"Speak my name,” he repeated and she looked down and was immediately lost in the depths of his blue eyes. She spoke a word, a name she hadn't even realized she'd known, but his smile let her know it was the right one. He slipped a long silver chain around her neck - a pendant dangled from the end in the shape of the mark they shared, his on his chest above his heart, hers on her neck.
"Feed, and grow strong for the battle to come." The grey male came forward and knelt beside her, lifting his wrist to her lips. "Drink as much as you need, love. As much as you want." She closed her eyes, sinking her teeth into hard flesh that tasted of ash and fire, but his blood was sweet honeyed nectar, rich and delicious. She drank deeply, filling herself and feeling her body grow stronger. This was not the blood of an ordinary preternatural, this was beyond the divine. This was a powerful, healing elixir of those that came before the gods but after Him, this was the blood of the oldest and strongest, the blood of the Grigori. And she could call upon it whenever she was in need, because she was the Keeper of the Nephilim, now and forever. She pulled away, gasping for air. It was so good, like a drug that fueled her, her heart racing in her chest. She was reborn.
"You are mine, forever more," he whispered, brushing his lips across hers and she felt a new heat begin in the pit of her stomach. It was as if he'd ignited a fire in her, an electricity that pulsated in her every nerve. She felt stronger and with her army, unstoppable. He ran a hand over her face and she felt her lids grow heavy again.
"Now rest, my sweet,” he said softly and she drifted back into the darkness.
***
"She won't break, majesty." Azul was saying to Nemesis whose eyes were trained on the monitor. She was watching Celeste, who was either in a trance or hallucinating, lift her head and say something,
"She will break," she snapped. She needed her to break, she couldn't gain control until Celeste was completely broken, weak and at her mercy. It would take longer than she thought because even with all of her scars, Celeste was tough, she'd hardened. But only on the outside, once they cracked that tough exterior she would have her. She squinted, leaning forward when Celeste leaned to the side and opened her mouth as if she were feeding.
"What is she doing?" Nemesis swore because she hadn't added sound to the room. She tapped a button on the console and zoomed in, but there was nothing there, the room empty except for Celeste shackled to a chair and a single light bulb high in the ceiling. After a while, Celeste's body was limp, her head lolling from side to side, but her lips were clearly moving as if in conversation.
"She’s waking, Majesty," Azul reminded her. "And she wants to see you.” They both turned to the monitor, watching as Celeste shook herself awake, forcing the one undamaged eye to open. After a moment, she turned and looked directly in the camera, her smile frightening. She mouthed a vulgar term directed at her mother and laughed, before turning away from the camera, her eyes on the drain in the middle of the floor.
She was too still, to quiet and had been alone far too long. Celeste was too clever, too resourceful and cunning, giving her time to think was never a good idea.
"I'm going in. She will break, I'll make sure of that." Nemesis swallowed hard as she thought of facing Celeste; over the past few days she'd seen what she was capable of. It was terrifyingly beautiful how ruthless her daughter had become, yet she needed her. She pushed her chair away from the monitor and rose slowly.
She stood, tugging at the hem of her white button down top and ran a hand over her white jeans before exiting the room. The short walk down the hall to the cell where Celeste was held was nerve wracking and she found herself counting to ten before allowing the guards to open the door.
Celeste looked up when she saw the shadow cast by her mother on the floor before her. Nemesis took a deep breath and stepped inside, physically jumping when the heavy door was slammed shut and locked behind her. Celeste smirked and watched her mother come further into the room.
"You came alone? No mommy or guards to protect you from the big, bad goddess?" Celeste asked, not waiting for Nemesis to begin her banal niceties.
"You don't understand the raw power that you hold. I see the potential in you. Nyx was always frightened of you, but I knew from the start that you are destined for greatness."
"Was that before or after you tried to kill me the first time? Because I believe I was an infant that time."
"I was distraught, devastated - " Nemesis sputtered.
