Her Wicked Angel (Her Angel Romance Series Book 6) (27 page)

His master?

The Devil?

Asmodeus saw a park. Green. Bright. Colourful. Small furry demons escorted mortals through it. They did not interest him. A big black dog with a male on his back did interest him though. His heart lifted and beat harder, pumping excitement through him. He wanted to play with the big black dog.

Someone shouted at him and then someone called him a wretch that deserved to feel their wrath.

Sweet Liora protected him. Strange. She was still taller than he was.

Asmodeus bared his fangs at the other one, the one who looked like his master.

Not his master. Apollyon looked like him. Not the Devil.

Power. Pressing. Crushing. Protect Liora for his master.

Master?

Wake master.

Something wet slapped his cheek and Asmodeus shot up in bed. Romulus whined and nudged him towards the white door. Door.

Remus.

Liora.

Asmodeus burst from the room, his legs aching and protesting. He stumbled through the living room, looking for her. Remus had commanded Romulus to wake him. Apollyon had threatened Liora.

He spotted the bastard angel with his back to him, vulnerable, open to attack.

Saw Liora bravely facing him, holding out against his power and protecting Remus.

“If he goes, we all go… I go with them.” Brave Liora. Sweet Liora.

His focus swam and he grabbed the doorframe of the kitchen to steady himself. Serenity said something he missed.

“Go where?” Apollyon snarled and Asmodeus heard Remus growl. “Who in this world would take you in and have the power to protect you?”

Liora tipped her head up and squared her shoulders. She had no answer. He could see it in her eyes. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t have to know. He would speak for them. She had made her intentions clear. She wanted to leave with him and he had an idea about who might take them in.

He came up behind Apollyon, wrapped his arm around his throat before he could move, and shoved his other hand against the back of his head, choking him. The weight of Apollyon’s power decreased and Asmodeus stared over his shoulder at Liora.

Her hazel eyes locked on his.

“The Devil’s daughter would,” he said and she frowned. Serenity stood. Apollyon chuckled at the suggestion. Asmodeus shoved him harder against his arm, killing that mocking laughter.

Erin was with child and the Devil had vowed to leave her and those who fell under her protection alone, unharmed, until she had given birth. It was a risk, but if he could convince her to extend her protection to him and Liora, she would be safe.

He was willing to bet that the Devil wouldn’t dare launch a full-scale attack on Erin’s location in order to get to him and Liora.

“Erin will take us in, and you know it.” Asmodeus shoved Apollyon behind him and released him, swiftly moving in front of Liora and Remus to protect them. His head turned again. Not good. How long had he slept? It didn’t feel like long enough.

Apollyon went to rush him but Serenity stepped between them, her hands on her hips. The blood drained from Apollyon’s face. Scared of his petite witch?

Romulus growled from behind Apollyon, his fangs close to his neck and his nose against his ear.

Asmodeus smiled. It was nice to have the upper hand over his twin for once.

“We will take you to her and you can speak with her,” Serenity said, the voice of reason. He appreciated her backing him up. It only added to his victory. Apollyon was alone. Asmodeus had everyone behind him. He could get used to this.

Apollyon looked as if he wanted to speak out against that idea and then folded his arms across his chest. His wings shrank into his back and his armour disappeared, a white linen shirt and black cut-off jeans shorts replacing them.

“Your mutts will have to stay.” Apollyon shoved past Romulus and walked into the house.

“They’re coming with us,” Liora called after him. “I don’t leave anyone behind.”

Asmodeus wanted to kiss her for that. He looked over his shoulder at her and Serenity tiptoed away, leaving them alone.

Except for his hellhounds.

He spoke to them in the demon tongue, mentioning that they may see some more things they couldn’t ‘unsee’ if they stuck around.

Remus whined and glanced longingly at the park.

Asmodeus added that it was a horse he had seen and while they were almost the same size, he did not think that the horse would play with him.

That only made him whine more. Asmodeus rubbed his ears, feeling sorry for him. “I will take you down when it is dark and cloak us and you can play with your brother.”

