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Chapter 15
RAVEN
Heaven’s Army
I SCRAMBLE TO my feet, stealing Elias’s shirt to shrug on, which is faster than dressing in my own clothes. The hem reaches my thighs, covering my body. I beat Elias to Zade and extend my palm to Andre, now trying to do the impossible by crossing the barrier.
“Calm down, Andre. I’m not here as your enemy. I’ve come with a message that the guardians have sensed your portal. You must leave.” Zade flexes his muscles and peers at the dark yard behind him. “They come with vengeance in their hearts and righteousness in their minds.”
I tug at the ends of my hair. “Can’t you do something? Tell them that you took care of the problem?”
Zade shakes his head, his frown deepening. “I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do.”
“You mean there is nothing you will do,” I snap, digging my nails into my palms. “Why do you even bother? Just go before they catch you here. It’ll be me and only me that takes your fucking wings.” Anger explodes through me. I don’t mean to be a bitch, but after everything I’ve gone through, I’m not messing around anymore. I’m not going to deal with Zade at his own pace, because he will jump from grace for me. I’ll not have him ruin my already shaky eternity because he’s not brave enough to act.
Zade’s eyes sparkle, glassing over with his hurt. “Raven, I’m—”
“Either stay and help or just go!” I yell, spinning on my feet, looking around for anything I can use to protect Elias. “I don’t have time to deal with you.”
And like that, Zade disappears, the door slamming shut with his exit.
“Fuck!” I yell, swinging my arms through the air. “I thought that Heaven would only ever send fucking righteous Cassius to try to get in our way. But this angelic army? Bullshit. How do we deal, Andre? You’re stuck in a circle.”
Andre half transforms, his features turning monstrous with his giant curved tail swinging over his back like he plans to impale someone or something. “We don’t do anything. You’re going to cross the barrier and let me take you to Hell.”
I heave a couple breaths and nod. “Fuck. You’re right.” I jog the space to Elias, silently standing with only his jeans slung over his hips. “That’s what we’ll do.” I take Elias’s hand and tug him with me to enter the summoning circle.
Andre’s tail penetrates the floor in front of me, blocking our way. “I said you, Raven. Elias can’t come. He can’t enter Hell like you can, and even if he could, I wouldn’t allow it. It’ll alert every fucking demon that he’s here and they’ll come. Lucian will come.”
I sigh. “I’m not leaving without him.”
Andre growls. “I can’t protect you unless you do, Raven.”
Stepping away even more, I clutch onto Elias and whip my hair back and forth with my rejection. “Then go get someone who can, Andre. I’m not leaving. Don’t ask me again. Just hurry.”
Andre roars in anger and transforms completely into his devil form. The hellfire of the summoning circle crackles and explodes, reaching the ceiling. It vanishes along with Andre, only some ashes and scorch marks remaining behind. I comb my fingers through my hair, fear tightening my chest. What if Andre doesn’t get to the others in time? Elias and I are mortal. We’re powerless.
“Raven? Hey, focus. I need you to listen to me. You’re faster and stronger than me, so I want you to barricade the window and door of the bedroom. We’re too open out here.” Elias tugs my hand, getting me to pull myself from my panic. He smacks my ass, getting me to rush toward the bedroom first. “Flip the mattress up on the window, then the frame. I’m going to see if I left any weapons behind.”
I do as he says, running to his old bedroom, riddled with scattered moving boxes, books, empty cartons of cigarettes, takeout containers, clothes, and some old electronics that have to be two decades old. I haven’t seen a VCR since my mom sold ours at a yard sale when I was a tween.
Grabbing the pillow and blankets, I drag them off the bed and prop up the mattress, finagling it on its side as I carefully step between the wooden slats of the frame. And looking at them, I think they could be useful. I can’t stab an angel with them but I can swing it like a bat and keep some distance.
“Next time Micah creates an angel ward, make sure I pay fucking attention.” Elias drops a duffle bag in the middle of the room and leans forward, coughing and out of breath. He sounds utterly awful, and I wish I could close the space and rub his back, but keeping the angelic army out is far more important. If we can’t, we might not make it.
“We’ll learn together, okay? By the time this shit is behind us, we won’t even have to know. Those bastards will be too afraid.” I manage to lean the mattress against the window and then prop the metal and wood frame against it. I know it won’t keep anyone out, but it will at least slow them down.
“Damn straight, darlin’. They’ll regret ever thinking they could get in our way from our eternity together. We’ve been through Hell, Heaven, and every damn thing in between to get to where we are, and I’m not letting anything screw us over.” Elias digs into the duffle bag and pulls out a curved blade. “Now help me take care of the door to ensure it.”
His words fill me with hope. Rushing across the room, I do what he says and shove the dresser in front of the door, blocking it. Elias motions to the night stand, and I haul it over. He helps me arrange the barricades until there is nothing left.
Elias scoops up the bag and takes my hand, tugging me along to the closet. The broken rod lies on the floor, reminding me of how we first met in this lifetime and he tied me up in here like a fucking bastard. Picking it up, I add it to my arsenal along with the wood slats from the bed frame.
“Remind me when this is over that I need to repay you for this,” I murmur, waving the broken rod. If I don’t joke or concentrate on something else, I might panic. It’s too quiet. The world is too still. It makes me wonder what kind of powers the guardians have and if they can transport us to a different plane to ensure no one finds us.
He hums under his breath, lifting an eyebrow. “Careful, darlin’. I’m still horny as fuck. When this is over, it won’t be you repaying me. I’ll tie you up all over again and make up for leaving you hanging without a good time.”
“You better.” I lean in and kiss him, trying to distract myself from the building anticipation.
