by Cameo Renae
Alaine pulled up, and Samuel ushered everyone toward the car. “Everybody in.” He literally pushed Sebastian into the car, while I ran inside the shop.
The three girls were terrified, standing in a huddle.
“We have to go,” I said.
“Is this a terrorist attack?” Trissa cried, her eyes welling with tears.
“I don’t want to stick around to find out,” I said, taking Eden by the hand and leading her outside.
“Wait. My parents!” Kimi ran up to her mom and hugged her. “Should I stay with you?”
“No, dear. Get out of Seattle. Leave now. We’re closing down and locking up.” The place had emptied after the explosions. “Be safe. And call me when you get back to the school,” Mrs. Takahashi said, kissing her daughter on the forehead. Kimi nodded and followed us outside.
Alaine pulled up in a car. Trissa threw the dress bags in the trunk, then we all jumped in. Sebastian was in the passenger seat, and I was squished in the back, alongside Trissa and Kimi. Eden was stuck on my lap.
They were going to attack; I just didn’t know when or where. I could only hope and pray that before they did, Kade would make it to Midway and back in time with reinforcements.
Chapter 29
Eden
Chaos. It was the only word to describe what was going on around us. People were screaming and running who knows where. Cars were pulling out of lots and blocking streets, and to top it all off, it started to rain. Alaine was a natural, so calm and collected, but her face was intense as she sped on an obviously planned escape route. She zipped down side streets, cutting over dividers and through grassy areas to get to the main highway.
I was sitting on Alex’s lap, Trissa was crying, Kimi was texting her mom, and Sebastian was having a meltdown. He was frantic and paranoid, his head whipping back and forth trying to find the source of the explosions. His fingers were flying over his phone, searching the internet, trying to find out if the attack was being live-streamed on the news yet.
Once on the highway, we must have been traveling at nearly one hundred miles per hour, and there were more explosions going off around us. Cars in front of us swerved off the road, and another explosion jolted the car; it swayed to the left, but Alaine quickly corrected it.
“Are those grenades? What the hell is going on? It seems like they’re targeting us,” Sebastian bellowed. Trissa and Kimi screamed in high pitches I’d never heard before. They were losing it.
I put my hand on Alex’s shoulder, and when his eyes met mine, they’d gone completely black. His face like stone, sending a chill down my spine. His body was rigid, intense, and the look in his eyes was similar to what I’d seen the day we were in the tower.
“Alex,” I pleaded. “You need to put my friends to sleep.”
He blinked and realized what I was saying.
Another explosion blasted in front of us. Chunks of asphalt and rubble shot like bullets, assailing the windshield. A truck in front of us swerved, pitching to the side, disappearing off the road into the darkness.
Alaine spun the wheel and careened into the oncoming lane, barely missing two cars before swerving back into the correct lane.
My ears were ringing from the blaring, high-pitched screams of my besties. Sebastian was the worst.
Alex leaned over and whispered into Kimi’s ear, then Trissa’s, and before they knew what was going on…they were out cold. Sebastian’s body twisted back toward them, his eyes wide with confusion. Alex gently pushed me to the side and leaned forward. “Sleep,” he whispered into his ear.
Sebastian fought it. “What the hell is going on?” His finger pointed to Trissa and Kimi. “What’s wrong with…” His eyes rolled back, and his head lolled to the right until it hit the passenger window. He was out cold.
“Eden,” Alex spoke. His face was so close, and his hands came up on either side of my head. “I have to leave, but I won’t be far. Samuel is out there alone, and he needs my help.”
“Okay,” I breathed, heat filling my insides.
His lips crashed against mine, his kiss hard and intense.
“Be strong,” he breathed, resting his forehead against mine.
Alaine pulled to the side and unlocked the doors. In one swift movement, Alex slid out from under me and jumped out, his white wings spreading out to the sides. He shut the door, and then, with a single power flap… he was gone.
The sight of it made my heart nearly burst.
“Eden, buckle up,” Alaine instructed as she took off like a bat out of hell.
Snapping back into the moment, I pulled the buckle over myself after making sure my friends were buckled first.
I looked up into the sky and glimpsed dark-winged angels, many more than I could count. Fear burrowed deep inside my chest as I strained to look for Alex, but couldn’t see white wings.
“No,” I whispered against the window, my fingers desperately wiping away the fog.
My heart jackhammered against the walls of my chest, as a dark shadow headed straight for the car. Raindrops glistened on black wings, and they weren’t Samuel’s.
“Eden, hold on!” Alaine slammed on the breaks, then we were struck from the side with a force that made my head whiplash. I screamed, watching the car leave the road. Then, from the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of white.
“Eden!” Alaine screamed. Her right hand reached back for me as we tumbled to our side. Glass shattered, shards raining down on us. I covered my face as the car tumbled over a few times. We came to a crashing halt off the side of the road, and on a slight embankment. Darkness surrounded us, and my body was hanging upside-down. There was a sharp pain in my shoulder, but I fought through it and felt for the buckle, releasing myself.
