The Demon of Angels (Bk. 2)
24

ZEKE

A THUNDEROUS CRACK of lightning split the sky, shattering any hope of a civil resolution. The wind stirred the trees above, dancing with everything that was dark and light as it encircled us. With our eyes forward and bodies poised, we were ready to defend at any given moment.

The blood running through my veins bled black, showcasing itself through my veins and the unrelenting power that sparked and sizzled within me. The stir of my Hybrid rattled within. The monster chained inside was begging to break free as my new black and white wings sprung from my back.

Celeste stood up front, her wings flaring out from her shoulder blades in breath-taking feathered beauty. Her eyes burned a molten gold and specked with black Black, and purple bolts of lightning kissed her skin. The pure power that radiated from my mate rooted me in place.

Noah and I stood at either side of her while the others had our six. Noah’s eyes were illuminating a powerful crimson red. His canines were lengthened, poking his bottom lip while furth rippled the length of his arms. Bragden, Axel, Morgan, and Hardin matched his demeanor, the boys shirtless and Morgan in a sports bra. All were dressed in athletic shorts, prepared to shift whenever necessary.

Hannah and Charlie stood behind them, hands fisted with demonic smokey swirls of heat and fire cusped their fingers. Evan and Maddie brought up the rear, eyes glowing a magnificent pure Celestial blue. Wings sprouted from each of their backs, ready to take to the skies at any given moment.

Smoke seemed to radiate from Celeste’s skin as the power surging within her increased tenfold. She was losing patience, and if something didn’t happen soon, her eyes would turn into black pits like her father’s, and she would lose herself to the Hybrid within.

The air began spiraling out of control. Trees bowed and broke at the roots. Each crash that pounded against the forest floor behind us vibrated the quaking ground beneath our feet. None of us flinched, even as the sun disappeared completely, while the ruptured and snapped branches hung in the air.

I wanted to reach out and touch Celeste to calm her. We all knew, however, that we needed some of that darkness to come out and play if we wanted to survive. So I held back, no matter how many times my hands would twitch, aching to reach out to touch her.

Clapping in the distance caught everyone’s attention, our bodies on high alert as a dark figure materialized in the distance. A low vibration of power went through my chest, parting my lips in an unholy growl as the figure continued to walk forward.

His footsteps paused when he was a hundred feet from us. The black smoke licking at his tux acting as a deadly poison. He wore all black, the only color coming from his blood-colored pupils in the depths of his black eyes. They burned a horrifying hole in the back of my mind. I snarled, stepping forward, so I was in line with Celeste.

Death’s gaze flickered to me, a grin placed firmly upon his lips, then switched to the girl next to me. “Hello, Daughter.”

Celeste snarled, a bolt of lightning snapping through the sky and tearing a crater in the ground between Death and us. “Fuck you.”

That’s my girl. I smirked to myself.

I could taste Celeste’s power as it thrummed through me, just as mine did for her, Noah, and Evan. It fueled us, empowering us to our max capacity. Every fiber in our beings was pulsing in exhilaration, pleading to be released.

Death snickered. “Not bad, Daughter. But your power is nothing when compared to mine,” he growled.

Celeste’s golden eyes churned, molding in a dark gold as the black further infused itself in her irises. “We’ll see about that,” she murmured, snapping her head back as she opened up her arms.

A week ago, I would have questioned if the energy coming from my mate was Death’s, but now I knew. The wind encircling us stirred, darkening the sky above and giving way to a new power none of us had ever felt before.

It was all hers, her very own version of death itself.

The crack of bones snapping behind me caught my attention. Snarls and howls fueled the air as the Hellhounds shifted, threatening growls aimed at the man on the other side of that crater. Each padded their way in front of Celeste, Noah in front and guarding her with his body. They were a gang of unruly wolves, vicious and bloodthirsty under the setting sun. Noah’s wolf was juiced up from our combined strength. His fur was licking with tendrils of smoke, fire sprouting from his snout as he snarled, giving us all a new definition of a Hellhound.

A cloud of black swirled at Death’s feet, and slowly, his own army of demons arose. They bordered either of his sides in snarling masses, bowing to his every will. Hellhounds, Fallen Angels, and Ghouls faced us in at least a seven-to-one ratio.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Death bellowed, his voice echoing through the thundering claps of his daughter’s power. Death gestured to us, then to those behind him. “Welcome to Hell on Earth.”

★★★

CELESTE

NOAH TILTED HIS snout and howled, then lowered his head and snarled menacingly; the other hounds promptly followed suit. While their Alpha stood at my side, his Beta took charge.

Welcome to Hell on Earth.

