Sweet Revenge (Dueling with the Devil) (31 page)

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

The silver burned as it slashed through her arm. The throbbing pain halted Bell’s progression. She clutched the injured limb to her side and fired several rounds into the demon responsible for her anguish. The gunshots only slowed him down. He stumbled back a couple of steps before rearing to rush her. She’d only have a few seconds to take action. If he tackled her to the groun
d,
she was a goner. She raised her pisto
l,
aiming for his head. Bell unloaded the rest of her magazine into his forehea
d,
breathing a sigh of relief when the demon hit the ground.

Another heavy hand grabbed her by the shoulder. Before Bell could turn her gun on the assailan
t,
Angel prevented her from pulling the trigge
r,
pushing her arm down.

“
Who
a
,
”
Damon sai
d,
taking a step back. The werewolf tore a section of his shirt and handed the ripped scrap of cotton to
B
e
ll
.

“
Thanks
.”
Bell accepted the cloth as Angel helped her clean and bandage the wound.

“
We gotta get the hell outta here. This is going downhill fast
.”
Angel scanned the crowd.

“
I think I can buy us some tim
e,
but it could also go horribly wrong and catch us all on fire
.
”

Angel exchanged looks with the werewolf
.“
You got any better ideas
?”

Damon shrugged and faced Bell
.“
It’s all you. Do your thing
.
”

“
Y’all need to get the others and get as far away as possible
.”
Bell focused on the battlefield. Angel and Damon stayed behind her
.“
What the hell are you two doing
?
”

“
We’re not leaving you here unprotected. Now concentrate. I don’t want you to catch my new husband on fire
.”
Angel took Bell by the shoulders and directed her back toward the battle.

Bell’s temperature soared. Her blood boiled in her veins. She called up the images of the Legion soldiers in her mind. She envisioned their body heat risin
g,
their flesh burning from the inside out. In her min
d,
fire engulfed each of Lucifer’s pawns. Screams drowned out her thoughts. Her intensity multiplied exponentiall
y,
with each inhaled breath. With each exhal
e,
she lowered the barriers in her mind to touch the soldiers littering the battlefield with gray and red uniforms.

The sound of footsteps pounded past her. The moaning agony of the injured whispered across the burning meadow. Once each soldier in her vision was consumed in her flame
s,
Bell finally opened her eyes. Fear hammered in her ches
t,
as she witnessed the destruction in front of her. Hundreds of bodies lay roasting before her.
Did my people get out? Is Xavier safe?

Bell swung around to find Angel and Xavier behind her smiling
.“
Why the hell didn’t you leave? I see the wolf ran
.
”

“
I’m not leaving you ever again
.”
Xavier stepped into he
r,
but Bell shook her head.

He backed up. Bell smiled
.“
Let’s go. I want to check on Laurent
.
”

t t t

Ange
l,
Bel
l,
Xavier and Jacque were the last to arrive back Topside. Xavier loaded Bell into the passenger seat. She sank down into the plush leather. Exhaustion weighed on her like an anchor. She didn’t remember falling aslee
p,
but awoke in Xavier’s arms on Etienne’s front steps. She expended too much of her power in the battle. Bell needed to learn to harness her energy better.

“
He
y,
sleepy. You okay
?”
The lush shade of emerald eyes reminded her of the wild allure of the rainforest.

She stretche
d,
draping her arms around his neck
.“
I’m fine. Just want to check on my brother
.
”

“
I’ll take you there
.”
His lips grazed against her hot flesh. His cool skin was a refreshing breeze against her face.

Xavier set her feet on the ground at the doorway of Laurent’s room and leaned against the doorjamb. The room was air
y,
which belied the anguish contained inside. Light danced on the walls from the large windows facing the east. Laurent’s pale battered body lay propped on several pillows. Bell couldn’t recall a time her brother seemed so small. She was the petite on
e,
taking after her mother.

