by Anna Santos
“No…”
“Let me kill her? Maybe even kill yourself? And then what? Leave her here forever? Can you imagine the pain of knowing that your soul-mate is trapped inside a prison made by a god who thinks that he can control us and punish us using fear?”
Growling, I muttered, “Just kill yourself, and you’ll see your soul-mate again!”
“No shit, Sherlock! As if I want to live in Hell forever. I’m rotten to the core. I won’t be given another chance to reincarnate. We will be stuck there forever.”
“At least, you’ll be together. Wasn’t what you told me when I went to see you?”
“Smartass. That’s no place to live. I like it here with no fears and no nightmares. We are strong here. I deserve a chance to be happy.”
“You are fucking mad.”
“Can you imagine how it will be for Aria to live in Hell? What will the other evil beings do to her? Don’t you want to restore your bond? You can’t die and let your bond broken. Once she dies, she’ll go to Hell. I thought you were smarter, Philippe!”
His claims upset me. “She’s an Archangel. Why would she go to Hell?”
“Because it’s where you are. Her soul will search for yours. It’s what soul-mates do, here, in Hell…” Kayden shrugged. “She was on the other side of the world, and she ended up here, in your boat. For you to reject her and make her jump into the river.”
My eyes closed as his words crushed my heart. “I don’t want to be the reason why Aria… You can’t do that to her.”
Kayden leveled his voice. “I don’t fucking care about what you want. Be a nice vampire and stay quiet while I talk to her.”
“If she’s an Archangel, was I one, too?” I asked, raising my eyes at Kayden.
“You were one. Not anymore. Now you are a vampire. But Cedric made Aria an angel again. Isn’t that ironic? You couldn’t stand the Prince of Angels and turns out that he had affinities with your soul-mate. Maybe it was intentional. Maybe my God is doing everything he can to help me succeed.”
“What god are you talking about?”
“There’s a good god, and there’s a bad god, in layman’s terms.”
“Lucifer?”
“If you want to call him that. Not that he likes that name. It’s stupid. He likes Astaroth better. Let’s not go over the all falling and going against God drama. Okay? What you need to know is that Archangels and angels fell for a reason. Not everybody was happy about the creation of a world where humans had free will and could do anything they wanted and still be given a second chance. So, there was a war, a big and nasty war between angels. I have no idea what side you were on when the war happened. Maybe you were against the ones that wanted to kill humankind, and maybe you weren’t. Aria seems like a good person. You could have been against your own soul-mate. I don’t really care. I just know that I need her to open the gate, nothing more nothing less.”
“And if Aria loses her wings? If Cedric rejects her, she will lose her wings.”
“No, she will not. She’s an Archangel. They are special. You will be special once she’s free of her bond. Don’t you people read books?”
“Not even angels know about that,” I informed him.
“They do, but not this generation of angels left on Earth to protect humankind from the monsters lurking in the dark. We can talk about this once I have my soul-mate. We can be friends again.”
“Sure,” I said, rolling my eyes at his madness.
“Come on, Philippe. Don’t be gloomy. You can have your happy ever after ending if you do what I want and need you to do. You and Aria will live if I get what I want.”
I narrowed my eyes at the specter. “I’m not going to do anything to hurt Aria. I don’t care about the Angels’ business. I’m a vampire. I’m not even human to care about humanity. And if I was an angel, I have no memories of that.”
“So, what’s your problem? If you don’t care, it’s okay to open the gate.”
“If Aria opens that gate, she’s condemning the world, and she doesn’t want that. I care about Aria. She won’t be able to live with that guilt. You can’t do that to her!”
“In theory, yes, I could. And now that I have you, I’m sure that I can! We’ll see what happens. Do you want to make a bet? I bet Aria saves you and opens the gate.”
I refused to talk to him. It was pointless.
“What, no witty comeback?” Kayden teased.
“Where are we?” I deflected, looking at the velvet curtains concealing the balcony.
