by Kailin Gow
“Don’t move, Braxton,” I said as I grabbed the neatly pressed kerchief in his jacket pocket and wrapped it around the ugly wound.
Behind me, I heard Shayne bark orders while Asher continued to sear through a host of demons. Eager to keep Brax safe, I dragged him to the corner and propped him up against the wall, then turned to help Asher.
Chaos ruled the small room as demon after demon entered and took up battle with Asher. Though swift and powerful, the sheer number of demons failed to diminish and I could see the wearing effect it had on him.
“Will this ever end?” he muttered as I approached and prepared to battle again.
After fighting off another dozen demons, the flow momentarily halted and we all turned to find the reason. Dr. Kingsley, the ancient Book of Angels gripped securely under his arm, entered the melee.
Before uttering a word, he stared at Asher in amazement. “You? You're the angel?”
“It appears that I am.” Breathless, Asher grinned.
“All this time… I thought my nephew Braxton was destined to be an angel.”
“Me?” Braxton called up.
Dr. Kingsley turned to him. “My wife, Denise, God rest her soul, spoke often of the possibility.”
“Aunt Denise,” Braxton said. “She was Dad’s favorite sister.”
“Yes,” Dr. Kingsley said. “That’s why he confided his beliefs to her, told her of the dreams and visions he had of you. Of course, I realize now he was mistaken, but not by much.”
“This little family reunion is really quaint,” Shayne said, pushing aside a chair and heading to Dr. Kingsley. “But, quite frankly, I have a soul or two to save.”
She reached out to grab the book, but Dr. Kingsley held a firm grasp on it.
“This is a valuable book, ancient and filled with wisdom,” he said, both hands tugging the book away from her.
“I don’t care,” she hissed. “All I want is to find how to garner Asher’s soul.”
“I can’t let you have this.”
With one hand on the book and the other pressed to his shoulder, Shayne pulled on the coveted tome and pushed heavily on its owner. “Give it up, old man.”
Using more force than necessary, she pushed Dr. Kingsley and sent him flying back into the desk at the other end of the room. His head landed on the edge of the desk with a sickening thud before he fell to the floor in an unconscious heap.
She turned a triumphant grin to everyone in the room, congratulating herself with shallow bows.
“You bitch,” I screeched. “What have you done?”
Moore rushed in, his gaze instantly taking in my state of anger, then turning to see the results of his sister’s actions. “What are you doing, Shayne? You're roughing up Dr. Kingsley now?”
“I’ll do whatever it takes, Moore. Don’t you get that? Don’t you understand what’s at stake here?” She poked her index finger into his chest. “I’m trying to save your sorry soul.”
His hands fisted and his eyes hardened. “There’s no reason to push Dr. Kingsley around for that. For crying out loud, Shayne, he was one of the few people at school who genuinely liked us. He was there for us when we lost our parents. How many nights did you cry on his shoulder?”
With a flash of anger, she turned to her sibling. “Get a grip, Moore. I succeeded where you failed. All I asked you to do tonight was get this book. Instead he’s the one who arrived with it and I did what I had to do to get it.”
“Sometimes I think you’ve simply gone mad, Shayne.”
“Well, you won’t think I’m so crazy when I save your soul.” Hugging the book to her chest she pointed to Asher. “Now get our angel and let’s get this thing started.”
Moore turned to Asher, gaping as he caught the gentle glow that emanated all around him. “Man, you're glowing.”
“You have an eye for the obvious, Einstein,” Asher quickly quipped. “What you might not be aware of is the damage I can cause with this illuminating glow.” He cast his eyes to the piles of ashes scattered about the room. “You and luscious over there are about to meet the same fate.”
“I’m not like them.” Moore pointed to the floor. “Yes, a portion of my blood is demonic, but I’m an angel too, just like you are.” He turned to me. “And I’m human, too, just like you are, Lux. Are you going to condemn me for something I have no control over?”
“Don’t play so innocent, Moore,” Brax spat. He got to his feet, his hand still clenching the blood stained kerchief at his wound. “You deliberately wove a spell around Lux, luring her in and playing with her heart. For crying out loud, she was in a coma for three days because of you.”
