Army of Stone: An Urban Fantasy Novel (Fallen Angel Book 2)

by Leo Romero

  “I take it you put the word out,” I said to him.

  “That’s right. There have been more sightings of our gargoyle friend. Luckily, folk are more aware and taking precautions, so they’ve managed to live another day.”

  I nodded. “That’s good. Don’t worry, I’m going to take this sucker down and then we can go back to normal.”

  “I hope you have a plan, Gabriel.”

  “I have. I just need another day or so, and I’ll take him down.”

  “Any ideas why he’s targeting us?”

  I shook my head. “None. Someone or something has put it up to this. I can’t see why a gargoyle would target only angels. It’s obviously someone with a grudge. Or it could all be one big mistake. Someone raised a demon into a stone carving and it’s been growing more powerful ever since.”

  “But why go after us?”

  “Maybe we’ll never find out. Just tell everyone to hang tight. I’m on the case.”

  “Let’s just make sure there are no more deaths please.”

  “I’m on it.” I turned to head to my desk, when I remembered something. “Oh, by the way, there’s a giant rhinoman on the door disguised as a streetlight. He’s with me, just in case anyone was wondering who he was.”

  Jerome stared at me agape like I was insane. I gave the bar a couple of taps, shot him a grin and headed toward my seat. I could feel all those eyes on me. I’d suddenly become the guy everyone looked to if there was bad shit going down. I mean, I know I saved the world and all that, but still, it was a helluva burden. Deep down, I felt as helpless as those guys most of the time. There was only so much I could do. I hated everyone being scared and edgy, of course I did. All I wanted to do was make that stop. I was compelled. Maybe it was my role as Enforcer kicking in or something. But I wasn’t Superman. I wish I was, but I wasn’t. I could get my ass handed to me at any moment just like anyone else.

  I made it to my desk and all that paperwork. I ushered Aurora over to the long, cushioned seats behind my desk. “Lie down there, kid, and get some sleep. We’ve got a big night tonight.”

  “Yeah, I am pretty tired.” She lay down on the seat and turned her back to everyone. With a sigh, I sat down and picked up my pen. I grabbed the top Z99 form and read it over. Brian Lau, mauled to death by a gargoyle. My heart panged. He’d had two kids to take care of, who were totally unaware of his half-angel status. As far as they were concerned, Brian was just their dad and now he was gone. Who knew what would become of them? I signed the form off, said a small prayer for Brian to make it through Purgatory in one piece, and got the next sheet. Lauren Eastwood. Crushed to death. No mention of a gargoyle, but I knew. I knew. Thankfully, Lauren didn’t have any children. She wanted to be reunited with her brother and sister in Heaven after the Big Kahuna threw her out for practicing her white witch magic in Heaven. Apparently, that stuff didn’t go down well amongst the top brass. Now she was loitering in Purgatory. I signed it off and plucked the next sheet from the pile.

  By now, my eyes were growing weary, as well as my heart. This one said death by gargoyle. The name was James Santori. I leaned back in my seat, pain stabbing at my heart. I’d spent many a night playing poker and drinking beer with Jimmy. We were good buddies. He had his wife waiting for him up in Heaven too. We could relate. We’d often talk about how awesome it would be to get back into Heaven and see our true love. And that got me thinking of Mia. I ached for her. For her touch. For her comfort. As an Enforcer, I got extra perks. One of those was five free day passes a year into Heaven. I’d already used three of them. It was the pressure of this shitty world. Heaven and Mia were a massive relief from it all. I longed for the day when I’d earn my wings back and leave this crazy place behind. Leave all this death and destruction behind.

  I rolled my eyes down and they met with Aurora. She lay there in a peaceful sleep. What about her? Who would protect her if I got back into Heaven? I was asshole surfer dude. She needed me. I looked beyond her and I got twitchy glances from all the other Enforcers. They needed me too. They were looking up to me. The guilt and responsibility weighed heavy on my mind like a monster truck.

  I growled to myself. I didn’t ask to be a hero! I didn’t want all this responsibility and burden. All I wanted was to play poker, drink beer, drive my Harley, listen to rock music, and eat potato chips. I didn’t want to hunt goddamn demons and fill in forms! This shit was foisted on me!

