The Deal with the Demon Prince

*Chapter Thirty-Three*

*Chapter Thirty-Three*

Elena!

Cade jumped on top of the snake, clinging onto the cold scales. His grip tightened on the log and climbed higher and higher. Elena doubled over, slumping to the ground. Her eyes became glazed, and Cade knew the poison from the serpent was taking its toll. Cade’s grip tightened on the broken branch he’d found on the ground.

The second head of the snake twisted around, landing its eyes on the man on its back. Cade acted quickly. He stabbed the log into the eye of the snake as it shot towards him. He lost his balance and fell backwards.

Crap.

While one head of the snake howled in agony, the other was advancing towards him. Cade propped himself up using his elbow and felt a jolt of pain shooting up his arm.

Must have sprained it, he thought.

His head snapped to Elena. Her body was motionless, and her eyes were shut firmly tight. He mentally reproached himself for tripping right after he decided they should run. It was his fault they both were going to die.

Cade tilted his head back, staring up at the night sky. Through the gaps between the branches, he could just see the stars twinkling like any other night. He was going to die, yet nothing would change. He was just another being out of the trillions of living beings on this planet. Earth was going to continue to rotate even though this may be the last time he was going to see stars.

What is that? Is it…a large bird?

Crash.

Branches and leaves fell from above him, blinding him for a fleeting moment. A brunette came crashing down the sky, quickly followed by a strawberry blonde.

It took his mind another second to process what he saw.

“Gabriella!”

The strawberry blonde grinned, her stunning angel wings furling behind her to allow her body to fit through the gap made by the brunette. A dagger shot out from the man, and Cade heard a hiss right next to him. He twisted around to see the weapon burying itself between the snake’s eyes. The man quickly went up the snake and decapitated both heads. The huge reptile dropped to the ground with a loud thump.

A sharp relieved laugh escaped his lips. There he was, thinking he was going to die. It was certainly a strange feeling. Just when he thought there was no hope, an angel crashed from the sky and saved him. Literally.

Gabriella ran towards him and threw her arms around his neck. Cade’s body stiffened in shock, but he quickly hugged her back, inhaling her scent that he missed so much.

“Thank you.”

“I’m just glad I came in time.” She pulled back, and he saw tears in her eyes. The corner of his lips curved up weakly, and he wiped her tears away with his thumb, brushing across her soft skin in the process.

He truly missed her.

“I’m so happy you’re okay. Huh? Cade?”

Cade’s eyes widened. He raised his hand. For a moment, it became translucent. His head whipped to the motionless angel a few feet away from her, and he felt his heart clench. He had a sickening feeling of what was going on, and he hated to admit it.

“Gabriella, this isn’t over. My partner’s in danger.”

Coldness.

Iciness.

Frostiness.

Aurora halted to a stop, her eyes wide and her body quivering. She slowly raised her arms and hugged herself. It seemed like she was tossed into a freezer and left there for hours. In reality, her surrounding hadn’t changed at all. She raised her head.