“In the other realm. This palace has hundreds of bedrooms that no one uses or visits for years. It’s a nice hideout.”
“How were you able to get here?”
“It’s easy when you have a rogue gargoyle to help you.” Kayden shrugged and put the hood on. “I want to have my body back,” he mumbled. “Did you know, I need to die for that?”
“No. I have no idea how specters work.”
“My body is mortal, but my soul, my energy isn’t. That energy can be shaped into something resembling my old self. When I enter Hell, I’ll get a new body, an eternal body. But remember, Hell is another dimension—a ruthless world created by God to keep the evil souls away from the good ones. Earth works like limbo. We live here, trying to evolve and become better, reincarnation after reincarnation. We live in a Petri dish. Some are lucky to move on, to enter another realm where things are better than here. The others are against this order. We want to be able to live wherever we want and forever, without fearing death. We don’t want to live in Hell. We want to live on Earth. This is a small paradise. Who cares about the real paradise? We don’t want to be God’s puppets! We don’t want to evolve. Some of us believe that there’s no point in being a ‘good’ soul.” Kayden air-quoted good. “Why can’t we be bad? There are weak and strong people. We are stronger, smarter, and more resourceful! Why should we be punished because of that? We aren’t sheep!”
Kayden had completely lost his marbles.
The specter’s voice became laced with passion and madness. “I’m not mad!” He complained as if he was able to read my thoughts. “You are clever, so you understand how brilliant my plan is. I had to gloat about it to someone.” Kayden softened his hoarse voice and relaxed.
“You can say whatever you like as long as you tell me that Aria isn’t going to get hurt.”
“I don’t want to hurt Aria. Why would I hurt her? I need her.”
“Last time you kidnaped Aria, she was almost killed by your psycho gargoyle girl. Next time I see her, I won’t be that easily deceived by her fake smile. So why would you keep Aria alive after opening the gate?”
“Because I need her to bring me back.”
“What?”
“I need to die to gain a new body. That will happen when I step foot in Hell. Only celestial bodies survive there. This carcass will be gone. I will need Aria’s powers to escape Hell. Weren’t you listening?”
“I know I said this before, but you are crazy.”
“No, I’m just extremely clever.”
“I can’t let you free humanity worse enemy. If he’s that powerful and was trapped in Hell… He will bring destruction once he’s freed.”
“We have no intention of destroying this world or the humans. Enslave them, maybe, but not destroying our most precious font of energy.”
I couldn’t let Aria open that gate. We would be all doomed.
Kayden continued, “You need to understand. I have no intention of freeing every monster and fallen angel from Hell. I just want to save the ones I need and get out. Aria can close it after. Then, you can make angel babies for all I care. Or fight creepy monsters that are going to get loose in this world.”
“Who’s the female gargoyle? Why would she betray her own kind for you?”
“That’s a funny story. Old grudges, you know. Gargoyle females are a lot more sentimental than males. We can’t blame Lilly for wanting to hurt Aria. She thought she was hurting Cedric’s loved one. She wanted him to experien
ce the same grief she did…When she was still human, and he killed her lover and sent him to Hell. I didn’t tell her to kill Aria. I needed her. Lilly has someone in Hell she wants to rescue. She just wanted Aria to scream, so Cedric would hear.”
“Lilly, that name sounds familiar. Is she Cedric’s sister? Wasn’t she killed in an explosion years ago?”
“You know your history. Well, everybody thought that she was killed and that her vampire lover was to blame. As it turns out, it wasn’t the vampire who placed the bomb there.”
“So, who was it? Because Cedric hates vampires even more since that day.”
Kayden shrugged. “Why would a vampire place a bomb that would kill him and Lilly? Who was the only person to arrive fashionably late to the dinner?”
“Are you serious? You want me to believe that Cedric killed his parents and his sister to get rid of a vampire?”
“I don’t want you to believe anything. I’m just stating the facts.”
