Lucien's Hell Bound Angel (Hell Bound Series) (24 page)

“I didn’t come to fight.” He smiled as she stared at him with skepticism in her eyes.

“Then you’re barking up the wrong tree.” She insisted.

“I came to have a chat with you.” He offered walking closer but she shook her head and stepped back.

“No way, you keep your distance.” She insisted keeping aim on him.

“
I have something I’m sure you want back.” He insisted pointing behind her and Lucien was on his knees battered and covered in blood. Both hands were bound behind his back.

Swallowing hard, she nearly bolted to his side, but she wasn’t sure if this was a joke. For all she knew it could have been a mirage. Lucien damn sure hadn’t been there a moment ago, but neither had Samael. Inching towards Lucien, she kept eyes on Samael. The moment she reached Lucien, she knelt down to him and she grabbed him to see if he was really there. To her surprise, he was.

Flesh and bone.

“Lucien!” she shouted over joyed as she embraced him. Pulling him into her arms, she felt him try and grab her back, but he couldn’t.

“Attie, don’t listen to him.” He begged as he stared into her violet eyes.

He’d missed her touch and smell. To have her in front of him, holding him was worth all the beatings he went through on behalf of her. Sure it seemed she made him weaker, but that wasn’t the case. He was only proving he’d endure anything to keep her safe.

“Ssh.” She said brushing her thumb across his lips before kissing him gently.

“I made a mistake to let you go and I’ll never make that mistake again.” Lucien replied as she ended the kiss.

“I don’t mean to interrupt your very sentimental moment, but there are a few things we need to discuss.” He said waving his hand and Lucien disappeared.

Blowing out a frustrated breath, Athena gathered herself as she stood again.

“I gather we can talk now without you spewing threats at me now.” He said smugly walking over to her.

Staring her in the eyes, he smiled again.

“You don’t know how beautiful you are.” He insisted and she grimaced.

“Haven’t you learned that flattery will get you nowhere with me?” she barked.

Chuckling, he answered her. “I
’m hoping after this conversation I won’t need to try anymore.”

“You got something
I want.” He replied staring her in the eyes.

The look he gave her was repulsing. All she wanted was Lucien back and this to be over.

“Which is?” she barked fed up.

“You know.” He answered.

“Me?” She asked wallowing hard.

“Bingo.” He
replied still smiling cockily.

“
Get the hell away from her.” Chance barked and Samael’s eyes darted to him.

Anger filled his glare and Athena knew Chance didn’t have a shot at taking Samael on as a human.
She’d never really seen Samael angry and didn’t want to. But by the expression on his face she thought it would be best to advert his attention back to her.

“Stay out of this!” she shouted to her best friend.

“Over my dead body!” Chance shouted.

“I can arrange that.” Samael sneered as he bawled his fingers into fist.

“Don’t!!” Athena shouted and Samael looked at her.

“You want to make a deal?” she asked trying to drive him back to their conversation.

Looking back at her he nodded.

“I need to think it over.” She replied
and he nodded.

“Don’t take too long. You demon is counting on you.” He smiled walking off into the darkness before disappearing.

“What the hell was that?!” Chance shouted running over to her.

“Chance, you have got to stop being so over protective!” she shouted.

“I can’t help it when you’re being so—so—”

“So what?” she asked daring him to say it.

“Stupid.” He sneered.

“You’re such a jerk.” She replied pushing passed him, but he caught her arm and sp
un her back to him.

“A jerk that’s in love with you.”
He said pulling her in to kiss him.

The kiss was hard and intense. His lips were soft, but nothing like Lucien’s. Pushing him off, they stared at each other dazed for a moment. Chance was blushing as he raked a hand through his blond hair.

“What—what the hell was that?” she stammered speechless.

“Did you not just hear what I said to you?” he asked timidly.

She wanted to shout no because she was too distracted by his lips on hers. She stood quietly not knowing how to answer or respond to him because that meant one thing.

She was the reason he
Fell.

But that couldn’t
be true right? There had to be another. Maybe after his failed relationship, he’d realized how much he’d missed Athena. She was after all the closest thing to having a real “girlfriend”. He was just confused and missed her. That has to be it.

“I’ve always been in love with you
, Thea. I lost my wings for
you
.” He said clearly.  

So much for her theory.

“You don’t know what you’re saying.” She insisted.

“No, you just don’t want me to say what I’m saying, but I am. I’ve waited years to tell you how I felt. I thought I’d never have the opportunity.” He replied.

“Then why did you Fall?! You left me alone up there all you had to do was protect The Portal.” She pushed.

Years of wondering where he had disappeared to had caused her to become more withdrawn. In Heaven, she was always alone. Besides Muriel being an over protective worry wart, Chance was all she had. Muriel barely allowed her out of her sight. In fact, this trip to Earth was the longest she’d gone with being without her.

“You were my Charge Thea. That was my obligation.” He replied.

“Me? How could I—”

“
You’re
The Portal.” He insisted and her heart nearly dropped.

“You’re insane!” she shouted waving a hand at him.

“Thea listen to me, please. Michael entrusted me to you. He figured since we were already friends that I would be the best person for the job. He didn’t trust anyone else.”

“I am not a portal!” she shouted stalking off through the garden. She headed back to the house
and he could tell she was fuming.

