Fall Into Darkness

by Valerie Twombly

  “I know. I count my blessings every day. So, where you headed?” Seph inquired.

  “To see the Seven.” He tried to keep the disdain from seeping through his voice.

  His friend shook his head. “I don’t envy you your job. What can we do to stop our kind from falling?”

  Eli wished he knew. “First we have to find out what’s causing them to fall.” He scrubbed his stubble. “I mean we’ve gone from not having an angel fall since… Devon.”

  “Devon didn’t fall, he was cast out,” Seph reminded.

  “Oh yeah. Do you remember why?” It took some pretty serious shit for an angel to be tossed.

  Seph settle into a chair. “Well if memory serves, he was always a rebel, breaking rules and what not. The last straw came when the Seven discovered he was the one responsible for the plague.”

  “Now I recall. He’d hope to destroy humankind. His petty jealousy cost him a great deal.”

  Seph nodded. “Yeah. The Maker took his wings and his power, leaving him with only his immortality, and cast him to earth. His punishment was to live for eternity among those he hated most.”

  “Shit.” He’d never known the Maker to pass judgment directly. That’s what the Tribunal of Seven was for.

  “Right, but Devon’s not who you’re looking for. He’s merely a human who can never die.”

  Eli sighed. “Well, it was worth a try. I’d best get over and see what the Seven want. I’ll talk to ya later and for fuck’s sake, put some damn shades on those windows before you go screwing your mate.”

  Seph just chuckled. Eli shook his head then took off for the crystal palace at the top of the mountains where the Seven awaited him.

  * * *

  Ashley’s flight had gone without a hitch. Taking off from Portland, Maine and landing in Chicago, a change of planes had her back in the air and headed for Anchorage. After six and a half hours, she was finally walking off the plane. Her legs like rubber and her eyes full of sand, she had a three-hour layover before her next leg to Kotzbue. Sleep was what she really needed, but she refused to give in to it. Instead, she headed for the small coffee shop in need of a large shot of caffeine. She’d sleep when she reached Point Hope, where her cabin lay on the outskirts of the small village.

  Ordering a large cappuccino, she headed for a table in the corner. Ashley knew she should have gotten a breakfast sandwich. The last thing she’d eaten was a bag of peanuts almost five hours ago. Her head pounded, filled with images she never wanted to see. The young woman who’d sat next to her from Chicago to Anchorage had talked for three hours until finally going to sleep. Not wanting to be rude, she’d made brief eye contact then tried to look away before she’d had a vision.

  She hadn’t been quick enough.

  Now hiding behind a magazine, she hoped to avoid Brenda, who stood in line for coffee. There was no way she could carry on any kind of conversation with her. Not after seeing the woman plummet to her death off a mountain.

  Ashley’s pulse raced, and she tried to control her breathing as she peered over the top of her paper. Dare she assume Brenda’s death happened here? Considering the girl had confessed she was going to climb Mount McKinley, and this was her first expedition, the probability was high. Ashley could never tell the exact time of death, but in the images, Brenda had been young. If the accident didn’t occur here then it would happen soon.

  Luckily, Brenda grabbed her coffee and headed out to catch her bus tour. Ashley sighed in relief and put down the paper. Taking a sip of her hot beverage, she let it scorch her throat. Desperation ate at her, but she closed her eyes and calmed her frazzled nerves. She just needed to reach her family’s cabin and the solitude it brought then she’d be fine.

  She glanced at her watch. Only two hours to kill before her flight left for Kotzbue. I can do this. Thankfully the airport was thinning out as people left for tour buses or their hotel. Within minutes, the small coffee shop grew quiet, and she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Until her phone chirped. She pulled it from her pocket and swiped the screen.

  Groaning. “Oh Ben.”

  BABY, HOW’S THE TRIP?

  She contemplated ignoring it, but something told her he wouldn't leave her alone.

  GIVE IT UP! NOT INTERESTED.

