by Amy Miles
“Shut up, Boon,” she snapped. “You don’t even like Alex.” Gabby wanted to destroy both of them. “Are you going to tell Alex, or shall I?” she taunted him.
“Gabby, don’t!” Sammy yelled.
“Sweet, dear Alex, love of my life.” Acid dripped from her tongue as she spoke. “Liar, murderer.” The burning sensation in her abdomen rose up into her throat until she could spit fire. She knew she could burn them all to Hell just with her words. “Your sweet, little innocent sister here and poor pathetic little Boony have been getting it on behind your back.”
“What?” Alexander’s voice sounded weak, broken.
“Alexander, focus,” Boon insisted. “Gabby’s losing it. We have to get her someplace safe before we can’t control her at all.”
Alexander turned on Boon. “How can I trust you?” he growled. “You could be lying. All of you are liars.”
“You don’t have to believe me. Just look at her.” Boon gestured toward Gabby.
“Alexander, please,” Sammy begged. “I’ll explain everything later. I know you see Boon only as a demon, but—”
“Demon? Oh, dear little Sammy, really? How perfect. Your brother despises demons. He thinks he’s better than them. Even though he’s nothing more than a demon with wings,” Gabby purred.
“Don’t listen to her.” Boon tried to grab Alexander but he pulled away. “She doesn’t know what she’s saying.”
Gabby laughed deep and loud. “Please, Boon. I know exactly what I’m saying, and don’t try to change the subject. We’re talking about you and Sammy and your sordid love affair. So, Alex, what do you think their babies will look like? Fangs? Greenish-red eyes? Wings or no wings?” She laughed again. “That would be a sight.”
The burning intensified. She lunged to attack Alexander, intent on killing him and sending him to Hell. There would be no stopping her. She could feel the strength and power surge through her body. She threw him to the ground.
“Come on, fight back,” she spat at him. “Aw, are you going to cry now? Poor Alexander isn’t as good as he thought he was. He’s no better than the scum he hates.” The skin on her arms started to bubble in front of her eyes. She jumped on top of him and pummeled his face with her fists. He didn’t turn or shield himself. His eyes stayed cool, staring up at her, his wings invisible.
“Fight back!” Gabby yelled, trying to get him to change. She wanted to conquer him in his angel form.
Boon and Sammy each grabbed one of her arms but she jerked free.
“Alex, come on! We have to get her home,” Sammy pleaded.
Gabby jumped to her feet and turned to fight them all, but her arms erupted in flames. She waved them up and down like a wingless bird trying to take flight then fell to the ground, rolling to extinguish the flames, but her entire body exploded in an inferno. The pain was maddening and she could smell her flesh melt. “Help me. Help!”
“Boon, help her! What do we do?” Sammy reached for Gabby.
“No, don’t touch me.”
“We have to get her home, right now,” Boon commanded. “The hallucinations have started. She’s going to be out of control soon.”
Hallucinations? Was he mad? Couldn’t he see she was burning alive?
“I’m so sorry, Gabby. So very, very sorry.” She could hear Alexander’s words and hated him all the more, but she couldn’t respond. The pain and rage empowered and crippled her at the same time. Maybe if she gave into the pain, it would stop. But something warned her that if she did, it would only be the beginning.
Chapter Twelve
Alexander shoved Boon out of the way. “Let me do it.” He fell to his knees and slid his arm under her neck to lift her, only to jerk his hand away in searing pain. “She’s burning up.”
Gabby thrashed about on the ground, screaming with rage, and he cursed himself for not listening to Grace. This was all his fault. If she died, he had no one to blame but himself.
Boon helped him up. “Alexander, you can’t help her. Even with the powers you once possessed—”
“I can’t lose her!” Alexander jerked away, his eyes glued to the tortured figure on the ground. What had he done? She was the only person on this Godforsaken planet he cared for more than Grace or Sammy. A strange heaviness covered his heart, a sense of loss he’d never felt before, not even when he fell from Heaven. His insides twisted and he doubled over, unable to rid himself of the overwhelming pain of loss.
