by Melody Raven
Samuel mentally cursed. The demon said the same thing yesterday. “So even though she’s a fallen angel, she can’t go into Hell without frying?”
“Not a chance. Hell was a sanctuary for Lucifer. That was his protective measure to keep his home turf from getting attacked by his former comrades.”
Samuel was familiar with the story but had never considered that the barrier spell reached to fallen angels too. Had never really thought about it. The spell was pointless in the long run. Azazel killed Lucifer, not an angel. Just a demon with a hankering for more power and willing to do anything to get it.
Including destroying the world.
From what Samuel heard, even demons were against the apocalypse, but Azazel led Hell with such an iron whip that they were afraid to cross him.
Legend had it that the last demon who spoke out publically against Azazel was still being tortured today, strung up in Azazel’s throne room with hooks through his intestines. Every day, his legs and arms were cut off anew. He was never gagged, though, so his screams were a constant reminder to respect Azazel’s leadership.
And Muriel was supposed to walk right in and kill the bastard.
“Just drinking it once wouldn’t be enough to get her in?” he asked.
“Not even close. She would have to be ingesting a steady diet to not burst into flames, but even then it would be a tight schedule. Maybe she could drink a lot right before, but there would only be a small window. She could have three or four hours to make it to a door.”
The demon said he would give her so much of his blood that she wouldn’t even feel the heat. Why would he offer that if they were enemies?
“Well, you are going to love the most confusing part in all this. Muriel went and caught herself the demon who forced his blood on her.”
Ava beamed with pride. “Badass! Good for her.”
“Well, there are some stipulations. For instance, he’s trapped to her with magic handcuffs and any pain one of them endures is felt by the other.”
“Magical handcuffs?” Ava raised a brow. “Kind of kinky.”
“Yeah, kinky. Did you miss the part where she went and attached herself to a demon?”
“Muriel is over a thousand years old. I’m sure she can handle a demon on her own.”
“Won’t matter after today anyway. As soon as we get those handcuffs off her this afternoon, he’s as good as dead.” Samuel tucked his cursed 9mm into the waistband of his pants as emphasis. The bullets from that gun would kill any demon, no matter where they struck. It was only fitting that Samuel used it to kill the demon who tormented Muriel. After all, she had given him the weapon.
Ava studied his face and saw that he was convinced he needed to kill the demon. “You don’t have to go all he-man on her. If she wants to kill the demon, she will in her own time. You can’t take her vengeance away from her. Besides hurting her pride, you have to realize that she’s not some defenseless mortal.”
“No, that is exactly what she is. Mortal, with no defenses.”
Ava’s shoulders tensed and Samuel could see all chances of him getting laid flying out the window. “What does that make me?”
“It makes you surrounded by soldiers who would die to protect you.” The second the words came out of his mouth, he wanted to take them back. “Damn it, I didn’t mean it that way.”
It was too late. Ava was already turning from him and walking toward the door. “Where is Muriel and the demon?”
“Room one-thirty. You don’t have to leave, babe,” he said, trying to salvage the situation.
“Trust me, babe. Your well-being depends on me leaving.” With that, he was left alone with the loud slam of the door shutting.
Awkward was an understatement. Breakfast that morning was brutal. Muriel didn’t want to talk to Samuel, and she couldn’t even look at Kier without turning ten shades of red. Kier and Samuel were getting along to the extent that neither had taken a swing at the other, but they weren’t striking up any conversations either.
Muriel was mortified by her behavior the previous night. She had no idea his blood would make her behave so...so wantonly. She’d begged for him to take her. Hell, she’d stripped for him in an attempt to seduce him. If he hadn’t held himself back, she didn’t know whether she could ever face herself in the mirror again.
And that was a whole other issue. Since when did demons play the gentleman? She knew that he had wanted her before. Why did he hold himself back?
The only possible answer was that he didn’t want to anger her when he was so close to being free, but even that seemed rather moot. It really couldn’t be considered rape when she literally asked for it. She might have been under the influence of his blood, but he hadn’t made her drink it. Not this time.
Besides that, it wasn’t as if Muriel didn’t want him. The desire had existed long before she was drugged with his blood. It was only amplified last night while her inhibitions were lowered.
If Ava wasn’t there, the entire meal might have been eaten in silence. Ava was intrigued by Kier, to say the least. She asked him question after question about what being a demon was like, and Muriel mentally kicked herself for not asking the questions sooner.
“Would you kill us on sight if you could?” she asked Kier.
“Probably not. I don’t care about the apocalypse one way or the other, and killing you or Samuel just seems like too much effort for little reward. Muriel, on the other hand, has a huge price on her head, so I might consider taking care of her.” He shot her a look.
Muriel said nothing and looked down at her drink. Was he joking with her or trying to piss her off? It was hard to tell when she refused to look into his much too handsome face.
“What kind of price? How much does a demon assassin cost these days?” Muriel kicked Ava under the table at the impertinent question. Ava shot Muriel an innocent expression. “What?”