Falling on my side with a thud, I was disoriented. Landing on the roof of the car, pieces of glass pricked my skin as I tried to move. Trissa, Kimi, and Sebastian were still buckled in, hanging upside down, sleeping. I was glad for that. I wouldn’t have been able to think over their screams.
Chapter 30
Alex
The Fallen had never used mortal weapons before, at least not to my knowledge, and not when there were so many other innocent humans around.
Why? Why were they so adamant about capturing Eden? Was there something they knew that we didn’t? Or did they just assume that she was extra special because we were guarding her?
I was leaning toward the second answer, knowing the vain intentions of the Fallen. They hated the Creator’s warriors and tried to defeat everything we stood for.
But they were still bound by rules. Rules that would result in death if they killed innocent mortals without permission. It was the only thing keeping them from bombing the car directly. So, in perspective, Eden’s friends were currently saving her life.
I kept low, following the car, making sure it was safe.
Then, as lightning flashed in the sky, I saw two Fallen coming from the right, heading straight for the car. Taking my sword, I shot toward them. I couldn’t take both at once, so I aimed my sword at the one in front.
They were so focused, he didn’t see me coming. I aimed my sword at the side of his chest, and after another firm flap, I folded my wings, diving forward. I felt my sword pierce through his side, through flesh and bone, sinking deep. We hit the ground with the force of a bomb. Tumbling over dirt and rock, he tried to fight me, but when we finally came to a stop, I was on top. I thrust my knee on his chest, yanked the sword from his side, and took off his head. His body instantly burned, turning to ash.
My head snapped up, watching the second Fallen hit the car. Rage fueled my wings, as I took off toward him. My body was thrust forward, faster than I’d ever flown before. I braced myself before I hit him, aiming for his head. My body slammed into his side when I grabbed hold of his neck, wrapping my legs around his back
, pulling him away from the car. In mid-air, I twisted his neck. Bones cracked, and he went limp, but I twisted further, taking his head completely off. Releasing his head and body, I watched them burn and fall to the ground as ash, the rain washing any signs of him away.
“Alexander!” Samuel called. He was engaged in battle, but the car Eden was in, had been tossed off the side of the road and was sitting in a ditch, upside-down.
I watched at least five Fallen fly toward him. Samuel would die if I didn’t help him, but helping him would leave Eden unprotected.
“Go, Alexander!” Alaine yelled. “Eden is okay.”
Those words shot adrenaline through me. Sword in hand, I headed toward Samuel. He was engaged with two Fallen, using his wings as weapons.
When I reached him, he had incapacitated one, but four others surrounded us. We were back to back, four to two.
With a flash of lightning, I watched more Fallen head our way.
“Samuel,” I spoke, sensing our end.
“We go out fighting,” he replied.
I didn’t respond because he knew I would. There was no other option.
“Traitor,” one of the Fallen spat, his sword aimed at Samuel.
Samuel said nothing. He had no loyalty to them, and they would kill him without blinking an eye. We were surrounded. It would soon be a dozen to two.
A massive Fallen angel flew forward, his biceps were the size of my head. “We’ll make it quick and painless.” His voice was deep and mocking. “And when we’re done with you, we’ll make sure your women are taken care of.” His head motioned to the overturned car below.
“Don’t,” Samuel said, already knowing what I was thinking.
I squeezed the hilt of my sword so tight, my fingers were numb.
One of the Fallen cried out in pain, the end of a blade protruding from his chest. His eyes went wide, then rolled back. His body went limp, then burned as he fell from the sky. His open wings caused him to spiral as he plummeted to the earth.
Hope surged through me like a shockwave as Dom hovered in the dead Fallen’s place, wiping his blade. The whites of his teeth sparkled in the darkness.
“What? The dude was blocking my view.” Dom said, shrugging. “Alexander, you miss me already?”
“Not really,” I replied.
“Well, screw you. I brought new friends anyway.” Dom’s grin widened.
Behind him, Kade and Thomas appeared, along with at least six more angels.
“Trouble again, Alex?” Thomas laughed.
“You know me. I like to share the excitement.”
A few of the Fallen growled, and without another word, the battle was on. Wings and blades cut through the air, rain splattering off immortal bodies as they fought in the dark sky.
I ducked, missing a sword by inches. The whoosh of the wind and the spray of the rain brushed against my cheek.
Kade came up behind me. In one fluid movement, he pushed me to the side, spun around, and swept his wing across the Fallen’s neck. The headless body burned to ash and fell toward the earth below.
Dom flew past us with a Fallen on his heels. He closed his wings, diving down, and then in a split-second, spread them open again, pushing himself back up…right behind the Fallen. Before the Fallen could grasp what was going on, Dom plunged his sword into his back, pulled it out, and decapitated him. He turned toward us with a wide grin. “That makes two kills.”
“I killed two as well,” Kade replied, his sword clashing with another—sparks rained down below.
I dodged a blade, engaging with another Fallen, leaving my friends to their banter.
“But…”Dom twisted out of the way of a Fallen’s wings. “I got the first kill.”
