The Devil You Know (Ceasefire Series Book 1)

by Claire Marta

  He snaps his fingers.

  Stalking forward, the group of demons dump their burdens on the carpeted floor at his feet.

  I recognise them immediately. The blood in my veins turns to ice.

  “Nathan!?”

  Blue eyes, full of life and awareness, latch onto mine.

  “Mavi?” His voice is hoarse from disuse.

  He’s awake. Fear and joy overwhelm me. Why now?

  Snatch is motionless beside him. If he’s still breathing, I can’t be sure.

  “Your brother’s soul is mine.”

  “No!” Internal thoughts scatter in a mess. For once, I don’t know what to do.

  “Trapped in his own mind all these years it wasn’t hard to get him to agree.”

  Fingers curling into my palms, I feel the cut of my nails into the skin. “You’re responsible for the nurse falling ill, as well, aren’t you?”

  Amusement glitters in Max’s demonic stare. “Guilty.”

  “Who are you?”

  Max gives an over exaggerated bow. “Maxius Narus. General of Hell and Commander of the Southern Legion.”

  Now everything falls into place. Max is one of the rogue commanders. With the girl’s ability to see the future he intends to use her to defeat Lucifer.

  Desperation has me talking before I can think things through. “I’ll swap you. Give my brother his soul back and you can have mine.”

  Nate reaches out to me in a gesture of panic. “Mavi, no...”

  “Shut up, Nathan. I know what I’m doing.”

  A bargain for my soul. I know what it entails. He gets to keep it forever unless he dies first.

  “You have a deal.” Max agrees without hesitation. With a flick of his hand he conjures up two contracts out of thin air. The parchment is yellowish old and faded. “Sign on the dotted lines and your brother is free.”

  One I can see has Nathan’s sealed agreement. The red scrawled signature mocks me as it floats out of reach.

  Plucking the one he gestures to from where it drifts, I scan the contents. I don’t need any hidden conditions. Any sneaky loop holes he can use. I know from experience these are never straight forward. Surprisingly, it’s all as stated, open and clear. My soul in exchange for Nate’s.

  Looking up, I find Max with a quill in his hand. “Signing in your own blood is required.”

  Holding out my arm, I try not to flinch as he jabs the sharpened end into the flesh of my forearm.

  Taking a deep breath, I pause above the paper. This is more than stupidity. I’m signing away a part of me to this monster with no idea if I will ever be able to get it back. Before I let myself have second thoughts I scribble my signature in a crimson scrawl.

  Just as quickly as they appeared my contract and the quill vanish as if they never existed.

  In a blaze of fire, the one that bears my brother’s name burns to a pile of dust on the floor.

  “You’re mine now, for eternity.” Strong fingers caress my cheek. Flinching, I can’t stop the shudder of arousal.

  “Don’t touch me.” I hiss back.

  Grasping a fistful of hair, Max yanks my head back, his face close to mine. “We both know you enjoy it so don’t try and deny it now, darling. You crave my cock. It’s all you can think about when I’m around you.”

  Hand moving in a blur, he catches it before I can strike his cheek.

  “I’m an incubus. It’s part of my charm. Women can’t help lusting after me. Although getting you to spread your legs was easier than I thought.”

  “You son of a bitch.” He’s trying to provoke me. I can sense that, but I don’t understand why when he’s already won.

  “I’d prove it to you, with pleasure, but I don’t have the time at the moment. The girl is coming with me.”

  The demons converge on Cassandra. Whimpering, she hangs limply in their hold not even trying to fight.

  Lunging to my right, I grab the gun. “I can’t let you take her and I’ll be taking back my soul.”

  Max’s response is a chuckle. “It’s cute, Mavi, that you think you have a choice.”

  Pulling the trigger, I aim right between his eyes. Bullet exploding out, it greets the wall behind him as he and his minions vanish, dissolving into shadows.

  Knees weak, I sink to the floor.

  “Nate, are you ok?” I whisper, voice breaking.

  I’m shaking. Numb. Max’s revelations have left me blindsided. Every one of his moves orchestrated. He used me. Fucked me and made me feel something for him. Hurt my friend. He used family against me. My one weakness. Now he has my soul.

