Sometime during the exchange, Horns had moved beyond her periphery. Now he managed to sneak up behind her and rake his claws against her already bleeding shoulder. As she turned, he turned with her, once again raking her with those claws.
The pain oh, the pain. No longer ignorable.
Stars winked in her line of vision. She heard laughter behind her, and knew Horns was there, ready to claw her again. She darted forward, out of the way, and tripped.
Horsey caught her by the forearms, preventing her from falling. He let her goonly to punch her in the face. More pain, more stars, but when he lifted his hand for a second blow, she was ready. She jerked the chair up and nailed him under the jaw, then spun so that he broke his knuckles on the seat of the chair rather than her cheekbone. His howl rent the air.
Footsteps behind her. She kicked backward, connecting with Horns. Before her leg landed, she spun and kicked out with the other, scissoring her ankles to double tap his gut. When he collapsed, wheezing for air, she flipped the chair upside down and finished him off, slamming the metal rim into his trachea.
Black blood pooled and bubbled around him, frothing and sizzling as it seared the tiled floor. Steam rose, curling through the air.
One minute to go.
Maximum damage, she thought.
Horsey called her a very rude name, his entire body shaking with his wrathful intent. He closed the distance with stomping steps and lashed out with those clublike arms. No claws, just fists. Playtime was over, she supposed. She blocked, ducked and bowed her back to ensure those meaty hammers only ever swiped the chair. All the while she punched at him with the dented metal, landing multiple blows.
Why did you come for me? she demanded. Why?
A flash of bloodstained fangs. Just for the fun. Why else?
Always she asked, and always she received the same reply, no matter that each of her opponents was different. The creatures came once, only once, and after raining havoc, creating chaos, they disappeared forevermore. If they survived.
Shed cried after her first killand her second and her thirddespite the fact that the creatures had only ever wanted to hurt her. There was just something so terrible about taking a life, no matter the reason for doing so. Hearing the last breath rattle watching the light dim in someones eyes and knowing you were responsible She always thought of her parents. Somewhere along the way, her heart had hardened into a block of stone and shed stopped crying.
The backup guards finally arrived, three hard bodies slamming into her from behind and knocking her to the ground. When she crashed, she crashed hard, cracking her already injured cheek on the tile. She experienced a sharp lance of pain as the taste of old pennies filled her mouth, coated her tongue. More of those too-bright stars winked through her vision, corrosive things that grew grew blinding her.
That blindness panicked her, reminding her of that terrible, fateful morning so long ago. Let me go! I mean it!
Inflexible knees dug into her bleeding shoulders, her back and her legs, and rough fingers pressed all the way to bone. Be still.
I said let me go!
Horsey must have fled because the scent of rot was suddenly replaced by the scent of bacon and aftershave, warm breath caressing her cheek. She didnt allow herself to cringe, didnt allow herself to reveal her abhorrence for the doctor now looming over her.
Thats enough out of you, Annabelle, Fitzpervert said in a chiding tone.
Never enough, she replied, forcing herself to calm on her own. Deep breath in, deep breath out. The more emotion she displayed, the more sedative he would have to use.
Tsk, tsk. You should have played nice. I could have helped you. Sleep now, he crooned.
Dont you dare Her jaw went slack a second after the expected pinch in her neck. In a blink of time, there was white lightning in her vein, spreading just as swiftly as the stars.
Though she despised this feeling of helplessness and knew Fitzpervert would be paying her a visit later, though she fought with every bit of her remaining strength, Annabelle slipped into the waiting darkness.
CHAPTER TWO
LOOK AT ME, ZACHAREL! Look how high Im flying.
Youre doing so well, Hadrenial. Im proud of you.
Think I can flip without falling to the ground?
Of course you can. You can do anything.
A laugh as sweet as tolling bells, echoing through the sky. But Ive already fallen three times.
Which means you now know what not to do.