"Or what about the next time, when you had me drugged and tossed into the sea? Did you recognize the power then? Or what about when your mother allowed me to be drugged, raped and murdered? Did you see it then? Or do you just enjoy trying to kill your children? Wait, wait, that can't be right because you never, as far as I know, tried to kill Lilith. Was that because you didn't recognize any power in her? Or was she just not worth the time to murder?"
"You and she are not the same. You are - you are so special, Celeste. Do you understand what it means now that you have the mark? Do you know how long I have waited to find you, to get close to you? When he comes for you, you will hold power that is immeasurable. Are you ready to accept your fate?"
Celeste nodded slowly, her eye brightening, if that were possible.
"But that's not the real reason I wanted to talk to you." Celeste sighed, her tone even, almost relaxed. "I didn't know that you dream when you're blacked out? It's not always just darkness, because your brain isn't completely shut down. It's still working. Did you know that? I say that because, the Fallen One, I suppose that's who he is, comes to me in these dreams. Mind you most of the time he comes it’s - well - it's quite exhilarating." She gauged Nemesis for a reaction, but as usually her mother's face was expressionless. "But sometimes, he tells me things, reminds me of things that I have forgotten or locked away in a part of my mind for safe keeping."
Nemesis rolled her eyes and tapped her ballet flat covered foot on the floor, impatiently waiting.
"Are you getting to the point of this story, Celeste?" she asked. Celeste's smile widened, her nose wrinkling as she nodded.
"Oh yes, I'm getting to that part. You see, I must thank you for all of this," she made a stilted hand gesture to indicate the room, her wrists still bound to the arms of the metal chair. "Because of your...care? Treatment? Training? However you envision these little sessions that you put me through, I remembered something that I never even realized I knew. You know what it is?" Nemesis threw her hands up in exasperation.
"I have no earthly idea, Celeste," she growled.
"I realized that in order for me to gain this magnanimous power that you crave so much I would have to remember his name. Do you know that no one has spoken his name in centuries? Eons? A millennia... but it was trapped up here." She lifted her arm easily to tap the side of her head, the heavy metal shackle dropping away like wet tissue. It took a tick for Nemesis to realize what she was seeing, but when she did she took a step backward, and called for the guards.
"So, guess what blue boy knocked loose when he hit me in the head?" She crossed her legs and folded her arms over her chest, her shackles clattering to the floor. "A name. One name came to me in bright neon on a hundred foot tall billboard. I said the name, I did what you wanted and I claimed my rightful place. I am the Caelestis, the one claimed by the Fallen One. " She stood, her bruises fading, the swollen eye shrinking, returning to normal as she rolled her shoulders and broken bones snapped back into place much to Nemesis astonishment. Celeste cracked her neck and stretched her back, smiling more to show that her perfect smile was once again intact. Celeste looked at the camera, made a gun with her thumb and forefinger and pretended to shoot it. Sparks flew from the tiny device killing the feed to the monitors. There was noise from the hallway as guards tried and failed to unlock the door, a door that locked from the outside.
Nemesis could feel the cold sweat begin on her brow, her breathing becoming a panicked pant when several sets of brilliant white eyes appeared in the darkness, filling the room. Nemesis s
tumbled back, expecting to reach the door, only to find her back pressed against a heavily armored chest. She turned to look up to stare into white eyes shining down at her. The face was stony, a dark charcoal grey that reminded her of lava rock. It was chiseled and strong and expressionless. She gasped and moved back, her jaw slack as she realized what these giant stone men were. These were the descendants of the Fallen One, the stone army that was the Nephilim. Slowly, one by one she could hear metal against stone as they unsheathed their swords, ready for battle at Celeste's command. She laced her fingers together and took a step towards her mother, her voice lowered as she moved in to speak.
"Remember when I told you I would burn this place to cinders?" Nemesis' eyes widened when Celeste stepped closer still, her eyes sparkling with unbridled malevolence.
"Well, mother dear, I'm starting with you."
