Betrayed

By Raven Anxo

Tossed out of hell for a crime he didn't commit, Blayne's prison is the city of Calestone. Its limits the invisible bars preventing him from leaving. All he wants is fate to kiss him and grant him one opportunity to prove his innocence and gain his revenge against those he holds responsible for his situation.
When events transpire gifting him that opportunity he returns home, a course which will bring him face to face with a part of his past carrying a portion of the blame for his situation. A part possessing a beautiful face, a cold heart, and bearing the name Sapphira.

As things take a dark turn in hell he is forced to change his plan. A change bringing repercussions which will carry far reaching implications for more than just the two of them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raven Anxo
• Release date: May 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9780463670675

Raven Anxo

Raven Anxo - Dreamer, avid reader, and multi published author of paranormal fiction, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance. She writes not only because her insistent voices demand she puts their stories down on paper - or laptop, but because she loves it.Among a few of her addictions are chocolate, coffee, classic horror, sci-fi, and vampire movies. Her music tastes vary wildly from 90's pop to metal. When writing, her voices can choose some strange tunes to listen to, but she has grown used to that happening. Predictability rarely applies to her world.She can be found on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRavenAnxo/ and Twitter - https://twitter.com/RavenAnxo

Book preview

Betrayed

By

Raven Anxo

Alliance of Hearts

Novel

Betrayed

~*~

This story is entirely a work of fiction.

The names, places, characters, and incidents portrayed herein are the products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or localities is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © Raven Anxo 2021

First Edition May 19th 2021

Published by Raven Anxo Publications.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher, Raven Anxo Publications.

No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded, or distributed via the internet or any other means, electronic or print without permission from Raven Anxo Publications.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Edited By: R.F.A

Cover Design: Raven Anxo.

Find out more about the author and news of upcoming books and events by visiting her website.

www.ravenanxo.com

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

About the Author

Reviews

Chapter One

A shoulder braced against the weather beaten stone, Blayne stood in the doorway of the rat infested dump of an apartment building he called home watching the rain fall. Its arrival washing away the trash covering the sidewalk and leaving streaks on the grime covered windows. When it finally eased to nothing more than a light shower he tugged up the collar of his black leather biker jacket and ventured out, his shitkickers sending water flying as he stepped into puddles dotted along the sidewalk. From shop doorways, others left their hastily sought shelters eager to get their asses out of the area. Not that he could blame them. Where he lived was a part of the city fit only for those close to the bottom rung of the ladder, and while his accommodations were far from spectacular he didn’t envy those fleeing their fine homes and furnishings. No, they possessed only one thing he envied, or should say, coveted; their ability to come and go from Calestone at will. A luxury denied him by Lucifer when he stripped him of what he’d been then locked him into a prison with invisible bars. He cursed those of his kind granted the ability he craved, but his anger he reserved for Lucifer and his daughter. They’d refused to listen to him, choosing instead to freely accept the lies and falsehoods which led to him being dumped in the city. The entire clusterfuck left in its wake an open, festering wound which unless the golden bird of luck shit on him would never heal.

He made his way down the sidewalk, his centuries old warrior instincts alert, enabling him to pick out with ease those demons living and working alongside the mortals within Calestone. He couldn’t fail but to pick up his former brethren’s undisguised hatred of him, something he shook off with the lingering raindrops from the downpour. His skin was tough, though when someone dared call him a traitor his temper snapped leaving the idiot who’d uttered the word up close and personal with the nearest wall. Blayne knew it was only a matter of time before his internal anger volcano blew, taking a large swathe of his kind with it. Only one thing could prevent that from happening; returning home and uncovering proof of his innocence, which he would then take great joy in ramming down the throats of both Lucifer and Sapphira.

Immersed in his thoughts, it took a prickling sensation traveling down his neck to bring him to a halt and when he glanced to his right he discovered the source of that sensation; Escuro Tower. A large steel and glass skyscraper which cast its shadow over him and a fair chunk of the city. It had been shortly after his ignominious arrival when his wits were still scrambled that he’d made the mistake of striding in, determined to have a face to face with its owner. Luckily, a sudden flash of common sense kicked in seconds before he entered the elevator and had him haul ass out of there. He’d face her and her father in hell where his life imploded. How and when he wasn’t sure, but it would happen.

He rubbed at the center of his chest with the heel of his hand as a flare of pain grabbed his heart and squeezed, its arrival courtesy of the tension wrapping its coils around his body. Tension demanding a release, which in hell would have involved ripping apart the first idiot who dared piss him off. As he was stuck in Calestone and such a move would be highly frowned upon by the city’s law enforcement he stormed off in the direction of a bar where he could drown his anger in a bottle of Demon Fyre.