  I threw my pen down and rubbed my eyes, tears of anguish threatening to squeeze out between my eyelids. I held them back, not wanting any of the others—

  “Tough day, huh?”

  That familiar voice broke me out of my daze. Through bleary eyes, I saw a familiar handlebar mustache ahead of me, a curled up whip resting by his thigh.

  “Ramirez!” I said in pleasant surprise, wiping my eyes. “Man, am I glad to see you in the flesh and not read about you on one of these damn forms.”

  Ramirez nodded. “Yeah, it’s been crazy lately. Hunters been dropping like flies. Everyone’s talking about it. Things are getting wild. Just out here there was a moving streetlight that suddenly turned into a walking rhino. Bastard wanted me to fight him.”

  I grabbed my head. “Oh man. I thought I told him about that. Just ignore him. He’s with me.”

  “Beefing up security, huh?”

  “Something like that. Look, I need you and all the other hunters to hang in there. I’ll sort this gargoyle crap out.”

  “You need any help you just come and find me. That goes for every other hunter as well.”

  A smile broke out over my lips. “Thanks, buddy.”

  “How are things with her?” Ramirez nodded his head toward Aurora.

  I looked from him to her. “Weird. It’s not every day you find out you’re a one in ten billion, come around every three centuries, world hangs in the balance, golden child.”

  Ramirez nodded. “Yeah, that must be tough. Still can’t believe Samuel turned to Satan.”

  I shrugged. “It doesn’t take much to make some people turn. It didn’t take much to turn Anakin Skywalker in the end and we waited over twenty years to find that out.”

  Ramirez chuckled. “True dat. I’m gonna go check out the bounty board. Anything juicy lately?”

  “You know, I’ve been so swamped with paperwork, I’m not sure what’s out there anymore. I’ll tell you one thing, you take down that gargoyle and I’ll wing ten L45 forms your way.”

  Ramirez grinned. “Now that’s a deal!”

  “Stay safe, Ramirez.”

  “You too, Stone.” He sauntered off to the bounty board, hands on hips like he was walking around a bar in a spaghetti western.

  I watched him go, feeling a little better that I had guys like him and gals like Belinda still around to back me up. I just hoped it stayed that way. My gaze fell back on my paperwork. It was a reminder of how we needed to stick together, needed to have one another’s backs. Something Samuel managed to erode during his time as Enforcer. He helped make it an every man and woman for his or herself Guild. No, we needed to be a team. Now more than ever.

  I picked up my pen and turned my attention back to the forms. Somewhere at the back of my mind, I heard the rumbling commotion, but it didn’t register until the volume swelled and I noticed my desk starting to vibrate. Before I had a chance to ask myself what the hell was happening, the door to the club burst open, the resulting smash of it slamming into the wall and coming off its hinges causing the others around me to leap to their feet. My head whipped around to meet what had invaded the Guild, and I wasn’t in the least surprised to be looking at that damn gargoyle standing in the doorway, gazing left and right, his forked tongue licking its stone lips, his red eyes taking everyone in.

  The noise jerked Aurora out of her sleep.

  “Stay back here!” I ordered as I jumped to my feet and raced out to meet the beast. I pulled up and unholstered Bam Bam.

  The other guys and gals all had their weapons out. All around me were light-imbued guns,
swords, sickles, bats.

  Ramirez rushed over, his whip already in hand and light magic buzzing in the other. He imbued his whip as we all surrounded the beast. Small cracks and blackened marks scarred the gargoyle’s body from our previous encounters. Everyone watched him with caution, their weapons at the ready.

  “Stay back from him,” I warned. “He’s tough.”

  The gargoyle licked his lips with glee as he glared around at us all. He met my stare. “You!” he snarled at me.

  “What is it you want?”

  “Your souls!” the gargoyle sneered in a hoarse voice, his mouth contorted in a grotesque grin.

  My brow furrowed. Shivers raced up and down my spine at those words. The gargoyle rocked on his heels and went to lunge. I raised Bam Bam.

  All the while, a rapid stomping sound grew louder by the second, causing my mind to shake. The constant pounding grew in intensity as a giant juggernaut came charging down the stairs. My eyes widened. “Holy moly!” I shouted as Rabid burst into the Guild with his head bent low, his pounding footfalls reverberating all around us.

  Rabid released a roar as the gargoyle turned on his heels to meet him.

