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T he glowing pool of light entranced Charlotte as she stood on the edge. The ground in front of her swirled and danced with what could only be magic. The bright yellow-white light roared so loud she almost had to block her ears. Charlotte could not tear her eyes away from it. Wind lashed up and out from the pool, whipping her hair around her face. Slowly, she looked around, taking in her surroundings.

Before her, the giant pool appeared to be some kind of portal or gateway. Ancient sandy-colored bricks lined the edges, with strange symbols carved into each one. Six large pillars stood at certain points around the edge and towered above her. The one closest to her had the same intricate symbols as the bricks carved into the stone.

Above her, the sky was dark, the stars flickering and scattered across the endless black. The moon was full, glowing its eerie light down on what seemed like a barren land. She could make out outlines of small pyramids and other structures, but other than that, there was nothing.

Charlotte once again stared at the swirling light, captivated by it. The noise was so loud she didn’t realize a yellow-eyed creature had crept up behind her. A shiver crawled down her spine, the uneasy feeling she was being watched making her chest rise and fall faster than normal. She scanned the shadows at the edge of the pool. Out in the distance, evil, glowing eyes slowly appeared.

I’ve lingered too long. The thought kicking her into motion, Charlotte turned, ready to run, letting out a scream as the revolting creature grinned at her, exposing razor-sharp teeth, drool dripping from them. Charlotte took a step back, trying not to gag as the creature’s breath hit her. The smell was like that of a thousand rotten corpses.

With a leap, the creature slashed its claws down her right arm, causing blood to spray in every direction. Once her blood touched the swirling mist of the pool, the golden light immediately turned a sinister shade of crimson red. The wind rushed up out of it, stronger than before, nearly knocking her over. She whipped her head back and forth, looking out past the creature and to the sides, searching for a way to escape as she held her bloodied, aching arm.

Beyond the creature, high in the sky, Charlotte thought she could see a large shadow coming toward them at an insane speed. The creature licked Charlotte’s blood from its claws in a slow, disturbing movement, its eyes rolling back into its head, its body shuddering with pleasure.

The sight made her want to vomit as the putrid thing started toward her. Charlotte moved, taking a step back as Armaros, his magnificent black wings spread wide, landed behind the creature. Relief flooded her as she watched his eyes glowing violet, his movement so fast the creature had no time to react. He swung his sword in one fluid move, and the creature’s head rolled away.

“Charlotte, you need to wake up!” The roaring of the wind from the pool made it hard for her to hear him.

“What the hell is going on? What is this place?” She pointed to the glowing red light.

“It’s a portal to Hell.” He was looking into the distance, a deep frown settling over his dark features.

There were hundreds of glowing eyes in the darkness now, all coming closer to them. Charlotte held her arm, blood dripping everywhere. She stared back at the portal in shock, then back at Armaros. “My blood… it did something to it… changed it.”

Armaros’s frown deepened as he looked from the gate to her slashed arm. “Your blood awakened the seal. You need to wake up now, Charlotte. They are almost here.”

She turned, dread filling her. Hundreds of creatures sprinted toward them from every direction.

“She’s mine, brother.”

They both stilled. The voice came from the pool of light, goosebumps breaking out over her whole body. She knew that voice. It was the man that had stepped out of the flames… It was Lucifer.

Charlotte looked up at Armaros, stepping closer to him and grabbing his arm, fear running through her.

“It’s him. He’s here. It’s Lucifer.” She could barely get the words out, her eyes wide. Her body froze, the feeling beyond fear. It was soul-consuming terror.

What if he comes out of the portal and takes me?

Armaros was squinting into the pool of light, his eyes searching for something. Then he stopped, his eyes going wide. Charlotte slowly turned her head, her gaze falling on the pool at her feet, her grip tightening on Armaros’s arm as a feeling of horror hit her.

They could just make out his image under the red swirling mist. He grinned at them. His eyes glowed red as they locked onto Charlotte, raking over her.

Armaros grabbed Charlotte’s face, forcing her to look at him and focus. “Time to go now!”

He took one last look at the shimmering red gate, his violet eyes glowing more intensely. He faced her again. Then, gently, he touched her forehead, darkness taking over.

