Jegudiel (Deadly Virtues 2)

Then just as Diel thought it couldn’t get worse, Beth said, “And more came … vans and vans. An entire army.” She shook her head. “Auguste must have called for reinforcements. They are guarding her. They …” Beth’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh my God, Dinah. What will they do to her?”

But Diel knew. They would kill her. After all these years the Coven had spent on the run from the Brethren, they would finally kill Noa. But not before they tortured her. Not before that cunt would make her pay.

Dinah was fucking frozen, not speaking. “Dinah?” Beth whispered.

Dinah’s crushed gaze met Beth’s. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. Movement played in the corner of Diel’s eye. Gabriel came to stand beside Dinah.

“We go and get her,” Gabriel said, his voice steady and filled with conviction. “We go and get our sister back.”

But Diel had blacked out. He had plunged into that darkness that was closing in on his soul, and he fucking succumbed to it freely.

Diel could hear Gabriel speaking. He could feel Sela shifting beside him. But he wasn’t listening to a word anyone said. He was a fucking inferno. A cluster of cinders about to collide, melting into a tar-filled river of destruction.

After weeks and weeks of keeping calm, of feeling whole, of his monster melding with the man, Diel felt the knowing flickers of red-hot rage that the monster had once brought. Something sinister was unraveling in his stomach, shaken wide fucking awake by the thought of Noa being back in Auguste’s arms. His muscles tensed; his teeth gritted together—

A hand was placed on his arm, and Diel turned, grabbing whoever it was by the throat. He needed to get to Noa. He needed to get his fucking woman back, and no fucker was getting in his way. He wasn’t rational. His monstrous side was taking the lead, and Diel let it through with zero resistance.

He growled as the person fought to be released. Diel’s eyes were blurred; only Noa’s face hovered in his sight.

Auguste had her. Diel had to get her back.

“Brother,” cut through the raging fog in his brain. “Diel …” The voice was raspy and weak. Suddenly an arm wrapped around Diel’s chest and wrenched him back. Diel released whoever he had been holding against the wall and swerved, diving for whoever had dared to fucking touch him.

But only thin air met him. He saw a flash of long dark hair, then his arms were trapped behind his back, rendering him immobile. Diel fought the hold, but a voice at his ear said, “Calm down. Calm. Down.” But Diel couldn’t—wouldn’t—calm the fuck down.

Auguste had Noa.

White-hot fear burst through his senses as he thought of what they might be doing to her, as his mind brought up image after fucked-up image of them tying her to a table and fucking her without consent. Of them slicing her open and burning her alive.

Burning his witch!

“Calm, brother,” the voice said again, trying to break through the red mist that had descended not only over Diel’s eyes but over his entire body. “Calm, and we can plan. We can figure shit out. Then we’ll go get your woman.” The voice paused. “And you can kill. You can kill as many Brethren as your fucked-up soul will allow.”

“All of them,” Diel found himself snarling in response. “All of the fuckers. I’ll kill them all.”

As the words poured from between his thinned lips, the room jerked back into focus. Sweat dripped down Diel’s back, and shallow inhales and exhales scraped from his throat. He blinked and suddenly made out people in front of him … the person behind his back.

Diel’s brothers were all waiting for him to return to himself. The Coven were watching him closely, all pale cheeks and wide eyes. Gabriel was rubbing his neck, concerned blue eyes fixed on Diel—they were always concerned when they were focused on him.

And then Diel felt Sela behind him. It was Sela holding him back, telling him to calm. Diel’s body switched from scalding to ice cold in a split second. His head twitched uncontrollably; his eyes blinked as he fought to stay in his body. He fought not to let the monster take over like he had done as a kid. He could feel his monster pacing, ready to jump in front of him to face the pain that was cutting through Diel like a flaming spear. But Diel held it back. He wanted to feel the pain. He needed the agony of losing Noa to fuel what came next.

He and his monster were one now. Noa had fucking battled to bring Diel back to himself. She had battled to retrieve his lost memories. He wouldn’t fucking rip apart when she needed him most.

“You good?” Sela asked, and Diel found himself slowly nodding. His rage was a detonated nuclear bomb, only seconds from eviscerating anything in its path. His monster began to pace within him, not to take over this time, but to be Diel’s greatest ally in getting Noa back. Diel closed his eyes, telling the savage beast to remain cool, to remain contained for just a little while longer …