by K. G. Reuss
“Brax,” I sighed before kissing his lips. “And I’m begging you to just trust me. Just believe me when I say that there’s nothing for you to be worried about.”
“What do you two do when you’re together?” he continued, eyeing me worriedly.
“Nothing really. We just talk. Sometimes we go for walks or watch a movie at his place. I swear to you, Brax, he’s always been a perfect gentleman to me. He’s-he’s helped me.”
“How? How has Corbin helped you?” he demanded, grinding his teeth.
“He told me I should love you with all my heart,” I whispered. “He told me the girl he loved died. He tells me I should always say I love you, and that I should never hold back my feelings because you never know when life will be taken from you. He tells me I should believe in myself more. He tells me that not all suffering is in vain. He tells me to hold onto my faith. He’s not as wicked as you think he is, Brax.”
“I’m asking you to not spend time with him anymore. Please?”
“Fine.” I gave him a smile and squeezed his hand. I could do this one thing for him if it eased his doubts. “The next time I need those things, you’ll be the first one I call.”
“Thank you.” His mouth found mine, and he kissed me so deeply that the butterflies from earlier returned with a vengeance and flapped madly in my tummy. I let out a whimper against his lips. His hands inched their way beneath my shirt, brushing against my bra and tickling my ribs. I let out a giggle.
“Save it for later, pal,” I teased.
“I love your face.” He laughed, kissing me deeply again.
“I love your face, too.” It was my turn to run my hand up his shirt, reveling in the feeling of his torso rippling beneath my touch.
Chapter 75
Something wasn’t right.
Wrongness oozed out of Brax’s house as we stood on the stoop, touching my skin, trying to wriggle its way inside of me.
“Brax? Something’s wrong,” I whimpered. “I can feel it. Something-something bad happened.”
“Yeah. Stay here.” My stomach twisted painfully.
“No.” There was no way in Hell I was letting him go in there alone. “I’m going with you.”
“Stay close.” He opened the door, and we stepped inside. Where was Rusty? Rusty always came out to greet us. My heart flip-flopped in my chest, the sense of foreboding growing painfully.
“Rusty?” Brax called out. “Rust? Where are you?”
We walked to Brax’s bedroom. When he opened the door, he fell to his knees.
Rusty lay in a pool of his own blood, his tiny pink tongue hanging out of his mouth and his breathing short and rapid.
“No,” Brax moaned, crawling to him. His sobs made my heart break even more. “No!”
“Brax,” I choked out, falling to my knees beside him. He wept, his head resting on Rusty’s chest.
“I’m sorry, Rust. I’m so sorry,” he sobbed quietly.
I cried beside Brax, wishing there was something I could do. My heart was shattering for the man I loved. Someone had been cruel and harmed an innocent. Why would someone do this? It didn’t sit well with me. I loved Rusty. When Brax let out a wail of agony at Rusty’s final breath, I lost it. Colors exploded around me, blinding me.
Brax fell backwards, still sobbing. I wouldn’t let this happen. Something inside me snapped. I had to save him. Both of them. Rusty meant something to me, but he meant even more to Brax. I knew that dog had been his constant companion through all the turmoil Brax had faced. I wouldn’t let his death happen. I wouldn’t!
Whatever force had taken over me, pushed me forward until my hands rested on Rusty’s chest. The colors of the room swirled by. Then I felt hot, like I was bathing in warm sunlight.
I wasn’t in Brax’s room any more. I was in the clouds. It was beautiful. But I couldn’t dwell. I had a job to do.
“Rusty! Rusty!” I called out. He came bounding at me through a fluff of white clouds, his tongue lolling out happily.
“Rusty!” I exclaimed, falling to my knees and greeting him in relief. He licked my face eagerly, his tail wagging wildly. “We have to go home. Brax needs you, OK?”
And as if he understood me, he gave my face a lick and sat down in front of me.
“Ready?”
He let out a happy yip and followed me toward the bright light I’d come from. We were just reaching the exit, me trying hard not to freak out over what was happening, when the voice from my dream called out to me.
