Hells rejection, p.39
Hell's Rejection, page 39
She flashes her teeth as she smiles back.
The ground shakes underneath us, and then pauses before it shakes once more as a creature moves around nearby.
“We are in the right place at least,” I mutter, a feeling of dread filling my heart. We all walk to the edge of the shop where a lone window sill stands, covered in old newspaper. I peel back an edge and look out into the street. New York, one of the greatest cities in the world, is crumpling under a demon. The creature is hanging over an old tower, its claws digging into the side as it climbs up. Glass and brick smash under its claws and it’s missing part of his shoulders and skull. I think that must have been where the humans attacked with bombs to try and save themselves. I’m certain it was a failure, looking at the city around me. The creature wrenches its goat skull backwards and lets out a long, screeching howl into the air.
I look at Alaric. “I’ve got a sneaking suspicion this is really going to hurt.”
“I won’t let it hurt you,” he vows.
“None of us will,” Caspian agrees. I blow out a breath before walking out through a broken window on my left and onto the street curb. The scent of death lingers in the stale air and it’s horrible as I try not to look at the bodies around me, lining the street, most of them nothing but ash and bones.
I walk to the middle of the street, climbing over broken brick, and goddess knows what else, before standing still on top of a turned over car.
I look up at the creature and it turns, as if it senses me here.
It’s beady eyes, black pits of darkness, look deep into my soul and the creature lets out a roaring screech that echoes around us and hurts my ears, but I don’t move. I hold my ground against it.
It jumps off the building, slamming hard into the ground and sending rubble crashing around him before he starts running at me. Fear threatens to lock up my bones as I reach deep down inside me, to that place where something different and magical lies, and hold up my hand and shout one word.
“Stop.”
My voice echoes like a drumbeat, vibrating through the air and with it is a wave of alpha power. My alpha power.
I feel like there’s more power behind that one word than anything I’ve said in my life. The creature slowly pauses a few feet away from me, fire dripping down from its body and embers dropping like rain into the street. It looks in a trance as it gazes down at me, and I hold my hand up, feeling the strain that comes from holding him back. This is more than Alpha’s power. This is something else and I haven’t a clue really how to use it, but it hurts.
Hurry up! Hurry up!
Alaric runs past me with Eziel and Caspian hot on his trail, and soon a tornado of water appears in the air right in front of the creature, breaking our trance. It stumbles back like it’s drunk on my power as Eulah sends the water tornado smashing right into the creature, trapping it in the waves of biting water and lashing air.
Alaric, Eziel and Caspian are lost in the water and a basic sense of fear snakes into my heart even when I know this is the plan. Eulah is letting them run through the water unharmed and they will climb the creature.
I fall to the floor, feeling weak and my legs unable to hold me up anymore as I gasp for air. The water breaks, and Eulah stumbles back, and I look up just in time to see Alaric shifting into his wolf and getting knocked out of the way.
But Caspian is already at the top of the creature’s skull and Alaric was a distraction.
Caspian stands shakily on top of the goat and lifts his sword, setting it on fire with demon magic and easily slamming it right into the goat shaped bone head. The cracking noise echoes, and the creature screams, throwing Caspian off him. I barely get to see Eziel jump in his wolf form and catch Caspian, both of them rolling off into a building. The creature screams and shakes, glowing red from head to toe right before it explodes. I go flying back in the air, roughly slamming onto the floor. I cough out in pain, a small whimper escaping my lips. I’m smothered in sticky, red goo that stinks of decay.
Heaving as I sit up, my back aching in pain, everything is more than a little blurry as I wipe the goo from my eyes. I try to stand, only to slip and sink back down into the stuff. A cold wave of water washes over me, brushing the goo away, and I look up in thanks to Eulah even though I’m now freezing cold and wet.
“One down. How many more to go?”
I laugh at her question as she offers me her hand. Because laughing is better than crying. There are many, many more creatures and one nearly stopped us.
