Encounter with the Devil

by Maya Daniels

  Colt nods back once like that solves all our problems. Men. It’ll be a forever mystery how they communicate with each other not using words. My sassy comments die a sudden death when Leviathan continues talking.

  “We need to get them through the portal and close the gate. Mammon is coming.”

  Racing through the dense forest, we stay away from the open paths. I jump over thick gnarled roots and fallen trees, dragging the Trowe along by a tight grip on his hand. The dumb thing will get himself killed if I’m not holding him back. Before we started walking, he kept blabbing about going to meet Mammon on his own to eat his face for hunting his mistress. As endearing as it is that he is so narrow-mindedly protective of me, he started growing on me, and I really don’t want him to die.

  How things have changed.

  I hold Leviathan in my sight since he ended up carrying Eric in a fireman hold regardless of my protests. According to him, nothing can hurt the Prince of Hell, his words, not mine, while he is in healing sleep. I wanted to stab him in the eye to send him in a healing sleep too and try to see if something can hurt him after that, but Beelzebub stopped me while laughing his ass off. Even Colt released a loud laugh, surprising himself judging by the shocked look on his face.

  “We must hurry, mistress,” the Trowe hisses, tripping over a root and dangling from my hand, his feet kicking air for a few strides.

  “We are moving as fast as we can, Narsi. And watch where you’re going. If I trip because of you, I’ll kill you myself.” Yanking on his arm, I hasten my steps.

  “The two of you will tell them where we are if you keep at it,” whisper-yelling over his shoulder, Beelzebub is the only one daring to speak to me since he didn’t get on my shit list.

  He is on it now, and he knows it, too.

  We keep at it for what feels like forever, I’m sure it’s only been an hour or so in reality. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, a sensation of invisible eyes following my every move. This part of Hell has denser woods, the trunks as big as a house making it impossible to see if something is lurking behind them. It might be just paranoia talking, but I get a nudge in my gut that we are missing something.

  Beelzebub lifts his hand in the air and we all freeze on the spot. Straining my ears, I try to hear whatever it is that alerted him, but I come up empty. Maybe getting paranoid is not exclusively left to hybrids like myself. The fallen must be susceptible to it, as well.

  “Run!”

  Even without that word, Leviathan’s loud tone would’ve propelled me forward. The shout tells me it’s pointless to be quiet, so I trample everything in my path, cursing loudly at branches that are slapping my arms and face. The rushing sound of my heartbeat is the only thing I can hear as I run as fast as my feet can carry me behind Leviathan. I might be running for my life, but there is no way I’m losing sight of Eric.

  Narsi and I are the last to burst out of the thick forest, and I almost bounce off Beelzebub’s back. He, Colt, and Leviathan with Eric hanging limply over his shoulders, have stopped a few steps inside the clearing. Peeking around the large guy, I almost run back between the trees.

  Mammon is not a fool after all. He set up a trap, waiting for us around the portal consisting of gigantic, furious, horned demons. Fangs dripping saliva gleam in the moonlight on their snarling faces. Muscles bulging, their claws curl and uncurl as if they are already imagining strangling us with bare hands. I jump a foot of the ground when three sets of wings snap open where I’m standing.

  Narsi laughs hysterically, gleefully shaking his grinning face at the horde. I must have gone as crazy as he is because a choked laugh comes from me, and all sets off eyes snap in my direction. Even the men that are with me are looking at me strangely.

  “We are so screwed,” I tell no one in particular.

  “You have no idea, my dear.” The demons part like the red sea and the one that spoke walks up at the front.

  I don’t need to be told that this is Mammon. His angelic features, too perfect and symmetrical to be human, would’ve clued me in enough. But if he is here, then who did Leviathan see coming for us.

  “Is it really him?” mumbling under my breath, I nudge Beelzebub.

  “I don’t have a clue,” he murmurs back.

  “Hand the girl over, and the three of you may die easy.” Mammon flips his long black hair over his broad shoulders like some shampoo commercial. The golden color of his eyes reminds me so much of Raphael’s that tears blur my vision. I blink them away.

  “If you think I’ll just roll over because you said so, you have another thing coming dude.” I’m proud that my voice sounds even and steady.

  Beelzebub chuckles, shaking his head, and I square my shoulders. Not even the slow grin on Mammon’s face can make me bulk. I will not show this asshole weakness no matter what. I mean, I’m going to die anyway, which is a reoccurring thought ever since I stepped foot here, so like hell I’m going to let him see that he is getting to me. If I’m not going to make it, it doesn’t mean that Eric can’t. I have no doubt in my mind that he will avenge my death and find a way to kill this jerk.

  “No matter what, get Eric through that portal.” My words are barely above a whisper, and I’m praying that Beelzebub heard me. The way his body stills, I’m pretty sure he did.

  “Get the girl through the portal at all cost.” Leviathan, the killjoy that he is, destroys my plans of glorious death when he opens his mouth.

  Everyone moves at the same time, not giving me time to light a fire under his ass for speaking on my behalf like I’m a child. Roars are deafening when the horde descends on us from all sides. We were surrounded while standing clueless, chatting with Mammon.

  Turning back to back we face them. In their haste to get to me, they mindlessly push each other out of the way, helping us slightly with it. Falling into the routine of a fight, I join in, punching, kicking, and stabbing anything that doesn’t belong to the three men and sidekick fighting by my side. Screams replace the furious roars as one by one the almost feral demons drop on the ground in the puddles of their own blood.

