by Ciara Knight
They raced up the stairs, Alexander’s heart beating at the speed of their steps. It was happening.
The war was on them. They needed to meet up with Bruce and Grace and formulate a plan, quick.
They reached the second floor and crossed the hall to a classroom. Boon busted a window then he and Sammy shot through the opening.
When Gabby hesitated, Alexander gently stroked her shoulder. “What is it? Do you want me to take you?”
“No.” Her voice sounded distant. “It’s time for me to start leading. There’s no more time left. I can’t keep clinging to you or my father.”
A hint of disappointment crept in at the thought she no longer needed him to protect her. No, he’d always protect her, whether she needed him to or not. He opened his mouth to protest, to tell her she needed him as much as he needed her, maybe not his protection, but his love. They were a team, she wasn’t alone anymore, but there wasn’t time. The demons were howling their displeasure at the loss of their prey. It wouldn’t be long before the beasts were upon them again.
She struggled to release her wings, emitting her crimson aura. Dang, she was powerful. Her energy nearly knocked him off his feet. Once she mastered her abilities, she’d be unstoppable.
Demons broke through the door, and he shook his head to clear his thoughts before he circled his arms around her and bolted into the sky.
“Why?” Gabby cried. “Why can’t I—”
“Don’t worry. You just need practice.”
She slumped against him, disappointed, and guilt gnawed at him for enjoying the chance to save her one last time.
They soared through red and orange clouds as the sun broke free of the horizon. Cool early morning mist raked across his feathers and a bitter chill ran through his wings. Death was in the air.
He still needed to talk to Sammy about why she’d lied to him about their fall, but who knew when Hell’s insurgence would slow down and give them a chance to regroup, let alone talk? They needed to get out of Kemp. Would Gabby be able to flee this time? Visions of blood trickling from her eyes and ears the last time they tried to leave haunted him. His feathers ruffled and he pushed the image from his head, praying things would work in their favor for once.
He banked right and dove toward Prim’s house. Where had that monster of a principal disappeared to anyway? Had she survived her encounter with the master demon? Was she fighting for Satan himself, or had she returned to Herak’s side?
They swooped down and flew through the broken back windows, landing on the white tile of the living room floor. Minus the shattered windows, the house still appeared lived-in. Lights on, furniture still resting in the same place they’d left it last time.
Bruce shot up from behind the sofa, gun in hand. Grace glanced back at them from the front doorway.
Gabby pursed her lips and stared down her father. Was she still mad at him for breaking his sobriety? Alexander’s heart ached to heal Bruce and chase all his demons away, but he feared they weren’t all from Hell, but some of his own making.
Sammy paced in front of the rear windows. “What are we going to do?”
Distant howls sounded from the direction of school.
Boon joined her. “Kemp is overrun. We need to pull back. We’re overwhelmed, and if we don’t have a plan of action for dealing with these demons, we aren’t going to even survive the first wave.”
Alexander retracted his wings. “Wait, we need to talk. Something isn’t right. Back at the house, when Sammy and I were—”
“Alex, I’m sorry,” Sammy’s eyebrows rose, and her lip jetted out, “but I knew you wouldn’t be able to fight me if I didn’t make you angry.”
“But you remembered—”
Her brows furrowed. “No…I’m sorry. I didn’t cause our fall. You did. While I’d been cleared of all charges, I was told that I would be punished for influencing you. Appius said our bond caused your outburst. That no angel should choose another over divine law.”
Alexander ran his hands through his hair, tugging to relieve the pressure of it all. “No, that’s not what happened. He lied.”
Grace shuffled over to the couch, still glancing at the door behind them. “Alexander, are you sure? Accusing an angel of such deceit could mean your ultimate demise. Especially an angel of his standing.”
Bruce clutched his gun to his chest. “You’re telling me that now we got angels working for Hell?”
Gabby gasped.