“Magdalena, you cannot return just yet.”
I looked back frightfully at the man and swallowed hard.
“I promise to return you, but only after you’ve spoken to me,” he said smoothly, stepping forward and holding his hand out for me to take.
“Why do you want to talk to me?” I whispered as Rusty gave a whimper.
“Because you’re in danger, sweetheart. You need to know the truth. Please. I swear I will let you go back.”
“And Rusty?” I ventured, glancing at the eager dog at my feet.
“He may return as well. He has much more to accomplish before his time is up.” The man smiled kindly.
“Go on, Rust. Tell Brax I’ll be along soon, OK?” I kissed his wet nose quickly and rose back up. Rusty let out another whimper and bark, looking at me then back to where Brax was barely visible through the light. “Go on. I’ll see you soon.”
I didn’t need to tell him again. He rushed through the light. It disappeared the moment Rusty’s tail went through.
“Welcome to the Gates of Heaven.” The man gave me a kind smile. “My name is Raphael, and I’ve been waiting a long time for you, Maggie.”
Chapter 76
“Raphael? Like the angel Raphael?” I asked, looking up at him in wonder.
“One in the same.” He smiled.
“I don’t understand… Am I dead?” I asked, feeling sick to my stomach. I didn’t want to be dead! I’d only just started to live!
“No,” he replied easily. “But we should talk.”
“OK.” I swallowed hard and sat on a bench that popped up out of nowhere. There was no way this was Heaven! Or the gates to it! This was unreal! Maybe I was having a heatstroke or a stress-induced panic attack where I was hallucinating…
“I assure you, this is real, Maggie,” Raphael said, apparently reading my mind. I grimaced at the very idea of it.
“I promise to stay out of your mind. It’s rather difficult to navigate anyway,” he chuckled softly, his voice a deep soothing sound. I dared to look at him again. He was beautiful. Extraordinarily beautiful. Like God-like beautiful. Blond hair, violet eyes, and a strong physique. He was intimidating without even trying. He scared me yet comforted me all at once. He was truly a being to be feared.
“Why is this happening?” I ventured nervously. “Why am I here?”
“We don’t have much time, so I’ll be blunt with you. You’re the lamb, Maggie. You’re the human sacrifice that can start the apocalypse. The Devil wants you. And he’s sent two of his best demons to get you.
“Brax and Corbin,” I whispered without pause. I knew they were different.
“Yes. To further this, you are a Nephilim—half-angel, half-human. Your father is Michael, the archangel—”
“Wait. Hold up. What?” I squeaked out. “My dad is Michael Westbrook, a financial advisor. He-he left us because my mom was an alcoholic, and it was too much stress—”
“He left you because God called him back to Heaven, Maggie,” Raphael said gently.
“Oh yeah?” I asked faintly. “Then where is he? If he’s in Heaven, why isn’t he here? Did I do something wrong? Does he hate me?” Growing angry, I got to my feet, my hands clenched into fists. “He left me with a monster!” I hissed. “Does he know what Alan does to me? Does he know what I’ve gone through? Does-does he even care?” I was shouting now. Raphael continued to stare serenely at me.
“He knows. And it has, for lack of a better phrase, killed him. He regrets not being her
e, I’m sure. I’m almost certain that had he known you’d try to raise the dead, he’d have been here in an instant. Unfortunately, Michael is battling another problem which required his expertise. I, however, was asked to do this. Nay, I volunteered to do it.”
“I can’t believe this,” I whispered hoarsely, sitting back down. “How do I know you’re not the bad guy? How do I know anything you say is even true? Brax loves me! Corbin is my friend!”
“Sweet Maggie,” Raphael spoke tenderly. “Listen as the demon recounts the tale.”
It was like a roar around me. Brax’s voice surrounded me like he was on a loud stadium speaker. I listened, my heart breaking, as he told his story to Lance. Time stood still for the long moments it took for Brax to tell Lance the end of his sad tale. The end I hadn’t let him tell me when he’d told me the truth about what he was.
