Divinity: The Gathering: Book One

by Susan Reid

  I was breathless when he let me down gently.

  Once we touched down on the solid ground, I quickly turned to catch a glimpse of his beautiful wings, but it was hard to really see them well in the darkness. I could only see the silhouettes, and they were huge, folded in behind him like a regal bird. He let me down gently, and he caught me just as I stumbled a bit to gain my leverage, since my legs momentarily felt rubbery.

  “How’s your arm?” he asked gently touching it.

  Truthfully it hurt, but I didn’t care.

  “It’s okay.” I lied.

  He sighed, “You’re cold, come here,” He said pulling me to him, and hugging me firmly against his body, which was surprisingly still really warm.

  I held onto him just as tightly as he stroked my hair, my back, and then my unbroken arm to warm me up.

  “What now?” I murmured into his torso, remembering that we were being pursued by Satan and another newly fallen angel, Drake.

  “You’re still cold. I’m gonna start a fire,” Cam then said.

  I turned my face to look up at him.

  “They’ll be able to see us though.” I told him as I shivered.

  He smirked, “They can see us in pitch black darkness Star, especially you.” He smiled tilting my chin up.

  I wanted to kiss him, but I knew this was hardly the time or moment to get all romance novel with him right now.

  He stepped back away from me, and I took a moment to catch my breath thinking he’d take a while getting together firewood and something to burn, but in the next second a whoosh sounded and a small bonfire was already burning big and bright in between us. All around us was a large, open wheat field. The wheat still alive, yet dying as fall was settling in, the brittle stalks, swaying in the cold breeze. Thick, dark trees and several rusted silos still sat unkempt beyond them.

  Seeing his gorgeous face with his wings, though folded in — I was overly enamored and in awe.

  “That was incredible. Flying, it’s something I’d never ever imagined in this lifetime and being with you, I’ll never forget tonight,” I then said.

  He looked pained as if he were thinking of something that bothered him when I had said that.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  He sighed, moving back over to me, and then he pulled me back into his the warmth of his strong arms while embracing my cheek, “I’ll never forget this night either,” He whispered before leaning down to kiss me.

  It was tender and sweet, he lingered as if savoring my lips, and I did the same.

  “I said she’s mine!” I heard a deep growl from behind us.

  Cam grunted and fell to his knees to my horror, and behind him stood Drake holding his sword.

  “Cam!” I screamed kneeling down and grabbing onto him.

  “Get out of here, that way… hide until I come for you,” He whispered to me, and nodded towards the wheat field.

  That was an automatic no, but he pushed me away and then his sword instantly materialized, unsheathed into his hand, as if out of his own arm with a slick metal shink sound.

  Cam turned swiftly and brought up his sword in a blur of movement, but Drake blocked it with a loud metal clang.

  I saw the deep cut that grazed Cam’s back in between his wings, and a few feathers fell away once he moved. I was horrified.

  Where did he want me to go? We were in the middle of nowhere? Hide where? Get lost in the dark maze of wheat? What if I couldn’t find my way out or get to him in time to help?

  I looked around into the darkness, not wanting to be by myself for even a second, knowing Satan was roaming the area not far behind too. How long would it be before he showed up and even then, Cam wouldn’t be able to fight the both of them.

  My heart wrenched, I wasn’t leaving him. There had to be something I could do!

  “Star, don’t run. I won’t hurt you.” I suddenly heard from behind me.

  It was a familiar smooth, deep and mellow voice.

  I didn’t want to turn around to look….I didn’t want to see who it was.

  “Cam was about to kill you, you know.” He then said.

  He wasn’t a very good liar. I would never believe that in a million years. Did he really think that would work?

  He chuckled, “Believe it sweetheart. Why do you even think he brought you out here at all? You can never escape me. I’d find you in dreams, and in death sweetie,” He went on.

  I trembled, by body shaking in an uncertain fear stronger than the fear burning in my brain right now.

