Page 17 of Conquest (The Four Horsemen #1)

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Conquest had to force himself to stop tapping his foot on the grass. He didn’t like the plan, at all. Trust War to come up with the most chaotic, downright disturbing plan that ever existed. And of course Raziel had to choose that moment to develop his assertive side.

“Once we feel the Archangels approaching, I’ll set off the fire bomb I placed at the front gates, and if all goes to plan they’ll be so busy fighting themselves we can slip out the back,” War said.

Raziel was nodding along and Conquest wanted nothing more than to take his Angel and lock him away while they thought of a better idea, one that didn’t involve torture. They’d picked the back of the property, where there was nothing but grass for a good acre, and was as far as they could get from the front gates. There was nothing wrong with the plan, in theory, but it still made Conquest uneasy. There were too many variables, too many ways for things to go wrong.

War directed Raziel to the middle of the grass and had him kneel, head bent forward. Conquest looked away and gave a terse wave of his hand when War asked if he was ready.

The first scream that Raziel gave off pierced Conquest’s heart, and he gritted his teeth to restrain himself from punching War in the face.

He closed his eyes and used his Power to scan the area. If the Archangels didn’t show up quickly he would put a stop to this. He’d rather they wait like prey than continue to hurt his Angel for that long.

It was barely ten minutes later when he felt it. A burst of high-level energy that hit him once, twice, three times. All three Archangels had come to Earth.

Conquest lifted a fist and Raziel’s screams stopped instantly. His Angel fell forward, and Conquest skidded across the grass to catch him in his arms. He lifted Raziel’s chin, and Raziel smiled blearily at him. “You okay?”

“Perfect,” Raziel whispered.

Conquest helped him to his feet as the sounds of War’s explosion at the front gates echoed around them.

War sent a large fireball at the fence behind them, blasting a giant hole in it.

Conquest cursed when Uriel emerged from the ash and debris. Vicious satisfaction pooled in his gut when he noticed that, while Uriel had grown his wing back, an ugly black streak ran through it, right where Raziel must have cut through with his Gift.

Normally, it would have taken longer for even an Archangel to re-grow a wing, and that process could only start after the wing’s destruction. The part of Uriel’s wing that was still in Conquest’s possession should have meant that it was still little more than a decorative stump. Raphael’s accelerated healing wasn’t unique to him, apparently.

The fact it hadn’t fully healed was interesting, and well-deserved. Uriel would have to wear that scar forever, and the Immortal that coveted perfection above all else would never be able to hide from it. Those pure white wings were tarnished, and Uriel must have been bristling under the surface that they were no longer perfect. It was poetry, and Conquest would reward Raziel handsomely for that later.

“You’re a pain in the fucking ass, Uri,” War said angrily. “Get the fuck out of our way.”

A dozen Angels came through behind Uriel, flanking him either side. “I’ve come for the Angel,” Uriel said.

The sounds of battle from the front of the property told Conquest where the other Archangels, and the rest of the lower Angels they had brought, had gone.

“Collect him,” Uriel said, to the Angel directly to his left.

Conquest went to intercept but Raziel’s hand at his arm had him pausing. Against every instinct that was screaming at him he allowed Raziel to walk past and approach the Angel.

“You are to come with us, Angel Raziel, to face Judgement,” the Angel said, his voice monotone. It sounded almost dead, like a record playing on repeat.

Conquest resisted the urge to protect Raziel, knowing his Angel needed to know that he had confidence in him.

When Raziel unfurled his wings Conquest’s breath caught, still in awe of the pure elegance and beauty of them. The tips were dripping slightly and Conquest wondered whether it was deliberate, since Raziel had learned to control it, or because his emotions were running so high that he was struggling with it.

Raziel was shorter than the Angel in front of him, but his six wings out-spanned the Angel’s two by almost double. His Angel was stunning, and Conquest loved him more than he had the words to say.

Raziel didn’t speak as the Angel tried to stare him down. The carbon copy Angel couldn’t compare to Conquest or his brothers, not even the Archangels. If he thought, after everything Raziel had been through, that he was going to intimidate him, Conquest knew he was kidding himself.

Raziel raised his left hand, his fingertips hovering above the Angel’s cheek. Conquest had an idea of what was about to happen, but considering the unconcerned look on the Angel’s face, the idiot had no idea how dangerous Raziel now was.

“Angel Raziel, you are-” The Angel let out an agonized shriek when Raziel stroked his cheek, melting it with a caress. The Angel’s cheek hollowed out to reveal the muscle, teeth and tendons below. Raziel flicked the bottom of a wing, spraying the Angel with his acidic poison. Strips of his flesh melted wherever the green liquid landed.

