The City of Flame and Shadow

by Kim Richardson

  Alexa looked away, her fists tightened.

  More victims lay across the park. Angels darted past them across the grounds, where they joined the fight already flourishing. And now even more angels stormed across the park. They were met by large, ape-like, two-headed demons Alexa had never seen before. The angels looked wild as they cut and sliced through the oncoming horde of beasts.

  She could see no mortals, no Sensitives fighting with the angels. This was a battle of the supernatural, of angel against demon. Every angel around them was in a state of either high anxiety or open alarm.

  Guilt rushed through her. She should be fighting with them. And when she looked over at Milo, his expression was hard and distant as he watched the battle.

  “Where’s the archangel Sabrielle,” asked Alexa, looking back at the archangel with a pressure against her chest that had nothing to do with the fake heart beneath her ribs.

  “No one’s seen her in over an hour,” said Ariel, shaking her head. “She disappears, and now you two show up, as though nothing’s happened. When I come to think of it, she disappeared as soon as word reached us that the two of you had returned to Horizon.”

  Alexa looked into Ariel’s eyes and saw the accusation there. “I’m sorry, archangel Ariel, we didn’t know—”

  “Sorry won’t bring back Arthur, Susan, Paul, Simon, Helen, John, or the hundreds of angels we’ve lost, will it?” her eyes narrowed. “I can barely stand to look at you right now.”

  Alexa’s eyes burned and she fought to control her tears from spilling down her face.

  “What did Sabrielle say to you?” said Metatron, looking both nervous and angry. “Did she ask you to do something for her? Did she ask you to leave Horizon?”

  Alexa then noticed he was without his usual personal guard, the gorgeous and lethal Jasmine and Michelle. Were they out fighting with the rest of them?

  Metatron inched forward, and even though she couldn’t see his eyes, she felt them rolling over every inch of her, scrutinizing her, looking for something hidden.

  She didn’t know what possessed her, but she hid the hilt of the bone sword with her jacket, and hoped Metatron’s x-ray vision hadn’t seen it.

  Alexa had the strongest feeling that if she told them about the bone sword, they would take it away from her. She straightened, doing her best to hide the lie that pounded in her. She wouldn’t let them take the sword. Not after everything she’d been through with Milo. The sword was hers, hers to use on Hades. The Legion could have the sword back—after she killed Hades. Not before.

  Things might have taken a turn for the worst if Milo had confessed. But he hadn’t uttered a single word yet.

  The archangel Ariel caught her staring at Milo, and she moved on him. “I expected better from you, Milo,” said the archangel, and Alexa saw guilt flash across his face.

  “I can’t even begin to express how disappointed I am with you. How angry I am—one of our best guardians—skipping out on his duties. Rookies can be foolish. It’s even expected of them, but you, you’re a celebrated petty officer. You’ve always been in the Legion’s good graces… I am astonished that you would be so careless, so stupid and reckless, and especially at a time like this.”

  Milo hung his head, his jaw clenching. “I’m sorry, archangel Ariel.”

  Ariel’s face was pinched. “What have you got to say for yourself? You were missing for more than five hours. Where did you go for all that time? Who gave you permission to leave? Was it Sabrielle? And don’t you dare lie to me,” she added. “I’ll know if you do. Speak!”

  Milo stared at the ground, his face screwed up in concentration, and Alexa knew he was preparing to lie, lie for her.

  Before she knew what she was doing, the lie she was prepared to tell vanished and she stepped forward, blurting, “We were in pur—”

  The ground shook beneath Alexa’s feet, followed by an ear-splitting boom as though the sky had torn itself apart, and then shouts and screams.

  “You stay where you are, rookie. Alexa!”

  But Alexa had already bolted out of the tent. The archangel Ariel’s scream echoed behind her as she dashed across the grounds, following the shouting. She didn’t hear what they were shouting, but the fear she saw on the faces of the angels that flew past her fueled her limbs to go faster.

  Black blood, as thick as oil, splattered the ground, slicking the grass so Alexa’s feet slipped out from under her. She kept running.

