Chapter 30 — I will fight

Mikhail:

The back of the holding truck grumbles across the road, shifting and swaying at a nearly hypnotic pace. The Council uses the trucks to transport Council offenders. Sitting across from me on one of the benches is Gadriel. Corbin is driving the vehicle, and Lukan is sitting next to me. I resist the urge to strike out when I see the self-satisfied smirk on Lukan’s face. The bastard is finally getting what he has always wanted—to get rid of me.

My mind wanders back to Nevaeh and how sad she looked as I was being taken away. I’m glad that I asked Azazel to mark her because now she’s safe. Gadriel’s cell phone rings as the van tracks through the streets. He gives us both a wary look as he moves to the other side of the van and answers the call. I can tell that he doesn’t like the idea of leaving me alone with Lukan. He might not know why Lukan has such animosity toward me, but I’m sure he can sense that something is not right.

Unfortunately, Lukan seizes his chance to antagonize me moves closer. “How did it feel to see your mate with that demon, boy? Better yet, how did you convince Azazel to mark her? It must have been a painful experience for you to see him with her. From what I can remember of demon mating, they have to do the deed to mark a mate. Did you imagine them in certain positions? Do you think she compares you to him when you’re in bed together? You think you have gotten away with it, don’t you?”

My body tenses at his every word. Nostrils flaring. I try to ignore him, but the bastard persists. “Do you take turns with her? She is quite stunning. I think every man in the room got hard when Azazel lowered her dress and showed us her mate mark. Even Gadriel and Corbin’s breaths hitched. I wouldn’t mind getting a taste of that—”

My anger overwhelms me, and I snap from my seat and push him against the truck’s wall. “Don't you dare talk about her like that, you bastard!”

Gadriel disconnects the call and turns back to us, his lips pulled into a tight smile. “What are you doing, Cross? Let him go.”

I give Lukan one last warning look before I release him. I want to kill him so badly, but it wouldn’t do any good considering I’m already skating on thin ice.

Lukan gives me a sly smile, which he quickly hides when he looks at Gadriel. “Looks like our prisoner is becoming belligerent. Perhaps we should muzzle him?”

I grit my teeth, stifling any retort that might come out of my mouth. It would only make things worse. My jaw ticks with anger as I use all the strength that I have to try and control my rage.

Gadriel gives me a warning look and takes his seat across from me. “Mr. Cross, do I need to muzzle you?”

Swallowing down the urge to tell him what he can do with a muzzle, I shake my head evenly. “No, sir.”

His eyes search mine before he nods his head. “Very well, then I suggest you behave, or I will let Lukan do as he threatened.”

Armed Council guards meet us at the door as soon as we arrive at the Council building. Keeping me restrained, they lead me into the Triad room, where the council meets to deliberate their judgments. Worry slithers through my body like acid with every step I take.

The large hallowed hall’s marble floors gleam like pearls, and the walls are decorated with dark draperies. I glance around the room, wary of the many echoing footsteps. There are at least a hundred members sitting and pacing around the area. Once we get to the Council’s sentencing office, the room goes quiet. The office is just as austere as the hall. There are rows of benches and tables, and in the center of the room, there’s a judgment stand. It looks very similar to a human court office, with the exception that it’s filled with very powerful angels. One of them being the angel, Mathias Black, in his full angel glory. Mathias is the head enforcer of the council. He’s of the oldest and powerful Seraphim in existence. I’ve never personally met him, but anyone who is part of the supernatural world knows who Mathias Black is. Mathias stands up, looking very imposing with his wings spread out around his back. He’s tall, muscular with dark auburn hair and golden eyes. It’s odd because he’s very old, but he doesn’t look a day over twenty-two.

Gazing upon him, I am reminded of something Nevaeh asked me. This was after I told her about the existence of supernatural beings. We were rocking in her tree swing at the time. It was one of those sweet moments where we just enjoyed being in each other’s arms as the warm sunlight beamed down on us. Nevaeh was lying half-way on my chest, with her leg over mine and her head tucked beneath my chin.

“Mikhail?” She muttered.

“Yeah, baby?” I grunted out.

She rubbed my chest softly as she cuddled closer. “Are all supernatural beings beautiful?”

I remember I laughed at her comment. At my flippant tone, she rose up, crossed her arms in front of her chest, and quirked a brow. “I’m not joking. I mean, look at you, Azazel, Alex, Rowan, Carrick, and Kell. You’re all perfect. Think about it, Azazel and Alex are hundreds of years old, yet they look like twenty-year-old GQ models.”

I shrug my shoulders. “I never really thought about it, princess.” She smiled widely. “I guess you need to be a girl to realize what fine specimens are standing around you. I have to say I have to pinch myself when I’m in a room with all of you.”

I laughed at her comment as I angled my head to kiss her luscious lips. “As long as I’m the only one you touch, I don’t care if you look.”

