The Devil's Heir

by Leilani Lopez

  “I’m going to go now.”

  She gazes up from her lap at me. “Be back before dark. We have a long day tomorrow.”

  I nod curtly, wanting to give myself just a few more hours pretending my reality isn’t what it is.

  I step out into the cold and zip my jacket up, not bothering to lock the door behind me. The rickety steps suddenly seem longer as I make my way to Daisy’s mom’s SUV. She smiles through the passenger seat window, but it doesn’t reach her baby blues.

  “Hey,” I say softly when I climb into the car.

  Daisy reaches over the seat and pulls me into a hug before I even have time to close the door behind me. Her arms wrap around my shoulders, bringing me as close to her as the center console will allow. After the shock wears off, I return the gesture, putting my head into her neck, trying to express the appreciation I have for her that words can’t.

  When I feel more tears begin to form in my eyes, I break out of her strong hold. “Stop it, not yet.”

  We wipe at our eyes and laugh in unison.

  “Okay, okay,” she laughs. “I’ll cry later.”

  “Deal,” I say. “Me too.”

  She sits back into her seat and grips the steering wheel with both hands. “You ready?”

  “Yeah,” I say lamely. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

  Daisy blows out a puff of air and turns her blinker on, pulling back onto the street. She doesn’t have to tell me where she’s going—at this point, I already know. Within minutes we pull up the empty road and park next to Freddie’s truck in front of the Barn.

  I step out onto the wet ground. In just a short amount of time, I have had both amazing and cringe worthy memories within these four walls. From discovering a body to Luke’s first time putting his arms around me in public, though both ultimately involve him.

  Daisy comes around and loops her arm through mine. “Come on.”

  Inside the building is a single fire in the center of the empty room, our friends sitting around it. They all stand up when we enter, turning toward the door.

  Looking around the small crowd, I know I’ll do whatever I have to in order to protect these people I’ve come to cherish. Including leaving them.

  Becca leaves Freddie’s arms and meets us halfway, immediately going in for a hug. “I can’t believe you’re actually ditching us,” she says when she steps back. “You just got there.”

  “I know. Neither can I,” I tell her honestly.

  Freddie gives me an appreciative head nod while Tyler wraps a single arm around my shoulder, jerking me into a side hug while I encircle him in my own.

  We all sit back down and I lean toward the fire, rubbing my hands together for warmth while Tyler does the same to my back.

  “So,” Becca says, jumping right in, “what the fuck?”

  Freddie snorts and puts his girlfriend back under his arm. “Nice, babe. But really, Calla, what’s up with this?”

  I peek up from the fire and prepare for another lie I’m willing to tell. “My aunt said it was time to go, so that’s what we’re doing.”

  “But you haven’t even finished the semester.” Daisy’s face falls. “You’re going to miss prom. And Halloween. I was planning a group costume.”

  Tyler laughs. “That’s the least of her problems, Daze.”

  She still frowns. “I know, but our prom pictures would have been so cute.”

  I have no idea what prom pictures entail, but her sadness on behalf of me missing out on them is enough to make me regret my decision to leave. So, I suggest the next best thing: “You’ll have to send them to me so I can see how amazing all of you look.”

  Becca rolls her eyes. “You’re finally getting a cell phone?”

  I laugh at her constant irritation that I lack one. “That’ll be my first request when we get to wherever we’re supposed to be going.”

  “So, where to next?” Freddie asks.

  This time my answer isn’t a lie. “No idea. I go where she goes.”

  He nods in appreciation. “I can see the fun in that.”

  I shrug. “I don’t really have a choice so why worry about it, you know?”

  His head bobs in agreement. “Plus, you have a lot of life to catch up on. By the time you’re done traveling, you’ll be more well versed in life lessons than all of us combined.”

  “Yeah,” Becca snorts. “At least you’re getting out of here. Most of us are born, raised, and will die here.”

  “But,” I say, “you guys are going to get out, right?”

  “Absolutely,” Becca says. “You bet your fine, tan ass when we graduate, we’re all getting the hell out here and will never look back.”

