Her Demonic Angel (Her Angel Romance Series Book 5) Page 36

  Tears lined her eyes and heat caressed her calves, hot air blowing up the skirt of her black dress. The ground bucked and shook. The stench of sulphur hit her. She could do this. She would strike a deal with her father and as soon as she knew he had upheld his part of the bargain, she would make her move. She was ready to face him and this way Amelia and the others wouldn’t be in danger.

  She sucked down another breath and stared deep into Veiron’s eyes.

  “Remember me… because I will always remember you. I love you.”

  Heat scorched her back and she almost fell as the ground opened behind her. Two immense Hell’s angels rose out of a burning crevasse, spread their leathery wings and clamped huge black hands down on her arms. Erin panicked.

  “Veiron!” She reached for him but it was too late.

  The last glimpse she caught of him he was running towards her, arms outstretched, reaching for her.

  Darkness swallowed her.

  Erin clung to hope.

  She was strong enough to do this.

  She would set everything right and would strike the first blow for her side by killing her father, and when it was all over, she would see Veiron again.

  She would.

  CHAPTER 34

  The darkness around Erin receded to reveal the place of her nightmares. A huge semi-circle of sharp black spires enclosed the paved courtyard she had seen in her visions and an obsidian fortress rose before her, reaching so high into the darkness that it blended with the black ceiling of Hell. Hot air filled her still aching lungs, making it difficult to breathe when combined with the lingering trace of her panic. She could do this. It rang in her head like a mantra, repeating over and over, giving her strength and courage.

  A creak cut the silence and shredded her nerves. Erin whipped around to face the towering black doors of the fortress. They cracked open down the centre, revealing a chink of orange light that brightened as they swung apart. A break in that light caught her eye, a black shape that wavered in the heat haze and looked so small compared to the massive twin doors.

  Her father.

  He strode towards her and the shadows clinging to him dissipated, revealing him in all his grim glory. A smile tugged at one corner of his mouth when he spotted her, his amber eyes brightening to match the rivers of Hell and the inferno at his back.

  “Daughter,” he said, voice low and teasing, designed to soothe and tempt.

  Everything about this man made him look as though he had been created purely for seducing mortals and leading them to their downfall, from his glossy black hair to his perfect classical features, to his sharp black suit. Whoever her mother had been, she probably hadn’t stood a chance against him when he had turned on the charm.

  “The one and only… or one of many?” she said, sure that there were others like her out there, the product of a seduction by the man now standing only thirty feet from her on the wide black steps that curved across the courtyard.

  A flash of Veiron tumbling down those steps filled her mind but she steeled herself and refused to give in to her fears. Veiron was up on the island, away from Hell, just where she wanted him to be. She would cut her deal and do what she had come here to do and then she would return to him. Everything would be right again. She would give him back his memories.

  She would save him for a change.

  In a manner of speaking.

  “The only one.” The Devil preened his hair back and flashed a smile. “Although, it is not for lack of trying.”

  “I thought you couldn’t leave Hell... so how did you meet my mother?”

  His smile widened. “It is true that I am trapped in this realm for the time being, but that does not mean I am without a way of satisfying my needs. My men often journey to the surface to select suitable females for my entertainment.”

  “You’re telling me you have your angels kidnap women so you can seduce them here, in Hell? Do you even give them a choice?”

  “They are willing, Erin. The pleasure they experience is payment enough for what they go through afterwards.”

  Erin frowned. “Afterwards... as in when you send them back to Earth pregnant with your spawn?”

  “I will admit that I am trying to ensure my future by fathering a child with all women who spend time in my company, but most mortals are not strong enough to carry my seed. The foetus tends to destroy them from the inside.”

  “You sicken me,” she growled. “How can you have your lackies bring women down here for you to seduce?”

  Darkness crossed his face, his amber eyes brightening to gold, and then it faded back into a fixed smile. “Whenever I am able to leave Hell, I do so and find women in the mortal realm to seduce and pleasure. Does that make it alright to you?”

  “No... it’s still disgusting and despicable… thank you for this whole lot of TMI.” Erin frowned, repulsed by the thought of this man kidnapping and having his way with as many women as he could and the consequences of his one night stands. How many innocent women had died because of him? Her mother had survived. Had she been special somehow, able to bear this man’s child without suffering the same fate as those before her? Erin trembled, afraid to ask but needing to know. She had loved the woman she had called mother, but someone else had given birth to her and she wanted to know if that woman still lived. “What about my mother?”

  His smile widened. “You desire to know who she was… family ties are very important to you?”

  She nodded. They were. It was the reason she hadn’t been able to hold onto her anger towards Amelia and the people she had known as her parents. She still loved the woman she saw as her sister and she didn’t blame her for keeping the truth from her.

  He inspected his nails. “I do not know who your mother was, dearest Erin.”

  “Could she have survived my birth?” This wasn’t why she had come. It didn’t matter how many times she told herself that. She couldn’t stop the questions from flowing. He shook his head, confirming her suspicions. “I killed her, didn’t I?”