“Whatever,” Kade exhaled. He flapped his wings and spun like a tornado, slicing the Fallen he was battling into pieces. After his death spiral, he looked at Dom and grinned. “That’s three. And why do you even bother putting a blade through their body when decapitation is faster?”
“I was resting peacefully when I got the call. These bastards need to hurt a bit before it’s all over. Besides, it’s dramatic.” Dom shrugged, and Kade groaned. “Hey, the bastard kicked me in the gut. It freaking hurt! You know what they say…payback’s a bitch.”
Dom kicked another Fallen in his gut, sending him flying back toward me. I swung my sword and took his head off before he could stop. I watched the Fallen leader nod to another. Two of them took off toward the car below.
“Samuel!”
“Go,” he urged. “We’ve got this.”
I gave a nod, then dove down hot on their trail. A surge of terror filled me when the two Fallen landed. One bent over at the rear passenger door and yanked Eden out by her hair. Her scream pierced through me, as I watched him slide her across the slick grass.
Where the hell was Alaine? My eyes swept the area around the car.
Blood boiling, my anger raged. “Hey, asshole!” I hollered, drawing their attention to me.
I folded my wings behind my back. Rain pelted against my face as I zoomed toward them. The Fallen smirked, then raised his sword. I was still too far to reach Eden. Bastard!
With all my might, I flung my sword. The sharp blade cut through the rain and darkness and found its mark, sinking right between the Fallen’s eyes. He dropped his sword, and his body fell back, hitting the ground with a thud.
The second Fallen raised his sword, but jerked to a halt. His head tumbled from his shoulders and bounced onto the ground.
Alaine became visible directly behind the collapsing body, then ran to Eden’s side.
How had I forgotten about Alaine’s gift of invisibility?
I landed next to Eden, and her deep sobs frayed my heart. Her head lifted, eyes meeting mine.
“Alex,” she gasped. Pushing off the ground, she stumbled straight into my arms.
I held her cold, trembling body against mine.
“My friends?” Eden breathed.
“They’ll be fine,” Alaine replied. “They might have a few minor bruises and scratches, but I wasn’t going too fast, and hit the brakes before the Fallen hit us.”
Eden nodded, a look of relief washed over her.
“Are you hurt?” I asked, assessing her.
“No, not too badly,” she replied in a deep sob, pressing herself closer to me. “I was so worried about you.”
Her words melted me. She’d just come face to face with a Fallen for the first time, and she was worried about me?
I lifted her, cradling her in my arms. She wrapped hers around my neck and buried her head into my shoulder. “Don’t leave me again. Please,” she breathed.
“I won’t,” I promised.
Samuel descended soon after, taking Alaine in his arms. The other angels landed around us. “We took most of them out, but a few escaped,” Samuel said.
“We lost one,” Kade said sadly. “Micah was young, but he fought bravely.”
We bowed our heads in a moment of silence.
“We’ll escort you back to the school,” Samuel said to me, “but I suggest you try and keep her inside until her transformation.”
I nodded, and Eden tightened her grip around my neck.
Kade stepped toward the car. “Thomas, Mason…can you give me a hand?”
“Sure,” they answered in unison, moving toward him. Mason was a new Guardian. I hadn’t seen him before today.
The three of them lifted the side of the car easily and flipped it over, back on its wheels.
Dom stepped toward me. “Is she okay?”
“Yeah, she’s tough.”
Eden wiped her tears and addressed him. “Thanks, again.”
“It’s what we do,” Dom answered with a smile. “Besides, we have to take care of our little bro
.” He slapped me on the shoulder. “He needs us from time to time.” Sometimes he was an arrogant ass, but he had his moments.
Kade made his way back to us with Sebastian folded over his shoulder. Thomas had Trissa, and Mason had Kimi. They all appeared to be sleeping peacefully.
“Don’t forget the dress bags,” I remembered aloud.
Eden glanced up at me. “Yes, Trissa will kill us if we left the ball gowns behind.”
“Ball gowns?” Dom snickered.
“Our senior ball is tomorrow night,” Eden said.
He laughed. “Eden, please take pictures.”
“I will,” she said, snuggling deeper into my chest, while Dom gathered the bags from the car.
“We should go,” Samuel spoke up. “We don’t want to be out in the open any longer than necessary.”
He lifted Alaine into his arms.
With Eden in my arms, we took to the air, surrounded by angels. We flew above the dark clouds, out of sight from any mortals. By the time we reached Brindle Hall, it was nearly two in the morning.
We all set down on the side of the dorm rooms. Samuel and Alaine stayed outside of the protective barrier, as Samuel was a Fallen and couldn’t enter.
Kade thanked everyone who’d come to our rescue, releasing the Guardians who didn’t need to be there and pointing them in the direction of the portal.
Since it was a Friday night, and they were seniors, Eden and her friend cleared the curfew with the dorm mistress. She knew Seattle was around a three hour drive, and we were going to visit Kimi’s parents, so as long as they checked in in the morning, they didn’t have a time constraint.
“How do you want us to handle your friends?” I asked Eden.
“They can stay in my room tonight.”
I nodded. “If you go in and open your window, we can fly them up to you.”