Page 34 of Falling for Ash
“This is fantastic, Ashmedai! I could not be more pleased. Have you told her yet? About being your fated mate and living here with you?—”
“Not yet, no,” he said, interrupting Lucifer at his own peril. “But I will.”
He had to. Ash had a long way to go before he felt worthy of the sweet female, but he knew one thing for certain.
Gabriella Keen was his.
“My liege?”
Ash turned with a scowl at the sound of the interruption.
“Forgive me, but they need you on the southern border. The soulless are starting to overrun our legions!”
“Fucking hell,” he snarled.
“Better see to that,” Lucifer commanded, but Ash was already off.
Shit.
He’d much rather be on his way to pick up Gabriella, but it was Ash’s duty to be battle ready, if not eager for a fight. Besides, knowing she would be his one day was an incentive to rid the Underworld of the nefarious creatures threatening its stability. Above all other things, her safety was of the utmost importance.
“Legates! At the ready!” Ash shouted.
He bowed to Lucifer and exited the office, exhaling slowly at the responding growls and snarling from his elite warriors. Swords, maces, semiautomatics, and a variety of weapons in hand, his men saluted, falling in line behind him as he led them outdoors at a brisk pace.
The Daemonium Guard had their own secret portals to traverse the Underworld. It was the only way to do what they did in any reasonable amount of time. Chest heaving, he psyched himself up to investigate and, if necessary, put an end to the soulless’ invasion. He faced his men before entering the tunnel that would bring them to the southern border in seconds and repeated the Daemonium creed.
"Sanguine et sudore nostra defendimus!”
The words were old but potent. Translated, it meant with blood and sweat we defend what is ours. What else would a Guard do, after all? But it was the response that made all who’d heard of them fear the Daemonium Guard, those that protected the Underworld’s borders, led by the ruthless General Asmodeus.
“Ut dolor!” The legates snarled their response in unison.
To the pain, Ash translated snarling wickedly. And that was a promise. They would defend their lands to the pain of anyone who dared test them. There were things worse than death. Much worse. Ash could attest to that himself. It felt good to be on the giving end, rather than the receiving.
True, he had a lot to overcome in order to feel worthy of his sweet, but if love ever was a motivator, then now was the time. Ash flexed his wings, glad that he’d worn jeans and a simple shirt to escort Gabby back home. He had no time to change if he wanted to be on time. And he would be on time to pick her up without fail. Always.
Pushing his mate’s sweetness from his mind was difficult, but he managed it. All he had to do to accomplish that was focus on her well being. No one would threaten his future mate’s safety and live to tell the tale.
Snarrrlll.
Chapter
Ten
Was it wrong for her stomach to do flip flops just thinking about Ash?
She sighed as she handed out glue sticks and bits of this and that for her CCD class to use on their art project. The kids had behaved so nicely for her after story time, and now, they were happy and excited over their art projects.
Gabby wondered if it was wrong of her to be there. After all, she’d spent the night in Purgatory. Guilt was not something she felt comfortable with, so she went to ask Fr. Perez.
“Father? I have a question?—”
But the friendly, round-faced priest of her childhood put down his cell phone and turned to face her with sadness in his eyes. One hand was behind his back, as if he was hiding something, and he appeared almost like a stranger to her. Something inside of her growled, her other half pressing against her skin in a way that had her stumbling ungracefully. There was a bitter smell in the air that made it hard to breathe.
“I cannot help you anymore, child,” the stoutly priest said, making the sign of the cross with his free hand. “God forgive me,” he whispered so silently, she would not have heard if not for her supernaturally enhanced hearing capabilities.
So cool.