Sir? Your Great and Mighty Highness? Are you listening to me?
The masculine voice drew Zacharel from the past and the only bright light in an otherwise dark life, jerking him straight into the present. He glanced at Thane, the self-appointed second in command of his angelic army. A promotion he had not disputed, despite the warriors attitude. The fact was, Thane was the best of the lotwhich wasnt actually saying much.
Every angel in his army had pushed the Deity, their king, past the limit of his patience. Each had broken so many rules, skirted so many laws, it was a miracle they still had their wings and an even greater miracle that Zacharel had tolerated the warriors as long as he had.
He cleared his throat. Im listening, yes. Now.
My humblest apologies if I bored you before was Thanes flippant reply.
Accepted.
A crack of the angels jaw as he realized Zacharel had taken no insult. I asked if you were ready for us to attack.
Not yet.
Thane hovered beside him, the great length of their wings outstretched but not touching. Neither of them liked to be touched. Of course, Thane always made allowances for the females he bedded, but Zacharel made no such exceptions for anyone.
Im eager to fight, Majesty. We all are.
Ive told you before not to call me by that title. As for your request, you will wait as ordered. All of you. To disobey was to be punisheda concept Zacharel himself was now intimately acquainted with.
It had begun a few short months ago, when he was summoned to the Deitys temple, that sacred sanctuary so few angels were privileged to visit. During that unprecedented encounter, snowflakes had begun to fall from the feathers of Zacharels wings, a constant storm and a sign of his Deitys cold displeasure. And the Deitys words, though softly spoken, had been just as biting as the snowfall.
Apparently, Zacharels severe detachment from emotion had caused him to ignore collateral damage during his battles with demons. On multiple occasions, the Deity had charged, Zacharel had chosen to slay his enemy at the expense of innocent human life. Of course, such behavior was unacceptable.
Hed apologized, even though he wasnt sorry for his actions, only that he had angered the one being with the power to destroy him. In truth, he did not understand the appealor usefulnessof the humans. They were weak and frail, claiming all they did was for love.
Love. Zacharel sneered. As if mere mortals knew anything about unselfish, life-giving love. Not even Zacharel knew. Hadrenial hadbut Zacharel wasnt thinking about him anymore.
His apology meant nothing, his Deity had told him. Actually, less than nothing, for his Deity could see into the dark mire of his chest, where his heart should beat with emotionbut didnt.
I should take your wings and immortality and banish you to the earth, where you will not be able to see the demons living among us. If you cannot see them, you cannot fight them as you are used to doing. If you cannot fight them, you cannot kill the humans around them. Is that what you want, Zacharel? To live among the fallen and mourn the life you once had?
No, he wanted nothing of the sort. Zacharel lived for killing demons. If he could not see and fight them, he was better off dead. Again hed voiced his contrition.
You have apologized to the Heavenly High Council for this very crime many times in the past, Zacharel, yet you have never changed your ways. Even still, my trusted advisors have long recommended leniency. After everything youve suffered, they hoped that in time you would find your path. But time and again youve failed to do as the Council has asked, and no longer can they turn a blind eye to your transgressions. Now I must intervene, for I, too, am answerable to a higher powerand your deeds reflect poorly on me.
In that moment Zacharel had known there would be no talking his way out of his sentence. And hed been right.
Words are so easily spoken, as youve proven, the Deity had continued, but so rarely are they backed up with action. Now you will carry the physical expression of my unhappiness, so that you never forget this day.
As you wish, hed replied.
But, Zacharel do not doubt that worse awaits you should you disobey me again.
Hed thanked his Deity for the chance to do better and he had meant ituntil his very next battle. He had hurt and killed multiple humans without thought or mercy, because they had hurt and killed Ivar, one of the Deitys Elite Seven. A warrior of unimaginable strength and ability.
