Betrayal.

Everything in Azazel’s life was now tainted by betrayal.

Neji had betrayed him.

His own body had betrayed him, obeyed her command to “enjoy it” rather than his command to do whatever it took to escape.

And he had betrayed his love, Lady Calimei, by enjoying how Neji’s body felt against (and encompassing) his own.

On the ride to Godsmouth, Neji had given him the occasional wink or lustful stare. What once had caused his heart to flutter in his chest now pierced it deeper than any spear could, and made his insides shrivel and die. Every time he recalled the way she’d taken his seed, he felt as if a piece of his soul had been stolen that night.

Stolen and smashed into a thousand pieces.

Azazel now stared at Neji with terror, as a mouse watches a coiled asp. Yet, he was worse off than the rodent at the mercy of a serpent, for at least the serpent could only devour him once. Neji might do it again.

“Hey, you listening?”

Law’s gruff voice snapped Azazel back to reality.

Law, Neji, and Azazel sat in the main room of an abandoned house on the outskirts of Godsmouth, just a block inside its walls. It was not yet noon, so the sun had not yet shone upon those slums. The city wall and the watchtowers kept the poor and destitute in the cold, dark shadows.

Azazel shook his head and looked to Law, though his eyes fell short of the older angel’s. “I’m sorry, no. Still… in a daze, I guess. Say it again?”

Though Azazel did not look at Law’s face, he could hear the concern in his voice. “You’ve been quiet this whole trip, Ozz. A bit… unfocused too. We need you mindful of what’s ahead of you.”

Azazel scratched the back of his head. “Yes, you’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize!” Law groaned. “This ain’t about you doin’ right or wrong by me. It’s about whether or not we’ll make it out of this alive.”

“Right… sorry,” said Azazel, now looking down at Law’s feet.

“You and Neji are here because you can sense demons,” said Law. “When we rode through the front gates, how many did you sense?”

“Only two nearby, my dear,” said Neji. “I didn’t see them, but I could smell them. Dreila, I think. Lurking in the shadows.”

“Only two…” Law chuckled and shook his head. “The way everyone was staring at us when we came in, I thought for sure there were more than that. Ozz, you think your cloak hid your wings well enough?”

“I can only hope so,” Azazel sighed. “Not really sure of anything anymore…”

Law tilted his head to one side and stared at Azazel with a perplexed expression. After a few moments, he said, “Neji, please go outside and secure a perimeter around this house. Make sure none of those rotten bastards are watching us.”

“It would be my pleasure, my dear.” Neji bowed her head, then slipped out the front door. Azazel dared to look up for just a moment as she left, and his stomach turned as she briefly puckered her lips at him and closed the door behind her.

Once she was gone, Law reached into his coat, produced a cigar, lit it, and slipped it between his teeth. He then drew a second one and held it out to Azazel. The younger angel waved his hand to refuse the gift.

“So…” Law began, his voice just above a whisper, “You mind telling me what the Hell is going on?”

Azazel shrugged. “Nothing’s going on. I’m fine.”

“Bullshit,” Law growled, smoke billowing from his mouth. “Now, I ain’t known you all that long, but I know you ain’t a balmy feller. So, all this mopin’ around and... not really paying any mind to nothin’, well it’s not like you. And if we don’t get to the bottom of what’s botherin’ you all three of us will end up cashin’ in early, if you know what I mean.”

“I don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Know what you mean.”

Law groaned. “Spill the beans so we can fix it so we don’t get ourselves killed!”

Azazel opened his mouth to speak, then hesitated and looked away.

“Spill it!” Law insisted. “We ain’t got much time!”

“Neji visited me the night before we left…” Azazel blurted out. He paused for a moment, trying to think of how best to phrase the next part of the story. His words caught in his throat like a crust of bread and choked him. A burning sensation started in his eyes, threatening to boil over with tears. His breathing grew ragged, and he did all he could to fight back the sobs that so wanted to make themselves known.

