Chapter 12: The very thought of you

Azazel:

My head throbs painfully as the light of day burns through my retinas. I sit up with a groan and come face to face with Mathias, Mikhail, and Fallon. “This better be a nightmare because if it’s a sex dream, I’d rather be set upon by the hounds of hell.”

Mikhail crosses his arms over his chest and snorts. “It’s not a sex dream or a nightmare Azazel.” He says with a sneer. Fallon and Mathias remain standing there quietly.

I rise from my couch with a disconcerted frown. The place is in shambles. The tables are torn and turned over. One of the chairs is in pieces, and the television is cracked. “What the bloody hell happened to this place? And why are you here, mate?”

Mathias steps forward and places his hand over Mikhail’s shoulder. “What happened was—we just caught you in the middle of a full demon rage and had to knock your ass out because you were tearing the whole place apart.”

Pulling back my arm, I rub the back of my neck in disbelief. “Bugger. Why would I do that?” Fallon looks away to give me privacy. Mathias, however, has no qualms. “Why were you in demon rage, Azazel? What has been happening here?”

I gaze at Mikhail then back at Mathias. “Why is he here? I told you I wanted to keep him out of this.” Mathias and Mikhail gaze at each other in silent communication. “Answer me!” I ask heatedly. “Don’t get mad at Mathias. He didn’t know that I knew. I figured it out on my own. And when I approached him, he denied it. But I’m not stupid, Azazel. I refused to leave it alone until he agreed to let me in on the plan. I know everything now. I know about Kell and Amara, and I also know about Marael’s plans.”

I snort and shake my head in derision. “Yeah, that seems to be going around a lot. Did you know that Nevaeh was here earlier too?” They both stiffen in shock and ask in unison. “What?” Lifting an untouched chair sitting nearby, I take it in my hands and straighten it up before I take a seat. “She came here earlier to interrogate me about my happenings. I told her that I couldn’t discuss it and to go home. She wasn’t very happy with me, but she complied.”

Mikhail clenches his jaw and gives Mathias a pissed off look. “How did she know Mathias?” Mathias narrows his eyes. “She must have overheard us talking. We’ll speak to her later.” He looks back at me with a heated glare. “Don’t fuck with me anymore, Azazel. Why were you in demon rage? Demons do not get in those moods unless they…” Before he can finish, I sit up from my chair and kick it out of the way. “You don’t bloody own me, Mathias. I don’t owe you a bloody thing. Just because I work for the Council, it doesn’t mean I'm their lackey. Now, why the bleeding hell are you here?”

Fallon turns around and crosses his arms over his chest with a patient look, and Mathias lets out an exasperated breath before he grits out. “We’ve spoken to Creighton about what you saw. And after some research, we believe we found something.” He gestures towards the dining room table and walks over to it with an intent look as he places the table right side up. We all follow behind him and stand around the table patiently.

I watch as he reaches for a black leather satchel and pulls out several ancient scrolls. We stand there quietly as he opens them up and lays them on the table. “According to this scroll, the ley lines only appear when the witch is siphoning power from its supernatural victim. Fallon said that they disappeared after you saw them. That’s because the power can only hold for a certain amount of time. Ever since Taylor lost his power, Marael has not had the strength to do the ritual. She's been waiting patiently for the power to be restored. Unfortunately, it's taking a great deal of effort because she can only hold the lines for a small amount of time. And after that time is up, the ritual must be renewed, or the bearer of the magic will lose their power. We just need to pinpoint where the power is originating from in the girl’s apartment.”

Rubbing my thumb and index finger over my temple, I think about this information for a moment. I know that I need to come clean with Mathias. I know exactly what he was going to say earlier. I just can't face it right now. I look around the table and take a deep breath. “Marael needs to be close to the power to siphon that much power.” Mikhail and Mathias look at me in puzzlement while Fallon doesn't say a word. He knows about Zoe and me. Or at least he has a good idea. The fact that he hasn't mentioned it proves to me that he's a good ally.

Mathias gives me an impatient wave and narrows his eyes speculatively. “Tell me.” I look at Fallon, who gives me an imperceptible look. Then says, “Well, we all know that the girl, Bree, lives in the apartment with her sister and her roommate Zoe.” I hesitate and lick my dry lips. “Zoe and I have... met. I saw... I can't begin to explain what I saw. It looked like the door, and the walls were coated with some kind of corrupt power. If the ley line power has receded, then it definitely means that Marael is coming to the apartment as soon as she can to recharge.”

Mikhail claps his hands with a determined glint. “Okay then, when Marael comes around to recharge, we can kill her. Simple as that.” Fallon narrows his eyes and glares at Mikhail. Mathias simply shakes his head. “Unfortunately, it's not that simple.” Mikhail loses his enthusiastic smirk and Fallon, and I sigh as Mathias reaches for another scroll and turns it to face us. “Unfortunately, killing Marael will not stop the process. The lines are controlled by the siphon, and Marael controls the siphon. If Marael is killed, the power will lose its only outlet. This would be catastrophic.”

