Rami swore knives were slicing through his skin and muscle. It didn’t matter that blades weren’t touching his flesh. The injuries he’d suffered since entering the Underworld weren’t healing as they should. No doubt the evil aura of the realm caused problems with his angelic abilities.

He could’ve used that healing when Jag shredded his throat. That was the worst experience of his human life, but this was a whole new level of agony. Anticipation dumped another load of adrenaline into his system, causing his heart rate to accelerate and vision to sharpen.

They were nearly to the innermost part of the Ninth Circle and Izzy. The more he felt Lucifer’s power cutting him apart, Isobel’s power increased and reached out to soothe and heal him. And, then there was Zakara.

She was driving him crazy with desire. He’d apparently lost all sense of reason earlier. Why in the hell did he blurt he was falling for her?

None of it made sense. Rami's heart withered when he discovered Elsie with Zander, but this Fallen had pumped it, and his cock, full of blood. The connection he shared with Zakara was more profound and meant more to him than anything he experienced with Elsie.

Unfortunately, she didn’t seem to reciprocate the sentiment. Rami didn’t miss how she dodged his comment about his feelings for her. Was he on another train bound for heartache?

A flash of light below caught his attention and made him stop. Blood froze in his veins at what he saw.

“Look. There,” Rami blurted and pointed to a large group of demons surrounding Isobel. “They’re going to pay for what they’ve done to her. I can feel her terror. Let’s go.”

Zakara’s eyes went wide, and he saw her panic. She didn’t want to go any further. That much was evident on her beautiful face. He couldn’t blame her. Thousands of demons outnumbered them. The only positive note was Lucifer was still frozen in the lake which gave him a smidge of hope that they could escape with their lives.

“You don’t have to come with me,” Rami told her as he scoped the distance to Izzy. “I’ll grab her and meet you back at Geryon’s cave.”

“No. I’m coming with you,” Kara replied and grabbed his hand. Immense grief surrounded her like a shroud. Before he could question her, he felt a tug on his side and air rushed past him in the next heartbeat as Zakara jumped from the edge of the cliff, pulling him with her.

“Fuck,” he shouted as they plummeted toward the ground. “Is this retaliation for declaring my love? If so, I take it back.”

Zakara laughed out loud, drawing the attention of every demon, and Isobel. Ramiel quickly flared his damaged wings, trying to slow their dissent. He caught a draft of air that stole his breath and made his stomach rebel. He looked down and saw Izzy running in their direction, touching several demons along the way.

“I told you I was the new center of your universe,” she responded as they hit the frozen lake. While she managed to land with grace, Rami hit the ice and rolled like a tumbleweed across the desert.

Kara tossed a casual wave Lucifer’s way while severe nausea hit Rami as he felt Lucifer’s power wash over him. He vomited several times before he managed to pull himself to a standing position. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Ramiel took off toward Izzy, shoving her behind his back when he reached her side.

“Get the fuck out of my way,” he yelled and called his Sword of Light as a group of demons surrounded them.

The treacherous wind made it difficult to remain standing on the slippery surface. Lucifer roared, his wings beating against the ice. The angrier he became, the stronger the wind blew.

“Rami. I wanna go home now,” Izzy called out as she wiped her cheek, smearing dirt across her face.

“I know, Princess. That’s why I’m here. I need you to be brave for a few more minutes,” Ramiel told her and lost his footing when a massive gust hit him square in the chest and sent him sailing away from Izzy.

He jumped to his feet and widened his stance. Ramiel met Zakara’s gaze. He hated seeing the panic on her face. The lines around her mouth and eyes should be from laughing, not the fear of dying. He squinted, wondering if he’d imagined the slight shake of her head. The move was so subtle he wasn’t sure of what he saw.

He ignored her warning. He would take out all these demons if necessary. Problem with his knight-in-shining-armor routine was how incredibly weak he felt. When Ramiel called his sword, it flickered. The Underworld sapped every ounce of Light from anything in the heavenly realm, and that included him and his weapon. He couldn’t afford to lose his Light now. Izzy needed him.

Rami moved to his left, away from Kara, and toward Isobel. A loud boom echoed over the roar of the wind, and he turned to see a demon smash a rock formation. It grabbed a sizeable jagged piece and held it above Izzy’s head. The message was clear. One move and the beast would crush her skull.

“Get the fuck away from me before I snap your necks?” Zakara growled, drawing Rami’s attention.

He noticed the demons were drawing closer to her rather than him or Izzy. They might not be sure whose side she was on, but they’d take their chances with her over an angel or mighty Princess.

“Zakara, my love. You’ve returned and brought me a present, I see,” Lucifer rumbled as he spread his arms wide.

Oddly, his wings slowed but never stopped beating. It made the cold temperatures of the Ninth Circle drop lower. Rami could see Izzy’s breath curl from her mouth in white puffs.