CHAPTER 47
That night, I find the Prince of Hell alone in the castle gardens. He’s sitting on one of the stone benches with his head tilted toward the sky, deep in thought. I pause in the shadows to watch him for a moment. The ribbons of moonlight cutting through the leaves whispering around him bounce off the silver medallion gripped tightly in his palm.
With a sudden flick of the wrist, he rotates the medallion in front of him, and I frown as I watch it circle slowly. I haven’t seen that medallion since the DHT days and something tells me he hasn’t brought it out to reminisce about the good old times. He’s in a bad place right now. I knew it.
My heart skips a beat as I make my way towards him. He doesn’t even turn at the sound of my footsteps approaching or when I whisper his name. It’s only when I stand beside him that he snaps his head to me, but then he stares unblinkingly—unseeingly—as if I’m not here.
As if he’s no longer here anymore.
I came here for some reassurance, to clear the air between us, but none of that matters anymore. Not when Eziel is the one who needs someone right now, which is why I sit beside him, take his hand, and place my head on his shoulder. For a long while, we sit on the bench, the two of us staring at the moon, while Eziel spins the medallion like a trick master rolling a coin over his knuckles.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
He rests his head against mine. “About what?”
“Whatever it is that’s playing on your mind. I’m here if you want to talk about it, Ez. I mean, I know I can talk a lot, but I’m a good listener too. Just wanted to put that out there.”
He laughs, and the sound is amazing to my ears. “You know why I keep this?” he asks, grabbing the coin again. “As a reminder. Since the day my father burned it into my back, he forced me to wear it as a display of his power over me. That’s not why I wore it though. I wore it so I’d never forget what he did, not to me but to my mother.” The medallion rotates again and Eziel watches as if hypnotised by it. “One day I’ll brand it into his back, too, just before I kill him. I want him to feel the pain I’m feeling right now.”
I tear my eyes off the medallion and look up at him. Even though there’s a part of me that doesn’t want to hear the answer to his pain for fear of being the cause of it, I ask, barely audibly, “What kind of pain, Ez?”
He sighs, and I can almost feel his pain like it’s sitting on the bench with us. Palpitations echo in my chest as I wait for his reply, and I fight the tears trying to claw at my eyes.
“I almost lost you today,” he says, finally looking at me. “When I saw you lying there… Fuck, Lilith. It was the first time I’ve been scared out of my fucking mind and so goddamn powerless. Fucking powerless!” He huffs and looks away, possibly to hide the tears in his own eyes. “I haven’t felt that way since he tortured my mother in front of me.”
Goddess, the pain he’s suffered is just so fucking horrific, it’s no wonder he hasn’t said anything.
I lean into his shoulder and clench my lids, allowing my tears to soak his shirt. “You didn’t lose me. You won’t ever lose me for so long as we’re together. And as for your father?” I look up at him. “If we don’t make Rizor pay for what he did then the gods certainly will. They always do.”
Eziel trains his gaze skyward again. “Maybe. But why give them all the fun, eh?”
He winks at me, and I chuckle, moving my cheek to rest on his shoulder again.
“We just need to get through this war, Ez. Think you can hold off until then?”
“I suppose.”
I smile, my lips spreading against him. “Good boy. Now, Prince Eziel,” I say, straightening up to face him. “How about we go back inside where it’s nice and warm? Alaric’s been informed that the next monster is hiding in a lake somewhere in Scotland. If all goes according to plan, we’ll leave in the morning.”
Eziel returns my smile with a nod. However, there’s an intense longing burning in his eyes that catches me off guard, and I all but stare at him as he wets his lips.
“But first, c’mere.”
He drops the medallion, letting it clatter to the ground, and pulls me onto his lap. His lips claim mine in a deep, passionate kiss that literally takes my breath away, then he sighs against me, his breath warm and minty.
“You’re still here,” he whispers, his forehead touching mine. “He’s never taking you from me, Lilith. Never.”
I straddle him and clench my legs, feeling the extent of his desire for me.
“Never,” I repeat, kissing him again.
