by S Lawrence
“We should go help.” My eyes are on the city as I speak.
They all start moving out the French doors. We gather at the rail. The women can’t hear it, but the rest of us can — the wailing of families, cries of pain from those injured, and sounds of anger from those that are still fighting those that are trying to destroy this place.
It is the crying of children that drives me into the air. I can hear when four more sets of wings start to follow. Lillian and Charlie cry in silence as we circle, searching for survivors. Dagen and Torryn are hunting those still wishing to do harm.
Gliding to the ground, I tuck my wings away as I cock my head listening. I know I heard something. Charlie and Lillian have found some injured and are taking them to the hospital.
There. I spin and stalk down the dark alley. My fists clench when I see the man dead, arms spread wide. I can see the woman he had tried to protect under his body.
Then I hear the muffled sound again, and my heart drops.
A baby.
I rush over to the family and move the man to the side. The woman died with her back to him, falling forward with her baby clutched in her arms. I roll her over, catching the small bundle as her arms fall open.
Pulling back the blanket, I gaze into wide green eyes, shining with tears. Shocking copper hair sticks out from the tiny head. I glance at the man and woman, but neither have red hair.
I grab the woman’s purse and pulling her identification out, I memorize it. If I can do nothing else to rectify this tragedy, I can find this tiny girl’s family. Straightening, I tuck her into the curve of my arm, holding her close.
She smells of baby powder. I place a gentle kiss on that copper hair and make her a silent promise. She gurgles as her tears come slower.
“Alright, little one, let’s get you some place safe.” She giggles as we lift into the air.
One of the amazing things about humans, especially the children, is that they are resilient. I fly out of the city. Dagen stays in the penthouse but Evander owns a house out in the desert. I take the child there.
The desert is silent. As I walk around the pool, I see a light come on inside. Climbing the stairs, I listen.
“Just me,” Drayce calls out, and I relax a little.
He opens the door and stares at the tiny bundle in my arms for a few long minutes then finally looks up at my face.
“Her family was killed protecting her.” He frowns and magic fills the air. “The blood is theirs.” I glance down at the lavender blanket spotted with dark splotches. “I couldn’t leave her.”
“You did the right thing, Luc.” He strokes a finger down her chubby chin. “What are you going to do with her?”
“Can you find her family?” He frowns. “I memorized the woman’s information.”
“Shouldn’t be a problem.” He turns and walks to a table. Picking up a pen laying there, he drags some paper to him. “Shoot.”
I rattle off the information and nod as he walks away toward the office.
I jump when she lets out a sudden scream.
What in the hell am I going to do with a baby?
Chapter 31
CHARLIE
I collapse on the bed. Exhausted, covered in blood, and all cried out.
I’m afraid to close my eyes.
I know what I will see there in the darkness. Dagen and his brothers are still rounding up killers. Lillian and I saved those we could but so many died. Slaughtered.
I don’t hear him come in. I smile as his coolness envelopes me. “I missed you.”
“I need to hold you,” he whispers against my neck.
“Good, because I need you too.” His arms tighten around me.
“You okay?” His breath blows over my skin.
I shake my head, for if I speak, I know I’m going to break down.
“I’m sorry you’ve been dragged into this whole fucking thing.” His voice cracks with sorrow.
“I’m not.” I swallow hard. “They’ve been killing people since the beginning of time, and we have to stop them.”
“I still don’t like it,” he argues, but his voice has softened. I reach up and back to grip his head, holding him to me.
His hand cups my chin, turning my face back so he can capture my lips. He kisses me softly then harder, deepening it until he can pour his love into me. I feast on it.
I let him push the images and sounds from the night away. I let him take me over. We lose ourselves in our passion. In our love.
Hours later, I slide out of bed and walk quietly to the bathroom. Shutting the door, I lean against it and try to force the images away again. My body is covered with sweat that is already drying.
Shaking, I walk over the cold tiles and reach in to turn the faucet to hot. I grab a towel out of the cabinet and hang it on the door before stepping in. I let the water wash over me, the heat loosening all my muscles. I smile as the water runs down my face and I feel his coldness move close to my skin.
“Bad dream?” I nod.
He holds me tight as I run soap over my skin. After a couple moments, he takes the soap from me and finishes what I started. After he finishes with me, he starts on his own body. I wash my hair quickly and then step out. I wrap a towel around me and then grab another for him.
“Hey guys,” Torryn yells from the other room. “Luc wants us out at the desert house.”
He stomps away, not waiting for our response.
“Desert house?” I ask as Dagen turns the knob, shutting off the water.
“Evander’s.” He dries off quickly and drops the towel before heading back to the bedroom. “This place smells like smoke anyway. It’ll be good to get outside the city.”
I couldn’t agree more, although it isn’t the smoke I’m running from.
“Oh my God, Dagen, I haven’t checked on them.” He turns, confusion on his face. “Cherry and Connor. What if…”
“Don’t, baby. We can check on our way out of town.” He continues to get dressed.
Dropping the towel, I grab the first clothes I see. Jerking on underwear and jeans, I pull the bedroom door open and race down the hall while pulling a t-shirt over my wet head.