After a long silence, filled only with Azazel’s labored breaths, Law finally said, “I take it this wasn’t a nice visit? I noticed the red mark on your cheek yesterday, and the bruise under your eye. Did she do that?”

Azazel wanted to speak, but the words wouldn’t form, so he simply nodded.

“Damn!” Law grunted. “Why is she even here, then, if she beat you up? If she’s your enemy then… Seriously, if she attacked you why didn’t you tell someone? We were in a fortress full of angels who’d be happy to lock up a mortal who assaulted an angel.”

Silence slurred its way out of Azazel’s throat, and one tear spilled over his lower eyelid.

Law’s shoulders sank, and he removed the cigar from his teeth. “Oh… it was a kind of… ‘attack’ you can’t talk about, ain’t it?”

Azazel nodded.

Law sighed a plume of white smoke. “By Nyx’s dead eyes… I’m sorry. Look at me, Ozz. Look at me.” Though the muscles in his neck seemed to fight against him, Azazel forced himself to look up into Law’s eyes. There he saw a soft tenderness he’d never expected from someone so gruff. “I want you to know two things. First, it’s not your fault. Second, you’re not alone. Do you understand?”

“Ye… yes, sir.”

“I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again, too.” Law flicked the ashes from the end of his cigar on the stone floor. “Stick close to me and I’ll make sure she doesn’t touch you again. And, when this mission is over…” the scruffy-faced angel rested his fingers on the barrel of his blunderbuss, which lay on the broken table beside him, “...for Seth’s justice, I’ll blow her damned head off.”

Both angels started when the door swung open and the handle smacked the door. Neji scurried inside and slammed the door shut behind her. “My darlings, we have a problem.”

Azazel and Law jumped to their feet. Law put out his cigar on the wall and picked up his blunderbuss. “Demons surrounding us?”

“Wish it were, my dear,” said Neji. “It’s worse than that. Dogs and townspeople.” She pointed to the window, and when Azazel peered through it he could see the streets had filled with the city’s denizens, each armed with clubs, knives, and muskets. In front of Godsmouth’s human citizens paced over a dozen bulky, black dogs, each staring at the house as they paced, their fangs bared.

“Well?” said Law. “What are you waiting for, Neji? Go drive them off.”

“On my own?” Neji said in a flabbergasted tone. “Dear, I appreciate the vote of confidence, but that is well beyond my abilities.”

“I don’t know about that,” Azazel said, coldly. “You’re strong enough to overpower a healthy angel.”

Neji gave him a questioning look, but before she could speak her mind Law interrupted her. “Barricade the door with whatever you can find!” As she scrambled to pick up the broken remains of pantries, dressers, shelves, and chairs and pile them in front of the door, Law reached into his coat, drew a revolver, and slipped it into Azazel’s hand. “You know how to use one of these?”

“Point and pull the trigger?” Azazel asked as he looked over the gun.

“No. You squeeze the trigger. Big difference. Pull back the hammer, then squeeze the trigger. Also, use both hands. Both hands!” Law slipped his blunderbuss under his arm and reached out to position Azazel’s hands on the revolver correctly. “Like that. Try to aim for their legs if you can, but don’t be afraid to shoot to kill if you have to.”

“Yes, sir,” said Azazel.

Law unhooked his belt and handed it to Azazel, who slipped it around his own waist, over his other belt. Law pointed to the six pouches. “Each of those is filled with 36 rounds, enough for six reloads per pocket.”

Crash!

A stone flew through one of the windows, scattering broken glass on the ground.

Law turned to Neji, “Search the house and see if there’s a basement with a secret way out, or a hole in the roof in case we need a quick escape. Ozz and I will hold them off as long as we can.”

Neji nodded and hurried off to search the other rooms.

From out in the street, a high-pitched voice called out, “You in there! Newcomers! Lay down your weapons and come out with your hands over your heads!”

Azazel peered out the window to see that the person shouting was a woman wearing a blue tabard over chain-mail armor. She held in her hands a spiked mace, and pinned to the tabard he saw a copper badge shaped like a shield.