  He nodded again. “You were destined to destroy her, whether it was during her pregnancy or during your birth. You cannot have ties to the mortal world.”

  “But I’m part mortal!”

  He descended the first of the five steps that led down to her and shook his head again. “You are not mortal at all. Nothing was taken from your mother. No DNA… no genes whatsoever.”

  Erin’s throat closed. “What are you saying? How is that possible? A baby shares genes with both parents.”

  “Under normal circumstances. You are not normal, dearest Erin. You are extraordinary. Your DNA is a perfect match for mine.”

  A chill skated down her spine and froze her limbs. He smiled at her, as though he was pleased she had figured it out for herself.

  “I’m a vessel.” God, that couldn’t be right. He had wanted to take care of her, had been proud when she had exhibited powers, and had wanted her to awaken to her full potential. He had talked about changing her and doing away with her softer and more compassionate side.

  Erin felt sick. She clutched her stomach and doubled over, dry heaving. Sweat broke out across her brow and she retched again, hands shaking against her belly. She clutched the damp black material of her dress and breathed slowly. It was just the saltwater that she had swallowed. She wasn’t going to let this revelation stop her. She wasn’t just a vessel for the Devil.

  She straightened and faced him again, and caught the brief flicker of concern in his amber eyes.

  “Worried your vessel is going to die?” she snapped and he raised a single black eyebrow.

  “Not at all. Things are progressing faster than I had anticipated. That is all. It requires a change in my plans.”

  His plans? Was he going to inhabit her body and escape Hell, wreaking havoc on the world she loved, and Heaven too? Would she survive his possession?

  She would never see Veiron again.

  Erin bent over and threw up.

  The Devil sighed. “
Such a weak constitution. We shall have to do something about that.”

  He descended the remaining steps and his shiny black leather shoes appeared in view at the edge of her vision. She had half a mind to aim her next bout of vomiting towards them.

  His hand came to rest on her shoulder, her skin instantly heating beneath it. That heat flowed into her flesh and along her limbs, coursing through her blood. The sickness wracking her faded, strength replacing it, making her feel more alive and healthier than she had in weeks.

  “That is better. We need you strong, Erin. You have a responsibility to take care of your health now.”

  A responsibility? Erin eased herself up and wiped the back of her hand across her mouth. She didn’t want to be his vessel. Was there nothing else she could do for him instead?

  “Now, let us flesh out the terms of this deal,” he said, his smile wicked.

  He thought to betray her again by finding some loophole. She wasn’t going to make the same mistakes twice. She wasn’t a fool.

  “You will restore Veiron’s memories to him and undo whatever Heaven has done to him, and you will leave him, Amelia, Marcus, Apollyon, Einar, Taylor, Lukas and everyone they love alone. You will not raise a hand to harm them, will not command your army or anyone to do any such thing, and you will not use me against them.” Erin held his gaze, unwavering, strong, showing him that she had grown up a lot since the last deal she had made with him and she was wise to his tricks now. “In exchange, I will join your side and pledge myself to you… but only if I see they are safe and well, and are unharmed. If anyone goes after them or harms them, then this deal is void.”

  He grinned. “Erin, you speak as though you do not trust your own father. You do not get to set all the terms. I swear to do all that you ask… but are you prepared to do all that I ask?”

  She was, but she wasn’t really going to go through with it. She would wait to see if he kept his end of the deal and then she would find a way to go back on the whole thing and kill him.

  “In exchange for the safety of those you have mentioned and those they love and those you love, you will provide me with a vessel in the mortal and angelic realms,” he said and she nodded, her heart thumping against her ribs. She had no intention of doing any such thing. “In exchange for Veiron’s memories, you will surrender yours.”

  Erin froze. Her heart stopped. Hands shook. Skin prickled with ice.

  What?

  He wanted to take her memories from her. He had seen through her. If he took her memories in exchange for restoring Veiron’s, she would forget everything. She wouldn’t remember him and her friends. She wouldn’t remember this deal. She wouldn’t remember her plan to destroy the Devil.

  She couldn’t agree to that.

  She didn’t want her friends to suffer anymore or Veiron to live life feeling he wasn’t a whole person, but she couldn’t sacrifice herself to achieve those things.

  Could she?

  “What if I say no?” she whispered, knowing she was showing her weaker side by asking such a question.

  The Devil shifted his hand to her face. “I will kill your friends one by one until you agree.”

  She swallowed. She couldn’t stand by and let her friends die because she was afraid. The Devil wanted her alive, as his vessel in the mortal and angelic realms. That meant that in Hell she would be herself, didn’t it?

  “That isn’t fair. I need more details,” she said and he huffed.

  “Fine. What do you want to know?” He waved his hand and his obsidian throne appeared. He arranged himself on the seat, crossed his legs at the knee and stared at her.

  What did she want to know? She needed specifics. This wasn’t the sort of decision she could just leap into. If she did, she was likely to end up as a soulless carcass that couldn’t think or feel. She was striking a deal and it was time to negotiate.

  “Will I forget everything?” she said and he nodded. “Unacceptable. I refuse to agree to that. I want to remember everything whenever you’re not in my body.”

