threw the gun in one direction while kicking the clip in the other. In the next moment, Morgan was on my back, attacking with supernatural speed.
Levi grabbed him and flung him across the room.
“No!” I screamed, pointing at Levi. “No.”
Across the room, Morgan stood, rolling back his shoulders and crouching, ready to attack.
“How do we separate them?” I asked, feeling desperation cloud my thoughts.
“He’s too strong,” Levi said. “He’ll leave on his own … or remain until Morgan dies.”
Morgan took wide strides across the room at full speed, lunging at me. I took the brunt of the blow in my chest as he rammed me against the wall.
Levi began to attack him from behind, but I held out my hand. With reluctance, he obeyed my order to stand down.
Morgan swung me around, slamming my back into the wall again. I felt the plaster crater behind me. He swung, and I ducked, his fist splintering a wooden panel. He grabbed me again, tossing me across the room, and I crashed face-first into a console table with dozens of glass vases, high-dollar ceramic bowls, and sharp corners of picture frames.
The air was knocked out of me, but I crawled to my feet.
Levi shook his head. “What’s the plan, Eden?”
“To save Morgan,” I said.
“You’re weak. You can save no one. All you’ve ever been is in the way,” he hissed.
I circled him, waiting for him to strike again. He didn’t wait long, but I ducked and then sidestepped, trying my hardest to buy Morgan some time.
“Morgan?” I said. “Can you hear me?”
He laughed. “Can you hear him?” His voice changed into the sweet sound of Morgan’s voice. “Eden!” he cried in anguish.
I closed my eyes at the heartbreaking sound. A moment later, an elbow swiped my jaw, followed by several more blows, and then a foot kicked my stomach. I grunted as I flew across the floor again. On my knees, my palms flat, a mouthful of thick crimson liquid dripped from my bottom lip to the marble, and more blood streamed into my right eye from somewhere above it.
From the corner of my eye, I saw feet coming toward me, and then Lucifer grabbed my shoulders, picking me up and shoving me against the wall.
“Morgan,” I groaned, looking into his obsidian eyes. “Don’t make me do this. Please don’t make me do this,” I cried.
“Eden!” Levi yelled.
“Stay back,” I said, coughing more blood.
A blur passed me and tackled Lucifer to the ground.
“Levi! Easy!” I said, watching him slam Morgan once against the ground.
“Leave this boy,” Levi said. “Leave him and fight us. Are you afraid? Are you not Lucifer? Fight us yourself! Coward!”
A growl emitted from Morgan’s throat and then a wail. Bex returned to the foyer, snapping his gun back together. I gave him a warning look and then startled when my dad burst through the front door, followed soon after by Mom.
She rushed to my side, checking me over. “Jesus,” she said, her eyes darting to Morgan.
“Grandmother,” I said, pointing to the front corner of the room.
“Are you okay?” Mom asked, her palm on my temple.
I nodded, and she left me to tend to her mother.
Levi lifted Morgan by the neck, dangling him in front of Dad. “He’s nearly killed Morgan. I think we … I’m sorry, Eden, but we should put the poor kid out of his misery. It’s the most humane thing to do.”
“No!” I said, rushing to stand next to my dad.
Dad frowned, looking over Morgan’s broken body. “We could tie him up and try an exorcism, but he’s got a strong hold, and I don’t think Morgan would survive it.”
My bottom lip trembled, and I closed my eyes. “Help him,” I whispered, looking to the ceiling. “Won’t you help him? He’s an innocent.”
Bex took Morgan from Levi, and Levi pushed me back, lowering his chin so that I would look into his eyes.
“Eden … Eden, I’m talking to you. You have to let him go. He’s suffering.”
I shook my head, tears streaming down my cheeks and onto my neck. I sniffed. “I can’t. He’s my responsibility. They’re all my responsibility.”
“Eden,” Mom warned. She recognized the look in my eyes. She’d had the same look once.
Morgan’s eyes popped open, filled with fear and pain. “Eden?”
“I’m here,” I said, held back again by Levi.
Morgan groaned. “Him or me.”
Mom helped Grandmother to a chair and then rushed over. “Don’t listen to him. He’s using Morgan to distract you from what you’re meant to do.”
I looked at my friend and