Kier chuckled at the girls bickering and Samuel glowered even harder. “Azazel offered one hundred souls for Muriel. That means he’s pissing himself in fear right now because I have never heard of that much being offered for anyone.”
Well, at least that was something. “So he’s paying you in food?”
Kier was finally able to meet Muriel’s eyes, and she saw his amusement at the situation. The corners of her own mouth twitched, but she looked away before a smile formed. “We get energy from souls, but we also eat. We need lots of energy apparently. Besides, bacon is really good. You should try the stuff that Muriel makes. Best I’ve ever had.”
This time Muriel couldn’t stop the blush and embarrassed smile.
“You made him bacon!” said Ava and Samuel in unison, Ava amused while Samuel sounded surly.
“We’ve been connected for a few days now. We had to eat,” she pointed out.
Samuel leaned back with his meaty arms crossed in front of his chest, and Muriel could hear him curse under his breath. “If you are all done with your food, let’s move out and get those fucking handcuffs off you.”
With those words, the tension was thick in the air and all four of them tensed. Muriel looked at Samuel and Kier. The two of them really shouldn’t be anywhere near each other. It was dangerous for anyone within shouting distance.
“It’s a few hours’ drive still. I’m going to hit the restroom first. Can I borrow your jacket to hide the cuffs?” she asked Samuel.
Kier opened his mouth to offer his, but Muriel subtly kicked him under the table. Samuel wordlessly shrugged and handed her his jacket, which he had taken off when they sat down to eat. It was hot in New Mexico even though it wasn’t even summer yet. Jackets weren’t necessary but were useful for hiding weapons.
At the moment, Samuel was only packing his gun in a hip holster and didn’t need the coverage. It was just habit to wear it at all times.
Because the heat didn’t affect Kier like it did Samuel, he still wore his leather jacket in case they needed to hide the handcuffs.
“You even have to pee in front of hi
m?” asked Samuel with disgust.
“Grow up, Samuel. Sometimes a good revenge plan comes with a price,” she snapped.
Kier laughed. “Not the most glamorous plan,” he muttered, but the angry look Muriel shot him shut him up.
She dragged him into the one-stall women’s room and locked the door behind them. “We need to get out of here.”
“Isn’t that what we were doing?” he asked.
“Not with them. Just the two of us. You do realize he’s going to kill you the second you’re released, right?”
Kier’s face remained blank. “I assumed. I was hoping I could transport away faster than his bullet. Why do you care?”
Muriel took a cue from him and kept her own face expressionless. “You are my demon. I’m the only one who gets to decapitate you. Now, we only have a few seconds. Are you going to break that window or not?” she snapped.
He studied her face for a moment, looking for motives that not even she understood, before he used his elbow and demon strength to break the glass over the paper towel dispenser.
It was a tight fit, but they managed to both wiggle out of the opening without breaking their connected arms. “How did you know there would be a window in the bathroom?” asked Kier as they snuck to the front of the small diner.
“Um, I wished really hard.” Muriel rifled through Samuel’s jacket until she found his keys. “Score!”
“I see that you thoroughly planned this escape.”
“Shut up and drive.” She unlocked Samuel’s Charger and slid into the front seat.
He didn’t argue as he turned the ignition, slammed the car onto the freeway and proceeded to commit about ten different traffic violations, the main one being speeding.
“Slow down!” she shouted.
“I’m tense. Driving makes me feel better.”
“Good for you, but it makes me feel like my life is in imminent danger!”
Kier scoffed at that, but he did let up on the gas a little until they were only going fifteen over the posted speed limit. “Where is this key?”
“Go west until you hit exit 168. From there, we have to go by landmarks.”
Kier nodded. “How are you feeling after last night?”
The color drained from Muriel’s face. “Can we agree never to talk about that?”
“‘That’? I gave you a mind-blowing orgasm. I defy you to say it wasn’t the best you ever had.” Her silence was answer enough. “I know how you feel about that, Miss Not-Meeting-My-Eyes-All-Morning. I was talking about physically. I haven’t felt any pain coming from you this morning. Any residual effects from the blood?”
Oh. That was what he meant. “Still a little tingly, but at least my inhibitions are back today.”
“I like how you consider that a good thing,” he said with a naughty smile. She covered her face, unable to look at him. “Seriously, not this again. You enjoyed it. I enjoyed it. Why are you embarrassed?”
“How hard is it to just shut up and drive?”
“Fine.” He flipped on the radio to a loud rock station.
True to his word, Kier stayed silent for almost the entire drive out into the empty beauty of the New Mexico desert. Except for the minimal conversation required for Muriel to give directions, he didn’t say anything to her.
It was most disconcerting. She should’ve been nicer to him. Once the handcuffs were off, he would have no reason not to hurt her and a hundred souls’ worth of reasons to kill her.
She pushed that possibility from her mind. She wouldn’t say he was decent by any means, but he did seem to be on her side. So far.
“Pull over,” she directed.
“Are we close?”
“Very.” She tried to steel herself to say good-bye to him. She felt such conflicting emotions.
