A Soulless Year Three

by Eva Brandt

  He looked out the window, staring at the Parisian citizens as they passed by the cafe. “I had hoped this wouldn’t happen, but I was always a little too optimistic.”

  “What’s the matter, Dubbiel?” Sariel asked. “Where are we supposed to go? Are there demons nearby?”

  Dubbiel let out a heavy sigh. “Not exactly. Come on.”

  He got up and guided us out of the cafe. Together, we walked through the busy Parisian streets, the humans avoiding us even if they didn’t realize why.

  Dubbiel said nothing and I didn’t try to get him to explain further. Angels might enjoy being cryptic, but they knew better than to let their games get in the way of their duties.

  Our destination turned out to be a church. It was in one of the less busy streets, and it was sealed off. A nearby sign warned passers-by of construction work being done on the building.

  The moment I stepped inside, I sensed the traces of demonic power. At first, they were faint, shrouded by a veil of celestial magic. I’d have deemed it almost negligible, like an irritating buzzing at the back of my mind. But with every second that passed, the feeling grew more pronounced. I stopped, knowing I had to find out what we were heading into. “Something is wrong in this building. What is it?”

  Dubbiel grimaced, clearly unhappy with being here. “As you know, Delilah, demons feed and power their magic using sin. But traveling to and from The Infernal Realm takes time and energy, especially for lower level demons. To keep demons from exhausting themselves, Lucifer built demonic transport points. A lot of them once worked to assist commuters to The Academy of the Devil.

  “This past month, more transport points have been emerging, which is bad news for us.”

  Ah. That explained a lot. “More transport points would need more sin to be fueled, right? That must be why the demons aren’t staging a widespread attack. They might be working on this.”

  “You’d think so, but The Mortal Realm has plenty of sin, enough to transport hordes of demons here. I can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to it than that.”

  “So then, you brought us here to destroy the transport point?” Azazel asked. “That seems fairly straightforward.”

  “That’s exactly it. I don’t want you to destroy it. Since you’re Watchers, you have a unique level of experience with these things. It’s contained for now, but we have to analyze it.”

  “We’ll do our best,” Sariel said, “but I can’t make any promises. And if we deem it too dangerous, we’ll have to collapse it.”

  Dubbiel didn’t protest. If anything, he seemed relieved. I suspected he didn’t want to analyze the transport point any more than we did.

  I wasn’t sure I could be of much assistance, since this wasn’t my area of expertise. Still, I didn’t let my guard down. Something about this place gave me a bad vibe. I wanted to think I was just jumping at shadows, but at this point, I knew better.

  Ironically, the gothic architecture of the building reminded me a little of Watcher Academy. Engravings of weeping angels decorated the walls and the columns. The shadows gathering on the floor seemed to flicker with symbols reminiscent to what I’d seen at the school.

  If that was true, the others made no note of it, not until we went to the lower levels of the church, underground. There were no magical portals here, just a simple staircase, and no complicated wards, just the brute power of the Guardian Angel containing what was inside.

  The transport point itself was in a strange basement that had no real business being there. It consisted in a circle of black symbols and it was currently dormant. This was probably why Dubbiel had deemed it safe to have a croissant while he was waiting for us.

  Then again, it could have been because of the ominous aura the symbols emanated. They might not seem activated, but they weren’t harmless either.

  “I vote for getting rid of it at once. It isn’t safe to study it.”

  “I know,” Dubbiel said. “But the powers of The Infernal Realm are, in general, unsafe to deal with. We have no choice.”

  Didn’t they? There were other ways to find information about the portals without having my lovers investigate the transport point. The most obvious one was resorting to The Supreme Being. But despite having an omniscient, omnipotent deity by our side, The Heavenly Host insisted on doing things this way. It was crazy.

  I leaned against the wall and carefully watched my lovers as they worked. They were cautious, assessing the symbols and making sure they didn’t enter the transport point. I didn’t approach it at all, instead choosing to keep my distance and monitoring the flow of its demonic energies.

