Above The Flames (The Flames Trilogy #1) Read online

  The smell of Beau’s cologne hit her as he stepped closer, erasing the space between them.

  “You’re kind of freaking me out. What’s up?” Jasmine asked.

  Beau rubbed a hand through his blond hair. “You and Amon seem awful cozy. Seeing you two together up there made me want to punch a wall. I don’t like that feeling.” He sighed. “Not one bit. I’ve never felt like that in my life.”

  Jasmine reached her hand out and placed it on his forearm. He flicked her touch away and crossed his arms over his chest. She dropped her jaw. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what you’re so upset about though. We are working together. He’s training me.”

  Beau nodded. “I know that. I get it. But I don’t know, Jaz. Something about you and him together makes me crazy. I see something in both of your eyes when you look at each other.” His gaze dropped to the floor. “And you don’t seem like the same person anymore.”

  Jasmine raised her voice. “Of course I don’t. How could I be?” She realized someone might hear her and lowered her voice. “Let’s just think about what I’ve been through lately. The demons came, kidnapped me in the process of saving you and a bunch of fallen angels. I lost Ma and Pa.” Jasmine couldn’t stop herself from raising her voice again. “Don’t forget, while we are trying to learn how to use our powers so we can fight said demons, they are planning to annihilate the whole human race. So, tell me, Beau, how am I supposed to be the same person?”

  Beau focused on her. “I get it. I know you’ve been going through a lot. But I don’t know if I can handle all this.” He made a wide gesture with his arms. “I mean, it’s one thing fighting demons. Our world is important and I don’t want to lose that.” He took a deep breath. “But you and Amon. That I can’t deal with right now.”

  Jasmine huffed. “What are you trying to say?” She didn’t have a clue. Her heart raced in her chest. “Are you breaking up with me?”

  He shook his head. “No…I don’t think so…I don’t know. I mean, I think we need a breather.”

  Thoughts flew through Jasmine’s mind, scrambling all over the place. “What?” She couldn’t have heard him right. She hadn’t done anything wrong. Amon was her trainer. She didn’t want him. She wanted Beau.

  Beau raised his eyebrows. “Jaz. Come on. I know you heard me. Don’t make this even more difficult than it already is. We need a break.”

  “A break?”

  Beau nodded. “I think we could both use one.”

  “But I’m living in your house.”

  “It will be fine. Don’t worry. I’m going to be training with Lamia anyway. We’ll both be pretty busy for a while.”

  Jasmine nodded, but stared hard at the floor. There were streaks of chestnut mixed in the dark brown wood. She never knew that. How did I never notice that? She swallowed around a giant lump in her throat. Her bottom lip quivered. I will not cry.

  Beau gently placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. He smiled down at her, and then left the room. She could give him space. Maybe. It would be hard though. She loved him. He was her best friend. Who did she think she was fooling? She wouldn’t be able to give him space. There was no way.

  She sunk down into the couch and buried her face into a dark blue pillow. It didn’t do much to muffle her sobs. After a few moments of wallowing in self-pity, she stormed out the front door and walked around the side of the house. She passed Amon sitting in the porch swing, but he didn’t question her. She continued around the side of the house. When she was far enough away, she dropped down on the grass and fell back against the side of the house. She drew her knees up and crossed her arms over them, letting her head fall forward. She sat like that for a long time. Thinking. The sound of grass shuffling against the bottom of a shoe alerted her to someone approaching. She didn’t care. She wasn’t in the mood to talk, so she didn’t even lift her head.

  Somebody came up to her, then wedged behind her. An arm wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her close.

  “I’m really not in the moo—” She was cut off as a hand snaked over her mouth. Her eyes widened and she jerked her head to the side, making the hand drop from her lips.

  “I’m not in the mood to play games, or train, so can you just leave me alone?”

  Another arm wrapped around her other side and pulled. A slithery voice crawled over her skin and goosebumps snaked down her arms and legs. “Y-you are c-coming with m-me.”

  That’s not Amon.

