Chapter 8: Green is not a good color for me

Azazel:

It has been a long night, is my first thought before I extricate myself from Sahara’s grasping tentacles and make my way to the club’s exit. Sahara has been persistent in her pursuit as of late. It’s getting difficult to divert her attention. At another time, I might have slept with her and be done with it. But something inside me revolts at the thought of touching the red-headed harpy. Of course, I ignore the voice in my head that says that it’s because my attention is focused on a beautiful beauty with plump lips and deep aqua-colored eyes. Eyes that make me feel like I’m staring into a tranquil ocean. I couldn’t concentrate after the kiss we shared earlier. All I could do was wait anxiously for the night to end.

I don’t know why I did it. But after seeing that bastard Gabe chatting her up, I felt gutted. I wanted to grab him by his throat and choke him for looking at my lady. I have never felt so jealous. That’s when I realized that my plan to avoid her was futile. I don’t care if this complicates my investigation. It has been so long since I’ve felt something this intense. Not even Nevaeh has made me feel this fervent need to possess.

I slip on my leather jacket and look around the lot for a sign of her. As if I imagined her, she appears before me. My heart speeds up with excitement, and my body quakes at the compelling sight of her perfect face as she leans against the club’s door. She gazes into my eyes, warily and shuffles her feet as if uncertain of my intentions. Taking matters into my own hands, I reach for her hand and lead her towards my car. “Azazel, what…” She whispers shakily when I open the door and usher her inside. “Not right now, luv. We’ll talk on the way.” The car roars loudly when we rush out of the lot. Zoe runs her gaze over the car’s interior curiously. “Wow, this is a really nice car.” She says while running her fragile hand over the leather upholstery.

Her childlike admiration of my car makes something inside me ache. She sounds almost wistful. Taking her hand in mine, I entwine our fingers and reply. “I’m glad you like it, luv. But before we get into the workings of my vehicle, why don’t you tell me your address.” Her cheeks redden. However, no one is more shocked than I am when she tells me where she lives. She lives next door to my temporary home. She lives in the same building as the other girl, Bree.

My ears ring with suspicion. There’s no coincidence that she and Bree live in the same building. Brilliant! My thoughts are disjointed by the time I get to her place. I look at my temporary residence and scowl. “Do you really live here, luv?” I ask casually. She nods her head and looks over at me. “Yeah, I live here with my roommate Bree and her sister Lana. Bree was the blonde that was with me at the club a few weeks ago. Lana is nineteen. The…” Her voice falters for a moment, and she clears her throat. “…Sahara owns the building.” I keep a neutral expression and take her hand. “Well, that’s not the only coincidence of the night, luv.” I point to the house Mathias acquired for me and lean back on my seat. “I live next door.”

She gasps in surprise and stiffens in her seat. “Are you serious?” I don’t answer. Instead, I drive into my driveway and park the car. Her breath hitches. “How long have you lived here?” She asks calmly. I take a deep breath and keep my eyes directed at the windshield. “Only a few weeks. You?” She shrugs. “Um…about six months. Before that, I lived in a dorm at school. But I lost my job and couldn’t afford it. I lived with my mother for a few weeks until Sahara offered us the apartment.”

I quirk my brow in question. “That’s very generous of Sahara.” She snorts and laughs sarcastically. “Yeah, Sahara is generous.” I want to ask more, but I don’t want her to become suspicious. Taking her hand, I pull it towards me and lay a kiss over her palm. “Tell me something about yourself, luv. I want to know you.” She puffs out a breath and tightens her hand around mine. “There’s really not much to tell.” I chuckle at her tone. “Humor me.”

She clears her throat and slams her head back on the headrest. “Well, I was born in February. My mother is a maid in Sahara’s home. That’s how I know her. And I’m a senior at Cal State.” We both face each other with our hands still entwined. “What do you study at Cal State?” I ask curiously.

Her smile dims at my question. She looks a bit lost as she looks away. “I’m studying Music. I want to create music.” My eyes widen at her answer. “Truly?” I ask. She nods her head and turns back to me. Her hair is spread, becomingly around her shoulders. Releasing her hand, I reach up and wrap a stray curl around my finger. “My lady is quite accomplished then?” She scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Not really. I…I used to like it, but now I hate it.” She sounds dejected and shifts in her seat uncomfortably.

“Why?” I ask. She shrugs, keeping her gaze glued to the window. Her eyes glow like beacons in the night. Her lips are swollen and tempting. I want to pull her close and never let go. But there’s more that she is not telling me. And I can’t be sure that she is not somehow involved in Sahara’s treachery now that I know they’re familiar with each other. So I open my door and slip around to open hers and extend my hand out and assist her from the vehicle. “I’ll walk you to your door.” She takes my hand and leads me to the apartment building. Her hand feels soft beneath mine. I don’t want to let her go. I’ve never felt this way before. It’s as if every moment I spend with her strengthens my need with a bittersweet pain.

