He doesn’t get it, because he’s clearly never been in love. Luke is my home. Not Camille. Not Solis.
I shake my head. “This isn’t my home, River. It was just quick stop on the road to where I’m truly meant to be.”
He grits his teeth. “Why?”
My head falls back in frustration. “I don’t have time for this, River. I’m going back because I want to help. He needs me.”
“Why him, Victoria? Why Hell? Can you truly tell me you want to live there?”
“Where is this coming from?” I cry. “I’ve been perfectly clear about my intentions. Why are you acting like this?”
“Because I don’t get it,” he says, voice rising.
“You don’t have to get it, River. This isn’t a surprise.”
“I thought being here, you’d change your mind.”
I throw my hands up in the air. “You just said earlier we’d have our say. You don’t want a marriage between us anymore than I do.”
“If it’s best for Solis, I will.”
“You’re in love with her.” I point toward the ballroom, where Camille is most likely still fuming over my departure from her ill-advised engagement party.
“She made it perfectly clear by that announcement that she doesn’t feel for me the way I do her.”
“Her feelings have nothing to do with my decision, River. I know your duty is important to you, but that won’t change my choice. I’ll never be with anyone but Luke. Duty or no. It will always be him, River.”
I sigh. My eyes bore into his, hoping to convey how sorry I am. How much I wish things could be different for him.
But they aren’t.
His eyes close and my heart breaks a little. Not only is he giving up the woman he cares for, but he’s losing his predetermined station as well. He’ll never be king as long as I refuse to marry him.
When he finally looks at me again, I see the resolve. He knows there’s no changing my mind, and I know there’s no going back.
As soon as I voiced my choice, any future for River serving as king was over.
“I am sorry.”
He shakes his head. “There’s nothing to apologize for. You love who you love, and no arranged marriage was ever going to change that. I can’t be angry that you care enough to go head to head with Camille.”
I smile, but it doesn’t reach my eyes. “That will need to happen sooner rather than later, I’m afraid.”
“You’re going to ask for her help?”
“It’s important, River. The two demons that were with Nolda in Hell have sided with him. They have the edge. Luke needs all the help he can get.”
River nods. “I’m coming with you,” he says, and my head jerks back in surprise.
“You are?”
“Yes. I need out of here for a while,” he says, and I know he’s thinking about Camille.
“I’m sorry, Riv. I know that caught you off guard just as much as it did me.”
He huffs. “Probably more, considering what I shared with her right before her announcement. Funny how she never mentioned her plans then.”
I shake my head. “It wasn’t fair. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if she’s able to do that to you, her feelings for you aren’t what your feelings for her are. You deserve better.”
He clears his throat. “Yeah, well, I don’t think we have time for this,” he brushes me off, appearing wholly uncomfortable. “What’s the plan?”
“I need an audience with Camille. I’m down to twenty-five minutes.”
“Twenty-three,” Leanna calls out.
“I need to convince her to help.”
“Go to the parlor. I’ll bring her to you.”
He doesn’t say a word, practically jogging back into the ballroom.
“Let’s go,” I say to Leeanna.
I have no idea where the parlor is, but she seems to know her way around here.
She rolls her eyes. “Princess, you really need a better sense of direction,” she says, linking our arms and heading us toward the room.
Five minutes later, my mother is seated across from me, looking miffed by the lot of us.
Leanna, River, and I are on one side of the table, and she’s alone on the other.
“Does anyone care to tell me why I was whisked away from my party? A party that you already managed to ruin,” she snips at me.
I ignore her, because there’s no time. “The war in Hell has started,” I say, and she nods. “You knew?”
“I’ve been told,” she says, shrugging her shoulders like it’s no big deal.
“And you decided to carry on with this party?” I grind my teeth, trying to contain my growing anger.
“It’s not our fight, Victoria. I didn’t see it necessary to change my plans.”
“I told you how I feel for Lucifer. You should’ve told me.”
“You’re angry, Victoria,” she says, crossing her arms on the table and leaning toward me. “And I understand. I caught you off guard, but after your revelation pertaining to Satan, I had to act. You can’t truly love the devil, Victoria. It’s impossible. You’re the heir of two angels.”
“You are fallen,” I correct. “Of all people, I find it very ironic that you should condemn him so quickly. He was punished just as much as you were, and yet here you are, assuming the worst of him.”
“You must marry River and take your place. It’s what God demands.”
“Says who?” I yell. “When was the last time that you had an audience with God? You and I both know that things change, Camille. You’re going off of some heated conversation that you had with God when he was angry with you.”
“Yes, well, nothing has changed.”
“I’m changing it,” I screech. “This is my life and I’m done taking orders from people who deserted me.”
Camille gasps. “I never . . .”
“I’m not talking about you,” I snap, losing the very thin patience I’m holding on to. “It’s Heaven who threw me to the wolves. But you know what? I still don’t think this is what God has in store for me.”
“And how exactly would you know God’s plans?”
