“Look, I can’t betray my own kind.”
“Yes, you can, and you will.”
“They’ll kill me.”
“If you won’t tell us, I’ll kill you.”
“Shay.” Vash nods. “We’ve got company. There are three Knights coming toward us. Oriana, if you know what’s good for you right now, you won’t warn them.”
She nods.
“What do we have here, Oriana?” the center Knight asks. “Didn’t pay your bookie on time?”
The three of them wear matching black jeans, boots, T-shirts, and leather vests. The two on the outside each have a dozen earrings in their ears, and both have their brows pierced. The one on the left sports a chain from his ear to his lip.
“Naw, it’s gotta be more than that if a Nephilim is here to collect,” the Knight on the right says, flicking out his tongue and playing with a bar piercing.
“Stay out of my business!” Oriana shouts.
“Oh, we plan to.” Middle Knight nods. “But it’s just that we heard Bellator was in town, and we wanted to see the young pup for ourselves.”
“Who else would be driving around with those custom plates if it wasn’t actually the Alpha himself?” Tongue Ring thumbs back toward the SUV. “I had to come see if a demon had horns to steal it, or if Vash was here in Sin City.”
“From the looks of it, the vehicle isn’t stolen,” Middle Knight says. “So, you must be Vash.”
“Too bad about your dad,” Tongue Ring contributes. “I heard he died a painful death inflicted by the Marqs. How many of them were there to take him down again?”
“Don’t talk about my father.” Vash fists his hands.
“Oh, I think we brought up a touchy subject, hey, Pup?” Face Chain asks, continuing his baiting. “I heard it took about a couple dozen to overtake your lands. It’s not an impenetrable as you think it is.”
“I’m Alpha, I can take you all on,” Vash grits out.
“Vash,” I say. “We don’t have time for this.”
“Is that a challenge, Pup?” Tongue Ring asks. “Oh, come on, Nephilim, have some fun.”
“Where’s your sense of humor?” Middle Demon asks. “We’re just messing with you. Aren’t we boys?”
The air tingles, and I know that these three demons don’t mean to walk away or let us go without a fight. Face Chain won’t stop ribbing Vash. He’s barely holding it together; the memory of losing both his parents still fresh in his mind. Vash’s body shakes, and I don’t know how much longer he’ll stay in human form.
And I see it. Face Chain smirks at Vash and then pulls out a Viking sword from behind his back. He charges and swings right for Vash’s head.
But Vash is no longer in human form. He’s instantly changed to his harder-to-kill wolf body.
“The night is young, and we haven’t had any worthy opponents in a long time,” Middle Demon says. “You didn’t think we would let the Alpha go without a chance to kill him, did you?” Both male demons draw their weapons and step closer to Vash, who is snarling fiercely.
I call my Light and my Nephilim Sword and then join the fight. Metal clashes from our swords as I parry with Middle Demon, but the noise is drowned out by the beating music from the Purple Zebra. Neither Vash nor I can create a Void, so we’ll have to keep the damage to a minimum. Thankfully, no other gambler has found their way into this ally.
Oriana is shuffling back to the door while the males battle. “Don’t go too far, Oriana, you still need to answer my questions.” I slice Middle Demon across his chest; black blood oozes out. These demons are better with their swords than any I’ve ever come across. Usually, it’s the Marqs who carry them.
Vash is still dodging and dashing around Face Chain and Tongue Ring. He leaps off the dumpster and claws Face Chain’s arm. The sword drops. Face Chain attempts to pick himself from the ground but stumbles back down. Vash rounds on Tongue Ring, stalking him farther into the ally. Neither of those demons are as good with their swords as Middle Demon.
My attention is drawn back to Middle Demon when he slashes across my cheek. I shriek in pain as my eyes water. My free hand goes up to my face. That split second is all Middle Demon needs. He swings down on my Sword, hard and relentless. I barely block, trying to catch up with his movements. He’s fast and good. I have no time to check on Vash and can only think he’s doing okay. Howls fill the alley, so at least I know Vash is still alive.