  “Unacceptable,” he countered. “A compromise is necessary. What you ask for cannot be done. I must have something in exchange for Veiron’s memories.”

  As far as she could see, he was getting something in exchange. He was getting her body as a vessel. What else did he want from her?

  “Why take my memories?” She couldn’t get past that. What advantage did he gain from taking her memories other than stopping her from attacking him and backing out of their deal? That was reason enough, she supposed. “What if I offer something else in exchange? There has to be something else you want.”

  “Veiron’s head on a spike?” He smiled and she wanted to punch him for finding the image of Veiron’s head separated from his body amusing.

  “I will attack Heaven for you and then if you still want to use me as a vessel, I will go along with that too.”

  His eyebrow quirked again. “An interesting proposition. Go on.”

  “I will stand at the head of your army and take on your greatest foe. You said it yourself. I’m basically a clone of you. So I can use the same powers as you, right? So there’s no need for you to go to Heaven in my body and risk yourself. I can attack it tomorrow and voila, it’s game over and score one for Hell.”

  The Devil eased onto his feet and stared at her. “Tomorrow? You are inexperienced in battle but attacking them now does give us an advantage. They will not be expecting it. I will accept but on these terms. In exchange for Veiron’s memories, you will lead my army on a direct assault on Heaven with the aid of him, Marcus, Amelia and Apollyon. If you succeed, they will gain their freedom. I will no longer pursue them.”

  Erin exhaled slowly. That was a little more than she had bargained for. She couldn’t speak for everyone like that.

  “All of them will be protected by Hell from Heaven? If any of them are hurt or die, the deal is over, busted, totally dead.” She held his amber gaze, hoping he couldn’t see straight through her façade to the fear in her heart.

  He studied her in silence and then sighed. “Fine. I will assign my men to flank them at all times and will remove them from the battle if they are in danger of dying. I have one more caveat.”

  His expression gave nothing away and she feared what his request would be. She was already giving him so much. Now the bargain had become one just for Veiron’s memories. The safety of those she loved was no longer guaranteed. She hated him for playing her again. He was doing it on purpose. He knew that she would do whatever he asked to free Veiron’s memories and he was bleeding her dry. What else could he possibly need from her? He already had her as a vessel and she and her friends attacking Heaven.

  “You will not turn your power on me.” Those words were dark, spoken on a low growl, and his amber eyes burned like fire, scorching hers as they held them.

  Bugger.

  Erin swallowed and then started pacing across the black basalt slabs. There was no way she could keep still, not when she was bargaining with everyone’s lives without their permission. She sucked in a deep breath and exhaled it, trying to find some balance. It was too much. He wanted too much. The others would never agree to it and if they didn’t help her, then the Devil would see the deal as broken and would take Veiron’s memories again, or worse.

  “It’s too much. I can’t.” She stopped and turned to face him. He scowled at her. “I’m sorry. I can’t speak for them. There has to be something else... another way to make this deal work.”

  He stared at her in silence, eyes bright and focused on her. She had to think of another way because she couldn’t put everyone at risk without their permission.

  “How about this? You don’t lay a finger on the people I mentioned, those they love and those I love, and you restore Veiron’s memories. I’ll be your vessel, but I will keep my memories, and I will serve you. I won’t attack you and will remain in Hell for half the year. The other half I can spend in my realm, with Veiron and my friends. I will also speak to the others about atta
cking Heaven for you.”

  He sighed. “This does not sound like a good deal to me, Erin. I will give you two choices and then you must decide. If you do not choose one, then I will send my men to kill the first of your friends.”

  Erin swallowed. The look in his eyes said that he was serious. He was going to get what he wanted, even if he had to bully her into it.

  “Your first choice is this. You, Veiron, Apollyon, Amelia and Marcus attack Heaven with my army. I offer them no protection during the battle. If you succeed and they survive, they are free and I will not pursue them, and will restore Veiron’s memories. If I have need of you in the future, you will all fight for me again, without question. If I have need of a vessel, you will provide me with one.”

  That deal sounded far worse than the one he had offered her before and she had the terrible feeling that his offers would continue to grow worse until she gave up and just agreed to anything he demanded.

  “But I don’t have to remain here when you don’t need me?” she said and he nodded. “And my second choice?”

  “I will restore Veiron’s memories and will not seek to harm those you mentioned, those you love and those they love. In exchange, you will provide me with a vessel and remain here in Hell with me, in my fortress, under lock and key. You will remember everything but you will not be able to attack me. You will serve me and obey my every order, as a doting daughter should. You will never see those you love or your friends again.”

  Erin thought it over. Door number one meant putting everyone’s lives at risk without their permission, and not just once but whenever the Devil demanded it, but it did mean she would be able to live with Veiron and everyone in the mortal realm. Door number two meant everyone would be safe, Veiron would be whole again, but she would be stuck in Hell. In the Devil’s fortress no less. Plus, it sounded a lot like he was planning on using the obey clause to make her do everything he commanded. What if he commanded her to do things she didn’t like? What if he ordered her to forget?