  Beyond the ring of angels were hundreds of demons, creatures with corpse-pale skin covered in blisters and boils. Their eyes were vacant as they hurled themselves at the angels, thrashing in a violent blur of claws and teeth. Alexa saw a male angel fall back, his throat torn out and his essence spilling out of him like a water hose.

  Alexa had reached the middle of the park when she understood what had caused the boom.

  Demons and humanoid creatures that could only be pagan gods spilled out of a black hole like a portal the size of a large truck. Dozens emerged at a time—a Hellgate.

  And next to it, sitting on a pile of dead angels like a throne, was Hades.

  CHAPTER 29

  ALEXA GLARED AT THE PAGAN GOD. All her fury, her pain, pounded through her body until she felt on fire. She burned with hatred for the creature that had taken her memories and had made her different.

  Her hatred boiled up inside her at the sight of him, sprawled above a pile of dead angels in a white suit. Even from where she stood, she could see the Helm of Darkness on his head—a rounded crown made of steel and rivets, with openings for the eyes, a nasal guard, and a row of sharp metal teeth. It throbbed with black energy, gleaming as though it were drawing power from the dead angels’ souls.

  The bone sword whined as Alexa drew it from her belt, and the ground reverberated with the pounding of demons. She stood with her fingers wrapped around its hilt, and made to move forward—

  She sensed something move behind her and spun around. Milo and Lance ran to her.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” said Milo, his eyes wild.

  Alexa shrugged. “What does it look like. I’m going after Hades.”

  “Not alone, you’re not,” answered the angel. “This isn’t a regular demon, Alexa. Hades is a powerful pagan god. You have no idea what he’s capable of with his new toy.”

  “Not to mention that you’d have to get through about twenty of his biggest demons to reach him,” said Lance, as he gestured with a nod of his nose. “It also appears as though the pagan god took the liberty of hiring a band of Higher demons as his personal guards.”

  “I don’t care,” said Alexa casting a glance over her shoulder. “I’ve waited long enough. I have to face him.”

  “But you don’t have to do it alone,” said Milo. The tenderness in his face had Alexa’s insides twisted in knots.

  “No, I don’t. But I can’t stand the thought of you getting hurt. Not because of me.”

  “I won’t,” said Milo. “I’m still coming with you.”

  “Don’t forget about me,” said Lance. “I’ve been meaning to taste demon flesh between my teeth. It’s been a while.”

  Alexa looked back at the tent. Ariel and Metatron looked furious. Their lips were moving, and she had no idea what they were saying, but it didn’t look good by the deep frowns on their faces.

  “They look pretty pissed at us,” said Milo, who had caught Alexa staring. “Yeah, that’s definitely not a happy glare.”

  “They’ll thank me later when it’s over.” Alexa was filled with both fear and anger, but she couldn’t think about the consequences of her actions right now, or why Sabrielle had sent them on a secret mission. This was her last, her only chance at defeating Hades. She had to take it.

  “Maybe they won’t,” said Milo. “Have you thought about that? You just ran when Ariel told you to stay. If we live through this, there’ll be hell to pay.”

  Alexa raised a brow. “You ran too, didn’t you?” She looked at Lance. “And so did you. I’m pre
pared to face whatever punishment… you? If not, then you should go back.”

  Milo’s face was cold. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “I know exactly what you meant. But right now, I don’t care what they’ll do. They can throw me in Tartarus if that’s what they want. I don’t care.”

  “You don’t mean that.”

  “I do.” And Alexa realized the truth of her words as she said them. “If they can’t see I’m trying to do some good here, that I’m trying to save us, maybe I don’t deserve to be an angel. Maybe I’m just not programmed to be one. But before they lock me up and throw away the key—I’m going to kill Hades.” She hesitated. “You with me?”

  Lance lowered his body. “I’m so with you. I can barely contain the wolf in me.”

  Alexa looked at Milo, her artificial heart throbbing in her throat. “And you?”

  Milo and Alexa looked at each other for moment, and then he said. “Always.”

