Secrets And Sins Part 3: Happy ever after

Chapter 62

***I apologize in advance for the ending...***

~Lilith~

Beatrice's knees buckled. Lilith watched as Mary tried to cushion her fall, grabbing Beatrice around the waist and lowering her carefully to the ground. She could see Mary's lips move, her hands pressing down on top of Beatrice's as she tried desperately to stop the bleeding. Whatever she was saying was lost in the crowd's roar, but her words spurred Bael into action. The demon moved, leaning over the two women, his face pinched in concern as he listened closely. After a moment, Bael gave a determined nod and motioned to his men, the demon soldiers swiftly forming an impenetrable wall of muscle around the injured sister warrior.

At least they are protected for now...

Well, as protected as they could be considering harm to Halo seemed to affect Beatrice just the same.

Lilith looked at Ava next, at the way her body was locked tight. The rise and fall of her shoulders with each breath was quick and harsh, she stared, frozen, at Mary and Beatrice. She could only imagine what the Halo bearer was feeling right now.

"You can end this, Bearer!" Micheal had to shout to be heard. "You fight and we take the knife out, everyone heals, everyone gets to go home."

Except me of course. Lilith clenched her jaw, glaring at the angel. Fuck this guy.

Ava didn't look at him, didn't even acknowledge that he'd spoken, but Lilith saw the exact moment she gave up as her shoulders sagged in defeat.

Ava turned toward her. "Lilith, I...I'm sorry." Her face, pale with fear, was truly apologetic. "I can't... I..."

Lilith's heart sank, but she understood. "I know," she tried to speak calmly, she tried to force a forgiving smile onto her face. "It's okay, Ava." In her periphery she saw Mary lift her head to glance at them, and she knew she couldn't let herself die here, she would do whatever she had to do to survive. Lilith raised her fists in a defensive position. "No hard feelings?"

Ava's hands shook as she mirrored Lilith's stance. "I won't lose."

Lilith tilted her head, her smile turning sardonic. The last time they'd fought Ava had nearly killed her, but she couldn't give up, not with Mary watching on. "I know."

Ava rushed her, throwing a fist at Lilith's jaw. Lilith ducked back easily, the strike missing by miles, it would have been laughable if she didn't know the real reason behind the attack, which was to put her off balance. And it worked. Lilith was in the middle of stepping back to regain her equilibrium when Ava came at her again.

The follow up was more aggressive, a barrage of rapid punches and kicks, some that Lilith had taught Ava herself, that she dodged right up until one hit her square in her not quite healed ribs.

That hurt.

The air left her body in a whoosh, Lilith doubled over. The throbbing in her side was eye watering, she tried not to be sick.

She staggered back, putting some distance between them as she struggled to pull air into her aching lungs. Surprisingly, Ava didn't follow. Why didn't she follow? Why wouldn't she capitalize on Lilith's incapacitation? She looked up to see that Ava was rooted to the spot, breathing raggedly from exertion, her fists still raised in front of herself, wearing an expression of utter shock.

"Lilith... I..." she trailed off, her words dying on her lips, and Lilith realized she was about to apologize, like hitting her was accidental.

It pissed her off.