Her Darkest Devils by Ginna Moran
Chapter 22
RAVEN
Angelic Vengeance
“TAMIA, I DON’T know what to tell you. I haven’t seen Lucian in days. What’s so important you need him now?” I tighten my jaw and stare out the front window, wishing I wasn’t so jealous that my cousin called me to ask about Lucian. “I hope you don’t think he’s available.”
“Fuck, Raven. It’s not like that. He’s...not my type. Not with how much he’s asked about you. I just—can you tell him I called? It’s important. I found the name of the guy he was looking for.”
“The guy? What guy?” I ask, tapping my fingers to my knees. “What did he involve you in?”
“Seriously, stop. You can’t demand to know everything about my life when you shut me out of yours for years.” Ouch. Her words cut me deeply, but a part of me knows it’s true and it’s still true. Still, it doesn’t hurt any less.
“I’m sorry, Tamia,” I say, lowering my voice. “I wish things could be different.”
“Me too, cousin. I miss you. I miss how things were. I just—maybe we can have lunch next week. Just the two of us?” Tamia’s line crackles with static, her words coming in and out with her question. Then she swears, not giving me a chance to respond before adding, “I have to call you back. Let’s plan something, For real.”
“I’d li—” I sigh and drop my phone on the couch as she disconnects without hearing my response.
I nearly forgot Elias was beside me until he drapes his arm over my shoulders and pulls me into his side. I rest my head against him, trying to be careful how much weight I put on him. He won’t admit it to me, but he’s having a bad day already. The fact that one of Dante’s venom bites glows on his bicep this early proves as much.
“I think taking some time to hang out with Tamia might be exactly what you need, darlin’,” he says, gliding his hand down my arm until I twine my fingers with his. “You don’t have to babysit me twenty-four seven. I swear on my cock that I won’t die without you, and that thing is important to me.”
I giggle at his words, knowing it’s what he was trying to do, but I can’t feel it deep in my soul. He’s right. I am babysitting him, remaining glued to his side. I will not risk everything we’ve worked toward, but especially Elias’s chance to claim his power and throne in Hell. If I have to ignore Tamia a few weeks longer, I will.
“Tamia’s fine. She only called because of something with Lucian. She wouldn’t even tell me what. It’s better this way, anyhow.” I shift and meet his gaze, forcing my mouth to smile.
“But is it? I know the importance of a companion that doesn’t want to fuck your brains out every second.” He chuckles at his own words until he coughs, the wheeze and crackle noise coming from his throat sounding worse than even last night when he was coughing in his sleep.
I thump my palm against his back, hoping to break up or fix even a bit what’s irritating him. “I will reconnect with her...just not until everything is in place. I won’t jeopardize my cousin. I’m already pissed off that Lucian dragged her into this in the first place.”
“Just remember, pretty soul. She chose to stay. And Elias is right. With everything a bit out of control, it might even be better to keep her close. Lucian and basically everyone in the damn universe is unpredictable.” Dante strolls from the kitchen in only a pair of boxer-briefs just because Elias would complain otherwise if he were naked. “He was also right about giving him some space. The bastard will be fine for a few hours. Let him have his privacy to hack up his lung, fart, take a damn shit, and just groan and complain like he wants instead of acting fine for you.”
I can’t help pouting.
“He’s wrong about all of that,” Elias says, flicking Dante in his muscular thigh before accepting one of the plates of pasta he carries. “Except maybe the shitting. Hard to compete with fuckers that don’t use the bathroom and can just empty their bowels in Hell or what the fuck ever.”
I grimace and whack him, unable to stop myself from laughing. It’s not like I haven’t thought about it. I’m barely ever alone and learned really quick that I was the only one using the toilet when Dante mentioned I was lucky they were too lazy to remodel the bathroom without one. “You asked Micah about it, didn’t you?”
Elias chuckles. “What else would we talk about besides you, sex, and his ideas of the meaning of mortal lives?”
