Tempest’s POV

“I’m doomed,” I cried, hiding my face in my hands after Shadows took a seat next to Pandora in the pew. The pair seemed to be happily chatting away while I was having my own existential crisis. “He’s-he’s going to want to take me back… and-and it’s only a matter of time before he finds me!”

“Just breathe, Enepsigos, you are safe here,” Astaroth’s soft voice cooed in my ear as I looked around the church with wild eyes. I could feel my heart pounding manically in my chest, each breath feeling more constricted than the next. I had to find a way out or at least a place to hide.

“But-but… I-I trust him,” I rasped, feeling my whole world melting down around me. Never had I felt so ashamed of myself. I mean, how could I not have seen the truth? Gates was the Devil and I just simply overlooked the fact because he had been so kind and open to helping me. He even made be believe that he was an angel, when in truth he was the furthest thing from a celestial being. How could I have been so stupid as to trust him? Did all those lesson in Biblical Studies class teach me anything? I was an embarrassment to the Heavens and at this rate they’d never let me back into the Silver City. “God will never take me back! I’ve committed the greatest sin by blindly following him!”

Astaroth let out a light chuckle as his hand slowly rubbed up and down my back. “Gate is the master of deception from his looks to his words. Lucky for you, trusting a person is hardly a sin. You haven’t broken the laws of the Silver City unless you’ve single handedly hurt another or completed one of his sinister tasks.”

My jaw dropped and I frantically shook my head, the tears welling up in my eyes. “I would never harm another soul.” Just thinking about hurting someone made my chest ache painfully. It was my job to save others, not put them in jeopardy.

“See, then you are still fit for the Heavens,” Astaroth smiled, but I shook my head. It couldn’t be that simple! I mean, it should have been a sin to feel this drawn to him. It was like he was a magnet, that I was destined to go towards. Though that was nothing compared to the overwhelming feeling I got when we physically touched. It was like I was alive and learning how to fly for the first time, and nothing else came close to the magical feeling. I craved his touch more than anything else in my entire existence and that terrified me.

Astaroth frowned and turned to look at me as if he were trying to read my mind. I blinked as I met his gaze, a wave of panic washing over me. What if he saw the truth in my eyes? What if he told the archangels?! If anyone found out that I was having these feelings toward the Devil, I would be stuck on Earth for all eternity, never to return to the home I loved.

“What is it, Enepsigos? What is troubling you?”

I swallowed thickly and looked over towards Pandora and Shadows. He was gently holding her hand and my mind instantly flashed back to my time with Gates. Just the simple motion of Gates taking my hand would have sent my senses into a frenzy, making me crave more. How could that amazing feeling be so good and so bad at the same time?

“Enepsigos?”

I quickly shook those vial thoughts away and looked back at the priest. I knew I couldn’t lie but for the first time, I wanted to. I was terrified of what would happen if he found out the truth, but I knew there was no other way around it. Angels never lied.

“He…he… makes me feel—” I started only to hear the heavy double doors in the back of the church clamber open. In that instant my heart seemed to stop in my chest as a wave of fear washed over me. No…this couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t have found me this quickly.

“Are you sure about that?” Gates’ deep voice rang through the church.

I quickly crawled behind Astaroth for protection, but it was too late. As soon as I looked back over the priest’s shoulder, those haunting brown eyes locked on me and I swallowed thickly. How could I feel so excited and terrified all at once? There had to be something wrong with me, considering the Devil himself was staring back at me.

“This is private property, Gates. Be a dear and leave the premise.” Pandora’s voice called to my right and I prayed for once that he would listen to her.

“I’m not here to ruin the party.” Gates replied and I took in a shaky breath. “And since when a church is a private property?”

“Since... whenever. What do you want?”

“What-what’s he doing here?” I whispered to Astaroth as I clung to him for safety. I could still feel Gates’ eyes lingering on me but I forced myself to look away. I couldn’t get sucked back into web of lies. I had already fallen victim to him once, but I wasn’t about to let it happen again. Distance was key.

Astaroth slowly stood up at looked over at Gates with a stunned expression. I guess he was just as shocked to see him in the church. No, he couldn’t leave exposed like this! I quickly moved with him, hiding my small frame behind the priest. What was he doing?!

“To talk,” Gates replied simply as Astaroth sat down at the edge of the pew, looking across at the hellish threesome across the aisle.

“We don’t have anything to talk about.”

“Yeah, we do.” He insisted, looking right at Pandora. “We need to talk about the upcoming war... And how to avoid it.”

