Her Deadly Angels by Ginna Moran

Chapter 4

Fall from Grace

ELIAS

ANGEL FIRE DANCES over the long sword of one of the most glorious bastards I’ve ever seen. I don’t know what I was expecting an angelic warrior to look like, but it was nothing like the giant man in front of me, standing at least half a foot taller than my five-eleven frame. I tense in anticipation as the looming man lifts his sword over Raven, her Hell-bound soul quivering as hard as her body. Her aura swirls in ribbons of light and dark, the seductive dance of the devil entrancing even the angel.

I clear my throat, the pain tight in my chest, screaming that I need to sit my ass down and rest before I keel over. “My grace. I’ve waited so long for this moment. Please accept this offering on my behalf. I’ve done everything I could for the chance to earn my place back in Heaven’s light. I—”

Scowling, the angel flaps his wings, knocking Raven over as he launches at me. I duck and cower, hitting my knees to the asphalt. I’m not against groveling and praying. I have nothing else to lose as my soul is tethered to a demon who can’t wait to drag me to Hell.

Bright light illuminates the world so intensely that I have to shield my eyes from the godly being, far more terrifying than I’d expect of an angel. “Please, forgive me. Show me mercy. I’m a dying man who has made mistakes in my life. I—”

“Elias? No. It can’t be,” the angel whispers, his towering body lighting the world around me with his heavenly glow. He knows my name. This must be a good sign.

“Yes, your grace. My name is Elias. You must know I’ve been fighting on your behalf, sending dozens of demons to Hell in Heaven’s honor.” My chest clenches, and I rasp a cough, my ribs and back aching. The pain has gotten worse over just the last month. I can barely sleep as the cancer consuming my lungs tortures me with a slow and painful death. But I wouldn’t wish for a swift end. Not now. I need every second I can get. “I’ve taken Hell’s most wanted soul from its keepers to bring to you. All I ask is for redemption and your mercy.”

The angel folds his wings, cocking his head to stare down at me. His thick brows pinch together, and he remains silent as he processes my words. Shifting on his boots, he swivels and glances at Raven, shaking and crying at his feet, and then back to me. Heavenly light radiates from his very essence. If I crawl close enough, maybe some of it will spill onto me and help me through my final days.

I press my palms together. “Please—”

“Elias,” the angel says, repeating my name. “You’ve been here all along? We thought Lucifer bound you to Hell.” Uh...what the fuck is he talking about?

“Who’s we? And Lucifer? I think you have the wrong Elias.” It’s my turn to frown. I should continue to plead and beg for forgiveness, but the way this angel looks at me has my mind spinning. I thought he knew me from my constant prayers and acts on God’s behalf. Unfortunately, he looks angry. Confused. Like he might backhand me across the country. “I haven’t made a deal with the devil. It was—”

“It’s pointless, Andre. He doesn’t remember shit.” Raven’s soft voice cuts me off, drawing my attention to her. She wipes her hands over her glistening cheeks, settling down faster than I expect her to. “Not me or anything that happened. Humanity took everything from his memory like it had with me. I doubt he’d have done this to me if he did remember...right? Instead, looks like we both screwed up our clean slates.”

“Raven,” the angel, Andre, says. “I can’t speak with you about things I don’t know.”

“But it is Elias. The Elias, right?” she prods.

What the fuck is she talking about? Me remembering her? I’ve never met Raven before I saw that monster fucking her mouth. I’d remember a woman like her. Despite the whole demonic sex slave thing, she’s hot. Definitely fuckable. I can see why she’s been chosen to play with. But as for everything else? She’s mistaken. Even if I did know her—hell yeah, I would’ve still done this regardless of who she is. I need someone I can use to barter with to help regain possession of my soul. Unlike Raven, I really don’t want to be a demon’s bitch for eternity. She looks bendy and tough as nails. My ass puckers at even the thought. Fuck my life.

“Come on, Andre. Just tell me. I heard what Cassius said, you know. He blames me for Elias. You probably do too.” Raven’s black hair curtains her face, blocking her tear-stained cheeks. Andre breaks his ethereal gaze from me and turns to her. Tipping her head back, she stares up at the tall, muscular angel, her mouth puckering in a pathetic pout. And then her bottom lip trembles. Damn. I wonder if that could work for me.

