Rogue: Book 4 (Hellfire series), page 22
“I-it’s alr—” I coughed. Beneath my ribs, something tore, and fresh blood seeped out of me. I hoped Lyx wouldn’t see it. “It’s alright. I w-want to help as much as I can.”
Lyx squeezed my fingers a little too hard, but I didn’t protest. “You’ve done plenty. There’s no need—”
“H-have they attacked yet?” I asked the unseen female, knowing I wouldn’t be able to rationalize Lyx’s protectiveness away. I didn’t even want to.
“Not yet,” the female said. Her voice held that edge of command that only came with centuries of being obeyed without question.
Roraima. We came to Roraima. High in the command chain and as driven and determined as the fallen angel himself. This was Lucifer’s general, Selene.
“If he waits for Michael and…” I swallowed a groan when a blast of pain tore through my back. “...and Gabriel, they’ll need days. I’m surprised they’re joining forces. They loathe each other, b-but I guess their hatred for Lucifer might be enough to unite them.”
“If?” Selene asked. “What’s the other scenario?”
“Raphael sending his Unknown to gather information and kill demons unseen. It would only be a dozen losses, but he’ll target the key figures. The ones who lead. The ones who keep morale up. Those with special skills.”
I closed my eyes and tried to breathe, my head feeling eerily light. The pain was receding. It was not as much of a relief as it could be given I knew I was probably on the verge of passing out—or worse. I didn’t know how much more of this Lyx could take.
I couldn’t imagine watching her die over and over and over.
“Better be quick,” I whispered. “Not sure how long I have.”
Lyx’s sob was strangled. For her, I tried to hang on.
“What’s our best defense against the Unknown?” the general asked.
“Never b-be alone, not even for a second. Stay away from the shadows. Light up every corridor and nook. Tear down any tapestries, curtains, and fabrics on your walls that give them hiding places. No drinking even the tiniest drop of alcohol because they will have gotten hold of it. That goes for everyone; it’s the one way they can take out many of you. Barricade any secret passageways because they will find them. Roofs. Guard the roofs. And the ceilings. It’s surprising how often they are overlooked.”
I fell silent, out of breath, floating away from my body. Lyx’s tight grip on me was the only thing keeping me anchored.
“Rest,” the general ordered. “I need you on your feet as soon as possible.”
The door banged shut. Lyx’s lips touched my temple, fueling my fear of leaving her again. “The s-same goes for you. Even now...” I fought through the overwhelming terror. “Even in the midst of this battle, he will target you. For your wildfire secrets. And because of what you mean to me.”
Destroying her would destroy me, and I had a feeling he knew. If the Unknown got her, they wouldn’t kill me straight away. They’d tear her away from me and make me watch.
Or worse, they’d bring us to Raphael and—
I refused to think about what he would do.
I’d dragged her down in my darkness. If only I had…
The lightest caress of her fingertips through my hair brought me back to reality. To her.
We couldn’t go back. All I could do was get better and fight for her, like she was fighting for me.
Her voice quivered. “Take my blood.”
Eyes flying open, I met the silver of hers.
“The blood oath will strengthen you. You’ll heal faster.”
“No.” I tried to sit up, but she laid her hand on my shoulder, keeping me down easily. My weakness frustrated me beyond belief. “Not like this.”
She frowned. “Like this?”
“If we take each other’s blood, it will be after we talk. Once I’m healed. It won’t be a decision taken to save me.” I won’t tie you to my fucked-up life in an effort to save me a little pain.
Said pain tore through me as I turned on my side to get a better look at her.
“You know,” she said. “You feel it too.”
I brought her hand closer and kissed her knuckles. “I do.”
My soulmate.
“When? When did you know?”
“It wasn’t a sudden realization. It’s a lot of little things.” I took a deep breath, still fighting the lightheadedness. “I see you, Lyx. I’ve been trained to observe and learn, but I’ve never been able to see someone like I see you. The light in your soul…it’s…it draws me to you.”
