Fight For Me

by K. A. Last

  The red pouch in my hand all of a sudden felt very heavy.

  What do I do? I asked. And what about Archer and Ryan? She hurt Ryan the last time she wanted to get to me.

  Once Angelica sees me, she won’t hurt them. When the star explodes, go to Josh. And don’t let Angelica into your head.

  Angelica was the last person I wanted in my mind, after everything she’d done. I may have been the one who fell, but she didn’t deserve her wings. She’d fought for the wrong reasons, and bad luck to anyone who stood in her way.

  Seth hadn’t taken his eyes off me. I couldn’t speak to him, so I couldn’t ask him if he was in on this supposed rescue mission. From the look he gave me, I thought it could be a possibility, but he hated Michael. The idea of them working together on anything didn’t seem to fit.

  “Gracie, what’s going on?” Archer said in my ear. “Now would be a good time for some sort of decision.”

  I glowered at my brother. “You’re good at stating the obvious.”

  His mouth opened, but he snapped it shut again.

  The angel holding Josh captive smiled and pressed the stake harder into his back. Josh’s face twisted in agony when the angel pulled on the rope of celestial fire wrapped around his wrists. Seth was bound in the same way, but when I looked at him, his face gave nothing away. Michael was right. Save the weakest link first.

  I turned my head in Josh’s direction, and something white flickered near his head. A butterfly flew around him in a dizzying haphazard way before landing on his shoulder. Josh looked sideways at the butterfly. I blinked away the tears that threatened to pour out.

  Emma?

  The butterfly left Josh and fluttered across the grass towards me. I held out my hand and it came to rest on my palm. Its wings beat slowly up and down.

  Archer rested a hand on my shoulder and Ryan came closer.

  “Is that …?” Ryan trailed off. “Like the one at Emma’s funeral?”

  “I think so,” I whispered.

  The butterfly left my hand and flew up into the night air. The clouds had parted, and the butterfly’s white wings glowed against the inky sky. It continued its path towards Seth, coming to rest on the grass in front of him. Seth stared at it for a few moments before raising his head and locking his gaze on me. A small smile played at his lips.

  What was Emma trying to tell me?

  I tore my gaze away from Seth and looked Angelica straight in the eyes.

  “You’re going to wish you’d never messed with me.” I turned my back on her, facing away from the war memorial.

  There were no stars visible through the glow of the city lights, but they were there, and I waited for Michael’s signal.

  Ryan fidgeted with the sleeve of his hoodie, and glanced at everyone positioned around the park before finally stopping at me.

  “Arch is right,” he said. “It’s decision time, Grace.”

  “We have a mess to clean up first.”

  The sky lit up with a white flash, and a small ball of light streaked between the clouds.

  “What was that?” Ryan craned his neck to follow the path of the star.

  “Get ready for everything to explode.” I misted and landed in front of Josh.

  Michael landed behind the angel holding Josh hostage. He formed a ball of light in his palm and hurled it at the angel’s back. It exploded on impact, sending out a wave of light, and the angel collapsed on top of Josh.

  Michael placed his hand on the angel, transforming him into a mass of tiny balls of light, orbing him away from us. Archangels had the power to orb people or objects and not themselves, but because I couldn’t do it, I’d never seen it done before.

  Josh sat back on his haunches, still bound by the celestial fire. I gripped his upper arms and helped him to his feet. His muscles flexed under my fingers, and the familiar spark I felt when I touched him coursed into my hands. Warmth followed it, and it brought back memories I couldn’t deal with.

  “Why did you choose me?” The surprise in Josh’s eyes shocked me. “That’s what this is all about, isn’t it? Making your choice?”

  He moved close enough so the tip of his nose tickled my cheek. He pressed his forehead to mine and I responded, tilting my head back. Everything about Josh was so familiar, and his words gave me hope that maybe he’d remembered something about us.

  Josh moved closer still, his bound hands between us, his lips about to touch mine, but I looked down at the last second. He brushed my forehead with a kiss. I had to explain that I’d come to him because I’d followed Michael’s instructions. Before I could, Angelica’s scream of rage echoed around us.

