Broken Vow (27 page)

The way he'd lain on the bed with her after their shower last night and stroked her body lovingly as he crooned to her ran back through her mind.

“Your first vow was to slay vampires, but I won't let you do that anymore,” he'd told her as he caressed her nude body and held her against his. “You swore never to let vampires drink your blood, but now they have and you've given them powers that will ensure their victory against their enemies.”

Her body had heated beneath his taunting words as his hands roamed her skin.

“The blood I gave you to drink earlier wasn't from a vampire. It was human blood, Sonya.”

“What?” Her shock had been eclipsed by the fog of bliss surrounding her and she'd lain immobilized as he fondled her crotch.

“That's against your vows, love. You slept with demons. Also against your vows. Do you remember how good they made you feel?”

“Yes,” she breathed as his fingers resurrected the ardent sensations to life.

“You were told not to let anyone cut off your wings. What did you let me do, slave?”

“You cut off my wings.” Her head had rolled back as he worked her to the edge before stopping and repeating the agonizing cycle.

“You gave your word that you wouldn't use your demonic powers, or give into your propensities as a succubus. You communicated with me telepathically, Sonya. Your eyes turned orange and you reached the satanic version of paradise. You broke your vow, sweet girl. I damned you. Say it.” His face had been intense with lust and authority.

“You damned me.” She gasped as the intensity of her climax had stolen possession of her and delivered her over to him permanently.

“The only vow left unbroken is your oath never to shift into your demonic form. But you will for me, won't you?”

“I, I don't know.”

“You will. Say you will.”

She whimpered at the maddening way the nerves in her skin had tingled with life when he gently rubbed her swollen labia. “Yes, I will.”

“When I get back you will shift and we will mate in our true forms. You want that more than anything, don't you?”

“Yes. Oh Nimbus, hold me.” She'd clung to him, desperate to feel him against her and he'd held her for the remainder of the night while they slept.

Now he was off preparing for battle. How cozy the bed was. She thought she heard Blade's voice from down the hall. Likely her imagination. What would he be doing here? Two men entered the room. One was Blade, but the other she didn't recognize.

“What's wrong with her?” the man with brown hair and eyes asked.

“She's in Tesandrela. It's the demonic version of paradise,” Blade explained.

“What's in the canteen?” the stranger asked.

The bed was so warm and comfortable. Wouldn't it be nice if they joined her in it? She could hardly move due to the exertion from the night before, but who would want to move from such a wonderful bed with all those delicious memories swimming in her head?

“Holy water,” Blade replied.

Sonya began hacking when water splashed onto her face. What the hell was wrong with him?

“Hold her head back,” the dark angel demanded.

The stranger did as he was told. He was a werewolf. She could tell by the scent. Was it Aramis?

Blade pried her lips open and forced her to drink the salty water he poured down her throat. When he pulled back, she spat the extra in his face. That would teach him to give her tainted water to drink.

“How long will it take to snap her out of it?” the other man asked.

“Not sure. Hopefully not long. I've got a battle to prepare for.”

Sonya grabbed her head as a splitting migraine pierced her for a full, agonizing minute before it passed and her mental clarity was restored. She blinked before a dose of reality overtook her. She was in a strange bed naked and Blade was here, looking pissed off. Did he know what she did last night?

She pulled the sheet over her more and cringed. Oh god, what had she done? Flashbacks raced through her mind and her mouth fell open in shock. “Blade, what are you doing here?”

“I might ask you the same question,” he returned coldly.

“How did you know where to find me?”

The other man spoke. “I went to your friend, Tansy, and had her do a locator spell to find you. I ran into Blade along the way.”

“Are you Aramis?” she asked, feeling strangely relieved when he nodded. She glanced at Blade and swallowed. “Why do you look bothered?”

“Bothered? Oh no, bothered is an understatement. Seeing that footage of you damning yourself was bloody haunting.”

A cold feeling started in the pit of her stomach. “What footage?”

“The little film Nimbus made of you getting your jollies with devils and letting the undead feed on you. Thank you for that, by the way. It's going to make fighting tonight a hell of a lot harder when the enemy knows our plans in advance and the vampires we face will be immune to our bite.”

Her head lowered in shame. “I'm so sorry.”