  She held her breath, waiting for a reply. Thankfully after five minutes, it never came. Maybe he’d finally taken the hint. She reminded herself that she was making the right choices. It was for her own sanity that she was moving away from her aunt, and it was for her heart that she wouldn't take Ben back.

  * * *

  Eli paced the opulent outer room. His boots, smacking the marble floor, broke the silence. The Seven kept him waiting and he was positive it was intentional. They were always trying to teach him a lesson in patience, but they seemed to forget that he was a hunter. Patience wasn’t something he lacked.

  “Eli,” a soft voice called out.

  He spun and narrowed his gaze on the brunette who stood before him. “Ambriel.” He bowed in a show of respect for one of the Tribunal.

  She smiled, though it was weak. Her white gown whispered around her body as she approached him. He could appreciate her beauty, but because she was mated, she brought forth no sexual urges on his part. Thank the Maker.

  “Eli, I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

  Dread coursed through him. Not for fear of retribution from the Seven, but his gut said something was seriously wrong. “What is it?”

  “Gabriel has fallen.”

  The knife twisted in his heart. “No. There’s no way, I’d know.” He and Gabriel were close. He was more than a friend; he was a brother. They’d fought side by side. Saved each other during some of the great battles. Talked about life and how maybe, one day, they would find a mate and fall in love. No one knew Eli like Gabriel.

  “I’m sorry, Eli. I know you two were close, and you’d want to be informed,” her voice bounced softly off the walls. “Tegan will be hunting him.”

  “No! He was my friend and I will bring him in.” While Tegan was their commander, Eli knew Gabriel and could track him quicker.

  “If that is your wish.”

  “It is.” He didn’t wait for further discussions, but stormed off down the hall and back out the door. Trotting halfway down the steps, he stretched out his wings, jumped into the air, and took off.

  Tegan!

  I gather you heard about Gabriel?

  Yes and I will hunt him myself. He hoped his commander didn’t argue.

  I figured you might. I currently have no leads on him, but I’m sure you know where to look.

  He had a good idea. As he glided through the air, he wondered how the hell his friend had fallen, and he’d not even known. He should have felt it. Should have seen some kind of sign that Gabriel was headed down a darkened path. Granted, none of the others had given any indication, but his friend was different and part of him still refused to believe it was true.

  Eli dropped to his feet and absorbed his wings. He produced a black tee, pulling it over his head then donned a black leather jacket, before he strode through the barely lit alley that led to a dive bar he suspected Gabriel might be frequenting. Several eyes followed him. This was gang territory, and the stench of violence filled his nostrils and fueled his anger.

  Four punks, dressed in jeans that hung below their ass and heavy leather coats with their emblems sew on them, stepped in his path. One had a switchblade he twirled, obviously meant to frighten his victim.

  “Yo, stupid fuck,” the one in the middle mouthed off in a thick Brooklyn accent. “You got a lotta shit whicoo, showing up here.”

  Eli fisted his hands at his side and fought to control the twitch in his eye. “Fucking speak English, jackass.”

  The punk to his right stepped forward and jabbed a finger in his chest. “Yo, muthafucker. It means you gotta lotta nerve bringing yo punk ass in the hood.”

  “And you’ve got a lot of nerve standing in my way,” he growled. He dampened his di
vine energy in hopes they’d make a move. He was ready to pummel something, or in this case, someone.

  One pulled a gun and shoved it under Eli’s chin. It was the trigger that sent his simmering rage to a rapid boil. He brought up his arm and shoved his elbow into the guy’s adam’s apple before he could get a shot off. Not that a mere bullet would kill an archangel.

  While his victim stumbled backward, clutching his throat, the other three swarmed him.

  Perfect.

  He threw a punch to the left and connected square in the jaw. Though he’d toned down his power, he was still stronger than a mortal. The kid landed on his ass, knocked out cold. Next, he turned his attention to the other two, but not before one of them succeeded in shoving a blade deep into his gut.

  It only pissed him off further as he pulled it out and flung it into the air. His sensitive ears could hear the ting of metal as it hit the pavement in the distance.

