Divinity: The Gathering: Book One

by Susan Reid

  China took off at full speed, dangerously missing an oncoming car behind us while fishtailing back onto the freeway. I was too stunned and in shock to do anything else but stare at her with round eyes and mouth agape at first but I quickly snapped out of it, “Oh my god China? What the hell are you doing?” I exclaimed, aghast.

  She was clearly just as hyped up and as stunned as I was at her own desperate act.

  “What does it look like? I’m saving your ass!” She hissed sharply.

  At that point, I felt a complete wash of dread envelope me. Not only was this not becoming of China, it didn’t sound like her either. She would never do something like this or talk to me like that. In fact, she didn’t even look at me when she said it, and the Rover was picking up even more speed as cars around us swerved, slammed on breaks and honked belligerently at her. She continued to speed on down the street without regards to anyone or anything.

  “Saving me? China we’re going to get arrested — stop!” I urged her, still appalled at her sudden burst of delinquency.

  She ignored me. Her focus remained intent and straight ahead with some bizarre determination at either breaking the law, and thinking she was saving me, or some sick fantasy come true of running from the law for the adrenaline rush.

  This wasn’t my friend though.

  China would never do this.

  “China?” I called out calmly to her in more of a question, to see if she was still, China. I trembled on the inside, feeling as if I’d lose control of my bladder at any moment.

  She was driving faster, cutting through traffic with incredible speed and efficiency, and I was mortified as I grasped onto the door grip and braced myself.

  “China?” I called again louder.

  She didn’t answer.

  This wasn’t good. My mind raced with a million and one bad thoughts all with no positive explanation or outcome, but I think I had an idea.

  The sound of my heart pounded inside my own head loudly, and I felt myself tremble from the inside out.

  “Is Jack coming over later?” I asked her.

  “Jack?” She questioned sharply still not looking at me. She leaned into the steering wheel with focus, pushing ninety five now.

  My heart hammered with fear and helpless anxiety.

  “Your boyfriend,” I replied eyeing her profile and pressing myself against the passenger side door to keep some distance between us, just in case.

  “No! He’s at a party or something, I guess.” She snapped as if I were asking a stupid question.

  I wanted to faint. My stomach hurt and my head felt like it would roll straight off of my shoulders, as tears began to stream down my face involuntarily.

  I now knew where the shadow had gone.

  “Stop! Stop the car! Pull over now and stop!” I finally found my voice and demanded.

  She laughed, “Can’t do that Starling…I saved you from them and now I have to get you to the portal in one piece quickly! No blood, no blood, I’ll be rewarded! I have to do this right so don’t make me hurt you and shut the fuck up!” She shot back at me in a viscous tone.

  The voice was no longer hers.

  Oh my God. What was she — it saying? No blood? Portal? No, no…not China, please God…not my best friend!

  The urge to cry, reach out and grab the wheel or beat the crap out of the thing inside my friend, which would be impossible without hurting her, bombarded my reflexes all at once until Cam’s words entered my head again.

  Don’t show fear or anger. Why did his advice resonate so much with me?

  It was worth a shot.

  I got a hold of my emotions and thoughts, taking a moment to stave my fear and ignore the fact that we were shooting down the street at warp speed, without regard to other traffic, people, trees or brick walls.

  “Okay, well you’re not going to get me there in once piece at this speed, so slow down! I’m a human being, I can be killed easily and so can my friend. You can do whatever you want or take me wherever you’re trying to take me but don’t you dare hurt or get her killed and I mean that.” I then stated trying my best to keep the fear out of my voice.

  China then turned to me with an actual dumbfounded expression, but it wasn’t her jade green eyes anymore. I could tell that much even in the dark.

  There was no light in them at all.

  “I said to shut up!” She squeaked with anger.

  “I’ll shut up when you slow down. If you don’t I’ll open the door right now and turn myself into road bits, which will be a hell of a lot of blood and you won’t get me to this portal at all then now, will you?” I then said, calming my own tone. It was actually working. I no longer felt as terrified and angry and…China or the thing possessing China, didn’t know what to make of my sudden shift in attitude or threat.

  The Range Rover began to slow just a bit, but I saw it was more because we had reached a forested area. It was ominous and dark, and she turned onto a narrow, dirt path roughly.

  The car bounced and jostled wildly as I braced myself and held my breath, but hitting the back of my head on the window anyway with a hard thud, which made my eyes tear up again.

  I was going to fling the door open and make a run for it. I didn’t know where I was, and it was dark but it was just China’s body regardless of the thing controlling her. I could outrun her any day, but I didn’t want to leave her behind and in the hands of that shadow either.

  I made note of the direction of the main road as she drove on, wondering what exactly this portal was, what it looked like and more importantly, what would happen once I was taken there.

  The red and blue strobe flashing lights from the police car caught up with us in the distance, and it was coming fast. It was one cop car and there was no blaring of sirens, which was a good thing, I think. I felt dread, terror and sick all the while hoping this was another dream, and that I would wake up at any moment.

  I didn’t know which was worse…careening dangerously in the woods amid thick, tall trees or possibly being shot, tased or arrested once we were stopped.

