Her Darkest Devils by Ginna Moran
Chapter 24
ANDRE
Adversaries
“PLEASE, I—I can’t. Just untie my hands. I won’t fight. I just need to touch myself. The ache—you’re a monster.” Christian rolls his hips as he tugs against the restraints locking him to the stone wall of my kingdom.
“A monster? You’re mistaken. Lucian had far worse plans than restraining you in his kingdom.” I step closer and get into his face, seeing the familiarity of desire lighting his eyes. Things could be easy for him if he would just tell me what I want. “All you need to do is give me the Mortal Realm location of your superiors. If you do that, I will release you. It’ll be up to you whether or not you leave my kingdom.”
“I—they’ve acquired the Sycamore Apartments on Playa Heights and Celeste Drive in Cloud Canyon. That’s all I know.” Christian grimaces with his words, his revelation hurting him on a level he probably never imagined. He just betrayed Heaven, and without realizing it, it will now be his downfall.
I grin and grab his wrists. “Was that so difficult?”
The bastard thrusts his hips toward me in an attempt to rub his uncontrollable hard-on against me. No one is immune to my kingdom. My approach is far different than that of the others. While Lucian thinks torture and pain work faster, desire not only affects someone in the moment. It will linger with them, teasing and taunting, begging them to give in. How could something that feels so good be bad? For Christian, it’ll be that he’ll want more and more until it turns all consuming. He will never be able to leave my kingdom once I release him.
“Please, just release me. You promised.” Christian’s heavy-lidded gaze searches my face and he bites his lip. “Please.”
“Just remember, do not even consider trying to touch me. If you do, I will resort to Lucian’s form of punishment...but if you’d like to touch my souls, they’d be happy to find some reprieve with you.” I tighten my jaw, stopping myself from smiling. His mind is gone already as the thoughts flicker across his eyes. “Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Christian whispers.
Using my Hell power, I break the restraints on Christian. He dashes past me and launches into the air, taking flight for only a few seconds. The lust-filled air captures him immediately. Diving down, he skids his boots across the soft ground where my souls wriggle and connect, humping and sucking, penetrating anything and everything in their paths, lost on their eternal desire in a world that they’ll never find relief.
A shock of energy zaps me right in the balls, tightening my body as I watch Christian trying to control himself. The second a man breaks from his place amid the masses, sensing the fresh lust of the angel, Christian loses it. I lick my lips and grip the railing of my balcony, inhaling a deep breath.
I watch in satisfaction as Christian strips out of his pants and rubs his hard-on only a few feet from the soul. He’s going in without a care, without a second thought, ready and willing to experience pleasure unlike anything Heaven could ever give. The soul smiles and turns around, dropping to all fours. Christian’s light dims with each of his steps toward the man, slowly at first, curious yet anxious. Bowing forward, the soul rests his forehead on the ground and grabs his ass, spreading his cheeks wide. All it takes is his puckering asshole to get Christian to rush the rest of the way, thrusting right into the man’s invite, the lack of lube not fazing the soul.
Christian moans at the act of falling to his desires, not realizing that he’s set off every soul around him. My skin prickles and the deep hunger inside me roars. I wave my hand, sending a gust of wind through the air, ripping the souls apart. Christian hollers in annoyance, only to be shut up by another soul crashing into his back and locking his arms around his hips before he buries his face and licks the angel’s ass.
The glorious sight before me leaves my whole being burning.
I can’t watch another minute as Christian falls completely into the lust and power of Hell. The tornado ends, sending the souls back to the ground, and the angel enters a woman next while another man mounts him from behind, the sounds of their moans and aches getting to me more deeply than they should.
Closing my eyes, I push away the image of the train of bodies humping and licking and kissing and stuffing every hole possible as they remain trapped in their aching desire. I break through the haze and open up a portal, tapping into the summoning circle that allows me to access what will soon be my home away from home.