  I wish I could thrive off of their positivity.

  “Then maybe I’ll find you guys out there some day.”

  “Hell yeah,” Freddie says. “Maybe catch one of me and Ty’s college soccer games.”

  “You want to continue playing soccer?”

  Tyler smiles down at me. “Of course. Soccer is what’s going to get us out of here.”

  College was never on my agenda, not with Grandmother, and certainly not now.

  “In that case, I’ll travel wherever you are to see that game.”

  Becca’s groan travels through the fire. “Ugh, why couldn’t you guys just get together?”

  My cheeks warm with embarrassment while Tyler’s smile only softens. “Maybe in another lifetime.”

  My response comes to me immediately but I’m afraid to say the words out loud. But, gazing into the pair of eyes that have only ever looked at me with kindness, I owe him that much. “Yeah, maybe.”

  He leans down and touches his chin on top of my head, pulling back before I can close my eyes at the contact. “So, how are you feeling about this?”

  I clear my throat, welcoming the change of subject. “As good as I can. I think it’ll be good for me though.”

  Daisy doesn’t seem convinced. “Really?”

  I laugh at her disbelief. “Everything has been a bit too much for me all at once. Almost getting arrested, being involved in not one, but two, murder investigations…I just feel like I never got the chance to breathe.”

  Daisy chews on her lip. “So, you’re sure it doesn’t have to do anything with Luke?”

  Knowing the underlying meaning to her question, I catch her eyes over the fire and lie to her. “No, it has nothing to do with him.”

  “But you’re not going to forget about us, right?”

  I flash a smile at Becca and lean over to bump Tyler’s shoulder with mine when I speak. “How can I? You guys are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

  “I think I’m hurt.” I jump out of my seat at the sound of Lily’s airy voice echoing through the Barn. She approaches with a tray of store-bought cookies. “I brought some last-minute snacks for your apparent surprise going away party.”

  Sarcasm is dripping off of her tongue, the shadow of the fire dancing off of her hardened features as she approaches us. “Lily—”

  She puts her hand up in dismal. “Save it. Where the Hell are you going?”

  “You didn’t know?” Becca asks awkwardly. “I thought you and your brother would have been the first to find out.”

  “Apparently not,” Lily answers, though her eyes are still on me. “Well? Exactly where is it do you think you’re going?”

  “Lily…” I get up from my seat and approach her. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Oh, yeah?” She drops the cookies onto the floor and puts her hands on her hips. “Because I dropped by your room after I got Becca’s text. If you’re not going anywhere, why are all of your things in boxes? And why are the words ‘I forgive you’ written across your mirror? Who do you forgive? What did my brother do this time?”

  I close my eyes as her fast words flow into me, knowing my plan is completely ruined if I can’t get out of this. There is no way she’s going to let me leave Diablo without knowing my whereabouts, even if it is with my aunt. “Lily…” />
  “Stop Lily-ing me.” She snaps. “I want to know where the Hell you’re going and what the Hell my brother did so I can fix it. Again.”

  “Nothing happened, Lily. There’s…there’s nothing to…” I begin to stammer when Tyler begins violently coughing behind me. “There’s nothing to fix.”

  “Ty, man, you okay?” Freddie’s voice carries over the attack.

  I hear Becca pounding onto her boyfriend’s chest when Freddie too begins to cough. “What the hell did you two smoke?”

  I do my best to ignore the commotion behind me. “Really, Lily, I just need some time to gather myself.”

  “Gather what? That we’re demons? I thought you were already over that?”

  I glance over my shoulder to see if my friends heard Lily’s statement but find both of the boys clutching at their throats for air. Forgetting Lily, I run over to Tyler and begin to pound on his back while Daisy tries to force Freddie to drink some water.

  Tyler’s eyes are fluttering and his neck spasms to the side, rubbing his ear against his shoulder.

  “Tyler, I don’t know how to—”

  Tyler’s body relaxes and the life drains from his eyes.

