Page 85 of The Angel's Kiss
I took several deep breaths and tried to stay focused. Nothing I’d ever trained for at the Guild had prepared me for this. I knew I was probably only alive because of Azazel. His ten thousand years of experience was everything right now.
“You will die,” Lucifer roared and the sound of his voice shook whatever the hell this place was to its core. Everything vibrated. Everything about him was monstrous, even his voice, which no longer sounded human or seductive.
I split my sword into two of them and took a small bit of satisfaction to see Lucifer’s eyes narrow. Both swords also had the ability to shoot my bullets, which I knew weakened him. I just had to capitalize on it. I flew over to him slicing as he slashed, his deadly claws narrowly missing me. Like Azazel said, I had to use my speed and agility as it was my greatest advantage. I ducked low and tried to slice Lucifer’s leg, but he floated up, his black wings flapping, sending gusts of wind in my direction. He roared and a ball of fire shot my way, but I flew to the side, then teleported and reappeared, slicing Lucifer’s face.
He screamed and swung, I dodged his blow, but not his wing, the tip of it stabbing my stomach, piercing my armor. I cried out and fell to the floor, my blood gushing from the wound that burned and throbbed.
“Rai!” Azazel screamed. “Get up!”
This was where my training helped. All of the times I’d been forced to fight even when injured. “Fight through the pain,” is what Darius would tell me. “There is no pain.” I had to hold it all in, the agony I felt. I could tell my body was healing itself, but it wasn’t instant and if I took another blow like that, I could die.
Lucifer was on me, too, and I rolled out of the way before he could jab me with his claws. I fired my gun swords at him, the bullets hitting their mark as he was too slow to dodge them inthat form. I climbed to my feet and rushed at him. Azazel gave me directions and with his help and using my own knowledge, trusting in my training, I attacked. Spinning to dodge claws, ducking to avoid another swing, then leaping high to slice off one of Lucifer’s horns.
He screamed, both hands going to his wound as blood gushed between his fingers from his skull. It was now or never. I ran over to him, stabbing his chest with one sword and when he reared back, roaring in pain, I stabbed his throat with all of my might, the blade slicing through bone and flesh. Lucifer fell to both knees, which put him closer to my height. I pulled both swords out of him, combined them to become one larger sword, then I sliced before he could heal. His head flew from his body, blood splattering all over me.
Exhausted, I collapsed to the floor, my weapon, wings, and armor absorbing back into my body. I watched in glee as Satan’s body... Lucifer’s body burst into flames like all of the other demons. But instead of turning to ash, the demon part burned away, leaving his original angelic form behind. I looked at his severed head, the silver eyes still open and staring blankly. I grunted and held my stomach, my wound healing, but still very tender. Throughout the battle, I’d suffered several cuts and bruises, but those were healing too.
“It’s... over,” I panted in relief. I couldn’t believe it... I had fucking killed Satan! If I wasn’t so tired, I’d want to fuck Azazel, I was that stoked. Celebratory sex would have to wait. I’d done something no other Guardian had done before. Shit, I didn’t even know it was possible!
All of a sudden, the room began to shake and glow bright white, then I felt awoosh!My body was sucked into an abyss and I screamed, not knowing what was happening to me. I was slammed against a hard surface, which knocked the wind out ofme. I moaned and blinked to see that I was sitting on a hard wooden floor.
“Welcome back,” said a voice I recognized.
I looked up to see the Magic Shop Owner smiling down at me. “Is it over?” I asked. I couldn’t move yet. I was too wasted for that. No energy.
“It’s over,” The Owner said with a smile.
I nodded and released Azazel, his essence flowing from me in black smoke to form his beautiful face and body again. He lay on the floor beside me, panting. It would seem that he was just as out of it as I was.
“Is... is Monique... safe now?” I asked.
The Owner frowned and shook his head. “I’m afraid she will always be in danger from the demons. Her blood will call to them and they will seek her out if they need her.”
I snarled because that shit pissed me off. Monique’s life had been difficult enough thus far and now she had to live her life in constant fear from demons. Something had to be done. “Is there any way to protect her? Can we take the demon essence out of her blood?”
“She will die if you try,” The Owner said, then he held up a finger. “I have given her a protection charm that should mask her aura from most demons. Seeker demons, however, will be an issue.”
“Well, at least something will help. Are you sure there’s nothing more than that?” I asked.
“Some things are just what they are,” The Owner said.
This shop wasn’t that great, in my opinion, if we couldn’t save Monique.
“The Shop has what you need to put you on your path,” The Owner said and that was it. Either he could read minds or he was just uncanny as fuck.
“You’re back!” Monique squeaked.
I turned to see her running toward us. She slid into my arms and hugged me.
“Yeah, we’re back,” I said with a small smile as I hugged her back.
“Did you really kick Satan’s ass?” she asked, a wide grin on her face, eyes as big as saucers.
I laughed and nodded. “But it wasn’t easy, trust me.”
“I bet. You two have been gone for three hours,” she said.
I blinked, because everything happened so fast there, it felt like less than twenty minutes. “That’s so crazy. Didn’t feel like three hours to me.”
