Anna (Book 2, The Redemption Series)

by S. J. West

  I lean up and whisper into Malcolm’s ear.

  “She still wants us to get rid of him,” I say.

  Malcolm nods his head acknowledging that he heard and understood what I said even over the loud music being played in the room. He looks over at the rest of our group and holds up a fisted hand. Apparently it’s a prearranged signal because Malcolm grabs my hand, and we’re suddenly standing right outside the palace again in the same spot where we first arrived.

  “Olivia still wants us to kill Botis,” I tell the others.

  “Can we?” Daniel asks Malcolm. “If he has who we think he does, he'll use it against us.”

  “What was he talking about?” I ask them. “What ace does he have up his sleeve?”

  “He has Asmodeus,” Malcolm tells me looking slightly frustrated by the fact.

  “Do you remember when we were in the desert with Levi,” Jered says to me. “And when Christopher came back with the first prince Levi said he was the defective one?”

  “Yes,” I say with a nod of my head. “I remember.”

  “Years ago,” Malcolm says. “Asmodeus and Caylin had an altercation. She crushed his seal and accidentally broke it open. Asmodeus stabbed himself with one of the daggers to stop the seal from opening completely.”

  “What does his seal do?” I ask.

  “It will cause major earthquakes to erupt all over the world if it's fully opened,” Desmond tells me.

  “We can't leave him in control of something that powerful,” Brutus says. “I say we kill Botis before he can do any more harm to these people and grab Asmodeus back from him.”

  “I agree,” Malcolm says, turning to me. “Are you ready for this?”

  “Yes,” I say. “I'm ready.”

  We phase back into the party and bide our time. It's not until almost an hour later that we see Botis enter the grand hall with Olivia by his side. He kisses her on the cheek, and I see Olivia involuntarily flinch from the contact. Although she tries to cover up her reaction with a smile, it's too late. It's obvious by the look on Botis' face that he knows she understands what he is and that her knowledge of him might just be reason enough to end her life. For me, his reaction just adds to my motivation to kill him before he has the chance to do more damage.

  Botis leaves Olivia's side and mingles with some of the guests present.

  “How are we going to get him away from all these people?” I ask Malcolm.

  “I don't think that's something we'll have to worry about,” Malcolm replies keeping his eyes on Botis.

  We soon see him sneak out a side door of the grand hall. It is either an invitation to come find him, or he’s trying to escape. Either way, we have no other alternative but to follow him.

  Malcolm looks around the room to find our friends and lifts his fist into the air to gain their attention. It only takes a few seconds before they're by our sides. We make our way to the exit Botis used and find that it leads to a long hallway with numerous rooms leading off of it.

  “Check all the rooms,” Malcolm orders.

  As I reach for the panel which leads to one of the rooms, I notice something bright flash at the end of the hallway. I look down the corridor to the full length window there and see something flash again far off in the distance. I walk over to the window and look outside.

  Standing on the circular roof of a building in the far distance is Botis. He's holding a large sword in one hand which gives off a bright blue glow and Asmodeus in the other.

  “Malcolm!”

  Malcolm and the other Watchers come running down the hallway.

  “What's wrong?” Malcolm asks before following my gaze to the scene outside.

  “How are we supposed to get over there?” Daniel says.

  “Can't you just phase over?” I ask.

  “We can only phase to places we've been,” Jered reminds me, sounding frustrated by the situation. “And none of us have been on the roof of that building.

  “I can fly over,” I say.

  “Not without taking me with you,” Malcolm says. “You can carry at least one person with you while you fly.”

  I nod because I know no amount of arguing is going to change Malcolm's mind.

  “Break the glass,” I tell him.

  Malcolm takes a step back from the window and releases it from its casing with one swift kick. I grab him to me and hover above the floor a little.

  “Malcolm,” Jered says, “phase back and get us as soon as you get over there.”

  Malcolm nods, and I fly us out of the broken window.

  “Don’t take any unnecessary chances,” Malcolm tells me as we fly over.

  “I won’t,” I reply.

