“You speak out of turn, Ramiel.” I grabbed a soldier mush meal and slammed down the lid of the box. “My heart is mine to give to who I please.”
“I do not speak out of turn. I am your leader.” Ramiel strode up to me, and he stared down at me with narrowed eyes. His body radiated with pure power, the kind of power that could bring other angels to their knees. He rarely ever exerted his power like this. He didn’t need to. We all deferred to him, no matter what. But now…now things had changed. I would not refuse my heart. Ramiel might be able to push away his feelings, but I couldn’t. And I wouldn’t. Not even with an order from my leader.
“You speak for yourself. Not for me.”
And with that, I left him in the galley to stew.
Chapter Eight
Erela
ONE WEEK LATER
The boat limped into the docks. All the rest of the way to England, the water demons made knock after knock after knock against the hull, in between being chased away again by the Hydra, and a few leaks had sprouted up along the way. The poor humans were tired and hungry—half of our food supplies got soaked and spoiled—and they were more than a little bit grumpy. When we spilled out onto the docks, we headed straight to Lilith’s base. It was only a mile from shore and a welcome relief.
I knew Ramiel wanted to go straight to Berith’s castle, and I did, too. But we owed it to these humans to find a safe space for them to rest. A roof over their heads. Clean clothes and food. Lilith’s home would provide that for them, and it would give us a base while we tracked down the amulet.
Lilith had many homes scattered throughout the world, one of which was located in a small village in the Devon countryside. Rolling hills spread out on every side of us, the farmland now transformed into fields upon fields of untamed bushes and grass. The village itself wasn’t much more than a few buildings clustered together around the High Street. A butcher’s and a post office, plus a pub that had gone out of business a long, long time ago. In fact, every single building was boarded up and abandoned.
Lilith’s house was a five minute walk from the main square. When we strode up the quiet English street, I was impressed to find a large three-story manor type house with a picket fence and a quaint garden full of herbs and flowering plants. There was a little hut just off to the left of it, and the door cracked open as we all approached, looking bedraggled and war torn. But the whole place looked…alive. Splashes of color were everywhere, and the wooden chairs in the garden looked homey and well-worn. A warmth settled over my bones. This place would do. It would very much do.
A short little man with a thin patch of reddish hair poked out his head and gazed our way. He took one look at the tired humans and then one look at us, and for a moment, I thought he would scream and run. But instead, a smile donned his face and he nodded. Wrinkles creased the skin around his eyes, the kind that showed he’d spent many days of his long life smiling.
“Ah, welcome. Welcome. I’ve been expecting you,” he said in a creaky voice that still felt warm and soothing like butter on toast.
“Expecting us?” Ramiel strode to the front of our group, his hand rested tensely on the hilt of his sword.
“Aye,” the man said, his accent thick and lilting. “You must be friends of Lilith’s. I’ve spent the last ten years of my life here, tending to her home and her garden. We’ve got plenty of fresh vegetables here. No fruit, sadly. It hasn’t fared well in this dreary weather despite my efforts.”
Lilith hadn’t mentioned the old man gardener, but it didn’t surprise me. Back in New York, she’d taken in humans at her penthouse that lined Central Park. They’d been her friends and her confidants, and she’d given them various jobs to do if they so desired. In the end, she’d had to leave them behind when we fled from Berith. More for their own safety than anything else.
“I hope it’s alright that we came here?” I said, stepping forward. “She gave us some documents that led us to here.”
“Yes, yes. Of course. Lilith told me you’d be coming.”
I frowned and exchanged a glance with Ramiel. “How would she have known?”
Did demons have some kind of premonition? Had she seen exactly how all of this would unfold that day when Berith had attacked us? And, if that were the case, had she known she would die? Why hadn’t she tried to stop it? Why hadn’t she said something to us? If only she had, maybe we could have prevented it from even happening.
My mind was churning, my heart fluttering in my chest, even though I didn’t truly understand what the gardener was saying.
The old man cleared his throat, leaned a long-handled shovel against the fence, and hobbled over to where we all stood staring at him. His light blue eyes were kind from afar, but even kinder up close. There was a twinkle there, the kind of lightness that could only be genuine. It was a shock to see, something I certainly hadn’t seen in any of the humans I’d met so far. It was as if the apocalypse and the demons were a distant memory.
“You know, back in the olden days, before the demons invaded and all, way before my time.” He sniffled, but then gave me a broad smile. “We humans had these crazy contraptions called telephones. You ever hear of them up there in your celestial skies?”
I exchanged a glance with Ramiel, and then nodded. “We were taught the basics about humanity. You could talk to people across long distances.”
“That’s right.” He turned away then, and nodded at the house. “So you won’t know that Lilith made it through that awful attack. She’s in there. She’s still healing, but she’s alive.”
My breath felt as though it had been knocked from my lungs. I was halfway to the house before someone grabbed my arm and pulled me back. I whirled on my feet to find Ramiel shaking his head, his eyes dark and hooded, his mouth pressed into a thin line.
“Let go of me.” I yanked against his grip, but he was far stronger than me. “I have to go to Lilith.”
