Dirty Angel (Sainted Sinners #1) (16 page)

Kirael cupped her jaw, leaning down to give her a quick, fierce kiss. He closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers, looking nothing short of tormented.

“This is where you say,
I like you too
, or something,” Vesper told him.

His eyes snapped open, twin pools of blue ice.

“I don’t like you.”

Vesper scowled, trying to pull away from him.

“Stop,” he said, catching her hands. “I just…
like
isn’t close to the word for how I feel about you. Maybe there isn’t a word for it, yet.”

She stopped resisting, letting herself lean into him once more.

“Oh yeah?” she asked, her face going red.

“Yes.”

“I guess that’s all right, then,” she said. Tipping up her face, she pulled him close for another kiss, sucking in a breath to inhale his heady, masculine scent.

Damn, I really might love him
, she thought, smiling against his lips.

“Later,” Kirael said, pulling away. “When we’re not in mortal danger and all.”

“You still haven’t made that promise,” Vesper said, shooting him a look.

“I think it’s about time to move,” Kirael said, glancing out the window again. “A whole troop of Fallen just went toward the palace, which means we’re about to draw Lucifer’s attention.”

“Yikes.”

“Yeah.” He glanced over at Mercy. “Is she going to be okay?”

Vesper raised a shoulder. “I don’t really know. She was babbling, saying crazy stuff.”

“Alright. Put your head scarf back on. I’ll carry her, try to hide her under my cloak the best I can,” he said. “We just have to make it to the tunnels.”

“Right,” Vesper said. “Right. Okay.”

Kirael went over and picked up Mercy, the tenderness in his movements nearly brought tears to Vesper’s eyes again. She helped him pull his cloak over most of Mercy’s body as he cradled her close.

Kirael gave Vesper a tight smile, and she returned it.

“Let’s do this thing,” she said.

“Lead the way… and keep your swords close.”

Drawing both gleaming, gold swords, Vesper opened the door and strode out into the open.

T
hey only made
it about halfway to the tunnels before Kirael saw an unwelcome face: Jeremet, walking down the steps of another brothel. Kirael’s invisibility shield wouldn’t work on Jeremet, or not for long anyway.

The other Fallen stopped mid-step when he saw them, his whole body going rigid with interest. He was several blocks away, but far too close for Kirael’s comfort.

“Shit. Ten o’clock,” Kirael said.

Vesper nodded; she’d already clocked Jeremet and was taking a sharp right turn to avoid heading straight for him. She broke into a trot, not bothering to hide her swords.

“Don’t let them drive us back into the center of the Atrium,” Kirael said, readjusting Mercy in his arms. “That’s what they’ll try to do.”

“Can we fly?” she asked.

“No. I can’t fight and carry both of you, the Fallen would tear us apart midair.”

“Right,” she said. At the end of the block, she went left again.

“We’re really close,” Kirael promised. “Don’t panic.”

“I’m not,” she said, preoccupied.

Another two blocks, and Kirael could actually see the dark stone tunnels ahead. Behind them, a cry rang out.

They’d been spotted, and a Fallen was calling the others to the chase.

A glowing green Aetrin demon sprung out in Vesper’s path, hissing and spitting venom. Vesper didn’t flinch or hesitate. She beheaded the thing in three seconds flat, not even slowing as she let the body drop to the ground.

Kirael’s heart swelled. No delicate flower, his Vesper.

Perhaps, if they did make it out, there was a real chance for something between them. Maybe Vesper was tough enough to handle him, sins and all.

“Kirael, they’re gaining on us,” she shouted back over her shoulder. “Can you run?”

“Yes,” he said, shifting Mercy to make movement easier. “Go!”

Vesper broke into a sprint, Kirael right on her heels. In his peripheral vision, Kirael sensed Fallen and demons coming from behind them, from the left and right, too.

“Go!” he shouted again.

Swords flying like a golden blur, Vesper ran flat-out, making it into the mouth of the tunnel.

“Don’t stop!” Kirael urged. “Turn! Keep moving!”

Their pursuers dropped back for a moment, bottlenecked by the tunnel entrance. Kirael scrambled for a destination, somewhere they could go to hide…

“Left!” he said, an idea forming. “Go left, and up when you can!”

They twisted and turned until the sound of footsteps behind them quieted, then died away.

“Okay, okay, slow down,” he said, struggling for breath.

Vesper stumbled to a stop, leaning against a wall, chest heaving. Kirael put Mercy down, then dropped his hands to his knees. They both stayed like that for a full minute, recovering.

“We didn’t die,” Vesper said, sounding surprised.

“No.”

“Can we get back to the portal from here?” she asked.

“Fuck it,” Kirael said, shaking his head and standing up again. “We need to go to plan B.”

“And what’s plan B?” Vesper asked, sheathing her blades and wiping at her forehead.

“I’m not completely sure,” Kirael admitted. “But I know where we should go while we try to figure it out.”

Once they’d collected themselves, Kirael picked up Mercy again and took the lead. The Void wasn’t far; their haphazard escape had brought them within a quarter mile of it. He led them vaguely up, the tunnels growing familiar as he went.