Moore shook his head, his jaw clenched tight as he cast his eyes down. “I underestimated the effect it would have on her.” He reluctantly brought his gaze to me and mouthed, “I’m sorry. I was angry, jealous, so jealous of your feelings for Brax.” Moore looked at Asher and Brax. “You guys all know what it is like to fall in love with Lux…”
Brax’s eyes were on I, and it was clear he felt the same way, while Asher’s eyes were fiercely determined. He shot me a look, and for a brief moment, his face filled with longing, of a love that couldn’t be. Then like a spring rain, it shifted back into the look of determination.
Shayne shot Moore an exasperated glare then turned to the demon at her side. “Get Asher and hold him still.” Flipping through the pages of the book, she muttered her annoyance.
The demons rushed Asher, pinning him to the wall and mobilizing him, but their victory was short-lived. Asher concentrated the golden glow into one intense beam and evaporated the demons.
Shayne hurried to Moore and whispered in his ear. Both gazed at Asher, and Moore reluctantly nodded.
“You two.” Shayne pointed to two other demons and flicked her wrist toward Asher. “Charge him.”
They glanced at each other and took a step back.
“I said charge him!” Shayne shouted.
Having barely taken a step in Asher’s direction the two demons were quickly vaporized, but I quickly realized Shayne had deliberately sacrificed them in order to distract Asher. With surprising speed, Moore tore off his tuxedo jacket and rushed to pull it over Asher’s head. Blinded, Asher reached out to grab his aggressor, but Moore easily sidestepped his attempts and pulled up behind him, effectively choking Asher as he jerked his jacket back tight.
“Don’t kill him,” Shayne warned. She let out an amused snicker as she approached her subdued angel, patting his chest with a patronizing hand. “We need him alive to do this.”
“I don’t like this,” Moore muttered.
Even from across the room I could see his muscles flex under his pristine white shirt as he kept a firm choke hold of Asher.
“But you hate being a succubi descendant as well. Trust me, Moore, I understand how you feel.” She ran her hand across Asher’s chest and down to his navel, her tongue playing wicked games on her lips as she sneered. “After this is all over, you’ll be all human and free to go out with Lux as much as you like, just like I’ll have Brax.”
“You're getting ahead of yourself a bit, aren’t you?” Brax shot out. “Whatever the hell you end up being after this whole fiasco, I want nothing to do with you.”
Moore glanced at me, his expectant gaze awaiting my declaration of our fate.
“Don’t hate me,” he said. “I have to do this, Lux. I can’t go on living like this.”
“I don’t hate you,” I said.
My words had the desired effect. He relaxed, turned his attention to his sister who had finally found her spell in the Book of Angels. Slipping the jacket up just enough to allow her access to Asher’s lips, Moore awaited the start of their transformation.
Ignoring the strange ache in my heart, I ran to Moore, crucifix in hand, and knocked him to the ground. The sound of his head hitting the floor brought a flash wave of nausea to my belly, but I couldn’t afford to relent. I took full advantage of his brief moment of disorientation and pinned him down, stra
ddling him.
My highly-tuned instincts, my years of hunting, killing and destroying demons, couldn’t prepare me for the sensations that coursed through me. My crucifix should have already been pressed to his skin, the words of damnation spoken, yet I hesitated just long enough to allow him to fight back.
He grabbed my wrist, rendering my crucifix useless. Our eyes locked onto one another as a new wave of strong sensations took over my body.
“You feel it, don’t you?” he said, his voice husky and deep.
“You're a demon,” I countered. “All I feel is the deepest loathing for you.”
“The shock of electricity that sparked between us. Don’t deny it, Lux. I know you felt it.”
“No, what you just felt is the fear of death, your eminent death.” I struggled against his hold, trying to bring my crucifix to his skin.
“Damn it, Lux. Even as you try to slay me you're irresistible and tantalizing. And I know that even as you try to destroy me, you want me.”
I glared at him, searching for the arrogance of his words, but there was none, just his frank and raw emotions.
“You're a succubus, or whatever you want to call yourself,” I argued. “This is what you do best, Moore, play with my emotions, get my body to feel things it shouldn’t. I know your game now, and I’m not going to let you play anymore.”
