Her Darkest Devils by Ginna Moran
Chapter 13
CASSIUS
Repentance
DEAR ALL THINGS holy and good in the world, please have them show. Its divine grace blessed me with this task, and if Lucifer doesn’t show with Elias, I will have failed. The Mortal Realm and all of Heaven rely on me. It is my sole purpose in life to ensure my brother’s unfathomable plans don’t come to fruition. My deal with a demon cannot be in vain. It can’t. I feel it deep in my being that this is the right path to take.
I never expected my fallen brethren to ask me to show him mercy by saving the mortal soul that ruined his grace. That moment he told me what was deep in the dark abyss of his tainted soul, I knew exactly what to do. It was the sign I needed after facing the hurdles the devils put forth. And now, things will be right with the universe and return to as they should.
I mean, as long as my forsaken brother shows. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s disappointed me. From the moment I saw him start to drift from the light of the Higher Power to watching him slice his own wings off his back to plunge from Heaven, taking his light with him, I knew that our bond was lost. He blames me for not sticking by his side. I don’t have it in my essence to return the same blame, but I will not stand by and watch him try to destroy everything our creator has done. I won’t.
It is my duty and obligation to see to it that these shifts in power don’t occur. I’ll do anything to keep Hell where it should be—beneath Heaven and the Higher Power—which is why mortals were engrained with the idea to look down at the dark masses jeopardizing the foundation of power souls bring to our existence. Hell will be and should be always beneath the greater good. I will do whatever it takes, even if it means making deals with my brother. Heaven must remain above all. It is where it belongs.
A rumbling engine drags my attention away from the desolate road in front of me, and I spin to catch sight of a sleek, black vehicle squealing as it turns sharply onto the street. I’d recognize Lucifer’s darkness anywhere as it radiates around him like ever-present smoke billowing from the depths of his evil.
The fucking abomination, twisted fool of a monstrous bastard, piece of shit, staining everything he ever encounters with his inky, vile, existence. Just watching his eyes glow with Hell power and the cocky grin cutting his sharp features ignites a wave of vengeance through my heart. If I could jab my flaming sword through his hideous, blasphemous fake human façade and cut his horns free, I would use them to gouge his eyes out so he can never see the exceptional beauty and life the Higher Power has gifted to us in this universe.
Damn. The profanity whirling through my mind is nothing short of glorious perfection. It was Lucifer whose mere existence as a devil that has given me such a gift that I protect within my being. There is no need to speak the words out loud. They are far more powerful to contain within the light of power I’ll use to avenge my lost brethren for what Lucian has used Raven to accomplish.
“Hey bitch-face, pay attention or I’ll stomp the throttle.” Lucifer hangs his head out the window of his vehicle and revs the engine. “You’re lucky as Hell that I need you to be able to fly this little shit out of here or you’d see the underside of this Porsche. It’s a fun fucking drive.”
I turn my gaze toward the inch of space between my legs and the bumper. Unsheathing my sword, I set it aflame with heavenly fire and drag it across the hood. Lucifer flings the door open and transforms into his disgusting Hell form, trying to intimidate me as if he is ever truly a threat. He’s already tried to push his power at me once before at the mortal establishment I managed to grab his attention at during his obnoxious use of thinning the veil between planes—something he should’ve lost with his disgraced jump. He knows that to be a true match to me, he must bind himself to the pits of Hell. All he can merely do is prove how far he’s fallen.
I am and will always be above him. My wings and grace prove it.
I raise my palm, gathering heavenly light to stop him in his tracks. “Now, Lucifer. Is that really necessary? It is merely a material object with no true value in the grand picture.”
He flares his nostrils and chucks a stream of Hell power at me, which I easily deflect with my light. “Always the righteous, mightier than thou fucker, I see.” At least he knows his place.
The fact that he agreed to give me Elias for the sole purpose of keeping Raven out of the hands of the other rulers of Hell also proves it. He made it rather easy by being caught up in his need to run Hell in its entirety and withhold power from the other devils and Raven. His inability to see beyond himself has finally benefited me. His pride has gotten so much in the way that he’s willing to void Raven’s contract to ensure if he can’t have her at his mercy, then no one can.