“We should really create better boundaries.” I flick my gaze up to Dante, who winks at me, clearly amused. He knows as well as I do that after our ass train, boundaries are non-existent. I mean, I was too out of it to want to do anything with his venom bite. My mind has officially blocked out his helping me with what he insisted was important aftercare.
“Good luck with that one,” Elias says, bumping his shoulder to mine.
Dante extends his arms out, wiggling his fingers. “No luck is needed. You’ll both realize how special it is to have a boundary-less bond for eternity.” I give in and let him pull me to my feet. “Now go enjoy a good shit, shower, and nap. Watch some porn and get some ideas of how you want to celebrate your descent.”
I try not to react to Dante’s words. Descent means death of Elias as a mortal. Planning his demise is just as morbid as it sounds, and the idea stabs me in the heart, knowing it must be by my hands.
I bend over and kiss Elias, hugging him a moment longer. “Call me for anything. I mean it. I’ll make sure Dante brings me back ASAP.”
“I love you, darlin’. Don’t go misbehaving and being naughty. They like that too much.” He grins with his words and slumps back on the couch.
I watch in silence as Dante offers another venom bite, which Elias accepts without complaint. Kase materializes in the room and holds out a jacket and pair of heels for me to wear with my short, cotton dress. By the time I’m ready, Elias already dozes off on the couch and Micah joins him, shifting him on his side.
“He’s going to be fine, angel-girl. Taking you out will be good for both of you. You’re depressed as fuck just sitting around and waiting to kill him. It’s fucking twisted that you have to, and I want to distract you until it’s actually time, okay?” Kase links his fingers through mine and guides me to the door with Dante behind us.
I think about his comment for a moment, knowing he is right. I need to stop thinking about this as killing my soulmate and more as helping him rise in his rightful place and finally breaking our cycle.
“And what better way than to hunt Lucian’s ass down to kick it? The fucker has ignored my calls all day now. He’s too damn proud to admit he fucked up with Cassius and needs help cleaning up his mess.” Dante spreads his wings wide in the front yard and holds his arms open. Without giving me a chance to prepare, he snatches me and Kase and launches into the air, soaring so quickly toward the sky that I can’t even squeak a sound.
Like he’s determined to make my soul leave my body, he dives down just as fast, twisting my insides and making it impossible to think. Kase growls and cusses him out, somehow managing to speak over the wind and his chaotic flying. Dante only laughs and throws the two of us in the air before only catching me. Kase transforms into his devil self, landing with ease outside the familiar bar they own together.
The ground quakes with Dante’s landing, but it’s not from our weight. Kase charges ahead of us and to the broken door, shattered and hanging by only a hinge. The tinted glass window doesn’t fare any better. A human-sized hole sends cracks fissuring to the frame. And the smell. Fuck, is it bad. Something rotten permeated from inside like a portal remains open, letting the stench of Hell out. It’s even stronger than when the devils open a summoning circle.
“Shit. What the fuck happened?” I ask, stretching to peer behind me as Dante picks up his pace to follow Kase inside the building.
All it takes is one look to make me wish he had left my ass outside. My stomach heaves and I bury my face into Dante’s shoulder. I’ve seen some pretty fucked up shit involved with Hell’s affairs, but whatever happened here can’t even compare.
“Throw up on the floor and not me, please,” Dante says, shifting me in his arms. “Unless you’re trying to get me to fly us home naked.”
I groan and touch my heels to the ground, thankful they’re tall enough to stop any guts—both human and demon—from splashing across my open toes. I thought watching Dante slaughter the contracted souls who tried to take me was the worst I could see. But I guess when it’s the aftermath of a gruesome attack and not unfolding before me while I’m high off his bite that makes a difference.