“Are you going to finish him off, or what?” Asher called out, annoyance and frustration filling his voice. He took a forceful step towards us. “I’ll take care of him if you're too…”
“I’ll take care of him,” I cut in, annoyed with my own reluctance, my own confusion.
Asher’s moment of distraction was the break Shayne needed. She rushed to him, pinned him to the wall with the help of two demons and pressed her chest to his.
“We’ve wasted enough time.”
Before Asher could concentrate his golden light, a demon bound his eyes, leaving his lips vulnerable to Shayne’s approach.
“Nasciturus pro iam nato habitur, quotiens de commodes eius agitui,” The unborn is deemed to have been born to the extent that his own inheritance is concerned. Shayne chanted as she brought her lips up to his. “Natura nihil frustra facit. Nature does nothing in vain. Natura non sunt turpici.” What is natural is not dirty.
Her words, eerie yet beautiful in the soft chant, filled the air just as they filled Asher’s parted lips.
“Actus me invito factus non est meus actus. The act done by me against my will is not my act Homo sum humani a me nihil alienum puto.” I am a human being, nothing human is strange to me. Her words grew louder, stronger and for a moment, the room was silent, entranced. “Orta recens quam pura nites. Libera me tutemet ex inferis Free yourself from hell.
Asher struggled against the claws that bound him, his glorious light fading.
“Non facias malum ut inde fiat bonum,” You should not make evil in order that good may be made from it. Dr. Kingsley said as he rose.
Fire burned in Shayne’s eyes as she turned to him. “Veritas diaboli manet in aeternum.” Devil’s truth remain eternally. The sweet voice that had so eloquently chanted the spell now took on a nefarious tone.
“Acta deos numquam mortalia fallunt,” Dr. Kingsley countered. Mortal actions never deceive the gods. He rubbed the back of his head and reached for the desk to keep himself steady. “Someone has to stop her. She’s going to kill him.”
Her eyes reddened and narrowed before turning to Asher to finish the spell. “Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.” We gladly feast on those who would subdue us.
“Alendra lux nihil tenebris.” I shouted. With my crucifix still in my hand, I lifted my weight from Moore and tried to get to my feet. Nourished light not darkness.
“Don’t,” Moore said, his voice solemn. His eyes beseeched me. “She’ll kill you if you interfere.”
When no one moved to help Asher, Dr. Kingsley stumbled as best he could to Shayne. “Ad maiorem Dei gloriam.” To the greater glory of God. His booming voice echoed in the room. He gripped her arm and tugged her away. “Let him go.”
Stunned by the force of Dr. Kingley’s grasp, Shayne lost her balance and stumbled back from Asher. “How dare you,” she shouted. “Do you not realize our souls are at stake? He is just one angel among many. Will the heavens truly miss this one angel?”
With fury that shocked everyone in the room, Shayne shoved Dr. Kingsley to the wall, grabbed his neck with her scaled claws and brought her deceptively beautiful face to his. “Ad tenebris,” she hissed. “Ad inferis. Ad diaboli.” TO DARKNESS, TO HELL, TO DEVIL. She flicked her wrist in one swift motion and snapped Dr. Kingsley’s neck.
“Ah,” she screamed as she let the doctor crumple to the floor. Satisfied, her eyes daring and defiant, she turned to the shocked room. “Does anybody else want to stop me?”
Rushing to the doctor’s side, I tried to read a pulse.
“I’ll stop you.” Asher stood, larger than ever, his gaze intent on the murderous beauty.
With a growl and a whimper, she ran from the room.
Chapter 20
“Uncle,” Brax cried as he reached the fallen doctor.
His eyes filled with anguish and panic as he took his uncle’s wrist to confirm what I had already known. Dr. Kingsley was dead.
“It can’t be,” Brax said. “Not now. Not like this.”
“I’m so sorry, Braxton,” I said softly.
Asher came up behind us. “That bitch. I can’t believe she could do something like this. Are you sure there’s nothing we can do? Resuscitate him?”
“He’s gone,” Braxton mumbled with a shake of his head. “I’ll kill Shayne for this.”