Conquest chuckled at the sight, even as the eleven remaining Angels took a step back.

“That was unnecessary,” Uriel said with disgust. “You were never fit to reside among the Divine, and you’re only proving that.”

“You’re right,” Raziel said. “I don’t belong in the Heavens. I’m right where I’m meant to be.” He took three steps back, closer to Conquest. Conquest reached out and grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling him flush against Conquest’s chest.

“I tire of this,” Uriel said, sneering. “You’ve been nothing but trouble from the moment God raised you. Come with us, now, or face the consequences.”

A stream of Hellfire crossed Uriel’s path and forced him to jump backwards.

War conjured a flaming ball and threw it at Diablo, who had come from the side of the building. Diablo retaliated by circling War in Hellfire, raising it around him like an eviscerating fence of heat. War might have had an affinity for fire, but this wasn’t the same kind of heat, and would burn his brother up just like anyone else.

Uriel lifted a hand, ice particles freezing at the tips of his fingers. The Hellfire froze in ice, and shattered like shards of glass.

Conquest turned to his side, shielding Raziel from the spray.

“This doesn’t concern you, Satanael. Leave, now.”

Fucking hell. They were too late. The line was now drawn between the Angels and the Demons and War, Conquest and Raziel were now squarely stuck in the middle.

“I have words for you and your kind, Uriel, and they aren’t pleasant. You took my right hand from me, like a thief in the goddamn night!”

Uriel flicked his gaze between Raziel and Diablo. “I had nothing to do with that.”

Diablo laughed, but the sound was hollow. “You really expect me to believe that? Your Master pulls you all along like puppets on a string, and you all trip over yourselves to pamper and please him.”

Something dark passed over Uriel’s expression. “I am no-one’s puppet. And I am not here for you, so step aside.”

“You and your God are playing a dangerous game, Archangel. And I am not willing to play along any further,” Diablo said. “What you took from me, I will never forgive.” His features changed, the way they did when he was gearing up for a full assault. All around him the ground began to melt and sink in. Horrifying creatures and demons poured out from beneath them, even as more circled from the front of the house where the other Archangels were still waging war.

Uriel raised a bored eyebrow. “You aren’t worth my time, Satanael. I have bigger things to worry about.”

“If you’re trying to stop us from completing our purpose,” Conquest said, “you’re not doing a great job. Seen the news lately? The summit you crashed has fueled the fire, and you can’t stop the war that’s coming. All because of the slaughter you created.”

Uriel waved his hand, like it was insignificant. “We don’t care what you’re doing to the mortals. Our purpose is bigger than that.”

Raziel tried to push past Conquest but he refused to budge. “Angels are supposed to protect humanity,” Raziel cried out. “That’s our purpose. Why would you not care? Those mortals suffered because of what you did!”

“One last chance to surrender,” Uriel said coldly. “But please don’t; I’ll enjoy watching you suffer once more.”

Conquest shot a bolt of energy at the Archangel as he summoned his glaive.

Uriel rushed forward, but War intercepted, slamming into him mid-air. Diablo let out an ear-piercing screech and his army of hell creatures surged forward. The Angels rallied to meet them, more surging from the front gates, along with Zadkiel. The second Archangel went straight to War as well. War was strong, still had his Focus, but he was no match for those two together, as well as the Angels and Demons surrounding him.

A ball of flame from Diablo headed straight for Conquest. A black wing obscured Conquest’s vision as it slid around him and protected him.

“War needs you to help with the Archangels,” Raziel said in his ear. “Go, I’ve got Lucifer.”

Conquest kissed Raziel, quick and hard. “Be careful.”

“I love you.”

Conquest wanted to stay there within his arms forever. Hated that he couldn’t.

He cut down Demons and Angels equally with his glaive as he made his way to where War was valiantly facing Uriel and Zadkiel.

A cut on War’s cheek looked like it was frozen inside, making it clear who had struck the blow. While his armor was holding up, there were visible dents over it, and a sizeable gash in his left arm. War flung out an arm and mixed his fire with Conquest’s energy, coating Conquest’s weapon with the deadly combination.

Conquest shouldered Zadkiel when the Archangel went for War again. He used his sword to cut across Zadkiel’s back, searing across his wings. A wing flung against Conquest and he stumbled. He used his energy and the glaive to cut through it like butter. Zadkiel didn’t make a sound, even though Conquest knew he must be in agony.