The fact that Zacharels actions had been in the name of vengeance hadnt matteredhad actually harmed his cause. The Most High was to decide how to handle such a situation, and as He was the higher power Zacharels Deity answered to, His word was law. Zacharel should have displayed patience.
The following day, the Deity had again summoned him.
Hed hoped that, despite what hed done, he would be chosen as the next Elite, but instead he learned he had earned another punishment. Worse, he discovered, was exactly that.
For one year, Zacharel would lead an army of angels just like him. The ones no one else wanted under their command. The rebellious ones. The tortured ones. His assignment: to teach them the respect that he himself had yet to demonstratefor the Deity, for the sanctity of human life. And to ensure that he took his responsibility seriously, he alone would bear the consequences of his warriors actions.
If any of his angels killed a human, he would suffer a whipping.
Hed already suffered eight.
At the end of the year, if Zacharels good deeds outweighed the bad, he and all of his angels would be allowed to stay in the heavens. If the bad outweighed the good, he and all of his angels would lose their wings and their place in the sky.
Clearly, Zacharel had mused, the Deity was cleaning house. This way, he could rid the heavens of every thorn in his side in one fell swoop, and none on his Council could call him cruel or unfair, for hed given them a years worth of chances to redeem themselves.
So here Zacharel and his army were, tasked with handling chores far beneath their skill level. For the most part, that meant finding a way to free demon-possessed humans, aiding those who were immorally influenced and participating in the occasional insignificant battle.
Tonight marked his armys nineteenth assignmentthough only their third round of combatand each one had ended worse than the last. No matter what he threatened, the angels seemed to enjoy disregarding his orders. They flipped him off. They cussed at him. They laughed in his face.
He did not understand them. This year was their last chance, too. They had just as much to lose. Shouldnt they seek his favor?
Now? Thane asked eagerly, his voice more smoke than substance. Once upon a time, his throat had been slit and slit and slit until scars had become a permanent necklace.
Not yet. I mean it.
If you fail to sound the battle cry soon
They would act anyway.
Does no one care that they will suffer my wrath? he groused. He peered down at the Moffat County Institution for the Criminally Insane, which was hidden in the mountains of Colorado. The building was tall and wide, with a barbed, electric fence, and armed guards walking both the parapet and grounds. Halogens shone bright light into every corner, chasing away the shadows.
What the guards couldnt see, no matter how intense their lighting, were the demon minions crawling all over the walls, desperate to slink inside.
But like the guards, the demons could not see the threat surrounding them. The twenty soldiers under Zacharels command remained hidden. Their wings, usually white threaded with gold, were now a star-pricked onyx, a mirror of the heavens. The effortless change was made with only a single mental command. More than that, their angelic robes were now shirts and pants fitted to their muscular bodies, black and combat ready.
Why would demons choose to overtake this place? Zacharel asked. And they had attempted to do so for years, apparently. Other armies had been sent, but none had made any real progress. As soon as one set of minions was taken care of, a new crop would arrive.
There were only two reasons no other army had thought to find out why. One, they had not cared to aid the humans inside the building. Or two, their job had ended with the battle. Either way, Zacharel would not make the same mistake. He couldnt.
Golden hair curling innocently around a face somehow more devilish than saintly, Thane cast a wicked sapphire gaze his way. The contrast between innocent and carnal could be mesmerizing, or so Zacharel had heard. Human and immortal females alike threw themselves at Thanewho made no secret of his sexual desires when he revealed himself to those who were not supposed to know he was there. Especially since his desires skirted the edge of dangerous of acceptable.
Most angels belonging to their Deity, whether they were of the warrior class or among the joy-bringers, were as immune to the passions of the flesh as Zacharel. But then, most had not been captured by a horde of demons, trapped and tortured for weeks, as Thane had been.
When you lived as long as they did, he supposed, especially when those years were spent at war, you were more likely to learn the true meaning of pain and to seek refuge in whatever pleasure you could find.