The weather beaten door shoved open he entered The Dark Gargoyle, his arrival attracting the attention of those getting a head start on their weekend drinking. Their hate filled glares were ignored as he passed their tables on his way to the bar where he parked his ass on one of the stools. A large Demon Fyre, he said, tossing some demon coin on the bar top. And leave the bottle.

Who pissed in your breakfast? asked the owner as he poured his drink.

Do you enjoy asking questions you already know the fucking answer to?

I do it for shits and giggles, came the reply. Look, you’ve been stuck in this place for a year, so why the fuck are you still letting her get under your skin?

A harsh laugh slipped from Blayne’s lips as he grabbed the full glass. Tell me how the fuck I can avoid the place she works and lives in? A place casting a shadow with long fingers that reach out and touch a large chunk of the city? When no answer was forthcoming, he shook his head. I figured you wouldn’t have an answer, so that’s why I need this, he said, tapping a finger on the rim of his glass.

That stuff won’t work forever. What will you do when your brain gets used to it?

If that happens I’ll switch to something stronger.

There isn’t anything stronger.

I’ll find something, do something to deal with it.

Deal or avoid? Two sides of the same shitty page, he said as he moved away.

Yeah, and he was stuck on the avoid side.

~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~

Sat within the confines of the Escuro Tower conference room, Sapphira struggled to keep her focus on the presentation taking place at the far end of the refectory style table. Something made increasingly difficult by a growing sense of unease which brought along for company the sensation of a thousand hell ants skittering across her skin. She bit down hard on her bottom lip, the copper tang of blood hitting her tongue as the skin broke as at the same time she clenched her hands into fists under the table, hoping the double hit of pain would be strong enough to prevent her from giving in to the urge to scratch herself raw.

And with those projections, you can see profits will increase by thirty percent.

By some miracle or stroke of luck, the voice of the male undertaking the presentation filtered through the haze, forcing her attention back to where it was needed. Thank you for your presentation, she nodded. You have given me much to think on, so I will review everything thoroughly and give you my decision soon. Now, she said, unclenching her hands, as that was the only matter on the agenda for the day, this meeting is over. She watched them stand and bow in her direction before filing out of the room, the last one closing the pale colored doors behind him as she pulled a tissue from the holder on the table and dabbed her abused lip before heading over to the elevator connecting the room to her penthouse, a place she hoped some level of respite might be gained from the continuing onslaught.

When the doors opened on the third floor granting access to the observatory she walked along the corridor leading to the upper roof terrace. The sun’s warmth wrapped around her the moment she stepped outside, a momentary comfort ripped away by a sudden chill as she approached the terrace rail and peered down at the city. Familiar sights and sounds failed to silence the alarm bells sounding in her head, their unwanted arrival accompanied by a fierce need to return home to hell. Home. She hadn’t viewed her birthplace as that for a long time. The length of time between her visits had steadily increased, something her father never ceased lecturing her about.

Whether it was the thought of him or something else, Sapphira wasn’t sure, but the noise of those cursed bells increased. In an effort to silence them she tried seeing if he resided within the mortal realm by reaching out through the blood bond their shared. A move that only resulted in the ringing in her head increasing to the point she feared it would tear her skull apart if it continued. Tired, worn down, unable to locate Lucifer in the mortal realm, and wanting nothing more than for the chaos in her head to cease, she reluctantly accepted the only way that would happen would be by returning home. So leaving the terrace she headed down to the first floor of the penthouse where her large bedroom was located to freshen up and settle on a suitable change of clothing.

After a welcomed shower which managed to chase away the uncomfortable sensation across her skin, she searched through her various closets and eventually settled on her choice of attire for the trip home. With her shoulder length raven black hair tied back into a loose ponytail, she stepped in front of a large full length mirror situated in the corner of her bedroom and looked over her completed ensemble. Studded leather ankle boots were paired with skintight leather pants, a figure hugging t-shirt, and a safety pin leather jacket. The only hit of color on the black ensemble being the silver studs on the boots. A small adjustment made to the platinum necklace she wore ensured the representation of the family crest it carried; an onyx apple entwined by a gold snake with ruby eyes nestled just at the top of the dip between her breasts. On her ring finger she wore a gold ring; the setting holding an oval cut blood red ruby, the sides of the band carrying the crest. It was the one item of jewelry placed there by her father and never removed.

With no way left to delay the inevitable she retrieved her phone from a small table, using it to request a limo be made ready and inform her secretary she would be unavailable for a few days. That was it. After a final look around she reluctantly headed for the underground garage so her unwelcomed journey could get underway.

When the limo pulled up at the western hell gate she stepped out, a faint sigh leaving her lips as she closed the door and moved away, turning to watch her only means of escape drive out of sight. There would be no turning back, no avoiding whatever awaited her in hell. Resigned to her fate, Sapphira approached a small, wooded area, pausing in front of a gap between two large oaks then raised her hand bearing the ring. A faint, nearly imperceptible glow emanated from