  I grind my teeth, not daring to utter a sound when my skin gets shredded by claws and horns. Angry grunts and growls tell me my companions are not faring better either. I watch in disbelief when my sidekick turns into a killing machine, his mouth full of sharp teeth opening impossibly wide and biting off limbs every chance he gets.

  The distraction costs me dearly when a horn as thick as my shin nails me in the thigh. Slicing my hand down, the blade glides through the demon’s neck like a knife through butter, spraying me with the hot gushing of blood. Swaying slightly on my feet, I almost faceplant on the ground, but a large hand wraps around my arm, stopping me.

  “We must push through. She won’t last much longer.” I think it’s Colt that speaks but my ears are full with the sound of a freight train coming at me at full speed.

  “I can fight.” Slurring my words with a tongue too thick for my mouth, I push the hand away. I try to anyway.

  “I know you can, she-devil, but I wouldn’t dare face my brother if anything happens to you.” The nickname confirms that it’s Colt holding me standing.

  I feel his body jerk before I hear the pained grunt that he tries to hide. He keeps moving, Beelzebub and Leviathan guarding our backs and my sidekick clearing a path towards the sparkling gate ahead. It’s so close I can almost reach out and touch it. To my horror, I see Leviathan using Eric’s body like a weapon, swinging around and knocking demons away from us. Blood is dripping from Eric’s arms and legs, proving the dragon asshole lied about not getting hurt while in healing sleep. When a giant demon resembling a bull charges Leviathan with his crazed eyes locked on my mate, my scream makes everyone around me drop on their knees, covering their ears.

  Colt pushes off the ground first, snatching me again and bolting for the portal. Digging my heels in, I fight his pull, not daring to leave Eric behind no matter what.

  “I will send him after you, I swear it on my lif
e.” He puts his body weight into it, almost picking me off the ground. Looking around us, dread settles in my stomach like lead.

  “What about the four of you?” My question stops Colt unlike anything else would’ve. “They will kill you if I’m not here. At the moment, they’re only trying to get to me.”

  Clenching his jaw, he recovers from the shock fast. “We’ll be fine, we can fly.”

  I would’ve believed him if I didn't see their bloodied wings, the tips dragging behind them on the blood-soaked dirt. Nodding jerkily, I allow him to pull me closer to the portal, hanging back just enough for Beelzebub and Leviathan to be near. Convinced that I believe him, Colt reaches the Trowe at the portal. Beelzebub and Leviathan form a living wall between me and the still charging demons.

  “Grab Eric, and I’ll go first.” Limply, I push on Colt’s arm, showing him I barely have any strength to stay standing.

  With one last look to make sure I stay put, he takes the few steps to the other fallen, reaching for his brother. Knowing I only have a few precious seconds of time to execute my plan, I rub my hands over my bleeding wounds. My sidekick watches me with his mouth open, I don’t doubt aware of what I’m planning to do.

  “Don’t you dare judge me.” Snapping at him makes the three men turn around to look at me.

  Darting at them, smudging my blood anywhere I can reach, praying that I’m not making the biggest mistake in the history of humankind, I face them all.

  “If you don’t walk out that portal this second, I’m letting Mammon take me wherever he wants.” Dancing away from Colt when he tries to snatch me, I inch away from the portal. “Enough people have died on my behalf. You either go through the portal or get the hell out of my face.” Narsi throws himself around my leg, rubbing my blood on his face and blots through the portal like an arrow.

  “Fucking Heltija,” Colt snarls, but I can see the decision made on his face.

  All three of them close rank around me, and I grab hold of one wing from each in one hand, and Eric’s dangling hand in the other. With one last look at the terrifying sight around us, we jump through the portal together. When the feeling of my body being sucked in through a thin straw overtakes my mind, I dare dream that we find a better situation when we pop out in Atlanta.

  A girl can only hope.

  From the Author

  Dear reader,

  We went through another chapter of Helena and Eric’s story. Few questions were not answered, but I promise it’s all going to come together at the end. The Devil in Disguise is almost ready and you’ll be able to continue the adventure with our sassy girl. She came a long way but there is so much more in store for her. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I’m having a blast while writing the story.

  If you haven’t joined the newsletter, follow the link. I’ve been working on an exclusive story as a prologue for my new trilogy, the novella will be available only to my subscribers. You don’t want to miss it, I’m totally in love with it!

  Please consider leaving a review, they are like hugs to us authors and we appreciate each and every single one. Even if there was something you didn’t like in the book. And, come chat with me in my readers group on Facebook. We are very much alike, you and I. I’m a reader as well, so we can swap stories. Or, just talk about what else you would love to see in any of the series already out on Amazon. :)

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  May the odds be always in your favor!

  Maya xxx

  Also by Maya Daniels

  Semiramis series-Urban Fantasy/PNR:

  Who am I - Prequel to the Semiramis series

  Semiramis Awakened Book 1

  Semiramis Reborn Book 2

  Semiramis The Vessel Book 3

  Stand alone-Dark Fantasy romance/ Mythology:

  The Cursed Kingdom

  Hidden Portals trilogy- PNR:

  Venus Trap Book 1

  The First Secret Book 2

  The Obsidian Throne- coming soon

  The Broken Halos series- PNR/Urban Fantasy:

  The Devil is in the Details Book 1

  Speak of the Devil Book 2

  Encounter with the Devil Book 3

  The Devil in Disguise Book 4

  To look the Devil in the eye Book 5 - coming soon

  New Blood Rising series- Dark PNR

  Risorgimento-Rebirth Book 1

  Rovesciamento-Overthrown Book 2

  Riconoscimento-Recognition Book 3 - coming soon