“Shit!” he bellowed.
Thomas fought bravely next to him, keeping the others away.
“We need to save him,” I cried.
“You are the one who needs to be saved. We need to go. The others will take care of him.”
“He’s dying,” I wailed, watching Alex try to get up, but he collapsed.
“Lucifer failed us, and so did Ethon,” I sobbed, watching helplessly as more Fallen and another Grimlock crashed through the house.
“Emma. We need to go. Now,” he urged.
“They’re gonna die. They’re all gonna die because of me.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is true, and I can’t stand here and let it happen. It’s not fair. They shouldn’t have to die for me.”
“That’s what Guardians do. They watch over those they’ve been assigned. It’s their duty to fight, and even die to protect those appointed to them. It’s what we were created for.”
“It’s not fair,” I said, falling into his arms.
A thunderous boom shook the whole house. The large chandelier above the foyer came crashing down, along with the beautiful stained glass skylight. Crystal shards and glass exploded all across the floor.
A loud screeching caw echoed around us, and as I looked up, I saw Ash circling outside. A shot of adrenaline and hope surged through my veins.
In the confusion, Thomas picked Alex up and hurriedly carried him down the hall toward Alaine’s room.
Through the gaping hole in the ceiling, a black, smoky mist slowly crept in. It rapidly began to swirl like a whirlwind and then took form. Everyone in the room, angels and beasts alike, paused and watched in utter awe as Lucifer stood in their midst.
Huge raven wings spread out and folded across his back. His body had transformed from normal to almost beast-like. Muscles and veins bulged from his bare chest and arms. In one hand he held a very long, very sharp sword. The other was empty, but his fist was tightly balled shut. His eyes were blood red, flickering with flames of rage and destruction, and they were narrowed on Lucian.
“Lucifer,” Lucian scoffed. “I’m shocked to see you here. Were you invited or did you merely crash the party?”
“Disloyal traitor,” Lucifer growled, his words thundered through the house, shaking the ground and sending debris falling from above.
Lucian smirked. “I knew one day we would run in to each other. I just didn’t think it would be here.”
“The girl is mine. She is bonded to my son,” Lucifer snarled.
“I see you are still living up to your name, Deceiver. The girl is not immortal, therefore cannot be bonded. She is Nephilim, and she is mine.”
Two beings from the beginning of time stood confronting one another. Once allies, now archenemies. The two squared off; Lucian slowly unfurled his wings, knowing what was to come. This would be the battle of all battles.
I could see it in Lucifer’s eyes. The century old feud was about to be dealt with head on. He was face to face with the very one to whom he entrusted his Fallen army. The one he put in charge of all of his executions, including his own brother. The one whose pride overcame him, making him think he could do a much better job of ruling the Underworld.
“You will die before this day is done,” Lucifer threatened.
“Not if I kill you first,” Lucian answered.
Lucifer flew at Lucian, their swords collided and sparks rained down around them. Each engaged moving effortlessly around the other, using their wings and swords as weapons. Lucifer took to the air spinning, his wings outspread. Lucian managed to avoid the deadly attack, but four unsuspecting Fallen did not. Two of them were instantly decapitated, one was sliced in half, and the other lost an arm.
When he stopped, Lucian attacked. With a flap of his wings he shot forward, his blade missing Lucifer by inches. As the momentum carried him forward, he wrapped his arm around Lucifer’s legs, yanking him downward. Both went crashing and tumbling in a massive heap. Black feathers filled the air around them, gracefully and silently floating down.
Lucifer kicked Lucian in the gut, throwing him backward, but Lucian spread his wings and stopped the momentum. With a loud swoosh, Lucifer flew at him one more time, and swords crashed together repeatedly.
By this time, most of the room had emptied out.
They looked as if they were dancing, but this dance was deadly and as old as they were, they were moving unbelievably fast. Their strikes were so hard, it was almost ear piercing. Each attack was given with a centuries worth of hate, resentment, and revenge.
Everyone watched these two ancient warriors engage from a safe distance. Even the blind Grimlock made their way outside to avoid the bloodthirsty battle unfolding before them.