* * *

Charlotte shot up in bed with a scream, pain coursing through her right arm. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the dark room, her fear slowly subsiding as she remembered she was in the mansion, safe from the creatures. Safe from… him.

Roman sat up instantly, wrapping his warm arms around her. She buried her face against his chest, his rhythmic heartbeat comforting as he hugged her tighter. The warm embrace and the soothing beating coming from his chest chased away any thoughts of Lucifer pulling her through the portal.

“What’s wrong? You’re safe with me.”

She could hear the concern in his voice.

“You’re shivering.” He ran his big, warm hands up and down her bare back, then trailed them down her arms. A whimper escaped as she flinched away from his touch.

Flashes of the hideous creature attacking her flooded her mind. “Roman, something happened.”

He froze. Charlotte could just make out his eyes, staring at her arm in the darkness of the room. He shot out of bed, making it to the door in three long strides and turning on the light. His tanned, muscled body caused her to lose her train of thought as he marched back to the bed, gently taking her arm, tilting it from left to right to examine the five deep slashes running from her elbow to her wrist. Blood was still seeping out of the cuts, running down her arm and all over his bed, staining the sheets deep red.

“My god, the bed! I’m so sorry.” She leaped up out of bed in a panic, trying to decide how to clean the blood off. She stilled, her cheeks heating as she realized she was still naked. Charlotte wrenched the bloodied sheet up to cover her body.

Roman shook his head with a frown. “I don’t give a shit about the sheets, Charlotte. I care about you. What the hell happened?” He reached for her arm again with a pained look.

Charlotte was fixated on the I care about you comment as the door flew open, and Armaros burst into the room. “Roman, we have a big problem.” The giant warrior didn’t even flinch at Roman’s lack of clothes.

Mortification washed over Charlotte as she pulled her arm from Roman’s grasp, hugging the bloodied sheet tighter.

“She has had another vision.” Armaros’s brow creased with worry.

“Did you see who did this to her?” Roman growled, stalking to the other side of the room and ripping a pair of black jeans out of the drawers, dragging them on.

“It was a demon. I got there just in time. But the creature is not the problem, Roman. It’s what the creature was doing with her and where he was doing it.”

“Well, fucking enlighten me, Armaros! I don’t have all night,” Roman snapped, pulling on a black shirt. He yanked out a pair of black sweatpants and a zip-up hoodie, striding back over to Charlotte. “Fix her arm first. She’s losing too much blood.”

Armaros’s eyes swirled with magic as he stepped over to her and gently lifted her arm. A small frown etched across his face as Charlotte lost herself in the glow of his magic. She could feel a tingling sensation crawling across her arm. She looked down, eyes wide as the wounds slowly closed, leaving five long, nasty scars running down her arm. Armaros stared at her, then glanced at Roman, letting her go and taking a step back.

“What are you doing? You’re not finished. Why did you leave the scar?” Roman asked.

Armaros shook his head. “It won’t let me fully heal it. It’s like the scar is a brand of sorts. A magical brand.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Roman scowled, grabbing Charlotte’s arm and gently running his fingers over the raised scars.

The movement sent shivers through her body, heating her blood. Roman’s eyes quickly snapped to hers, noticing her body’s reaction to him. His eyes flashed red.

“Your eyes,” she whispered. She took a step back from him, the movement causing him to frown as he watched her, confused.

His red eyes reminded her of Lucifer and the way he’d watched her from the other side of the portal.

“Why are they red? Like his.”

Roman took a step toward her, and she backed up again. He stilled. “Like who?”

“Lucifer,” she whispered, voice trembling slightly in fear as she looked at Roman, the red disappearing from his eyes.

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. We’ve got a big fucking problem,” Armaros cut in. “Charlotte’s vision was more than a vision. It was a magical link to her. She was at one of the gates to Hell, Roman.”

Roman’s whole body stilled as he slowly turned to Armaros.