Alexander let go of his hair, his hands dropping to his side. “Not sure he’s working for Hell. I’m not saying that. It’s just that…he lied, and I don’t know why.”
Gabby walked over and took his hand. “You mean you didn’t fall because of choices you made?” She took his face in her hands. “All this time, Heaven let you believe—”
He shook his head. He wanted to pull her close and lose himself in her, but there wasn’t time. They needed to remain focused, but someday, somehow, he’d have her in his arms again. “I’m not innocent. I’ve done things I’m not proud of.”
Gabby gave him a reassuring smile. “But not what caused you to fall.”
Bruce cleared his throat. “Well, if we’re not sure who to trust in Heaven, and Hell is at our door, that only leaves the hunters.”
Alexander tugged Gabby’s hand from his cheek to his lips, pressing his mouth to her palm.
She smiled. In all this madness, they still had each other.
But all too soon she pulled away and faced the others. “We’re outnumbered. All the hunters in the world won’t be enough. If only we could find some help.”
Alexander walked over and gripped the back of the sofa. “We have Herak, too. He fought in the war last time. There are angels out there who will fight as well, but we need to find them. There might even be some willing to fight under Herak again. Grace, do you think he’ll help us?”
Boon snorted and a puff of smoke shot from his flaring nostrils. “You can’t trust him.”
“We don’t have a choice,” Grace said.
Alexander swallowed hard. “But there’s a problem.”
Bruce cocked an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
“You remember what happened to Gabby last time we tried to leave Kemp? What if she’s still trapped here?” He stared at Bruce. “If so, then you and Grace will need to go to Herak. We’ll stay here.”
“We can’t.” Grace wrung her hands. “Boon is the only one that can free him.”
A low growl echoed from Boon’s chest, his midnight skin tightening over his muscles. Veins pulsed along his shoulders. “And what if he still wants power?”
Sammy stroked Boon’s arms. “We don’t have a choice,” she said, echoing Grace.
Bruce shook his head. “No way we can hold off all those creatures.”
“Guess I need to save Gabby again,” a husky voice said behind them. “When will you wise up and be with a real man?” Forras asked as he stepped into the room.
Anger welled up inside Alexander at the sight of the demon swaggering toward Gabby.
Gabby raced forward and stood between them. “Alex, he can help us. Just give me a chance to talk to him.”
Forras stopped mid-stride. “Oh. Hi, Mom. Miss me?”
Grace’s face turned pale for a moment, but then she recovered and straightened, pushing her shoulders back. “Yes, I have.”
Sorrow flickered briefly across Forras’s eyes, but it had to be a trick. There was no way Forras could feel something like sorrow. Could he?
Gabby rubbed her belly and Alexander knew Forras’s mark was burning her just from him being in the room.
Alexander laced his fingers through Gabby’s, reminding her he would remain by her side always. Their bond was based on love and trust.
“Insecure much?” Forras chuckled. “That’s ’cause you know Gabby and I have something special.”
“Stop it, Forras. You don’t want me. You want Charlotte. You always have, and you always will. That’s why you’re here, right? You want to
find out how to be with her again?”
“You think you know so much,” Forras sneered. “Maybe I’m here to detain you until reinforcements arrive.” His face morphed into a look of mocked surprise. “Oh, I’m starting to sound like a hunter.” Then he turned his sneer on Bruce. “Hey, Bruce, how you feeling? You’re looking a little green. Would you like me to get you a drink?”
Alexander clenched his fist, ready to slam it into the smug demon’s face, but scraping and snarling sounds drew their attention to the back of the house.
“They’ve already found us.” Sammy leaned out the window. “They’re scaling the trees.
We need to go.”
Forras crossed his arms over his chest. “You leave and you’ll be giving Hell a feast.
That’s how Satan will win this war. He’ll gain power by feeding on the human souls you abandoned in Kemp.”
