Page 46 of Wicked Savior
Surprised, I frown. I count the number of beasts we’ve killed here and along the way. Added to the number the angels killed, it’s significant. But my instinct is telling me there’s more. I wish I had better intel. Too busy closing the portal earlier, I didn’t get an accurate count.
I tilt my head and study Gabriel. Most would believe that sincere look on his face, but I don’t buy it.
Uneasy, but unwilling to stay and figure it out, I place a hand on Evren’s back and guide her out. We pass by the spot where I was standing earlier, and I wave a hand. The ground opens and the two beasts from earlier spring out of the ground, right into the middle of the angels.
That should keep them busy.
Pulling her close, I shimmer to the edge of town and appear right between my men and the herd of beasts charging up the hill toward them.
ChapterTwenty-Five
EVREN
That bastard Gabriel drove the beasts out of the city, knowing Lucifer’s men were here waiting for him. I grip Lucifer’s dagger and ready myself to fight.
Lucifer grabs my arm and the field disappears. We reappear behind the group. “Stay here. It’s the safest place.” He lets out a piercing whistle, and a massive green scaled man… demon… rushes over. “Your only job is to protect her. Got it?” He grabs me close and plants a hard kiss on my lips. “Stay safe.”
I blink and he’s gone. Leaving me with tingling lips, and a whole lot of guilt and anger. Damn it. He’s changing the rules. First with that kiss earlier, and now this. It’s not fair. I haven’t had a chance to tell him everything.
The booming sound of the demons and beasts clashing whips across the desert. The demon in front of me bounces back and forth, his hands clenching and unclenching, as if eager to get into the fight. When his eyes flick to me, I expect to see them full of resentment, but instead, they’re full of respect and pride.
My brow dips down in confusion, but I shake it off. The fighting is intense. Unlike the angels’ elegant and choreographed movements earlier, the demons are brutal and fierce. They fight with little inhibition, going all in to destroy their opponent. Several even change into their demon form to fight monster against monster. Most of them know how to kill them, but I see a few who don’t.
“Aim between the eyes!” I yell over and over, almost a rallying cry to remind them of where to strike. I pace back and forth behind my protector, the adrenaline surging in my veins, while I watch them take down the beasts one by one.
A movement in the sky startles me, and I shift my attention. It’s the angels. They’re watching the battle from up above. Furious at their arrogance, I mimic Lucifer’s actions from earlier and flip my middle finger to the sky.
The demon next to me chuckles and flips them off, too.
A beast breaks through the line, heading straight toward us.
Knowing my demon protector won’t be able to turn in time, I throw the dagger the same way I did earlier, and the beasts goes down.
He whips around and stares at it. “Thank you. Although I think I’m supposed to be protecting you.” Bending down, he tugs it out and tosses it to me.
“We’ll protect each other,” I tell him. When I look back at the fight, there’s a considerable number of demons and beasts on the ground, but it’s still too close to call a winner. We need to step in and fight.
I motion to the demon in front of us. “Tell him to let the next one through.”
The demon hesitates, but I can see he’s already come to the same conclusion. Unintelligible words come out of his mouth, and the demon standing in front of us steps aside to let the beast charging him pass.
“Take my dagger,” I urge him.
He shakes his head. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.” With a smooth twist, he brings his sword up and over his head, driving it straight into the beast’s head.
The beast stumbles, but it doesn’t go down. He pulls it out and strikes again. It falls to its knees and dies.
He glances at the dagger in my hand.
“It’s Lucifer’s. He bespelled it,” I inform him, needing him to trust the weapon. “It will take them down in one shot, but you have to hit them between the eyes.”
The demon swells, becoming larger, and moves into place in front of me. “If something happens to me, you pick it up and keep fighting. Got it?”
My hands shake slightly. Defenseless and in my human form, it makes the danger feel closer than ever. While I watch from behind, he takes them down one by one. He’s fast and efficient and never seems to tire. My fear slowly dissipates.
Kill by kill, we gain ground. The beasts become fewer and fewer until the last one drops to its knees. A resounding cheer goes up from the group.
I smile and look up with a sense of victory toward the sky. It’s empty. Uneasy, I look around. Gabriel never gives up.
