I know you loved her, too. Do it for Eve, for Quinn.
Aaron panted. It was working—he could feel the strength growing inside him, more than even the strongest man on Earth possessed.
The skin beneath his shoulder blades itched and burned as if a thousand spiders crawled below his flesh, biting, stinging, and pushing their way free. He scratched at his back, rolling on the ground and tearing his nails across skin. He clawed at the soft tissue until blood oozed from his wounds, but the itch intensified, driving him mad.
Aaron rolled onto all fours and dug his fingers into the hard stone floor as the sharp edge of his shoulder blade sliced through his scapula. Foam gathered in the corners of his mouth, and he howled, back arching as layers of tissue and muscle separated, birthing two long wings covered in golden feathers. Spanning twelve feet, Aaron stretched his golden wings to each side. Metal popped and groaned as he tugged on the chains. A few more seconds, and he would be free.
Two demons ran at him from either side, and like flicking flies, he brushed them over the edge with a swipe of his wings, and they tumbled into the abyss. Lilith shrieked commands at her army. Spears came at Aaron from all sides, but the light boiling inside him made him quick as well as strong. Twisting and turning like he’d seen a million times in the martial arts flicks he and Josh used to watch, he trapped each spear point in a section of chain, pulling them from the demons’ grasp. Aaron delighted in his new powers, grinning as he kicked an oncoming attacker in the chest. Was this what it felt like to be invincible?
Pain ripped at his left shoulder. Three demons had come up behind him. One grabbed him around the waist and pinned his wings to his sides while the other two grabbed his arms. He fought against them, their strength no match for his own, but before he could break free, three more beasts tackled him, six demons pinning him to the ground.
Aaron’s chest heaved as he pushed against them, but they held him tight. Lilith stood above him, a control demon scurrying up one of her arms, across her shoulders, and down the other. Directly above Lilith’s head, a tiny light in the domed ceiling winked at him. The control demon reared up on a thousand tiny back legs, its pincers clicking as it approached. Taking a deep breath, he focused on the light and dug deep. Power flooded through him, and the explosion of a million suns burst through his pores. Demons screamed and scattered back, and he was free. Without thinking, Aaron ran for the precipice and let his wings unfurl. Air caught beneath him, and within seconds, he soared up toward freedom and Quinn, leaving Lilith in his wake.
Aaron circled the top of the domed ceiling. A sliver of cold, blue moonlight spilled from a small crack in the stone barely big enough for a rat to fit through. If this was the only way out, he would have to exploit the natural fissure and bash his way through to the other side. Tucking his wings to his sides, he dropped, letting gravity carry him as close to the ground as he dared, the wind rushing in his ears as he fell. There were at least twelve stories between the island prison and the top of the dome, and he would need every inch of it for his plan to work. Before he hit the ground, he spread his feathers and soared over Lilith’s head, her raven hair blowing in the wake of his flight. Flying came as easy as breathing; it was as if he’d been doing it all his life.
Lilith howled in anger, stomping her foot as he darted to the right, just out of reach of her minions’ spears, and beat his powerful wings. Faster and faster, he climbed, gaining speed and altitude. Tucking his chin to his chest, Aaron angled his shoulder, aiming for a point just to the right of the crack. A loud BOOM echoed off the ceiling as he hit his mark. The crack widened as stone and rubble hailed on the demons below. Pain rippled down his shoulder, his bones rattling from the force, but two beats of his wings, and the hurt receded to nothing. Aaron tucked his wings again, ready to make another run. A few more hits like that should bring down the whole dome.
At Lilith’s command, millions of small bat-like demons erupted from the depth of the pit surrounding the platform, the whirlwind of leathery wings heading right for him. Aaron set his jaw and dove right into the middle of the storm. Talons ripped at his naked flesh above his abdomen, and he swiped the first creature away with a hand. The demon tumbled away as two more latched on to his leg, their long, razor teeth sinking into his calf. Aaron twisted onto his back trying to shake them off, but a dozen more swarmed him, ripping at his feathers, locking jaws on his naked skin as he plummeted. When one bit his forearm, he grabbed its tail and tore it loose—a lot more painful than ripping off a Band-Aid—and hurled it like a baseball into the stone wall. Stunned, the demon dropped. He plucked another off, and another, flinging them into the wall, the ground rushing closer and closer.