  My explanations would have to wait.

  Michael smiled, and winked at me. “I think she’s angry.”

  I spun around to face the war memorial. Hope and Justice stood in front of Archer and Ryan, protecting them. Hope deflected one of Angelica’s light balls, aimed at Archer, with one of her own. Their collision exploded light through the park.

  Angelica’s lips pulled back into a snarl, an expression that looked completely wrong on the face of an angel. Angry was an understatement. The brunette angel orbed with Seth to where Angelica stood in front of the Pool of Reflection. Angelica snatched the rope of celestial fire, and pulled. When her gaze locked with mine she tugged Seth’s restraints again. His jaw tightened, but his eyes gave nothing away.

  “Looks like you’ve made your decision,” Angelica said, her voice travelling across the grass.

  “I haven’t decided anything yet.” I didn’t know if I was trying to convince her, or myself.

  Michael unbound Josh and the three of us walked across the grass towards the others. Archer and Ryan hadn’t moved. They stood close to Hope and Justice, Archer’s expression telling me everything I needed to know.

  He was ready to fight.

  Josh hung back and I ran to stand with Archer and the others.

  Michael moved to the space between Angelica and the rest of us, as if he were waiting to referee a boxing match.

  Angelica pulled on the rope of celestial fire she held in her hand. The blue light coiled around Seth’s wrists, cutting into his skin. Until now he’d been strong, but this time his expression betrayed him with grimaces of pain. At least he didn’t cry out.

  “Annie’s ring.” Angelica held out her hand.

  “Let him go first,” I said.

  She laughed, and pulled the rope of fire again. Seth clenched his jaw.

  Michael stood with his feet apart and folded his arms. “Angelica, let him go.”

  “I’m curious,” Justice said. “Why are we making her free a fallen angel? Isn’t she on our side?”

  “Dude, shut up,” Archer said.

  Angelica cocked her head to one side, regarding Michael for a moment. “Justice asked a pretty good question. Why are you letting him go? He belongs to me.”

  “Not anymore,” Michael said, rocking on his heels. He held out his hand. “I presume you have Seth’s ring?”

  Angelica’s mouth opened and closed a few times. “Why do you want it?”

  “Insurance.”

  “For what?” Angelica asked. “He belongs—”

  “Where I say he belongs.” Michael took a step towards Angelica. “Have you forgotten who you’re talking to? You don’t question your arch. My business with Seth is no concern of yours.” Michael waited with his hand outstretched for Angelica to hand him Seth’s ring.

  Angelica clenched her fists and pressed her lips together. I didn’t take my gaze from the hand that held Seth’s ring. When she uncurled her fingers and placed the ring on Michael’s palm, I let out a long, controlled breath.

  “Your turn,” she said.

  “I don’t like this,” Hope said. “Whose side are we on, anyway?”

  “You’re on my side,” Michael said. “You do what I say.”

  Hope stared at him, her mouth open.

  “I wouldn’t argue if I were you,” Archer said in her ear. “I don’t like the guy,
but apparently he’s bad-ass.”

  Hope rolled her eyes.

  “It’s true.” Michael smirked. “I am. Like he said.”

  I pulled the drawstring open on the velvet pouch and tipped the ring onto my palm. Annie hadn’t betrayed me, but she had lied to protect me. She’d watched over me since my first incarnation on earth, and I’d never known. Handing her back to Angelica was the right thing to do. Annie shouldn’t have had her wings stripped. Seth should never have taken them, but he’d done it for me, to protect me.

  When I looked up, Seth stared at me. He hadn’t taken his eyes off me for longer than a few seconds since he’d arrived in the park. He nodded, and I dropped the ring into Angelica’s outstretched palm.

  Seth shifted on his knees and brought his hands up. “You can untie me now.”

  Angelica laughed.

  She had to untie him. Until he freed Annie, he was safe. She couldn’t hurt him if she wanted Annie back, but once she was free, who knew what Angelica would do?

