We landed in the stomach of the mountain, and Eli’s chest pressed against my back. Thick liquid bubbled around us. That wasn’t the worst of it. Countless demons or vampires, or demon vampires, or Fallen vampires, or whatever you call them, surrounded us. Their eyes flickered blood red, fangs showed, ready to tear us apart. And on top of a giant boulder stood Cyrus, tall and proud, with a smirk on his face, and his black wings spread. Intimidating. Had Father not been there, my knees would have buckled.
“Hello and welcome to my home,” Cyrus announced, extending his arms. “I’m…honored...to have a Divine Elder among us.”
Father lowered his weapon, but his wings remained opened. “Release the girl and we’ll be on our way.”
Cyrus lowered his head, almost bowing. “That girl?” He pointed at me. “What does she mean to you to give me such a demand, Michael?”
“She’s one of us,” Father answered, most likely thinking about his next move. He had always stressed how we should anticipate and plan ahead. It was better to be ready than sorry. But he also said it came naturally with practice and experience.
Eli jerked to his left, moving us toward my Father. “Liar. She’s his precious daughter.”
“Eli!” Milani scolded, inching her way to him. “Snap out of it. Brody and I need you.” Her eyes dampened, but her desperate plea had no effect on Eli.
Abel pulled Milani back. Milani twisted, fighting to move again. She stopped when Cyrus let out a boisterous laugh, so loud it actually frightened me. Father’s jaw tightened, and he gripped his sword tighter. His arm muscles flexed, hard and strong.
“We fooled you all,” Cyrus said. “It’s what we do. It’s what we, the demons, the monsters, the evil ones, as you call us, love to do. Now, if you ever want to see Eli again, tell me where the second page is hidden.”
“Fooled?” Uncle Davin arched his brows in confusion.
“Did you think it would be that easy to find your friend?” Cyrus mocked. “Do you think so little of me? You angels, you call yourselves, lovers of God, how foolish you are.”
I expected Father to say something, but he kept his lips sealed and his teeth clenched.
Show yourself, Eli.” Cyrus retracted his wings, and Eli stood beside him, looking just like the Eli who had captured me. The same pants, the same amount of blood on his shirt. Even his eyes, the cuts and bruises on his face were identical. He looked right at us, but his eyes held no recognition. And I wanted to gag when I saw Clarissa standing beside him, stroking his arm, his chest. Jealousy and rage burned through me. Why the hell was I thinking those thoughts when we were all in danger? Eli didn’t even seem to notice she was there.
“Clarissa. Let Eli go,” Milani demanded. “I swear, if it’s the last thing I do, I’ll kill you.” Light dimly flickered in her hands. But Milani shrank back when Clarissa hissed, her fangs on Eli’s neck threatening.
“Mine. All mine.” Clarissa ran her tongue the length of one side of his face like a serpent. Her eyes flickered crimson red, fangs out, ready to take a bite, but she didn’t when Cyrus stuck out his hand to stop her. Strange. He seemed protective of him.
If the real Eli truly stood there, oh for the love of God, who held me hostage? One of Cyrus’s creatures must be holding me, his fangs on my neck, his hands on my body, oh God…the creature’s hands started to caress my arms. I stilled…I remained so very still. I didn’t know what would happen if he bit me. I only knew the poison from their bite could drive me mad.
“Mortem,” Father murmured as his eyes darkened in anger. Mortem must have changed into his true form. So that meant…My skin crawled as I recalled the last time Mortem held me. He’d killed my friend in cold blood.
“I told you never to show yourself again. You didn’t heed my warning. And I don’t give second chances. Now I have to kill you,” Father growled, peering up at Cyrus. “I’ve battled Fallen and demons long before you existed, and I have torn them to pieces with my bare hands. I knew it was Mortem, who would bring me right to you. So don’t ever underestimate who I am.” Father spoke with confidence and pride.
Father had known? A relief flooded over me. No wonder he seemed so cold and hateful toward Eli in the cell, besides the fact he wanted to kill me.
Cyrus snarled, his smirk erased. “Divine Elders.” He shook his head, clicking his tongue. “So proud. You think you know everything. You’re not as powerful as you think. If you were, you would have rescued your daughter by now. Such shame. Such a waste of beauty.”