“You forget, I lived with him most of my life. God is all-knowing. If I’m so important, do you think he would’ve allowed for Lucifer to get so close to me? Do you think he wouldn’t have intervened a long time ago? I believe that Luke is my path, and God has yet to step in and tell me otherwise.”
“Victoria, while everything you’re saying is accurate, I don’t believe this is the best use of your time. You’re down to fifteen minutes,” Leanna says.
I take a deep breath and look between River and Lee. “Will you two give us a moment?” I ask.
Lee doesn’t look like she believes that’s a great idea, but River stands and exits without a word.
“Fifteen minutes, Tor, and then I’m leaving.”
I take another deep breath, turning toward my mother and deciding to lay it all out there.
“We need your help, Camille. If Lucifer loses the fight, it’ll mean the end of Earth.”
“But Victoria,” she says, placing her hand on top of mine, “that’s the thing. We don’t need to concern ourselves with Earth. There are many far greater worlds in the universe. We can explore them together.”
For a moment, I want to cave and allow her to whisk me off to worlds unknown. The idea of forgetting about all the issues that come with Earth and the wars that will undoubtedly occur because of the power struggle between Heaven and Hell is tempting.
Getting to experience what it’s like to have a mother is even more so. Camille’s hopeful smile makes it even more difficult to resist the urge.
I allow the wistful thoughts to float through my head, basking in the warm glow that accompanies each and every imagined adventure my mind has conjured for Camille and me, before shaking my head and removing my hands from under hers.
“I think God wanted me to come here to convince you to side with Lucifer,” I say, feeling that truth
in my bones. “God doesn’t want anyone on the throne in Hell but Lucifer.”
She grunts. “You might not be entirely wrong about that. Where humans are concerned, God tends to intervene on their behalf. If Lucifer is trying to preserve humanity, Heaven would be all about him ruling Hell. I just don’t understand his obsession with such one-dimensional beings.”
“I’ve lived on Earth for years. The humans aren’t bad, Camille. They’re misguided and left to deal with the intense emotional pull of Earth. That shouldn’t condemn them to torture. There are good people living there. Women and children who don’t deserve to be fodder for demons. I can’t allow that. Don’t you understand?”
Her cheerfulness falters at the realization that I won’t budge.
“You’re half human. There has to be some part of you that doesn’t want to see humanity wiped out.”
“There is, but it doesn’t trump my need to protect you, Victoria. The one promise that God made me was that you and I would one day be reunited, and whatever legacy I built would be yours. Then, and only then, could I be released from my curse and effectively retire.”
Once again, I’m reminded that this is all because she wants to hang up her crown to rush off to worlds unknown.
And how precisely did she plan to do it with me? Her running off requires me to sit on that vacated throne.
She never did.
“So I’m your patsy?”
“I don’t like your insinuation, Victoria. You’re nobody’s pawn. I spent millennia building this.” She gestures around at the opulent palace. “Everything you see, I built for you. So that one day, you’d have a home. A family. Something I wasn’t allowed to have.”
“What family? You’re asking me to give up the one person I’ve truly loved so that you can travel. Who is my family?”
“River, of course. I’ve arranged it all. Don’t you see?”
I laugh maniacally, losing my grip. “Why would you want me to marry the man you care for? Are you insane?”
She huffs a lackluster laugh. “Because he deserves to be king. He could make you happy.”
“He could be your king,” I bite back. “Not mine, Camille. Never mine.”
She shakes her head sadly. “I’ll never marry, Victoria. My heart has always belonged to someone else. River has always known that. He just didn’t know who it belonged to. He deserves happiness, and you could give that to him.”
“So you’d doom me to a loveless marriage for his happiness? What about mine? I’m your daughter. Your blood.”
“If you only gave him a chance, you could be happy too.”
“No . . . I wouldn’t. Like you, my heart belongs to someone else.”
Her eyes squint as she watches me closely. “Satan? You’d give up the throne for the devil?”
“Lucifer is a good man, Camille. He’s been unfairly punished. You of all people should know what that feels like.” My tone is cutting and my glare even more so.
I won’t stand by and allow anyone who doesn’t know Luke to slam him.
“You really do love him.” It isn’t a question, but I feel compelled to answer.
“Yes. With my whole heart.”
She sighs, eyes searching every inch of my face until she appears to have found what she was seeking.
“I’ll help you with the cause of Hell, but I cannot give my blessing for a union between you and Lucifer without knowing his true motives, Victoria. Can you understand that?”
I don’t like the fact that she can’t trust me enough to know I know his intentions are good. Or the fact that she thinks I need her blessing. But right now, all I care about is her help defeating Nolda.
“That’s fair. As long as you’re willing to give him a chance.”
She bows her head in response. “We must go,” she says. “Nolda’s forces must be just outside of Lucifer’s castle by now.”
“We can’t fight in this,” I say motioning between our dresses.
She purses her lips. “Close your eyes and concentrate on what you desire.”
