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Oh fuck. Did he just say that they can possess humans? My stomach twists at the thought. I have been possessed before, and it was the worst thing in the world.
“Micah, you have to take the tether. You must bind yourself to Hell. It’s the only way. We have to claim what is ours.” Dante hisses and throws green liquid at a growing entity escaping from the crack. It’s an angel trying to pull itself from Hell. But he doesn’t let it.
“We need more power!” Kase whips his tail, knocking another angel through the crack. The devils force their power at the fissure, but it only slowly closes. If they hadn’t cut themselves off from Hell, they would be able to do it without a problem.
Fear clutches me, radiating through my being. I have to do something. But what?
Cassius digs his chin into the crook of my shoulder. “Raven, listen to me. I have an idea about how to control the souls. I want you to open your plane again. If you can open it for me, I can manipulate it around enough to keep the souls within a bubble.”
Shifting his body, Elias looks at me from over his shoulder. “You can ground them to your plane and cut off their soul cycles. It must be done. I know that it might be painful, but you will get through this. We’re here for you. It might be our only chance.”
My chest rises and falls, the anxiety of completing such a task overwhelming me. I don’t know how to control my plane. It just happens on a whim, based on what the twins feel I need.
“I don’t think I can.” I lick my lips and watch as Dante and Kase blast their power at another growing shadow forcing its way out of the shrinking crack to Hell.
“Anything is possible, darlin’. You know this. Come on, have some faith. I know it’s tough and this all seems so hopeless, but it’s not. You’re the most powerful being in the universe. You’re powerful enough that you scare the angelic army. Look at what they have done because of their fear of you. You need to prove them right.” Elias blasts his light toward the swirling souls again, keeping them back once more.
I puff a breath through my lips and slowly nod my head. I don’t know how I’m going to do this, but he’s right. I must have faith in myself. It’s only ever been my devils and me to see things through in my life. I can count on myself. I know it. I just have to be brave.
I shift my hands and rest them on my belly, feeling the babies kick and move, more active than they have ever been. It’s as if they’re trying to escape, or maybe they’re just exhilarated by the power blazing around them. I just hope they can sense what I need help with.
“Okay, you two. Help your mama out, will you? We need to help your daddies.” I rub small circles, closing my eyes and imagining their power coursing through my very being and filling me up. My body buzzes and hums, but it’s not the brilliant warmth I get from my twins. It’s darker, tainted by the Hell-bound souls. They are getting closer. There are just too many of them, and it’s taking Micah too long to grab the tether and bind himself to it.
“You can do it, Raven. Envision it in your mind. Open the door. Imagine you being able to turn the doorknob and see another world. Think about what it feels like entering the realm. Think of the hazy air and the perfect balance of light and dark. Manifest it with your mind. You can do it. Use your senses. What do you see? What do you smell? What do you feel?” Cassius rubs his hands up and down my arms, the gentle wind from his wings stirring my hair.
My closed eyelids flash red as more heavenly light erupts around us. I squeeze my eyes tighter, afraid if I open them then I’ll lose my concentration.
“You got this, darlin’. I see the veil. Break it open,” Elias says, his voice growing deeper with his unending blast of heavenly light. I wonder if he has a breaking point.
I wonder if the world does.
Something shatters, and the world shakes under my feet. The air cools around us, and the bright light fades from my red-tinted eyelids. I gasp as energy zings through me, and a heavy silence blankets the world.
“Oh, unholy Hell! Raven, you’re fucking brilliant.” Dante’s voice booms through the quiet world, startling me.
I snap my eyes open and stare around at the foggy air. All nine of us stand within the haze, and I gawk at all of the dark souls peppering the air, frozen and unable to move. Three fiery angels stand frozen outside of the crack to Hell, no longer able to move. And as for the Hell portal? It’s as if a sheet of impenetrable glass covers it. I can see into it, but nothing can go in or out.
“Everybody circle around her. We need to give her our strength to obliterate these fucking bastards. They’re the worst of the worst. Only the darkest souls are strong enough to escape the Hell plane. There’s no redemption for them.” Kase rushes toward my side and holds his hand out to me. “Remember what you did to the fucking bastard in my kingdom? Channel that rage. You need to end their soul cycles completely.”
I swallow, my whole body aching. I don’t know if it’s because of the amount of power I had to use to create the shift in the planes and bring all my devils and cover the crack or what, but I feel as if I might blackout at any second. I don’t think I’m strong enough for this.
“Hurry the fuck up. Lock the tether to her.” Lucian bounds closer, his hooves shaking the ground. He summons his fire chain and lashes it at me, but it doesn’t hurt me. All it does is wrap around my other hand as he channels power to me.
“Little hellion, we have you, okay? You’re strong enough. You’re capable of doing this. Don’t be afraid.” Andre steps beside Kase and rests his big palm on my shoulder.
“He’s right, heathen. Open your mind to me completely. I will build a mental wall for you. We will fix this together.” Micah stands within the crack a few feet away, but he doesn’t come closer. He can’t. He holds the tether to Hell.
I want so badly to touch him, and it’s enough to shift the world again until I stand within his reach, hovering on the weird glass keeping the souls in Hell.
He reaches out and touches my other shoulder, and Zade and Dante complete the wall around me. Dante expands his wings, shielding us. Cassius and Elias join him, keeping the devils within their glorious wings, the mixture of light and dark stealing my breath away. It’s a beautiful blend of Heaven and Hell and the ultimate power coming together as one.
“Imagine your light and dark blanketing everything around us. You can do it, Raven,” Zade says softly, his eyes glassing over as they meet mine. “I will absorb as much of your pain as I can.”
A wave of cool tranquility courses through me, and I feel myself connect to Zade. He uses the new energy around me, opening up his empathic side to blend our emotions. He doesn’t open himself like this that often to me, but when he does, I savor every second of it.
“That’s it, pretty soul. Use us. We are yours and our power belongs to you.” Dante caresses me with his feathers, and I finally let myself open completely.
My stomach flips as the babies shift and move, and fire erupts in one of my palms while light explodes in the other. Kase and Lucian guide my hands until I press the power together, creating a beautiful fiery light that turns blue in the process. I can’t stop staring at it, and then I realize that my eyes are still closed, and I’m looking at the new power in my mind’s eye.