Eziel grinds his hips against me as he slides his hands around my waist. Lifting me up, he moves away from the bench and sets me down on the bed of flowers. His fingers are shaking when he reaches for my dress and slides it over my shoulders. The cool breeze is wonderful against my skin, and my nipples harden in the cold. Eziel leans back and roams his gaze over me as though taking me in.
“Goddess above, you’re beautiful, Lilith. Do you truly want me?” he breathes, stroking my cheek with the side of his hand.
I pull him to me, his lips a breath from mine. “I want you, Ez. I want every single part of you.”
He falls down onto me, his heart racing, and enters my body with a rough eagerness that literally takes my breath away. The air leaves my body as I stretch around him. My own eagerness and the sheer pleasure of having his cock inside me is quick to overpower the short stinging sensation as I accommodate him.
Eziel grips both of my hands into one of his and pins them above my head. He leans down and lavishes my lips, throat, and breasts with kisses. My skin tingles with every brush of his lips. When he straightens over me and lifts a petal, he rubs it over my clit until I’m moaning and then trails it over my body. He circles my clit again with his other hand and I’m chasing, gasping, desperately trying to reach my orgasm.
He enters me again, this time slowly, and angles his hips so that the tip of his cock hits my sweet spot tucked away inside. Eziel practically forces it to surrender under his duress as he thrusts into me again and again, each time more pleasurable, more intense than the last. His heavy breathing punctuates my own as we cling to each other’s body.
“Let me feel you come, Lilith,” he breathes in my ear, rubbing my clit while still thrusting into me. “I want to feel it, and I want to hear you scream. Now!”
“Oh, gods!”
I close my eyes and arch my back, letting out a scream of pleasure. He stills and tilts his head back, the moon bathing him in a silver glow, and then he spills inside me with a deep sexy groan that sends me over the edge again.
I collapse back into the flower bed, my entire body sweating despite the cold, and Eziel falls beside me, his arm draped over me in a protective hold. The night sky stretches endlessly above us as we lie in each other’s arms, savoring the moment before all hell breaks loose again and we start fighting monsters.
CHAPTER 48
“It’s chewing on the London Eye.”
My comment almost makes Caspian laugh but he chokes on it instead. You know, if we weren’t both looking at the crazy, gigantic creature that is big enough to use the London Eye as a chewing toy. I hand my binoculars to Alaric, unable to look anymore, as he comes to my side, his arm pressed against mine. I embrace the small comfort, wishing we were anywhere else in the world right now. I’d rather be at home, in the Rivermare Pack, with all my soon to be mates. Fuck it, they are my mates. I’ve chosen them, and they have chosen me, ceremony or not. Brushing my hands over my tight, leather clothes, I touch my daggers at my hips and turn to look up at Alaric. He looks sexy dressed in light armour, heavy swords, and tight clothing with his pack crest on his arm.
“Pretty sure the humans didn’t design it to be used like that,” Alaric suggests.
Caspian snorts in laughter, and Eziel covers his mouth with his hand. “I’m certain it goes against all of their health and safety rules.”
I chuckle even as my body locks up with uncertainty. This creature looks bigger than the last one was, and it’s not injured in the slightest. I’m finding it increasingly difficult to convince myself to walk into this with my mates and Eulah, knowing they are relying on me.
Eziel looks over at me, sensing my unease. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”
“I don’t know. The last one was weak and easier, and this is one hell of an enormous creature.”
All of them look at me as I turn back to the creature.
Eulah looks out the window with me. “You are blessed by The Mother and supported by your mates and friends. You can do this. Believe in yourself like we believe in you, Lilith. You were born for this.”
I nod and Alaric immediately starts going over the plan, which is similar to last time, but this time, I won’t be alone after I use my power to command the creature. I don’t want to be left weak in front of a creature like this.
“We have an issue,” Caspian says, nodding at the demon. “Look around the bridge.”
I wait for Alaric—who has a grave look on his face—to hand me the binoculars, and I look down to see the bridge right behind the creature is full of demons. And not the friendly kind.
