“To deliver the Hellmouth quickly and safely, my lord.”
“And?” His smile only grew colder as Kailani suddenly found
herself fearing for the fallen’s life. She obviously wasn’t alone in
that fear either as Jeremy appeared absolutely stricken.
“A-and to make sure she was free of harm—!” His words ended
in a gurgle as Ophanuel pulled the blade from the sheath at his
waist and buried it deep within his stomach. The fallen
shuddered, his breath leaving him as blood pooled around the
scimitar and spilled down the front of his body.
“William!” Jeremy screamed, bolting forward only to be held
back by Fred who had to lift the grieving man off his feet to keep
him in place. They watched in fear as Ophanuel lifted a heavy
foot and placed it against the twitching mans hip, yanking his
blade from William with more strength than necessary. The
jerking motion sent his body tumbling backwards across the
marble floor.
“Now. That’s taken care of.” He said just loud enough for Kailani
to hear, his lips quirking into a pleasant smile that she returned
with a cautious tear filled glance. He was a monster! What gave
him the right to murder William?!
“Let go of me!” Jeremy cried, finally freeing himself of Fred as
he ran to his brother’s side, just in time to watch the life fade
from his pain filled eyes. Fred moved to comfort the shaking man
as he grieved, his voice echoing around them as he screamed his
anguish to the heavens. Kailani felt a gentle hand touch her
shoulder and she stared back up at Ophanuel whose smile hadn’t
faded yet.
“Come. Let’s get you settled in.” He guided her away from the
tragic scene, not once looking back upon all the heartache and
grief he’d purposefully caused.
Chapter Fifteen
“You worthless sonofabitch!” Leviathan snarled, pulling
the struggling angel away from the bars and slamming him into
the bunk beds. Pierre barely had time to counter before the
demon was on him again, his hands going to shield his face as
Leviathan continued to assault him. Finally sick of being on the
defending end he drew his sword and narrowly missed sinking it
into the demons stomach. Leviathan pulled away from him, rage
filling him until he thought it would overflow and spill across the
floor like a viscous liquid. How dare he show his face here? After
all he’d done? “He’ll kill her you know. The moment he realizes
she’s not the compliant little woman you’ve painted her out to be.
You should know by now Kailani can’t keep her mouth shut to
save her life! What do you think the Archangel will do with her
once she starts disobeying him?!” Leviathan sped across the
room, punching Pierre hard enough to shatter his jaw. The angel
tumbled backwards, quickly regaining his balance only to be
struck again.
“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about.” He grit
through clenched teeth as Leviathan caught the front of his shirt
and lifted him into the air as and began strangling him.
“Liar! You sent her to Munich knowing she would die didn’t
you?!” He growled and Pierre lifted his sword to swipe at him,
forcing Leviathan to dodge it and let go of him. The angel sank to
his knees, coughing as he struggled to return function to his
larynx. Before the demon could advance again he was on his feet,
blocking his punches and dodging his claws. He should have
known better than to confront the demon in such a small place.
He couldn’t take flight; the room wasn’t large enough to
accommodate his wingspan.
“I had nothing to do with Kailani being sent to Ophanuel. I
thought you’d simply made the right decision and let her go!”
“You know that I’d never—!” Leviathan’s words were cut off by
Pierre’s fist in his face. He released the smaller angel, watching
him regain his feet, his eyes spitting hellfire as he rose.
“That you’d never have the sense to let her go? What is this
really about Leviathan? Did you finally show your true colors
and snap her neck? Are you looking for someone to place the
blame on? Well blame your self! You are the guilty party here,
not I!” Pierre charged, catching Leviathan about the waist and
sending them both crashing into the bars. Leviathan cursed and
clenched his teeth in an attempt to keep from screaming out. The
moment his flesh had come into contact with the bars it had
began to sizzle, billows of black smoke rising off his skin like a
cloud. The bastard angel gave him a cruel grin as he held him in
place, knowing just what the iron was doing to him. Leviathan
lifted his arms suddenly, bringing his open palms against the
angel’s ears, the air pressure causing his eardrums to burst and
momentarily stun him. Pierre screamed, gripping at the side of
his head as Leviathan grasped his shoulders and brought his knee
up into his sternum before moving to punch him as hard as he
could in the temple. The angel hit the floor with a thud and a
groan, his eyes clenched shut in pain as his eardrums attempted to
reform themselves. Leviathan knelt over him, grabbing the front
of his shirt and pulling him to eye level.
“I’m going to kill you for what you’ve done angel.” He pulled his
hand back to deliver the finishing blow, only to have someone
grab his arm. Leviathan looked up at the acolyte who held onto
him for dear life, tears streaming down his adolescent face.
“Please don’t kill the angel. We’ve told you what you wanted to
know. What you’re doing is a grave sin!” He cried, flinching
when Leviathan snatched his arm out of his grasp. He stared at
them all, from the unconscious Chaplain to his son and the rest of
his followers. They stood huddled together in a corner in an
attempt to stay out of the way. Their faces were frozen with fear.
He couldn’t believe it, but all the rage that once filled him
flickered out like a candle flame. Just what had he turned into?
