Belle snorted.
“Now is not the time for a game ofWho Has the Bigger Dick, Asshole,” Alec said.
Another snort from her.
“Regardless, I must remind you of another point. I have fallen.” I paused to hide the stab to my heart at my deed. Then I dove into her eyes for relief. “Which means I do not belong in Heaven either, nor does Belle. They would never let the queen of Hell there.”
“Let’s say we agree to that craziness and let you…” Kayden cleared his throat, “give Belle a baby. What’s going to happen to us? We can’t exactly go back to the cabin, buy some new furniture, let you live with us instead of Damien. He’s gonna come for her.”
“If Belle agrees to be the mother of my Lightborn,” I said, “I’ll be honored to build and share a dwelling with her…and you, where he cannot find us.”
“Where is that?” She finally spoke.
“I would have to seek aid from the angels to use their heavenly powers to hide us, and I would beg the Council for protection. Perhaps when they understand and see Belle no longer favored Hell, they will forgive and help us.”
“That’s a very long shot, and by that I mean no way in heaven. They never helped before, why now?” Alec scoffed as usual.
“Well, they have to. Otherwise, they are doomed.” I put as much resolution in my voice as I could, even though I had no doubt Alec might be right. Heaven never treated the fallen or the outcasts with kindness.
The three beasts exchanged frustrated, objecting glances, and then they turned their eyes toward Belle.
“What do you think,Your Majesty?” Joshua asked. “Do you want to take that risk, leave your fucking fallen dark angel who gave you a kingdom and add another angel to your harem that doesn’t even have wings or anything to give you?”
I was not an inferior pauper. “I have more than one thing to give Belle like my heart and my—”
“We know exactly what else you will give her. We are all equipped with the same gear that we give her, too.”
I arched a brow at the vampire as he repeated his question for her. The hesitation on her face was obvious. He needn’t have said it twice. It was not very tempting when he said it like that. He should have mentioned the advantages to convince her, not the opposite.
“Belle,” I kept my palms on her face. It seemed to have the capability to silence her demon still. Her energy was shifting I could feel it. I only needed to say the right words and mean them, “if you return to Hell, Damien is going to be the end of you. Of what you truly are and the love you have been blessed with. But if you allow me to…love you, if you take that leap with me, I shall be the end of him.”
Masculine laughter that was rather repugnant and full of malice echoed. “Ah, the angel and his joke of a promise. Never gets too old.”
“Damien,” she gasped.
“Hello, darling.”
Chapter 34
Zavariel
Without thinking, I shoved Belle toward the twins and pounced, unbothered with my wounded wing. My weight and strength were enough to tumble Damien to the ground.
I held him by the lapels of his suit—what was it with the Devil and designer formal attires?—and clashed his back against the ground with all my force. Then I punched his ugly face as many times as I could. The disgrace was laughing the whole time as if I could not hurt him, as if he would never lose.
“Zavariel, no!” Belle yelled.
How could she still defend him?
“Because she loves me,Zava,” Damien said as if he read my mind. “Only me. Her king. Her winner.”
“Damien, you, too, enough,” she said.
“I will never stop fighting for you, Rena.” Damien sent a blow to my face and spun me over that I was the one with his back on the ground now. “I will never let anyone or anything take you away from me.”
I groaned as he pushed me down and my severed wing wound rubbed against the snow. He returned my punches much heavier, and the taste of my blood filled my mouth. With my half-fall, my body was vulnerable and bled easier.
Belle’s feet came into my vision as she stalked in my direction. “I said enough! Why can’t you fucking listen?!”
