Chapter 52
Fifty-Two
I didn’t want to do it. I wanted to keep Raphaela tied up until she released Eros. But Tonia had the power, and everyone here knew it. She could kill an entire army with that thing if she knew how to wield it correctly.
“Lucifer,” Dani said, her voice so shaky. “Lucifer, you have to.”
Eros stared up at the maroon sky, the Crucifix pressed tightly against his neck. I could already smell the scent of burning flesh. It made me shiver outwardly and lose all sense of thought. All I could think about was Eros dying.
He deserved everything in this entire world. He had saved me all those years ago. He had told me that he wanted to be with me again, and I wanted to be with him and Dani too. I didn’t want him to die. I couldn’t have him die.
I swallowed hard and tried to think clearly about this, but I couldn’t.
And so I walked to Raphaela and took her off the chains. Everyone stayed silent as I held her by the back of the neck, holding her upright.
I stared at Tonia and Eros. “Let him go, and I’ll give you her.”
“Give her to me now,” Tonia said through clenched teeth.
I knew what she was doing. I knew she wanted me to hand over Raphaela, and then she’d refuse to hand over Eros. I knew this was all hopeless. One way or another, someone was dying or leaving Hell today.
“Let him go,” I tried to say strongly.
But it came out weak and full of fear.
Tonia pressed the cross to the side of Eros’s neck, and I heard the burn. Eros cried out, his voice sounding strangled. I listened to the sizzling. I smelled the burning.
I shook my head and threw Raphaela to the ground. “Take her, just stop.”
I was desperate. Desperate for Eros to live. Desperate to start to feel for someone again. Desperate to keep the only man I loved for eternity alive.
Raphaela tumbled to the ground, then stumbled to her feet, hurrying toward Tonia. “Open the portal to Heaven,” she said. “Hurry!”
Before I could even comprehend what was going on, Tonia waved the damn cross in the air, and a portal opened to Heaven. A huge hole formed in the ground, where large white marble stairs ascended from … leading up and up and up and up.
I lunged at her to stop her, but she put the cross to Eros’s neck again. “You follow us, and I will kill him. As long as you stay away, your precious Eros will be safe.” And then she walked through the portal.
Dani screamed and lunged out of Biast’s grip, running toward it to try to reach him. Eros stared down at us with a fragile boyish look on his face, and I was terrified that this would be the last time I saw him.
The portal closed just before Dani could reach it. She fell down onto her hands and knees and let out another jarring scream. “No! Eros! No! Come back to me. Come back! Eros!” she shouted.
Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, and I clenched my jaw so it wouldn’t tremble. But all I could feel was hurt.
Biast crouched by Dani, squeezing her shoulder.
She curled up in a ball and shook her head furiously, tears streaming down her face. “I need Eros. Eros …”
I needed Eros too.
“Close all portals to Heaven and Earth,” I said, then pressed my lips together. “This is war.”
Author’s Note: To continue reading the epilogue of Lucifer’s Reign, click here.