Xerxes and Bjorn, Thanes equals in terms of strength and cunning, had been trapped and tortured, as well. The three were now inseparable, the trauma and horror of the experience bonding them. Warping themyes, that, too, as proven by their place within his armys ranks, but bonding them nonetheless.
Evil craves the company of other evil, desperate to destroy anything worth saving, Thane said, wisdom replacing his earlier irreverence. Perhaps someone inside summoned them.
Perhaps. If so, the battle had just become a dilemma. The summoning of demons was strictly forbidden, a crime punishable only through death. Death that would not be collateral damage but intentional, and yet, Zacharel was not sure how the Deity would react to such a slaying.
Humans, he thought, shaking his head with disgust. Nothing but trouble. They had no idea the dark power they danced with. A power that might seem exciting at first, but one that would merely eat away at their humanity.
None of the demons have actually entered the building, he said. Im curious as to why.
Thanes head tilted to the side, his study of the demons intensifying. I hadnt noticed, but I see now that you are correct. Majesty.
No reaction. Capture one of the demons, and cart it to my cloud for questioning.
That will be my pleasure. As much as Thane enjoyed debauching his lovers, he enjoyed torturing demons more. Anything else, Lord of Us?
No. Reaction. Yes. On my signal, the army may attack, but I want Bjorn to bring the most feral demon he can find to the roof of the institution. Quickly. Zacharel could haveshould havespoken the orders inside the minds of his soldiers, as all commanders could do, but doing so would have invited their voices into his mind, and that was an intimacy he would not allow.
A smile of relish flashed, straight white teeth revealed. Consider it done.
Before Thane could whisk himself away, Zacharel added, Im sure I dont need to remind you that no humans are to be harmed during the battle. If you must forgo a demon kill to save a human life, do so. Make sure the others know.
At first, he hadnt minded when his men opted to destroy a human to get to a demon. After his third whipping for a crime he had not committed himself, hed begun to mind.
One beat of silence, two. Then, Yes, of course, Leader of the Supremely Unworthy. With that parting shot, Thane disappeared in a burst of motion to alert the others even now circling the building.
A scant minute later, swords of fire appeared in every angels hand, the flames more intense, far purer, than any found in hell. Menacing shards of amber light licked over determined expressions and hard-won muscle and those lights began to arc down in swift succession, screams of painand final gasps of breathsoon echoing. Scaled, gnarled and now-headless bodies rained from the walls.
So much for waiting for Zacharels signal. That would have to be dealt with later.
Though he would have enjoyed slaying the demons alongside his men, he waited, for he sought bigger prey this night. A path eventually cleared, and he glided down down and landed gracefully on the flat edge of the roof. He tucked his wings into his back.
The feral demon, as requested, Magnificent King, a familiar voice said from beside him. Quickly.
A huge beast thumped lifelessly at Zacharels feet. Poison beaded at the end of its claws. Large horns protruded from its shoulders, and patches of fur and scales formed a double helix pattern on its legs.
Slight problem. The demon had no head.
This demon is deceased, he said.
Only the barest of pauses before Bjorn responded, Thane relayed your order verbatim. In this, you were not wise enough to specify a preference.
True. He absolutely should have known better.
Bjorn, hovering at the side of the building, said, Shall I bring you another or do you think to reprimand me for your mistake, Glorious King? The words held a bitter edge.
Bjorn was a brute of a man with bronzed skin veined in gold and glittering, multihued eyes of purple, pink, blue and green. A startling contrast.
Soon after his rescue from the demons brutal clutchesand his subsequent rampage of death through the heavens, where none had been safe from his indiscriminate wraththe Heavenly High Council had ruled Bjorn unstable and unfit for duty. Falling was too lenient a punishment, theyd said, and so he had been sentenced to a true death, his spirit, the power that fueled his life, his soul, the embodiment of his emotions, and his physical body to be wiped from existence entirely.
