by Meg Collett
The hybrid writhed, twisting toward her. Michaela fired the gun through the back of its skull from the base of its neck, paralyzing it. She whispered the words that sent immortal fire down her arms, from her fingers, and into the hybrid.
It puffed a plume of smoke as its eyes smoldered. The Descendants swept around her and Isaac. Gabriel shouted over her shoulder that more were coming. But Michaela focused only on killing the already dead creature at her feet. Her anger surged down her arms and powered the words she hissed continuously.
“Michaela!” Gabriel wrenched her arm, causing her to drop the hybrid and stumble away. “Come on!”
He pulled her along as they ran. The Descendants carried Isaac up ahead. The fallen angels fought around them as hybrids poured in from every dark corner. It was an odd sight, Michaela thought, to see fallen angels helping the Descendants even if it meant killing their master’s creations.
Gabriel shoved her forward and drew back to decapitate a hybrid behind them. He didn’t kill the creature because he didn’t know how. Michaela kept running, easily catching up with the others. She scanned Isaac’s throat long enough to see he was still breathing. She saw the deeply torn flesh around his shoulder, but his shirt was covered in so much blood that she couldn’t tell if the hybrid had ripped open his torso.
The fallen angels led them down a side street. When they rounded the corner, Michaela saw a large armored Jeep big enough to sit seven fallen angels. The fallen drew up next to the Jeep, breathing heavy and scanning the empty road.
“Take it. I figured you’d need it.” Michaela turned at Gabriel’s words. He pressed a set of keys into her hand. His knife was covered in a thick, gelatinous blood. “Get him somewhere safe. Get yourself somewhere safe.”
He watched as the Descendants loaded Isaac into the back of the Jeep. They hopped in after him and waited on Michaela; their eyes wide with unveiled fear. Their leader was dying. The hybrids would be coming around the corner any minute.
“What about you?” Michaela asked, suddenly unsure about leaving him in a city full of monsters.
“I’m fine. Just go!” Gabriel pushed her toward the vehicle.
The hybrids had arrived. Gabriel fell into step with the angels, who already had their weapons drawn. “Gabe!” Michaela shouted. When he looked back, she yelled the words in the Watchers’ language that would kill the hybrids if anyone spoke them. With a slight nod, Gabriel spun back around just as a hybrid descended on him.
As Michaela jumped into the car, she heard the beginnings of the whispered, fiery words behind her. The car gunned away as she swiveled in her seat to watch Gabriel fight from the back window. Maybe he wasn’t as lost as she’d thought.
9
The Jeep cut through the inky black of early morning, racing along the empty highway. All around them was darkness. The cities were nothing but flickering lights on their last breaths. Where they once had bright lights and neon signs, the cities were nothing but empty hulls, quickly abandoned and sacrificed to the hybrids in a blaze of panic. In only a matter of days, the cities closest to Charleston had fallen.
For all her effort, Michaela hadn’t even made a dent. The hybrids were free to expand and kill. And there was nothing she could do—another lost battle.
The farther they drove, the more normal things became. Lights popped up. They even met a few cars. They passed through a couple police barricades, but there were no paramedics for Isaac. Just like Michaela and the Descendants, the police line was slowly getting pushed back, leaving more cities and towns open for the taking.
Isaac spent most of the ride stretched across the backseat with his head resting in Michaela’s lap. She hoped he didn’t want her to talk to him or console him. She was in no position to comfort someone. Instead, she held his hand and let him sleep.
His breathing was short and shallow. Michaela heard the slow, labored thump of his heart. After a hurried examination, they’d discovered the hybrid had severely torn apart Isaac’s shoulder and superficially wounded his abdomen. The wounds weren’t awful, but Michaela already smelled the slightest suggestion of infection in his veins. The clammy, pallor of his skin churned her stomach. She remembered this man when he was young and viral.
She gritted her teeth and looked out the rolled down window. The cool morning air whipped through her hair; her eyes watered. The wind dried the sweat on her face. She closed her eyes, her head tilted into the wind stream.