I shudder and discard my hunger, hoping that Raven might sense me and peek out the window of Micah’s room. All I need is one glimpse of the most enchanting woman and soul in existence. One glimpse of the desire she carries for me is enough to satiate me for days at a time. I can’t wait until Micah takes the tether and frees me. Raven and I can finally get everything we desire together and more. I’ll never be hungry with access to her all the time.
“Andre, you have an angel in your kingdom. Please let him go.” Zade’s voice drags my attention away from Micah’s window and the faint scent of desire steaming across the glass. “You’re only fueling the smite of Heaven.”
Rage rushes through me, and I glower and press my palms to the summoning circle, feeling the barrier caging me inside. “The angel is no longer a prisoner. Be my guest to enter my kingdom and bring him out yourself.”
Zade shifts on his feet, his face sharpening as he considers my words. “I cannot risk it. I just—I...”
“What?” I snap. “You show up and demand things but you never follow through. All you do is watch in silence. Why are you even here? Why bother?”
Sadness crosses his face, and for the first time in a long time, I get hit with a strangely familiar emotion. I’ve spent eternity protecting humanity by Zade’s side. I’d recognize his grief and longing anywhere.
“You know why I abandoned Heaven. What I can’t grasp is why you don’t join me.” I cross my arms, trapping him in my gaze. “Why do you hate the idea of redemption so much so that you’re willing to just stand by and—”
“I don’t hate redemption, Andre!” Zade gathers heavenly light in his palms, his rush of anger nearly intoxicating. “I hate that humanity faces devastation because of you. Don’t you get it? Heaven’s army isn’t backing down. There will be a war. They won’t stop. I—I don’t want to see you or anyone else get hurt.”
“Which you can only blame them for. Join us and help us. Make the right decision.” I press harder against the barrier.
“Andre, please.” Zade slumps his shoulders. “Think about what will happen. I didn’t come here to start anything. I only wanted to warn you. Heaven will sacrifice humanity in the name of the Higher Power to stop you. The consequences will be apocalyptic. Devastating. Is that what you want? To destroy the world?”
I bang the barrier, sending flames dancing toward the sky. “You’re a lying coward. The guardians would never. I believe you came here because you—”
Tensing with anger, Zade rushes toward me and breaks through the barrier, unsheathing his flaming sword. He tackles me and aims his sword at my neck. “I came here because I care about you and humanity! I care about Heaven and the warriors. I don’t want things to be this way, Andre. You would have agreed with me before Hell consumed you.”
“I would’ve only done so because I was lost in my light. With Raven and Hell’s rulers, I can see better. You now cast light over the truth.” I heave a few deep breaths and grab his flaming sword, pulling it closer. “If you can’t accept the truth, then do what you need. Cast me back to Hell. But remember, it’s not changing anything. There is nothing you can—no—nothing you will do about it. I know you, Zade. I know exactly what will be your downfall.”
Zade scowls and rips his sword from my fingers only to aim it at my chest. “I don’t want to fight you, Andre. I want everyone to back down.”
“Never. Humanity needs someone who fights for them and not the Higher Power. They need Raven. After being in Hell even this short time, I know that these souls deserve to grow and change and learn. Lucian, Kase, and Dante were right. They don’t deserve Heaven but they also don’t deserve to be trapped in a cycle that allows them to just keep doing wrong. They need the chance to work through things and make it to Purgatory. Why Heaven is so against this is beyond me.” I arch my body, purposefully forcing the tip of his sword to Hell’s tether, glowing in my chest.
“You know why. The balance needs to be in Heaven’s favor.” Zade bares his teeth at me. “It can’t fall in Lucian’s hands. He’ll destroy it.”
“You’re wrong,” I snap. “You have no idea of what the Mortal Realm needs. It is time for Hell to rise. Show humanity mercy, you righteous asshole.”
Heaven is afraid of losing any of its power and strength. Though I get my power from Lust and souls, it will never be as strong as the brightness of pure, light energy that comes with Heaven. The worse the soul, the weaker it is, which is why those who lived moral lives but end up in Hell can be reborn as our army. If we can complete all nine kingdoms, we can grow and thrive. That’s what Heaven’s afraid of. Of letting us be equal.
