by Leia Stone
“You’ve been talking to my mom a lot, I see.”
He chuckled. “Perk of living with your mom, besides the food, is that she’ll tell me anything I want to know about you.”
My heart was fluttering like crazy in my chest.
The limo pulled right up to the area he was buried in, and I saw a strip of tea lights laid out, leading our path to his grave. Lincoln must have spent all day planning this.
He turned to me. “So, I’ve met your mom, your brother, and your best friend. I wanted to make it complete and meet your dad too.”
Don’t sob. You’re cool. Keep your shit together.
Tears were leaking from my eyes as I tried not to let it turn into a full-on ugly cry.
‘I’m totally crying too,’ Sera offered.
‘What? That’s not possible,’ I told her.
“I have yet to meet your family.” I answered Lincoln.
He brushed my hair away from my shoulder. “Next weekend?” he asked, and I nodded.
Lincoln helped me out of the limo, and we walked hand in hand along the tea lights to my father’s grave, which was adorned with fresh flowers and a lantern.
“Hey, Dad,” I whimpered, falling to my knees before his headstone.
I had so many amazing memories of this man. He was the even-tempered one, while my mom was the punisher. My dad was the silly one, always playing pranks and lightening my mom up because she was an overly serious worrier. My dad was a dreamer, a risk taker, a unique soul. We’d only had a fraction of the time together that we deserved, but enough for me to hang on to those precious memories.
I was scanning my father’s headstone when I noticed something shiny on top of it. Shiny like a diamond.
My breath caught and I turned around to see Lincoln on one knee.
“Brielle, I know you’re young, still in school, and you also have a lot of your life to live before settling down, but you and I are the same age my mom and dad were when he got her a promise ring, so I thought…” He looked nervously at the ring on the headstone. “This is my promise to you that when you’re done with school, when you’re ready, I will marry you and have a family with you, and try to make you happy for the rest of your life… if you’ll have me.”
I burst into ugly tears and threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck, and peppering his face with wet kisses.
“Is that a yes?” he asked when I came up for air.
Laughter spilled out of me. “Yes. Hell yes!” I shouted.
Marry Lincoln one day and have his babies? Sign. Me. Up.
He reached over and pulled the ring from the top of the headstone, slipping it onto my finger. It was a delicate diamond baguette band with blue and white stones. It was perfect, he was perfect, and even though getting engaged in a cemetery might have been creepy to some people, this was perfect.
My fingers slipped through his hair, relishing in the moment. Nothing could ruin it for me. Not my stupid devil mark, not the two prophecies, nothing.
“Aw, isn’t that sweet.” Lucifer’s voice dripped with sarcasm from behind me and I gasped.
Fear shot through my body, making my knees go weak. Before I could even process the voice I’d just heard, Lincoln burst into action, throwing me behind him and pulling his sword. I tumbled with the sudden movement and fell to the grass. Looking up, I saw the Prince of Darkness dressed in a three-piece suit, both arms fully attached to his body.
He grew his freaking arm back! The last time I saw it, Lincoln had hacked it off.
Our security team of four Fallen Army warriors now felt pathetically small. They’d obviously just realized what the hell was happening, and were running toward us with guns drawn.
Lucifer pulled a flaming orange sword, and with a gleam in his eye, he lunged at the love of my life. Lincoln dodged out of the way and brought his own glowing sword down on the Dark Prince’s. Lucifer was battling Lincoln, sword against fiery sword, and I didn’t like it. Not one bit. One wrong move and Lincoln could be gored to death.
Kicking off my high heels, I stood and gathered my magic within me, pulling on that fizzy light magic and letting it bubble to the surface. With a grunt, I thrust my hands outward, gathering all of the light magic I could, and then I pushed it outward. I pushed so hard, I felt dizzy. A huge Celestial orb flew from my hands, but it wasn’t all white light like the one I’d produced in Mr. Rincor’s classroom. This one was half golden yellow, half inky black.
Shit. I still had some anger and resentment to work through, and it was all toward the person before me. If you could even call Lucifer a person.