  Being on the ground made her predicament worse. She tried to flip to her knees and crawl away, but those arms only tightened around her. She tried to scream, but it came out as a whimper as the man’s hand snaked around her again, locking against her mouth. This can’t be happening.

  The man hoisted her to her feet and pushed her from behind, making her take steps. She did the only thing she could think of; she dropped her weight. It made the man’s arms break apart, and she slammed against the ground on her knees. Her arms fell to the grass and she started to crawl, scrambling forward a few seconds. When she felt like she’d put enough distance between them, she attempted to hop to her feet, but just as she stood, the man’s hand wrapped around her ankles and yanked with all his might. This time, she screamed with everything she had as she fell to the ground in a heap. Her hip broke her fall, causing a bruising pain. Someone will hear my scream. Please let someone hear that!

  His slimy hand covered her mouth again. “B-be quiet.”

  Since one leg was free, she kicked back with it; it connected with something solid and the grip around her ankle broke. She chanced a look at the man, and surprisingly he looked like a computer nerd. Or an accountant. Except for the red eyes. Wait a minute. That’s the demon I fried after Ma and Pa died.

  She didn’t try to crawl, instead got to her feet, calling her power forward at the same time. It answered immediately, rising to the surface and caressing her like a lover as it slid through her body and pooled into her hands. She aimed her shaking hands at the demon.

  Her heart seemed to be in her throat now, and small roots must have grown from the ground to hold her in place because she couldn’t move. The demon jumped at her like a monkey leaping from tree to tree. Blue fire shot from her hands, but it missed, zooming over his head and slamming into the side of the house.

  “Shit, shit. Shit!” Jasmine screamed, running away from him to try and put some distance between them.

  He barreled into her from behind, and the air rushed from her lungs as her chest hit the ground and the demon fell on top of her.

  “Y-you have to c-come with m-me,” the demon said. “I have m-my orders.”

  Of course he did. Bael would have sent him. It made sense, but how did he find them? She had to get free, no matter the cost.

  “Help! Somebody, help—” She couldn’t finish as his hand slammed against her mouth.

  “Sh-shut up, you s-stupid g-girl!” the demon said.

  The demon’s putrid breath drifted to her. She gagged. Then she bit his hand.

  “Ow!”

  But his weight stayed on top her. He moved, straddling her, and she tried to wiggle her hands free, which were trapped under her body. If she could get her hands free, she could zap him and hopefully kill him.

  The weight of his chest was once again on her back as he leaned down to her ear. “S-stop fighting me. It is in-inevitable that you w-will work for Master B-Bael.”

  The demon sure had a stuttering problem. He was strong, that was true, but his speech made Jasmine not want to take him seriously. She couldn’t imagine him working for a demon such as Bael, who poured strength and confidence.

  “How about this. You let me go, and I won’t kill you today,” Jasmine said, finding her strength.

  His hand pummeled the back of her head, making her see stars. She closed her eyes as her head throbbed.

  A deep growl reverberated through the air, and then the weight on her was gone.

  She opened her eyes and shot to her feet. When she turned, Amon was throwing punch af
ter punch at the demon.

  “Belze!” Amon screamed as the demon fell to the ground, bleeding from the corner of his mouth. “What does Bael want with her? Her power is good, not evil. You’ve seen what it did to you.”

  Belze nodded. “It’s n-none of y-your concern. L-let me h-have her and th-this will be over.”

  Amon bunched a handful of Belze’s shirt in his hand and pulled him to his feet, slamming his back into the side of the house. “Never will he have her.”

  Amon punched Belze in the face so hard his head smacked the house with a loud thud. Jasmine winced.

  Her hands still shook, but she managed to bring them up again. Her power was still there, ready. She shot it at Belze, but as it spiraled forth, her hand moved and instead of hitting Belze, it grazed Amon’s side, making his grip on the demon slip. Belze ran so fast Jasmine could barely register what had happened. All she knew for sure was that she’d screwed up.

  “Damn it!” Amon screamed as he punched the side of the house where Belze’s head had hit.

  She locked her power up. Her ears burned with heat. “I was just trying to help.”

