Lucien's Hell Bound Angel (Hell Bound Series) (11 page)

“Lucien?” he heard a cracked voice whisper through the darkness.

“It’s me.” He assured still looking for any sign of life.

Emerging from the darkness, he saw Dezmon crawl to the front of the tiny cage. He was tattered and bloodied. Dante had obviously tortured him yet again. Dropping to his knees in
front of the cage, Lucien grabbed the titanium bars of the cell. He slipped the tiny cup he was carrying into the cell and Dezmon grabbed it rapidly. Pushing it to his mouth, he choked as the blood slid down his dry throat.

“Easy.” Lucien replied holding the candle.

He hated seeing his brother confined and worse off, broken. Looking at the fear in his eyes, he felt like a failure.
How could he have not done a better job at protecting his little brother? The day they came and dragged him away was etched into his memory and nothing could erase it. How could he have been arrested for murder or treason? It couldn’t have been possible, but here they were.

“
Sorry…just hungry.” He replied handing Lucien the cup back.

“I know. That was all I could sneak right now. I should’ve gotten more” Lucien said feeling like crap.

“Lucien, stop doing that to yourself. You do more than you’re supposed to.” Dezmon coughed.            

“Not enough.” He retorted looking at his battered brother.

“I’m gonna get you out of here.”

“Dante will kill you for trying. Please—don’t.” Dezmon begged grabbing his brother’s hand through the bars,

“I’m gonna find out who’s framing you. I won’t let you live like this.” He said through clenched teeth as they heard a door open.

“Lucien—”

“You can’t kill what’s already dead.” Lucien replied turning to leave.

“Lucien
don’t do this.” Dezmon pleaded, but Lucien ignored him as he strolled away.

“Lucien!!” Dezmon shouted and it echoed down the dim hallway.

All though it tore through him like acid, Lucien kept going and that was the last time he saw his brother because the very next day he was gone. The cell he was held in was more than destroyed. The titanium bars were twisted out of shape. It was as if a huge explosion had ripped through the cage, but if that was the case, why hadn’t any other area been affected? That was the question Dante asked while torturing Lucien to no end. He knew the bond Lucien had with his brother. He was one to do anything for him. Even if that meant an eternity of torture to set him free. A trait that should have been deemed admirable, but instead he was called foolish.

But one thing was for certain— had Lucien knew what happened he would’ve gladly taken that secret to his grave before selling his brother out. Instead, he was locked away, tortured and most of all worried about his little brother. It was impractical that Dezmon survived whatever happened in that cell. That was until Dante came to him, telling him of the plans Dezmon was setting in motion on Earth. Harming the innocent and much more despicable things Lucien couldn’t stomach. Day after day Dante offered Lucien a way out of his torment if he hunted his brother down. And day after day Lucien refused. There was just no way
what he was saying was true.

But the moment a bounty was set on Dezmon’s head he had to accept. Knowing the foulest monster
s who worked for Dante, Lucien knew they’d kill Dezmon with no questions asked. **

Opening his eyes, Lucien saw long dark hair.

“Athena?” he whispered as the blurry face came into focus.             

“No, sorry.”
Hazel replied softly.

“Where is she?” he asked groggily as he felt the dull throb in his back.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

Looking around, he saw the room a mess and the window shattered.

“What happened?!” he asked sitting up.

“We were just talking about that.” She said raising a confused eyebrow.

Swallowing hard he realized he’d lost time again. This was damn sure getting annoying. Blacking out and coming to with people saying he’d said and done things he didn’t remember was—scary.  The last thing he did remember was being on top of Athena kissing, touching and nearly making love to her. Feeling the sting in his back, the memory of Delilah shredding his back came flooding back. But after that nothing.

“Humor me. Let’s say I didn’t understand our whole conversation. Take me through it again.” He replied and she looked at him like he was crazy, but obliged.

“I hid when I heard all the commotion. Dezmon came into my room, but didn’t find me.”

“Dezmon was here?!” he interjected and she nodded.

“You really don’t remember do you? He had Vulcan and some other men too. Delilah led them here.” She answered and he frowned feeling foolish.

Vulcan had corrupted and turned Delilah into one of them. How could he have been so stupid as to let her into Athena’s home—Athena!!

“Where’s Athena?! Is she ok?!” he asked frantic.

“I don’t know.” She said shaking her head. “They took her.”

His blood heated and he growled at the news.

“I need to find Dezmon.
Now.” He huffed furiously bawling his hands into fist.

“I know where he is.” She chimed and he glared at her.

“Tell me.” He ordered ferial.

“I’ll show you but—”

“But what?!” he shouted and she slunk back.

“You—you need to feed before going after him.” She offered softly, moving the hair away from her neck.

Realizing she was only there to help, he calmed a bit. He didn’t wanna scare her away.

“How do I know
you’re
not working for Dezmon too?” he inquired.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked him dead in the eyes.

“I loved him—and he
killed
me. You brought me back. Without you I’d be in the ground rotting.”

Loved? She loved Dezmon? What the hell was going on?! And why would Dezmon kill her? So many questions swirled in Lucien’s head and nothing made sense. But one thing was sure
— he was gonna get some answers out of his brother. Grabbing Hazel’s arm, he pulled it to his mouth. He did have to feed and she was offering. But he wouldn’t dare drink from her throat. That to him was intimate and only Athena would get that. Biting into her wrist he drank fiercely as she whimpered.

