Raven's Breath (The Women of Purgatory)

by Tish Thawer

All the images were of me. From when I arrived in Purgatory to now––my smile, my tears, my laughter, my anger––all on display, shimmering directly in front of me.

  "I've been watching you from the moment you became a Reaper, and I've never wanted anyone other than you." He took my hand again. "My 'claiming' you isn't about that mark behind your ear, but because Death's mistake has allowed me to make contact with you; a dream I've carried for a very long time."

  I was speechless. I didn't know whether to be pissed about being spied on, or giddy that the most gorgeous and powerful angel in the world wanted only me. I shook my head and pulled out of his grasp again, then walked over to the plush chair along the far wall. I needed to sit down and process.

  "I've spent an eternity waiting for the one person who could rule my heart, and that person is you, Raven. That is why I want you with me," Michael concluded.

  I lifted my eyes to his and self-doubt invaded my thoughts. I was sure he had dated before ––angels of course, but a Reaper? Now there's a catch. I was something new, and that had to be the draw

  I took a deep breath. "I'm not sure what to say. I'm flattered and definitely attracted to you, you know that. But the idea of you watching me all this time is very upsetting. It's an invasion of privacy, which if you know me as well as you should, you'd understand is a big problem for me."

  Michael took a deep breath but remained in place. "I did not invade your privacy or simply sit and watch you at all hours of the day. I was tasked with monitoring the situation of a female Reaper who'd been created outside the covenant, and by doing my job, at the intervals I was instructed, I couldn't help but fall in love with you. Your strength, your selflessness, your heartfelt friendship with Garrett. All those things that I glimpsed made it clear that you were the only one for me." He crossed his arms, defiantly, making it clear he was done explaining himself.

  I watched his jaw tick and knew it couldn't be easy for someone like him, a man in his position, to lay his feelings on the line.

  That alone, softened my heart.

  I stood and crossed the room. I placed my hands on his forearms and smiled when they unfolded and slid back to his sides. Easing closer, I ran my palms up his taut biceps and onto his muscled bronze pecs. "I will still expect to be given a choice when this is over as to whether or not I want to come live here with you. But for the time being, I'd love nothing more than to date the hottest angel in existence."

  It sounded shallow, but as much as I wanted to balk at the things that should keep us apart, it was the rightness of our union that radiated from deep within my soul that pushed me forward.

  I didn't have time to see Michael's sexy smile take shape, because before I could blink his lips were once again crushed to mine.

  He nipped and sucked his way from my lips to my neck, then across my collarbone, the sensual feel of his mouth sending me over the edge. I reached up and secured my arms around his neck and my legs around his back, as he walked us both across the room and gently laid me across the bed. "You are so beautiful, and I'm honored you've chosen to date me, but you should know, I'm not into one night stands," he teased.

  I smiled. "Neither am I."

  33

  Michael and I woke to sounds of alarm––angels yelling and loud chimes piercing the air.

  I scrambled to find my clothes. "What's happening?" I asked.

  "I believe Death has been found."

  I froze and tried to swallow around the lump in my throat.

  While stopping Death was something that had to happen, it also meant I'd be forced to make my decision long before I was ready.

  I shook my head and reached for my boots. "What will happen to him?"

  "It's not up to me, but I can only assume he'll be stripped of some of his power."

  That made sense. The one thing that powerful men feared above all else was a loss of that power.

  "Will I be able to see him?" I needed answers as to what Holli had to do with this, and explain that she was going to be moving in with me regardless of what he said. She didn't deserve to remain isolated in that damn castle with nothing but an ice-hellion as her only companion. "Hey, were you aware that Death gave Holli an ice-hellion as a pet?"

  Michael spun around in a flurry, a fierce look marring his angelic features. "What did you say?"

  "Um, that Death gave Holli an ice-hellion as a pet. He protects her place whenever she's gone. His name is Svell." I rolled my eyes.

