Gilded Inferno (The Helio Trilogy Book 2)

by Valerie Roeseler

  Returning from the Veil, I’m pleased to find that I timed everything right and I’ll be able to have a few hours of sleep before everyone starts waking up. Sleep doesn’t come quickly for me with my thoughts tumbling over my future. Jack’s going to want to talk. I can’t tell him about Telly or what I’m doing… Two days. I’m going to find you, Chief. I wish you could still hear me… I miss you.

  I’m surprised with how refreshed I feel with only a few hours of sleep. It’s more unexpected that I find myself sneaking around the house to avoid waking anyone else up. I’ve never been a morning person, yet today I am. I busy myself outside for a couple of hours, giving the horses a much needed bath and pampering. Just as I’m finishing up the tightly knotted braids of Andromeda’s mane, Alice joins me in the barn.

  “I’m surprised to see you awake!” she notes.

  I pat Andromeda’s neck before closing her stall. “I think I finally got enough sleep yesterday.”

  She walks with me to the tack room, “Classes start next week.”

  “I know.”

  Alice leans against the door frame, “You’re really not going back to school?”

  I sigh. “I can’t, A. There’s so much going on. I can’t focus.”

  “And the band?”

  I push past her and lead the way back to the manor, “I can’t afford to slip up around Becky and Regan. Look at how many times they’ve been too close to things they shouldn’t know about.”

  She shrugs, “I wish you would reconsider.”

  My feet feel heavy as I try not to stomp like a child. “What do you expect me to do? Take the chance of fainting at practice, on stage, in class? People are going to start thinking something is seriously wrong with me. What happens if Fallen come after me again and I have to defend myself in front of people? How am I going to explain myself?”

  “They won’t attack in public. They’re not stupid.”

  I spin on her as we reach the front door, “No. They’re desperate. And they could do anything they want. It just leaves us to clean up the mess.”

  “I’m sorry. I just want to be here for you. I don’t want to see you stop living your life because of all this.”

  I storm through the threshold, making my way up to my room for a shower, “I don’t have a choice.” Alice doesn’t follow me upstairs, and I fight the urge to look back at her. I’ve made my decision. I won’t let anything get in the way of what I have to do.

  I make a list of things that have to happen as I shower. One, talk to Jack and assure him I’m ok. Two, try to scry again and see if I can find out more about where Solas is. Three, meet Telly and breach Sheol. Four, find Solas. Five, escape Sheol with Solas. As a side note, don’t get caught.

  Jack knocks on my door just as I finish getting dressed. I open the door. A rush of lust pours over me. Without warning, Jack’s hands find my waist and he shoves me against the wall as the door slams shut. A whimper escapes my lips with his body pressed tight against mine, his mouth hovering over the tender skin of my neck.

  I reach for his shirt, intent on ripping it off, but he slams my hands above me with a low growl. My body arches off the wall as I try to get closer. The rolling tingle through my blood turns to fire, and my want for him consumes me. “Jack,” I moan.

  His breath touches my ear, sending shivers down my spine, “I’d keep it down, unless you want the whole house to hear. Can you do that?” I nod with frantic need. “Good.”

  Jack’s mouth crashes into mine, driving the blaze in my body into a raging river of flames. His hands slide down my arms, then lift me from the wall before slamming me to the bed. I attempt to sit up, not happy about his lips leaving me, but Jack pushes me back down. “Don’t move. You need sleep, and I’m going to wear you out.”

  I squint with frustration and dig my nails into his thighs between my legs. His lips trail over mine teasingly as his hands glide over my jeans between my thighs. A moan escapes. He growls against the skin of my shoulder, letting his teeth graze to my neck. I pop the button of his jeans, then he pushes my hands away again. He grins, “Nope. You have to wait.”

  His teasing infuriates me while the want for him consumes me. It’s then I realize that Jack’s using his influence on me. Not fair. I grab the sides of his face and throw the feeling back at him. His body shudders before his dark verdant wings burst from his shoulder blades, shredding his shirt. I grin mischievously, “Oops.”

