Her Deadly Angels by Ginna Moran
Chapter 27
Hell’s New Ruler
RAVEN
“I SAID, STOP!” Lucian roars, shoving me down the length of his torso until I straddle his waist.
I scream and punch his hard stomach, his abs hard like knocking my fists into bone-like walls, but it doesn’t stop me. I’m pissed that he stopped me from doing the only thing I could think of—no matter how awful and heart-wrenching it is to even consider—to get away from him. I mean, who the fuck runs to Hell to escape from fucking Satan? What was I going to do? Fight all of the forsaken souls until I found Micah’s kingdom, the only one I might recognize, and hope he might have already left this world, knowing Lucian escaped. I think I’m going out of my mind. Lucian’s already gotten to me.
“You son of a bastard!” I yell, smacking him over and over again, scratching and punching at his naked body, now fully aroused and loving what I do to him.
A wicked smile beams across Lucian’s face, his anger melting into a masochistically beautiful smirk. The fucker doesn’t even stop me, a bark of laughter filling the air and pissing me off more.
“At least shift your damn panties and let me fuck you if you want to tear me to pieces,” Lucian says, grabbing my hips. “Just give in, Raven. It’ll be easier on you to accept me as your soul keeper. You only resist because that’s what you’ve been molded to think. I can fix that. You have five seconds to make your decision. Will you live the rest of your life in anger and madness or will you choose pleasure with your pain?”
“You’re a psycho!” I shout, swinging my hand, slapping him across his face.
“Come on, Raven. Fuck me. Fuck me until you see what kind of Hell I have in store,” Lucian says, his smile frozen on his face, the fire of Hell still lighting his eyes. “Choose to obey me. Choose to obey me as your master, so I don’t have to break you and piece you together how I please. Fuck me! See the glory of Hell through my eyes.”
What is wrong with me? How can I even consider it? I’m suddenly trapped in his gaze, my body awakening with his twisted commands. It’s like he already knows the dark side of me that gets off with this kind of thing with Kase and Dante. He went from trying to push me with fear to trying to manipulate me by pushing the right buttons on my body. And what the actual fuck?
Lucian digs his fingers into my hips, biting my skin with his nails. “Give in, my little soul slut. Fuck me. Fuck me how you desire! I’m the only devil left. Fuck me!”
My eyes blur, my mind and body at war. The only thing I can focus on are his words commanding me and how his hard cock presses into my panties like he’ll tear through them at any second. Fire erupts around us, licking and destroying the grass. I struggle to think about anything else apart from the eternity he forces on me. My resistance already weakens as if my soul just wants for me to give in and be this monster’s filthy little whore to protect myself. Fall in love with the being hell-bent on destroying me. Eternity won’t be so bad if I lie to myself so much that I start to believe that maybe Lucian’s right. Maybe I have it in me to be his obedient soul slave as long as I convince myself that I like it.
“All you have to do is say yes, and this torture will be over. Fuck me! Feel the power of Hell,” he repeats, grabbing me by the back of the neck, pulling me closer. His eyes burn brightly, reflecting my startled gaze back to me. “Tell me you want me, and you’ll be mine. You are mine. Let me give you a taste of my Hell.”
My lip quivers, and I stare at his mouth. It could be so easy. My life is already destroyed regardless. Lucian’s here. He somehow managed to escape Hell and come to the Mortal Realm. What that means? I have no idea.
I open and close my mouth, trying to let go of everything that binds me to hope. Hope for an eternity with the devils I chose to be mine. Hope to create a place where humanity isn’t just disregarded and thrown to Hell if they don’t meet Heaven’s standards. Hope for something more than the life thrown at me.
But I can’t give away my hope and fall to Lucian’s commands.
I can’t and I won’t.
What he’s asking of me erases the one thing I have left. Freewill. It’s the one thing that he can’t take from me as long as I’m living and breathing and strong enough to resist him.
“Raven—”
“Lucian, you fucking bastard.” Dante’s gruff voice cuts through the air and over the crackling fire. “You’re already fucking trying to twist our agreement?”
Something slithers around my waist, hoisting me off of Lucian. “Don’t let the power of his Satanic cock compel you, angel-girl. That’s my job.”
My whole body relaxes the second I land in Kase’s arms, and he pulls me in close, waiting for me to hug him with my whole body. I kiss his throat a dozen times, squeezing my burning eyes shut, so tears don’t spill. Another warm body sandwiches me to Kase, and Dante tilts my head back to kiss him.
“I thought something happened to you,” I squeak out, my voice shaking. “Where the hell were you? Why is Lucian here?” I stretch up and peer around. “Andre?”
