Born of Fire

“Oh Daarnya, how sweet it is to hear you screaming my name.” His voice echoes throughout the club as the dark air cools even more and my senses are invaded with the smell of Sulphur. The fear in my core starts a bone deep trembling in my entire body. Fire surrounds my body trapping Kane beside me before he can flee.

All I can see is Lucifer’s shoes as I become one with the floor. Then I see his knee beside my face as he crouches to the ground. His hand pulls my hand away from my stomach and I scream at the pain of his touch. I no longer thought I had the strength to scream, I was wrong. I can vaguely hear Max’s voice bellowing through the flames surrounding my body.

“Who did this to you?” Lucifer hisses darkly. My eyes lock onto Kane. Kane stands frozen as pure fear fills his entire being. Lucifer gets back to his feet and quick as a flash removes Kane’s head. I manage a small smile as I see it roll in front of me. The flames die as do the two daemon’s securing Max.

Max used their distraction to get the upper hand again and removed both of their heads. He was on Lucifer before the daemon’s heads hit the floor. “No.” I gasp out more quietly than I intended. Max’s attention falls to me instantly as he runs across the floor and slides down beside me.

“McKenna. Cor Meum, what have you done?” Max pleads desperately. I smile at him weakly.

“What does that mean?” I ask him softly. He looks completely distraught.

“My heart.” He confesses gently cupping my face. I wince in pain but I never want his touch to leave me. “You can’t have her.” Maximus booms at Lucifer. Lucifer laughs as he comes to stand beside me. He picks me up in one swift movement holding me against him with one arm while he secures Max with invisible chains in the air a few feet away from us.

“I can have whatever I want. Especially when she calls for me.” Lucifer spits indignantly. “She knew if she called me it means she’s ready to go. She’s dying anyway.” Max’s face falls as his eyes roam over my body committing every wound to memory like he inflicted them himself. I sigh in defeat. Lucifer is right, I knew what I was doing. I had no choice.

“If I didn’t call you, Kane would’ve been successful in his plan to over throw you. All I ask is that you please let me say goodbye.” I plead with Lucifer. I try to push against him unsuccessfully. He looks down at me incredulously. Then he drops me to the floor.

“Of course. Say your farewell’s my pet.” Lucifer says indifferently as he moves away to give us privacy. Max’s arms pick me up from the floor gently as he cradles me against his chest. I reach up to tenderly caress his face.

“I can’t let you go.” He pleads desperately. I look at him pleadingly.

“I’m so sorry. Please tell me that you forgive me for tearing us apart.” I beg him. He looks stricken by the request. He leans his forehead to mine gently.

“I will love you until my existence ends. Not a day will go by that my heart won’t miss yours. I never thought you would be the one to tear us apart.” He breathes out defeated. “Of course I forgive you. I love you McKenna. Always.” I breathe a sigh of relief as I whisper a name into the air.

“Raziel.” I cry out the name on my lips with all the grace and strength I can muster. Max looks at me in complete confusion until I see a hand clasp his shoulder.

“Welcome home brother.” Raziel’s musical voice fills the air. I feel like every prayer I’ve ever had is answered in one fell swoop as a blindingly bright light floods the club. I stare in awe and wonder as the light dims to reveal the new silhouette of Max’s wings. Black as night with streaks of purple like stars shooting through the night sky.

I reach my hand out to tentatively caress them as they cocoon me. Max’s tears drop onto my cheek and engulf my own. He looks down at me as realization dawns on his face. He shakes his head subtly. “This is what you were up to.” He admonishes ruefully. “Don’t you understand. There can be no heaven for me without you.”

I cry silent streams of tears as cursing voice gets my attention. I look to see Lucifer seething at Max’s new appearance. “Very sneaky little Daarnya. You will be punished severely for that little ploy my pet.” His dark threatening voice chills the air around us. “It’s time for us to go. I have so many plans for you, an I’m growing impatient to try them out.”

Max’s hold on me tightens as I cringe in pain. “I claim this mortal.” Max declares boldly. Max turns to Raziel. “We can take him Raziel, together. We can end the world’s suffering.” A great knowledge suddenly dawns on me as I see Raziel’s face fall in defeat at his brother’s request as Lucifer cackles an evil laugh.

Max’s eyes blaze with a burning blue fire as he looks at me. I smile knowing he read my thoughts. Lucifer must always exist. Mortals must have the choice. They must earn God’s love with faith. A single tear loses from Max’s eye as he comprehends the same truth. As evil as Lucifer is, he is protected.

“I’m sorry brother, there is nothing we can do. She called for him willingly—.”

“To save me.” Max cuts him off booming. I caress Max’s face again.

“I don’t regret it.” I whisper to him as my tears fall.

“You will.” Lucifer hisses from the darkness closing around me.

“You have to let him take her.” Raziel tells Max ruefully. Max is about to launch into come kind of tirade until Raziel shakes his head at him and leans closer. “I said you have to let him take her, not that you have to let him keep her. Choose your battles Maximus.” I’m can feel the darkness clawing at me and I’m not certain I heard Raziel’s words. The heat emanating from the ground below me isn’t natural and I know I’m being pulled away.

I look at Max pleadingly through my tears as his lips descend to mine. I open my lips taking in his desperate confession of an undying love. “I love you.” I whisper against his lips before they devour mine again in a tender promise. My heart is soaring despite the fact my body is dying in the arms of the man I love.

Max has been welcomed back into heaven where his soul truly belongs. I know that he loves me as much as I do him. There is nothing more I could want from this life now. The cold in my body is replaced by scorching heat as all pain subsides. Max’s lips disappear from mine as a bright glow chases away the darkness.

The smell of Sulphur besieges me as the flames lick at my body. I feel no fear of what is to come, my soul is complete and belongs to an angel named Maximus. No amount of torture will ever make me forget that. The hard cracked ground scorches my feet like hot coals as I find myself standing alone.

The ground beneath my feet is completely blackened. My eyes scan my body for any of the injuries that had me so broken moments ago but I find nothing. I’m completely restored. All except for the gaping emptiness in my stomach where the usual fire of Max’s closeness has been extinguished.

I let my head look up and can barely believe my eyes as I stand in the middle of a lake of flowing lava. The blackened ground I stand on is that of a floating volcanic island. There is a dark gothic castle carved into the black volcanic stone. There is no escape, no path to freedom. Only a short swim in a lake of lava that flows to a water fall style edge.

The heat burns my eyes too much to try to focus on anything past the lava lake’s overflowing edge. The heat in the air makes me feel like I’m breathing in fire. I’m confused by my surroundings, but not as much as I am by the fact that I am breathing. I’m still mortal, I’m sure of it.

I turn at a noise to find Lucifer watching me openly. “I trust I’ve give you enough time to see that there is no escape my pet.” He informs me almost snarling. Then he makes a sudden move to stand behind me as his hands grip my upper arms tightly. I scream from the contact of his skin on mine as he faces me towards the castle.

“Welcome to your new home Daarnya.” He hisses in my ear before his tongue laps up the length of my ear. I cringe from the effect as I feel my eyes release their last tears. I drop my head in defeat as I feel the trails of warm liquid take with them all the moisture from my body. One of the tears trails over my lips and I say a silent goodbye to the feel of Max’s lips on mine.

When my last tear drops from my face to the ground I send out a silent prayer to watch over my loved ones and keep them safe. When the droplet of water hits the black ash covered ground it sizzles in defiance. I take a moment to mourn the love I’ve lost forever before I let my head rise back up to gaze upon my fate with all the strength I have left.