“Now, don’t hold it in, Z, let me hear you scream,” Conquest grit out. He dodged the zap of electricity Zadkiel threw at him, and deflected the next one. Zadkiel faltered, almost falling to a knee as Conquest got a slice up his thigh, his red blood pouring to the earth. He wrapped circles of energy around Zadkiel’s wings and ripped out feathers, the purple scattering across the ground.

Conquest wasn’t so lucky on the next hit of Zadkiel’s power and he froze, convulsing violently and barely catching himself on one knee as the shockwaves reverberated through him. He tried to push it out, but his energy reserves were low. A kick to his head had him tumbling to the ground, hitting it hard with the side of his jaw. He rolled to get out of the way of Zadkiel’s sword, and quickly pushed himself to his feet before Zadkiel could advance on him again.

Conquest stumbled away when two Hellhounds, a Demon and a Fallen Angel all bore down on them, forcing Zadkiel to defend himself against them. Conquest strangled the hellhound that tried to follow him, snapping its head clean off with energy wrapped around its neck.

He found War fighting Raphael, but Uriel was nowhere to be seen.

Before Conquest could get to War and help even the odds, he found himself taken to the ground by Azael. Conquest grinned up at the Fallen Angel straddling him. “Hey, you came back quick.”

“Fuck you, Con,” Azael spat. “Your asshole brother fucking burnt me alive!”

“Clearly, he should have made it last longer.”

When Azael punched Conquest so hard his nose broke and his vision blurred, he thought it had been totally worth that comment. He headbutted Azael, his already tender nose smarting with the contact.

The tip of a stationary arrow in his periphery had Conquest turning his head. He followed the shaft of the arrow to its owner, finding Lerajie staring down at him, with a cruel smile on her face.

He tried to snap it using his energy, his whole body freezing when he realized he had hit the end of his reserves. Without his crown, he didn’t have a lot to tap into, and he’d completely forgotten.

Well, fuck .

* * *

Raziel faced Lucifer, the staccato rhythm of his heart beat racing.

“Come with me, Abaddon. Your place is by my side.”

“My name is Raziel,” he said firmly. He planted his feet firmly into the dirt below and extended his wings, pair by pair from the top down. He shook them out and squared his shoulders, readying himself for a fight. He didn’t know if he was a match for Lucifer, highly doubted that he was, but he would fight to protect Conquest.

“No, it was the name given to you by God when you were desecrated. When everything you are was erased like it meant nothing. You were violated, and ruined, and I can help fix it, if you just come with me.”

When Raziel shook his head, Lucifer’s horns curled inwards, tangling around each other. A large snake slithered from his inner jacket and twined around his arm before morphing into a sharp glinting metal sword, like an extension of his arm. “You would choose to stay with the Horseman? The same one that kidnapped and tortured you?”

It may have started that way but what Raziel had with Conquest was everything to him. Conquest may have used him in the beginning, but he had also taught him what it meant to be proud of who he was, to push through and trust that he was good enough. Conquest had taught him about the world, about himself, about love. Raziel’s place was by his side, forever.

“I’m sorry,” Raziel said, and meant it. “Whoever Abaddon was, he’s gone. I can never be what you want.” This loss would haunt Lucifer for a long time, and Raziel was sad for him. It was a wound that would not easily be healed.

“You were the only one that understood me, Abaddon, the only one that never abandoned me.” The blood from Lucifer’s horns dripped down his face, streaks of blood-like tears down his cheeks. “You let me be who I am, never tried to change me. You were always ready for any depravity. We were family.”

“I’m not him,” Raziel insisted. He knew it in his heart. They may have shared a soul, but they were not the same person. If Death had truly sent him back into the Cycle, then Abaddon would never return. And even if that could be changed, Raziel wouldn’t want it to. Abaddon had been cruelty personified, and bringing him back would unleash that upon the world. Nothing was worth that.

“Bring him back to me, now!”

Raziel tried to get out of the way in time, but he still wasn’t used to the massive bulk of his wings and the fire hit the edges of his right middle wing. Agony raced up his spine as feathers were set on fire and burnt away, revealing raw, red skin beneath.

“I couldn’t even if I wanted to!” Raziel grit out through the pain.

“But you don’t want to!”

“Of course I don’t. And I’ll never willingly go with you.”

“You don’t need to be willing!” Lucifer snarled. “I’ll take you home and make you scream until my Destroyer returns to me. He always did love pain.”

Raziel flinched when Lucifer revealed his wings. While they were only two large wings, instead of six, and the tips of the feathers were a blood red, not green, the midnight black and the patterns still eerily echoed the ones that Raziel wore on his own wings.