Nevaeh rolled her eyes before she kissed me back passionately. “Don’t worry, babe. You’re hotter than all of them.”

I’m snapped out of my thoughts when the booking sound of Mathias’ voice resounds across the large chamber. “Mikhail Cross, you are standing before us today because you have been accused of murdering a human boy. Do you have anything to say?”

I look around me and take a deep breath as I step forward to defend myself. “I understand why I am here, sir, but I swear I’m innocent.”

Mathias gives me a searching look. I’ll admit it’s a little intimidating to be in the center of his scrutiny. His eyes glow with angelic light, and his face is stoic. “Do you have proof of this?” He asks stonily. There’s no emotion beneath his words. He might as well have said pass the salt, by how unfeeling he sounds. Unfortunately, it doesn’t put me at ease in any way. After all, he is the Council, which means that he will always side with his own.

I shake my head, but before I can say a word, Azazel and Alex walk into the room.

Mathias’ wings flutter in agitation. “What is the meaning of this?” Azazel gives him a look that says that he’s not intimidated by his display. But Alex is a bit more prudential in his approach as he steps forward and gives Mathias a respectful bow. “Good evening Councilman, Black. I am Alexander Cross, the foster father of Mikhail Cross, and this is Azazel Dark. We are here because we have proof that Mikhail was not the one that killed the human boy. We also have an issue we’d like to present to the council.”

Mathias nods his head. “Very well, please present us with what you have.”

Azazel steps forward and opens his laptop. “I happen to be the owner of the club Garden of Eden. Once I found out what occurred last night, I did a little bit of investigating. It was just odd that my cameras did not catch the incident, considering how advanced my security system is. After further thought, I realized that something was off. You see, the Garden of Eden and the territory around it was granted to me nearly two hundred years ago. That means that I not only have the right to the territory, but I also have a tight relationship with the people who have settled in it. Therefore, I had my security manager ask some of the owners in the area to review their security footage in case there is any evidence of the boy’s death. After some inquiry, we found this.”

He presses a couple of buttons, and a video turns on. In the video, Travis is stumbling drunkenly down an empty alleyway. As he gets to the center, two shadows materialize behind him. However, the figures are not human. Their eyes are glowing red, and they have long, sharp claws. It’s obvious that the creatures are hellhounds. Their faces are shadowed, but you can see that they are bigger than a human. Hellhounds are usually very stocky like human bodybuilders, and according to Nevaeh, I have a swimmer’s build.

I watch the video with bated breath as the hellhounds stalk Travis until he stops near a garbage can. From his slumped position and quivering back, I can tell that he’s vomiting. Even in his inebriated state, Travis must sense the shadows because his head shoots up to inspect the area. Unfortunately, it’s too late. Before he can react, one of the hounds grips him by the neck and chokes him. You can see Travis’s body flailing like a puppet on a string as he kicks out and struggles in his assailant’s arms. However, the hound is undeterred by the human’s measly struggles. Eventually, Travis’s struggles seize, and his body goes deathly still. He’s dead.

As soon as the hound had finished his task, he tossed Travis’s lifeless body to the other hound as if it was a discarded piece of trash. Grimacing, I observe as the other hound crawls over the building and disappears with the body. I don’t think I will ever forget the frozen expression on Travis’s grayish face. His eyes are bulging, and his mouth is gaping like a macabre death mask.

Azazel pauses the video and turns back towards the Council. “According to the footage we’ve been able to piece together, the hellhound crawled and jumped through a few buildings until he got to mine. The next video will show the body falling from the sky and landing inside a rubbish bin.”

He turns the video back on. The vantage point of this camera is across from the Garden of Eden. The video shows a shadow tossing Travis’s body from the roof. After seeing the footage, it makes sense that the council would think I did it. It looks like someone flew him high and tossed him down.

As soon as the video has ended, the hum of council member’s chatter echoes across the room. “Quiet!” Mathias calls out firmly. At his commanding words, the room instantly goes silent.

Mathias runs his gaze across the room until it clashes with mine. Clearing his throat, he adjusts his shoulders and states his next order. “After seeing the proof brought forth, I, Mathias Black, acquit Mikhail Cross of all charges. Mr. Cross is innocent of any wrongdoing.”

The crowd erupts into deafening chatter as they reevaluate what has just occurred. Heart thrumming with happiness, I give Alex and Azazel a grateful smile. Lukan doesn’t look happy, however. His face is set in an enraged scowl, and his lips are shut tight. Chest heaving, he seethes as his plans to be rid of me crumble into dust. Nostrils flaring, he gives me a hateful glare, then reaches for his phone and texts something.

My attention is drawn back to the Triad when Mathias slams his fist down and gives every angel a warning glare. As soon as the noise settles, he turns back to Azazel. “Now, you said that there was an issue you wanted to bring forth. What is it you wish to discuss?”

At his words, Azazel smiles triumphantly. I know at that moment that something is going to irrevocably change. I just hope the change will be good.