Hell's Angels (Devil's Assistant Series Book2)

Hell's Angels [24]

Chapter 24

It was with teary eyes that Lucius and I had watched Calantha and her best friend escort our family away and into the confines of the earth. I had struggled to let my little boy go again but I knew without a doubt that she would ensure they were safe. Besides, I had assured myself, most demons would not even think to look into the bowels of the earth for anything. Most of them ignored the very existence of the earth.

Two hours after their departure, we stood before the front door. I closed my eyes and rested my hand on the closed frame. I knew we would have to venture outside but almost tingling against my fingertips, unease brushed against me and urged me to stay within the safety of the house – the anonymous house which was indecipherable from the other twenty on the terrace were it not for the number on the front door.

Drawing in a deep breath through my nose, I revelled in the scents of safety. I revelled in the warmth at my back. Tilting my head back as his arms wrapped around my waist, I could feel the wings twitching and writhing to break free from beneath my skin.

“Do we have to go?” I whispered, my eyes closing at the comfort.

I felt my hair being brushed aside before a gentle kiss was placed on the back of my neck. It was one of the most intimate gestures Lucius had ever shown me and in an instant my heart was skipping beats to its own merry rhythm. Sighing I fell back into his embrace.

“I’m sorry we have to keep saving the world.” He whispered, his strong arms squeezing me tighter to him.  “It just happens to be in our job description.”

His teasing tone did nothing to dispel the dread that was curling within my stomach. I could feel the rosy colour draining from my flushed cheeks at the very thought of what was on the other side of the door. A damp sheen formed on my palms at the thought of the horrors that would await us – that threatened the safety of everything I held dear.

Removing his and from my waist, Lucius stretched his hand past me and undid the latch on the door. Then, with his other hand, he urged me back while tugging the door open. Shaking off his hold, I pulled back my shoulders and stepped towards the awaiting threshold.

Outside it was quiet… too quiet.

There was not even a whisper of wind as Lucius stepped out behind me. The sound of the door slamming shut cut sharply through the air. It echoed down the street but not a curtain twitched. I tilted my head to the side and frowned. It was unusual for that time in the morning. There was no roar of traffic or casual stroller walking down the street. It was empty – abandoned.

Gulping, I lifted my gaze to Lucius’ eyes of blue steel and saw that his features held as much of a burden as I felt weighing down on me.

“I’m sure some of them got out.” Lucius then put an arm around my shoulder and smiled down at me. “Humans are incredible. They have the most amazing instincts on a primal level. When they sense danger – like now – they flee.”

“Like fight or flight? I hope you’re right.” I whispered, allowing him to pull me down the steps and towards our destiny. “But why did they all go, there’s no one here.”

“Of course I’m right,” he replied smartly, doing a good job at ignoring the slight tremble to my frame as we walked side by side down the street.  “Some flee…” he gestured to the supreme lack of people around. “…and some fight against each other because they can’t see what their instincts are telling them is threat. It is why you’ll see some burnt out houses and cars along the way. There’s little devastation here but the closer we get to the epicentre the more trouble we’ll see.”

It took us a while to get into the centre of London, although there were no people around. Like Lucius had said, we found evidence of trouble. In several places the roads were blocked by abandoned cars, their doors hanging wide open as if people had become so terrified that they had just run for it. There were even bags and shoes left behind.