Her Deadly Angels by Ginna Moran
Chapter 22
The Hellhole
RAVEN
BRIGHT LIGHT SETS the world aglow, blinding me. Roaring, Micah’s hold on me loosens, and I stumble, falling through the hellfire and out of his summoning circle. I land on my palms, scraping my hands on the rough concrete. Fear seizes my heart. The loud pops of gunfire kick my body into action, and I drop to my stomach and scramble around, searching for Micah.
Cassius towers in front of me, cutting me off from Micah. He raises his flaming sword but not at me. His wings shield my view of his confrontation with Micah as he snuffs out the summoning circle with his heavenly grace.
And then he swings his sword, sinking the blade into Micah’s shoulder. It sparks against his devil form, Micah’s tough skin protecting him from the sharp edge. If only it could protect him from the angel’s grace. Smoke smolders from Micah’s body, and he hollers, ramming his hoof into Cassius’s gut.
I cover my head protectively as Cassius stumbles backward and trips over me. It’s the chance I need to get my ass in gear, and I crawl toward Micah, my body refusing to brave the chance of getting shot in the cross fire as the hunters shoot at anything that even moves.
I don’t make it far.
A cool hand locks around my ankle, dragging me out of Micah’s reach. I scream and thrash my body, trying to break free of Cassius’s hold. If he manages to take me, my life will be over. He won’t hesitate this time to kill me in the name of the greater good. I know it.
“Zade, catch!” Cassius shouts, throwing me into the air and farther away from where Micah snarls. “The hunters deceived us.”
What?
The world blurs as I freefall toward Zade. My stomach twists and makes it impossible to scream for help.
Two muscular arms catch me, cradling me like a hysterical child. I whack Zade on the side of his face, trying to get him to release me before he launches into the air. All he does is grip me tighter and fold his wings around us, protecting me with his body as another hunter attacks and opens fire.
“What the actual fuck!” I shriek, tensing as Zade shudders. “Are they shooting at you? You’re an angel!”
“They’ve been recruited by Hell,” Zade responds, his breath tickling my cheek. “Whatever they were offered must’ve been far more tempting than the chance of redemption. I’ll never understand it. Why risk your eternity for—”
Zade jumps and huffs, expanding his wings long enough for me to see a familiar hunter jab a dagger into Zade’s brilliant wing. Anger rushes through me at the sight of Preston. Is this real? Is this truly happening? I can’t fucking believe the bastard has the nerve to fight Zade, damning himself to Hell after Elias gave up everything to save him.
I break, my panic over being hurt in the crossfire melting away. Searching around the vast property, I catch sight of Micah fighting with Cassius. Kase tears at a hunter’s arm, ripping it off with his teeth, sending blood cascading across the grass. He snarls and whips his tail, throwing another hunter at the side of the mansion. A shadow crosses overhead, and I spot Dante jumping from the roof, where he abandons Elias to zoom toward me.
Zade notices too, surprising me by dropping me on my ass and unsheathing his flaming sword. With his free hand, he blasts Preston back with heavenly light, disarming him. Another wave of angelic power destroys the gun, ensuring Preston can’t shoot me. I’m nearly fucking certain Zade only does it to stop Preston from killing me while he faces Dante, the obviously bigger threat.
“Run, Raven! Get as far as possible. I’ll catch up,” Dante shouts, extending his fangs and projecting venom across Zade’s wing. “Go!”
His command pushes my impulse to collide into Preston away, and I scramble to my feet. Dante’s wing grazes my ass as he pushes me in the direction he wants me to run, and I bolt away and toward the long stretch of lawn leading who knows where on the property.
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” I chant the words over and over again, resisting the urge to peek over my shoulder.
But even with my focus on the world in front of me, I still miss the strange shadow crossing the grass until I’m only feet away. The warm air freezes around me, causing my breath to fog. I gasp and jerk my attention toward the sky, but nothing is there. My skin crawls, my soul shouting that something is wrong. I jump over the growing shadow, treating it as if a monster will stretch its clawed fingers out to snatch me from this world if I don’t.