For the millionth time today, my breath caught in my throat. War? There was going to have a war? As in, thousands of innocent people being killed for no reason other than to prove which side was stronger? Why would that even be a good option? No… no it couldn’t happen! I wouldn’t let it.

“Look I don’t care what you say I’m not going to—wait did you just say, ‘how to avoid it’?” Pandora opened and closed her mouth, shock etched in her features, though that seemed to be a common look around the church.

“Yes,” Gates sighed, running his hands over his face. For the first time, I could see the signs of stress etched in his handsome features.

“So you want to… avoid going to war?” Now it was Shadows turn to look surprised.

Gates slammed his fist on the top of the pew, making me cower back down behind Astaroth. “Yes for the third time! Why is that so fucking hard to believe?”

Pandora’s brows pulled together with a slightly amused look on her face. “Do you seriously need me to list the reasons?”

I watched as Gates narrowed his eyes at her, his jaw locking in place. “I know I don’t have the best track record for this kind of thing but going to war against the Heavens would be a suicide mission. Even I fucking know that!”

Wait? He was planning a war against the Heavens? I opened and closed my mouth a few times, trying to process the thought. I wasn’t around for the last war but the stories I heard were enough to give me nightmares. Why anyone would want to relive that again was beyond me. I just hoped that it didn’t have to come to a second war and I would do everything in my power to try and avoid that fate.

“Why the sudden change of heart? You didn’t seem to care the last time,” Astaroth spoke up, his voice vibrating through his back. “So why should we trust you now?”

I cautiously looked back over the priest’s shoulder just in time for those brown orbs to lock with mine. I swallowed thickly, willing myself to look away but there was something so hypnotizing about his gaze that I couldn’t move my eyes away from him. Just looking at Gates made my heart leap wildly in my chest and I took in a sharp breath. What was that about?

“Because I don’t want this war anymore than the rest of you,” Gates’ stare was burning a hole in my purple irises. It was like he was trying to get me to understand that he wasn’t all bad… even though he was in fact the Devil. What if this was all a trick? “We need to find a way to get the fallen to back down. They’re out for blood and are pushing hard for this war.”

“No…” I shook my head, trying to get away from those haunting brown eyes. “We cant let them… there is no need for a war. We can’t lose any more souls over this pointless feud!” I burst, unable to stay quiet any longer.

“Teek’s right, there doesn’t need to be any blood shed,” Pandora nodded in agreement. “And as commander, I say there won’t be a war. Without me and the legions, the fallen have nothing to stand on. Gates may be the Devil but I hold all of his cards.” She looked around with a victorious smile but that didn’t ease the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Shads scoffed and shook his head. “Try telling them that…”

Pandora simply shrugged and looked back over at Gates. “What’s the worst that happens, I say no and they run to Gates?”

“Or they start the war with or without us,” Shads grumbled, rubbing his finger over his temples. “Leave all of us at the mercy of the Heaven’s new weapon.” Hey! That was a secret that he was supposed to keep, not tell everyone! Last time I trust him with a secret.

“What if I talk to them?” I asked, an idea popping into my head. If I could talk to them and get them to see the light, maybe I could end this war before it even started. I mean, it was my purpose to help the fallen and then damned find the light again. Maybe this was my shot!

Only I didn’t get the response I was hoping for. “No way!”

“Are you fucking insane, Teek?” Pandora looked at me with wide eyes, slowly shaking her head. “These are fallen angels who deceived God and our out for revenge, no offense Shads.” He raised his hand and shook his head, as if he wasn’t offended in the slightest. “If these fallen that want the war catch wind that an angel is walking amongst them, they will tear you limb from limb just to stick it to God.”

I opened and closed my mouth, a shudder of fear surging through my body. Why would they do such a thing to their fellow angel? No, it couldn’t be. I refused to believe it. “But if I could just talk to them I bet I could—”

“The answer is no, Enepsigos,” Gates eyes were on me and I shrank back a little bit, afraid of the look in his eyes. “The last thing we need is for them to use you against us.” Wait? Did he just say, use me against them? What did that mean? I frowned and looked down at my hands, trying to make sense of what he just said.

“What are you saying Gates?” Shadows tilted his head to the side, a frown quickly spreading over his features.

“Her markings…” Pandora stood up, moved over to me, and spun me around so fast that I almost stumbled into Astaroth. “They have something to do with all this, don’t they? Something that you’re not telling us.”

I couldn’t see Gates expression but when I turned back around I saw Pandora standing with clenched fists and narrow eyes. What happened? What did I miss?

“You better start talking. Now.”

Notes