by Bea Paige
“No. I don’t know who that poor woman is, but she’s not my mother.” The relief in my voice is obvious, even though the sight of the woman’s broken body makes me feel sick.
Ezra stares at Accacia, a silent conversation going on between them. I watch her mouth as she speaks.
“Just another victim of Abanthe and Queen Adrielle,” Accacia sighs. She bends back down and gently rests her fingers against the woman’s staring, lifeless eyes, closing the lids. Accacia bows her head a moment, then stands, turning to me.
“Abanthe will not hurt another living soul. This ends now. Are you ready to fight back, Fern?”
I take her hand and squeeze it tightly. “I’m ready.”
“That’s good to hear because we’re going to war,” another, unfamiliar, voice says. A voice that, oddly, I can hear loud and clear. My head snaps around and from a dark corner of the garden a young woman emerges. She can’t be much older than twenty, but one assessing glance from her tells me that age is just a number. This woman is powerful, I would have sensed that even if her palm wasn’t glowing with magic and I wasn’t able to hear the sound of her voice.
I frown, looking at Accacia who grins. “Lissa, meet Fern. Fern, meet Lissa.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Ether
It’s taken us less than three hours to track down Abanthe, his trail of death and destruction making it easier for us to follow. Broken bodies litter the landscape of his journey, a sinister trail of breadcrumbs leading us directly to him. I’m fully aware that a few hours here equate to more than a couple of days in Utero, but there is nothing I can do about that. I only hope Fern has kept her promise and remained safe.
“Over there,” I sign to Mihr, spotting the old woman’s lifeless body strewn across a pile of rubble. To her left is a huge, bright yellow monster with jagged metal jaws. It rests amongst the stones like a sleeping giant, the woman a discarded doll by its side.
“He’s likely up there,” Mihr signs, pointing to the top of the derelict building.
Mihr is right. Now that Abanthe has wings it would make logical sense he would seek the highest point to escape from should anything go wrong.
“It’s where I’d go. Abanthe is no fool. Getting cornered in a rundown building wouldn’t be the smartest decision.” Gabe agrees.
“Head up to the roof. I’ll check on Fern’s mother,” I say, quickly jogging towards the old woman. Out of the corner of my eye I see Gabe and Mihr launch into the sky.
The closer I get the more convinced I am that Fern’s mother is dead. Her skin is pale, as pale as the shadows that roam in the mists back home. She has two large puncture wounds on her neck. The blood has dried, telling me that either her heart has stopped beating or there isn’t enough blood left in her body to bleed. I lower my head to her chest, careful not to make contact. Hovering an inch above her, I hear the faint thud of her heartbeat. She’s barely alive. I look over her body; one of her arms is bent in an impossible position, the bone in her forearm protruding from her skin. Her left ankle is swollen to three times its size and bruises marble her thin, wrinkled skin. Guilt wells in my chest. Her pain and suffering are on my hands. I should have acted sooner. Fern will never forgive me for this.
The old woman’s chest rattles on the next breath. Her eyes flicker open and she murmurs so quietly, I can barely hear her.
“Fern…”
In her last moments, it is her daughter’s name on her lips. Death is only minutes away.
“She mean something to you, angel?” a raspy voice says. “Or to that pretty wench you boys are all dripping dicks over?”
Abanthe. I stand quickly, twisting on my feet to face the monster as he rises out of the rubble. I hadn’t even seen him.
Shit.
I’m one of the best fighters of Clan Vitae, but even I know that I can’t defeat Abanthe on my own. I had a better chance when he was a Dark Knight. Now he’s consumed by Queen Adrielle’s magic and has skin as thick as rock and claws as sharp as knives. I glance up to the rooftop, hoping to spot Mihr or Gabe.
“Your brothers are a little indisposed,” Abanthe laughs. The sound grates my ears.
“What do you mean?” I ask, narrowing my eyes. “What the fuck have you done, beast?” A thread of worry spears my chest and my eyes flick back to the top of the building. I catch sight of Mihr being thrown backwards over the roof. He tumbles for half a second before his wings snap out and he flies back towards a creature who looks exactly like Abanthe.