Love truly can change the universe. It’s Elias’s need to protect Raven from Lucian that made this possible. His sacrifice will be everything Heaven needs.
“Brother, cool your fires. I don’t want to be here with you as much as you don’t want to be here with me. Now please, let’s call a momentary truce and get things settled. I’m sure you’d like to get back to your...hellish life.” I tighten my jaw, offering a smirk. I wave to Elias in the front seat. “Come now, Elias. I’m sure you would like to enjoy the rest of your mortal life in peace.”
Elias quietly slides from the passenger’s seat and strolls closer. “I need to see him hold up his end of the bargain before we go.”
Sighing, I stretch my wings and use them to propel me to Lucifer. Fire burns his dark eyes, his features frustratingly similar to my own. Why were we created this way? It will always be a mystery. It’s been so long since he was my companion and not my counterpart. I can’t remember what it was like sharing such a bond. Well, except for the ease I have doing what is necessary for the greater good. Things many of my brethren cannot fathom.
I suppose because even fallen and disgraced, a part of him will always stain my existence. His mark is my mark, though I use my light to disguise it. I used to not always, but some mortals have tainted the true meaning of my mark, associating it with Lucifer over me, the protector against evil.
The fucking bastard. His closeness in this moment prods at my core. I can’t silence my whirling thoughts, speaking the words my tongue wouldn’t dare say aloud.
Lucifer shoves his door open and growls, summoning a Hell contract from a plane I would never dare enter. He holds it out to Elias but doesn’t release it right away. “Remember the stipulation. You must die unbound and not by Raven’s hands. Once that happens, her contract will void and this fuckhead can take her soul.”
Elias yanks the contract away from Lucifer and unrolls it, looking it over in silence. I fidget, waiting for him to finish reading everything unlike most mortals. Lucian’s eyes bore into the side of my head as he watches me gaze at Elias. It takes everything in me not to give Lucifer the attention he wants.
“As you can see, upon your death, you will be given a portion of my kingdom. You will help overlook my affairs and control my armies.” Lucifer reaches out and jabs at the contract.
“If I’m Hell-bound,” Elias says, finally finishing. He rolls up the contract and hands it to me. “Right, Cassius?”
“Oh, you will be,” Lucifer says, not giving me the chance to respond. “Just remember where you belong when you descend and remain loyal to me and you won’t have a problem with the other devils. I will keep them in control and on their paths.”
My jaw twitches, and I refrain from smiling. Because one of the things I’m certain about is that the other devils will rise and challenge Lucifer. They will stand together and shove him back where he belongs. It’s what I’m counting on. It’s one thing for Kase and Dante to remain on this plane. But my wayward brother? He’s done far too much damage already. I’d hate to think what he plans to do once I take Raven’s soul to the one place no devil is welcome and the place her light will forever be protected. Once she’s torn from the darkness and into the light, she will finally see that her true purpose is not intended to help Hell rise but ensure it remains beneath us.
I rest my hand on Elias’s shoulder. “Your sacrifice will be worth it to keep your soulmate out of the devils’ clutches. She might be content now, but the devils will grow bored of her. When that happens...it’s best we do not find out.”
They would most likely suck the light from her until Raven’s soul is nothing but an overused casing of a wasted gift. If that happens, her eternal suffering will surely far exceed any entity in this universe.
“Yeah, yeah. You know my feelings about all this, Cassius. Don’t forget this deal was born from my desperation. Had I not have been railed in my metaphorical ass by this douchebag, I’d be soaking my cock in the magical warmth of Raven’s pussy as she creates paradise for me and my devil comrades, something you and your dry, limp, embarrassingly useless dick will never truly be able to grasp or appreciate.” Elias glowers at me and swats my hand away from his shoulder.
I purse my lips and ruffle my feathers. I hadn’t thought much about his feelings apart from his desire to keep Raven from finding her soul a slave to my brother. He might be right about my naivety over mortal activities, but I couldn’t care less. I find great pleasure in the good work I do for the divine. I don’t need to “soak my dick” in anything but the mighty light of Heaven. That is paradise.