“This could be some sort of trap,” he said in a low rumble. “I saw Berith kill her with my own eyes.”
There was the sound of a door opening from behind us. A rustle, and then a soft sigh. “It’s not a trap.”
Her voice was music to my ears. The sound I made was something between a cough, a snort, and a gasp. Ramiel’s eyes lifted toward the door behind us, and his lips quirked up just the slightest in the corners. I whirled on my feet, heart hammering hard in my chest. Lilith stood in the doorway, her long red hair spilling around her shoulders in thick waves. Her eyes were bright but tired, and she stooped as though a heavy weight pushed down on her shoulders. But she was alive. She was very much alive. I could scarcely believe it, even though I could see her, with my own two eyes, standing right there before me.
“Lilith?” I breathed. “You’re alive?”
She nodded, but then winced. “Only barely. I have…a lot of healing to do. Come on inside. I’ll explain everything.”
Inside, Lilith eased into a recliner, one that was a far cry from her antique wing-backed chairs and red velvet cushioning that she’d collected in New York. This one looked more like a pile of dirty napkins. Still, she sighed in relief as she sunk into the soft cushions. “I hate the aesthetics of this chair, but I cannot deny it’s comfortable. My body is healing, and I didn’t have the strength to argue when Harry insisted I borrow his recliner.”
“How did you?” I knelt before her. “When did you? What did you?”
She let out a light chuckle. “Berith blinked me away after he slit my throat, once he sensed that it wasn’t going to kill me. I suppose he didn’t want you to realize I was alive. He likely hoped you’d make an emotion-fuelled response.” She cracked open an eye and lifted a brow. “Did you?”
“I’m here, aren’t I?” I grinned.
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“I, ah…” Lilith didn’t know the truth of me. She hadn’t been there when my arms had caught fire, mostly because she was the reason it had happened in the first place. My emotions had been raw and far to
o real, and it had transformed me into a walking fireplace. Out of all the friends I had in the worlds, it should be easiest to tell Lilith what I was, her being a demon herself and all, but…well, Lilith didn’t particularly like demons any more than I did, even though she was one herself.
She was an exception, and I didn’t know what I would do if she turned me away, not after thinking she was dead, not after mourning for her as I had.
“There’s something you should know about me.” I took a deep breath. “I’m part fire demon.”
For a moment, Lilith just stared, and then she nodded. “That explains a lot, but why didn’t you just tell me?”
“I only found out when you died. You know that whole emotional reaction you were asking me about? I might have burst into flames. And then launched a fireball at our least favorite Archdemon, who then burned to a crisp.”
Her eyes softened. “Oh, Erela. I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to tell you I was alive. There wasn’t much I could do. He blinked me into England, and I haven’t been in any state to travel. I knew you’d come here. Eventually.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You don’t seem to be at all surprised or weirded out that I’m a fire demon.”
“Because I’m not.” A smile. “It makes a lot of sense. You always seemed different to me, like there was more to you than met the eye. I was right.”
We both grinned, though a tear slid down my cheek. More from joy than anything else. Lilith’s own eyes were glassy, and I had to wonder how alone she must have felt these past few weeks, wanting to contact us but not being able to do anything but sit here in her house being looked after by her kindly old gardener.
“Now,” she said, clearing her throat and blinking away her glassy tears. A determined expression settled over her face. Now, she looked like Lilith. All business. “What the hell are we going to do about that portal to hell?”
“We’re hoping you can help us out with that,” Ramiel said, coming up behind me to rest a comforting hand on my shoulder. He’d been standing in the room, listening and watching our entire exchange. But strangely, I didn’t mind. He had seen my rawest emotions far before now. “Did you happen to see anything when he brought you here?”
“He originally took me to his castle, and yes.” She let out a shuddering breath. “The portal isn’t there, but the amulet is. Unfortunately, I don’t remember much about it because of my wounds. I do believe there might have been some booby traps.”
I arched a brow. “Booby traps?”
“To be honest, it’s all very fuzzy because I was halfway dead. Still, I tried getting to the amulet myself. I think he must have rigged the room so that it was next to impossible. Maybe some boulders came out of the ceiling?”
“That sounds…lovely,” I said dryly.
“Sounds like a challenge to me,” Uriel said as he strode up behind us. I glanced over my shoulder to catch his lopsided smile and wink. “I think all six of the Order combined can figure out a way to get past an asshole demon’s booby traps, don’t you, Erela?”
“The Order might be six, but count seven in your plans. If you’re going after the amulet, I’m coming with you.” Lilith pushed up in her chair, and her eyes went razor sharp. “I just need one thing to fully heal me, and then I’ll be ready to go. But I might need your help. I need someone who is willing to share it. I only deal in strict consent, and Harry is worried he’s too old to endure any loss.”
Huh? I cocked my head, frowning at her. It was like she was talking in riddles or speaking an entirely different language.
“What in the world are you talking about?”
Her teeth glittered when she smiled. “I need blood.”
Chapter Nine
Erela
It turned out that Lilith was a blood demon, which made a ridiculous amount of sense now that I knew. Berith must not have realized it himself, or he would have known that a little cut wouldn’t do anything other than weaken her for awhile. Blood demons were very similar to what humans imagined as vampires. As long as they had access to a steady supply of blood, nothing could kill them. Not even a wooden stake to the heart, by the way. They would only die without blood. A long, slow, painful death where they would wither away into nothing more than a pile of ash.