“Ah, here we are…” he said. “Don’t freak out, okay?”

Vesper gave him an unamused look. “Just go in.”

They stepped through the portal, coming out onto the broad rock shelf and endless sea of white nothingness that Kirael knew so very well.

“Holy shit…” Vesper said.

She walked out toward the edge, seemingly drawn to it in the same way Kirael was.

“It’s something, huh?” he said.

There was a small area of wall and floor to one side, and Kirael felt it reasonably safe to put Mercy down. When he knelt to set her down, she opened her eyes.

“Is he here?” she asked. “I
need
something. Just a little bit.”

Kirael stood, looking at Vesper.

“She means drugs,” Vesper said, her voice gone flat. “We’ll deal with that later. The withdrawal will be… bad.”

Kirael walked over to join her at the edge, staring out at the seething mist.

“It’s lovely, in a strange way,” Vesper said.

“I agree.”

They were quiet, in a comfortable way. Both coming down from the adrenaline rush, reeling from the insanity of the last day.

Vesper’s stomach made a sound, and she snorted.

“I know, I know,” she muttered to her body. “I will feed you at some point, I promise.”

Kirael’s lips lifted, but his thoughts started to circle.

“When she says
he
…”

“Hmm?” Vesper asked.

“Your sister.
Is he coming
, she said.”

“She thinks she and Lucifer are in love. And that she’s immortal, or something. I don’t know,” Vesper said with a shrug.

Kirael’s brows shot up. “Why would she think that?”

“Because it’s true,” came a low, silky voice.

Crisp British accent, smarmy tone… it could only be one person.

Vesper and Kirael both turned to see Lucifer himself standing in front of the portal, looking beyond smug. Dark suit, dark shirt, hair slicked back. It was the uniform of Hell, and no one wore it better than Lucifer.

“Lucifer,” Kirael said, his hands clenching into tight fists.

Hadn’t this always been his fate? His punishment, for the sin of choosing the wrong side during the Fall? The only shock was his immediate and intense fury at Vesper being involved in the whole thing.

“Kirael. Can’t say I’m terribly glad to see you,” Lucifer said, straightening his shirt cuffs. “You, on the other hand…”

He gazed at Vesper with avid interest, looking her up and down. Kirael saw Vesper’s shudder, caught her quick, helpless glance. He wanted to go to her, comfort her, but that would only give Lucifer more incentive.

Desperation clawed through him. He needed to strike a bargain, and quickly. Lucifer couldn’t resist a deal, if it would cause pain and suffering.

“Let them leave,” Kirael said. “I’ll submit to you, willingly.”

“Ah!” Lucifer said, laughing politely. “I think not. A rebellious Fallen angel is worthless to me. Whereas these two ladies are… well, priceless.”

Lucifer strode forward. Behind him, Belial, Jeremet, and a dozen other Fallen emerged from the Void.

“What are you talking about?” Kirael asked.

His palms started to sweat, he wanted so badly to summon his sword, fight his way out. It was a fool’s errand, though. No one could take down this many Fallen alone, and certainly Vesper or Mercy would be harmed in the process.

“Stand your ground,” he called to Vesper. He nodded to Belial, who was already trying to circle around and force Vesper away from the edge, out of Kirael’s reach.

She didn’t react, didn’t look at him. Apparently she’d come to the same conclusion, that she didn’t want Lucifer to know that she and Kirael had any kind of bond.
Smart girl.

“Hmmm,” Lucifer murmured. “You don’t even know what you’ve got, Kirael. No matter, it’s too late for you now.”

“What do you want, Lucifer?” Kirael asked.

“What I want? I want us to go back in time, before you betrayed me and defected. Failing that, I want to see you punished.
Mortally
.”

Vesper made a soft noise, but Kirael didn’t look away from Lucifer.

“Same deal. You let them go, all the Fallen generals let them go, and I will submit. To death, if that’s what you want.”

Vesper took half a step forward, then edged right back, glancing at Belial.

“Not a chance,” Lucifer said. “Why would I agree to that, when I have everything I want right here?”

He winked at Vesper, who looked like she was about three seconds from spitting at him.

“I have the Book of Names,” Kirael said, grasping at straws.

Lucifer stilled, then smiled. “Yes, I heard about your little caper. Like the tree, did you?”

They stared at each other in silence for long moments.

“A deal, then,” Kirael said. “For the Book.”

Lucifer cocked his head. “I’m listening.”

“You agree… not to release them, but that neither woman will be harmed. In any meaning of the word, no tricks.”

“In exchange for the Book?” Lucifer asked.

“Yes.”

“And you will submit to punishment,” he clarified.

“Yes.”

“I don’t agree to this,” Vesper said, looking between them. “Don’t I have to agree to this?”

“No,” they both said in unison.

Vesper looked genuinely tongue-tied for the first time since Kirael had met her.

Mercy made a small sound. Everyone turned to look at her as she struggled to her feet.

“Lucy, you came!” she said.

