The dull yellow bulb hanging over her tiny kitchen table flickered on as she hit the switch and ushered them inside.
“I don’t keep a lot of food in the house, but I’ve got water, tea, and a couple of Cokes if you want something to drink,” she offered as she dropped her purse onto the coffee table.
“We’re fine, thanks,” Jack insisted as he stood aside to let Micah in. The large man had to turn sideways to get his oversized shoulders through the doorway. His gaze wandered the room with curiosity as he took in his surroundings.
“Not what I expected,” he murmured.
Addison narrowed her eyes at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Jack glared at Micah, as well. “Seriously, man, if you’re going to be an ass, you can go. I got this.”
“No, it’s okay,” she said. “I’m used to it. To answer your inevitable questions, Micah, I live this way because almost all of my tips go toward paying my college tuition. Sorry if you were expecting red walls, a stripper pole, and a stocked bar, but I don’t bring my work home with me.”
Micah didn’t answer her. He plopped down onto the couch and crossed his arms over his chest.
Jack sighed. “Don’t mind him. He’s cranky tonight for reasons we don’t need to get into.”
Addison turned her back to the gigantic Cajun sitting on her couch and went to the refrigerator. Retrieving a bottle of water, she motioned for Jack to join her at the table—the same table where she and Elle had sat the night before while the angel turned her world upside down.
“Elle came to me last night, pretty much the same way you two dropped in on me,” she began as she twisted the top off her water. After taking a swig, she continued. “The things she told me answered so many questions I had … about myself, about my father. I wanted to believe she was some crazy nut job, but it all made sense once I heard her out. Too coincidental not to be true.”
Jack nodded. “I know what you mean. When my parents first told me about all this, I believed them without a doubt. For the most part because so many of the things going on around me seemed to make so much more sense. I’m glad you gave her a chance to explain because it makes my job much easier.”
She folded her hands on the table and watched him, chin on her palm and head tilted. “What is your job, Jack?”
Leaning back in his chair, he returned her stare without wavering. God, those eyes of his were downright magnetic. Slate gray and so deep-set in the shadows of his brow that a person could stare into them forever and still never learn the truth behind them. It should have been threatening, but something about him put her at ease.
“Right now, protecting you,” he answered. “There’s more to that, but I have to tell you a story before you can understand it all. Are you ready to hear it?”
Addison nodded, her ponytail bobbing and brushing her neck. She couldn’t deny that curiosity had her on edge.
Jackson continued. “First, I need to know what Elle has told you. Do you know about all the different players in the war between Heaven and Hell?”
“Yes,” she confirmed. “Angels, demons, Guardians, Oracles, Naphils … all of it.”
“Good.” He sighed with relief. “So I can go straight into it, then. Because the battle is for the souls of mankind, lesser demons are allowed to come and go, just as angels are. They either cloak their appearance as humans, or stay out of sight while they do what they do best. Temptation is their thing, with different demons specializing in different areas. Some inspire envy and hate; others exploit sexuality and turn it into something dark and degrading. Others operate through fear or anger. Whatever the case, as long as they work within the rules and don’t try to influence free will, it’s all allowed.”
She wrinkled her nose. “That sucks.”
He shrugged. “Yeah, well, the angels balance things out. Healing angels heal; messenger angels remind people that there is still hope and that they have a higher calling; warrior angels wrangle the demons who step out of line … or, at least, they used to before one of the demons crossed the line.”
She leaned forward, her attention caught by his last words in particular. “What happened?”
“The demon known as the Great Duke of Hell decided that he’d had enough of the rules, so he got together with a sorcerer under his possession and created a spell opening ten extra portals between worlds, from Hell into Earth. Before, there existed only a handful. This allowed more demons in than usual, and we’re not just talking about any regular minions here. Demons operate in a hierarchy, just like angels do, and there are lesser creatures who work for greater ones. The spell was copied ten times onto ten scrolls and distributed to ten of the biggest, baddest demons that exist in this world and the next.”
“Couldn’t they have come through before?” she asked. “What made these portals different?”
“Some of these demons have been banned from coming to Earth for breaking rules in the past. They’re already in violation of their banishment to Hell, but to make matters worse, they’ve taken it one step further. Influencing free will is a huge no-no, and they’ve been crossing the line by enslaving the minds of people and using them in the most depraved of ways. Just to give you an example—the other night, Micah and I had to hunt down this demon named Adramelech who had started himself a little cult right here in the city. He’d brainwashed them to think it was a good idea to sacrifice human babies.”
Addison gasped, her heart aching at the thought of kidnapped children being slaughtered for some sick demon’s sadistic plans.
“Don’t worry,” Jack added in a rush. “We got there before the babies were harmed, but … well, we’re not always so lucky.”
“I don’t understand.” Her brows furrowed while to wrap her mind around all he’d said. “If the demons are out of line, why don’t the angels just take them out? Why doesn’t God just put a stop to it all?”
