by Lynn Landes
“Samiel is the Mocker, Elina. He is able to take any shape and he uses that as a weapon to weaken his opponent.” Gently he rubs her shoulder feeling the ache in her body. “When did you see him?”
Not ready to expose her nightmare, she moves away from the heat of his touch and comfort of his wings. “In a dream,” she replies. “Where is the scroll, Malach?”
He feels her exhaustion and tells her, “You go soak in the hot spring, I will get the scroll and some food. You need to give your body time to recover.”
Elina knows he speaks the truth. She agrees and heads inside to her favorite spot. They discovered the hot spring down one of the tunnels leading off the main cavern. Upon entering the cave, she finds he already lit it with candles, and she places her towels and soap on a rocky ledge near the small waterfall. She quickly dives into the pool, surfaces and does a couple of laps hoping to stretch out her shoulders. Leaning back against the rock, she feels the bubbles bursting against her sensitive skin and sighs, absorbing the heat and steam deep into her body. Steam fills the cavern, and Elina swims over to the ledge to grab her soap and rag. She stands up waist deep in the pool; she begins to lather her hair. Elina massages her scalp and then dives under, swimming to the waterfall. She leans back and rinses her hair clean. Then she swims over to the edge to finish washing. Running her hands over her shoulders, she lathers each arm, and then runs her hands over her firm breasts. When she imagines Malach’s hands on her body, she smiles, thinking it is only in her mind. He cups the weight of each soapy mound as she sighs his name.
“Malach,” she moans when his teeth find her neck. She tilts her head slightly to give him better access. His large hands replace hers and they move together over her body. Leaning back into his muscular body, she feels the scrape of his teeth on her neck and her eyes snap open. Jerked back by her shoulders, he pulls her against his hard wet body. Elina drops into the water with surprising speed and surfaces, facing Malach. As she rises up out of the water, she sees his eyes are no longer the beautiful emerald green that she loves, but solid black.
“Elina, you know you want me. Come swim with me. I need you to free me from this pain,” he says holding out his hand to her.
Malach stands waist high in the water, he is beautiful and her eyes are drawn to a bead of water rolling down his cheek. It drops onto his collarbone and rolls. She follows the trail fascinated as it continues its salty path over his nipple. Her pink lips part and she steps towards him. Biting her lower lip, her hand reaches for his and he smiles in anticipation. Elina takes a deep breath and his eyes are drawn to her breasts. Distracted for a moment, he does not see her other fist until it is too late. Swinging the rock she grabbed off the bottom of the pool, she slams it to the side of his head putting as much strength as she can into the blow.
“Malach!!!!” she screams, calling her true guardian. She watches his false twin slam into the cavern wall; she calls him in her mind as well. When she gets no response, she does the only thing she can think to do: she leaps from the water and runs. As she reaches for her power, she sends a blast into the rocks above her head.
The rocks crumble and behind her, she hears him laughing. “Malach, Malach,” he screams, mocking her. She knows she has bought only a few minutes of time. Shifting to shadow form, she is able to move directly through the cavern walls landing outside near the waterfalls. Raphaim watches her flee with a twisted grin.
“Let’s see what this Keeper can do.” He thinks. “Either way I win. If she is strong enough to defeat me, I will use that strength to defeat my father and free Varena. If she loses I win. They still have a use. Father wants the Keeper. So I give him the Keeper, the book, and the angel who imprisoned him. Then Varena will be mine!”
Outside she sees Malach battling an enormous silver angel. His face is covered in a helmet and only his black eyes show. He stands nine feet tall covered in weathered silver armor, powerful and strong with a long sword infused with black flame. Elina stands in shock when she sees Malach in all his glory. He wears hammered armor with the imprint of scales, alternating blue and black to match his magnificent wings. The sound of their swords meeting can be heard echoing all around. She hears the sound of Raphaim entering the grotto behind her. Angry, she watches as he flies past her to watch the show. Landing on the hill above for a downward view, he spreads his large black wings.
“What, no popcorn?” Raphaim calls out with a wicked laugh.