Blade stood and paced, teeming with fury. “Oh, that's good, Sonya. That's bloody rich. How much weight do you think that little apology will carry in the afterlife?”

She shuddered as the full brunt of what she'd done finally hit her. “I broke my vow.”

Blade rolled his eyes. “I'm glad you're finally starting to feel remorse for your sins. When Nimbus turned me into a demon and Delilah shagged me I was drowning in shame for I don't know how long. It wasn't until I stood near the cross and heard Christ ask the Father to forgive the men who tortured and crucified him that I finally wondered if maybe there might be a chance that he'd forgive a fallen angel for turning his back on the light.”

Sonya said nothing.

“But not you. I've never seen anyone so eager to damn themselves.”

Her eyes squeezed shut and moisture gathered. “I'm really sorry. I don't know what else to say. It was all too much. I couldn't handle it. Why didn't you come for me sooner?”

Blade looked outraged. “Oh, so it's my fault you're a sodding tramp?”

She burst into tears and Aramis pulled her into his arms. “She's not a tramp. She made a mistake and she regrets it. Stop torturing her and tell her the terms.”

She sniffled. “What terms?”

Blade looked at her seriously. “You have one chance and one chance only at making up for this.”

“Yes, tell me. I'll do anything.”

“You have to kill Nimbus.”

The words were unreal. “What?”

“If you slay Nimbus you'll be forgiven and restored as a crusnik.”

She searched for an excuse. “But he's not a vampire. I'm not allowed to kill other demons.”

“They're making an exception this once.”

“What happens if he gets away?”

Blade shot her a warning glance. “Now isn't the time for folly, Sonya. Kill the damned incubus and get your life back. If you don't, you'll burn in hell. The real hell with fire, darkness and eternal torment, not the bloody playgirl fantasy he tried to tell you it was.”

Tears streamed down her face and she swallowed down the lump in her throat. Her heart ached in misery as guilt plagued her conscience for her unforgivable sins. She had one last chance to redeem herself and she must take it. She would be a fool not to.

Chapter Thirteen:

Through The Fire

Sonya dressed in a snug, white T-shirt, a black hoodie, skin-tight jeans and black boots. Aramis stood in the doorway of the bathroom watching her while she combed her hair. She'd gotten it cut a while back. The short, choppy layers and bangs framed her face. Her brown eyes were still moist and puffy from extensive crying.

She appeared human, but she was a crusnik. The proof of this was gone. Her lovely wings were back at
Ane Rouge
on the floor, dampened with urine. The thought kindled despair.

“Sonya.”

She turned to look at Aramis.

“I know this is probably the worst time to bring this up, but when this is over I still want you.”

His steadfast affection for her was moving. “You still think I'm your mate?”

His face saddened. “I thought you were, but now that I'm free of the Soul Fusion spell, it's different. I'm still very attracted to you and I think you're an amazing woman.”

“But I'm not your mate.”

He shook his head. “I still want you, though.”

Sonya gave him a weak smile. “That's sweet, Aramis, but you should wait for your true mate. Nimbus is my mate. When you were trapped with him inside Dante's body, you probably felt his pull toward me and mistook me for your mate.”

“Maybe. Do you think you can kill him?”

She swallowed down the achy lump in her throat. “Maybe, if I can get close to him.”

“That's not what I meant.”

She didn't want to think about what she had to do. “I don't have a choice.”

“I've been doing some thinking. If you can't kill him, I can call Tansy and have her do the Soul Fusion spell.” Sorrow saddened his features. “That way you can be with Nimbus and he'll have a soul.”

Her heart bled at his proposition. It was tempting, very tempting. “That's so sweet, but it's hardly fair to you to be trapped inside another body with a demon forever.”

He brushed her cheek with his fingertips. “It'll be worth it if I can have you.”

“I can't ask that of you.”

“If you change your mind just say coffee beans.”

She smiled. “Okay.”

* * *

Darkness set in and despite the bustling nightlife of the city, the atmosphere felt spooky with the presence of evil. Aramis wouldn't leave her side.

Sonya saw Demornae following a drunken teenager down an alley. The young man seemed oblivious to the vampire stalking him. Demornae didn't drink her blood the night before. One bite would kill her.