“You are toying with me. I couldn’t care less about Lilly and her brother. I just don’t want you to hurt Aria.”
“You should be more concerned about yourself than your cute Red Angel girlfriend because I don’t really need you, Philippe.”
“If you didn’t need me, you wouldn’t kidnap me. I’m leverage. I see that. You need me, so Aria will do that twisted thing you have in mind.”
“Yes, but I don’t need you after the gate is opened.”
Kayden folded his hands on his knees, and I frowned in disgust at the sight of his gritted teeth under his hood in what I could only assume to be an attempt to grin.
“I can’t blame you for falling in love with your soul-mate. She’s quite something, something she doesn’t even know, yet. Besides, she’s your better half.”
I still didn’t know how I was going to get free from those magical ropes and make Kayden shut up. At least, I knew a bit more now, and I didn’t want to be used to convince Aria to do something so evil. Even I knew how crazy it was to open the gate to Hell and free an Archangel that could destroy our world.
“Night is falling. Aria is dining with Camille and Cedric. He’s probably eager to see his new girlfriend. Lilly will wake up soon enough and the second part of my plan will be set in motion. I’m excited, aren’t you?” He rubbed his gloved hands together.
I sighed deeply.
“I’ll leave you for a while. I have to go outside and spy on our friends. Mara will keep you company. I’m sure you are eager to have a friendly chat with her. But don’t be so happy about it. She’s under my power and won’t do anything to help you. It helps when we have something they love to make them obey without question. You’ll see what I mean.”
Kayden got up, took his cloak and gloves, and his skeleton body began to fade into darkness, losing his corporeal form. “Do you know why we are called specters?”
I shook my head, regretting when the ropes tightened in response.
“We can become shadows and glide our way through walls and physical forms. We can even possess weak people when we want. So, yes, Philippe, we do have sex. And it’s funny when we absorb people’s life force after it. We are like vampires, in a way, only better.”
With that, Kayden disappeared and left me to the loneliness of the room. I couldn’t move and screaming would be useless. He wouldn’t leave me without a gag if my screams warned the guards. Besides, if I moved, the ropes would tighten even more around my neck and choke me.
Chapter TWENTY-SIX
ARIA
“How much longer do you think he will take to arrive?” I asked, looking at my watch for the tenth time.
“Cedric is just worried about Josephine. She should have come to us once the sun set. He must be flying around, looking for her.”
“I'm still baffled about what you have told me. I can't believe she's a gargoyle now. But I'm also happy that Cedric can have his second chance at love. I'm truly happy for them.”
Camille smirked and leaned forward, grabbing my hand. “Let me see that rock again! It's so beautiful and so…perfect. It's so you. Philippe has impeccable taste. I'm happy for you, but Cedric will probably marry Josephine first.”
I frowned.
“Well, once your bond is broken, Cedric can kiss Josephine, and they will be officially married before God and all of the angels. Once Jo wins her wings, she'll be my queen, and Cedric will be king, and all will be well with the world.” She sighed, relaxing her shoulders and letting go of my hand. “What's taking them so long?” She pouted.
“I'm sure that…” I stopped talking and pressed my hands together. “I wish this was over, so I could get back to Philippe. I said I would be right back. It's been three hours.”
“You have been spending time with us, eating, talking, finding out that Cedric and Jo are a couple and that Jo is one of us now.”
“Philippe won't believe it when I tell him.”
Camille blew a strand of her blonde hair away from her cheek and puckered her lips harder. “This is boring.” She looked around the living room with the adorned wooden chairs and table, and the doors exiting to the balcony opened. The moon was shining bright, spreading its tentacles of light into the darkness and hitting the marble floor tiles. The wind picked up speed, and the ruffled sound of wings was heard. Camille's head peeked up as her husband landed with grace.
“Jacob.” Camille ran to the balcony and threw herself into his arms once he entered the dining room. “Where's Cedric?”
