He couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face at the sight of the angel. “Did you miss me already?” Caelum called over from the other side. Ariel turned to him with the anger he had become accustomed to in her eyes. The silver blade glistened under the bright full moon. Caelum sighed. “You must truly enjoy my company then. Not that I am complaining. I do admit I am becoming very fond of you as well.”
“What did you do to Maxwell Saunders?” Ariel was quick to jump to her point.
Caelum feigned innocence. “Whatever do you mean, my dear?”
“I am tired of your games, demon,” Ariel said. “Maxwell Saunders was meant to become a prophet of Heaven. However, he ended up delivering a false prophecy to the world.”
“With how the situation has played out, I believe his prophecy was sound,” Caelum commented.
His words hit a spot on the angel whose face showed a different emotion before it was filled with anger once again. “Why do you do this?” Ariel asked him. “What does Hell have to gain? What do you plan to do when our God returns?”
Caelum chuckled. “Must there always be a hidden agenda in all things? Now, that is what I find very odd about you angels. To you, everything must have a meaning. Are you all incapable of doing things on a whim?”
Ariel’s brows furrowed. “Are you saying that you have disrupted the prophecy from Heaven and caused great distress amongst the mortals on a whim?
The demon chuckled again. “I didn’t say that.”
“What you said was a confession in itself.” Ariel lifted her weapon and, like a habit since the time they met, held it towards him. “I should have killed you when I had the chance before. I won’t make the same mistake again.”
“Ah…” Caelum sighed sarcastically. “You never do give up. I am liking that about you, however. But I still refuse to harm such a magnificent being.”
“Then stand still while I slice you open,” Ariel told him and she rushed towards him in a speed unlike before. Caelum barely evaded her attack, his suit suffering a tear by her silver blade. Caelum cringed and shifted his balance. He landed on the ground on his right arm and swung his leg to hit Ariel’s. The angel tumbled backwards but was quick to regain her balance. She somersaulted and landed softly on her feet.
Caelum moved in the shadows and appeared behind the angel, pulling her arm forward while his leg kicked at the silver blade. The weapon flew from the angel’s hands and clattered to the floor. “Oh, you do know how I enjoy good foreplay, huh?”
“And you know how much it annoys me when you make such inappropriate comments.” Ariel gritted her teeth. She locked Caelum’s hand on the crook of her arm and pushed her shoulder forward. Caelum lost his balance at the sudden pull on his hand and Ariel completed his fall by swinging her foot against his ankle. The demon crashed to the ground with a grunt. Ariel bent down and drove her arm against Caelum’s throat.
The demon managed a weak chuckle against the angel’s lock on his throat. “Ah, I’m having déjà vu.”
“Don’t—” Ariel began, but something diverted her attention. She released Caelum and twisted her body, landing flat on her back as her own weapon whizzed past them, cutting through strands of her hair. The black strands drifted away into the wind, following the silver blade that sped across the area.
“What the—” Caelum shifted his attention to the direction from which the blade had come. His eyes widened at the sight of the man standing in the other corner, arm still stretched out from having thrown the blade. Caelum lifted himself up, beckoning Ariel to do the same as they looked at Maxwell Saunders.
“How—” Ariel began her question, but Caelum already had his explanation.
“Sadly, your prophet has not returned to life. What we see now is a doppelganger, dear angel,” Caelum explained to her.
“A doppelganger?” Ariel repeated. “I was right, then. You had something to do with the prophet’s death, and this monster is your ally.”
“Oh please, don’t underestimate me. I work alone,” Caelum claimed. “Besides, I am not fond with hybrids.”
“Took you a while to appear, Heaven’s slave!” the doppelganger yelled from across the area. His voice was nothing like Maxwell’s. It was harsher and younger at the same time. He sneered at the angel and the demon before him, concentrating on Caelum. “You must have thought you were sneaky, demon. I knew you were following me for quite a while, you know? I have allies who have a very keen sense of smell. And your stench distracts them too much.”
“Stench?” Caelum took offense at the word. “I would happily bet my cat’s soul that I smell more pleasant than you.”
