The Beloved Fire

  Looking over the rest of the faces, he saw a mixed array of annoyance, intrigue and boredom at being pulled into a meeting from someone considered their equal when it came to authority.

  “James was spotted in Anock’s realm.” He paused letting his accusation sink in as the tension in the room climbed. “Mikayla was almost led out of Purgatory by him. Fortunately for us, Andronomean stopped her before she escaped.”

  Blake watched as the accused glanced slowly around the table looking for signs of a guilty party. As far as they knew, James could get into Hell, but only if he’d been let in. Blake knew differently. He honestly didn’t know how James got in on his own but knew he could. He didn’t however know that James was going to try and break away from his and Blake’s plan where they would get Mikayla out together. Apparently, James was trying to accomplish the task alone. Meaning James was trying to get out of honoring his half of the deal. Either way Blake still had to keep up appearances. No one could guess of his alliance to his brother.

  A twitch from one of Queen Mandra’s gatekeepers caught his attention, along with everyone else’s. “Lanthrian, Do you have something to say?” Blake growled out, gripping the edge of the table trying to control his power that flowed through the room. Ever since the angel alarms sounded, he’d had more demon urges than normal and was struggling to control them. If he could, he would tear apart an army of demons just to please his blood lust. The monster inside him stretched to be free.

  Lanthrian was the red demon that Mikayla tried to take on at the ceremony. He was a guard/gatekeeper to Queen Mandra’s lava realm, and always had an attitude problem. At Blake’s question he glanced up letting his skin smoke and flame showing his anger. “How do we know it wasn’t you who let him in?”

  Blake watched as some heads nodded in agreement with the red skinned demon, while some shifted in their seats uncomfortably. Fucking demons. He resisted the urge to rub at the top of his nose where tension was building.

  “Where were you last night?” Blake asked trying to shift the focus. He watched as Lanthrian slowly stood staring intently at the wood conference table, not meeting Blake’s eyes.

  Lanthrian looked to his partner Remy, another lava demon, before surging his own power in response to the question.

  “Here we go.” Blake heard Cander sigh out from his right, before pushing back his chair to stand and putting away his knife.

  “YOU DON’T CONTROL US!” Lanthrian shouted looking around trying to get the others to agree in his rebellion. When no one stood to his rantings, not even his partner, he tried a different course. “You flare your power out like you could control us with fear! Gatekeepers cannot be killed by gatekeepers! It’s impossible! Or did you forget what happened between Jax and Cander?! Why should we fear you? Why should we let you control us?” Blake silently cursed James for putting him in this position.

  Stepping away from the table, Blake cracked his knuckles as he watched the demons in agreement with Lanthrian stand and shift to his side of the table. “You’re forgetting one thing Lanthrian.” Blake said, as Cander, Jax and about ten others shifted to Blake’s side.

  “I’m not a gatekeeper.” He growled out, letting his angel powers flex. He would take down anyone who stood a chance of revealing his cover. With a demon roar Blake let his demon out to play as he rushed Lanthrian.

  Then, all hell broke loose.

  10

  Empowered

  “Okay. So. You see all these doors?”

  It was painful at this point not to punch Cain in the throat. “Yes. Like I said earlier, I understand these are the doors.” They were back in the mansion’s hallways.

  Elijah clasped his hands in front of him, trying and failing to look serious. “Doors to?” They were having way too much fun quizzing her.

  She ground her teeth together. “Doors to travel! Jesus can you just show me already?! I’m freaking tired and don’t want to stand in these stupid ass heels for any longer than I have to!”

  Cain and Elijah gasped. “Okay, Okay.” Cain said putting on a serious face, “We just want to make sure you know how to get around. We don’t want you to end up in Andronomean’s jungle again.”

  She ran her sweaty hands down her little black party dress. It was nerve wrecking enough having to think about going through one of these hallway doors again, let alone they wanted her to use them by herself to travel throughout the mansion.

