The Devil's Angel (The Devil's Assistant Series Book 4)

The Devil's Angel - Chapter 23

"Let's split up into two teams. Savannah, Castiel and Clem, you're with me. Binah and Casper, go with the twins. Take the left fork." Lucius ordered, his finger pointing the route while he turned to face the large ugly green solid steel door. "We're going through that way."

There was no lock or additional security on the outside of the door, just a large wheel controlled how the door was opened. It was a simple mechanism. Lucius and Castiel stood with their swords raised in defensive positions on either side of me. I then stepped up and grabbed onto the huge wheel. I kept waiting for the alarms to go off and for the enforcement to appear. But there was nothing.

So, putting my entire body into the movement, I wrenched on the steering wheel. There was a large groan and then with a clank the wheel moved and the lock disengaged. Pulling, I used my entire body to pull the door free from the frame.

Stagnant air rushed out of the doorway, its odour so strong that it burnt the inside of my nose. Still, I pulled the door open wider.

Once it was fully opened, it revealed that we were on the upper level of a two storey cell block. The ceiling was now more than a foot or two above my head while a set of stairs to the right of the door led down to the lower cells. A large concrete walkway created a path to all of the upper level cells. Stepping forwards, I reached the metal safety railing and peered over the edge.

The smell of unwashed people, faecal matter and urine were heavy on the air. It wasn't surprising. Every cell was occupied by one poor soul or another.

"I think there are more than ten people here." I murmured helpfully.

Whatever we had been expecting, it had never been this. There had to be at least forty cells on each level and some cells were double occupied, their occupants clinging to one another as they huddled in the corner of their cell. There were so many tormented souls here and I could feel their agony even from this distance.

"We need to rescue them now." Clementine ordered, turning left on the walkway.

Castiel shrugged and took the right while Lucius and I chose to tackle the lower levels.

My booted feet slapped against the concrete as I descended, the smell not improving. I walked down the steps and my soul felt bruised and weary. In every dirtied and sad face sat behind the bars I saw myself. I had been in their position not long ago. It brought reality back to me in startling clarity. It could have been me.

Reaching the bottom, I almost walked into Lucius' back. He had stopped before a cell, his face pale as he stared inside. Coming to stand beside him, I followed his gaze and sucked in a sharp breath. She looked like me. There were differences, if one looked past the dried blood and grime which coated her face. But it was the dark hair, the colour of his skin and even her nose which looked so like my own.

"This could have been you," he murmured echoing my own thought. His gaze was focused upon her dark unseeing eyes.

She was dead. There was no flutter of eye lashes, no movement of her body as she breathed. And on the air I could smell it – death.

"I hope the end was peaceful." I murmured to pacify myself. There was nothing peaceful about this woman. Even in death I could see the sheer agony she had suffered just moments before she had drawn her last breath.

"She'll be with father now. He'll take care of her and help to heal her soul. She'll be okay." Lucius spoke softly, his arms coming to rest around my shoulders so that he could comfort me.

I drew in a deep breath and gathered my strength about me, taking strength and courage from Lucius too. No matter what happened in our lives, I knew that he would always be there to support and comfort me when I needed him most and I needed him right now.