Chapter Eight
The world spun and Gabby clutched Alexander’s hand to remain upright. She’d just accepted her roll of warrior leader, but at every turn another obstacle popped up to block her path. If she didn’t take her father and flee, they were all doomed. But if she left, she’d be sealing the fate of all humans in Kemp and thus the rest of Earth.
“I see I have your attention.” Forras gave a mock bow. “Oh, wise savior.”
Frustration bubbled to the surface, but she buried it, the sound of approaching scratches up the side of the house reminding her how little time they had.
“You’re lying, Forras. We closed the rift in Kemp last year.” Then Alexander whirled on her with fire in his eyes. “I told you he couldn’t be trusted.”
“A rift?” Forras laughed. “You mean that distraction. News flash, Lover Boy. There’s no rift this time, only a massive hole giving Satan full access to Earth.”
Claws clicked against the front porch.
Boon shot through the living room and joined Grace at the front door to block the demons from entering.
“Forras, you need to give us time.”
“And why would I do that?”
Gabby swallowed and pulled from Alex, giving him a sharp stare not to follow. The desire to reach Forras grew stronger with each step she took toward him. Alexander shuffled between his feet behind her, and she knew this would be difficult for him, but it was her only choice. “You said you wanted information, but I can’t give you that if you let us die here. Please, Charlotte believes in you. Her heart has shattered into a million pieces as she’s been forced to watch each and every thing you’ve done since she was sent to Heaven.”
A pained look momentarily crossed his face then he straightened and jutted his chin out.
“You don’t know that. There’s no way she’s been able to see me all this time.”
Shadowed images of Forras flashed in her mind. “I do know. When we merged, I saw her memories. She watched as you manipulated your fellow students into doing your bidding. Watched as you placed alcohol in the path of my father at every turn.”
He scoffed and waved his hand dismissively. “Like it would take someone spying from Heaven to know I’d done that. And it wasn’t like I forced him to drink.”
Bruce shuffled nervously by the hall leading to the kitchen. “I—”
Remorse surged through her body. Charlotte intruded, forcing her emotions into Gabby’s soul once more. A painful vision flashed. “What about the night you seduced that young girl, only a day after Charlotte was gone?”
His face scrunched tight. His eyes blazed and he backhanded a lamp, tossing it across the room as he howled, a haunting, pained kind of cry. “She saw that?”
Gabby took a final step and ran her fingers down his bumpy, leathery cheek. Alexander growled behind her, but she ignored him.
“We need you, Forras.” She pressed her palm to his chest. A crimson light flashed, blinding her. A vision of his claw slashing through Charlotte’s delicate, alabaster skin bolted from her into him as a sting of energy connected them both. His demon mark seared on her abdomen at the connection. She thrust the sting from her hand, sending him flying back several feet, crashing into the dining table.
Forras doubled over and fell to his knees, clutching his chest. “I felt her pain, her…fear.” His blood-shot eyes pooled with tears. The grotesque, demonic features softened into something almost human. “Scared.” He gasped. “I frightened her.”
His pain seeped into her like a disease, and she wanted to pull him into her arms and comfort him, but she shook it off.
Alexander wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “You okay?”
She clutched his hand, needing his contact to settle the confusion in her soul.
“Get down!” her dad yelled as demons burst through the back window. He fired off a few rounds, spraying bullets into the wall and out the shattered windows.
Forras snarled and leapt onto the couch. “Stop!” Forras’s voice boomed out the windows over the expanse of the woods and sea, commanding all to halt. “Back!”
The possessed coyote-looking creatures whimpered and scooted away from him.
“Go. Guard the perimeter,” Forras ordered.
The demon pivoted on his enlarged, clawed feet and marched to the front door.
She’d gotten through to him, but would he help them?
He returned with Boon and Sammy at his heels. Gabby’s heart pounded with anticipation.
This was their only shot. They needed his help, but the soft whisper of Charlotte’s warning still plagued her. She couldn’t fully trust him, but at a minimum she needed him to contain the demonic possession in Kemp.