I kick back Middle Demon, but he recovers swiftly. My legs trip over something, and I sprawl on the ground. My grip on the sword falters. A shadow hangs over me. I fumble for a dagger from my thigh. The blade is too short. Middle Demon will have to be closer in order for me to stab him with it. His blade is longer and is about to press into my neck.
Blood drips from Middle Demon’s mouth. Silver, caked in black blood, emerges from his chest. The sword lengthens and then is gone. Middle Demon drops to the ground, eyes blinking no more.
Oriana stands with my dripping sword. Using both hands, she swings it against Middle Demon’s head and slices it clean off.
“Now, we’re even,” Oriana says as she helps me to my feet and hands me back my sword. “Don’t ever come calling on me again.”
I look down the alley for Vash. He’s panting hard, but two dead demons lay on the ground with their throats ripped out. His body shimmers back to human form. He’s sitting on his knees and when he tries to stand, he stumbles. I run to him.
“Are you okay?” I ask, bending over and placing my hand on his back.
“Yeah, just need a bit of time to recover.” He breathes in and sighs, peaking at Oriana. “I saw what you did for me. I am indebted to you. Thank you.”
“Shay and I are square. So, I’ll tell you what I’ve heard, and we are square. Got it?”
We both nod.
“Rumor is that someone, high-ranking, kidnapped someone from a school and is keeping her in a vicious room. That’s all I know.”
“No name or location?”
“No.”
“Then it’s a demon?”
“Not necessarily. Now, I’m done with both of you. Leave me alone.” She stalks back into the Purple Zebra and slams the exterior door behind her.
Chapter Fifteen
Zoe
SUNDAY, TWENTY-NINE days after prom.
I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY hours or days it’s been. I’ve figured out that the TV can remain on if I use a small amount of Angel Light. Aiden said this is live TV, but could it be that what I’m seeing has already happened? I wouldn’t put it past him to lie to me.
The screen shows me Kieran leave the Angel Tower, and his wings twitch erratically. He leaps to the skies and lets his wings pull him in what seemingly is a random direction.
As soon as he passes through the Veil, he’s heading toward the southern states in the U.S. Kieran materializes on the outskirts on the southern edge of a city and it’s pouring rain.
I wonder where he is? Why he’s there?
The rain is coming down so hard it’s pelting his body and soaking his wings. The wind whips around like a tornado, blowing tree branches and almost bending them. Downed power lines lay in standing water in the ditches. People are stranded inside their vehicles, on top of their houses, and some made it to safety in the trees.
The sky is an unholy black as the wind carries whispers of death.
Kieran is high in the sky, and I can see white caps crashing, destroying the sandy beaches.
The river that runs eastward from the center of the city crests over its banks and threatens to wash away parts of the town. Everything floods. The water rising at an unprecedented level. Thunder cracks the sky, casting an evil shadow over everything.
In the lower lying areas, cars are being swept away. Houses are bending and snapping. I fear that the inhabitants will all die.
Instantly, Kieran appears next to the Summer fairy who is standing in the parking lot river.
I know those two have a special connection. Did she call him to her?
<
br /> “This is crazy, Sidelle!” Kieran shouts.
“I know. Something is going on here,” she responds. “As soon as it started raining, I felt in in my wings. Nature isn’t supposed to be like this. No warning, nothing.” Her arms are extended high into the air, and a green glow surrounds her.
“It’s got to be the doings from the Marqs.”
“That’s what I’m thinking, too. We have to help these people, Kieran,” she grits through her teeth. “It’s too strong; I can’t slow the rain or the winds. Maybe if more Summer fairies were here, we could combine our glamour. If my father were here, he’d probably be able to stop the buckets from pouring onto earth.”