  “Just get on with it.” A shuffle noise behind her caught her attention and she glanced to see if Blake had decided to show, but no one was there. No demons either. Apparently, the twins decided to clear the halls to show her how to travel through the mansion without spectators.

  “Okay, so, you always want to make sure you are alone when trying to go through a door.” Cain continued, until Elijah interrupted. “Unless you and that person are going together to the same place.” Cain nodded his approval at Elijah’s two cents and continued. “Exactly. The doors read your travel intentions, and say a demon comes up and tries to walk through at the same time you do and you both have different thoughts.”

  Elijah whistled and shook his head. “Let’s just say you will be one lost little queen.”

  Not giving her time to question that, Cain reached out and put a hand in the middle of the door. They stood there a bit watching him stare at the door and when nothing happened, she tapped her foot. “So, what? It’s just reading where you want to go? I didn’t see you guys doing that when you were taking me around the mansion before.”

  Elijah stepped up and lightly grabbed her hand. “Here you try.” Cain removed his as Elijah pressed hers to the middle of the wood door, stepping back to leave her alone. She still wasn’t sure what she was supposed to see. She looked back but they just nodded at her to continue like proud parents encouraging a child.

  The eye rolls were real today.

  “Just close your eyes and concentrate on getting to Anock.”

  Closing her eyes she pictured the huge demon prince in front of her. Anock’s onyx wings, his honey brown colored eyes that actually held compassion, and his tan muscled skin. His brown hair falling slightly into his face. “Okay.”

  “Now open them.” Came from both the twins.

  Opening her eyes, she stepped back in shock dropping her hand off the door, watching as Anock walked over to Blake talking to him by the dining table. “What the…”

  The twins stepping up to each side of her gave her a jump. “Is that happening now?” She couldn’t hear Anock or Blake, or any of the other demons in that room speaking but could see them. Looking around the door’s edges, there was still a door frame and a floating door handle, the hall was still the same creepy ass hall, but it was like the door had turned into a crystal ball or a looking glass.

  “TA DA!” Elijah shouted making her jump. Again. She reached her hand out watching as the scene before her rippled like water on a pond when her hand touched the wood. “Isn’t that cool? Now just twist the handle and you will step to where they are.”

  She took a step back contemplating what she’d just learned. This could be her way out. “So that will work on any door?”

  Cain rolled his eyes. “Yes and no it’s not that easy.” Answering her question and the thought in her head, but she was still determined to try.

  “So why all the ten-mile walks to get to places? Blake made me walk forever to get to Hell the other day.” Even that sounded weird to her. She chuckled at the twin’s funny expressions and they laughed too, “You know what I mean.”

  Elijah straightened the collar to his jacket. “Well to get to certain places, yeah, there is certain paths you have to take. Like a puzzle.” He paused looking at Cain who was obviously holding in another laugh. “But most likely he was just making you walk to be an asshole.”

  She sighed. “I hate him.”

  They laughed openly now. “You do not.” Before she could protest Elijah continued. “Okay you ready? Now that my party was ruined by Blake throwing a tantrum, we now h
ave all the royalty to meet and greet instead of just the Watchers. Turns out they aren’t too happy with Blake attacking their gatekeepers.” He and Cain just rolled their eyes.

  “Why did he attack them?”

  “Let’s just say James decided to pay the mansion a visit and Anock isn’t too happy.”

  It felt like the air was sucked from the room, making her heart stop.

  “It was him then. It was he who led me through that door!”

  That asshole. Why? Why would he say he was a good guy and not try to rescue her but lead her to a demon snake lady? Her heart raced at the realization and she clenched her fists to hide the shake from her anger. That fucking asshole. Mikayla turned and took a healthy step back, feeling a shaking rage take over her body. It felt similar to when she grabbed the demon from the little boy.

  “Just calm down Mikayla your demon powers are going to emanate more easily the longer you’re in Hell.”