Pain, sadness, and fear collided in a sea of emotion. His heart ached with each beat, as if it had been created for another purpose. Not just to pump blood through his body. How he yearned for her wasn’t just physical, or emotional, but a combination of both. He couldn’t think of a word to describe his emotion, except love. He loved her and he couldn’t lose her now. She was the piece of him he’d left behind in Heaven. The one that made him whole again, even here on Earth.
He placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on her waist.
Ignoring the burning pain that radiated from his palms, he summoned every ounce of light within his body to keep his hands against her flesh. His head spun. The horrific sensation of falling forever into a sea of darkness invaded his mind. The evil radiating from her body forced him to relive the feelings he experienced the day he was banished from Heaven.
His eyes burned and his body trembled. He cried out, panting, but forced himself to continue.
“Alex, stop!” Sammy the back of his shirt and yanked him away.
He choked and gasped for air, watching Gabby through watering eyes. Her body had curled into a fetal position, her screams growing louder with each second.
She was dying, and he knew there was nothing he could do about it. He had failed. “What’ve I done?” He beat his head against the ground.
Boon ran past Alexander to Gabby. “There’s no more time. We need to go.”
“We’ll never make it to our house and we can’t take her back to Alex’s car. It’s back at the pier.” Sammy paced around, snapping sticks under her feet. “What are we going to do?”
“Gabby’s house,” Alexander whispered weakly. “Her dad shouldn’t be home yet. It’s our only choice.”
But did it matter? Was there anything anyone could do to save her now? He desperately wished there was. Life would be meaningless without her.
Gabby thrashed about and he reached to touch her but halted. Instead, he rested his body next to hers on the ground, trying to remain as close as possible without physical contact.
“Alex is too weak. I’ll fly her home.” Sammy reached down, but Boon took her hand in his.
“No, Sammy. You can’t change into your angel form. It could kill her or you. When she’s in this state, she’ll drain anything not of this world. We can’t take the chance. We’ll have to walk.”
It took all three of them to carry her. With each step, Alexander weakened further. Her skin burned his hands as he fought to hold onto her small frame. He grasped tighter, welcoming the penance for what he’d done.
“Sammy, are you…” Alexander began, only to trail off as his energy waned.
“Yes, just keep walking. We’ll make it,” Sammy managed through gritted teeth.
“It’s Gabby. She’s draining us. We have to hurry,” Boon said, urging them on.
They picked up speed, ignoring her screams and howls that echoed through the darkening woods.
If only he could calm her, touch her, kiss her, heal her. He’d give up his own life if he could.
To their relief, no one was home except Patronus. He barked and jumped at them as they opened the front door.
“Sammy, find Grace. She’ll know more about what to do,” Boon said while he and Alexander maneuvered Gabby through the tight hall.
“Alex, you go,” Sammy pleaded.
“No, Sammy. I need Alexander’s help. You have to get Grace.”
“But I can’t leave you two alone. You might kill each other.”
Alexander looked up at Boon, but his hatred was gone. All h
e cared about was saving the woman he loved, and if Boon could help even a little, he didn’t care if he was a demon, angel, or hunter. He’d take it.
“Go, now,” Boon insisted. “We don’t have any other choice.”
Sammy’s eyes pleaded with Alexander.
“I won’t harm him,” he whispered weakly. “I promise.” He couldn’t, if he wanted to. Not in the state he was in. Gabby had drained all his energy from him.
Sammy rushed to the front door, pausing to grasp the wall for balance. It was obvious Gabby had weakened her, too.
“Hurry, Sammy,” Alexander called before the door slammed shut behind her.
Alexander’s body shook, not only from the pain, but also the gravity of the situation. He pushed his fear aside so he could focus on getting her upstairs.
They fought their way up to her room while Patronus followed close behind.
“Why isn’t Patronus barking and attacking you or Gabby?” Alexander asked.
“He doesn’t have a problem with me, and as for Gabby, she isn’t exactly a demon.”