  Becca ceases pounding on Freddie’s chest. “What the hell was that all about?”

  Both of the boys stand and face Lily. Stare at her with a blank expression.

  “Demon,” they greet her.

  Lily seems just as surprised as I am. “Oh, Satan, you guys really came.”

  Becca stares at her boyfriend like he grew a third head. “There’s something with your eyes. We need to get you to a hospital.”

  I stumble away from Tyler—or rather, the angel now possessing Tyler’s body—when those pale eyes find me. “Hello, Token.”

  I continue my retreat.

  “This isn’t funny, guys,” Daisy says. “Ty, stop. You’re scaring Calla.”

  The angel fixes his gaze on me. “You were stolen from us.”

  “Oh Heaven,” Lily curses. “I’m calling my brother.”

  My neck snaps to Lily at the mention of Luke.

  “Don’t—”

  “Luke.”

  And like the demon he is, he appears when called.

  Daisy yelps.

  Dust is still falling back down to the floor from his hard landing. He throws a knife so hard it slips through the crowd… and straight into Freddie’s chest.

  The angel falls backward, landing on the floor with a thud. A blue light travels up his body, right underneath his skin. It moves up from the wound to his eyes. The bright light burning out what was left of Freddie’s soul in his eyes.

  This is why Valak accused me of playing with hot knives. It’s the heat from the morning star sending the angelic divinity back to Heaven, leaving behind what smells like burnt flesh.

  And just like that, Freddie and the angel possessing him are gone. Within a matter of seconds.

  Becca screams.

  “Luke,” Lily says, stunned.

  A lot of things happen at once: Becca falls to her knees, holding the now lifeless body of her boyfriend to her chest with Daisy right beside her. The angel occupying Tyler’s body now holds a weapon much like those the Hales possess: a thin blade, on fire. The kind Valak once accused me of wielding.

  Tyler looks at the deceased angel. “You’ll pay for that, vermin.”

  Luke’s face is as haunting as ever. He has no fear, no remorse, and shows no hesitation when he tosses another blade toward the angel, who conveniently dodges the attack.

  “Stay away from my family,” Luke demands.

  They lunge at each other.

  I fall to the ground and begin to crawl on hands and knees to my friends. Becca is hysterical, her face shoved into Freddie’s bloodied shirt. The blood has drained from Daisy’s face as she sits on her haunches behind Becca, her hand hovering over her friend’s shoulder.

  My body has kicked into high gear and somehow managed to produce even more tears than I ever thought were possible. The grunting and blades clashing behind me push me to protect my friends.

  With a shaking hand, I reach out and touch Freddie’s forehead, dangling over Becca’s arm. His skin is boiling hot. I want to tell him I’m sorry, so sorry that he was never able to escape this town and make his dad proud. That I’m sorry he’ll never be able to play another soccer game. That I’m sorry he’ll never have the chance to have his arm out of the window of his truck with the girl he loves. That I’m sorry he’ll never get another chance to tell her he loves her and that he’s sorry he has to go.

  Luke emits a frustrated roar and the whole Barn shakes.

  “Stop it, Luke!” Lily yells. “What are you doing?”

  He doesn’t respond, and the angel doesn’t hesitate to continue his attack on both of the Hales.

  I force Becca’s face away from her boyfriend, lift her head and wipe away the blood on her cheeks. She’s shaking. “You have to go,” I tell her.

  Becca’s mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water.

  I shake my head. “You have to run. You have to get out of here.”

  She focuses on the body in her arms. “But—”

  Yanking Freddie’s lifeless body and dropping him back onto the ground produces the most sickening feeling I’ve ever felt. I haul her to up to her feet, a frozen Daisy mimicking our movements. Over my shoulder, the Hales move in unison as they attack from left and right but the angel manages to deflect all of their moves.

  I whisper to my friends, “Run.”

  We stay low to the ground, running as fast as we can to the entrance of the Barn. Becca falls as we near the door and I drag her up and onward. I yank open the heavy door and push them out of it. I reach out and grab Daisy’s hand.

  Her blues eyes are shattered.