“Please leave Miss Fortune out of this,” Ariel muttered. She turned to the monster before them and demanded. “What business do you have with Maxwell Saunders?”
“Oh, I don’t have business with him,” the doppelganger admitted. “I was merely luring you two out.”
“Us?” Ariel doubted his words. “What do you mean?”
The doppelganger stashed his hands inside his pockets and took a step forward. Something behind it moved along with him, but Caelum could not distinguish what it was. The monster looked at them with a familiar gaze as he spoke. “An angel and a demon getting so close with each other. If that isn’t evidence enough, I don’t know what is.”
“Evidence? Of what?” Caelum and Ariel traded confused looks.
An eerie energy came from behind the doppelganger, growing more and more as they spoke. “There’s no use in playing dumb, demon. We know about what Heaven and Hell are trying to do. What we don’t know just yet are the details. And that's what we'll need from you.”
“Heaven and Hell? You speak nonsense, monster,” Ariel said.
“I’m not certain if provoking it is wise, my dear,” Caelum told her, and Ariel shot him a glare.
"I did say it's useless playing dumb," the doppelganger repeated. "If you have no intention of being truthful, I guess I can be persuasive."
As he said it, a low growl came from the shadows behind him. Caelum's eyes narrowed. "I see you brought your party animals.”
The doppelganger smiled but didn't speak. Instead, the shadows grew around him, revealing the monsters behind him. Large heavy hands, long yellowing nails, a hideous face with a pointed snout, wild hair that grew like a mane on the back of its neck, a burly body, and a dripping mouth that revealed large sharp teeth. The first came. And then a second one. Caelum watched as five werewolves bounded from the shadows and surrounded them.
A smirk pulled at Caelum's lips. "Now this stinks."
A werewolf snapped its jaw at his comment while another snarled. "If we can just cooperate, no one has to get hurt," the doppelganger said.
"Heaven has no conflict with your kind. If you pull away your comrades now, you may still prevent a war between your kind and mine," Ariel offered.
"You naive angel. We're already at war!"
The werewolves began to advance towards them. Snarling and bouncing on their four legs, they charged like the beasts they were. But their movements were sloppy. Three attacked the angel, but Ariel was quick on her feet as she flipped in mid-air. Her feet landed on the back of one of the beasts and she kicked her legs to bounce off. The werewolf stumbled forward while Ariel flew into the air and out of sight.
"Oh, goodie," Caelum muttered bitterly. "More for me."
"After her!" the doppelganger yelled the command. Three werewolves ran towards the ledge. Caelum sunk into a shadow just as another jumped at him, leaving the beast confused. He leapt from another shadow, landing a kick against one wolf's jaw. The monsters were nearly twice his size, but the demon proved himself more powerful than he looked. His second kick at the wolf's jaw caused it to whimper, calling the attention of its comrades.
The other two beasts who had gone after the angel turned around and snarled at Caelum. Before they could attack him, a silver light pierced one of the werewolves. The wolf howled as it turned to its attacker. Ariel pulled out the weapon, making a s
izzling and squelching sound as the blood poured out. She twisted her body and kicked the beast in the stomach, making it fall over the ledge.
"Clarence!" the doppelganger called out for his fallen comrade. He looked at Ariel with burning eyes and screamed, "You bitch. Get her!"
The werewolf who had been standing next to the one called Clarence swiped its clawed hand at Ariel. The angel easily ducked out of the way and sliced the beast’s chest. The slice only scratched the beast, however, and it swung its other hand against her. Ariel folded her wings around her, shielding her from getting scratched. The force pushed her ten feet back where another werewolf waited for her.
It grabbed her from behind and opened its mouth to bite her. Ariel spread her wings, forcing the werewolf to open its arms. She jumped out of its way and landed beside Caelum who eyed her nonchalantly.
"I should not be expecting any assistance from you, should I?" Ariel asked him.
"Did you even need my help?" Caelum shot back. The four remaining werewolves gathered themselves around the two, snapping their jaws. "Besides, you did try to kill me earlier."
