Chapter One
Eli scanned the battlefield. Hacked body parts littered the ground and pools of blood coated the landscape. The earth groaned as she absorbed the foul liquid of the fallen demons.
The battle had lasted hours. How many he wasn’t sure, but his muscles ached and blood coated his clothing. Most of it from those he’d slain, but some belonged to him. He was too weak and exhausted to heal himself. Besides, his only thought at that moment was of her. He’d spotted Ashley the last time they’d battled. She was seen collecting the demons’ souls and sending them––he supposed––to Hell. Lucifer would likely have her bring them back to life so this hellish nightmare could start again.
Eli cringed at the thought.
He’d tried to speak with her, but when she’d spotted him, she had vanished. This time… This time she would face him. It had been a month since she’d gone. Seven hundred and thirty hours, a fraction of time to an angel but an eternity to him. He missed her so much his heart actually ached. Every morning he awoke and wondered if she thought of him. Every night he went to his empty bed and prayed she remembered he loved her. Had she made it through the day? Was her mind still intact or had Lucifer broken her? He tried not to think about it because if he did, he was tempted to fall again, and this time he’d make sure he made it all the way to Hell. Luckily, his sanity stayed in check, and he reminded himself of the gift Ashley had given him. The sacrifice she had made to save his soul would never be forgotten. He would remain steadfast in his duties while he searched for a way to save her.
She was here and her back was to him. Her hair, pulled into a single braid, draped over one shoulder.
His fingers itched to unravel the golden strands and set them free.
Black wings, speckled with gold dust, were spread as she pointed to each demon and watched their body parts vanish. Eli wrapped his own wings around his body and cloaked himself. Now that he knew she would flee, necessity dictated he hide his presence. She was far too young and inexperienced to escape him now.
He watched…waited in silence as she made her way around the field. For some reason the others ignored her, and then it dawned on him. They couldn’t see her. A smile lifted his lips and pride swelled inside him.
So, my little angel has learned how to cloak herself as well.
She was close. He waited for her to finally tend to the demon body he stood over. He reached out and grabbed her. She gasped, her power flaring.
He revealed himself. “You can’t run from me this time.”
Her face lit with relief then panic. “Eli, you need to let me go.” Anger flashed in her green eyes. “You know I could have killed you!”
“You can’t kill your own mate, so stop running from me.” He pulled her closer and erected a barrier around them to keep others from viewing their private moment. “I’ve missed you. Are you okay?” He moved his gaze from her eyes to her full pink lips then dipped to her breasts. She wore some black leather thing that revealed more cleavage than he cared for her to share. Matching pants clung to her curves, and boots completed the ensemble. Damn she was hot, and his cock throbbed with need.
“I’m as well as can be expected. Now release me, I have work to do.”
“Don’t care,” he stated.
“We aren’t supposed to be together. Lucifer will punish you if he finds out,” she whispered and glanced around, likely looking for the devil himself.
“Listen to me.” He tightened his grip, fearful she’d somehow get away before he had a chance to speak. “I don’t care what that bastard does to me. Do you understand?”
“Eli, no––”
“I. Don’t. Fucking. Care.” He gave her a slight shake to bring her back to him. “He can do to me whatever he desires. If he wants to let demons pick the flesh from my bones then pour salt over my wounds, so be it.”
“No. No.” She struggled to free herself. “Please don’t say that. I can’t bear the thought of him hurting you.” She scanned his bloody clothing. “You’re hurt.”
“I’m fine.” He bent his head and claimed her mouth. Demanding and passionate, his desire for her flared white-hot. She continued to struggle, but he pressed his tongue against her lips until finally she softened and gave in. Opened to him until they were both kissing each other as if it were the end of the world. To Eli, it might as well be. Having her back in his arms, pressed against his erection, was all he wanted. He wanted to take her fast and hard, but this wasn’t the time or place. He’d forsake everything to have her back safe. He broke free, both of them panting from pent-up desire.
“I need to know you understand that I will do whatever it takes to be near you. Even if I can only have a stolen moment. If Lucifer wants to punish me, I’ll take it.” He dropped his forehead to hers. “He can’t hurt me any more than he’s already done by taking you from me. I will not let him have you.” She pushed against his chest, and he freed her.
“I have to go,” she whispered.
“I will find a way, Ashley. We belong together, and I will find a way to free you,” he shouted as she faded away. All eyes were on him, but he didn’t care. Let his brethren believe he’d finally gone mad.
#
Ashley struggled to catch her breath. Her sex was on fire, and damn Eli for doing that to her. Her heart beat so fiercely in her chest. She wasn’t sure if it was from panic that he’d get caught or desire. Either way it wasn’t good. She had hoped to avoid him but should have known after a near escape the last time, she wouldn’t be so lucky again. Still, it had been good to see him in the flesh rather than her memories. A reminder of how stunning he was. From his midnight black hair to his steel-blue gaze, which always set her on fire, and on to a body that rivaled any man she’d ever seen. His embrace had given her hope. Since she’d bargained with Lucifer, her nights had been filled with terror. Being close to her mate was something she could look back on to help her cope.