  “Yes.” Nathan croaks back.

  “Snatch?”

  When he doesn’t answer, I crawl to his side to check on him. He’s breathing, but not conscious.

  “You need to go after them.”

  Nate is right, but I can’t.

  “I can’t leave you both. Not like this.”

  Weakly, he tries to sit himself up, but fails. “Sis, you need to save her. It’s what you do, right? Save the world?”

  Tears prickle my eyes making me blink. “You heard me?”

  “Every visit,” he confirms. “Get up. Come on, get up, and go get your soul back.”

  Cradling the gun in my lap, I know I can’t do this alone. I may be a good assassin, but I need my team.

  “Mavi? Are you all right?” Deep and resonating, the familiar voice draws me to the doorway.

  Fritz.

  Head tilted to the side, the lanky soul collector is watching us with concern.

  How long has this bottom feeder been lurking? Has he been here the whole time?

  Raising my weapon, I keep it trained on his chest. “No, I’ve just been fucked over by another of your breed. Are you working with him?”

  “No.” He says with utter conviction. As if he finds the possibility offensive. Hatred is clear.

  And I believe him. After all the lies. I probably shouldn’t, but I do.

  “I need your help.”

  Surprise flashes in Fritz’s red eyes. “You do?”

  “I need you to phone an ambulance for my friend while I go after them.” I tell him, wondering if I have completely lost my mind. I’ve just been screwed by one demon now I’m asking another for aid.

  Fritz surveys Nathan and Snatch. “Why not let me teleport them there and you after Max?” He suggests.

  “You can do that?”

  Holding out his hand, a coin winks into life between his long slim fingers. “Oh, and so much more.”

  Clambering to my feet, I straighten up. “All right.”

  “You have to agree to help me with my problem first.” Fritz slips the coin between the digits with a slight of hand of a magician.

  Always a catch. I should’ve known.

  “Mother fucker.” I bark, anger sweeping away the numbness. “Fine, I’ll help you.”

  The soul taker grins, red eyes smug. “We seal the deal with a kiss.”

  “A kiss?” Locking lips with a demon again is the last thing I want to do.

  “I’m a bargainer, I can’t do things for free. That’s not how it works and this is a contract between us.”

  Distractedly, I stuff the gun back in the waistband of my jeans. “If you try to take their souls while I’m away I’ll hunt you down and end you.” I assure him. It won’t be pretty if he does. I’ll torture him until he’s begging for death. Then I’ll torture him some more.

  With a flourish, the coin vanishes from his open palm. “All right. I won’t. Now grab what you need for a battle, while I drop them off.”

  He’s gone before I can blink. Glancing down, I find Snatch and Nathan gone.

  A need for revenge clamours through me. Max. I’m going to hunt the bastard down. Charging from the room I head to the bedroom.

  Striding into the bathroom, I press my fingers into the tiny indentation in the wall. It activates the hidden biometric sensor. As the inbuilt computer recognises my fingerprint the wall opposite the bath slides open.

/>   Without delay, I enter my armoury. I have an impressive collection. Everything a girl like me might ever need. Running my eyes along the wall, I mentally pick out the knives to take. Snatching up sheaths, I buckle one around my wrist. The second goes on my ankle.

  Grabbing my shoulder holster, I fit the third knife in place, so it fits against my back. My pistol slides into its waiting home.

  Clicking my hip bag around my waist, I make sure all the clips of blessed ammo are easily accessible.

  “Ready?”

  Fritz’s voice makes me jump. Spinning around, I find him watching me from the doorway.

  “If Max wants a war I’ll bring him one.” I tell him, stalking from the room. Taking my leather jacket from across my bed, I slip it on, concealing my gear.

  “You owe me that kiss to seal this deal.”

  He’s right I do. I need this done before we proceed. Capturing the back of his neck, I force his mouth down to mine, kissing him with all my pent-up emotions. Hate, fury, merging with fear I don’t want to admit I’m feeling. It goes on and on. My teeth grinding against his as my tongue invades every corner, taking no prisoners.

