The Complete Archangel Wars Series: A Shared Universe Series (The Archangel Wars)

by Jonathan Yanez

  Gabriel looked at Danielle for the first time. A shudder ran down her spine as his eyes met hers. “Why the girl? She’s a human, isn’t she?”

  “That’s right,” Raphael said. “We’ll have to stand together and both our worlds deal with the aftermath the next few days will bring. Her name is Danielle Turner and she’s been a Nephilim for a very long time, if I’m not mistaken.”

  Gabriel took a few steps forward. The chains connecting him to the wall would only afford him a few feet. Danielle forced herself to stay put and not retreat from his advance.

  “And what do you think of me, Danielle? Do you think I’m worth saving?”

  “I think, I think whatever you did to Michael should be enough to condemn you. He was a good man.”

  Gabriel gave Danielle a twisted smile. “Oh, you think I killed him? No. I sentenced Michael to a life so much worse. What good would killing him do? His eternity is already guaranteed with the Creator.”

  “If you didn’t kill him, then what did you do with him?” Danielle asked.

  “If I told you that, I wouldn’t have any leverage, now would I?”

  Danielle looked from Raphael to Gabriel, confused.

  “Enough of your games, Gabriel,” Raphael said. “Sodom is at our gates with an army. He seeks to bring about the end of times for the Usurper. We stand a chance even without your help; however, your assistance could be the first step in a long road to gaining back trust within the Angelic Army.”

  Gabriel let a loud puff of air escape from his lips then rolled his eyes. “Please don’t try to position your offer as helping me. Besides, I have no desire to mend burned bridges. I know what I have done. I know how the others see me.”

  Despite his words and actions, Danielle saw a hint of recognition in Gabriel’s eyes. It was there for only a moment when Raphael had first offered a chance to help.

  “I won’t abandon you, Gabriel,” Raphael said with a heavy voice. “I abandoned everyone before, and I have realized how wrong I was.”

  Gabriel stood quiet, not sure how to respond.

  “If I merit a second chance, then I think you do as well. I’m offering you a way to prove that the man I once knew is still alive inside you. You can brag about not killing Michael and setting him up for a fate worse than death all you want, but I know why you really spared him.”

  Gabriel broke eye contact with Raphael. His chains clinked as he retreated a step.

  Silence covered the cell. When it was clear Gabriel was not going to engage Raphael further, Danielle decided to step in. “What do you mean?” she asked. “DO you know what he did with Michael and where he is now?”

  Raphael answered Danielle’s questions without removing his gaze from Gabriel. “There was a time Gabriel loved Michael like a brother. Yes, time has changed, but I refuse to believe Gabriel could ever kill him. Remove him from the equation, yes, but he would never strike his brother down.”

  “What do you know?” Gabriel roared, lunging toward Raphael.

  Danielle took a step back even as Gabriel’s chains grew taut and kept him anchored to the wall. “You left us. You abandoned us all. At least I was still in the fight. At least I chose a side.”

  “You’ll find no argument from me there,” Raphael said. “Everything you say is true. But I’m back now. I’ve chosen my side and I’m standing with my brothers and sisters to do the right thing. Can you find it inside yourself to do the same, Gabriel?”

  Danielle could practically see the anger boiling inside Gabriel.

  “I know you don’t serve the Usurper anymore,” Raphael said. “I heard you were bringing the events to a head, placing yourself at the top of the food chain. Your move from serving the evil one is a step in the right direction. Now take a step further and stop serving yourself.”

  Danielle couldn’t tell if the tears in Gabriel’s eyes were from rage or sorrow. “This is what I am now,” Gabriel said. “Even if there was a chance that we could somehow work together, what agreement could be met that guaranteed I wouldn’t turn around and burn you alive as soon as you freed me?”

  “Telling us where Michael is would be a good first step. Then you have my word I will do everything within my power to see you are given another chance. That is,” Raphael paused and looked over to Danielle, “if Danielle agrees you can be trusted.”

  Danielle could feel heat build in her face as both Archangels looked to her.

