Salvation (The Keepers of Hell Book 2)

by James, Danielle

  The damnedest thing was… when he thought of her, his chest burned. He longed for things he couldn’t possibly want with her. Hell, he didn’t even know her. But every time he thought of her, his heart broke a little more in his chest. The scar on his chest even burned a little.

  Ash took himself to his bedroom. Did angels even sleep? He guessed so since he had been dreaming before. As a precaution, Ash locked the door and slipped into a king-sized bed. Someone had been nice enough to put crisp, clean sheets on it for him. Probably Mali, he thought.

  As Ash felt himself falling into slumber, the last thought he had was of Elizabeth. Then he dreamed. He dreamed of deep chocolate eyes that stared at him with adoration. He dreamed of that luscious mouth open on a moan of pleasure. He saw little snippets of panties flying across the room.

  Ash was engulfed in the hottest dream he had ever had. He was making love to what he knew was the most beautiful woman on the planet, even though he couldn’t see her face. In his heart, he knew she was his. She was the most important thing in his life and he promised himself, right there in his dream, that he would take care of her every need.

  And that is when it started…..that horrendous cat in the washer sound. Again. This time, it had a guitar accompaniment. Ash peeled his eyelids open to see Antonio sitting in a chair across the room. He had an acoustic guitar in his hands and was playing it. Pretty well, actually. The bad part? He was singing. “Dream a Little Dream” to be precise. “Why, man, why?” Ash grumbled and turned over, pulling the blankets over his head.

  “No rest for the wicked,” Antonio chimed. “We’ve got work to do today.”

  “I’m in charge, right?” Ash said from under the covers.

  “Yep.”

  “Then I declare that today is do nothing but stay in bed day,” he said, sinking further into the bed.

  Antonio laughed aloud. “That sounds like a fine idea, but you have minions at your door waiting to seek your audience.”

  Immediately Ash thought of the little creatures that scavenge the remains of any poor soul who gets their ass beat outside one of the realms. They feed on the dead. Why would they be at his door, and why the hell would he open it? “I don’t think I want to open that door,” Ash said, pulling the cover from his head. “Minions?”

  “Not that kind,” Antonio said. “Your followers, the sanction leaders, ya know, folks who need to report in with you on a regular basis.”

  Ash rolled his eyes. Now was as good a time as any to sink into his new role. “Ok, ok, I’m up. Give me a few and I will see them.”

  “Right on. I’ll let Mali know to get them ordered and in line.” Antonio put his guitar down and left Ash to get out of bed.

  Ash groaned as he stood up. He reached his hands over his head and felt his back stretch. His wings arched away from his back and Ash couldn’t help but grin. He was still in awe of those things. He hurried and showered. He discovered that his new appendages dried very quickly. He had been prepared to hold the blow dryer over them for about oh, six hours, but that wasn’t going to be necessary. The water seemed to just fall right off them.

  When he couldn’t procrastinate any longer, Ash took a seat behind his desk. Antonio parked his ass in a chair in the corner and Mali was already standing by the door.

  “Shall I let them in, Sir?” Mali asked.

  Ash took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and then he nodded. Mali opened the door and Rogue was the first enter.

  “What’s up, my man?” he bellowed at Ash. He ducked to avoid hitting his head on the doorframe and Mali closed the door behind him. Rogue thrust his hand out to shake.

  Ash cringed inwardly as the demon shook his hand. Man had a grip. “What can I do for you?” Ash asked as he sat back in his chair.

  Rogue parked himself in the chair across from Ash. He leaned back and made himself comfortable. “Nothing much today,” he answered. “Everything’s going well. Slugs are being eaten right on schedule. Got a few new arrivals today.”

  Ash nodded.

  “That brings the count up to twelve million, six hundred thousand, and thirty eight souls in Sloth.” Rogue picked at something on his shirt.

  “That sounds… uh… nice, I guess,” Ash muttered. “Is there something bothering you?” he asked. He could tell there was something on the demon’s mind.

  “Well,” Rogue started, “it may be nothing,” he said.

