Surrounded By Flames (The Flames Trilogy Book 2)

  Jasmine shrugged again. “Sorry. You can’t blame me. I might never get to do that again.”

  “Oh, you’ll get to do that again, trust me.” Shaking his head, Amon dragged his feet out the front door. He couldn’t believe he’d left the woman he cared more about than even himself in the belly of the beast. And he’d let her go there. Maybe not willingly, but he didn’t stop her.

  A little bit of faith would do him good. If only he could find some somewhere.

  Moloch waited on the porch beside Bael. “Shall we?”

  “If you don’t hurry up, Lucifer will return and you won’t get your friends.” Bael’s shoes clicked against the porch panels as he stopped at the door. “I held up my end of the deal, so don’t get any ideas if that happens.”

  Walking down the steps, Amon spoke over his shoulder. “Now, would I ever do that?” He didn’t stick around to here Bael’s answer.

  ***

  The small brown house Moloch took them to looked like a dump compared to Beau’s home. Two demons stood at the front of the house, one on each side.

  Moloch stopped abruptly before they got too close. “Stay here for a minute while I go talk to them.”

  “Okay,” Amber replied before Amon could.

  Once Moloch left, Azzy bumped his shoulder. “Don’t worry, bud. We’ll get her back soon. And everything is going to work out in the end.”

  Amon nodded, wishing he could believe the words. The faith he needed hadn’t found him yet so he didn’t think anything would work out. His stomach flopped around like a fish out of water. Never had he been more unsettled. His fingers even shook from nerves.

  He couldn’t remember the last time that had ever happened.

  The demon guards nodded at Moloch and he turned, waving Amon and the others over, and they jogged forward to join him.

  Moloch held a hand up to stop them. “Stay here and wait. I will gather your friends.” He disappeared inside the house. The demon guards were both smiling the widest smiles Amon had ever seen. Something wasn’t right. He could feel it.

  At the same time the thought crossed Amon’s mind, Azzy leaned close, addressing Amon and Amber. “There’s something off about this, isn’t there?”

  Amber nodded. “Why would Bael give up the Angel Blessed so easily? He’s been after us from the start.”

  “He has, but he no longer cares about the Angel Blessed. He’s only had eyes for Jasmine since he saw her power.” Amon frowned, then brought his voice to a whisper so the demons wouldn’t overhear him. They had a little distance between them, but Amon didn’t want to take any chances. “And the ironic thing is, she actually isn’t an Angel Blessed at all.” His eyes widened. “Which he knows.”

  Azzy raised his eyebrows. “Knows what?”

  Amon began pacing. “He knows what she is. What if he knows what that means? How easy it might be to turn her?”

  “How could he?” Amber ran a hand through her hair. “We didn’t even know until Ella told us. Or was it Moloch? I can’t remember.”

  Azzy shrugged. “It’s Bael. He has his ways.”

  “And he has an angel on his side. Remember Evangeline? What if she found out?” Amon stopped pacing. He kept his voice low, growling the words. “If he knows, she’s in more danger than we thought.”

  Azzy placed his hand on Amon’s shoulder. “Don’t expect the worst. Setting yourself up for failure isn’t doing anything good for you.”

  Amon shook his head rapidly. “No, it’s not. But I’m not setting myself up for failure. If I know the worst thing that might happen, I can make sure the worst thing doesn’t happen.”

  Moloch came out the front door, Cole, Lamia, Caim, and Gemma following behind him. Amon breathed a sigh of relief. Until the two demon guards stepped between Moloch and his friends.

  “They shall not leave here in one piece,” the first demon guard said.

  Moloch turned, frowning. “Yes, they shall. These are your master’s orders.”

  The second demon guard took a step toward Moloch. “They are not our master’s orders. Bael’s orders matter nothing to us.”

  “No? Then let me go get him. You can tell him that to his face. See what he has to say when he hears it.”

  “Ooh. Please do. I would love to know what he has to say,” another demon said, coming from the shadows along the side of the house.

  Amon squinted, focusing his eyesight, until he got a good look at the demon. “Lucifer!”