“Oh my God.” I wept into my hands, as his voice faded away with the end of his story. “Oh my God!”
Raphael’s warm hand grasped my shoulder.
“It’s not the end of the world,” he joked weakly, making me snort and wipe at my eyes.
“How isn’t it? My boyfriend is a demon. And he was sent to take me to the Devil, so I can start an apocalypse? And one of my best friends is another demon? And what else? Are you going to tell me Lance is in on it too? I just, I can’t believe this!”
“Actually, Lance is a Nephilim. He’s your guardian, Maggie,” Raphael added gently. I slumped back in my seat, feeling sick. This was out of the world weird. “He cares deeply for you. Granted, he let you fall in love with the demon, but given the information I now have, I don’t think it was a bad thing.”
“What do you mean?” I sniffled, wiping at my eyes again.
“Brax can be saved,” Raphael supplied. I looked at him with a start. The hope surged within me nearly ratcheted my heart out of my chest.
“What?”
“You see, Brax was a Nephilim before he was a demon. He was tainted by a demon, much in the same manner he tried to taint you—”
“Brax never tried to taint me!” He may have been sent for evil purposes. But he’d never done anything to ruin me.
“He fell in love with you almost immediately. If he hadn’t, I fear the worst,” Raphael explained. “But he was Nephilim. He would’ve been quite powerful, and the High Kingdom lost a true warrior the day he fell. He didn’t know who he was. Michael was sent to retrieve him but was too late. We thought it best to keep it a secret from him. His mother was one of our best warriors. Her murder came as a shock, and it reverberated through Heaven. And with the fall of the second, it only made things worse.
“The second?” I ventured.
“Corbin, the brother. He wasn’t Nephilim. But he had a lot of potential. We were hoping the familial connection would lead him to do good things. We always planned to bestow heavenly honors on him after he’d proven himself through service. As a pair, he and Brax could’ve accomplished great things for the High Kingdom. I always hoped we could redeem them both, but especially Brax since he’s one of our own. Now is our chance. And you’re the perfect way to do it, Maggie.”
“I don’t understand—”
“You’ll be required to make a sacrifice,” Raphael’s voice became sorrowful, his beautiful face etched with sadness. “Do you truly love the demon Brax Shepherd?”
“With my whole heart and soul,” I whispered.
“And what are you willing to do for him?”
“Anything.” I swallowed hard. “I’d do anything for him.”
“Does that include dying for him?”
“I have to die?” I whispered hoarsely.
“You are the lamb, Maggie. If we can get you here, you’ll be practically untouchable. But you can’t get here by suicide or falling. You need to die an honorable or natural death to make it through the gates. You were created to be sacrificed. You were created for him. After he fell, we knew we had to get him back.”
“I was created to save him?”
“Yes. Michael knew he was one of the only angels in Heaven that might be able to create a lamb. Others tried. We knew the risks. The others would be her trumpeters. So, angels descended to the Middle Kingdom and did what they could to make you happen. It was 400 years before Michael succeeded. He met your mother, fell in love, and created you. And he loved you so much.”
“But God creates—”
“He does.” Raphael nodded. “But the power to create you rested with us. He’d already given His only son. I’ll be honest you with you, Maggie. I know to humans it seems as if God has been walking away, turning his back on Earth. It really goes back to His desire to give humans freewill. Sadly, because of that, the Middle Kingdom has been overrun with wickedness. He’s left the angels in charge. We’re tasked with cleaning it up. We’ve created warriors with the Nephilim, but it isn’t enough. Brax was meant to be the one to save Earth. And you were meant to save him. We need you. God needs you. The world needs you. Brax needs you.”
“And all I have to do is die?” I breathed out painfully.
“Yes, you must sacrifice yourself for him. You’re the lamb. His redemption. You must die for him to erase his sins. You’ll take his sins. You’ll save him.”
“And then what happens to me?” I asked weakly.
“You’ll come home. You’ll pass through the gates and be welcomed in with open arms.”
“Will I get to see Brax?” I looked at him worriedly. Something told me I wasn’t going to like his answer.