  I looked at Michael. His jaw clenched and he frowned. He raised his hand and a ball of light shot from his finger, colliding with the rope of celestial fire in Angelica’s hand. The fire flicked up her arm, and she cried out, dropping the rope. It fell to the grass and disappeared, along with the restraints around Seth’s ankles.

  Seth rubbed his wrists and stood up, moving slowly to my side. I had to resist the urge to throw myself into his arms.

  He looked down at me and smiled. “Hey.” His arm brushed my shoulder, and he curled his little finger into mine.

  “Hey yourself,” I said, gripping his finger so tightly I thought I might break it. He didn’t seem to mind.

  “Gracie,” Archer said. “Check this out.”

  When I turned towards him, the white butterfly flitted past and circled the air in front of Ryan’s face. His eyes were sad, and a small smile touched the corners of his mouth. When he reached up, the butterfly landed on the tip of his finger. His smile widened, and it flew off again, this time heading back towards me. It didn’t stop though; instead, the butterfly flew circles around Seth and I, leaving a faint trail of light in its wake.

  Josh stood quietly watching everything, and when our eyes met, he scowled. I let go of Seth’s hand and moved towards Josh. The butterfly stopped in my path, and my heart lurched.

  “Emma?” I took another step, but it didn’t move out of the way.

  “Who’s Emma?” Josh asked.

  Angelica chuckled. “I should do something about that memory of yours.”

  “She’s my best friend,” I said.

  Josh raised his eyebrows. “That’s a butterfly.”

  Emma’s butterfly still blocked my path, so I held up my hand and it landed on my knuckles.

  What are you trying to tell me? I asked it.

  The butterfly took off and flew to Seth. It hovered in front of his face, and then brushed his cheek as if it were giving him a kiss, before flying away and landing on a branch in a nearby tree.

  “You’ve broken the rules by allowing the butterfly, Michael,” Angelica said. “What would the Council say?”

  “It’s nothing compared to what you will have to answer for.”

  Angelica clenched her jaw. “We better get on with this then.”

  Michael sighed. “Seth. Get this over with, please.”

  Seth stepped forward and went to take Annie’s ring from Angelica.

  She shook her head. “I’ll hold it. All you need to do is put your blood on the stone.”

  Since I’d laid eyes on Seth, he’d said one word, and that word had been directed at me. I wanted so badly to hear the sound of his voice, but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t protest, and did what Angelica asked him to do.

  Seth bent down and took the dagger from my ankle strap. His fingers brushed my leg as he rolled my jeans up, and heat shot through me. He used the dagger to cut the end of his finger. Blood welled onto the tip.

  Angelica held the ring out, and Seth smeared his blood onto the stone. The stone absorbed it. The white mist inside swirled beneath the surface of the tiger’s eye before exploding outwards, filling the park with rays of divine light.

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  Josh

  The force of the light shooting from the ring in Angelica’s hand threw me backwards, and I skidded along the grass. Everyone had been knocked over, and they all grumbled as they got to their feet.

  Another angel stood beside Angelica and helped her up. She was also divinely beautiful, with her hair pulled back sharply from her face.

  “You got what you wanted. Now leave,” Grace said.

  I hoped Angelica wouldn’t listen. I wanted my memory back.

  “Really, Josh?” Angelica looked at me. “If I were you, I’d walk the other way and never look back. Grace has caused you nothing but pain, and you want to remember it all?”

  “I’m sure he can decide for himself,” Grace said, planting her hands on her hips.

  Archer sighed next to me and ran a hand down his face.

  “I think she’s right,” Seth said. He glanced at me over his shoulder. “Let Josh decide what he wants to do.”

  Anyone with half a brain could see Grace had chosen Seth over me. It stung when I’d tried to kiss her, and she’d turned her head away. I wasn’t sure why it bothered me so much, because I didn’t remember anything about our relationship. At some point I’d loved her, but that was obviously over. Maybe Angelica was right. Maybe I didn’t want to know.

  “If you don’t do it, I will,” Michael said.

  Angelica tilted her head to the side. “You can’t. Only I can fully restore his memories. And I’m beginning to wonder whose side you’re on.”