Thane and Xerxes had protested, demanding the warrior be reinstated and promising they would be responsible were any other problems to arise. Theyd also vowed to ensure they died the true death as well if separated from their friend.
The Council had reluctantly given in. With the amount of demon activity plaguing the world, warriors of their caliber were in high demand. Still, Zacharel doubted such a threat would ever work again.
There will be no reprimand, he said, and Bjorn blinked in surprise.
Zacharels gaze caught on the serpe demon even then slithering over the railing in an attempt to escape notice. Serpes possessed the head and torso of a human but the lower body of a snake, and were more temperamental than the two combined.
Leaning over, Zacharel grabbed the thick, rattling tail and jerked. The serpe twisted, fangs bared, arms raised to attack whoever had dared stop him. Zacharel maintained a tight hold, winding its length along his forearm while using his free hand to latch on to the demons neck. He squeezed.
Crimson eyes widened with alarm as talon-tipped fingers slashed at him. Not Zacharel, anyone but Zacharel! I go back, I go back, I ssswear.
Finally, respect for his authority.
This one will do, he told Bjorn. You may continue with your duties.
The angel inclined his head even as his eyes glazed with bafflement. But he said nothing more, instead springing back into battle.
Pleassse! I go!
The demons might have been unable to enter the building for whatever reason, but Zacharel had no such problem. He commanded his body, as well as the serpes, to mist, and the two of them sank through the stone. Seconds later, Zacharel stood on the buildings bottom floor.
Forgetting who held him, the serpe sighed with bliss and reached up toward the ceiling. Time for my fun
Zacharel tossed the demon across the lobbys freshly polished floor. Multiple security guards patrolled the area and several human females manned the desk, but not a single one noticed the intruders in their midst.
Up the walls the serpe slinked, ghosting through the ceiling and disappearing from view. Following him proved easy. Zacharel moved from floor to floor, a mere step behind. Finally the serpe ceased climbing, shooting into one of the rooms on level fourteen.
Inside, the walls were covered with black padding. There were no windows. A single vent in the ceiling provided the only breeze, and a frigid one at that. The room was barren except for one lone piece of furniture. A hospital gurney, with a young woman strapped to the top.
Every muscle in his body knotted. For a moment, the past threatened to rise up and swallow him whole.
Kill me, Zacharel. You have to kill me. Please.
Long ago hed built a dam to hold back his memories of the past, a barrier hed desperately needed. Would always need, it seemed. He refortified that dam now, blanking his mind of anything but the present.
At first glance, the woman appeared to be asleep. But then her head lolled to the side, her attention seemingly ensnared by the demon she shouldnt be able to see. Horror, anger and fear suddenly pulsed from her.
Had she, a mere human, somehow sensed the serpe?
Zacharel considered her. She wore a paper-thin gown, dirty and torn, her slender frame shivering. Long hair tangled around a delicate face, the strands so black they appeared to be a breathtaking midnight-blue. Dark circles marred the fragile skin under her eyes, and her cheeks were more hollowed than they should have been, not to mention terribly bruised and scratched. Her lips were red, chapped. Her eyes were ice-blue, and in their depths he saw a never-ending storm of pain no human was equipped to bear.
No, those eyes did not belong to a mortal, he realized. They belonged to a demons consort.
Somewhere out there was a demon high lordthe most dangerous of all hells fiendswho considered this human his exclusive property. His to possess, his to torture his to enjoy in whatever fashion he desired. The demon had poisoned her eyes, marking her, ensuring she could see into the spiritual world that coexisted alongside the mortal one. His world. In doing so, he had brought her to the attention of other demons, as well.
She had to have been a willing participant in her marking, for humans could not be forced. Seduced, yes. Tricked, absolutely. Eager to dabble in the dark arts, beyond a doubt. But never forced.
Had the high lord grown tired of her? Was that why she was here without him? No, Zacharel decided a second later. A demon never grew tired of his human. He stuck around until the bitter, bloody endor until the human wised up and forced him to leave.