“We ain’t done nothin’ wrong!” Law shouted back. He pressed his back against the wall next to the window and tightened his grip on his weapon. Azazel did the same next to the other window on that wall.

“You have now!” came the woman’s reply. “Refusing to cooperate with the law is a jailable offense. You gonna come quietly?”

“Now, what kind of idjit would do that?” Law replied.

“Great idea,” Azazel murmured, “let’s antagonize them…”

“You have ten seconds,” shouted the guardswoman. “After that, we’re coming to getcha by force. One!”

Neji popped back into the room, “There’s no basement, but there’s a hole in the roof in the kitchen.”

“Two!”

Law turned to Azazel. “When I’ve got them distracted, you escape.”

“Three!”

“What about you?” asked Azazel.

“I’ll follow when I can.”

“Four!”

“What about me?” asked Neji.

“Help me hold them off so Ozz can escape.”

“Five!”

Neji rolled her eyes. “How am I going to escape?”

“Surrender and I’ll come rescue you,” said Law.

Neji gave a skeptical look.

“Six!”

The demon slayer drew her sword. “If you leave me to die, I’m coming after you in my next life.”

“Seven!”

Law chuckled. “Assuming you get reincarnated and don’t just go to Hell.”

“Eight!”

“I’m serious!” Neji hissed. “Don’t you dare abandon me!”

“And don’t call me a liar!”

Just as the guardswoman was about to shout the next number, Azazel leaned out the window, aimed his blunderbuss, and pulled the trigger. The blast shook the house, and everything above the guardswoman's waist exploded in a red and white paste.

Pop!

Bang!

The townspeople returned fire.

Sawdust and splinters filled the air as bullets pierced the house’s walls.

The dogs barked and charged the house, followed closely by the townspeople with clubs in hand.

Azazel smashed his window with his elbow, then leaned out and fired six rapid shots at the crowd.

Two of the charging citizens fell. The rest of the bullets ricocheted off the cobblestone streets.

Azazel ducked under cover as the citizens returned fire again.

Law turned a dial around the barrel of his blunderbuss, which made a ratcheting sound. As soon as he heard the click, he leaned out the window again and fired a shot into the crowd.

Four more townspeople fell, their legs replaced by bloody stumps.

One of the dogs leapt in through the shattered window by Law, its fangs intended for his throat.

The barrel of Law’s blunderbuss wedged its way between the vicious canine’s teeth, and he fought to keep the beast back.

Neji ran the dog through with her sword.

Having finished reloading, Azazel leaned out his window, prepared to fire at the crowd, just in time to see another dog leaping at the gap.

He pointed his gun, squeezed the trigger, and the dog slumped dead against the house’s front wall with a whimper.

Azazel took cover again just as the townspeople fired another volley into the house. Bullets zipped past overhead, leaving trails of dust and smoke in their wake.

Crack!

That came from the front door…

The townspeople had reached the front door, and were now trying to break it down.

Shadows passed by on the wall, telling Azazel that the front door wasn’t the only way they were trying to get in. In other rooms, he heard windows shatter.

More barking from the dogs, but this time it came from elsewhere in the house.

“The dogs are inside!” Azazel cried and drew his sword.

“Neji, keep them off us!” shouted Law, just before leaning out the window again to fire at the attacking mob.

Without a word, Neji charged off into the other rooms, with her sword in hand. A slashing sound, followed by canine and human yelps followed.

Azazel popped back up from behind cover and fired two shots at the townspeople with muskets.

One shot missed.

One obliterated the target’s nose.

Law leaned out again and fired another shot into the crowd. “There’s black in their blood!”

“And?” Azazel asked, just before firing two more shots out the window.

“That means they’re under a sangrel’s control.” Law turned the ring around his blunderbuss barrel until it clicked, then leaned out and blasted more townspeople. “Find that demon and kill ‘er. Then they’ll all be free!”

Azazel nodded and fumbled to reload the revolver.

“Go now!” Law shouted.

Startled, Azazel dropped the bullets and gun, then scurried off toward the kitchen with his sword in hand.