I lose my footing and stumble, skidding across the grass. Goosebumps prickle over my skin, and I push up and get to my feet, spinning around.
That’s when I see the shadow spread and grow with nothing in the area able to cause such a sight.
“Raven, raise your arms!” Dante shouts, his expansive wings drawing my attention from the slithering shadow.
I do as he says and raise my arms, strolling backward to keep space between my feet and the shadow. “Hurry! Something’s wrong!”
Kase’s roar echoes through the air and he shakes the ground as he lands thirty feet away. Micah builds a wall of hellfire, cutting the hunter’s off. My devils all head in my direction at once.
And then Zade and Cassius land behind me.
“Raven, don’t let it touch you,” Cassius says, his voice erupting over my devils’ shouts, demanding I run toward them.
“Come to us, Raven. Please. You’d have to cross through it to reach your devils, and all it would have to do is touch you to take a host,” Zade adds.
I step back again, watching as the shadow continues to grow, creating a thick barrier too wide to cross. “I can’t,” I whisper. “You’ll kill me.”
“Raven!” Dante shouts, stretching his arms out to me.
“No!” Cassius launches from his spot, but Dante spits venom at him, burning his chest and face.
Locking his hands to my hair, Dante flaps his wings, propelling backward from the ground. My feet drag across the grass, an icy sensation engulfing my toes. I tremble as it slides up my calves, swallowing me inch by inch as Dante gathers me in his arms.
I open and close my mouth, struggling to form thoughts. “Dante...something’s wrong.”
Dante lifts me up in front of him, his eyes widening. “Fuck!”
He descends so fast that I can’t do anything—not speak, scream, move, maybe even breathe. My heart pounds in my ears, the world exploding in utter and complete chaos as my very being screams.
Dante’s quick movements aren’t what incapacitate me.
It’s something else. Something dark and deadly.
“Hello, sweet thing,” a deep voice says, swirling through my mind. My eyes blink out of my control and I stare in frozen horror as I carve something with a discarded dagger into my arm. “If you try to shove me out, I’ll stick a knife right through this fragile beating heart racing out of control for me.”
Holy fuck.
The edges of my vision shadow. I’m being possessed. I can’t believe it.
The strange shadow fills up my very being, restraining me with dozens of invisible knots and chains I can’t fight. I can’t do anything.
And then an unrecognizable language hums through the air and fire explodes at my feet.
“Do something!” Micah shouts.
“I can’t. The fucker carved an anchoring mark on her arm,” Kase snaps.
“Someone’s summoning the bastard.” Dante shakes my body, peering into my eyes. “Raven? Fight. I know you can hear me. You need to resist.”
But I can’t.
Flames swallow me whole.
***
I gasp as my world turns from a fiery abyss to shadows, only to be spit out in the middle of...Heaven? No, this can’t be. If I die, Lucian would drag me to Hell. There will be no saving me from a tortured eternity for failing. This place, this breathtaking, colorful world belongs to Andre. It’s his Heaven. I know it because I’ve seen it, a crazy-ass reaction to swallowing his angelic cum—or maybe just getting nearly drowned in his sweet, sugary ecstasy, tasting like my favorite coconut cream pie I used to order from Blue’s Diner on Cherub Drive in Angel Canyon when I thought I had finally had my shit together before losing my job.
Damn. What I wouldn’t give to have one last meal there before whatever fucking being stealing my willpower sends me flying straight down to bend over Lucian’s knee and beg him to let me call him master and do what he wants. I’m not against groveling. Hell, at least Lucian is hot when he’s not all asshole Satan.
“It pains me to hear you plan such an eternity, little hellion. I thought you had way more fight than that.” A bright light engulfs the sunset-colored clouds stretching out before me and Andre materializes into view. “What do I have to do to remind you that just because a soul managed to bargain with a demon to drag him back from Hell to do his bidding doesn’t mean it’s over for you? Have faith in your devils. I know they’ll come.”
Rushing forward, I jump into Andre’s arms, praying with everything in me that this moment is as real as when Micah took me to his home away from Heaven. Tingles explode through me at Andre’s touch, warming my very being as his light dances with mine.
