Solas interjects, “It’s not working. I can’t find Sasha.”
Keep trying. We have to get out of here.
Lilith twists a lock of my hair tight around her finger, “I could teach you, pigeon. I could release you from these shackles, provide you with more comfortable accommodations, and train you to use your abilities to their full potential. You could be more powerful than you have ever imagined. You would never be subjected to this treatment again, and I would protect you as I do your brother.”
Her vibrantly green eyes search mine for a response I don’t give, keeping my countenance impassive. This is how I got close enough to Beleth to kill him. Would it work with her?
Solas must still be listening to my thoughts because he objects. “No. I’ll figure this out. We’re getting out of here.”
What if we don’t? I counter.
Lilith brushes my hair from my face, then runs her fingers gently down my cheek. “All you would have to do is embrace me, Ivy. Give your essence to me so I may guide you to your full potential.”
The bogus motherly love she’s using to try and sway me doesn’t change the horrible things she’s put me through. I would never give her the pleasure of winning. I glare at her with a raised brow, “I thought you wanted me to give my essence to Lucian?”
My question doesn’t deter her deceitful nature. “Lucian is a misled child. He has no way of guiding your capabilities. He believes his father’s ramblings of a prophecy with no known origins. They think that Michael’s hand in your creation sealed your fate to be the ultimate weapon against the Darkness. They fear if you are not controlled or destroyed before you reach the full potential of your abilities, their kingdom will fall.”
“You don’t believe the prophecy,” I state.
“No.”
“Then why would you want to control my essence for yourself?”
Lilith presses her body to mine, leaning into my ear with the softest whisper, “The King’s reign is expiring. The Darkness is rebelling against him for his lack of action against the Light. Those who followed are now taking matters into their own hands. They need to be controlled. The King will fall. With you at my side, I can take control over the Darkness leaking to the surface.” The corner of her lips pulls into a satisfied grin as she meets my eyes again.
“And what of Lucian?” I ask.
She shrugs with a wave of her hand. “He will take his father’s position as King, but I will not allow him to make any decisions. With my control of your essence, he will keep the both of us accessible. He may hold the title, but it will be you and me who rule the Darkness.”
Her treachery goes beyond anything I’d imagined a mother was capable of. I consider giving this information to Lucian, thus turning them against each other. Solas snickers at my thought. I try to buy us more time to escape, “Can I think about it?”
“Oh, yes! Take all the time you need,” she lilts. Her expression falls as she turns away. “Pain is the best motivator.” She snaps her fingers at her side as she struts out of the cave.
The Fallen guards re-enter the lair with their demon slaves. In less than a millisecond, Solas’ cries fuse with my own as they feed on us. A demon grinds its teeth against my lower rib before it gives way and snaps. Another at my neck pulls its head back with a chunk of sinew in its mouth. My screams become gargled. It scarfs the tissue down its throat, then leans in close, inhaling the overwhelming stench of blood across my face. Its sick smile drips with malevolence. The wound continues to gush, and the demon’s moldy tongue salivates against it, collecting every drop.
Instead of letting the pain defeat me again, I become enraged. Growling, a thunder emanates from my chest, grabbing the attention of the monster at my back. My skin grows hot, a blinding light illuminates through my eyes, and my body attempts to heal itself to no avail with the constant marring it’s being put through.
My eyes travel to Solas stretched out beside me. A demon perches itself on his shoulders, ripping the muscles from his bicep. I have a thought to taunt the bastard into eating my own hand so I may slip from the cuffs, but I’ve yet to discover if my limbs will grow back and don’t want to chance it.
After what feels like hours, the Fallen guards pull their demons from us. Lucian appears beside Solas, locking eyes with me. “Have you had enough?”
Breathing heavily, I let my head fall back, “You’ll never break me. We’ve been through this before. I can do this all day.” My bravado shakes with the pain.
Lucian chuckles, pacing towards me. “I think I may be able to change your mind.”
