Steel

Chapter 40

"What do you mean you saw nothing?" I practically hissed at the Angels, blood boiling in my veins.

"The streets were only filled with the dead. Nothing moving. Some buildings were still smoking, but other than that-," one of the Angels explained, but I held up my hand to silence them. My wings ached and burned with every push downwards, but still I hovered.

"So you mean to tell me we are going in blind? Again?" I breathed out through gritted teeth. This was so not good. So not good. I had agreed to the whole elite task force thing because I knew the rest of the army would be distracted, but without any indication as to where Lucifer was-

it would be a massacre.

"What's our new plan?" An Angel questioned softly and I turned to face her. She had warm dark skin and big doe eyes, unhardened by the horrors we'd seen in the last few days. Pity. I didn't think those would last long.

"We don't have a choice. We have to go in blind. Let's go back down and I'll address everyone at once," I grumbled in dissatisfaction. The Angels followed me as I descended back towards the camp, and much to my displeasure, it seemed everyone was waiting for us.

"Well?" Siena rushed up to my side, slightly out of breath.

"Nothing. We will be going in blind," I replied with a huff. Her jaw fell open a little, but she took a step back from me without saying a word. I turned to address the many Angels and mortals who were still wounded across Central Park. As much as it burned the back of my throat to speak, I had to anyways.

"Nothing was seen. We will be going in blind. When Lucifer is spotted, the elite task force will separate from the main group and we will go deal with him. This is not what we wanted, but it's all we've got. Once again, if you would like to flee when I release the shield, you're more than welcome to," I called out, earning a low grumble of frustration from the crowd. "I will open the shield in a few hours, at daybreak. We have no time to waste if we're going to save Earth from Hell."

That earned me a solid minute of pure silence, shock, perhaps. I didn't blame them. I wanted to procrastinate as much as anybody. However, if the streets were empty, that meant Hell's Army had moved elsewhere, and that meant leaving millions of souls without protection. As much as I wanted to save our injured, we simply had no more time. We would have to do what we could and try to save the souls of those we lost. There was no other way. This was the end, and one way or another, it would end.

Greene, a voice cooed in the back of my head, sending a shiver hurtling down my spine. I turned and faced Grey, who slowly sauntered towards me, cerulean eyes now a cool silvery blue.

"When you let the shield down," he began in a low whisper, his voice beginning to break, "I need you to get as far away from me as possible. Thanatiel will focus on me, and I can't have you as a possible target for her."

My heart fractured a little in my chest, aching as I sucked in a withered breath. As badly as I wanted to refuse, I knew he was right. I gave a quick nod.

"When I kill her, I will find you. I promise," he murmured, a croak in his normally suave voice. "I will find you, whatever the cost. I will find you."

"I know," I whispered, my throat burning as tears welled in my eyes. I knew very well that we likely wouldn't survive tomorrow, that Lucifer's prediction was more likely than not to come true. I suppose it was a small comfort to know that yes, Grey would keep his promise. In Lucifer's vision, we had died in each other's arms, after all. At least I had that to look forward to.

"You were made for this, Greene. This is your Reckoning," he breathed out, gingerly brushing the burning tears from my cheeks.

"I know," I nodded quickly and a crooked smile broke out across Grey's lips, as dazzling as if the sun had broken through my clouded shield.