“Not me, pigeon,” Abanthe sneers. “Queen Adrielle sent reinforcements. Looks like the fight has evened up somewhat.” He reeks of the darkest parts of Queen Adrielle’s magic, in fact the whole area smells of it. Why hadn’t I noticed sooner? I should’ve known that bitch wouldn’t have made things easy.
“Can’t face a few angels on your own, beast? Are you so scared you need reinforcements? Or is it because Queen Adrielle doesn’t trust you enough to get the job done?” I taunt him.
Abanthe roars with laughter. The ground beneath my feet trembles.
“Scared? You think the reinforcements are just for you angels? Don’t flatter yourself. Queen Adrielle hasn’t forgotten the others who escaped through the portal that night you betrayed her. She’s making an army more powerful than you can ever imagine. Nothing and no one can stop her now. Not the pathetic pigeons of Clan Vitae, not the wolves and certainly not the defectors of Clan Lux.”
“You forget one thing, Abanthe. We have Nostra and he knows your Queen far better than any of us. He knows her weaknesses, and he has our combined strength. We are done with being her slaves. Aren’t you?” It’s a pointless question. Abanthe has always enjoyed his position as one of the Queen’s most trusted knights. His evil has evolved with every passing year.
“I’m not her slave. She’s given me power that far outweighs your own. She chose me to be her second in command. Look at me, I’m fucking indestructible!” He punches a hand against his chest.
“Not only you, it would seem,” I say, indicating the other creatures just like him. “You said so yourself, Queen Adrielle is building an army. You are just another one of her minions. Don’t for one minute think that witch won’t end your life the moment you fail to please her.”
I must have hit a chord because Abanthe launches forward, his hands outstretched.
“I’m going to rip your wings from your shoulders, pigeon,” he roars.
Even though he appears damn near indestructible, he is still slow, cumbersome, and I can swerve his clawed hands with ease.
“You’ve got to do better than that, beast,” I snarl, taking flight. I land on the other side of the building site, drawing him away from Fern’s mother. If I can defeat Abanthe and get her back to Utero, she might just survive. But I must be quick, she has very little time left. Above me I can hear my brothers fighting, and only hope that they are winning their battle. We may have had a chance of winning the fight three against one, but one on one, I’m not so sure.
Abanthe launches himself into the air, his metal wings glinting in the moonlight. I can see no lasting damage from our previous fight, but that doesn’t surprise me. He’s taken so much blood from the innocent that healing as fast and as well as he has is inevitable. Our clan may have the magic of Utero to heal us, but Abanthe has the advantage of Queen Adrielle’s magic and the regenerative nature of human blood. Both are formidable.
He lands a few meters from me, his eyes glowing red embers in the molten rock of his skin.
“You should be afraid, Ether. Your angels are nothing but a flock of tiny little birds in comparison to Queen Adrielle’s new army. I’ll have great pleasure in seeing you all plucked free of those pretty feathers you hold so dear.”
“I’d like to see you try!” I shout, rushing forward, my speed and agility the best weapon I have against such a seemingly indestructible creature. I land the first punch, Abanthe’s head snapping back with the force. Dodging his clawed hand, I spin away, swiping my wing out and taking hi
m off his feet. He lands heavily, but not before releasing some metal feathers from his wings. They fly at me, sharp arrows whizzing through the air. I manage to dodge two but the last one imbeds itself in my chest, just beneath my collar bone. I ignore the searing pain and rip it from my body. That distraction gives Abanthe enough time to clamber to his feet. This time I’m the one to receive the force of his punch. It’s powerful enough to send me flying back a few feet, but I do not fall to the ground; my wings snap out behind me, keeping me from stumbling.
“Your pretty wings are useless against me. Unless you use them to fly away. How about I give you a head start? I’ve always loved the chase, makes it much more entertaining, don’t you think? The great vulture after the little pigeon.”
“You should know by now that I never run, Abanthe. Let’s end this,” I growl, pushing up and away from the floor. Abanthe mirrors my movements and we meet ten feet above the ground.
