I kick back Middle Demon, but he recovers swiftly. My legs trip over something, and I sprawl on the ground. My grip on the sword falters. A shadow hangs over me. I fumble for a dagger from my thigh. The blade is too short. Middle Demon will have to be closer in order for me to stab him with it. His blade is longer and is about to press into my neck.
Blood drips from Middle Demon’s mouth. Silver, caked in black blood, emerges from his chest. The sword lengthens and then is gone. Middle Demon drops to the ground, eyes blinking no more.
Oriana stands with my dripping sword. Using both hands, she swings it against Middle Demon’s head and slices it clean off.
“Now, we’re even,” Oriana says as she helps me to my feet and hands me back my sword. “Don’t ever come calling on me again.”
I look down the alley for Vash. He’s panting hard, but two dead demons lay on the ground with their throats ripped out. His body shimmers back to human form. He’s sitting on his knees and when he tries to stand, he stumbles. I run to him.
“Are you okay?” I ask, bending over and placing my hand on his back.
“Yeah, just need a bit of time to recover.” He breathes in and sighs, peaking at Oriana. “I saw what you did for me. I am indebted to you. Thank you.”
“Shay and I are square. So, I’ll tell you what I’ve heard, and we are square. Got it?”
We both nod.
“Rumor is that someone, high-ranking, kidnapped someone from a school and is keeping her in a vicious room. That’s all I know.”
“No name or location?”
“No.”
“Then it’s a demon?”
“Not necessarily. Now, I’m done with both of you. Leave me alone.” She stalks back into the Purple Zebra and slams the exterior door behind her.
Chapter Fifteen
Zoe
Sunday, twenty-nine days after prom.
I don’t know how many hours or days it’s been. I’ve figured out that the TV can remain on if I use a small amount of Angel Light. Aiden said this is live TV, but could it be that what I’m seeing has already happened? I wouldn’t put it past him to lie to me.
The screen shows me Kieran leave the Angel Tower, and his wings twitch erratically. He leaps to the skies and lets his wings pull him in what seemingly is a random direction.
As soon as he passes through the Veil, he’s heading toward the southern states in the U.S. Kieran materializes on the outskirts on the southern edge of a city and it’s pouring rain.
I wonder where he is? Why he’s there?
The rain is coming down so hard it’s pelting his body and soaking his wings. The wind whips around like a tornado, blowing tree branches and almost bending them. Downed power lines lay in standing water in the ditches. People are stranded inside their vehicles, on top of their houses, and some made it to safety in the trees.
The sky is an unholy black as the wind carries whispers of death.
Kieran is high in the sky, and I can see white caps crashing, destroying the sandy beaches.
The river that runs eastward from the center of the city crests over its banks and threatens to wash away parts of the city. Everything floods. The water rising at an unprecedented level. Thunder cracks the sky, casting an evil shadow over everything.
In the lower lying areas, cars are being swept away. Houses are bending and snapping. I fear that the inhabitants will all die.
Instantly, Kieran appears next to the Summer fairy who is standing in the parking lot river.
I know those two have a special connection. Did she call him to her?
“This is crazy, Sidelle!” Kieran shouts.
“I know. Something is going on here,” she responds. “As soon as it started raining, I felt in in my wings. Nature isn’t supposed to be like this. No warning, nothing.” Her arms are extended high into the air, and a green glow surrounds her.
“It’s got to be the doings from the Marqs.”
“That’s what I’m thinking, too. We have to help these people, Kieran,” she grits through her teeth. “It’s too strong; I can’t slow the rain or the winds. Maybe if more Summer fairies were here, we could combine our glamour. If my father were here, he’d probably be able to stop the buckets from pouring onto earth.”
“Sidelle, you alone can only do so much. And I’m here now, and we’ll both help. I’ll let Michael know that he needs to send reinforcements because you and I aren’t going to be able to handle this many people. We can use the stadium for all the displaced persons. We’ll open the Astrodome next door, too, if we need it. You start transporting as many people as you can and get them here. I’ll work on getting supplies and will help you rescue the humans.”
Ah, my friends are in Texas. I watch Kieran press on his chest. Light pulses and then vanishes.
A semi-truck with a water bottle logo catches his attention. The road to the stadium is blocked, so he works on getting it cleared. Using his gold Light, Kieran removes fallen debris from the two-lane highway. Gently, he pushes the vehicles toward the shoulders to make room for the driver. Floating toward the truck, he whispers something in the driver’s ear.
In front of the massive sport arena, Kieran gets a few police officers and firefighters to route and direct traffic. They need the entrance to be clear and act as the drop off point. The city must use this for emergencies because there are people milling around inside, pulling out blankets, cots, and water bottles from closets throughout the hallways.
My fists clench as my anger builds. Who could do this to all those people? I feel sad and helpless for them. I’m sitting here watching their fate unfold and can’t do anything about it.
A bright light toward the playing field catches my attention. Angels descend into the space, creating a strobe light effect. Kieran goes to check in with them.