“Such a waste,” Mortem repeated, sliding his tongue along the side of my neck.
I winced and shuddered. “Let me go,” I whimpered, palming a tiny dagger I’d hidden up my sleeve. I had been ready to use it when Eli had brutally tossed me about. I would have only used it if he tried to kill me by choking me or with a weapon, but now I wished I had used it. I wished I had seen through the illusion. I would have sliced through all of him, every inch of him.
“I’ve got you, my little dove.” Mortem’s words burned through my ears as he continued to hold me in an uncomfortable position. “Don’t worry yourself. I won’t be so cruel to you as I was to your friend. I’ll make it fast. One swipe across your neck as I watch you bleed. Or if you beg, I’ll make you my pet and let you live beside me.”
Father closed the gap. “I promise on my life I will crush you if you hurt my daughter, Mortem. I will be your new hell.”
“Why bother? Send him to meet his maker now, Michael.” Uncle Davin moved beside Father. “I kind of feel sorry for his maker. He’s ugly.”
Mortem cursed under his breath and moved us closer to the lava, his sword at my neck. “Don’t take another step. Animan pro anima. Because you have taken my father from me, I shall take my payment from you. May you suffer the same grief. May you suffer for eternity the regret of killing my father and as a result your daughter.”
Father furrowed his brow, an uncertain expression on his face. “Life for a life? Dantanian?”
“At least you haven’t forgotten his name.” Mortem’s heart pounded with rage and fury against my back.
Father had told me about his past when he once fought alongside the Fallen angel. Dantanian was his comrade, one he had admired until he had come to realize his evil heart. When Father no longer believed in their cause, the so-called brothers he’d thought were his family tried to kill him.
“Your father was my friend. He was out of control,” my father explained. Father explained to no one, but I knew he carried guilt for killing the ones he once cared for. And finding out Mortem was Dantanian’s son must have come as a shock.
“Liar!”
“He tried to kill me. I didn’t take pleasure in killing my friend.”
“Blasphemy! You betrayed him.”
I cried out when Mortem nicked my neck. We had jerked back when the ground slightly trembled. When his sword pushed against my throat, he anchored his foot on the edge. One small step back, and we would be lost to the lava. The cut healed, but a drop of my blood trickled down.
A loud, predatory growl rumbled through the air, causing everyone to still. Eli snarled and hissed, staring at my throat. His red eyes showed he had transformed to the demon he feared he would become, but he had not been lost yet. I knew in my heart he would not give into the darkness so easily.
Cyrus patted Eli on his shoulder. “Now, now, now, Eli. You’ll get your chance to tear Lucia apart. I know you’re hungry for death, but relax. Let’s allow Mortem to have a little fun.” He shifted his attention to Mortem. “Well? We’re all waiting for a show.”
Mortem scowled. “Say goodbye to your daughter, Michael, traitor to your own kind, traitor to my father. I take my revenge upon you, and may you remember this day forever.”
Father dashed toward me, but he would not get to me in time. Before Mortem could do me harm, I released the energy building inside me when panic struck through my core, the same energy I’d felt when we encountered the dragon. As my whole body shone like the sun, everything around
me became a blur of light. It faded as quickly as it came, and I dropped to my knees from exhaustion.
Mortem blasted away from my back and my father never reached me. Instead he curled into a ball on the ground where he’d stood seconds before. My energy must have pushed him back, and his wings covered him to protect him from me.
“Get them!” Cyrus glided down with his evil wings spread like a gigantic bat.
Father dashed to me and helped me up. “Lucia, are you well enough to hold your own?”
I nodded, willing my sword to my hand as Cyrus’s demons came for us. Father beheaded one behind me, and I struck one from the side. I turned to more clanking of swords. Uncle Davin, Zach, and…Jack. I could not get to Jack, who held his own so far, and let Zach protect Jack as a swarm of demons surrounded us.
Milani shot fireballs from her hands, and Abel and Brody fought with their strong hands and sharp teeth. No matter how many times I had seen them tear through demons’ bodies, it still sent shivers through me.
