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“Not until you tell me what’s going on.” My blazing fear keeps my body locked to Micah’s. It’s like my soul can’t stand the thought of being away from him. It hurts to even consider letting him go.
Kase groans. “Fucking fine, but it’s nothing to worry about.”
Why don’t I believe him? “Then tell me.”
“Lucian has opened the contract of your soul to the whole demonic population. He thinks you’ve weakened us and that we won’t complete our mission because we’ve grown attached to you, and even if we fail, you were going to be ours.” Dante growls with the words, his eyes flickering green.
My heart sinks into my stomach. “Are you joking with me? You can’t be serious.”
“You’re going to be fine. Everything is in order. After Micah, things will be easy.” Kase shifts closer, and I realize he and Dante are trying to trap us. “You’ll know what to do.”
“But what if it’s impossible? I’ve just accepted the idea that even if we fail, I’ll be okay. I’ve depended on it, Kase.” My chest tightens. Air refuses to fill my lungs no matter how hard I breathe.
This can’t be happening. I trusted my soul would be okay, even if I didn’t fulfill my obligations to Lucian and became the ruler of Purgatory. I’ve grown to like Kase and Dante. They aren’t as horrible as I expected a devil to be. If anything, they’re nicer than angels—at least how Micah was before. But if I fail and my soul ends up with a real dickish demon? Fuck my eternity. I can’t risk it.
“Please, Raven,” Dante says, his voice pleading. “Don’t make this any harder. We don’t want to give you up as much as you don’t want to suffer at someone else’s hands. You’re ours, and we’re not going to let Lucian take you.”
Micah laughs in exasperation, shifting slightly to aim his flaming sword at Dante. “You don’t have control over her soul. What kind of empty promises are those? Lucifer is known as the supreme ruler of Hell because he embodies all that is wrong with humanity to appropriately punish those who deserve it. You two are merely moths trapped in the pull of his forsaken flame. You have damned this beautiful soul which shines even brighter than Lucifer ever could’ve as an angel. Don’t act as if you can save her. Only divine intervention from the Higher Power can help her, and it’ll be me acting as the vessel who will be her savior.”
Micah sounds so certain that I believe him. I believe in my very being that if I put my faith into him, he will find a way to sever the deal binding me to Lucian’s fiery clutches. I want to believe Kase and Dante. I want to have faith that things will go as planned, and I won’t be a soul damned and enslaved to demons for all eternity. But faith doesn’t exist where hope is lost. Even if I could bring angels to their knees to have their wings taken by the embodiment of Hell, could I go through with it?
One look into Micah’s dark eyes, so pure and full of everything good that I can no longer summon inside me, tells me no. I can’t damn an angel. I can’t go through with Lucian’s plan. My soul is worth far less than Micah’s, a being who can save more people than I could ever dream of. And maybe, if I pray hard enough, not just to God or the Higher Power. But maybe if I pray to the universe, to myself, to the light that could set the devil’s darkness ablaze to push it away, I won’t be doomed. All won’t be lost.
“Raven, please. I know what you’re thinking,” Kase says, shifting completely into his mortal form. “But Micah can’t save you. It’s too late for that. Only we can.”
Micah touches my chin, grabbing my attention. “There is only one person who can save you, and it’s yourself. You have to make the decision to allow me to help you. I will do everything I can. Just say the word. Give me permission to take you away from here.”
I heave a few breaths, knowing I have seconds to decide. Kase and Dante will attack before they ever let Micah take me again, especially knowing the thoughts crossing my mind. Is it possible that a decision can break not only my heart but my soul? Maybe. I hate that I’m in this position at all. My soul yearns to be close to Kase and Dante. My body begs for it. But the fear of the unknown. Of punishment. It screams that what I feel is only temporary, especially if I don’t succeed.
I squeeze my eyes shut. “I’m sorry.”
“Raven, don’t say it,” Dante pleads, the heat of his body warming the air around us. “If he takes you, the brethren will come. They will kill you. They will know what is happening. Micah will fall regardless. If he does so without us there to protect you, things will end for you. The angels will send you to Hell. You will no longer be ours.”
Micah intakes a sharp breath at Dante’s words. “They wouldn’t. They’d see your beautiful soul how I do.”
Kase growls. “Do you hear him, angel-girl? He’s delusional. He will keep you even if it’s not good for him or anyone.”
Scowling, Micah jabs his flaming sword at Kase, trying to stab him. The world spins as Micah expands his wings, preparing to launch into the air. My head spins with a dozen thoughts. What if Kase and Dante are right? What if Micah falls from grace with me, and he can’t save me? It’s possible that he’ll accidentally doom me, because he can’t see things clearly anymore. The devils—and Micah, for that matter—always talk about the light of my soul. Is it possible that it’s blinding Micah instead of letting him see? Who knows. All I know is I’m suddenly terrified to find out.
“Raven, hold on tight to me. They’re not going to let us leave,” Micah says, his voice deepening. “They just want to enjoy you for the little time they have left.”
Kase roars, transforming into his hellish glory faster than I’ve ever seen as if his true body just bursts through his skin. Whipping his tail, he slashes it across Micah’s wing, not even caring that it burns him. Micah jerks his arm, preparing to cut off Kase’s tail, and I swing my hand out and grab Micah’s wrist.
“Micah, I’m sorry. I really am,” I say, tears burning my eyes, forcing me to rapidly blink to stop them from spilling.
“Catch her!” Kase shouts, locking his tail around my waist.
I release Micah and close my eyes, letting Kase throw me through the air toward Dante. I crash into his hard chest, gasping from the force. Fire and light illuminate the world as Heaven and Hell face each other, preparing for a battle no one can truly win. My heartbeat booms in my head, pounding hard enough to feel like it’ll escape my body. I can’t bear to witness these two beings on a mission to tear each other apart.
Kase unleashes his wrath, pushed by the darkness of Lucian’s threats still lingering even in my soul. Swiping his dagger nails, he shreds Micah’s shirt, exposing the deep scratches he slashes across Micah’s velvety dark skin. I gasp and cover my mouth, unable to even comprehend what unfolds before me. Kase rams a ball of glowing Hell power into Micah’s back, dropping him to his knees.
“You will not save her!” Kase yells, his deep voice reverberating through my essence. “She belongs to Hell just like you. Now agree to bow to the rulers of Hell and accept that Raven will be a part of the new order alongside us.”
Micah shakes his head, clenching his jaw. “Never!”
“You’d rather see Raven’s soul burn?” Kase asks.
“I can save her. Let me try.” Micah holds his hands up in surrender. “Please. You know she doesn’t truly belong there. Please—”
