Dance of Wings (Curse of the Guardians #7)

33. Lucifer

Chapter 33

Lucifer

O f course she was worth it. Why else would he entertain the idea if he thought she was nothing more than a distraction?

Anyone else he would have simply laughed in their face and left them behind, soul marked or not. But with her it was different. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so alive, her presence igniting something inside him that he’d thought he’d lost long ago. She was like an obsession, a puzzle piece he had yet to figure out where she fit. Including her in his plans, despite the warning signs, was an extra thrill his light-starved soul craved.

Scarlet stepped away from him as soon as he landed the drift, turning to look at the run-down flats situated in the centre of the Bricks Estate. He was used to her being cold, her emotions hidden so tightly behind her carefully constructed mask. But this was different. It was as if she was trying to create distance.

He wanted her biting remarks and frosty stares. Not absence.

“This the address?” she asked, her posture tight. “It’s… interesting.”

Lucifer snorted, moving past to walk inside. There was no door, the hinges hanging loose leaving the entrance to the building open to the elements. Black bags of rubbish were piled high against the wall, rustling against the techno music that was being blasted from one of the tenants. The music even vibrated the stairs, getting more violent as they ascended.

They found the correct door on the fifth floor, it was already unlocked when he went to knock. Lucifer stilled at the scent of death, holding his arm out to stop Scarlet from moving any closer. “Wait here.”

The door opened into a small flat, the green carpet squishing beneath his boots when he took a step inside. He didn’t bother calling out, feeling no source of life in the small, square space. Black mould splattered across the walls and ceiling, growing darker the closer it was to the body folded over the kitchen table.

The room was split into two, with the sofa and TV on the left, and the kitchen diner to the right. The table had been placed just at the edge of the kitchen, a pool of blood glistening on the vinyl flooring and also soaking over into the carpet.

Calling some arcane Lucifer hit out, shooting at the rat-like Unhallowed that were currently on the table gnawing at what remained of the man’s face. They scattered with squeaks, so he went to aim again, only to find Scarlet standing there staring at the body.

“You were supposed to wait outside.”

Lifting her wings even higher to not risk the white of her primaries, she stepped closer. “Is this the Daemon you were searching for?”

“I’m not sure, he hasn’t exactly got a face.” Lucifer sighed, leaning down to look closer. “It takes a lot to kill one of us.” And he was definitely dead. Not only was half his head missing from where the Scouts had been nibbling away, but Lucifer was pretty sure he was missing his heart. Grabbing a handful of hair, he yanked the body back, proving that he indeed was missing his heart. And possibly other vital organs that were supposed to be in his chest.

Lucifer released his grip, the thunk of the head against the cheap table pretty satisfying.

“Really?” Scar scolded, stepping back when the body slumped to the floor.

“What?” Lucifer looked at her with widened eyes. “He was already dead. He can’t feel anything.”

Scarlet shot him a sharp glare, and he wanted to grin because at least it was a reaction. “What do you think happened?” she asked. “Do you think it was Gideon?”

“No.”

Her gaze strayed sideways, as if she was drawn to the body. “You sound so sure.”

“If it was Gideon, there wouldn’t be so much left to find.” Lucifer frowned, concentrating on the beat of her pulse. It racked against his ribs, far faster than it was moments ago.

SCARLET

She wasn’t sure how she recognised him without a face, but she was confident it was the same man Cassiel had strapped to his table. The one where she was made to heal over and over, only for Cassiel to dissect every organ to the sound of the man’s screams.

The scent of his death was thick, almost suffocating in the tight space void of air. The sun breached the large window that took up the entire back wall, split between the living and kitchen space but had no latch to open.

She wanted to look away, but found she couldn’t. It was like he was a magnet, drawing her attention until she faced the guilt she was trying so hard to hide.

“Scar?” Lucifer’s voice hit like a whip, breaking through. “You okay?”

“Yeah, of course.” She shook her head, hoping her own voice didn’t betray her. “It’s just a lot to take in.”

Lucifer nodded like he understood, but he continued to watch her with a frown. It was unnerving under his gaze, and bracing herself she finally turned to meet his eyes.

Her pulse raced, giving her anxiety away.

“I –”

Her back hit the sofa hard enough it broke beneath her weight, the movement so sudden it took a moment to realise she’d been hit. Rolling to the side she turned, finding a large beast snarling. Its head whipped between them, green spittle dripping to the carpet by its oversized paws. The saliva hissed against the fibres, burning holes.

“Scar,” Lucifer said calmly, his attention never moving from the beast. “I need you to back up slowly, okay?”

Scarlet moved to stand, pausing when the floorboards creaked beneath her foot. “This another of Gideon’s hounds?”

