey big guy,” she smiled as Gabriel unlocked the cell door for her, “Come on. You and I are getting out of here for a little while.”
Lucifer stiffened as Gabriel walked into the cage with Eve. She squatted down in front of him and whispered, “Just follow my lead, Lucy.” Then she grabbed the length of chain attached to his neck as Gabriel unlocked the shackles from his wrists and ankles.
With Eve holding his leash, Lucifer crawled out of his prison for the first time since he came into existence.
Chapter 5
Lucifer kept his mouth shut and expression controlled. His first step onto the cool blades of grass was his first touch of freedom. It felt amazing. The air smelled like damp plants, flowers, dirt and salt. Too many scents assaulted him at once. His vision was used to the dark, but he wished he could see this view in the sunlight. There was an odd shusshhhh noise that repeated in a calming rhythm. Lucifer stayed on all fours, his wings carefully hiding and protecting the majority of his body while they walked. Once in a while a scent would rile him up and he’d yank on his leash, eager to explore. Chase.
Escape.
He didn’t want to be here. He didn’t want to go back. He didn’t want anything but to be left alone. Since the moment he was created and dropped into the realm of Angels, Lucifer had suffered terribly. What kind of existence was that? Was he fated to suffer forever because it sure as fuck felt that way?
Not a single one of these high and mighty Angels gave him a chance to show what he was capable of. All they saw was his size, his mottled skin, and when he couldn’t respond fast enough to their questions, they’d caged him.
Yes, he was different.
Yes, he was dangerous.
Wrath flowed in his veins like an ever-growing heat. Why he was created remained a mystery to everyone – including himself. Perhaps he was to be a lesson of some kind. A monster to practice their blades on.
He didn’t know. Didn’t care anymore, either. All Lucifer wanted was to Get. Out.
And the more he fought, the more they’d bound him. His wrists were bloody and raw from those shackles. His ankles were sore and torn. The thick band of metal around his throat made it hard to breathe and swallow properly. It was too fucking tight, the edges sharp enou
gh to cut if he so much as turned too fast. The inside was lined with spikes that forever pierced his skin. And the longer he existed, the bigger he grew. His muscles were taut and defined, even though he did nothing to encourage it. His thighs were as thick as the tree trunks he now crawled past.
“Let’s go this way, Lucy.” Eve tugged his fucking leash.
Lucifer kept a tight control of his wrath when she yanked a second time. He used the pain of his collar to keep his temper in check and turned where she wanted him to go. Eve didn’t have a clue about the nails embedded in his neck. He didn’t want her to know about them. Ever.
“I’ve got him,” she said to the two pieces of shit keeping watch on them, “You guys can stay here.”
Eve’s tone was controlled and authoritative when she talked. Lucifer didn’t want to enjoy it as much as he was. Sinking his hands and feet into the damp, rich earth, he moved with the grace of a large predator. Whatever he was made for, he’d been created with a wild side.
It was evening and the glowing ball in the sky was barely visible. He wished it was a clear night. He longed to get a good look at the thing that kept him company in the dark.
“The moon is hidden behind the clouds,” Eve said. She, too, was looking up at it.
The moon. He had no idea that’s what it was called. White as bone and calming as the one star he loved to see, Lucifer only knew that he liked the way it made him feel. The moon. It now had a name he would call it by.
“How about we go for a swim?” she asked, tugging his leash again.
Lucifer gritted his teeth hard enough to chip one. It corrected itself almost instantly. That was the only blessing about being newly created: his resilience and healing energies were rapid. With time, he figured, they would slow down. Or maybe not.
Time would tell.
On his short leash, Lucifer led the way. He eyes darted everywhere looking for threats. He trusted nothing. No one. Not even the Angel with her hand so tightly wound around his chain.
He could pull harder. Risk slitting his own throat, but would most likely cause her to stumble and lose her grip on the chain attached to his fucking neck. If she let go, he could run.
Raise Hell Page 4