I do as she says, and when I open my eyes, I’m back to feeling like myself in my fighting leathers.
I don’t miss the fact that Camille is dressed similarly.
“It truly is uncanny,” she says, and I smirk.
“Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, I suppose.”
She smiles. “I look forward to getting to know you better, Victoria.”
“Me too. Now let’s go save the Earth.”
“You two ready?” River says, bounding back through the door with Leeanna hot on his tail.
“I don’t suppose you still have that blade you gave me?” I ask River, and he grins.
“I have something better.”
My eyes narrow and then fly open when he pulls Solis from behind his back.
“How the hell did you get that?”
“I have my ways.” He grins. “Thought you’d want this for the battle ahead.”
I reach for her like a kid reaching for their new favorite toy. Solis and I have fought many battles together, and she’s never let me down. I didn’t even realize how much I needed her until this moment.
My hands wrap around the hilt and warmth spreads up my arms and over my shoulders.
“Let’s get you back there,” he says, grabbing my free hand and squeezing.
He’ll never know how much this means to me. Whoever ends up with River down the road is a lucky girl.
“It’s time. Round up the troops, Camille.”
WALKED THROUGH HELL
LUKE
The battle rages, as Nolda’s forces continue to push into Castle Morning Star.
My home.
The sound of metal crashing against metal reverberates through me, and I have to admit it awakens something menacing inside of me.
I live for the battle.
There is no part of me that delights in the death and destruction that comes after, but to be in the thick of the fight is a rush.
I swing around, bringing my blade down into the neck of a demon. Black blood sprays from the wound and I dodge to evade it. The demon falls to the floor and the ground opens up, swallowing it whole.
This is one of the reasons Morning Star was permitted to host this battle. Cleanup will be easier than the other alternatives.
My army could have pushed Nolda’s line back into the Hollow Hills, but I found it would be an even greater win on my own turf.
“Satan, behind you,” Lilith screeches, but it wasn’t necessary.
I knew the wolf was coming.
Rotating the blade in my hand, I thrust it back into the wolf’s eye, the subsequent howl and gurgle grating to my ears. I twist around with the blade still lodged in the wailing dog’s eye and yank it out, driving it into its spinal cord. Another down.
But it doesn’t matter. They keep coming. The sheer numbers are startling.
Have I really managed to lose favor with that many demons?
It’s really no wonder with this lot. They’re easily swayed. Whoever they feel will allow them privileges, they’ll side with. I was gone too long.
No matter. I have the loyalty of those that I trust implicitly. Those wrongly condemned. The fallen who deserve redemption.
If God is as merciful as he’d have others believe, he’ll grant it once this battle is won and humanity is saved. Not likely.
Azazel and Valafar fight side by side, making it look easy. They play games with the lesser demons, throwing their blades into the air to each other before finally offering the killing blow to the demons nearest to them.
Aza’s been a trusted advisor since the early days. I don’t know much about his story, but what I do know is that he doesn’t deserve to be in Hell. He’s a good guy, and because of that, he was never tortured or changed to look like the higher demons who are entirely evil.
He remains youthful and brawny. Through rigorous training, he’s one of the most skilled fighters I have on my side.
When he swings to the
right, his long blond hair, tied at the nape of his neck, swings around, hitting Valafar in the face.
The dark-haired demon barks out a reprimand, holding his eye. “You idiot. I’ve gone blind.”
“Dear God, Valafar, pull yourself together. There’s another heading your way.”
Azazel points over Valafar’s shoulder and the high demon swings around, just in time to plant his blade into the chest of the charging vampire.
“Blind or not, I’ve still got better aim than you,” Valafar jests.
I roll my eyes at the show these two put on. It’s always like this. They fight like teenage girls but have each other’s backs—and mine when necessary.
More demons pile into the room, overwhelming our group here in the main hall.
“Azazel, fall back,” I shout, drawing them farther into the castle’s center.
“Satan, they’re lined up outside as far as the eye can see. What do we do?” Verin asks, sounding winded as he runs into the room.
“Keep fighting. It’s all we can do,” I shout over the melee.
“But sir, the whole of Hell has come to aid Nolda, I fear.”
“You haven’t. Have you?”
“Well . . . no, but—”
“But nothing. Keep fighting, Verin. We can defeat the likes of Nolda for shit’s sake.”
I steel my voice, attempting to hold it steady. “Aza, have you seen Nolda or Bumalin?”
He shakes his head but continues to concentrate on the battle in front of him.
I’m growing increasingly concerned about our chances. In truth, I knew it was bad, but I had no idea how bad it was.
The number of traitors among us is staggering. Not that I should be surprised. These are the demons who earned their damnation. Defecting is the least of their crimes.
“Lilith, call in the hounds.”
I’ve been saving Rix and the group of hounds for a dire situation, and right now, it feels fairly dire.
She bellows at the top of her lungs, and demons around the room slam their palms to their ears, screeching in pain at the level of her screams.
Trust the Fall (Fallen Hunters Series Book 2) Page 20