  Pulling away, Fritz licks his lips. Eyes dilated, he stares at me in awe. “I should have asked you to shag me instead.” He croaks, clearing his throat.

  His loss. Not mine.

  “I’m not in the mood to fuck. I’m in the mood to kill.” I counter.

  Adjusting himself in the front of his trousers, he clasps my shoulder with his free hand. “I’ll give you something extra for making my night.”

  Inky blackness swirls up around me. It chills the flesh. Sending my heart rate rocketing. A second later I’m standing on a side walk. The orangey glow of street lamps lights the dark of the London suburban street. Figures move hurriedly further up in my line of vision. Max and his demon horde.

  I’m not alone.

  “What the fuck?” Leo yelps.

  He’s standing to my left, expression one of absolute shock.

  “Mavi, what’s going on?” Caesar asks to my right. At his feet are two duffel bags filled with weapons I know well.

  Silently, I thank Fritz. The skinny little bastard has paid off.

  “One of the Devil’s commanders has Cassandra and we need to kick his arse to get her back.” I tell them, freeing my pistol from its holster. “Now if you don’t mind I have to go make a scene with my lover.”

  Not waiting for their replies, I sprint forwards. Battle cry rattling in my throat, I unload into the first few demons. They go down easily. Aiming with precision, three more bullets make holes in the foreheads of more.

  Circling back on the commotion, Max’s surprised expression swiftly morphs to delight. Cassandra is being dragged along by one of his minions.

  Humiliation and hurt choke me, but rage crests them both. So strong it’s like a tropical storm. Drowning me in a need for blood. His blood.

  Firing until I’m out of ammo I take as many as I can down.

  Reloading a new clip from the belt, my attention never wavers from his form.

  A grin plays across Max’s lips. “You’re almost as breath-taking when you’re angry as you are when you fuck,” he calls.

  “You’re going to die, you son of a bitch.” I spit back.

  “Then who would give you the best screw of your life?”

  Three males are thrown off their feet to my left. Jerked from left to right they have no way to escape Leo’s telekinetic powers.

  Aiming for Max’s heart, I pull the trigger of my weapon as I walk towards him. “Oh, don’t worry. I plan on finding someone as soon as I’ve cut off your cock and tongue. A guy I can ride all night and forget you ever existed.”

  He dematerializes before the bullet gets to hit its mark.

  “You really think that’s achievable? You feel something for me, Mavi. I know you do.” His voice whispers, swirling around me.

  I do. But I won’t admit it. It’s a weakness I need to stamp out.

  “Oxytocin. It’s just a hormone released during sex that lowers peoples defences and makes them feel bonded.”

  Fingertips brush the back of my hair. “I didn’t realise you were so cynical.”

  Twisting around, I grab his wrist. “You don’t know me at all.”

  Light explodes around us. It’s so searingly bright it steals my vision. Disoriented, I stagger back. A blow to my hand sends my gun clattering to the pavement.

  “Sorry! It went off too soon.” Caesar shouts from somewhere behind me.

  A forearm wraps itself around my throat. “I could use someone like you. Join me. Obey me, submit to this.”

  Digging my fingernails into the material of his suit jacket, I attempt to claw at the flesh of his arm. “You have to be fucking kidding me.”

  Max squeezes harder. “Mavi, give in. Don’t make me kill you. I already own your soul. All I want is your obedience. Is that so much to ask?”

  Gasping, choking, I force out the word. “Yes.”

  The probability of not getting out of this alive is high. Revenge fuels me. Whatever it takes I am determined to bring this bastard down. Freeing the knife from my wrist sheath, I jab it into his side.

  Hissing, Max releases me.

  Coughing, drawing in air, I keep my attention pinned to him as I back away. Battle is raging all around us. Leo tossing demons all over the place. Caesar unleashing smoke grenades and picking some off with his own gun. Cassandra huddled on the floor hands over her head in fright.

  Red leeching from his irises I’m suddenly looking into beautiful green eyes I’ve come to know so well. “You’re a tricky bitch. I’ll give you that.”

