Broken Butterflies (33 page)

“How do you know?”

“She sent me a message in the same manner you just did.”

“I hope not in the same way,” she said smiling.

“Okay, not exactly the same way. You better hurry she has Azriel.”

Ilisha stiffened.

Damon stroked her face. “Hey, he won’t get near you.”

Caligula had Azriel sitting on a chair unrestrained. When Ilisha walked in the kitchen he jumped up, but crumpled to the floor instead. His body curled up in the fetal position and he clutched his head screaming.

“I told you to sit and behave yourself,” Caligula chided.

All Caligula had to do was look at him and he was thrown into extreme pain. Azriel crawled to his feet. He straightened his suit and sat back down glaring at Ilisha. After he took her in for a few seconds his shoulders slumped. “Well you have certainly changed your fate my dear.”

Ilisha could never get used to the deep scars on his face and hands. She wondered if the rest of his body looked the same. As she sat down, keeping a distance from their guest, Damon walked in.

Azriel’s mouth fell open. “Shit,” he said.

Damon grabbed a chair and flipped it around, straddling it. He sat just inches from the death maker.

“I asked you to do one thing, and you failed.” Damon’s voice was cold and hard.

Azriel never looked him in the eye. “There was interference, Majesty.”

“Where would that interference be now?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

Damon grabbed the old death maker’s shirt. “I don’t believe you.”

“I heard he disappeared,” Azriel quickly replied.

“Uh-huh. I guess we get to do this the hard way.” Damon shot off the chair causing it to crash to the tile floor. He pulled Azriel off his chair by his hair and dragged him down to the basement; Caligula and Ilisha hot on his heels.

Ilisha had not ventured down to her home’s basement often, it was more for storage. Now it was outfitted with a rope hanging from the ceiling beams.

Damon strung Azriel up. His wrists were bound together over his head in a tight knot. The rope was just long enough to cause him to dangle, unable to touch the floor.

“Majesty, please,” Azriel pleaded.

“You have threatened my wife, kidnapped her, and had plans to sell her blood on the black market. On top of that you failed me,” Damon snarled.

“Bram interfered with the death.”

“I’m losing patience,” Damon closed his eyes and took a deep breath for effect.

“I swear I don’t know where he is.”

“Caligula,” was all Damon said. His sister stepped toward Azriel and he curled up again screaming.

“We know you teamed up, where is Bram?” Caligula’s voice sounded too sweet to be torturing a man.

“I didn’t unite with him. All I wanted to do was finish my mission.” His eyes darted back and forth between Damon and the red headed angel.

Again Caligula tormented him. “I swear to you!” Azriel screamed.

Damon stepped forward and Caligula stepped back.

“At least you made one right decision,” Damon said.

“Are you going to kill me?” Azriel asked panting.

“Yes, I am.”

Ilisha stepped forward. “Damon,” she said putting a hand on his arm.

“Ilisha, he must die,” he protested.

“Why? He didn’t align with Bram, and he’s been truthful.”

“Because the second I let him go he will try to kill you.”

Ilisha looked at the scared death maker, and he glared back.

Damon continued. “He’s a death maker, Ilisha. They never give up once they have a summons. Since I’m here I don’t need you to die. On top of that you are now in full angel form and if he kills you we will never be together.”

“I’m not understanding.”

“If he kills you now you’ll go to purgatory, not back to heaven.”

“Spirit prison,” Ilisha whispered.

“Yes.”

Caligula took Ilisha’s hand and nudged her back.

Damon took the dagger from his belt and in one quick swipe he decapitated Azriel. There was no blood. His head rolled a few inches before turning to ash, followed by his body.

Ilisha stared wide-eyed. Damon grabbed a broom and dustpan he had placed by the wall. As he swept up the ash Ilisha took the dust pan and held it against the floor.There was no sign of a living being at all. No fabric from his clothes, bone, or flesh. All that was left was black ash.

“How’d you get him here?” Damon asked Caligula swiping a pile of ash in the dust pan.

“I told him I would give him Ilisha on a silver platter.”

“Good thinking.”

“I knew he would never come with me otherwise and I didn’t want to lug him all the way here.”

“Tonight we find Bram,” Damon said sweeping the last of the ash up.

“Damon you need to rest and recharge. You also need to meet with your army, which you haven’t done,” Caligula cautioned.

He nodded and looked at Ilisha. “Hey, come here.” Holding his hand out, he pulled her into an embrace while Caligula walked up the stairs.

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Damon said burying his face in her hair.

“You did what you had to.”

“You don’t sound so sure.”

“I’m just sorry you’re on a killing spree because of me.”

“I’ll do whatever I have to in order to protect you. It’s not all for you, I need to keep order.” He paused and looked at her. “Does it bother you?”

“Yes and no. If you enjoyed killing yes, but it’s not a pleasant sight to see someone die.”

Damon took them to the same field Bram had taken her. This time it was littered with thousands of self-illuminated butterflies. Not a patch of ground or vegetation could be seen amongst them.

As Damon stepped forward all the butterflies transformed into angels. The sea of bodies was immense. They spread far beyond the field through the forest.