Jack fell silent for a moment, almost as if he didn’t know how to answer her question. The tension around his mouth became more pronounced, as if what he needed to say would be distasteful.
“I’m not going to lie to you, Addison.” His voice sounded low and strained. “We don’t always understand, either. This job isn’t easy, and just because we know all that goes on behind the scenes doesn’t mean we like it or understand it.” He sighed. “The fact of the matter is, the angels are stretched thin and can only do so much. The Guardians are an order governed by the warrior angels, who fight alongside us. They work just as hard as we do to keep people safe. But, this is our fight … humans, that is. We are the ones who have to decide in the end … Good or Evil. From the beginning of time as we know it, since the fall of Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden, two sides have fought for the allegiance of man. We are the ones who decide how much power the demons have in our lives. It’s our world, and we have to protect it.”
Addison mulled that over for a moment. It seemed a bit harsh, but it also made sense. She could remember being a little girl and walking with her mother to the tiny, dilapidated First Baptist Church just about a mile from their dusty trailer park. Sitting on a hard pew with ribbons in her hair, she’d let her mind wander during the long, droning sermons. Even though she hadn’t paid much attention, sometimes pieces of them would come drifting back to her at the strangest times. Just now, she could remember the preacher railing about how the sins of man had destroyed the direct bond between them and God. That was why He didn’t interfere in the way the Bible taught He’d been known to back in those times. Man had made it clear that His interference wasn’t welcome, so He left them up to their devices and offered them a choice.
Of course, these memories were few and far between. Once drugs had taken a hold of her mother, they’d stopped going to church altogether. They’d stopped doing much of anything.
“How does any of this involve me?” she asked. “Elle didn’t really get to that part. She only told me that as a Naphil, it’s my choice if I want to get involved and which side I choose. She al
so told me that Guardians were tasked with protecting people like me because demons sometimes like to come after them.”
Jack nodded. “That’s all true. Naphils, no matter who their parents are, can choose any side. It’s because demons were spawned of angels, so even a demon Naphil also has the potential to do good with their power. Their abilities make them targets for demons who want to use that power for their own gain. They try to temp the Nephilim, and influence their decision.”
“That isn’t all, though, is it?” she asked, unable to help the edge of exasperation in her voice. There was so much to take in, and she still didn’t know how it all affected her. “Elle told me that I was special, that I’d been chosen for something.”
“That’s exactly it. Addison, you’re the key to bringing down the ten demons that have opened the forbidden portals and restoring the balance.”
She couldn’t help but laugh at that. “You’re kidding, right? Me?”
He shook his head, huffing in annoyance. “It’s not a laughing matter. As the daughter of a very powerful demon, you’re not just a prime target for other demons. You’re a strong Naphil with the potential to do great things. You’re also the only one who can wield the sole weapon we have to use against the kinds of demons we’re up against.”
“What’s the weapon?” She kept her other questions to herself. Why me? Do you have any idea what kind of person I am? Do you really think I can do this?
“It’s called the Seal of Solomon,” he answered. “It’s actually a ring, one worn by King Solomon.”
“The one from the Bible? The really rich one?”
“The very one. A lot of people believe it’s a myth, but it’s been confirmed that the ring does exist. The mystical properties are more than just legend. The ring was given to Solomon because he possessed the wisdom to use it, but when he lost his way, it fell out of his hands and was assumed to be lost forever. We were just told where to find it and how to use it, but we need you.”
“To get a ring back?” Had she gone to sleep and woken up in an Indiana Jones flick? What the hell had she gotten herself into?
“We need you to wear the ring. You are one of the few Naphils with the power necessary to channel the might of the ring.”
“What does it do?” she asked, growing serious now. Her palms began to sweat at the implications of this. It all sounded dangerous and she had never wanted anything more than a stable and normal life. It seemed like normal would never happen for her now.
“The ring has the power to command demons, to destroy them … you would have the power to pretty much bend them to your will.”
Thinking of the three men she’d injured the night before, she frowned. Those thoughts led her on a path to her past, and the monster that lived inside of her, just waiting to be unleashed. Her heart began to pound and her palms broke out in a sweat. Swallowing past a lump in her throat, she wiped her hands on her jeans and tried to take a deep breath.
“No,” she whispered.
Jack scowled. “I’m sorry, what?”
She shook her head. “You don’t want to give me that kind of power.”
“I’m not the one giving you anything,” he insisted. “You’re a Naphil, and that means there is already power inside of you. I didn’t choose you; God did, and He has His reasons. My job is to protect you, get you to the ring, and help you harness its power. I’m a glorified bodyguard; nothing more.”
Addison stood, and her chair scraped the linoleum as she pushed it back from the table. “You don’t understand, Jack. You don’t know what kind of person I am.”
“He does,” Jack insisted.