  Lucifer smiled. “In the flesh, so to speak. Now, tell me, why is Bael releasing these powerful humans?”

  Moloch cleared his throat. “He doesn’t need them anymore. He finally has Jasmine. A deal is a deal.”

  Lucifer sneered. “While that sounds well and good in this world, we don’t live here. That isn’t how things work in Hell. If we want something, we take it. And, sorry, but I want these strong, capable humans.”

  “We aren’t all humans.” Lamia raised her voice, pushing to the front of the group.

  Amon stomped forward, meeting Lucifer head on. His words came through clenched teeth. “You will honor the arrangement we’ve made.”

  Lucifer smiled, his blackened, rotting teeth showing. “You see, little fallen angel, I made no arrangement with you. Therefore, I have nothing to honor.” He turned to his guards. “Take them all and lock them up.”

  The demon guards pushed forward.

  “You will not do this!” Moloch yelled. “You can’t.”

  “Oh, I can, Moloch. And I will. And you had better remember who you actually work for. You may be Bael’s second, but I am still your ruler.”

  Several more demons came out the front door, marching right up to Amon and the others. A big one with large, broad shoulders and a crooked grin said, “Will you come along quietly, or will you fight? I’m always ready for a good fight.”

  Amon tensed, preparing for a battle he could never win, until Caim and Cole cleared their throats behind Moloch. Amon met their eyes, and they both shook their heads. He could plainly see what they were telling him. Not to fight. To let the demons take them.

  But if he did that, how would they save Jasmine?

  Everything had crumbled right at their feet. Amon wouldn’t let them take him. He’d had enough.

  The first punch he threw landed right on the big demon’s jawbone, a loud crunch following the impact. Amon catapulted forward, almost jumping at the demon, who wasn’t prepared for the angel’s weight on him. He fell to the ground, Amon on top of him, but rolled. Amon pushed his knees into the ground beside him, stopping the demon from gaining the upper hand. If he remained on top, he’d have a fighting chance.

  He threw punch after punch, putting every ounce of extra strength into his assault. When he pulled back, the demon’s smashed in face was hardly recognizable, almost as if he had no skull left. Thankfully, Amon’s strong stomach kept him from getting sick.

  The sight didn’t get to him as much as the fact that he’d created it. He’d mutilated someone. Whether a demon or not, it still made his chest constrict.

  Lucifer clapped. “Bravo, Amon. Your strength will be well rewarded.” He came forward, grabbing Amon by the shirt and pulling him off the demon. “It’s too bad nobody else tried to jump in and fight. You killed a demon. Whoopee. Great job. But there are still at least ten more here. Are you going to take them all, then?”

  Amon frowned, looking around him to see everyone still standing in the same spot, just as Lucifer had said. He shook his head in answer, then took a few steps forward. Lucifer kicked him in the back and he reached his hands out in time to fall face-first onto the sidewalk.

  “Do not think your little outburst will go unpunished, Amon.” Lucifer grinned. “And don’t worry. I will take care of the repercussions myself.” He raised his voice. “Everyone else, take the others back inside and lock them up until I figure out what I want to do with them. I will need a few minutes.” He rubbed his hands together. “Or perhaps longer.”

  Amon closed his eyes, exh
aling the rest of the fight out of him. The more he fought back, the worse this would be for him. He had to take whatever Lucifer threw his way now. If he didn’t, he’d have no hope of ever getting free and saving Jasmine. No matter what, he had to save her.

  If he had to let Lucifer have his way with him to get there, he’d do it with a smile.

  “Finally. I’ve got you within my grasp, Amon. You know, everything would have been much simpler if you would have joined my side. You know I’ve wanted you since you fell.”

  Amon opened his eyes enough to glare. “I will never join your side. You are a demon. I am an angel, whether fallen or not. It doesn’t change where my heart lies.”

  Lucifer waved his pointer finger back and forth. “Tsk, tsk. You aren’t an angel. You also aren’t a demon. Which means you are nothing now. Let me show you what we do to nothings.”