Just another way they were connected, in ways Raziel couldn’t control.

“I won’t ask you again, Abaddon.”

Raziel lifted his wings, letting his poison freely flow as he braced himself for a battle he wasn’t sure he was prepared for. Being able to control his wings, and his Gift, was not the same as battling the King of Hell.

* * *

Conquest kicked out at Azael as Lerajie’s arrow lodged itself in Conquest’s neck. He managed to roll away from the two and scramble to his feet. He grabbed the fist Azael aimed at him and squeezed until the bones crunched in his grip. He used his free hand to push Azael’s elbow up into an impossible angle and shoved him away.

Lerajie released another arrow into Conquest, this time in his upper thigh, as he worked the one in his neck out.

For fuck’s sake. Without his crown he was a goddamn sitting duck.

The sight of his mare making her way to him, appearing out of the fog, had him almost collapsing in relief. Her armor was glinting, pure energy radiating from her as she galloped towards him.

Azael cursed and fled.

Lerajie wasn’t as smart, and tried to get another arrow into Conquest. He stared her down, daring her to.

She hesitated too long, and Victory got too close. She reared her front hooves and stamped down, smashing Lerajie’s head and upper body into the ground with impossible speed. Soon, there was nothing remaining of Lerajie except pieces of mutilated bone and muscle.

Conquest leaned heavily against her, stroking her mane. “Good girl. You get an extra pastry for that.” Her appearance meant that Diablo had stopped controlling their passage in the area, so either his Power was waning, or he was distracted. Conquest had to believe that Raziel was okay, that he was holding his own. Diablo wouldn’t hurt him, not permanently, if he really wanted to return Abaddon to his side.

She snorted and sniffed at his hair, and the wound that was slowly closing in his neck. He wasn’t healing as fast as he should have been and fuck , he was tired.

“We need to find War,” he told her as he braced himself before mounting her. His thigh protested where the arrow was still lodged in him. He quickly pulled it out and threw it away in disgust. Lerajie would take a while to come back from that, and Conquest couldn’t give a flying fuck. He hoped it hurt.

They made their way through the fighting Angels and Demons, trying not to get caught up in any one battle. As handy as Victory’s energy was, it was a short-lived trick and one she couldn’t maintain. And Conquest wanted to keep it handy in case it was needed.

His head swiveled around constantly, looking for the giant that was his brother. Where the fuck was he?

Where was Raziel?

Dead littered the battleground, but Conquest knew none of them would be who he was looking for.

He caught sight of Uriel and his white wings first. He was battling - Conquest froze. Fucking hell, was that Amon? The Demon of Carnage hadn’t been seen outside the Hells for an eternity. Rumor had it the hideous creature couldn’t leave. Conquest knew now that the rumor had obviously been exaggerated. The serpent with the raven head, vicious claws protruding below the raven head and the wings that were twisted and deformed made Amon one ugly motherfucker. And too powerful for Uriel. Even the Archangel was no match for the sheer power that Amon wielded.

Conquest tried to get closer, whether to help Amon or Uriel he wasn’t sure of yet, but he was too far away when Amon disemboweled Uriel, ripping his insides out and leaving them strewn on the ground around them. Uriel’s eyes were wide, the ice on his wings falling away as he dropped to his knees, his hands trying to cover the gaping wound in his stomach.

A blaze of flame encircled Amon, so hot that Conquest could feel it from where he was atop Victory. It wouldn’t be enough to kill the Demon of Carnage, but it gave War enough time to drop down beside Uriel without fear of an attack.

War gripped the side of Uriel’s neck. His face was pained and harsh as he spoke to the Archangel. Uriel didn’t respond. He looked to be in shock.

Conquest dug his heel into Victory’s side to get her moving faster as War picked Uriel up, bridal style, his white wings dragging through the scarlet blood on the ground.

“ War!”

War glanced at Conquest briefly, before he conjured the fog and stepped through it, the gateway closing instantly around him and taking both War and Uriel with it.

Conquest gripped Victory’s reins and halted her as he stared at where they had disappeared. What the fuck? War had just abandoned them? For Uriel?

Amon turned his gaze on Conquest and Conquest knew he needed to retreat. If Uriel wasn’t a match for it, there was no way Conquest was, not without his crown.

With a cry of anger, Conquest pulled Victory to the left and took off at a bolt, searching for his Angel.

* * *

Raziel swooped down and around the tiny creatures that were trying to sink their teeth and claws into his wings.

Lucifer was watching from the periphery, his cruel smile revealing long, canine fangs.

