Ascension

by A. S. Fenichel

  Thor jumped to the street and they waited there for the equivalent of an eternity.

  Thor tapped on the side of the carriage.

  Gabriel had not even seen her leave the house, but she appeared as if from nowhere, approached them and jumped up into the carriage unassisted.

  Thor peered inside after the lady. “Nimble.”

  “Lady Belinda Clayton, this is Thor Strumm. He is our driver.”

  Belinda gave the driver her full attention, looking him over from head to toe. She nodded. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Strumm.”

  Thor looked down at the ground and pulled his cap from his head. If it had been lighter, Gabriel would have sworn the large man blushed. “Just Thor, if you please, my lady.”

  “As you wish.” She gave Thor directions to an address in Southwark.

  Thor closed the door, jumped up into the seat, and they were underway.

  “Where are we going, Bella?” Gabriel asked after the carriage began to move.

  “Reece has information about a demon cell. We’ve been trying to find the leader, a demon they call the master or Dominus. We will go to the office, meet Reece and see if he has gotten any new information.”

  “What about the woman I saw you with the other night?”

  She hesitated and her tone rose higher than usual. “Lillian is out of town for a few days.”

  They rode in silence over the bridge. His sweet Bella watched out the window with a deep crease between her brows. She drew her lips back in a straight line. Whatever she thought about, he wished she would share with him as she had when they were young.

  “How did you escape?” The question had been troubling him.

  She looked away from the window and stared at him wide-eyed as if she’d forgotten he was there. “Reece and Lillian found me and pulled me out.”

  “Pulled you out of where?”

  “I was to be part of a drowning sacrifice.” Her shoulders quaked and she clutched at the bench seat’s cushioned edge.

  “Someone was going to drown you?” The idea was unfathomable.

  “It is a long story, Gabriel.”

  He wanted to demand a full account, but thought better of it. “I hope that at some point you will tell me your long story, Bella.”

  There was little light but her lips turned up. “Then you will tell me about your time in France?”

  He suppressed his own shiver. He had never intended to speak of the events of the past. His war experience would be horrifying for a man to hear let alone a woman. “If you wish to hear such things, Bella, I will tell you.”

  In the moonlight, understanding showed in her eyes.

  The carriage pulled to a stop and Thor opened the door.

  “Wait for us, Thor. If we leave in another carriage…”

  “I’ll follow, my lord.”

  Gabriel nodded once and followed Belinda down a narrow alley. They reached the basement doors where he’d seen her the other night, and she banged once with her foot. She wore sturdy boots rather than fashionable slippers that would have been appropriate for the green gown he saw peeking out from under her cape.

  The door opened up and out at an angle from the street. “Follow me.”

  They descended a staircase into total darkness. He followed the sound of footsteps in front of him and voices up ahead. The steps led to a narrow hallway, which finally opened into a large room, likely meant for storage. Several lanterns lighted the space adequately. One very large table filled the middle of the room and spread across the top was a map of London and the surrounding area.

  Gabriel drew closer and inspected lines and circles drawn on the map. Belinda had called this place an office, but it was a war room. Anyone with military experience could see that. Sparse furniture and maps showing attack plans could lead to no other conclusion.

  A handful of people were busy doing various tasks. Two men cleaned weapons while another wrote a note in the corner. A woman sorted ammunition.

  Frowning, Reece Foxjohn stood in front of the map. When he looked up, his eyes narrowed first at Gabriel and then he looked beyond him to where Belinda was removing her cape.

  “You’ve brought a visitor, Belinda?” Reece’s voice was even as he stood up straight and folded his arms across his chest.

  “There was little choice. He has been following me and has gotten some wrong ideas, I’m afraid.” She joined Reece at the large table.

  “I see,” Reece said. He looked Gabriel up and down. “He could get himself killed.”

  She smiled but kept her head down as if studying the map. “He bested me hand to hand last night. I think he can take care of himself.”