  She turned looking at Cain who held nothing but sympathy for her. She scoffed. “You guys don’t know what you’re talking about. First I’m an angel.” The trembling was getting worst and her legs suddenly felt numb, “Now I’m a demon!” She shook out her hands feeling weird, and sweaty. “OH! But first you have to unlock my power!” She fanned at her hot face taking a step back. James had really been here and not even tried to save her. He didn’t give a shit about her; she was just some demon slut he could make out with in her dreams. That or all this was some huge fucked up dream, she was just sick of it all.

  A bright blue lizard looking demon turned down the hall, pausing when he saw Mikayla and the twins, turned and hightailed it around and back where he came from. She scoffed again shaking her head. This place was a joke. Some knock off version of Hell. Elijah and Cain came into her sight and she realized they were trying to talk but all she could hear was the roaring static in her head making her panic. What was happening to her?

  Blake

  Mikayla is losing her shit!

  The screaming gay voice of Elijah broke through Blake’s argument with Anock and he knew Anock got the same memo when they both looked up at the same time.

  “Fuck!” Blake cussed taking off in a run as Anock disappeared in a puff of smoke. He ran fast pushing through people and slamming open the dining hall doors hard enough plaster rained down as he passed through the doorway.

  WHERE? He mind-screamed back to Elijah.

  He knew Anock would most likely make it there first, but he still needed to try. From what they now knew, her powers hadn’t been unlocked, but for them to show this early could mean she was extremely powerful and if they didn’t manage her correctly coming into her demon side, it could mean bad things for everyone.

  Here. Elijah projected back.

  Blake was blasted with an image in his mind of Mikayla’s location and touched the nearest door impatiently waiting to step through. What he saw before him almost gave him pause.

  They had suspected her powers, but this just confirmed it.

  Just like he and James were the first of their kind she was obviously something no one had seen before. She stood before Cain, Elijah, and Anock overpowering the three and blinking in and out of her powers. One second her eyes shone bright red and a skeletal form took over her body, the next second she blinked into a beautiful fallen angel, black wings appearing so fast on her back she would have fallen if she wasn’t radiating so much power that it was making her levitate. It looked like a movie skipping, flashing in and out of different scenes. Her powers were trying to come out but without being unlocked, her body was going haywire.

  Blake stepped through wondering for a split second if he would be brought down to his knees as well, but with more concern for her, he abandoned the thought and walked closer. “MIKAYLA!” Blake shouted, feeling the tingle in his eyes. His racing heart and shaky hands probably meant they were orange. What would happen if they couldn’t calm her?

  She glanced over to where he stood, blinking her eyes and temporarily going back to herself while starting to drop back to the floor, but like a strange power held her she screamed out throwing her head back and floated up once more. What the hell? Blake ran over to Anock trying to pick him up from his knelt position, but it was like he was nailed to the ground.

  “What do I do?” He shouted over her demonic screams as a phantom wind picked up. He looked at Mikayla watching her hair whip around her beautiful face. Going to Cain, then Elijah trying to lift them, but they were stuck too, on top of looking like their souls were being sucked out of their bodies.

  “FUCK!” Blake roared. If Mikayla was powerful enough to take down three of Hell’s most powerful at the same time, they were defiantly screwed. She needed to take her angel form. He and James, needed to get her out of Purgatory fast.

  When it was clear Anock, Cain and Elijah couldn’t move, Blake tried mind speaking instead.

  TELL ME WHAT TO DO?

  Anock’s faint voice filtered through like he was barely alive, straining to talk. We have…to unlock…her powers…fully…

  Thunder sounded shaking the mansion, as the hallway lights flickered.

  “WHAT’S HAPPENING?” Blake turned to see Cander rushing down the hall towards them. A rush of relief went through him, at having help.

  “SHE IS SIPHONING OR STEALING THEIR POWERS! I THINK! I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING MAN!” Blake shouted back trying to be heard over the thunder and wind.

  Cander still had black blood smeared across his forehead from Blake killing Lanthrian earlier in the night.