There’s no telling what his sadistic mind will come up with next. I glare at his crooked grin. “You obviously think you’re better than me. Some strong man you are. You won’t even face me in combat. You hide behind your legion. You keep me tied up to avoid my touch… Because you know I would kill you. You can’t stand the fact that I’m stronger than you. You’re a fucking coward.”
His face falls into a scowl. “Is that what you think?”
“It’s what I know. You’re a fucking coward, afraid of your father, afraid of Lilith. You know she’s only using you, right?”
He shrugs a shoulder, “She may think so, but I have my own agenda.”
I roll my eyes, “Of course, you do.”
“I have a proposition for you, sister,” he says with a twitch to his smirk.
“Whatever it is, my answer is still ‘no.’”
The huff through his nose is followed by the flare in his red eyes. His steps are measured as he approaches the table of torturing devices he’s laid out. I watch his hand hover over each weapon, seemingly deciding on what to choose. “You have an immense threshold for pain.” He picks a pair of plyers, inspecting them in the light of the fire surrounding us. “But you can’t handle the amount of pain put on the ones you care about.”
Lucian pivots to face Solas and me with a curious tilt of his head. He gives a Fallen guard a sidelong glance, then blinks slowly before gesturing to Solas with his head. The guard makes his way behind Solas. With one hand, he rips Solas’ head back, forcing his mouth open with the other.
I shout, “What are you doing?”
The Prince disappears to reappear before Solas. “Well, I don’t need him to speak.”
I watch in horror as Lucian pushes the plyers into Solas’ mouth. I scream out in protest, “No!” Solas’ wails are muffled. Lucian’s hand jerks back. The plyers come away coated in blood, Solas’ tongue pinched between their grip. I scream again, “Fuck!” I choke back the bile crawling up my throat. “What the fuck is wrong with you!”
His smile is satisfied as he tosses Solas’ tongue to my feet. “Oh, yes. This may work well. Would you like to see what I can do with his digestive system? I’m great at balloon animals.”
“Fuck you!”
Lucian tosses the plyers back on the table, “Let’s have a party.”
Chapter 17
Jack
When Ivy said she wanted space, I became furious. Irrational. That woman drives me insane! I hadn’t seen my friend, Ezra, in a few years, and it was a welcome getaway to visit him in Sydney. She wants space. She’s got it.
Ezra’s a Power Angel, an Assassin of Light. He just finished a mission in New South Wales and was down for some R and R. I meet him outside some new club called T. That’s it. No name. Just the initial, T. I don’t get what the hype’s all about.
I feel like a chump waiting in line for hours before we’re ushered in by two bouncers. Two girls in front of us give them a flirty wave. One girl squeals in a sing-song voice, “Hey, Byson!”
The bouncer points to himself, “I’m Tyson,” then points to his partner, “He’s Byson.”
The girls giggle as we push past them. We make our way to the bar, buy a bottle of Everclear from the bartender, and steal an empty booth along the mirror-lined walls. Subconsciously, Ezra takes the seat facing the entrance so he can see any threat that may enter. I slide into the booth across from him, watching h
is six. The music booms, shaking every surface in the club. Laser lights dance over the crowds of people grinding against each other below massive speakers and plasma screens in the center of the ceiling. Color and sound fuse together in an intoxicating vibe. I admit I was wrong about T.
I take a shot of Everclear and relax further into the booth. Ezra prompts, “Wanna talk about it, mate?”
I huff a chuckle, “You really want to hear about my love life, Mr. I Don’t Believe in Love?”
He leans back, resting an arm over the backrest of the booth. His eyes rove over the crowd, “You’ve got me all wrong. I believe in love. I love women. I just don’t believe in binding myself to only one by telling her those three little words after I root her.”
“You’re telling me…that in all your centuries on the surface, you’ve never found a woman you would live and die for?”
He smirks at me, “Now, I’ve never said that either. But enough about me. Tell me about this mysterious sheila who stole your heart.” He lifts his glass to his lips, gives a small grin as he shakes his head, then takes a shot.