Raziel was trying so hard to keep up, but between Lucifer’s periodic attacks, and the hell creatures Lucifer kept throwing at him, he was tiring quickly.

He managed to duck under the next burst of flame. It hit Conquest’s mansion, and the entire house exploded outwards. Dozens of Angels and Demons went flying from the impact. A lot of them didn’t get back up.

Raziel was so distracted by the carnage that the next hit of fire from Lucifer hit him square in the back, while he was too focused on trying to pull one of the little gremlins from his inner section of his top left wing. It seared deep into his spine, and pulsed out across all six of his wings, leaving lines of burning red throughout the black feathers. He plummeted to the ground, unable to sustain flight.

Raziel clenched his eyes shut, anticipating the pain that was about to greet him when he hit the ground.

He hit something soft instead. His eyes jerked open. He had landed on a swirl of energy, the scent of Conquest all over it.

His Horseman was standing beside Victory, leaning heavily on her, his arm outstretched. He looked worse than Raziel felt. Raziel slid from the energy and headed straight for him.

“Are you okay?”

“Should ask you that, my Angel,” Conquest said, the corners of his mouth curving upward. “We have to get out of here, this isn’t a fight we can win.”

Raziel understood what he meant. He didn’t know what had happened to Uriel, but he was nowhere to be seen, neither was Zadkiel, and with Raphael the only remaining Archangel in the battle, the Angels had begun to retreat. Despite that, Conquest and Raziel were no match for Lucifer and his minions in their current state.

“You aren’t going anywhere.”

Raziel turned, shielding Conquest as Lucifer landed mere feet from them.

“It doesn’t have to be like this!” Raziel insisted.

“It does. You belong to me, and I keep what’s mine.”

A swirl of fog appeared between them. It slowly lifted until Famine came through, riding his mare. He dismounted as he said, “Lucifer, enough.”

“Stay out of this, Famine.”

Famine ignored him and faced Raziel and Conquest. “War has blinked out and Death can’t feel him. Where is he?”

Conquest shook his head. “He took off with Uriel.”

Surprise shook Raziel. “Took off with-with Uriel? Is he okay?”

Conquest shrugged. “War was fine. It’s Uriel that was hurt, and he would have been able to heal it soon enough anyway. He was weakened, maybe enough that a Demon could have dragged him down to the Hells to be tortured. Hard to tell, but it would have been a fitting punishment for the asshole. I…” He paused. “I don’t know what War was thinking.”

Famine nodded and then turned to Lucifer. “Lucifer, you need to stop this.”

“God took my Demon from me, and I will take him back ,” Lucifer growled. He descended upon them and Famine twirled his double-sided sword once before he pointed it at Lucifer. Lucifer continued walking until the tip of the blade was at his throat. “Will you kill me for this, amor meus ? Is this where it is to end?”

The tip wavered. “I don’t want to. I’ve tried to stay out of this, I’ve tried to allow you to grieve in your own way. But I cannot allow you to continue to put my brothers in harm’s way.”

“This isn’t personal.”

“ Everything with you is personal. And you made it that way when you attacked my family,” Famine said.

Lucifer pushed his throat forward and the blade pierced his skin, blood trickling down his throat. Famine held strong, but Raziel could see the way he was trembling.

“Nothing you do will bring back the memories you seek,” Famine said. “It’s time to let this go.”

“This will be your one and only pass,” Lucifer said. “I will return for him, and you best be ready to fight me, to the death.”

Famine’s lips thinned. “I’ll be ready.”

Lucifer waved a hand and every creature and Demon that belonged to him blinked out and were gone. “I won’t hesitate,” he promised Famine.

“And neither will I,” Famine returned. “Till we meet again, Angel of mine.”

Lucifer sunk into the ground below him and was gone.

Raziel breathed out a sigh of relief. That had been intense and he hadn’t even understood half of it. “I thought we were going to die here,” he admitted.

“The danger has only begun,” Famine said. “Conquest has completed his task and is free to return home. Now we must wait for War to return and fuel the fires to make way for me.” He looked to Conquest. “Are we taking the Angel, then?”

Conquest pressed Raziel to his side and kissed his temple, his lips lingering. He laced his fingers through Raziel’s and Raziel turned his face up for a kiss that Conquest didn’t hesitate to give. “Yes,” Conquest said. “If you wish to stay with me.”

Raziel reached up and stroked a hand down Conquest’s cheek. “I would follow you anywhere.”

Conquest helped Raziel up onto Victory’s back, before pulling himself up behind him. Another kiss to his temple warmed Raziel’s tired heart.

They walked through the fog, leaving the remnants of their battle, and the burning building, in their wake.