Page 6 of Crimson Soul
Titan coughed up blood, spitting it to the side where it splattered. “I didn’t fucking know.”
Aziel growled, making the room vibrate as he yanked Titan up and threw him against the wall, maintaining the murderous glare in his dark eyes. “Do you know the kind of shit Gabriel did to her before he killed her? Oh, no. That’s right.” A mirthless laugh escaped his lips. “You weren’t there when he overpowered her. You didn’t see the vile look in his eyes as he held her down. You didn’t see her mentally check out when he ripped her clothes off and carved his fucking name into her skin thirty-seven times. You didn’t see him lick her blood clean from her chest and plunge his tongue into her mouth as she just fucking laid there, not breaking eye contact with me when I couldn’t do a fucking thing to stop it.”
Titan’s entire body ignited in blue flames as black tears slid down his cheeks. Kai let out a broken cry as tears flooded down his cheeks, disrupting the calmness he had exuded for a few moments. Thaddeus stopped his incessant pacing as a murderous look enveloped his expression, worse than what it already was. I stood there with my heart beating so fast my head whooshed as anguish clawed at my soul.
I didn’t fucking know. None of us knew it was that bad.
“And now he has her alone? At his mercy again?”
A short-lived growl rumbled through Titan’s chest before Aziel reared back and head butted him. Blood gushed from Titan’s nose, and Aziel drove his hands against his chest to further push his body into the wall so hard it cracked behind him.
Aziel spun away from Titan, who slumped to the ground as his tears continued to pour down his cheeks. Even with Kai’s calming powers being radiated out, Aziel’s eyes were wild with malicious intent.
The room was silent. The demons were standing back with solemn looks on their faces. Thaddeus and Kai had anger in their stances but held their tongues. I could feel the unadulterated rage pulsating in the air between all of us.
Kalyke and Selene stood with their lips parted as they seemed to realize what Aziel had said.
I’d only seen the sweet, obsessive side of Aziel. He’d kept whatever monstrous side he had locked down around Lilith, but it was clear to me that he was more dangerous than I gave him credit for.
It was worse than I’d realized, and deep down, I knew that only scratched the surface of what Aziel had witnessed Gabriel do to Lilith. Desperation twisted my gut. We had to get her back as fast as bloody possible.
Titan spat out more blood and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he staggered to his feet. “I would never betray her like that. Lilith means the fucking world to me.”
“I think everyone knows that,” Aziel roared, spinning back around to face him. “Which is why I don’t fucking understand why you didn’t tell us Heaven wanted her!”
“I didn’t know!”
“I knew Heaven was interested in Lilith,” Selene murmured, stepping forward with tears welling up in her eyes.
Everyone’s attention went to her, and she tucked a piece of her brown hair behind her ear.
“I knew too,” Kalyke said with an irritated sigh. “Heaven purposely kept it from Titan because he’s a demon and his loyalties lie with Hell.”
“I fucking told you.” Titan glowered at Aziel, who sneered in response.
“But why does Heaven want her?” Kai spoke up, raking his hand through his hair. “And why take her by force?”
Selene’s gaze lowered, and Kalyke shrugged.
I stepped forward into the mix. “What fucking bracelet did he put on her?”
“What bracelet?”
The two useless Order of the Void members were fucking clueless.
“Do you ever pay attention?” Titan rolled his eyes. “The thing Gabriel wrapped around her wrist before he teleported her. It seemed to fuck with her powers.”
“Yeah, it did.” Thaddeus huffed. He had returned to his pacing back and forth with heavy steps that began to wear a hole in the ground. It was bonkers to see him so out of it, but I couldn’t blame him.
“What’s he going to do to her?” Kai asked, and Aziel let out an animalistic snarl.
My nostrils flared. “Nothing. Her powers may not bloody work, but our girl won’t let him get the upper hand. She’s stronger than that.”
Aziel’s eyes found mine, and he gave a sharp nod. “She’s stronger than she was a millennium and a half ago.”
Black flames flickered next to me before Mortala appeared. “Word has been sent from Heaven about Mother. Demon army, you are to resume your duties in Hell. The Order of the Void is dismissed. As for Lilith’s harem, King Zelek wishes to speak with all of you.”