I sigh, “Fuck, man. You’ll never believe what I fell into…”
Through sixteen shots of Everclear, I spill my guts about Ivy, Beleth, dying, coming back to Solas seemingly taking my place, the shit storm of Fallen after my girl, and her determination to shut me out and lie to me. I thought my confession would make me feel better, but I’m more angry that I left her. I know Eric and the Griffins will take care of her, but it’s not their responsibility. I’m her guardian now. I shouldn’t have left her side.
Ezra whistles at the mess. “Shit, mate. I’ve got nothin’.” He laughs.
I throw a wadded-up napkin at his face. He catches it, and I laugh, “Prick.”
A sporty, yet slender, blonde woman passes our table. Ezra’s eyes follow as she goes. He gives a low whistle. “Damn. What I wouldn’t give…”
Her scent is odd; definitely not human. I can’t place it. “What is she?” I wonder.
Still watching her move through the crowd, he mumbles, “I have no idea…but she belongs to him.”
I follow his gaze, landing on a two-way mirror overlooking the club. My angelic sight penetrates the glass. A formidable Grecian with tanned skin, a square jaw, and vibrant green eyes stands tall in a slim-fitted, dark suit. The blonde woman approaches him. The door she went through pushes a breeze into the club. I catch the scent of beings I haven’t encountered in quite some time. I raise a brow to Ezra as he takes another shot, “Vampire?”
Clearing his throat, Ezra fills his glass again. “I believe they prefer the term ‘Night Walker’.”
“What the fu—” My phone buzzes as Eric’s face lights up the screen.
“Is that Eric Strickland?” Ezra asks eagerly before snatching up my phone and answering it. “Eric Bloody Strickland! How’s life got you, mate?”
I hear Eric speak under the music blaring around us, “Ezra? Holy Shit! It’s been a decade or two!”
I snatch the phone from Ezra. Eric only calls when there’s a problem. “What’s wrong?”
Eric mumbles, trying to refocus, “Oh. Hey, man. Um… It’s Ivy. She’s gone.”
“What happened?” I bark.
“She snuck out one night. I thought she would come back like before. We’ve looked everywhere for her.”
“How long has she been missing?”
Eric clears his throat. “Four days.”
I lay into him as I rise from our booth, “What the fuck! You should have called me sooner! I’m on my fucking way. You better start praying you find her before I do.” I hang up on Eric and shove my phone into my back pocket. “I have to get back. Sorry to cut the visit short.”
He offers, “You want some help tracking your girl?”
“Not yet. I’ll let you know if I do.” I take another shot before I turn away. Heading to the exit, I get the eerie feeling of someone watching me. I turn back and the Grecian locks eyes with me. Maybe he knows what I am. Maybe he doesn’t like me here. I can’t tell with his impassive stare. It doesn’t matter. I’m leaving. Ivy has a lot of explaining to do when I find her.
The coverage in the night sky gives me the stealth I need to fly over the city. I fly fast in my fury, soaring over the Pacific Ocean. Day breaks as the coast of California emerges, but I have no time to stop. I fly higher into the coverage of the clouds, making my way home to Red Meadow. My face is numb from the constant beating of wind, and my wings are beginning to cramp. I need to rest but refuse to lose time. I push through the pain.
I remember a time when I couldn’t wait to get out of this town. While it used to be a beautiful place to stay quiet from the enemy, it’s become more and more infected with Darkness over the last year.
Are the Fallen just drawn to this location because of her? I swear, I’m putting a tracker on her. This is ridiculous! Why is she so determined to get herself killed? Where is she going? If this has to do with that damn Cherubim, I’ll kill him.
There’s got to be a way to find her. Maybe she left a clue somewhere. Her room? Her house? Did she say anything to the Griffins? Where the hell did she go? Michael may punish her for leaving, but he’s supposed to be a remarkable tracker. I wonder if Mother can contact him to help us? Does her father know she’s missing?