The memory of Demornae riding Nimbus in bed haunted Sonya. Demornae kissed him, touched him and made the irritating comment about how long it had been. Had they been involved one on one in the past? Had Demornae merely been trying to make her jealous for Nimbus' sake, or did she like the incubus?

Sonya's jaw tightened and her fists clenched. It was her duty to slay vampires. She took the battleaxe from Aramis and marched over. “Stay here.”

Perhaps Nimbus would be in agony in the abyss. The thought killed her to think of him suffering alone. Then again it pissed her off to imagine him seeking consolation in another's arms in the afterlife.

She leaned the battleaxe against a brick wall. “Demornae.”

The vampire spun around to face her. “How did you escape?”

“I didn't escape. I'm one of you now.” Sonya lowered her tone to an enticing hush. “Will you have sex with me so I'm strong enough to fight? I'll let you drink my blood so you can gain immunity.”

Demornae smiled and held out her arms. “Come here.”

Sonya approached and the vampire caught her up in a kiss. She broke it and pierced her fangs into Demornae's neck, curtailing her struggles. The women wrestled and Demornae collapsed when the venom kicked in.

“Are you going to finish me off with the battleaxe?”

Sonya picked it up and glared at her. “No. I'll let the poison do that.”

She walked off as Demornae called after her. “It was good, feeling your man's cock inside of me. His kiss is phenomenal. I came so hard when he touched me.”

Sonya stopped and squeezed the battleaxe with white knuckles.

“Nimbus has been having sex for thousands of years before you lost your virginity. Do you really think you're enough for him? He needs an experienced woman, someone who knows how to please him. I know what he likes.”

Sonya walked toward her, feeling her heart harden to stone. “He faked with you, bitch. I'm his true mate. You're just another cunt.”

She brought the battleaxe down hard and Demornae turned to dust. Sonya had never felt that way before, a smug sense of accomplishment that someone she hated was now burning in hell.

Nimbus' voice whispered with the satisfied hush of a serpent in the back of her mind. “Demon.”

* * *

The city was rampant with chaos. Vampires attacked civilians and some of them managed to kill or wound a few cruxim. Harpies swooped in and carried off victims to torture and kill. Things got even more alarming when a giant Minotaur walked through the streets, swinging his club at the unfortunate cars and pedestrians in his way.

“What the hell is wrong with those horses?” Aramis asked.

Skeletal steeds galloped through the city with vampires on their backs as they trampled everything in their path.

“Nightmares. Someone's using necromancy.” Sonya shuddered.

“It's beautiful isn't it?”
Nimbus spoke through their link.

“You have to stop this.”

“Now why would I do that? Just sit back and enjoy the destruction. Once the seven princes of hell come up from the underworld and establish their reign, I'll govern a province and make you my queen. Would you like that, my love?”

His intentions horrified her even as the pet name touched her.
“I'm not going to let you do this.”

“And how will you stop me, pet? Are you going to slay me to earn God's favor back?”

Her heart ached, but she ignored the pain.
“You leave me no choice.”

She sensed overwhelming vibes of rage and grief coming from him.
“Then so be it. Come kill me. I'll be waiting for you...in my true form.”

A disturbing roar sounded across the Seattle skyline as sinister lions with dragon wings and scorpion tails flew in to terrorize the inhabitants. Manticores. These winged nightmares were much more difficult to resurrect from beyond the grave than regular nightmares. An advanced necromancer was obviously behind this. If they could find the culprit and kill him, the chaos would cease.

Sonya collided with Blade.

“Good to see you. It's worse than we thought. There's a necromancer in our midst,” he said. “Michael's coming with some warriors and Cassiel's bringing more cruxim. What are you doing with a battleaxe? That won't kill Nimbus. Here.”

He took the weapon from her and gave her a two-handed sword.

The gem on the handles of angelic swords could be controlled with the mind and changed when necessary to modify the mode of attack. An emerald would turn the target to stone. A diamond would freeze the victim and send them encased in ice to the frozen Lake of Cocytus. A ruby would ignite the one it touched on fire. A sapphire sent the individual to the Labyrinth of Tears, a maze in hell that rendered its prisoners tormented and insane.