My hair twirled in the powerful wind; the storm brewing above was beckoned from the power at my fingertips. Rage boiled to the surface as the man that conceived me gave me a wicked grin full of death and promise. My Hybrid was eager to come out and play at the sight.

Fallen Angels, Ghouls, and Hellhounds roared into the evening sky behind my father, their howls echoing in the wind. I gritted my teeth, slowly letting the reigns go on my Hybrid as I pulled more energy from my core, from the depths of my soul, then pushed the power it created outward.

Demons were known to have the power of fire and poisonous inky black smoke, while Celestials carried the power of the sun’s rays and angel fire. Hybrids were almost unheard of, let alone the powers they possessed. As my gaze locked on my father’s, rage boiled my soul, and lightning licked my fingers. I cracked my neck and flared my nose.

I guess it was time to find out.

Noah charged first, becoming a blur of fire and black fur as he rushed forward. Axel, Hardin, Bragden, and Morgan followed in howling masses. Death’s army charged forward a second later, shrieks of their battle cries echoing through the open forest.

Noah howled again and leaped into the air, coming down hard just before his dagger-like teeth sunk into the first bit of flesh he could find. The Fallen Angel yelped, clawing at the Hound, but it was no use against Noah’s powered strength as he ripped the Fallen’s head from its shoulders.

The hounds attacked the many that emerged from Death’s side. Soon the others of our group charged forward, Evan and Maddie taking to the skies as Zeke and I stayed back. My gaze was pinned to the man with black pits for eyes, and then I smiled.

A burning sensation tickled my core, calling forth the monster beneath my skin’s surface. In the distance, a rumble erupted from the sky, followed by a strike of lightning as it came down on Death’s army. Blood-curdling screams penetrated my ears as the demons and beings of Death’s army began to parish, even with the odds stacked against us.

Just like that, a quarter of his army was dead.

Dirt and smoke littered the air, clouding my view of my father. As the dust settled, my gaze snapped to the area he had previously stood. I inhaled sharply when he was no longer there. I scanned the forest for the man that was behind this mess. Then I spotted him, smiling as he held two hounds by their throats, his eyes dark and dangerous as he stared out at the chaos. “Time to let the pups play,” he said before tossing them to the ground, treating them as though they were weightless puppies instead of monstrous beasts.

Taking a step forward, a hand shot out and snatched my wrist. I paused, following the black-veined hand to its owner. Even through his golden eyes, I could see how torn Zeke was. We both knew everything we’ve been through led to this. I didn’t need Zeke’s protection, and neither did I need Noah’s. I also knew nothing I could tell them would make them believe it.

“You’re much stronger than you think. Your father is strong, but so are you. You can do this, Celeste. You just have to believe in yourself just as much as everyone else does. We’re in this together.” Zeke then leaned down and whispered, “I love you.” As he pulled away, I kissed the underlining of his jaw.

It was what I was born to do. It was Death versus me. Father and Daughter reunited for one last time. Only one would make it out alive today, and I prayed it would be me.

Please let it be me– it has to be me.

It hurt to leave him standing there as I took off after my father, but it had to be done. Glancing over my shoulder, I mouth those three beloved words back to him with my heart in my hands. There were no promises that could be kept. Not today.

Pulling energy from my core, it coursed through my body, waiting for my command. Two Hellhounds snarled as they caught sight of me. Pushing my power underneath me, I waited until they were close, then jumped and hovered ten feet above the ground. The hounds collided with each other, yelping as they fell over, unconscious.

I twisted my body in the air and then landed in a crouch in the grass-covered dirt. I looked toward my father again. He was watching me with interest but made no move to advance. If he were trying to tire me out, it wouldn’t work.

A sudden presence at my back alerted me to my best friend. I knew he was standing there staring at me before I turned around. Noah was looking straight through me with his knowing gaze, his eyes pleading. “I know what you’re planning on doing, Celeste.” He pointed to his chest. “I can feel it.”

“I’m going after my father,” I replied evenly. Everyone knew that.

“You’re not going to get yourself killed by doing so. You have Zeke and I for a reason.”

“If it’ll stop him, I’ll do what needs to be done.” And I’m going to make sure you two don’t get hurt in the process.

“Think about what your death would do to everyone. Don’t do that to us.” Noah’s gaze flickered off to the side where I knew my mate was. “Don’t do that to him,” he pleaded.

My voice softened as I caressed his face with my eyes. “I may not have a choice, buddy.” A shield surfaced around us as I pushed some of my power out in a makeshift bubble. A fallen angel ran toward us and then bounced off the shield as I motioned toward Death. His eyes never left me. “He’s stronger than you think.”

