A Beautiful Evil (A Beautiful Book. 1) #Wattys2015

Chapter Thirty-Two - Anthea

I couldn't breathe.

Asmodeus continued to stare at us with joy filled eyes, rubbing his hands together and grinning.

A shadow loomed over the Prince's shoulder, and my eyes flicked up to see James, flanking Asmo with a smug look shining in his pale eyes.

A bud of anger bloomed in my chest, making the edges of my vision fuzzy. "You coward," I hissed.

James snorted, flicking his head. "Coward? Try, mastermind. How does it feel Mara, to know you're about to die?"

Avery snarled at my side, his black skin tightening around his bones as he sunk lower into his crouch.

But I couldn't help thinking, was he right? Was I going to die today with a golden hilt covered in tiny golden vines sticking out of my chest? Was I going to watch Charles die? Or Avery? Or Lilith, Fillin, my father? Did I lead everyone into this mess? Was it my fault?

I scanned the room, mentally doing the math. We were outnumbered at least seven to one. My body began to quake as reality set in. There was a damn good chance I wasn't going to make it out of here alive.

But I'm sure as hell not going down easy.

Everything next happened in a blur.

Out of the corner of my eyes, a white streak zoomed past, a menacing howl of spite echoing behind the white wolf as he barreled towards his former master, jaws snapping. There was a silent explosion of power behind me, but I didn't need to turn around to know Charles Shifted into his True Form.

My heart pounded in my ears as I shot off the ground, my wings snapping out to catch the air and drive me towards the ceiling. There was a whoosh of wind, and soon Charles hovered beside me, blue eyes blazing and his new sharp features stern. His ebony wings skimmed my ivory ones, and I had to suppress a gasp at the feeling of feathers on feathers.

He pointed a long finger below, and my eyes followed.

None of the Gargoyles has taken flight yet, which somewhat surprised me. Half of them still guarded their now thrashing prisoners. Lilith had released her Succubus within, white fangs gleaming. Her crimson eyes darted about, taking in her attackers as she burst into action.

Leaping off the ground with inhuman grace, she spun her body in a quick three sixty, extending her foot until it came in contact with a Gargoyle's muzzle. I heard bones crunch. The giant reptile howled in agony and a set of clawed paws came up to cup its face. I had to stifle a snort when Lilith delivered another powerful blow, this time to the monster's stomach, sending in sprawling on the floor in front of her.

Avery zipped past, mouthful of jagged fangs exposed in an execrable sneer. Black claws lashed out, stabbing and slashing unexpecting Incubi and Gargoyles, dropping them before they knew what hit them. He snaked through the crowd, delivering fatal blows and then vanishing from sight, only to appear again as he slashed another Gargoyles throat from behind.

I looked back up at Charles, my heart stopping when I noticed his eyes were already on me. I could tell by his face he hadn't forgiven me about ditching him and teaming up with his brother, but I knew he would help. That was Charles.

"Can you hold James off while I get Asmodeus?" I hollered over the roars and cries from below.

Charles looked down to where Asmodeus sat on my father's throne, his metallic gaze watching the chaos unfold in front of him. My breath caught in my throat when I looked beside him, expecting to see James plastered to his side.

A skeleton like being, one that looked somewhat like Avery but skinnier stood beside Asmo. Draped in a black cloak that seemed to be made out of black smoke, hung loosely on his frame, dropping to the floor in black ripples. A paper thin layer of white-green skin was pulled tight across its bones and large chunks of flesh seemed to be ripped from random parts of its body. Fat maggots wiggled in and out of the open wounds, and I had to forced myself not to gag as the repulsing smell of decay hit me like a tow truck.