Lucifer busied himself filling her head with nightly visions of torture that his minions carried out somewhere in the Underworld. Her days, when she wasn’t cleaning up his mess, were mostly spent trying to figure out how to harness her power. Of course, bringing death was easy; life was another matter. So far, she’d been unable to bring any of his minions back from the dead. She knew it was possible since she’d brought Seph back, but that power hadn’t reared its head again. Maybe it was her hatred of the place and its occupants. There was no desire to bring back a demon. For her failure, she’d been tortured. Chained to a wall of stone until it pulled every ounce of warmth from her body, and then she was whipped. Fortunately, she was a quick healer, which pissed Lucifer off more. That and the fact she had been able to remain silent. Never once had she cried out, no matter how harsh the beating. She forced her mind to shut down and think only of Eli.
Ashley entered her room, or in this case, her cell. A small bed, with a lumpy mattress and a dingy gray quilt, occupied one side and a tiny bathroom on the other. No TV or radio to drown out the screams of torture. She flopped on the bed and tried to pretend she was somewhere else. Folding her arm over her eyes, she recalled Eli’s lips on hers. His tongue delving and sweeping.
“You stink of that angel, Death.”
Ashley winced at the nickname given to her by the demons. Though it had earned her a reputation and many feared her, it was a grim reminder of what she was capable of.
She pushed to a sitting position. Her gaze landed on Lucifer, took in his unusual attire of jeans and a black tee, but she kept her mouth shut.
“Well, at least you’re smart enough not to try and lie to me.” He raised his chin and ground his jaw. Never a good sign.
“What do you want?” She refused to placate him and was pissed he’d intruded on her memories of Eli.
His eyes glimmered with anger and before she could think, she was standing in front of him against her will. His magic swirled around her in a thick fog of misery, and she wanted to choke. Without touching her, he held his hand in front of her at chest level. With a quick flick of his wrist, he ripped her leather top wide open, exposing her breasts.
She refused to flinch, though she dreaded what he was about to do. Show no fear. If Lucifer wanted to rape her, she’d not be able to stop him.
His lip curled to reveal thick fangs. “Take a shower and burn these clothes. I don’t ever want to smell that angel on you again.”
She lifted her chin and fought the urge to cover herself. “He is my mate. I can’t simply wash him away.”
Lucifer slapped her with such force, her head snapped to the side and blood trickled across her lip. “You better find a way, or I’ll make sure a hoard of demons rapes you until every trace of him is removed.”
She fisted her hands tight to her side, still unwilling to back down. “Try it, and you’ll be minus one hoard of demons. I’ll kill every one of them, and you know I can.”
His chest rose and fell in rapid succession, and his eyes swirled into a tornado of fire. “Take a shower then come to the main hall.” He turned and started for the door then stopped. “Don’t fuck around,” he commanded over his shoulder.
Once he was gone, she released her breath and tried to steady her shaking legs as she headed for the shower. She’d pushed her limits enough with the devil for one day.
#
“Did you see Ashley?” Tegan questioned as he and Eli moved along the battlefield, helping those who were too injured to get home on their own. Fighting demons had become a dirtier job than usual. With the Maker out of touch, everything was now fair game. Lucifer had broken the treaty that he and the Maker had put in place years ago. It kept the angels from maliciously slaughtering a demon on sight. That agreement had allowed for a certain number of demons to feed or take possession of humans, and no harm would come to them as long as it didn’t get out of hand. It was a delicate balance of good and evil the Maker believed humanity needed in order to survive. Now that scale tipped in favor of evil.
“I did,” Eli responded.
“Did she look well?”
Eli stopped, faced his commander, and tried not to stare into the green that matched his mate’s eyes. It was still hard to believe Tegan was Ashley’s father. “On the outside, but she was unaware being her mate allowed me to see beyond that.” He drew his hands into fists and squeezed. Tried to brush the images he’d seen from his mind, but they were etched there for eternity. Once again, he forced himself to remember she’d given him back his soul. Granted, that action had led to her current situation, but he could clearly see the sadness in her eyes if he allowed himself to fall again.
I must remain strong. For her.
“I saw the scars from her whippings. The torture he plants in her mind.” He’d seen way too much, and a hatred no angel should ever possess slid through him. “I need to get her out of there. She’ll never last a year before his taint ruins her permanently.”
“We’ll find a way to release Ashley from her bond, if we have to rip apart every demon to find it.” Tegan’s features remained unchanged, but the anger that radiated off him spoke volumes.
“We can’t get into Hell, and when he comes out, he’s protected by so much evil that we’re outnumbered. How the fuck are we supposed to kill him? It’s the only way I can see to break his control over her.” Eli shook his head as they started walking again. “I don’t get it.”
“What?”
“The point of her being the Angel of Death. I don’t get how she’s supposed to help us when she’s hostage to the Underworld.” Eli kicked the head of a Vloryc demon out of his path. It was an ugly beast with a skull wider than it was long, and an enormous horn that curled upward from either side. He felt little relief and wanted to go back, so he could smash his boot into the beast’s head. He didn’t though, knowing it wouldn’t ease his anger.
“Well, I doubt she was supposed to make a deal with the devil. However, there is a way into Hell, but it would do neither of us any good.”
Eli stopped and grabbed Tegan by the arm. He narrowed his gaze. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“It means I know how to get in, but killing Lucifer won’t necessarily break his claim over her. Might actually kill her.” He sighed. “Besides, do you really think we could kill the demon king?”
Eli scrubbed his palm down his face. “Trying would certainly make me feel better, but you’re probably right. As much as I despise the bastard, I hate to think what kind of havoc we’d create in the universe if we did end his life. So we can get in, but we need to find a way to get Ashley out of her agreement.”
“Right. Easier said than done.” Tegan stormed away, looking as pissed at the world as Eli felt.
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