Page 38 of Into Hell
Corson leapt out of the tunnel and swung so that he skidded down the surface before his talons caught on a rock. Scrambling up the wall, Corson settled on a ledge above the tunnel entrance just as a manticore sprang out of an opening, fifteen feet above him.
“Corson!”
My shout of warning came too late as the manticore’s stinger pierced through him. Corson jerked before going still. I scaled the wall faster. Bits and pieces of stone gave way beneath me and knocked my grip loose in some places, but I ignored the pain in my still healing body as I climbed.
River.I had to get to her. If the others had fallen out, and Corson leapt out…
Whatever was happening up there was far from good, but I couldn’t think on it now. I could only focus on reaching her. Then I would figure out how to get Corson back.
Two more angels appeared at the entrance and spread their wings. It took me a second to realize they held Lucifer’s battered body between them as they took flight. They circled over the cavern before rising higher into the air.
Then, another angel appeared.Onoskelis, I realized with a sneer as she unfurled her wings. Over the years, she’d swayed numerous male demons to Lucifer’s side with her near siren ways. She looked down at me, a smiling curving her mouth.
I was only fifteen feet away from her when part of the wall gave way beneath my hand, causing me to lose my hold. I scrambled to find purchase as I fell, but the rocks I clutched at continued to break away. Pulling my arm back, I rammed my fist through the stone to stop my plunge to the bottom. My healing wounds from the sword broke open, and fresh blood trickled down my sides as I prepared to climb again.
“Don’t fret, Kobal. I’ll make sure my niece is well taken care of!” Onoskelis called down in her husky voice.
Bending, Onoskelis lifted something off the ground and draped it over her shoulder. I caught a glimpse of River’s limp form before Onoskelis spread her wings and soared over the cavern.
“No!” I bellowed as she rose higher to alight on another tunnel entrance further up.
Onoskelis blew me a kiss before slipping away. My markings shifted as they ebbed and flowed with the thundering pulse of my heart. Phenex and Crux begged to be set free, but I kept them leashed.
They have River.
My breath labored in and out of me as my muscles swelled with their need for destruction. I took a minute to steady the rage battering me. If I allowed it to take control of me, there would be no stopping my rampage. Before River, I never would have hesitated before giving into my murderous impulses, but I knew it wouldn’t do River any good if I lost control now and tore Hell apart.
No matter what it takes, I will get her back.But first I had to get off this wall, get Corson back, and reorganize everyone. Then, I would hunt Lucifer through every corner of Hell. And if he took her out of here, I would hunt him all over Earth if that was what it took to get her back.
The manticore spread its wings and leapt off the wall with Corson curled over its back. Hawk came into view as he staggered to a stop at the end of the tunnel. Blood coated his clothes, and there was a hole in his shirt over his heart. His hand pressed against the wound oozing blood from the side of his neck. When the manticore flew into view before him, his hand fell away.
Hawk took a few steps back before running forward and flinging himself onto the manticore’s back. He wrapped his arm around Corson’s waist as he twisted to the side, wrenching the stinger from Corson. A choked cry echoed through the cavern as they rolled across the manticore’s back before falling off the side.
Keeping my fist buried in the wall, I shoved the rest of my body off it and snagged Hawk’s arm when he plunged past me. I nearly wrenched Corson from his grasp when I jerked him toward the wall. Hawk grunted when he crashed against the rocks and his hold on Corson loosened further. Corson fell a foot before Hawk caught him under the armpit.
“Ahhhh,” Corson managed to get out.
The manticore screeched and turned back toward us, determined to reclaim the meal Hawk had stolen from it. Hawk twisted in my hold and managed to get his fingers around a rock. He shifted his grip on Corson and braced his feet on the wall.
“Where’s River?” Hawk demanded.
My lips skimmed back to bare my fangs at the reminder of exactly where she was right now, andwhoshe was with. Hawk’s eyes widened on me and he leaned back. I released my hold on him before I accidentally sliced his arm from his body.
“Climb down with him and I’ll hold this thing off,” I ordered gruffly.
“I’m not sure I can,” Hawk muttered as Corson slid further down and made another squawking sound.
The manticore flattened its wings against its back and dove toward us. Its tail pointed straight at me. “Prick!” I spat.
With my left wrist still in the wall and my left foot perched on a stone, I let go with my other hand and foot and swung out to avoid the poisonous tail. The tail crashed into the rock beside me, creating a crater where there had been none.
Before the manticore could pull its stinger free, I brought my elbow down on its tail, snapping the cartilage and causing the manticore to screech. I sliced my claws across the tail in three hard swipes, severing it. The manticore flew backward, flapping at the air as blood poured from it. Reaching down, I slid my arm under Corson’s armpit and pulled him from Hawk’s grasp.
“Get down,” I hissed at Hawk as the manticore flew into a tunnel.
Heaving Corson onto my shoulder, I descended to the cavern.
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