“It’s about damn time you two showed up.” The sharp, feminine voice cuts through the air, pulling my mind away from the pile of intestines on the floor a few feet away. “The fucking angels cut off my communications. They suggested all these bitch-asses could possibly get salvation if they stood against Hell. And then some fucking guardians kept healing the damn injured, so look at what they made me do!” Gia throws out her arms and spins around. “I had to fucking take everyone apart to stop it. These damn souls were forced to break their contracts.”
I bring my jacket up to my face, securing it the best I can over my mouth and nose. “Oh, God.”
“Yeah, fucking God. I liked this guy.” Reaching down, Gia picks up a severed head and dangles it in front of me. “James was my fucking favorite. Do you know how hard it is to find a man who can get me off?” Spinning, she chucks poor James’s head at the wall, pulverizing it with her force. “I am so not happy. I’ve been stuck here for what feels like years.”
Kase roars and swipes his dagger claws, flinging a bunch of guts and body parts toward the wall. “I’ll take care of it. Where are the souls?”
“Cooking just how you like, which is why I’ve been stuck waiting for you assholes. I haven’t sent them to Hell yet. Maybe you can squeeze more answers out of them than I could.” Gia motions toward the back of the room. No wonder the scent of Hell taints the air. Who knows how long she’s been holding souls prisoner within a portal.
“You’ve served us well, Gia. I think an expansion in your territory is well deserved.” Kase motions to Dante with his tail. “Stay out here with Raven. Make her a drink or something. She looks like she needs it.”
More like twenty shots until I turn blackout drunk and melt this image from my mind.
“I’m going to stand by the window, Dante,” I say, keeping my eyes glued to his to stop from looking around. “Bring me something strong, okay?”
Ruffling his feathers, he dips his chin in agreement. “You got it, pretty soul. Just keep your eyes open for bastards. If you spot one, I’m going hunting.”
Dante swats my ass, getting me to stroll the dozen feet to a bouncer podium with a stool. It’s thankfully still intact and not covered in guts.
Like the fucker was waiting for me to appear, Cassius shows up across the street. He expands his brilliant wings and glares at me. The asshole. It only takes me a minute to realize that this might’ve been a set up. But there’s nothing I can do as Dante charges through the broken window and into the street.
Dante doesn’t make it far before two guardian angels, with their gold wings, jump in his way, stopping him from going after Cassius. Hissing, Dante spits venom at the two bastards. All it does is piss them off. Each of them grabs one of his arms and launches into the air with him.
I’m out of my seat and rushing outside before I realize my mistake. Cassius materializes in front of me and grabs my hand. I scream out and swing my arm, punching him in his smug face. He doesn’t falter. He doesn’t block my attempt to hit him again and lets me slam my fist into his jaw. I actually think he likes it. I swear to unholy Hell that he purposely turns his face in the other direction to let me smack him on his other cheek.
Fear crashes through me as his bright light engulfs the world, stealing my vision away. My stomach flips and flops, and I lose sight of the bar. I can’t hear Dante fighting above me either. And now that I have a chance to look around, I notice that Cassius not only flew me away, but he also shifted me between planes. Kase and Dante might not be able to find me here. Oh fucking hell.
I shove my palms against his chest and push them away, making him stumble with my Hell strength. The cocky bastard has the nerve to smile at me like he’s won. But he has no idea what he has done, taking me away from my devils. I won’t stand for it. This is his fault. The massacre inside of the bar wouldn’t have happened had he intervened. Many people died because of him and because of the guardian angels.
“Do you have any idea how hard I’ve been trying to get you within arm’s reach?” Cassius flares his nostrils and expands his wings sending a gust of stinging heavenly light in my direction.
“Not as hard as it’s going to be to escape me once I twist your fucking balls in my hand and drag you back to the mortal realm.” I swing my fist at his groin and try to grab them through his pants.
He finally realizes the threat I really am to him and hops out of my reach blocking me from trying to grab his cock and rip it off. I’d love to give my devils an angelic dick bouquet in celebration of finally being able to see Hell rise. It’ll be so sweet, and I’m sure they’ll reward me for it in the way I love.