“Look,” the Descendant driving spoke. He gestured toward the gas station racing by on their left. A group of hybrids were in the parking lot. They crouched over something, but looked up as the Jeep passed.
“Should we go back?” another Descendant asked. “That group was past the police barricade. Maybe we should let the cops know they could be flanked.”
Isaac clenched her hand with an imperceptible shake of his head. “No,” she said quietly. “Keep going.”
Michaela glanced behind them. The hybrids stood in the street, watching as the Jeep continued. They jerked back toward the gas station with their heads cocked as if they heard a noise. Michaela grimaced as their fading silhouettes sprinted back to the old building.
They drove for hours, stopping by the side of the road to fill up with gas they’d found amongst the supplies in the car. Gasoline was already a commodity only the rich could afford. They passed gas stations with huge lines of cars and people out front holding signs that begged for the fuel to carry them to safety farther north.
Michaela kept her eyes closed, but she never slept. The others talked in quiet tones. Liam occasionally changed Isaac’s bandages as he bled through them, using all the supplies from the first aid kit he’d found in the car. Everyone but Michaela took turns driving so they could keep fast and sharp. The sunrise came and went with the sun a barely illuminated orb in the sky. It brightened the roads enough that they could turn off the Jeep’s headlights.
After hours of driving, they reached the compound in the afternoon. The sun was a hint of red above the trees, and the sleepy town in Kentucky looked abandoned.
“Where is everybody?” Michaela asked. Liam, who was sitting in the passenger seat, looked back at her.
“Everyone went to the estate’s main building for safety in case the hybrids made their way here.” The Jeep eased quietly through the streets. As they drew closer to the sprawling mansion, Michaela wondered how they would get her inside the gates. She was about to question when the Jeep pulled into a narrow gravel driveway that led to the sagging porch of an old plantation home.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“My house,” Liam answered as he swung out of the car.
Michaela followed slower, being careful not to wake Isaac. Stiffly, she straightened out of the car. Her wingless back ached constantly, but it was worse if she’d been still for a long time or first thing in the morning. The scars from the explosion at the club were still red and swollen on her back. She doubted they would ever go away. To see her naked was to see a battlefield after the battle.
Not that anyone would see her that way again. She tried to stop from picturing Gabriel naked, but she couldn’t resist. Heat filled her chest and turned her stomach. She took a shaky breath and forced her attention elsewhere.
She looked up at the house. Its white paint was peeling in places. But the steps were new as was the railing around the porch. The metal roof shined into the coming light. The door was a bright, welcoming green. The shutters on the front of the house matched the door. It was old, but well cared for.
The Descendants gathered around the car, readying to get Isaac out. But he shooed them away. His blurry, weak eyes landed on Liam.
“He isn’t going in,” Liam said to clarify Isaac’s intent.
This was clearly news to the others. They exchanged surprised glances, but knew better than to question their Keeper. Michaela watched as Liam leaned close to Isaac and asked, “Is it time?”
Isaac managed to nod, but Liam understood.
“I’l
l be right back.” He looked to Michaela. “Wait for me, okay?”
Michaela frowned, but she didn’t have time to ask what was happening before Liam disappeared into the house. The other Descendants shrugged, stepping away to stretch and urinate in the bushes.
“Isaac, what’s going on?” she asked when the others were far enough away.
“I’m coming back with you,” he whispered. Michaela had to strain to hear him. The smell of infection was thick in the air now. She wondered why they hadn’t taken him straight to the infirmary.
“You did,” she answered. “We came back together. You’re outside of the compound. We’ll get you help soon.” She looked around for Liam, growing impatient.
“No. I’m going home. To Iris.” Isaac took a shuddering breath. “To Clark.”
Michaela registered his words with surprise. “I don’t think you should travel in this condition…”
The look in his eyes stopped her. He was going. The stubborn set of his mouth was too familiar. She rolled her eyes, which won her a smile. It probably reminded him of Clark.