  “STOP HER!” Cander shouted, his eyes flickering to Mikayla then to the beings stuck on the floor.

  Blake looked over flashing him red eyes and a no shit look.

  “I MEAN…YOU’RE HER EQUAL OR SOME SHIT RIGHT?” Not her equal but he had a point. Mikayla was made to level the board game. He should be able to handle her.

  A hiss broke through the demonic roars, wind and thunder and he looked over to see Andronomean rushing Mikayla in her snake form. She was so large; her snake body almost didn’t fit in the hallway.

  “ANDRONOMEAN, NO!” Blake yelled trying to get closer, but the wind held him back. He took a deep breath in transforming into his demon self as fire burst in random spots on the floors and ceilings. He needed to be in his demon form to have the strength to combat Andronomean if she tried to attack Mikayla.

  “WHAT THE SHIT?” He heard Cander yell as he finished transforming.

  Blake saw Andronomean back to her human form naked and lying unconscious on the floor. Blake looked to Mikayla who was now lowered back to her feet just as all the thunder, roars, and wind stopped. Confusion filled the atmosphere. She was naked and oddly calm. Blake looked over to Cander thinking the same thing. Something wasn’t right.

  He approached with caution as Cander took a step back. “Mikayla…you’re okay.” He used a soothing voice but when it came out rough, he almost cursed himself at the bad timing or his demon change. She would most likely be terrified.

  Change her now. Elijah’s voice broke into his mind. Blake glanced at Mikayla, she looked possessed almost with a blank stare, and an oddly still body. It didn’t even look like she was moving.

  How? It was the last thing he wanted to do; she deserved her angel form. She deserved to be with Ander. She deserved to be out of there. If they unlocked her demon side, what would happen? How much of the board would be tilted to Hell winning? Could she still leave?

  “Mikayla I’m going to help you.” He said transforming back into his human form.

  Blood. Mine…or…yours. Anock said into Blake’s mind. He looked down to where he was still stuck in the kneeling position and his voice sounded strained. Why did she still have them stuck?

  To drink?

  Yes Came from all three.

  “Here.” Cander said walking up slowly with a knife. Blake had forgot Cander was a gatekeeper; they all had the ability to read minds.

  Blake grabbed the knife, which had a curved blade with a blood red
handle and slashed through the middle of his palm. He walked over fast gently grabbing Mikayla’s chin to turn her head up, part terrified of what she would do, and the other part terrified if this would ruin her from her angel side.

  Right as he started to tilt her head back with shaky hands, she snapped out of her trance. Mikayla took hold of her head snapping her chin out of Blake’s hold and tilting her head back down staring him right in the eyes. He flinched stepping back, as he stared right into what looked like Andronomean’s eyes. A forked snake tongue shot out of her mouth licking slowly across Blake’s cheek and he kept calmly still, even as his heart beat like crazy. Cander was right, if anyone could snap her out of this it was him, and it was clear that she was about to turn into a giant ass snake.

  “Mikayla snap out of it.” Blake said in a stern voice. Bringing up with bleeding palm to his chest. It would heal soon, and he would have to reopen the wound. Immortals healed at accelerated rates.

  Does she have to be in her own form when taking the blood. Blake projected to the three on the ground.

  The reply from Anock was instant. Yes.

  Fuck.

  “Hey man…Blake.” Cander said somewhere from behind Blake with caution in his voice.

  Blake looked back to Cander to see a snake tail winding around him, the black snake tail slowly getting tighter around Cander’s lower half.

  Yup, she stole Andronomean’s demon form. Shit.

  Mikayla laughed with a hiss at the end, and Blake looked up watching the rest of her body slowly work its way into snake form from the legs that had already transformed.

  “MIKAYLA STOP!” He yelled trying to get her attention. It was one thing to steal powers, it was another to learn how to use them. Training Andronomean when she was first created took half a century, and even than she ate half of purgatory before they all learned how to control her. Mikayla would surely eat every last one of them if she didn’t snap the fuck out of it.

  She just laughed again.