“Thank fuck I had Hubris with me,” she whispers while we run down the hall.
The demons are all rushing around, the sounds of armor and swords clanging ringing out like a call to war.
“Torque,” Mammon calls. I glance behind me to see my general, suited for battle with two swords. He throws me a weapon and follows us.
“How the fuck do we get out of here?” Anima shouts. They’ve barred the front doors of the castle. Demons huddle in a corner, awaiting their fates.
“This way,” a soldier calls out. She doesn’t second guess who he is, just follows blindly.
We race down two more corridors before we come to a small side door. This must be the servants’ entrance. He pushes the door open, and the sounds of battle assault my ears.
My blood pumps as we rush into the fray. Anima sticks to the shadows, dipping in and out to slice down her enemies. Mammon and I charge straight ahead, cutting down as many of our foes as we can.
The sky opens again, and lightning strikes steps away from where I’m slicing through a soldier. It briefly highlights the battlefield, and I look up to see the source of the power.
Three dragons swoop in our direction; one is a storm dragon. Where in the fuck did he get a storm dragon?
Uriel flies high, his flaming sword at his side, ready to cut down the riders and their mounts. I turn my attention back to the fight on the ground to see Anima beheading a demon with Hubris. She has to jump to reach his neck, but her form is perfect.
“King-who-isn’t,” a voice snarls from behind me.
Fucking Caine. I should have known he was here for more than one reason. We were once friends in a way that young lords are. We didn’t care where we were from; it was all about the trouble we’d get into.
“I have you to thank for allowing Scur to know where we are then.”
“I take great pleasure in watching you get beat. It’s a hobby of mine.”
“This time, it isn’t me that you’re fighting. You’ve sided with the wrong brother. It has been an exceedingly long thirty years.”
He cackles like a mad witch. “You think I’m scared of you?”
“I’d say he isn’t, but it’s probably because he saw me before you did,” Anima says from behind Caine.
“You’re always interrupting my fights.” I pout, but a sly smile crosses my face.
“I never expected to have to save my mate so much,” she quirks back.
The sound of mate coming from her mouth makes my insides heat with want. She’s so sexy wearing my clothes while coated in blood.
“Would you be so kind? Our battle lies elsewhere, and he’s starting to bore me.”
“I thought you’d never ask,” she replies, calling her magic. Her shadow smoke wraps around Caine, causing his sword to clang to the floor.
Her silver eyes glow as she lifts him from the ground, using her angel magic to solidify the bonds. Caine yells in agony. A bloodcurdling scream that has several soldiers stopping their fights to see what’s causing the noise.
His skin turns to ash, gray cracks covering his entire body. The light seeps out of his eyes while the force of her power breaks him apart, leaving only small traces where Caine used to be.
“Well, that’s new,” she says, releasing the power and calling it back into her.
The soldiers around us stand stock still, giving Anima another look. She’s more powerful than anything I’ve ever seen. For someone to transform shadow smoke into a tangible thing is odd, but to add holy magic and make it suck out a demon’s essence? That’s fucking rare.
“New magic tricks,” Scur says, coming up behind me and trying to thrust his sword into my back like the coward he is. I spin out of the way at the last minute, managing to avoid the blow. His sword lands in the dirt where I was standing.
Anima’s growl is loud, almost like she’s channeling Namir. “You motherfucking jackhole piece-of-shit,” she spits, moving forward. Her sword is raised, and her smoke coils out of her hands. She looks like a queen of death.
“I’ve missed your blood, sweet one,” he purrs.
I don’t think. Instead, I attack, my entire body covered in my armor within seconds. We dance, swords clashing, and I put all my strength into each blow. I don’t care what it takes—my brother will die today.
“What’s the matter, brother? Afraid she enjoys me more?”
“Never. I’m not jealous of a psycho who would prefer his women tied up and used against their will. You’re a disgrace to the crown. If Father were here, he’d spit on your memory after I kill you.”
“When you’re dead, I’ll make sure she forgets all about you.”
He charges, using his momentum to bring his sword up and around. There’s only so much time to block before he cuts my head off.
I brace for the impact, but it never comes. Looking up, I see Scur’s sword covered in coils of Anima’s magic.
“Why is it that guys talk about women like they can’t hear? It’s rude.”
She gives me a shake of her head as she pushes Scur back. It strains his face with exhaustion. Before long, his sword is in the dirt. He attempts to capture her with his blood magic, but she’s ready for it.
With a quick movement, she pulls a knife out of her sleeve and slices Scur’s cheek. He loses his concentration, and she seeks her opening.
I stand back, protecting her from any other threats. Even though this should be my fight, she deserves the closure that comes with revenge. I’ll let my mate settle this one for us.
Jumping up into the air, she lands a blow to his face, cracking the slice open wide. She tumbles to the ground, but she pops back up again. Her sword is steady in her hand.
“Bitch,” Scur growls. He moves faster, trying to get her off balance, but she’s as steady as a
