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If only I saw the tall figure loom in the window sooner. I don’t have a chance to summon my blade before the hulking demon grabs me by the hair, yanking me out the window.
The hunter smiles at me, all of the goodness I thought he had vanishing with his sneer.
“Gotcha, my queen. Prince Dagan will be relieved. I’ll enjoy quite the reward.” The demon grips me tighter, holding me in front of him.
I spit in his face. “Let me go.”
He snarls, flashing a mouthful of jagged fangs. “Never. You will help me rise in Hell.”
27
The Aftermath
Storm
Iglancearoundatthe burning destruction, Riella no longer in my line of sight.
Fuck.
I knew this was a bad idea.
Peering around, I yell, “Hey guys, does anyone have eyes on Riella?”
River glances over at me while punching another guy in the face. “No! Do I look like I have my eyes on her?”
Damien quickly points his sword toward the ground, frantically moving toward me. “How the hell did we lose her?” He turns and looks at River. “Yo, Estuary! Your swamp ass lost her, or was this part of your plan? It’s all your fault.”
I shake my head in disgust, wondering the same. I turn to the guys. “While you two fight it out and act like immature frat boys, I’m going to go find her.” I head toward the door to the back parking lot. It’s the only place she could’ve gone now. She would’ve never made it past the two of them to reach the front door.
The dark and dingy hallway resembles every dive bar on the planet. There’s a door straight ahead with an exit sign flickering above. I crack open an unmarked door that ends up being a closet and call for Riella in both bathrooms. One last door remains apart from the exit. I hope to find an office or some sort of storage closet where Riella might’ve taken cover. I just pray to the Almighty that she’s here.
I turn the handle and nothing happens. “Riella?” I jiggle the locked door, pressing my ear to the wood.
A strange noise hums from the other side—a growl or something.
Shit.
Looks like I’m going to have to do this the hard way. I don’t give a shit. I’ll break this fucking door down. Because nobody can threaten any of us, especially Riella. Someone had to have gotten her.
Wasting no time, I give the door two solid kicks, and it breaks off the hinges. Chalk it up to extra angel strength. We may not be full angels, or even anything close to it, but at least we have a few benefits.
I enter the dark office. The paint peels off the deep burgundy walls. An ancient computer flickers on an old desk. Then I see her.
Riella struggles from within the giant arms of a demon.
Knowing that I won’t be able to save her this way, I yell to the guys who now stand in the doorway. “Go around back. We need to get to her. They’ve got her.”
River turns and enters the office. Looking at me, he nods at the door. “You go get her. I’ve got this ass hat.” My brother stalks over to the hunter. Before restraining him, he punches him square in the face. Bones cracks and blood pours from his nose.
The traitor bends over and screams, “You fucking asshole! You broke my nose.”
“Do you really think that’s the worst I’m going to do to you? We trusted you, and you did this! Seriously, out of everybody I thought would betray us, I never thought it would be you. You were the last one I expected! We took you in. We trained you! We helped you, and this is how you repay us?”
River’s voice fades as I run out the back door. I have to get to Riella, and nothing else matters. We need her. Without her, all of humanity is lost. But not only that. I realize how much I’ve grown to care about her. She may have fallen, but at this point, I know she didn’t have a choice in the matter. I’m not sure exactly what happened. What I do know is that she thought she was doing the right thing for humanity.
Someone lied to her, and we need to get to the bottom of it.
As I reach the corner, I spot the huge demon swinging her by her hair. She may be from Heaven, but he’s got at least a hundred pounds on her and over two feet in height. There’s no way she can break free from him if she can’t reach him. His demon form doesn’t make it easy. Green twisted horns curve toward the sky, and huge black claws threaten to impale her if she tries to swing closer. He bares his yellowed, razor-sharp conical-shaped teeth. They protrude from a jaw that looks like it can be unhinged. He’s truly the stuff of nightmares.
