Hell’s Angel by Delilah Hunt

Amara dipped her finger inside the crystalline bowl. A vivid display of copper and orange vapors swirled above the purified water. She pulled her finger back, her eyes widening in horror and curiosity at the forbidden underworld. Hell. Her wings fluttered and a mysterious tide of emotions welled inside her chest. Oh, but how she would love to be permitted to deliver a missive to the fiery underworld. She was a messenger angel, and so far the only messages she had been instructed to deliver were those from the Keepers of the Gate to the Guardian Angels, informing them when a new soul was due to arrive at Heaven’s entrance.

Amara stifled a gasp when the vapors began to move, shifting into images. Her eyes skimmed the depiction, looking past the harried and tortured souls she could see twisting in their own agony. A demon turned the corner, stepping over one of the souls with his long legs. Her gaze settled and softened on him. Callum, the fierce captain of Lucifer’s army. While Lucifer sat upon his throne ruling over the Underworld, it was Callum’s duty to maintain order and prevent the countless number of souls from escaping their eternal damnation.

She leaned closer to the bowl and peered downward, memorizing every single detail about him. He wore black armor with spiked metal spaulders above his shoulders. The same armor protected his legs, and metallic boots wrapped his calves. His horns, thick and massive, curled off to the sides of his blond head.

If her best friend Reina knew she’d been sneaking peeks inside the forbidden realm, the eldest of the messenger angels would deny all access to her quarters. Amara’s excuses of merely wishing to spend time with Reina would no longer cut it. Glancing backward, Amara checked to make sure the telltale sign of a portal was not being opened, signaling Reina’s return. No traces of silver threads looping in the air. Good.

She returned her focus to Callum, knowing this was the closest she would ever get to the demon. What a sorry sight she made. A two hundred-year-old angel who had never traveled beyond the boundaries of the Pearly Gates captivated by the captain of the army that had once attempted to conquer Heaven.

“You’re still here? I thought for sure you would have returned to your garden.”

Flushing with guilt, Amara jumped away from the bowl and snapped her head to the side. Specks of silver shimmered around the auburn-haired angel. “I’m sorry, Reina. I lost track of the time.” She raised her head, centering her eyes on the large bookshelf in the corner of the room. “Your books are all so fascinating.”

Reina arched her eyebrow. “Only the books, Amara? Have you been using the vessel?”

“No!” Amara closed her eyes and struggled to breathe. Her tongue became heavy, and her nostrils flared, attempting to take in air. “I stole one glance.” She wheezed. Her breathing returned to normal and the weight on her tongue lifted. “I was curious, Reina. Forgive me.”

A shadow fell over Reina’s face. “You didn’t have to lie. We both know the painful consequences of doing so. I’ve known all along that you’ve been sneaking glances into Hell. Is it the demon Callum who has piqued your curiosity?”

She lowered her head a notch. “It is. I can’t stop thinking about him, and I don’t know how to control this feeling. Some days it’s as if these emotions threaten to consume me. I wish to touch him, Reina. To look into his eyes and know that he can see into mine.”

“It’s called desire.” Reina lounged on her green velvet chaise. “It will pass, and if it doesn’t you will learn to live with it. There is nothing to be done about this feeling, Amara. The demons and every other being are free to act upon their desires. We are forbidden. Worse, to act upon such desires with a Hell-bound demon is an abomination. Take your mind from him. Callum would taint you in ways you’re much too innocent to comprehend.”

Amara nodded, thankful Reina had not admonished her by threatening to take the matter to the elders. “I’ll try not to dwell on him. I know it is an impossible situation. An angel — a mere messenger one, at that — would be of no use to Lucifer’s warrior. I’ll take your advice.”

Reina’s face brightened and she patted Amara’s shoulder. “You’ll be saved a ton of heartache in the end.”

Spreading her wings, Amara waved goodbye to her friend. She flew over the misty clouds that surrounded the realm. Soaring through the marble pillars separating her garden from that of the other angels, Amara allowed the reckless thoughts of Callum to float through her mind. Five months had passed since she’d first set sight on the mysterious demon. She’d seen him by accident after taking a look inside Reina’s mysterious bowl. For days she’d spent every free minute scouring the ancient texts and tomes, seeking information about the demon. The only thing she’d found was a hand-drawn portrait of him in his heavenly glory, his large white wings outlined with silver. She knew he no longer possessed those angelic features; instead he had black wings curved upward at the tip, sharp as barbed wire.

Her knowledge of him and his time in the heavens was limited. The one thing she knew for sure was that he was one of the first angels created by the Decider of Chaos. He’d been an archangel, the highest order of angels in the heavens, revered for the single-minded focus on vanquishing all that stood in the way of the righteous path of the Decider.

“Amara!”

She pivoted toward the voice of her friend Sierra, frowning at the anxious look on the angel’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“Can you deliver a message for me to the Realm of the Fae?”