“I could never. Cass was speaking out of hurt, little hellion. He knows even angels can rise and defy, making their own choices if they want them badly enough.” Andre strokes her damp cheek with his knuckles. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was doing it out of his need to be close to her and not his empathy.

“Then why are you here? You said you wanted to talk.” Raven covers his hand with her own. “You went through a lot. The man...”

“I never wanted that to happen. I’m sorry,” Andre says.

It’s like I’m no longer here, and I don’t know how to feel about it. This was supposed to be my chance to receive salvation, yet he won’t look at me for more than a second. He’s enthralled with her. Keeps stroking her cheeks and getting all up in her space. This is far beyond being close to her for comfort.

I can’t exactly blame him if he wanted her attention. She’s beautiful, even crying. It’s always the hot mortals who get seduced by demons. I don’t get it. Those fuckers are horrendous. But then again, it could be something else with the way they speak as if they know each other.

Does he have a boner? I think he fucking does. No, not think. He’s pitching a damn tent. And I was starting to lose faith that miracles happen. Maybe I have been going about all this wrong. Maybe Hell is after Raven because of this, and I can use her to get through to the angel.

I shake off my curiosity about angelic boners, because fucking A. It doesn’t matter. None of this does.

“I didn’t even know it was you who accepted his grace, but it’s obvious neither of you are truly to blame. You’ve even managed to find each other despite death and time itself,” Andre murmurs, stretching out his free hand to comb her hair behind her ear. He glances at me, and I dart my gaze to the ground. I need him to keep talking so I can plan my redemption accordingly. “And you’re both bound to Hell. I thought perhaps it was more than what you said about your deal with Lucian and that maybe you were drawn to Hell because of your soulmate, but it seems I was wrong since he wasn’t there. I don’t have a good answer for any of this.”

“Why do you need a good answer?” Raven asks, flicking her gaze to mine, trapping me in place. I’ve never felt captured by anyone as much as I do in this moment. “Can’t you just accept that maybe it’s more than about my Hell-bound soul?”

“How the fuck so?” I mutter under my breath. “Who are you anyway? How do you know me?”

She either doesn’t hear me, chooses to ignore me, or maybe I never even said the words out loud because she doesn’t respond to my question. Her blue-green depths sheen with unshed tears, yet she keeps her face expressionless, no longer affected by the angel or the man she killed. I think Andre’s presence calmed her as much as it has me. It’s strange, feeling evil my sick lungs chill out for a moment, letting me breathe.

“I’d have to get a better reading of your soulmate to be certain.” Andre flaps his wings again. “The Higher Power never does things without reason.”

Releasing me from her enchantment, Raven shifts her attention back to Andre. “You can’t possibly think this asshole bastard is my soulmate. He wants to sacrifice me to save his own soul. You have no idea what I’ve been through.”

I’m going to have to agree with her. Sure, she’s attractive. I’d fuck her harder than any of her soul keepers. But my soulmate? Impossible.

“Too much, little hellion. Far more than you should’ve ever had to bear,” Andre says softly, ruffling his brilliant feathers, sparkling like a damn rainbow prism even in the dark, “and I’m sorry. Things should’ve never shifted this way. Your beautiful soul is too light and pure to experience such torment. I wish there was something I could do, but you are bound. You must understand why I can’t intervene...with either of you.”

I tense and curl my fingers into fists at his words. Anger gets the best of me, and I stomp forward and surprise both of them by grabbing Raven by the back of her dress. Hoisting her off the ground, I restrain her to me and unsheathe my blessed dagger from beneath my jacket. It won’t do jack-shit to the angel—at least not like how it’ll burn a demon—but I don’t like the way things are going or what he’s saying. I’m running out of time.

“This is bullshit! I’ve done nothing but serve in God’s name, and you’re going to deny me the one thing I need.” I aim the dagger at Andre. “If you can’t help me, then I’m going to find someone who will.”

Raising his hands, Andre admits defeat and steps back. A strange look crosses his face, and he flicks his eyes toward the starry sky. I remain firm in my place, refusing to let the quick look toward the heavens distract me. Angels are supposed to be trustworthy, but there is something about this guy that makes me want to keep my guard in place. I don’t know if it’s the way he looks at Raven or if it’s the way he doesn’t just give up and abandon us. Whatever it is about him leaves me on edge. I need to get out of here while I can still force Raven to go with me.