The devil’s words had Ramiel seeing red. He wanted to wrap his hands around Lucifer’s throat and squeeze until his head popped from his shoulders. Zakara was not his love, and the idea of this atrocious monster laying one finger on her sent Rami’s rage spiraling out of control.

Zakara was his. The thought brought him up short. Now wasn’t the time to ponder that revelation. Their situation was precarious, and they weren’t likely to survive the next five minutes.

Izzy was counting on him to rescue her. He refused to fail her. Ramiel gripped his sword tightly and focused on Isobel. Getting his first full look at her, he noticed the dark circles under her eyes, as well as, her gaunt face. His heart clenched as he realized the adorable toddler he loved looked more like a weary adult. This experience had aged her soul decades, and that was the worst offense yet.

“He’s not your present, Lucy,” Zakara spat. “You must be rusty to have missed my mark on him. Not surprising, given you keep company with these Behemoths. My intelligence is lowering by the second.”

Lucifer narrowed his eyes, and a nearby tree ignited in black flames. A wave of his hand and countless rocks flew toward Zakara who stood her ground, glaring at the Lord of the Underworld.

Ramiel jumped forward only to have a massive gray arm go across his chest, stopping him in his tracks. The rocks suddenly stopped mid-flight, remaining poised in the air.

“Interesting,” Lucifer murmured as he glanced from Ramiel to Zakara. “What’s yours is mine, little bird. Or have you forgotten your pledge to me?”

Without hesitation, Ramiel swung his sword and sliced through flesh, muscle, and bone. It was like cutting a tree down with a spoon. Every millimeter made Ramiel weaker as black blood drenched his blade.

Panting, Rami kicked the demon, and its upper body tumbled while its lower torso and legs remained upright, a much bloodier version of Izzy’s statues. This rescue had not gone as planned. He hoped to grab Izzy and rush back to the cave before the demons caught them.

All at once, the rocks surged to life and spread out from their trajectory. Several thudded into demon flesh, making them howl. Zakara ducked behind a body and used it to shield herself. Ramiel growled as dozens of rocks headed their way and slammed into his body. Agony tore through him when some hit his injured wings. The tiny shout of Isobel drew his head around, and he yelled when he saw her clutching her arm and crying.

A long scratch marred her left arm and blood welled between her fingers. Rami stumbled her way, ignoring the hiss that sounded with each step. He was done having his blood cleanse the soil. It didn’t belong in this evil place.

“Still throwing temper tantrums, I see. And, I’ve changed my mind about that pledge I made. I found something far more entertaining,” Zakara announced as she made her way out from behind the demon.

A ripple pulsed through the area. Ramiel had no idea what it was, but he sensed it was connected to Kara’s declaration and defiance. Whatever happened pained Lucifer and pissed off the demons.

Several Behemoths closed in on them, but he noted they kept their distance from Izzy. The line of statues behind her was a vivid reminder not to risk proximity. Ramiel swung his sword but didn’t have the strength to remove the weapon from the demon’s flesh.

“Help me, Rami! I wanna go home,” Izzy shouted.

“You don’t get to change your mind, bitch. I will make you suffer for eternity! No one turns on me. I have the power to make you pay in ways you can’t fathom,” Lucifer bellowed at Zakara.

Kara suddenly cried out as smoke poured off her skin and clothes. Her flesh bubbled, and Ramiel was in motion before he blinked. Jumping over large boulders, Rami ducked under grabbing fists, barely avoiding razor-sharp claws.

Twisting around, he hooked a demon’s arm and grabbed its forearm. Holding the appendage outward, Rami used the claws to rake across another’s abdomen. Black blood poured from the wound and Ramiel grimaced, shoving his sword through the legs of the demon closest to him. Zakara kicked into gear and evaded several demons while Lucifer shouted orders to his minions.

“Get to Izzy,” Rami shouted to Kara when he saw that she could maneuver closest to her. “Izzy, run to Zakara. She will help you.”

Ramiel had never asked Zakara to save Izzy. He always assumed he would be the one to rescue her. Now, he’d gladly sacrifice himself if it meant both could get free. Neither Zakara nor Izzy deserved to be in this appalling, demon-infested realm.

“Take her and go Salsa,” he ordered.

Zakara’s head snapped around, her eyes wide. Izzy was running toward Kara, who stood next to the lake. There was no apparent path between them and the trail up the cliff. Ramiel needed to draw the demons and keep them busy while his girls escaped.

“No way. I’m not leaving this place without you!” Kara shouted angrily. “You dragged me down here and made me care about you, you bastard. You do not get to leave me now!”

“I’ll be right behind you,” he lied. There was no way for him to get out of this. There were too many demons surrounding him.

“We can all get out, Rami. C’mon. I want some ice cream,” Izzy begged. She’d been strong up until this moment. There had been no crying. Now, tears streamed down her face and hit the ground as she reached Zakara. Flowers bloomed where her tears landed. “I can feel mommy and daddy now. I can get them to come help us.”

