Apocalypse's Horsemen (Devil's Assistant Series - Book 3)

Apocalypse's Horsemen [10]

Chapter Ten

Stepping outside of the church, I felt something unclench in my heart. Despite how beautiful and untouched it appeared on the outside, the interior had been oppressive and empty. There was also something else that held great power within that building but I could not quite put my finger on. It had hung thick in the air but so intangible that I could not get a grasp of what it was nor where it originated.

The smoggy air filled my lungs as I breathed in deeply from the top of the church stairs, my eyes taking in the destruction once more. It was enough to bring someone unseasoned in destruction to their knees. I had seen enough to know that it would be repaired and reinstated to its former glory if we managed to stop the horsemen before they destroyed everyone. And if they succeeded – well if that happened there would be nothing to worry about.

And then there was relief as I watched tall dark and handsome racing down the street.  His head was whipping side to side as his feet skimmed the floor under the frantic beating of his wings. He looked rather frantic but I only felt the simple joy of seeing his face again.

 In that church with Lucius’ presence absent from my mind – something had felt missing but I had been unable to figure out what. And yet I knew then, as I watched the man I - dare I think it – love move through the streets with grace, that without his touch in my thoughts I had been alone. It was a puzzle I wanted to know the truth of. How far did our connection go? I had been told repeatedly that we were destined for one another but how far had our fates been intertwined.

I forgot for just a moment the event that had occurred inside of the church and instead focused on the man before me.

“Lucius,” I whispered the word under my breath while I stretched out my mind to his.

To my surprise, as if he had actually heard me, Lucius stopped. His entire body stilled for just a second and then I felt his gaze on mine. I was too far away to know exactly what emotions were happening within his gaze but it took only moments for him to close the distance between us. Before I even knew what was happening I was wrapped up in his arms.

Closing my eyes, I drew in a deep breath and inhaled the scent that was him – my Lucius.

“Where have you been? I had to deal with some vile soulless humans and when they were finally dispatched you were nowhere to be seen.”

Pulling my head away from his chest, I let my eyes lift to meet his. My breath caught in my throat as I met his beautiful blue eyes. And then I took in the rest of his face. Splatters of blood dotted his skin and his jaw was clenched tightly. He appeared almost pained and yet there was something powerful and feral dwelling within the depths of his icy gaze. It was rare that I truly got to see the devil that he was but as I refused to look away from the churning of his blues I saw it. I saw the powerful being just waiting to be unleashed.

“I’m sorry. I had a bit of a run in with a horseman.”

As I spoke, my fingers rubbed away the spots of blood. Normally my stomach would have roiled but I did not allow my weak stomach to prevail as I carefully removed all traces of battle from Lucius’s face. With each stroke of my fingers, the lines on his face lessened and eventually he was the smooth faced man that I knew so well.

And then a frown quickly took its place.

“Did you say you saw a horseman?” Lucius clenched his jaw and looked away. “Where are they?”

I sighed and pushed away from his, forcing his hands to drop their tight grip on my waist.

“I don’t know. The little girl was a horseman in disguise. Phil’s words were true I think. She seemed to be stuck to human form but she could still change her appearance.”