I groan and rest my head on his shoulder. “Fuck. You’re not here. This is a dream.”
“You’re not sleeping, but you’re in a state of unconsciousness. And I am here for you. Just not physically. The hunters have warded the place against angels and demons.” Andre strokes his cool hand along the length of my back. “This is all that I can do until either your devils or Cassius figure it out. Either way, no matter who gets to you first, you’ll be okay. I will protect you.”
“Wait, Cassius is trying to find me?” I search his gold-rimmed, brown eyes for answers he’s not rushing to give. “Is that why he sent the hunters? He wanted to use them to get to me? Is that why you weren’t there?”
Andre’s grimace hardens his face, stealing the light shining in his eyes. “It is my fault, Raven. I—I have found it impossible to stay away from you, and Cassius grew concerned. I made a mistake by sharing with him how you confronted Lucian. He thinks you might be persuaded to help the Higher Power and sacrifice your soul to do so.”
“What the actual fuck, Andre!” I exclaim, my whole soul releasing my fear only to fill up with anger. “I was only threatening Lucian to try to save my ass from getting whipped into oblivion. I’m not sacrificing my damn soul for the ones who already declared me a lost cause and unredeemable.”
Andre bows into me, hugging me closer instead of releasing me and growing defensive like I expect. But he’s not the type of man I’m used to—the mortals like my ex who would never hold himself accountable, always twisting the blame onto me.
“Please forgive me. I’ve wronged you, and I’m sorry. I let my feelings for you consume me and put you in this danger.” Andre breathes into the crook of my neck, cuddling me close.
I can’t help giving into his affection and brush my lips to his temple. “Andre, I forgive you. I don’t blame you either. I haven’t exactly been subtle at my attempts to corrupt you. Your lust for me—”
“Lust? No. It’s far more powerful than that. I don’t only yearn to feel you on the same intimate level as your soul keepers do. I crave to be with you in every which way for all of eternity. I can’t deny it any longer. You’re the most magnificent mortal and soul I’ve ever laid eyes on. I think I’m in love with you. Cassius and Zade agree with me. You’ve changed me, and there is nothing anyone can do to keep me away from you. Even trying to force me to leave the Mortal Realm.” Andre tilts his head, aligning his mouth with mine, his words awakening my essence on a soul-deep level. “Cassius thought I crossed between planes, but you’ve anchored me here, little hellion. You’ve captured me with your whole being, and I swear to the Higher Power that I’ll never let you go. We belong together.”
A wave of Andre’s emotions crashes over me, igniting my body like fireworks crackle in every molecule of my being. His pouty mouth invites me closer, I mold my lips to his, kissing him with every fiber of my being until it feels as if our essences merge into one.
I comb my fingers through his hair, sliding my tongue into his mouth kissing him deeper, more desperately and with the same sizzling passion from his strangely exciting, yet fucking possessive as hell, declaration.
“I’m nearly certain it’s me who won’t let you go, Andre,” I murmur against his mouth, running my fingers down to his neck and over his taut shoulders. “I am your hellion after all.”
“And so perfect. Wickedly divine. The woman I will gladly get on my knees and pray to before I worship every inch of your body and make it mine. You’re all I need to survive this existence, Raven. You bring me light and life and everything I never knew I wanted until this moment. You. You and your intoxicating body and soul.” Andre shifts me in his arms, sliding his hand lower until he reaches my bare ass cheeks, peeking out from my nightie and robe, the same one I was wearing last night as I kneeled at his feet.
“Release her body. I have your vessel as we agreed upon.” The deep, sultry voice booms through the world, fissuring the pure goodness Andre brings to my state of unconsciousness. “I need her in control to summon Lucian.”
I yank away from Andre and search around for something, anything, to prolong this moment in the safety of my mind. “Fuck, Andre. I think the ghost fucker is releasing me. I’m going to wake up.”
“I’m coming for you. Just try to hold onto my presence the best you can until I break through the protection shields, okay? I’m not far,” Andre says, flickering in and out of existence.
