Devin

The park is deserted as I race over the trail, heading in the direction my heart is pulled. Willow is close. This magnetic draw of her essence to mine is the only thing keeping me sane. I can sense her, and that means I can breathe. She is alive. Azazel must have had her somewhere warded against me so I couldn’t track her.

As I round the trail, I see them, standing out in the fucking open, a goddamned pyre erected as if he’s planning to burn a witch. My stomach sinks as soon as the thought flicks through my mind.

No.

He’s not going to get a chance to hurt her.

“Good to see you, Devin.” The sound of Azazel’s voice sends disgust tickling along my spine. “I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced.”

Turning to face him, I expect him to be holding Willow since her presence is so near. But he’s alone, a snide smile on his face.

“Azazel,” I say, trying to keep my tone calm. “I thought you’d be taller.”

Looking down his long body, he grins. “Really? This is my favorite of all the vessels I’ve had. He was a promising actor, on the cusp of fame when I found him and changed him. Pretty face, weak mind. It didn’t take much to destroy his consciousness.”

“So, you’re vain and an asshole.” I shrug, trying hard to hide my anxiety. “Why does that not surprise me?”

He chuckles and shakes his head, gesturing forward. “After you. I’ve got something you’re going to want to see.”

“Where is Willow?” I clench my jaw after the words escape as my anger burns through every fiber of control I have left.

“Oh, she’ll be here soon. There was a lot of … setup involved. Besides, we need to talk first. You can go ahead and remove your weapons. You won’t need them if you want her to survive.”

“I’m not coming up against you without protection.”

His eyes blaze. “You think you can stop me with a few stakes and a sword? I am second in command to Lucifer himself. I’ve led armies of angels.”

“But you’re afraid of letting one vampire near you with weapons?”

“Not afraid, but not stupid either. You could get a lucky break, and then I’d have to wait in purgatory for Lucifer to bring me back. It wouldn’t take long, but he wouldn’t be pleased.”

“Yeah, I’m not getting rid of a damn thing.”

Shrugging, he pulls out his phone. “Fine.” His fingers fly across the screen, and from across the field, I hear a bloodcurdling scream.

“Willow!” I start toward the sound, but the fucker stops me.

“Drop the arsenal and come with me. That was just a taste of what we’ll do to her. She’ll heal … eventually.”

“You son of a bitch.”

“Such nasty names. And here I was hoping we could be friends.”

Dropping my leather jacket and katana in a pile, I follow him. “Sorry, my dance card is full.”

He raises one arm in a wave as we reach the pile of wood set around a platform. My chest loosens a bit when I realize there’s no post, nothing to tie someone to.

“Ah,” he says, clapping his hands. My heart stops when I see her. Hands bound in front of her body, skin pale and eyes tired. She had needed me, and I hadn’t been there. I shouldn’t have let her go. “Here she is. The lovely Willow. Don’t you two make a beautiful pair? Such a shame. Although, Devin, I’m sure we could strike a bargain that will allow you to keep your form and rid yourself of Sariel.”

“Does that bargain involve my soul? Because it’s not for sale.”

“So high and mighty. I should remind you, I have your woman, not the other way around.”

I want to attack him here and now, but I need to wait for the right moment. Willow isn’t safe. She’s flanked by two Watchers, and from the looks of them, they’re ready for a fight.

“You seem tired, Devin. Haven’t been feeding lately?” Azazel’s voice grates on my nerves. He’s not wrong. I haven’t fed since the last time Willow and I were together.

“What makes you think that? I fed last night. Hot little blonde. She couldn’t get enough of me … until I got enough of her.”

Willow winces, but I know if I can make him think she’s not so important, he might let her go. Or, it could all backfire and he’ll kill her. Fuck. I really need to think before I speak.

“You really are an idiot if you think I believe one word of that. I can see the hunger in your eyes. She’s just as starved as you. This is how it works with soul mates. It’s rare that a vampire ever finds its human mate. But once it is done, the vampire can’t feed on anyone else. Why do you think vampires aren’t able to fuck without a Watcher? If vampires were able to go around fucking whomever they chose, it would be so much more likely they’d find their other halves. Eventually, the species would starve itself from existence.”

“What do you mean?”

“If the only food you can eat has an expiration date but your life will continue well past that, how long do you think you could survive?”

“But Willow and I have both fed from others.”

“Now that she’s a vampire, you have to. You know as well as I that vampires need human blood. But tell me, how did it taste? Like ashes in your mouth?”

Willow’s gaze flicks to mine, making my chest tighten, but I don’t answer.

