Page 48 of Rise from the Flames

Wewalkdownanotherold, dirty alleyway. I just can’t wrap my head around everything that has been happening. Lucifer is a twin. How the hell does no one know about this? You’d think someone, somewhere would know, but if they do, they’re not saying anything in any of my hunter circles. What’s even worse is that he’s now free. But why now? What’s his game? We need to stay vigilant, and if we have to work with a demon to do so, I guess Dagan isn’t that bad. Not that I’d ever let him know that.

If my parents saw me now, they’d be so disappointed. Dad’s probably rolling over in his grave. But it’s to save humanity, and we have to do what’s necessary in order to save it.

Dagan smacks my arm and stops to get in front of me. “Have you even heard a word I’ve said? Your lack of focus will get you killed if you’re not careful. The last thing I want is to piss off my queen because of your dumb shit actions.”

I glare and smack him back. “Whatever you’re saying isn’t as goddamn important as being aware of our surroundings. I’m not here to talk with you. As far as I’m concerned, you’re just here to help us catch Lucifer. Then we’re going to banish you back to Hell where you belong.” I try to get past him, but he won’t let me.

He closes the space, pressing his chest against mine, trying to intimidate me. “Look here, little hunter, I’m tolerating you for my queen. But as soon as she’s with me, she’ll realize she doesn’t need you. So, this little truce all of us have is tentative at best. Just be grateful I’ve agreed to keep you safe.”

“Fuck off, dickhead. We don’t need your protection. We need your knowledge and skill, but that’s all temporary. Riella is ours—not yours. She’ll never be yours. So, the sooner you understand that, the sooner you get out of our lives.” I push past him and continue walking down the alley until we come to a dead end. Throwing my hands up I say, “What the fuck? You said this was one of his hideouts.”

Sighing, Dagan scrubs his hand over his hair. “Seriously, do you know nothing? What are they teaching new hunters at the academy these days? You are even more dense than I realized. No wonder Riella demanded I protect you.”

Who knew someone could dig so deeply under my skin, making me question my worth? “I didn’t go to the academy.” I look down at the ground. “Their kind of education means nothing. I know how to handle myself.”

Dagan shakes his head. “For the most part. I should’ve figured you hadn’t been influenced by the righteous hunters, considering you’ve allowed those kissed by Hell into your home...and bed. I just figured with as good as you guys are, you had gone to the academy. Take that as a compliment because I don’t give them out often.”

I ignore him because I don’t know what else to do. I don’t want to like this guy, but his charming crude attitude makes it easy. “Whatever you say. Now tell me what I’m missing.”

Smirking at me, he says, “Lucifer has the power of illusions. This isn’t the dead end of an ally. It’s his hideout. We need to find out the access point.”

Wrinkling my brow, I think back to what I know about Lucifer and remember learning about his illusions. I search around the alley, drinking in the brick walls, garbage, and asphalt. I study each brick, finally spotting a slight flicker of fire every couple of seconds. “So, you’re saying this is an illusion and where Lucifer’s hiding out?”

Dagan traces his finger along the line between bricks. “It may not be Lucifer. He may have created this place for one of his minions, but this definitely has Lucifer’s signature to it. Look.”

Dagan points to a small pentagram etched into the wall of the warehouse. Pentagrams are neither good nor evil despite what some think, but in this case, he’s right. I can sense the darkness of Hell clinging to everything.

And then fire bursts from the ground, shooting toward the sky. I gasp, reaching for my dagger. Dagan vanishes from beside me only to reappear in front of me, his body restrained with flaming chains. Silence fills the air as my mind processes my sudden vision, my awareness of the world diminishing with every passing second.

“My dear, spiteful brother. You can’t hide from me forever. I will find you.” A figure materializes in front of me as Lucifer’s form comes into view. He stands in front of a mirror, with his reflection—no...fuck—with his twin glowering at him. It’s a portal of such with the two of them facing each other.

“You were never intended to abandon Hell, Luce. Don’t make things difficult. If you don’t return and do our maker proud, you’ll leave me no choice but to imprison you and rip you from power. I have control of power beyond your hellish nightmares.” Lucifer’s twin—Adriel—rubs his hands together, gathering light in his palms.

“The fallen angel?” Lucifer tips his head back with a roaring laugh. “She will fail. I already have a part of her heart. She will come to me and bow. You will regret ever using her to crack the planes. I will drag you to Hell for it.” Lucifer gathers his own hellfire in his palms, flashing his satanic form.

My stomach twists at the sight, and I shake my head, trying to pull myself from the vision. The world quakes around me, and Dagan yells my name. A hot hand locks to mine. Lucifer spins away from the portal with Adriel and locks his gaze on mine. It’s as if he can see me watching the future unfold.

“Storm! Storm, run!” Dagan tightens his hold on my wrist, snapping me from the vision.

The fire smolders into a cloud of black smoke, the scent of burning and sulfur assaulting my nose. I blink my eyes, trying to pull myself together. Lucifer remains in front of me, a leer crossing his hideous features, his horns cracking from his skull to climb toward the sky.

Holy fuck. My vision and reality merge as Lucifer’s illusion comes to life. Fire bursts around the room, encircling me and Dagan.

Gripping my dagger, I aim it at the devil himself and shout an incantation, creating a protective wall between us.

“Don’t worry, hunter. I’ll not hurt you yet. I need you alive for the fallen angel to return to me. Then you can beg for a deal with me or perish in the depths of Hell.” Lucifer cracks his neck, turning to Dagan. “As for you, the treacherous prince. I have no use for you.”

Dagan growls deep in his throat, releasing his demon side. He grows in height as tentacles snake from his body. The creepy appendages summon the fire of Hell, each one aglow in hot flames. A part of me wants to see him get his ass blasted back to Hell, but another part of me knows better. We need him. Riella needs him.

“If you banish him, I can’t contact Riella. You need both of us. Dagan has touched her being. They have a connection.” My soul screams with my words. I don’t know what else to do. I need to buy us time and figure out how to let Riella know what she needs to do.

Dagan faces Lucifer without fear. “The mortal is right. If you send me back to Hell, I’ll return stronger than ever. I’ll get my queen myself, and with her, you’ll—”

Lucifer roars, shooting fire from his dragon-like mouth. It increases the size of the flames around us, heating the warehouse even more. I can’t recall how I got here, but I stand within a Hell trap, which can only be broken with the help of a demon on the outside.

“You have an hour to bring the fallen angel here,” Lucifer says, returning to his mortal facade. He doesn’t say what will happen if we don’t, but it can’t be good.

Lucifer shoots fire at us again, knocking me off my feet. I land on my back and huff, the air escaping my lungs. Dagan groans from beside me, knocking his knuckles to my shoulder.

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