by Alexie Aaron
“K,” Mia accepted. “But why me? Why strip me of what I’m used to? Why assume it’s okay to change me?”
“It must have been for your own good,” Murphy said. “You should be grateful for their intervention.”
“K,” Mia said, her face clouding. “Maybe you’re right.”
“He’s wrong,” Altair said from his perch on top of the Deschamps crypt.
Mia looked up at him and smiled. “Hello, fancy meeting you here. How did you avoid the Nephilim?”
“Tricky maneuvers. Plus, I still have a burnt feather smell to me,” Altair said. “Where is that gorgeous goddess of the dead?”
“Is someone talking about me?” the Countess asked, walking out. “Lord in Heaven, there’s an angel, no an archangel. Glory be to God.”
“Cut it out, old woman, it’s me Wyatt.”
The Countess opened her eyes wide, which was hazardous considering her eye could fall out at any moment. “It is you. I heard you got wings forced upon you.”
“Your daughter did it, and see, we have pretty close to a matched set. My sister donated those, Mia.”
“Thank her for me.”
“I will. She’s a kind soul. What’s the plan?”
“We can’t take the children out of here unless we fly out, and the Nephilim kind of screws that up. We can’t hop over the fence because of the hellhounds. The only thing that is slowing down the inevitable fight is the fog - courtesy of the Countess. Her minions keep changing the signs on the paths, so the extermination gang is walking in circles. But that won’t last long. I was just about ready to go out and hunt me down an Other and pin his contract to his chest like I did twenty years ago.”
“Orion has to do it,” Altair said. “It’s his kid who’s the subject of the contract.”
Orion nodded.
“Mia, you’re not going to like this, but we have to kill the Nephilim first. It’s not your uncle, so karmically you’ll be okay, but it is a Nephilim, so chances are we’ll die in the process,” Altair said.
“Why? He’s up there in the between.”
“He’s hungry. He’ll be looking for food soon. There are a lot of people in Big Bear Lake who are starting to look tasty about now.”
“If we kill it…”
“Nicholai and Victor are waiting with their men. The assassins will be taken care of. Orion, you take care of the Other, and if Mia and I survive, we’ll come back for Quazar. Roumain says we need him alive.”
Mia turned to Murphy. “You have to stay here. You’re the only one I know who has the remotest of possibilities of saving the day.”
“I want to go with you.”
“Do you like flying?”
“No.”
“I’m flying up there.”
“I’m staying here,” he said.
“Good.” She turned to her grandfather, “Orion, it’s the tall Other who has the contract. He keeps it in his left breast pocket.”
“Once I have it, what do I do?”
“I took it, placed it over the Other’s heart, and drove a dagger through both and called out contract canceled. It seemed to do the job in 1998.” Mia turned to go and then leaned in and whispered, “Tell Ted to move on after I die. I’m not coming back this time. Not even Murphy can get into this chest if my heart gives out; it’s been armored.”
Orion kissed her on the cheek. “You’ll be back. I’m certain of it. And, Mia, I would like you to know that I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you, that means a lot.”
“Are you armed?” Altair asked her.
Mia displayed her sword. “It’s from Santa.”
“Have you bonded with it yet?”
“No.”
“Oy, do I have to do everything? Come here,” Altair said, irritated. He placed the sword on Mia’s outstretched arms and, this time, spoke in a language only the archangels could understand. “Name the sword.”
“Handsome.”
Altair rolled his eyes. He continued on with his ritual. The sword disappeared. “Call it.”
“Come here, Handsome,” Mia said.
The sword appeared in her grasp.
“That is so cool,” she said. “Almost as cool as Romeo and Juliet.”
The daggers appeared in her other hand.
“Thanks, Roumain,” Mia said and put them inside her right wing. The sword was put where she originally found it.
“Wait!” the Countess said, walking over. She drew out of her skull a hatpin eight inches long.
“That’s some hatpin,” Mia said.
