by Jenny McKane
Sunny snorted. “Is that a common thing among angels?”
“Not if they want to stay angels,” Eli replied.
They walked in silence for a few blocks, with Sunny taking in the scenery around her like it was her last night on earth. Which, for the most part, it was. There was no set end date ahead of her, and it would take as long as it took to get Gideon free from the demon realm. Sunny just hoped that it was sooner rather than later.
“I have something for you, Sunny,” Eli said as they stopped in front of the hotel.
She looked at his hand and saw that he had a small silver ring in his palm. It was a snake twisting upon itself, and while it looked like it was plain sterling silver, Sunny could see that it had a sheen, a sort of a magic writing beneath the surface. Her eyes jumped to his.
“What is that?”
A slow smile spread on Eli's face, and he ushered her through the front doors. He said nothing in the elevator as they rode it to the 11th floor. He walked Sunny to her door and followed her inside her hotel room, pushing the door shut behind him and locking it. Once again, he unrolled his hand and showed her the ring.
“I visited the local Mercado,” he said. “It was where I was disappearing to the last couple of days. I pulled in an old favor and got this for you. Sending you in as yourself is a suicide mission, at best. At worst, you'll be murdered on the spot when somebody realizes that you are a hunter. This is an old demon magic ring that will glamour you, and make you look more demon than human.”
“Why didn't anybody else think of this before you?” Sunny asked. “Doesn't it seem like something that Selah would have seen to?”
“Gabriel is a big picture sort of Archangel, and Selah would not have cared what you look like,” he said. “She is going to be so focused on her own mission and her own goals, and it really wouldn't matter to her if you lived or died once Gideon was released. This ring, when you wear it, will disguise you to look like a race of upper demon. When you take it off, you will look like yourself. But you have not seen the best part.”
Eli slipped the ring on to Sunny's middle finger and she felt it wrap itself around her flesh with its magic. She tensed at the sensation, suddenly nervous. Eli's eyes widened as he looked at her, and she knew that she looked different.
“How do I look?” she asked and she even heard the difference in her voice. It was less than human, lower, and a little bit grating.
“Terrifying,” Eli replied truthfully. “But that is not the best part, as I said.”
He indicated that Sunny look down at her finger, and when she did she did not see the ring that he had just placed there. In surprise, she reached for it with her other hand and felt the metal on her skin, where it should be.
With an easy pull, she slipped the ring off her finger. She felt the magic disappear, and when she looked at Eli he had broken into a grin.
“The ring is invisible?” She put the hints together, and he nodded.
“So is the magic that created it,” Eli said. “So even the savviest of demons will not know that you have a glamour on you. Unless you want them to.”
The warning he spoke was simple and Sunny took it to heart. She was not to reveal herself in the demon realm until her work was done.
“Has your dream demon returned yet?”
He was speaking of Plaxo, who had been gone the past week in preparation of her arrival. Sunny did not exactly know what that meant, only that he was busy getting things into motion, and collecting supplies for when she landed.
“He'll be there for me when I arrive,” Sunny said, knowing it was true. Plaxo had never let her down.
And now she only prayed that her luck would hold.
Chapter Thirteen
As cliché as it was, the portal was a literal door. Granted, the door was on the fourth floor of a nondescript diner on Haver Street, but it was still a door.
Gabriel had been nice enough to allow them all to have a final breakfast before she and Selah were to head to the demon realm, but Sunny couldn’t eat. It wasn’t even worth pretending, either. Coffee was enough and on her second cup, Gabriel cleared his throat. Eli stood up to use the bathroom and Selah had gone outside to make a phone call.
“You’re ordinary,” Gabriel said, his voice plain. Sunny waited for the punchline but was utterly confused about what he was getting at.
“I know?” she said quietly. What was Gabriel getting at?
“You’re not hearing me,” Gabriel sighed, running his hand through his hair. The more Sunny looked, the more tired Gabriel appeared. Was this whole thing weighing on him, too? “I want you to know that what you’re doing is amazing, Sunshine. You’re not the rarest rose, and you’re not some chosen one built into an all-powerful prophecy. You’re literally a 20-year-old girl marching straight into Hell to save the man-demon-angel thing she loves.”
Sunny sucked in a breath. So far, she didn’t see the benefit of being a nobody.
“I’m not exactly saying I wouldn’t love a little notoriety or some special powers,” she replied, her voice quiet.
“You’re our ringer, Sunny,” Gabriel said. “I knew it the moment I laid eyes on you. While everyone else was looking for the star pupil--the one who could run faster or jump higher, who had champion Solomon bloodlines, I knew you were special in your own way. Hell, Michael must have seen something and for that, I’m grateful.”
She hadn’t thought much about her former handler. Now that time had passed between their last meeting, Sunny was holding out hope that one day, she and the archangel might sit down and talk. She felt bad about throwing his ring at him in anger and she didn’t want there to be hard feelings for any other reason, now that she understood how hard all of this was.
But that day would not come for a long time; as it stood, Sunny had a lot to take care of in the meantime. Namely, she had to stay alive. Supreme bonus would be retrieving Gideon and bringing him back alive, as well.