  Michael grabbed me by the arms and dragged me to sit on the bed. "Raven, this is important. Are you sure that Holli has an ice-hellion? A shadow-beast from the depths of Cocytus, and that it belongs to her?"

  "Yes. That's what Garrett said." I shook off his hold and pushed from the bed. "What's wrong?"

  "Raven, only a demon who's resided in the frozen level of Hell can control a ice-hellion. Holli apparently isn't who she appears to be."

  I stumbled backwards. Michael caught me just before I hit the ground.

  "Death found Holli topside, just like me. He recruited her because of her ailment, just like me. She can't be a demon," I breathed. "This has to be a mistake."

  "I hope so, because if not, I don't think you'll be pleased to find out who your friend really is."

  Well, fuck. That was ominous. "Just tell me." I collapsed the rest of the way onto the cold marble floor.

  "Only the Norse goddess of the afterlife, Hel, or Holle, was considered to be half-dead and half-alive, which gave her access to Hell. Her culture viewed her with considerable trepidation since she can walk in both worlds, helping those in times of need, but vengeful against those who cross her."

  Oh my God. "Half-dead and half-alive, that's what allowed Death to choose her. Plus, helping those in need but vengeful against those who cross her––that sounds exactly like Holli." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "I can't believe this is happening."

  "I'll have to test her, but if what I assume is correct, then it seems Death already has the piece of a demon's soul he requires."

  I sat on the floor, my mind blank and my vision blurred. I couldn't process this new information. My head snapped up when my anger overtook my shock. "Let's go get Death. I want to see him, right now!"

  Michael and I left his home and rushed toward the chaos. There was a crowd at the far end of the wide promenade. The mass of angels split when we approached, making way for Michael to pass.

  "Where is he?"

  The angels stuttered and mumbled, but no one offered a clear answer.

  "I'll not ask again."

  An angel with small wings and fiery hair stepped towards Michael, her arms crossed and her head down.

  "I'm sorry, Sir. I'm afraid he was too strong for me and got away."

  Dammit!

  Michael stood silent, while I internally cursed. I looked back at the girl and upon closer inspection could see that her wings weren't supposed to be small, but that they had instead been damaged. "Was he able to get a piece of your soul?" I rushed to ask.

  "It wasn't my soul he was after. I was just the one who found him and tried to stop him from fleeing." She took a step back and pointed past the crowd.

  I squinted and in the distance saw the shape of a body lying at the base of one of the large olive trees that led to the meadow beyond. Michael pushed off with a dramatic shove of his wings and floated down to the angel within seconds. I followed suit while everyone else remained where they were.

  "Is she okay?" I asked.

  "No, Raven. She's dead."

  34

  I knelt beside the fallen angel. "How is this possible?"

  Michael eased a hand down her blond hair. "Apparently Death was after more than just a piece of her soul." His eyes met mine and my heart lurched. "He took the entire thing, and in doing so, ripped out her immortality along with it."

  I shivered.

  I'd seen Death use his scythe to deliver the final death to an immortal before, and it wasn't something you easily forgot.

  I looked bac
k down at the angel, saddened when her wings fell from her body, becoming nothing but crystallized dust. Her skin and hair withered and within seconds coated the ground as a layer of fine sand.

  A single tear flowed down my cheek.

  "Why would he need her entire soul?" I breathed.

  Michael stood and pulled me to him. "I can only assume that he figured the more of it he attained, the more successful his plan would be."

  "Do you think he's right?"

  "Considering that a small piece allows him to visit for a day, I can see how using an entire soul could extend the effect. I'd wager that with the addition of his experimental phenoms and a strong dose of magic, Death thinks he'll be able to make his stay permanent."

  I let myself sink into Michael's arms. I needed his strength for what I knew was coming next.

  "We have to get to Holli," Michael stated.

  "I know."

  He transported us straight to my apartment, since my earlier plans were to meet Holli there later this evening.

  She hadn't arrived yet.