  “Bested you, Belinda. That’s impressive.”

  “I’m so enjoying the two of you speaking about me as if I am not in the room,” Gabriel complained.

  “I apologize.” Reece rounded the table. He extended his hand. “Reece Foxjohn.”

  Belinda watched the exchange with wide eyes.

  He wondered what she expected him to do. Punch Foxjohn in the nose? It wouldn’t be unwarranted. Even though this demon nonsense was preposterous, Foxjohn had saved Belinda. At least that was the story she told, and he knew she believed it.

  He took the other man’s hand. “Gabriel Thurston.”

  Foxjohn smiled and shook vigorously. “Yes. The Earl of Tullering. I have heard a great deal about you over the years. Happy to see you survived the war.”

  What had Belinda told this man about him? “I believe I owe you a debt of gratitude for saving my fiancée from some…danger.”

  He had no idea what he was thanking the man for really. The entire situation was completely insane.

  Every time Gabriel had seen Foxjohn, the man had stood tall, smirked and brimmed with confidence. However, when thanked for saving Belinda, his smile diminished and his gaze drifted to the floor. He looked contrite. “I can assure you that the organization has benefited far more than we deserve. Saving Lady Belinda was the best thing that Lilly and I ever did.”

  Gabriel couldn’t hide his surprise. Belinda fussed with some papers and brushed out the folds of her dress. She pretended to not hear the conversation, but the lamplight revealed her blush. His stomach tightened. They were not lovers, but he hated the familiarity she had with this man.

  “What new information do you have?” Belinda asked.

  Reece moved back over to the map and Gabriel followed. Reece pointed to an area just west and north of where they were. A red circle around the area alongside the river had been marked with a fleur-de-lis with a snake twisted around it. “What is this?” Gabriel asked.

  “It is the symbol used to indicate a possible location of the master,” Reece said.

  “This master leads these demons of yours?”

  Reece looked at Belinda and laughed. “He does not believe you?”

  “I’m afraid not,” she said.

  “I thought you said that he followed you.”

  “He thinks he saw me kill a man in the alley.” She pointed to the hallway that led back to the door.

  Reece nodded. “I see. Well, all that’s about to change.”

  She nodded. “Do you really think that the master is there?”

  “No, but it is a cell and we may be able to capture one of them for interrogation.”

  “That did not exactly go well the last time you tried it,” she said.

  “No.” Reece didn’t hide the sourness in his voice.

  Another man, tall with wide shoulders, joined them at the table. He had a Scottish accent. “You best get on your way, if you’re going.” He turned to Gabriel and stuck out his hand. “Jamie Robertson, nice to finally meet the fiancé.”

  Gabriel shook the big man’s hand. He didn’t say anything. When they all began to walk toward the door, he helped Belinda with her cape and leaned close to her ear. “What have you been telling these people about me, Bella?”

  “Nothing
,” she said quickly.

  He lifted his eyebrow and watched her as she blushed. “Something.”

  They were walking up the steps. “I have worked with them for years, Gabriel. They know a lot of things about me. Do not be so affronted. Did you speak of me to the other soldiers in your company?”

  Of course he had. She always knew just what to say to make him feel the fool. “I told them that I was engaged to an angel.”

  She stopped on the steps, and he stopped facing her. Jamie and Reece continued into the street. Once the others were out of hearing, she leaned forward and in the dark and her lips grazed his. “You lied, Gabriel.”

  He wrapped his arms around her before she could retreat. His lips covered hers and he allowed all his desperate need to flow through the kiss. He pressed his tongue against the crease of her lips, and she opened on a gasp. He took full advantage of her surprise and dragged her body against his, devouring her mouth. His cock pulsed with blood and he had to remind himself that they were not alone.

  The taste of her warm mouth was too delicious to forgo, but he had to end the embrace before the others returned looking for them. He set her apart from his quaking body. “I think we have a lot to learn about each other, Bella. I will continue to think of you as my angel, if you do not mind.”

