help him, an angel could. It was what they did… when they weren't killing demons stupid enough to drag them out of the sky.
"You're serious?"
Beliaz nodded.
"I… I hope I don't regret this, but I believe you."
* * * *
With a bark that commanded all four demons as if their limbs were his own, Andaras ordered them back. One kicked Bel's ribs for good measure before falling in with his companions, watchful, ready to spring, but obedient to the end.
"One…" Andaras held up a single black claw. "You will not find your way out without permission. And, two…"
Beliaz didn ' t bother to check if he held up two fingers. He closed his eyes and thought of Eden. My Guiding Light . I have failed you .
"I can make your endless journey very, very painful." Andaras crouched beside Beliaz and grabbed one horn, twisting and lifting, inflicting as much pain as possible in wrenching Bel to his feet.
Beliaz ground his teeth, biting back the scream lodged in his throat and cutting off his breath. He narrowed his eyes and drew his fists into vicious lumps of scaled flesh and sharp knuckles. He swung an arm back and—
— Noooo!!! Eden stared in horror . H is beloved Bel gushed blood from wounds too numerous to count . The demon who called himself Andaras, and also, Bel ' s father , stood over Bel laughing — laughing — as Bel stumbled to his knees and then dropped face first on the rocky, blood-spattered ground.
Another hallucination —it must be— but Eden couldn't hold back his instinctual reaction. He threw his arms down and out to the sides, fingers splayed. He opened up his heart and soul to his Lord, and drew down every bit of power he could still access. Divine light flowed through him, overloading his senses before exploding—
—Beliaz stared his father down as best as he could with his head at an awkward, twisted angle. Forgive me, Eden . I do this for you . For a moment, he could almost feel the warmth of Eden ' s embrace and hoped he wouldn ' t lose that comfort in bargaining with his father. " I ' ll work for you for one year in exchange for a portal home. "
"One year?" The demon laughed. "Five," he countered. He released Beliaz, still chuckling, the kind of laugh that made the fine hairs on the back of human necks quiver uncontrollably and forced the fragile mortals indoors to perceived safety.
"Three." Beliaz stood up straight and met the hard, cold eyes of the demon lord. "And no harm will come to the angel. Not from the jobs done, nor from you or your demons. Nothing. Eden is off limits."
"So you think you can handle three more years, son of mine? This sounds like a challenge. I can, and will, break you, if that is what I choose." He laughed and Beliaz winced. He had to start somewhere and even ten years seemed daunting under his father's thumb.
"Nor will I live here," Beliaz added. "I will live at home."
Andaras snorted. "Why should I give a damn in Hell where you live?" He waved a clawed hand. "Fine. Three years. It's a deal." A portal opened to Bel's right, swirling with the magic of the realm and bidding him to step through.
"And the angel?"
"I don't care about your weakness for that beast."
The snarled answer sent Beliaz stumbling back before he remembered the dangers of not holding one's ground in the confines of Hell. He strode forward two steps standing closer than before.
"It's part of the deal, Andaras, or don't send me any of your so-called jobs."
"For your precious pet, three years."
"One hundred percent protection."
" From Hell, yes. It will be off limits. Unless, " his grin cracked his face and looked more uncomfortable than amused, " You break our agreement, then the beast is mine no matter the magic you poured into that trinket around your neck. "
"Deal," Beliaz said.
"Deal." Andaras dipped his head in a mocking bow and then said, "I'll send someone with the details of your first job within the week."
Chapter Eight
Shaken by the vivid, painful
"You're serious?"
Beliaz nodded.
"I… I hope I don't regret this, but I believe you."
* * * *
With a bark that commanded all four demons as if their limbs were his own, Andaras ordered them back. One kicked Bel's ribs for good measure before falling in with his companions, watchful, ready to spring, but obedient to the end.
"One…" Andaras held up a single black claw. "You will not find your way out without permission. And, two…"
Beliaz didn ' t bother to check if he held up two fingers. He closed his eyes and thought of Eden. My Guiding Light . I have failed you .
"I can make your endless journey very, very painful." Andaras crouched beside Beliaz and grabbed one horn, twisting and lifting, inflicting as much pain as possible in wrenching Bel to his feet.
Beliaz ground his teeth, biting back the scream lodged in his throat and cutting off his breath. He narrowed his eyes and drew his fists into vicious lumps of scaled flesh and sharp knuckles. He swung an arm back and—
— Noooo!!! Eden stared in horror . H is beloved Bel gushed blood from wounds too numerous to count . The demon who called himself Andaras, and also, Bel ' s father , stood over Bel laughing — laughing — as Bel stumbled to his knees and then dropped face first on the rocky, blood-spattered ground.
Another hallucination —it must be— but Eden couldn't hold back his instinctual reaction. He threw his arms down and out to the sides, fingers splayed. He opened up his heart and soul to his Lord, and drew down every bit of power he could still access. Divine light flowed through him, overloading his senses before exploding—
—Beliaz stared his father down as best as he could with his head at an awkward, twisted angle. Forgive me, Eden . I do this for you . For a moment, he could almost feel the warmth of Eden ' s embrace and hoped he wouldn ' t lose that comfort in bargaining with his father. " I ' ll work for you for one year in exchange for a portal home. "
"One year?" The demon laughed. "Five," he countered. He released Beliaz, still chuckling, the kind of laugh that made the fine hairs on the back of human necks quiver uncontrollably and forced the fragile mortals indoors to perceived safety.
"Three." Beliaz stood up straight and met the hard, cold eyes of the demon lord. "And no harm will come to the angel. Not from the jobs done, nor from you or your demons. Nothing. Eden is off limits."
"So you think you can handle three more years, son of mine? This sounds like a challenge. I can, and will, break you, if that is what I choose." He laughed and Beliaz winced. He had to start somewhere and even ten years seemed daunting under his father's thumb.
"Nor will I live here," Beliaz added. "I will live at home."
Andaras snorted. "Why should I give a damn in Hell where you live?" He waved a clawed hand. "Fine. Three years. It's a deal." A portal opened to Bel's right, swirling with the magic of the realm and bidding him to step through.
"And the angel?"
"I don't care about your weakness for that beast."
The snarled answer sent Beliaz stumbling back before he remembered the dangers of not holding one's ground in the confines of Hell. He strode forward two steps standing closer than before.
"It's part of the deal, Andaras, or don't send me any of your so-called jobs."
"For your precious pet, three years."
"One hundred percent protection."
" From Hell, yes. It will be off limits. Unless, " his grin cracked his face and looked more uncomfortable than amused, " You break our agreement, then the beast is mine no matter the magic you poured into that trinket around your neck. "
"Deal," Beliaz said.
"Deal." Andaras dipped his head in a mocking bow and then said, "I'll send someone with the details of your first job within the week."
Chapter Eight
Shaken by the vivid, painful
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