“We will take you down,” Liora said and hugged Remus. He wagged his tail and went inside, rubbing Romulus on his way past.

“Did I thank you for saving me and my hellhounds before we became toast?” Asmodeus turned to Liora and she scrunched her nose up, wriggled it and then shook her head.

“I remember you shouting at me about it.”

“Ah.” He shrugged, leaned against the railing beside her and nudged her with his hip. “Thank you for saving us.”

She nudged him back and smiled up at him. “No problem. I hope you like sand, sea and stars.”

He frowned. “Why?”

She stepped away from the railing and twirled to face him, a huge smile on her lips and a twinkle in her eye. “Erin lives on a tropical island. Margaritas! But not for you… because you’re a shitty drunk.”

Asmodeus growled and tried to grab her. She spun beyond his reach, giggling as she followed his hellhounds back inside. He stared after them and then sighed and looked over his shoulder at the park. If Remus was excited by a park, how was he going to take sand and surf? He was going to end up spoiled by this world, just like his master.

He followed them into the apartment and pretended not to see Apollyon in the kitchen or feel the force of his glare as he passed. He flipped him off over his shoulder at the doorway for good measure though.

“Asmodeus, wait.”

He really wanted to pretend he hadn’t heard that but the bastard angel had used his name and had spoken in a civilised tone. He turned around, leaned against the doorframe and folded his arms across his bare chest.

“You ever threaten my hellhounds again and I will sic them on you.”

“Serenity ended up cut. Tell me, how would you have reacted if it had been Liora and my animals that had harmed her?” Apollyon rested his backside against the counter and his choice of clothing finally made sense to Asmodeus. Beachwear. He had zero experience of that but he would not dress like his twin.

Asmodeus hated himself for it but he said, “The same. The threat still stands though.”

“Noted. Liora was injured during your escape from Hell. You need to do a better job of protecting her.”

Asmodeus glared at him, holding his swirling blue gaze and refusing to back down. Apollyon unleashed a fraction of his power and he countered him, allowing his to rise to match it, keeping them equal.

“I did protect her. I shielded her from rock, fire and a fucking dragon.” Asmodeus growled as his power rose further, slipping beyond his grasp, stirred by the anger pumping through his veins.

His claws extended and he flexed them, shoving his growing fatigue to the back of his mind together with the pain that still radiated through his bones. Pain that came from the injuries he had sustained while protecting Liora. He had done his best. He had saved his delicate mortal from being crushed by black stone and burned by dragon fire. How dare Apollyon overlook that in order to belittle him?

Apollyon tipped his chin up, his blue eyes brightening, the darker and paler flakes in them shifting and revealing his growing anger.

Asmodeus flexed his claws again. He wanted to beat his wings, shoot across the narrow room and rip his twin’s jugular out with those claws.

“Do better,” Apollyon said in a low, cold voice. “If you do not want me coming down on your head… do better. You know you could have.”

Asmodeus bared his fangs. He did know that but he wasn’t about to admit it. He should have cast a portal and pushed her through it together with Romulus and Remus, transporting them elsewhere within the castle. He had reacted on instinct though, and that instinct had demanded he shielded her fragile mortal body with his immortal one. He wasn’t used to having to protect someone. This was new to him and he didn’t want to make mistakes and place Liora in danger, but he was still learning. He would do better next time she was in danger. He knew without a doubt that there would be a next time. The Devil wasn’t going to give up. He wanted Liora and he was going to keep coming at them until either he had her or Asmodeus had put him down.

Apollyon’s power lowered, providing less resistance against his, and the angel relaxed against the counter in the small kitchen, looking very domesticated for a legendary angel of death and destruction. The Great Destroyer. Asmodeus could hardly believe that title applied to him as he stood there in the kitchen of his apartment, dressed in beachwear and giving him a pep talk on how to protect a woman.

He stared at Asmodeus in silence for long seconds until Asmodeus finally reined in his temper and his power with it.

“What will you do if Erin will not offer you protection?”

Asmodeus didn’t want to think about that until after she had rejected his request. “Come up with another plan.”

Apollyon’s blue eyes mocked him. “It would be rather prudent to have a back-up plan before you are turned away.”