  “What, you want me to convince the human I can be trusted?” Gabriel asked.

  “Convincing her with Michael’s location would go a long way. However, we have to see if she has it inside herself to forgive,” Raphael said.

  Danielle watched Gabriel nod slowly. The realization was registering in his eyes just as Danielle knew it must be in her own. “Raphael is right,” Gabriel said, “I couldn’t kill Michael.”

  There was a long pause as Gabriel searched for his next words. “I constructed a spell that would both erase his memory and send him to the human plane. He’s there somewhere, wandering with no memory of who or what he is.”

  Danielle felt her heart skip a beat at the thought of Michael still being alive. At the same time, anger pulled at her emotions for her mentor being placed in such a position to begin with. How alone he must feel, how lost.

  “Well,” Gabriel said, looking to Danielle for a response, “there you have it. That’s the truth. Now what do you think?”

  Danielle sighed with a heavy heart. “As much as I wish I could condemn you to your death … I can’t. That wouldn’t make me any better than you.”

  Danielle paused, surprised at the words coming from her mouth. Raphael and Gabriel, likewise, waited for her to finish with rapt attention. Neither one of them had ever heard her speak with such determination. Truth be told, Danielle was even surprised by her firm tone.

  “And Raphael’s right when he says we could use your help. Alan and the others will need every advantage they can get when the fighting starts. We just have to figure out a way to give you a chance while still being able to control you—if you decide to renegotiate the terms of our agreement.”

  Gabriel looked on, the corners of his mouth twitching at the mention of him being controlled. He held his tongue, however, as Danielle continued. “I think I know who may have a solution to our problem.”

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Seven

  “Here, here, lay her here,” Kyle said to Bobby.

  Alan followed, half supported by the female demon whose name he still didn’t know. Their cell door slammed closed behind them. Alan ignored the noise of the closing gate, just as he ignored the laughter and comments from their departing guards. All he could concentrate on now was Seraphim.

  Kyle and Bobby gently placed her on the only piece of furniture in their small prison, a beaten wooden bench. Alan fell to his knees beside Seraphim’s unmoving frame.

  “Kyle, Rana,” Bobby said, “we should give them a moment.”

  “Of course,” Rana said.

  Alan felt a hand on his shoulder before Kyle moved away. The pain in his body was nothing like the pain Alan was feeling tearing his heart apart. Seraphim’s breathing was so slow Alan thought there were times she had stopped altogether.

  “Alan,” she whispered.

  “I’m here,” Alan said, gripping her hand in both of his own. “I’m here, Sera.”

  A weak smile touched her lips as she stared toward the dirt ceiling above. “You know why I was afraid to be with you? Remember I said there were things from my past?”

  Alan’s throat constricted as tears fell down his eyes. “I remember.”

  “They were only my own insecurities. I was afraid you wouldn’t like me. I was afraid I’d live forever and you’d die and I’d be alone again. I was so afraid. Now … now when fear seems so far away, it’s too late.”

  Seraphim winced in pain as tears began to flow from her eyes, mingling with her own blood as it slid down her face.

  Alan fought back the uncontrollable sorrow he fel
t in his chest. He wanted to respond, but he was afraid if he opened his mouth only sobs would come out.

  “Promise me something, Alan.”

  “Anything,” Alan managed.

  Seraphim turned her head so her watering eyes met his own. “Promise me you won’t let your anger consume you. I know that’s ironic coming from me, but there’s still hope for you. Be better than I was.”

  Alan nodded. “I promise.”

  Seraphim gripped Alan’s hand tighter. “I mean it. Control your rage. I don’t want you to avenge me. Bring justice to those who deserve it, yes, but don’t let it rule you.”

  “I won’t,” Alan said. “I love you, Sera. I wish we had more time. I—I would have really liked to take you on a date.”

  They both managed weak laughs as Seraphim blinked a few more tears. “I’ll see you again one day, Alan Price. You can take me on a date then. I love you.”

