They had lost the first ingredient.
She was barely aware of Milo taking a seat next to her until she felt his thigh brush up against hers, and he spoke.
“Stop blaming yourself.” Milo’s voice was soft, and it sent shivers through Alexa, caressing every muscle, bone, and nerve. “I know what you’re thinking. But this wasn’t your fault.”
Alexa turned over the pieces in her hands.
“You couldn’t have known he was going to drop it.”
Alexa squeezed the shard hard into her hand until she felt the soft flesh of her palm break. “I shouldn’t have let her take it from me in the first place. I should have fought harder. I should have stopped her… I should have done lots of things…”
“And I should have found a way to stop my father and brothers years ago.” Milo’s tone was sharp. “You can’t blame yourself for things that are out of your control. All we can do is try to repair some of the damage. Sometimes it’s necessary to fall, to be able to rise again. You did the best you could, Alexa.”
Alexa looked at him. “Did I? I don’t think so. It sure as hell doesn’t feel like I did.” The sound of her own failure sent striking pangs of anger into her chest.
Milo leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs. “Why do you always torture yourself this way? We weren’t prepared. We didn’t know Willow would show up with her gang of demons. My father’s looking for me. To kill me, apparently. If anyone is to blame for this, it’s me.”
“Don’t be stupid.”
“I’m being honest.” Milo’s eyes traced her face. “Willow said she was sent to kill me. Who else would hire a band of angels-turned-demons to chase after me? My father. He won’t let me go that easily. Not after what I did to my brothers. I know my father. He won’t rest until I pay for what I did. Until I’m dead.”
Alexa exhaled and shook her head. “He was counting on me to find them—all the tools we need to vanquish Lucifer. How can we continue if we don’t have the first ingredient? We might as well give up now and come up with another plan. This one’s shot.” Alexa was acutely aware of how close Milo was to her. He smelled of leather and steel. It was the first time they’d touched since the embrace they’d shared when he kissed her. And she found herself wanting to lean into him, to feel his arms around her…
“We’ll find a way. This fight’s not over. It’s just small setback.” His easy tone washed over her like soothing water.
Alexa opened her fist when she realized she was still squeezing the shard. Droplets of her blood trickled down her wrist and onto the ground.
“It’s just… I felt that we had a real chance, you know,” said Alexa. She tossed the shard away. “I felt with this plan—I could make things right. Fix my mistakes. And if miracles do happen, maybe, just maybe, the Legion might take me back.”
“Our mistakes, Alexa,” he said softly. “We went to purgatory together. I’m just as much to blame as you.”
“No, you’re not.” Alexa looked up and locked eyes with Milo. Heat rushed to her face and she forced her emotions down. “You only went with me because I made you go. You didn’t want to go. You even tried to reason with me, but I wouldn’t listen to you. I’m such an idiot. I should have listened to you. But I didn’t. Instead, I thought only of me. There, I said it. I’m a selfish fool, just like Willow said.” She swallowed, preparing herself for the truth of what she was about to say next. “I knew you’d come with me. I knew you’d never let me go to purgatory alone. So you see, I’m to blame for this. Not you.”
“You’re not all-powerful, Alexa.” Milo’s voice was hard. “You didn’t mind-control me to come along. I chose to go with you, to keep an eye on you, but also to see if this bone sword was real.”
“It wasn’t.”
Milo sighed. “I had plenty of opportunities to stop you. I could have gone and retrieved Ariel or even Metatron, but I didn’t. I chose to go, for my own reasons as much as yours.”
“Maybe,” said Alexa as she pulled her eyes away from his face and stared at a spot on the ground. “But you would never have gone if I didn’t insist on going. If I had said no to Sabrielle, we wouldn’t be in this mess. I seriously want to strangle that archangel the next time I see her.”
“I’ll see to it you get your wish.” Milo’s voice rumbled through her core.
He lifted his hand, and for a moment Alexa thought he was about to take her hand. His hand lingered in the air for a second, and then he seemed to think better of it at the last moment and clasped his hands together.