Bullets started to fly and I pulled Sera from my thigh holster.
‘Dip me in the light magic,’ she instructed.
Taking two steps forward, I slid Sera into the floating ball in the air, careful only to let the honey-colored light cover her blade.
The bullets suddenly stopped, and I peered over my shoulder to see a handful of upper-level demons had shown up to take care of our security detail.
No.
‘That’s my future husband,’ I told Sera. ‘Protect him.’
Just then, black tentacles sprang from Lucifer’s back and wrapped around Lincoln’s body. He screamed in agony as they tightened around him, and I could hear the sound of snapping bones as Lincoln’s wings were rent backward by the dark bands.
“No!” I shouted and aimed Sera at Lincoln. Identical tentacles, but of white light, leapt out from my blade and attached themselves to the black bands holding Lincoln. The white cords yanked at the black ones, loosening their hold on my love.
‘Leave me. I’ll protect him. You grab Lincoln’s sword and fight,’ Sera instructed.
She’d never led me astray before, so I let go of her, surprised to see she was able to keep herself hovering in midair on her own. Those golden light bands were breaking down the black ones that held Lincoln.
Seeing what I was doing, Lucifer suddenly detached from his black tentacles and made a run for me.
Bending down, I swooped up Lincoln’s sword, and lunged to dip it in the Celestial orb I’d made. When I pulled it out, it was covered in twelve-inch bluish golden flames.
Lucifer laughed behind me. “You think a little Celestial fire is going to kill me?”
I spun, holding the sword before me. Those black eyes bored into mine, and I felt a sickness wash over me from head to toe.
“Let him go!” I shouted.
Lincoln was pulling at the cords, screaming in pain.
Lucifer smiled devilishly. “Done.” He snapped his fingers and Lincoln fell to the ground. The bands had disappeared.
“Come with me. It’s your destiny,” the Prince of Darkness cooed, and just like that a portal opened behind him.
Not in a million freaking years.
My wings popped out of my back, and I slowly started to walk backward to Lincoln. I opened my free right hand and used the ability Michael had taught me, calling Sera to me. When I felt the cold steel in my palm, I wrapped my fingers tightly around her.
“I’m not going anywhere with you. Ever,” I told the epic douchebag who’d just messed up my proposal.
Lincoln was now standing beside me—limping rather—and I handed him his sword.
Lucifer grinned. “It’s really touching that you two think you can keep me from getting what I want.”
A twig cracked behind me, and I peered over my shoulder to see half a dozen Castor demons and a few Hellhounds. Our guards looked either knocked out or dead, and it seemed one had even run off.
My stomach fell.
No. No one was taking Lincoln or me anywhere. The urgency of the situation pressed in on me, and something inside of me snapped. I thrust Sera forward and she shot a blinding light into the Dark Prince’s face, causing him to yelp in surprise and cover his eyes. Then a white-hot whip of Celestial light flew from my palm and wrapped around the Devil’s neck. I yanked and he fell forward, but only for a second before his wings burst from his back and then he was skyb
orn. With a jerk I was pulled up with him, hanging from the whip in my hand that was still around his throat.
Shit.
I pumped my own wings, trying to use the strength of my flapping to pull Lucifer back down to Earth.
“Brielle!” Lincoln shouted helplessly from the ground.
The Hellhounds howled and panic fully gripped me.
My flapping was no use. I was being dragged higher and higher, and when I looked up, I saw the Dark Prince was pulling on my whip like a rope, drawing me closer to him even though it seemed to be burning his hands.
‘Let go. Fly to Fallen Academy,’ Sera instructed.
I dissolved the whip as she told me to, and the loss of tension sent both of us flinging apart.
Using the momentum, I raced to the ground, where Lincoln was throwing a Hellhound into the Celestial orb I’d created.
We weren’t going to get out of here alive by driving, and I wasn’t leaving Lincoln and his broken wings while I flew off to safety.
‘Oh no. Don’t.’ Sera had obviously heard my thoughts.