“No, he’s not. You think that you have to sacrifice yourself to prove you’re strong, but you don’t. You can take on your father without it resulting in your death. You proved that yesterday.” Noah grabbed my shoulders. “Celeste, look at me.”

I kept my eyes on the fight around us. I needed to be out there. It was hard telling who had the upper hand. My eyes glued themselves to Maddie as I watched her fight off a ghoul with her rays, wings batting away a few ghouls. A Hellhound behind her suddenly fell to the ground, so I knew that Evan was still with her.

Bragden and Axel were working together, fighting off a few Fallen Angels right behind me. Axel caught my gaze, a question in his eyes, probably wondering what was going on.

Noah grabbed my chin suddenly and forced me to look up at him. “Celeste, you are strong, and you are prepared. You can do this without causing your death. Would your mom want you to just give up in the end?”

I grumbled. Asshole. Using the mom card was just rude.

“Some things are hard to change,” I whispered to him.

“Not if you have faith,” he whispered back and pushed my hair away from my face. “Fight for those you love, Celeste. No one will forgive you if you sacrifice yourself,” Noah glanced back toward Charlie, but I knew he was actually looking at Zeke. “No one.”

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I reluctantly nodded at my protector, receiving his message loud and clear. Noah pecked my forehead with a small kiss, then took off with blinding speed. He leaped into the air, shifted, then landed hard on a pair of fallen angels that were snapping at Charlie.

Turning away, I faced my father once again, not surprised to see him in the same spot he had been in. His face shifted suddenly, a sadistic smile twisted within his features as then he took off, running straight toward me.

I kept the protective dome up, steady on my feet as he charged me. Death’s movements were much quicker than what I remembered.

He barreled into the shield, which I had expected, but I hadn’t expected for him to break through and knock me on my ass. My head cracked hard against the cold forest floor, throbbing immediately after impact. My back ached from being slammed into the ground, screaming at me in protest of any movement.

As soon as I could breathe properly again, I thrust my power out in golden bolts of lightning, shooting my father off of me. I rose to my feet, bruises already healing. Michael’s words echoed in the back of my mind as I watched my father stand.

Look for weaknesses, no matter how small, and use it against them.

Steady on my feet, I charged forward. Lightning shot out of my palms again, aiming straight for his chest. Death jumped to the side, but some of the bolts snagged his shoulder. I didn’t hesitate, shooting Celestial rays at his heart. That time I didn’t miss. I caught Death’s angered look right as my feet were lifted off the ground, and I was flying backward.

This was bullshit.

Time seemed to move in slow motion. Death watched me in sickening glee as I was thrust backward, my back smashing against the hard trunk of a tree. I landed on the hard rocks below, rolling three times before coming to a stop on my stomach. Growling, I hopped back on my feet as my ribs snapped back into place, but the ringing in my ears didn’t seize.

It sounded like I was suddenly transported to a busy, bustling city. Slowly, the ringing ebbed off, but that momentary lapse of a distraction was all the time he needed. I screamed as his hand grabbed a fist full of my hair, jerking my head back with a snap. I glared up at my father while he smiled gleefully down at me. “So powerful. That’s what they foretold. Yet here you are,” his foot jabbed the back of my legs. I collapsed, the tug on my hair straining as it was pulled taught. “On your knees, bowing at my feet like the scrap you really are.”

Evan appeared behind my father as he pulled my neck back an inch farther, straining my windpipe. Zeke snarled somewhere behind me, and I could almost feel his pain from here. Hands wrapped around my father’s throat, and his grip on my hair loosened until I was able to break free. Evan took to the skies, only letting go of Death until he was satisfied with the height of their fall.

An angered scream poured from my father’s throat as he plummeted to the ground. I wished there was a stake that would penetrate his body once he landed, as he had once intended for Noah.

Flaring my nose, I waited until his body landed with a sickening crack in the ground, vibrating the dirt beneath my feet, before pushing off my toes and charging, not letting the demon get a chance to breathe.

I zipped to the small crater where his body lay but stopped short when I realized he wasn’t there. I spun around, unable to defend my face as Death slammed into my jaw with a smokey-covered fist.

My head was whipped to the side; I had no time to recover; another blow to my ribs, breaking them once more. I cried out as I slammed back on my ass.

Love and anger crashed into me at the same moment. I recognized it as Zeke’s. Gritting my teeth, I used his anger to fuel mine as I forced my power out in a mix of blackened bolts of lighting and angel fire. My father yelped and flew backward, crashing onto the hard ground.

I threw a shield up and around me as I turned around. Zeke was looking at me, watching me. I wanted nothing more than to go over to him and forget about everything happening around us, but I couldn’t. I had to fight for Zeke and the others. I had to fight. Without him– for him.