Then a team of Lucifer’s Fallen descended from the hole in the ceiling. I saw the remainder land around the perimeter outside, some engaging immediately with Lucian’s Fallen.
Alaine had disappeared, probably to help Alex, and Samuel had made his way up the stairs to the third level. I still didn’t see Malachi, and hoped he was alright.
Lucifer kept his part of the deal, but it was something he already wanted from the beginning. He was waiting for his moment to confront Lucian, and we were simply the means for him to do so.
The battle was raging, and war was all around us.
“Emma, let’s go,” Kade said.
I gasped as a familiar rush of tingles overcame me, making me dizzy.
Ethon was near.
As I glanced up, Ethon appeared floating gracefully down from the hole in the ceiling. After pausing briefly, he flew toward the stairway.
“Emma,” he called. “I know you’re here. I’ve come for you.”
Kade held tight to my hand. “Don’t,” he said. “Why would he want you to come to him in the midst of danger?”
“Emma, we have to seal the bond before it’s too late,” he announced. “Come to me, let me keep you safe and take you away from this danger.”
Ethon stood in the stairwell, between the second and third level. He left his wings visible but folded them behind his back. He had on a black shirt with black jeans. Through one hand, he raked his raven black hair away from his crimson eyes, and in the other he held his long, sharp sword.
“Emma,” he called again.
The bond acted as a magnet, pulling me away from Kade. As much as I wanted to stay with him, the bond seemed like it was getting stronger. It weakened me and caused my heart to yearn after Ethon. I had to go. The bond was forcing me to.
“I’m sorry. I have to go,” I said.
Kade didn’t say a word, but loosened his grip on my hand. He knew time was running out, and if Lucifer lived, he would use my oath against me.
As soon as I was free from him, I found myself running toward Ethon. My body was on autopilot. I didn’t have as much control over myself as before, and I could feel my inner-self fading to the will of the bond.
I willed visibility and as soon as I did, Ethon sheathed his sword and held out his arms to me, a wide smile filled his face. “There you are, my love.”
From the side, I saw a large figure shooting toward him. In a flash, Lucian had escaped from Lucifer. His face was hard-set, and his blackened eyes were narrowed and set on his new target.
“Ethon!” I screamed, a few yards away. He turned and ducked under Lucian’s sword. Behind him, Lucifer caught up to him, grabbing his leg.
What happened next played out in slow motion, and I had a front row seat; an unwilling witness to every horrific and terrorizing detail.
As Lucian was being thrown backward by Lucifer, he resisted. His face hardened as he twisted, thrusting his right wing outward at the exact moment Ethon stood to unsheathe his sword.
I cried out helplessly, watching the tip of Lucian’s wing impale Ethon’s chest, exiting out his back.
A reverberating, earth shattering roar exploded from Lucifer, rattling the entire house as he watched the assault on his son. His rage quickly overpowered Lucian.
As he slammed him backward into the ground, sending a shockwave of rubble, Lucian’s wing ripped from Ethon’s chest.
Enraged with a fire in his eyes I’d not yet witnessed, Lucifer pounced on him, hammering down on his face and body with such force it was sickening. Lucian was broken, barely moving, and hardly recognizable. But Lucifer continued, showing no mercy. He finally stood above him, his eyes filled with wicked intent, kicking him over to his stomach. He then took his wings, and with his sword, severed each one and tossed them to the side like they were trash.
Lucian wailed in agony as Lucifer kicked him back over to face him.
“Now… you die,” Lucifer hissed.
He lifted his sword and then slammed it down right through Lucian’s chest. Lucian wailed and clawed at the metal, struggling to remove it. The sounds of his last cries were nauseating.
With one final twist of his blade, Lucifer ended Lucian’s life. But his revenge had not ended. He grabbed Lucian’s hair, pulling his body upward, and then severed his head. He stood and raised it above his head, showing Lucian’s Fallen what became of their leader.