  She touched his cheek. “I think we’d better go.” She dashed up the steps into the alley.

  Little was said in the carriage ride to an even dodgier part of Southwark. The stench of the river filled Gabriel’s nose. He ignored the odor. He’d smelled worse in France. It was unconventional, but Belinda sat next to him on the bench. She covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief breathed in deeply, but then tucked the scrap of material between her luscious breasts.

  She looked up and she saw him watching her. “I may have use of it later,” she said.

  If Foxjohn had not been in the carriage he would have told her he’d help her locate the item at a later time. As it was, he just smiled at his arousing thoughts.

  She blushed but said nothing more.

  The carriage jerked to a sudden stop.

  “Jamie,” Reece called.

  “Trouble,” was the one word answer.

  Reece threw the door open and jumped down.

  Gabriel followed and then turned back to help Belinda down. He shouldn’t have been surprised that she hit the ground an instant after him.

  She dug in the waist of her gown, pulled a string and her skirts fell away. Black trousers hugged every curve and high boots fitted to her long legs. A short sword was sheathed and strapped to her right leg and a dirk hung loosely at her waist.

  He knew his eyes must be as big as saucers. His blood was on fire overriding the shock of seeing her drop her skirts in the street.

  She stepped out of the skirt and broke into a run after Foxjohn.

  Gabriel followed. She was gaining on Foxjohn and Gabriel had a time keeping up with her. He had no idea his fiancée could run so briskly, but in spite of the situation, he admired her perfectly round bottom in the trousers.

  In front of Foxjohn, two men with enormous heads lumbered away. In spite of their awkward gait, they managed to enter a building before they could be stopped.

  “Reece, wait,” Belinda yelled.

  Foxjohn either didn’t hear her or didn’t care to take her advice. He rushed into the building after them.

  It took Gabriel and Belinda little time to reach the door where they had disappeared. She stopped at the door, pulled her blade from the sheath and put her hand on Gabriel’s chest.

  She looked him in the eye, and he did not see his sweet betrothed. He saw a warrior with fierce eyes and a rigid jaw. The realization stunned him. His heart beat faster, though he did not feel repulsed. He found her even more exciting than before. If their situation had not been dire, he might had pulled her down in the street and deflowered her.

  “Stay close and do not get killed,” she said.

  “I shall do my best.” He pulled the gun from his waistband and his knife from his boot and followed her inside.

  The stench of the river mixed with something even more foul smelling, once they breached to doorway. Lanterns illuminated a large cavernous room. It must have stretched the expanse of the entire city block. Parts of stairways and support beams lay on the ground and against each other haphazardly. The few still standing could only be tentatively holding up the ancient roof.

  She stepped down a half flight of stairs into several inches of filthy water. She didn’t flinch at the stench or the water. Belinda held her head high and her sword up and moved to the right toward grunting and the cracking of bone on flesh.

  Gabriel shadowed her.

  She drove forward.

  His eyes watered from the odor and he cringed at the idea of what might be under the water.

  A thick beam blocked their path, but she jumped up and over it with ease.

  The noise was getting louder. He matched her moves and continued behind her.

  Once they were over the beam, the room opened to a wide, empty storage area. Reece engaged in a fight with the two men with enlarged heads.

  No. Not men, they were grayish-green and looked wet. Their eyes were red-rimmed, black, empty eyes. No life existed behind their glassy lens, yet they fought Foxjohn vigorously.

  He didn’t think, but raised his gun and fired at the one furthest from Belinda’s friend. His soldiering skills came back to him and his aim was true.

  The monster dropped with one shot to the forehead.

  Gabriel didn’t know what he was seeing, couldn’t believe what was before his eyes. The creature that fought with Reece was not human. Nothing about it could be mistaken as human.

  A gunshot echoed through the building, jogging him back to the situation. The second creature lay bleeding on the ground then stopped moving.