“That’s what I’m trying to do!” Zade growls, igniting his heavenly glow. Closing his eyes, he prepares to stab me with his anger and annoyance, triggered by my hellish presence. “Why must I remind you who you truly are?”
“This is who I am.” I smile with my words, feeling the agony of his blade sink deeper into my chest. “It’s time for you to realize it. Send me to fucking Hell and accept it. Stop coming back. I will drag you here myself if you do.”
“Damn it!” His swear rings through the air, and he sends his light radiating over me at the same time he jabs his sword deeper as if he wants to punish me.
“Zade! Zade, you fucker! Stop!” Raven’s high-pitched voice echoes through the air, freezing him in place.
I stare in amusement, unfazed by Zade, as Raven crashes into him, knocking him out of the summoning circle. He spins her midair, landing on his back only to use his wings to push up. She looks sexy as Hell, wearing only one of Micah’s shirts, flashing her body at me. I groan and prop up on my elbow, hoping they land close enough to drive her a bit wild. I’d love to see her wrestle him until he can’t resist her. I can already taste the memory of her excitement, even as she slaps him in the face.
“Get out of here! I don’t have time for this bullshit. My soulmate is dying, and I want fucking peace with him.” Raven shoves him away, getting him to release her. “You shouldn’t be here, baiting Andre either. What did you expect to accomplish? He’s been forsaken. He can’t even get his white wings back, and I wouldn’t want him to. So go!” Again, she rams her palms to his chest. “Leave us alone.”
Zade ruffles his feathers, tightening his jaw. “Raven...”
“I said go!” she screams.
Engulfing her in a hug, Zade surprises her by lifting her off her feet and whispering something into her ear. I half expect her to give in to his affection, losing herself to the aphrodisiacs permeating the air around me, but she remains strong-willed and determined.
“Zade, I mean it. I know you’re trying. I know you want to be here for me and Andre, but I can’t take it another minute. All you’re doing is instigating. Just let us be for a while. I mean it. I can’t have you around, knowing you’re never going to even try to understand. All you do is nothing.” Raven wiggles in his arms and puts space between them, backing up until she enters the safety of my Hell circle.
“You know why I can’t,” Zade says softly. “You both know. I just—like I said to Andre. I’m only here to warn you. Heaven’s army is coming and they’re not going to let anything stop them.”
Raven fists her fingers. “Then you try. Give me my day with Elias. Show me you can be an angel of action.”
“I can’t,” Zade repeats.
“Then go. We’re done here.” Raven heaves a breath and turns toward me. “Call the others, will you? Let them know about the bastard guardians. Micah is going to help me prepare a circle inside. You can use that one instead. And then you can give Micah the tether before Elias goes.”
I touch her cheek, brushing my fingers on her jaw. “This is a good thing,” I remind her. I tilt my head and catch sight of Zade still lingering but near the wall and out of hearing range.
Raven shifts and follows my gaze, and we watch as Cassius lands beside Zade. I grab onto Raven, preparing to take her to my kingdom, but Cassius grabs Zade’s hand and forces him away. It’s the only thing that makes Zade go.
“Do you think he was exaggerating?” Raven asks, pressing her lips together.
I shake my head. “No, there is a war coming, little hellion.”
“Shit,” she mutters.
Pulling her into my arms, I hug her and kiss her on the lips, savoring the taste of her mouth for a moment longer. “Don’t stress about it. We’re strong enough to handle it, and once Elias descends, it won’t be long. We will get Zade to his knees.”
She blows out a breath. “That’ll be so satisfying.”
I grin. “For both of us. Just wait. Now go enjoy your soulmate. He needs you. I will handle everything else and be inside shortly.”
“I love you, Andre. I hope you know that.” Pressing her hand to the power in my chest, she feels my heartbeat. “Once you’re free of this tether, I’m going to make some time for us.”
I kiss her once more. “I can’t wait. An eternity with you is all I’ll ever want and need. We’ll have each other for the rest of time.”