Kirael saw a muscle in Lucifer’s jaw tic at the nickname. Lucifer opened his arms and beckoned to her. “Come here, darling.”

“Mercy, do
not
go to him,” Vesper snapped.

Mercy stopped, then made a dismissive sound. “You don’t tell me what to do. I’m the big sister, remember?”

“Mercy, please…” Vesper said, but it was too late.

Mercy stumbled over to Lucifer, who wrapped his arms around her, staring at Kirael and Vesper over Mercy’s shoulder. His face split with a truly evil grin; he grabbed a fistful of Mercy’s hair and shoved her to her knees.

She made a soft sound, accepting it without hesitation.

“There’s a good girl,” he said once she knelt before him. “You like that, don’t you?”

Mercy gave him a long look, then slowly nodded.

“Stay right here, shut your mouth, and I will make sure you get a nice big dose of the good stuff tonight,” he said, as if talking to a dog.

Mercy dropped her gaze to the floor, but nodded again.

“So weak,” Lucifer sighed.

“You’re making a mistake,” Vesper said, her words soft but deadly.

“What was that?” Lucifer asked, his gaze snapping to her.

Kirael glared at her, but she shook her head.

“You think this is what you want, but it isn’t. I don’t even know what you think Mercy and I will do for you. I honestly don’t care. What I can tell you, no…
promise
you, is that I will spend every waking moment of my life making you miserable. I will never, ever give in. I’ll make you kill me first. You’re never going to get what you want from me.”

Lucifer gave her a grim smile. Holding out a hand, he summoned a silver dagger, bringing it down to dangle above Mercy’s head.

Vesper went very, very quiet and still.

“Any more you want to say?” Lucifer asked.

She was silent, but kept her head held high. Kirael had never felt so proud of another person in his entire existence. Sacrificing himself for Vesper’s life was unquestionably right, she’d just confirmed it for him.

Only, it wasn’t going to go quite the way he’d promised Lucifer.

“Right, then.” Lucifer beckoned to Kirael. “Let’s have the Book, and then you can go ahead and kneel, make it easy. I’m going to take your wings first, obviously.”

“Obviously,” Kirael said, holding out both hands to summon the Book.

Belial stepped forward, but Lucifer held up a hand. “No one touches the Book of Names but me.”

Therein lay Lucifer’s fatal flaw, laid bare for all to see.

Kirael moved forward, summoning a small dagger into his hand, under the Book. A very special dagger, something he’d been holding close for a long time.

It was a holy artifact from Kirael’s earliest days, enchanted with the specific purpose of inflicting damage to the unrepentant. Today, all this time later, he finally had cause to use it to its fullest potential.

Lucifer stepped around Mercy, eager to reclaim his book of prophecies.

“Kirael!” Vesper cried.

Lucifer turned, just for a second, but it was enough. Kirael vanished the Book and struck out with the dagger, slicing Lucifer from shoulder to hip, deep and deadly.

Lucifer grunted, looking shocked. Black blood began to pour from the slash in his dark suit, hissing as it dribbled onto his clothes. Kirael dropped his blade, shaking off a few drops of blood as they began to burn his fingers.

“What
are
you?” he growled at Lucifer.

Lucifer fell, wounded and howling but very much alive. Kirael’s heart lurched when he realized that he’d failed, that the dagger hadn’t done nearly enough.

He turned just in time to see Belial bringing down his sword, aiming for Kirael’s heart. An attempt to subdue him, in order to shear his wings and take his head. End him, forever.

The ground underfoot began to tremble. Belial stumbled, slicing at Kirael’s shoulder. Kirael grabbed for his dagger, managing to get his fingers around the handle.

Then a dozen Fallen cried out, rushing toward Vesper. Kirael turned as Belial lunged at him again, his sword piercing Kirael’s breast bone, just where Vesper had run him through before.

There was an unbelievable, ear-popping, awesomely loud roar. The ground shook harder, and Kirael managed to shove Belial to the ground. Dropping to his knees, he grappled with the sword, but it hit a spot that made his arm too weak to remove it.

Then he turned to look for Vesper, and his jaw dropped.

She was levitating, at least twenty feet in the air. Glowing, too — a bright, violent purple aura swirling all around her. Arms out at her sides, furious expression on her face, eyes gone a shade of violet that made all of the hair stand up on Kirael’s body.

She was truly, utterly terrifying.

“Don’t touch him!” she shrieked, pointing at the Fallen all around him.

One by one, they simply… collapsed.

Something clicked in the back of Kirael’s brain. Lucifer thought her valuable, and she could drop Fallen with a mere thought…

“Holy Hell,” he whispered. “She’s a Fatale.”

Behind him Belial gasped, scrambling backward until he found Mercy. He grabbed Mercy and held her up like a shield, which only made Vesper angrier. Vesper shrieked, the sound ringing through the air and bringing tears to Kirael’s eyes.

The sound went on and on, Fallen dropping like sacks of flour. When at last it ended, Kirael could barely open his eyes. He glanced up, feeling wrung out, empty.