Fists punch, feet kick, nails rip and teeth bite. A raw, unbridled rage erupts from both of us as we pummel each other. My speed and agility wane as his sheer brute force and powerful body gives mine a beating.
This isn’t a fair fight, and only one of us is getting out alive.
My thoughts flash briefly to Fern, and the love I hold for her. My confession is still fresh, the new emotion unfamiliar. I must win this fight for her. I must save her mother and then I must show her how much I love her every single day until my last damn breath.
“Give up, pigeon. You are no match for me. Stop fighting and I will give you a swift death.”
Abanthe throws a punch that has me flying backwards in the air, even my wings aren’t able to stop me from crashing against the massive pile of rubble. I feel some of my ribs break as I hit the rock, and a groan slips past my gritted teeth.
Abanthe is right, he is stronger than I am, much stronger. But that doesn’t stop me from fighting back. He may appear indestructible, but there is always a weakness. The soft jelly of his eyes is one of them. If I can blind him, then it doesn’t matter if he’s made of stone. He won’t be able to see long enough to save his arse. The only trouble is, reaching for his eyes will make the rest of me vulnerable to his vicious claws. My arm and torso are already bleeding from the wound he’s given me. My only hope is to stop fighting, to admit defeat, or at least pretend I’m defeated.
“Giving up already?” Abanthe sneers. I don’t answer him, just get up onto my knees, letting him believe what he wants. I mentally assess my injuries as he stalks towards me. I’m pretty sure one of my wings is broken. I’m bleeding heavily from the deep gouge he’s made across my chest and almost every part of my body hurts from his punches. But I’m not dead yet. I think of Fern; my beautiful, strong angel. It gives me enough strength to do what must be done. I must wait for the right moment.
Abanthe stands before me. “I’m going to have so much fun fucking Fern. I shall make sure it’s as painful and as drawn out as possible. That pretty little slut will be nothing but a broken mess once I’m finished with her. I may even share her with my new brothers, just like you three do. Sharing is caring, right?”
The rage at his words tears through my chest, but I wait until his guard is down, until he believes I’ve given up for good. I allow my shoulders and head to drop, feigning defeat.
“Look at me, angel,” he demands, an evil laugh erupting from his throat.
I do as he asks. My body is trembling, but not for the reasons he thinks. The rage in me is building. I lock eyes with him, trying desperately not to show the fight I still have left.
“Your whore will become my plaything. I will fuck her mouth, her cunt and her arsehole until she is ripped and torn, then I will peel the skin from her flesh and use it as a fucking top.”
That’s it.
I’m done pretending.
This fucking bastard is going to die.
“YOU WON’T GET A CHANCE TO TOUCH HER!” I roar, and in one last burst of energy I leap towards him, my fingers outstretched. Grabbing hold of his head in my hands, I bury my thumbs in his eyeballs. The roar of shock and pain that erupts from Abanthe’s mouth is enough to burst my ear drums. I stumble back, noticing too late that Abanthe’s hand is buried deep in my stomach. He rips his hand back, a burst of bright red blood spurting from the fatal wound.
Collapsing against the rubble, the last thing I see is Fern’s mother lying just as broken and battered next to me. Then the world falls into darkness.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Fern
I step through a portal ripped in space and time by Lissa and into a scene of carnage and destruction. I don’t have time to work out why this woman I’ve only just met is helping us, why I can hear her voice or what she even is. She has magic, perhaps that’s the answer. Does that make her a witch like Queen Adrielle? I have no other choice but to trust her, trust Accacia and her vampires. I feel my skin prickle as the portal closes behind us all.
“The roof!” Lissa shouts, pointing upwards. I follow her line of sight and see two familiar figures fighting an unknown foe. Gabe and Mihr have their own battle to face, my beautiful angels are fighting for their lives. Worry threads through my chest and on instinct my wings snap out behind me, ready to launch upwards to help. Lissa grabs my arm.
“No, Rhain and Devin will help your men. You’re needed here, Fern.”