  Blade still clutched in my hand, we circle each other. Lovers now enemies. He’s toying with me. Not yet showing me his true powers or face. For someone who commands armies he has to have something unique and impressive.

  Coming at me with a straight punch, he keeps the other drawn up in a fist by his face. Blocking with my own arm, I send a blow to his ribs.

  It doesn’t faze him.

  He latches onto my wrist.

  Flattening my hand, I twist it around, breaking the hold by pressing against his own.

  Arms grab me around the waist from behind. Bending my arm, I slam my elbow into the face of the new attacker as he lifts me off my feet.

  Landing heavily, I swivel, driving the knife into the stunned muscled form behind me until my hands are drench with crimson and his legs give out. My inner monster howls in glee. I’m hungry for more. Darkness flutters on the edges of my mind like the beat of a hundred ebony wings.

  But I’m not prepared for Max.

  The force of his assault throws me back. For a second I can’t feel my jaw until the hurt pounds through it. Blood fills my mouth. Still standing, I spit it to the ground. “That all you got?”

  “I’ll gladly give you more. Let’s see how much you can handle,” He growls.

  Max moves in a blur.

  I barely have time to lift my arms back up to defend myself. Blow after blow comes at me in a flurry. Training kicking in, I manage to deflect them.

  Slicing with my blade, I catch him across the wrist with a shallow cut.

  Max snarls.

  Wrenching it from my grip, he thrust it into my side just below my armpit. Crying out, I’m momentarily immobilized. Half a dozen, fast, merciless punches to my torso takes me down to the ground. The superhuman strength behind them leaves me crushed.

  The back of my head smashes against the pavement.

  I can barely breathe. The pain is excruciating. As it worsens it radiates through my shoulders and back.

  Max stands over me. Dropping to his haunches, he clutches me around the back of my neck. Crying out as I’m forced forwards, I can’t stop the tears escaping from the corners of my

  eyes.

  “We could have had it all, Mavi.”

  The press of his lips gently against mine almost undoes me. He’s done nothing but deceive me. A demon set to destroying the world. The
burn of his lies sear through my soul. How could I have trusted him? Let him touch my heart?

  Snaking my hand behind, I reach for my last resort.

  “All right. I give in.” I whisper.

  Inching back, he studies my pain filled face.

  Watching his expression soften, I feel something inside me scream out in response.

  Thrusting the blessed dagger forwards I plunge it as far as it will go. The blade cleaves easily through his chest to the hilt. Straight through his black heart.

  Max’s gasp of shock twists in my gut as if the blade has penetrated my own body instead of his. Instead of feeling satisfaction it’s like I’m bleeding out. All the softer feelings he forced me to endure.

  Kissing him passionately, I draw in his tortured breaths. Taking them in through an opened mouth kiss. Making them my own. “I told you I was going to kill you,” I tell him, tilting away.

  “I knew you wouldn’t disappoint me.” He chokes blood spilling from his lips. “All that passion and feral rage.”

  Sinking to the floor, he crumples beside me.

  My hands are shaking badly. Max’s blood coats my skin or is it my own? My dark urges are silent. Any thrill I normally experience when ending an evil life has deserted me. I’m raw. Exposed.

  Laying back on the cold road, I stare up into the star filled sky. They’re so bright above me. So endless and clear.

  “Mavi?” Caesar’s voice penetrates the numbness that’s enclosed me.

  A hand finds mine.

  “Hold on, Puddin’,” Leo tells me desperately. “I’m phoning for an ambulance.”

  I’m so tired. It’s getting harder to breathe. Eyes fluttering shut, I give myself up to the peaceful blackness I knows awaits.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “You’re suspended until further notice.” Gabriel informs me from the end of the hospital bed. “It’s out of my hands. Orders from upstairs.”

  We both know I’m not going anywhere. With a concussion, a punctured lung thanks to my broken ribs, and a fractured pelvis I’m going to be spending a lot of time healing.

  I stare at him solemnly. I’m wearing one of those thin blue gowns. I want my own clothes. Hate feeling helpless.