“Thank you all for coming. I want you to know that I’ve killed Azriel, but the demon armies will still want to attack.”

Damon’s voice echoed as if he spoke through a microphone.

“To start and end this war I will seek out Bram. I want you all to be prepared to act.”

There was a rumble through the crowd.

“As you know this is Caligula and Eric, my right hand angels.” Damon pointed at both. “Any order you get from them is the same as if it came from me.”

An angel in the back of the crowd yelled “victory” and they all cheered. The sound was almost deafening as it reverberated against the surroundings hills.

“I want you all to get your rest. Caligula and Eric will keep you informed. Thank you all for your devotion and loyalty.” Damon took Ilisha by the hand and led her away.

“Aren’t we going to transform?” she asked.

“Not here. I thought we would have a night to ourselves before this all starts.”

“That sounds perfect.”

As they flew back to the house Damon caressed Ilisha’s hand. Landing in the back yard, smooth, silent, and invisible he kissed her. This kiss was lingering, passionate and intense.

“What was that for?” Ilisha asked becoming visible, as Damon did.

“It’s because I love you.”

“You’re scared something is going to happen to me.”

Damon took her hand and led her in the house. He sat on the couch and she followed. “Can I be honest?”

“Of course, you know that is all I’ve ever expected from you.”

“I think you’ll let something happen. You could have destroyed Bram when he took you. I can’t help wondering why you didn’t.”

“I did fight.”

Damon looked up at the ceiling for a second, his tongue running across his lips. “Ilisha please don’t bullshit me. You could have killed him easily, yet his heart still beats.”

“You’re thinking I still love him,” Ilisha accused.

“Yes I do.”

“I didn’t rip his head off because I knew he wouldn’t kill me.” She got up and paced. “He was asking for my help. I have no idea what that meant. Sorry, but I can’t just go around snapping necks like you.” She looked at the floor and put her hands on her hips. A big breath left her chest and she felt bad for snapping at Damon.

Damon stood and put his hands on her shoulders. “Yes, I can be ruthless, but I don’t enjoy it. I’ll do whatever I need to in order to protect you. I also have a duty to all the angels in my kingdom.”

“I know, I shouldn’t have said that.” She shook her head.

“You need to say what’s on your mind, whether it hurts me or not.”

Ilisha sat down on the floor, leaning her back against the couch. Damon sat beside her and waited.

“Please try to understand this. Bram came into my life when I really needed someone. For the first time in a long time I felt loved and needed.” She paused to look into Damon’s eyes. “I didn’t know about you or my other life. Never in my wildest dreams could I have known about you. I also need to find out what it is he thinks I can do to help him.”

“So you do still love him?” Damon said quietly.

“I will always love him, but it doesn’t take away the fact that he deceived me or what I feel for you.” She took his chin with her index finger and turned his face to hers. “Bram has been in my life for a really long time. He’s a changed angel, well demon now. Evil is brewing in him, but he seemed to be fighting it. Of course I want the best for him, but that doesn’t mean I want anything romantic between us.”

“You’re hoping he can redeem himself.”

“Yes. Sometimes love makes us do crazy things. Do I want him in our kingdom again, no, but I do hope he can find goodness again.”

Damon looked at the floor.

“This really shouldn’t bother you. The minute I saw you your essence hit me like a ton of bricks. Anything I felt for him instantly faded the second you helped me remember us, though I fought what I was feeling because I didn’t understand it.”

“What else did you feel?”

Ilisha giggled. “I thought you were cocky as all get out.”

“And that’s a bad quality?” Damon’s forehead crinkled.

“It made me keep my distance at first, but now I find it hot.” She slid onto his lap and put her legs on either side of him.

“I was scared you would reject me,” Damon said biting his lip.

“Well you certainly didn’t act like it. You strutted around like you knew you would have me, that’s what kept me away.”

“So what changed you mind?”

“The night you shared your memory of killing the king. I think that should be more than obvious considering what happened after.” Her hand slid between them, reminding him of what had happened between them. Damon’s lips met hers and he laid her back against the floor. His pelvis shifted forward and she smiled biting her lip.

“Do you have any idea how much I love you?” he whispered in her ear. Damon had her shirt over her head. Gripping the front of her bra in one hand he undid the clip.

He pinned her arms above her head, with one hand and his mouth found her lips again, while his other hand unbuttoned her pants. Damon moved down her body, kissing as he went. His hands gripped the waist of her pants and he slid them off. His thumb brushed the inside of her thighs before he removed her underwear.

Ilisha sat up and ran her hands under his shirt feeling each ripple of muscle as she slid it up and off. Damon worked on his own pants as her hands continued to explore his chest, back and arms.

“You act like this is the first time you’ve seen me naked,” he commented.

“I’ll never get used to looking at you, you’re beautiful.”

Ilisha’s hands ran up his neck and rested just under his jawbone as she kissed him. Her lips nibbled on his and took in that sweet taste and smell of his breath. “Don’t ever compare what I feel for you to what I feel for Bram,” she whispered against his mouth.