We both wordlessly step into the elevator, enjoying the simple fact that we’re together—her hand trembles when she presses the button to her floor. I can’t help but run my gaze over the temptation of her body. Her short dress clings to her body like a second skin. She’s not wearing the revealing one from earlier. But this one is just as alluring. It’s a short, black, halter-style Jersey dress that falls mid-thigh. The razorback top makes her arms look long and graceful, and the front plunges to reveal that she’s bare underneath. Unable to bear another moment without touching her, I back her into the wall and lay my lips over hers. Her body melts into mine, and her fingers sift through my hair. Goosebumps rise through my body at the nearness of her skin. Every part of me feels almost sensitive over every part that she touches. Our mouths meld, and our breaths mingle as we savor the nectar of our tongues. My hands roam down her back to shaping the contours of her firm body. After a moment, the elevator stops and opens, making us reluctantly pull apart.

Our lips cling desperately, and our noses brush as a needy sigh escapes her lips. My body is nearly set aflame by the touch of her hands. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths before I release her and step back to usher her out of the elevator. Our hands are clutched tightly together as we move towards the apartment door. However, I don’t make it very far when I stumble back from the force of the stifling power that assaults me from the doorway. I feel like someone dropped a vat of tar over me. The hairs on my body stand on end, and my breath feels stifled. It’s the most corrupted power I’ve ever felt, and I’ve lived in hell. I take a step back and look at her door, suspiciously. It’s coming from her apartment. The urge to rip her away from this place before she is contaminated is nearly overwhelming. But I need to tread carefully because she seems oblivious to what lies within. Power, when messed with, can cause harm to those it’s being directed to. Who knows what will happen to Zoe if I try to interfere.

Unable to bear any more of the polluted power, I lay a gentle kiss on her mouth and move away. “I know I said we’d talk, but I’m extremely exhausted right now, and I’m sure you are too. Perhaps we may speak tomorrow?” I ask carefully. But what I really want to do is run away from the stifling feel of the corrupt power pulsing in the air. That’s how overwhelmingly powerful it is.

Zoe looks down reluctantly. “I can’t do this, Azazel. I’m so confused. I know that I want you, but I also know that I’m not ready. I’ve never been good at this. Up to now, I’ve been content with avoiding men.” She says, waving her hand back and forth between us. I can tell that she’s sincere in her estimation. So I don’t push because I know that she’s dangerous territory for me. Not just because of how I feel about her, but because I know that she’s somehow involved in whatever is going on with Marael and Sahara.

I take a deep breath and lean forward to gaze into her clear eyes. “I know what you mean, luv. I never expected this… or you. All I know is that every part of my being is on fire whenever you’re around. My mind becomes hazy, and my body is in havoc. I honestly don’t know where to go from here. The timing is most definitely not ideal. But I don’t know if I can pretend that I don’t feel this way. Can we just take it slowly?”

She looks at our joined hands in thought. “What about Sahara?” She asks grimly. “I know that she wants you.”

I shake my head. But I can tell that she needs reassurance. “I’m not going to pretend that I don’t know what she wants me. But she’s not the one I want.”

Zoe sighs in relief and pushes her hair behind her ear. “What if she says you have to sleep with her to keep your job?”

I snort derisively. “I don’t think she would. But even if she did, I’d have to politely decline. Believe it or not, I’m not the kind of git who shags women for money. Does that answer your question?”

She bites her lips and gives me a relieved smile. “Okay, then. We can see where this goes.” Her words make my heart soar. I can still feel the corrupted power pulse around me, and it’s making me edgy. So I pull her to me and whisper. “Brilliant. How about I take you to breakfast tomorrow so we can talk.” She nods her head and kisses me on the chin. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She whispers, then turns around and steps into her apartment.

I wait until she locks her door before I release my demon and look around the hallway. I gasp at the sight that greets me. The walls are pulsing with black energy. It looks like a mass of power is coating the door and the wall, almost like a black hole. It’s grotesque and terrifying.

I quickly step out of its reach and make my way to the elevator doors. Worry etches my mind. Whatever that power is, it doesn’t bode well for the women who live inside. My phone rings the moment I step out of the edifice. “What is it, Fallon?” I answer, sounding a bit frustrated.

“I’m on the roof of the girl’s building. I just saw you come out. You need to come up here.” He says before he hangs up. I stand there for a moment and take a few deep breaths. My body is still raging with need. My control is nearly at its breaking point. What I really need to do is focus on the task at hand and to stay away from this girl. I don’t have time for complications, and Zoe has complicated written all over her. But even though my logic is sound. My heart and body rebels at the thought I make my way to the back of the building and release my wings. The good thing about demon wings is that they can also materialize over my clothes. Fallon gives me a hard glare when I land on the roof. The building is not very tall. But it’s tall enough to obscure us from spectators. Thankfully, it’s still dark outside.