I shrug my shoulders in confusion. “What does it matter?” Mathias gives us all an exasperated breath and places an index finger on the scroll. “According to this, if the siphon is not properly diffused, it will go off with the power of a hundred nuclear bombs.” Everyone gasps and gazes at each other in horror.

Fallon pulls away from the table, looking desolate while I stand there in shock, wipe my mouth, then sift my fingers through my hair, frustrated. “What do we need to do then?” Mathias glares at Fallon and me as if gauging our mettle. “You said that there are three girls in the apartment?” Fallon and I nod.

Mathias puffs out a breath, then looks down at the scrolls. “That means that one of the girls is the siphon. It would only make sense that she keeps her last sacrifice and the siphon in the same place. It’s obviously not Bree because she was the last sacrifice. So it has to be one of the two other girls.

My body freezes at the implication. “What if it is one of the girls? What will happen to her?” He doesn’t answer at first. Instead, he continues to look down at the scroll in concentration. After a moment, he looks back at me. “The scrolls say that we must destroy the siphon before the ritual can be performed.” His words hit me like a punch to the gut. My eyelids flinch, and my legs threaten to buckle. I lay my palms on the table to keep myself from falling. “That can’t be. What if the girl is innocent?” Mathias gazes into my eyes, solemnly. “It’s what it says. Creighton interpreted the scrolls. The siphon must cease its existence for the ritual to be nulled. Once that happens, Marael will lose her borrowed power, and the world will be safe.” My demon moves mournfully within me.

I clear my throat, trying to choke back the threat of despair that has unraveled within me. “Which one of the girls is it?” Mathias clenches his jaw with a suspicious glower. “You’re involved with her. Is she...?” He softens his voice as if realizing the implication of my predicament. He turns to the other men and asks, “Fallon, Mikhail, how about you give Azazel and me a moment?” Both men look back and forth between us, then walk out onto the patio.

Once both men are out, Mathias turns to me with a grim expression. “I need you to be honest with me, Azazel.” He asks earnestly. I nod my head, giving him permission to continue. “Is the girl, Zoe, your mate?” My nostrils flare in reaction. My breathing ceases, and my body flares. “To be perfectly clear, Mathias, I don’t know. I barely know her, but I feel something when I’m around her.”

Mathias looks thoughtfully away, then looks back at me. “Is she the reason for your demon rage?” I take a deep breath and put my arms on top of my head with confusion. “Why do you keep questioning me? I don’t know, Mathias. All I know is that when I think of her, my demon acts like a tamed wolf. I want her. And until I ruined it, she wanted me.” Mathias runs his hands through his hair in frustration, then turns and circles around the table. I’d almost be amused by his exasperation if it wasn’t for the fact that I’m dreading his response.

“Look, Azazel, I understand how confusing things like this can be. However, we’re in a very precarious position right now. We don’t know the nature of her involvement with Sahara. Or what kind of powers she has. Not to mention, there’s a possibility that she might be the siphon. Perhaps…perhaps it’s better if you stay away from her.”

My body hardens, and my demon battles for supremacy within my chest. I close my eyes, trying to regain control of my body, but it’s as if my reasoning has gone out the window. Mathias continues to talk, but I’m too deep in my rage to hear him. My wings erupt from my back, and my claws extend. I take a step back and take a few deep breaths, but it’s nearly impossible to stop.

Suddenly, Fallon and Mikhail are back in the room, restraining my arms. “Azazel? Goddamn it, calm the fuck down!” I loosen their grips on my arms and begin to prowl back and forth, never taking my eyes off Mathias’s form. My demon growls in warning as it homes in on Mathias as if he’s my prey. Mikhail looks over my shoulder and yells out. “What’s going on, Mathias? What’s wrong with him?” Mathias releases his own wings and moves Mikhail to the side before he takes me by the neck and slams me against the wall.

“Listen to me, Azazel. I just want you to stay away until we can figure out a way to help. I don’t want to hurt her. Especially if she’s yours, I will do everything in my power to make sure she survives this. But I need your cooperation in this. Do you hear me?” His words penetrate my haze, and my demon settles down after a moment. However, he lets out one final growl before he returns to the lower reaches of my mind. I know that it’s temporary and that my demon is just lying dormant until something else sets him off. Releasing a deep breath, I lean my head back and open my eyes. “I’m fine, Mathias. You can let me go.” He guardedly takes a step back and releases my neck with a grim frown. “I meant what I said, Azazel. I’m going to see what I can do to help you.”