The moment Malach sees Elina shift from shadow, he stares, stupefied by her nakedness. This provides the enemy the distraction needed and Malach takes a blow from his large silver fist knocking him backwards.
Elina has the ability to slow time, stop time altogether, or speed it up. She calls on this gift as she slows time down and moves as quickly as she can towards Malach. Dropping in front of him, she casts a shield of protection around him.
“Don’t just sit there, help me!” she screams at him. With a wave of his hand he covers her in a black cat suit, perfect for battling. Looking down she says, sarcastically, “Seriously.”
With a smile, Raphaim watches from above, sitting on the edge of the cliff with his feet dangling. “I prefer her natural form, Arch, but to each his own!” he calls out laughing.
“Cocky Bastard,” Elina snaps and takes off at a run heading for Raphaim, leaving Malach to fight the other archangel.
“Yes, come and play, Keeper!” Raphaim screams baring his fangs and jumps to his feet. Rising up into the air, he lifts his arms, and the sky above their private Eden fills with fallen angels.
“No!! What have you done?” Elina asks horrified, looking towards the demon.
Malach looks at Elina and smiles. The Fallen and Raphaim have no clue who or what they are facing.
She is stunned into silence, replaced quickly by rage. Her eyes begin to glow with holy light and she pools all her power. Lashing out with her whip, she circles Rephaim’s ankle intending to drag him to the earth below. He leaps up and drags her into the air with the power of his black wings.
“Have you learned to fly while I was away, Keeper?” Raphaim asks, taking her high into the air. Then pulling his sword, he severs the electrical whip and watches her tumble to the earth below. Following her body at break neck speed, he reaches out to grab her before she hits the ground, only to watch her body evaporate to mist upon impact.
Malach turns on his fallen brother, “Enough,” he says shifting to dragon form. Furious he snaps out with his powerful jaws, grabs the angel in his mouth, and shoots into the sky above. With a ferocious shake of his head, he forces the angel to drop his weapon and his helmet falls off. The fallen angel fights to break free, he calls on lightening to strike at Malach attempting to free himself. The lightening does not pierce the armor of the dragons blue black scales. They simply deflect it.
He tosses the fallen angel into the air, and then Malach uses the strength of his spiked tail and pierces the arch through his chest. With a flick of his large tail, he throws the wounded angel to the earth below. Landing beside his prize, he slams an enormous claw on top of the angel and roars into the sky, blowing flame.
“Are you Shadow or Are you Light?” Raphaim hears behind him. He faces the Keeper with his weapon drawn. She walks towards him with her blue eyes glowing. Above on the ledge surrounding the field, each fallen angel glides down wearing the face of the Keeper. With glowing eyes, in unison they ask loudly, “Are you Shadow or Are you Light!”
“Peace Keeper, I had to know if you were strong enough.” Slowly Raphaim lifts the scroll up and offers it to her. With a wave of her hand, all the angels fade to shadow and the one beneath Malach’s claw disappears. Never taking his eyes off Elina, he waits for the glow in her eyes to disappear. To his dismay that does not happen. His words only enrage her further. Levitating off the ground, she roars again, “Are you Shadow or Are you Light?” Raphaim looks to Malach for help, but sees he has shifted back to angel form and offers no assistance.
“I am Shadow Keeper, I have
never said otherwise!” he yells at her. “You are Varena’s only hope. I need your help to free her!” he says. An unseen wind buffets him as Raphaim steps close. He grabs her wrist sharing his memories with her. Elina drops to the ground screaming and Malach strikes Raphaim with a mighty fist, sending him smashing into the rocky wall.
Malach reaches for Elina, but stops when she snaps, “Don’t touch me! Her pain is too much!” clutching her head she waits, hoping it will pass. Malach hisses at Raphaim when he tries to move closer, forcing him to stop. The tears run unchecked down her face as she looks at him.
“She carries your child?” A light fills Raphaim’s eyes and he gives a quick nod.
“They cannot stay with my father,” dropping to his knees he looks at her pleading, “Do what you want with me but I beg of you, help me free them.” He holds up the scroll, hoping the Keeper will accept this gift. Slowly, Elina takes the scroll.