“Like I said. You’ll both never be satisfied by anything other than each other, but you’ll wither without human blood. Given time, you’d figure out a balance, feed on humans together. But she’s your soul mate, and you’ve both been weakened because you haven’t been feeding. Honestly, I should thank you. You’ve made my job so much easier. It’s as if I’m dealing with pitiful humans rather than vampires. All I have to do is restrain you.” Nodding at the two Watchers who still had their fucking hands on Willow, he grins. “Boys, you can go ahead and light the fire, then leave us. We won’t be a minute, and she won’t be any trouble.”

Willow’s head hangs low, her knees wobbling. Is she really so much worse off than me? Maybe because I am older, I have more residual strength. Damn.

“Now, come on, Devin, give Sariel up and meet your maker with dignity. Or … you can do what Willow refused to do and join with us. We’ll even let you keep your little pet.”

I’m so done with his shit. Balling my hand into a fist, I throw a right hook that connects with his jaw so hard, he stumbles backward. Pain blossoms across my knuckles, but I move through it with a jab to the nose. Blood sprays across the grass as Azazel lets out a breathless laugh.

“Oh, you want to fight? I’m at full strength with Lucifer behind me. I don’t need to feed off sex like my sad brother Sariel. Lucifer keeps us all going with his power alone. All you have is a depleted, lovesick angel and your pathetic excuse for vampiric strength. Come at me. I’ll pummel you into the fucking ground while your woman watches.”

He’s right. I barely have time to move before he’s got me on my back. Pain explodes across my body as blow after blow lands on my face, my sides, my ribs. I can’t just let him take me out, not with Willow in danger. As I grind my teeth, I thrust my fist against his face, and the bastard laughs. Actually laughs.

Renewed anger fills me as I lunge for him again, but this time, he slams his fist in my stomach, causing me to double over as the pain becomes too much. Not a second passes before his fangs rip through my throat as I try to move away. Burning agony stabs through me as he feeds, and I know this moment might be my last.

I tried to defend her.

I tried to prove how much she means to me.

I tried …

* * *

Sariel

There’s only a flicker of Devin left as I take control, willing him to hold on. I’m just as weak, but I’ve got grace on my side. Raising my hands, I grip Azazel’s shoulders and wrench his fangs from my skin. The blinding pain is second only to the feeling of having my wings ripped from me.

Blood drips from his chin as he backs away, staring down at my wretched form. “Good luck recovering from that, Sariel. Your vessel is damaged beyond his ability to heal. He’ll die as the sun rises.”

I try to roll to my side, to make my body get up, but I can’t. All I can do is watch as Azazel straightens his blood-soaked tie. But in a streak of red, Willow flies across the field and launches herself at him. Her hands are still bound, wrists bloodied as though she’d been trying to break through the plastic. She’s clinging to his back, legs wrapped around his waist and arms over his head, wrenching his neck to the side.

Her fangs pierce his skin, and she drinks deeply, his screams echoing in the dark like music to my ears. As her strength returns, she breaks the bindings around her hands and digs her nails into his chest. Anger contorts his handsome face as he reaches blindly behind his head, fisting her hair and pulling her off him.

“You little bitch. You’ll pay for that.”

She looks healthy and strong, her eyes twinkling as she glances my way. “Yeah? I’m fresh out of cash right now. Can I pay you with a good old-fashioned ass kicking?”

He darts toward her, weakened but still fast. She’s quicker, lighter on her feet, and so well trained. In seconds, she’s got him on his back, ripping into his flesh again as she takes more from him. I close my eyes against the scene in front of me. All I can do is wait and pray as I use every ounce of my energy to heal Devin. The longer it takes, the more I think Azazel was right. Devin is too injured.

“You killed him. You motherfucker!” Willow’s screams bounce off the trees surrounding us.

My eyes fly open at her screech. The flames of the pyre cast everything in glowing orange as Azazel gets his feet under Willow’s hips and pushes her off. She goes flying so hard, she hits the trunk of an evergreen, causing a loud crack to resonate across the area. Dazed, she attempts to stand, but Azazel stops at Devin’s discarded weapons. Picking up the katana, he twirls it and chuckles.

“Oh, this is just too easy.”

Ramming the blade through her abdomen, he pins her to the tree. She sputters, blood spilling from her lips as she grips the handle of the sword and tries to pull it free.

Sauntering back to the leather jacket lying on the ground, Azazel pulls out the stakes. He glances at me with a wicked grin before focusing on Willow again.

“I don’t care if you’ve got a fucking soul or not. You’re too much trouble.”