Guilt overwhelms me at what I nearly did. “I’m sorry, mate.” Mathias shrugs unconcerned and moves back towards the table. “Sahara is due to come in a few hours. Fallon placed some surveillance equipment on the roof of the apartment building and near the doors. Let us use this time to look through these scrolls and prepare.”

We all sit at the dining table and sift through the papers. However, my thoughts are still troubled. After a few hours, I move into the kitchen for a drink. “We need to talk, Azazel,” Mikhail says as he follows me to the kitchen. I raise a brow and gaze at his concerned frown. You can say that Mikhail is my best friend, and he’s the closest thing to family that I’ve ever had. His father was the only man I trusted.

We’re also quite different in looks. Whereas I’m golden in appearance with gold hair and amber eyes, Mikhail is dark. He’s pale with pitch-black hair, dark eyes, and high cheekbones with long lashes. We’re both about the same height and as muscled. However, I am better looking. Or so I’d like to tell him I am. Mikhail is a young demon/angel hybrid. He and I met several years ago. It was a rather amusing meeting. I will never forget how he told me to sod off and flipped me the bird. I wanted to kick his irreverent arse.

Our biggest challenge came when Nevaeh and I met. I will admit that I wanted her. Nevaeh is quite beautiful and kind. The man in me found her to be enchanting. My demon, however, was not moved. I knew then that Nevaeh was meant for Mikhail. Therefore, I stepped aside and helped him win her heart.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I lean back on the kitchen counter and hand him an ale. Mikhail shifts his feet nervously and asks, “Did you rage out because of Nevaeh?” I blink my eyes in surprise. I definitely did not expect him to ask me that. As careful as I can, I straighten my spine and look into his eyes. “Do you really think I’d do that to you, mate?”

Mikhail’s mouth tightens. At first, I think he’s not going to answer, but then he moves closer and says with a grim frown. “No, I don’t think you’d do that to me on purpose, Azazel. I know that you love me, as I love you like a brother, but it pains me that you have feelings for her. I’ve always felt that I cheated you. You’ve been alive for so long, and I’m just a young demon. You deserve love more than I do.” I raise my palm up to halt his heartfelt sentiment. “Stop, Mikhail! This has nothing to do with Nevaeh. I promise.” He gazes at me in bewilderment. “Then what is it about? Talk to me, brother.”

I rub my thumb over my lip and look into my soul brother’s eyes. “The truth is Mikhail…I…I think I found my mate.” Mikhail’s eyes widen with surprise. “What?” I nod my head. “My demon reacted that way because I’ve found my mate.” He chuckles in happiness and pats my shoulder. “What’s the problem then?” I clench my teeth feeling a kernel of desolation flame inside me. “She’s one of the girls in that building. Her name is Zoe, and she…she might be the siphon.”

Mikhail’s eyes sharpen into points. His eyes begin to glow, and his fists tighten in anger. “No.” He whispers, tightening his hand over my shoulder with determination. “Don’t give up on this, Azazel. Don’t you dare fucking sacrifice your happiness over this! We will find a way to save her. I’ll help you.”

I snicker and look down at my drink in concentration. How can I explain to Mikhail that I’ve already ruined things? How do I tell him that I can’t let them all die for my own selfish reasons? That I’d sacrifice my own happiness to save my family. Mikhail must see the resolve on my face because he shakes his head and looks right into my eyes. “I can see it in your eyes, Azazel. You will not sacrifice yourself for us. Do you hear me? I will help you.” His face turns as hard as granite, but his eyes water. The only time I have ever seen Mikhail look so impassioned was when he thought Nevaeh was dead. It humbles me to know that we have that kind of friendship.

“I know you’ll try Mikhail. But we have to prepare for the possibility.” He shakes his head and grits out. “No, I don’t accept that, and neither should you.” He points to the dining table where Mathias and Fallon are working on separate ends. It’s odd to see them working together when it’s obvious that they’d rather be somewhere else. My gaze is drawn back to Mikhail when he leans close and mutters out. “Right now, we’re going over to that table to see if we can find a way to save your lady. Got it?” I nod my head in gratitude and pat his back as I make my way back to the table. “You’re a good friend, mate.” Mikhail scoffs and places his arm on my shoulder. “Well, someone’s got to keep you out of trouble. Plus, I want to know what this girl looks like. Is she hot?”

I snort in retort as I picture Zoe with her sweet as honey skin and sapphire eyes. “She’s beautiful. Her eyes are the color of the calmest oceans, and her skin is creamy and smooth like honey. Her hair is long and soft like silk…” Mikhail’s brow quirks at my poetic words. However, his amusement fades when I continue. “…and I’m sure she wishes that she’d never laid eyes on me after I kicked her out of the house when Nevaeh showed up—uninvited. There was no way I’d let her find out the true reason why I’m here.” Mikhail snickers in bemusement. “Leave it to you to fuck this up. But I’m not too worried. You’re somewhat charming enough to win her back.”