  Heat rushed to Alexa’s face, and even more so when she saw Lance roll his eyes.

  “Well, whatever your plan is you better do it fast, they’re coming for us,” said the Scout, looking behind him. “Look.”

  Alexa’s spirit fell. Ariel, accompanied by a dozen angels, was sprinting across the grounds, her angry glare fixed on Alexa, Milo and Lance.

  Alexa cursed loudly. “We need to go.”

  With a quickness that could only be the result of immortal speed, Milo drew his spirit sabers. “But we do this together. We’ll face him together.”

  “Fine,” said Alexa.

  “Oh no, don’t do that look,” said Lance, looking at Milo with wide eyes.

  “What look,” asked Alexa as she inspected Milo’s face and saw nothing but his handsome face staring back at her.

  “That look,” said Lance. “The look he gets when he wants to kill everyone.”

  The three of them laughed—a strange sound amidst the dying cries of angels and the shrill screeches of demons. It eased the tension a little.

  With a wild smile, Alexa dashed forward. She threw herself into the ring of demons, striking out at the first lower demon—a foul, scaled insect-like creature that reminded her of a grasshopper and a fish—and severed its legs. The demon screeched as it fell, its black blood spurting out of it.

  She stood staring at the demon for second, hoping to see it consumed in the green fire she’d seen the sword with before. But the creature withered on the ground, dying the ordinary demon death she’d seen so many times before.

  With a pinch of disappointment, Alexa didn’t stop as she hurled herself at the next one, the bone sword in her hand like an extension of her arm. She recognized it as a vligar, a lesser demon, vaguely humanoid, but more like a reptile than a man and only semi-intelligent. Its mouth stretched wide with each roar. It leaned over her, red eyes glowing and snapping its huge teeth.

  She cut the vligar down in three strikes. And again Alexa paused hoping to see something spectacular or special about the bone sword. Again she was disappointed as the vligar demon convulsed and then exploded in a cloud of ash.

  It probably only worked its magic on Hades, Alexa thought bitterly.

  In the distance, she could hear the roar of Hades’ laughter. Faster and faster she spun, cut, and twisted, limbs flailing and demon blood spattering her. But she never stopped.

  She caught a flash of white and saw Lance thrust himself at another lesser demon, severing its throat as he chomped down on the soft demon flesh with his large canines.

  The park echoed with the earsplitting cries of demons—deep, savage, and vicious. She saw Milo slash at two different demons, blows that left the demons disemboweled. The tips of his sabers whistled in the air. Milo swore and launched into an assault that engaged three demons at once. Their cries were cut short as they crumbled to the ground.

  Through the Hellgate, Alexa saw more lesser demons pouring through, as though a great black mouth was vomiting them out.

  More demons came at her. The ones caught by the blade exploded into ash before coming apart with a howl, while others crumpled into a sloppy black mess. The bone sword flashed through them, and still more came, as if there was no end to their numbers. As she cut demons down on one side, the ones on the other side would reach for her, but the bone sword met them and she cut them down.

  Still, more demons came.

  A demon lunged for Alexa, slicing and tearing and biting. Its teeth found her flesh, but she managed to pull away and brought her sword down hard. A crack of bone, and then black blood sprayed the ground.

  She was nowhere near the killing skill of Milo, but somehow her movements came naturally to her, a sixth sense. She skipped over the writhing demon bodies, over the piles of ash as they bled pools of darkness.

  But there, tucked into the underbrush of adjacent trees, were several angel bodies.

  Alexa saw Jasmine first, lying a little away and curled up on her side. Anyone else might have thought her merely unconscious, but Alexa knew she was dead. A death blade punctured her right eye. It was the only time Alexa had seen her face without her sunglasses.

  And only a few feet from her was Michelle, her severed head lying at her feet.

  Alexa exerted her will and the clutch of fear became simply a sensation, without danger. With the bone sword clasped in her hand, she felt invincible. She could almost taste victory. Soon she would see the life fade from Hades’ eyes.

  From the brush to her right, something came toward her in a terrible rush.

