Asmodeus(83)

Still, he found himself flipping the contraption open. "What?"



"Please don't hang up."



Asmodeus felt both rage and desire at the sound of Brianna's voice. A part of him wanted to ask her if she fared well, and the other wanted to tell her to go to hell. Being what he was, it was difficult for him to give his enemies his back, which was what he was doing by allowing her to live.



He didn't say anything. Didn't trust his voice to remain steady, or trust the correct words to come out of his mouth. He only waited for her to speak.



"What I'm about to tell you will likely start off a chain reaction of which I'll have no control over, and perhaps I should have told you earlier, but I just…couldn't."



He gritted his teeth. "I'm listening."



She sighed. "Okay. Well, you heard the mission the angels sent me on. And yes, I did accept their terms. It was the first day we met in the library…"



His body grew cold as she told him everything. She explained to him that she had been willing to kill him in the beginning, gave him her word that she had changed her mind, and told him the truth about the attack of the Nephilim she had instigated. He listened, and though he wanted to believe every word she said, his survival instinct told him to be cautious.



He chose his words carefully. "What do you gain by this call, Brianna?"



He had the overwhelming desire to flash to her house, hold her and tell her they could work things out.

But she was a human. Forbidden. And though he had already broken the rules, doing so again would be ignorant. Trusting her again went against everything he had learned in the Abyss.



"I just wanted you to be aware of the situation."



He laughed, feeling on the edge of a precipice he had no control over. "And you would have me do what? Are you calling me for protection?" I would give it. Damn me, I would give it.



Silence met his question. He waited as he battled the inner turmoil of his feelings. Battle plans were swirling in his mind. He wanted to gather a force, but he would not engage his brothers in his problem once again. If there was a fight coming, then it was his alone to face.



And Brianna's.



Dear God.



"Take care of yourself, Asmodeus."



The harsh sound of a dial tone met his ears, and he wanted to crush the phone with his hand. Yes, it had been too much to ask for more than a small reprieve.



The thought of going back to the Abyss made his blood run cold.



But the thought of Brianna there left him weak.





Brianna watched the sunset from her back porch. The purples, blues and pinks mingled together, giving her one last, beautiful glimpse of freedom.



A small part of her had thought Asmodeus would care enough to make an appearance before the angels arrived. It hurt to realize she had wounded him so badly that he didn't give a shit about their future. She could only pray he took what she said seriously and protected himself in whatever way he could.



A misplaced calm settled over her as she gazed at the sky and listened to the birds. The call to her mother had never happened. She hadn't the strength to say goodbye.



Michael had spoke of unconditional love. He had maintained that Asmodeus didn't know the meaning, nor was he capable of surrendering himself to such an emotion.



Michael was wrong. If she had more time, she might be able to prove it, but time had run out.



She felt for the dagger she had slipped into her jeans. Still in its sheath, it was big and it dug into her thigh. She was going to keep it on her, just in case. It was just a feeling…an instinct that told her to keep Michael's dagger on her.



Getting up from her lawn chair, she made her way back into the house. Not long now. Surveying her living room, she was surprised to see what little belongings represented her time here on earth. Then again, material things had meant little to her. Books had been the most important part of her existence.



She could swear the angels were already there, as she felt another's presence. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she chalked it up to nerves.



The sun was nearly gone, the light casting an eerie orange glow throughout her living room. She turned on a lamp, and just as she did so, a bright light filled her home.



So soon. Time was up.

Straightening, she turned to the four angels who now stood in her living room. Dressed in their battle gear, they reminded her of old Roman warriors, not the angelic beings they were.



"You have failed your assigned mission."



She kept her eyes locked with his obsidian stare. During her first encounter with the angels she had been a different person. Selfish and unfulfilled. She was stronger as a person now, and she was confident in her capabilities. "Did I? I don't believe I did."