“It’s perfect for her. Thank you, Agone.” She threw herself into his arms because, deep down, she knew it was a safe harbor. His arms circled her, pulled her in tight, gave comfort, gave strength, and she drank it in. Needed it. Wanted it.
As he slowly released her, she clung, held on jealously, until gravity forced her off her tiptoes and away from his body. He cupped her cheek, and she was grateful for the continued connection. Somehow, it eased a fraction of the pain.
“Never thank me for taking care of you. It is a privilegeandan honor.” He leaned down, his rugged face inching closer. Eden braced. Not because his attention was unwelcomed. Because this kiss, this first touch of lips, everything would change. Fundamentally. Irrevocably. She knew it in her soul.
At the last second, his head tilted to the side and his lips brushed her cheek and glided down to the place where her neck met her shoulder. That’s where he placed their first kiss with a tenderness completely contrary to him being a demon. Movement to her left caught her eye.
Seren looked on. No jealousy on his face, just concern, and something else she wasn’t prepared to name. “I’ve established a sanctuary here. No demons allowed, except one. You’re safe here.”
Agone pulled away, and she felt the loss, keenly. “Stay. Say goodbye to your friend.” With a last squeeze to her hand, he walked away with Seren by his side.
“Thank you.” She called out.
In sync, they turned, nodded, and vanished into the trees. She sank to the soft ground and turned to her friend’s grave. “So. What do you think about them? I need your honest opinion.”
Chapter 11
This was a disaster.My disaster, Mazt accepted. Moments ago, he’d walked through a field filled with the bodies of his dead army. He went to that field with twenty-five demons. Ifirts, gergos, hazk, and even siv-e, sub-guardians of Hell, all rallied to his cause when he felt the human’s emergence.
Now, he was in Hell waiting to tell Shait of his failure. He had a small reprieve. Locked in a conclave with the Princes of Hell and their First Order demons, his master, Shait, wouldn’t have felt the human gaining her powers. Protected from the outside world, neither demonic nor celestial energy penetrated the sanctified walls.
Afraid to take further action into his own hands, Mazt’s only choice was to return to Hell and waited outside the conclave like a dutiful servant. A patient lap dog, he was. He had no choice with a demanding master such as Shait.
But minutes turned into hours and hours turned into days with no unlocking of the doors and no admittance to even slaves to bring relief to the hierarchy.
He had to make a decision. Every minute after the emergence of her powers, the vessel grew stronger. Ultimately, she would be impossible to kill. Along with the angel and demon — he spat, yet the foul taste in his mouth remained — consorts. She and the rest of her kind would lay waste to all their plans.
And worse than taking matters into his own hands, his failure. He left without permission, took part of his master’s army, and lost them all. He only escaped with his life because the human destroyed the siv-e instead of him.
She was powerful enough to destroy a sub-guardian. And she was only at half strength. What would she be able to do at full strength?
Eden Brooks. Her name left a foul residue on his tongue, though he didn’t speak her name. She and the other Chosen were destined to be drained of their blood, their tissue, and organs milked for every drop before feeding their husks to the gergos, ghouls, and other lesser demons who enjoyed feasting on human flesh.
Her life and the lives of the other females were forfeited. Her blood was the key. The Celestial Seal, the lock caging their King. It was Master Shait’s fervent wish to free the King and usher in a new age, an age where demons ruled the earth and angels were the ones in cages.
A noble quest. But... What if Eden Brooks wasn’t drained? What if her power could be harnessed for his—their—use? What if she could be a weapon forPrinceShait? What if all the Chosen could be repurposed for Shait’s use? He wouldn’t be a First Order demon or a prince. He would be the new King.
And Mazt, a prince.
He salivated thinking about it.
Weaknesses, she had to have one. All powerful beings had a weakness. He must find hers and exploit it.
He had thought the siv-e had her. Then she fried it. Her fingers were blue when she killed it. If he could capture her, bind her soul, then open a portal and drag her to Hell, it would work. The angel couldn’t follow. His kind — warrior class — wasn’t strong enough to enter Hell and survive. Eden Brooks would be all theirs. Giddy, he inhaled sulfur and brimstone to calm himself.
But first, he had to find her. His plan and long existence wasn’t worth shit if Shait discovered he had her in his grasp and lost her.
Another idea struck him, a better idea. All this time, Shait thought Belial had acted alone, his treachery too great to share. Agone, that traitorous bastard, heeded his Prince Belial’s call to betray their King. That First Order demon wouldn’t let his fuck toy go without a fight. A fight he would get once Mazt confirmed Agone’s betrayal and convinced Shait of his plan.
Belial. The missing Prince. Mazt spat and watched the spot sizzle. The name Belial was now a curse. No wonder he had gone into hiding. This meant war. Nothing else would satisfy for betraying the Underworld.Never in the history of Hell had a demon worked with a Seraph.Never. Once the news became public, upon sight, his execution was assured. Unfortunately, he was the strongest among them. Only Lucifer could challenge Belial and hope to defeat him. Lucifer.
Mazt spat again. That fallen angel, first Prince of Hell, left the Underworld millennia ago, never to return.
Angels and demons alike searched for Lucifer, to no avail. The Guardian of Hell did not want to be found.
Agone wouldn’t be so elusive. He would be caught. His secrets extracted and then killed. With him removed from the field, Eden Brooks would be an easy catch. And the angel with them couldn’t kill all the demons that would come for her.
“I will lay out my plan and Shait will agree. He will forgive me for losing the Chosen. He will praise and reward me. And when the time is right. I will be a prince,” he mumbled to himself.