There was a lot of movement outside, and as my eyes started to focus, I saw Darkling inside the barrier, crawling around the house, but they weren’t trying to get in.
Not yet.
“It’s not gonna hold much longer!” Malachi yelled.
“Well boys, this is our time to shine,” Dom called his brothers to arms.
Everything that followed happened so fast.
I watched in complete horror as one of the Grimlock offered his blow, shattering what was left of the barrier. Brilliant white and blue sparks rained down around the perimeter as our protection finally gave, and disintegrated around us.
It was the beginning of the end.
The front door exploded like a bomb. Like a rocket, Lucian came crashing through the side wall like it was made of straw, tumbling into the foyer directly below us.
He stood, tall and muscular, slowly dusting himself off. His eyes were pitch black, just like his heart. His white hair wasn’t drawn back like how I remembered. It was long, stringy, and hung down to his shoulders making him look even more brutal.
Lucian held his arms out to his sides, calling his majestic, raven-black wings, and they immediately appeared behind his back.
His head snapped up toward us, and a wicked grin swept across his face, sending a menacing, hair-raising chill down my spine.
Chaos and terror erupted all around us as Darkling and Fallen forced their way in, shattering all the windows as they crashed through.
But something happened. Something no one, including Lucian, could have expected. A half a dozen Hellhounds charge through the opening, and began attacking the Darkling. Screams of agony erupted as the ravage red eyes and razor sharp teeth pounced on their stinky prey and began ripping them to shreds.
“No!” Lucian roared, as the Hellhounds took out half his army in a short amount of time.
He cursed at the top of his lungs, then began to speak in a loud angelic voice which reverberated of the walls all around us.
The Hellhounds started to yelp in pain and then dropped to the ground. In seconds they were lifeless; their bodies torched and turned to ash.
Lucian killed half the power he came with and we didn’t have to lift a finger.
Rage burned bright in his eyes.
Ethon was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Lucifer. I had a crushing feeling they would abandon us and leave us to die. How easy it would be to have one enemy take out the other.
With a wave of his hand, Lucian sent his Fallen forward.
Our Guardians didn’t hesitate. Every one of them readied their weapons and charged forward without fear or trepidation, knowing full well they were brutally outnumbered.
I watched Alaine rush out from the hallway. She had been ready, dressed in her black combat outfit with her sword in hand. Her hair was pulled back, her eyes narrowed, and her face hard-set as she immediately engaged with one of the Fallen. His tall muscular frame towered over hers by at least two feet.
I gasped in horror as he lifted his gargantuan sword over his head, quickly thrusting it down at her. Alaine twirled to the side, barely missing it.
I exhaled. That was too close.
The Fallen raised his weapon again and attempted a second strike, but Alaine disappeared. I watched her reappear directly behind him, quickly pushing her blade into his back. He immediately swung around, knocking her backwards.
I knew whenever she disappeared, it drained her. I prayed to God that she would have enough strength to survive.
Kade grabbed me by the arms and yanked me backward down the hallway.
“No!” I yelled, trying to break free, but he held me tight. In an instant, he threw me over his shoulder and I was being carried quickly toward my bedroom. “We can’t leave them,” I cried.
“We have to. They are fighting for you, Emma. For your safety,” he implored, carrying me away.
“No!” I screamed.
I watched in horror as Malachi and Dominic jumped from the second balcony, directly into the middle of danger below. Swords clashed and echoed through the house as they fought bravely, but they were surrounded and would be quickly outnumbered.
I screamed as the Fallen closed in on them. Kade ran down the hall, kicked open my door, dropped me to my feet and locked the door behind us. He ran and pulled the chair from the desk and secured the door with it.
“Get your garment on. Now!” he urged.
There was a charge in his eyes, and the seriousness of his voice had me grabbing the duffle and bolting for the closet. I threw open the door and immediately threw off my jeans and T-shirt as I entered. I pulled the garment from my duffle, trying to unzip it, but my body was trembling much too fiercely.
A loud boom on the door shook the entire room.
“Shit. Hurry, Emma!” Kade yelled.
I finally unzipped the suit and quickly slipped it on, then grabbed the dagger and fastened it to my waist.