“No!” Ramiel shouted. They would send every Dark Warrior they could through the portal to try, and reach her, but it would be too late and they’d lose good men in the process. “They have to protect the kids on Earth. Zakara will get you out of here, won’t you, Salsa?”

“No!” Kara cried out as she stopped next to Izzy. The demons skidded to a stop and wheeled their arms, so they didn’t touch Isobel.

Ramiel shoved a demon out of the way as rocks rained down near him. An eerie howl echoed through the area. Lesser demons climbed down the side of the cliffs, answering Lucifer’s call. This shit-show of a situation couldn’t get worse.

Cutting and punching, he made his way toward Kara and Izzy. Something hit him in the back and sent him sprawling. A glance over his shoulder revealed a massive hellhound. Claws burned as they dug into his injured wings. Rolling, he ignored the agony and sliced the hound’s head from its shoulders.

Black blood splattered his face and bare chest, leaving tiny burns on his skin. Using his weapon, he levered himself to his feet and continued fighting. “Do you have your weapons? The trail isn’t safe,” he asked Kara.

The area was crawling with lesser and higher-level demons. And from the screech, the Geryon was going to join the fray. Just what they fucking needed. Ramiel was almost to Zakara and Izzy when a hellhound slammed into Kara and knocked her over. Izzy went down with her, too.

Time froze in the next instant.

Izzy’s tiny hand landed on the ice, and every demon in the Underworld stopped moving. The ice instantly melted and Izzy would have fallen into the water if Zakara hadn’t caught her around the waist. Ramiel barely registered Kara pulling Izzy into her arms when an explosion of power knocked him on his ass.

Landing with a crunch, Rami lay there stunned as he watched Lucifer explode from the water. The demon hovered above the lake, his massive black wings flared, and his head thrown back.

The sight was beautiful and terrifying. The bliss on the demon’s features was unmistakable.

No realm was safe with him free of his prison. Ramiel crawled to his feet and rushed to Zakara and Izzy. She immediately left Kara’s side and jumped into his arms. Rami winced, but Izzy didn’t pause in wrapping her arms around his neck. He felt her soothing, healing energy start to take some of the pain away from his wings.

He’d risked everything, and was willing to give his life for Isobel and Zakara, but none of them would see Earth again. He had no doubt they’d be tortured in horrendous ways for centuries to come.

Holding Izzy close, he murmured, “I’m so sorry, Princess.”

“Ready to rethink your position, Zakara?” Lucifer asked. His voice surrounded them and echoed off the mountain. He sneered, knowing there was no one to stop him now.

Ramiel pulled the serum from his pocket and held the bottle in his hand. This attempt was their last hope. He refused to allow Lucifer true freedom. He would save Earth even if he couldn’t save them.

“Jump in the lake,” Kara whispered while she flipped Lucifer the bird. “The pure of heart can escape this realm through the water.”

“You’re coming with us,” Ramiel insisted. Perhaps the Goddess or Fate hadn’t turned their backs on them, after all.

“Try and stop me, Virgin,” Zakara said with a slight smile. Rami chanced a quick kiss on her lips and met her gaze. One tear slipped from the corner of her eye and rolled down her cheek.

“You and I aren't done, yet,” he declared, in case she thought he had no further use for her now that they were leaving the Underworld.

“Center of your universe, remember?” she replied.

Ramiel smiled and gripped the small bottle in his palm. Time to go, he thought.

Before he could draw his arm back, Izzy laid her hand on the vial and said, “This isn’t enough.”

His face fell as understanding dawned. The spell wouldn’t work. He knew all along it was a long shot.

Just as he was about to drop the potion, soft pink light radiated down Izzy’s arm. His hand heated as the light got brighter and brighter. It expanded until it enveloped the three of them.

Lucifer laughed and taunted them. “Your little light show means nothing, little girl. You have freed me, and I have a promise to keep. My first visit will be to your parent’s house.”

Izzy shook in his arms, and her lips trembled, but she didn’t stop. Right as the pain reached unbearable levels, it blinked out of existence.

“Throw it,” Izzy ordered.

Without hesitation, Ramiel drew back his arm and threw the potion with all his might. He watched the glowing pink glass as it traveled then shattered against Lucifer’s chest.

Bullseye! The color spread to cover his entire body, including his wings. It froze the demon mid-air. He was a macabre sculpture hovering above them. With visible effort, Lucifer moved, and the pink shield cracked, falling in shards to the ground. Every piece that pierced a demon turned them to stone which caused mass chaos as Behemoth demons scattered in a blind attempt to get away from the deadly missiles.

Lucifer contorted and bellowed his rage. Ramiel was transfixed until Zakara grabbed hold of his arm. “Time to go, Virgin.” He nodded and grabbed her hand then took a step toward the lake.

“On three,” he told Izzy and Kara. “One, Two…”

“I love you, Ramiel. You’re the most incredible male I’ve ever met,” Zakara confessed. He glanced over and watched her tears spill right before she pulled him and Izzy into the water.

And then everything went dark.