As I blocked a blow with my sword, I took a quick peek. Eli stood there, unmoved, Clarissa still by his side. Then his eyes grew wide and he flinched, as if a warning to me. I followed my instinct and ducked. Mortem’s sword swung through empty space, missing me by a hair. I swirled around and used the rocky walls as my stepladder to climb higher. The demons’ swords tore through the wall, broken chips flying back into their faces. Mortem chased me when I flashed my wings to fly.
As I flew to lose Mortem, I gained a better view of my friends. Fire from the lava rose and flowed to Milani at her command. Countless Fallen and demons spun around Brody, Abel, Jack, and Milani, all shielded by her bubble of protection. The demons hissed and swatted at the balls of fire, only to back away from the pain of the heat. Uncle Davin’s and Zach’s swords swung nonstop. And Father battled with Cyrus. I’d lost sight of them when I had to turn to avoid colliding with a chunk of rock that dropped.
Mortem hot on my tail, I soared higher and dipped low again, falling in the lightning speed of angels. It created more distance between us, but Mortem was not behind me when I peeked. My body slammed into a hard wall of chest. Mortem had outsmarted me and pinned me with his hand around my neck. I flapped my wings frantically, trying to release his hold, but to no avail. Afraid Mortem would cut them, I closed them up.
“You dare to think you can outfly me, little girl?” Mortem’s eyes grew cold, as he practically salivated over me.
With the small dagger still in my hand, I readied to pierce him. I waited for the right moment, watching him, anticipating his next move.
“No,” I said smoothly. From the corner of my eye, I spotted Father making his way toward me stealthily. “I’ve got you exactly where I want you. I may not outfly you, but I can outsmart you. And don’t underestimate my father.”
Mortem flashed his eyes to where I gazed a second before, and we were hit by something soft yet hard enough to knock Mortem off me.
Chapter 12
Lucia
Mortem tumbled through the air and collided against the wall.
“Never fear, Uncle Davin is here.” Uncle Davin pounced on Mortem. Metal upon metal, swords crashed in fast paced motion. I’d thought it was Father at first, but Uncle Davin came to the rescue. He must have been hiding and waiting for an opportunity.
I stumbled a little and stopped short, but someone took a hold of me, as my shoes dug against the hard surface.
“Release her, Eli. I command you to release my daughter, or so help me God, I will hurt you.” Father seethed, floating near us, but keeping his distance.
“Eli,” I whimpered, trying to turn my head to get a look at him. When I couldn’t, I dipped my head to my waist. Human hands, not demon mist held me, not in a threatening way, but more…Oh God, please let him be back to himself.
“Father, let me handle this,” I begged. Then my eyes flew open wide. “Father, Cyrus is behind—” I didn’t have to say another word. Father already knew. His body stiffened, and his sword readied just as Cyrus came from behind him.
“You have bad timing,” Father huffed.
Father raised his sword to block the blow and then swung but missed when Cyrus backed away. Cyrus charged at Father again with his sword in front. Father somersaulted in the air with grace and ease and stood behind Cyrus as he sliced through empty air. Cyrus turned swiftly and came at Father, only to carve through the mountain wall. He growled when Father nicked Cyrus’s arm. Father’s divine sword could kill Cyrus, and the damage from the cut would take a lot longer to heal than a normal wound.
Cyrus gripped Father’s wrist when Father was going in for the kill and batted him with one side of his wing. Father tumbled. His expanded wings stopped him and held him upright, strong and determined. Cyrus charged, his wings open and wide, and collided with Father. Black against white. White against black. They became a blur as they flipped through the air. I worried about Father, but I had a pressing matter at hand. Mortem had escaped Uncle Davin, who was surrounded by demons. The fallen angel gloated in front of me.
“Eli, give me Lucia,” Mortem ordered.
I winced when Eli hissed. His animalistic roar told me he was still under their control. As Mortem took a step toward us with each spoken word, Eli pulled us back, his grip on me tighter.
“This is not a request. If you don’t listen, you’ll get what’s coming to you, boy.” Mortem’s eyes turned bloody crimson, and his black wings curled inward, a slow warning ready to explode.
