Page 18 of Found In Destruction

“Done. Azazel spent the past three months searching for a way to fix it. He’s obsessed with finding a way to bring her back for you.”

I turned away from him so he didn’t see me cry, but it was no use. Lucifer, unfortunately, wasn’t a moron. He gathered me in a hug and patted me on the back.

“If we didn’t need them, I’d put them in their own specially made circle of Hell for you,” he growled. “I did make them suffer, though. Don’t hold it against me if you get back together.”

The thought of getting back together with them was just as daunting as being apart. I couldn’t live with either decision. “I don’t know what I want. Can I move into my own barrack? I need some space.”

“I’m sure Judas and I can work something out. You don’t even have to pack your things if you don’t want to.” His smirk was downright evil. “Oisín can always do it…”

“Yeah, I bet that will go over well…” He beat the shit out of them the last time they crossed paths.

Feta put his head in my lap, and I scratched behind his ear. “You’re always welcome to visit, big boy.”

“Diana, let me give you some unsolicited advice before I go… You’re a Morningstar, and we don’t have broken hearts. Your star may seem dull right now, but know that in a sky full of them, it’s the brightest.”

He faded out, and I let his words sink in. Feta licked my hand, and for the first time since I left, I felt some hope. Maybe I could get through this to the other side.

8

MAL

Can you please make him go away?she begged me.I can’t right now.

Her panicked expression broke my heart. I felt caught in the middle between them, unable to let her hurt. I took her hand and squeezed it once, so she knew I heard her through the mindlink.

“Diana has some tests coming up, and she needs her rest,” I lied to Desmond.I’m going to meet you in our barrack ASAP. Make sure the guys are there.

Desmond’s golden eyes lit up, and his shadows swirled around him again before dissolving around the room. He put the cannoli on the side table, and leaned in, looking her dead in the eye. “I will love you until the sun falls from the sky and we’re plunged into the darkness. Until the seas dry up, and the mountains crumble. Because that’s what we have together—eternity. Take all the time you need, dollface. I’ll be waiting.”

Without waiting for a response from her, he faded out. Diana seemed shellshocked, but I wasn’t sure why. Did she expect them to just take her rejection lying down? All four of them would fight for her until they ceased to exist. They’ve proven thattime after time. If she wanted to sever ties with them, she needed to prepare for pushback.

“I’ll talk with them about giving you some space at the barrack.” She sank into my embrace, and I took several moments to enjoy her softness. Once her breathing leveled out

“Thank you,” she whispered in my ear before I faded away.

The minute I materialized into the barrack, I smelled their fear and despair hanging in the air. All four of them were in knots about Diana, which served them right. They royally fucked up and this time the damage may have been permanent. Before they bombarded me with questions, I fed off their fear and anxiety, taking the deepest pull from Ares. His fear tasted herby and sharp. Delicious.

“I needed that,” Bash said before cracking his neck.

“I’m never going to pass up a free power boost. Between all of you I should have a decent source for a while…” I had to hold my eye roll back.

“Desmond told us how you railroaded him,” Ares sulked. “He was our Trojan horse. Diana is probably the least angry with him, so we agreed he’d pave the way in, see how bad the damage is, and then we’d make a plan on how to win her back.”

The least angry? How could immortal beings be so clueless?

“I’m going to be real with you all, so turn your brains on and pay attention. She wants to be left alone. Give her space. She’s considering ending things with you four.”

The vibe in the room changed in an instant. A tidal wave of fear, sadness, anger, and magical energy swirled in the air, so cloying that it made my mouth water. Bash got up, and paced the room, his anger clouding around him.

“I can’t be without her. I claimed her—she’s mine,” he growled as black veins spidered across his face. His horns broke free from the crown of his head and spiraled back.

“What,” Ares breathed. He wasn’t angry, just scared. I had never seen the God of War so messed up. He rocked back and forth in his chair, smoke billowing from his ears like a chimney stack. “No. No, she can’t do that…”

“Absolutely the fuck not.” Desmond’s voice sounded like rolling thunder. He lost his cool so badly he fully shifted, breaking the couch that he, Ares, and Azazel shared under his hulking red frame. “Fuck, sorry.”

Desmond’s shadows went haywire, weaving through the room and multiplying by the minute, like black dye moving through water. Azazel closed his eyes as a beam of light flowed from his open palm and spread to all four corners of the room, forcing the black wisps of smoke to dissipate. The frown on his face was so uncharacteristic of him. He seemed to be a man defeated, resigned to Diana throwing him away. He was the only one of the four who wasn’t angry or scared.

There were a few moments of silence before Ares vaulted from the couch, getting right in my face. He grabbed my shoulders. “Mal, you need to help us fix this! Please! I can’t live without her.”

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