Embers

by Daniela Elana

He stood somewhere around six feet, donning a black suit, red tie, clean dark beard. His wavy, raven hair matched his dark eyes. I tore my eyes away from him for a brief second catching my breath, sensing him watching me as he moved toward me. Each step he took worsened the butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

  “Do you care to dance?” he said. I stared at him for an entire minute as he extended his hand. All the white noise faded from my eardrums as if time had stopped. I glanced back at Azazel, he was turned away absorbed in his conversation.

  “It would be my pleasure,” I said, wondering if he could hear my response. He snuck a peek at Azazel, narrowing his eyes.

  I took his hand. The texture of his skin was rough like he worked outdoors and his grip firm. Who was he? It was as if every fragment that could give me a clue to this man’s identity had been wiped clean or I was under a sheer psychic attack. We moved to the center of the ballroom floor He froze, staring at me as if I were only other soul in the room.

  “What?”

  “You’re so beautiful.”

  “Thanks. You’re the first person to catch my eye here,” I said. He didn’t answer, and I wondered if I was better having never said a word. He took my right arm and spun me in a concentric circle. I fell gracefully into his arms closed to him. Our bodies moved in accord.

  Azazel glanced up scowling as he watched, but remained idle.

  “You seem so familiar. Have we met somewhere?” I said, hoping he’d tell me who he was.

  “Has it really been that long, Maricel?” His voice struck another chord within my subconscious. How did he know my name? He grinned, pulling me closer to him so that I could feel his breath on my ear. “Perhaps this will refresh your memory,” he said, picking me up by the waist and flipping me around his back.

  “Leo?” I asked. He withdrew his mask, revealing his face.

  “You thought I was dead, didn’t you?” He spun me off the dance floor.

  “Yes, but…” I said, walking backward. He marched toward me with his fist clenched.

  “You tried to kill me, my family and friends!” He pinned me against the wall, baring his teeth. I recoiled. He had never been furious with me before. He seized my shoulder and pivoted me around so that the tip of my nose was inches from the wall. He withdrew a gun pressing the barrel against the back of my head

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I heard all of Flo perished in a fire.”

  “A fire that your boyfriend Belial and your demon army set to my village! You sent them with the seal. He told me. I know how close the two of you are. My father and brother, Cicely they are all dead because of you!” He pressed the gun tighter to my skull.

  “Leo, I have nothing to do with it, Belial and I are not together. He must’ve framed me.!”

  “Why should I believe you? You’re sitting up there with Azazel, possess the Seal of Solomon. My family warned me about you.”

  “Azazel kidnapped me against my will! Why else would I be here?” I cried, remembering how I had threatened those he loved for mocking the death of my mother.

  Leo turned me around, lowering his gun and placing it in his holster under his tux.

  “It’s good to have you back,” I said.

  Leo's hands wrapped around my waist as he cocked his head toward mine. He planted his lips on mine. A surge of heat rushed through my body while my legs wrapped around him, and he set me back down.

  “I can’t stay mad at you forever,” he said. “I’m sorry I tried to kill you. I should’ve known Satan is the father of lies and he sews seeds of discord.”

  “Leo Its okay, I blamed you for something beyond your control as well. Truce?” I said, offering my hand, he shook it.

  “Truce.” He embraced me. I didn’t ever want him to let me go. I loved him, and he was the only man I wanted to be with for the remainder of my days. I looked over my shoulder Azazel had vanished along with Semjaza, and my heart drummed faster wondering where they could’ve disappeared to. He let me go staring at me. “Tess said something about some pole shift tonight.”

  “Azazel told me the same thing.”

  “And about hell being opened?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then we better find that machine and warn the civilians. ‘I’ll locate the machine. You find the abductees.”

  I nodded as Leo took off in the opposite direction, just I pivoted around Belial stood there.

  “Going somewhere?”

  “Move.”

  “Oh Maricel, when will you learn, you can’t save the world, it’s beyond your control.”

  “I can die trying.”