  “I’m not on anyone’s side,” Michael said, his nostrils flaring. “Somehow, I’ve become a mediator in your childish game. You’ve got a lot to answer for.”

  Annie stepped forward and stood between Angelica and Michael. “What happened while I was gone?”

  “Where do we start?” Archer said.

  “Angelica decided to take things into her own hands,” Grace said.

  “And look where that got her.” Archer shifted on his feet, shaking his head.

  Why was I standing there? These people had me caught up in something I didn’t want to be involved in. All I wanted was to find Lilith and get back to the terrace, which was not going to be an easy thing to do once the sun came up. I may have been able to walk around during the day, but she couldn’t.

  The sun rose far quicker than I thought it would. My arms dropped to my sides and I watched in awe as light seeped into the day. I didn’t recall ever seeing the sun move into the sky while I was standing in the open. That it wouldn’t burn me made me happier than I’d been in a long time.

  Blue streaked past the corners of my vision. Michael shot blue fire from the ends of his hands, and the thin tendrils wrapped around Angelica’s wrists. He did the same to Annie, binding her tightly.

  Then a blinding pain seared through my head, and I fell to my knees.

  Grace was at my side in an instant, holding my arm. “What are you doing to him?”

  “You wanted me to give his memory back.” Angelica smiled. “You never said I couldn’t make it hurt.”

  “Not like this, it’s cruel.” Grace’s grip on me tightened.

  An image of a dark room formed in my mind. Beams of sunlight shone through the slits of windows in the walls. Dust danced in the light. The memory was different this time, like it wasn’t really mine. It was as if I were an observer, watching someone else, only that someone was me.

  Charlotte sat on the floor, my head cradled in her lap. Streaks of red lined her face. She looked at Grace, who sat with her back against the wall, her knees drawn to her chest, sobbing. Charlotte bit into my wrist. Then with one sharp fang she slit her own wrist, and pressed it to my lips. The pain became so intense I thought I would vomit, even though my stomach held nothing.

  In the vision, Grace got to her feet and left the ston
e room. She walked away and didn’t look back, leaving me to lie motionless on the hard floor. Something in my head snapped, and I realised that was the moment I’d really lost her.

  From that point on, everything had changed.

  The rest of my memories came flooding back in a wave so intense I thought it would reduce me to dust. A lifetime of visions stormed into my head, pushing down on me. Once it passed, I remembered everything, and the myriad of emotions rising inside me caught me off guard. Intense love for Grace, a love I didn’t want to feel, and a hatred for Seth that was so strong, the first thing I wanted to do was rip his throat out. It was even stronger than the way I’d felt when Angelica had taken me to the In-Between.

  When I opened my eyes, my face lay pressed into the grass. Grace shook my shoulders. She knelt beside me, crying, and pleading with Angelica to stop. I shook her off and flew to my feet. Grace tumbled backwards onto the grass.

  “Don’t touch me.”

  “Josh, what did she do to you?” Grace asked as Seth helped her up.

  A laugh bubbled from Angelica’s mouth. She winced as she struggled against the rope around her wrists.

  “Michael, what are you doing? Let us go,” Annie said.

  He shook his head. “Afraid I can’t do that. Angelica needs to go home.”

  “Like hell I do,” she said. “I have unfinished business. Charlotte is still out there.”

  “I’ll handle Charlotte,” Michael said. “You’re on probation. The Council is not happy.”

  “I was acting on orders.”

  “As much as I dislike the Council, I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t have ordered you to put innocent people in danger,” Grace said.

  “Well.” Angelica smirked. “At least now he remembers everything.” She nodded towards Josh.

  “How do I know you haven’t planted something false in his head?” Grace asked.

  “You can read minds. You’ll know if something isn’t true.”

  “Yes, but will he?” Grace clenched her fists. “Can you get her out of my sight please, Michael?”

  I admired Grace’s strength and spark, and searched my mind for a good memory, one we shared that would calm the anger rising inside me. Our eyes met, and I remembered when she’d come to the city not long after I’d left Hopetown Valley—the argument, the pain, the most amazing night of my life, followed by more pain.