“The demon purposefully cut her so her blood would hit the pool, and it changed it… unlocked it. The prophecy is real—her blood opens the gate. Her blood will set Lucifer free, and I think he used this vision as a test. He sent the demon for that purpose to see if her blood would work, and it did.” Armaros looked between them, taking in Charlotte’s fearful glance at Roman. “He was there. We saw Lucifer. He spoke to me. His eyes glowed red as he looked at her.”

Roman looked back at Charlotte, the frown now gone. “It’s an angel thing, my eyes. I’m not like him,” he told her, stepping closer.

Of course , she thought as she saw Armaros frown, glancing at Roman. Of course, he was nothing like Lucifer. She felt silly for even thinking Roman could be anything like that monster. She gave Roman a small nod as she pulled the sheet up higher.

“It was just a vision, Armaros. A dream. You weren’t really there, so you can’t know for sure if it was really him and if the gate has been awoken.” Roman handed Charlotte the sweatpants and jumper, not looking her in the eye as he turned back to Armaros.

Armaros shook his head. “No, it wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t a normal vision, either. I’m telling you. Somehow, we were there, physically there. We were at the gate, and the first step has been done. Charlotte’s blood has awoken the gate. He was there. He must have been watching the whole time. I saw him with my own eyes, Roman. He told me she was his. All Lucifer must do now is to get hold of Charlotte and get her to the gate to finish the spell, and he is free.”

“Well, we aren’t going to let that happen. No one, and I mean no one, touches Charlotte. She is mine .” His eyes glowed red as he spoke the last words.

The way he growled mine stirred something deep in Charlotte. She should have feared the primal way he’d said it. The way the word sounded like she was his possession.

Instead of fear, she almost smiled, like a giddy schoolgirl. Her fear of him from a second ago was long forgotten. This strong, handsome, dangerous immortal wanted her. Even with all the chaos her mere existence had caused him and his angels, hell, even the entire world, he didn’t care. He wanted her to be his, and she loved it.

Get a grip, Charlotte. Not the time.

“Roman, when I went to visit with the witches, they shared a prophecy that their covens have passed down throughout time. This prophecy… it’s about Charlotte. It spoke in detail of what must be done to her for the spell to work,” Armaros calmly spoke to him, looking toward her with a pained look.

“What is it?”

“Maybe we should speak alone?” Armaros said, nodding his head toward the door, trying to get Roman to leave with him.

“No. This is about me.” Charlotte stepped forward. “I’m so sick of you all only telling me bits and pieces of what the hell is actually going on. I have the right to know everything! It’s my life you are all talking about, so tell me, what is it that devil—that’s who Lucifer is, right? The actual devil, king of Hell? What is it that he wants to do to me?” Charlotte snapped, looking between them.

She could feel the frustration and anger building. She had the right to be a part of it all now. Haven’t I earned that right? she thought, gazing at the scar on her arm as she held the clothes and sheet tight in her fists. They needed to stop treating her like a child and let her have some input on what the hell was going to happen to her, even if she didn’t like what she was going to be told.

Armaros looked at Roman with a questioning glance. Roman’s blue eyes found Charlotte’s. Then he sighed, running his hand through his hair. He gave Armaros a nod. “Tell us.”

The violet-eyed angel turned to her. “To fully open the gate, he must perform a ritual. A powerful witch must shed the blood of the chosen prophet—you. They plan to slash your wrists and throat, feeding your blood into the gate. As you are about to take your last breath, someone must cut your heart from your chest and offer it through the gate to Lucifer himself. Charlotte, I’m sorry.”

They had formed an odd, unlikely friendship throughout the years in their shared dreams. She had slowly grown to think of him like a big brother. Always protecting her, always arriving at the last moment to rescue her. She took in the hurt on the normally impassive angel’s face as she backed up slowly, sitting down on the edge of the bed and hugging the clothes Roman had given her to her chest.

“He’s going to kill me,” she whispered to herself. I’m doomed , her mind murmured to her.

Roman was beside her, his hand running up and down her back, trying to comfort her. His other hand gently tucked her hair behind her ear. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I swear it.”

Charlotte looked from Roman to Armaros, the dark warrior watching her silently. She knew what he was thinking because she was thinking the same thing.

Roman shouldn’t make promises he can’t keep .