  “What were those things?” Gabriel asked.

  Reece replied, “Malleus, not too smart, but strong fighters. Nice shot, by the way.”

  He had entered another world, a world where nothing made sense and he was a fool. How could any of this be real?

  Then Belinda’s beautiful face came into his view. She touched his cheek. “Gabriel, I know it all seems as if it is too much, but we need you to stay focused for a while longer.”

  Her eyes filled with sympathy for him, she understood. She had gone through the same unbelievable transition between what one thinks they know and what is true. Yet she had done it without the benefit of a loved one to give comfort.

  Reece Foxjohn could fight, and though he gave the impression of being unconcerned with his nonchalant attitudes, he obviously did care for Belinda. Perhaps he should be jealous, but at the present, he couldn’t think straight.

  The sound of wings flapping filtered down from the top of the building. Bats? No, bigger.

  Belinda’s eyes widened and she pointed toward him with her sword. “Gabriel, hold your ears and stay down. No matter what happens, do not take your fingers out of your ears. Reece, banshee.”

  Gabriel did as he was told. As a soldier, he’d learned that sometimes you must be willing to follow an order blindly. In this situation, he accepted that Belinda and Foxjohn knew more than he. He crouched against one of the pillars that held the roof up, tucked his gun in his waistband and placed his fingers in his ears.

  Foxjohn also had his fingers in his ears. Belinda pulled the small handkerchief out of her cleavage, twisted one end and stuck it in her right ear. She covered her left with her finger before taking a fighting stance with her sword raised high.

  He watched back and forth, between Belinda and the high ceiling where the flapping noise continued. Whatever was up there was moving. A shadow flitted across in the dim light. The noise that choked the room filtered through his fingers. Its sound rattled the walls and the pillar he was leaning against. He feared that the building would cave in on them. He pressed his fingers tighter to his ears and watched as somethin
g flew from the darkness above. It screeched again as it descended toward Belinda. Gabriel had to use all of his will to stay in place. He couldn’t help her. The sound the thing made was deafening.

  She crouched and sliced the air but the flying thing pulled up out of her reach, careened around the room, flew by Gabriel and retreated back into the shadows.

  The two big-headed demons were ugly, but this thing was an abomination. Belinda had called it a banshee. Its body was lithe and supple and its nudity revealed female breasts and a smooth slit between its legs. That is where its beauty ended. The skin was pale gray and the eyes black and hollow. Only two small holes marked the center of its face where a nose should have been. Its mouth gaped open expelling the horrible screams that managed to breach the fingers in his ears. It had long slender legs but in place of arms, leathery wings protruded from its upper body.

  The thing cried out again and swooped in for another attack.

  Belinda could only use one hand, but she spun and jumped as the banshee drew close. This time she managed to cut its left wing. It screamed again and headed for the ceiling.

  He saw now, how Belinda had gained such muscular legs. She’d held her half-crouched position, jumped several feet from the ground and showed no signs of tiring.

  His focus was so intent on his fiancée that he missed the shadow that moved over him until the thing landed in front of his face. He stood up and watched as it transformed from a horrible creature into a woman.

  She was slim as a girl on the brink of womanhood and her red hair flowed as if caught by wind in spite of the fact that they were indoors. Still completely naked, she stepped closer. Her face was a perfect heart with a button nose and rose, red lips. She spoke to him, but his fingers were still in his ears. She reached out one perfectly human hand in his direction.

  He knew he shouldn’t remove his hand from his ear. He remembered someone telling him not to, but he struggled, wanting to take the hand of the beautiful woman in front of him.

  Color flashed from the right.

  He blinked and shook himself from the trance that had kept him focused on the woman-banshee. Somehow, he’d forgotten what he was there for. He’d lost track of who he was, and almost succumbed to taking the hand of the thing before him. He clutched his ears tighter just as the banshee’s mouth opened and her scream emerged.