  Rabid’s huge rhino horn smashed right into the gargoyle’s torso. There was an almighty crack and chips of stone showered out from the impact. The impact caused reverbs that shook the room. Rabid’s momentum took control and both massive creatures bundled through the club area. I jumped out of the way in the nick of time as they flew past like a train off its rails.

  The gargoyle pushed back as Rabid’s momentum petered out. They came to a halt in the middle of the floor where they grappled like Colossus and the Hulk having a wrestling match. They staggered and swung like an out of control wrecking ball. I threw my hands out to the sides. “Stay back!” I warned everyone. If they both toppled and fell on one of us, we’d be crushed to death.

  Rabid let out a growl as he landed a powerful punch in the gargoyle’s stomach. A harsh crunch sounded out and the gargoyle staggered back. Rabid didn’t waste a second. He stomped up to the stunned gargoyle and unleashed a one-two. The gargoyle caught both blows on the snout. Tiny chips of stone broke off his schnoz as his head snapped back.

  “Go, Rabid!” I shouted.

  Rabid went to work, punching that thing like he was Mike Tyson going at it with Evander Holyfield. Rabid got his punches in, causing small chips and cracks to spread across his torso like a spider’s web. He was breaking it down a little at a time. Chipping away at the sucker. Come on, Rabid. Keep going! You got him!

  I stood ringside, my fists on the air, punching that thing alongside Rabid. My money was well and truly on the rhinoman. He was a mean, lean, smacking machine. Rabid swung a left hook. The stunned gargoyle threw up a desperate hand to try and block the blow. Rabid’s fist hit his forearm and rebounded back, leaving Rabid open. The gargoyle shook off its daze and threw out a kick, catching Rabid right in the groin.

  I winced. “Ouch!” I said to myself, almost feeling that one myself.

  Rabid let out a groan of anguish that only a man could relate to, his massive hands diving straight for the area between his legs. He sank to his knees in slo-mo, his eyeballs crossing. The gargoyle seized the initiative. He stormed in, throwing punches in from all angles. Rabid’s square jaw soaked up a barrage of right and left hooks, which shook him up, causing his eyes to whirl. The gargoyle reached down and grabbed Rabid by the neck. He hoisted him to his feet, Rabid no longer at home, his eyes distant and glazed. With a hoarse growl, the gargoyle picked Rabid up and shoved the rhinoman as hard as he could. My jaw dropped as I watched the mighty Rabid fly across the room like a beach ball. “Look out!” I screamed, my eyes bulging.

  A couple of guys dived out the way as Rabid came hurtling toward them. They managed to escape in the nick of time as Rabid slammed into the wall, leaving a huge rhinoman shaped dent. Rabid landed on a table below, obliterating it. He stayed where he was, out for the count.

  I puffed my cheeks. I couldn’t believe what I just witnessed. The gargoyle made Rabid look like a lightweight. He was one of the toughest brawlers I’d ever come across. He twirled to face us all. His expression was contorted with rage. He’d just taken a beating, but had fought back, dropped a mighty foe. Now he wanted the rest of us. He lunged for me and I fired Bam Bam on instinct. A blast slug hit it in the chest, the explosion halting his charge. His head jerked back and he let out a groan.

  Meanwhile, out of the corner of my eye, I watched Jerome turn to the bottles lined up on the bar behind him. He scanned them and plucked down one in particular. He ripped off the cap and drank deep. He slammed the bottle down on the bar and held up his fists. Within seconds, they started to swell up like an allergic reaction, at the same time taking on a metallic hue. A Potion of Iron Fist. He groaned under the strain as his hands physically altered. When they’d virtually doubled in size, he ceased his noise and glared down at them: two massive hunks of hand-shaped metal. His dark-brown eyes flashed with wild abandon. Without hesitating, he leaped over the bar and raced past me. I watched him flash by as he made a beeline for the gargoyle. “Jerome! What the hell are you—”

  Jerome’s roar cut me off. He threw a punch with his massive iron fist. There was a hollow clang and crunch. The gargoyle reeled, tiny cracks appearing up its shoulder.

  “Doing?” I finished in mild surprise.