“The child will be an abomination, just as they all are,” Malach tells her. “Why should we save it?” Raphaim jumps to his feet in a fury only to find Elina’s palm on his chest.
“I am a servant of the One True God,” Elina says, “I do not pass judgment on the innocent.” Looking from the eyes of the demon that killed her family she continues looking at Malach, “You told me that I should never try to out think my Father, so I will place my faith in him. I will help free Varena.” With a glance at Raphaim she demands, “I want your word, Raphaim, that you will help me get the other part of the book. Your father has it.”
Raphaim smiles at the Malach and says, “You have my word Keeper, free Varena and I will help you.”
“What good is the word of a covenant breaker?” Malach asks, glaring at the demon. Elina wonders the same thing but feels that this is the only option to get to the third part of the book.
“Malach, can I trust you two alone? I have to take care of this,” she says holding up the scroll.
“Of course,” he says smiling wickedly.
As she closes her eyes, she holds the scroll and pictures the blue flame. It flickers and grows in size twisting, curling, and moving towards her. Raphaim jumps when Elina disappears from sight. “Where did she go?” he wonders.
Malach takes the stance of a warrior pointing his sword at the Raphaim. “So, demon how is it that you found and followed Elina to the pyramid?”
As he looks at the large angel, Raphaim smiles at him, “Jealous? I can’t blame you for that, she is a beautiful woman, and her breasts are perfe….”
In a flash Malach’s mighty fist is around his throat and his sword flashes bright. Choking but managing a smirk, Rephaim dangles above the ground. Rage pulses through Malach.
Raphaim hisses, “You are so close.”
Malach tosses the demon on the ground, and says through clenched teeth, “Give me a reason, demon. I would love to take you out of the equation.”
While sitting, coughing in the dirt, Raphaim spits some debris out of his mouth and laughs. “This is perfect! The mighty sit in judgment of those who have no choice. I am a circumstance of my birth. It was your choice that created us!” Standing in a rage his teeth elongate and he snarls, “I will enjoy watching you fall and seeing what you become when this is over. Do you really think you have a chance against him? He has already amassed an army and everyday more of you fall! You are so weak! You can’t even resist one human female!”
From inside the flame, Elina hears the argument the two are having and part of her feels sorry for them all. The flame waits for her as though it listens as well. Malach says “Demon, there is always a choice. Only humanity is innocent in this. Our Father created them in his image, and gave them choice. They could sit back not caring about the mistakes that we have made, but they fight, even in the face of destitute odds. They fight, holding onto faith and trusting in our God when we could not. It is that innocence you found in Varena, the compassion that you discovered that humbled you. It is why you fight for her and why I will help you free her.” Struck by the truth in his words, Raphaim walks away to rinse off in the water and think.
Elina looks at the flame and smiles, holding out the scroll. Instead of a gentle tug the flame grabs her, jerking her inside and spinning out of control. The normal comforting flame grows larger and Malach and Raphaim jump back when Elina flashes to solid form in front of them.
As the Ketuwah surrounds Elina, she has become light. It flares from her fingertips, eyes, ears, and mouth. With a finger, she points to the sky, and one by one, the Fallen that Raphaim released come screaming toward her. Drawn to the light, at breathtaking speed they scream and fight knowing that judgment day is once again upon them. Elina points at the earth creating a spinning portal. It draws them one, by, one back to Hell. As the last one falls the portal closes and Elina closes her eyes. Throwing back her head, the Ketuwah disconnects from her. She reaches out and snuffs the flame out with her hands. The angel and demon both stare at Elina and she smiles.
Eighteen
Deep inside Hell, Varena wishes for death. When Raphaim left, he betrayed her and crushed her soul. She did not see him again after being deposited in her new cell. The Mocker would visit her and pretend to care; demanding the utmost care for her during her pregnancy. No one could touch her, and he requires that she join him for dinner each evening to act like family.
On trembling legs, she enters the dining hall, praying for strength to get through another meal. Samiel provides food and drink for Varena, but he likes his food alive. The youngest are brought in first, and he laughs at her obvious disgust.