“She’s already high-tailed it out of here.”
“I’ll find her,” Braxton said. “I’ll find her and make sure she pays.”
I gripped his hand tightly, my gaze connecting with his. “And I’m right there with you, Braxton. I won’t let her get away with this.”
“There he is,” Shayne shouted as she re-entered the parlor with two burly men at her side. “That bum crashed this party, tore this room apart and killed our beloved Dr. Kingsley.”
Braxton stood to confront her, but he was efficiently shoved aside by Shayne’s guards as they headed for Asher. They each grabbed an arm and pulled it behind Asher’s back. The larger of the two fisted his hand through Asher’s hair, jerking his head back until he was left wincing in pain.
“What the hell do you guys think you're doing?” Asher struggled against their hold. “I’m the victim here. Your criminal is right there,” he said with a tilt of his chin to Shayne.
“I want you guys to get that murderer out of here.” Shayne’s lovely hands rested on her hips, the pose perfect and elegant.
A small crowd had gathered around her, whispering and murmuring their speculations.
I rushed to the guards, my hand gentle on the smaller one as I tried to reason with him. “This is all wrong,” I said with all the calm diplomacy I could muster. My gut instinct had me longing to throttle the two guards, but the eyeing crowd demanded I maintain control. “He didn’t do anything. Shayne’s the one who killed Dr. Kingsley. We all saw it. We’ve all seen her wreak the havoc she’s accused Asher of.”
“Dr. Kingsley has been a friend of the family for ages,” Shayne countered, her voice sweet, her eyes as innocent as her stance Why would I invite him here just to kill him right in front of my friends? You’re all trying to protect Asher when the whole school knows he’s always been a good for nothing bum. Moore, tell them just how close we’ve always been to Dr. Kingsley.”
He turned his gaze to me, silently pleading my understanding before turning back to the guards. “My sister and I have always cherished Dr. Kingsley’s help and friendship. I’m heartbroken by the events of this night.”
Having missed the slight croak of Moore’s voice as he’d uttered his last words, the guards nodded and escorted Asher out of the room, while two other guards entered and covered Dr. Kingsley’s face.
“Lux, dear, are you all right?” my mother asked as she squeezed through the crowd and came to me.
“This whole night has become a horror, Mom.” I clenched my fists in frustration. “And there’s nothing I can do.”
My father came up and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, his face ashen as he avoided looking towards his friend’s body. “Let’s get you out of here,” he said. He looked at Braxton who still stared at Shayne with fury. “Braxton, I can’t imagine the pain you're going through. If you need a place to stay, you're more than welcome to come home with us.”
His jaw tightened and his fists clenched and unclenched. Shaking his head, Brax said, “Thanks, but I think I need to be alone for a while.”
With that he gave Shayne a firm shove then plowed through the crowd at the door, much to everyone’s annoyance.
“I’ll go get him,” I told my parents as I rushed out after him, but the moment I cleared the crowd I realized he was gone.
Epilogue
Walking out of English class, I hugged my book to my chest and headed to my locker. School had become a dull haze of books, lessons and more books since Dr. Kingsley’s death and getting from one class to another was like going through a maze blindfolded. I took the stairs, knowing I was heading in the wrong direction, but unable to correct myself.
“Lux.”
I felt the soft fingertips touch my shoulder just as the familiar voice hushed into my ear.
“How dare you even approach me,” I spat as I turned to face Moore.
“Lux, please. I need to talk to you just a moment, just a minute.”
“Because of you and your sick sister I’ve lost the two best friends, the only two friends I’ve ever had. Because of your inability to rightly accuse your sister of murdering Dr. Kingsley, Asher is sitting in some jail cell somewhere and for God knows how long. Because of your inability to contradict your sister, Braxton has been sent to a boarding school in England. He’s all the way out in England. Do you realize what you’ve done? Your sister is a murderer! And you, using your incubus power over me, without my consent, hurting me and sending me into a coma…I’ve had some time to think about it…you’ve bullied and used me. I don’t care if the sex was so good or that you claimed that you love me. I can’t even look at you. Do you realize just how much I hate you? I hate you!”