  In no time at all, we're on the roof of the building where Botis is.

  Malcolm phases away but phases right back with the other Watchers in tow.

  “So nice of you all to join me,” Botis says arrogantly.

  He's standing near the edge of the roof with Asmodeus lying on the ground at this feet. The large sword he holds at his side glows a bright, ominous blue.

  “I should have known the lot of you were just too stupid to not let things remain the way they are. As you can see, I wasn't lying about the ace I hold. If you leave now, I won't have to play it.”

  “That's not happening,” I say, drawing my sword out which signals the rest of my party to draw theirs as well.

  Botis shakes his head at me.

  “Lucifer underestimated you. He felt sure you would choose to live the easy life he was offering you. How disappointed he'll be that you've chosen to ignore his warnings and disrupt his plans.”

  “I can't leave you alive,” I tell him. “You would corrupt this city and most likely kill Empress Olivia so you can rule it on your own.”

  Botis smiles. “So very perceptive, Anna.”

  “Why didn't you just take over her body in the first place?” I ask. “She's the one with the real power.”

  “It might sound petty,” Botis tells me, sounding like he’s about to divulge a secret, “but I didn't want to be in a female human's body. Your hormonal activity is very erratic, to say the least. No, much simpler to be a man in this world. Women are too high maintenance with your constant primping and worrying over what outfit to wear. I'd rather stay in Hell than do all that just to fit in.”

  “Well, I could certainly send you back there,” I offer.

  Botis laughs. “No, thank you. I much prefer it up here. The air is far fresher. In fact, I intend to stay here for a very long time.”

  “I'm afraid your visit will have to be cut short.” I say. “I can't allow you to stay in that body. I promised Olivia I would kill the person who murdered her husband, and I always follow through with my promises.”

  “I know you can kill me,” Botis says. “I've been warned about your powers. But, I wonder. Which will you choose to do? Kill me for a single act of vengeance or save millions of lives instead?”

  Botis quickly reaches down and pulls the silver dagger out of Asmodeus' hand. He kicks Asmodeus' body off the roof and phases away.

  It only takes a second before we feel the trembling of the earth beneath our feet as the effects of the first earthquake caused by the seal opening begins.

  I instantly know what I have to do. I throw my sword down, run to the edge of the roof and jump off. I faintly hear Malcolm cry out my name as I allow myself to freefall.

  I angle my body forward, head first with my arms close to my sides to increase my speed. My hands ignite with the blue flames of my power as I reach out and grab one of Asmodeus' hands. He opens his eyes and looks up at me. The fear on his face after waking up from a thousand year sleep and finding himself in such a precarious position saddens me for some reason. I don't know what he's done in his life as a fallen angel to deserve such an end, but I can't help the pity I feel for him in his last moments. His life is a danger to not only the ones I love but to the world at large, and I have no other recourse but to end it.

  “I'm sorry,�
� I yell to him, just as I silently wish for his death.

  Asmodeus screams out in pain as his body is reduced to ashes in the wind.

  The agony accompanying the burning of Asmodeus’ seal into the skin at the small of my back makes my plan of flying to safety impossible. I immediately feel incapacitated as my body is wracked by wave after wave of excruciating pain. I close my eyes as I approach the ground and pray that my own personal guardian angel is watching.

  I taste the sweet breath of life, but it doesn't seem to be enough to pull me back from the black abyss I'm in. I languish in the darkness until I taste it again and again, but each time it just doesn't seem to be enough to lift my soul out of the chasm between life and death.

  Time passes, but I have no way to judge how much has gone by. It silently watches me and waits to see what the outcome of my fate will be. My heart yearns to be with those I love, but my memories of them seem to be fading, becoming more distant the longer I remain in death’s shadow.

  Finally, I feel the pull of life urge me to return into its arms. I reach out in the darkness, feeling the tips of my consciousness push against death and grasp onto life.

  I wake, taking in a deep, hard fought for breath.

  I look around me and see that I'm lying in Malcolm's bed in our New Orleans home.

