Prologue
MICAH
I shouldn’t be doing this.
The thought repeated in my mind like a broken record.
I shouldn’t be doing this.
I shouldn’t be doing this.
I paid no attention to it though. Instead, I forced my wings to move faster as I led my unit into Hell.
It would be a risk for any angel to enter Hell. For the Seraphim to be doing it? Heaven’s most elite and deadly unit of archangels?
It was beyond dangerous.
That was nothing compared to the legions racing behind us. As the leader of the Seraphim, I commanded respect. If I asked something of my comrades, they did it. They followed, simply because it was me. It was a position I’d earned through centuries of doing the right thing.
And how was I repaying such a prestigious honour?
By very much not doing the right thing.
Now, you might wonder what the driving force behind me making such a reckless move could be. One that would undoubtedly have me hauled before the higher powers, and possibly even the Holy Creator herself.
It was the same thing behind the majority of foolish decisions.
Love.
I wish I could say this love was a happy one. One that was well received and returned with equal fervour.
But that would be a lie.
The angel I was in love with would never be mine. He belonged to someone else. He always had.
Dimitri had never given me any indication that he returned my affections, but my foolish heart had refused to listen. Refused to see the truth that was right in front of my eyes.
Dimitri was in love with another.
Yet, when he’d called and asked for help, again, I hadn’t hesitated. I never could say no to him.
So there I was, leading my unit straight into a deadly battle, all for a man I would never have. None of them had questioned me, nor had I expected them to. Even if I hadn’t been their leader, Dimitri was a member of our unit, although it had been a long time since it had felt like he was.
Nonetheless, we protected our own, even if that meant going into Hell itself to fight a battle we had no permission to interfere in.
Bloody carnage spread along the banks of the river Styx. Lucifer was battling against an Uprising, and his four sons fought for him, one of whom was Dagon. The demon who had stolen what should’ve been mine.
Ezekiel pulled level with me, his shrewd eyes scanning the mayhem below. “We can’t let the Uprising win. Who knows who will end up on the throne.”
I grunted my agreement. That would be the reasoning I’d give when I was questioned over our presence here. Better the devil you know was a saying for a reason. At least with Lucifer, we knew what sorts of barbaric and calculated chaos to expect.
It wasn’t like I broke the rules often. Outside of helping Dimitri, I didn’t stick a toe out of line.
But love makes fools of us all.
Scanning the battlefield, I searched for a glimpse of white wings among the legions of black ones. It didn’t take me long to find him. My instincts always knew how to find Dimitri.
I really wished they didn’t.
He was surrounded by demons and ghasts—horrible creatures that were a mix of demons and ghosts. A demon with bright blue hair was battling near him.
Dagon.
Try as I might, I couldn’t bring myself to hate him. Not when it was obvious how much he loved Dimitri.
Didn’t mean I had to like him though.
From our position in the sky, I could see that the demons on Dimitri’s side were being herded. They were in danger of being overwhelmed.
“Break the lines,” I barked to the Seraphim. “Give Lucifer’s sons some breathing room.”
The final syllable had barely left my lips before I spotted something horrific.
A higher demon, one with the ability to permanently end other supernaturals, had his sword raised. I could feel his power rising from here.
Both that, and his blade, were aimed at the bright blue head of Dimitri’s lover.
I didn’t think.
I just moved.
Using the lightning coursing through my veins, I teleported through the sky. My weapon was in my hand as I landed in front of Dagon.
The force reverberated up my arm as our blades connected, but I held firm.
I didn’t even give the demon time to look surprised before I ended his eternal life with one sweep of my sword.
Behind me, I heard Dimitri crash into Dagon.
“Thank fuck,” he was sobbing. “Oh, thank fuck.”
“I’m okay,” Dagon responded huskily.
My stomach twisted at their tender exchange. I distracted myself by dispatching another demon who had the nerve to draw too close.
Finally though, I knew I could ignore them no longer. Throwing my shield over us all to keep us safe, I forced myself to face them.
Dimitri had Dagon in his arms, but he pulled back to look at me. “Thank you.”
His words were like an arrow to my heart. Thank you. It was such a simple thing. A kind gesture. Dimitri had always been kind.
Except for the time I’d interfered in his and Dagon’s relationship. To this day, that was my biggest regret. The fracture it had caused between us was something that no good deed would ever repair.
I couldn’t look directly at them. Couldn’t bear to focus on the reminder of what I’d never have. “You’re welcome.”