“It was some hat. Take this, it may come in handy.” The Countess wove it between the feathers behind Mia’s neck. “I decided to call you Serilda, so live up to it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Remember when we spoke about how you would be remembered after you were gone? You’re not a basket case. You’ll be remembered like this, strong, determined and loved.”
“Thank you.”
“Okay, let’s go. I’m hoping to binge-watch ‘Game of Thrones’ this weekend,” Altair said and shot up into the air.
Mia looked at Murphy and placed her hand over her heart and pointed at him before she followed Altair to their probable deaths.
Chapter Thirty-three
“His name is Daskalov,” Altair said as they watched the thing circling. The creature was at least twelve feet long with a thirty-foot webbed wingspan. His neck was long like a dragon, but his skin was smooth. The Nephilim’s eyes were dark blue with deeper blue irises. Mia had a hard time seeing the creature as an enemy.
“Are you sure we can’t talk to it? Get him to leave, bribe him if we have to.”
“Daskalov has slipped into insanity. He wouldn’t be able to understand us,” Altair said. “The powers of a Nephilim vary. Fortunately, they aren’t fire breathers, but they are strong. Thick hide and their claws and talons regrow at an alarming rate. This one has a tail with a barb on the end. His teeth are razor sharp.”
“Does he have a kill spot?” Mia asked.
“No. We have to do as much damage to him as possible and get him to chase us up above the between and then drive him into the ground hard enough so his skull explodes.”
“In other words, it’s a cakewalk,” Mia said, distracted. “Altair, where am I going if I crash with the Nephilim?”
“Don’t worry, remember Azrael is in charge of the light.”
“Shit. We better survive this because I got Sariel’s blood all over his belt.”
“Not the belt the Virgin Mary gave to him.”
“Shit, shit, shit,” Mia said. Mia studied the Nephilim before speaking. “Well, since he doesn’t acknowledge you as an enemy, I’ll draw his ire. You get behind him. How does that sound?”
“We don’t have to do this by committee,” Altair complained.
“How about you order me then,” Mia suggested.
“You, go and flirt with him, pretend he’s Roumain.”
“You suck!” Mia cursed.
Altair laughed. “Go on. Just be glad you’re not ovulating, or he’d already be on you.”
Mia flew closer to the Nephilim. He rolled over on his back and displayed himself like a Hollywood producer. Mia was gobsmacked. “Whoa, big fella, what’s the hurry?”
The Nephilim reared back and looked down at Mia.
“Wanna go for a swim? I know a dandy island where we won’t be disturbed,” she said.
“Can’t.”
“Why?”
“Work.”
“K. Maybe later then,” she said and flew away, taking a slightly higher elevation.
The Nephilim looked down and didn’t see anything in his airspace before he followed her higher.
She turned and flew upside down as he cruised above her. His eyes looked down to study her.
“What are you?” he asked.
“That’s a good question. I have a Nephilim uncle, but I must say you’re larger. Who were your parents?”
“Doesn’t matter.
Who were your parents?” he asked back.
“Amanda and Charles. They are academics. Are you looking for a dowry from me?” Mia asked.
The Nephilim blushed.
“Are you courting me?” she asked.
“No. I’m looking for birdmen to kill and a girl named Mia. What’s your name?”
“Serilda.”
“I think you’re lying to me.”
“No lie, the Countess just called me Serilda not but five minutes ago. She said ‘Serilda, you live up to your name, now.’”
“What’s Serilda mean?”
“Ah, that’s the problem. It means a maiden in battle armor, Handsome.” The sword appeared, and Mia drove it deep in to the Nephilim’s chest and pulled it out and took off skyward.
Daskalov was shocked.
Altair, who was drafting behind him, stayed in his blind spot as the enraged Nephilim chased Mia.
Mia called for her knives and flipped around and sent them sailing into the base of one wing.
The Nephilim twisted around and clawed at the pain. Mia recalled the knives.
“I’m going to split you in two!” he roared.