“Take a deep breath, angel-girl. Give us a moment to bathe ourselves in your light and love up on you. I knew how important you were to us, but fuck. I was going crazy being away, even if it wasn’t that long. Shift your legs a bit. I’m going to fuck you with my tail until we get to my room.” Kase glides his tail along the seam of my ass.
I clench my body. “Don’t you dare. That can wait. My questions can’t. Tell me everything like how the fuck Lucian is here?” I clench my jaw, sensing the asshole standing a few feet away, his annoyance as palpable as my anger and fear. “Why would he tell me he destroyed you?”
“Because he’s evil incarnate and was trying to get to all of us. He thinks you have an undeniable and irresistible bond to him that will sway you to give your eternity to him. He slammed the gates of Hell on us. It took us a minute to remember how to unlock it from inside. Sorry, pretty soul. Want me to hold Lucian down? I’ll grab a strap on and you can peg him and show him what your power is truly like.” Dante smiles, yet his eyes flash green, and I know it bothers him on a deeper level he doesn’t want to display in front of Lucian.
I rub my lips together, the idea not turning me on but piquing my curiosity only because Lucian should fucking know the power I possess. “No, thanks. I’m never fucking or getting fucked by that devil.”
“I will prove your disobedient ass otherwise, Raven,” Lucian says from behind me. “You won’t be able to control yourself, especially given the fact that you are mine. I’ve only agreed to allow my brethren to occupy your time as you’ve already arranged, but I am taking a day and night with you for the rest of your existence.”
What the actual fuck? I shake my head. “No fucking way.”
Kase growls at Lucian. “Shut the fuck up. Don’t test my wrath. I’m holding you to the agreement, and you need to stay the hell out of it and keep your damn mouth closed until we have a moment to explain everything to Raven.”
“Then hurry the fuck up. I don’t agree with all this coddling bullshit. Learn how to get that soul in place. You know she will obey you with enough punishment. She’s weak. Needy. The Mortal Realm and the people in her life made her mind malleable. She lives to be on her knees.” Lucian steps closer and peers at me from behind Kase. “Isn’t that right? It’s the only way you think you’ll ever be wanted.”
Dante hisses and flashes his fangs, launching at Lucian. Turning me away, Kase strides toward the door, ignoring the fighting unfolding behind us. I cling onto Kase’s shoulders and peer at Dante as he grabs onto Lucian and launches into the air, taking him up two-dozen feet to drop him.
Lucian roars and transforms, impaling the grass with his claws. “You cowardly bastard. Get your ass down here and fight me like a devil. I’ll take those wings from you if you can’t.”
“We have better things to do. I don’t need to prove myself to you. Now fuck off and go terrorize your mortal servants until we’re ready for you,” Dante says, landing beside me and Kase at the back door. He shrugs out of his pants and tosses them at Lucian. “Cover that cock up until you know the realm better.”
“You have one hour,” Lucian snaps, dusting off his naked body. He slides on Dante’s pants, the leg hems a bit long. “When I get back, I’d like a word with Micah and Elias. Alone.”
“What the fuck ever,” Kase says. “Just leave.”
Lucian crosses the distance and tilts his head, grinning at me. “After I say goodbye to my soul.”
I remain utterly still in Kase’s arms, trying not to shiver as Lucian combs my hair behind my ear and leans in, kissing my cheek.
“I’ll see you in a bit. Wear something red for me. It’s my favorite color,” he murmurs, breathing in my ear. “Be my perfect, obedient slave and maybe I won’t destroy your life. My brethren can’t keep you to themselves forever. You are mine.”
I jerk away and slap his hand, stopping him from touching me. “I’m not. Just because you have my contract doesn’t mean anything.”
He smirks again. “I guess we’ll see.”
We’ll see? We’ll fucking see?
Lucian shoves past us, not giving me the chance to respond. Kase bonks his head against the doorframe until he’s out of view. Covering my mouth, he stops me from losing my shit. My mind whirls a mile a minute. I can’t believe this is happening.
And then it dawns on me.
Where’s Andre?
My heart races alongside my mind, and I wiggle and slam my hands into Kase’s chest, using my sudden strength from my Hell-bound soul to escape his arms. Neither he nor Dante try to catch me, letting me hit my ass on the back patio. I scrape my hands on the concrete, ignoring the pain, the ache in my legs from Lucian’s fire whip more dominant but not as consuming as the agony coursing through my mind, body, and soul at the realization that Andre hasn’t returned from Hell with Kase and Dante.
“Andre!” I shout, rushing to the summoning circle. “Andre! Damn it! Show yourself.”
Upon my command, Hell’s gate bursts open, sending flames shooting toward the sky. My breath catches at the sight of Andre unfurling his black wings, his veins lit with molten liquid that gathers at the center of his chest like it had with Lucian.