  Don’t look at or speak to him Star, he’s playing on your emotions. He’s a liar!

  I felt him touch my hand, and I immediately flinched and backed away as if he were on fire, still not wanting to look at him, but feeling as if I should.

  “I know what happened to your parents,” He then said.

  I bit back the tears that threatened to come at any moment. He was going for the jugular now, tapping into the worst pain that I had held within me for a long time. I was feeling ill as balls of leaden ice sank heavily into my gut.

  Don’t speak to him, don’t believe him…he is a liar.

  I heard his footsteps slowly begin to circle me as I shut my eyes and turned my head away from him. I felt the brush of his hand along the back of my hair, and I cringed, wincing to stifle the fear and tears from exploding outwardly to his satisfaction.

  “Come on, aren’t you even the slightest bit curious? I know you are. I know all about human nature. Come with me and I’ll reunite you with them and your grandmother. I can give you and them anything your hearts have ever desired. Don’t bother hiding, it’s pointless.” He whispered.

  I felt as if I would faint, the violent illness gripped me slowly and increased with intensity by virtue of his mere proximity to me now as I closed my eyes. I suddenly remembered the story that Drake had told me in the park.

  Ironically, he may have been talking about himself…not just Satan.

  My heart bled at the mention of my parents and my grandmother even coming out of his mouth given the fact that he had known they were all dead and slowly my fear and pain — began to turn into anger.

  I could feel the heat and energy of the emotion begin to churn and rise in my core, coalescing and joining forces with my adrenaline rage and hatred of this being.

  “No. I’m not gonna hide this time. You touch me or Cam and I throw myself into the fire,” I whispered, my breath was still a bit shaky as I stifled the tears, but they were tears of anger now, I refused to cower and show fear or weakness anymore.

  I slowly began to turn around — to finally face him and slowly opened my eyes.

  His eyes were aglow but he was beautiful. A being this dark and vile shouldn’t be this beautiful; it made no sense to me.

  He laughed, low and guttural as if he knew he had me now.

  “No you won’t. I know you. You’ve tried to before though haven’t you? Many times before and you can’t do it. Not because you’re a coward or because you think it’s a sin.” He said smugly.

  How he had known all of that completely stunned me, though it shouldn’t have. Maybe he had been the one to kill them himself.

  In the distance somewhere, Cam was fighting to defend and save me and I needed to help him; to keep myself from harm while he was occupied with Drake.

  My mind began to work desperately. I began to back up towards the growing bonfire, but as if he had calculated my exact move, the fire suddenly winked out completely, cloaking us all in complete darkness. Fright and my fears took over me once again. The darkness — I was terrified of complete darkness, and Satan knew it.

  At any moment, I expected him to come charging at me, to take me in one swift move like the bird did with the baby in my dream. He could have done anything at any given time to me apparently, so I did the only thing I could do to gain Cam and Drake’s attention, seeing as maybe together, they could do some damage to Satan in some way.

  I opened my mouth and unleashed the highest, most ea
r-piercing scream that I could force out of my lungs, pushing all the air I had in me up and out…my vocals cords straining and raw.

  I felt the sudden jolt of an extremely powerful energy and heat surge up from deep inside of me at that moment, and it made me gasp in both surprise and shock. It didn’t hurt me at all and it was — familiar. It was the power, heat and energy that I had felt in my last dream towards the end, when the angel had me.

  In the next instant, a sheer and blazing white sphere closed over me like a giant shield of protection, just as Satan lunged for me.

  I stared in awe as the bubble illuminated the entire area around me within a few yards radius, and I could see again. Where had it come from? Who was doing it?

  Satan slammed into the protective sphere getting the shock of his life as it zapped and burned him. He screamed and cursed angrily with rage, smoking and then fading into dark wisps of thick, oily, viscous vapor.