Inches from the stone floor, he flipped back onto his stomach. His wings spread out behind him, and he rocketed upward, tucking his chin and focusing on the widening fissure above. What was left of his attackers scattered in his wake. Nine stories, ten stories, eleven stories, he climbed.
Right before impact, a bolt of silver lightning flashed just above his head, and he had to roll right at the last minute to miss it. Unable to stop his momentum or correct his trajectory, Aaron hit the side of the dome instead of the crack he was aiming for. The stone walls shuddered at the force of his collision, and the opening widened, but it still wasn’t wide enough for him to fit through.
Another silver lightning bolt crackled across his left shoulder. The smell of burning feathers and skin made him gag. Aaron flew in a circle, trying to extinguish the flames that caught at his golden plumage, beating his wing against the stone until they finally went out.
The horde of demon bats rallied for another attack, angling upward to meet him. He would give anything for a Qeres blade. He couldn’t think of anything more satisfying than separating their heads from their bodies and watching the poison turn them to dust, but he would have to rely on Kaemon’s strength, his own wits, and their determination to get them through this together.
Lilith let off another silver explosion, this one barely missing his head. He ducked and banked left, trying to make himself a smaller target, but he couldn’t pull in his twelve-foot wingspan unless he wanted to fall to his death. Twist left, pitch right, zoom up, dive down—he dodged energy bolt after energy bolt. And then the demon bats were upon him again, a black cloud of screeching and flapping. Talons scratched at his flesh, tearing his skin until blood trickled from his wounds. He couldn’t keep this up much longer, Kaemon was strong, but even an Elite Warrior could tire.
Aaron dug deep, ignoring the beasts biting, stinging, and screaming in his ear. He tuned out the explosions of light ripping through the dark. Escaping and warning Quinn, even if it was just for a moment, was the only thing that mattered. If they killed him after that, he didn’t care. Once he broke through the ceiling, he would be free; he could contact her through their connection. Kaemon understood how it worked; he could get to her if Aaron let him. Together, they pictured her face, her body pressed against his, her soft voice calling his name. This time, when his shoulder hit the target, it yielded. A sound like a bomb exploding rebounded from the impact down to the foundations of the dungeon as the entire dome caved in.
Aaron didn’t hesitate as he shot through the hole and out into the ceaseless night of the Underworld. His prison hadn’t been in a tower, but in an underground dungeon deep within the mountain. Rubble continued to rain down on his enemy, angry screeches growing fainter as he darted up and away. The domed ceiling now stood as a gaping hole at the edge of the ridge where Lilith’s palace ended and the desolate terrain of the Underworld began.
Maybe Lilith would be crushed in the avalanche with them. Kaemon knew better; she would have blinked away before any harm came to her. Besides, she was immortal. Nothing could kill her here in her own kingdom.
Three spired towers of varying heights loomed against the stark and barren landscape, casting shadows over her entire domain. Thousands of obsidian glass windows spiraled up and around the towers, shining dark eyes i
n the gaunt light of twin blue-hued moons. From any vantage point, it would be easy to spot a lone angel flying in the distance, golden wings a torch in the darkness. Everything was quiet, too quiet, as if he were trapped in a bubble, no wind, no sound, only the thump of his heart and the beat of his wings.
At least there were no guards walking the ramparts, no armies gathered in the streets. Lilith had no need for defenses. Nothing could touch her here, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t watched. Demons were like roaches. Where you saw one, hundreds more were hiding and scurrying in the walls, infesting every dusky corner. As soon as Lilith regained control, she wouldn’t hesitate to send a new horde to find him. He had to find shelter, and fast.