My mind rages as Devin pushes at me. He’s somehow found his strength, his reason to stay. As we combine our will, I stand, collecting every ounce of energy we have between us. Running at Azazel, I barrel into him, shoulder first. Devin takes control as we rush headlong into the blazing bonfire. Azazel’s stake pierces Devin’s chest even as the flames lick at the Watcher’s form.

Falling back, Devin gives up, and I take over once again. Azazel screams as the fire quickly burns his vessel, reducing him to a weak, agonized husk.

“Are you serious? This is how you planned to keep her safe?” Gabriel’s voice fills my ears as I try to keep the stake from nicking Devin’s heart. It’s millimeters away from killing him, but my hands rest over the wood as I try to pull it free slowly and gently.

“Azazel,” Willow calls. I can’t see her, fearing that any movement I make will push the stake in farther.

Gabriel crosses to the nearly unrecognizable form of Azazel. He’s groaning and writhing in pain as the angel stares down at him. “Brother, it didn’t have to come to this.”

“Fuck off, Gabriel. You stopped being my brother the moment you started hunting me.”

A sad expression crosses Gabriel’s face. “No. Even now, I’d rather save you than smite you.”

“There is no saving me, or any of us. You know that as well as I do.”

“You’re wrong. Sariel is proof of that.”

“Bullshit. Father will never love us as much as he loves them. And I won’t stop until we’ve taken Heaven and thrown the world into flames.”

Gabriel sighs. “So be it, then.”

Placing his hand on top of Azazel’s charred head, Gabriel closes his eyes and, with a flash, Azazel’s body falls limp, eyes open and vacant, but most of all, a bright blue rather than gold.

Finally, when the stake is free and the danger has passed, my breath wheezes and bubbles as I try to talk through lungs filled with blood. Devin is barely hanging on, but there’s a chance he can be saved.

“Sariel, you need to move on. Devin’s body can no longer sustain you.” Gabriel’s words send a wash of panic over me. “I’ve preserved Azazel’s vessel, but it won’t hold for long. You need to abandon Devin.”

Willow falls to the ground beside me, blood pouring from the wound in her belly. She must’ve gotten herself free, but I hadn’t seen. Pain colors her features and tears of grief fall down her face as she sobs over Devin.

“No. You can’t. He’ll die,” she cries.

Sitting up carefully with Gabriel’s help, I cough, clearing my throat as I play the card I had been saving for myself. As much as I want to have an archangel in my back pocket, I can’t take Devin’s chance at happiness. Azazel said as much earlier. A vampire finding his soul mate is rare. “You know that favor I asked of Michael?”

Gritting his teeth, my brother sighs. “Why should I save him?” he asks.

“He’s spent the last five years fighting. He’s earned more than a tragic death.”

“Fine. But, this is going to be painful for both of you.”

“It can’t be worse than trying to heal third-degree burns over most of my new body.”

Resting his palms on Devin’s head and Azazel’s vessel, Gabriel closes his eyes and says, “Yes, it can.”

Blinding golden light engulfs us, heating my body, radiating from my consciousness. I don’t scream. Not because it doesn’t hurt. I don’t scream because my mind can’t come up with a reaction to express the pain coursing through my body.

When I wake, I blink my eyes and test my new limbs. My head feels curiously light as I grow accustomed to my new home. Searching for the presence of the vampire I’m sharing a body with, I suck in a harsh breath as I realize I’m alone. Sitting up, I expect pain from the burns, but a glance down at my hands shows me smooth olive-toned skin.

“Gabriel?”

“He’s gone.” Willow’s voice is a choked whisper. “Sariel, please help us?” She’s cradling Devin in her arms as he continues to bleed. “We need shelter from the sun.”

She’s right. The sky is already turning a soft gray. I sling Devin over my shoulder and we rush as fast as we can to his home.

“He’s going to be okay, right? Gabriel said he’d save him. Why is he still bleeding?” Her voice is laced with panic.

“I don’t know what will become of him, but I think he’ll recover slowly. He’ll need to feed.”

She’s already opening her vein as she settles him in his bed. I pace the lightproof bedroom. I can’t believe this happened. I’m free. I have no one to answer to, no vampire to fight with. For once, I’m not slave to the will of another.

Glancing down at my singed clothing, I rest a soft hand on Willow’s shoulder. “I’m going to shower and change. If you need me, I’ll only be a room away.”

She nods as I step inside the bathroom. Closing the door, I shuck the tattered remnants of Azazel’s three-piece suit. Turning to the mirror, I expect to look into the face of the man Azazel had taken. My heart stops as I catch sight of a face I haven’t seen in millennia.

My face.