“Sidelle, you alone can only do so much. And I’m here now, and we’ll both help. I’ll let Michael know that he needs to send reinforcements because you and I aren’t going to be able to handle this many people. We can use the stadium for all the displaced persons. We’ll open the Astrodome next door, too, if we need it. You start transporting as many people as you can and get them here. I’ll work on getting supplies and will help you rescue the humans.”
Ah, my friends are in Texas. I watch Kieran press on his chest. Light pulses and then vanishes.
A semi-truck with a water bottle logo catches his attention. The road to the stadium is blocked, so he works on getting it cleared. Using his gold Light, Kieran removes fallen debris from the two-lane highway. Gently, he pushes the vehicles toward the shoulders to make room for the driver. Floating toward the truck, he whispers something in the driver’s ear.
In front of the massive sport arena, Kieran gets a few police officers and firefighters to reroute and direct traffic. They need the entrance to be clear and act as the drop off point. The city must use this for emergencies because there are people milling around inside, pulling out blankets, cots, and water bottles from closets throughout the hallways.
My fists clench as my anger builds. Who could do this to all those people? I feel sad and helpless for them. I’m sitting here watching their fate unfold and can’t do anything about it.
A bright light toward the playing field catches my attention. Angels descend into the space, creating a strobe light effect. Kieran goes to check in with them.
Is that why he pressed his chest? It must be some sort of distress call or something. I wonder if that would work for me?
Sidelle is suddenly next to him on the center of the lawn. She sections off the ground into large squares. “Divide yourselves and stand in one of the sections.”
“We’re going to send you out in the city. Gather as many stranded humans as you can.” Kieran nods to them, as they aren’t accustomed taking orders from fairies. “People have cleared the front of the building as the drop off point, but get the Ordinaries here as fast as you can. The Archangels will Mind Wipe everyone after.”
“You in this section, go to the northwest of the city,” Sidelle says. Waving her right hand to another section, she says, “You take the northeast sections. And the last two groups will take the southern sections. Now, off you go.”
“There is definitely something amiss here,” Kieran says after all the angels disburse. “When I entered the city, I could see the Gulf stirring. We should check on that and the small communities along the beachfront.”
“Okay, boss.” Sidelle chuckles.
Kieran shakes his head. Grabbing her hand, they transport onto the beach I saw earlier. The sand has been wiped away. No houses line the shores, either. The water is over the island, and there is nothing left of the community. So many lives lost.
Both of their wings droop.
As they peer back onto the main land, the water line is several miles inland. A tidal wave must have crashed through and destroyed everything in its path. Homes and office buildings are severely damaged from the water’s pressure and force. Boats from the marina lay on their sides, at least ten miles inland.
A stark dread fills my soul as many of them find their way to the Heavens. My chest hurts from the sheer number of them being transported all at once. Tears stream down my face. Sidelle lays a comforting arm around Kieran’s shoulders, not speaking. I know they feel the same sadness that’s pressing on my chest.
There isn’t time to wallow in sorrow.
Kieran’s wings twitch again. “Do you feel that pull, Sidelle?”
“The one now coming from Italy?” She nods.
“You can pinpoint it?”
“We better see what’s going on there. But I have a feeling we’re going to find something like here.”
“Agree.”
They link hands and disappear from wherever they were.
THE SCREEN MORPHS INTO a new sandy beach, the atmosphere electrically charged. Even I can feel it through the TV. A shadow covers the sunlight and casts an eerie glow over the peninsula. Dark clouds are running across the sky, hurrying to cover the blue with black.
The sand is covered in a thick, gray film. The entire beach has hundreds of thousands of dead fish. The smell must be horrific. The ocean has reclaimed a couple feet of land. The water is receding, but it’s still there. An enormous wave is building high into the horizon, creating a wall of water. It’s going to hit the beach and wipe out the entire downtown.
Kieran’s and Sidelle’s eyes widen as they gawk at the approaching wave. Dread plunges into my stomach.
“Go! Do something,” I yell at the screen.