  “I had it under control.” Amon turned and stalked toward her.

  “Sure didn’t look like it.”

  “Looks are deceiving.”

  His hot breath touched her cheek as he stopped in front of her. His woodsy smell wafted through her senses. Butterflies stirred in her stomach.

  “That they are,” she said, a bit breathlessly.

  “Perhaps it’s time for some more training.” Amon grabbed a strand of her long hair, running his fingers over the softness. Jasmine shivered.

  “I think you might be right.”

  “To the woods, then,” Amon said, moving toward the back of the house.

  Jasmine followed, feeling like she might need a cold shower. Or two.

  Chapter 17

  A Demon’s Rage

  Bael

  Bael crouched behind a towering tree, its branches hanging low as if they were too heavy for the tree to hold them up. The tree provided ample coverage for what he was doing: watching Belze.

  The brick house where the girl had disappeared into hours ago was fancy. Very old money. How she could afford something so lavish was beyond him. She didn’t dress very nicely. So if she had money, she sure didn’t show it.

  Long ago, Bael had lived in a castle and had all the money he needed in the world. Of course, he was sure in this time it would take a lot more of it to buy things, but in the end it made no difference. Just as he’d been rich beyond compare, now he was a demon. Nothing mattered any longer, and soon he’d make sure money meant nothing here on Earth. Especially since there’d be no humans to spend it anyway. Perhaps he’d collect the green paper and rake it up, like a pile of leaves, just so he could jump into it. Bael smiled at his thoughts and fine-tuned his focus back toward the house.

  A fallen angel sat on the porch. Bael squinted. Such a human reaction when trying to see, but he didn’t need to do it, so he stretched out his demon vision. He couldn’t see them, but he felt his eyes warm and knew instinctively that they’d started glowing. His sight stretched farther than should be possible, as if he was looking through a magnifying glass, and the fallen one on the porch came into view, revealing Amon. He sat on a porch swing, slouching and his shoulders slumping, a sullen look on his face. If Amon was the watcher, he wasn’t doing a very good job, considering Belze just sneaked around the side of the house without any notice.

  Bael moved to another tree, about the same size to get a better view of Belze, whom had Jasmine’s arms restrained and was pushing her in front of him. Until the girl dropped to the ground, making Belze’s puny arms release her. Moron.

  Belze caught her again, and they struggled, until her shrill scream launched through the air with the force of a rocket, and Belze smacked his hand to his forehead, shaking his head at his demon’s ignorance. He stretched his hearing this time, and the sound of footsteps grazing blades of grass hit him. He peeked around the other side of the tree just in time to see Amon come into view. Great.

  The fight between Amon and Belze didn’t last long, and soon Amon had Bael’s second shivering on the ground. But Jasmine distracted Amon for only a moment, and Belze ran, using his demon quickness to get away. A second later, Amon looked back where Belze had been, and his hands fisted at his side as he looked back at Jasmine. Bael had to force the laugh back down his throat. There was about to be a good show, and he’d love to stay and watch the fight, but, unfortunately, he had something to take care of.

  He took off, following the starchy scent of Belze, who had moved rather quickly. But not nearly as fast as Bael. Most of the lower-level demons didn’t know this, but they would gain additional powers when promoted to upper-level. He had decided keeping this fact to himself would be wise. He didn’t need anyone trying to usurp him. Although, even if they did try, they would fail. Most of them had no clue that Bael could twist their minds in any way he wanted. He could make them see their worst nightmares over and over, or he could bend their will to make a decision he wanted to make. That was partly why he’d kept his spot in Hell for as long as he had. But nobody knew that, and nobody ever would.

  When Belze stopped, so did Bael, right in front of his pathetic evil underling. The stuttering demon’s back thumped as he fell back into the blue house he’d halted in front of.

  Belze’s eyes widened to globes. “M-master B-Bael. W-what a-are y-you d-doing h-here?” His stammering always got worse when he was very anxious, or very excited.