Gabriel continued. “I'm not saying this to blow smoke up your ass, Sunny,” he said. “What I'm telling you is that you're not powerless and you're not a consolation prize to me or to Eli. I might have thought we were a long shot in the beginning, but the more you've been with us, the more I realize that you are likely the key to our success.”
Sunny did not know what to say, but she tried her best.
“I was never taken seriously when I worked for Michael,” she began. “So I want you to understand how much it meant to me that you were willing to take a chance and believe in me. I'm going to do everything I can to stay alive while I'm over there and bring Gideon back with me. Along with that, I'm hoping to bring you what you're looking for to fulfill your own obligations.”
Gabriel did not respond, and Sunny was not sure that she wanted him to. They had just shared a moment, and she did not want it ruined with any common sense or logic. Archangels were known to throw both of those into people's faces at the most inopportune moments.
The time had come. Eli returned with his face set in a grim expression. Truth be told, he looked nervous. So did Gabriel. The only one who did not look nervous? Selah.
“We need to move now or we will miss our chance,” she said once she returned. Selah cast a glance on both Gabriel and Eli, obviously noting their expressions.
“What?”
Previously, Sunny might have chalked it up to demons having issues with emotions. But she knew better than that. She knew that both angels and demons had plenty of emotions and made plenty of crappy choices on a daily basis. Selah’s abrasive personality? It was a result of the crappy choices she continually made. It was something that Sunny had picked up on shortly after meeting her. Everything that Selah had done since then had only proven Sunny's hunch. Selah was a jerk. Sunny knew that now and would proceed with caution.
She was right, though. It was time to go. If Sunny delayed any longer, she might lose her nerve and not be able to pass through the portal. Plaxo had checked in the day before, letting Gabriel and Sunny know that he wo
uld wait for them on the other side. He still grumbled about having to work with the daughter of Azrael, but he was willing to do whatever he could to help Sunny. He had also begrudgingly begun to refer to Gideon as family. That was huge to a dream demon, to whom family meant everything.
The old building had an elevator somewhere in it, but the owner of the diner told them that it was out of service. To reach the top floor, they would have to take the staircase in the back.
As they went up the stairs, Selah made it obvious that she was not happy.
“Do you understand the shoes I am wearing are not made for this?” She hissed as she rounded the third floor landing. Nobody responded to her. Sunny was beginning to worry about what sort of creature Selah would become on the other side of the portal.
The fourth floor was basically a finished attic. With a heave and a push, Eli opened the door and motioned for everybody to follow him. It had carpeting and about 50 years’ worth of restaurant storage. It smelled like old grease and had very little natural light in it. Sunny suddenly felt very claustrophobic.
“What is the matter with this place?” she asked aloud, not really meaning to.
“Demon magic,” Eli replied. “It's uncomfortable at best around here.”
“I have no idea what you're talking about,” Selah said. “This room feels perfectly fine, other than the smell.”
Ignoring her, Sunny looked around for the powerful portal that would lead her into Hell. She saw nothing fitting the description.
Gabriel was pushing through piles of clutter, throwing boxes and bins over his head as he searched.
“Found it,” he called. He produced a plain wood door. It was not attached to anything and had a few cracks in it.
“Seriously?” Sunny couldn't help but laugh. It looked a little ridiculous. It also looked like it had seen better days. How is that thing a portal into the demon realm?
“Demon magic,” Eli quipped. It seemed to be his answer for everything.
“Of course,” Sunny grumbled.
“Who does this portal belong to? It goes to the demon realm, but it seems that archangels know of its whereabouts. So, who owns it?” Sunny was curious about the answer. Were angels and demons territorial about things like portals? And what use would portals into different realms be if neither side could use them? Certainly, instances like these would apply, but how often did circumstances like this happen?
With a few flicks of his wrist and the utterings of a few words that she could not understand, Gabriel had the door shimmering in a wave of magic.
Sunny looked at Eli. “Demon magic.” She laughed at her own joke and Eli joined in.
“I heard that,” Gabriel said over his back. Even his voice sounded like he was smiling. “For your information, this is angel magic. Although, Selah could have activated this just as easily as I did. The portals belong to anybody with the knowledge of opening them. Whether or not you can pass through to the intended destination, however, is up to the laws of the magic.”
Seemed simple enough. So, by that logic, Selah could just as easily activate a portal into their angel realm. If she had somebody who could pass through the portal, they would be able to do so. If not, there would be an activated portal with nobody to use it.
“Remember,” Gabriel said as they gathered around the activated portal. “If you use the same portal that you arrive through, it will bring you back right here. If for some reason, you are forced to use a different portal, I cannot guarantee where you'll end up. Be safe and use your judgement. If that should happen get some place safe quickly and do your best to contact me. Eli, too. We will come get you as quickly as possible.”
Sunny nodded. It all seemed like concrete advice, and having no experience in anything like this, she just went with it. Thinking on her feet was actually one of Sunny’s strengths. who knew how often she was going to have to rely on it.
Without warning, Eli pulled her into a strong hug. His arms went protectively around her shoulders as he crushed her into his massive chest. From where she stood, she could feel Eli trembling. What was he remembering? What was he worried about? She knew he was trying to offer her comfort, but it seemed like Sunny was the one who needed to put him at ease instead.
