White Wings

by Aimee Jessica Russ

  “My heart belongs to you,” he said, still holding onto her closely.

  “My heart is forever yours,” she said as she held tightly onto his grey shirt.

  He pulled his face away from hers, and they stared into each other’s eyes with love. They memorised each other’s faces.

  “We need to go,” Mace said.

  “I know,” she said, nodding her head.

  He held her hand tightly as they left her room.

  Teal, Lexi, and Lilly were standing in the backyard, waiting for them. They all took deep breaths when they saw Mace and Millie walking towards them. They all gently smiled at them. Lexi walked up to Millie and hugged her.

  “It will all be okay,” she said.

  “We will protect you,” Teal said as Lexi pulled away from Millie.

  “We will all take care of you,” Lilly assured her, walking up to her and giving her a hug as well. It was just the right kind of hug Millie needed, a motherly hug.

  “I just want to say thank you to all of you for helping us. I know that we are breaking Heaven’s laws by being together, and I’m so grateful you have stayed by us from the beginning,” Millie said as Lilly stood beside her.

  “Thank you for protecting Millie. If it weren’t for you guys, something horrible could have happened to her,” Mace said.

  “We would have always helped you two out,” Lilly said. “You’re family.”

  They all stared at each other with much love.

  “We’ll see you soon,” Teal said as he stretched his wings.

  Lilly and Lexi’s wings broke free from their clothing. With a large gust of wind, they all left the ground. Millie turned to face Mace. Her eyes saw that his wings were already fluttering about. She smiled and touched them.

  “Hold on,” Mace said as he picked her up.

  In an instant, they had left the ground. Millie looked around at the amazing sight that she might not ever see again.

  As they were flying in the air, Millie realised that no one had told her where the battle was going to take place. She wondered where they were going until she noticed they were getting closer to the ground and she recognised the area. With a gasp of horror, she knew exactly where the battle was going to be held. The battle was to take place where Millie and her friends accidently got caught in another Angel versus Fallen battle. Flashes of her friends’ dead bodies came to her. She looked up at Mace, and his face was sad. Now she knew why nobody had told her where the battle was. She would have never agreed to be the bait if she had known. She never wanted to return to the site where all of her friends had died.

  Eighteen

  The Battle

  Mace’s feet firmly touched the ground in a large open area. His wings retracted into his shirt. He gently let go of Millie. She took a step back from him.

  “How could you bring me here?” she asked.

  She wanted to cry, but she knew it would upset Mace, and she wanted Mace’s head to be focused on the battle.

  “If we would have told you, you would never have come,” Lilly said, coming up behind Mace.

  Lexi and Teal appeared as well.

  “Wouldn’t that have been a good thing?” Millie asked in confusion.

  “The Fallen would have sensed that you weren’t at the battle, so they wouldn’t have come here. We Angels know this area very well now. We want them to come to us so we have the upper hand,” Teal explained.

  “I’m sorry,” Mace said.

  “It’s fine, Mace.” Millie gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m sorry I freaked out. I understand now. You guys need me here to win this fight.”

  “Thank you for understanding,” Mace said, kissing her forehead.

  “Now we need to get serious,” Teal said as they all stood in a circle. “All of the other Angels are hiding in the trees behind us,” he continued.

  Millie looked beyond him, and in the distance were many trees. She couldn’t even see any other Angels.

  “All of us are going to stand here until the Fallen come. Then at the last minute, someone needs to take Millie away from the battle area and protect her.”

  “It can’t be Mace or Teal,” Lexi said. “They will automatically think you two will be protecting her.”

  Millie wanted to be with Mace so she wouldn’t be worried sick about him, but she couldn’t figure out why Teal couldn’t protect her.

  “I’ll do it,” Lilly said, volunteering.

  “You sure?” Teal asked.

  “Yes, I am sure. I will take Millie to safety when the battle begins,” Lilly said confidently.

  She looked at Mace. “I will protect her at all costs,” she reassured him. She knew it would be hard for Mace to let go of Millie.