  One guy jumped on his back, wrapping an arm around Eli’s windpipe, but he simply ran three steps backward and slammed the punk into the brick wall of the building. He heard the air escape from the guy’s lungs as he slid down the wall.

  Eli narrowed his gaze on the last one who pointed the pistol at him. He waved his hand. “Bring it, punk.” He’d not even broken a sweat yet, and his pulse was still at a slow, steady beat.

  The kid fired three times. Bullets tore through Eli’s skin, shredding organs and shattering bone. He clenched his jaw against the pain. They may not kill him, but they hurt like a son of a bitch. He sent healing energy to the inflicted areas and stormed forward. The guy’s eyes widened, and he fired again.

  Eli stretched his neck and gritted through the burn. Moving forward, he grabbed the guy’s arm with one hand and jerked the weapon free with the other. With a crushing grip, he squeezed the gun until it resembled nothing more than a ball of metal, which he tossed over his shoulder. The kid suddenly began to shake and the smell of fear burned the back of Eli’s throat.

  “What the fuck are you?” the guy’s warbled voice questioned.

  Eli looked down at his chest. “You ruined my shirt and that pisses me off. You’d better run, little human, before I decide society will be better off with you dead.” Eli released him and the kid didn’t hesitate, taking off into the dark. Eli closed his eyes and shoved back the darkness that wrapped around him. Gritting his teeth, he forced the bullets out and finished healing his injuries. With a quick change of his shirt, he moved on. He had a fallen comrade to find before he himself was fully taken by the darkness and unable to come back.

  4

  Ashley climbed the steps and crossed the small porch. Exhaustion had her dragging her feet along with her two large bags. After nearly seventeen hours of travel, she’d finally made Point Hope by midafternoon. She’d gone to the small store for supplies and procured the snowmobile they kept stored out back in the shed. With everything loaded on the little trailer, she’d headed out. Luckily, the sky was clear, making the twilight hours more visible. Now, she just had to bring the rest of the supplies in and put away the snowmobile. She would much rather have a bowl of soup then collapse into bed. But living in the wilds of Alaska, alone, she’d have to suck it up in order to survive.

  She laughed out loud.

  Survival. “Is that what you call this?” she mumbled to herself, storming back out the door to grab the supplies.

  Snow began to fall in huge flakes, the kind where you could see their unique shape, and she stopped for a moment to enjoy their beauty. Scanning the horizon, there was nothing around her except mountains, water, and trees. The town was an hour away and that was on a good day. Once the winds kicked up, visibility would be nil.

  In this moment, she wanted to do more than survive. She needed to remind herself there was beauty in the world, and take time to simply enjoy the silence from this slice of heaven. It was as if she were the only person alive and although she’d chosen this journey, part of her was bitter that she’d had no choice.

  Wolves howled and broke the silence. She smiled and went back to work, thankful that at least she’d had the foresight to have one of the locals get the house ready. There was plenty of firewood to last for a while, and they’d even shoveled a path to the shed. She’d have to remember to pay them a visit with some home baked bread. As much as the thought of being social made her gut roll, it was the proper thing to do and she was grateful for the neighbors.

  She finished carrying in several heavy sacks and plopped them on the kitchen floor. With that chore done, she was finally able to tuck the snowmobile away and head inside. The timing couldn’t have been better since the wind kicked up and began swirling snow in mini white tornados. Soon, she wouldn’t be able to see her hand in front of her face.

  After making a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese, she headed for bed. Too tired to even shower, she’d finish unpacking tomorrow. With her flannel PJ’s on, she crawled into bed and sleep found her before her head hit the pillow.

  * * *

  Eli had been tracking Gabriel for weeks, and somehow the angel remained one step ahead of him. He’d gone from one end of the globe to the other and his frustration, along with his patience, was wearing thin.

  “Are you sure you don’t want my help?” Tegan taunted.

  Eli threw a dagger at the target of an angel at the far end of the field and hit dead center in the heart. “I don’t need your help,” he growled. His commander found great entertainment at his expense. “I will find him. I just need more time.”