“My father would have found a way to escape from purgatory eventually, without or without your help. You just helped him get out sooner, that’s all.”
Alexa smiled weakly. “You’re just saying that to make me feel like not such a gigantic failure of epic proportions. Thanks, but it’s not working.” Her eyes burned, and she felt the start of tears threatening to spill over her face. She turned away, blinking her eyes dry.
Milo shifted his body until their knees knocked together, his body pressed towards hers. “No,” he said. His face was so close she could see how long his eyelashes were and the flecks of silver in his eyes. Goose bumps rolled up and down Alexa’s body.
Milo raked his fingers through his hair, which only made it look more like he’d just stepped out of the salon. “I believe he’s been scheming his vast plans for years, perfecting them to the very last detail,” said the angel. “It was only a matter of time before he escaped and put them into play.”
“You think so?”
Milo nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. “He was just too prepared. It didn’t make sense. He didn’t act like he’d just escaped a perpetual prison. He was too calm and collected. He was in control, always in control. It’s like everything was already in motion.” When he finally looked away, tension rippled across his face, making him appear much older and tired. “It’s what I wanted to discuss with the Legion. I want them to know that Lucifer was on the brink of something important—before we went there. We were just… unlucky.”
“Unlucky? Feels more like we were framed.”
“Exactly. You can’t blame yourself for events that are beyond your control. We might have helped set his plans in motion sooner, but they were bound to happen.”
Alexa rubbed her temples with her fingers. “Do you think it’s what Willow meant when she talked about the big plan? Do you think it has something to do with what you were telling me before? About Sabrielle’s transformation?”
Milo looked at her for a while before he spoke, his face darkening. “I’m positive.”
“But you have no idea what it is?”
“None,” answered the angel. “It’s not the destruction of the mortal world, that I’m sure of. It’s something else entirely. Something we haven’t seen before… something we haven’t thought of.”
“Okay,” said Alexa. “So, whatever we think we know, we don’t know, and it’s the complete opposite? Now that’s confusing.”
Milo let out a small laugh. And when Alexa tried to laugh, she winced. She cradled her left side as searing pain shot through where the death blade had cut her.
Milo’s expert hands were there in seconds. “You’re hurt.” His eyes met hers and he seemed to be waiting for her permission to check her. She gave a small nod of her head, and he lifted her shirt. When his fingers brushed her skin, she flinched involuntarily as a wave of goose bumps riddled her body.
His fingers were warm, surprisingly warm, and his touch felt softer than a feather pillow. A wave of heat rose through her body, and it had nothing to do with the poison.
Alexa did nothing to remove his hand from her skin as a strange delicious warmth formed in her gut. “It’s nothing,” she said, her voice a little tight. “Just a scratch.”
“It’s not nothing.” Milo pulled her shirt back down. “The cut’s deep. The infection has already spread and mixed with your essence.” He opened and closed his mouth, unable to say what gave him that deep scowl.
“I know what you’re going to say.” Alexa looked away from him. “I can still function. I’m stronger than I look, even without any special gifts. I still have a few good hours left in this body. It’s still workable. I don’t even feel feverish.”
“Not yet.”
“I’m fine. I promise. I… I don’t want to stop.”
“Alexa.” The way Milo said her name made her turn to look at him.
Milo stared at her for a long moment, and Alexa hardly noticed the looks a few passersby gave them. But Milo said nothing, his face unusually grim. His beautiful eyes were haunted and heavy. He reached up and tucked a piece of brown hair behind Alexa’s ear, fingers lingering on her cheek and his callused fingers gently scraping against her skin. When his eyes traveled from hers to her lips, a delicious heat kissed its way up her neck and down her spine.
Why does he have to be so damn beautiful, she wondered.
