Page 55 of Falling for the Devil

“Tell me everything you know about Asmodeus. I’ll find a weakness you can exploit, even if you won’t allow me into battle.” Her voice cracked.

Whether she went with him, he went alone or with several hundred legions of Heaven’s best warriors, Diana understood that Lucifer had already played out the ending in his mind. An ending that didn’t include her and didn’t include him surviving to return to her.

“I’ve never met a demon prince, just know what I’ve been told by others.”

Diana craned her neck to peer back at him with confusion. The unspoken question—but aren’t you the most feared Archangel of Light?—loomed between them. How could he not know everything about so evil a creature?

“I’m a diplomat most times, and a warrior sometimes. Yes, I am invincible in battle, but not against this. Mortals? Yes. Always. Immortals such as the lesser gods wouldn’t stand a chance.”

She shot him an evil look, then rolled her eyes.

“Asmodeus—prince of demons. His primary sin is lust. He utilizes his power to destroy every good thing, every loving relationship he witnesses just because he can. It feeds him somehow. His mere presence on a planet can create chaos by fueling unsatiable desires that cannot be quenched, driving those inflicted mad and forcing them to commit further atrocities in vain attempts to alleviate their hunger. Entire worlds have warred amongst themselves. It starts small, but then explodes until every good and pure thing is crushed. Wars that decimate the land and its peoples. He is an infestation. And now”—he exhaled heavily—“angels are no longer immune to his lure.”

Diana read between those words. Not only had Lucifer’s legions been infected, as he called it, but he now considered himself a victim because of what had transpired with her. Could he doubt what they shared was more powerful than a simple longing to satisfy an impure itch? He might as well have slapped her across the face for the agony caused by that simple realization. Whereas she looked upon him with joyful and turbulent emotions coursing through her being, he looked on her now as tainted, and believed she had ruined him as well. What she held close to her bosom as the passionate embrace of a great love, he viewed as a sin.

Her fingers swatted at her cheek in a vain attempt to stop another tear leaking from between her closed eyelids.

Damn Asmodeus for his vile actions. Damn Lucifer for falling prey to the ideal that angels should be above the baser emotions held by other lesser creatures. And damn herself for allowing her naïveté to cloud her good sense and for opening up her heart only to have it crushed under the heel of an angel’s sense of righteousness.

Her vision now blurred by countless tears, she failed to see they’d arrived at the tiny island covered in giant black and slate-gray birds until their cocoon slammed right into it, shattering the protective bubble.

The fearsome featherless birds stopped whatever they were doing—mostly gulping down giant fish they’d scooped up from the water—and turned their heads to glare at them.

“Oh, crap,” Lucifer whispered behind her. He grabbed her arm and yanked her away from the flock. “Run!”

Chapter 25

Flying Monsters

The birds—or whatever nightmarish species they were related to—squawked in unison so loudly Lucifer feared Diana’s eardrums would explode. She ran ahead of him with her hands clamped over her ears. But losing the ability to hear was far below his current list of worries.

Getting the goddess off this forsaken planet—also alive—was his top priority. They’d survived so much together, it seemed tragic to perish by being torn to ribbons by oversized, leathery-skinned, non-feathered birds.

Their sizes varied from large—the size of an adult caiman on one planet—to some on par with elephants. Their beaks elongated into sharp points. The largest specimen had two enormous fish speared on its beak. And every one of the ugly bird-like monsters on that tiny stretch of land and others flying in circles above had their sights on the two intruders. So far, they’d merely screamed at the intrusion, but Lucifer had no doubt they wouldn’t pass up a tasty morsel of flesh when provided with the opportunity.

Now where was that portal? Tiny plot of land, lots of ravenous birds waiting to peck them both to death, and their single chance of escape had either disappeared or was doing a damn outstanding job of disguising itself.

Portals were tricky at best. Some appeared and vanished without any reason. Others hadn’t moved positions since the beginning of time.

Where is the damn portal? Doesn’t matter where it leads to... just get us the fuck out of here!

He followed close on Diana’s heels up a steep hill. They zigged and zagged to avoid snapping bills. Once, he’d leaped over a nest made of what looked like large piles of bird poop—considering the awful pungent odor of the entire island, it was a good bet that was what it was—with miniature versions of the flying monsters chirping for their meal. He didn’t feel the strain, but Diana’s breathing was labored, and she was slowing down. They were almost out of land. The gigantic birds hadn’t moved... yet. What were they waiting for?

Diana’s feet skidded to a stop with Lucifer slamming into her back. His arm instinctively wrapped around her waist to keep her from falling over the edge. He peered over her shoulder to where the land fell away. Far below water crashed against the jagged rock cliff, sending spray several hundred yards into the air.

They were out of room and out of luck. The birds ceased their cries. One moment passed, then another. Lucifer whirled around, his sword drawn, and his armor restored to his body by the call of his will. Millions of beady black eyes stared back.

“Where the fuck is that portal?” Diana’s whispered question was so soft that the words blew off to sea in the brisk breeze.

Out the side of his mouth, he responded, “Umm, not sure.” He scanned the small island for any semblance of a portal—a different light frequency, a shimmer, even a gut instinct that something unseen was present. Nothing. Perhaps he couldn’t sense it due to all the adrenaline pumping through his veins. The alternative—that there was no portal—was not acceptable. “You found the one on Methuselah. Do you see anything?”

“No.”

That one-word answer sent his heart racing. The only other way off the island, and the planet, was flying. Under normal circumstances, that wouldn’t be a bad idea, but this particular place could be millions of light years from any other habitable planet—at least according to the ever-expanding celestial map of the universe. And that was assuming they were still in the time continuum as when they’d crashed onto Methuselah.

He was strong. He was fast. He was invincible. But even the almighty Archangel of Light’s confidence faltered at the suggestion of making a trip across the universe without knowing the coordinates. That was, if they’d even make it out of the atmosphere before being picked apart by the hordes of flying monsters.

Alone... perhaps. But not carrying a passenger. And leaving without Diana was not an option. He’d rather be torn to ribbons and digested in the bellies of the birds.

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