I took a deep breath and turned around, quite possibly facing my imminent death. My father stood to his feet, a snarl twisting his features as he tilted his head back, calling to his own power within. I smirked.

This is going to be fun.

One of the fallen appeared before me, hissing as it lunged. I side-swiped his grasp, latching onto his wings, and tugged. The fallen screamed as I twisted the wing, pushing some of my angel fire forth, singeing his black feathers. He screamed as anger twisted its features.

Before I could react, a hand came forward and slapped my cheek. My neck twisted from the blow, my ears and head ringing as I stumbled back a step. Wiping the blood from my lip, I stood firmly on my feet, eyeing the fallen with a snort. “Come on, Tinker Bell, is that all you got?”

When he swung this time, I was ready. As he swung, I ducked, white orbs encasing my hands as I pushed them forward. They hit the fallen’s chest as his fist came into contact with my temple. The fallen screamed as it flew into a tree behind him, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as another leaped out in front of me.

Rage boiled to the surface as my patience grew thin, my Hybrid growling for a complete release. I shoved her back.

Not yet.

The Fallen Angel was prepping to lunge at me when he suddenly stopped. His eyes widened as he looked at me. A smirk curved the edge of my lips as I watched him scurry away in fear, then I met my father’s eyes.

As soon as Death smiled, I felt a tug on one of my bonds and a scream resonated through the broken air.

Growling, I refused to turn until death stayed put. Lifting my arms upward, lightning shot from the sky and burned the ground in a circle around his feet. Whipping around, I saw that it was Maddie who screamed. She jumped forward and grabbed onto Evan as a few Fallen Angels in front of her pulled sharped claws out of his side, ripping out a few of his organs as black tendrils of demonic poison simmered from its spot on his open wound.

Bragden and Axel stormed forward behind the fallen, twisting each of their necks and breaking them. The Fallen Angels slumped to the ground soundlessly, but it clearly was too late. Maddie fell from Evan’s sudden weight. Axel jumped to her side and helped Bragden move Evan. Evan started convulsing. Even from this distance, I could see the tears streaming down Maddie’s face.

A piece of my heart shattered.

Bragden yelled at Maddie, to help heal him, but she was leaning over his brother in shock. Motionless beside the subtle shake of her head.

I scanned the clearing, but I didn’t see Zeke or Noah at all. They were lost in the fight, with probably no idea that the one they had called brother for so long was dying. Evan whispered something to Maddie and went limp. Maddie covered her mouth, turned to Axel, and sobbed into his shoulder. I knew what that meant, and a piece of my soul shattered. The bond with Evan was black and lifeless.

Evan was dead.

That sharp pain in my soul intensified, and I screamed out, the deafening sound echoing across the entire field as I fell to my knees. My Hybrid took that as her chance. She shot to the surface, taking control of us as tears poured from my eyes.

My soul split, cracking from the loss of someone I was supposed to protect. My gaze shifted to the man responsible, my grief shifting like a switch from agony to wrath.

I returned my attention to the man responsible for all of what was in front of me. He was going to pay for this. Evan was a good man; he shouldn’t have died here. He was my best friend, full of life and love yet to give. I loved him like a brother, and I would never forget him. The pain in my heart and soul was unbearable, but my Hybrid pushed us through.

The sky above us darkened, rain coming in pouring waves. The battle sounds behind me disappeared. It was just me and my father.

Several beings from Death’s army eyed me then, charging forward. Souls as black as night, their hearts didn’t exist, and with intentions that would destroy the world.

They all had to die.

Poisonous smoke spread from my hands, spinning around on the ground to make an arena for warriors in battle. It wrapped around each like its own blackened entity. Just as their bodies halted, I clapped my hands. The poisonous smoke caught fire as lightning struck, burning their bodies from their bones.

Their screams decorated the air with a delicious taste, and I drank it in, loving the feeling of revenge for my pack member’s death before I charged and grabbed two hounds by the throat. The poison of my touch, the flicker of angel fire, and the kiss of death all work together to steal the essence that kept them here. Pieces of them start breaking off into bits of ashes until they finally crumbled into a pile of rubble at my feet.

My dark hair whipped in the wind as I turned to face my father. A power I’ve only felt once before radiated through me, pushing me to continue. Madness broke free from me, causing more chaos as the moon peaked behind the storm clouds, shedding darkened light on the creatures who found their sanity in the war at hand.

I pulled more from my soul, supercharging my Hybrid from the power within us, our mate, and Noah. The bones in our body began to boil as the layers of my skin cracked, glowing mixtures of bright gold, purple, blue, black, and white beneath the surface. I continued pulling until it felt like we would explode, and then I waited.