  Time passed in silence. Sometimes, a symbol would randomly flare to life, and we all tensed. I expected demons to rush through the transport point any moment now, to launch an actual attack on us. It never happened.

  When Dubbiel joined me, I waited to see what he’d do. I was curious about his activity as a Guardian Angel, but I didn’t think now was the best time to ask. He seemed to disagree.

  “I heard you wanted to become a Guardian Angel, Delilah,” he commented.

  I nodded, keeping my voice down so that we wouldn’t disturb my lovers with the conversation. “That’s why I went to Watcher Academy. I want to help and protect my loved ones.”

  “It’s a noble goal, but you have to know one thing. The burden you carry might be too heavy for you.”

  I arched a brow at him. “Pardon?”

  “I don’t know if you’re aware, but Guardian Angels have ways of monitoring the unique energy of humans. A part of you remains human and that’s why I can tell there’s a problem.”

  I bristled, not appreciating his decision to point out that I was lacking. He must have noticed, because he quickly backtracked. “I’m not looking down on you, Delilah. I’m just concerned. Sometimes, divine beings forget the way a human mind works. I wouldn’t be surprised if they pushed you too hard.”

  I wanted to deny it, but that whole business with Kemuel was still very fresh. Still, I wasn’t about to share my doubts with a stranger. He seemed well-meaning, but I didn’t trust him.

  “It’s true that I’ve had some trouble, but I’m doing better now. And if my teachers are pushing me, it’s precisely because I need to improve my control. We’re all fighting for the same thing, to defeat The Infernal Realm. I can’t afford to slack off.”

  “No, you can’t, but that doesn’t change the fact that you have to be vigilant. Even the strongest threads can unravel if they’re not cared for.”

  I was tempted to laugh in his face. I wasn’t that strong. In fact, half the time, I felt like I was unraveling. But still, I was holding on, because I had to, because I couldn’t afford to give up.

  “I’m not overly fond of metaphors these days, Dubbiel, but I do know this. I’m too spiteful to let go.”

  He looked skeptical, and I knew what he was thinking. It was hypocritical of me to say that when Alyssa had almost made me kill myself. I couldn’t promise it wouldn’t happen again, but until I faced the demon queen, I’d do my best to be prepared. And that meant focusing on what I could do right now, not on my doubts.

  As that thought flashed through my mind, the ground beneath us started to shake. I quickly looked at my lovers, alarmed.

  “What’s going on?”

  “The transport point is protesting our presence,” Azazel replied. “Don’t worry. We have this under control.”

  I’d have believed him more if his wings hadn’t already started changing color, black sliding into the white feathers and the red turning a deep crimson. The others weren’t doing much better. Blood trickled from Sariel’s lips and tendrils of black slid through Yeqon’s veins like poison.

  “Stay there!” Sariel insisted. “It’s going to be okay.”

  Maybe he was telling the truth, but I’d never been that good at obeying orders. I’d already seen my lovers hurt too many times. I refused to let it happen again.

  With an angry hiss, I rushed forward, straight at the transp
ort point. “Delilah!” Dubbiel cried out behind me.

  I ignored him. I knew better than to enter the circle, but I didn’t have to do that to damage it.

  Extending my wings, I extracted several of my feathers and tossed them at the circle. The moment they touched the floor, time seemed to freeze. “Shit,” Yeqon said softly.

  And then, a loud blast shook the room. I was ready for it. I’d known from the moment I’d attacked that my powers would react poorly to the magic of the transport point. It wouldn’t beat me. I wouldn’t allow it.

  With an angry cry, I reached for the power inside me and wrapped it around the demonic ritual circle. Slowly, I began to suffocate the out of control magic. It seemed to have latched onto my lovers, recognizing their lingering infernal abilities. My Watchers had resisted, and they hadn’t been wrong in doing so. The problem was that, in the process, they’d hurt themselves. No longer.