  “That a girl, but unfortunately since you’re playing for the wrong team, I’m going to have to sacrifice you along with your little friends tonight.

  “Wait, sacrifice?” He grabbed my arm, leading me across the dance floor. We passed Azazel speaking to Semjaza in a corner both seemed to be debating something. His brow raised when we passed.

  * * *

  Leslie had managed while in Tess’s suite to get the address and had made off with a man’s motorcycle outside the suite, taking it to the gala.

  Although she and Erich used to go riding weekends from LA to Vegas, she had a bit of trouble steadying herself.

  * * *

  Tess entered in. The remainder of the crowd had disbanded.

  Leslie sped past her. Tess’s dress raised, revealing her bare, scarred legs. She lost her balance collapsing to the ground and cursed.

  The doormen ran after her, she almost knocked into the table doing a donut on the bike.

  Leo turned as she lifted the helmet. A group of goons surrounded her.

  * * *

  Belial led me down the winding halls dotted with bust of fallen angels and their consorts. Abstract pieces of art lined the walls with photographs of historical figures. People flirted standing to the sides of the hall drinking. Waiters passed us with trays of finger foods. We traveled down a sweeping staircase, leading to a deserted basement.

  “Where are you taking me?” I shoved his hands off me. He didn’t answer as he continued pushing me forward down the steps. As my foot left the last step, we were in complete darkness. I no longer could see what was ahead of me. Belial emitted light illuminating our path.

  The squeak of rodents scurrying past my feet caused me to jump. I could feel the hair of a tarantula crawling on my foot, screaming as I look down at the insect. Belial covered my mouth and kicked it off my foot smashing it to death.

  We finally arrived at the edge of a hall and were standing outside a room within the building. When he opened the door, he switched on the light revealing the heinous sight before me. There were numerous chambers within the room. Hundreds of hanging bodies were all shackled to the ceiling like cattle. The people were sedated. Their eyes filled with dark rings and mouths crusty from dehydration. I zeroed in on a man hanging, identifying him as Zev. When I glanced at his injured shoulder, I gasped realizing he had been shot and was thankful to see him alive. I spotted my other friends and was disheartened to see the stab wounds inflicted upon Kevin and Crystal. I dashed to Zev checking on his wellbeing, embracing him.

  “Zev!” Tears streamed from my eyes.

  “Maricel” He mumbled. I hugged him tighter.

  “Are you okay?” I said, touching his shoulder.

  “I’m fine, just not in top shape. I smiled, unshackling him. He fell forward. I turned. Something in Belial’s eyes had changed as he watched me with my brother and his mouth parted as if he were going to speak.

  “Belial?”

  He raised his fist and smacked my face. I fell to the ground, landing on my back. Belial slammed the door behind him, locking me inside. I banged on the door.

  * * *

  Just as Belial made it around the corner after ascending the stairs. Azazel grabbed him by the collar.

  “Where is she?” he said.

  “I don’t know she must have run off with Le
onardo.” He threw him to the side, and he landed on the other side of the wall.

  “You’re messing everything up!” Azazel shouted stomping through the hall in search of me. Belial grinned watched Azazel struggling to find me.

  * * *

  Leslie and Leo backed into each other. They nodded at each other and charged at the circle of agitators.

  Leo backflipped, kicking one of the men in the tip of his chin, sending him hurling into the group, knocking them down like a heap of dominos.

  Another charged at him. He caught him by the shoulders, casting him into the table. The silver wear shattered with the broken table.

  Guards fired rounds at Leslie. She ducked, outrunning the bullets. Leo pulled out his gun and shot back at them, taking some of them out.

  Creatures scampered squealing. Some fainting. Leo used the broken table as leverage to leap and hang onto the tip of the stairwell encasing the balcony and flipped over the railing as more men ran at him. He blocked their punches, striking them and tossing them over to their death.

  He sprung forward, taking hold of the chandelier swinging on it before it fell to the ground on some of the guards. And Leo lied there covered in blood.