  The first punch didn’t hurt as much as Amon thought it would. The second, though, made him see stars. By the third, both of his eyes felt swollen and puffy. His face hurt, and his jaw might have been broken. After that, he stopped counting, thinking of Jasmine instead. An image of her face floated across his vision. He focused on that, letting it drag him down into a wonderful dream where she was the main star.

  Chapter 12

  An Unexpected Light in a Dark Prison

  Jasmine

  Several hours must have passed while Jasmine sat in the dark room. No lights. No windows. Or, if there were windows, they were covered so completely she couldn’t see any light through them. The whole time she wondered if her sacrifice had paid off. If her friends were now sitting safely in the house across the street. It would make whatever came next worth it. Even if she didn’t get out of this alive.

  Her plan had to work. She had put her faith in Amon. She knew he would succeed. She knew they all would. They had to, because thinking anything less made her heart ache. She might be willing to sacrifice herself, but she didn’t want to die. Not yet. Not until Bael and Lucifer had smashed back into the walls of Hell and were trapped for the rest of their afterlives. Or dead. She didn’t care which.

  Revenge would taste sweet, but she tried not to focus on it. She’d lost people, ones she cared for, but she wasn’t the only one who had. Others in this world had lost people they loved too. The wrongs that needed to be righted concerned all the people living on Earth, not just her.

  Three slow-paced knocks sounded on her door. Jasmine’s spine stiffened and she waited, but nobody came in. With a roll of her eyes, she pressed her lips together. She wouldn’t give Bael the satisfaction of asking him to enter. She didn’t want to invite him in. So she wouldn’t. Simple as that.

  Three more knocks followed. Another pause and two more knocks. Another pause. She jumped at the next three knocks. He was toying with her and she was letting him. She’d had enough. “Whatever game you’re playing, you’re in it alone. Games aren’t my thing. I’m not a kid anymore.”

  The door opened, light filtering through the crack. Bael peeked his head in. “I was just making sure I didn’t wake you.”

  “Yes. Of course you were. Because you’re so polite.”

  Bael shoved the door open the rest of the way and shuffled inside. Light shone from the hallway, but became a spotlight on him, until he flipped the switch on the wall. Jasmine squinted against the brightness. Inside, even though her head pulsed with the change, she squealed with joy. Finally. No more darkness.

  “If you knew me better, Jasmine, you would know exactly how polite I really am.”

  “If you knew me better, Bael, you would know exactly how much I care.”

  Bael grinned his famous crooked grin. “I see you’re still the same old Jasmine. No growth has happened in our time apart…and that’s sad. You still don’t see the big picture, do you?”

  Jasmine folded her arms over her chest. Bael’s bigger picture had nothing to do with hers, but why argue the point with him. He didn’t get her side just as she didn’t get his, and she didn’t have the energy to make him understand.

  He crouched down beside her, leaning close to her ear. “The demons will win this thing. Think about it. The angels never thought we could win the war against them. If they had, do you honestly think they’d have offered up our freedom as a reward?” Bael laughed. “But we did win. We earned our freedom and now we will do whatever it takes to keep it. With one hundred days to wipe out humanity, we have…oh…I would say about eighty left. We’ve probably taken out a quarter of the world already. Our forward momentum is strong and humans are falling like leaves from trees. They are no match for us. So, I’ve now spelled it out for you in a way you are sure to understand.” He gestured grandly toward himself. “This is the winning side.” He gestured to her. “That is the losing side. You should join us. I can tell you it would be a great investment.”

  Jasmine cringed. “You know what a great investment would be? A toothbrush and some mouthwash.”

  Bael backhanded her across the cheek. He frowned, then began pacing. “I’m sorry. But that mouth…” He gave her a smile before shaking his head. “Sometimes. I. Just. Can’t. Take. It.” He sounded like he sang the last words he spoke.

  Jasmine opened her mouth, but Moloch rushed through the door, interrupting her. Her heart skipped a beat as she took in his disheveled appearance. “Master Bael. I must speak with you.”

  Bael narrowed his eyes. “It will wait. I’m busy right now.” Bael petted her cheek where he’d smacked her, caressing it like he could make what he did better. Jasmine clenched her teeth.