During Lucian’s extermination, Ethon dropped to the ground, grasping the wound in his chest.
“Ethon!” I screamed, running to his side. I fell down next to him, bringing his head to rest on my lap. Blood was pouring from the wound, pooling around and under him. His crimson eyes were becoming dim and dark; his breaths were raspy and shallow.
“Ethon. You can heal, right? You just need to rest. You’re an immortal.”
He looked at me, his eyes glossed over. “I’m sorry, Emma. Fate got the best of me,” he said softly.
“No,” I wailed. “Can’t you heal yourself?”
My heart felt like barbed wire was being tightly wound around it. Throbbing in agony, I could barely breathe.
“Emma,” Malachi yelled from below. I was glad to hear his voice.
As I turned to him, I noticed his eyes were filled with concern. “Look,” he said, holding up Lucian’s severed wing, showing us the tip which pierced through Ethon. “He attached immortal blades to them.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means… there’s nothing we can do for him,” he said sadly.
“You can’t die,” I said, turning back to Ethon, bringing my face to his. My heart was torched with an intense and shooting pain.
“It’s alright,” he whispered, then smiled weakly. “Death is my final destiny. But you will live, my beautiful Emma.”
“Ethon, no,” I sobbed. The bond was literally bashing my heart, splintering it into the tiniest fragments.
He raised his hand and rested it on the side of my cheek. I held it tight.
“Don’t cry for me, Emma,” he said softly. “I’ve been in existence longer than I’ve wanted. This life was never meant for me, the bastard son of Darkness. I’m sick and tired of it all, and am ready to find peace and rest.”
“I’m sorry, Ethon. I’m so sorry. I wish things could have been different between us,” I cried. My heart was tormented as everything he had ever done for me replayed in my mind. I leaned over, and kissed his cheek, then whispered in his ear. “Thank you.”
“For what?” He breathed out and gasped for air.
“For coming into my life. For protecting me. For loving me, even if it was for a moment. You showed me there is good in things that are seemingly dark.”
“Be happy, Emma. That’s all I ever wanted for you. I know you will find it.” Ethon’s eyes directed to Kade. “She’s always loved you… that’s never changed. I was always second choice,” he said, his eyes weakening. “Make her happy.”
“I promise,” Kade said.
I watched the crimson in Ethon’s eyes slowly changing… fading into a dull white.
“Emma?” he exhaled roughly, looking around but not seeing anything.
I placed both hands on his face and leaned over him. “I’m here, Ethon.”
“Did you ever love me?”
Tears streamed down my face. “Yes, Ethon. I loved you. I still do, and I always will.”
A smile lifted on his lips. “Remember me,” he said, then took his last breath.
“Always,” I whispered. Tears poured from my eyes and I placed my lips on his forehead.
Ethon’s lifeless hand dropped to his side, and I found myself screaming uncontrollably. My heart felt like it was being ripped right out of my chest. The pain was indescribable. Fear, loss, and agony tore through every cell. I felt like I was dying.
Kade tried to pick me up but Dom held him back.
“Let her be. The pain she’s experiencing is from the bond, and there is nothing anyone can do. It’s a process she has to go through,” he said with tears in his eyes. My pain must have been a reminder of what he’d lost.
It took a while before the agony subsided, but it didn’t leave. It just became a bit more bearable.
EVERYONE’S ATTENTION WAS ON US and not the leader of the Underworld. Lucifer stood in the background, quietly mourning his son, but not for long. An ear-piercing wail echoed through the house, causing an earthquake.
His eyes were burning bright, erupting with flames of pain which licked the sides of his face. He strode forward, eyes locked onto the lifeless body of his son grasped in my arms. Hate and anger were embedded in his eyes and on his face.
I didn’t know if I should say anything to him.
“If Ethon cannot have you, neither will the other,” Lucifer roared, his flaming eyes narrowed on Kade.
Before anyone could decipher what was happening, he flew at Kade, wrapping his arm around his neck, pushing him backward against a wall.
Everyone charged forward, but froze in place when Lucifer pressed a long, sharp sword to Kade’s side, right in line with his heart.