  “If you’re protecting Millie, I’m coming, too,” Hudson said, suddenly appearing at her side.

  “What are you doing here? You should be with the others,” Lilly said, concerned.

  “I will protect Millie with Lilly,” Hudson repeated as his shoulders straightened up.

  Millie and Lexi exchanged glances.

  “Thank you to both of you,” Mace said. He then pulled Millie towards him. They were facing each other. He placed his hand on her cheek. Her hands grabbed his shirt on his chest.

  “I will see you soon,” Mace said.

  “I will see you soon,” Millie repeated.

  Their lips touched for one last time before the battle started. It was short but engaging. They both pulled away from each other, but their hands were tightly locked together as they faced the trees. Teal stood next to Mace. Lexi took hold of Millie’s other hand and squeezed it firmly. Lilly and Hudson stood on the other side of Lexi. They all looked confident, knowing that countless of Angels hid behind them in the trees.

  All of a sudden, they could see the Fallen gliding from tree to tree in front of them. Millie’s heart began pumping faster and faster. Her hands became sweaty, but Mace and Lexi didn’t seem to mind. Her forehead began to sweat. Even though the sun had nearly gone down, the heat was still in the air, which made Millie sweat more.

  She could see one distinctive Fallen in the distance. His red hair shone through the darkness of the trees. It was Drake. Chills ran down her spine. She remembered everything that he did to her down in Hell. Mace grip was slowly becoming tighter and tighter. He knew the Fallen would be attacking soon. They had seen Millie and they all wanted her. They desperately wanted the grace within her.

  The Fallen stood still. Some hovered in between the trees, whilst some crouched on the floor like tigers. They were getting ready to pounce on their victims. The others stood strong with their lips curled back, thirsty for attack. Drake stood in front of everyone. He tilted his head and smiled his haunting smile. He raised his right hand in the air. His eyebrow lifted as his smile grew wider. With a loud roar, his hand flung down by his side and the Fallen started to run or fly as fast as they could. They all headed towards the small group of Angels; they all wanted Millie. Drake still stood back at the forest line with a grin on his face.

  Millie watched as numerous Fallen headed their way. Her heart started to pound even faster. She was frightened. The masses of Fallen were heading in their direction because of her. They wanted the grace inside of her. She could never forgive herself if something happened to anyone who was close to her.

  “One . . .” Millie heard Mace say.

  “Two . . .” he continued.

  “Three!” he spoke loudly as the Fallen were almost amongst them.

  Instantly, all their wings broke free from their backs and covered Millie. Lilly grabbed Millie and launched into the air, Hudson followed. Millie looked down at the ground where the droves of Fallen had reached Mace, Teal, and Lexi. She closed her eyes in terror. When she opened her eyes again, the battle was out of sight. Her eyes widened with horror as she saw that a handful of Fallen were following them.

  “Lilly!” she yelled.

  Lilly calmly nodded to Millie. Hudson saw them and looped around to meet them. His wings were gl
orious as the moon was about to rise. He attacked them, and one immediately fell. Millie watched him as he fell out of sight. There were now four left. One jumped on Hudson’s back, tugging at his wings. Another attacked him from the front, but Hudson kicked him away and he flew in the clouds. The other two saw Lilly and Millie, and started to fly towards them. Hudson managed to grab one by the leg and flung him in the other direction.

  Lilly faced her hand towards the other Fallen who was coming towards them. A small white cosmos formed in her palm. Millie’s mouth dropped. She remembered Mace showing her that power in her bedroom. Lilly hurled the ball at the Fallen, and it hit him. Electrical currents engulfed his body. His eyes turned white and he fell. Millie was shocked. She had now seen the true effect of this power up close. She felt sorry for her friends. She thought about how much pain they would have gone through.

  Millie shook her head and looked back at Hudson. He was fighting the other three Fallen. His muscles were tensed. He flung them off one by one, but they kept coming back for more. Lilly hurled another white cosmos in his direction. It went by Hudson’s face and hit another Fallen, and he fell towards the ground. The other two looked at each other in shock. While they were distracted, Hudson grabbed both of them and hit their skulls together. Millie heard a loud crack. Lilly covered Millie’s eyes as they continued flying away.