My father took a single step forward; I snapped.

My head shot upward; my arms spread wide with eager fingers spread out. My throat opened, and I screamed, letting go.

Pretty cries of death echoed through the air as they fell. Wilting under my power, they crumbled, breaking under the strength that won’t let up or offer mercy.

My father had never shown mercy, so neither will I.

Everyone left standing in my father’s army dropped dead. Charred from angel fire, pale and lifeless from the demonic poison, or electrocuted to death from my Hybrid.

Zeke appeared at my side, his body illuminated from my otherworldly glow encased around me. With a deep breath, I gritted my teeth. “Get into position. It’s time to end this.”

Zeke gave me a firm nod. Determination, weariness, and love flowed through our bond, and I was questioning if he had yet heard the news of Evan. He took to the skies and flapped his wings until he was hovering ten feet above Death’s head.

Turning to my father for what I knew was the last time, I let the final chains on my Hybrid drop away.

She pulsed forward, the greedy monster she was, and eyed our father hungrily. It felt like another bomb had exploded inside of me but remained inside. The ground quaked beneath my feet. I felt another burst of energy, and a renewed power surged ignited within me. My breathing became easy and crisp then, rejuvenating me and my wrath– my revenge.

Something within snapped then mended in the same breath. Untamed power, strength, and exhilaration. I tasted the darkness, felt the light, and all came together in one seamless bond. The cracks within my skin widened, but I didn’t care. Death was coming, and my father would feel it as I unleashed it upon him. His own flesh and blood, the creation he intended for redemption, bring him to his knees and his end.

My father broke free from the ring of electrified angel fire and charged, but I was ready for him. In a single release, I freed the wrath I felt for my father upon him in tendrils of poisonous smoke; the love I held for my family in rays of Celestial sunlight; the ache in my chest for Evan in flames of angel fire; and the revenge in my heart for taking so much away from me because of his personal vendetta in bolts of thunderous lightning strikes– and he never saw it coming.

His screams were music to my ears as my power struck him in the chest and then in the head as I pushed it further. The moonlight cast over us was no match for the glow of power that radiated from my body.

But I didn’t stop– not until I knew he was a pile of ash at my feet.

Curling my arms, I turned the deadly power into a vortex, morphing it, so it struck the man in the center, white sucking the air and life from his lungs.

The hurdling winds and power closed in tighter, closing off any means of escape, and seizing my father inside. I collapsed onto one knee as my airways tightened, my skin split wider, and the illuminating glow encompassing my body burned brighter.

Gritting my teeth, my thoughts captured themselves around Zeke and Noah. My mate and best friend. We had all these plans together, but I was unsure if we’d ever get to experience them now. He stole those from me– stole everything from me. My mother, and my childhood; my family that I never knew about, and worst of all– Evan.

Those boys meant everything to me, so I wrapped my love for them around my soul, using it as another buildup of energy. It conformed into renewed power, and I thrust it forward with a small frown.

I was going to disappoint all of them, but this had to be done.

I’m sorry, Noah, and I’m so sorry, Zeke.

Noah and Evan’s jokes echoed in the background as I kept pushing. The time that Zeke and I went to the beach filled my mind. My power strengthened as the happy memories and love for my mate intermingled with the power-raging strands leaving my body. Wrapping my love for Noah around vibrating pieces of energy, I pushed those out too. The memories of teasing the redhead were pulled to the front of my mind, and though my body started to protest my actions, I didn’t stop.

I thought about everyone, but especially those that came here to fight today, and of the precious lives that were lost at my father’s hand.

All of these emotions cascaded out of me and infused themselves with my powers in a never-ending stream of energy. My father couldn’t come out of this alive; I wouldn’t allow it.

All the strength had left my body, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. Even when Zeke was screaming my name, begging me to close off the energy flow, but I still didn’t stop.

I closed my eyes and focused on the vortex.

Time to end this.

Taking one last deep breath, I gathered every tendril of power I could reach, leaving nothing left but an empty, powerless soul. The energy burning within my core turned to smoke as it burnt out. I could no longer see what was going on around me, nor could I hear anything, but I knew what I had to do.

Wrapping my power of storm, sun, health, and death into one giant ball of powerful pulsating vibrancy, I thrust it forward toward the vortex. Everything I had in me left and moved through the air. I blinked open my eyes and watched in slow motion as my power melded around the vortex.

A few seconds passed, and the skin was torn from my body, but the glowing power beneath was now empty and dull. Everything exploded around me, my father let out one last scream, and my vision went black.

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