For the first time, I was seen too.
It changed me. It changed everything.
Lyx closed her eyes, her exhale shuddering through her. “You left. And it felt like you took a piece of me. Arren said it was hard to see your soulmate leave, and it just…fit. It feels true to my heart, my body, and my soul. That you are mine and I’m yours and our souls are bonded.”
Despite the red-hot flares burning through my back, I reached out and cupped her face. “And when we bond our souls for real, it won’t be amid pain and fear and despair, ohraia. It will be a celebration. It will be about hope.”
“I want to take your pain away. I want to protect you. I want to belong to you. All of that is about hope.” Of course she used my words against me for my sake. I tried not to smile too hard.
“No.” I caressed my thumb across her cheek, my palm still cupping her face. “Once I’m healed, we’ll talk. We’re figuring this out together, ohraia.”
“It’s my choice to give you my blood,” she said, the anger in her words belied by the way she leaned into my palm.
“And it’s my choice to refuse for now.”
“Who says I’ll offer it to you again?” she asked.
Heavens, she’s perfect. Brave and strong and determined, laced with a wit that took my breath away, and her heart brimming with so much love. I wanted to sink into it all. I wanted to give in to all her demands, but on this, I wouldn’t budge.
I was not tying her to my life, to the dark parts of me and the persecution of Raphael, to my tenuous position with the demons without her knowing what it’d mean for her.
And I sure wouldn’t when I was in no position to defend her.
“You don’t have to,” I told her with a soft smile. “But we will talk once I’ve healed.”
She huffed and stood. For a moment, I feared she’d walk out of the room and leave me with my thoughts, but she sat down carefully on the edge of the bed. Despite her cautious movement as she laid down next to me, the bed jostled. The pain flared, but I didn’t give a damn when she found her place next to me, our faces only inches apart.
“Stubborn angel,” she whispered. “Why delay what we know will happen when it could help you now?”
My soul ached—the sensation bittersweet.
There was so much hope hiding in that place behind my sternum it terrified me. The one thing I’d never had was hope. It had made existence bearable through the pain and the burden of my missions because it had only been about survival and acceptance of what Fate had in store for me.
I was pretty sure Fate was having a laugh right now.
Lyx had been giving me hope since she’d touched me for the first time. When she’d given me a name, it had become a fire in my soul. It changed everything.
It was fucking terrifying.
Lyx kissed me, the softest touch of her lips. That fire flared.
Terrifying.
Chapter 51
Lyx
Lyx was terrified.
The fear should have receded now that Rogue was finally healed enough to sit and move around, albeit with deep grooves around her mouth that told Lyx exactly how much it still hurt. But she was terrified she wouldn’t be able to convince Rogue to take the blood oath. She needed her angel strong before the archangels attacked.
She was just as terrified that Rogue would accept the blood oath.
What if they were wrong? What if they were not soulmates and one day, Rogue found hers? It would destroy Lyx.
Or what if her damaged soul wouldn’t allow them to complete the bond Lyx craved more than anything?
Lyx rubbed her hand over her face. Maybe Rogue had been right all along. They did need to talk…
The door slammed open, startling Lyx. Lucifer strode in.
“You!” the fallen angel barked at Rogue. “Is this your new mission? Distracting us on Raphael’s behalf while he attacks elsewhere?”
Lyx saw red. Before Rogue could say a word, she ran at Lucifer and punched him in the jaw. He caught her wrist before she could do it again, restraining her easily. He continued as if nothing had happened. “Answer my question, Unknown.”
“Unhand her,” Rogue said. “Right this instance, or there’ll be no more answers.”
“She kept her end of the deal, asshole!” Lyx shouted. “She died for you. She died dozens of times for you, and you think she’s just pretending?”
Lucifer ignored her, still keeping her wrist in a painful hold. “Do not threaten me, Unknown. You won’t like the consequences.”