  The gargoyle regained his balance and faced Jerome. He swung a punch, but Jerome ducked and weaved like a lithe gymnast. With a short shriek, he sent another punch to the thing’s abdomen. Another clang and crunch and the gargoyle doubled over. Jerome sent it an uppercut, catching it square on the jaw. The gargoyle’s head snapped back, its arms flailing. Jerome steadied himself and took up a karate stance just ahead of the gargoyle, his knees slightly bent. He pulled back his fists and started pummeling the gargoyle’s abdomen with alternating fists. Tiny chips of stone and dust rained down on the wooden floor as Jerome unloaded on the gargoyle.

  Although he juddered under the pressure, the gargoyle withstood the onslaught. He raised his own fists.

  “Jerome! Lookout!” I shouted.

  Too late. The gargoyle brought his fists down. Jerome landed a final blow and hopped back. The incoming fists smashed through nothing but air. The gargoyle lunged. Jerome pirouetted out of the way, landing a punch in the thing’s midriff as he went. The gargoyle spun around, his face contorted. He lunged again. Jerome kept his focus. He ducked the next attack, unleashing a karate chop to the gargoyle’s throat.

  A laugh escaped me. Jerome was like Mr. Williams from Enter the Dragon, only minus the afro. I never knew the old guy had it in him. We all watched him pulling out kung fu like he was Jackie Chan and Hong Kong Phooey rolled into one. He skillfully evaded the gargoyle’s clumsy attacks like a frisky eel, using his engorged iron fists to block and unleash his own. He danced and weaved dragon, tiger, monkey, crane style, hitting that stone sucker for six. Clangs, bell-like dongs, and Bruce Lee-like shrieks rang through the Guild.

  We all watched on in awe. A couple of shouts of, “Go, Jerome!” echoed around me as well as whoops and hollers. It was the best bare-knuckle fight I’d ever seen. I didn’t know how long he could keep it up, but what I did know was the gargoyle could take an absolute mauling.

  Jerome crunched another fist into the gargoyle and more tiny cracks spread across its stone skin. They sent one another a punch and both fists met full on. There was a jarring smack as the fists connected, and the force sent them both reeling. Jerome got the worst of it; his feet left the ground as he fell backward. I watched him go by, his back slamming into the floor, winding him. The gargoyle shook off his stars and stormed in to finish him off, his now damaged fist up in the air as he wound up a fresh assault. As he stomped by me, I aimed and fired. A hollow duff, and a blast slug hit that fist full on. Exploding dust ensued, but this time the damaged fist exploded under the pressure. Tiny bits of stone flew out like shrapnel, hitting the surrounding walls. I raised a protective arm, a chip
or two smacking against it like hailstones. I looked back to see what was left of that obliterated fist as the gargoyle splayed its remaining fingers. The middle two were missing, deep cracks spreading down its palm. The gargoyle gave his hand a dumb stare, hardly able to believe what he was seeing.

  My eyes widened in hope. We got this sucker! “Hit him with everything you got!”

  Everyone stormed in. We smelled blood. Now it was time to finish it off. Fear flashed across the gargoyle’s face as half-angels rushed in toward him. He rotated in confusion and terror as Ramirez lashed his whip at the thing’s head, a sharp crack cutting through the air. The gargoyle grabbed the side of his head right as Jerome slammed his iron fists against his torso, staggering him. The others joined in and everyone took a shot at him with their weapons. We smashed him with bats, knuckledusters, hammers; hacked him with daggers and sickles, determined to destroy the beast once and for all. The asshole made the biggest mistake of his existence entering a room full of half-angels and a rhinoman. Now he was gonna die.

  To my delight, bits of wing broke off, tiny chunks of stone flesh hit the floor. We were finally breaking him down. Piece by piece. Hope and excitement bloomed in my heart. We were going to finally kill this son-of-a-bitch!

  The gargoyle growled and groaned under the barrage of blows raining down on him. He doubled over as the beating became too much. A little more and—

  The gargoyle abruptly flared his wings. Twin sheets of stone jutted outward, colliding with some of the guys surrounding him, the jagged blow sending them flying. The gargoyle spun like a turbo-charged carousel. His wings hit the remaining angels laying into him, knocking them all back like they were bowling pins. Now free of the onslaught, it gave him the precious seconds he needed to escape. He flapped his wings, and flew like a cannon ball for the exit. While the others were on the ground, disorientated, I aimed Bam Bam.