Alexa’s body went still as Milo leaned forward, his face inches from hers. With tremendous effort, she resisted the urge to grab his face and pull his mouth on hers. But then Milo’s nose rubbed against hers, and he tipped his head slowly, his warm lips brushing against hers—
“Nothing! Absolutely nothing!” Lance came bounding out of the shop. “I looked absolutely everywhere. That was the only Holy Oil in the shop.”
Milo pulled back fast, his face flushed and his eyes wide.
“I thought perhaps they’d kept a spare.” Lance froze, his yellow eyes on the two angels. If he saw or suspected anything between them, he didn’t mention it. He walked over to them until he was next to Alexa. He lowered his head and sniffed her wound. “That smells terrible.”
Alexa scowled. “Thanks.” She pushed herself to her feet and away from the dog’s nose. “Any ideas on how we defeat Lucifer if we don’t have the Holy Fire to trap him?”
Lance sat on the sidewalk. “We’ll have to think of something else. There’s no time to look for some more, especially now with a bounty on Milo’s head. We can assume we’ve got the attention of angels and demons. With Willow gone, we know she’ll go straight to Lucifer with what happened. He’ll know what we’re after, if it’s not already too late.”
Subconsciously, Alexa moved her hand over her jean pocket to where the oracle’s letter still lay hidden. She tried to hide the disappointment that thumped inside her mind. Losing the Holy Fire was a setback, and she cursed Willow silently. She should have killed her when she had the chance.
“So where do we go from here?”
Milo got to his feet. He took a moment to adjust the spirit sabers strapped to his back. “First, we need to take care of that cut. It won’t heal on its own. Not with the death blade’s poison.”
Alexa felt the poison boiling her blood—a darkness, a virus. She looked at Lance, expecting him to object, but the Scout said nothing.
“If I use the Healing-Xpress, the Legion will know I’m there,” said Alexa. “Our covert trip will be blown. I’ll be captured as soon as I’m healed.”
“We have to chance it.”
“But—”
“Do you want to die?” Milo’s soft expression from before was replaced by fury. Feral rage smoldered in his gaze, and she flinched as she took in his features. The way he looked at her reminded her of the first time they’d met, the same contempt and frustration. “Well, do you?” he pressed.
Alexa crossed her arms over her chest and ground her teeth. She didn’t appreciate his tone. “No.”
Milo rubbed at his neck and then met Alexa’s stare. She saw an ancient heaviness in his eyes and the set of his jaw. “Then we go back. There’s no other way. If you stay, you’ll just get weaker until the poison devours your mortal body completely, leaving you exposed to demons.”
“He’s right, you know,” said Lance and then looked away when Alexa glared at him.
“I can’t stop the poison from spreading,” said Milo. “You need to be healed.”
“I think we all need a little healing,” ventured Lance carefully. “We just have to figure out a way to get into the Healing-Xpress without alerting the Legion. Then we just might be able to sneak back out.”
Alexa was quiet for a moment, her eyes resting on Milo. She thought of the kiss they’d almost shared. “And you think we can still defeat Lucifer without the Holy Fire?”
Milo let out a sharp breath. “We must.” He gave her a grim smile.
Alexa’s insides clenched. Something primal inside her went still and cold beneath that gaze.
“Then it’s settled,” said Alexa, trying to convince herself. “We go back. Back to Horizon.”
Her stomach was anything but settled. The loss of the Holy Fire still weighed heavily on her. Their plan was falling apart.
Alexa swallowed the lump in her throat and hoped Metatron wasn’t waiting for her on the other side.
CHAPTER 12
AFTER ALEXA, MILO, AND LANCE dove into the small artificial pond in a neighboring park, they found themselves back in Horizon.
It wasn’t the first time Alexa found herself blinking through the orange goo that was the healing substance in the Healing-Xpress—the only place in Horizon equipped to heal injured guardians. It was a risk using the great metal contraption of interwoven pipes and wires. But seeing as Alexa had been infected with a death blade’s poison, there was really no alternative.
Nevertheless, she always felt a sudden fear and claustrophobia of choking whenever she used the Healing-Xpress. But just as the fear worked its way in her, she emerged with a new, fresh body.