“Right, which is why I don’t understand why He’d choose me. You said we have free will, right? Well, I’m turning this down. I’m sure He can hear and see everything, but just so we’re clear, you should go back to whatever angel you answer to and tell them I can’t do this. There’s something inside me. It’s a kind of darkness. That’s the best way I can describe it. I have these thoughts and feelings … well, I don’t think you need to hear all of that. Trust me, I am not the one you want carrying this ring or using its power. I’m sorry.”
Jack stood, as well, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Listen, I know this is overwhelming, but—”
“Um, excuse me.” Micah had been silent through their entire conversation, but he spoke up now. Standing at the window overlooking the street, he parted the blinds and stared out into the night. “I don’t wanna interrupt, but we got company, and it ain’t the kind you invite in for tea.”
Jack was across the room in a few strides and at Micah’s side to peer out through the blinds. “Damn it,” he muttered.
He and Micah traded glances before looking back at her.
“What?” she asked, staring back at them in confusion. “I’m not expecting anybody.”
“You should be,” Micah said. “You’re the chosen one, which means you got a big ole target on your back.”
A shiver ran down her spine as an ominous sound filled the room. At first, she couldn’t figure out what it was, but as the seconds passed, it became clear. Several whispering voices warbled together, mingled with what sounded like fingernails on a chalkboard. Adrenaline surged through her and her hands began to shake. Jack’s eyes glittered as he gave her a solemn stare and said the one word that struck fear into her core.
“Demons.”
7
Fight or Flight
“You’re going to have to come with us.”
Jack watched as Addison twisted her trembling hands together, her eyes darting around the small front room of her apartment.
“I ... I don’t understand,” she stammered.
“It’s real simple,” Micah said, clearly out of patience. “Demons are comin’ here to take you out. I don’t know about you, but I don’t plan to stand here and wait for ’em.”
She nodded, seeming to understand.
“I have to get something,” she said before turning with a swish of her long ponytail and dashing toward her bedroom.
“God a’mighty,” Micah huffed, pulling on his wild curls in agitation. “That girl’s gonna be the death of us, podna.”
“Cut her some slack!” Jack snapped as he glanced out through the blinds again. He knew why Micah had so little sympathy for the girl, but that didn’t mean he should be so rude to her. “Life as she knows it is over. Whatever she needs to make her feel better about the situation, we’ll let her have it and shut up about it.”
Micah’s response came through a clenched jaw and narrowed eyes. A few seconds later, Addison came barreling from the bedroom with a bag thrown over one shoulder.
“Okay, I’m ready.”
“Well, what a coincidence,” Micah snapped. “So are they!”
Addison stood between them and looked out between the blinds. A sharp gasp tore from her—she was seeing the same thing he’d seen. Small, black shadows crawled over the sides of the buildings lining the street, hanging from roofs and balconies. Their metallic voices whispered out, the sound scraping at his eardrums. It didn’t matter how many demons he’d dispatched; that sound never ceased to send a chill down his spine. Beside him, she trembled, as well, and he placed a firm hand at the small of her back to steady her. The touch seemed to help, and she turned to face him, her gaze filled with terror.
“It’s okay,” he reassured her. “We’re going to run. They know we’re in here, so there’s no need to be covert about it. These are minor demons, little minions. They’re nothing compared to some of the others I’ve fought before, so don’t be afraid. Micah’s going to open the door and go out first. I want you to get behind him, and stay as close to him as you can. I’ll be right behind you.”
She nodded. “Got it.”
Jack reached into his waistband and pulled his gun free. Beside him, Micah had already retrieved his knives. If Addison was surprised by their weapons, she didn’t let on. She stood back as Micah stomped toward the door, his heavy tread loud on the carpeted
floor.
“Watch your hair,” Micah grunted at her, hand on the doorknob. “These little sons-a-bitches got claws and they like to pull.”
Before she could answer, he jerked the door open and barreled out onto the balcony. She followed close, and Jack fell in behind her. The jarring sound of the small demons’ wings flapping was a dissonance that, when mixed with their grating whispers, made Jack want to take a drill to his temple just to chase the sound away. He reminded himself that it was all psychological. Demons reveled in emotions like fear; creating it in people gave them their strength, and they fed off of it.
They ran for the staircase, keeping their heads low. The demons took flight, swarming toward them in a black mass that would appear to be no more than a large flock of birds to the untrained eye. As they got closer, they’d appear in their true form—long, skinny claws, chimp-like bodies with swishing, barbed tails, and bat-like wings covered in the armor that caused the metallic sound.
One of them issued a high-pitched screech, causing a chorus of identical sounds to ring out through the swarming cloud. They barreled toward Micah in one large mass, long, pointed teeth bared and dripping saliva. Micah lifted his knives and twirled them with expertise before swinging both his arms out in a wide arc. The blades cut through at least ten of the little demons, causing them to disappear in a burst of white light and a shower of black blood. Micah appeared heedless of the inky goop staining the front of his t-shirt as he continued descending the steps, his oversized arms swinging the knives so fast, they were a golden blur.
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