Her fingers closed over a thin piece of jagged metal.
A warm grip closed gently over her fingers, pulling her hand away. “Hold still and take a deep breath. This is going to hurt.”
At the sound of Noah’s voice, relief poured through her and tears burned at the backs of her eyes. She hadn’t realized how scared she was that she’d never hear his voice again after the demon had taken him.
White-hot pain slashed through her neck, ripping a surprised gasp from her throat and threatening to make her black out as a gush of hot blood flowed down her shoulder.
Something soft pressed against her neck, which slowed the flow of blood. She opened her eyes to find Noah’s upside-down face just in front of hers. She giggled. She had to be unconscious or close to it if she was hallucinating.
“Jezebeth. Stay with me.” Light stinging slaps against her cheeks jarred her back to reality and she frowned since she didn’t remember blacking out. Noah’s lips pressed against hers and the spark of his energy flashed between them before it trickled into her through their connection.
She didn’t have the energy to move her lips against his, so instead, closed her eyes and savored each touch and nuance.
If she was to die soon, she wanted to have these last memories of Noah to treasure. Since she wasn’t an actual demon, she wasn’t immortal, and had no idea if succubi were allowed an afterlife or merely ceased to exist. Once her present form was killed . . . well, she wasn’t sure. But she didn’t think she’d get to poof back to Lilith’s lair and hang out and wait for another incarnation.
Right now, all she cared about were Noah’s lips against hers, firm but soft. The sexy stubble on his jaw lightly abraded against the soft skin of her face, and she could taste his fear as his energy trickled inside her.
She tried to raise her hand to his face, and only then realized she still hung upside down, her arms drooped limp and lifeless over her head not answering her demands for control.
“Damn it, Jezebeth. Open yourself up and take my energy. Take whatever you need. Just take it now!”
She blinked open her eyes and her gaze locked with his. Reality sharpened as she recognized not only concern in his gaze, but something else. Love?
No, Noah couldn’t love a succubus. He’d been more than clear how he felt about her and her kind. But there was definitely some type of caring she saw there in the depths of the storm-cloud gray eyes.
It was enough.
Joy surged inside her, warming her and chasing back the cold that had pervaded her. She leaned forward to press her lips against Noah’s, opening herself wide to receive his energy.
This time his rich, life-giving energy flowed inside her like a river, filling her cells and bringing her back to life.
As her body converted the energy into healing, she was finally able to bring her hands up to cup Noah’s face while she continued to kiss him. Something wet pressed against her cheeks and she pulled back expecting to see tears in Noah’s eyes. But when she looked at him, his eyes were dry.
She touched her own cheeks and her fingers came away wet. Jezebeth stared down at the moisture in wonder.
She
was the one crying?
“Are you strong enough now to move?” Worry filled Noah’s voice, and Jezebeth forced a smile onto her lips as she realized how close to death she probably had been. In fact if it wasn’t for the silver ring Noah wore that made him immune to her succubus powers, he’d probably be dead right now from all the energy she’d taken.
She nodded once. “Please. I’m tired of hanging upside down.”
Jezebeth braced herself as Noah released her seat belt and she fell headfirst into his arms. He slowly righted her, and Jezebeth blinked against the wave of vertigo that threatened to turn her stomach inside out.
Apparently even with all the energy she’d taken from Noah, she was still a long way from totally healed. She reached up to trail her fingers over the wound in her neck and winced as pain shot through her. The skin had closed so at least she wouldn’t bleed to death. Small favors.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are.”
The singsong voice sent ice skittering through Jez’s veins.
Semiazas.
“I’ve found you fair and square, you little succubus bitch. Time to come out and die for stealing seven hundred years of my life from me.”
Noah’s arms tightened around her just before the truck split apart, the ruined bottom pulling away from the top of the truck cab where they huddled. With a loud groan of metal, the twisted wreck above them was lifted away to fall a few hundred feet away with a loud crash.
“There you are.” Semiazas’s cultured voice matched the handsome features that easily showed he used to be an angel. He had all the ethereal beauty of that race, all except for the calculating evil shining in his piercing blue eyes.