I scrunch my nose at my thoughts. Perhaps my faith and purpose are a bit strong, and I see the accidental innuendo—but no matter. I stand by my convictions that fighting and protecting the sacred is all I’ll ever need.
“What is the phrase...different strokes for different folks, Elias?” I square my shoulders and flick my attention to Lucifer. I can see his judgement blooming across his hard expression. He thinks I might act high and mighty or perhaps am hypocritical, but how could I be when I speak from the truth of my essence? I am above him. He will never rise as high as I can fly without falling and crashing to the ground. But me? I can soar.
“You are one fucking contradictive asshat,” Elias mutters under his breath.
I remain expressionless. “Some things are just impossible for a mortal to understand. Perhaps if you never let things come to—”
Lucifer throws a burst of hellfire at my feet, startling me. I grab Elias and drag him with me the few feet I fly.
“Just get the fuck out of here before someone tracks me down. Raven is on the verge of letting me fuck her hard enough to rearrange her insides if I help her ‘find’ this asshole, which doesn’t fucking matter to me because failing results in the same damn outcome. Raven’s contract will be void.” Lucifer strides forward and jabs me in the chest. “Don’t let the bastards get word of this, got it?” Turning to Elias, he adds, “See you in Hell, fuckhead.”
Lucifer once again tosses hellfire at us, forcing me to carry Elias out of the road. My forsaken brother squeals his tires and leaves us in a cloud of burned rubber as he zooms away. Releasing a breath, I shake off the presence of his lingering darkness and summon heavenly light between my fingers to help push it away. Elias studies me in silence, his pallor washed out with his sickness.
I reach out and press my palms to his cheeks, bathing him in my light, hoping to ease his aching body the best I can. A mortal in his condition in this state of his cancer usually would struggle to stand, but he somehow keeps his strength, fighting everything against him, even his own body. I’d call it miraculous, but it’s not. Some things just happen like this without an explanation from the Higher Power.
For all I know, Elias could live for another month...or he could die tonight. Even angels of high esteem like myself aren’t privy to all of the universe’s answers. All we can do is keep going to see where the Higher Power sets things in motion. And Elias’s path in his existence is winding, rough, off-beaten, and completely unfollowable to most.
Except Raven.
She might now be guiding his way and helping him through the obstacles, but it’s not her job. It should’ve never been her purpose. Her soul should’ve moved on and found peace nearly two centuries ago.
“All right, man. Are you fucking crying? You’re starting to freak me out. Why are you staring at me like that? I’ve had enough of your angelic molestation. I didn’t ask you to help me. Your light doesn’t energize me.” Elias flicks my shoulder and steps back even more, putting space between us. “It’s just creepy.”
I blink my watery eyes and pull myself together. I know he has few memories of his eternity before he fell for Grace, but deep in his mortal soul lies the angelic brethren who fought so fiercely in honor of the Higher Power. I can bring that back if I can just give his soul a little extra push...
Lucifer has stolen too many of my companions already.
It’s in this moment I realize that I will do whatever it takes to ensure Elias returns to Heaven instead of falling into Hell. I know it is what the Higher Power would want.
“Pardon me, Eli. I’m merely helping you. With enough of my light, we can destroy Hell’s darkness around you completely. Your eternity is not lost yet. I’d like you to see as I do and have faith that you and Raven will be together for eternity in the light of Heaven. Hell will never touch either of you again.” I expand my brilliant white wings, setting the dark world around us aglow. “What do you think? You’ve repented enough. I wouldn’t have these thoughts if it wasn’t possible.”
Elias’s frown softens. “What? I’m not sure I understand.”
A wave of soothing warmth washes over me, and for a moment, I glimpse the divine world of my beloved home. I knew I was right. This is the sign I need to push harder at Hell’s darkness. Lucifer thinks Elias will fall to Hell but it seems he’s been granted a miracle for putting Raven before himself and choosing rightly, his actions swaying him toward Heaven.