Her father nervously paced next to the be
d,
watching over his son. Horror and grief aged an immortal face. Natasha sat at the foot of the bed. The blood drained from her face and dark circles
f
o
r
med
under her eyes. In a larg
e,
leather club chair in the corne
r,
Charity curled in a ball with her head resting on the arm. No one looked as if they had left the room since they arrived at Etienne’s.

Bell balanced on her tiptoes and kissed her father’s stubbled
c
h
i
n.
“
H
o
w
’
s
i
t
g
o
in
g,
D
a
d
d
y
?
”

“
He’s still with us. Natasha has been doing all she can. I’m not sure why he’s not healing or responding to her magic
.”
His words stumbled ou
t,
small and distant.

“
He’ll get better. We’ll find a cure
.
”

“
Only Lucifer knows how to reverse this
.
”

Bell touched her father’s arm
.“
Someone else might have an answer. Don’t give up on him
.
”

Behemoth hugged his daughter tight
.“
Baby gir
l,
I won’t ever give up on you or your brother. We’re a family.
I
f
t
h
e
r
e
’
s

l
if
e
i
n
m
e
,
we w
o
n
’
t
e
v
e
r
q
u
i
t
l
oo
k
i
ng
f
o
r
a
w
a
y
t
o
s
a
v
e
hi
m
.
”
Bell fell into her father’s embrace
.“
I love yo
u,
Daddy
.
”

“
I love yo
u,
too
.
”

“
You need to go get some res
t
,
”
she sai
d“
I’ll sit with him u
n
t
i
l
y
o
u
c
o
m
e
b
ac
k
.
”

“
Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black
?
”
Behemoth chuckled.

Charity shifted in the chai
r,
catching Bell attention
.“
What’s up with her
?
”

“
Not sure
.”
Behemoth glanced in the human’s direction
.“
But she hasn’t left Laurent’s side since we left you
.
”

“
I still don’t trust her. The girl is acting strange
.
”

“
We’ll keep someone on her. But it’s not too difficult to track her. Like I sai
d,
she hasn’t left Laurent’s side
.”
Bell’s father leaned down and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

Bell hugged him
.“
Sleep well
.
”

A hushed silence covered the room. Only Charity and Laurent’s light breathing remained.

Xavier stole a seat from the sitting area and placed it beside the bed
.“
I’m going to give you some time with him. I’ll be in the next room if you need me
.
”

She stepped into his arm
s,
laying her head against his chest. The rhythmic beating of his heart calmed her. His hands played in her hair. A shiver danced down her spine when he seized the base of nec
k,
consuming her in a kiss. Bell savored the sweet taste of his mout
h,
the need in his gaz
e,
and the tenderness of his touch. Far too soo
n,
he broke away from he
r,
leaving her yearning for more.

“
Late
r
,
”
she murmured as she let him go.

“
Definitely
.”
He chuckled as he slapped her ass.

Bell scooted the chair closer to the bed. She fumbled under the covers to find Laurent’s hand. Threading her fingers with hi
s,
like when they were youn
g,
she forced her negativity away. He would get better. She would find an answe
r,
even if she had to beat it out of Lucifer herself.

Fate is a cruel bitch.
Bell refused to trade one love of her life for another. She perfected selfishness and wasn’t about to relinquish her crown now. She wanted all the men in her life to stay exactly where they belonge
d,
with her. For once in her lif
e,
she had everything—famil
y,
friend
s,
and love.

Movement in the corner caught Bell’s attention. Large brown eyes watched her with interest. Bell straightened in her chair.

Staring back at Charit
y,
Bell aske
d,
“
S
o,
what’s your story? Why are you so interested in my brother
?
”

A blank expression washed over the female’s face. Her caramel tone deepened in a blush
.“
I don’t know. I’ve never
s
e
e
n
a
n
y
o
n
e
li
ke
h
i
m
b
e
f
o
r
e
.
”

“
What are you talking about
?
”

“
I don’t kno
w
,
”
Charity whispered
.“
Just something about him seems special. Maybe cause I ain’t seen no one hurt like that. The guys in the pack get roughed u
p,
but they heal quick. Don’t demons heal fast
?
”