Mom sat back, and Dad was immediately at her side, holding her hand.
“So … what’s his plan?” Ryan asked.
“Ryan!” Dad yelled.
“It’s a valid question,” Ryan said, holding up his hands.
“I need to bring Levi back,” I said. “Now.”
Claire frowned. “You can feel him now? Is he in danger?”
I shook my head. “Yes, and yes. Like, more than usual.”
Claire looked to Dad. “Let her go. If Lucifer thinks Levi had anything to do with Eden’s escape, any favor he might still have is gone. Remember Shax and his rabid obsession with the book? Eden was Lucifer’s prize, one that was so precious to him that he didn’t even display her. He hid her.”
I frowned. “I wasn’t asking. I’m going.”
Mom finally spoke, staring at the ground. “Petra can’t save her son from this, Eden. What makes you think you can?”
“I can’t explain it, Mom. Levi will be left unprotected, making him the target of every demon in Hell. He’s there to save me. To bring me back to you. I can’t leave him there to die. Or worse… captured.”
“We’re about to fight another war,” Mom said.
“Okay,” Dad began, holding out his hands in front of him, palms down. “Tap the brakes. We don’t know anything yet.”
“This isn’t up for debate. No humans can reach that plane,” Grandmother said. “Except one.”
Mom stood. “I said no. We’ll … go to the warehouse. Call for Eli.”
“This can’t wait,” I said. I was sympathetic to her concern, but we were now in a race against time.
“We have time to consult with Eli before we send you back to Hell,” Mom said. She looked to Dad. “Jared, tell her.”
Dad shook his head. “She’s right, Nina. Time isn’t on our side. We need to find Levi quickly and get him back to this plane. At least then he’s not a sitting duck.”
I nodded. “How do I find him?”
“Cahl will know,” Dad said.
“Jared,” Mom warned. “I already don’t like the sound of this.”
“I’ll be fine,” I said, closing my eyes.
“What is she doing?” Ryan asked. “Why are her eyelids fluttering like that?”
“She’s locating the entrance … I think,” Claire said.
Mom put her hands on mine. “Eden, please don’t go. I just got you back.” She desperately reached out and snatched me back to the dining room, and I looked at her with a small grin. “I’ll come back. I promise.”
Mom nodded. “Don’t forget. You promised your mother.”
I smiled at her. “I won’t forget, Mom.” I kissed her forehead and then felt myself leave her side.
Chapter Six
Levi
I lay on the ground sweating and bleeding, my left hand, forearm, and side blackened and raw from burns. Amaymon had grown in strength since the last time I’d seen him, and quite frankly he was kicking my ass. I was half human now, after all.
I pushed off the ground, arms shaking, and looked up at him. “Is that all you’ve got?” I said, breathing hard.
Amaymon lifted his chin to the sky and laughed, his voice carrying through all nine levels of Hell.
I winced, feeling the stinging burn at every place he’d struck me. With one eye closed I huffed, trying to catch my breath. “What’s funny? This is funny to you?”
A loud thud sounded behind me, and I turned around. Orien stood and brushed himself off.
I let out a disgusted growl, throwing a mini tantrum with every limb. “Really? Really, Orien? You couldn’t just let Amaymon handle it?”
He laughed, moving lithely toward me. He would look like a man had he not been nine feet tall, had inverted knees, or horns protruding from his forehead that curved back and into a spiral like a giant, mutant ram. His hooved feet kicked up dust and ash that traveled fast, passing over me when he finally came to an abrupt stop.
“You’re looking weary, brother. I thank Lucifer that I’ve never had to experience a single day as a human. I couldn’t fathom feeling so weak.”
Cassia stood in the doorway, armored from ankle to neck. She planned to join in the fight.
“You’re missing out,” I said, trying to buy time. I held my fist to my mouth and coughed. I could beat Cassia. Amaymon was a struggle but slow and ultimately beatable. Adding Orien’s arrival meant a fair fight, but it also meant that Paymon and Egyn were on their way. Egyn was the most fearsome of the four.
Cassia charged, her infamous double knives in each hand. I stood in a defensive stance, trying to keep my eyes on all three. She attacked, Amaymon released a glob of molten rock, and just as I tried to avoid both, Orien grabbed me in his enormous arms and squeezed. My ribs and spine threatened to snap and crush under the pressure.
I cried out, both in pain and frustrated at my weakened state. Before I could attempt to maneuver out of his grasp, he was gone, and I was on the ground. I coughed again, gasping just to breathe.
Orien’s body smacked against the far cliff, falling next to the Underling Cassia had killed earlier.
Cassia cried out, and I turned, my mouth falling open. Eden was less than fifty yards from me, grabbing one of Cassia’s knives and impaling her with it. Cassia cried out and stumbled back, as shocked as I was.
Amaymon reared his hand back, preparing to strike. We all knew Eden wounding Cassia meant punishment for us all if his loyal sons didn’t smooth it over with a win.
“Eden!” I warned.
She rushed to me faster than I’d ever seen her move, sliding on her knees. The ash kicked up again, this time creating a wall around us. She helped me to stand, and once I was upright, she smiled at me.
“Hi,” she said.
One corner of my mouth turned up. “Hi.”
In the next breath, we were in the courtyard of her home. The quiet night surrounded us; the air finally cool enough to breathe.
I looked into her big, bright blue eyes, her long lashes blinking as if she were just as surprised as I was.
“Eden?” I said, breathing hard.
She tackled me, and we fell to the ground. I wrapped both arms around her shoulders, unable to hold her tight enough. We were both breathing hard, and I cupped the back of her hair with my palm for a moment before leaning back to look into her eyes.
“You’re back,” I said, my chest heaving.
She nodded, then stood, pulling me up with her.
“That was close,” she said.
“How? You were… How?” I held her at arm’s length, looking her over.
She grinned, shaking her head. “I broke free and came straight home. When I realized where you were, I had to go back for you.”
I cupped her cheeks with both hands, feeling an overwhelming urge to break down. Again, I hugged her to me, but this time for just seconds before planting my lips on hers. Her sweet mouth was soft against mine and felt more than just familiar; they were an old friend, a lover, a safe place I had returned to again and again. Eden’s fingers pressed into my back, but when I growled in pain she stopped, frowning.