At first, nothing happened. Then Jena’s breathing suddenly became deeper and more guttural. It was at that moment she gasped in relief, realizing the spell had been broken and she was changing quickly now. Already, straining muscles rippled beneath Jena’s skin, while coarse black hairs sprouted from every pore and began to cover the vulnerability of her nakedness. The shape of her face twisted and stretched until her human features were no more. Jena felt herself expanding as if her skin could no longer contain its human form. Her inner creature throbbed with power and a lust for blood—the blood of the monster who had created her.
Ashton’s eyes widened in alarm as he grasped what was transpiring. He slowly rose to his feet and backed away, wary of Jena’s creature. “No,” he uttered in stunned disbelief. Then his voice became angry, “This cannot be!”
Jem and his allies stood back and watched as Jena released a predator’s growl and moved into an upright position, her body rising and rising until she towered to the height of at least six feet or more.
For the first time in over two hundred years, Ashton took a step backward in fear of his life.
“Remember, Jena,” Ashton said, looking at her desperately, continuing to slowly back away, getting closer to the opening in the ground. “If you kill me, Nicolas dies.”
Jena was fully aware that Ashton was trying to dissuade her, but she ignored his statement and kept her focus. Although she now had the instincts of a killer, an important part of her still remained intact, something Ashton had lost a long time ago—his humanity.
“I hold all the power,” Jena simply said.
Baring her teeth, she lunged forward and struck Ashton with a flash of fangs and claws, driving him backward. Time seemed to slow as they fell over the edge of the pit below and disappeared into what looked to be Satan’s dark abyss. The haunting sound of a mournful howl went on and on, fading into a distant echo.
Chapter Forty-Five
When everyone rushed to the edge and looked into the pit, it was too far down and dark to tell if Jena was dead or alive. With her ears flattened to her head, Angie’s Breedline wolf whimpered as she peered into the huge opening, praying Jena survived the fall. Bull stood next to her, overjoyed that his beloved was alive and regretful that her best friend’s fate hung in limbo.
As if it was instinctive for him to do, Apollyon expanded his wings, and before he stepped off the edge and plunged into the dark hole, Electra called out, “Brother, no!”
A moment beyond that, as the others watched in stunned silence, Apollyon was gone, disappearing into the darkness below. Electra’s heart pounded when she lost sight of him completely. In the back of her mind, she was shocked that her brother had thrown himself into the pit without a second thought, unaware of what dangers lay beneath, to risk his life for a stranger. Her eyes closed on a shuddering, deep breath, fearing she’d lost him forever.
Then Electra’s eyelids lifted slowly and her gaze riveted to her sister Callisto, who paced with restless energy, worried that their brother would not return.
“Electra...” Cronus set his hand on her shoulder.
The warm weight of his hand brought her head up. As Electra looked upon the giant-winged angel, the optimistic expression in his gray eyes gave her hope.
“Have faith,” Cronus told her. “Your brother is iron-willed.”
“Not to mention,” Frigg chimed in, “stubborn as a damn mule.”
Callisto stopped pacing and glared at the battle angels. “Why are you just standing around?” Although her voice didn’t rise, the firmness and urgency in it were unmistakable. “You’re angels for fuck’s sake. Can’t you do something to save them?”
“We cannot intervene,” Lailah said to Callisto. “Your brother must save Jena. It’s God’s will.”
“Oh, fuck G—”
“Look...” Roman cut Callisto off before she could finish her derogatory statement. “I think I see someone.” His words were uttered in a tone so guttural it took Callisto a moment to figure out what he’d said. Roman had shifted into his Adalwolf, which changed the pitch of his voice.
Electra sank to her knees beside Callisto, who was looking over the edge of the opening, her eyes frantically searching for Apollyon. Electra reached out, wanting to comfort her sister, but her hand froze midway when Apollyon miraculously appeared. With the agility and strength of his enormous bat-like wings, he rose above the ground like the angel of death. He had ahold of Jena, who was now in her human form, limp and naked.