So why not kill her and try to hide his crime? Demon and mortal pairings were forbidden, the act carrying a sentence of death. The demons and the humans. Not that Zacharel or any of his men would kill this one. That still was not on todays menu. There would be no collateral damage.
Stay away from me, she said, drawing Zacharel out of his mind. Her voice was raspy, either from drugs or strain. Or was that her natural tone? Im a terrible enemy to have.
For someone who had agreed to bond her life to a demons, she did not sound happy with the results. He was willing to bet she had been seduced or tricked, and now regretted it.
Humans so rarely learned until too late, yet it didnt have to be that way.
Ill hurt you if you come any closer. She clearly possessed Japanese ancestry, yet her voice held no hint of an accent. Odd in a way, but all the more exotic because of the lack. Soft and lilting, and the perfect contrast to her bold features.
Hurt me, female. Pleassse Tail rattling a fatal rhythm, the serpe slithered around the bed. His forked tongue darted between his fangs. Thatsss what I likebefore every sssnack.
The minion wanted her, not because of her but because creatures of the underworld loved nothing more than one-upping their brethren. Bragging rights were as valuable as gold, as was the accompanying sense of superiority. Well, that, and the thrill of ruining someone who was supposed to be under the protection of the heavens.
Tensing, the female said, Touch me once, just once, and Ill find a way out of these restraints. Ill remove your head. Ive decapitated your kind before, you know. Maybe even friends of yours, eh?
An interesting response, going deeper than mere regret.
The brave words earned a hiss of anticipation. You lie, you lie, you delight me asss you lie. Ssso deliciousss.
Im serious! If you think a little thing like shackles will stop me, youre more brain damaged than I thought. And news flashI thought your IQ was in the single digits.
She gazed left, right, as though searching for someone to help her. While the female could see the serpe, she could not see Zacharel. That wasnt exactly a revelationif he did not wish to be sensed, he would not be sensed; not by a demon, or a demons consort, or even by other angels.
Curious about her reaction to him, Zacharel materialized in his natural form, at the same time creating a sword of fire from nothing but the air. His gaze never leaving the female, he slashed, decapitating the demon and ending its miserable existence. Yes, killing was that easy for him. He dismissed the flames.
WhatHow Crystalline eyes found him and widened. Her teeth began chattering. A-am I dreaming? The drugs I have to be tripping. Or dreaming, maybe. Yes, that makes sense.
It does not, for you are not.
Are you sure? You look like the prince I once uh, never mind.
She once what? I am positive.
Then wh-who are you? What are you? How did you get in here?
Despite her questions, she seemed to know that he was not like the creature he had just defeated. Demons did their best to evoke fear. Angels did their best to evoke a sense of calm. Or rather, they were supposed to.
What are you? the female asked again. Are you here to kill me?
Kill me, Zacharel. You have to kill me. Please. I cant live like this anymore. Its too much, too hard. Please!
Again the past threatened to rise up and consume him. Again he blanked his mind. Though he owed the female no explanation, though she was a demons consort and couldnt be trusted, he found himself saying, I will not kill you. I am an angel.
As with all the Deitys angels, Zacharels voice held an undeniable ring of truth. Typical of her kind, she flinched at its puritybut she could not doubt him.
Blinking rapidly, she said, An angel. As in, an angel from heaven, defender of all thats good and right?
Perhaps she could doubt him. Her tone had been sneering. But he found it interesting that she did not spew the same hate at him that she had spewed at the demon. As the mate of a high lord, she should despise Zacharel above all others. That she didnt Definitely tricked.
Well?
Yes, I am from the heavens, though I am probably not the race of angel you are familiar with. He stretched his wings. Snowflakes continued to fall from him. His feathers were once again pearlescent, the gold threaded between each one shimmering. He frowned when he noticed the gold was thicker than ever before.