  I feel a gentle hand cup the side of my face. I look over to the person sitting beside me on the bed and smile.

  “You had me worried,” Will says, his eyes filled with that very emotion as he looks down at me.

  “What happened?” I ask, my voice raspy like I haven't spoken in a while.

  “You died...again,” he answers in mild exasperation. “I thought I told you we needed to stop meeting like this, Anna.”

  I feel a small smile tug at the corners of my lips.

  “Where's Malcolm?” I ask, not seeing him in the room.

  “I had to order him to get out,” Will tells me. “He was going crazy because I couldn't resurrect you, and he was making it impossible for me to concentrate.”

  “Why were you having trouble bringing me back to life?” I ask.

  “I don't know,” Will says, as his brows furrow together, making him look even more troubled. “It's always worked on the first try with the others. Even with you the last time, it worked like it should. But, something was wrong this time... I had to do it twenty times before you came back. I almost gave up, Anna.”

  I reach out and grab one of Will's hands.

  “Thank you for not giving up,” I tell him. “I have a lot to live for.”

  “Yes, I see you finally got your man,” Will says with a small laugh. “I can't tell you how tired I got of you asking me questions about Malcolm while we were in Heaven. It almost drove me insane.”

  “Really?” I ask, Will's words confirming what Lilly told Malcolm about me already knowing him even before I was sent to Earth. “I wish I could remember the time we spent together.”

  “And I wish I could forget that part of it,” Will laughs. “Malcolm and I have had a very strained past with one another.”

  “Could you get him for me?” I ask Will. “I need to see him.”

  “Yes,” Will says. “I know he needs to see you too. He's been beside himself with worry.”

  Will stands up and leans down to give me a kiss on the forehead.

  “I'll go get him, but then I need to return to Heaven. Do you think you could do me a favor, Anna?”

  “What?”

  “Please stop dying. I'm not sure I'll be able to pull you back next time.”

  “I'll do my best,” I promise him.

  Will steps out of the room, closing the door behind him.

  Just as he does that, I see someone else phase in.

  “Didn't I tell you to leave things alone?” Lucifer says to me in agitation, walking closer to the bed.

  I sit up and immediately regret the quick movement. My back aches from receiving the second seal, but I push through it and face Lucifer.

  “You know I can't do that,” I tell him.

  “If you want to live a long, healthy life, you have to,” Lucifer says angrily. “How much more of a warning do you need? You almost died for God’s sake!”

  “But I'm not dead,” I try to reason. “I'm perfectly fine.”

  “Leave things alone, Anna! If not for your own sake, then do it for that big buffoon you protest to love. Or do you want to hurt him? Do you want to cause him so much pain he'll wish he were dead? I've been on the receiving end of self-sacrifice in the name of God’s plans. If you truly love Malcolm, don't do that to him for something that doesn't have to be done!”

  “Are you saying that for my benefit or for your own?”

  Lucifer runs an agitated hand through his shoulder length blonde locks.

  “There are things going on that you simply don't understand, Anna.”

  “Then tell me. Help me understand why you’re so adamant that I not complete the mission God gave me.”

  “Just do as I say, daughter! Stop questioning my motivations! If you truly want to have a long and happy life with Malcolm, leave things alone!”

  Lucifer phases. I know by his phase trail that he's gone to hide out in his unholy domain. A place no sane person would follow him to.

  I stare at the black hole he left, peering into its darkness but not seeing even a pinpoint of light. It’s a place empty of hope and love.

  I swing my feet off the bed and stand up.

  I realize Lucifer is the only one who can answer the many questions I have about not only my mother but also about my future. What is he trying so hard to warn me about? What is the real reason behind why he doesn't want me to retrieve the seals? I need more information so I can fully understand what’s happening, and my only opportunity to find the answers I need is about to disappear.

  “Forgive me, Malcolm.”

  I reach out for Lucifer's phase trail... and follow him straight to Hell.

  Author’s Note

  You can expect book three (of four) to The Redemption Series Summer 2014.