For anyone keeping score, there have been three major wars between the two celestial realms. The first drew a clear line in the sand. The second sparked when the original Lucifer found his mate. And the third? The Horsemen instigated that one.My dear father, to be exact.
Papa was seventeen, still learning the ropes of becoming the next Grim Reaper, when he was invited to Heaven with Uncle Elijah—the second Lucifer to be crownedKing of Hell—for an annual meeting with the Archangels.
What started as a formal meeting turned into a bloody brawl when the Archangel of Love mocked Papa for being born without a soulmate. His exact words were, ‘Thank Fates for not being cruel enough to punish a poor woman by pairing her with a Horseman. The Grim Reaper, no less.’
The weight of his bleak future forced Papa to do something impulsive. And when Uncle Elijah heard the plan, he offered the help of a ‘Lucifer’ and joined Papa in his shenanigans instead of trying to talk him down.
Theybrokeinto Heaven andstolea piece of Divine. Papa used that raw power, along with his blood and the essence of his Divine, tocreatea child. He figured if the Fates weren’t going to give him the future he wanted, then he was going to make one himself.
So, he created his own family. He createdme.
And what did he name his daughter?Nevaeh.Heaven spelled backward.
The Archangels were furious when they found out. They claimed that sinceHeaven’s propertywas used to create me—an unknown being with mysterious abilities on top of my Horsemen blood—it was their right to raise me so they could make sure that I don’t turn to thedark side.
They failed spectacularly.
Papa refused to hand over his newborn baby girl and even refused to apologize, so, of course, Heaven retaliated. But with Hell as your backup and your chumminess with the literaldevil, no one stands a chance.
Papa never found his mate in the nine years I was with him, but it never mattered because he had me. His daughter. His little troublemaker.
I was a rare breed of supernatural destined to be crowned theHorsewoman of Death… until I was thrown into a cell and forgotten by everyone who knew me.
I curse my ancestors, who stupidly traded immortality for the ability toprocreate.If those fuckers hadn’t been so desperate to get pregnant, I wouldn’t have been born—or created—in the first place,only to be stuck in that dusty-ass cell for a decade.
The rustle of leaves and rapid footsteps snap me out of my pity party.
Judging by the hum of energy beneath my bare feet and the electric tingle spreading through my body, I know I’m close to the force field that traps everything in and ensures no one gets out of this coven. But I don’t have enough time or energy to fight off the Deviantsandbreak through it.
I start limping faster, begging Fates for just one more day. One more day to surrender the kid to someone I know and trust. One more day before they finally show me mercy and let me die.
3. Is that an Angel?
Nevaeh
The groan that escapes me sounds like a dying goat when I hear more hurried footsteps approaching me.
I’m in the middle of slicing a Deviant in half, panting as if I’m on my last breath with one arm locked around the kid. It’s not a good time for another dumpster fire.
Where’s a fucking miracle when you need one?
I whip around just in time to stop a Deviant from touching the kid strapped to my chest, my back taking the blow.
Monkey is taking the best nap of his life while my back makes space for new scars. Deep down, I know Monkey isn’t really napping, but if I let myself dwell on that for too long, I’ll lose my edge.
It’s fine. Monkey’s fine. He’s just resting.
Deviants are exhausting enough with their rabid senses and their chaotic fighting style, but add in my blood loss, bone-deep fatigue, and a barely functioning Divine, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for ‘how to reach Azure in five easy steps.’
And Iamgoing to Azure. No one can stop me. I refuse to be stuck in another nightmare after this one ends.A girl needs a break, dammit!
Surprisingly, instead of adding to my panic, the new footsteps have my Divine lighting up like a damn firecracker, aching to get closer.
Maybe I’m finally losing what’s left of my sanity.
My spear goes through the air instead of the Deviant, and I stumble forward from the force I threw behind it. The Deviant before me drops to my feet without me even touching it… and then I notice the arrow pierced through his head.
That was not me.
