Lucifer and Brotus are hovering over Merlidon now, their voices barely above a whisper when they speak.
“What the hell is going on?” I yell.
Brotus is the one to meet my eyes. “He hasn’t fed,” he says and there’s really no need to say anything else.
Jezebel smiles, despite my hand in her hair, despite the dagger to her throat. Despite Merlidon’s body on the floor. And the rage consumes me.
“Save your sympathy,” Jezebel hisses. “That bastard isn’t worth so much as a sneeze. Plus, you couldn’t even save your friend, you really think you’ve got what it takes to -”
I yank her hair even harder, fisting it as tightly as possible, but even then, she doesn’t stop talking. The squeakiness of her tone, coupled the self righteous bullshit that spills from her lips, are partially responsible for what I do next. But mostly, it’s the sight of Merlidon in the corner of the room.
“I think we’ve heard enough,” I say lowly.
I drive the dagger deep into her throat.
She gasps against the blade, coughing incessantly as blood bubbles up and out her mouth. It rejoins the blood spurting from her wound and, a second later, she falls to the ground.
“I guess we’ll see whether or not you were wrong when you said Lucifer made sure you couldn’t die here,” I spit the words at her, like venom needing to be expelled from my tongue. “I don’t know about you, but trusting the king of demons doesn’t seem like such a wise idea.” I straighten, wiping the blood off of my suit, then return it to the sheath. Then I face the three shocked faces.
“I don’t know how long her life essence will last now that she’s dead,” I tell them. “So, feed.”
18
None of them say anything. They all just stare at me, eyes filled with astonishment. I look down at Jezebel to see that she’s still immobile, her blood now staining the bottom of my shoes. I look back up at Lucifer. “Didn’t she say she couldn’t die?”
He blinks twice at me, but then schools his features into something I’m used to, with that blasted amusement shining in his eyes again. He looks down at Jezebel and I swear he almost laughs. “She cannot die by the hands of a demon. But I suppose she might have thought that she couldn’t be killed at all.”
“The technicalities. A virtue.” I incline my head to her body again. “You guys should feed before your food gets cold.”
“Damn, human,” Merlidon crawls forward, eyes running up and down the length of me. “If I didn’t know how much you dislike me, I’d be inclined to think you went all homicidal for me.”
“I did not.” I lie.
Honestly, I don’t care to take any other human’s life. In fact, while my main impetus for killing demons is simply because I despise them, my work does add another layer of safety and protection over the citizens of New York. I’m the opposite of a homicidal maniac.
But, shit, Jezebel isn’t an average human. Somehow, she managed to get to Lucifer, seduce him in such a way that he grants her this house, protection from other demons and the chance to stay here in Hell. She didn’t get the one thing she came for, but she is far from a regular human nonetheless. The fact that she’s working with the person we’re working against already set her fate in stone. Mentioning Natalia, laughing at her death, well that made my blade itch for the stain of her blood.
So no, I don’t feel guilt and neither do I feel remorseful, though I know I should. Human is human, no matter the path they decide to take. Choosing a demon – the devil and his high commanders – over a human should never be an option. I shake my head, not wanting to force myself to feel something I should. Instead, I dwell on the rush of satisfaction, the same feeling I get after a mission well done.
I shrug at Merlidon. “She was a hindrance to what we need. And you two were barely hanging on as it is. I figured it’s a win-win situation.”
“We could have gotten more information out of her,” Brotus says though he inches closer to Jezebel’s body.
“We got everything we could have gotten,” Lucifer tells him. Is that approval I hear in his voice? “Melody is right. It is a win-win situation. Feed, men. You’re going to need the energy.”
That’s all they need to hear. Merlidon and Brotus immediately sink to their knees, Merlidon grabbing her wrist and Brotus going straight for the neck. I step back until my back nearly hits the wall.
Lucifer is watching me but I’m watching them. After a moment, he comes over to stand beside me.