Is that why he pressed his chest? It must be some sort of distress call or something. I wonder if that would work for me?
Sidelle is suddenly next to him on the center of the lawn. She sections off the ground into large squares. “Divide yourselves and stand in one of the sections.”
“We’re going to send you out in the city. Gather as many stranded humans as you can.” Kieran nods to them, as they aren’t accustomed to taking orders from fairies. “People have cleared the front of the building as the drop off point, but get the Ordinaries here as fast as you can. The Archangels will Mind Wipe everyone after.”
“You in this section, go to the northwest of the city,” Sidelle says. Waving her right hand to another section, she says, “You take the northeast sections. And the last two groups will take the southern sections. Now, off you go.”
“There is definitely something amiss here,” Kieran says after all the angels disburse. “When I entered the city, I could see the Gulf stirring. We should check on that and the small communities along the beachfront.”
“Okay, boss.” Sidelle chuckles.
Kieran shakes his head. Grabbing her hand, they transport onto the beach I saw earlier. The sand has been wiped away. No houses line the shores, either. The water is over the island, and there is nothing left of the community. So many lives lost.
Both of their wings droop.
As they peer back onto the main land, the water line is several miles inland. A tidal wave must have crashed through and destroyed everything in its path. Homes and office buildings are severely damaged from the water’s pressure and force. Boats from the marina lay on their sides, at least ten miles inland.
A stark dread fills my soul as many of them find their way to the Heavens. My chest hurts from the sheer number of them being transported all at once. Tears stream down my face. Sidelle lays a comforting arm around Kieran’s shoulders, not speaking. I know they feel the same sadness that’s pressing on my chest.
There isn’t time to wallow in sorrow.
Kieran’s wings twitch again. “Do you feel that pull, Sidelle?”
“The one now coming from Italy?” She nods.
“You can pinpoint it
?”
“We better see what’s going on there. But I have a feeling we’re going to find something like here.”
“Agree.”
They link hands and disappear from wherever they were.
The screen morphs into a new sandy beach, the atmosphere electrically charged. Even I can feel it through the TV. A shadow covers the sunlight and casts an eerie glow over the peninsula. Dark clouds are running across the sky, hurrying to cover the blue with black.
The sand is covered in a thick, gray film. The entire beach has hundreds of thousands of dead fish. The smell must be horrific. The ocean has reclaimed a couple feet of land. The water is receding, but it’s still there. An enormous wave is building high into the horizon, creating a wall of water. It’s going to hit the beach and wipe out the entire downtown.
Kieran’s and Sidelle’s eyes widen as they gawk at the approaching wave. Dread plunges into my stomach.
“Go! Do something,” I yell at the screen.
“Evil is definitely working against us, Kieran,” Sidelle says as she waves her hand across her nose. “All those poor creatures.”
“I know, but we can’t save them. We need to hurry and get as many people away from here as possible.”
They follow the same plan as they had in that other city. They find a building, and Kieran presses against his chest again. Shortly after, more angels descend from the sky, offering assistance.
Many more lives are lost, including trees, animals, and the natural wonders of life.
But we would find a way to prevail.
Chapter Sixteen
Aiden
Sunday, twenty-nine days after prom.
Oh, the sweet cries of human agony fill my ears and warms my heart—an empty, cold place in my chest where it would be found.
The Marqs are doing exactly what they are bred for, and what I told them to do. It’s nice to know that there are some beings that listen to me.
Reports come in from all over the globe of unnatural, natural disasters. Headlines range from violent storms causing massive flooding all along the western coast of the United States, to landslides along Thunder Bay destroying homes by the thousands, to hurricane-like winds demolishing towns in Asia.
The Knights are doing their part, too. A record killing spree in New York, Los Angeles, and Mexico City are being reported on the evening news. Burglaries are on the rise throughout the countries of Venezuela, Poland, and Honduras. Ordinaries are losing faith and not attending Sunday mass in the numbers they used to.
My wings feel the growing power of the end times. The start of Armageddon is near.
And I love it and dread it at the same time.
I’m beckoned to the worst events. It can’t be helped. All the screams and prayers that go unanswered, the souls that won’t sing any longer.
My body is drawn to what’s known as the Ring of Fire. The pull tugs me across the U.S. to its western coast, outside Mount St. Helens in Washington state.
I land in Gifford Pinchot National Forrest. Dense trees block my view of any cities or inhabitants. This far inland away from Portland to the south and Seattle to the north, there aren’t many towns. But this is an active volcano site, sending forty plus weekly quakes into the surrounding grounds.
What the Ordinaries don’t know is that all volcanic fire is connected to the underworld. The River Stixx runs beneath the Earth’s Veil, and each volcano is an off-shooting branch. Eventually, like all things, heat builds with enough activity, and it needs an outlet. That’s what causes the eruptions. And there are the Marqs who can make them erupt more frequently, like they are today.
The ground and atmosphere warms as I near the volcano. Marquises demons float around the area, bowing as I pass. A row of them stands around the base, barely touching each other. Their powers create an invisible, but continuous line.