She couldn’t stand the idea of her vengeance failing. They had only been bound together for a few days. There was no chance that her gray soul would damage his in any noticeable way. Besides annoying him for a few days, he really hadn’t suffered. Not enough to make up for destroying her soul.
And she had kissed him. More than once. Showered with him. Slept with him. She’d known the sleeping and showering would happen, but had never guessed how sexual they would be. She sure as hell had never imagined she’d be the one to initiate anything.
It had never occurred to her that he would want her. She never heard any accounts of a demon being attracted to an angel before, fallen or otherwise. There had definitely never been any angels who had been attracted to demons. Maybe a sex-crazed fallen angel, but that was different.
Muriel didn’t just want Kier for his body. He made her smile. She had laughed with him. Killed demons with him. None of this was supposed to happen.
Besides, now she had better things to do. She had to save the world. She had to kill the king. There was no time for her to fantasize about the baddest boy she had ever met. How human of me.
“Are we going to need a shovel?” he asked her, snapping her out of her thoughts.
“No. A strong demon should work fine.” She walked one hundred steps from where the car was parked, taking care to count her steps. Kier silently followed until she stopped.
They were surrounded by rocks of different sizes but all the same brown color. She took a moment to study all the ones in the immediate vicinity before she walked up to a larger one that came up to just below her knee. “The key is under here. Think you can push it?”
Apparently it was an insult to even ask, and he pushed the rock three feet away with just the slightest nudge of a toe. “I see you can,” she muttered.
Under the rock was a tin can that used to hold cookies. It was dirtied from the elements and crushed from the weight of the rock. Kier knelt and picked up the flattered tin. “This is it?”
“Yep. Excited to be free?”
Kier stared pensively off into the distance. It was damn un-demonly to be pensive about anything. “Are you going to go after Azazel?” he asked, ignoring her question.
Muriel looked at the ground. She knew he didn’t want her to. He was convinced she would die trying, though she had no idea why he seemed to care whether she lived or died.
“If it’s my calling, I will do whatever I can to make sure Azazel dies by my hand.” Her voice was strong but her eyes never left the dirt. “I don’t have to die to kill him. I’m sure I can find some way around it.”
Kier snorted in disbelief. “Even if you live, how much dark blood are you going to drink before you completely destroy your soul?”
“What does it matter? I’m never getting back into Heaven. My soul isn’t going anywhere after I die. Just fading into nothing, thanks to you. Did you forget?”
Kier turned to face her. “I never forgot anything!” She flinched at the shout so he lowered his voice. “I don’t believe for one second you would get into Hell right now. Not with the small amount I gave you. Not when you’re still so willing to serve the Heavens. Hell would never accept a soul as pure as yours, gray or not.”
It didn’t matter. She would still go after Azazel. She would just have to find other demons to drink from.
“I think it is time for you to go, Kier.” His name rolled off her tongue. It sounded right. For five years, she never called him by his name. He was just “that demon” who had ruined her. Now he was Kier. Her demon.
“For someone who trapped me, you sure are in a hurry to get rid of me.” He finally opened the tin and removed the key.
“I’m just waiting to see if you’re going to kill me the second you’re free.” She raised her chin and looked him straight in the eye.
He raised an eyebrow at her as the key slipped into the metal and his cuff sprang open. He took a deep breath of air. “Feels good.” He smiled.
Muriel pulled her own arm back, welcoming the freedom of movement that had been denied her the past few days.
Kier caught her arm and her muscles stiffened. He gently moved her hands to him as he slipped the key into her cuff and release
d her. He kept his hold on her as he slipped the handcuffs and key into his back pocket. “I’m just going to keep these.” He grinned.
She didn’t fight it. “I have no use for them anymore.” She pulled her arm, but he maintained his hold. “Let me go, Kier.”
His other hand shot to her neck and his big hand wrapped around her throat. His firm grip tightened. Not enough to cause pain, but enough to make it clear he meant business.
“Kier?” she squeaked out, suddenly nervous. Would he really hurt her?
He moved forward, pushing Muriel backward with every step. She couldn’t see where she was going and looked for any weapon she could use against a pissed-off demon.
Kier’s eyes filled with flames as he stared down at her. “You cage me, trap me, and expect me to just let you go? You are so wrong,” he whispered, menacingly.
“You are mine now and I’m going to do exactly what I have wanted to from the moment I walked into that diner and saw you,” he threatened.
The warm trunk of the Charger collided with the back of her jean-clad legs. The sudden contact caused her to jump and gasp. Kier took advantage and pulled her to him for an aggressive kiss.
For a split second, Muriel froze in shock. He was kissing her. He wasn’t going to kill her. As soon as the revelation filled her, she sighed her relief against him and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back.
She knew that this was no innocent kiss. She was agreeing to give him everything, and, at the moment, she was fine with that. She wanted him and had wanted him from the moment she saw him in the diner. She was probably going to die fulfilling some destiny she never asked for in a few weeks. For now, she would allow herself this indulgence.
Just this once, she would allow herself to have Kier.