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The guards struggled to open the cell door, hearing the panicked cries of their Queen and unable to assist. Azul pushed through the crowd of armored creatures, a weapon in hand. His intention was to blow the lock off of the door, but he needn't bother. As soon as he got into position, the small gun-like electro-taser pointed at the lock, the entire wall exploded in a shower of rock and fire.
Azul was thrown back, a boulder size chunk of cement snapping his leg just below the knee. He wailed in pain, dropping the taser as he pushed at the heavy chunk of wall that pinned him in place. Around him, he could hear the moans and wails of fallen guards hidden in the dust and smoke.
He stared as something moved in the gray mist that settled around them and his eyes widened in fear. The Nephilim stepped forward, standing ten feet tall, shoulder to shoulder in dark metal breast plates with the crest of the Fallen across the chest, and dark leather Praetorian skirts. They wore metal guards on their skins and heavy swords on their hips. Their skin, if that was what it was, was dark, the color of burned charcoal, cracked and illuminated with deep reds and oranges, like lava flowing beneath stone. Their massive stone colored wings tucked against their backs looked like shields protecting them from rear attacks. They looked down, colorless eyes falling on the Queen who lay in the rubble like a discarded, dirty toy.
Somewhere an alarm began to sound, shrill and squealing, alerting the guards that there had been an escape attempt. Azul finally managed to push the stone from his broken leg and drag himself to the Queen who lay coughing, the right side of her face charred and bleeding.
***
Her chest hurt and she couldn't see out of her right eye, which she realized had been damaged in the blast. Nemesis coughed, trying to gather herself when he grasped her arms and half dragged her out of the way of the advancing army that moved through the hole in the wall. She stumbled along, letting the demon pull her past the newly assembled guard as they prepared for battle. Azul managed to get her safely behind her soldiers, dragging his leg bleeding and broken behind him, his lungs coated with grit and dust from the wall, and collapsed. He turned just in time to see the Nephilim advance. Their swords drawn, they moved as one unstoppable machine cutting the Queen's guard as if they were nothing more than paper dolls. They had made it out of the narrow corridor to the loggia at the rear of the house, but the soldiers were still being cut down by the unmovable stone men. Swords did minor damage as they slashed through some, burning others to cinders with the mere touch of their skin. Those not in the throes of cutting down the Queen's guard were setting the house ablaze.
Azul wasn't paying attention to Celeste as the goddess sliced through demon after demon, getting closer and closer to her mother. He sat with his back against the wall, a trail of thick dark blood left in his wake, trying to find a way out as the world burned and bled around him. He ripped his sleeve and wrapped it around his leg in an effort to staunch the bleeding.
He hadn't noticed her until she was upon him, her sword drawn, a look of violent glee in her shimmering silver blue eyes. She pressed the tip of her blade into his already throbbing leg, smiling when he yelled in pain. She leaned closer, her face close to his and he began to sweat.
"Remember when I said you would be one of the first I kill?" He was anticipating the sword, a swift blow to the heart or his head, the bloodier the better. Instead she plunged the sword through his leg and into the ground below, pinning him in place like a bug. She grasped his face in her hands, her face close enough to kiss him, and licked her lips.
"I always keep my word." She tugged his head swiftly to the right until the bones of his neck snapped. He slumped, his head hanging at an unnatural angle. She pulled her sword from his leg, spinning as her mother charged toward her, skillfully wielding a double bladed spear. Celeste turned her body to the side, giving her mother a smaller target, spread her legs and crouched down, her sword raised for battle. She lifted one hand and beckoned her mother forward, her eyes narrow in warning.
"Come get some," Celeste growled, igniting Nemesis' ire.
She charged forward, her blades slicing the air, her face set in a mask of anger. She swung at Celeste's throat, which Celeste easily dodged, turning on her heel, so could thrust her sword forward. Nemesis took a step back and twisted the spear, both ends swinging towards Celeste's face like the blades of a fan. She blocked each blow, but they were coming too fast, one blade slicing through the silk of Celeste's shirt, blood pouring from the wound. She stumbled back, looking at her arm. She glanced at it then sidestepped Nemesis' forward thrust, and Celeste spun away, swinging her blade down and connecting with the center of the spear. The heavy metal snapped, leaving Nemesis with two short knives. She recovered quickly, swinging behind her in an attempt to cut Celeste, before turning to keep her eye on her daughter.
