Page 83 of Bellamy
So I could fight. So I could dosomething. Even if it was just to teleport him away from the battle.
Right as he looked at me, five shades jumped on him, their sharp claws and jagged teeth gnashing. He released his wings, knocking two of them aside, before using his dual swords to slice through them. Five bursts of orange lit up the room as their bodies exploded and turned to ash.
None of the demons tried to attack me. They still viewed me as one of them. With the collar around my neck, someone on the outside might’ve assumed I was at the mansion against my will. A prisoner.
Perhaps it had been that way in the beginning, but I had chosen to stay. I had chosen love over violence and ruin.
I ran toward Bellamy but stopped as I felt a powerful presence.
“You might as well surrender to me now,” a familiar, cold voice said from the shattered doorway.
My insides coiled, and the back of my neck prickled. I turned to see Asa—dark hair and black wings with silver and red mixed in. That menacing gleam in his crimson eyes. Three weeks away from him, and I’d almost forgotten how the sight of him made me feel so small. Like I was a dog whose only job was to heel to his master.
“Never,” Alastair said, the cut on his cheek caused from a shade’s claws sealing. The lower and mid-level demons were a nuisance to the brothers, but only celestial steel could do any real damage.
“Look around you, Pride.” Asa gestured to the surrounding chaos. The demons had stopped the attack and stood behind their king, snarling. Sounds of fighting still came from the direction of the study. “You’re outmanned. I know your sin won’t allow you to admit defeat, but for the sake of your family, I suggest you stand down.”
“Enough talking, kid,” Vepar said, stepping into the mansion. The ends of his silver hair drifted up, and his pale gray eyes looked white. “Retrieve your sword and kill anyone who stands in your way. That’s what it is to be king.”
“Do not lecture me about being king, for you will never be,” Asa told him. “Call me kid again and I’ll remove your tongue.”
Vepar smiled but kept his silence. Not much had changed in the time I’d been gone. The silver-haired fallen angel still liked getting under Asa’s skin, and Asa let him.
Purah slinked into the mansion, his toxic green eyes glowing bright. He tsked and waggled a bony finger at me. “Nixy, Nixy. Caught like a wee mutt with that collar.”
Bellamy moved closer to me, keeping his gaze on them.
Asa’s eyes narrowed at him. “Lust. Nice to see you again. I’ve missed the sound of your screams in my dungeon.”
“How did you locate the barrier?” Alastair asked. “It should’ve been untraceable.”
“We’re in the midst of a fight, and you want to pause it so I can give you a magic lesson?” Asa stepped toward him, his gait slow. Predatory. Just like I remembered. “Blood magic is a powerful thing, Pride. The barrier might’ve been untraceable… but something inside it was not. That’s how we found you.”
The breath rushed from my lungs.
Bellamy. Belphegor haddone something to his mind. Put some kind of tracking magic on him. If I would’ve told Bellamy the truth, maybe they could’ve prevented this.
But I’d been a coward. As always.
“Well done, Phoenix.” Asa’s lips curved into a half-smile. “You’ve served me just as I knew you would.”
“What’s he talking about?” Bellamy looked at me.
My blood pumped so hard I heard it in both ears.
“Oh. He didn’t tell you?” Asa glided a finger across the edge of his sword with a wicked, taunting grin. “Releasing you from the underworld was my idea. I knew you had a weakness for my little pet, so I made you believe he was helping you escape out of the goodness of his black heart.”
I felt sick.
“Tell me he’s lying.” Bellamy grabbed my arm, hurt reflecting in his blue eyes. “Tell me it wasn’t a trick. Say something, goddammit!”
“I…” My throat clogged, and my vision blurred. “I’m sorry.”
“You betrayed me,” Bellamy whispered. He gritted his teeth as angry tears surged in his eyes. “This entire time, you’ve been manipulating me. Biding your time until yourkingcame for you.”
“No.” I shook my head. “Helping you escape was an order, but the rest of this has been real. I didn’t know this would happen.”
“Bullshit!” He grabbed me by the back of my hair and glared down at me, nostrils flaring. And then, the cold edge of his sword pressed to my throat. “Fuck, I hate you so much, Phoenix. I hate that I let you do this to me.” His hand shook. “I hate that even now… even after you’ve shattered my heart… I still can’t kill you.”
