TW- sensitive content ahead
Zyaire pulled Arzhel away from Nathan's body. His wife Kayla gasped for air. He knew she was dying and nor he or Niall could do anything about it.
The demon and angel found themselves in the heart of the battle, surrounded by fighting werewolves, angels, and demons. All the demons were after him and his mother. Zyaire recognised some of the devil's followers. He had been away from hell for six thousand years. As a twenty-four-year-old, he hadn't aged enough for them not to identify him. He looked almost the same, and they lunged for him with every opportunity.
Zayn nudged Liam's nozzle on the way past. He couldn't think about the fact that he just killed Vic, his mate's cousin. He couldn't think about how he did it with such ease.
Zayn had to fight and defend himself, defend his territory and his family.
"Li, start fighting!" he thought to the God of
lightning who's eyes fixed on Nathan. "Remember what you said to me? No matter who we lose, we can't grieve until after the war!"
Liam's mind rebooted itself when Zayn was knocked back by a group of hell-hounds. The cry from his wolf when his back hit the ground alerted Zayn's pack.
With lightning bolts flickering around Liam's paws, he left his mother to protect his husband. For the first time, he used the sharp teeth of his wolf to bite into another being. The demon screamed when he locked his jaw around her shoulder and flung her off his mate. Demon's tasted sour and acidic, like poison.
Piper had tackled the others while Phoenix was busy confusing the demons. He was blatantly a werewolf, but they could tell he had demon qualities. Most hell-hounds hesitated before attacking him, which gave Phoenix a substantial advantage.
Vincent nervously watched the demon's push through the crowd, getting closer with each second. His heart raced at an unnatural speed.
Everyone at the house had either looked away or stared at Nathan and Kayla until they were no longer visible, engulfed with the fighting.
Lilith glared at Lucifer. She stood with Vincent because they had partnered up for the war, but every fibre in her body ached to run for Lucifer and kill him once and for all.
The devil stared at Zyaire as he picked Arzhel up, seconds before an arrow shot into the angel's leg. A dark energy pulsed in Lucifer's gaze. She knew he wanted to kill Arzhel.
"Eloise, you should go. Lucifer wants-"
"No." Eloise silenced Lilith, knowing what she would say. "My son is fighting for his life, and we're all just standing here. As long as Zyaire is in danger, I'm not leaving this field" She started tieing her long black hair into a bun and took off her jacket. "I should be protecting my boy."
Zac, Arzhel's father, was fidgety and tense. His eyes glued to his son, feeling like he should be doing more than standing with Maeve, his soulmate.
Maeve rested a gentle hand on his arm and their eyes connected.
"Go if you think it's right. They're struggling out there."
Tears clouded her vision. She wouldn't go after him; she didn't know how to fight to defend herself. She would only be a liability.
Zac nodded, leaning close so he could whisper. "If the demons invade the house, run and don't look back. I'll find you. I promise"
Maeve allowed him to press his lips to her forehead, cherishing the feeling of a kiss before he turned and ran through the crowd.
Once Zayn was back on his feet and fighting, Liam returned his attention to his mother, but she was no longer standing with Lucifer. He frantically searched the crowd. It was impossible to catch her scent or her wolf among hundreds of other werewolves.
Blood was the only thing he could smell. The bitter scent of copper and sweat mixed in the night air.
Liam wondered what would happen if he targeted Lucifer. Would his demons stop focussing on the wolves and the angels if their leader was in trouble? Or would they continue to fight?
Lucifer had a big crowd of demons around him. His personal bodyguards. Each one looked like they took steroids, trained seven hours a day and had the strength of a wolfs bite in each fist.
Vale Roots, the God of nature, approached his leader's side. Vines with prickly thorns swarmed him, stabbing any demon who tried to get close to either him or his mate.
"Targetting the devil seems like a good place to start. Zayn killed Victor. He arranged this war, but nobody stopped to acknowledge his death."
"If Lucifer died, his followers would scatter. I'm willing to bet Aiolos' life on Hailey said, standing on Liam's other side. The fire covered his entire wolf, so no demon dared to touch him.
Liam kept an eye on Zayn and summoned the rest of the Gods.
"Target Lucifer. I need to protect my family."
The demons were getting closer to the house. His father and brother were there, as well as the elderly, and Zayn's family. His friends from the other world were waiting too, waiting to fight.
Vale nodded and ran through the crowd and towards Lucifer. The other Gods followed, softly nudging Liam on the way past, encouraging him to go to the house as a guard.
Liam started pawing forwards. A light tug on his tale forced him to spin. Hunter stopped in front of him, close enough for their wet noses to touch.
"I'm coming with you. Mates don't split-" A demon lunged for him, but Liam zapped her with his powers.
"Come with me then, and bring the pack."
"This is just chaos," Athena muttered, watching wolves and demon's lying dead on the ground.
Those who were fighting well trampled on their bodies. Niall and Zyaire were trying to heal as many wolves and angels as they could, but it was an unreachable goal to heal everyone.
"I can't tell who's winning."
More and more demons stalked from the woods. Judging by Lucifer's foul grin, Athena knew it wasn't them.
