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My will might be the only thing I have left that solely and irrevocably belongs to me.
Clenching my fingers into fists, I tighten my jaw and face Lucian, peering up at him since there is no way I could ever look at him straight on. “You can fuck off, Lucian. If it takes you punishing me—a supposedly worthless mortal—to feel powerful, then you’re the damn pathetic one. So go ahead. Torture me. Beat me. Whip me. Show me what a big, scary monster you are, because in the end, that’s all you’ll ever be.”
Lucian roars in anger, yanking out his whip made from the flames of Hell and lashes it at the barrier, sending fire crackling and popping through the night. “Micah, push her in now. She will bow!”
Kase and Dante growl in warning, and heat swells around me. Before Micah’s forced into proving his disloyalty to Lucian, I force my feet to work and step through the barrier, the heated air sending sweat prickling over my skin.
I heave a few breaths and turn my back on Lucian, meeting everyone’s gazes. Micah remains expressionless, though his thoughts seep into my mind, begging me to brace myself for the fight. He plans to launch himself at Lucian, as does Kase and Dante. It’s written all over their faces. And then there’s Elias, clutching his chest, his face grimacing in horror.
“You will accept a lash for every day you have failed me,” Lucian snaps, shoving his clawed hand into my back hard enough to force me to my knees. With a swipe of his nails, he rips open the back of my shirt, exposing my skin to him.
“You’re a monster,” I repeat, scratching my fingers into the concrete. “A coward. A dickhead who thinks he can push me around when I’m the one who will make Hell’s Kingdom rise.”
“If any of you try and intervene, you will face punishment far worse,” Lucian says, ignoring me. “I will take her head.”
I still at his threat.
My devils hesitate, their fury as palpable as the heat of the fire around me. It’s in this moment that I realize they take Lucian’s words utterly and completely seriously. They don’t trust him not to act and do the one thing that will end my life and eternity.
“God, help me,” I whisper under my breath. “Please.”
The Higher Power doesn’t answer my prayers.
But Andre does.
Bright ethereal light blasts through the sky above us, and Lucian jerks his attention toward the glow of Andre’s wings. I knew he was around. He’s been following me everywhere. Except the last thing I expected was for him to reveal himself.
“Raven, run!” Elias shouts, rushing toward the summoning circle.
Lucian roars and tries to whip me, slashing the ground inches away from my feet. Andre swoops closer with a ball of heavenly light glowing in his hands, his distraction enough to keep Lucian’s attention split between us. I scramble away on my hands and knees. Locking his fingers under my arms, Elias drags me the rest of the way from the flames.
Kase, Dante, and Micah shock the hell out of me, transforming into their devil forms to counter-attack Andre even though he saved me from unbearable agony at Lucian’s wrath. Dante launches into the air, chasing after Andre. Kase and Micah split up, abandoning me and Elias with Lucian trapped within the hellfire.
One look at the devil asshole sets me off.
I straighten my shoulders and glower into his fiery eyes. “If you ever put your supposed brethren in this position again—having to choose between two fucking horrid options—you will regret it, Lucian. You think you’re as powerful as the Almighty, but you’re weak. You’re a bastard and I know that you rely on me to give you the power you crave.”
“I don’t. You are not irreplaceable, Raven,” Lucian snaps.
“It doesn’t fucking matter. I’m not going to stand for this damn bullshit and all your threats. Micah thinks you act this way because you’re jealous of Kase and Dante and the bond we’ve grown, but I don’t think it’s that at all. I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but I swear to God that if you ever pull this again, I will give your brother Cassius what he wants. I’ll let him take my life as a sacrifice to ensure you never, and I mean, never-fucking-ever get the power you need. I will make sure he knows every damn detail of your plan, so you stay trapped in your miserable eternity.”
“You’re lying,” Lucian says, lowering his voice.
Cupping my mouth with my hands, I shout, “Cassius!”
Lucian snarls and stomps the ground hard enough to knock Elias and me off our feet. Without another word, Lucian ignites into flames, disappearing from the Mortal Realm along with the summoning circle. I kind of wish he’d have stuck around to beg me not to ruin his plan, but fuck it. The universe clearly doesn’t want to give me that kind of satisfaction.
Arms encircle me, and Elias hugs me from behind, spinning me back toward the house. “You’re fucking insane. I don’t know whether to scream at you or cuddle the hell out of you. What you did—fuck. I was about to throw myself to Lucian.”
I shiver, trying to push the thought from my mind. “Don’t you ever do anything that stupid, understand? He would have killed you.”
“No, he would’ve killedyou,” Elias says, spinning me in his arms. “He’s far too proud to admit that he’s wrong. I know it.”
“Andre must’ve too.” I tilt my head back and look at the night sky. “I never expected him to grant me a miracle.”
“You can thank that sweet pussy of yours, angel-girl.” Kase strolls from the side of the house, dusting off his arms. “He will do anything for you. The fucker is falling.”
My chest tightens at his words. “You think so?” How the thought makes me feel? I have no idea.