“Apollyon...” Callisto wiped at her eyes as tears fell from the corners. “Thank God!”
“Ohhh,” Frigg said with a smirk, rolling his eyes, “now she thanks Him.”
The instant Apollyon’s feet touched down, he crouched low and gently lowered Jena to the ground. He looked to everyone that crowded close and said, “She took a hard fall, but she’s alive.”
Bull quickly shrugged off his T-shirt and bent down next to Jena. As he positioned it over her head, he carefully drew each arm through the sleeves and tugged it all the way past her hips so that it covered most of her exposed skin. The XXL tee fit more like a dress on Jena than it did a shirt.
When Angie’s wolf nudged Bull’s arm and whimpered, he soothed her state of mind by smoothing his hand between her lupine ears. “Don’t worry, sweetheart,” he whispered softly. “Jena is going to be just fine.”
“What about the creature?” Jem asked, looking at Apollyon as he rose to his feet. “Is it dead?”
“I don’t know.” Apollyon regretfully shrugged. “It was gone when I found Jena.”
“Jena was successful,” Cronus said, drawing their attention. “The creature is destroyed.”
“What in the hell was that thing that came out of the ground?” Roman asked, now in his human form.
“A demon Hydra from hell,” Icarus pointed out. “It was summoned by Lucifer.”
“How was it connected to the creature?”
“Lucifer created the creature,” Icarus told Roman. “All of his dark creations are bound to him. Destroying it was the only way to sever the connection between the creature and Jena. We were brought to earth by our Creator for this task.”
“So, all this time, you knew it was coming?”
Icarus nodded. “Yes, Roman. We were prepared for the Hydra.”
“How are we going to explain all this...” Roman pointed to all destruction and chaos in the cemetery. “...to everyone else?”
“It’s already taken care of,” Cronus replied. “Everything you and I can see is not visible to the human eye, although we have made a few exceptions,” he pointed out as Detective Manuel Sanchez and his partner, Detective Frank Perkins, rushed over.
“What in the Sam Hill happened here?” Manuel said, looking at the huge crater in the ground and the decapitated Hydra. “And please tell me that thing is dead.”
Cronus placed his hand on Manuel’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Detective. It’s dead.”
Frank shook his head and asked, “How are we going to get rid of it before...” His voice trailed off just as the Hydra’s remains began to turn to ashes.
“Okay, that explains my question,” Frank said, “but how are you going to explain that damn hole in the ground?”
“Calm down, Detective,” Frigg replied, smirking at Frank. “We’re angels for crying out loud. I’m sure we can handle it.”
Cronus cleared his throat, glaring at Frigg with a disapproving look. “I understand that you and your partner found the girl in the crypt,” he said to Frank, changing the subject.
Frank nodded. “Ms. Debi Flynn is alive and safe. Lawrence and Tessa just left with her,” he explained. “We figured it would be best, considering the circumstances, to avoid a hospital, so they took her to the Covenant instead. I know she’ll be in good hands with Dr. Helen Carrington.”
“I agree,” Cronus replied. “We’ll see that her memory of anything supernatural is erased.”
“What about the creature’s brother, Nicolas?” Jem
asked as he averted his eyes from the angels and looked to where Nicolas lay. Jem stood motionless, surprised at what he saw, and so was everyone else, especially the two detectives.
Manuel shook his head slowly, from side to side. “What the...” He sucked in a breath.
Lailah was cradling Nicolas in her arms, her giant wings wrapped around his limp body, and she was glowing.
Jem turned to Cronus, but before he could get a word out, Manuel said, “What is my sister... doing?”
There was a long, long silence. “Lailah is...” Cronus hesitated, and then finally said, “giving up her immortality to give Nicolas life.”
Manuel looked as if he’d been slapped. “What?” His voice rose. “Why?”
Cronus took a quick, shallow breath. “It’s what she’s chosen, and our Creator has granted her a mortal life.”
As the other angels gathered around, Manuel could see the beginning of sorrow in their eyes as well as Cronus’s. It was as if they were losing someone close to them.
“Why would she choose this?” Frank asked.