It also explained why Lilith liked to surround herself with humans. I knew she cared for them, but it was obvious the relationships had been two-way streets. She provided them with a safe space from the demons. They provided her with blood.
Unlike most blood demons, Lilith would only take blood if the human consented. And I had no idea how the hell we were going to find a human nearby who would be willing to submit to a vampire.
“Why don’t we just ask one of the crew members to do it?” I asked after we went through several dead end options.
Ramiel, Sam, and I had huddled together while Az, Uriel, and Lizzie were off rounding up some food for the crew. We’d found a little side room by the kitchen full of muddy wellies and umbrellas.
“We can ask,” Ramiel said with a frown, “but you saw their reaction to the water demons. I don’t see how any of them will agree to it.”
I let out a frustrated sigh. “Surely one of them will agree. I mean, how has she gotten all of those other humans to agree all these years?”
“Her charm,” Sam said simply. “It’s a blood demon thing. Humans eat it up.”
“You better be talking about some grub because you’re right.” The captain, Rourke, strode into the utility room and crossed his arms. “Otherwise, I have a feeling I’m not going to like what you lot are talking about.”
Ah, the captain. Perfect timing, as usual. Time for me to try and remedy the situation.
I moved closer to him and placed a hand on his elbow, half steering him toward the open door. “I know you all got ushered to your rooms pretty early, but I’d like to introduce you to the owner of this house.”
“The demon, you mean.” His voice was flat.
“Yes, the demon.”
“Look.” He ran a hand down his tired face. “It’s taken a lot for me to accept your whole fallen angel thing. After all me and my friends have been through, it was tough teaming up with some supernatural beings. You all have earned my respect though. I’ve seen you in action. It took a lot for us to do that.”
“I appreciate that. I do.” I took a deep breath. I wasn’t going to be able to convince this man that he should give a demon a chance. It was hard enough for him to agree to stay here, but his men needed rest. They’d probably be out of here first thing in the morning.”Just..I don’t know, can you—”
He held up a hand, and my heart sunk. “Let me finish, Erela. Like I’ve said, you’ve earned my respect. I know you’re fighting on our side. You all risked your lives and your limbs to keep my people safe. If you say that a demon deserves a chance, one who has welcomed us into her own home, well then I reckon I should give her a chance. I’ll meet her, but just me for now. I can’t let my men walk into something without me first checking it out.”
I blinked at him. That was…unexpected. Maybe I’d underestimated this Rourke. “Right. Awesome. Well, in that case, come with me.”
When the captain laid his eyes on Lilith, I knew he was a goner. She smiled up at him, her long hair framing her delicate face. He cleared his throat and strode up before her, making a little bow before he held out his hand.
“I’m Rourke. Spent most of my life as a captain, though I didn’t really have anywhere to go until now. My friends and I appreciate you letting us stay here in your home. We’ve come a long way to bring this lot here to England. You do know why they’re here, right?”
Shakily, she stood, took his hand in hers, and then placed her other on top. I couldn’t help but notice that her cheeks were pink. “Nice to meet you, Rourke. I’m Lilith, and yes I do know why the angels are here. They want to close the portal to hell to keep more demons from coming into your world. As hard as it might be for you to believe, so do I. Until a few weeks ago, I had been pr
otecting that amulet with my life, to keep this world safe. I kept it right here.” Slowly, she dragged her hand up to her neck and pointed at her chest.
The captain’s face deepened into a dark shade of red. Oh, Lilith was good. I could see now what Sam had meant.
“Well, then we find ourselves on the same side.” He tipped his head forward, swallowed hard. “At your service, Lilith.”
After a few tense moments, he stepped back, turned, and disappeared out into the hallway.
“Lilith,” I said, gesturing after him. “Why didn’t you ask him? I mean, he was practically ready to worship at your feet!”
She lowered herself back into her chair and fanned her face. “I don’t know if I can ask him. He’s far too handsome.”
“Far too handsome?” A grin began to spread across my lips. “You have a crush on Rourke.
She scoffed and pressed down the front of her shirt. “Crush is such a silly word, and no, I don’t have one. I merely find him attractive is all, and I…well, I don’t really look my best when I’m in my drinking mode.”
“Oh, come on. You’d look great even if you were covered from head to toe in demon gunk. You should ask him, Lilith. I’m sure he’d say yes. And well…you need blood, and I don’t know where else we’d be able to find you some.”
Lilith was very particular about where all of us were to stay. The humans, including their oh-so-sexy Captain (according to Lilith, anyway…I could admit the guy was pretty good looking, but he wasn’t my type—it seemed I was more into the broody fallen angel kind of guy), they were given an entire wing to themselves on the northern side of the building. Lilith, I couldn’t help but notice, had taken a room that was also in the northern wing. She showed the rest of us to the western wing where there were a total of six rooms with double beds and views of the coast in the distance.
Nebulous (Order of the Fallen Book 2) Page 5