  “But,” Ash urged him to continue.

  “But I have heard some talk,” Rogue said covertly. “Heard there were some who weren’t happy with you being in charge and all.” He sat up straight. “I ain’t one of them, just so you know. I like you. I am down with whatever the Big Guy says. But there are some who liked the way Hell was run before, ya know?” he raised a brow at Ash.

  “Do you know who these people are?” Ash asked him.

  “Well, not exactly,” Rogue told him. “I would just watch your back for a while. Maybe slaughter a few for good measure. Make an example out of someone.”

  Ash shuddered. “I can’t do that without good cause,” he said.

  “I just thought you would like to know,” Rogue told him.

  Ash nodded. He didn’t know why, but he trusted the giant leader of Sloth. “You’ll keep me posted of anything you hear?” Ash asked.

  “If that’s what you want,” Rogue agreed. “I’m happy to help where I can.”

  “Thank you,” Ash said. He shook Rogue’s hand before he left the office.

  “I heard that too,” Mali confessed. “I don’t know names, but some of the minions were talking about a deal you made with God to get here.”

  Ash couldn’t remember making any deal. “I didn’t make a deal,” he said. “All I know is that I killed a demon and next thing ya know, I’ve got wings and an entire underworld to run.”

  “I have faith in you, Sir,” Mali said with a grin. Ash really liked the weird little man.

  “Ok,” Ash said with determination, “Who’s next?”

  “That would be Shelly, from Greed,” Mali answered.

  “Well,” Ash sighed, “Send her in.”

  Ash met with every member of his team. Shelly was exactly the same as she had been the first time he had met her….tall, thin, full of herself. She had talked for what felt like an hour before Ash finally had to dismiss her.

  When he met with Marcus, the leader of Wrath, something just wouldn’t sit right with Ash. The demon was human-sized, even looked human. Except for the fucker’s eyes. They were solid black. His short dark hair was cut like any Joe Blow he would have seen on Earth. He could have easily been mistaken for a human as long as his eyes stayed closed.

  That wasn’t what bothered Ash. He found that he was getting used to the demons and their special qualities. No, it was the fact that Marcus watched him as if he was taking notes. Ash felt like he was under a bright interrogation bulb the whole time the demon talked. It was as if the demon was searching for any sign of weakness, and Ash was careful to show none. And the slight smirk he wore was starting to piss Ash off. The little hairs on the back of his neck stood up the whole time Marcus was in his office.

  Ash asked him if there was anything else when Marcus declared himself finished, but the demon just smiled at him. “No, Sir,” he said. “Just checking in.”

  Ash watched the demon leave and let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “I don’t like him,” Ash announced.

  “Me either,” Antonio agreed from his corner.

  “What exactly are you doing anyway?” Ash asked him. “Aren’t you supposed to be helping me? You have sat on your ass this whole time without saying a word. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, but if you’re going to be here, you could be doing something.”

  “I was doing something,” Antonio replied with a phony, hurt expression. “I was talking to my mate.”

  Ash raised a brow at him and Antonio tapped his temple. “We’ve got a connection.”

  Ash just shook his head. He hated to admit
that he didn’t know shit about vampires or angels, much less hybrids. Hell, he didn’t know shit about a lot of things. “I want to check in on my fireman,” Ash said, standing up and stretching his back out.

  “Ok,” Antonio agreed. “Let’s do it.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Ash didn’t know how he knew, but after he flashed to Earth, he knew exactly where to find his fireman. Only this time, he wasn’t fighting a fire. Ash made himself visible outside of the brick building he knew his man would be in.

  “What the heck is this?” Antonio asked from beside him.

  “Beats me,” Ash remarked. “Sounds like there’s a crowd in there though. Let’s go check it out.”

  Antonio nodded and they both walked to the door that would take them inside. Ash tried to turn the knob but found it was locked. Just about the time he decided to break it, a huge man opened it.

  “What’s your business here?” he rumbled at them.