When I was within arm’s reach of my man, I hooked my hands underneath his armpits and hauled him up into the air, flying awkwardly with him dangling from between my legs.
“Brielle, no. I’m too heavy!” Lincoln roared as I skimmed the tree line and left the cemetery. He was heavy—it felt like I was carrying a car—but I was also pumped with “mommy juice”, the stuff mothers had when they protected their child or loved one. I had it right then, coursing through my veins in a rush. I could have lifted a freaking semi off a baby deer if I’d had to.
“Mind over matter,” I spit out.
I was pretty sure I’d given myself a hernia, as something in my stomach felt like it’d ripped when I lifted him, but I’d deal with that later.
“You won’t make it to Fallen Academy. Go into the war zone. Michael is on patrol tonight,” Lincoln called out over the wind.
I could see the wall and the fiery war just behind it to my right, much closer than Fallen Academy. Flapping my wings in that direction, I veered us toward the war and prayed Michael would be there to rescue me. I’d just remembered that I’d created a Celestial orb, and I was going to crash very soon.
Just then, something wrapped around my ankle, jerking me backward. The sudden movement caused Lincoln to slip in my arms and I… I dropped him.
I dropped him right over the war zone.
Oh God.
“Lincoln!” I screamed until my voice was hoarse.
It was only about a twenty-foot drop, but his wings weren’t out. At this height, will he break his legs? Oh, Lincoln!
“Like I said, you’re coming with me,” Lucifer called from behind me.
‘Castrate him already!’ Sera screamed, flaring to life.
Anger snapped inside of me and I felt the darkness blaze within me. Raphael was right. I was feeding the darkness. I was angry, but not at the world, or Raphael, or even God. I was mad at this asshole right in front of me.
“Ahhhh!” I screamed as my face shook with rage and hot black magic flew from my throat, wrapping around Lucifer’s head. The second it hit his face, it dissolved, as if it were unable to harm him.
Oh frick.
“Yes!” Lucifer shouted with pride, pulling on the black rope that held my ankle. “You will make a great archdemon,” he purred.
Archdemon.
It’s true? This whole time… it was true.
Tiffany’s stupid blonde face popped into my head then and I wanted to cry.
“No, she won’t,” a familiar voice called out, and then a streak of blue light cut through the black band around my leg, like it was lightning.
“Hello, old friend.” Lucifer grinned in Archangel Michael’s direction.
Michael wasted no words, just flew at the Devil blindingly fast until they crashed together like two meteors exploding in the sky.
That’s when the fatigue hit me. The Celestial ball, flying with Lincoln, it had zapped every last ounce of energy I possessed, and suddenly I was falling.
Landing in Lincoln’s arms was the last thing I saw.
Chapter Twenty-Three
When I came to, there were hushed voices. My mouth felt dry, and I had practically melted into the bed with exhaustion. Peeling my eyes open, I saw it actually wasn’t a bed but a sleeping bag, and I was in a tent.
“I think he’s fled back to the underworld.” Lincoln’s voice was strong, and I nearly cried hearing it. He was okay.
“I’m not taking any chances. The other Archangels are coming to escort Brielle back to the academy, which is where she’ll need to stay.” Michael’s voice was fatigued and sharp.
“Yes. Thank you, sir,” Lincoln replied.
“Linc,” I mumbled loudly, wondering how many hours had passed. I needed water and a ten-hour nap.
Lincoln burst into the tent then, and I was surprised to see he looked relatively unharmed.
“You’re okay,” he breathed.
I nodded. If by okay, he meant the Devil was chasing me and I felt like I’d been hit by a truck, then yeah, I was okay.
He knelt down beside me.
“What happened? Lucifer? Your wings?” I asked, sitting up slowly. I reached down to my thigh to do a quick check and make sure Sera was still with me. Then my eyes fell to the small diamond band on my left finger and I smiled.
I’m promised.
Lincoln rolled out his shoulder. “They’re broken, but Noah says they’ll heal in time. I just can’t use them.” He was a soldier. Without his wings, he could get hurt.
“Lucifer?” I asked again.
