Tirade (Heven and Hell #3)(65)
Author: Cambria Hebert

Sam pulled out his truck keys and tossed them at Riley, who caught them and threw them back. “I have a ride.”

“You have a car?” I asked.

“Yep.”

“Where’d you get a car?” Gemma asked suspiciously.

“Where else? I stole it.” With that, he walked out the door.

*

I couldn’t eat. It was all I could do to sit there and smell the food, watching everyone else eat. I didn’t so much feel sick anymore, but I had a feeling it was because my body was so exhausted. And maybe it was, because the beast was calmed down after seeing its family.

Please eat something, Sam said.

Maybe later.

You’ve lost weight.

How come you didn’t lose any? You’re actually bigger.

I’m worried about you.

“Gemma?” I said. “We kind of got off track before, when we were talking about the souls.”

Gemma sat down her slice of pizza and looked up. “All seven princes of hell steal souls and take them to hell. It’s how they get their power.”

“What do you mean?”

“The seven princes of hell all originally fell from heaven. They were very powerful angels until they turned against God. When they fell, they took some of their powers with them, but not many and they were weak. They are power hungry, greedy and want to rule hell without anyone being a match for them. So they began stealing souls and dragging them to hell. The souls are somehow trapped in hell and that’s where their power comes from—where hell’s power comes from. They feed off the souls.”

I got a very sick feeling in my stomach.

“Chained to the floor of hell and fed off for all eternity,” Sam said softly… realization in his voice.

“What did you say?” Riley said, narrowing his eyes on Sam.

“Sam?” I asked, reaching out and resting my hand on his arm.

“When I was trapped down there, I heard Beelzebub. He was talking to someone… He threatened them. He told them he would chain them to the floor of hell and feed off them for all eternity.”

“Who was he talking to?” Cole asked. Out of the corner of my eye, Riley shifted, and I could sense how closely he was listening to Sam.

“I don’t know. I couldn’t hear anything they were saying.”

“It’s okay,” I told Sam.

“I always wondered where and how they kept the souls. They must chain them to the floor of hell. It makes sense because then hell could feed off the soul’s energy and the prince’s could draw it from the ground when they needed.”

“If they draw it from the ground, wouldn’t all the demons do that too?” Logan asked, no doubt remembering the demon inside him.

“Not if they don’t know they can,” Gemma said. “The princes probably haven’t told anyone where they keep the souls. They probably haven’t told anyone what they’re doing.”

“But wouldn’t the soul die?” Cole asked. “Wouldn’t they be drained of whatever the prince’s take?”

“Possibly.” Gemma allowed. “I don’t know how it works. My guess is the better the soul, the longer it will live. Hope takes a long time to die, and if a soul is hopeful it will be set free, it might hang on. I would think once a soul is drained the princes just release it and it twists into a demon and joins their army.”

“What about a soul from a very powerful person?” I asked, noting the tension from across the room. I didn’t acknowledge that I felt it, though.

“I would think that soul would be very valuable and be a great source of long-lasting power.”

“But what about the really powerful demons? How do they get so powerful?” Logan asked.

I glanced at him and smiled. He turned away, almost like he was guilty of something.

“I would think the demon was given powers from one of the princes to make him stronger so he could do whatever bidding they required. In your case, I would think Beelzebub gave the demon inside you powers so he could control you.”

Logan got up and ran from the room, up the stairs, and then I heard the slam of his bedroom door. Sam stood up, a bleak look on his face. He didn’t look at anyone when he said, “He’s never going to get any better, is he?”

I turned toward Gemma and we shared a look. It was what we both had been thinking, but never really voiced out loud.

I stood up and wrapped an arm around Sam. “I certainly hope so.”

He kissed my forehead. “I’ll be back.”

I nodded and watched him go up the stairs after his brother.

“I wish I could do more for him,” Gemma whispered. “That demon destroyed Logan’s body and it’s like it took away all the strength Logan had to repair himself.”

“You’ve done everything you could,” Cole told her, reaching out and taking her hand. “We’re all grateful you’ve been here to help.”

I nodded.

Riley sat forward in his chair. “You’ve spent over a decade roaming around alone, refusing to care about anything, and then I find you here with another hellhound of all people and you’re helping them.”

“You’re helping us too,” I pointed out.

Riley pretended I wasn’t even there and kept his midnight eyes intent on Gemma. There was a mean streak in them and I began to worry. He pursed his lips momentarily, making his already chiseled cheekbones stand out even more. “Were you looking for someone to replace my grandfather? When you figured out Sam”—he tossed his head in my direction—“was in too deep with someone else, you decided to take up with a human. Tell me Gem’s.” Riley’s voice dropped low. “Does he remind you of Callum?”

Cole leaped out of his chair and threw himself at Riley. Both of them fell back, tipping the chair over. Riley was faster and stronger than Cole so he tossed him up into the air and against the wall with ease.

“Stop it!” I cried.

Gemma was already across the room, pulling them apart, when Cole lunged at him again.

Riley smiled, but it looked like a snarl. “Do you have any pride left at all, man? Your girlfriend could kick your ass in her sleep.”

Cole lunged anew and Riley decked him, snapping his head back. I ran forward at Riley, shoving against his chest. “Stop it! Stop it right now!”

Riley grabbed my arm and yanked me closer. His eyes looked like silver fire and his chest was heaving.

“Don’t you dare touch him again.” I warned.