  Ash took in the guy’s appearance. Tall, burly, military style haircut. This guy was security. He looked past the guy and into the building. He listened to the gathered crowd and their chants, and what they were cheering about. “I’m here to watch the fight,” Ash responded.

  “What makes you think there’s a fight in here?” bouncer man asked.

  Ash shook his head. “Is everyone on this planet stupid? Why else would I come here?” he barked. “Let me in.”

  “The entry fee is twelve,” he said, “and you can’t just watch. You come in, you fight. Last man standing takes it all.”

  “Twelve?” Ash asked him. “As in dollars?”

  The security guy chuckled. “This is your first time isn’t it?” he asked. “Twelve hundred dollars. Cash.”

  Antonio stepped up. “I think this will cover it,” he said, handing the man a wad of cash. “We’re coming in.”

  The security guard looked them both up and down before nodding and taking the money. “Good luck. You may be new but I think you got a chance. Just watch out for The Flame. He’s vicious.”

  “Whatever,” Ash muttered under his breath as he pushed past the bouncer. They worked their way into the open space. Ash realized that the building used to be a warehouse of sorts, but had long been abandoned. Now, it was used for underground fighting. For money, apparently, and a lot of it.

  “Where did you get that kind of money?” Ash asked Antonio when they were clear of the guard.

  “I’m an angel,” he replied. “And so are you. We will always have whatever we need, whether it’s money, or food, or weapons.”

  “Just like that?” Ash asked. “It just appears?”

  “Pretty much,” Antonio said, taking a bag of popcorn off a counter and leaving a few loose bills in its place.

  “That’s convenient,” Ash replied.

  “Yep. So where’s our guy?” Antonio asked.

  Ash closed his eyes and “felt” the room. There were so many bodies it was hard to get a lock on him, but finally, Ash could see him. “There,” he said, pointing at the makeshift ring.

  Both men turned to look and sure enough, the fire fighter was in the ring. He was currently laying waste to another man with his bare hands. When the fireman hit the man with a hard right hook, he went down hard. He didn’t get back up.

  “And the winner is, the Flame!” a different man announced. “Who’s next to take on this one-man army? Who is not afraid? Who has not fought yet this evening?”

  Ash looked sideways at Antonio. “Oh no,” Antonio said, “I don’t think so.”

  “Come on,” Ash urged him. He was prepared to launch a full argument as to why Antonio needed to have his ass kicked by this mortal man, but a woman behind them did the job for him.

  “Right here!” she called out. “This one hasn’t fought yet!” she was pointing to Antonio.

  He shot her a glare before turning his attention to the ring.

  “Come on down,” the announcer said. “Or are you too scared.”

  “I ain’t scared of shit,” Antonio announced as he made his way to the ring.

  “Don’t kill him, I need him,” Ash said.

  Antonio replied with a one-finger salute over his head. Ash smiled.

  “And what’s your name?” the announcer asked as The Flame danced on his feet in the corner.

  “I am The Spaniard,” Antonio answered in a pretty good impression of Russell Crowe. Ash shook his head. That angel was a jokester, through and through.

  “The Spaniard!” the announcer shouted to the crowd. They responded with cheers and boos alike. Then he turned to Antonio and the fireman. “The only rules are; there are no rules. Fight!”

  Antonio didn’t even have time to prepare himself before the fireman was on his ass. A right hook rocked his teeth in his mouth. Antonio shook it off and started paying attention. He dodged the next two hits, but the fireman got him good with a roundhouse kick to the gut. Antonio returned blows but kept his strength in check.

  After ten full minutes, Antonio was done with it. He could have ended the fight, but Ash was right. They needed this guy, so when the fireman threw a serious uppercut, Antonio took a dive. He let his body fall to the floor and he stayed there long enough to make everyone believe he had been knocked out.

  Ash was impressed. Although he knew that Antonio had gone down of his own accord, the fireman had some skills. That would come in handy when his time came. He watched as Antonio was helped off the floor and the fireman put his hands up in victory.