  In a split second decision, I sprung over, grabbed the wheel, and turned it sharply to the right in the hopes that China would do exactly what she did next.

  “No! What are you doing! He’ll get you!” She shrieked as she fought against me and slammed on the brakes.

  I scrambled for the small, square lever behind the gear shift console and jerked the emergency brake upwards for extra precaution.

  The force of the car stopping abruptly, made me cry out as the seatbelt pulled taut against my neck when I was thrown forward, missing the glove compartment dash by mere inches. The Range Rover thumped hard against something that now blocked our path, but not hard enough to engage the air bags.

  “Look what you did?! Now I have to carry you!” She screeched through clenched teeth.

  It took me a moment to gather my senses, and she was already opening her car door.

  I brushed my hair from my eyes seeing the reflection of the blue and red lights in the windshield getting closer.

  Shit!

  I fumbled for my seatbelt; barely unclicking it when the passenger side door was wrenched open with such a force, the whole SUV nearly tilted over.

  China reached in and grabbed me, pulling hard, and I tumbled out as we both fell.

  She was incredibly strong. She’d have never been able to do that so easily, and without effort before regardless of my petite size. The demon inside of her was giving her strength, and there was no doubt in my mind now — that she was indeed possessed.

  “China, listen to me…fight it! I know you’re in there, fight it! Pray!” I said as she grabbed me by my arm and hair, and began dragging me forward.

  She laughed, “Pray? That doesn’t work! Now stop fighting me! Believe me, I’m saving you!” She replied in an unnatural voice, obviously not hers.

  I winced and sobbed inside. I didn’t want to have to do it but I had no choice. I grabbed her around the ankles and tripped her. She
stumbled, her grip on my arm loosening, and I pulled away, quickly scrambling to my feet.

  The police car had stopped in the distance and a dark, large shadowed figure loomed at the crest of the shallow hill that we had driven past, now approaching us on foot.

  He didn’t say anything nor did he even use a flashlight, which I found odd, but it only affirmed what I had known when he was on my side of the car moments ago.

  Now, I was truly terrified.

  I didn’t understand. Weren’t these demons working together? If so, why didn’t the one possessing China just hand me over to him? Why had she taken off like that? Was it possible that the same dark beings each had different motives for getting their hands on me?

  I couldn’t believe I was even pondering all these possibilities and scenarios, still feeling as if this were all a dream, but here I was —and so far, I felt no inkling that I was going to wake up any time soon.

  If I didn’t try to incapacitate China, he may shoot her either accidentally or purposefully. I had to make another difficult choice, as much as it pained me.

  China was already on her feet, and reaching for me again.

  I said a quick prayer and then —I cold clocked her, missing my mark. I had hit her in the forehead instead.

  My ring dug into my knuckle when I did, and she cursed, covering her forehead and faltering backwards a bit.

  “Damnit! You can’t hurt me like that. Your friend’s going to be pissed though,” She then smiled and chuckled.

  “China! Fight it please! You have to!” I screamed looking back at the demon cop getting closer.

  And then there was a streak of white light, winding through the trees like a stealth serpent, and it speared itself right through the hulking shadow of the cop, who was making his way toward us. Suddenly — the shadow cop simply vanished into a dark cloud of smoke, and was gone. Spontaneously afterwards, so was the police car, as if it too had also been a figment of darkness or my own imagination.

  If I didn’t see it myself, I wouldn’t have believed it, but the fact that I was still here with China who had fallen to the ground and began to thrash around in a seizure like fit — proved affirmation that this was all as real as the cold, wet, rough, dead leaf covered, and muddy ground beneath my butt and palms.

  Not only had I seen some strange comet of unnatural light, but there was another strange shimmering mirage of light disguised in the darkness that resembled some sort of doorway behind us. It was only a few yards away —and more shadow things were coming through…towards us.

  That must have been where the shadow in China had been trying to take me, and maybe where the ones at the hospice and that cop had been trying to take me too.

  Where did that doorway lead to? Hell?

  A cold numbness began to take over me, leaving me feeling helpless and vulnerable as they slinked closer. I could almost see the evil faces in them, eyes and mouths all smiling at me.

  I was alone, scared for the both of us and I had no idea what to do except to continue praying.

  Out of nowhere, I felt the urge to vomit and my entire back began to burn, as if being rubbed raw by sandpaper and then doused with alcohol. I gasped and gagged cupping a hand over my mouth as I wretched and heaved, spittle dribbling from my lips, but nothing solid came up. I was dizzy and felt as if I would pass out at any moment, as I pitched forward onto my hands and knees. My stomach lurched and cramped as I gagged, feeling as if my entire back were on fire now.

  Something flicked and tugged forcefully at my, hair and it was then that I knew where the burning sensation all over my back had come from. I prayed again, not wanting to turn around and face any shadow this close up and for what good it did, and suddenly there were many thin, bands of bright, white light zipping past me, leaving both heat and the scent of searing hot metal in its wake.