  A few men laughed, kicking Leo as he lay there motionless. While they were distracted, Leslie struck some of the men in the head with one of the broken table legs. They gurgled clasping their necks collapsing the ground as blood sputtered from their wounds.

  Leo sprung back up and shot the remaining assailants. More security entered the balcony, firing-Leo and Leslie crawled under the table.

  “Stop the madness! We can take care of them later!” Dr. Prescott shouted, entering the room. The shooting ceased.

  A few other scientists followed behind him rolling out a massive machine shaped like a large sphere. Its interior was concentric circles.

  Leslie and Leo who sat up and snuck away to find us.

  * * *

  Inside, I banged on the door with everything in me, hoping it would barge—to no avail. Praying for a miracle. My brother was busy helping untie others.

  “Do you need help?” he offered.

  “No, I’ll get it. You continue untying people. I don’t want you putting too much stress on your shoulder.”

  On my final bang as my fist slammed the door, a force sent me flying backward with the door falling forward off its hinges. I landed on my back beside my brother’s feet.

  Leo helped me up.

  “Sorry, are you okay” I glanced up at him, startled by his bleeding.

  “Yeah, I’m fine” Although my back aches, are you all right? He nodded.

  “I got into a scuffle. I’m all right, though,” he said.

  “Belial locked me in here, they’re planning to sacrifice the sheep as they call us. Help us, free everyone. We can’t afford any more causalities.”

  Leslie ran in behind him.

  She embraced me. I took her into my arms having missed her

  “I’m sorry for abandoning you,” she said

  “Les, I knew you were hurting.”

  “I should never have listened to Asmodeus.”

  We parted, and she assisted us, Crystal was now free. She was helping untie Caroline, Kevin, and Warren. As soon as the three were undone, Caroline came over to me.

  “Maricel, it’s been crazy, we’re sorry for walking out on you,” she said. I nodded.

  “I’m happy to be reunited.”

  It was a collective effort as well helped one another. I had never witnessed so much generosity between people, and I finally understood these people were my brothers and sisters in Christ.

  There were still too many people and not enough time to help all of them. I knew we had to try to help as many as we could. The more we helped, the more could assist us.

  Some of the people we loosed appeared too scared to run or too traumatized to help us.

  Leo was struck in the back of the head from behind by Rain with a club. He fell forward.

  “Leo!” I cried.

  “Poor smut,” Rain said to himself. “You know he was a pretty decent guy until he got involved with you. His family was right Maricel you would be the death of him,” he said, tasering me. I fell gripping my stomach. From his right, Warren kicked him in the jaw.

  Leslie led everyone out of the room down the hall, marching through the dark.

  I crouched down beside Leo—he was unconscious. I signaled for help, and Warren helped pick him up.

  As Caroline helped Kevin lean against her as he was still injured. Leslie helped Warren and Crystal assist Zev. We walked up the stairwell coming down the hall.

  We stopped midway as Thane stood there cross armed, glaring at us with a group of assassins behind him.

  “I’m going to have plenty of fun, as they cannibalize your bodies tonight. First, it will be infants.” He laughed.

  “Infants?”

  Erich ripped a baby from a woman’s arms and slit her throat. She toppled to the ground. Her blood pooled from her lifeless body.

  A few men from among our group snatched the baby and beat on Erich. Some of the people cowered back.

  Leo roused glaring at Rain and stood with clenched fist.

  “What are you looking at Leonardo, you’re no different, you’re an assassin, remember, what makes these people so special, you’ve become soft!” he said, pushing him.

  “We can never wash the blood from our hands. Embrace the beast that’s inside of you,” he shouted.

  Leo slugged him and the two broke out into a fight.

  Thane came from behind and wrapped his arms around my neck. I spun around, elbowing Thane in the nose. Blood flowed from his nostrils.

  A female assassin grabbed me by the shoulders, flipping me over. She wielded a sword overhead. I rolled out of harm’s way and hopped up, pushing her off her feet.