  They flew for a couple of minutes until they reached the ground again. They landed in a different part of the forest. Here they were surrounded by large thick trees. Lilly had found a very small opening where she could protect Millie.

  “Why did you cover my eyes?” Millie asked.

  “I didn’t want you seeing that,” Lilly replied.

  “See what?”

  “I didn’t want you seeing Hudson ripping their bodies apart.”

  Millie just stood there motionless, imagining Hudson ripping them apart.

  “How could he do that?”

  “He was protecting you.”

  “But they were Angels.”

  “Not anymore,” Lilly said, looking sad. “They have chosen to fight for Lucifer. In the end, they are not Angels of the Lord anymore. They are our enemies.”

  Hudson landed and retracted his wings. “You two okay?” he asked sincerely.

  “We’re fine,” Lilly said.

  “Thank you,” Millie said, understanding what he had to do.

  “No problem.”

  “Are you okay?” Millie asked.

  “I’m fine.”

  “That’s good to hear.” Millie wandered over to a nearby tree and sat against it.

  “That was close, Lilly,” he said, referring to the cosmos that could have hit him.

  “Oh, are you going to be okay?” she said sarcastically.

  Hudson grabbed her by the waist and flung her in the air.

  Millie smiled at them. She thought they looked cute together.

  “Why didn’t they have any powers?” Millie asked a few minutes later.

  “They were newly Fallen Angels. They had not mastered the power yet. That’s why they were so shocked when Lilly threw a cosmos at them. They knew they had no chance after that,” Hudson explained.

  “Oh, okay,” Millie said. “Why didn’t more come after me? I thought they wanted me?”

  “They do want you, but they all couldn’t resist killing a few Angels first,” Hudson said in a dull tone.

  For a moment, Hudson and Lilly looked at each other with sad faces. They thought about all the Angels they were about to lose. Millie thought about Mace, and her heart ached. She wanted to know if he was okay. She hoped that he was not hurt. She wished he was with her so she wouldn’t be worried sick.

  * * * * *

  Mace hit a Fallen in the chest. He went flying into another Fallen, knocking him over. Another Fallen attacked him, but Mace quickly broke his neck. He saw Lexi flying in the air like a ballerina. Her skirt was twirling whilst she dodged a few fireballs. She picked up a Fallen and threw him into a tree nearby, smiling in triumph. Mace looked around to find Drake. He had seen him giving the orders to attack at the beginning of the battle. Mace knew it was him--he saw the reaction Millie gave when she recognised him, so he memorised his face. He knew he must have Isabel.

  A black cosmos flung towards Mace. He flew into the air. The ball hit another Fallen in the back. He continued flying, trying to find Drake. He looked over to a tree and found Drake staring at him. His red hair stood out in the darkness. The sun had fully disappeared and the moon was nearly as high in the sky.

  Mace headed towards Drake, but another Fallen tackled him in the air. They fell to the ground and skidded until Mace hit a tree stump. The Fallen punched him in the jaw. Mace grabbed the Fallen’s shoulders and flung him off. Mace stood up. The Fallen threw a black cosmos at Mace. Mace ducked and at once threw a white cosmos in return. It hit the Fallen in the chest, and he fell to his knees. His eyes went white and his body collapsed on the ground.

  Mace took flight again and saw Drake staring at him once more. Drake smiled and walked into the thick woods. Mace flew after him. He couldn’t see Drake through the trees, so he landed on the ground and ran after him. He ran as fast as he could until he felt a large, hot hand on his shoulder. It was Drake. Drake firmly dug his hand into Mace’s shoulder and threw him. Mace skidded on the ground. He stood up, his shoulder still burning from Drake’s touch.

  “Well, well, well. I finally meet the Angel who fell madly in love with a human,” Drake said, curling his lip.

  Mace stood there whilst his hands formed fists.