“With what? Where’s your sword?” Mia asked, still climbing higher. “Or are you still courting me?”
The Nephilim shot upwards and swiped a claw at Mia. It barely touched her wing, but it spun her around. The Nephilim was on top of her. He cradled her back with one clawed hand and looked down at her. “I should crush you now, but I think we’ll have a little fun first.”
Mia reached up and caressed the Nephilim’s cheek. With her other hand, she slid the hatpin out. She plunged it into the Nephilim’s eye.
“Don’t worry, you’re still Handsome.”
The angel steel penetrated his face. Mia pulled the sword sideways and sliced off his horn. She wiggled out of his grasp, tearing the side of her clothes with his claw. She called for her daggers and used them to climb his stunned body and get on his back.
Altair took a swipe at the base of one of the wings while Mia straddled the monster’s neck, securing herself with her legs. She pushed down on his head to change the direction in which he still flew. He twisted around and sent his tail forward to try and knock Mia off. Altair severed it before the barb reached Mia. He worked on weakening the other wing.
Daskalov lost momentum and stalled. He was slipping down when Mia pushed harder on his neck to have him fall head first. Altair slid behind Mia to increase the weight on the monster’s neck. They found themselves heads down, their bodies plastered to the long neck of the creature. Altair held on to her as the beast started to spin. They traveled downward with the beast. Mia feared that they’d crash the thing into a home or a traffic-laden street. But Altair had taken it all into account, and they headed for the old gravel pit. Altair put his hands on Mia, pulling her hard into his chest, pushing back with his legs at the same time to let the spin fling them away from Daskalov. The Nephilim hit the ground so hard the giant granite shelf cracked.
Mia and Altair tumbled in the air for a while until Altair righted them. He slowly turned Mia around and looked into her eyes. “I know you didn’t want to do that, but there is too much at stake. Brian, Varden, and Luke. Think of them.”
Mia nodded her head slowly. “I know. I just think all of this is unnecessary. Why can’t we talk the Cynosura out of their madness?”
“It’s been tried. They are staunch believers. No voice of reason is heard above the bombastic comments of their leaders.”
“It’s not the world of twenty years ago,” Mia said. “The problems then were small in comparison to now.”
“But we can’t go back in time. We must surge forward. Right now, we’re missing out on a hell of a fight. Your Stephen is vulnerable without you.”
“I doubt it.”
“He’s used to working with a partner. Now get back. I’ll take care of cleaning this mess up.”
Mia rose and looked down at Altair a moment. He drew a flask from his wing, took a hit, and then flew down into the pit.
Murphy stood guard until Nicholai landed. He had skirted the edges of the between until he saw two archangels lure the Nephilim away.
“The flock is massing,” he told Murphy.
“Did you see Mia and Altair up there? Are they safe?” he asked.
“Mia? No, I saw two archangels.”
“Different wings,” Murphy said, tapping his back with his axe.
“Why? Those were damn fine wings.”
“They were a little big for her,” Murphy said. “But it wasn’t Mia’s choice, so don’t get mad.”
“It’s not me she has to explain the change in wings to. Victor is going to be pissed.”
“I’m pissed,” Mia said, dropping down. “Nephilim is eliminated. Where’s Orion?”
“Busy,” Murphy said. “Why?”
Mia raised her wing and displayed two massive claws protruding from her side. “Did you guys bring a medic?” Mia asked.
“What the hell?” Nicholai looked at the situation. “How are you still alive?”
“Well, I think it’s the angel armor on my rib cage. It doesn’t stop it from hurting though.”
“Hold still,” Nicholai ordered.
Mia groaned as he wiggled one of the claws.
“It’s in there. Murphy, put your axe under here and…”
Murphy did so and popped the claw out, and before Mia could react, he did the same to the second one.
Mia swore a blue streak.
The Countess stormed out of the crypt and said, “There are children in there. Fortunately, they are asleep. Where’s my bar of soap? What happened to you? You’re bleeding all over my marble.”
