Page 8 of Give a Devil his Due
Eric stays mostly silent, but he can’t hide the grin fighting to appear on his handsome face. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I press my ear on his chest, and the rhythmic beat of his heart calms my frayed nerves. Intentional or not, I’m glad I blurted out what weighed on my mind. Because at the end of the day, it’s best to be prepared for whatever comes our way when we go looking. I have never been one for surprises, and I have no intention of starting now.
Maybe my wish to find my mother will finally come true.
It also occurs to me that sometimes I should be careful what I wish for.
Especially since in rare cases, I may just get it.
Raphael
All of us should’ve expected something to go wrong, but we did not. Not once has anything gone right when Helena is involved, but I truly had faith that horrible times were behind us. The row of demons facing us when we exit the crudely made settlement says otherwise. Their eyes are on me, ignoring everyone else.
I suppose I do stand out in the middle of Hell.
“What is the meaning of this?” Satanael steps forward before I have a chance to say anything.
“Some things do not belong in Hell, my lord.” A burley demon steps up, his pointed chin tilting up. “You have been gone many years and missed the changes. Give us the angel and the girl, and the rest of you can pass.”
“You dare ask for my daughter?” Satanael roars in fury, his wrath pulsing around us. The tip of his tail is twitching from it.
“The girl has angel blood.” The hellspawn sniffs the air. “She is no demon.”
Confused, I check on Helena. Not once since I’ve known her has she stayed silent. Granted, the twins and Beelzebub are gathered around her to protect her from all sides, but her silence sends a shiver through me. My eyes lock on Eric’s, and he mirrors my concern. I see him dart his gaze in her direction while keeping the demons in sight.
Something is not right.
“I’m a demon.” Colt saunters to join Satanael. “How about you come sniff me? You might even like it.” A few of the demons blocking our path snicker until their leader glares at them.
“If you need some angel scent to mix it up, I’ll come along with him.” Worries about Helena can wait, so I move closer.
“Ask who sent them,” Helena’s murmured question is loud enough for me to barely hear it.
Many questions come to mind. Could it be that someone else took Abaddon’s place that fast? Was this some trap the jinn had ready for us if we stepped inside this realm? If the latter was true, Helena’s life might still be in danger, so we have to focus on that instead of chasing things that may not be true.
“I will rip you limb from limb.” Satanael, ever the impatient, takes a step forward, and I grab for him to hold him back. “Remove your hand, Raphael, so I don’t remove it for you.”
“They are not worthy of any discussion, Samael.” Taking Helena’s lead, I cock my head when he glares at me. “They should bring whoever sent them to speak with you. You are a ruler of Hell, after all. You don’t negotiate with lowly scum.”
“Someone sent them?” Even I flinch when his features sharpen and his body grows before my eyes. “Who is your master, scum?” He rounds on the demons who are cowering at his power. “Let me help him understand there can only be one lord all of you answer to in this realm.”
“We heard you were a prisoner, my lord,” the talkative idiot hisses, saying the title mockingly. “With Lucifer gone, it’s every demon for themselves now. Hand us the angel and the girl. You are outnumbered.”
Another dozen or so demons show themselves from behind the trees, joining the line already facing us. Anger prickles inside me, the feeling of it so much different than anything I felt before entering Purgatory that it takes my breath away. Rolling my shoulders, I try to loosen the tensed muscles on my back, but that only irritates me more.
“I think you need to learn some manners.” With that casually thrown comment, Colt pounces on the demon closest to him.
Hoots and roars echo in the open space when the demons descend on us. Samael plows through a handful of them as his wings snap open, his claws raking deep gauges through their bodies. My own wings spread wide, and I dare not glance at them in case any changes have occurred. I keep my focus on the hellspawn who dares threaten Helena after everything all of us have gone through to keep her alive. Colt, Samael, and I hold back the idiots daring to face not just Helena’s father to get to her, but Beelzebub, Lucifer’s sons, and me.
Black blood splatters the dirt under our feet, making if harder to move without slipping on it. Weight placed on the balls of my feet, I twist and turn to avoid arms grabbing for my wings, my fists crunching bones and caving skulls. Screams join our infuriating snarls, and among them, I hear her.
Helena.
My arm is nearly ripped from my body when I turn to find her in the middle of the fight. Shaking the pesky demon off me, I rush to get near her in case she needs my help. I shouldn’t worry since Eric doesn’t move from her side, but I can’t help myself. Stumbling, I trip on my own feet when I see her scream and grab for her shoulder, but I see no one close enough to touch her.Maybe they are throwing weapons, I tell myself to stove off panic. Why is she hurting?
“Angel, either fight or go away.” Eric grunts and rips a demon’s head. “Don’t just stand there and look pretty.”
“You okay?” Helena huffs before she darts forward and stabs another hellspawn on the neck without blinking an eye. “Raphael?”
“Are you hurt?” As soon as I blurt it out, I regret it.