She nodded, thrilled at the chance of seeing outside Heaven. “Did you bring a portal with you?”

Sierra reached into her pouch, withdrawing a woven envelope. “Here.” She handed the silver threads to Amara. “And do hurry, Amara. I was supposed to have delivered this in the morning.”

Amara waved off the angel and then flicked the threads into the air. Her heart skipped a beat. The Realm of Fae was situated directly above the Hell dimension. She shook her head, pushing away the traitorous thoughts meandering through her mind. Deliver the message and return.

Stepping through the portal, Amara silently spoke the name of her destination. She arrived there immediately, delivering the envelope into the hands of a waiting faerie. She returned inside the gaping portal, and in a split-second decision, Amara whispered the one word, the only word forbidden in her travels. Hell.

The portal seemed to come to life, quaking all around her. She was lifted into the air and spun upside down, tumbling into an abyss. It was as if someone had snapped her wings in two and thrown her from the heavens. Her stomach plummeted, and a thick wave of fear rose inside her throat. Fire blazed around her and the pungent stench of sulfur invaded her nostrils. Amara kept falling until she landed with a hard thud on her side, her face hitting the soot-covered ground.

Groaning in pain, Amara tried to sit up, but found there was no need to. A rough hand dragged her off the dirt. “Inform the captain of our visitor.”

* * *

Callum gloated to himself, his hand tapping the pocket of his pants, making sure the metal chains were still inside. He’d waited since the dawn of time for this moment. Today was going to be one helluva day.

Last night he’d been informed that an angel had sneaked his way into Hell, violating a cardinal rule of the agreement laid out between Lucifer and the holier-than-thou angels in Heaven. So far, the demons had upheld their end of the bargain, and the angels had too, much to Callum’s disappointment. Their visitor, however, was exactly what Callum had been waiting for. The conniving little fucker probably assumed the rules didn’t apply to him.

Naturally, he had given his men permission to inflict pain upon the invader without killing him. He stopped in front of the miniscule cell used for holding the prisoners of Hell. He curled his lips into a cruel smile, wondering how the angel had fared throughout the night on the ashen floor, breathing in the sulfuric odor of the brimstone which kept the eternal fires of Hell lit and burning.

The dungeon was dark, but Callum could see into it. A slender figure was curled up against the wall. His smile turned into a frown. Shit. Why didn’t they tell him it was a female? He stepped closer, twisting the key into the lock. Despite the darkness he could see her small white wings fanned out, the feathers brushing her sides. The iron bars opened with a loud clatter, allowing him to stroll into the cell.

The bronze-skinned angel lifted her head from between her knees, peering up at him. Alarms went off inside his head and his groin tightened at the vision before him. Despite the bruises on her right cheek, she was stunning, ethereal. Her hair was thick, a wild mass of wiry ebony curls framing her heart-shaped face.

He stepped in front of her, resisting the urge to kneel and help her to rise. Never. The last time he’d knelt before an angel, he’d done so out of coercion moments before he’d been bound and thrust out of the heavens.

“Get up.” He nudged her with his boot.

She stood, lifting her face to meet his gaze full on. “I waited all night for you.”

Callum lifted an eyebrow. Waited? She made it sound like they’d made plans to meet in the underbelly of the Earth. Callum plastered a smile to his face, treading his way through the unexpected turn of events. “What brings you to our humble abode?”

He heard her deep intake of breath. “You.” She dusted a speck of ash from her short, white tunic dress. “I mean no harm. I only wished to see you. To have you know the name of the angel who holds you in the highest regard.”

Her soft-spoken words blazed an unexpected fire through his veins. “What is the name of this angel?”

“Amara.”

Crap. She’d come to Hell because of him. Everything about her was complicating his plans. He looked away from her and hardened his stance. It wasn’t his fault if she harbored feelings for him. He’d waited much too long for revenge to let it go to waste on a pretty face. Angel Amara was going back to Heaven in the same fashion he’d been cast out. “You’re in a lot of trouble, Amara. Do you realize that?” He looked around the holding cell. “This isn’t the type of place you just drop by. You’ve committed a crime, and I can’t let you walk away free.”

She looked up at him, her brown eyes glossy and wide. “I know it was forbidden, but I’ve given you my reason. I came to you. Is that such a crime?”

Callum resisted the urge to laugh. She really thought it was that easy. Then again, what else did he expect from a heavenly being? In their eyes they could do no wrong, not even when it came to false accusations of treason.

He knew the answer to her question. The true crime was the one he was plotting against her. The chains inside his pocket felt heavy, and he almost wished he’d given them to Lucifer to destroy after the demon lord had rescued him. “Who did that to you?” he asked suddenly, pointing to her bruised face before he could stop himself.

She blinked and brought a small hand to the side of her cheek. “No one. It happened when I fell.” She gave a slight smile. “Why do you ask?”