“There’s one other thing…” She replied as his eyes slid up to her as he drank.

                                                        Chapter Ten

             
                                        
 
The Truth in Lies

Dezmon looked over to Athena as the wind blew through her hair. They were
in his bedroom alone. He of course had Vulcan and a few guards securing the entrance to his most private space. Looking over to the window, he saw the horizon and he felt serene. His thoughts were calm.             

“What do you want with me?” Attie spat keeping her gaze on Dezmon.

She didn’t trust a single bone in his body. His “generosity” was unnerving to say the least. Especially since she’d tried to tear his head off with a blade a few nights ago. Turning to her, his smug smile returned to his face.

“To tell you everything isn’t what it seems.” He replied and she swallowed hard.

She’d heard those words before—from Muriel. What the hell did that mean exactly?! Was her own judgment wrong?

“So you’re not killing humans?” she snapped.

“That, I can’t deny. But the reason is far greater than you know.” He answered.

“Sure.” She said rolling her eyes. “
Why don’t you stop toying with me and just kill me already.”

“Is that what you think my goal is? Why bring you all the way here to kill you? If I wanted you dead I would’ve done that back at your place.” He reassured walking to her.

Eyeing her, he caressed her face, but she pulled away disgusted. She was propped up on his huge bed .

“I have bigger plans for you. I want you to be by my side.” He offered.

“I can tell.” She smiled sarcastically raising her shackled hands in the air.

“Those are for precaution.” He said regrettably.

She was shackled for good reason too. She’d managed to slaughter more than a dozen of his soldiers in the wee hours of her captivity. He had her shackled in a cell before finally dragging her up to his room.

“Either way, you’ve really lost your mind if you think I’d join you.” She made clear.

“You haven’t even given me a chance to pitch my proposal.” He chuckled.

“Looks like I have nothing but time and no choice so shoot. But to let you know
, my answer’s still gonna be no.” She replied.

“See, that’s why I like you. You’re like a firecracker. No nonsense because either way you’re gonna blow up.” He chuckled again.

She hated that stupid laugh of his and when she got loose, she was gonna enjoy ending him.

“Look at me.” He replied staring straight into her violet eyes. “Tell me what you see.”

“A sadistic evil bastard.” She spat trying to break her chains.

“Look deeper. Pass the meat suit” He pushed.

“If you’re trying to make me believe you own a soul that’s not happening. Let me go!” she shouted angrily.

“You’re letting your anger get the best of you. You’re not thinking clearly” He replied.

“Really?” she asked again with sarcasm.

“There is a war waging between good and evil, Heaven and Hell.” He informed.

“What else is new?” she barked.

“I am!” he snapped getting sick of her remarks.

“Century after century my job was to kill being after being.” He replied staring out at the sun set.

Athena scoffed irately before chiming in.

“That was a choice you made!”

“Wrong!” he snapped turning to her and grabbing her face.

“It was something I was
created
to do. By
HIM
.” He said looking upward.

“You’re sick. You need help.” Athena replied.

Looking into her eyes he smiled smugly as he eyes flickered from green to red.

“Would you recognized me if I had on my cloak and scythe in hand?”

Sucking in a breath, Athena put the pieces together. He was claiming to be the Angel of Death. Grimm Reaper himself. But if that were true, who the hell was Lucien?
What
was he?

“So you
exterminate
people? What do you want with me?” she asked with dread lacing her voice.

“
Exterminate is such a
harsh
word to use, I prefer saying that I escort souls to their afterlife. Angel of Death will suffice. I am an Angel after all.” He inclined.

“So you take pride in slaughtering people?!” she asked hoping to bide more time to try and escape. She could care less about his plan because either way, someone was sent to execute him.

“I didn’t. Taking people and leaving others in pain took its toll on me.” He said truthfully. She guessed he was fishing for sympathy, but she wasn’t one to give.

“Obviously.
So let me guess—you have some daddy issues?” she sneered.

Cut his eyes at her, she took that as a warning and the last thing she needed was the Angel of Death on her bad side.
Especially when she was bound and incapable of escape at the moment.

“Your mouth—”

“Is the reason you brought me here.” She smiled smugly. “You like my
spunk
remember?”

He smiled as he moved over to her. Running his hands along her jawline, she turned her head away again. He felt like a snake slithering over her skin.

“Exactly.” He mused. “I want you.” He said moving even closer to her, breathing in her ear seductively.

Closing her eyes, she swallowed hard. She was afraid
of his intentions and being bound and barely dressed wasn’t in her best interest.

“What do you want with me?” she asked pleading for a real reason this time.

“Think about it. My seed, with you harboring them— protecting them— would make some great soldiers. Warriors even.” He replied brushing her hair out of her face.

“Never.”
She whimpered still struggling against him, but that only made him want her more.

“I’ve tried with other women, but they could never carry to full term. But me and you we’re the same.” He said truthfully.

Leaning forward, he ran his tongue down her throat and she shivered.

“Get away from me!” she
shouted trying to push him away, but her chains didn’t give her enough lead way.

“Is it the suitor? He’s just a vessel I’m using.” He replied. “I can find someone better if you like.
If it makes you feel any better you can call me Samael.” He offered.