Not a demon? “What do you mean?” Is there hope?
“I’ll have Grace explain when she gets here.” Boon fell to his knees as they lowered Gabby onto her bed. They sat across from each other on the floor, holding her down. She arched and screamed, her face red with the heat of her fever.
Panting, she settled for a moment and he brushed the dirt stained hair from her face. Her eyes looked vacant and unresponsive.
He didn’t know what was worse, the episodes of screaming and cursing, or the deafening silence when she lay there lifeless. Each made his insides churn with worry.
“Why do you think Grace will know what to do? How do you even know her?” Alexander asked.
“I’ve known Grace for years.” Boon looked away. “It’s a long story. One I don’t want to share.”
Alexander didn’t have a chance to ask any more questions before Gabby went into another fit. His skin blazed as he struggled to keep ahold of her. Even his heart caught fire, although not for the same reason. His wings started to emerge from his body without warning, as if he’d lost all control of himself.
Patronus barked wildly at him.
“Patronus, it’s okay. I’m trying to help her.”
“You have to stay in human form,” Boon warned. “She’ll drain you completely if you change.”
Alexander concentrated on holding her down while staying in human form, his wings and back protested causing everything in his body to spasm.
Gabby’s screams quieted to a dull groan.
Patronus sat back down and rested his head on his paws. Every so often, when Gabby growled too loudly, he would sit back up and whimper.
After a moment, Alex’s wings relaxed, allowing his muscles and bones to shift back to normal and he could breathe again.
“Alex, we’re here,” Sammy’s voice echoed from the stairway. His heart leapt with hope.
Grace entered the room and leaned against the doorframe, trying to steady herself between labored breaths, as Sammy slipped around her to stand beside Boon.
Alexander pleaded with his eyes for Grace to do something. Grace shuffled toward him. “I’m afraid there’s little I can do to help, son.”
Alexander’s mind and body collapsed in despair.
“You’ve got to do something. Boon said you could help.”
Boon held up a hand in defense. “I said she would know more.”
Grace glanced at Boon and lifted a brow.
“What is it?” Alexander demanded. If whatever was between them could help Gabby then he would pry it out of them. “How do you know Boon? And why haven’t you told me before? I’m tired of secrets. Look at what secrets have done.” Alexander’s voice broke as he tipped his head toward Gabby.
“I’ve told you that I knew demons in my past. Some good, some lost, some doomed,” Grace said, her voice hushed and calm.
“You never mentioned Boon. Why?”
Another fit took hold of Gabby. The wound on her shoulder oozed greenish-brown mucus and Alexander gagged at the putrid smell. Each breath brought pain. His heart ripped open, like her wound, at the sight of her struggle.
“Stand back.” Grace made her way to the bed and knelt, using the nightstand to ease her descent to the floor. “Gabby, can you hear me? You need to keep fighting, my child. Don’t give up. I know it hurts, but remember, God will fight for you. You need only to be still.” Grace touched Gabby’s forehead and instantly she calmed down.
“How’d you do that?” Alexander stood over them. “I tried and couldn’t—”
“I only calmed her soul enough that she could fight. I didn’t heal her. She still wages a war within herself.”
“Is she going to…” He couldn’t get the words out. They were too horrifying.
“Will she be transformed?” Sammy asked.
“No, she’s not turning into a demon. Not exactly,” Grace said, her words heavy. “Sammy told me Forras was involved. Do you know where he is?”
Alexander grunted, “No, but if I find him I’ll make sure he pays for this.”
Grace only shook her head, but she knew he couldn’t follow through with his threats without condemning himself to serve Satan. Taking a life in retribution, wasn’t tolerated, and the punishment would be severe. It still felt good to say aloud, though.
Gabby stirred on the bed. “Mom? Is that you?”
Alexander cringed. He’d taken her mother from her and now, everything good about her. Bile rose in his throat as he flashed back to the accident again. Smoke, cries, her mother’s body resting limp in her father’s embrace.
