Dance of Wings (Curse of the Guardians #7)

34. Scarlet

Chapter 34

Scarlet

S carlet could barely breathe seeing Lucifer restrained on Cassiel’s table. He stroked down Lucifer’s chest, dipping into the slashes along his side.

“Stop!” she cried, pressing her fingers to his pulse. “You said you wouldn’t hurt him.”

Lucifer groaned, head rolling to the side to face her. She gently brushed the hair from his face, her hand shaking.

Cassiel pinned her with a sharp stare from the other side. “We don’t have long to conduct any research before Gideon wants him. A week at most.” Picking up a set of tweezers, he dipped it into one of the holes littering Lucifer’s body, retrieving what remained of the specialised bullet. Lucifer had been shot a total of five times, and Scarlet recoiled every time Cassiel removed a bullet and let it clink against the metal tray.

“You’ve got what you wanted,” she said quietly, feeling Cassiel’s eyes on her. “Now give me my brother.”

Lucifer’s breathing was rough, his pulse beating far too quickly. She could feel him fighting the sedation, his healing ability sluggishly repairing the worst of the injuries.

“There’s been a change of plans.” Cassiel set the tweezers down, the tips of his fingers red. “We never had the eye.”

Scarlet stilled, looking down to find Lucifer watching her through slitted lids. But he was groggy, not fully awake. “But Kit –”

“Yes, my son lost his temper. Apparently they got into an argument and well… you know the results.” Cassiel shrugged, the movement so casual that she fisted her hands. “The eye must have been lost, or possibly misplaced in all the excitement. I guess we’ll never know.”

“That was the agreement,” she hissed, inching towards the cuff on Lucifer’s left wrist. She barely managed to touch the lock before Cassiel was beside her, picking up one of the pre-prepared hypodermics. Tapping the needle for air bubbles he plunged it into Lucifer’s neck.

“Agreements change,” he said, tossing the needle back onto the tray beside the table. A range of instruments had been prepped, including an assortment of fresh scalpels. Picking one up, Cassiel pinched the blade between his thumb and finger, gently rubbing until it began to change to gold. “Now, please go grab my papers. I’ll need you to take notes.”

She slipped her fingers beneath the cuff, finding the release.

“Scarlet?” he tutted, placing the golden scalpel down. “Are we really going to do this?”

The cuff clicked free at the same time a pain shot through her face. Scarlet threw herself into the momentum, turning towards the array of tools and instruments. She reached for the bone saw, a pain searing down her wing.

“Such a disappointment.” Cassiel pulled her back, his hand closing around her throat. “This is why women don’t belong in wars.”

She cut along his arm, the saw slicing with little effort before he pulled it from her grasp, and shoved her head forcibly against the wall. Tiles cracked, a sharp pain radiating through her skull and Scarlet sagged, her vision threatening to go black.

“Remember, you made this happen.” He pulled her wing forcibly, and using the same saw sliced at her wing anchor. Scarlet screamed, the pain like lightning through her back. “You came to me.”

Falling to her knees, she gritted her teeth, trying to concentrate through the pain. Another slice on the other side, and Scarlet collapsed forward. Her entire body felt electrocuted, as if every nerve was on fire. Panicked, she looked over her shoulder, expecting to find her wings missing.

“I only nicked them.” Cassiel knelt down, pinching her chin and forcing her to look up. He was getting annoyed by her pain. “They’ll heal in a few days, but only if you behave.”

Tears burned down her face. “Fuck you.”

“A woman shouldn’t curse.” Cassiel pinched harder, contrasting against his thumb which brushed gently against her cheek. “Fight me all you want, it’ll just make your submission that much more sweeter. Now get up, we have a lot to do before Gideon returns.”

He stood, leaving her on the floor. Her hands shook beneath her weight, back aching and her wings limp. “You’re delusional if you think I’d ever help you.”

“I’d already considered that,” he said, his tone monotonous when he grabbed a scalpel. “Which was why I had your implant removed at the beginning.”

Scarlet shook, her stomach threatening to revolt.

“Don’t look so concerned, I have no interest in such carnal needs. It would be artificial insemination, and unlike Kit’s mother you will carry the child to term. It’s the only reason I’m not removing your wings entirely. I can’t have the mother of my children a Fallen.”

Lucifer’s skin split, the blade drawn down the centre of his chest with a quiet hiss.

“It would put a bit of a delay on things, but I’m a patient man. Any child we produce together would inherit both our abilities, including your knowledge on healing. Just imagine the creations we could design.”

“I’ll never have your children,” she hissed, the black in her peripheral growing with each passing second.

A clang of metal, followed by the strong scent of blood. “I never said you had a choice.”