  Tegan sighed and grabbed his own dagger, tossing it at the target. He’d added a spin for show and still hit deep into the heart. “Look at that,” he exclaimed.

  “Nice trick. Shall I give you a treat and pat you on the head?”

  His commander ignored the comment. “Have you found any clues to help us understand why so many are falling?” Tegan asked.

  “Nothing solid. I still think it has something to do with the Maker. Where the hell is she and why is she ignoring us?” Eli was completely baffled by the sudden silence.

  Tegan gave him a hard look. “I’m going to be honest. I can’t feel her anymore either, but you’re the only one I’ve told.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and dropped his gaze to the ground. “What the hell can happen to a god that they suddenly vanish? I’m sure others have felt her absence as well, but no one has spoken of it.”

  Eli felt his jaw drop. “I was hoping it was only me. You’re the first to mention a total disconnect.” He rubbed the stubble on his jaw. He’d been thinking it was the reason he felt the darkness swirling around him and, if those who were weaker had felt the same, it was possible they gave into temptation. Truth be told; none of them were perfect. At times, the only difference between them and the humans they protected was their immortality and gifts. Angels liked to have a good time as much as anyone. Had they pushed their limit and the Maker had grown disappointed in them? His gut said that wasn’t the case. Something else was wrong.

  “I’d like to say those who are falling are the ones who’ve had little moral values to begin with. Except Gabriel doesn’t fit that picture. Actually none of them do.” Tegan started toward the target to retrieve his daggers and Eli followed.

  “We should call a meeting. More heads are better than just the two of us. Maybe someone has come across something they didn’t think was important.” Eli pulled his dagger free and held it up to be absorbed by his magic.

  “Tonight. We’ll meet at our usual place,” Tegan replied, then stretched his golden wings and flew off. Eli watched his long-time friend and leader become a speck in the universe and fear sank its icy talons into his skin, striking bone. He was a hunter and, even when chasing his mortal enemies, he’d never known fear. He laughed in the face of it, but now he worried. For his brethren and himself. Too many had fallen, and the darkness slithered around his ankles like a boa constrictor. It threatened to crush him, and he didn’t know why or how much longer he could stave it off. Every time he went out t
o hunt, the urge struck him to welcome it. Embrace it like a lost lover. He swore at times he could almost feel the sharp points replacing his flat teeth. He wanted to drink a soul and feel the power it brought with it.

  He turned away from the target and ran, working his muscles into a burn. “We’re all so fucked.” He summoned his wings as he stepped off the edge of his world and soared into the air. Freedom was the only thing that woke up his senses and made him remember he was alive.

  * * *

  Eli stalked through the back door of the bar right on time. He scanned the room and spotted Eva, Tegan, and Lyzander shooting pool. A waitress stopped in front of him.

  “Can I get you something?” She licked her lips, and her blue eyes held a look of desire. He didn’t bother to cap his divine energy.

  “Sure, sweetheart. I’ll take a beer and deliver it over there.” He jerked his head in the direction where his friends played pool.

  “Sure thing.” She flashed a sweet smile and walked away with an extra sway in her hips.

  “Damn. I may have to tap that,” he whispered under his breath. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt a female writhe beneath him. Maybe it would lighten his mood. It sure as hell couldn’t hurt it. He turned away and headed to where the others were. Eva lifted her head.

  “Eli, these two are kicking my ass.” She moved toward him and planted a kiss on his cheek.

  “Your mate let you out dressed like that?” Eva wore a pair of jeans she must have painted on, some thin, flashy silver tank top and a pair of heels that made her eyes come level with his. He looked around. “Where is Seph by the way?”

  Eva wrinkled her nose. “He got called away, and I’m a grown woman. I’ll dress how I want.”

  The waitress brushed up next to Eli, giving Eva a deadly glare. He chuckled to himself and took the beer from her tray. “Thanks sweetheart.” He winked and shoved a ten down her cleavage. “Keep the change.”