“Test me and see if I will not kill him,” Lucifer shouted.
“No!” I screamed. I released Ethon’s body and ran toward Kade.
“Emma, stop!” he yelled, holding his hand up. I was grabbed from behind, so I twisted and held the dagger up, pressing it against Dom’s throat.
Dom’s eyes landed on mine. “Emma, we’re on the same team, remember?”
When I realized it was him, I fell into his arms and sobbed. Pushing away from him, I fell to my knees crawling toward Lucifer.
“I beg you. Please let him go,” I pleaded. “Take me. I’m the one you wanted anyway.” Blinding hot tears flooded my eyes and poured down my cheeks.
This could not be happening.
“Don’t worry, Emma,” Samuel spoke softly, appearing out of nowhere to lay a hand on my shoulder. “I told you I’d take care of this.”
“Samuel, wait!” I cried, grabbing hold of his arm as he walked past me.
“It’ll be alright, sweetheart,” he said softly, disengaging his arm from my grasp.
“Samuel,” Alaine bellowed from the lower level.
“Stay there, Alaine,” he commanded.
“Don’t do this. I need you. Please,” she begged in anguish.
Samuel glanced down at her with a smile on his face. “I’ve always loved you.”
Alaine cried out, trying to rush for him, but three of the Fallen immediately surrounded her. One of them slapped her backward and James charged forward, shoving his blade through the Fallen’s chest.
Malachi joined to help him, but they were seriously outnumbered.
From behind, a Fallen grabbed James and threw him clear across the room where he was immediately surrounded. James stood, then crouched with his weapon in hand. A Fallen charged him from the front, and as soon as he swung to defend himself, another came from behind and sliced across his neck with a sword, instantly decapitating him.
“James!” Alaine’s cries were piercing. She tried to run to him, but fell weakly to her knees. Thomas ran after her and folding his arms around her. She fell helplessly into his arms.
Malachi fought bravely, slaughtering three Fallen before he was struck in the back. His eyes went wide as he fell to his k
nees. He stumbled to get up, but was kicked down again.
“Malachi!” Dom roared as he turned to run to him, but he was blocked by four massive Fallen on the stairwell, their swords drawn and ready to spill blood.
Thomas held Alaine’s head away from the scene; her screams were heart wrenching.
I cried, turning my head away as a Fallen held Malachi down, and the other raised his sword. My loud sobs didn’t mute the sound of the blade as it took of his head, and Dom’s howl of anger and pain.
I looked to Samuel trying to find some kind of sanity within the madness. Rage was carved heavily on his face, his body was tense, his chest was rising and falling with long deep breaths. This showed me how much restraint he had.
It must have been killing him to watch Alaine, and not do anything about it.
He took in one final deep breath, and turned to me. His eyes instantly softened.
“I love you, my daughter, and am so proud of you. Please take care of your mother.”
“We just got you back. You can’t leave,” I cried.
Dom knelt behind me and wrapped me in his arms.
“What is happening? I can’t handle this,” I bawled.
“I know,” Dom exhaled, his voice shaking.
“Dad,” I yelled. “You can’t do this.”
Samuel turned to me, and a smile I’d not seen before lit his entire face. He was glowing and I knew it was because I finally called him by his true name. He was my dad, and he was the bravest, most selfless person I’d ever met.
He gave a slight nod to Dom, and his arms tightened around me.
“Let me go, Dom,” I begged.
“I can’t,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
I could hear Alaine’s heartbreaking cries below, pleading with Samuel, her voice raspy from overuse. If he gave himself up, she would be mourning the three men who were closest her. This couldn’t be happening. It was the worst nightmare imaginable, with no way of waking out of it.
“Leave him be, Lucifer. Take me instead,” Samuel said calmly. His shoulders were relaxed; his arms were extended out to his sides in surrender.
Lucifer’s crimson eyes raged with flames, and narrowed on Samuel with burning disgust. “What is it with you immortals, willing to give up your life for worthless human insects who will die within a few years?”