  Seraphim’s smile faded along with the life in her eyes. Her hand fell limp in Alan’s grip.

  Alan wasn’t sure how long he knelt there. Time was meaningless to him. Tears and sobs overwhelmed his best efforts as he buried his head in Seraphim’s shoulder. She was gone. She was gone and he was alone again, just like he had been for the better portion of his life.

  Alan wasn’t sure when he fell asleep. One nightmare turned into another as he found himself walking down a dark hall. Somehow he knew he was in a dream. He was alone. There was no sound, only the deep feeling of loss that ate away at his insides and left him feeling empty.

  Alan traveled down the path until a fork came in the hall. One side was wide with a slight decline and grey light. The other was narrow, slopped up at a steep angle and promised a long, arduous journey.

  The voice he heard wasn’t booming, neither did it come from overhead or around him, instead it came from within him. “The path to hate and revenge is an easy road. Choosing justice without allowing anger to devour you will be a much harder journey.”

  Alan stood, looking down both paths as memories of Seraphim’s dying words echoed in his mind.

  Alan woke with a start. Kyle was standing beside him, his hand gently closing Seraphim’s still open eyes. “I’m sorry, I don’t really know what to say.”

  Alan’s throat was dry and itchy as he looked up into Kyle’s face. It was clear his fellow Horseman had also been crying. “You don’t have to say anything,” Alan said.

  “I shouldn’t have given up,” Kyle said in a hoarse whisper.

  “We’ve all made mistakes,” Alan said, struggling to his feet. He was reminded of how serious his injuries were as physical pain once again joined his emotional agony and sought to overwhelm him.

  “I’ve made enough mistakes to last a lifetime,” Kyle said, shaking his head. “I joined Gabriel; I killed my fair share of angels.”

  “You were confused and you were being manipulated,” Alan said. “We can’t change the past. Those decisions have been made. All that matters is what we do now. We can’t let Sodom get away with this.”

  “I agree. I’m with you, Alan,” Kyle said with fire in his eyes.

  “We’re all with you,” Bobby said as he and Rana joined the conversation, “but you’re not going to get far without having those wounds cleaned and bound.”

  Alan looked down at his bloody state and had to agree. The next few hours found Bobby and Rana cleaning Alan’s injuries with the questionable water provided for them by the guards.

  No food accompanied the late hours of the night as the prisoners planned their next move. “More than likely, we’ll be forced into another round of games in the coliseum,” Bobby said, slouched against a corner of their cell.

  Out of respect, they had chosen to take up places away from Seraphim’s body. It was calling on everything Alan possessed to hold his emotions in check when his eyes crossed over her still form. It was only her words and her last dying request that trained his mind on what needed to be done.

  “I agree,” Alan said. “Next time, Sodom will stack the odds even further against us. He won’t risk being disappointed again. He wants us dead.”

  “No doubt about that,” Kyle said. “What are we going to do? If we go into that coliseum again, we’re not going to come out.”

  “Then we don’t go into the coliseum,” Rana said, picking the dirt from underneath her nails. “There’s only one option, really; we need to overwhelm the guards when they come next.”

  All four warriors nodded in agreement. “They’ll send an army to escort us to the coliseum for the next round of games,” Bobby said. “Sodom’s a lot of things, but he’s no fool.”

  “Then we strike before our next fight,” Alan said. “They’ll come to bring us food or at least water soon. It’ll be a single guard who does that, at the most two.”

  “I can reach through the rods if we can get him close enough,” Rana said with a glance at their steel door. Metal bars, spaced no more than six inches apart, made up their prison gate. “If I can grab him, it’ll give us a chance to take his keys.”

  Alan nodded along with Rana’s plan. No matter how hard he tried to focus on the conversation, Seraphim kept invading his thoughts. It wasn’t only the pain he felt at her passing, it was the idea of leaving her body behind. If they ran he’d have no choice.

  The time of day held no meaning for the prisoners in the underground cell. The only light came from a torch mounted on the wall opposite their cell door. Alan slumped next to Seraphim’s body, his mind refusing any more rest and instead focusing on what his life would be now without her.