  “But it has happened many times before, in the beginning of this pathetic planet. I have to say it hasn't happened in a very long time though; but don’t feel too good about yourself,” Drake continued as he walked back and forth in a straight line.

  Mace stood there silently. He kept a watchful eye in case Drake attacked him.

  “It is good though, isn’t it? Being with a human? If you join me, Mace, you can be with her until the day she dies,” he said, grinning.

  “I will never join you. You will always be after Millie,” Mace said loudly, realising Drake knew his name.

  “That is not the case. When you become a Fallen, you will suck the grace out of Millie. There will be no use in me going after her then.”

  Mace stood there in silence. He had never thought about that before. If he fell, no one would be after Millie anymore.

  “Hmm, I have intrigued you. Yes?”

  “Where is Isabel?” Mace said, not wanting to answer the question.

  “Oh, that pitiful human?” Drake said as he stopped walking.

  “Give her to me. You have no use for her,” Mace ordered.

  “Oh, we had plenty of fun with her,” Drake said, laughing.

  “Where is she?” Mace demanded.

  “Oh, fine.” Drake said. He clicked his fingers together.

  In a cloud of black smoke, Cillian and Mischa were by his side. Isabel was on her knees with white material tied around her mouth and wrists. She looked bruised and tired. She looked up at Mace and mumbled, “Benjamin.”

  “Give her to me,” Mace said, stepping closer.

  “I wouldn’t come any closer if I were you,” Cillian said as he picked Isabel up by the throat.

  “Why do you want her?” Mace asked.

  “Leverage,” Drake said.

  “For what?”

  “You simply give us Millie with no fuss, and we will give you Isabel,” Drake said as he pressed his fingers together.

  “I will never do that,” Mace said, feeling sorry for Isabel. He wanted to save her but he loved Millie too much.

  “But if you simply give us Millie, you will save many lives, including yours, and end this battle. Are you that selfish?” Drake pressed.

  “I will never let you hurt Millie again,” Mace said boldly.

  “Let’s face the facts. I’ve heard that unless you fall, you will never be allowed to see Millie again. So if you just give her to us now, it will not make
any difference.”

  Mace stood there. He was becoming angry. He would never let Drake lay a finger on Millie again. He looked at Isabel, and her eyes were full of misery, pain, and confusion. He wanted to save her, but he was outnumbered. He looked around, trying to think of a plan.

  “Fine. I will give you Millie,” he said with conviction.

  Drake’s lips curled in pleasure. “Bring her to me,” he ordered.

  “I want Isabel first,” Mace said.

  Drake laughed. “Do you think I’m that stupid?”

  “It’s the deal. Take it or leave it,” Mace said, eyeing Drake.

  Drake’s lips pouted. “You can have her if you can catch her,” he finally said, looking at Cillian.

  Cillian's lips turned into a slight smile. In an instant, he took flight with Isabel firmly in his grip. Mace’s wings burst through his skin. He nearly left the ground but Mischa tackled him, pinning him down. Mischa was much stronger then Mace; he had been a follower of Lucifer for thousands of years. He counted himself lucky that he managed to defeat him before. Mace tried to budge from Mischa’s grasp, but he couldn’t. Mischa had learned Mace’s weakness from the many times they had fought each other. A loud grunt came from Drake, and Mischa turned and looked at him. Mace caught him off guard and knocked him into a tree beside them. Mace leapt into the air and started flying towards Cillian.

  “Go after him!” Mace heard Drake shouting.

  Mace continued flying through the sky. He realised that Drake had grunted because Cillian hadn’t thrown Isabel from the sky yet.

  Mace soared towards Cillian. He noticed that Teal was attacking him. Isabel reluctantly held on to Cillian for dear life. Mace grew closer and closer. He threw a cosmos towards him, but it was intercepted by a black cosmos. Mischa appeared on the other side of Cillian and Teal. He smiled and torpedoed towards Mace. Mace dodged Mischa and headed straight for Isabel. She was now hanging on to Cillian’s leg. Every second, she lost her grip further and finally slid down his legs towards his foot.