“Fine.” He turned to stare down at Pierre who clawed helplessly
at his hand, his face beet red as his air supply quickly dwindled.
He could kill him, easily. Pierre was no competition for him, and
the idiot angel knew that. Had he brought the humans here as a
buffer, somehow knowing that Leviathan would eventually give
into them? “Get up.” He drug the angel to his feet, shoving him
backwards into the bars. Pierre bent at the waist, coughing once
again as he tried to kick start his failing lungs. “You’re taking me
to Munich. Give me any lip and I swear to all that is dark and
unholy I’ll pluck every feather from your body and stuff you like
a fucking pillow.”
“I never agreed to take you anywhere!” Pierre growled, rushing
towards him, only to be knocked to the ground with a well placed
punch to the gut. Leviathan placed a heavy foot against his throat,
murder filling his black eyes as he glared down at the struggling
angel.
“Don’t test me. Death won’t come easy to you angel, it will be
slow and deliberate, that I can promise you.” Pierre grunted,
grasping his foot in an attempt to throw him off balance but
Leviathan just applied more pressure, watching the angels eyes
bulge as his windpipe threatened to collapse.
“Please demon. I beg of you.” The boy sobbed and Leviathan
cursed himself and his weakness. Why did he care? Why did
those tears bother him? He had no connection to the humans,
nothing that should have given him pause, but still he found
himself once again withdrawing from the angel, this time
grabbing him by the jaw and hoisting him into the air. He was
done playing with humans and rats with wings.
“Get me to Kailani. I won’t say it again.”
Kailani stood near the bay windows watching the maids
scurry around the expansive courtyard, each of them carrying
bushels of freshly cut geranium and more species of lilies than
she could put a name to. They rushed them in and out of the
castle, dumping out expensive vases and restocking them with
fresh flowers, carefully pruning them to fit their master’s exact
specifications. She couldn’t understand how they did it, day in
and day out, working in that huge castle for a man who could
murder them on a mere whim. It was terrifying, yet at the same
time, utterly heartbreaking. She’d been placed in one of the larger
apartments, and while it was beautiful she couldn’t shake the
feeling that the delicate, feminine, décor was only a cover-up to
something much more sinister than what appeared. The large
bedroom, painted a fading lilac, opened into a sitting room via a
set of single paned French Doors. Beyond the sitting room was an
archway that led onto a terrace that overlooked yet another part
of the courtyard. The en suite bathroom was fit for a king, or
rather a queen, judging by the fluffy white rugs and pink towels
that hung from rails over the antique claw foot tub. It was an
open, airy place, designed to endure the perpetual summer the
castle seemed to be in. She’d wanted to ask Ophanuel about the
sudden weather change, about how he’d acquired the castle and
about it’s history but…she’d never gotten the chance. He was an
angel. Everything about him was supposed to be good and pure.
He was supposed to help people, love, and nurture and protect
them. Never had she thought she’d witness an
Archangel
murdering someone in front of her. She wouldn’t have guessed it
would be her fault either. This entire ordeal had been her fault.
Had she just stayed in Kansas with Cassandra, she wouldn’t be
trapped in a castle in Germany, waiting on an Archangel to do
whatever he wanted with her. She knew now that going back to
Kansas would be suicide, no matter how badly she wanted to give
clicking her heels a try. Cassandra couldn’t protect her, especially
not now that she knew what she was and had a chance at ‘curing’
herself all together. Still, had she stayed at home and never went
to Hawaii in the first place she’d never have met Naomi or Pierre,
or Ophanuel at all. Then again, she wouldn’t have met Leviathan
either.
“Where are you demon?” She asked herself aloud, the whispered
words off her lips before she even realized she’d said them. She
couldn’t help but wonder where he was and if he was thinking
about her. Her imagination told her he was already on his way to
Germany, rushing to get to her and save her from whatever fate
Ophanuel had in store for her. But she knew better. Her mind was
filled with doubt, and rightly so. If Jeremy was right and they’d
actually succeeded in sending him back to Hell he was probably
being tortured by his lord by now. Or worse yet, trapped in some
unforgivable plane that even he, a demon, would find unlivable.
It was inconceivable, but Kailani was actually afraid for his life.
“I’m being an idiot.” She whispered, pressing her forehead
against the cool glass and peering out at the angels and fallen
who went on about their business, unaware of the threat their
master imposed. What was she going to do?
“She’s pretty.” Kailani suddenly froze, driven from her thoughts
by the tiny voice that filled the deafeningly silent room. It was
followed by a series of giggles that had her heart leaping in her
chest and pounding against her sternum as she turned and pressed
herself against the window.
What the hell was that?
Her eyes
scanned the room frantically, looking for something,
anything
that would justify what she was hearing. Could someone be
playing a joke on her? Maybe she was just imagining things? A
small thumping noise followed by a creak drew her eyes to the
antique armoire that stood in the corner just feet away from her.
One of its doors had popped open, forming a slit that spilled
shadows onto the floor at her feet. Kailani felt her breath still in
her throat as yet another giggle filled the stillness of her room.
Without thinking she eased towards the armoire, her hand
outstretched as her mind prepared her to either fight or run