Jezebeth grabbed Noah’s hand and threaded her fingers with his as they slowly stood. She refused to die cowering before Semiazas.
Noah pulled her behind him in a protective gesture.
“Well, well. The little horror writer is willing to give up his life for a succubus? This would truly be a touching scene in one of your books.” Semiazas laughed, the sound slightly too high and a little crazed. “I think you writers call it the big black moment? Too bad no happy ending will come out of this one.” He gestured behind him at the glittering patch of air that marked the portal to Uriel’s property. “I think this is what you’ve come looking for?”
Anger speared through Jezebeth. They’d come too close to fail now. Only a few more feet and they would be safely inside Uriel’s home, and only a few steps beyond that, they could be at Lilith’s lair. She refused to miss two close chances at the portal twice in the space of an hour.
“I won’t let you hurt her.” Noah’s voice rang with authority, and Jezebeth tightened her grip on his hand, trying to silently tell him not to provoke the fallen angel.
Jez had no doubt in her mind that she would die today, but if Noah continued to live, it would be enough for her.
Semiazas laughed. “I like you, human. It’s too bad we didn’t meet under other circumstances. Your soul isn’t quite tainted enough to come play with us once I kill you.” He shook his head with mock sadness. “If only we had more time.”
He sighed dramatically and gave a Gallic shrug. “Oh well. Time to get on with this. I have three more succubi to kill.” He stepped forward and grabbed Noah by the throat, lifting him until Noah’s boots dangled several inches off the ground.
Semiazas tossed Noah aside to smash against the hard, dusty ground in a heap and then he stepped forward to grab for Jez.
Jez dove to the side, Semiazas’s fingers grazing her arm as she fell. The impact against the hard-packed dirt knocked the breath from her, but she ignored the discomfort and continued to roll, trying to keep out of the demon’s reach until she could figure out a plan.
She expected pain to burst through her at any moment, but when none came, she figured Semiazas wanted to kill her with his bare hands rather than bothering with something dramatic like an energy blast.
She flipped over and found her feet in time to see Noah jump onto Semiazas’s back, his arms wrapped around the demon’s throat.
Semiazas roared, his face contorted with rage as he easily broke Noah’s grip and tossed him like a rag doll.
Noah’s body landed hard and bounced once before falling into a limp pile.
“Noah!”
The air crackled with power, and Jezebeth glanced up to see the glowing form of an Archangel standing behind Noah, a shining, silver broadsword held in his left hand. Michael was built like a Greek god—fitting considering where they were. The Archangel stood several inches taller than Noah’s six foot four with dark, clean-cut hair, green eyes, mocha-colored skin, and features that could only be described as ethereally beautiful.
The Archangel dipped his long sword in the holy water from the fountain and the wet blade gleamed in the morning sunshine. Jezebeth thought she heard him murmur, “Bless this tool of Your might, Lord, to help guard against evil intent.”
“Semiazas,” the newcomer said conversationally, the power from his voice crackling against Jezebeth’s skin like persistent heat waves out of a hot oven.
Noah groaned and slowly stirred, trying several times before he was able to push himself up to a sitting position.
Jez slowly edged out of the truck toward where Noah sat on the ground.
Semiazas walked forward, but kept well back from the Archangel. “You have no claim on a succubus, Michael, and you know it. Your side is all about noninterference last time I checked.”
Michael shrugged. “I’m only here to watch the show and make sure all the rules are observed.”
Rules?
Jezebeth whipped her head toward the Archangel, ignoring the flash of pain in her back and neck from the sudden movement. Both Semiazas and Noah seemed similarly surprised.
“Rules?” Semiazas laughed. “There are no rules in this game we all play, my friend. It’s winner take all as it’s always been.”
Michael’s mocha features hardened, and he slowly pointed toward Semiazas with the tip of the sword.
Semiazas stopped in midstride, holding his hands out to his sides. “Be careful where you point that thing, my old friend. We can work this out between us to find an equitable solution.”