I can hear Dagen right on my heels. Lillian spins as she hears us running.
“What’s happened?” She looks at us.
“I forgot them,” I cry. “I forgot to check on my best friends. I’m such a fucking bitch.”
“Hey.” Dagen grabs my arm and stops me. “Don’t talk about yourself like that. Ever. You were a little busy saving people.”
I know what he’s trying to say, but it doesn’t make me feel any better.
“Can we just go?” I choose to ignore it. “We should drive, or they might wonder how we got there.” I refuse to say ‘if they are still alive.’
I suddenly see an image of them both dead, lying amongst the gnomes. It is horrible, and yet my lips twitch. God, I really am an asshole.
We all turn and run out the balcony doors, leaping over the rail. Lillian and Torryn immediately turn west while I follow Dagen down to the ground. We land hidden by the landscaping that edges the driveway. His car is parked near the casino entrance, and we run to it. He pulls keys out of the console and starts the engine.
It takes forever to get to my old house. The windows are dark but the gnomes are intact, and thank God there aren’t any bodies.
I throw open the door, screaming their names. My breath rushes out when I hear them answer.
“Thank God,” I cry.
“Charlie.” That’s it just my name. That word and how it is filled with emotion says everything.
I fall against them as they rush to me from down the hall.
“You need to get out of the city.” Connor shakes his head.
“The news says the worst is over.” I start to argue. “No, Charlie. People will need help and we can. We will.”
“Please.” Cherry shakes her head.
“We have to do something. These men need to know we won’t give up.”
She is so strong in her outrage. “It is insanity, what they have done. The world is going crazy. First New Orleans, now this.” Tears fill her eyes as she struggles to understand.
I wish I could explain the truth of what’s happening but I can’t. I glance at Dagen, and he shakes his head, confirming my thought.
“Take this.” He holds out his hand, a dark business card is held between his fingers. “If you need help, call the number. Joe will help and get a hold of me.”
“You’re going with him?” Connor looks at me and I nod. “No more running?”
“No more running,” I repeat his words. He knows something more is going on but doesn’t ask.
Dagen’s phone pings and he pulls it out, reads the screen, and looks up, locking eyes with me.
“I love you guys. I promise I will be back soon.” They hug me tighter, and I fight the need to never let them go.
“You keep her safe,” Cherry growls as she releases me and turns to Dagen.
“I promise. My life for hers. Always.” His voice is solemn and rings with truth.
I smile at him before hugging each of them one last time.
I hang on to them maybe a little longer than I should, but the fear that this could be the last time I hold them gnaws at my heart.
“Charlie?” Dagen’s fingers touch my back between my shoulder blades. I know they belong to him because of the coolness.
“Okay. I’ll see you guys as soon as possible.” They both nod as I turn away, swiping at the tears tumbling down my cheeks.
Climbing in the car, Dagen hands me his phone and I read the message. “What?”
“I don’t know but let’s find a store.” I point in the general direction of a Wal-Mart. “Can you respond to her?”
I send Lillian a quick message telling her we would get what we could.
Of course, the store is closed. All hell has broken loose in this city. Dagen uses his powers to get us in, and I race through the aisles grabbing things. As we leave, Dagen throws money down at a register. The action makes me smile a little.
The car is loaded and we are racing out of the city. As darkness wraps around the car, I feel it pulling me under.
Dagen’s voice wakes me. “We’re here, moll.” I blink and sit up, rubbing at my face.
“Where is here?” I ask but then I can see far in the distance the beacon lights of the city.
“Evander’s house... Well, the company house.” It is a huge and sprawling one-level ranch. The windows glow with soft light. “I’ll get the stuff, and you go ahead inside. The others are waiting.”
Just as I reach the door, it opens. Lillian smiles at me then shifts her eyes over her shoulder without turning her head.
I follow them and my mouth falls open.
“Satan has a baby.”
Chapter 32
DAGEN
You could hear a pin drop as she slaps her hand over her mouth.
Too late, girl, you actually said that out loud. But I feel you, because Satan does in fact currently have a baby.
A baby with hair that reminds me of the flames in the pit. The child is smiling up at him like he’s everything.
“Where did the baby come from?” Charlie whispers to Lillian.
“The possible mother and father had been killed protecting her. Luc found her under the mother’s body.”
Charlie starts forward as Lillian finishes explaining. She doesn’t stop until she is inches from Luc. Her eyes are fixed on the tiny girl.
“Can I see her?” She asks quietly, holding out her hands. The baby turns her gorgeous green eyes to stare at her.
Luc seems reluctant to pass the baby to Charlie but he does. A small hand waves unsteadily up from the blanket wrapped around the child and little fingers rest against Charlie’s cheek.
I set the bags of baby things on the floor and walk quietly to them. Everyone’s eyes are locked on my girl and the baby.
Their eyes are locked on each other, like they are silently communicating. It’s fucking weird.
“She is important. I don’t know how but her song. Beautiful.” Charlie sounds as if she is in a trance.