  Alan knew he loved her but how much he had grown to love the Death Angel, he hadn’t realized until now. He didn’t understand what she meant to him until she wasn’t there anymore. Alan, the boy who had grown up an orphan, who didn’t have a friend to call his own, found himself alone once again.

  This time his loneliness felt different. Memories of all those he met and even fought alongside flashed through his mind. Yes, he felt lonely now, but he had more friends than he ever had in his life. This sadness and isolated feeling would pass. He could see that now. Seraphim would always hold a special place in his heart.

  Alan realized how much he changed. If events like this had happened before, suicide would be at the forefront of his mind. Now justice, not anger or pity for himself, was begging to be dealt.

  Alan wasn’t sure if the entire night had passed or only hours as he was torn from his trance-like state at the sounds of shuffling feet.

  As the noise grew louder, Alan’s eyes searched the darkness of their cell to make sure Rana was in place. Sure enough, a dark figure stood hidden by the wall beside the cell door. Kyle and Bobby were lying near the center of the room, pretending to be asleep.

  A figure came into view. He was tall with a crooked nose and small, beady eyes. The guard gave the room a once-over then leaned over to shove a small plate and ceramic jar through the cell bars.

  Rana stirred so fast it was hard for Alan to track her movement. In one motion, she turned and reached through the cell bars. Her slim arm barely fit, rubbing against the aged steel on either side as her skin slid through the narrow gap. Grabbing a fistful of the guard’s collar, she jerked her arm back into the cell as hard as she could.

  The guard’s face slammed into the steel with so much force the cell bars quivered. There wasn’t enough time for the guard to make any noise, much less utter a cry for help. Instead, the demon slumped next to the cell door and lay motionless.

  Kyle whistled under his breath as Rana sank to her knees and reached through the bars again, this time grabbing the guard’s keys that hung from his belt. “She’s good.”

  Rana stood, inserting the key in the opposite side of their cage. A dull click could be heard as the three men waited with bated breath. “Gentlemen?” Rana said, swinging the door open and ushering them through with an open arm as if she were a secretary showing them into an office meeting. “Shall we proceed?”

  ---

  “We’ll need some
kind of plan before we arrive,” Ardat said as she was interrupted again by one of Tracy’s loud laughs. Since she discovered her horse, Tracy hadn’t been the same. Once comfortable riding her steed, the Horsewoman of Disease had been laughing out loud as she ran circles around Ardat and the Shaman. Ardat’s lip curled at what she deemed obnoxious. Still, there was some part of her that was proud, even happy for Tracy.

  “I agree, you and Tracy should come up with a strategy prior to reaching Sodom’s forces,” the Shaman said as he shielded his eyes against the sun and looked up to the flapping phoenix overhead. The bird was just within eyesight, a tiny red speck against the sun’s warm rays.

  “I can’t help but notice you excluded yourself from the equation,” Ardat said.

  The Shaman lowered his old eyes and smiled at the demon. “It’s not my place to enter the final conflict unless absolutely necessary.”

  “How convenient,” Ardat spat. “You set the board and arrange the pieces, but when you are needed, you fade into the shadows.”

  The Shaman’s smile didn’t fade. “I balance the field. The odds are no longer against the Light. Instead, only choices now remain that could sway the battle in either direction.”

  Ardat growled at the Shaman’s cryptic talk. “Choices? What choices?”

  “Oh, yours for one, each of the Horsemen’s, even Gabriel’s choice will effect the outcome.”

  Ardat bristled at the mention of the Archangel. “Gabriel?”

  The Shaman shrugged. “Much changes. Events are evolving so much faster than even I anticipated. But, this is where I must leave you. Protect Tracy until you are no longer able, and she must make her own stand. As I promised before, if the Light succeeds, you will see Michael again.” The Shaman paused as he looked to Tracy then to Ardat. “However, I’m beginning to think you may have other reasons for seeing the Light succeed and, dare I say, perhaps a change is even occurring within you.”