  “I understand, Master. But something happened. Something you must hear. Now.”

  “Then speak. The girl won’t be running off to tell her fallen angel lover anytime soon. I think your words will remain between us.”

  “He’s not my—” Jasmine started.

  Bael put his hand up. “It’s no matter. Now hush. If you don’t, I’ll make sure you can’t open that pretty mouth of yours.”

  Jasmine did as she was told, although it wasn’t easy. She clamped her jaw tight, because if she didn’t, she wouldn’t be able to stop the words. It had to be a disease, the whole diarrhea of the mouth thing. One day, she might find a cure, but she doubted it.

  Moloch folded his hands in front of him and met Bael’s eyes. “Master Lucifer interfered with the exchange.”

  “What do you mean by interfered?”

  “I mean he stopped me from letting the others go and took Amon and the rest of them. He locked them away in the basement so now they are all captured.”

  Bael shrugged. “What’s done is done. Lucifer does not have to obey my orders. I had no intention of keeping the Angel Blessed and the Fallen Ones, but Lucifer must want them for something. So be it. Thank you for telling me.”

  Jasmine saw how cool, calm, and collected Bael acted on the outside, but as he sat so close to her, she could see his trembling hands. “Nice act, Bael. I see right through it. A bit nervous about your boss taking matters into his own hands, huh? Does Lucifer scare the big, bad Bael?” she asked in an exaggerated voice, like a mother talking to her baby.

  The look he gave her could have killed a dead man. “If you don’t remain quiet…” His fists clenched in his lap and he left the rest unsaid. But she had an imagination. She could figure it out.

  All she did was laugh. “Ooh. Threats again? So soon? Sorry, but they don’t scare me.”

  Bael drew his hand back, as if he might strike her again, but then folded his hands gently in his lap. A moment went by before a chuckle escaped his lips. “I don’t know what you’re so happy about. Lucifer has your friends. Every last one of them. That is something that should upset you…and scare you. Trust me.” He winked at her.

  A tic started in her jaw. She wanted to hit him. Smack that smug grin off his face. But she couldn’t. He was right. How stupid could she be? Tucking that part of the conversation into the back of her mind wouldn’t make it go away. Lucifer had her friends. Captured all of them. And God only knew what he might be d
oing to them right now.

  Bael rose from the ground in one fluid movement and ambled toward the door. “And I think she gets it. Five points to the woman on the floor.” He flipped the switch, surrounding her in utter darkness once more. “Now, you can sit in the dark and think about all the horrible things my boss is doing to your friends. And go ahead and let your imagination run wild because Lucifer has probably done ten times worse than anything you can think up.”

  Jasmine hopped up. “Please, Bael. Get my friends out of there. Let them go. I’m here. I gave myself to you, just as you wanted, for their freedom. So please, just free them.” She wasn’t a beggar, but she did her best, putting as much whine into her voice as she could.

  Bael circled Jasmine. “You haven’t given me what I want. Not yet. Every time your mouth opens you spew hate-filled words my way. Insults and the like. You waste your breath because I’m a demon, Jasmine. I have no feelings, but I must admit it would be nice if you’d treat me as if I’m not a plague on your health.”

  Jasmine forced her eyes to the ground and ripped at the bottom of her shirt, hoping it looked like real shame. Hoping he believed how sorry she was. “I promise I will do better if you find a way to get them out.”

  Bael tipped Jasmine’s chin up so she had to meet his eyes. “Was that so hard? To be nice to me?”

  Jasmine gritted her teeth. “Yes, actually, it was.”

  “Good. A little honesty never hurt anyone, did it?” Bael strolled to the door. “I will let your friends go. I’m not sure what it matters since they will soon join the rest of the humans, but I will do it. I will even give you a show of good faith by leaving your door open.” He paused, rubbing his long nail down his chin. “But if you test me, if you try anything…” He dragged his nail across his throat. Then he laughed. “Okay, that was a bit dramatic. I know. But it won’t be pretty what happens to you. If you cross me.”