“No, sweetheart,” he sighed and looked at me pitifully. “That’s why it’s called a sacrifice. Your story will be written in the stars. For eternity.”
“I love him!” My throat was tight as I struggled to keep from crying. “I-I can’t be without him. There has to be another way, so I can be with him! I can’t leave him! We need each other!”
“The only other way winds up with you falling in order to be with him. And we cannot allow that to happen. If you fall, it begins the end of the world. The Devil takes the lamb for slaughter. Is your love for the demon worth the end of the world?”
“Yes, if we get to be with one another—”
“Please think through what you’re saying,” Raphael’s voice was stern and deep, shaking me as it boomed around us. “God was kind enough to offer humans freewill, despite the lies that Lucifer has been selling. The choice on what to do is ultimately yours. You can free him from his misery and never be with him, or you can join him in misery. I daresay you’re a sweet and kind enough soul that you wouldn’t want to make the one you love continue to exist in agony.”
I looked down at my hands. He was right. I didn’t want that existence for Brax.
“What about Corbin?” I whispered, looking at him through my damp lashes.
“We aren’t so certain if such a creature can be saved since he doesn’t have the heavenly vein already in him. He was meant to be Brax’s second in command. Mr. Black demonstrates an inability to let the past go. Perhaps he’s not as worthy as we once thought he was.”
“I can save him too.” I stared at Raphael stonily. “I can. He’s good. At least, I know he can be again. He can come back from this. He just needs someone to save him—”
“Maggie, you can’t die twice to save both brothers. It’s one or the other.”
“Isn’t there another way? Can’t he earn it through good deeds or something? Anything?” I asked desperately.
“There isn’t. He’s done so much that without the vein of heaven it would be nearly impossible to wash him clean. If there was a way, we’d have figured it out by now. We’ve had a really long time to think it over,” he replied gently.
We sat silently for a moment.
“You don’t have long, Maggie. You need to make a decision soon, or we’ll have to make it for you.”
“What does that mean?” I looked at him fearfully.
“It means, Hell wants you. If they get you, it’s game over for a lot of innocent souls. We’ll take you ourselv
es.”
“I’m going to die anyway?” I whimpered. I’d never be with Brax. “I thought you said I was meant for Brax. How does my death get me to be with him?”
“You were meant to save him. Not love him. He corrupts souls to stay in the Middle Kingdom. It’s what gives him strength. Innocent souls are his food source. Same for Corbin. They needs to feast on sin to stay here. Brax hasn’t taken a soul in weeks. He’s barely holding on to his place in the Middle Kingdom. If he loses his grasp, our chance is gone. He needs to eat but eating means tainting another soul. We’d like to get out of this with as few casualties as possible.
“Am I a guaranteed shoo-in for Heaven?” I asked, my guts twisting painfully at everything he’d said to me.
“Yes, unless you commit a terrible sin like murder, suicide, or something along those lines.”
Brax needed to stay here, not go back to Hell. He was weak. And he wasn’t taking souls. He needed a boost.
“What happens if Brax gets a Nephilim soul?”
“He’ll become quite powerful, and it would buy him plenty of time in the Middle Kingdom. But you’re the only Nephilim he’s looking at. So let’s pray that doesn’t happen, yes?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“Decide soon, Maggie. I really don’t want the Assembly to come for you. They’ve been getting a bit unruly as of late and have been desperate to keep the peace. Something will have to be done to get you here.”
“I want to leave. Let me leave here!” I screamed, getting to my feet. I knew I was behaving like a child, but damnit! What the actual hell! Everything I thought I knew had been chucked out the window in a matter of minutes. I knew Brax wasn’t normal. But never in my wildest dreams, did I think he was a demon sent to take my soul to Hell.
And Corbin… I had to fix this! I couldn’t not be with Brax. I just couldn’t. It wasn’t an option.
The bright light returned, and I turned toward it to see myself lying on Brax’s bed, him and Lance on either side of me. I took a step toward the glow, my heart thundering in my ears.