“You two were fuck buddies,” I say to him as soon as he’s close enough to hear.
He takes a moment to answer. “Yes,” he says finally. “I suppose you could put it that way.”
“What other way could you possibly put it after everything she said?”
“We were more than that. At least, I thought we were.” He sighs and the sound throws me off so much I look up at him. He’s staring down at Jezebel’s body, hatred sparking his eyes. I almost want to step back. Just as much as I almost want to go closer and hold him. “It’s simple, actually. It was a long, long time ago. She was a hunter and, along with a couple others on a mission, they were in pursuit of me. I believe you hunters call it the first uprising.”
“She was one of the first hunters then?”
He nods. “And one of the best. She was leader of her squad and they were trying to take me down. We met in battle.”
“So, what, your eyes met and you two instantly fell in love?” I sound bitter. Why the fuck do I sound bitter?
If he notices, he doesn’t make it obvious. “Not as romantic as that, actually, though not very far off. She was an amazing hunter and she put up quite a fight. I wasn’t as old as I am now, so I definitely wasn’t as strong. But I did already have many years under my belt and so I could hold my own very well. I was impressed, actually, by how well she managed to fight me.”
“It didn’t last very long, though. After a while I bested her, but before I could kill her and be done with it all, she took off her head armor and stared at me with the most beautiful pair of eyes I’d ever seen.” There’s no doubt that the feeling that crashes into my chest right now is jealousy. “In that moment,” he continues, “I had no idea a human could have looked so beautiful but there she was, proof.”
He shifts suddenly and it’s only when I jolt slightly from his movement do I realize that I’m incredibly tense. I lean back against the wall, trying to relax. It isn’t going very well. “I didn’t kill her. I could have. I had my sword right above her heart, but I didn’t. I couldn’t. Instead, I helped her up and she smiled at me. I fell in love instantly.”
“The others on her mission were killed by Merlidon and Brotus, so it was easy for her to go back claiming that she barely escaped with her life. We began meeting discreetly after that and, well, to cut a long story short, after a while I realized that I wanted more than just secretive link ups. I wanted her to share my life. So I invited her to stay with me in Hell. I thought she would say no because she’s a hunter, so I went on and on about her sharing my kingdom, living in riches she couldn’t possibly imagine. I told her I would give her anything she wanted and she said yes. I was so happy that I made her my Queen that same day.”
“You married her?”
Lucifer shakes his head. “We don’t have the same customs as you do in the human realm, Melody. I merely made a declaration and, it was so.”
“But she wasn’t satisfied, was she? She wanted to become a demon.”
“I didn’t know that that was her true aim until a little while after. She asked me one day when we were in bed, and I was surprised, but I told her I couldn’t do it. The demon she wanted to be,” he shakes his head, “it was impossible. Still is. Not even I can do such a thing. Such demons are merely created. There was no way I would have been able to give her what she wanted.”
“She was livid, of course and threatened to leave me. I didn’t want that. I was happy with her and wanted her to stay. So, I did everything I could to make her comfortable. I
gave her her own place, the one we’re standing in right now. I made it impossible for any demon to kill her, which included me and my men. I didn’t think anything of that at the time because I didn’t think I would possibly need a reason to. I did everything I could to make her feel at home and at peace.”
“And she still wasn’t satisfied.” I stare at Jezebel, her cheeks now sunken in and her limbs branch-like, though Merlidon and Brotus aren’t done feeding. The satisfaction from seeing her in such a state hits me so forcefully, I’m glad I’m already leaning on the wall because it would have been staggering.
“No,” Lucifer says. “And she hated me for it. She became the opposite of the woman I fell in love with, and, after a while, I began to hate her for it. The love disappeared and then it was just resentment. I couldn’t kill her, but I could ban her from my castle. So, she settled down here, still trying to find a way to become a demon. Still inviting other demons in. I knew I wasn’t the only one who was taken in by her beauty. I’m sure she even allowed other demons to feed on her while we were together.”
