Chapter 24

Devland racked his hand over his face for a moment and then looked at me with his deep blue eyes showing. "The reason that he was forgiven is that he told Belial where you were. They were going to go get you the day that they heard you escaped. The reason that he knew where you were was becuase he was one of the ones that helped hide the area where you were kept. After he saw you on what we thought was your second day, he told Belial that he couldn't watch it any longer. He told him what they were planning and Lucifer was finally going to get you after that.

Then you escaped. Between what Adan told us and what you learned, it was enough to stop the war. He pledged his loyalty to you and you alone. He said he would follow the 'Tsus aldakh chuluu' and keep the balance he almost destroyed. I argued with Lucifer about putting him under your charge but he would hear none of it. I was forced to tell you that he was yours, but I assumed that you knew the rest.

I am sorry, love." When he finally finished I was seething with rage, but couldn't show him. I was not mad at him but I was pissed at the situation. I sat there with my eyes closed, jaw and fists clenched trying to calm myself down. "My love, you're killing the power." I opened my eyes to see a light burst and the power come back on.

"I am not mad at you," I told him. From all accounts, he has done literally nothing but follow my rare orders for hundreds of years. It also explained why one the rare occasions that I've seen him he all but throws himself at my feet. I would not forget this easily, but it would also be prefered that he is on our side. "Lucy should have told me, but this isn't on you. You didn't know."

I was finally able to face him again and his eyes were his blue-ish gold. I put my hand on his leg under the table and he gave me a soft smile. He leaned over to kiss me and I tensed before remembering that we were completely alone. I leaned into him enjoying the comfort he provided. "Do you have a ring here, my love?" Devland asked, pulling away from me first for once. "Of course, the others should be done with their training soon." I responded, I like where this is headed. "Let's go blow off some steam, you look like you want to hit someone." I just laughed and grabbed his hand to drag him to the basement. I really think he can read my mind sometimes.

We went down to the ring to find it empty but I still closed the door and sent a message out not to disturb me. It was honestly great fighting Devland. He was on my level in skill and strength and neither of us had to pull punches. I let loose on him hard. He was panting and sweating, I was too, but my anger was leading me more. I couldn’t stop thinking about the one in my charge and how tomorrow's tactics might change now. He helped them. He might not have held the knife but he helped keep me hidden. FOR EIGHT DAYS. He wasn’t even the one being tortured and he couldn’t even last two before he ran.

I can’t imagine what I looked like, but the rest of them had no trouble watching. Why did he flip? I was in my own head barely paying attention to what I was doing when Devland spun me and grabbed me from behind whispering in my ear “your demon is showing love, where is your head?” He kissed my neck sweetly and I relaxed in his arms. “Sorry.” I muttered. “Don’t be sorry my love, that was the hardest fight we’ve had and you were only half paying attention.

You just keep finding ways to impress me,” He said, letting his lips roam my neck. “Are you ready for a shower? Then maybe drinks and..” as I turned around to face him I saw the damage I had done. It was already healing but shit. “Oh baby I’m so sorry” I said, running my fingers over his bruised chin and cheek. He just grinned at me looking like he was on top of the world. “You can hit me like any time if you call me that again.” I shook my head at him, barely containing an eye roll. “Let’s go shower then ‘baby’ and have some more to drink.”

We decided on the way up that we were just going to pick up a few bottles and spend the rest of the night in my suite. I got into the shower first trying to wash the entire day away. We learned nothing new about an apocalypse but I learned that tomorrow is going to suck even more than I thought. I was lost in thought again when I heard Devland get in the shower with me. “Humans say, we are supposed to save water, right?” I started giggling at his justification but I couldn’t say I minded. He got some soap out and washed my body, lingering on his favorite areas. I returned the favor.

After a quick round of shower sex, we were out and I was about to put down a bottle when he stopped me. “Do you do that to help you sleep?” He asked, pointing at the bottle in my hand. “Mostly. I do like the taste of it, but it helps hold the dreams off for longer I’ve found” I said with a shrug. He knocked his bottle against my own and sat on my bed. He pulled me into his lap in front of him so we were both sitting. “So after the new information from tonight, do you want to handle Adan differently now?”

I sighed, that is what I have been in my head about all night. “Yes and I have some thoughts. You said he called me ‘bleeding stone’?” He just nodded. “Then we should change the meeting place tomorrow. Somewhere open. I think he should see my upgrades.” If he was there, he would recognize the shape of the red in my wings. Most of us don’t have colors outside of scars, I was the only one besides Lucifer himself.

Devland and I talked for hours about how tomorrow would go as well as choosing a spot to meet. I was going to scare him a bit. Test his loyalty. If he was as loyal to me as he claimed, there wouldn’t be an issue and he might prove more useful than we originally thought. There was just one flaw in my plan. Seeing me would pull up memories for Adan of my capture. Memories that Devland will be able to see, and I’m not sure how he’ll react.

Worst case scenario, he destroys a continent. We were getting tired but I had to say something. I turned to face him and put my hand on his cheeks. “You have to promise me that you will stay out of his head. You don’t want to see that. Please listen to me. Don’t. Look.” He looked pained. "One of us will need to, but I may not be able to calm both of our demons at once. The only way that this is going to work is if you listen to me and do what I ask. If this works, we would be able to pursue different avenues and end this quicker. Please." He looked like he was struggling to eat a whole lemon but he nodded. Good. After the day we had we both succumbed to sleep soon after.

I woke up sweating again, but I think Devland beat the screams this time. I opened my eyes to see him grinning triumphantly, his eyes the deepest blue that I love. "That is definitely a new record" he said, and pulled me into a kiss that felt like he thought it was the last one. I kissed him just as passionately and we were tangled up in one another again before we knew it. After my mandatory post-dream shower, we got up to make our way to the bar to eat before the day of "fun" begins. We hung out for a while and finalized our plans while we ate.

I woke up sweating again, but I think Devland beat the screams this time. I opened my eyes to see him grinning triumphantly, his eyes the deepest blue that I love. "That is definitely a new record" he said, and pulled me into a kiss that felt like he thought it was the last one. I kissed him just as passionately and we were tangled up in one another again before we knew it. After my mandatory post-dream shower, we got up to make our way to the bar to eat before the day of "fun" begins. We hung out for a while and finalized our plans while we ate. He still wanted to be the one to look in Adan’s mind but I couldn’t afford another distraction besides my own. We were going together but landing separately, miles away from the closest human. “Are you ready, my love?”

He said, getting ready to jump. I wish I hadn’t known. It’s better that we do, if he’s not loyal we will know how to act and if he is, we have a lot of new possibilities in ways that we can find out who is behind this. It’s just gonna suck for a bit. “Let’s go” I said, and we stepped off of the roof.