Asmodeus(29)

She closed the back door on that disturbing thought. I so don't need to go there.



Brianna sat behind the desk and began eating her ham and cheddar melt, letting the book jackets and quiet surroundings take away her anxiety. She had a lot to do before she took off for the day. She'd have to call Tracy, tell her some bullshit about going on a vacation, and ask her to watch the bookstore.



The Abyss. What a vacation.



She put her sandwich down and powered up her laptop. She was already getting antsy for tonight's mission, and it was only after two in the afternoon.



She browsed through her messages, skipping the ones from her mother. Her mom always forwarded jokes, nothing of great importance. One was labeled "must read" so she opened that one.



Why is a man so much smarter when he's having sex with a woman?



"Jeez, I don't know, Mom. Why?"



Because he's plugged into a genius.



Brianna laughed and shook her head. Her mom had such a warped mind.



Feeling a little warped herself she put the cursor on the Google toolbar and typed in ASMODEUS, figuring she might learn a little about him to pass the time.



What came up shocked her.





The pizza Asmodeus had eaten settled in his stomach like a rock. It had been good as hell, but now he felt heavy and uncomfortable.



"You look like you need a Tums."



Asmodeus cocked a brow at Raum.

"It's a medicine for indigestion."



He only shook his head and kept walking down the wooded trail. Naberius had dropped them off and told them he would meet up with them around nine, which would give them about an hour to roam this park before they headed to Hickory.



Part of his stomach issue could be due to the fact he hadn't faced a Nephilim in centuries. Not since the night he had gone to the Abyss. The last time he had ever seen his sons.



He pushed the memories aside in an attempt to enjoy his surroundings. Last night he had been too busy, too full of anxiety to take in the stars and the moon, the cool night air. Tonight, as he hunted Neph with Raum, he could almost pretend all was right in his life.



The city lights weren't so bright he couldn't enjoy the stars. Focusing on the little joys that had been denied him might take his mind from what he would soon face.



The quiet sanctuary of trees and brush brought back cherished memories of the time he spent with his sons. He would never have a family of his own again. Even in this realm his brothers weren't awarded the same freedoms as the humans.



What would Brianna think of him if she found out about his dark past? The utter soulless act he had been forced to do to his own children. She would think him a monster, and she would be right.



Why did he care? He would never set eyes on the human again.



She deserved better than a man—a demon—such as himself. He focused on the surroundings again, hoping to get lost in the simplicity of nature.



Just as he started to become relaxed, the tingling began. A slight magnetism in the air, a quiet humming in his ears. The animalistic side of his nature alerted him to a predator in his surroundings. A Neph.



"You feel it?"



Asmodeus slowed his pace, materializing his sword in his palm. The familiar weight made him feel in control of the situation, though he was anything but. Sweat broke out on his forehead as though he were back in the fires.



Before he could control the tremors in his hands, a movement thirty yards ahead of them sent him into action.



The Neph sensed their power, catapulting the creature into a flight response.



He and Raum, both seasoned warriors, melted into an understanding. Asmodeus ran to intercept the creature from the front, jogging to the left, and Raum stalked it from the back.



Coming face to face with the creature was much more difficult than he had first imagined. It was as though he'd been thrust back into the past, his actions those many years before causing bile to rise into his throat.



The Neph bared its teeth, rushing him, knowing it had to eliminate the threat because there would be no running from it.



Killing an unarmed Neph posed no problem concerning strength. It was the emotional sting of the memories that halted his death blow.



The vision of his sons.



The Neph attacked him as his sword hung limp in his hand. His mind screamed attack, but in his heart he saw his sons.



He dropped the sword to the ground, both hands going around the Neph's neck, keeping its sharp teeth from tearing his flesh.

He stared into the Neph's crazed eyes, and that alone told him the creature was more animal than human. The pupils were like his own, horizontal, and the eyes were a sickly yellow. It was a monster, the only thing on its mind blood and survival.



But God, this was once someone's beloved child. Their pride and joy. Their life. This was why he had ended Bael's life. His youngest son had been spared the indignity of turning into one of these vile creatures.