  In the end, taming the transport point proved to be easier than I expected. Dubbiel might have told me that my burden was too heavy to carry, but maybe it helped that I had practice with something like that. The energies of the portal tried to fight me, but it didn’t take me long to change that.

  Within less than a minute, the transport point had died out and the room had stopped shaking. Satisfied, I turned toward my lovers and opened my mouth to ask them if they were okay.

  I never got the chance to utter a single word. Sariel stalked up to me and pulled me close, hugging me so tightly I had trouble breathing. I didn’t mind and hugged him back.

  It was far more pleasant than the exchange that followed. Sariel broke our embrace and pecked my temple. When he looked at me, his eyes were wide, silver pools of concern and dread. “That was very reckless of you, Delilah,” he said. “You could have really hurt yourself.”

  “I thought we’ve already established that most things we deal with are unsafe. And if I hadn’t interfered, it could have been much worse.”

  “We were fine,” Azazel insisted, shaking his head.

  “And yet, you weren’t. Did you really think I was going to stand there and watch you suffer if I could do something to stop it?”

  For a few seconds, my lovers just stared at me in silent frustration. Then, their shoulders slumped. Yeqon let out a deep sigh. “Of course not. We’re sorry. We just worry.”

  “Now you know how I feel,” I answered. I didn’t have the heart to stay mad at them, though. They meant well and God only knew they weren’t wrong in being concerned about me.

  Shaking myself, I focused on Dubbiel once again. The Guardian Angel had been watching the whole exchange in silence, an inscrutable expression on his face. “I think we’re done here,” I told him. “I apologize for not being able to gather more information, but it was too dangerous.”

  “It’s okay,” Dubbiel said, his lips twisting into a small smile. “You were right to prioritize safety. We know enough and there will be other occasions.”

  As if in response to his words, a bright light erupted in the chamber. On instinct, I shielded my eyes. I’d already recognized the energy coming from the new arrival, but there was something different and alarming about it today.

  When the light faded, Michael was standing in front of me, his beautiful wings glowing so brightly it hurt to see them. I took one look at his concerned face and knew something was very wrong.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “Delilah,” he said slowly, “it’s your parents. We’ve just received word that the demons took them captive.”

  A Devilish Truth

  There had been many times in my life when all words and emotions had ceased to have any meaning, when helplessness and anguish had crippled me and filled me with a sense of utter failure. My mortal death was a perfect example. Finding out my parents might suffer the same fate was another.

  “What did you say?” I asked Michael, willing him to tell me it was all a joke.

  Michael didn’t flinch, but his jaw clenched. “The Infernal Realm managed to defeat the angels who were guarding your parents. I’m sorry, Delilah.”

  I had known my family was at risk, of course, but I’d been assured precautions had been taken. In hindsight, it had been stupid of me to put my faith in such empty promises. I should have never trusted the angels with my parents’ safety, not when I knew very well they couldn’t be relied on.

  If things had been different, I would have raged and screamed. I might have even lashed out at my lovers. After all, like they had many times said in the past, an excuse or an apology changed nothing. An “I’m sorry” didn’t help my parents.

  But I felt strangely calm. Maybe my recent training with Kemuel had helped, which made me wonder if he’d known this would happen all along. Knowing him, it was entirely possible.

  Unfortunately, Michael wasn’t done dropping bombs on me. “Alyssa has asked to see you. We believe The Infernal Realm might be trying to reach some kind of agreement with The Celestial Realm, but it’s not one I can trust.”

  Considering my confrontation with Sunrefni, I agreed. But I also couldn’t abandon my parents to their fate. Alyssa Michaelis would take great pleasure in torturing them, in tearing apart their souls until they became nothing more than shadows of their former selves.

  “All right. Where are they now?”

  “I’ll take you there,” Michael replied.

  The vagueness of his response didn’t fill me with too much confidence, but I didn’t bother with asking any questions. I needed to be with my parents. Now was not the time for splitting hairs.