  "Maybe Death got to her before she could leave the castle," I said, trembling at the thought.

  "Yes, perhaps."

  We started towards the bedroom window, ready to take flight, when a knock sounded from the living room.

  Oh thank goodness.

  I raced to the door. "Coming," I announced.

  "I'm so glad you made..." My words trailed off.

  Garrett practically fell through the door and into my arms, panting heavily.

  "Thank God you're back," he breathed.

  "What happened? Where's Holli? She was supposed to be here."

  "Death took her."

  Fuck!

  "What do you mean, took her? As in, forcibly?" I asked.

  "Yes. I saw her coming out of Drey's but just before I reached her, Death appeared and they started arguing. She tried to fly off but he grabbed one of her wings and she cried out. When he removed his hand there was a black smear on her white feathers and it appeared she could no longer fly. Then he grabbed her wrist and they disappeared."

  My shoulders slumped and I took a deep breath. "I was supposed to take her to Drey's today. She must have thought I'd stood her up." I flopped down onto the couch. "We might as well regroup here and you might want to take a seat––we have a lot to tell you."

  "Oh great. More good news," Garrett quipped.

  Michael and I enlightened Garrett with all that we'd discovered.

  "So if Holli is really the demon goddess Hel, Death already has everything he needs to complete his plan." Garrett's hair was a tattered mess from all the passes he'd made through it with his fingers.

  "Yes. That's why we were headed back to intercept Holli. First to see if she is in fact Hel, and whether she's known it all along. Or if her life here has just been another illusion Death cast on her, like the one that made him appear blonde and irresistible."

  "You did not tell me about any such illusion," Michael interrupted.

  "I'm sorry, it simply slipped my mind," I replied. "When Holli and I were discussing her relationships, she'd described Death as being blonde with broad shoulders and dazzling blue eyes. And that he'd seemed to have stepped right out of her dreams."

  Michael eased off the couch and stood at attention with his arms crossed. "Death shouldn't have that kind of power, and I think the image he chose to project is a clue as to why he does."

  "Don't tell me, another Norse God?"

  Michael nodded. "Yes. I think Death may have joined forces with Loki. He is Hel's father and the only person who I could imagine that would have the kind of power and the twisted sense of mischief to devise a plan such as this."

  I looked at Garrett. "At least now we know why Death's been obsessing over Norse mythology."

  "Yeah. Looks like he made a deal with the Norse version of the devil and his daughter."

  "How do we stop them?" I asked, looking to Michael for guidance.

  "One step at a time. We need to find Holli and see if she's been a part of the plan all along."

  "I'm not sure how we're going to do that. I'm the only one who's been given permission to enter her room at the castle, but I doubt that invitation still stands now that Death is back in Purgatory."

  Garrett's head snapped up. "What did you say about their alternate castle before? That it dwells in a different realm and cannot be seen by others, right?"

  "Yes."

  "But you also said that he uses that metal device to pull the phenoms inside, correct?"

  "Yes," I repeated.

  "So all we need to do is wait and watch the sky for a large vortex of phenoms being siphoned into what seems like empty space. Once we pinpoint the location of the alternate castle, Michael should be able to break through the dimensions to gain us access."

  "Yes. If we can find the entrance, I can get us in." Michael reached out to take my hand.

  "Good. At least we have a plan." Now we just need to not die while executing it.

  35

  We watched the sky from the roof of my apartment building––Garrett, Michael, and I––all waiting and hoping for some sort of break. I was worried about Holli, or Holle, or whoever the "Hel" she was, but was hopeful that the longer it took for Death to start the last step of his plan, the more likely it was that she hadn't been a part of it.

  "How are we going to get Holli away from Death long enough to find out what she really knows?" I asked.

  "Well, I think once we're in, if she uses Svell and her powers to turn us to ice-cubes, we'll pretty much know she was in on it," Garrett huffed.

  I gave him the dirtiest look I could muster while he tried to wipe the smirk off his face.