  I whipped my head around in both terror and awe with wide eyes, and watched as those light bands both encircled and sliced through the shadows that had apparently been behind me, in lasso like coils. The light destroyed all the dark moving shapes instantly upon contact, and they all disappeared into nothing, silently. Then the shimmering door way winked out of existence, as if it had never been there to begin with.

  My guardian angel was answering my prayers and he or she had saved us, saved me once again.

  I felt tears burning the corners of my eyes. But China was still screaming, crying and fighting the entity within her, so why hadn’t it saved her too then? Well, prayer had worked, and now I needed to do it over her to try and help her, fast. I crawled on my hands and knees closer to her and began to pray once again, while holding my hands out over her writhing form; afraid to get too close.

  The light from the headlights of her Rover didn’t offer much light in this direction, and I really couldn’t see her face that well.

  “China?” I called out shakily, debating on getting any more closer to her just yet. Seeing her like this was killing me, especially since I could do nothing about it, and then suddenly… she stopped.

  She lay still for a moment with her chest heaving, and she was choking through sobs as if she were trying to speak or call out to me.

  Was China back? Did my guardian angel save her after all?

  Being that she had finally stopped screaming and thrashing, I should have felt a sense of relief at that point but I didn’t and when I caught sight of another flickering mass of shimmering darkness outlined by an unearthly luminescence slam into and disappear into her; I knew I that I was as good as dead now.

  XIII: Cam`ael:

  It was getting late by the time I made it back to Rahab’s diner. I had decided to stake out a few places near the University first in what they all called, ‘college town,’ and the Dome where the concert would take place. Morning Star was being real crafty, but I knew him better. One of, if not maybe two of those rock bands were divine dark ones. It was a little hard to tell in a mere photocopy though. I studied one of the many flyers that I had picked up, which had been posted to several of the corkboards, all littered with advertisements and announcements in the main atrium.

  They would be in the prime position on stage where they could see everything, and my guess was that the portal would be open during their performances, which meant it would probably be behind or on the stage somewhere. Drakael and his legion were on their own, and they had better not stop or interfere with anything that I decided to do or invoke. If they wanted my help…they were going to get it, and then I’d ‘release’ her and flip Drakael off, right before Elohim destroyed me — permanently.

  There had been a few shadows scattered about the area as I was leaving the University. Probably curious when they saw me, but they took off quickly. I didn’t have to chance to capture and interrogate any of them.

  If I just sat back and did nothing, if I quit trying to do anything to stop Morning Star, it would make things a lot simpler for me, and all of those in my legion; that is until the time for Morning Star and me to go confront each other in our own personal battle.

  Only one of us was going to survive.

  None of it mattered to us anyway; we would all continue to go on and on, some pointlessly. I wanted Star, but I knew I could not nor could I ever have her. I cared about her enough not to leave her subjected to the cruelties that may lie ahead for her in the hands of Morning Star, let alone the possibilities of what he planned for her if I just gave up now.

  The moment I pulled into the parking lot of Rahab’s diner, I already felt the presence of other dark ones all around, more so coming from inside. The signatures felt familiar, which meant they were already picking up on mine too, but there was a strong, dominant female one in particular, that I didn’t take well to in the least. I felt a burst of surging force and fight roiling up, and electrifying me; ready and waiting to be unleashed for the first deadly strike.

  My curiosity was semi-satisfied, when the door to the diner swung open, just as I stepped out of the sports car. I tensed and readied for any confrontation
.

  I should have known it wasn’t that level of an emergency…yet. If it had been, Rahab would have signaled to me telepathically, which was rare since he could hold his own, but nonetheless, we all needed assistance at some point, and we were of the same purpose, army and loyalties.

  I stopped short and sighed with a wry look at the female heading towards me with a half smirk on her painted red lips, but tinged with a note of seriousness in her expression. She descended the set of metal steps and met me halfway.

  Her hair was pulled back into a sleek, long black pony tail. Her amethyst colored eyes were more dark purple than usual, and she was dressed to blend in well with the supermodel type human women of this plane. Though I wanted to be glad to see her, I immediately remembered my plans and hoped I wouldn’t give them away and tell on myself.

  Edanai was very good at reading auras and body language though.

  “I’m sure it hasn’t been three daybreaks yet,” I spoke first with a smile.

  “No, but you know me; I don’t like to worry about you, and it drove me insane not knowing. Don’t worry, your place is sealed and secured. Rahab did well. I think he’s really found his calling. I like it.” Edanai said turning her head and looking up with a quick glance at the neon sign flashing: ‘Ray’s Fine Eats.’

  “What’s going on in there?” I then asked with a nod towards the door, as I made my way towards the entrance steps.

  Edanai kept pace with me and put a hand to my arm to halt me.

  “Wait. There are humans in there, oblivious as always,” She then began.

  I tensed and I know she felt my muscles grow rigid beneath her touch.

  I turned to look at her.

  “I know so don’t speak out loud.” I mouthed to her.

  She looked at me curiously but nodded in understanding, and we immediately switched to communicating telepathically, because our every word would be heard by who I thought it was.

  I spoke first and both Edanai and I moved in as if we were sharing an intimate conversation to throw off any curious human or others eyes and ears.