“You came.”
I rolled my eyes internally. When had I ever said no to Dimitri? For heaven’s sake, this wasn’t even the first time I’d dragged the Seraphim into Hell for him. “We wouldn’t let you down. The whole unit is here.”
“Thank you,” Dimitri said again. “Seriously.”
The tension stretched between us; a wire covered in barbs I didn’t know how to remove. It had been like this between us for so long now that I couldn’t even remember the easy camaraderie we’d once shared.
I hated it.
Suddenly, a weight hit my side. I gave a surprised oof as Dagon wrapped me in a bear hug.
“What’s happening right now?” I said in alarm.
“Thank you.” Dagon’s voice was a whisper in my ear. “I know what it must’ve cost you to come here. Again. You knew I’d be here, but you came anyway. For him. For what it’s worth…I’m sorry. I hope you find happiness.”
Well that’ll never happen now Dimitri has you, now will it?
“Thanks,” I said stiffly, trying to remove myself from his embrace. But to my frustration, he wasn’t releasing me. “Can you let me go now?”
“In a moment,” he said with that charm he’d always had. “One more message. If you ever touch Dimitri in a sexual way again, I’ll tear out your tongue before siccing Harlow on you.”
The reminder of my past mistake was almost too much to bear. Dagon didn’t need to threaten me with his psychotic brother though. I’d already vowed never to touch Dimitri again.
It might have taken me a few centuries to wake up to the fact he’d never been mine, but now I had, there was no going back.
“Understood?” Dagon asked, not bothering to hide the threat in his tone.
“Perfectly,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Excellent.” Dagon finally released me. “Now, any ideas on what we should do about this?”
I surveyed the demons and ghasts surrounding us, their bloodthirsty faces pushed up against my shield. It wouldn’t be long before one of them broke through. “You said your brothers’ mates are here?”
“Yes,” Dimitri said slowly. “Oscar, Bailey, and our mate, Lucky, are all inside somewhere.”
The already bleeding gash in my heart was cut deeper. I swallowed hard, forcing down the emotion screaming to be released. “Your mate? As in, he’s the mate to both of you?”
“Yes.” Dimitri didn’t shy away in his response. “Lucky is mated to both of us.”
“Fucking peachy,” I muttered, glaring up at the sky as though I could personally see fate or whoever the fuck decided these things.
I would have loved to have a one-on-one chat with them, to ask what I had done to justify me having to witness the man who owned my heart mated to not one but two others.
There’d been room for another in their relationship, just not for me.
Never for me.
“Okay, so we need to break them free while also winning this battle,” I said.
“That’s right. Did you say your unit is here?”
I didn’t glance at Dagon as I answered him. I couldn’t. It was taking all my willpower to just hold myself together. “Yes…plus a couple of others.”
Dimitri’s jaw fell open. “Was that sanctioned?”
“No.”
“I don’t understand.” Dimitri’s shock was understandable. It was one thing for the Seraphim to fight for Hell, but it was unheard of for other units to intervene too. “Why?”
His question sank its claws into the wound on my heart and tore it in two. How could he ask me that? Didn’t he know there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him?
This was too much. I needed to get away from him. From Dagon. From the happiness the two of them had waiting with their third.
“I persuaded them.” I stepped back, opening my wings.
My attention caught on the small audience behind us.
Two of Dagon’s brothers, Cal and Harlow, were there along with Ferry—better known as the Grim Reaper.
Like us, he’d obviously chosen to fight on the side of Lucifer.
“I assume your power reserves are running too low for substantial shields.”
Dagon nodded curtly. “Yes. That’s why we’re still here. We can’t fly out.”
I gave a high-pitched whistle, summoning Ezekiel and Rami.
They landed at my side almost immediately, both embracing Dimitri.
While Rami looked at ease in present company, Ezekiel’s jaw was tense.
Fire glimmered off his hair, making the red shine brighter than ever, but it had nothing on the heat in his eyes.
Ezekiel hated being here as much as I did.
It was hard, having to fight for those you’d been raised to hate.
He’d have to suck up his prejudices though. I couldn’t fly them all out of here alone.
“We’ll fly you all to the front lines,” I said gruffly. “We can shield you and come up with a new plan from there.”
Dimitri stepped close to me, and the miniscule grip I had on my control threatened to slip. “Thank you.”
I swear to the Holy Creator, if he thanks me once more, I won’t be held accountable for my actions.