Nicholai smiled as he tore the lower half of Mia’s gown off and wrapped it around her chest. “Go and rub some dirt on it, and you’ll be fine.”
Mia looked up at him, over at Murphy, and then at the Countess but held her tongue. Instead, she said, “Let’s get Audrey and the kids out of here. I spotted the PEEPs vehicles. We’ll fly them over the fence and then come back to help out.”
Nicholai was about to speak, but Mia cut him off.
“My children, my call,” she said. “Murph, you stand guard until we come back. Thank you, Countess, I’ll be sure to put you in my will.”
“That’s kind of you, dear. Come and get the kids before Maurice gets attached.”
“Incoming!” Cid called out to Ted who was standing vigil for his family.
Nicholai dropped down first. He opened his wings, and Audrey walked out carrying Luke. Cid helped her into the truck.
Mia landed carrying both boys. She handed them to Ted.
“Where’d you get the snazzy wings, pumpkin?” he asked.
“There was a white sale, hope you don’t mind,” she said, slumping down to the ground.
“Mommy’s hurt,” Brian said.
Nicholai walked out with the PEEPs first aid kit. “Mia, get up!” he ordered.
She stood and let the birdman properly dress her wounds. Mia reached into her wing when Nicholai was finished and produced two Nephilim claws. “I brought back souvenirs. Careful, I think the tips are poisonous,” she said. “One for you and one for Cid, so don’t fight.”
“Mia, we have to go, the flock is arriving,” Nicholai said.
Mia walked over and kissed Ted and then each of the boys. “Mommy’s got to go. You behave for Daddy. Ted, take them all to the farm. I don’t know what’s going to happen with the hellhounds. I don’t want the kids or Audrey to see that.”
“Mia,” Ted said.
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too,” she said and flew upwards.
Ted didn’t like the way her eyes didn’t quite make contact with his. He could see she was exhausted, but the night was far from over. He would wait for her at the farm.
Mia stopped off at the mausoleum to pick up Murphy. She landed and noticed the crypt was closed.
“The Countess didn’t want he
r minions to get hurt, so she recalled them. Victor put you and I on hellhound duty. He says that once the controlling Other is killed and the contract is canceled, the dogs will probably roam free.”
“Oy.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want to kill anything else today if I can help it,” she said.
“Well, let’s see if we can drop them back into Hell,” Murphy said, opening his hand. Inside was a bright green piece of chalk.
“Where did you get that?”
“Brian had it in his pocket. I found it when I was helping him to relieve himself in the bushes.”
“Whoa, he probably palmed it when we visited the art store yesterday. Stealing… What am I going to do with that kid?”
“Love him. He could have used it on the Countess while we were busy, but he didn’t.”
Tom and Chambers leaned against their patrol cars which were blocking off the main entrance to the graveyard.
Mia landed and suggested, “You may want to move your cars back about ten, fifteen feet.”
“Really, why?” Tom asked, noticing how beat up Mia looked. “Where are your shoes, Cooper?”
“I’m not sure. I lost track,” she admitted. “It’s been a long day.”
Chambers moved his vehicle back and then got in and did the same for Tom. He walked back to watch Mia draw a giant rectangle on the cement apron of the drive. She stood up before she finished and warned, “In about thirty seconds, Murphy is going to come running through here. There are going to be two ugly em effers chasing him. Hopefully, they will fall into this portal I’m opening up. If not, then plan B goes into effect.”
“What’s plan B?” Chambers asked.
Tom looked at him and said, “Run, Dude, Run.”
Murphy rounded the corner. One of the dogs had caught his scent and was chasing him. He didn’t see the other dog. Well, one dog was better than none, he reasoned, so he increased his speed. These dogs were meaty brutes. The classification of dog he thought was a broad one. The animals were black and well-muscled, but he thought they resembled wild boars more than dogs. They had razorback hair along their spines and teeth so long it made it impossible to fully close the animals’ mouths.