  Michael pulled me into his arms and wrapped his wings around me. The others joined us, their energy mingling with ours. At that moment, their hold and touch no longer felt as protective and comforting as it had in the past. It felt suffocating, and I hated myself a little for even thinking that. It wasn’t Michael’s fault that this was happening, that my family was in danger. I had to focus on the real enemy, on the demons led by Lucifer and his queen.

  That concept became a little more difficult to accept when we arrived at our destination. We were still in The Mortal Realm, but this time, right in front of my house. I couldn’t believe it. It shouldn’t have shocked me that Alyssa would be so petty, but it would have made far more sense to force us to meet in demon territory.

  Apparently, Alyssa felt very confident that I wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

  And the worst thing was that I couldn’t blame for it. She had a huge advantage on her side. My parents were the reason why I’d decided to be a Guardian Angel in the first place and she undoubtedly knew that. On the other hand, I had next to no information about her and her loved ones—or at least, nothing I could use. I already knew what she would ask me, but I had no idea how I could even begin to answer her questions.

  Today, the neighborhood I’d once loved so much was dark and ominous. Clouds shrouded the sun and a sharp wind was blowing. The scent of sulfur polluted the air, reminding me of the battle with Sunrefni.

  And yet, no one seemed to notice anything different. There were still mortals walking around, completely unaware of the danger.

  To their credit, the celestial beings had done their best to limit the damage done to the area. Most humans were keeping their distance from my house, although they didn’t seem aware why.

  For them, it was just an underlining feeling of restlessness, something they couldn’t understand or control. In reality, the reason was the group of angels watching the street. I recognized Gabriel, but the rest were strangers.

  He didn’t smile when he saw me approach. “Be careful in there, Delilah,” he said without preamble. “You won’t be alone, but Alyssa is dangerous on a good day.”

  And today was not a good day, not for me and not even for my nemesis. A part of me could still understand her grief, but if I’d ever been inclined to show her compassion, I no longer had that desire.

  The demons had crossed the line when they’d targeted my family. “I’m dangerous too,” I told Gabriel. �
�I won’t let The Infernal Realm get away with this.”

  Gabriel frowned, but didn’t argue with me. Maybe he realized it would be pointless and I’d do as I pleased either way.

  “It wouldn’t be a good idea to antagonize her,” he said. “We’ve managed to retrieve our wounded and dead, but I can’t guarantee she won’t lash out at your family if she loses her temper.”

  “I understand,” I told him. “I won’t take any unnecessary risks.”

  He couldn’t expect more than that from me, so he let me go. Michael launched himself into the air, and together with the others, we flew past the gates of my parents’ house.

  The gardens had suffered more damage, as even from above, I could spot patches of scorched grass and burnt rose bushes. The pool had been turned into black sludge with the consistency of tar. For the most part, though, the house was intact, which made everything else even eerier.

  Alyssa was waiting for us in the living room. When we walked inside, we found her right in front of the mantelpiece, eyeing the urn where my ashes were stored.

  The massive white wolf in the center of the room growled at us. Alyssa didn’t turn, instead continuing to look at the urn. Somehow, that gave me a very bad feeling.

  “You know,” she commented almost idly, “when I left my life as a human behind, I never got an urn. I have a grave, but it’s empty. My parents are aware of what happened to me. Why do you think that is?”

  How was I supposed to know? She wasn’t my friend. She was my enemy, and she’d made that clear, more than once.

  I decided to play along with her game anyway. “I couldn’t say. Were they already aware of your connection with The Academy of the Devil?”

  At that, Alyssa laughed and looked at me. She didn’t pay attention to my lovers, instead focusing strictly on me.

  It was eerie. The last time we’d faced each other like this, she had crushed me under the weight of her power. I had to force myself to stay where I was and not flinch. The shadows of my despair still licked over the corner of my mind, threatening to escape any moment now.