“Alex,” Gabby whispered.
Alexander raced to her side to take her hand in his. His heart leapt at the thought that she wanted him there, that he hadn’t lost her forever. “Gabby, sweetheart, I’m here.”
In an instant, her eyes changed to yellow and the skin on her arms bubbled as if small bugs crawled beneath it. Alexander fell back when she swung her arm to hit him.
“Murderer! Murderer! You murdered my mother!”
Grace pulled Alexander back and caressed Gabby’s hair. “Shush. It’s time to rest, child.”
Gabby’s skin stopped moving and her breathing steadied.
“What’s going on? How can she still be alive? I’ve never heard of a human lasting this long,” Alexander managed through choked breaths.
Grace looked at him, her eyes haunted. “You’re right. No ordinary human could survive.”
Alexander’s mind reeled with possibilities. “What are you saying?”
Grace traced the scar on Gabby’s shoulder, the one from the accident he’d caused. “All I’m certain of is that there is something special about this child. Something not of this world is helping her. However,” she looked up at Alexander, “only time will tell if she will survive.”
“You failed me,” Gabby accused, her voice deep and demented. “You’ve failed everyone and everything. Give up and go to Hell.”
Alexander looked away, unable to face her.
“Alex, she doesn’t know what she’s saying.” Sammy came around the bed to embrace him.
“It doesn’t matter. She’s right.” Anguish gnawed at his innards and he struggled to breathe.
Grace reached up to touch his face. “Alexander, you have to leave. The evil raging within her is feeding off your grief. You can stay near, in another room, and we’ll call if we need you.”
“It won’t work.” Alexander walked toward the door, his arms stiff by his side. “I’ve tried to stay far enough away that I wouldn’t harm her, yet close enough to protect her. Look what that accomplished.”
At the doorway, he turned back to face the room. “Is there anything I can do to save her?” Alexander held his breath, hoping he could do something to make amends.
Grace looked at him, her eyes sorrowful yet sad. “Pray.”
“I’m not sure I can.”
Chapter Thirteen
The morni
ng sun rose into the sky in an array of oranges and pinks, too beautiful a sight for Alexander to watch. He shifted in the tree outside Gabby’s bedroom window. How could life go on without her in it?
He attempted to feel her presence once more, but he’d learned hours earlier it was useless. Part of him never wanted to enter the house again. What if he couldn’t feel her presence because she didn’t make it?
The crunch of tires on gravel startled him back to reality. A car was coming. Instinctively, he flew to the back of the house, entered through the back porch, and raced up the stairs.
Boon, Grace, and Sammy still sat by Gabby’s side. The sight of them caused a stab of jealousy that he couldn’t stand vigil with them, but he forced himself to refocus.
“Gabby’s father’s coming.”
At the sound of his voice, Gabby immediately started screaming obscenities at him.
“She’s alive?” His heart jumped in his chest as if beating for the first time. The smell of her wound still over-powered him with the stench of rotting flesh, but he didn’t care. He could soar to the clouds at the sound of her voice. It didn’t matter that it came with a deep demonic tone, projecting words he’d never heard Gabby utter before. She’d survived the night.
Grace clutched his arm. “Yes, but I need her quiet. I know it’s hard, son, but I need you to leave.”
Leave? Was she serious? “But if she survived the night, then—”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I said it increased her chances of survival if she made it through the night. Right now, we have to focus on protecting her.”
Sammy climbed to her feet and took his hand. “Alex, trust me. I’ll stay by her side, no matter what.”
Boon stepped away from the window. “Alexander, we need a distraction. We’ve got to get her out of here before her father arrives. Can you handle that?”
The thought of Gabby alive had distracted him from the fact her father barreled down the driveway as they spoke. If he didn’t act soon, her father would hear her screams from outside.
Grace dabbed at Gabby’s forehead. “We’ll take her to our house.”
He grabbed Patronus and took the stairs two at a time heading for the backyard. Waiting for the car door to slam shut, he then rounded the corner to the front of the house.