Harry stood by Lou's wolf, running a hand through the fur on the top of his head. Lou had stopped hurting and couldn't change back, the power within him was too strong to calm himself.
"They're almost here," Harry thought, gripping his walking stick much tighter.
"You should fight with the other Gods." He felt Lou rub his head against his thigh and knew he wouldn't leave his side.
"I know you're itching to be with Zayn."
For as long as Lou could remember, he has been Zayn's Beta wolf. Loyal, a friend, a brother. He thought that when the war came, he would fight by his Alpha's side like the Beta wolf he was born to be. Lou didn't know he'd be guarding a mate as he sat with fur as white as a field of cotton.
Vincent's pack stood behind Harry, carefully watching each demon, learning how they fight and what their intentions were. They were under strict instructions from their Alpha to protect Harry.
Lou felt a little better with their help, but it didn't stop his entire body from feeling like it was stuffed with anxiety.
"Should we join now?" Lilith muttered to Vincent before he caught a scent he never thought he'd smell again.
Grace.
He spun in time to see her shift and slip through the window. Nobody batted an eyelid. Werewolves were on our side; it was
demon's that everyone targetted.
"Oh hell no." Lilith had seen her too and ran
through the kitchen.
Vincent hesitated. Should he stay and be with Harry? With one more glance towards the horrors on the field, he ran through the kitchen with Ares and Eirene closely behind.
"What is it?" Anthony yelled.
"Elara, she's in the house!" Vincent followed Lilith's scent. She smelt more like a human than a demon. He recalled the time she opened up about her family and how her mother was a human.
They hurried down the corridor that lead to guest rooms until he spotted a light at the end. The door was blown open, and he saw the struggle of two shadows. Something was smashed, and a metallic smell poured from the room. The full moon made their senses stronger, but Vincent had an overwhelming feeling that the blood didn't belong to Elara.
As Ares edged forward, Elara shot out of the
room and into another, taunting them like a child. They hurried down the corridor when Lilith didn't run after her and stopped by the door.
The demon lay against the leg of a poster bed. A wooden post had been snapped off, making a sharp weapon for Elara who had pierced it into Lilith stomach. The blood pooled around her, thick and dark.
Ares and Eirene ran after Elara, but Vincent felt like fainting.
"Don't worry!" he breathed. "I'll get you to Niall, or Zyaire. Don't worry!"
Lilith watched him resta hand on the end of the wooden post.
"Just pull it out" she mumbled.
Vincent yanked it out, and she screamed. He wasted no time and scooped her up in his arms, running back through the house as her blood stained his clothes. By the time he reached the garden, her eyes were barely open.
"I need an angel of healing!" he yelled into the crowd. His voice was like a whisper in among the roars.
"Hold on Lilith. Please, just a minute more." He ran towards the crowd. The time between each heartbeat was getting longer.
"Angels of healing? Anyone? Please!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. The angels around him were too busy killing, being killed, or not angels with healing powers.
"Zyaire!" Vincent roared when he spotted the demon kicking another demon so hard, their jaw visibly broke. Arzhel tugged on his soulmates arm and pointed in the werewolf's direction.
Zyaire gripped his wrist and started running towards them. They were maybe a minute away, and it would take longer for them to reach Vincent through all the thirsty hell-hounds.
Vincent crouched on one knee and propped Lilith's head against his leg.
"Hey" he soothed, tapping her cheek.
Lilith opened her eyes, and for the first time in a while, she smiled.
"It's okay," she whispered.
"Zyaire's almost here. He'll heal you." Vincent pressed against her wound to somehow slow the bleeding. Lilith didn't even flinch.
"Vin, I can see her." The demon's breathing was shallow.
"Who?" The warm blood oozed over Vincent's trembling hand.
"My soulmate."
A shiver trickled down his spine, knowing Lilith's soulmate died a long time ago. Losing the one they shared a bond with was something they had in common and something that made their friendship even stronger.
Vincent couldn't tell if Zyaire was close. He was hoping for him to pop out of the crowd, but this was a war. Even with hundreds of angels around him, a miracle was out of his reach.
"Is she happy?" he whispered.
Lilith nodded. The smile hadn't left her lips.
"Thank you" The demon released a series of spluttering breaths before falling still. Vincent thought she had taken her last breath until she gasped and gripped his arm.
"Thank you. My freedom, that's- that's all I ever wanted, and I found a friend along the way."
A pain spread through the werewolf's heart. He didn't want to cry, but he didn't think he would be in this situation.
"Go now," he whispered and rocked her gently. The moon shined between a gap in the clouds and for a moment, it seemed to only shine on them.
"Let your soul reunite with your mate. I know heaven will open their gate for you."
Lilith spluttered a chuckle. Her eyes were
closed, and Vincent knew she wouldn't open them again.
"H- Heaven won't know what hit them." This time, when she choked on her breathing, her lungs didn't fill up again. Her head turned and rested against Vincent's arm as the life left her body.
Zyaire and Arzhel were still struggling to get
through the crowd.
It was too late.
Lilith was gone, and Elara killed her.
With sorrow came anger, waves of a powerful rage. Vincent not only shook with grief, he tensed with a vengeful storm.