Raven locks her slender fingers over my arms, trying to break my hold on her. “There is no angel on this plane who will help you, Elias. But if you let me introduce you to my devils—”

I holler my frustration in her ear, giving her a shake. “I’ve already made a shitty fucking deal with a demon. I need divine intervention. I deserve it. I’m only in this mess because I was trying to do the right thing.” My chest aches, my lungs tight and clenching. I can’t suppress the cough as much as I want to, and Raven uses it against me to jab me with her elbow.

I heave and bow forward. My eyes uncontrollably water, and I swing my blade, ensuring the damn angel doesn’t try anything stupid. Blinding light illuminates the world. Shielding my eyes, I shuffle away, putting space between us. Raven surprises me by sauntering closer with her outstretched arm.

“It’s serious, isn’t it?” she asks, risking my fury to touch my shoulder.

A shockwave courses through me, stealing my breath even worse than the cough. I stumble out of her reach, my fear forcing me to put distance between us once again. I don’t know what kind of bullshit this is, but I want no part of it.

“It’s none of your damn business,” I snap, my words coming out gruff.

Andre expands his wings, startling me. I jerk my attention to the angel and rush him. He doesn’t dodge me and launch into the sky like I expect. The fucker surprises me by enveloping me within his wings. Standing in shock and awe, I steady myself by gripping the front of his shirt. Maybe he changed his mind. Maybe he’s decided he can show me mercy and free my soul of its demonic bind.

Wrapping his arms around me, the angel pulls me close in what I can only describe as the most awkward hug I’ve ever felt in my god-damned life. I remain rigid under his flexing muscles as he releases a breath near my ear. I shudder at the sensation, hating how he smells like a tropical drink without the alcohol.

And then the angel sniffles and pulls away.

I grimace and peer into his glossy eyes as he leans in close enough to see the ring of metallic gold around his dark irises. “Why are you fucking crying? Is this part of the whole save my soul and prepare me for Heaven thing? Because if it is, I don’t feel any closer to God. Only your...” Fucking damn it. I ram my hands into the angel’s chest, shoving him back. “Don’t rub that thing against me. Not cool, man. Save it for her. She looks like she’d enjoy it as much as she enjoys the damn demons.”

“We both do,” he says simply, so seriously, that it throws me off. I had no fucking idea that angels could get a boner, and this guy nearly stabbed me with his. “The body is a magnificent thing, but also so frail. I’m sorry yours has failed you.”

“The fuck?” I obviously found the wrong angel. “It only failed me because—”

“You only have weeks left on this plane.” He cuts my comment off and tries to close the space to me once more. “But you know that, don’t you.”

Stumbling away from him, I raise my palms. “This is why I’m asking for your help. I’ve been working my ass off in God’s name. I’m not asking you to save my life or give me more time. I’m asking you to cancel my demonic contract. You can do that. I know you can. You’re an angel and demons don’t have anything on you.”

“I’m sorry, Elias. Your assumptions are untrue,” Andre whispers, flapping his wings hard enough to stir up fallen leaves from the ground. He doesn’t try to hug me again despite looking like he wants to. Fuck, he doesn’t even adjust his meat rod to get it in line. All he does is blink his eyes, shedding a damn tear. “I wish the Higher Power had led me to you sooner before you succumbed to a demon’s clutches. You will face far worse eternal torment than any mortal ever would.”

I stiffen at his words, wondering why he thinks that. It’s pointless to ask him. He already steps away and stares at the sky. “You should be fucking sorry. It’s like you want me to burn.” I wave my blessed dagger at him. “You can offer me a miracle and choose not to. You’re a fucking bastard.”

Another tear sparkles on Andre’s cheek. “I can’t.”

“Then fuck off!” I rush forward, planning to test my theory on whether or not my blessed dagger will harm an angel. I want this son-of-a-bitch to feel the pain I feel. The agony he guarantees on my soul.

“Elias, stop!” Raven shouts, stepping between me and Andre. If the angel didn’t flap his wings, sending me falling on my ass, I might’ve gutted her by accident.