  They stuck around and waited for the fireman to leave. Antonio had been the last of the fighters to take him on, so when he won, the fireman was granted all the money people paid to get in, less the organizer’s take.

  They went invisible and followed him right from the fight to a local casino, where he walked in and was greeted by the host. “Hey, Jake,” the man said. “Was it a good night?” So that was his name. Jake. Ash filed that information away.

  Jake smiled. “Damn good. Made a killing.”

  “So you came here to celebrate?” the host asked.

  “Plan on making it a spree,” Jake answered. He walked through the doors and sat at the craps table. Ash wanted to know more about him, so he walked up behind the man and put his hand on his shoulder. Everything he ever wanted to know about the man came flooding into his mind.

  He was single, but not by choice. His wife had left him because of what Ash had seen that night. He would fight for money to feed his gambling addiction. When he lost, he fought more. This was his sin. Greed.

  “So if this guy, Jake, doesn’t want to be on my Guard, will he go to Greed for eternity?” Ash asked Antonio after they left him.

  “Depends,” Antonio answered. “Every soul is given the chance to repent. Whether or not he does it is up to him.”

  “You think this one is redeemable?” he asked.

  “I don’t think you would have chosen him if he weren’t,” Antonio replied.

  Ash started to ask something else, but suddenly, he had to go. Like, right now. Leave. He had somewhere to be. Ash spread his wings without thinking and took off.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Elizabeth was sitting on a bench in the park next to the lake watching the children play. It was a warm, Saturday afternoon, and there were plenty of children to watch. She had always loved kids. Whenever she felt stressed, she liked to come here and feed the geese that made the little lake their home.

  She pulled the sleeve of crackers out her bag and opened it. The geese started making their way to her as if a dinner bell had gone off in all of their heads. She didn’t know how they knew the crackers were for them, but they always did.

  She got out one cracker and tossed it on the ground in front of her. A goose with a brown head gobbled it up and honked at her for more. Before long, there were seven or eight geese surrounding her. They were even taking the crackers from her hand.

  She sighed heavily. That damned sunken feeling had settled into her chest again, and she had no idea why. She hated depression
. Her rational mind knew that she had a good life. She had a great job that she loved, a couple of good friends, and was out of debt. What more could a girl want?

  A man, maybe? Elizabeth wasn’t interested in any man, but that didn’t stop the loneliness from taking hold of her and hanging on tight. There was a big, black void in her life, and she didn’t know how to fill it.

  Maybe I just need to get laid, she thought. A night or two of hot, sweaty sex might help.

  She laughed aloud, but it lacked any humor or happiness.

  That would only help if she could find someone she was attracted to. She had even taken to checking out guys that rolled through the hospital. While she could say this one was cute or that one was sexy, none of them did anything for her. None of them had the effect on her that would merit taking her clothes off.

  But that wasn’t entirely true, was it? There was one man that made her heart thump in her chest. Ash, Leanne’s elusive brother. Which was ridiculous. She didn’t even know him. Even if she had saved his life, how many other people’s lives did she save? She chocked that up to a Florence Nightingale illness.

  Mental illness. Great. Just add that to her ever-growing list of personal issues.

  She had to snap out of the funk she had gotten into. She knew one day she would, but the wait was slowly killing her.

  ***

  Ash didn’t know why he needed to go to the park, only that he should go there. He had turned one hundred eighty degrees around and nearly left Antonio behind in his rush to get there. Maybe another future Guard was there. He didn’t know.

  He landed by the water and searched the park. There were kids everywhere. No way he was gonna mark a kid.

  “What the Hell?” Antonio huffed as he landed beside Ash.

  Ash shrugged his shoulder. “I don’t know. I just feel like I am supposed to be here,” he replied without looking at the angel.

  Antonio let his gaze travel over the park and the people gathered there. It took him all of two seconds to see what had called Ash to this place. Elizabeth, his mate, was here. Antonio knew eventually Ash would start feeling the pull, but he didn’t know when. Now was good, though. “I don’t see anything out of sorts,” Antonio said, hopeful that Ash would not agree with him.