Enough. Lyx rammed her knee up. She hit more thigh than groin, but the male flinched and his hold weakened enough for her to rip away and pummel every inch of him she could reach. “Her name is Rogue. And you’re a—”
Lucifer dragged her to the door, pushed her out, and closed the door in her face. She heard the wooden beam scrape along the door before it locked into place.
He was in there alone with Rogue, who was barely healed. He believed she was a traitor. After everything she had done, he still believed her a traitor.
Resisting the instinct to pointlessly ram against the barred door, she tried to think.
Arren! She ran through the long hallway to the throne room at the end. The bronze doors were closed, guarded by two towering warriors with their hands on the hilts of their swords.
“Is he in there? Is Arren in there?”
They didn’t answer her. Of course they didn’t. She shouted his name, frantic with worry about Rogue. If Lucifer really thought her a traitor, he’d kill her. “Arren!”
One of the guards reached for her. She ducked, taking a few steps back, and shouted again.
The doors crashed open, and Arren appeared. “Lyx! What happened?”
“Lucifer has Rogue.”
Arren gave her a pained look. “He won’t kill her, Lyx, I promise. I don’t have time to run interference every time those two butt heads when we’re trying to secure this entire base against the archangels.”
He looked exhausted. Guilt bled through the panic, but she couldn’t...she couldn’t risk Rogue’s life. “He accused her of making all of this up. He still doesn’t believe her.”
Arren sighed. “I’m sure he barged in with the intention to intimidate, but he knows she’s on our side. I’m guessing he was trying to rattle her to get more information.” He looked up. The faint smile on his face made Lyx twist around. “Speak of the devil.”
Heart pounding, she watched Lucifer stride through the hallway with a scowl on his face. Rogue followed, slower but unharmed as far as Lyx could see. The relief made her lightheaded.
Lucifer’s poisonous green eyes narrowed as they locked onto her. He reached her side and closed his hand around her neck. “If you ever attack me again, I will retaliate.”
“Lucifer!” Arren called out.
The fallen angel stilled, his hand remaining around her throat without pressure. Lyx tried to breathe through the panic, unable to read the expression on Lucifer’s face.
The guards moved at the same time as Rogue hissed, “Take your hand off her.”
The tips of their blades were pointed at Rogue. Lyx caught the glint of Rogue’s dagger against the back of Lucifer’s neck.
The fallen angel dropped his hand. On the verge of throwing up, Lyx moved past him. “Don’t,” she begged Rogue. “Please don’t.”
Despite the danger and the blades against her skin, Rogue stepped back. “Touch her again, and it won’t be just a threat.”
The guards moved as one until Lucifer’s voice rang out, “Stop.”
“Inside,” he barked at Rogue and her. “Right this minute.”
The guards scowled but opened the doors to the throne room regardless.
Rogue took Lyx’s hand as they walked in. Once the doors fell shut behind them, Arren burst out, “Can someone explain what the fuck just happened?”
Lucifer ascended the stairs to his throne and sank down on the crimson fabric. “Communication issues,” he said.
Lyx thought Arren would explode. “Communication issues? You attacked each other. What happened with being on the same side?”
“We are,” Rogue said calmly. “Until he touches Lyx. Then all bets are off.”
“She attacked me,” Lucifer responded just as calmly. “I had to make a point.”
Lyx stared at the fallen angel and her angel, unable to speak. How had they gone from near-death to this?
“She was protecting me,” Rogue said.
To his credit, Lucifer didn’t scoff at the notion of a powerless demon protecting a trained assassin. He just nodded. “We amend our deal. No more physical attacks, or it’s off. From anyone.” His hard gaze turned to Lyx, whose face felt tight and overheated.
“Deal,” Rogue said.
Lyx nodded wordlessly, still feeling numb.
“Now, Unknown, answer my questions.”
“Her name is Rogue.” Lyx’s voice seemed to echo through the throne room as everyone stared at her. The only gaze Lyx cared about was the soft one in those dark eyes.