It’s five in the evening by the time we spot Sahara. She’s unaccompanied, though. We watch through the computer monitor as Sahara steps out of her Range Rover and makes her way to the front door of the building. “She’s alone.” Fallon comments. We all stand there vigilantly in hopes that Marael will show. We are ready to quit after an hour passes without any sign of Marael when it happens. A surge of power explodes through the apartment window. Our bodies become rigid with shock. Even without our supernatural sight, the surge is quite prominent. Any human would think that there was some kind of electricity issue, but we know better. We all move towards the patio and expose our supernatural eyes for a better look. It’s staggering to see the reemergence of the ley lines. They vibrate strong and dark with corrupted power.

The silence is deafening as we gaze in horror at the evidence revealed. “How is this possible? There’s no way this can be happening without Marael. She has to be there.” Mikhail says as he paces in place in bewilderment. Fallon tilts his head, looking attentively towards the apartment’s window. “What if she was already in there?” Mathias turns to Fallon with a speculative frown. “It’s possible. No one has seen her, which means she has to be in deep hiding. Perhaps she has been hiding in the building. It makes it very convenient for her to be under the same roof as her power source and her sacrifice.” Our gazes meet in understanding. “We need to get in there.”

Mathias shakes his head warily. “No. We can’t right now. If Marael catches wind that we’re here and that we know who the girls are—who knows what she’ll do. We need to come up with a plan.” They all turn to me in question.

I raise my eyebrows and take a bewildered step back. “Why are you all looking at me?” Mathias places his hand on my shoulder and takes a deep breath. “We’re looking at you because your possible mate is the answer to this predicament.” I push his hand off my shoulder indignantly. “Are you bloody kidding me, Mathias? I can’t do that to her. She will hate me more than she does now.”

Mathias gives me an aggrieved look and looks back towards the window. “I know this is difficult, Azazel. But think about it. If you can get in there or get information from her, we can finish this faster and possibly save her life.” I’m incensed at this point. Mathias knows what’s at stake, and it irks me that he believes I’d be so easily swayed. “Don’t buggering talk to me like I'm a green schoolboy, mate!” I grit out through clenched teeth. “You and I both know that Zoe might not survive this. So don’t be condescending. I will not use her in that manner.”

He lets out a frustrated breath then takes a step back in defeat. “You’re right, Azazel. I apologize. I know that this is difficult for you. What would you suggest we do then?” Tension drains from my body as I think through my options.

“Fallon and I have ingratiated ourselves in Sahara’s gladiator ring. Perhaps we can lure Marael with the promise of more power. You say she’s trying to rebuild the power she lost when Taylor lost to Kell. Perhaps we can show her a taste of that power. If what you say is true, and Sahara is helping her find replacements, perhaps she will point her in our direction, especially if she does it out of spite to me. She has been hinting to me about a more intimate relationship. If I reject her after she finds out what I am, she will surely gift me to Marael.”

Mikhail snickers in response. “But Marael has seen you. Hasn’t she?” I shake my head. “No, she hasn’t. When she came for Mathias the first time, I was not there. And when she and Mathias met at the church, I was with a dozen other men Mathias brought. I doubt she noticed me. Especially considering she was focused on Mathias the whole time. It can work. I’ve noticed Sahara’s attitude towards people who spite her. She can be quite the slag.”

Fallon shrugs his shoulders. “I agree with Azazel. Sahara is extremely self-absorbed. We can work some way to make her turn on Azazel. I can whisper in her ear and make it look like I’m trying to gain favor with her. Suggest punishment for his not noticing her worth and such. That way, I can keep an eye on her as well.”

We all look at each other, patiently waiting for Mathias. Eventually, Mathias nods in accord. “Okay, we’ll go with this plan. In the meantime, Mikhail and I will meet with Kell, Creighton, and Amara to see if we can find a way to save your lady.”

A tension that I didn’t know I was holding drains from my shoulders. “Very well. Fallon and I will keep you updated. However, I’d rather if you do not come back here again. I don’t want to risk Marael seeing you and Mikhail. She’d make you in a second.” Both men nod in agreement and head towards the side gate of the patio door.

Before he leaves, Mathias turns around and gives me a direct look. “I will be keeping in touch.” Both men disappear instantly. Once they are gone, I turn to Fallon and gesture to the window. “Are you ready for this, mate?” Fallon snickers cryptically. “I will do what I must to save the girl.”

That’s one thing about Fallon. He doesn’t play games. He simply gives an honest answer, whether you want to hear it or not. I move towards the house and look back with a sly grin. “Then we’d best be ready to put our plan into action.”