“Lord Dyrk must have set up demons to protect the creatures. Just in case we attack them. He must know what our plan is, and that Rizor talked,” Eziel growls. “We need more than five of us to take on that many demons alone.”
“What kind of demons are those?” I ask, looking at them. They have spider bodies and legs, human-like faces, and they are dripping with green goo.
“A mixture of different horrors, I’m sure,” Caspian sourly replies. “My father liked to breed demons years ago and make the deadliest demons he could.”
“I think one of us needs to make a distraction for the demons,” Alaric suggests.
“I will,” Caspian states. My heart beats faster as I look at Caspian. He slips out his daggers, and his eyes flash red. “Demons are my blood, after all. It should be me, and I won’t let them touch you.”
My eyes widen. “You can’t do that alone!”
“He won’t be alone,” Alaric interrupts, and my heart calms a little. “I have ten wolves in the city, waiting for my order. Can you lead them?”
“Yes,” Caspian replies and turns to me. I walk up and kiss him deeply, needing to feel his lips against mine. “Don’t die out there. I won’t find it romantic.”
He laughs and kisses me one more time. “It should be me warning you not to die.”
“Fine, we both promise each other then,” I reply with a smile.
He kisses me gently one more time before heading down the stairs, while Alaric is silent for a second as he mentally speaks to his wolves.
I turn back to the window and look over at what is left of London. Just like New York, the city is destroyed and left in the broken rubble of old structures. The scent of death lingers in the air, mixed with rotting food and smoke. I doubt there are many humans left alive in these cities around the world now and I wonder who will truly rule this world when this war is over. I briefly think about Dove and her sister Wren, and the fact that we left them here in London unaware that this was going to happen. If I did know, I would never have left them here, and I hope they survived. I would do anything for my family, and I understand what Dove did. Even if it stings. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do or risk or become to save the ones I love. Caspian grew up with her and knows she isn’t truly evil. Rizor just turned her into his spy with her sister as bait.
A massive splash of water catches my attention, and I look out the window, watching as the London Eye sinks into the river. The creature turns its gaze to the bridge before it pivots and walks through the river, away from the bridge.
“It’s running,” I say, confused.
“Lord Dyrk must have commanded it to leave if there was danger,” Eziel suggests. I blow out a breath and follow the creature with my eyes as it climbs out of the river, splashing water all over the banks.
I glance back to the bridge, seeing flashes of wolves and red power.
“We need to move now while Caspian has the demons distracted and before one of them calls for their master,” I demand.
“Look at that building. The tall one with the spire and wraparound balcony,” Eulah says, pointing at one of the only towers left in the city.
“I think it’d be a good building to jump off and perhaps get on top of the creature,” Alaric agrees.
“I’m going to shift, and you can ride on my back. That way, I can protect you,” Eziel says as we all agree to the new plan. I nod at him, and he shifts immediately, his body twisting around in brilliant red magic before a fierce Stormfire wolf is right next to me. I run my hand through his fur before climbing on his back, and Eulah opens a portal of water. We all jump through, appearing inside a broken building with shattered glass everywhere and a few dead bodies.
I turn away from the bodies and grip Eziel’s wolf tighter as the entire building shakes, shattering more glass.
“We need to get to the balcony,” Alaric says, pulling out two swords that shine in the light. Eulah is already to the staircase door, and she pulls it off the hinges, throwing it to the side. Alaric follows her in, and Eziel’s wolf jumps up the stairs after them. We all run up the stairs as fast as we can with the shaking until we get to the top of the staircase and see an emergency door. It’s locked, and Alaric kicks it hard, sending it crashing out onto the balcony before we all step out into the blistering cold.
The balcony floor is all glass, giving the sense you’re floating above the world in the clouds, but all it does is make me feel sick. The creature suddenly turns my way, sensing me, and it stops dead in its tracks. It looks almost torn, most likely between its command from Lord Dyrk to flee and its urge to kill me as I can command it. I’m a threat to it.