I smile and close the space again, clutching his cheeks. “Elias, my friend, this sacrifice you’ve made has blessed you. The darkness fades. If you accept my light, the universe will fall back in order.”
Opening my arms, I surprise him with a hug and kiss the top of his head, a rush of relief leaving my whole body zinging. I knew my hard work for the Higher Power would benefit us all. I knew I could do this far better than anyone else. Micah might have been given the task, and then Andre. Zade was too hesitant to carry such a burden, so the job of keeping the devils at bay fell in my capable hands, where it should’ve been all along.
“Feel the power of Heaven. Let it wash you free of your mistakes and sins,” I murmur, smiling wider at the confusion, surprise, and then finally acceptance crossing Elias’s expression. “We’ve done well. You’re rather lucky that the Higher Power led me to you.”
Elias grimaces. “Dude, what the fuck? Are you having a breakdown? You’re glowing so brightly I think I’m getting a sunburn. Chill.”
“Embrace the glory of a new day,” I say, stretching my arms toward the sky. “You and your soulmate will have the peace you want. Now, come on. It’s time to take you somewhere safe to wait out the remainder of your mortal life. Just imagine how indescribable it will be when your soulmate joins you and you can return as one and be whole again.”
Elias groans. “Fuck that shit. I only agreed to Lucian’s deal to get the fuck out and return to Raven. Knock that shit off with your light. I’m going to Hell, and Raven’s going with me.”
The amazing feeling of touching home vanishes with his words. Ice crashes on my head, stealing the glory of the Higher Power away with one comment.
I tense and clench my fingers into fists. “You can’t back out. We had a deal. You are to come with me to die in peace. I’ve already told you that you will join Raven in Heaven.”
“Are you a dumbass or what?” Elias says, meeting my gaze with a stare comparable to that of a devils. “You can’t make a deal with a mortal. You said it yourself that it was Raven’s choice, and I plan to keep it as such.”
My chest heaves, my shock and anger leaving me unsheathing my flaming sword. “Don’t make this mistake, Elias. We have an agreement. You and Raven are to ascend into the Higher Power’s grace. Heaven depends on you.”
Shaking his head, he smirks in amusement. “Why can’t you get that I fucking played you, Cass? You were my last resort, but Lucian said it himself; Raven’s soul is free regardless. If I die unbound—which I will. Or if he fails to help her find me—which he will, because I’m finding Raven first. I agreed to let her take me out with a bang, and I intend to keep my promise. I will take my throne so she can take hers. Now fucking leave, you crazy bastard. It’s over.”
Something strange runs hotly through me only to be pushed away at the sight of headlights coming down the road. And fucking-fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Motherfucking Hell. Elias can’t get away with this. I won’t allow him to jeopardize everything. He will not play me like a fool.
Flapping my wings, I launch forward, preparing to fly away with him. He doesn’t have a choice anymore because he’s incapable of making the right one. Always has, and now obviously always will.
The glint of something glass sparkles in Elias’s hand, but I’m moving too fast to avoid him. Swiping his hand across my wing, he drags a shard of mirrored glass deep into my flesh. I knock him onto his back, only to feel the force of his fist punch me in my supposedly blasted useless dick—and it hurts, surely as much as Hell does. I holler and stumble, the pain in my groin and the injury to my wing, forcing me to land.
A horn blares, the ear-splitting sound startling me. I don’t have a chance to brace for the impact of a sedan as it plows into me and sends me crashing to the ground. The heavy weight of its tires crushes both of my outspread wings, and I howl in agony.
“Elias! You can’t run! You belong to Heaven. You were created there and will come home whether I have to drag you there or send your soul myself.” I push up and watch Elias drag a frightened woman from her vehicle. She screams and hits the window, but there is nothing she—or I—can do for that matter.
Fucking Hell.
Fucking treacherous greedy bastard, putting himself before everyone.
He and all the devils are going to pay. I’m through trying to nudge people onto their rightful paths. Heaven needs me as their powerful leader.
This is war.