At that moment, Liam returned from the house. Under his arm was an old wooden box. It was plain cherry wood with no engravings or special markings. It looked like an old jewelry box. The other Descendants didn’t bother to look up.
Liam stopped next to Michaela. Isaac looked at the box before closing his tired eyes. “What is it?” Michaela asked.
“Open it.”
Liam put the box in Michaela’s arms. When her hand touched the wood, she felt its power. The box had changed, but she recognized the contents. The lid opened easily without a creak of the tiny hinges.
Inside laid seven ancient scrolls. They were quite small for the amount of power they contained. The paper wrapped around the delicate stone was yellow with age, but not crumbling or falling apart. Michaela dared not touch them. She never had. She’d never wanted to.
Michaela held the fate of the world in her arms. With one tight grip, she could crumble the stone of a scroll, setting the End of Days in motion. As the current General of Heaven, Abel had the power to unleash the plagues, but she now had the ability to end it all. She forced herself not to shudder.
Her fear was the reason she had brought the scrolls to Isaac long ago when he’d first become Keeper. She’d kept them with her for most of eternity, but the weight of them, the fear of them, was like a mountain on her back. She worried her fear of the scrolls meant she was not the best to protect them. When she’d met Isaac the first time, she knew he would be the best one to keep them safe.
When he stood before her the first time they’d met, he’d looked her in the eyes and hadn’t wavered. Some thought the gesture disrespectful, but she’d shaken his hand with a smile. Instantly, she’d trusted him. She knew he wouldn’t bow beneath the burden of keeping the seals.
“He told me before we left for Charleston to have them ready,” Liam told her. “He said to give them to you.”
Michaela frowned at the box and closed the lid, feeling the weight of her acceptance like free-fall weightlessness in her stomach. She’d stepped into a gaping void and couldn’t afford to make any more mistakes. Her grip tightened around the box.
She looked at Liam, who smiled kindly at her as if she needed reassurance. “You’re taking him with you?”
Michaela nodded tightly. “He wants to see Iris and Clark.”
“Yes.” Liam nodded, smiling fondly at Isaac. “I thought he might not be staying with us anymore.”
“Anymore?” Michaela asked, disturbed, but Liam ignored her. He stepped closer to Isaac, running his hand across Isaac’s gray hair.
“It’s been an honor to serve you, sir. I have loved every moment. Thank you for your friendship.” Liam kissed Isaac’s forehead.
Isaac’s eyes fluttered open. His hand twitched, and Liam reached for it. Michaela stepped back to give them room. But she still heard Isaac when he said, “You are the one, Liam. I name you Keeper.”
Liam nodded, tears brimming in his eyes. He let go of Isaac’s hand and reached into Isaac’s jacket. From a pocket, Liam withdrew a tiny brand. Michaela knew it immediately. Its shape was the Descendants’ emblem—the eagle with a snake in its talons. Liam produced a Bic lighter. He held the flame to the brand for a long moment as Michaela watched.
When the brand grew an angry red, Liam pressed the flaming metal into the skin on the back of his hand. The brand was in the exact same place as Isaac’s. Liam barely reacted as his skin sizzled.
With a sigh, he pulled the brand away. His flesh was swollen and indistinguishable. Isaac nodded when the deed was done. Liam leaned in for one last hug before he stepped away. Michaela closed the back door of the Jeep.
“I need to ask you to do something,” Michaela said. She’d thought about this a lot during the drive.
“What’s that?” Liam cradled his burnt hand like it was a precious gift.
“You need to get a message to Abel. I want you to tell him very clearly and plainly that if he breaks the Seven Seals, Heaven and Hell will fall too. He won’t just be ending Earth. He’ll destroy everything.”
“Is that true?”
Michaela nodded. “I had a vision, and I believe in my heart it’s the truth. I also don’t think Abel realizes what will happen. I need you to get that message to him as soon as possible.”