“You’re running out of time.” Muriel scolded appearing in
wraithlike form beside Chance as he watched Athena disappear through the darkness.

“I’m trying.” He snapped.

“You need to get her to come back to me so I can protect her. If she falls into the wrong hands—”

“I get it!” Chance barked.

He wanted nothing more than to earn his wings back. Being with Athena would be much easier then. He was convinced that she had no idea the trouble she was causing. Getting her back to Heaven was the best solution whether she wanted to or not.

“You’d better. I would hate to see you continue to suffer down here.” She replied vanishing.

             
                                          Chapter Nineteen

             
                                        
 
A Soul for a Soul

Athena tossed and turned as her mind pondered over everything she had learned in no less than an hour. Her whole life
had changed with mere words, not to mention the fact that she had a deal hanging over her head. She couldn’t just leave Lucien in Samael’s hands. He had made it abundantly clear what he would do if she refused him. Tossing some more, she thought of what Chance had said.

Her, a portal?

No way, it just couldn’t be true. He was just saying that to get under her skin. The darn thing didn’t exist as far as she knew. But if that were the case, why would he
go so far to make things up? Why would he kiss her and blame her for him Falling? Because he was telling the truth, that’s why. Chance wasn’t the type to lie to her. After tossing a little more, she finally drifted off to get some much needed sleep.

Waking, she found herself still in bed, with Lucien sitting beside her.

“Lucien!” she shouted sitting upright and pulling him into her arms.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she crawled over and hugged him as he held her back.

“How’d you get here?” she asked looking at him.

“You.”
Was his simple reply.

“Me?” she asked confused, sitting beside him.

Nodding, he stared over at her.

“We’re dreaming. Well you’re dreaming.” He responded.

“If this is a dream, why would you tell me it was a dream?” she frowned.

Dreams usually didn’t go that way, especially vivid ones.
Being an angel, she always found it very odd that she seemed to be the only one of her kind to ever dream.

“Because you need to wake up.
You need to know what you really are.” He replied grabbing her by the hand and pulling her off the bed.

The moment her feet hit the ground, the room changed. Grass was beneath her feet and they were in a garden. It was the place she always felt comfortable in while in Heaven. Eden was the most striking, and breathtaking garden ever made.

“You mean a “Portal”?” she inquired rolling her eyes. Snatching away from Lucien, she walked over to look at the waterfall.

“
Thee
Portal.” He replied softly, walking up behind her and slipping his hands around her waist before kissing her neck from behind.

“I don’t understand.” She replied feeling lost.

Spinning her to him, Lucien placed a finger beneath her chin and stared into her radiant violet eyes. “You’re the key to the past, present, and future. You can open the gates of Heaven and Hell Athena.”

“No.” she replied shaking her head and throwing her hands into the air. “This is
just
a
dream
. You’re only saying that because it was the last thing I thought about. ”

At least that was what she was
hoping for. The whole “Portal” thing scared the crap out of her, but it would make sense on why she was always monitored by Muriel. Not to mention the fact that every other angel steered clear of her besides Chance.

“Attie, listen to me. We don’t have much time, I know you’re scared but everything I’m telling you is true
princess.” He said grabbing her by the hands.

“What am I supposed to do then?” she asked taking a hard breath.

“Stay hidden.
Don’t
come after me. Everything you heard is true; I can’t watch you die for me Attie. I
won’t
. Hell is where I belong and for you I’ll stay.”   

“But Lucien—”

Tenderly placing his index finger over her soft succulent lips, she fell silent. Shaking his head, he took her face gently in his hands. She knew he wouldn’t hear otherwise. But how could he ask her to be a coward? To run and hide? That just wasn’t her. Sure she wasn’t a fighter at heart, but she had learned to become one. No matter what anyone said, he was her responsibility now and forever. They were connected in a way she couldn’t explain, but she knew they were somehow intertwined. She could feel him when he was in danger and even more when they were near each other. Throwing that away just didn’t seem like an option.

Pulling her closer, he dipped
his head lower and placed his lips on hers. Her knees grew weak and she nearly buckled before he gripped her waist. She felt her cheeks heat as she blushed. He tasted so damn good.  His kiss was made up of love and fire and he damn sure was burning through her heart. But she didn’t mind it one bit. Giving that up was like asking her to give up a part of her. Closing her eyes, she got lost in his kiss. Reaching for him, she felt nothing.

Opening her eyes, she saw Lucien was gone and she was alone in Chance’s guestroom.
Sitting up startled, she saw the sunlight starting to pour through her window. The sky was dark, but had a pinkish purple glow that was very beautiful. She wished she could sit and enjoy it, but her mind was elsewhere. Standing, she walked to the window and heard the birds chirping. Looking out, she saw the garden and nothing more. The fresh memory of her dream clung to the edges of her mind, causing her to sigh. She was so confused and had no idea where to begin to decipher the truth.

If she was in fact “The Portal”, that meant she was in more danger than she ever realized. Being kept in the dark about
who or what she really was was infuriating. It left her pondering too many things that she needed answers to. She was going to get them one way or another. A knock at her door rattled her thoughts as she spun around. Chance peeked in through the door cautiously and scanned the room. He smiled as he spotted her standing at the window. She was dressed in an all-white nightgown that pooled at her feet. She was damn sure angelic as the sunlight radiated off of her.