Swerving right, he soared over Lilith’s castle, which jutted upward from a rocky cliff, and scanned the area for a safe place to land—a copse of trees, a cave, someplace he could conceal himself long enough to complete his mission—but miles of lifeless earth stretched to the horizon, reminding him of pictures he’d seen of the surface of the moon or dead lava fields of Iceland. Nothing but dust and rock under a bleak sky, nowhere to shelter, nowhere to hide. And then he spotted it, a deep crater in the distance. It wasn’t ideal, but it would do.
Landing wasn’t as easy as flying, and as his feet hit the ground, he stumbled forward, stretching out his arms to take the impact, and ended up face first against the pitted, black rocks. Gulping, he tried to catch his breath. His palms stung from scraping the rough surface of the crater, but he didn’t care. He pushed up and ran under a small overhang, hoping it would provide enough cover to buy him time. With Kaemon now fully awake, he could close his eyes and see her essence, hear the whisper of her thoughts. It wouldn’t take much. Pulling his wings in against his chest, he pushed his essence up and out through his psychic link, called her name, and prayed she would answer.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Azrael circled above Quinn and Marcus, onyx wings a sharp silhouette gliding along the shore of Bluebonnet Creek. She didn’t care what Azrael thought. He may be her protector, but this was her life, not his. He had no idea what it was like to be human, to feel so alone in grief and confusion. She needed someone to know what she’d been going through, all of it, and despite Azrael’s arguments that it was his job to be there for her, he wasn’t enough. Disapproval emanated from his essence as she confessed everything down to the last little detail to Marcus.
Marcus surprised her. He didn’t crack a joke, not even once, as she paced along the shore, telling a truly unbelievable story. When she got to the part about the demons warning her away from Aaron, she choked.
“He should never have come after me.” Quinn couldn’t stop the flood of emotions dripping down her cheeks. “It would have been better if he had let me die. He would be here now instead of trapped in the Underworld with that monster.”
“Don’t say that. Of course it wouldn’t be better.” Marcus brushed a stray strand of hair from her eye and smiled. “It all makes sense now. Don’t you see? It was his destiny to save you. This goes beyond everything, Quinn. When that thing was inside me, I could feel it digging for my deepest fear. It kept playing Aaron’s death over and over in my mind, trying to make me weak, to suppress my, what did you call it?”
“Your spirit essence.”
“Right. My essence. It got into my head and twisted my thoughts around to the point where I didn’t want to fight back any more.” Marcus shivered.
Foolish. Stupid. Careless. Rash. Azrael’s lecture went on and on. You do not know the first thing about the evil you are dealing with. Bad enough that you risk you own life in a futile pursuit of a boy you have no hope of saving, but you refuse to go to Arcadia where you’ll be safe, You put your friend at risk, too. Stubborn. Yes, add stubborn to the list. And did I mention stupid? If only I had leave to drag you to Arcadia kicking and screaming, I would.
I’m not leaving Aaron there. I told you.
I will not allow you to risk everything to go to the Underworld.
“What if they’re not just here to cross the veil and create chaos, as Azrael says. What if they’re here to destroy us?” Marcus scratched his forehead. “Look at what they had Jeff and Kerstin do to each other. Look at the wars we’re having, the sick things happening all over the world. You have to stop them, Quinn, before it’s too late. I can’t watch my family and friends suffer like that. Maybe Azrael’s right.”
The boy understands far better than you do. You should listen to him.
Quinn ignored Azrael’s interjection but didn’t ignore the fear in Marcus’s voice.
“Marcus, how can you say that? She has Aaron.” A million iron bands squeezed at Quinn’s chest, and her breath came in quick spurts. “You didn’t see him, didn’t talk to him. He’s being tortured.” She paced.
“And what’s in that box? This Lilith chick wants it pretty bad, which says to me you shouldn’t give it to her.” Marcus ran a hand through his hair.
Something dark. Something dangerous. Something you should not be in possession of. Agitation laced Azrael’s voice.
“If I don’t give Lilith what she wants, he’ll be trapped for eternity.” Quinn stopped in front of Marcus and squared her shoulders. “Giving her the box means we can have Aaron back. You can have him back, Marcus. Isn’t that what we both want more than anything?”