Asmodeus averted his gaze to the counter beside him. His stomach rumbled. Cake. Not a chocolate one either. It was yellowish and had pale creamy topping and red glossy fruit on top that looked like strawberries.

“Liora says all angels are pigs,” he said without thinking and Apollyon frowned at him. “She says we eat a lot.”

He wasn’t going to make it a question and give his twin the satisfaction of enlightening him.

“It is true. The more power we use in this world, the quicker we weaken and the more we need to eat.” Apollyon slid the cake towards him.

“She says you can eat a whole chocolate cake in one go.”

Apollyon huffed and tipped his chin up. “It was one time and I was annoyed.”

“We eat more when annoyed?” Hell, a question. He cursed himself.

His twin shrugged. “I do. Serenity calls it comfort eating.”

It was strange talking to his twin like this without either of them attempting to remove the other’s head. He didn’t even have the usual urge to at least maim him. He blamed his tiredness. He still wanted to sleep. Fighting Apollyon was a waste of his energy. He was too tired to play good twin versus evil twin today. He was too tired to be who everyone expected him to be and live up to those expectations.

He was too tired to do anything other than grab Liora, curl up on the bed behind her and sleep with his female. Sleeping with her would leave them both vulnerable though. They would have to take turns until they were away from Apollyon and Serenity, and he wasn’t sure if they would be able to shake them now.

He knew Erin’s location. He had felt it inside him like a beacon ever since he had met her in Hell all those months ago and realised what she was, and that they shared blood. He had never known what sort of place she had made into her home though. An island.

He could take Liora and his hellhounds there, leaving Serenity and Apollyon behind, getting a head start on them. A fragment of his heart, the good part growing inside him, warned not to leave them behind. As much as he hated being around Apollyon and didn’t want to see him amongst his peers, admired and respected, adored, he had to allow the angel to take them to Erin. Erin knew Apollyon and Serenity. Their presence and introduction might increase the likelihood of them accepting him and Liora into the group and offering them protection.

Asmodeus needed to ensure that he could handle any situation that arose though. He needed to rest and regain his strength before they left, because he was still tired and weak even after his sleep.

“How long was I sleeping?” he said, too tired to even care that it was another question.

“Give or take twenty minutes.” Apollyon cut himself a slice of the cake and set the knife back down on the plate beside it. Comfort eating? Because everyone had sided against him for once?

“How long do I need to sleep for? Liora sleeps for many hours.”

“Many hours.” Apollyon picked up the wedge of cake.

Asmodeus didn’t have many hours in which to rest. It was imperative that they move Liora to the island and seek sanctuary there as soon as possible. He would have to settle for regaining only a fraction of his strength and hope it would be enough should problems arise.

Or when problems arose.

Erin was mated to Veiron. The only time he had met Veiron was on the plateau above the bottomless pit and the Hell’s angel hadn’t liked him very much. He had wanted to fight him. Asmodeus doubted that desire had faded in the past several months.

He definitely needed to bring Apollyon and Serenity with him to the island. Apollyon had convinced Veiron to leave him alone when they had met in Hell. His twin might be able to talk sense into the vengeful fallen angel for him and that would give him a chance to speak with Erin.

First, he needed to rest and regain his strength.

“Is it strawberry?” Asmodeus said with a jerk of his chin towards the cake and Apollyon stopped with the slice close to his mouth and nodded. Asmodeus swallowed his pride, snatched the remains of the cake and stalked away from Apollyon, waiting until he was close to the bedroom before quietly uttering, “Thank you.”

“You are welcome,” Apollyon shouted and Asmodeus cringed when Liora turned to face him inside the bedroom and gave him a questioning look.

“I thanked him for the cake,” he snapped at her, daring her to smile. “That is all. It was on your behalf.”

He offered the cake to her and her eyes lit up.

“I’ll get fat if you keep feeding me sweet things.” She took it anyway, slipped the short silver blade from the plate and cut a slice. She offered it to him and he stared at it. “I don’t know what you’re worried about. Angels don’t get fat. Lucky sods.”