Faith be still and know that I am God, she hears in her heart.
She sits and tries to drink with trembling hands. He leans forward smelling the air. “Ahh, I love the taste of fear in the air.” The Mocker grabs the youngest child and lifts his hand to his mouth. With a flick of his nail, he slices the boy’s wrist and pours the rich blood into his glass. The child looks at Varena with no hope in his eyes and does not bother to cry.
“I tremble not in fear of you, demon, but in awe of my God who never abandons me!” she says slamming her glass onto the table.
Shoving the shocked child away, he slams the table, “Your usefulness will soon be at an end, Varena. I would be careful if I were you. You still have hope, after all this time?” He throws back his head and laughs aloud, “What if I told you that you were not Raphaim’s only human pet? Does that change your view of him?” He smirks at her horror, and continues saying, “It has become obvious that the Watchers are unable to create more demons. Bring them in!” he demands of his servants.
The Fallen angels quickly drag in four human women in their twenties, weeping they look around with panic. He steps in front of them, and smiles not bothering to wipe the blood off his lips. “Silence!” he orders and they fall into a trance. “It seems these humans have a use after all. It became apparent that your kind were not compatible and humanity has changed. Some of them long for power and pain.”
Walking around behind them, he sniffs while stroking and touching them. “They long for the misery that grows here. I give and they give,” he says. He jerks the hair back of one girl, and bites her neck, taking his fill while his hand traces over her chest. The girl reaches up, grabs the Mocker’s head in her hands, and pulls his mouth in harder to her neck with a moan of ecstasy as if experiencing a deep orgasm. Her arousal is visible by the hardness of her bare nipples.
Horrified by what she is seeing and what this means, Varena runs weeping from the room leaving his laughter behind her.
She reaches her room that is more of a cell; she closes the door and weeps holding the small, moving mound beneath her shirt. “Peace little one, soon we will be free. I promise you.” A knock on the door has her backing away as an angel named Mark brings in a tray of food and waits to make sure she eats.
“You are to eat and be walked,” he says watching her.
Huffing indignantly, she asks, “What am I, a dog now?”
Mark tries not to smile, as he steps ba
ck waiting for her to sit.
Varena wipes the tears from her face and sighs, “Very well, it does smell good.” Stepping over to the table, she bows down on her knees, “Father, I know you can hear me. I ask that you strengthen me tonight. Cover me with your feathers and under your wings I will trust in you!” Rising slowly she turns and sees, the angel Mark has a stunned look on his face.
“You dare to pray to him? Why, do think he can hear you?”
“I know he can, because he talks to me.” Mark moves closer, and looks around the room.
“What does he say to you?” he asks with a desperate look in his eyes.
She ponders him for a moment, then leans over and says softly, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
Stepping back from her in shock he looks at her in a new light. “God is not here!” he says fiercely.
Varena walks over to the large angel and looks up at his beautiful face. Studying him carefully she sees a handsome male with short black hair, hazel eyes, and dimples. Not all of his beauty hides the pain in his soul. Varena places her hand on his chest, over his heart, and whispers, “That’s because he is here.”
Dropping to his knees, he weeps sorrow filled tears. He begs her with his arms around her legs, “Forgive me. Show me the God you know and that I have forgotten.” Looking up at her he pleads, “Help me.”
“I will,” she softly promises, feeling a peace she can’t explain.
Three weeks later, she sits wondering how much longer this can go on before she is caught. The baby grows stronger every day. She is showing now, and the one who delivers the babies tell her that the pregnancies only last half the time of a normal pregnancy. That leaves her only a few weeks until the baby’s birth. She has to find a way to escape. They have warned her that most of her kind dies during childbirth. Her mother had six children with the Mocker and survived, so they believe she has a chance. Varena believes that because Raphaim’s mother was human, that makes this baby more human than demon. Caressing her belly, she sits comfortably and Mark urges her to try again. Samiel has been leaving the keep to visit the human world more, seeking more humans with paranormal gifts and abilities. He believes this will make for stronger demons.