The Demon of Angels (Bk. 2)

ZEKE

I GLANCED BACK at Celeste as she fell on one knee, crashing against the ground. The vortex of swirling colors had folded in on itself, creating a cocoon around Death. There was no way for him to escape now, he was as good as dead, but Celeste was still pushing out energy and far too much of it.

“What is she doing?” I called out to no one in particular, my voice barely audible above the strong wind of the vortex, and the rain pouring down from the skies. She needed to stop.

“She’s ending this,” Noah answered at my side.

Simultaneously, we both started to head in her direction. The wind began to pick up. Increasing in intensity. It pushed against our bodies, making it almost impossible to move forward. We grunted in effort, trying to reach Celeste.

My mate leaned forward and placed her hands on the grass to remain upright. Thunder cracked above, splitting the sky as bolts of lightning crashed around her. My heart leaped into my throat, and her skin began peeling from her body, her pulsating power illuminating the world around her. If she doesn’t quit soon, she will kill herself.

Celeste, stop. Stop. STOP!

I repeated the frantic word repeatedly in my mind, pushing them to her in hopes she would hear them, hear me.

Lighting struck the middle of the vortex as Celeste shot a large ball of power I’d never seen before toward it. Everything around us stopped as we watched it make its way to the tornado. No one was fighting anymore. All of our enemies lay dead at our feet while our group remained, watching and waiting to see what happened next.

When the power connected, the vortex began to glow brighter. Its luminance increased in intensity until it literally hurt to look. Seconds later, it exploded and the brightness shot out across the clearing, blinding everything around us.

My body flew backward from the impact of the blast. As soon as I came into contact with the ground, I rolled uncontrollably. I grunted, sticking my hands out to stop my further backward movement. Ignoring the pain spreading through my exhausted and aching limbs, I jumped up and ran across the clearing, jumping over mangled and ashen bodies along the way.

Once I reached Celeste’s side, I dropped to the ground. Only flecks of her beautiful skin remained across her body. She was barely recognizable. The form of her beneath the skin was no longer glowing from power but dull and grey. She lay on her side, curled into a ball with her hair across her face. Rolling her carefully onto her back, I leaned down and listened for a heartbeat. My heart plummeted to my toes when there was nothing but silence.

Noah and Charlie were running toward me. I could see Axel, Hardin, Maddie, Hannah, and Bragden were all moving, so at least they were alive. But two were missing from our group.

Where were Evan and Morgan?

I pushed the thought away, sure of myself that they were alright, and leaned my head down, resting it against her forehead. “Celeste, don’t you dare leave me. You promised,” I growled. Without my permission, my eyes started to tear up. I’ve seen her nearly die far too many times.

Maddie came from behind with puffy red eyes and took hold of my mate’s hand. After a few seconds of no changes, I looked up at Maddie. “Why isn’t she waking up?” I asked. “Why didn’t that work?”

“Something’s not right,” she murmured without taking her eyes off of what was left of Celeste’s body. She didn’t even look human without the flesh pressed against her.

I tightened my grip on my mate, her body cool to the touch. She had to wake up. “Come on, Celeste,” I muttered. Leaning down, I listened for her heartbeat again. Nothing. “Damn it, Celeste. Don’t you dare leave me. Wake up!” I shouted and shook her lightly, trying to push power back into her grey, dulled, and lifeless form, but nothing was happening.

Bragden walked up behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder. We were supposed to come out of this together. Why didn’t Maddie’s power heal her? This wasn’t the end. It couldn’t be the end. It couldn’t end like this.

I know you can hear me, Celeste. I know you’re listening. You need to get back here. You need to come back to me. You’re so much stronger than this. Use whatever fight you have left, and come back to me. I can’t do this without you. Come the fuck back, please! I need you here!

I continued to push these thoughts at her, screaming them down the bond as the organ within my chest squeezed and sputtered from seeing her skin grow pale. A tear fell from my eye as a wave of anger and heartache split me open.

I would not be able to bury her. There was no way I could watch them lower her body in a casket into the ground. I wouldn’t make it through that. I had just gotten her back. She couldn’t be gone, not like this.

A pained cry escaped my lips as the tears that fell from my eyes slid down my mate’s already cold cheeks. It felt as if I had reached inside my chest and physically torn my own heart out. Noah collapsed to his knees beside me, his head bowed as silent droplets slid down his cheeks. Our tears dripped onto her body, anguish tearing at our insides, unable to feel anything other than the lifeless line of her soul that connected to ours. Neither of us bothered to try and hide our heartbroken emotions.

I don’t think we could’ve tried, even if we wanted to.