“I'll be fine,” Sunny said. “Just you wait. I will razzle and dazzle them with my magnificent footwork. They won't know what hit them.”
He laughed, a rumble against his chest. He pulled back and looked down at her.
“You don't have permission to fail,” he said. Sunny noticed that his eyes or shiny with unshed tears. Did he really feel so strongly about her? Was he really that worried about her? Said he was not used to having a team, let alone a team that cared so deeply about her. Maintaining a tight grip on her emotions, Sunny did not let her affection or fear bubble to the surface, as it would have meant disaster for her ability to stop crying. She was on the brink of tears as it was.
“While I'm away, please make sure he stays out of trouble,” Sunny said. She made a motion towards Gabriel. The archangel merely rolled his eyes, but Eli promised he would do his best to keep the archangel safe.
Gabriel stepped forward and pulled Sunny into an awkward hug. It wasn't the same as Eli’s, but it was special nonetheless.
“Just remember, you were chosen by me for a reason,” he said. “I chose you because I knew you could do it.”
Sunny gave him a nod as he turned her around and held her shoulders in his hands. Selah had pulled the door open and instead of a plain wall behind it, there was a swirling inky depth there. It was just like the one that she had been pulled through after being snatched up at the Mercado in Seattle. Her first reaction to seeing another demon portal was to hesitate and to want to dig her heels into the ground and not take another step forward.
But Sunny knew this was different. She was in control now, and she had chosen this. She had a job to do.
Before walking through, Selah glanced over her shoulder at Sunny.
“I'll see you on the other side,” she said simply before disappearing through the portal. It opened, allowing her to move through, and then sealed behind her. Sunny could not see where Selah had gone.
“Here goes nothing,” she said as she took a step away from Gabriel and Eli. “I'll see you guys soon.”
Without looking back, Sunny stepped through the portal and into Hell.
Chapter Fourteen
Hell still surprised her with how normal it seemed.
She’d been somewhat beaten and unconscious the last time she made the jump, so she was certain to keep her eyes open and aware when she landed the second time. She staggered to her knees once she was clear of the portal, and she scraped her hands on the rocky surface beneath her. This portal had taken her to a desert landscape, nothing like the one she’d seen previously.
It was bright and hot out, and Sunny pushed herself to her feet with a great effort. The crossing of the portal had made her a little weak. Checking herself for injuries or missing body parts, she sighed in relief when she felt her obsidian dagger still strapped safely to her stomach. Sunny still used the same holster that Gideon had given her.
With a hand over her eyes, shielding against the apparent two suns baking above her, Sunny looked for Plaxo. Or Selah. Either would be a welcome sight at the moment. With a sigh, and not seeing either, she reached into her back pocket and felt the small weight of Eli’s gift.
The ring slid from her pocket and onto her ring finger easily and she felt the magic settle around her. Eli mentioned that the shopkeeper who sold it to him swore the user could change their looks how they saw fit--only he didn’t remember how it was done. Gabriel had been no help, either.
For now, she would just wear whatever glamour was already set in the ring and hope it worked and kept her humanity hidden for as long as possible.
“Neat trick,” a voice said from behind. Sunny whirled around and saw Selah standing there. Her eyes were cold as they took in Sunny’s changed appearance.
As a
demon, Sunny was taller and her brown hair was blazing red--a common trait among demon women. Her eyes were full black like Azrael’s had been, again, another common demon trait when demons weren’t trying to disguise themselves in the human realm. After Eli had given her the ring and left for the night, Sunny had rushed to the bathroom to take in her new appearance.
She was bustier, too, as a demon. Her lips were more sensual and her cheekbones sharper. Mostly everything was oddly similar to a human except for the small pair of black horns that curled a few inches from her temple back behind her ear. The glamour had allowed for her to touch them and they felt hard and unyielding, like stone or wood. Perhaps the same material that nails were made from?
Now, Selah looked her over and her lip curled in disgust. From behind her, Selah drew out a long blade and pointed it directly at Sunny’s neck before she could react. So much for that fancy footwork she had promised Eli she would use.
Sunny froze.
“I could kill you know,” Selah said, her demon voice now in its original, inhuman tone. “Nobody would ever know what happened to you. You’d be a memory for a while, and then nothing. A corpse the glass sand oceans would swallow up and consume eventually.”
Sunny didn’t move a muscle while Selah went on an ill-timed and somewhat-terrifying rant. She didn’t look the same at the moment--a madness was in her eyes that was either not there before or hidden so well that Sunny had overlooked it.
“But you won’t,” Sunny whispered and Selah jabbed the blade closer, nicking her skin.
“I might,” Selah replied, a cold smile on her face. “I am a Princess of Hell and you are a pitiful human here--a pawn to my will. Remember that if I say so, you die. Do you understand? You’re no longer under the protection of the archangels, foolish girl. You gave that up the moment you stepped into my realm.”
Sunny silently swore to herself. She’d never trusted Selah, at all, really, but this was surprising. They weren’t even in the castle yet and she was already threatening to kill Sunny.