“Raven, control yourself. I will not let you seduce me.” Cassius shields his body with his wings.
I halt mid-punch, throwing my weight to not burn myself on his damn wings. “I wouldn’t fuck you, even if you promised to abandon Heaven for the chance.”
He has a lot of damn nerve to think this is me trying to seduce him. It’s nearly laughable. Does he think this is what devils like as foreplay? Taking a serious beating to attempt to be as close to humans as possible unlike the devils who do it to fit in? Maybe only Lucian likes to have his cock whacked...well, they are born from the same essence or whatever. This little bitch ass probably has the same kinks.
I store the thought in my mind to think about later. Right now, I need to figure out how to get him to merge realms so I can cross back through.
“You’re lying. I know about your seductive ways.” Cassius glowers at me and flaps his wings, nearly brushing them to my face in the process.
He’s seriously asking to get dismembered and have a piece of him hidden within every one of the devils’ kingdoms. I can just imagine how they’d react to him branding my face with one of his feathers. Dante still gets upset about the one Micah gave me on my palm, a striking contrast to Lucian’s mark on my other. I know how much he loves my hands and lusts after them. Especially now that I did something new to him with my finger...
I shake my head, snapping out of my wandering thoughts.
Cassius continues to glower at me, waiting for me to respond to his comment. Instead of doing what he expects, I spin on my feet and stride away. I might be on another plane, but there is one thing that I can access regardless of where I am—the Hell portal Gia has open inside the bar.
“Raven! Raven, stop! Accept that this is over.” Cassius tries to chase after me, but the second I cross into the strange, red-lit bar, he freezes.
He can’t cross the protective barrier. His ass is stuck outside.
This might be childish as fuck, but I stick out my tongue and flip him off. “You need to accept that Hell is rising no matter what you want. You’ve lost, Cass-hole.” Elias would be so proud to hear me use the nickname he gave the dickhead angel.
“Do you really want to jeopardize all of humanity? You can’t be that evil, Raven. Your soul shines too brightly. Even your mistakes and faults are hard to see beyond the pureness of your morality.” Cassius toes the line of the barrier like he might risk getting the shock of an eternity to get to me. And who knows? He might.
“Me? You think I’m the one jeopardizing humanity? Are you that dense? That high and mighty with your damn halo so tight around your balls that all you can think is that you know best.” I heave a breath in anger, his accusation setting me off. I know I shouldn’t cross back over the line. He could do something crazy like fly me a thousand miles away and leave me in the middle of nowhere to ensure Elias dies without me, but damn it. I have faith in myself and the devils that he will not be able to overpower me.
I have hope that this is my time to fucking knock him off his heavenly cloud and bring him back to Earth.
“I do know what is best,” Cassius snaps, fisting his hands.
I lose it.
Charging at him, I plow into him and knock him onto his back. I jab my fist into his perfect face with enough force to feel his nose give way under the fury of my strength. He doesn’t move. He doesn’t fight back. It annoys me even more that he just lies beneath me and stares at me like I’m the most pathetic thing he’s ever seen.
“You’re a fucking bastard! These people were slaughtered because of you and your army, Cassius! They were torn apart limb by limb. They broke their contracts because you lied to them, giving them hope that they could be redeemed. Some of them had a chance to get their souls back!” I slap and hit him over and over, my eyes burning with my tears. “None of this would’ve happened if you would just realize that I’m trying to save humanity! I want to give souls a chance to find their way out of the depths and torture of Hell and give them somewhere more deserved since Heaven rejected them.”
“They wouldn’t be in that place had they—”
“Shut up!” I screech. I gather the front of his shirt in my fingers and shake him. “You’re not listening. Do you even care? You claim that you’re doing all of this for humanity, but I know for goddamn certain that you’re only doing this because you’re too proud to admit that things could—no, they would—be better if the kingdoms could rise.” I heave a few breaths, gathering my nerve to shove off of him and get to my feet. “It’s no wonder your brethren left you and your own brother abandoned you. You truly are a piece of work.”