“He's assembling a team to search for Jo. No one has seen her, and we can't find her. He's worried. Meanwhile, he asked me to take you to the Sacred Room and wait for him there.”
“Should we be worried about her disappearing?” I asked, getting up and walking towards them.
“It's normal for new gargoyles to leave and explore our world. Flying can be liberating and make us lose track of time. He's being too protective as usual. But, I'm sure she's fine. She's probably stretching her wings and pushing the limits of her new powers.”
I acknowledged his words with a nod and bit my lip. “I guess I was the only angel never to use her wings.”
“It took me four weeks to get used to mine,” Camille said. “And you are afraid of heights. Plus, you haven't had time to practice and exercise them as much as you should. Do you want to try it now?”
I raised my hands in alarm. “No, I'm good! I have no wish to crack my skull open minutes before becoming human again.”
“As if I would let anything bad happen to you,” Camille protested, making me and Jacob smile.
“Since you are so reluctant to fly, and we can't teleport to the Sacred Room, then we should get going upstairs because we have a lot of walking to do,” Jacob announced.
“Isn't William coming with us?” I wondered.
“I think he will attend the ceremony. But I haven't seen him today,” Jacob said.
“He's probably in his lab, working,” Camille shared. “Come along to the golden room where all the mysteries of the universe can be answered.”
“Really?” I asked, surprised.
“No. I'm exaggerating. But it's pretty cool, and you will see the magic stone.”
“What magic stone?” I asked, following Jacob and Camille to the corridor and picking up my pace, so I could keep with them.
“Haven't you ever wondered how it's possible for us to have a portal above Paris?” Camille questioned her.
“Magic, I suppose.”
“Yes. The sacred stone is the source of power for the portal. It creates a beacon that is amplified and opens a passage to the other world. Once the ritual starts, this world will be temporarily dark and unreachable for the other angels and gargoyles that are on the other side. When it’s done, the stone is placed back into her magical round granite nest, and the portal is reopened.”
“And if the stone is stolen?”
“Bye-bye human world, hello endless winter,” Jacob replied to my question. “But that isn't going to happen since the portal won’t be o
pened, so the person who steals it can't get out of here.”
“Not even by teleporting?”
“No. We would be trapped here.”
“Hmm, not a pleasant future to look forward to,” I declared.
“I agree,” Jacob said.
A few minutes later, the three of us were before a large door with two angels guarding it. The guards bowed and opened the doors to let me and the others pass. On the far end of the room stood a golden throne where Cedric was sitting with a brooding face, lost in thought. On the right, not too far from the throne, was a small column with a shining rock beaming to the vaulted ceiling. I guessed that to be the famous stone and also the powerful object that would unbind me from Cedric.
My hands were shaking while my eyes were mesmerized by the magical stone in the nest. Cedric was explaining to me what we had to do to break our bond. I was nodding a lot. My voice was trapped in my throat, and my heart was beating fast, threatening to come out of my mouth. My skin was cold because I was sweating with nerves. Deep inside of me, I didn't want to lose my wings. In the back of my mind, my angel was fighting against the fear of disappearing. She wasn't begging me to change my mind. She wasn't asking me to get back with Cedric, either. I had understood that she had grown attached to Philippe.
“Did you understand Aria? We both need to grab the jewel at the same time, and you need to repeat the words after me.”
I nodded again while I lifted my eyes to see his grave face.
“It's painless. No need to be scared,” he whispered softly, probably noticing my panic.
I cleared my throat. “What will happen if we both keep our wings?”
“We keep living our lives.”
“But... I mean. What will happen to Philippe?”
“I have no idea.”
“I know that you can kiss Jo and hope that it's a true love’s kiss, so she can win her wings, but Philippe isn't a gargoyle. I don't—”
“Aria, you have made your choice. Now you have to live with the consequences. If you continue to be an Archangel, you'll be one of us, and you can't be turned into a vampire. If you become human again, then you need to decide what is best for you.”