He gave a faint nod of his head.

The beast was smaller than the one they’d previously fought, similar to a horse in size rather than a car. It still took up the majority of the room, its back paws crushing what remained of the Daemon. It stood between them, with Lucifer stuck in the kitchen and Scarlet against the living room.

Unlike the other hound it was covered in scales rather than fur, fine needle like spines running parallel down its back. From her position she could make out three distinctive slices along its side, the flesh opening and closing with every breath. Black vapour seemed to drift out with every exhale, traveling around its body to enter through its nostrils in a strange circle. She could see its ribs every time the scales pulled back, which meant it had a weak spot.

The hound gave a warning growl when she straightened, her hand moving slowly to the knife on her arm.

“Don’t,” Lucifer warned, his voice pushed through clenched teeth.

Her knife clicked free, and the hound looked back at her with a strange rattle from its chest. It sounded almost like a purr.

Lucifer blasted it with arcane, the magic pouring over its scales like water. The hound backed up, fangs elongating when it returned to face Lucifer. Its legs knocked her back down, and she automatically sliced out with her knife. Only the blade barely scratched the scales, never mind penetrate them.

With a swipe Lucifer jumped back, barely missing the hound’s extended claws.

The room was too small, the hound blocking the only exit. Reaching for the side table Scarlet picked it up, and threw it against the window. The glass shattered, drawing the hound’s attention and Lucifer immediately used it to his advantage. He tackled the hound, grabbing its scruff and throwing them both backwards.

Scar didn’t think, racing over to launch herself out the open space after them. A few glass shards sliced her wings, but the small pain was immediately forgotten once she extended them to slow her fall.

Lucifer was already on the ground, his arms covered in a deep red glow with a core of black. She expected heat, but she was met with such an intense cold that prickled against her skin.

“Get out of here,” he snarled when he spotted her, the hound snarling and widening its stance. The hound launched forward, jaw wide and Lucifer shoved his fist through its teeth, the arcane expanding with a blast.

“Behind you!”

Lucifer pulled back at her scream, but he was a second too late as another hound’s claws caught his side, a strange purr rattling its chest when it turned to her. Scarlet instinctively reached for her bow and drew the string. The arrow flew, impaling the new hound through the eye. She didn’t think, the urgency she felt suffocating as the second shot hit its other eye.

The hound reared back, shaking its head violently from one side to the other. Lucifer held his side, quietly cursing as green oozed from between his fingers. She went to touch around the wounds, to try and force them to heal when he shoved her to the side. The hound clipped her wing, its powerful jaws opening to clamp down on Lucifer’s head.

He caught its jaws, keeping them open with pure strength alone. With a grunt he twisted, dislocating the hound’s jaws before ripping it free altogether. The hound screeched, a gaping hole where its snout had been. It turned towards her with a rattling sound before red arcane erupted.

Scarlet just stared, her knuckles white with how hard she gripped her bow. The hounds were nothing but dust once Lucifer was finished, leaving blackened smudges on the cracked pavement.

Lucifer lifted his arm, the cuts on his side raw and oozing. Flinging her bow over her shoulder she ran to him, hands shaping his side to try and stop the blood.

“Scarlet…” he began, but she was too busy concentrating. A claw had nicked an artery between his ribs, the wound far deeper than she expected. She wasn’t sure how he was still standing. “Scarlet, stop.”

Hands encircled her wrists, yanking her away and trapping them between their chests. His breathing was heavy, and hers matched.

“What are you doing? I need to heal you!” She tried to pull her arms free, but he only tightened his grip.

“The hounds purred for you,” he said, his voice so cold it turned her blood to ice.

“Lucifer let me –”

“Why the fuck did those hounds purr for you?” he interrupted, lips curving into a sneer before his head dipped and he kissed her.

She froze, melting into his touch. It wasn’t like any of their other kisses, this one was pure possession. He invaded every one of her senses, forcing her to bend to his will and shredding all her resistance with rough sweeps of his tongue. A growl rumbled from his chest, the sound harsh before he reared back, face smoothing into a lethal calm.

“You taste like Gideon.”

Anxiety wrapped around her lungs, making every breath a struggle. “Please… you don’t understand.”

His next kiss was even more savage, his hands releasing her wrists to wrap one at the hair at her nape, and another around her throat. Tears burned her eyes, his lips sucking against her tongue. There was a sharp tug and then Lucifer was gone, appearing a few feet away to spit something black at his feet.

He’d removed Gideon’s mark.

“What have you done?” His eyes had darkened to embers, and right then he was just a

predator in pretty wrapping.

Scarlet wiped her cheeks, fingers coming away wet. “I told you I wasn’t worth it,” she whispered, flinching when the first bullet hit him.