“Messenger angels might be hard to come by these days,” Liam said.
“I know, but you have to try, okay? It might be the only way to convince Abel to stop his quest for the seals.” The wind picked up and whipped around them. Its bite was colder than Michaela expected. She shivered. “Put your cell phone number in my phone so I can contact you after you deliver the message.”
Michaela pulled her phone out of her pocket and handed it to Liam, who instantly began sliding his fingers across the slick screen. When he was finished, he handed it back to her. “I have to say that’s the first time I’ve given my number to an angel.”
Michaela tried to smile, but it faltered. “Thanks for helping with the hybrids. I know it must’ve been hard to fight with me after what I did.”
Liam was already shaking his head. “I go where Isaac tells me to go. So do those other guys that helped us. There are some of us who still believe in the old ways when a General of Heaven would never forsake their duties. Isaac trusts you, so do we. Until the end.”
“Until the end,” Michaela said.
“Do you think Abel will believe your message?” Liam asked. He sounded skeptical.
“No. I know he won’t. But maybe others will if they hear about it. He can’t have the entire legion of holy angels under his thumb yet. Someone has to have some doubts. But Abel has to be personally told in front of witnesses. I don’t want anyone saying that I didn’t try to warn him.”
Liam only nodded. Michaela turned and opened the driver side door.
“Can you do this?”
“Do what?” Michaela paused. “Drive? Yes, I can drive a car. It’s just no one ever lets me,” Michaela said, thinking of Clark.
“No.” Liam shook his head. “Can you do this?” He pointed to the seals.
Michaela thought about not answering. She delicately set the seals in the passenger seat. She got behind the steering wheel and buckled her seat belt. The engine was still running.
“I hope so,” she said mostly to herself, but she knew Liam heard her.
10
“I’ve always known how I would die, you know.”
Michaela looked over her shoulder. Isaac lay on his back, eyes staring at the roof of the Jeep. He was lucid, awake for the first time during the drive to Pennsylvania.
“How did you know?” Michaela asked, relieved to hear his voice.
“Iris. She told me before she left Clark and me. It’s an odd thing to know when your death will occur. To wait for that moment, knowing each breath brings you closer to it. Life passes so quickly. I have so many regrets because I’ve tried to run from that moment all my life. She even told
me how it would happen. You know, I didn’t believe her at first. It’s a hard thing to believe.”
“I can imagine.” Michaela didn’t ask for more details, and Isaac didn’t volunteer them, leaving the moment ominous with the implication his death was soon. She kept her eyes on the road, watching the evening’s shadows. The roads were empty. The humans were scared, fearing the night like it brought forth demons in the dark. But the daytime contained evil too. There would be no escape until the Aethere were gone from Heaven.
“We were so young when we met. Of course, I didn’t believe her when she told me she was a Nephil. It’s hard for humans to tell, you know? Nephilim blend in so easily. I’m sure you can recognize them immediately from the smell, but even seasoned Descendants can’t tell. To me, she was just this crazy, mousy girl saying ridiculous things to me and taking up my precious time.” Isaac paused. His voice grew sad. “Precious time.”
“When did she tell you she was a Nephil? Where were you?”
“I was in the town. She lived right there, in the middle of all these Descendants. That took balls, you know? She has so much more courage than I will ever have. I was such an asshole back then,” Isaac said with a chuckle.
He seemed coherent and in good spirits. So Michaela asked, “What happened?”
***
I drank a lot back then. I was young, reckless. I liked the image of a tramp on the run. I guess I bought into it a little too much that night. But hey, I was Isaac St. James. I could get away with anything.
I was drinking and having a good time at a party with Lori Anne. She was all over me with her fake red hair and fake breasts. She was younger than me and still in the high school version of Descendant training, but that didn’t matter; she was easy.
But the party got boring. Lori Anne pissed me off. When I drank back then, all I wanted to do was drive. I just needed to go, to get away.