Michael’s brows drew together and the air around him crackled with lightning as the sky darkened like there was a sudden storm. “Don’t ever call me ‘friend’ again, traitor.”
The menace in those few quiet words made Jez’s insides churn, and she took a step back before she realized she’d done it.
Semiazas chuckled. “Still upset that the only way you rose to the top of the ranks was that Lucifer gave up his spot?”
Michael’s expression remained hard, but by the single tick in his jaw, she knew the jab had hit home.
Three other Archangels materialized behind Michael—Uriel, Gabriel, and Raphael—just as Jez reached Noah’s side to assess his injuries.
Noah grabbed her hand and squeezed. “I’m all right,” he whispered. “What’s going on?”
Jez could only shrug and turn back to watch the unfolding show in front of them.
Semiazas smiled. “Well, the gang’s all here, I see. Did you miss me, Gabriel?” he called out toward the female Archangel. Semiazas’s tone had taken on a taunting quality. “Are you ready for a nice, thick cock after these eunuchs have left you so high and dry you’ve had to go and find pussy instead?” He grabbed his crotch and thrust his hips against his hand.
Michael frowned and glanced back at the three Archangels behind him.
“You didn’t know?” Semiazas laughed. “Gabriel and Lilith are fucking. Really, Michael, you’ll have to get all your Archangels on a social networking site so you can keep better track of them.”
“Enough.” Michael’s voice left no doubt there was no room for negotiation.
“Give me the succubus, and I’ll leave.”
“I told you, I’m here only to ensure the rules are followed.” Michael’s response was so soft, Jez wasn’t sure at first he’d heard it at all. But then everything happened at once as the world seemed to slow to a crawl.
Semiazas darted toward her with supernatural speed and grabbed her arm yanking her forward away from Noah.
Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel suddenly appeared in a loose circle around them, the power of the circle of Archangels crackling against Jez’s skin in a nearly painful rush. She tried to wrench her arm out of Semiazas’s grip, but he held on tight.
As Semiazas snarled at the Archangels, Jezebeth took advantage of his distraction and raked the nails of her free hand down his arm and kicked, bit, and fought like a woman possessed.
He scowled down at her and shook her hard enough to kill her if she’d been human. The black dots returned, threatening to make her black out again if she wasn’t careful. She sucked in breath after breath, fighting to stay conscious as she fell limp in his grip.
“Be still.” Semiazas pulled a silver knife from his pocket and slashed it across her cheek. Pain blossomed along with impotent anger just before a warm rush of blood spilled down her cheek from the wound.
“No!” Noah lunged toward her, but she knew he’d be too late as she watched Gabriel dart toward Semiazas as well.
Semiazas whipped around, surprised, the bloody knife still in hand.
Gabriel’s momentum carried her forward until the silver knife impaled her through the stomach.
Noah’s steps faltered and Jez’s breath died in her throat as the female Archangel’s expression turned to surprise and then swiftly to pain.
Semiazas’s features twisted in agony as realization of what he’d done hit. He caught Gabriel and slowly, almost lovingly, lowered her to the ground. “Gabriel?”
20
Sharp pain lanced
through Jezebeth’s head as she watched Semiazas slowly lower Gabriel to the ground.
She winced as a large buzzing inside her mind joined the pain as if something was trying to burrow its way out of her brain with a blowtorch.
Gabriel clutched her stomach as thick, red blood poured out. Since no ordinary knife could hurt an Archangel, something more sinister was at work here. But Jez didn’t know what.
Jez glanced past Semiazas’s shoulder to find Noah running toward her. She wanted to call out for him to stay back, to stay away from danger, but then motion around her caught her attention, chasing back the pain enough for her to think.
Uriel and Raphael rushed forward just as Michael raised his sword high over his head. “Betrayer!” Michael bellowed, causing the ground beneath Jez’s feet to rumble with the force of his words.
With supernatural speed the Archangel plunged the sword downward toward Semiazas’s exposed back.
Pain shot through Jez’s brain again, bringing with it the sudden knowledge that if Michael killed Semiazas like this, all was lost.