  In a flash, Cam was suddenly in front of me immediately after hearing me scream and then, so was Drake. They both momentarily gaped in awe, forgetting about their own current battle as well as Satan, and judging by the expressions on their faces, none of them had any clue what the sphere was or where it had come from either. Drake took the momentary distraction to sucker punch Cam, and though he stumbled, caught off guard briefly, that one hit was all it took to remind him that they were fighting. Satan had disappeared…for the moment. Or had contact with the sphere killed him? Though at peace and protected in the sphere, my fear and anxiety of Cam being hurt or killed was enough to make me break out of it. As soon as I set foot outside of it, it dropped and disappeared altogether.

  Where had it come from? Had it been another guardian angel somewhere? It was alien and elaborate enough to strike both Cam and Drake with surprise, and powerful enough to shock Satan into oblivion, so — had I killed him?

  Cam and Drake continued to exchange powerful blows and swings of their swords at first; making me crazy when Cam was hit really hard, or had been slammed into a rock and grunted in pain. I looked around for Satan, even though I couldn’t see anything. I expected him to come at me from out of the darkness where I couldn’t see, which he could have done easily and then he’d have me, but I didn’t have time to think or worry about him.

  Then I had a sudden revelation.

  I couldn’t see Cam and Drake anymore but I could hear them; their eyes were glowing in the distance like sinister embers against their silhouettes, which told me where they were though I couldn’t tell which one Cam was from here. I would have to take the chance as I took off running at full speed towards their fighting forms in the darkness, outlined by only the moonlight and stars that seemed to grow brighter, the closer I got.

  The natural luminescence of the moon began to shimmer more brightly, like a large beacon throwing enough light for me to catch sight of them, in order to distinguish between them. Something…some other force was helping me — helping us, both me and Cam I think, I believed it.

  Now that I could see, I was horrified to see Cam on the ground, his wings limp and he looked hurt — badly. Drake stood over him, sword high in the air, and Cam had to have been hurt to not be doing anything to block or ready himself for the attack.

  “No!” I screamed loudly, even though my throat was already raw and swollen from having screamed so loud before. I took off as fast as my legs could move — towards them.

  I felt like I had been running through both water and quicksand. The muscles in my legs were taut, feeling as if they were straining to push me onward in my terror. I hadn’t seen the flash of white power emanating from Cam’s fingers shoot out to stop the downward arc of Drake’s blade, until I had gotten there. Cam was getting up already, but I was furious and already determined to do something to get Drake away from him, or hurt him or something!

  Drake growled and attempted a sideways swipe just as Cam stood up, and just as I had reached them both.

  I dove at and flung myself at Drake — to put myself in front of Cam.

  “Star no!” I heard Cam scream out, and I felt his fingers brush past my hair… missing my shirt.

  The arc of the blade had swung across so swiftly, I didn’t even see it — and I surely didn’t even feel it until both Cam and Drake cried out in shocked anguish.

  “No!!” Drake said in horror with wide eyes upon realizing what he had just done, but he had swung way too hard and way too fast to stop even if he had realized that I was in front of him.

  “No!! Forgive me Elo…!” He dropped his sword, fell to his knees and began to shriek in pain, as holes of fiery white light began to punch through and break apart his flesh. He began to burn, his skin smoking, charring and finally exploding with the haunting lingering sound of his howls and pleas of pain, defeat and forgiveness.

  Drake finally winked out like a flash bulb in the darkness, as if he had never been there to begin with. Somewhere in the distance, another deafening roar from a dark being howled in fury and anger, and the ground seemed to rumble like an earthquake for a few seconds and then stopped.

  I clutched my middle, it was wet and sticky, and it burned like nothing that I’d ever felt before. The pain was excruciating and the smell of blood was strong in my nose and my throat as it rose and bubbled into my mouth and dribbled down my chin.

  My knees gave out and I collapsed, but before I could hit the ground Cam caught me and hugged me to him.

  His face appeared anguished, as if he was crying but he wasn’t.

  He stroked my hair, cradling me in his arms.

  “Why did you do that?” He whispered.