  “Fuck this,” he groans and rips my shirt from my skin.

  I wrap my leg around him and throw him on his back as I release my pitch black wings. Clothes are torn from our bodies with impatience as we fight each other for the upper hand. Our angelic strength and endurance takes over our thoughts of keeping quiet. We become a freight train of want, craving hunger, and aching desire as we roll to the floor, slam against furniture, and destroy my room with our momentum. The earth drops away from me as my vision explodes, pleasure spiraling through me.

  “Holy shit! I feel like I just walked into a rock star’s hotel room, Ivy!” Alice yells, waking me up Monday morning.

  I jerk to attention, clutching what remains of my sheets to my chest. When I notice it’s Alice, I blow the hair from my face—which is a complete rat’s nest—and frown at her.

  She giggles with wide eyes, “What the hell did you guys do yesterday?”

  I fall back to my pillow and cover my face, “Go away, Alice. It’s too early.”

  Alice rips the covers from me, “Not happening. It’s Monday and we have training with the boys.”

  “Ugh!” I kick my feet, throwing a mock tantrum.

  She calls over her shoulder as she leaves, “And take a shower! You look like a cavewoman!”

  Chapter 8

  I’m taking it easy on a speed bag in the basement training room when Jack slides his hands around me and kisses my neck. I lose my concentration and spin in his arms. “Good morning.”

  Jack gives me his million dollar smile, “Yes, it is.”

  “Give it a rest, would you? Didn’t you get enough of each other yesterday?” Eric complains as he enters with Alice.

  I blush when he grins at us, then roll my eyes. Jack releases me and helps pull off my gloves as I look to Eric, “What’s on the agenda today, boss?”

  He shakes his head on my insistence at calling him ‘boss’ with a smile, “We’re going to do something a little different today.”

  Alice passes me a bundle of folded, thick, black material, “You’ll need this.”

  I run my fingers over the smooth material, “What’s this?”

  “A duster,” she grins with a gleam of mischief in her doe eyes.

  “For…” I drawl.

  Eric fields the question, “You’re going hunting.” The tone in his voice reveals the excitement he feels for the challenge.

  I quirk my brow, “Hunting?”

  “There’s been a few disturbances in a city about two hundred miles north of here. Reports are coming in about random people with extreme agitation, violent behavior, paranoia, and hallucinations. The government is trying to cover it up with the excuse of a new synthetic drug on the market. Normally, we would turn the other cheek, but most of these people are also showing signs of bloodlust.”

  My eyes widen, “I’m sorry. Did you say, ‘bloodlust’? As in, they’re drinking blood?” Eric nods, the sadness in his eyes unmistakable. “Are we talking about Vampires? I didn’t think they were real.”

  Jack clears his throat. “No. This is what happens when a demon takes over a human host.”

  I stand frozen and unblinking as I let that sink in. I mumble, “Demonic possession.”

  Alice points out, “It’s important that we get to these people right away. The longer the demon has a hold on the host, the more it eats away at the host’s soul. Usually, when a demon decides to release the host, the person ends up committing suicide. A Reaper will come to guide the soul, and because the soul is missing pieces of itself, it will refuse to be escorted and remain a spiri
t cursed to the earth.”

  Already feeling defeated, I ask, “What are we supposed to do?”

  Eric proposes, “We’re hoping that you can use your gift of Immortal Pestilence to remove the demon’s essence before the soul can be damaged beyond repair.”

  My mind reels, and I speak my concern aloud, “I’ve never removed an essence while there was a soul still intact! How am I supposed to take one and leave the other? What if I fail and take both? Or worse, what if I take the wrong one? I don’t know how to do what you’re asking me.”

  Jack’s calming touch flows through me as he places a hand on my shoulder. “We don’t know if it’ll work at all, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. You can do this. And no matter what your purpose is, you’re a Daughter of Light above all else. It will always be your responsibility to protect mortals from the Darkness.”