“That’s tantamount to cheating, huh?”
Lucifer’s fist clenches by his side. “Without my permission, it is the highest form of disrespect. If I had known at the time, I would have gotten rid of her a long time ago.”
I’m tempted to ask if he marked her, but I swallow the words. Not the time, nor the place. Nor am I sure if I really want to hear the answer to such a question.
“Why didn’t you cast her out of Hell?”
“She’s human. Her willpower and autonomy transcend my power here. I couldn’t do anything but leave her to her own devices.”
“You must really regret inviting her here, then.”
His eyes fall on me. “That word doesn’t even begin to explain what I’m feeling right now.”
Good. That’s what I’m hoping to hear.
For a moment, his gaze falls on Merlidon and Brotus. Paying attention, to his face, however, I notice there’s something wrong. Or rather, something he’s not saying. I watch him just a moment longer, contemplating whether or not to pry. And because if there was ever a cat curiosity had in his stronghold, it was me, I part my lips. “What’s on your mind, Lucifer?”
It takes a second before he shifts his gaze to me, his eyes piercing straight through my heart. “When I said Jezebel is the most beautiful being I’ve ever seen…that’s not fully the truth.” Somersaults – the kind that suspend you in the air mid flight - that’s what my heart did in my chest as he paused, counting his words. “Jezebel was the most beautiful being I’d ever seen…until you showed up.”
In that moment, I didn’t trust myself to breathe or to swallow or to think. Like a smitten little kitten, I stare up at him, dig myself deep into his eyes of darkness, not sure if I am strong enough or capable enough to handle what those words do to the most delicate part of me.
Merlidon and Brotus are finally done feeding and, when they stand, I’m grateful for the distraction.
For the first time and what I expect to be the only time ever, I seek conversation with Merlidon. “You can thank me later,” I say, inching my way from Lucifer’s side, despite how tangible his pull on me is.
“Never pegged you as the needy kind, human,” Merlidon retorts and I smile.
“Ungrateful bastard,” Brotus chortles from beside him. “Thanks, Melody. Though, to be fair, feeding on her was a lot less appetizing than I’m sure you would have been.”
The laughter that erupts from my throat seems completely out of place, considering the dead body on the floor. But really, everything here is out of place. Their compliments, their stares of desire, the way Lucifer seems enamored by me. And most importantly, me. Demon hunter. Daughter of the Guild’s leader. I am the most out of place thing in this room.
Jezebel is now a shallow husk on the floor, literally only skin and bones. Her eyes remain open however, wide with shock and her jaw slack with horror. I feel no remorse, no sadness, no regret as I stare down at her. Only fulfilment.
“What do we do with her?” I ask them.
Merlidon is patting his lips with a white handkerchief. He folds it gently then tucks it into his pocket before saying, “We could just leave her here. This bitch doesn’t deserve a burial.”
I’m not turned off by the idea. I shrug. “Fine by me. She said something about a white light. You guys have any idea what she might have meant by that?”
They all share a look. I cross my arms. “Spill it before I take my knife out again.”
At that, Lucifer chuckles. The sound shouldn’t make me so happy but it does. And with it comes another feeling I don’t really care for. Relief. “Violent, as usual, are we?”
“It gets things done.”
“Ah, that it does. We’re not very sure who it is she was talking about. But the white light suggests that the person was communicating from another realm.”
“The human realm? You think whoever is behind this is human?”
“It could be a demon, as well, but the likelihood of that is slim. Demons can come and go from Hell as they wish. If they wanted to mask their identity, they could have done it just as easily from Hell rather than send a message as well as teleport an entire body all from another realm. I’m not ruling out the possibility, but if it really is a demon, that demon isn’t very smart.”
“And whoever it is we’re dealing with doesn’t fit such a description,” Merlidon comments. “Which only narrows it down to a few options.”
I frown at him. “If it isn’t a demon, and it isn’t a human, then what could it possibly be?”