  Bael slid his long finger nail against the house, making a scratching sound. Belze winced, and lowered his eyes to the ground when Bael swiped his finger across Belze’s throat. Not hard enough to harm him though. Not yet. And then he continued along the other side of the house. Belze was whimpering when Bael circled back to stand in front of him.

  “Why do you think I’m here, Belze?” Bael spoke softly, but his eyes narrowed. “You have failed, and I warned you what would happen if you did.”

  “B-but I d-didn’t f-fail—”

  Bael raised a hand in front of him, cutting Belze off. “You did fail, and I want none of your excuses. You should never have been made a demon. I’m still not sure why Lucifer claimed your soul when the only thing you did wrong was aid in a robbery. You never even committed a crime by yourself. You were a follower when you lived, and a coward, and unfortunately nothing has changed in your death.

  “I w-will d-do b-better n-next t-time,” Belze said, slamming his hands into his armpits and hugging himself. “P-please.”

  “I will admit you do have your uses, and I hate to end your existence and release your soul into Lucifer’s collection, but alas, I have no other options.” Bael feigned sadness by lowering his eyelids and drooping his facial features. “You have been such an asset at my side.” He burst into laughter, no longer able to control himself. “What am I saying? You’ve been nothing but a hindrance to every demon in Hell. Especially to me. You are weak. You are nothing. And it’s time to be rid of you.”

  Belze bit his trembling lip. Bael smirked. After a minute, Belze drew his gaze up, meeting Bael’s eyes, which caused him to step back. Had Belze finally found his courage? The irony of it all made him chuckle. Belze was finally brave, but it changed nothing. He would still have to die tonight because he’d failed too often. The only option Bael had was to make sure Belze became an example.

  Belze clasped Bael’s shoulder and cleared his throat. “I promise I will do better next time.”

  It wasn’t lost on Bael that Belze had spoken without a stutter, but again, it was too late.

  Bael sniffled mockingly. “Will you really? Truly?” he asked in falsetto. “Too bad.”

  Bael’s hands shot out. He placed them ever so gently on Belze’s neck. Belze looked up, his eyes once again wide. Then Bael squeezed. Hard. Belze gasped for air and ripped at Bael’s hands, scratching and even tearing some of his leathery skin, but it didn’t matter. Belze’s
strength was no match, and soon a purple hue started to cover his face.

  Bael reared back, barely staying on his feet as he tore Belze’s head from his body. His body fell to the ground in a heap. Demon blood covered the grass, tinting it black.

  Bael started walking away, still holding Belze’s severed head. He stopped a moment and stared into the eyes of his old second-in-command, reveling in the horror-widened eyes that peered back, unmoving.

  “I’ll be seeing you in Hell, Belze.” Bael laughed to himself. “Oh, no I won’t. You no longer have a soul.”

  Bael chucked the head over his shoulder. Drops of black fell onto his white shirt. He wiped at it, but it only smeared. Shrugging, he began to walk away, whistling a tune he’d just made up. He’d named it Death and Destruction of Humanity and Incompetent Demons. It had a nice ring to it.

  He reached out his sense of smell and found the distinct smell of musk heading his way, almost right on top of him, so he stopped moving and waited. Moloch came into view a few minutes later.

  Bael kept his face serious. “Guess what? You are my new second. Get ready. We will leave shortly. Tell the others to stay alert.”

  “Bael!” Lucifer roared in his mind.

  He hadn’t even heard the channel click on. Bael had too much going on here; he didn’t need the constant interruptions from Lucifer. He cleared his mind so Lucifer didn’t accidentally hear that line of thought. “What is it you need, Master?”

  “I need to know what is happening,” Lucifer said.

  “I killed Belze. He failed another mission. Also, we recently attacked a nearby town and ended many human lives.” Bael paced, flattening the grass he stood on. “Also, I’ve decided to get Jasmine, and eventually all of the Angel Blessed myself.”

  “Good. Things are moving in the right direction. My walls have started to shake and I did wonder if you’d been successful. I suppose I was a fool for wondering. You’ve not failed me yet; I’m sure you won’t now that the stakes are so high. None of the demons want to end up back in Hell, and if you fail, that is exactly what will happen.”