I shudder a breath. “If you know everything about me, then you know I will not give you my soul forever. I won’t.”
“But you will, Raven. You’ll beg to stay with me for all time, especially if you accept your purpose and succeed,” he murmurs, keeping a millimeter away, sending tingles across my lips. “You won’t be able to resist.”
“Which is? If you want my soul, you can’t expect me to blindly just accept. My faith is already weak. I will not give you the last remaining ounce of it I carry.” Because agreeing to whatever it is he wants is obviously not going to go over well with me if he’s bartering my soul for Joel’s eternal punishment. He forced me into this. I deserve to know how hopeless this truly is.
“It will be easier to show you. Now hold still.” Lucian cups my face and kisses me, setting my soul zinging as his essence tangles with mine, filling me with a strange, all-consuming awareness.
“It must be now,” Lucian says, stepping away from seven angels with brilliant wings—some in gold, some white, some even just made purely of light—standing tall and strong, bearing flaming weapons. “Join me.”
Two of the angels step forward and bow to Lucian, joining his side. Kase and Dante turn and glare at the other remaining five. The world begins to shake as the ground cracks and breaks. The middle angel of the group bares his teeth and raises his sword. I can’t hear anything over the yells. Over the ground quaking.
Then all of a sudden, Lucian stabs himself with a flaming sword, sending his body ablaze. Spinning away from the angels, he expands his brilliant wings, the sheer light turning into hot fire. He holds his hands out to Kase and Dante, and his flames dance from his body to devour the two angels.
The three of them don’t fall from the ledge of the cliff they stand on. They jump.
No one cast them from Heaven. They chose to go with a fight.
“A fight that isn’t over,” Lucian says, his voice pulling me from the vision. “My five brethren failed to see my plan and turned their backs on me.”
“But you need them,” I whisper.
“And you will bring them to me, one by one. Together we will create a true balance to the universe as our kingdom will have its rulers. Including you, my queen. You are the perfect blend of light and mortality, the perfect match to our darkness for the most important level.”
Shit. He doesn’t have to say the word. I already know. I feel it in my essence.
“If I help you make your supposed brethren fall from grace, you’ll give me Purgatory? I don’t understand. Why me? What makes me special? I’m mortal.” I pull out of his arms and hug myself.
“You’ve been angel-kissed in another life, Raven.” Lucian squeezes my hand. I’ve heard the others mention that, but it doesn’t explain anything. “It’s why your soul shines so brightly.”
“I don’t even know what that means,” I say, frowning.
“It means my brethren won’t be the first angels you’ve ever made fall.” Lucian rubs his lips together. “If you want to know more, you must agree to my deal.”
“So help you make your brethren fall and you’ll ensure I don’t suffer for eternity?” This is so hard to wrap my mind around. I didn’t even truly believe angels existed. Or demons—devils, whatever. I didn’t need the threat of Hell to be a good person. But now? Damn. What he asks feels so utterly wrong, corrupting the supposed purest entities in existence...I think.
“Yes,” he says, remaining expressionless, his only reaction being the spark lighting up the onyx depths of his eyes. “You will control Purgatory and distribute souls accordingly. When our plan is completed, the Higher Power won’t see any soul first. They will all come to you.”
Fuck. What happened to resting in peace? The idea of Purgatory sounds like a lot of work. It still doesn’t sound like an eternity I’d want either, but what choice do I have? At least agreeing means that I hopefully won’t suffer, which I certainly will if I refuse. Because Dante’s right. Lucian will get what he wants regardless. “Fine. I will do as you want, but when I’m done, I’m done. No more. You’ll let me live out my human life and leave me alone. If I’m damned regardless, then I’ll be damned on my terms.”
A smile stretches across his lips. “If you succeed.”
I blink. “And if I don’t?”
“You will spend eternity serving two devils who desire you,” he says, petting my hair. “So don’t fail. They will surely rip your soul apart.”
Lucian snatches my hand and presses his palm to mine. Pain explodes over my skin, and his beautifully handsome façade cracks and reveals his monstrous form. He releases me and summons fire, turning the temperature hotter in this weird in-between realm. I squeeze my eyes shut, expecting for the fire to consume me.
Gasping, I open my eyes, lying on my side in the middle of the living room of Dante and Kase’s apartment. The ring of fire snuffs out, leaving behind a circle of soot and nothing else to indicate Lucian was ever here, yet his presence still lingers.
I press my palms to the ground and wince. Jerking my right hand up, I inspect my palm. My skin glows red with a branding that marks my flesh with a pentagram. The heat grows more intense, crawling up my arm to devour every inch of my skin. I scream out, my body trembling.
But then the heat fades.
So does the light glowing within the branding of my palm.
Lucian’s presence abandons me, taking my breath with him.
I lose myself to his lingering darkness.
***
“All right, angel-girl. Get your ass up. We can’t wait any longer. You’re not allowed to be the sadist and torture us like this.” Kase’s vanilla-vetiver scent wafts over me, dragging me from utter darkness.
I snap my eyes open to see him an inch from my face. Ramming my hands against his taut pecs, I shove him away. “Shit! Haven’t you heard of personal space?”
“There she is. Fucking finally.” Dante’s deep tenor voice grumbles from across the room. “What about personal space, pretty soul? We live together now. There’s no such thing. Get used to it.”
“That’s what you think...” My voice trails off as I turn my attention to him.
Unholy Hell.
I slap my hands over my eyes and shield my eyes from Dante’s well-endowed cock. He stands naked in the hallway, drying off with a towel. He was right about being bigger than Lucian. Inhaling slow breaths, I focus on controlling my out-of-control body. It enjoys the sight of Dante way more than it should. He’s so attractive and muscular, tatted, rugged, and tall. Everything I love about a man.
Kase shakes me again, bending over. His warm breath tickles the backs of my hands. “Come on, angel-girl. You need to get used to this. We’re in it for the long haul with you. Don’t be shy. There isn’t anything wrong with appreciating that sexy beast. He wants you to look.”
“I don’t want either of you to get any ideas, so no. I’m not looking even if that’s what he wants,” I mumble against my hands.
Locking his hands around my wrists, Kase pries my hands away from my face. “I don’t understand why mortals are so modest. This realm would be a lot more fun if everyone just stripped and partied naked. Which is rule number one in our apartment, so get used to it.”