“We have a problem.” He says with a serious tone. I quirk a brow in question. “What is it?” He signals with his hand to an area on the other side of the roof. It’s the area behind the building in the courtyard. I walk towards where he is pointing and look down. At first, I don’t see anything. There are several tall trees creating a cover over the yard—some foliage littering the sidewalk and an old fountain in the middle of the cobblestone path. The courtyard is rather large, with small stone benches on either side of the fountain. There’s a statue of an ancient robed woman standing in the middle of the fountain. Her vacant eyes are gazing up into the sky. Everything looks normal. I look back at Fallon, who is in full monster mode. His eyes glow crimson, and his sharp fangs gleam in contrast with the shadows. He gives me a measuring look before he grits out rigidly. “Look again, you git, and use your demon senses.”

My body goes rigid at his tone. I have never wanted to punch someone as badly as I want to punch his pretty face. “Watch your tone before I watch it for you, you tosser,” I say with an angry growl. Fallon doesn’t take offense, though. He simply rolls his glowing eyes and rests his hand on my shoulder in a relaxing manner. “I don’t know what has your knickers in a bundle, but there are far more important things to worry about right now. Now, look back down and use your demon eyes.”

His words pierce my thoughts. I guess I’m a little sensitive. My earlier encounter with Zoe is still affecting my emotions. Giving him a long-suffering sigh, I look over once again. This time I use my demon eyes and gasp in surprise at what I see. “Are those…” Fallon nods. “Ley lines. They’re ley lines. If you look closely, they all converge under the building. They’re all over the neighborhood. But this…this is where they’re the most powerful.” My eyes trace the vibrant lines with trepidation. They look like live wire lines on a map. Each one crisscrosses over the other. And they all meet underneath the building.

Ley lines are not uncommon. You can find them in most parts of the world. However, they aren’t usually very powerful, and they definitely don’t cross or look like the ones I am looking at now. A ley line is a central area where you can find magic. They’re usually in alignment with ancient or holy places. Most are located in stone circles such as Stonehenge. Ley lines glow in various colors depending on the magic and the user’s intent. Blue indicates good intentions or pure magic. Yellow is usually weak, and the rarest lines are red. According to legend, red means evil intent. Sometimes it can be a site for extreme malevolence. There aren’t many places in the world that have red ley lines. Most of them are found in the Middle East, and they’re not this red.

The ley lines under this building are red and black—a very deep crimson with a black aura surrounding it. I’ve never seen anything like it. I look at Fallon. His face is rigid as if set in stone. I don’t know what to say. An overwhelming feeling of foreboding envelopes me. “Fuck! I didn’t think it would be this bad. I just walked Zoe to her apartment, and it’s covered with corrupt energy. It’s coating the walls like a tumor. How is this possible?” I ask in my most calm voice. Inside though, I’m fuming. Whoever is doing this is amassing a lot more power than I thought.

Fallon shakes his head and mutters. “I don’t know. But this is not good, Azazel. I’ve never seen ley lines like these. This is a cesspool of corrupt power. Whatever is charging this ley line can cause a great deal of damage.”

We both keep our eyes on the line warily, as if it’s a deadly snake that is about to strike. “This is way off the pot, mate. We need to get these girls out of here.”

Fallon shakes his head. “No. There has to be something more to this. In all of my existence, I’ve never seen ley lines like this. Not even in hell.” He waves his arm out over the courtyard. “Nothing in history has ever shown something like this. These lines are corrupted somehow. Look at the black lines around it. This is not natural.”

I want to think that he’s blowing this out of proportion, but there is no denying the evidence. “Sahara was supposed to be a leader of her coven. Is it possible that she’s the one that has corrupted the lines?” Fallon shrugs. “I don’t know. The only person I know who might be able to do something like this is my mother. Even then, Lilith does not have the gall to go against Lucifer and bring hell to Earth. Lucifer does not like to be out-staged. Even Lucifer knows that the world needs balance. He and God have a bargain on who rules what. This would go against their bargain.”

My mind whirls. “There has to be something in Creighton’s books that can explain this.” I rub my finger over my lip in agitation. “We have to figure out how this is occurring.” Fallon gives me a grave look. “I spoke to him when I spotted the ley lines. He said he’d look into it. We need to keep a closer eye on the girls. And find out what this buggering thing is before one of them gets killed.” We both look back down towards the ley lines and nearly jump off the roof when the lines go out with no warning. “What the bloody hell!” We both say in unison as we look on in shock. It’s as if they were never there. I focus my demon eyes on them, but the lines are still gone.

“How?” Fallon asks in bewilderment. Ley lines just don’t disappear and re-appear that way. They are supposed to be infinite. Their power is supposed to run through the sacred ground forever. It doesn’t just shut off like a light bulb. My stomach drops as dread settles like a stone inside it. I can barely contain the horror inside me as I gaze up at Fallon. “We need to speak to Mathias. Now!” For once, Fallon does not sneer at the mention of Mathias’s name. Which worries me even more. Fallon hates the Council and Mathias. And when Fallon agrees without argument, you know that the world has gone to shit.