Pain swells through me, and I punch my fists into the hard ground. My vision hazes, my eyes uncontrollably watering. I shout in anger again, so pissed off by the way my plans to save myself unravel before me, and nothing I do can stitch up my mess of fate’s strings unless someone offers to cut me free of them.

Raven stomps closer and snatches my discarded dagger from the ground. “Are you fucking insane? What do you think would happen if you stab him? He’s an angel for fuck’s sake. He can flick his damn hand and smite you straight to the pits of Hell.”

I flare my nostrils and glower. “Then why doesn’t he do that instead of cry on my behalf like it’ll somehow make a damn difference?”

“Because it hurts him that he can’t do anything,” Raven says, surprising me. “He’s not lying—he can’t lie—Elias. Andre would save both of our souls if it were possible.”

Swiveling, she peers over her shoulder at Andre, and he offers her a whisper of a smile. One just obvious enough to get under my skin. How can she stand up for him? How can she be okay and have accepted the fact that she’s just as damned as I am? She can’t love demon cock so much that she’d be okay getting fucked, punished, and who knows what else for the rest of time...can she?

I shudder. I don’t even want to know.

“I would,” Andre says, affirming Raven’s words. “You don’t deserve this fate—”

An earthquake rocks the world around me, and Raven stumbles at the suddenly shaking ground. With a quick shriek, she catches herself on the road and remains there, not bothering trying to get up. I scoot away from her as Andre unsheathes his flaming sword. White light glows from his eyes, radiating across his skin. Fear tightens my chest, and I cough, my ribs aching with the force.

Red fire cascades through the air and into Andre, knocking him back with the hellish force. I scramble to get up, my body hollering to give it a break. It nearly forces me back to my knees, but the deep-seated urge to run keeps me moving. This isn’t an earthquake. Demons are coming, and they’re powerful enough to scare the angel.

Shit.

Waving her arms, Raven gets Andre’s attention from the ground. “Go! Get out of here. They’ll try to take your wings.”

Andre tightens his jaw, standing tall and stiff. His muscles ripple and flex. I search the area in the direction he studies, wondering what the fuck I’m dealing with. I don’t see anything yet, but I know whatever demon it is closes in on us because Andre relents to Raven’s words and bends his knees, launching into the air.

“Wait!” I shout, tipping my head back. “Take us with you!”

Andre disappears.

A guttural roar echoes through the night with another explosion of red fire crashing into the ground where the angel had stood. Pushing myself off the ground, I manage to grab my knife and steady myself. The loud thuds of the demonic beast fade until I only hear the soft sound of bare feet.

I rush toward Raven and lock my arm around her waist, pulling her into my chest. I’m torn between wanting to protect her, so I can see if I can find an angel powerful enough to help me, or using her to get my ass out of the demon’s way. A gust of wind blows from behind me, and I twist, expecting to see that Andre returned, but a tall, scaly, freaky-as-fuck demon folds black wings on his back.

And then I recognize him. It’s the demon I kidnapped Raven from.

Fuck my life.

Shoving her away, I break into a sprint to make a run for it. Something snags my ankle, sending me sprawling to the asphalt. I feel around for my knife, but it’s out of my reach, and whatever restrains my legs doesn’t break no matter how hard I fight against it.

Red light explodes above my head and rains sparks over me. I blink and cringe, trying not to react as it burns my skin. A looming shadow cuts over me, blocking out the glittering stars above. I feel across my jacket, looking for my last chance to save myself.

“I should rip you open to see if your intestines taste like Heaven or the bowels of Hell,” a sharp voice says. “Or better yet, I will feed them to you, and you can tell me.”

I heave a few breaths and tilt my head up to face the demon head-on. “Fuck off.”

“You were always a brave bastard, Elias,” the demon says, narrowing his red-glowing eyes. “It makes things more fun.”

Bending down, the demon grabs the front of my shirt and yanks me upright. My stomach twists at the sight of his skin rippling and moving as his demon body starts to break free. Shoving my hand in my pocket, I finally manage to find what I’ve been looking for.

The demon is too concerned with flexing his evil in an attempt to scare me that he doesn’t see me pop open the cap of my flask. Summoning my own damn miracle, I throw the blessed water into the demon’s face.

I hit my back on the ground and laugh. There is nothing else to do as the demon hollers and prepares to kill me.

He unleashes Hell.