Celeste didn't turn to face her mother as she thrust the sword back, feeling it sink into flesh. She pulled the blade and turned as a blossom of red spread along Nemesis' side and one of the knives clattered to the floor. She looked at Celeste in shock; she'd never been wounded in battle. Never.
She looked at her daughter, the child she'd tried to kill over and over, and was stunned by her. She stood with her sword in hand, and touched the blood stain spreading across the soot caked front of her shirt. Celeste returned her gaze, set her jaw, and pure energy danced around her, sparking and reaching out like fingers into the airlessness of the hall.
"This is what you wanted, isn't it mother? To have me reach my full potential? " Celeste yelled over the cries of the dying and the raging fire at her back.
"I will grind you into the dirt!" Nemesis snarled and charged, her blade high over her head, preparing to strike. Celeste dropped her sword and waited, grasping Nemesis' wrist and punching her in the face.
She stumbled back, blinking as she saw stars. Celeste advanced, another blow connecting with Nemesis' sternum and she retreated, taking a moment to collect the air that had been knocked from her lungs and left her gasping.
Nemesis swung back, the knife cutting through the air, her fist connecting with Celeste's mouth. Blood flew from her lips and she managed to look excited and pleased at once. Nemesis charged again, using her momentum to carry her forward, her strength and stamina waning.
"You really need to work on your cardio," Celeste taunted and sliced Nemesis across the throat with the side of her hand, followed by a blow to the back of her neck when she stumbled forward. She landed on her knees, the clattering of the metal on cobblestone reminding her that she still had a weapon, even if she were out skilled by Celeste. She rolled onto her back, just as Celeste's boot heel came toward her face, instinctively grabbed her foot and pulled. Celeste crashed to the ground with a thud, a little surprised by the move. If she were hurt, she took no notice because she was back on her feet in a blink. Nemesis rolled to her knees and stood, trying to catch her breath. She was becoming winded and tired, her wound bleeding more than it should, not healing as it normally would.
Celeste took two steps forward, her body low in a practiced fighting stance and Nemesis noted the glee in her, and she thought she might be enjo
ying this fight, getting some sort of strange satisfaction from it. When Celeste once again gestured for her mother to come at her, she knew that this was a side of the goddess she hadn't realized existed. Celeste truly was a skilled warrior and she intended to kill her.
She gathered herself and charged, blade swinging, but Celeste turned, grabbing her mother's wrist and tossing her over her shoulder. She landed on her back and felt the pop as several ribs broke on impact. Her head hit the cobblestones and everything went out of focus. Celeste sat on her chest, forcing the blade in Nemesis's hand to the woman's throat. The tip pierced delicate white skin and blood pooled around the wound, dripping down the polished silver blade.
"I told you I would slit your fucking throat," Celeste growled. She pushed harder, but Nemesis fought back, struggling to pull the weapon from her neck. Her strength was waning, her vision blurring. Celeste's face loomed over hers, a mask of horrific happiness as the blade sank deeper.
"We could have ruled the world together," Nemesis grunted, the taste of her own blood filling her mouth. "We could have been unstoppable."
Her voice was no more than a gurgle, blood filling her throat as she tried to halt the progress of the blade as it sank deeper and deeper into her neck. Sweat dripped from the tip of Celeste's nose, the heat from the growing fire sweltering, smoke burning their lungs. She reached for the wound in the woman's side, gouging it with her thumb until Nemesis groaned in agony.
"You should have thought about that before you tried to kill me," Celeste growled as Nemesis struggled to breath. Her hold on the blade wavered, slipping as blood coated the handle
"Take my advice," she said, watching the life fade from her mother's eyes. "Stay dead."
***
Mark of the Fallen: A Fallen Novel Page 30