“Oh, God. Fuck. No, please tell me. Please tell me you haven’t traded places with Lucian, tethering yourself to Hell, so he can walk free.” I drop to my knees, my insides twisting, knowing that my nightmare is true.
“Little Hellion, I did what had to be done to protect you. It’s not forever. The others will have their turns as long as you agree to Lucian’s adjustment in your contract. I volunteered to be first up, because I thought Kase and Dante would better serve your needs at this time...and I’m not ready to leave. It’s...difficult. The craving—it’s better this way.” Andre rests his palm against the fiery barrier, unable to pass through.
I raise my hand to touch my palm to his, but hot fingers link around my wrist, stopping me. “Careful, angel-girl. He has a lot of Hell coursing through him and no one to help balance it. Don’t let that angelic smile trick you.”
I frown. “What? I don’t understand. Andre wouldn’t—”
A snarl from beside me startles me, and I fall into Kase. Andre’s intense anger burns hot around me with the rising flames. “You fucker! She can make up her own damn mind. Give her here. I get her for one day a week like the rest of you. As the watcher of Hell, I’m taking my turn now. Raven, come to me. I need you. Don’t let him take you.”
My heart stalls at his words, my soul trembling as much as my body. “What? I have to go to Hell? You guys are swapping turns?”
Kase lifts me up and drops me on his shoulder. “We’ll discuss it inside. You need a clear head to look over everything, and Andre won’t help with that.”
“You bastard! Bring her back! I’ll die without her!” Andre shouts, setting the world behind us aglow in flames. He’s already consumed with Hell, far more than Micah was, and it opens a hole inside me, knowing he won’t be here to fill it.
I hang like a ragdoll, not bothering with fighting. I should be used to these kinds of decisions being made without me, but it doesn’t hurt any less. I’d have never agreed to freeing Lucian. I know my devils had their reasons, but are they more important than mine not to want him around? I have no idea.
“Make room. Our soul needs some serious attention,” Kase says, drawing my attention to the living room.
Elias leans on the armrest, his heavy lidded eyes struggling to remain open. Dante sits beside Micah, and I can’t help frowning at him.
“I’m sorry, Raven. It wasn’t my place to intervene with Lucian. It would’ve been worse had I fought him.” Micah’s words trickle into my mind, his apology doing nothing for the wild heartache coursing through me. He purposefully left me at Lucian’s mercy. How could he?
I ignore him and wait for Kase to put me on my feet. Without looking at any of the devils, I stroll to Elias and get him to shift enough to slide beside him, using him as a shield. My emotions run all over the place. I’m still in shock. I don’t even know how to deal or if I can.
“Here’s the deal, Raven,” Kase starts, kneeling on the floor in front of me, not allowing me to avoid him. “We’ve made arrangements with Lucian to stop an impending war within Hell. I know he’s a dickwad douche, but this was the best way to stop him from trying to destroy everything we’ve worked hard to accomplish.”
I keep my gaze pointed at the floor. “You couldn’t leave me out of it? How can you expect me to live like this? He’s going to try to break me, and—I’m fucking scared. He’s going to get fed up if I don’t give in to his unwanted advances.”
“We felt you were strong enough to keep him in line, and it’s clear in the arrangements that none of us can force you into anything you don’t want,” Dante says, his voice coming out quietly. “I can assure you that if he tries to do what he did to you tonight again, I’ll fucking seduce him only to bite his cock off.”
I pout my bottom lip. “I don’t want his dick near your mouth.”
“Then Micah will do it,” Kase says, smirking. “You’d do anything for Raven, right?”
Micah cocks an eyebrow. “I have my own methods of punishment and will handle Lucian how I see fit.”
Groaning, I hang my head, wishing this was all just a hallucination brought on from Dante’s bite. A cool arm rests over my shoulders, and Elias leans into me. I hug his side, wishing he’d wrap me completely in his arms, but something holds him back.
“We’ll find a way to get through this. As soon as I crap out and claim my throne, I’ll throw Lucian into the pits of Hell for you, okay? This is these assholes’ contract, not mine,” Elias murmurs, kissing my cheek.
“Don’t go trying to be the hero, jizz-master. You don’t know what you’re up against,” Dante says, flicking out his tongue. “Leave it to us.”
Except I can’t.
It’s my life and eternity. It’s my time.
I won’t just stand by and allow Lucian to steal everything from me.
He might be a force of Hell, but I’m a force of humanity. I have my stubborn will and determination. My faith.
It’s all I need.
Hell will rise as it should, putting Lucian back in his place, even if it takes me until my final breath. Purgatory will be mine.