  I have a flash of a memory with his words. Solas told me something similar to keep me going when I was at my lowest after losing Jack. I hear his voice in my mind as I remember him sitting across from me in the beachfront cottage, wearing nothing but a towel, You’re stronger and more powerful than you know.

  I change into dark clothes and combat boots as Alice insisted—which isn’t hard because seventy-five percent of my wardrobe is black. A storm is rolling in the distance with promises of freezing rain. I grumble with the thought of flying in the weather. Tossing the oilskin duster over my arm, I head downstairs to meet them in the foyer.

  Eric kisses Alice on the cheek, “Later, babe.”

  I stop before her as I follow Eric through the door, “You’re not coming?”

  She shakes her head, “No. I’m staying here to take the Griffins shopping for their textbooks.”

  I give her a hug, “Wish me luck.”

  “Luck,” she mocks with a small grin.

  Jack steps up next to me as we make it to Eric’s red Charger, “You still wearing the necklace?”

  Pulling the delicate chain from beneath my shirt, the pendant dangles for him to see, “I never take it off.”

  He opens the passenger door for me, “Good girl.”

  I slide into the back seat and check my phone for the time as Eric starts the car. The beautiful rumble purrs through my body. I sink back to enjoy its pure muscle with promises of adrenaline. “How long will it take us to get there?”

  Eric creeps the Charger down the driveway, “We should get there around two. We’ll get lunch and do some scouting, then we’ll go from there.”

  “So, we’re flying by the seat of our pants?”

  He shrugs, “Pretty much.”

  “Some boss you are,” I tease.

  We pass through the gates of the Roe’s estate. “Hold on tight!” Eric laughs as he takes off like a rocket down the dirt road.

  An hour after our road trip starts, the sky opens up to a torrential downpour. The beat of the techno music Eric insists on fights the steady rhythm of rain against the glass, lulling my mind into a slumber, and the storm wins over my apathy.

  I examine Solas’ vulnerable state as we’re pinned to a cave wall within Sheol. My head’s pounding. The thick smell of blood coats the air. The double edged pitchfork wedged between the hollow of his throat and his chin has punctured his skin, and he’s unable to make the slightest movement without causing more harm to himself.

  “No,” I croak as my heart drops to the pit of my stomach. Solas’ eyes flutter open with the sound of my voice. “Solas, can you hear me?”

  I open my mind to him, relieved when his deep voice soothes the ache in my heart, "Ivy."

  The vision slips away from me when Jack shakes me awake, “Ivy.”

  A tear slips down my cheek before I lock eyes with him. Worry crosses his face. He strokes my cheek, sending serenity through my mind to alleviate the pain in my chest. I cover his hand with mine. “I’m ok.”

  “We’re here,” he notes.

  I sit up to find Eric missing from the driver’s seat. I wipe my face clean, “Where’s Eric?”

  “He’s pilfering a file from the police station,” he states, turning back to face forward.

  “I’m not even going to ask.”

  Jack’s gaze regards me in the rear view mirror, “What was it about?”

  “What?” I deflect, looking out the side window.

  “Your dream, Ivy. What was it about?” he huffs with irritation.

  I flat out lie to him, “I’m not sure yet.”

  Eric rips the driver door open and jumps in to avoid getting more soaked than he already is. He tosses a blue file folder into Jack’s lap before he cranks the engine.

  Jack prompts, “Where are we headed?”

  “Downtown,” Eric smiles.

  “Hell yeah,” Jack remarks.

  I sit forward, poking my head between the seats as Eric pulls out of the police station, “Why’s that exciting?”

  The boys share a look of mischievous amusement before they answer in unison, “Rooftops.”

  After securing the Charger in a parking garage, we pour over the file from the police station. We eat lunch outside of a downtown bistro, enjoying the momentary respite from the storm under their covered patio. The numbers are astounding, and my stomach churns, forcing me to stop eating.