  Other assassins emerged. Our mob of people ran right at the killers stampeding them as they tried to take us out. Some people tackled the assassins down and fought. Some were shot in the process while others met the blade.

  Just as we were bolting through the halls, Asmodeus and the Seirim waited around the corner.

  “Get back!” I commanded them.

  “Shut up! You have no authority over us, without the seal, you’re fair game, and now that we got our flesh and blood bodies we aren’t going anywhere!” he said.

  I have dominion over all of you.” I prayed and backed away, feeling the dissidence from light occurring again. The urge within grew. My fingers closed around the seal.

  The baby squealed. Leslie rocked the baby to comfort him.

  I clutched, it placing the ring on my finger. My head ached from their voices in my head again.

  “Move Asmodeus and the Seirim,” I said.

  They parted the way cursing under their breath, I told them to follow us, and they did so. We walked out into the main hall, where everyone stood around Dr. Prescott as he spoke.

  His eyes narrowed when he saw us entering the room. Azazel shook his head as the saints followed behind me.

  Tess strutted toward me, her amethyst eyes flickering. In her face, I saw Naamah’s possessing her. Her skin grayed with a blueish tint as her skin peeled. She was no longer human.

  “And here she is,” Belial said, raising his hands. “All hail the queen of demons in the flesh. They follow her command.” He grinned.

  The people around me distanced themselves, and the demons now stood directly behind.

  “Traitor!” a few people shouted.

  “She’s no queen!” Tess shouted. The multiple voices spoke with her. “Without the seal she’s nothing! I am the reincarnation in the flesh!” Tess said. “Long live Isis! Dianna! Aphrodite! Inanna! Ishtar! The Queen of Heaven, The mother of all! The stars have aligned themselves tonight in honor of my departure, to heaven! But first, you and the saints will be slaughtered in honor of this trinity!” She glanced at Leo. “Kill her,” she said to h
im. I turned to Leo. He didn’t budge. She laughed—her voice sounding less human.

  The ring on my finger grew hot, tightening on my skin, giving me a severe headache. Much like the skull had. Disgust filled me. How could my lust for power escalate this far? Seeing how demonic power had corrupted Tess, I wanted to be nothing like her. Time and time again, I had returned to it like a dog to its vomit seeking the mystical. The weapons of our warfare were not carnal. I didn’t need the seal; all I needed was faith.

  I threw the ring on the ground—it rolled in the center of the room. A few people gasped. Tess scooped it, she slipped it around her finger, ogling it. Chunks of her hair fell to the floor. She twirled around laughing hysterically until she was completely bald. Her head had grown both in size and in pride.

  “No, Tess, you’re the one that’s dying tonight,” Leo said, stepping back.

  “You double-crossed me!”

  “When you make a deal with the devil, you lose your soul!” he said. The demons licked their chops at her.

  “No, I have the ring you guys are subject to obey me and kill her instead!” she said, pointing at me.

  The demons refused to move as if the ring gave her no power. “This stupid piece of shit isn’t working!”

  “Thane, get rid of him and all of them!” Thane froze in place as he saw Azazel and Belial seized her shoulders. Tess jerked, hissing at them

  The roof of the building opened above us. The stars were in sight. A few women danced around Tess.

  “What’s going on?” I said to Leo.

  “In one of the books I stole from the Vatican, before the fall of one Babylon’s pillars, America being the economic pillar, they replace the old queen with another. It is time she dies.”

  “That’s cutthroat.”

  “What can expect from a bunch of devils.”

  Belial and Azazel exchanged evil glances as they held her shoulders. With their bare hands, they tore Tess’s body in half like a piece of meat, devouring her flesh like rabid animals.

  She screamed in multiple voices as they ate away at her. I shielded my eyes in Leo’s chest, covering my ears.

  “Now is the time!” Azazel said, licking the blood from his lips. The Seal of Solomon lay in the pool of blood that was once Tess’s body. It floated to Belial, and he tucked it into his pockets.