The biggest difference between them and the little red cartoon image was that their archdemon subspecies was infinitely more attractive. Their skin still bore a reddish undertone to a warm brown, eyes a solid black, rippling muscles on display as if they saw little need of armor—which, for the most part, was true. If Hell had supermodels, they would fall in the category, but they also acted as a sort-of elite guard.
Though they were faces I knew well, that would do me no favors here. Archdemons were a step down from the demon kings—more personality than the lower ranks, but not as much power as their superiors. Though with the demon kings locked away by Abaddon, there was no telling what kind of power boost the rest had gained.
“Luciferrrrrr,” Malphas growled, baring his teeth in a vicious smile. “What a wonderful gift you’ll make for the new king of Hell.”
Abraxas shifted his leathery wings and tilted his head, studying us. “Perhaps we can use this to bargain for a more appropriate title.”
“On a scale of one to ten, how much do I need to worry about these guys?” Lexi asked.
“Seven.”
Malphas tensed. “You underestimate us, Fallen.”
I shook my head and pointed a thumb at Lexi. “No, I just have her.”
She blinked up at me. “Wait, you want me to take them both by myself?”
“Absolutely not.” I planted a quick kiss on that sweet mouth of hers. “If I can help it, you’ll never have to fight alone again.”
“How touching.” Abraxas moved away from his counterpart, attempting to circle around us. “Our mother would be disappointed to know you’ve taken an inferior lover. Perhaps she’d like the girl as a gift.”
Lexi snarled at him, and hunger flared in my core. “Lilith can go fuck herself for all I care. Everyone else has.”
She didn’t give them time to reply before she closed the distance on Abraxas. I didn’t have the luxury of watching her fight this time as Malphas lunged for me, a black sword shimmering into existence in his hand. It was a long, single-edged blade, shaped almost like a cross between a katana and a filet knife but with a harpoon-like hook on the end. My teeth ground together as I dodged, calling up a weapon of my own. Malphas chuckled as he swung again.
“What’s the matter,my liege?” Our swords clashed, separated, clashed again. “Surely you don’t remember this insignificant blade. It was only one of the many that tasted your blood. And it seems eager to do so again.”
I didn’t give in to his taunts, but the memories stung as much as if he’d cut me again. Chains cut me off from my power, kept me on my knees without even enough slack to lay down. Blood oozed from the various cuts and slashes across my chest and back and arms, each one a test of their capabilities. I now recognized the need for such tests. Abaddon had been trying to perfect the angel-killing blades for a while, and had very possibly succeeded.
Lightning and thunder crackled overhead and familiar power surged, Thor and Loki finding a target of their own in the city. But Thor wasn’t the only god who had dominion over stormy skies. Oya’s essence flowed between the clouds, stirring the storm and striking enemies with lightning when it was safe enough to. Two witches sprang back from one such smoking spot on the pavement, gathering up fallen pedestrians as the rain washed away the evidence.
Agony tore through my shoulder at the same time a fireball flew past my head. Malphas howled and clawed at his face, and Lexi pressed her back to mine.
“Are you okay?” she panted. “You’re looking a little distracted there.”
A quick look at Abraxas told me she hadn’t done much damage, but a thin line of ichor dripping down his ear gave me immense satisfaction. “Trying to keep an eye on too many things. I’ve never had to worry about my allies before because they’re rarely mortal.”
She shook one hand out and grasped the hilt of a sword made entirely of flames, but it kept sputtering under the deluge. “Be nice to have an actual weapon right about now. It’s hard to keep my fire going in this downpour.”
We broke away then, clashing with the two archdemons. Knowing the other gods who’d allied with me were in the city helped me stay focused on my own fight. I danced with the blade, finding soothing familiarity in the heat of battle. My shoulder was a mess of pain, but I’d long since learned to compartmentalize.
Fight now, heal later.
Malphas’ face had blistered where Lexi’s fire had struck him, and that only served to make him angrier. Sloppier. I ducked inside his guard and gut-checked him, then grabbed one arm and flipped him bodily. The pavement cracked under the force of his landing, but he scrambled to his feet quicker than I’d hoped.
Lexi and Abraxas were weaponless, but no less dangerous for it. There were three parallel tears in the arm of her purple jacket, darkened with rain and blood. Abraxas sported a deep slice across one pectoral muscle. As I watched, Lexi threw her arm sideways across her body and a wrecking ball appeared out of thin air. The archdemon barely had time to dodge, he was so focused on her unusual movement, and the two-ton steel ball smashed into the pavilion.
Both archdemons paused and stared with wide eyes, as did I. The damage in the park on the night Astaroth found us suddenly made sense, though the ability itself didn’t. But Loki was nearly unrivaled in his chaotic brand of magic for a reason, so I wasn’t about to look too deeply into it. All I knew in that moment was that this woman was fucking perfect, and I wanted to always be by her side when she fought if only to see this wild, untamed side she kept so tightly restrained. I was ready to finish these two off so I could sweep her away and drown myself in her.
Her minor victory was short-lived as a grotesque demon general barrelled into the fight, catching Lexi across the chest with a bulky arm and tossing her across the street and into the brick wall of the nearby marketplace. She crumpled to the ground, unmoving.
Something in me snapped. Red filled my vision, my core turned to lava, and the roaring in my ears blocked out all other sound. My mind became chaotic, body moving on its own as an ancient instinct drove me to defend her, to kill everything. Ichor coated the red scales that’d burst through my human guise. The demon general’s head bounced off a fiberglass squirrel on the carousel.
Malphas and Abraxas came together, as if teaming up on me was going to save them. I let go of my hesitation, buried myself in the beast my Father had made me. Dark skin ripped like paper, bone crunched underfoot, warm liquid dripped from my teeth and claws. Screams filled the air beneath the crack and boom of thunder and the patter of rain. They would never touch her again. No one would. I would destroy the fucking world if anyone—
“Lu-Lucifer…”
My head jerked around to find Lexi on her feet, though leaning against the wall she’d crashed into. There was a visible crack in the bricks, and a prick of fear pierced the primitive veil wrapped around my mind. Being Loki’s daughter didn’t automatically make her immortal—that was something we couldn’t know for sure until the time came. Which meant she needed help. Concussions had the potential to be lethal even with the rapid healing most demigods had.