Alexa patted herself dry as quickly as her arms could move. She dressed in silence and kept glancing over her shoulder, expecting an army of angels to come arrest her at any minute. But they never came. A new soul blade was secured around her weapons belt, which was probably another favor from one of Lance’s friends. The chamber was unnaturally quiet and still, except for the pops and squeaks that came from the Healing-Xpress.
The archangel Metatron never came for her.
Once Alexa had laced up her boots, she met up with Milo and Lance, who waited for her by the elevator. She caught Milo’s worried expression. His eyes never left her face as she walked towards them, and she felt a warm tingling all over her, like the rays from the sun.
A black Standard Poodle stood next to Lance, eyeing Alexa warily as she approached.
Lance cocked his head in a way of greeting. “Alexa. Meet Cathy. Cathy, this is Alexa.”
The poodle’s light brown eyes narrowed as she took in Alexa’s appearance. “She better be worth it.” The poodle stepped into the elevator without another word.
Alexa looked at Lance. “What was that about?”
Lance gave a nervous laugh. “Nothing to worry about. Hurry up. Let’s go.”
Alexa followed Milo and Lance into the elevator, which she noticed was still without an operator. She moved towards the back next to Milo, aware of the poodle’s eyes on her. The door closed, and Alexa felt Milo move away from her. He pressed his back against the wall. The elevator had enough space to fit the four of them comfortably, but Alexa suddenly felt confined, the space too tight, too personal. Milo was so close, yet so far away from her.
Alexa was barely aware of the elevator’s sudden shift and ascension. The silent Milo was harder to read at the moment. He had never mentioned any girlfriends from his past, not that there was a right moment to do so. Still, maybe he was just as new and uncomfortable as she was about the kiss and what it had meant. It was infuriating to think that she’d finally felt a real connection with someone, only to be told, to know it was forbidden.
Angry tears threatened to surface, and she pushed them away.
“Where are we going?” she blurted, her eyes on Cathy the poodle. The poodle met her glare but turned away when Lance answered.
“Level six,” said Lance as he motioned to Cathy, who was now staring into space. “From there we’ve arranged a sky-car for transport. The only one still operational.”
“Only because of me
,” grumbled the poodle.
Lance glanced at Cathy. He opened his mouth but said nothing.
“And then where do we go? Any ideas where the staff is?” Alexa had only just been made aware of the different worlds within Horizon. She was still trying to wrap her mind around it.
Again, Lance glanced at Cathy, who continued to ignore him. “After some careful investigation and discussion, we’ve determined that the Staff of Heaven must be somewhere on the Angel Isle. We believe The Order of the First have hidden it carefully there over the years. It’s their headquarters, has been since they formed this rebellion. It’s only logical that they’d keep it where they can keep an eye on it.”
“I think it’s on Soul Summit, but no one ever listens to me,” complained Cathy.
Lance looked angry for the first time. “We’ve already been through this, Cathy. Soul Summit is barely habitable. Only a few angels have ever been known to take refuge there. It’s mostly eagles and other such celestial creatures.”
Cathy shrugged and watched the door.
“Do you know what the staff looks like?” inquired Milo, who had been silent the entire time. “I can’t say that I remember reading about it in any of the texts.”
Lance perked up. “As a matter of fact, I do. It is said to have been forged with delor metal.”
“The oracle metal?” Milo leaned forward, clearly curious. “The precious metal that only the oracles are capable of handling?”
“The very same,” said Lance proudly. “The hardest substance in Horizon. We know the archangel Michael created the staff but not without the oracles’ help—their precious metal. I would image it would glow faintly and maybe be warm to the touch. Michael was very adamant about creating a weapon that he could use against Lucifer. He poured his power into it, which you will no doubt recognize by his mark.”
“His sigil,” said Alexa as the shape of the sigil appeared in her mind’s eye. It looked like the letter P with a tail.
The Lord of Darkness Page 10