Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Iwaved my arm, making the weapons disappear like nothing. “Stop playing, old man.”
Satan clapped his hand, and then we were no longer in the small cave, but in his castle. “Ah, this is much better. I was getting claustrophobic in that small place. Not to mention there was a mess to clean up.”
The mention of Kyrene was meant to hurt me, the barb hitting its mark, yet I pushed it to the corner of my mind to deal with later. “As you said, there are too many of us. Need to cull the weak.”
“They don’t belong here. Let them go, and I’ll be your willing beating boy…
again.” I kept my eyes on Satan, watching as he took his seat on the black throne.
He shook his head as he watched the bastard sit and casually drape one leg over an arm, while he rested his arm on one side, cradling his head in a palm.
Raina flinched, her fingers fisting into the material of my shirt. “No Creed,” she whispered.
“Don’t speak out loud. You must let me handle this, or you will suffer a fate worse than death. I have a plan.” Sure, it wasn’t ideal, but it would ensure their safety and removal.
“Why don’t you put on a little show for me? It’s been a while since I was truly…impressed.” Satan’s booming voice had a sardonic tone to it.
Turning to face Raina, I met the eyes of her brothers and Kellen.
“Hold her, and no matter what happens, do not interrupt or let her go.” All three men nodded, but none said a word.
I bent with the intention of kissing my Chosen, then thought better of it.
“If I kiss you in front of him, it will give him a perverse pleasure. Know that I am doing so and remember.”
A shield was put up between the four of them and the rest of the chamber, one I hastily constructed. “Let’s do this.”
“Very well. Let’s make a deal, shall we?
” Satan’s horns grew, gleaming onyx that looked deadly, and were as if he struck you with them.
Only you wouldn’t die. You’d be his, consumed into his body as an extension of him.
He didn’t take many into himself, only those he wanted, and my soul was one he wanted.
Part angel and a part of himself. The caveat?
He couldn’t kill his own son. However, if I were to be killed of my own free will, then all bets were off.
Satan prayed and stacked the deck in his favor for the outcome he desired.
A small horde of demons entered from all sides.
The first wave, as I like to call them. I glanced at my Chosen and the men holding her, knowing they’d see me at my worst, and hoped they wouldn’t hate what they saw.
Although I probably wouldn’t survive. Most assuredly, I wouldn’t, but I needed to buy my mother time to get through the wards that kept her out.
Once she did, she would know to get those four out.
My mind was brought back to the battle as a giant claw raked across my back, and a fist rocked my front.
I allowed more of my demon and angel to blend.
Black wings tipped in white sprang from my back.
I manipulated them, making each tip a weapon as I spun, razor-sharp feathers sliced, sending appendages flying.
First wave gone, I looked down to see a few gashes had made their mark on my own flesh.
My wings retracted, and I didn’t have time to wait for the next attack.
Females poured out, their gruesome forms went from distorted to the most gorgeous.
Bodies covered in nothing but rotting flesh became naked, voluptuous.
A man’s living fantasy coming true. My demon roared at their touch. A blast of power sent them flying.
“Quit playing, old man. You and I both know I would never betray my Chosen. Nor would I hurt a female of worth. Those are your slags.”
My father would stick his cock in anything with a hole. Black eyes filled with rage glared at me. “Very well. Let’s skip to the finale, shall we?”
Shit! My father’s pets entered. Worse than the Gallo, yet very similar.
These creatures looked like a mix of Satan and a goat.
It’s where the myth of Krampus came from.
Fucker that he was, he could enter children’s dreams and cause havoc on Christmas.
They weren’t limited in Hell, though. Their hooved feet and goat-like legs allowed them to leap great distances, while they could strike their prey with their hooves and kill with one lash.
Smoke came from their snouts, hatred burned from their beady black eyes.
Why couldn’t any of them have an ounce of intelligence?
“Could you not spawn anything with brains, Father?” I lobbed the accusation, then prepared for battle, or did what I could to prepare.
The Krampus demons didn’t come at me one-on-one, but as a pack.
They circled, showing they did indeed have some sort of brain.
Some launched over my head, their hooves hitting my horns, bits of bone chipping off.