Ariel gave him an unamused look. "Very well." She switched her hold on the blade into a backhand hold. “Try not to get in my way then.”
Caelum watched in the shadows as the angel fought four werewolves, finding it entertaining how the pure-looking woman could hold her ground against such monsters.
Ariel flew across them and wheeled around in mid-air, slicing one of the beasts on the eye. It wailed and growled, grasping in the air for its attacker. The angel proceeded to stab the neck of the next, but another beast swung its hand in her direction, causing her to lose her balance and fall to the ground.
Ariel skittered across the floor, never releasing her weapon. She jumped back to her feet and rebounded towards them. She bent her body back to evade the hand of the werewolf that charged at her. She twisted her body, driving her blade into its abdomen. She pulled the blade out quickly, blood spewing out of the monster’s body and drenching her dress. She turned and met the teeth of another werewolf, the one she’d blinded. Its mouth opened wide to bite her, but Ariel drove her weapon into its mouth, making it choke on its own blood.
“Ho ho-” Caelum smiled, enjoying the show. The once pristine angel was now covered in werewolf blood, murder written in her face. Angels aren’t so boring after all. He took a sidestep, narrowly avoiding one werewolf that attempted to grab him from behind. The werewolf stumbled forward, allowing Caelum to grab it by the nape. He tightened his grip on the wolf and threw it over the ledge. The werewolf howled as gravity pulled it to its death. His landing was not even audible from where Caelum stood.
Last one, then? Caelum thought, counting how many werewolves they had already dispatched. He looked around to find Ariel pulling her weapon from the mouth of the last beast she’d slayed. The last wolf standing slowly crept behind her, claws extended. Oh, please. She will not fall for that, Caelum chuckled. But his thoughts were distracted by something glistening under the moonlight.
Behind the last werewolf was the doppelganger wearing Maxwell Saunders’ mask. He stepped to the side as the werewolf got closer, brandishing a bone-white blade in his hands. Caelum stared at the blade, curious as to its quality. It illuminated under the moonlight, much like Ariel’s weapon, but it was stark white. When the doppelganger angled the blade slightly, Caelum’s eyes widened. How did—
The werewolf jumped on Ariel, but she was ready to meet it. Ariel wheeled around, her blade slicing through the monster’s throat before it could even reach her. Her strike left her back open, and the doppelganger took his aim.
“Behind you!” Caelum warned her, but he was a second too late. Ariel turned to see the white blade and attempted to evade it. But the doppelganger was quick on his feet and sliced her side. Ariel gasped upon making contact with the sacred blade and tumbled to the ground, her weapon clattering off her palm.
“You—” Ariel began, her eyes piercing daggers at the monster. “How did you acquire a blade like that?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” the doppelganger replied. He held the white blade over his head, smiling down at the angel. “We declare war on Heaven and Hell. And you shall be the first sacrifice.”
“Oops.” Caelum was suddenly behind the doppelganger, twisting his arm behind him. “What kind of a gentleman would I be if I didn’t rescue the damsel in distress?” He smiled, tightening his grip on the monster’s arm.
“And here I thought you didn’t care.” The doppelganger sneered at him. He drove his foot against Caelum’s, making the demon grunt, then flung his own head against Caelum’s face. This threw the demon who held his nose between his fingers off him.
“Damn,” Caelum muttered. “You’re gonna pay for that.”
Chapter Ten: Under the White Light
Fire burned her side as Ariel attempted to heal the wound opened by the sacred blade. She gritted her teeth while white light illuminated from her palm, mending the broken tissues. The angel had shifted her position to lean on a wall as she healed herself. When the damage was bearable, she looked up to watch the scene playing out in front of her. The demon, Caelum, had stalled the doppelganger as it was about to kill her and was now battling with it.
Why did he? Could it be he needs me for something? she speculated. She had never heard a story where a demon saved the life of an angel, or anyone for that matter. To the angel, it was only possible if he had an ulterior motive. She convinced herself that demons were incapable of mercy.