“What do you want from me?” Forras narrowed his gaze, creating deep lines at his smoky-grey temples.
She carefully considered her words, knowing she could only share bits and pieces of her plan with him. “I need you to fight to keep the humans safe here in Kemp.”
“While you do what?” Forras paced around her. A sting ignited along his mark and she pressed her palm to her abdomen. “You know I’ll be able to find you no matter where you go. We’re connected.”
Alexander pushed her behind him. “You’ll never touch her. I won’t let you.”
“Ah, you’re back. I thought she was going to continue to wear the pants in your relationship.”
“And you’ll continue to hide your fear behind your sarcasm,” Grace interjected.
Gabby fought the curve of her lips. Go, Grace.
“Right, Mom. Because you know me so well. That’s right, you told me to stay away from Charlotte. Did you give Alex boy here the same lecture about sex—”
“That’s enough,” Boon warned, but snagged Alexander’s arm to keep him from ripping Forras to shreds.
Gabby moved in front of him while the others all stood nearby, backing her. She knew they’d do anything to protect her and that fact warmed her heart.
“Forras, this is your chance. You could—”
“What? Save the world? Already tried that. Didn’t work out so well.”
Gabby fought gagging at the foul stench from all the demons surrounding them and sucked in a cleansing breath. “You don’t have to save the world, not by yourself anyway. You can start by protecting the innocent. Make up for your failure in protecting Charlotte.”
He took a purposeful step to stand inches from her. So close, his hot breath skimmed her face.
Alexander struggled against Boon’s grasp.
She risked a quick glance and saw the fire flickering in Alexander’s eyes. Tension swelled around her. Steadying her shaking hands, she placed them on her hips. “What will it be, Forras?”
Forras’s lip curled up at the corner. “If you cross me…”
Hope flooded her, but she fought to maintain a blank stare. “I won’t. You can trust me, Forras. Look at how much I risk losing if I cross you. You still have a chance to win your—”
“No, it’s too late for me. Just promise me that you’ll free Charlotte from our bond, and seal me in Hell where I belong.”
“I don’t bel
ieve that.” Gabby shook her head “You’re not soulless. I felt your love for
Charlotte.”
Forras clutched her upper arms and Alexander broke free from Boon. Before she blinked, both men were on the floor, throwing punches.
“Alexander, stop. This isn’t helping.” She turned to Boon. “You let him go.”
He shrugged and sauntered over to Alexander, lifting him off Forras.
“Don’t ever touch her again,” Alexander managed through gritted teeth. The testosterone—demonic or angelic—was getting heavy in the room.
Sammy cleared her throat. “How long until those demons come back?”
Forras cracked his neck then glowered at Sammy. “They’re at my command and will do my bidding.”
Grace exhaled long and loud.
“Don’t relax too much, Mom. Mine aren’t the only demons here in Kemp. Satan has his own personal army which he’ll continue to grow as he feeds on the souls of the innocent.”
Fear coiled around Gabby’s insides. How were they going to save the world if they couldn’t even save Kemp? The little girl inside her wanted to run. But the leader of Heaven’s army inside her took a deep breath and stepped forward.
Shoulders back, spine rigid, she stared at Forras through narrowed eyes. “No, he won’t, because you will fight to save the innocent souls if you ever want to keep Charlotte safe.”
He stared at her for a moment. “Okay, you’ve got a deal. But daddy hunter over there will be staying with me as collateral.”
Gabby shook her head. “No way.”
“What? Would you prefer that I have Alexander stay instead? You have a choice, Gabriella Moore. Your father or your lover.”
****
Alexander shrugged off Boon and returned to Gabby’s side. He’d expected her eyes to be swimming in a sea of panic. Instead, they were calm as she seemed to consider the demon’s ultimatum. He opened his mouth to offer himself, but Bruce’s combat boots pounded against the floor as he stepped forward. “I’ll stay.”