“Evil is definitely working against us, Kieran,” Sidelle says as she waves her hand across her nose. “All those poor creatures.”
“I know, but we can’t save them. We need to hurry and get as many people away from here as possible.”
They follow the same plan as they had in that other city. They find a building, and Kieran presses against his chest again. Shortly after, more angels descend from the sky, offering assistance.
Many more lives are lost, including trees, animals, and the natural wonders of life.
But we would find a way to prevail.
Chapter Sixteen
Aiden
SUNDAY, TWENTY-NINE days after prom.
OH, THE SWEET CRIES of human agony fill my ears and warms my heart—an empty, cold place in my chest where it would be found.
The Marqs are doing exactly what they are bred for, and what I told them to do. It’s nice to know that there are some beings that listen to me.
Reports come in from all over the globe of unnatural, natural disasters. Headlines range from violent storms causing massive flooding all along the western coast of the United States, to landslides along Thunder Bay destroying homes by the thousands, to hurricane-like winds demolishing towns in Asia.
The Knights are doing their part, too. A record killing spree in New York, Los Angeles, and Mexico City are being reported on the evening news. Burglaries are on the rise throughout the countries of Venezuela, Poland, and Honduras. Ordinaries are losing faith and not attending Sunday mass in the numbers they used to.
My wings feel the growing power of the end times. The start of Armageddon is near.
And I love it and dread it at the same time.
I’m beckoned to the worst events. It can’t be helped. All the screams and prayers that go unanswered, the souls that won’t sing any longer.
My body is drawn to what’s known as the Ring of Fire. The pull tugs me across the U.S. to its western coast, outside Mount St. Helens in Washington state.
I land in Gifford Pinchot National Forrest. Dense trees block my view of any cities or inhabitants. This far inland away from Portland to the south and Seattle to the north, there aren’t many towns. But this is an active volcano site, sending forty plus weekly quakes into the surrounding grounds.
What the Ordinaries don’t know is that all volcanic fire is connected to the underworld. The River Stixx runs beneath the Earth’s Veil, and each volcano is an off-shooting branch. Eventually, like all things, heat builds with enough activity, and it needs an outlet. That’s what causes the eruptions. And there are the Marqs who can make the
m erupt more frequently, like they are today.
The ground and atmosphere warms as I near the volcano. Marquises demons float around the area, bowing as I pass. A row of them stands around the base, barely touching each other. Their powers create an invisible, but continuous line.
To me, it’s a red shimmering path connecting their black robes by the sleeves.
Tremors rise through the ground.
Beneath me, scorching magma inches its way to the sky.
The Marqs chant, enhancing their powers.
I close my eyes, breathing in the smoke, and wait for what I know will come.
Ash floats on top of the crater.
Popping sounds fills the air. It’s like a semi-truck is driving over loose gravel. The earth parts way, making room for the lava creeping up through the throat of the volcano.
My wings flutter in anticipation.
It’s almost here.
The chanting from the demons grows until the volcano’s anger dims their hums.
I feel pressure in my chest, as if I’ve been shot by a canon. I step back as the sky flares with red fire and black smoke. Ash rains, burning a path on its way down the sides. Molten lava spews high like a rocket and slows, eating its way as a stampede of rocks move out of its trail.
I’m sure the blast can be seen from miles away.
Everything in the lava’s path is gone, buried deep under the red coat. It flows like water, spreading its reach across the land. Trees are knocked down. Animals run for their lives. If the lava doesn’t get them, the thick black smoke will.
The eruption is so fantastic and wide, the burning fires stretch miles, but not enough to affect Portland. Winds blow from the east. The city will soon be covered in soot.
This is the start of the chain reaction. All through the north and along the coast up through Canada down to the Alaskan boarder, fires spit from their volcanic slumber. To the east in Japan, I sense Mount Fuji ready to burst.
I immediately appear, so I can watch the destruction of the narrow island.
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