Just as he entered through the kitchen door, one of the townspeople jumped in through the window and struck him in the chest with a club.

The blunt weapon rang against Azazel’s chest plate under the cloak.

The young king responded in kind with a slash across the townsperson’s forearm.

While his assailant’s agony and panic had him distracted, Azazel leaped, beat his wings, and flew out through the hole in the ceiling.

In mere moments he was high above the house. From there, he could see that the mob had surrounded the home and were climbing in through the windows. There had to be hundreds of them. Far too many for Law and Neji to handle on their own.

Bang!

Zip!

Bullets flew past Azazel as some of the townspeople down below spotted him and opened fire.

No time to help them… got to find the demon controlling these people…

Azazel flapped his wings and landed behind the chimney of another house nearby. Bullets cracked and bounced off the red bricks.

Where would the sangrel be hiding?

The young angel’s eyes scanned the city for the most logical place. Godsmouth was the largest mortal city he’d ever seen. The demon could literally be anywhere.

A creeping terror gripped Azazel’s heart, and he turned just in time to parry an attack from a dreila who’d climbed onto the same roof.

With a sharp kick to the chest, Azazel sent the shadowy demon toppling off the shingles to the hard streets below.

Azazel’s eyes caught sight of the city hall.

Would she really be that obvious? Well… she did walk around town with her dogs…

Bang!

Snap!

Azazel leapt from the rooftop and beat the air with his wings. The air lifted him and he soared on whatever currents he could find.

Townspeople leaned out of their windows and threw stones at him as he passed overhead. Others fired their pistols up at him. Azazel weaved and dodged, evading their assaults.

As he drew nearer the city hall, dogs gathered in the streets below, barking furiously at him.

The gunshots stopped.

Wait… why would they stop shooting?

But Azazel had his answer in an instant. He felt the evil presence mere seconds before the black-winged demon grabbed hold of his ankles and yanked him down.

The two of them spun and toppled through the air together, hurtling toward the ground.

Azazel slipped one of his legs free and kicked the demon in the head, breaking one of his horns.

Another winged demon flew at Azazel, a curved blade in each hand.

The young king parried the first attack, but his sword flew from his hand at the second strike.

Azazel seized the handles of both of his enemy’s swords and wrestled with him for control of the weapons.

White flames surrounded Azazel’s body.

The demon’s clothes caught fire and he let go of both swords so he could pat his own arms in a frantic attempt to put out the flames.

Azazel swung both swords at once and beheaded the demon.

With a few more beats of his wings, Azazel gained altitude, until he was high over the city hall. From that height, he eyed the big, round window overlooking the city and started his descent toward it.

Once he’d built up some momentum, Azazel folded his wings in front of his face and dove straight at the window.

The cool wind before him whipped the white flames back, until they were as a stream left in his wake, a glowing streak across the skies above Godsmouth. As he hurtled toward the great, oculus window, Azazel braced himself for the impact.

Smash!

Azazel broke through the window, sending shards of glass flying in every direction. Including into his own flesh. The sharp bits of glass cut his face and tore his wings. The white flames fizzled and faded out. “Aaaaaah!” he screamed, then hit the floor. His body rolled and tumbled, bits of glass cutting patch of skin not covered in his armor. His vision was a flashing blur as he flopped and skidded along the rug.

When his body finally came to a stop in a tangled, bloody heap on the floor, Azazel forced himself to his feet with an agonizing groan.

That didn’t turn out like I thought it would…

The sound of growling nearby.

Azazel was still dizzy from the impact and sudden blood loss when he looked up to see three snarling dogs had just entered the room. “Good boys…” he said, raising his hand to try to calm them. “Niiiiiice boys.... sit… stay…”

“I’m afraid they only obey me.” Behind them a figure slowly came into view, a woman with red hair, pale skin, a tall top-hat, and a formal dress under a long, black coat. In her hand she held all three dogs’ leashes.