  "Yes. I suppose that would clear things right up, wouldn't it?" I teased back.

  "I'll be able to handle Hel and her ice-hellion. But Raven, that leaves you to stop Death." Michael's confidence in me was a hell of an ego boost. Through all this chaos I felt like I'd lost a part of myself, the part that was Raven, the badass Reaper who everyone feared. Thankfully, that part had just been fully restored.

  "Don't worry about Death. I'll take care of him." I wasn't sure how, but I knew Heaven had chosen me for a reason and with Michael and Garrett by my side, I had no doubt that we could stop him.

  "Look. Right there!" Garrett exclaimed. "Do you see that?"

  Far off in the distance a swirl of phenoms was amassing into a large tornado that looked to be "touching down" in the middle of the sky.

  "That has to be it." I said.

  "All right. Once we are close, remain behind me while I gain access. Raven, you keep Garrett out of the way until I'm able to immobilize Holli and possibly Svell if necessary. Then head straight for Death. Use your ribbons to ensnare him. The perk he gave you may just be the one thing that will allow us to stop him in the end."

  We all nodded at one another and took flight. Michael with his sword aloft, looking like the fiercest warrior I'd ever seen, and me, carrying Garrett just like when we'd flown above the rooftops for fun.

  When we reached the spinning vortex of phenoms, Michael paused just beside the point of the storm. There was a slight warble at the very tip and it was precisely in that disturbed space where Michael thrust his sword.

  Suddenly the sky started to tear, creating a hole into Death's castle just as we'd hoped. The phenoms poured through the opening and filled the chamber in one massive tumble. It was the perfect distraction.

  Michael dove inside and I followed, placing Garrett against the far wall closest to the door. Even though we couldn't see either of them yet, we all heard Death bellow and Holli scream.

  I spun around, looking from side-to-side, pin-pointing where everyone was. I spotted Michael, in the center of the room, just below the metal structure. He had his sword poised at Holli's neck.

  "Wait!" I screamed.

  I knew I was supposed to leave Holli to him and focus on stopping Death, but seeing her there, with that petrified look on her face, there was no
way I'd be able to focus until I knew the truth.

  With one pump of my wings I flew to the center of the storm, motioned for Michael to back off, and grabbed Holli by both arms.

  "Tell me the truth! Who are you?"

  "I don't know what you mean?" she sobbed. "Raven, please. Help me get out of here."

  It was only then that I noticed that she was tied to a pole that rose out of the floor.

  I reached for the chain that was running between her wrists and the steel rod.

  "Don't. They're spelled," she said in a rush.

  "That's right, they are spelled, which means she's not going anywhere." Death's voice boomed from behind me.

  Michael and I spun around, and though it was hard to see through the thick frenzy of buzzing phenoms, I finally spotted Death creeping towards us from the right side of the room.

  "There," I whispered to Michael, gesturing with a slight tilt of my chin.

  "Got him."

  Michael pushed off and disappeared into the cloud above me. I expected him to land behind Death any second, but when he didn't, I decided to make my move.

  I threw out my ribbons and smiled a wicked smile when they attached with ease.

  "Seems you're plan isn't going to work after all," I taunted.

  I felt a slight tug on my ribbons but held tight, even as Death leered at me.

  "You think you've beaten me? ME?" His voice echoed all around me as he threw his hands into the air. My ribbons fell from him as he shifted from man to shadow and back again. Suddenly, I was the one stuck, caught within the confines of the swirling black souls that radiated out from his entire body. Apparently, Garrett's theory had been correct; Death had been absorbing all the phenoms into himself.

  Dammit! Where are you, Michael?

  "No! Please stop. Don't hurt her," Holli pleaded.

  "Don't worry, my love. In a moment, you won't care about her at all."

  I struggled and strained, flaring my wings, trying anything to break free from the phenoms.

  Death approached Holli, holding out his hand. His scythe materialized out of the swirling black smoke, the deadly tip glowing blue the closer it got to her temple.