  Within the last month, there’ve been sixty-three arrests that started out as calls for suspicious or violent behavior. Their ages range from thirteen-years-old to forty-two. The foulest parts of the file are the eye witness reports. Some say the individuals began running on all fours, growling and screaming like rabid animals before attacking anything that moved. There are cases of them jumping in front of cars, attacking animals and tearing their throats out with their bare teeth, and even brutally scratching themselves to the point of death.

  The only words to flow from my mouth are full of rage, “How is this possible? How are there so many? Why are there no other angels doing something about this?”

  Jack places a hand on my thigh, “There are others out here, but there’s been a rise in demonic numbers within the last month that they're having trouble keeping up with. That’s why we’re here. And if you can separate the demonic essence from the host’s soul, more can be saved than destroyed.”

  I slide the file to Eric across the table, “Says most possessions are being linked to a seedy part of town five blocks from here.”

  He nods, “We’ve got an hour until sunset. We better get a move on.”

  We make our way back to the parking garage, load ourselves with daggers, throwing knives, swords, and a pair of sai for myself. The long trench coat reaches the ankles of my boots, covering the weapons strapped to my thighs, and the removable snap on hood covers the open area Alice modified for our wings. Eric leads us to the roof of the parking garage, and we wait in silence as we look out over the crowded city.

  The sun begins its slow descent behind the congested skyscrapers, their glass reflecting bursts of orange, pink, and yellow. With the last few seconds of daylight, the sun casts its final rays over the city, glazing every inch in gold. It takes my breath away as the gilded building’s veneers drip from their façade, revealing their natural repugnance. The sight reminds me of Solas’ wings—once a beautiful gold, now black with shame—and the ache in my chest returns.

  Jack pulls the hood of his duster over his head, “Let’s go.” He steps up to the ledge of the roof and leaps to the top of the next building.

  Eric and I follow him. We don’t speak, jumping from building to building, listening for any signs of disturbance along the way. I’m reminded of how loud the city can be. My ears ring with sirens, the hum of cars, and the constant chattering that fights over music pouring from almost every establishment. It takes me a few minutes to focus, sifting through the different noises.

  When we reach the sordid part of town, we crouch and listen. It doesn’t take long for the static in the air to itch our skin and the smell of Sheol to burn our noses. “They're close,” I whisp
er.

  Eric looks to Jack and nods once in affirmation. Jack’s wings shoot from his back. He leaps into the sky. Eric’s wings burst out, their dark violet shade appearing black in the darkness. My own midnight wings erupt, and I follow them to the roof of the taller building ahead of us. The electricity in the air is vivacious and the scent of the demon is pungent. A whimper comes from below us.

  I peek over the edge of the roof into an alleyway between the buildings. My eyes narrow as they zero in on a thug cornering a young woman. He strolls towards her on all fours, his body shaking and ticking from the demon inside.

  Eric hints, “That’s your cue.”

  “What do we do about the girl?” I ask him.

  “I’ll get her out of here.”

  Turning to Jack, I retract my wings, “You’ve got my back?”

  He gives me a crooked grin, “Always, Sunshine. Let’s fuck some shit up.”

  I step over the ledge, aiming for the closed dumpster against the brick wall. My coat billows around me, then I land in a crouch with a loud thud. The girl jumps with a yelp from my sudden appearance. The demon arches its back, hissing at me. “You shouldn’t be here,” I grate through clenched teeth.

  The demon curls its body closer to the ground, its neck twisted at an unnatural angle. I leap to the ground, standing tall as I approach him. He growls, eyes bloodshot, nose bleeding, and teeth bared.

  “I’ll give you one chance to leave the soul behind,” I warn.

  The demon coughs, “Teloch.”

  Reaching for my sai, I hear Jack and Eric land. Eric escorts the young woman away, and Jack helps me corner the erratic demon. Jack barks, “She doesn’t speak the language.” The demon pivots its head further than anatomically possible to regard Jack. Jack adds, “You won’t either when she’s done with you.”

  The demon launches for Jack. My instincts kick in with the need to protect him. My foot connects with the demon’s ribs. He crashes into the wall with a screech, then Jack pins him to the wall by his throat.