To me, it’s a red shimmering path connecting their black robes by the sleeves.
Tremors rise through the ground.
Beneath me, scorching magma inches its way to the sky.
The Marqs chant, enhancing their powers.
I close my eyes, breathing in the smoke, and wait for what I know will come.
Ash floats on top of the crater.
Popping sounds fills the air. It’s like a semi-truck is driving over loose gravel. The earth parts way, making room for the lava creeping up through the throat of the volcano.
My wings flutter in anticipation.
It’s almost here.
The chanting from the demons grows until the volcano’s anger dims their hums.
I feel pressure in my chest, as if I’ve been shot by a canon. I step back as the sky flares with red fire and black smoke. Ash rains, burning a path on its way down the sides. Molten lava spews high like a rocket and slows, eating its way as a stampede of rocks move out of its trail.
I’m sure the blast can be seen from miles away.
Everything in the lava’s path is gone, buried deep under the red coat. It flows like water, spreading its reach across the land. Trees are knocked down. Animals run for their lives. If the lava doesn’t get them, the thick black smoke will.
The eruption is so fantastic and wide, the burning fires for stretch miles, but not enough to affect Portland. Winds blow from the east. The city will soon be covered in soot.
This is the start of the chain reaction. All through the north and along the coast up through Canada down to the Alaskan boarder, fires spit from their volcanic slumber. To the east in Japan, I sense Mount Fuji ready to burst.
I immediately appear, so I can watch the destruction of the narrow island.
The Marqs have already ended their chant, and I’ve made it in time to witness the awesome eruption as it slithers, covering the entire island and sealing every living being with death.
The blast is so powerful that my wings cannot hold me in place. The lava radius covers more than 100 miles. The ocean answers the volcano’s cry with its own sizzling and dancing as the molten liquid joins into its body.
Every time a volcano flares up, I feel it in my wings. More than 450 volcanoes erupt within the same hour.
The deafening silence of souls brings a smile to my face.
I’m euphoric when I return to the vocivus room to spy on her.
Zoe’s ending her stretches and is about to meditate. I know her routine by now since I’ve been watching her for the last couple of weeks.
Her powers are emerging faster than they should. It’s still weeks before her birthday. There is nothing normal about this girl.
She doesn’t seem to know I’m there. I have caught her a few times glancing around the room as if she could feel my presence. But that’s impossible. There is no other angel on earth like me. I have eons of practice to mask myself. A newbie like her couldn’t possibly detect me.
Could she?
Doubts creep into my mind and thus ending my glee from my trip.
I need to get that feeling back; it’s like a drug. I should find another soul to annoy, but she is right here, and I love baiting her.
Without further thought, I interrupt her quiet time. Her eyes are closed as she sits on the bed, yoga style. I tuck my wings behind me and wait against the wall. My appearance is barely visible.
I watch the steady rise and fall of her chest, and it becomes erratic. A muscle on her face twitches. She tucks a stray hair behind her ears. A loud sigh escapes her lips.
“Hello, Aiden.” She opens her eyes. “Come to torment me some more?”
“I’m hurt.” I mockingly place a hand over my heart, that she can’t see.
“Then you’ve come to gloat about something.”
“Boy, you are getting to know me so well.”
How did that happen? Maybe she’s becoming astute to her surroundings. I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be visiting her like this. I should leave her alone.
“I know nothing about you, actually.”
“What would you like to know?”
“You ar
e different today.” Her eyes become slits. She’s suspicious. “What’s changed?”
I let myself become visible to her and remain in my ghost-like form. “If you don’t want to ask me anything, then I’ll leave.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“I’ll give you a chance to ask me three questions. Anything you want.”
“Anything?”
“Yes. I might not answer the question, but that’s the risk you’ll have to take. Think of it as an early birthday gift. Now, what’s your first question?”
“Why did you kidnap me?”
“Getting right into the meat of this.” I motion for her to follow me to the couch and chair and for her to sit in one of them. She chooses the sofa. “You told me in your backyard that you were the Redeemer. If that’s true, when you turn eighteen you’ll get wings. And if you fight for Heaven, you’ll also receive a Mark. If you get those two things, you are the one in the prophesy; the lone girl who will start Armageddon.” Needing to solidify my body, I cross my ankle over a knee. “The cage that Sammael is being held in will open. He’ll lift the Veil between Hell and Earth and allow demons to pour into your realm. You and your friends will try to stop that from happening, and I can’t allow that.” I stare at her. “Next question.”
“You’re a demon?” She doesn’t miss a beat. Her head tilts to the side.
Should I answer that? She’ll know more about me. What could it hurt? I think of all the possibilities. She could tell her friends, but they’ll find out eventually and tell her. The demon world is a bunch of back-stabbing traitors. Someone will leak something.
“Yes,” I say.
I’m sucked into watching her brown eyes try to sort something out. She fidgets with that stray piece of hair that always comes untucked from behind her ear.
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