Malevolent

Chapter 35

Lily watched in shock as the man that had been beside her had transformed into a massive beast, like the one with red eyes.

     "Don't get cornered, I can't guarantee I'll be there this time." It was those words that made Lily realize that the green-eyed man was the one she had felt following her these past couple of weeks.

But he was no man or guardian angel watching her back as she had thought, he was some kind of beast.

Mid-run, he'd changed. His shirt was torn away by much wider arms and a broader chest. Beneath his midnight locks had sprouted two horns that curled up high. Their pointed ends faced her. She looked down, past his neck, noticing his skin tone had changed to a blue tone. His fingers had transformed into massive, long, sharp, jet-black talons that he swung like a sword as the blond angel fell within his grasp.

In a split second, Arlo had the angel on the ground. The two tumbled and Lily found herself hoping he would slip away. 

She thought he was pinned, until he spouted a lethal pair of sharp incisors, which he used to tear into the angel's throat.

Surprisingly, even that hadn't deterred the angel, but it did open Arlo to his next attack, which made Lily feel unsteady. A massive pair of obsidian wings had sprouted from his back—green at their edges, just like the feather that lay in her hand.

What the hell is he? She wondered.

     "Lily, we need to hurry!"

     "Shit, sorry."

Lily turned her attention back to the shield. Both women worked quickly, drawing as many sigils onto it as they could. Each time they would finish one, it would light up in a golden color before disappearing into the shield. Lily wasn't sure if it was working but she kept going, watching her sister beside her.

When the shield shook once more, Amra let out a breath of relief. She kept drawing. Soon it would be enough for Dante and Arlo to take down the shield and then they could escape. 

With the occasional glance in Dante's direction, she continued working for what seemed like an eternity, placing sigil after sigil, trying to stay as inconspicuous as possible, and relieved each time the shield shook and cracks began to appear on it.

     "It's working." She ardently smiled at Lily beside her.

     "For now." A dark voice stopped both of them.

Amra turned back to see that brown eyed angel staring down at her. His wicked gaze traveled from her face to the feather in her hand.  

Behind him, she saw Dante had been grasped by two angels, unable to free himself from their grasp. Arlo looked unconscious on the ground, dark blood pooled from somewhere beneath him.

     "It's over." The brown-eyed angel narrowed his eyes smugly at her.

     "No," Amra shook her head. "Let me speak to Camiel."

A wicked smile spread across the angel's face. "After what you did?"  He said with an airy, humorless laugh. "Do you really think he'll forgive you?" He taunted.  

     "That's not for you to decide."

     "Maybe... but maybe I don't care." His arm suddenly swung out.

Amra closed her eyes, anticipating the blow. But instead, a scream beside her jolted her fight response. Lily. She opened her eyes to see Lily had been knocked to the ground beside her. Unconscious. Anger quelled over her fear and she marched towards the brown-eyed angel, hand on her blade.

     "You son of a b—"

     "Uh-uh." He tutted.

His wings abruptly came forward and flapped back, the force causing Amra to fall, but she was caught by the neck. Her eyes wide as the brown-eyed angel swopped down towards her until they were face to face.

     "I'm going to enjoy watching you all die." He grinned.

𓄋

Angel, Dante tried to call out to Amra. But he felt as though he were trying to stay afloat a heavy current that was quickly dragging him under.

Holy Blood, it was like poison for a demon and him and Arlo had been injected. Beside him, Arlo lay motionless. Dante could still feel the demons' weak heartbeats but if he didn't wake and feed, much like Dante, he would be dead soon.

     "Camiel has ordered us to bring them back."

Dante felt his insides stir. His demon was screaming to be let out now, but the certainty that doing so would unleash hell on earth was far too grand, and yet, he knew this would be his only choice. 

The demon could overcome the holy blood.

Fuck!

He realized his only way to save, Amra, would be to lose himself.

𓆰𓆪

Amra sat watching as the angel moved. Lily was unconscious beside her, Arlo...she wasn't sure if he was still alive, and Dante... Dante was barely keeping his eyes open. He'd reverted much to his human form. His wings gone, along with his horns and talons.

The only sign of his demon was the blueish skin tone, but as his eyes landed on hers, they suddenly turned obsidian. The red blowing out like a candle and Amra felt her heart patter in her chest. A drop of fear beaded down her spine.

Don't let him, something suddenly said in the back of her mind.

Whatever Dante was about to do, she had a feeling it would bring bloodshed.

     "Lily." Amra scooted towards her sister. With her hands tied behind her she could barely move. She used her foot to reach Lily and tap on her hip, trying to nudge her as she called her back to consciousness.

The angels were moving and it seemed their time was now out.

Amra nudged Lily harder, but careful not to hurt her.

Lily awoke with a cough. Her head ached like mad. She grasped at her face still feeling the sting of the blow she had taken. What kind of man hits a woman, she thought. 

She opened her eyes, swearing she'd drag her scissors through that brown-eyed bastards chest.

     "Lily, are you okay?"

     "I'm going to kill that fuc—"

     "D-don't stand up. I need them to think you're down."

Lily laid still. Her eyes finally met her sister's determined ones. Amra was tied up, a thick rope across her chest and down her wrists. At a distance, she could see that brown eyed angel, the blond one, and another were headed towards the red-eyed demon who now had eyes like an obsidian pool... and beside him... Oh no, Arlo. Lily felt her heart sink. They needed to get out of here.

     "Lily, I have a plan, but I need you to trust me. Please."

     "As long as it gets us finally out of here." She listened closely, intently, as Amra spoke, going over her plan, that more and more seemed like a death sentence.

     "No." Lily said sternly the second Amra had finished explaining.

     "Please, Lily."

     Lily shook her head. "I can't."

     "I promise you. I will be safe."

     "I just got you back."

     "I-I know. Please, Lily. This is the only way."

Dammit, Lily looked up in resignation, knowing if the plan went wrong, she wouldn't be able to live with herself.