The vampires don’t wait a moment longer and rush past me, heading to the building. They run so fast, I barely see them move. In front of us, the monster Abanthe roars, his clawed fingers clutching at his face. I notice that his eyes are missing and hope to God that Ether isn’t as damaged as he is. My heart races, where the hell is he?
“Accacia, Ezra, deal with him,” Lissa orders, pointing at Abanthe. They do as she commands whilst my eyes scan frantically for signs of my mother and Ether.
Hidden behind a digger is a piece of material fluttering in the breeze. I recognise that skirt. I step to the side, trying to get a better look. Lying on a pile of rubble is the battered and broken body of my mother. Next to her is Ether, his hand stretched out towards her.
“ETHER! MUM!” I scream, half-running, half-flying towards them. I avoid the monster Abanthe as he fights blindly against Accacia and Ezra.
Falling to my knees between my mother and Ether, I reach out a hand to both.
“No, no, no, no,” I wail, trying desperately to stem the flow of blood from Ether’s wound. “Ether, Mum, can you hear me?”
With one hand I can feel the warmth of Ether’s blood as it leaks from his stomach, with the other the cold spread of death as it creeps across my mother’s skin. A low moan escapes Ether’s lips. My head snaps around to look at him.
“Ether, please open your eyes,” I beg as a rush of emotion bombards me. It’s as violent as the wound on Ether’s chest. I love this man. I love all my men.
“Ether, please, stay with me.” My hands are quickly covered in his blood; it oozes up through his wound, covering my hand completely.
“You need to make a choice,” Lissa’s gentle voice says from behind me. “You need to decide who lives and who dies, Fern.”
“What are you talking about? Ether can’t die, he’s immortal.”
“No, that’s where you’re wrong. The angels continue to live by repeatedly taking the soul they are bound to, much like the vampires of Clan Lux drink blood to survive. If Clan Lux refuse to consume blood, eventually they will die. If the angels don’t take that newborn soul they too will perish, but just like the sun has the power to end the vampires’ lives, Ether can lose his by a fatal wound such as this. Immortality is a choice, it’s not a given.”
I look at Ether’s face, at the fading light beneath his skin, and know Lissa is telling me the truth. That’s why he protects me so vehemently. I hadn’t understood their lives were just as fragile as humans’.
“Rip another portal, we can take him to Utero,” I say in a rush.
“I cannot open a portal to a place that is blocked from me. I’m not one of Clan Vitae.�
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“But you have magic. I can hear you, just as I can hear my angels. If your magic can do that, then you can rip a damn portal into Utero.”
“My magic is developing every day, certainly, but the magic protecting the home of Clan Vitae is powerful. More powerful than I am. Fern, I don’t have the answers as to why you can hear me,” she adds as an afterthought.
“Then I shall fly him home.”
“There’s no time for that. He’s dying, Fern. Your mother too.”
“Please, you must help them,” I beg.
“I don’t have that kind of magic… but I believe you do.”
My head snaps up. “I don’t have magic. I can’t save either them, I’m an Angel of Death, Lissa.”
Lissa kneels down next to me. “You aren’t just an Angel of Death. You have a magic within you. I sensed it the moment we met. You’re like the rest of Clan Vitae, yes. There is the same darkness running through your veins, but there’s also light. It is powerful, Fern.”
“What does that even mean?”
Lissa sighs, pressing her hand on my arm and closing her eyes briefly. She tips her head to the side, her eyebrows pulled together in concentration.
“It’s as I thought. You can both give life and take it, but there must be a balance.”
“I don’t understand. What should I do? Tell me what I should do!”
Beneath me, Ether comes to, but he doesn’t look at me. He turns to face my mother.
“Save her. Save your mother,” he mumbles.
“Ether, no,” I say, bringing my blood-covered hand to his cheek. “I can’t let you die. I won’t.”
“I don’t deserve your love,” he coughs, droplets of blood sprinkling over me.
“That’s not true…” My heart aches at his words. I’ve made him feel that way, misunderstanding his decisions, berating him for them. I’ve been a fool.