“If that gets my questions answered faster, I’ll call her Rogue,” Lucifer said with a sigh.
Rogue took Lyx’s hand in hers. “They are coming. I take it the Unknown are already in position. Michael’s and Gabriel’s legions may take more time, or this may be part of their strategy. Unless Raphael has realized by now that I haven’t just run off with Lyx but actually allied myself with you, they won’t be in any rush to attack.”
Arren settled on the throne next to Lucifer, his hand resting on Lucifer’s forearm. Seeing the fallen angel put his hand on Arren’s, his touch almost reverent, Lyx’s heart calmed. Everyone’s temper seemed to have faded as fast as they had exploded. Including hers.
“You told Selene you were surprised by the alliance,” Lucifer said, his fingers tracing the back of Arren’s hand.
“There’s no love lost between Michael and Raphael even though they work together when they have to. It’s the fact that they chose to include Gabriel. They both despise the male. Raphael scoffs at the way he leads his legion. I can’t imagine he’d want him as an ally, but I obviously don’t have all the information.”
“Maybe they think Gabriel’s knowledge about souls will be helpful against my wildfire warriors.”
“Warriors?” Arren looked alarmed. “As in plural?”
“It’s the only reason that makes sense. They want to stop me before I create an army of wildfire warriors and tip the balance of power in our favor.”
Arren turned to Lucifer. “Tell me you won’t make any.”
Lucifer didn’t answer.
“Please, Naatha, you can’t. Something in Erisi is…broken. You can’t do this to anyone else.”
“It’s...it’s our soul,” Lyx said. “The process destroyed part of our souls.”
Lucifer had an unreadable expression on his face. “It was never my intention to create more wildfire warriors. But with this war brewing... I can’t exclude any options, kitten.”
“Promise me you’ll hear me out,” Arren said. “Promise me we’ll talk about this before you decide.”
Lucifer nodded, but the fear lingered in Lyx’s chest. There’d be even more souls tainted by Gyasi’s dark experiments. It felt utterly wrong.
The male’s green eyes locked on Rogue once again. “You will train a team of my elites and scouts to intercept Unknown. You will work with me and Selene so we understand possible strategies Raphael might employ. I know Michael’s, but Raphael’s...”
Rogue looked at Lyx before she turned back to Lucifer. “Under the conditions of our deal, I will do everything I can to help.”
“Stay where I can find you, Unkn—Rogue.”
It was just a fleeting moment, but Rogue’s hand tightened around Lyx’s when the fallen angel spoke her name.
“Yes, my lord,” the female said.
Chapter 52
Rogue
“What just happened?” Lyx fell against the inside of the door when we stepped into our room. She was shaking like a reed.
Ignoring the stabs of pain in my back, I pulled her into me and wrapped my arms around her. “Thank you.”
The words were lacking. She’d fought for me again. She’d defended me against the leader of all demonkind. She...she had made him call my name.
When Raphael had sent me on this assignment, he’d scoffed at Lyx’s lack of powers. He had no idea. This demon would gather an army for the ones she loved.
And somehow… Somehow, I’m the one she loves.
I couldn’t breathe, but I didn’t need air right now. With the scent of jasmine washing over me, I held on.
“Rogue,” she whispered.
The sound of my name on her lips healed the part of me that had always been unseen, that was supposed to remain unseen. I framed her beautiful face and kissed her.
She melted into me. The urge to have her breathe my name while I pleased her made me lift her in my arms and carry her to the bed.
She whacked my shoulder. “You’re still healing.”
“All the more reason to get in bed,” I told her with a smile, laying her down. I admired her flushed cheeks before she pulled me down and kissed me again.
“As if we’re going to rest,” she murmured against my mouth.
I was too busy reclaiming her lips to respond. Besides, I wouldn’t lie to her, so there was little I could deny.
Her fingers were tangled in my braided hair, her body moving restlessly under mine as I continued savoring her mouth and the little sounds that escaped her.