“To be with the Adalwolf,” Frigg said, narrowing his pale blue eyes at Roman.
Jem widened his eyes at the bleached, spiked-haired angel. “Are you saying she wants to be with...” He paused to look at someone he’d only known for a short while, but still considered him part of the Breedline family. “Roman?” he finally said, his eyes darting away from Roman—who appeared frozen in place—and back to Frigg.
Frigg nodded, focusing on Jem. “They’ve bonded.” He sighed, gazing away from Jem to where Lailah was healing Nicolas.
While everyone stood back in silence, witnessing life emerging from death’s door, Nicolas—still in a state of unconsciousness—heard a familiar voice, whispering in his ear like a distant echo.
“Nicolas... Nicolas. Open your eyes, little brother.”
“Ashton?” Nicolas said, swallowing hard. “Is that you?”
“Yes, brother.” Ashton put his fingers under Nicolas’s chin, tilting it up slightly. “Open your eyes so you may see me.”
Nicolas slowly lifted his lids and glanced up wearily to see Ashton kneeling next to him, staring down at him with tears in his eyes. He looked different. All the evidence of evil and darkness that used to mar his face seemed to be gone. Now, light and purity shone as bright as day.
“Where’s Jena?” Nicolas said, his eyes wide, filled with fear.
“Shhh,” Ashton soothed, lowering his hand. “Jena is fine.”
“But what of you?” Nicolas asked, his eyes searching over his brother’s face. “The curse...”
Ashton smiled. “Jena set me free.”
Nicolas frowned. “Are we...” He hesitated, and finally uttered the word he dreaded, “dead?”
“Listen to me, little brother,” Ashton murmured. “Your soul has been returned. This is a second chance for you to have a good life.”
“But how?” Nicolas slowly shook his head. “I damned our souls.”
“God granted you this gift.”
“Why?” Nicolas sighed. “I’ve done nothing to deserve it.”
“Because, little brother, you have love in your heart.”
“And you?”
“I am going to another place,” Ashton explained. “A place where I can do good. Although I must leave this world, I will always be with you, little brother.” He placed his hand over Nicolas’s heart. “I will be here, always.”
Nicolas bit at his trembling lip, forcing his tears back. “I’m sorry, Ash. I’m sorry for everything.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. Not for anything. I took the coward’s way out when Isabella left me. I had a good life, a loving family, and a wonderful, devoted brother. I’m sorry I let you down, Nicolas.”
“B-but, I’m the one who let you down. I betrayed you, Ash. Isabella and I—”
“I know,” Ashton quickly cut him off. “And it’s okay, little brother. I forgive you.”
“I don’t know if I can bear to live my life without you, Ash. Please, tell me how I can take all this back. There has to be some way. Please...”
“No, little brother. We have no choice. There is no other way. But if there is one thing perhaps I could ask of you?”
“Anything,” Nicolas simply said.
“I want you to be happy. I want you to fall in love and have a family.”
“Do I even deserve such a thing?”
Ashton nodded. “Yes, little brother. You deserve a life filled with happiness. Besides, Jena will need you. What I have done to her...” He paused for a moment, regretting the horrible things he had done to Jena and all the innocent lives he’d taken. “She deserves someone like you.”
“She may not want anything to do with me after all this.”
Ashton smiled again. “I think you’d be surprised. After all, she is your destiny.”
Nicolas smiled back, and at that moment, childhood memories of long ago flashed inside his head. He remembered the two of them as children, running through their father’s cotton field, playing in mud puddles after a spring rain, hours of swimming in the creek during hot summer days, staying up all night talking and laughing. He would never forget those memories.
Tears rolled down his cheeks. “I love you, Ash.”
“And I love you, little brother.”
They stayed looking at one another for a moment, and then Ashton’s face began to fade, until finally, he was gone.
Go in peace, brother, Nicolas thought, closing his eyes.
“Nicolas.” He heard a voice, a woman’s soft voice. “Nicolas... can you hear me?”