For someone who claimed to hate violence, Caelum proved himself a worthy fighter. He was quick and graceful in his movements. Watching him was like seeing a raven corner its prey and play with it before devouring it. Caelum evaded the attacks of the doppelganger and, even without a weapon in hand, he was good at close combat.
The bone-white blade glistened under the night sky as the monster drove it towards his chest. Caelum sidestepped and kicked the doppelganger's shin. He quickly grabbed the monster's forearm and raised it over his head. With one swift motion, Caelum entered a patch of shadows, bringing it with him, and then they were behind the pillar near the ledge. Caelum twisted the monster's arm, turning him around and landing another kick on the monster's ankle, making him stumble backward. The doppelganger yelped, so close to the ledge that his feet were barely keeping him from falling.
"Oops." Caelum smiled. "Don't be so fidgety, now. I might lose my grip on you."
"Damn you," the doppelganger cursed.
"Oh, please. I'm already damned!" Caelum laughed maniacally. "Now give me the blade before you hurt yourself with it."
"Screw you, demon. You're nothing but a cursed human soul damned in Hell!" The doppelganger spat out the words. But the expression on Caelum's face was not what he'd expected. Caelum moved forward, the tip of his leather shoe hitting his boots and causing him to inch back. He gasped, having already one foot over the ledge.
"What was that you were saying?" Caelum asked. "I would understand you better if you didn't scream."
"Enough," Ariel finally spoke up. Caelum looked over his shoulder and saw her clutching at her side, able to move on her own, although slowly. She eyed the weapon in the doppelganger's hands and commanded him, "Tell me the truth, monster. Where did you acquire that weapon?"
The monster looked over at her with a desperate expression. But he kept his lips pursed. “Better just let me go. I won’t say a thing to you traitors.”
“Consider it done,” Caelum announced and loosened the grip around his arm.
“Wait!” Ariel and the doppelganger said simultaneously. The monster desperately reached for Caelum’s arm for support.
“Who was playing at bravery?” Caelum chuckled.
“You bastard!” the doppelganger yelled at him.
“Honestly, what is it with you? Do you really think it’s wise to insult the one holding the scissors to your life?” Caelum dared him.
“Caelum,” Ariel called him. “Stop with your games and mov
e him over to me.”
Caelum raised a brow. “Was that the first time you called me by my name?”
Ariel shot him a glare as her answer. The demon sighed and moved the monster back to the ground, placing his other hand on its wrist and twisting it to force the monster to release the white weapon. It fell on the floor with a clatter.
“Is that what you call a Zound blade?” Caelum asked. “Such an odd name, really.”
“Yes,” Ariel said, picking up the weapon. “A rare and sacred blade forged only in Heaven.” She walked over to the doppelganger who was on his knees with Caelum holding him down. “I will ask again. How did you acquire such a rare weapon?”
The doppelganger gritted his teeth and glared at her. "I won't say anything to you. An angel and a demon conspiring together. You just proved to me that there is something brewing in your worlds. I know that Heaven and Hell are plotting something against our world!"
"Who is telling you this?" Ariel snapped. "What you are saying is ludicrous! Heaven guards the mortals of this land. How could you accuse us of conspiring with the malicious monsters from Hell?"
"I'm right here, you know," Caelum frowned, but his comment was ignored.
"You're still feigning innocence when you've already been caught red-handed," the doppelganger accused. "You were the ones who pushed that so-called prophet into speaking all that crap about the end of the world, weren't you? We've been monitoring activities from angels and demons for a while. It was quite hard to find an angel, given that you are so rare to come down from your high horse up in Heaven. But we saw you in that man's house. That's why copying his face was the perfect bait to get to you."
"So, from what you just said," Caelum began. "Not only are you working with a group, but there's more than you shapeshifters since seeing through an angel's disguise isn't something you monsters can simply do. Am I correct?" He smiled over the doppelganger's shoulder, who looked surprised by his deduction.
The Damned and The Pure Series: Books 1-4 (The Damned and The Pure Series Box Set) Page 10