Do not be foolish, Quinn. Lilith is older and more powerful than you can imagine. If you set foot in the Underworld, you will not return. Your world will fall. Everything you love will die. And for what? The soul of one boy?
“How can you ask me to leave him there?” Quinn shouted at the sky as Azrael zigzagged in agitated patterns above them.
You can’t even be sure it was Aaron. Lilith is a master of deception and manipulation. Even Eve was not immune to her lies. The box, Quinn. It must be taken to Arcadia. Azrael spoke through his bond. It must not fall into her hands. Do you understand? I beg you to deliver it into my care.
“Marcus, he’s your best friend. You couldn’t leave him there, could you?”
Marcus dug the toe of his shoe in the dirt and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. “I don’t know, Quinn. I don’t think Aaron would want you to risk everything just for him.”
Yes. See? You should listen to your friend.
“What does that angel of yours say?” Marcus asked.
“He agrees with you. He thinks I should let him take the box to Arcadia for safe keeping and that I should go with him.” Quinn flung her hands in the air. “I can’t!”
“That demon said you have until the eclipse, right? That’s three days away. We have time to figure it out. Come up with a plan.”
No. You are both fools. I won’t let you throw all this away. There is no time. If you do this, you are on your own. Azrael flew in erratic circles around her head. Do you hear me? I will abandon you.
No. You won’t. And we both know it. That seemed to shut him up, for now at least.
Quinn turned the box over in her hands. “Three days.”
“Well, whatever you decide, I’ll stand with you. And you have to tell Reese.”
“I can’t bring her into this. I shouldn’t have even told you.”
“You can’t do this alone. Let us help you. It’s our world, too.”
“Fine, I’ll tell Reese, but I’ll need to call Caleb too. That’s okay with you, right?”
“This is your show, just think of me as your backup dancer.” Marcus did a spin and slide, and Quinn couldn’t help but laugh.
“With those kinds of moves, we’re sure to win this fight.” He unzipped the backpack and eyed the splintered spirit board. “I guess I’ll be buying my little sister a new one of those.”
He handed the backpack to Quinn, and she placed the box deep inside, zipped it all the way up to make sure it was secure, and slung it over her shoulder.
“Come on. I’ll call Reese, and we can meet at my house. My parents are out tonight, so we’ll have complete privacy. Now, let
’s get out of here. This place is nothing but trouble.” Marcus put an arm around her and guided her back up the hill. “You’re not alone anymore. We’ll figure this out, together.”
Hot, white fury rolled off Azrael, but he followed, his bond to her too strong to do anything but.
***
Quinn bit her lip as she pulled into the circle drive of Marcus’s house. Beneath the porch light, Reese leaned against the archway, waiting. Quinn turned off the engine and looked in the rearview mirror. Where was Marcus? In the time since they had left Bluebonnet Creek, she had gone home, showered, and changed. Plenty of time for him to pick up the pizza and make it home. He’d promised she wouldn’t have to face Reese alone. No time. She couldn’t just sit in the car and wait. That would make an awkward situation even worse.
Come on, Quinn, this is your best friend. Not like she’s going to bite. Get out of the car. That’s it. See? Was that so hard?
“Hey,” Reese walked down the stairs, rubbing her arms, “I’m so glad you guys called. I was going crazy at home alone.” She dabbed her eyes with the cuff of her cream cardigan. “My dad’s off doing damage control with the sheriff’s department, and Ami won’t stop texting me. She seems to think I’m her new best friend. I even had to turn the television off. They keep showing repeats of Kerstin attacking Jeff and him shooting her. If I hear one more ‘expert’ analyze why, I’m going to go postal.”
“About that … ”
“Looks like you started the party without me.” Marcus slammed his Jeep door, two boxes of pizza balanced on one hand. “I brought snacks. We can play a little Zombie Island while we figure out how to rescue Aaron.” Marcus handed Quinn the pizzas and fumbled with his keys to unlock the front door. “There’s this one level where you stumble onto a crashed airliner. You have to open the door to get to a quest item, but when you do, all the dead passengers swarm you and try to eat your brain. It’s awesome.”
Pretty Dark Sacrifice Page 16