He shrugged. “Just checking. You’re half the size of the smallest demon under my command. I wouldn’t want anyone to lay a hand on you.” He looked her up and down, liking her petite hourglass figure. “In violence, I mean.” She widened her full lips into a brilliant smile and his cock hardened. How much wider could those lips get? He shook his head. He needed to stay focused. “Did I say something funny?”

“No, but your words reveal much. I’m certain I’ve made the correct decision in seeking you out.”

He chuckled low and fingered the concealed metal. “You think I’m going to let you off the hook for trespassing into Hell just because you like my looks?” She frowned, but said nothing. “Even if I was kind enough to ignore your crime, do you believe you could fly back into the heavens?” He laughed softly at the look of surprise on her face. “They wouldn’t let you within an inch of the Pearly Gates, not with you reeking of the fires of Hell, horror and despair.”

“You don’t smell like that.” She inched closer to him. “I like your scent. It’s pleasant. Fresh and clean, reminding me of my garden.”

He reminded her of flowers? More importantly, why wasn’t he offended by the comparison? He could scarcely think straight with her being so close. He looked down and saw the swell of her breasts above the low neckline of her tunic. “Have you ever been this close to a male?”

She shook her head, her dark eyes riveted on his face. Callum lifted his hand, cupping the swell of her breast. He liked them. They were the perfect size, small, but enough of a handful to cushion his palms. His gaze swept over the rest of her body. Her waist was tiny, and she had lush hips accentuating her long legs. He inhaled sharply, fighting the urge to adjust his cock.

“Are they too small?”

Groaning, he ran a hand over his groin. “No. They’re nice.” She beamed, and it struck a chord inside him. He deserved to be in Hell for what he was about to do. He wasn’t about to back out, not when he was this close to exacting revenge. The bastards up in Heaven might not want her back, but they were going to feel the sting of having one of their own used by him and sent back bound with the same chains used to strip him of his heavenly light, almost killing him. He swallowed his guilt and yanked the chain from his pocket. “Give me your hands.”

She looked down at his hands, her forehead marred with a crease. “Is that necessary?”

“I’ll ask the questions, angel. Now, give me your hands, or would you prefer to room with the female prisoners?”

“Female prisoners?”

He nodded. “Demonesses, human souls, creatures you never knew existed.”

Sighing, she held out her hands. “Where are you taking me?”

Callum averted his eyes while locking the chain around her wrists. “We’re going to my room.” I have to do this. I have to… He couldn’t break the promise he’d made to himself that day Lucifer found him in a dimension darker than Hell, weak as a mortal and on death’s door from numerous rounds of torture by the inhabitants.

She looked at him, then back at the bonds. “I don’t see the point of this. I pose no threat to you or anyone else. And you have to know by now that I’m willing to accompany you anywhere.”

A knife stabbed into his chest, twisting in his heart. Strange. She was affecting him more than he thought possible for a demon. Stick to the plan. “Angel, just because I admire your body doesn’t mean you’re not my prisoner.” Callum laughed softly. “Did you think I’d fall at your heavenly feet and declare my love?”

Hurt slashed across her delicate features. “I thought no such thing. I was warned beforehand to rid myself of these desires I have for you. I’m not ignorant. I knew you would have no use for me.”

He cocked his eyebrow. “That’s clearly not true. Didn’t you see how hard I was for you a while ago?”

“I did.”

He thumbed her chin. “Have you been lying on your chaise at night thinking of me? Sinful, wicked fantasies that have no place in the mind of an angel? Is that why you came here — to give me a taste of heaven between your legs?”

Unabashed desire pooled in her eyes. He wanted to shout in triumph, mock the heavens at the wanton angel standing before him ready to accept his demon seed.

“I can’t deny that there have been… moments when I’ve entertained the idea of us indulging in these activities.”

Callum gripped her hands and pulled her to him. “Did you touch your pussy while having these impure thoughts?”

She nibbled her juicy bottom lip. “I did not. There is little privacy in the heavens. I’m sure you remember.”

“Then it’s a good thing we’re not up in those clouds. Taking you to my quarters is a privilege, Amara, one that will have you spending the remainder of the day showing your gratitude.”

Her eyes widened. “I’ll have to repay you with my body?”

Callum crooked his lips into a slow smile. Fast learner. “Your body, including that luscious mouth.”

She lifted a hand to her lips. “You wish to give me kisses?”

His smile faltered. Holy shit. Was she that naïve? “I will. At some point. I was talking about something similar, more open than kissing. Can’t you think of anything else you might be able to do with those beautiful wide lips of yours?” Her brow furrowed in deep thought, and it made him ache even more. “Don’t worry about it, angel. I think I’d rather it remain a mystery to you right now. I’m going to take great pleasure in revealing it to you.”

He stepped away from her, walking through the open iron bars. His gaze drifted to her hands, and stirrings of doubt swam through his mind. Fuck. Why did it have to be her?