“Shut your fucking mouths!” Aziel stepped forward, hellfire exploding the length of his horns, heating the area around us. “The only reason I was there was because of a fucking blood oath, Mia. What Zelek did has nothing to do with me. All I’ve ever wanted was Lilith. I did what I did to get her back. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“But...what he did…” she croaked, holding her fist close to her chest as her eyes glazed over.
“Was disgusting and wrong,” he spat. “I’m not justifying Zelek. He’s a malicious, manipulative, selfish being. But I love Lilith with everything I have, and I entered a blood oath to get her back. I’m sorry for what you’ve gone through, but don’t pin the blame on me. Pin it on Zelek, where it's warranted and where you can get revenge.”
She took in a sharp breath as her frame trembled.
Kai stepped in the middle of the dispute shaking his head. “All Aziel has done has been for Lilith. Don’t doubt his intentions, because I promise you, he’s in love with her just like the rest of us.”
“We need to pick up the pace. Gabriel’s waiting for us to follow.” I continued trekking ahead. “Remember we all want Lilith safe. If we have to play nice until we've got her, then let's suck it up and do it.”
After a few more minutes of silence, we made it to the cave entrance that had been sealed off.
Gabriel swooped down and landed in front of the cave before turning toward us. “Lilith is being kept by the blood witch, Mystia. It’s so much worse than I thought. I really messed up, and I’m sorry. I know everyone hates me right now, but let me try to do the right thing and help her escape.”
His expression didn’t falter, and our group was quiet. None of us wanted him around, but none of us had the connections he did in Heaven. It was like being caught between an abandoned and Zelek. It would be daft to turn down his help when he knew more than us, but it would also be daft to trust him.
“Is she behind the seal?” Kai’s brows furrowed as he scanned the large rock in front of the cave entrance with blood-smeared symbols on. “In the cave?”
“She’s in the cave inside a Heavenly-built room.” The color faded from his cheeks as he noticed a letter resting on the grass blades next to his feet. He bent down and grabbed it before reading it.
“What’s it say?” Emma asked.
He tore his gaze from the letter before holding it out to her.
Emma took it carefully, the paper shaking in her fingers, before reading it out loud. “Dearest Gabriel, I’m not stupid. I know what you’ve been planning. Did you really think I wasn’t monitoring every visit? You’re too late. You cannot enter this cave without blood magic. I’m inside with Lilith now, and I’ve sped up the process. I dissolve our blood oath, so you are free to do what you will. She dies today, and I’ll absorb all of the Crimson Demon’s powers...Love, Mystia.”
My heart stopped beating as a thick silence hung in the air. The blood witch was in there with Lilith, who was powerless.
“What the fuck!” Aziel raged, charging at the rock. His shoulder collided with it, but it did nothing except shatter his bones.
“It’s useless,” Gabriel croaked, dropping to his knees. “There’s nothing that can beat blood magic except blood magic.”
“Bullshit!” Aziel growled, continuing to try to force it open.
Tears poured down Kai’s cheeks as he fell back onto his ass with a strangled cry.
Blaise pulled at his hair. “There has to be something we can do to get inside.”
“Fucking help me,” Aziel snapped, and Blaise nodded before throwing punches at the rock. The rock didn’t move or shake no matter the force behind their hits.
Lilith’s family huddled together, watching them try to break the seal.
My chest constricted, making it hard to breathe as I started pacing back and forth. Grief and anger warred within me. This couldn't be the end, this wasn't the end, I wouldn't let it be.
Surely there was something we could do to force our way inside.
All of a sudden, red blood seeped from behind the boulder, pouring out and killing the grass around it on contact. I halted in my tracks as Aziel and Blaise stopped hitting the boulder.
“I’ve never seen it do that before,” Gabriel muttered, standing up and backing away from the blood that began to pool in copious amounts.
“Where’s the blood coming from?” I asked, voice hoarse.
“I don’t know.” Aziel shook his head.
All we could do was stand outside of this fucking cave and wait for the outcome. I’d never felt so out of control.