Brotus is the one who drops the bomb. “An Angel.”
“Bullshit. Angels don’t exist.”
“Oh, really?” Lucifer’s brow crooks in question. “Don’t you remember what I told you? With everything dark, there is something light. With every good, there is evil. With every demon there is in Hell, there are angels in Heaven.”
I open my mouth to argue but Merlidon cuts in. “It makes sense. Angels can’t come to Hell, not without an invitation from Lucifer, but they can easily travel to the human realm. And an angel would be powerful enough to teleport the human’s body –”
“Her name is Natalia,” I bite out.
He looks at me with slight shock, then, to my own surprise, continues, “Natalia’s body to the demon realm from wherever they are.”
“If this is really an angel, though,” Brotus says. “He could easily be in Heaven conducting all of this. We won’t be able to get to him if that’s case. Demons can’t go to Heaven.”
“Without an invitation from God?” I ask, my voice laced with incredulity.
“The ruler of Heaven is another angel, just as how the ruler of Hell is another demon. If there is a god, Heaven is not where he resides.”
I blink at Brotus, then shake my head to clear the rush of questions that come to the forefront. I can inquire about those later. “That doesn’t make any sense, though. Angels are inherently good, aren’t they? Whoever is doing this is trying to cause the destruction of the world as we know it. That isn’t good at all.”
“For you,” Lucifer tells me. “And neither is that good for us. But we haven’t explored the possibility that maybe such plans may suit the angels perfectly.”
“Eradication of the humans and demons? I don’t see how that could benefit them. Sure, getting rid of the demons, I understand. But humans?”
“While there may be good demons, there can also be bad angels.”
I snort at that. “No such things as good demons.”
Lucifer doesn’t answer me, though I expect him to. He only turns to the door. “We shouldn’t stay here. Now that Jezebel’s dead, whatever shield she put up to ward off the demons will fall soon and they’ll come rushing in.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem for you,” I counter. “You’re their King.”
“Be that as it may, they are still demons. And they have been lusting after her flesh for ages. Like a delicious meal pla
ced in the sight of a starving man who can’t get to it. It’s driving them insane. I don’t wish for you to stick around to witness the things they might do to her body. And,” his eyes narrow on me again. In them is a look I hate to desire. “Seeing as you’re more than a couple notches above Jezebel, I wouldn’t be surprised if in their thirst, they’ll try to turn on you as well.”
“I can fight them off,” I say, “And surely, you wouldn’t let anything happen to me.” The words come out teasingly and the expression on his face lets me know he takes them as just what they are. Regardless, the thought of leaving poses no issue to me. Our business here is done. Arguing with Lucifer is just too tempting.
Lucifer rises to the bait, even as he makes his way out the door and we follow behind him. It’s amazing how easily I fall in step with him, as if I’ve followed behind strong men all my life. When, in reality, I’m always the one leading the charge. “I would,” he says, “But I’d rather not put you in danger, to begin with. You’re much too valuable.”
Fuck. Now my hormones are going into overdrive. The heat, as we step outside, isn’t making it any better. I tuck the effect of his words away, but it’s almost as if the demons can smell it on me and they go crazy, screeching at me, scrambling over each other to get to me, then cordoned off by whatever shield Jezebel had put up. Lucifer’s right. In their state, I wouldn’t stand a chance alone. Lucifer steps closer to my left and Brotus moves to my right, their arms crossing at the small of my back. Of all the moments before that they’ve left me breathless, this one is the worse. I don’t know how I manage to push my legs with the two of them touching me, but somehow I continue forward.
Merlidon is ahead of us, his steps determined and I know, without needing conformation that he’s seeking out anything that even comes close to attacking me.
It isn’t until we’re a decent distance away from the house that Lucifer and Brotus leave my side. Finally, I feel like I can breathe again. All the breaths I’d refused to take come rushing in at once.
Hunting Darkness: Hunting her Lovers (Demon Hunter Book 1) Page 13