“Charlie?” I say her name louder and more forcefully than I mean to.
“Dagen. Don’t worry, babe.” She tips her head back and looks at me. “She isn’t for me to care for. Oh no, not me. Her song is woven around him.” She turns her face back and pins Luc with a look.
“Me? No, I just want to get her to her family.” He is shaking his head even as he reaches for the child.
“She has her family.” Charlie sweeps her hand around the room.
I’ve never seen my brothers look so terrified. I’m not going to lie to myself; the thought of a child scares the shit out of me. Then I look at Charlie holding still and I have a moment of longing. Maybe.
Maybe after everything is done and our fight is over.
Luc takes the baby and cuddles her close to his chest. “What will you call her?” Lillian asks him.
He shakes his head. “Drayce is finding her family. She has a name.” He turns and crosses to the couch, and I hear him murmur under his breath, “Chana.”
I haven’t heard Hebrew in a very long time but I hide my smile at his name for her. Graceful.
“We brought clothes and every kind of baby thing we could find and grab.” I look over at my brothers and say, “There is more in the trunk.”
They follow when I jerk my head.
“Do we know if they’ve all left?” I ask as soon as we get out of the house.
“As far as we can tell.” Victor paces away, stopping at the car.
Drayce shrugs, “I figure they did a smash and grab, just like in New Orleans. I just can’t figure out why they don’t just go all out. Why keep attacking and then withdrawing?”
“They are testing us,” Victor calls out as he straightens, arms loaded with bags and boxes.
“Why?” Drayce and I say together.
“To see if they can win either way.” He seems so sure of his answer that I can’t argue with it.
“This baby?” Drayce questions. “What do you reckon?”
“If Charlie says she’s important, then she is.” I rub my hand over my head. “No idea how or why.”
“What are we going to do with it?” Victor, who is normally way less chatty, glares at me like I have the answer.
“It is a she, and I have no idea.”
“Lillian and Charlie can figure it out.” I laugh at his over-the-top misogynistic statement.
“I wouldn’t tell them that.” Drayce nods at my words. “Charlie might turn you to ash, and Lillian can skewer you on her sword.”
“Hurry up. She’s hungry,” Luc’s voice booms out the front door.
“Like he can’t just manifest some milk.” Drayce shakes his head.
Just as we turn, lights appear down the long driveway. I wave them in with the bags and turn to face the lights, ready for a fight. Seconds tick by and turn to minutes before finally the car comes to a stop. Evander unfolds from the low slung sports car.
I relax at the sight of him. Although, the way he’s been since Grace died, I’m not sure if I should. His demon waits just below the surface for him to lose control.
“Hey, Boss,” I call, and his head swings my way. He is in full predator mode. Shit.
“Why are we out here and not in the city killing those fucking assholes?” Okay.
“The Fallen have fled. Charlie can’t hear their music. The human police and military are taking care of the cartel soldiers,” I offer as the reason.
“We should kill all of them,” he says as he pushes by me.
“Boss?” He keeps walking. “Evander.”
“Spit it out, Dagen,” he growls, still moving to the door.
“Luc has a baby.” That stops him in his tracks.
“Explain.” He turns and looks at me.
I give him the rundown and watch as he frowns more and more. “What the fuck are we supposed to do with a baby? Cha
rlie must be wrong.”
I bristle at how he says her name. “I know you are going through your shit right now, but watch how you talk about Charlie.”
His eyes flash, and holy shit, his face shifts. I didn’t realize. “You watch how you speak to me.” His voice thunders and he steps toward me.
Then Luc’s power washes over us, pinning us in place. I can’t move anything but my eyes, which I roll and try to see the man in question.
“Stop this right now.” His voice booms, rolling through the desert around us. “Evander, I understand…”
The roar that breaks from Boss is deafening, and I’m shocked to see him move slightly.
“You do not understand. Cannot understand. Release me. Now.” He demands the last.
Luc releases me instead and motions me to his side. He holds out the baby, who is watching everything with fascination. I just look at her and then back at him.
“Take her, Dagen. Take her inside.” I’m frozen. “Take her.”
Okay, Jesus. I’ve never held a baby so I reach out and grab around her body and hold her out from me. She grins and drool slips out of her mouth and drips onto my arm. Grimacing, I walk as fast as I can into the house and straight for the women.
Who laugh in my face. “Take her,” I say, shoving the child out farther from my body and towards them.
Lillian is the first to recover from her laughing and she pulls the girl from my hands and tucks her close to her body, cooing and making stupid faces.
“Let’s get you out of these clothes.” I look at the baby and realize the thing she has on has blood on it. Large stains from those that protected her.
Charlie starts rifling through the bags until she pulls out a thing that has polka dots and a cat face on it.
“This is so cute.” Her voice is higher as she holds the grey fabric up so Lillian can see. The other woman nods. What is happening?
Torryn calls to me, and I turn to walk away, leaving the women to take care of it.
A shrill cry fills the air and I flinch. Turning back around, I see the baby staring past me toward the front door. She continues to cry, louder and louder. Lillian and Charlie try to quiet her, but she just grows more agitated.