As Nicolas opened his eyes, a beautiful, young woman was staring down at him, smiling. She had long, red hair and bright, emerald-green eyes. Her features looked youthful and there was a kindness in her smile.
Nicolas slightly tilted his head in question. “Who are you?”
“My name is... Lailah.”
“Where’s Jena?” he asked, pulling himself in an upright position. “Is she okay?”
“She’ll be just fine,” Lailah said, placing her hand over his. “Jena released your brother’s curse.”
“Thank God.” Nicolas sagged in relief and lowered his head. “It was real. I really spoke to Ashton.” He sat up straighter and looked up at Lailah. “He’s in a better place, isn’t he?”
Lailah nodded. “Your brother will take my place,” she told him. “He will help protect heaven’s gate.”
“After all the damage I’ve caused, why did God give me a second chance?” he asked, staring at Lailah with a look of confusion.
“God’s love is unconditional,” she told him. “He can see the love within your soul.” She smiled again. “Besides, Jena will need you. And you’ll need her.”
“I would love that more than anything, but...” He shook his head. “...how do you know she’ll have anything to do with me?”
Tilting her head to the side, Lailah raised a brow. “I have a feeling... She’s pretty fond of you already.”
Nicolas smiled at her soothing words.
Then she felt a warm hand on her shoulder and heard a familiar voice that said, “Lailah...”
As Lailah turned to look over her shoulder, she had never felt so happy. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked up to see her brother standing above her.
“Manuel,” she gasped.
When she rose to her feet, Manuel reached out and tugged her into his arms. “I can’t believe it,” he whispered next to her ear. “Is this real, or have I lost my ever-loving mind?”
“It’s real,” she told him. “And I’m back for good this time.”
As Manuel pulled from their embrace, he looked at her from head to toe and back up again. “It’s really you, isn’t it?” When she nodded, he said, “Sis, you have no idea how much I’ve prayed. I never gave up hope.”
She wiped at her eyes. “I know, little brother. I heard all your prayers. I’m so proud of you.”
The corners of Manuel’s mouth c
urled up. “Little brother?” He smirked. “Hell, I’m an old man now. You still look like my seventeen-year-old sister. You haven’t aged one bit.”
Lailah giggled. “Yeah, being an angel comes with perks. Although I may look seventeen, I’m still four years older than you.”
“Like I said, you haven’t changed a bit.” Manuel hugged her again. “I love you, sis.”
“I love you too, Manuel,” Lailah said, and then her eyes caught sight of another person she was happy to see. The joy and relief in her eyes were crushing.
“Roman?”
He looked at her shell-shocked. “Wow. Y-you’re... h-human,” Roman muttered.
When Manuel released Lailah, she said, “Well, not exactly.” She smiled at Roman. “Technically, I’m no longer a battle angel, but I still carry the genetics of a Breedline.”
“T-that’s unbelievable,” Roman said, stumbling over his words. “I-I mean... that’s fantastic.”
As Lailah slowly moved closer to Roman, she reached out with her hand. Without hesitation, he slipped his hand in hers and squeezed. My beloved, he silently thought, his expression content as she nestled against his side.
Manuel eyed Roman with uncertainty, and Roman stared back, his dark eyes steely with resolve.
“Just remember, Roman,” said Manuel, placing a hand on his holster that held a Colt .45. “Accordance with the laws of California, I can shoot whoever I perceive is the bad guy.”
Roman cocked a brow. “Good to know, Detective.” He chortled lightly. “Message received.”
That brought chuckles from the others, but they all stared at Manuel, and then at the new couple with complete respect in their eyes.
A glimmer of a smile lit Manuel’s face. “Looks like we’re starting on good terms so far.”
Roman pulled Lailah tight against him. She smiled and looked up as his arms came tighter around her.
“I do have one question,” she said, keeping her voice low.
Roman shrugged. “Oh?”
“You do want to be with me, right?”
“Hell yes,” he shot back. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. I want you more than anything, Lailah. You’re mine.” He batted his brows. “All mine. Are you okay with that?”
THE IMMORTAL: A Novel of the Breedline series Page 37