Anger lit up Lincoln’s face. “Gone for now. But Brielle….” He was having a hard time composing himself.
I nodded. “I heard. I can’t leave Fallen Academy for a while.”
His eyes went cobalt. “Forever.”
I recoiled. “What?”
Lincoln grasped my hands. “Brielle, it’s the only place you can be safe.”
I puffed air through my teeth. “I’m a Fallen Army soldier. How can I help with the war if I’m hiding on campus?”
Lincoln sighed and looked out the tent’s open flap. “You can run the healing clinic or advise.”
Advise? What the hell did that even mean? I knew he was trying to help, and I did want to focus on my healing studies, but I also wanted to be out there, in the war zones, ferrying the people into Angel City.
“So I just hide for the rest of my life?” My voice felt hollow, and in that moment, the Dark Prince’s words came back to me.
Archdemon. I’m an archdemon.
‘Oh hooey, what does that shit-for-brains know?’ Sera voiced, but I couldn’t get that dark thought out of my mind. It had latched on tightly, and now I felt it would consume me.
Lincoln ran a hand through his hair. “No, you can’t hide for the rest of your life. Look, we’ll figure this out, okay? For the next two years, you’ll stay on campus and… we’ll figure this out.”
Two years.
“Can I still sleep over on weekends?” Technically his apartment was just off campus.
He swallowed hard. “The demon alarm doesn’t extend to my apartment complex, so…”
My face fell. Next year everyone would be getting apartments, and I’d be stuck in the dorms.
“But I’ll see about getting you your own room, or I’ll buy you a trailer,” he rambled.
He was being agreeable, so I would decide to stay on campus. I knew him too well. But I also didn’t want to get kidnapped by the Devil, and taken to Hell to do God knew what, and become some Archdemon. I just nodded. I’d do what was best for me and for Lincoln.
‘Good girl,’ Sera agreed.
There was a bright light at the tent opening, and then Raphael was ducking his head in, to peek inside. His chest was adorned in full gold-plated armor and his hair was slicked back into a ponytail. I’d never seen him battle ready, but he looked menacing.
“Hello, Brielle. Let’s get you home.”
Nodding once more, I stood with Lincoln’s help, and then walked out of the tent to greet the four Archangels.
The first thing I saw was Michael’s face and hair streaked with black oil and soot. When he saw me approach, he bowed slightly. “Brave Brielle. I’m very proud of what you did.”
My eyes widened, and I just barely resisted the urge to look over my shoulder and see if he was talking to someone else. I’d made a half-good, half-evil orb, then wussed out and flew away. What could he possibly be proud of?
Michael seemed to read my thoughts. “Lucifer invokes fear in people, but you didn’t cow. You fought, and then, when you knew it would be useless to fight any longer, you retreated.”
All of the archangels nodded in agreement.
“Carrying Lincoln that high, and that far. It takes tremendous strength,” Raphael added.
Mommy juice.
“I guess so.” I was too tired to argue.
I looked around, wondering if I’d see a car waiting to take me home. We were in a parking lot of what was once a grocery store, and now seemed to be a temporary military setup. The only cars were a few military issued SUVs, but they were far off the lot.
“I’m not sure I can walk that far. I’m so exhausted,” I told the crowd of powerful archangels with a bit of shame.
Michael stepped forward, wings fully extended. “We’ll be flying back to the academy. All of the roads are on lockdown after Lucifer let a bunch of demons into Angel City. The army is still trying to gather them up. Flying is safer.”
I wasn’t sure I could fly back to the academy either.
As if he’d heard that thought, Lincoln stepped forward. “She’s too weak to fly. Michael, can you carry her?” Lincoln asked the tall, blond, and extremely gorgeous archangel.
“Of course.” Michael stepped closer to me.
I swallowed nervously. Being the damsel in distress wasn’t my thing, but I was about to fall over.
Lincoln rushed forward, pressing a tender but chaste kiss to my lips. “I’ll check in on you later,” he promised.
Michael nodded to Lincoln. “Hold down the fort until I’m back.”