  “Don’t stop.”

  Her whole body is trembling, her eyes wide as she turns back at me.

  “Calla.”

  With that one word, I know exactly what she’s thinking. I look over my shoulder at the fight going on and back to her. I don’t have time to explain. I don’t even have the answers myself.

  “I love you, Daisy Winthrop,” I say, meaning it. “And I’m so sorry.”

  She sobs, pulls me into a tight hug.

  “I love you, Calla Jones.”

  I hold onto her for as long as I can, knowing that this is probably going to be the last time I’ll ever see her. I cup the back of her blonde head, holding her to me even when she tears soak through my clothes. When I open my eyes, Becca is already sitting in the passenger seat of Daisy’s car.

  I pull back and push her toward the car. “Go, go!”

  She looks back at me as she fumbles to put the keys in the ignition. I’ve never been more scared for her safety. I shoo her away. Shouting at her to leave. The white SUV reverses back into the forest, dirt flying up as they hurry away.

  When I turn, Tyler is holding onto his side, blood seeping through his fingers and out of a cut on his cheek. They’re all panting as they circle each other around the fire.

  “You filth can never be trusted, can you?” the angel grunts.

  “You never wanted to believe us in the first place,” Luke retorts. “That’s why you’re about to send an army down from Heaven, isn’t it?”

  “Luke, what are you talking about?” Lily snaps. “This was supposed to be a—”

  “And how would you know that?” the angel asks suspiciously.

  Me.

  “Calla?”

  I gawk when my aunt saunters into the barn from behind me.

  “Are you ready to go?”

  I must be hallucinating. I blink several times. “Aunt Polly? What are you doing here?”

  A growl echoes through the vast space. The angel’s eyes are pinned on my aunt. In a snarl, he snaps out a name I’m unfamiliar with. “Apollyon.”

  Lily expertly takes advantage of distraction. She disarms the angel and traps his hands behind his back, her formidable weapon jabbed into his spine.

&nbs
p; “That’s Calla’s Aunt—Oh.”

  I gape between my aunt and the scene in front of us but freeze when I realize that Luke’s eyes are not glued on me, but on the woman beside me.

  Aunt Polly releases a long, audible breath. “Hello, Lucian. Been a long time.”

  Luke’s frozen features shatter at the sound of her voice and he lets out a painful moan. “Mother.”

  Mother?

  Before I can react, Aunt Polly places her hand on my back and pushes me closer to the commotion despite me digging in my heels. I put my hands out in front of me, but I don’t know who I’m trying to protect myself from. Luke, who killed one of my friends, or Lily, who’s currently threatening an angel inhabiting my other friend’s body.

  I trip over my feet and fall onto my hands and knees, my throat burning as nothing but acid comes up. I clench my fingers around the dirt, spit onto the ground.

  Luke’s breath is ragged. “I thought you were imprisoned.”

  “I’ve been free for quite some time, actually. You should really speak to your father about how he watches over his prisoners. Have you seen him recently?”

  Tyler’s body jerks forward, his teeth bare in disgust. “Traitor.”

  My aunt rolls her eyes at the angel. “Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something?”

  “It was you—you’re the one killing your brothers and sisters. Murdering the ones in charge of searching for the thing you stole from us.”

  Her head snaps in his direction and I can hear the slip of control in her voice. “You were the ones who cast me out at the first sign of disobedience. You haven’t been my brethren for a long time.”

  I knew that the murders in town were actually angels, but I had no idea that they were searching for me. Some naïve part of my brain just assumed they were taking advantage of the Hale’s being up on the surface, but the demons got to them first.

  I gag thinking about all of those late nights Polly was out for an “interview.”

  “Let me go, demons,” Tyler grunts. “Let me go and I’ll take care of this filth for you.”

  “Shut up, feathers,” Lily snaps, jabbing the knife deeper into his back.

  I listen to the exchange in disbelief, not wanting to draw attention to myself by rising. This must be another nightmare. How can she be his mother? How, when Luke told me that his mother was a witch?