Cassius catapults to his feet, growling in anger. He unsheathes his holy sword, setting it ablaze with his righteous fury. “You’ve been consumed by evil. You can’t see what I do. I wanted to save you, Raven. But I no longer think you deserve it. You don’t deserve another moment alive because everything you do will—”
Anger explodes through me, and I kick him so hard between his legs that he jumps up a foot into the air. Crashing to his knees, Cassius clutches his groin and attempts to grab me, but he’s not quick enough. I scramble out of his reach and back into the bar. He’s so blinded by his kill-mission that he forgets he can’t cross into a Hell-protected place. I squeeze my eyes shut and brace myself. The whole world quakes and rocks as he smashes into the shield. Cassius hollers in pain, and his blinding light steals all of my senses. My skin buzzes and stings at the explosion of heavenly light, but there is nothing I can do but hope for the best.
Silence fills the world before my eyelids turn from red to all shadows, and Kase’s familiar growl vibrates through me.
“Fuck, Raven. What happened? Are you okay? How did you get back to this realm?” Dante’s questions fly from his mouth as his warm hands lock onto my hips and he lifts me up.
My whole body turns into mush at the comfort of his embrace. I was so angry and scared. So furious at Cassius and his righteous accusations. I nearly ruined everything...or maybe I struck a nerve sharp enough to get through to him. Why would he react so violently otherwise? I can’t start questioning my instincts now. They’ve grown more powerful and clear with guidance and help from my devils.
“I—I—fuck that fucking fuck fuckhead fucker.” I wish I could spit out something more coherent, but damn it.
“Did he hurt you?” Kase asks, coming up behind Dante. He peers at me from over his shoulder. “I’ll cut his balls off with a butter knife and shove them up his ass so far that they’ll eventually exit his throat with enough of my Hell power. Then I’ll use his cock to shove the shitty sack back down. After that, I’ll fucking stuff him with all the nut sacks in this room until—”
Gia laughs and cuts Kase’s threat off. “My liege. You should let some of that be a surprise. I’m sure your queen would love to watch such a show without spoilers. She’ll bask in your brilliance. Why don’t I help you and start collecting them now.”
This demon bitch. I want to hate her for her bullshit last time, but I enjoy her psycho attitude far more than I should.
I turn to her. “Leave them to rot in the sun a bit.”
Clapping her hands, Gia grins. “Marvelous, my queen. Perhaps I might’ve underestimated you. Would you like to help me pluck the biggest of the bunch?”
I try not to react and open my mouth to say okay, just to play it cool, but Dante squeezes my ass cheek.
“We must find the bastard savior first, don’t you think?” Dante says, his rumbly voice vibrating against my chest. “Go on and finish sorting the souls and keep a couple extra for your own personal bidding.”
“Yes, my liege,” Gia says, pouting but not arguing. “Call me if I can be of any service to you.”
Without responding, Dante turns and strides outside with Kase close behind them. I peer up at the sky, afraid to see the silhouette of angels, but they’re thankfully not there.
“Take our soul home,” Kase says, straightening his back. “I’m going to hunt Lucian’s bitch ass down.”
“You found him?” I ask.
Kase nods. “The fucker is preparing for something downtown. One of the souls was responsible for delivering a message to us, but the guardians got to him first. Lucian’s being his paranoid self, so...just try not to worry. I have it handled, okay?”
I know better than to question him and just nod my head. “If Cassius confronts you, tie him up for me, okay? I want to handle him.”
Kase grins. “Better be good.”
My heart clenches at the thought of everything I want to do to break that angel, and none of it will be good. “He’s going to learn exactly what it’s like to face my version of Hell.”