  A group of Higher demons charged in at a frightening speed, death blades at their sides. One caught sight of her and swung his death blade high, coming at her. She could hear one of the Higher demons behind her grab an angel as the other raced toward her.

  A heat of rage surged through her as she swept the bone sword in an arc at the Higher demon. The Higher demon stepped away from her deadly blow and slashed his blade at her.

  Alexa cursed as she felt searing pain on her thigh, but she didn’t have time to stop and check herself. She knew she’d be dead if she did.

  Instead, she spun and stepped forward, cutting furiously as she moved. The sword whistled as she swung it.

  But the Higher demon blocked her strike easily, sending her scrambling to the side.

  “That sword’s too big for you, angel child,” it laughed, its black eyes smiling. “You should have picked one that you know how to use.”

  “I can use it fine,” said Alexa, a wicked smile on her lips. “Stick you with the pointy end, right?”

  The Higher demon came crashing forward, and Alexa fell back in surprise at the sheer swiftness of the demon. Her arms burned with effort as she met the demon’s blade with her sword and held it. Then she kicked out with her leg and hit the demon square in the chest as hard as she could.

  The demon stumbled back, and its eyes went wide in surprise as he dropped low, his death blade in his hand.

  She glanced behind the Higher demon and saw the empty black hole, vivid against the gray skies, that was the Hellgate. Next to it, still lounged over a pile of dead angels was Hades.

  She was close now. She had only a few feet to cross. She heard the whoosh of the Higher demon’s blade as it prepared to slice her head off.

  Alexa flung herself forward, and adrenaline soared through her body, feeding her legs with strength. She felt the Higher demon’s blade graze her shoulder as she sped past it.

  She heard it curse, and then there was only the pounding in her ears. Nothing would stop her now. She was going to finish the bastard.

  Hades didn’t seem to notice Alexa as she sprinted across the grounds. His face was turned to the side, a wide, satisfied smile spreading across it at the sight of the battle.

  Alexa howled, strong and fierce, and leaped onto thin air, the bone sword in an arc over her head—

  Something hard caught her in the side, and she pitched forward, plummeting into the ground so fast she had no time to scream before she hit. Her face scraped hard into the earth.
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  “Stop!” ordered a familiar voice. “The girl angel is mine.”

  CHAPTER 30

  SPITTING THE GRASS AND DIRT FROM HER MOUTH, Alexa got to her feet, legs wobbling as she straightened and turned around. Not that she really needed to see. She knew the voice belonged to Hades.

  He looked exactly the same—handsome with bottomless black eyes. He wore an expensive white suit and a smug smile. The Helm of Darkness sat on his head, with its openings for the eyes and row of sharp metal teeth. It looked more like a gaudy costume hat than a tool of mass destruction.

  Hades was still in the exact position as before, sprawled over the dead angels as though they were the most comfortable, plush couch.

  Alexa swallowed the bile in her throat and tried not to look at their faces. She knew she’d lose it if she did. She had to remain calm or at least fake it. She took a chance and looked back into the battle, but through the growing darkness and blurred outlines of the fight, there were no signs of Milo or Lance.

  The Higher demon who’d barreled into her stepped into her field of vision while three more moved around her.

  Hades tsked loudly. “Like I said, the girl angel is mine. Step away, demons. There’s a good demon.”

  The Higher demons sneered at her but took several steps back, leaving a clear space for Hades as he stood up and stepped down over the dead with causal grace, as though he were walking down a catwalk.

  “I’m flattered, Alexa,” purred Hades, his dark hair gleaming in the dim light as darkness rippled around him.

  Alexa stood her ground as the pagan god advanced slowly. She squeezed the hilt of her sword and wondered if he would recognize the weapon in her hand. But he paid as much attention to the sword as he did to those dead angels he had sat on.

  “Why is that?” she asked, feeling a small victory.

  “Well, isn’t it obvious?” he crooned, his white teeth flashing, “You’re in love with me.”

  Alexa’s mouth hung open as she forgot her anger when it was replaced with disgust. The tip of the bone sword hit the ground with a soft tap.