If I unleashed my wings, they’d take no time in ripping them to shreds, as I’d experienced in the past. I’d have to cull the herd, as their numbers were too great.
Summoning two swords, I sliced through the head of one, then another, taking more kicks and hits.
The pain caused me to stumble. I blocked out Raina’s fear and worry, although I could scent her need to help, her overwhelming pain at seeing my lifeblood pouring from dozens of cuts.
Finally, when the Krampus were down to a manageable level, somewhat, I let the deadly wings appear.
A grin on Satan’s lips let me know it was a tactical error I should have known the bastard had been waiting for.
I’d been tired and weakened from the battle and blood loss, but I should have known better.
Spinning to face the new threat, I was somewhat shocked to find more of the Krampus and Gallo demons working their way toward me.
The demons working together was a first, which meant my father really wanted me dead.
“Mother, I really need you to get my Chosen and her people out of here.” I pushed out, knowing I wasn’t going to survive. I’d lived thousands of years. Now was as good a time as any to end it finally. I’d go down in a blaze of fucking glory, but not in front of Raina.
“I see it’s gonna take an army to take down little ole me. I’m honored.” I gave a mock bow. “Too bad you’re too big a pussy to try and take me out yourself,” I taunted.
Satan took the barb and snarled. “I’d love nothing more than to take your head and mount it on my wall, but there are rules, boy.”
I laughed, never taking my eyes off the threat in front of me. “Rules always matter to you. Not!”
Between one breath and the next, the horde of demons disappeared. “You are right. I am the ruler of all the Underworld. I can make the rules. Who says I can’t decide who lives and dies?” Satan stood, all signs of negligent pasha gone.
“You want to fight me?” I tossed my head back and laughed. “I will do you one better. I’ll offer my life for theirs. Allow them to go back to their realm unharmed, and you can have me.”
Before I could say a word, a small figure entered from the side. Her ghostly figure reminded me of Kyrene, only I saw goodness in her, where there was none in the other demon.
“Nay, I will not allow this.”
Satan narrowed his eyes. “You have no say.”
She smiled. “You will allow all of them to go, and I will,” she swallowed before continuing. “I will give you two more years, Father. Two years and then I will be gone. You have that time to find my mom.”
“Who are you?” I moved toward the newcomer, then froze as she held her hand up.
“I am Live, your Halfling, Kyrene’s Halfling as well. You will do as I have bartered and go with your Chosen.” A shudder wracked her small frame.
“I agree to your proposition.”
“No,” I roared, my eyes begging her not to agree, knowing it was too late. Where was my own mother? She could save them all without this tiny scrap of a being offering up her existence to Satan.
“Why, Live?” I felt as if a thousand chains held me in place.
Live walked up to me, not an ounce of fear on her face.
“My name is Live because nobody thought I would survive. I remember my mother’s words to me.
” She leaned up on her toes. “You shouldn’t be alive.
Since you live, that is your name, demon.
Then she tossed me into a pit and left me.
When Kyrene found me, I was a few days old.
She made sure I had the things I needed to survive.
I am Live, nothing else matters. Now, let them go, or the deal is off the table. ”
“Be gone, Creed, and know if I find you back here, you will be mine.” Satan waved his hand, already dismissing us.
Live’s clear blue eyes flashed triumph as she smiled at me. “Goodbye, Creed. Be well for both of us.”
“I’ll get you free, Live. I’ll find your mother and make it so.” It was a vow I would keep.
The dark look Satan sent my way would have wilted a lesser man. I raised my middle finger, backing toward Raina and the others. I felt her reaching out to me many times during my battles. I didn’t want her to feel the pain I’d been in through our bond.
A bright light burst into the dark chamber, scattering the carcasses of the dead. “You dare try to harm my child, Lucifer?”
My mother floated above the ground, her form almost too bright to look at.
The sound of shattering stone had my head whipping toward the throne, only to stare at the remains of what used to be part of Satan’s solid black chair.
The arms had been turned to dust from where my father had squeezed too tightly.
My mother’s wings spread out, creating a barrier between Satan and us. “Live, come here, child.”
Satan raised a black claw, his power raising the temperature. “She has made a bargain with me, and we have agreed.”