The estate comes into view. Eric and Beck are talking behind the house and don’t notice me coming. I don’t slow down. Pinning my wings back, I nosedive for Eric, picking up speed as I descend. My shoulder connects with his ribs. I don’t stop, propelling us across the lawn. Eric’s back slams into a thick tree. The trunk explodes, sending shards of wood raining down on us like a million knives. The tree splits, falling to the ground slowly. We go down with it.
Eric pushes me off of him, “Calm down!”
Getting to my feet, I glare, “Tell me you found her and I may take it easy on you!”
Beck slams into my back, pulling me into a choke hold. I grasp his face and release my wings, flipping him over my head. He lands on his back. I stand tall, putting the razor edge of my wing to Beck’s throat.
Eric tries to intervene, “Jack! Wait!”
“Where is she?” I growl.
Beck places a hand on my feathers to urge them away, “We’ve looked everywhere. We haven’t found her yet. We’re not giving up. I swear it.”
Eric takes a tentative step in my direction, hands up in surrender. “There’s got to be something we’re missing. Where would she go? We’ve searched campus, her house, The Keep, and questioned any demon or Fallen we could find. She’s nowhere to be found. We’re out of ideas here. Come on, man. Let him up.”
I scowl at Beckett, “She didn’t say anything to you?”
Beck pushes my outstretched wing away slowly, “If she did, I wouldn’t keep it from you. We swore an oath to protect her. We’re not hiding anything.”
I pivot away, throwing my wings wide with a long roar, “Fuck!”
My mother yells as she approaches, “Hey! Knock it off!”
Collapsing to my knees, I fight the urge to break down. I never should have left. I should have followed her… Found out where she was going. Where are you?
Mother runs a hand through my hair, encouraging me to look her in the eye. She soothes, “We’ll find her, Jack. I have connections in L.A. searching for her. They’ve checked in on her adoptive parents as well. There’s been no trace of her as of yet, but we’ll find her.”
My head falls forward in dejection, “There’s only one place left to look.”
Beck cautions, “If that’s the last place, then I’ll go with Cassius and Theodora. We’ll search everywhere.”
Eric warns, “What if you’re captured? You’re all rogues now. If you’re seen and are not able to return, we would never know.”
“I think we should contact Michael. It’s been too long,” Mother suggests.
I pop to my feet, “I thought about it too… But what is he going to do to her for disobeying?”
She replie
s, “I’m not sure, but Michael seems to have a soft spot for her. Maybe she’ll get off easier than we expect. It’s better than the alternative.”
I nod in agreement.
She puts a hand on my back, “Let’s go inside. I’ll see what I can do about contacting Michael.” Mother’s never told anyone how she calls upon Michael. Not even me. All I know is that she has to be in the sanctuary of The Chamber.
We part ways as I’m followed by Eric up the stairs to the third floor. I twist the doorknob to Ivy’s room until it snaps the lock. I barge through the doorway, searching for anything she could’ve left behind to let us know where she’s been going.
Drawers fly open and slam closed. Eric leans in the doorway. “What are you looking for?”
I spin on him, “Anything!”
Alice appears behind Eric, smoothing a hand over his shoulder. He views her over his shoulder, taking in her firm expression. She advises, “Did you tell him about the Reaper yet?”
“What Reaper?” I grate, squeezing my fists tight at my sides to control my anger.
Alice steps past Eric, approaching me with confidence in her posture, “Ivy’s been in contact with a Reaper named Tallulah. Goes by Telly. She’s been helping Ivy hunt Lucian down.”
“What!”
She continues, “We only found out after you left, but that’s not all… Telly works for Roman.”
Hanging my head in defeat, I sit on the edge of Ivy’s bed, “Shit.”
Eric adds, “I tried to keep her from leaving. She flipped out… Attacked me. I never saw it coming… We haven’t seen her since.”
I glance between them, “Where can I find this Telly?”
Eric responds with an assuring grin, “Beck found her this morning. She’s a Chem Major at R.M.U.”
Without any room for argument, I march out of Ivy’s room, “Let’s go.”
The Helio Trilogy: Volumes 1-3 Page 56