  I was already feeling lethargic and cold. The sting of the cut across my entire torso had been tortuously painful, but it was already beginning to go numb…like the rest of me, slowly. My blood had already soaked the entire front of my shirt and pants.

  I gave a weak smile, unable to really speak as blood continued to drool from the corner of my mouth.

  “It…was…supposed to happen, wasn’t it?” I managed an air of a whisper.

  He sighed and rocked me, holding me close against his chest with my head cradled in his arm.

  “I figured it out. Each, time they made me bleed…they either disappeared or — died.” I then whispered.

  “What were you thinking?” he scolded me in a whisper as he stroked my hair.

  I spit up more blood in my attempt to answer him.

  He rested his forehead to mine and closed his eyes, “You still shouldn’t have done that. I’m not ready…” He bit his lip, his words trailing off.

  Devastation masked his face, and it hurt me to see it.

  “You…saved me. I had to save you,” I then whispered.

  He pulled back a bit and smiled painfully down at me, wiping the blood from my chin and lips.

  “You’ve already saved me a long time ago Star. I love you, no matter what happens and if at all possible…please always remember that,” He then whispered and then pressed his warm lips against my own. I closed my eyes momentarily, trying to savor the feel of his soft, warm lips on mine — awaiting death to come, finally.

  When he pulled away, I slowly fluttered my eyes open, no longer able to feel my feet or my legs. He was putting something in my hair, behind my ear and I wasn’t sure what it was at first until the sweet, fragrant smell reached my nose, overpowering the iron, sweet smell of blood.

  It felt like a flower…a lily. It tickled the side of my temple as he secured it in place and then stroked my cheek.

  I managed another weak smile.

  “Did…I kill him? Satan?” I breathed.

  He pursed his lips and smiled at me.

  “No, but you definitely pissed him off. What was that sphere?” He then asked with confusion on his face.

  “I don’t….know.” I whispered.

  I slowly raised a weak, shaky and bloody hand to caress his face. He held my fingers against his soft, warm lips and kissed them.

  I was getting so sleepy, and my teeth began to chatter now.


  “I will never forget you Starling. I love you. My true given name is Cam`ael,” He whispered.

  I managed another smile. I didn’t care that he called me Starling.

  I liked hearing him say it.

  “I love you, Cam`ael.” I whispered seeing the pain in his beautiful eyes as he hugged me to him, and kissed me softly once again.

  The warmth of his lips lingered until I could no longer feel them or anything else anymore.

  EXODUS: Cam`ael:

  My original plan to take and kill her myself, in order to save her from both Drakael and Morning Star — and finally end my own existence in the process, had failed. I couldn’t do it…I didn’t want to do it. When Morning Star had shown up, I knew there’d be no hope or way around keeping her safe, especially with Drakael on our heels as well. I still could not get over what had become of him, and the near battle that could have become epic, instantly.

  A thousand tears of anguish filled me, as I held her fragile, cold and dying body in my arms, and knowing that this would be the last time I’d be with her. The taste and scent of her blood was still strong on my own lips when I had kissed her, and I savored it — savored both her life and her essence. It was enough for me, to be able to keep and feel the most sanctified part of her flowing through my own being, for however much longer I would exist.

  She had no idea she was going to die…no idea of what she was going to become, yet she had sacrificed herself in thinking it would save me. The only thing I didn’t anticipate was it being Drakael who would strike the fatal blow.

  Or maybe I had.

  She had selflessly tried to save me, an already condemned demon without even thinking, despite knowing what I am.

  She stood brave against the ultimate evil of all time, and defied his deceptions to his face. She was truly a divine warrior already to me. Morning Star’s rage would be known and felt all over his domain for a while after this, but that didn’t bother or worry me at all.

  I still didn’t understand how, from whom or know where the large dome of divine light that had shielded her had come from, let alone who illuminated the moon, so that she wouldn’t be afraid in the darkness… though I had a few guesses.