Azazel staggered until he’d taken a stance as if he were ready to fight again. He hoped the bluff in his body language might distract a little from the many cuts and wounds all over his face and wings. The blood on his head turned cold, and a drop dripped into his right eye. “You’re the sangrel, I assume? The one controlling these people…”

The pale woman laughed. “You’re not fooling anyone with that act, you know. Yes, I’m Natalia. May I ask your name?”

“Azazel… King Ozz, to my subjects.”

Natalia curtsied with one hand, her other still firmly holding the three leashes. “Ah, so you’re the angelic king I’ve been hearing so much about. Charmed. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, your majesty?”

Azazel looked between Natalia and her snarling hounds. Even at his best, he wasn’t sure he could have handled all three of them. In his current state, he was sure he’d be dead in seconds, and eaten by mongrels was a terrible way to go.

“I’ve come to request that you and your kin leave Godsmouth at once and release its people from your control.”

Natalia smiled with her lips, but her brow furrowed. “You’re adorable. You come in here, wounded as can be, thinking you can somehow intimidate me into leaving this city behind. It would be hilarious if it weren’t so sad.” One of the dogs pulled on his leash, attempting to lunge at Azazel, but Natalia held him fast. “All I have to do is let go and you’ll be torn limb from limb.”

“That’s very true,” said Azazel. “But, there’s something you don’t know. Metorael is here in Tir Shazelle.” Had he not seen it with his own eyes, Azazel wouldn’t have thought it possible that this woman could get any paler. The look of pure terror, like a child finding out the monster under her bed was real, told him that she was familiar with Metorael and his atrocities. “He’s set his sights on this city, and is preparing for a purge. I came here to save the city, if I can.”

Natalia sneered. “An angel wants to save this city from another angel?”

“From him and from you,” said Azazel. He shook his head to relieve his own dizziness. “I don’t care who I’m saving these people from, I just care that they are free and alive. They’re my subjects, and it is my duty as their king to ensure their well-being.”

“And now you want peace?” Natalia scoffed. “Now that it’s convenient for you? If you really wanted to negotiate, why did you have your fiance send her agents to kill me?”

“My fiance?” Azazel repeated. “I’m afraid… I don’t actually have…”

“Lady Calimei,” Natalia snapped. “The woman you proposed to in front of a whole room full of people the day you met her? She sent her killers here to get me.” She folded her arms. “Are you really going to pretend you had no idea?”

“I…” Azazel stammered a moment. In his current state, he wasn’t entirely sure Lady Calimei hadn’t said something about this in one of her letters and maybe he’d somehow overlooked it. No, that couldn’t be, he hung on her every word. Cold washed over him, and he wasn’t sure if it was from the blood loss or the sudden realization that his love had kept something that important from him.

She doesn’t trust me…

But he couldn’t let this demon know that he and his lady were not of one accord, neither could he let her think that he knowingly allowed her to send assassins after Natalia. The truth was damaging, but the wrong lie could be far more so.

“They weren’t supposed to kill anyone,” Azazel blurted out. “They were… just supposed to find out what’s going on here.”

Natalia’s brow furrowed in rage. “That’s not what they told me after interrogation.”

“Then they must have lied.” Azazel forced a chuckle. “How much torture did you use to get them to talk? Tortured prisoners will say whatever they think you want to hear.”

Natalia’s rage only increased at this. Her nostrils flared and she shouted. “No, you are the liar! They were under the control of my venom. They cannot lie to me, they cannot disobey me.” She held out her hand with the three leashes closed in her fingers. “You have ten seconds not to let my little friends free.”

The dogs licked their chops and pulled against their leashes again. They barked and growled, white saliva flying in flecks from their pointed teeth.

The whole room spun faster, and the young angel felt gravity’s pull on him growing stronger.

Azazel dropped to his knees. “I’m your only hope! If you kill me now, Metorael will show no mercy! Don’t do this! Think about it!”

Even though his vision was fading, Azazel saw the leashes slip from Natalia’s hands, and the dogs charged him. He felt the first one’s head collide with his chest, throwing him flat on his back. His head smacked the ground, and everything went black.