take him out. We can’t afford to keep playing cat and mouse.”
“And what do you think that king’s gonna do?”
“I don’t know, but Kimaris is the threat right now.”
“I’ll break every bone in your wings, angel!” Kimaris roared up at us. “And you, succubus, will watch, while all my legions take their turns with you.”
“You’re never touching me again!” I screamed back, all feelings of love gone. Pure hate roiled through me like an angry sea. “You’ll never have any of them!” I twisted in Az’s grip, freeing both hands to extend straight toward the demon I longed to kill for millenia.
My holy light wasn’t as strong as Az’s, but I succeeded in temporarily blinding Kimaris. Shoving myself away from the angel, I fell freely to earth, using my strength to drop harder, like a boulder. My kick landed on Kimaris' chest, sending him backward and giving me room to pummel my fists into his face.
The force of my blows would have sent a human’s head flying from its body, but the demon’s head just snapped from side to side until he regained balance. With lightning speed, he bowed forward and headbutted me right in the chest.
Air shot out of my lungs as I flew backwards. Fuck, that hurt.
“Deyva!” Az dove straight toward me, getting close enough that I could see the worry on his face before an arm the size of a crane smacked right into him, sending him tumbling through the air.
“Aaazzz!” I shrieked, horrified as more golden feathers floated to the ground, my angel’s body landing with a hard thud and rolling before he stilled.
A shadow came over me, blocking out what little light remained in the sky. King Belial brushed golden feathers off of his arm, utterly ignoring me as his lava-red gaze leveled on Kimaris.
“This is an embarrassment.” The king’s voice vibrated through the air like there was a speaker right next to my head.
“I will end this once and for all, my king!” Kimaris' speech slurred as he stumbled over, his jaw hanging at an odd angle.
“No.” Belial stretched both crane-like arms out toward the smaller demon. “You are the embarrassment, and I will end you.”
Something spurred to me to take off running, hurrying to Az stirring painfully slowly on the ground. Despite putting distance between me and the demons, I still heard Belial’s voice as though he were right next to my ear.
“You released the succubus with no authority from me, and sent a barely Hell-touched angel after her. Together, they overpower you. You are incompetent and a disgrace, Kimaris.”
“No! My king, please! No, ahhh!”
The sweetness of Kimaris' death was tainted by Azariah’s battered body, his breaths coming in pained wheezes and wings shaking in shock. I kneeled next to him and pressed my palms against his skin.
“Sorry. This is going to hurt like a bitch.” I didn’t care that it would drain me. I healed him, and held nothing back.
“Gahhhh! Still better than getting fucked by Kimarisssss!” he hissed, arching and twisting as I repaired his broken wings. “Deyva, stop! You’ll drain yourself!”
“You’re our best chance of surviving this, Az,” I gasped, my body growing heavy and sore, my balance failing. “I was in Hell for millenia, I’ll never be strong enough.”
The ground rattled and I glared at Kimaris’ withered body as it bounced against the dry earth, eyes black and lifeless, before sliding down into the cavernous ravine.
“Deyva, shut the fuck up and kiss me,” Az said softly, and before I could pull away, he grabbed my shoulders and drew me in, slanting his mouth over mine.
I moaned, drinking deeply for one brilliant, restorative second, and then I gasped as a fist like a boulder wrapped around my waist, stealing me away from Az.
“Deyva!” Az cried, eyes wide with horror. He jumped up, wings beating and ready to fly, and was promptly batted roughly away by a massive hand.
My ribs screamed with Belial’s grip, my legs barely able to kick, but I still had John in hand, and I used the sword to hack at the fingers holding me. On the ground below, rushing out from Bethel’s gate, my men cried out, Zach’s bright head running for Azariah where he lay discarded against the ground.
“Deyva, my wickedest eater, I suppose I should not be surprised you were tempted by sweeter fare,” Belial boomed, my head throbbing harder with every syllable, the vibration of his voice so dense it made it hard to hold on to the hilt of my sword. “I