“I’ve got this handled,” a voice rang. Clarissa landed with her wings flapping.
Mortem shot a daggered glance at Clarissa. “You can have your plaything. I don’t care what you do to the boy. I’m not obsessed with him like Cyrus, but I want Lucia. Get him to hand her over to me now.”
“Eli, do as he says. You’ll only end up hurting yourself. She’ll end up dead anyway.” She crept closer.
What would Eli do now? He had no wings to take flight, and from what I could tell, he couldn’t change into his demon mist to fly us about. But the question remained. How much of Eli had I lost to the darkness?
As Mortem and Clarissa advanced on us, Eli began to climb backward on boulders and the rocky structure, higher and higher. The higher he climbed, the faster he moved, and then, though I’d thought his magic had been stripped, he soared us away like a rocket, blasting off in his demon form.
Clarissa and Mortem became a blur. Eli curved around the mountain tunnels, boulders, and stalactites, and we landed inside a cave I would never have known existed. Red thick liquid bubbled and burst from pockets underground, and in the center, a black pit gaped.
Eli’s heavy panting on my neck sent both pleasant and frightening shivers down my spine. Why had he brought me there? He took me away from my enemies. Maybe he wanted to kill me himself? Eli answered my question when he whipped me around.
Eyes, dark as night and angry as winter storm, pierced into mine. His fangs jutted out, ready, sharp as a sword’s tip. Taut arm muscles flexed and tightened as he pinned me against the wall, hands on my shoulders.
“Who are you?” he asked, his deep voice gruff and confused, not like the Eli I remembered.
I swallowed, and fear caught in my throat. “Eli, it’s me, Lucia. The girl with wings.” I had to do better. Cautiously I raised my hand and stroked the curve of his forearm, the only place reachable from my position. “I am your girl with wings. And you are everything,” I said softly. Oh please let this work. I had nothing to fight with, nothing to bring him back. We’d not known each other long, and I could only repeat things he’d said to me before.
Eli blinked, his pupils dilating from black to red, red to black, as if fighting a battle within himself. When his grip began to loosen, I crushed my lips into his without thinking.
At first Eli stood frozen, his lips unmoving. Then he kissed me back in hunger and desperation. Our lips locked in fury, passion, and longing. His hands wrapped around me and glided over my body as if he needed to confirm I truly stood
before him.
“Lucia,” he murmured, and then his tongue reached deeper, kissing me the way he did when he carried me out of the water and lay me down to rest.
“Eli,” I whimpered, happy tears forming in my eyes. He remembered?
“Lucia.” Cupping my face, he pressed me harder against the wall and kissed me wholly, all of me, as if he could swallow me up.
Melting, drowning, I dissolved in his kiss. I forgot the danger…forgot about my friends…forgot where we were. When he pulled back, our panting echoed in the cave, and his heavy hot breath followed along my jaw, my cheek, my eyes, my nose, and back down to my neck.
“Ouch!” I pulled back when I felt a sharp pain. My eyes widened at his furrowed brow and obvious confusion. His pupils continued to switch, but I worried since Eli had never tried to bite me before. There was no time for fooling around. Pressing my hands against his face, I said, “Eli, we need to get out of here. Help me help you.”
Applause vibrated inside the cave. I stiffened, warning bells alerting me to run.
Eli
I didn’t know the girl Mortem held hostage, only that my heart wanted her, longed for her, an obsession perhaps with her beauty. I wanted to kiss her and hold her tight and never let go. She seemed familiar, yet I had never seen her before. Had I? And at the same time, the sight of her made me nauseated, her voice so sweet, yet cunning, her face like an angel, the face that broke me and beat the hell out of me in my cell.
I wanted to rip out her heart and drink the blood from it. The thirst to kill her surged in me, and I had no idea why. How could I care for that girl and hate her at the same time? But when she said she was the girl with wings, something triggered inside me, and then recognition came full force when she kissed me. Her sweet scent, the feel of her lips, the mold of her body. I knew that girl. I knew her with all my aching heart. The pain deepened when I realized I couldn’t have her, so I kissed her goodbye.