Lips Red As Blood

51 |

"What plan?" Leticia demands. "What is so important that you would risk killing so many innocent people?" 

Dalton looks down, regarding her like one would see a crushed bug. "It's because I want the best for Hell, unlike you," he sneers. "Because unlike you, I'm going to make Hell what it's meant to be. Look." 

He points at one of the apples, tugging one of the fruits off before biting into the apple with the ferocity of a lion. Red juice trickles down his face, dripping down to the floor. The juice instantly transforms into golden snakes. "We're the snakes from below," Dalton says. "While Heaven is like the apples from above. It's not fair. We're meant to be equal, but somehow we're not." 

"We are equal, you idiot," Leticia snarls. "Is it because all humans want to go to Heaven? It's not our fault. That's just how it is—" 

"No, it's not!" Dalton shouts, and as rains of snakes splatter out of his curls, Cora realizes just how insane he's gotten. There's no talking to him with reason anymore because he's just listening to what he wants to hear. In a second, he's back to his silky eel-like composure. "After Asher disappeared, you went into your little mourning period. What you failed to notice, though, was the destruction that occurred during that time." 

Leticia stiffens. "What, you didn't notice?" drawls Dalton. "You failed to intervene each time." He lifts his slender fingers, ticking them down. "When Brielle's house was purposely burned down and she had to watch, seeing her sisters consumed in flames as their flesh sizzled. When William's family was murdered in cold blood, because of a criminal devil let loose. When Hell entirely erupted into chaos, with families murdered and buildings crushed, everyone was devastated — and because we lived in Hell, supposedly evil beings, no one gave a single crap about what happened to us. Not even you, the queen of Hell." 

Suddenly, Leticia doesn't look like a queen anymore. 

"And because of that, my dear, I've decided to step in." There's a feverish gleam in Dalton's eyes as he sends out an intentionally lopsided grin. "I'm going to lead Hell in the way you never could, and as my first degree, I'm going to fix our biggest mistake." 

He gestures out at the horizon. "I'm going to make Hell as important as everything else," he continues, just as the ground begins trembling. 

Cora's legs wobble, as she tries to find her balance. Leticia goes ghost-white and she stutters out her disbelief. "You're not trying to destroy Heaven, are you?" she demands. "If you do that, you're officially crazy. You won't be able to handle the control. Your body will burn up and the world will be unbalanced—" 

"Which is why I'm not doing that. I'm not dumb, you know. I know the consequences of my actions." He gazes out at the distance. "I'm going to pull Heaven down and pull Hell up and make us equal to the human world. Just as it should've been a long time ago. We'll all be equal and Hell will finally get the recognition it deserves. All the demons and devils that have been mistreated in the past because of Hell's reputation? Gone. Erased." 

He's interrupted by the sound of laughing. They all look down, where Asher is laughing as if he'd been told the biggest joke. "You're still alive?" Dalton scowls, looking enraged. 

"Yeah." Asher smirks, green eyes lighting with amusement. "You may have stripped me of my ranking and powers, but I'm still a devil — and devils are hard to kill." 

Dalton glowers. "Do you understand the situation you're in?" he demands, crouching down. He slaps Asher's face but other than the black liquid that trickles down Asher's cheek, the other devil barely flinches. Cora winces, tears pricking at the surface of her eyes. He looks almost dead, Cora thinks, about to move forward— 

There's a slight shake of Asher's head, as he catches her gaze. He wants her to stay where she is, to leave him for the dead and rescue herself first. 

"Are you laughing because you think this situation is funny?" Dalton snarls. Slap. Cora gasps, as the smack vibrates around the air. "You think I won't be able to do it, huh?" 

"No." Asher coughs out black blood, teeth stained with blood as he smiles widely. "I think your plan is stupid." 

Dalton looks pissed off now, veins popping out of his neck, practically glaring daggers. "How dare you," he hisses, grabbing Asher by his throat. "I'm going to kill you, you bastard. And then I'm going to kill every single person you love, including those two." 

He points at Leticia and Cora. All the amusement slides off Asher. "I'm doing this for the greater good," Dalton continues. "When my plan is completed, there will be no more sickness or wars. Just peace and equality." 

Dalton doesn't see himself as a villain, yet that's all Cora sees as the powerful devil chokes the life out of Asher. All around them, rubbles begin floating as the ground quakes, slivers of glass shards falling out of the sky. 

"You're the scum of the earth," croaks out Asher. "You're not doing this for the greater good. Maybe you think you are, because that's what you've been doing for the past years, but you're not. So just stop." 

"What do you mean?" shouts Dalton. "I've done everything I could. I've worked endlessly to acquire this power and I've controlled the humans to move to a safe destination so that they're not hurt and I've done everything possible—" 

Rain and sleet and hail splatter downwards, as a storm brews. From below Cora, she sees red shards poking out of the earth, lava spilling everywhere. Even though she can't hear them, she sees humans running for their life, desperation tangled in their every movement. 

"I won't allow you to ruin my plan," Dalton hisses, as gold sparks sizzle through the air. "Once you and her are dead, then will my plan succeed." 

A scream rips through Cora's throat, as she leaps forward, watching Asher's gaze go unfocused. His head droops to the side, hands falling listlessly as he stops struggling. "You bastard!" Cora screams, ripping through the area, launching herself at Dalton. "What are you doing?" 

She rips Asher out of Dalton's grip. Pulse, pulse, pulse, Cora thinks frantically, ripping his shirt open. Rain slashes harder, beating at her back as she fumbles, trying to find Asher's heartbeat. A sign, anything, that might allow for rays of hope to tunnel through. Where's his pulse? 

His heart is silent. 

Author Note: 

um i had a little too much fun writing this part. also, the dramatic music playing in the background did not help at all.