I don’t get a chance to respond as my body explodes in pain, jolting me into consciousness. A scream rips from my mouth, my body, mind, and soul crashing back together as if the fucking ghost who possessed me had to tear me open to escape. My stomach twists in agony, and I dry heave. I hurt everywhere, from my fingers to my toes, and even my fucking hair cries in misery.
“What a delicious morsel you are, Whore of Hell’s Kingdom. Let me get a better look at you.” A thin, willowy man towers over me within a strange blood painted circle. His deep-set eyes bulge from their sockets, the dark color indistinguishable between brown and black.
“Fuck off,” I snap, planting my palms to the sticky floor, trying to push to my feet.
Bony fingers pinch my chin, tipping my head back. I recognize Vincent Valeka and his creepy demeanor. He stretches his gangly arm out and uses his free hand to rub the pads of his fingers over my mouth before he shoves them in, sliding his thumb over my tongue. I gag at the salty taste and snap down, biting him as hard as I can. He doesn’t jerk away like I expect and instead locks his fingers to my teeth.
Pressure builds in my jaw as he stretches my mouth wider, pinching my front teeth hard enough to freak me the fuck out. A wicked smile stretches across his face, splitting the corners of his lips, sending blood trickling down his chin.
“I’m not very fond of your teeth. If you keep trying to bite me, I’ll remove every single one of them to ensure you can’t use them when I shove my cock down your throat and see what the fuss is about. I don’t know why your keepers haven’t done so yet, considering how pleasing your bloody gums will feel.” The demon flicks his blood-red tongue over his bottom lip.
My heart stalls, and I close my eyes and try to keep my shit together when all I want to do is scream my head off at the torture this monstrous fucker plans to inflict.
“Maybe it’ll get Lucian to finally pay me a visit,” the demon adds. “Do you know I’ve been trying to reach him for months?”
“Raven, stay calm. I won’t let him hurt you.” Andre’s soft voice trickles through my mind. “But I need you to let go. Let go and invite me in. We’re already connected on a soul-deep level that I can put you into a trance and take control.”
“Do whatever you have to,” I say, cringing at the sound of my voice echoing through the room.
The demon adds more pressure to my teeth, and I scream, trying to yank back.
“Let’s find out what it takes to summon the dark lord himself.” Vincent’s skin bubbles and moves as if bugs crawl through his veins. “Maybe having you ready for him will allow me to reap the benefits.”
“No! No!” I scream, kicking his shins and scratching my nails into his wrist. “Andre, help! Please! Please!”
Fire erupts across the demon’s fingers, and he sheds his human façade, revealing the horrifying skeleton-like creature beneath, covered in muscle and blood. He whacks his bony fingers against the front of his vest, trying to rip the burned tissue away.
My ears pop, the weight of the world no longer suffocating me, Light radiates from my core and pours through the rest of me. Electricity dances through my hair. Andre’s intoxicating presence captures my wild soul and cages it within undeniable love and devotion. Obsession. Different emotions that steady my soul, bringing me comfort instead of fear.
My vision shakes as my body moves without my permission and Andre takes complete control. Vincent screeches, his ear-piercing calls stinging my ears. My palms glow, bursting with light, and heavenly power blasts toward the demon, making him duck.
“You will destroy your contract to Elias or I’ll make you regret ever clawing your way out of the bowels of Hell.” The words come from me, but I know I didn’t say them. It was Andre.
The blood on the floor ignites on fire, setting the summoning circle glowing with hellfire. Lucian’s deep, guttural growl rings through the air. It didn’t take torturing me to get the asshole devil off his ass. All it took was an angel getting ahold of me.
Fury crashes through me, ripping control away from Andre and returning it to me.
Lucian doesn’t turn to look at me fast enough.
Launching from the floor, I land on his back and clutch his big horns with my hands. “Lucian, this has to fucking stop. I’m starting to think you don’t want the seven sinners to take their thrones.”
He locks his hands around my arms and flips me over, slamming me on my back. “Of-fucking-course I don’t want the assholes to rise. I don’t want balance. I want the saviors gone and Heaven to crumble. All the other devils will fail. Their kingdoms are mine.”
