by Carla Rehse
Perhaps William Popa had been weak enough to violate his sacred Blood oath. No matter what Heaven and the others thought of me, I knew my duty—and I was strong enough to do it. At least, when my push came to shove, I prayed I was.
Sadie was gonna die, still hating me, and all I could do was be with her at the end.
“Will you at least explain how you have the juice to pull something like this off? And I gather it’s no coincidence the Bakers poisoned everyone and the demons are rioting?” I was buying time for a rescue, sure, but curiosity was also eating at me. Mama and I had discussed my returning to Crossing Shadows for the last couple of weeks, but I hadn’t finalized those plans until those gangbangers threatened me three days ago. Which didn’t give Delilah much time to plan such an elaborate trap. And how had the Bakers managed to get most of the town out of the way while poisoning everyone else in twenty-four hours?
Delilah smirked at me. “Seeds are the beginning and the end.”
Crazily cryptic, but the phrase sounded familiar.
“C’mon, Delilah,” Heather said. “I’m your friend. Please stop this.”
Linc sniffed. “You really want to end the Marked families? Why?”
“You’ve always been such a stuck-up twerp!” Delilah spit out. “Always thinking you’re better than the rest of us since we aren’t one of the High Marked.”
“You think your life sucks?” Sadie said quietly. “Get in line, you psycho.”
“What did you say to me?” Delilah stalked over to Sadie, waving the death stick around.
“Sadie,” I pleaded.
She ignored me. “Try growing up gay in a conservative, backassward town, then whine to me about your life. No one ever stood up for me. Even in school.”
I stared at Sadie in shock as she explained a horrible bullying episode she suffered in high school. Shock not for the atrocious incident, shock because I had stood up for her. Even got into a fight with the little asshole’s mother in the school parking lot. She got in one good right hook before I knocked her to … And I finally realized why Sadie kept stink-eyeballing me.
Delilah stood between Sadie and me. I lunged for her legs, ignoring the Twine digging into my stomach, and pulled back with everything I had. Delilah shrieked as she went ass over teakettle over my head.
She landed on the ground with a loud “oomph!” and kicked me hard in the shoulder. Delilah reared back to kick again, and I blocked her with my arm. The disc in my wrist took one for the team, and my hand went numb from the impact. She attempted to scramble away, but I lunged again and snagged a fistful of her hair.
“OW!” she screamed as I reeled her back like a fish caught on a line.
She raised her fist, so I turned slightly to body block the blow. But instead of punching me, a marble-sized orb of green light flew from her hand. I raised my arm to protect my face, and the orb sizzled against my iron disc like a drop of water on a hot skillet. She tried creating another orb, but it fizzled out.
“No matter,” Delilah cackled, showing me the glowing loop brand on her palm. A brand that matched her stick and my wrist. “You’re in so much trouble now. Mother must be on her way. Maybe I want revenge, but she wants every bit of essence she can rip out of you. The Gate shall fall!”
I slammed my elbow into her face, breaking her nose and knocking her unconscious. Linc and Heather cheered. I tried to give them a calm thumbs-up, but my hand tingled as feeling started to return. The disc no longer glowed or felt cold.
“How in the world did Delilah produce an orb?” Heather shook her head. “It’s not possible! It’s—”
Sadie touched her shoulder while Heather took several deep breaths.
“Where’s the stick?” I asked.
Linc sighed and pointed to the cart. The damn stick had rolled under it, far out of reach for any of us. I might or might not have elbowed Delilah again for good measure.
“Fantastic plan,” I told Sadie.
She rolled her eyes. “Sure took you long enough to figure it out.”
“Now what are we gonna do?” Heather wailed. “The Gatekeeper powers won’t work against the Twine. And what mother was she babbling about? Her mom died years ago!”
Sadie again reached over to comfort her.
“Pray.” I rubbed my hand against the Twine, ripping off all the skin on my palm. Slamming my bloody hand to the ground, I muttered. “Sebastian. Heed the call of Marked Blood!” Nothing happened, so I smeared blood on the ground. “Otherworlds! Heed the call of Marked Blood! Of Gatekeeper Blood!”
Sadie wrinkled her forehead in a confused expression. “Seriously? Have you lost your mind?”
I tilted my head and smiled. “Hear that …? Sounds like a werewolf howl.”
I should’ve tried this earlier, but until the bubbles comment, I really wasn’t sure who was still alive. It had been a hella two days.
Another howl ripped through the air, closer this time.
“Chase?” Linc asked.
I eyeballed the still unconscious Delilah. “When she wakes up, we’ll get her to explain how she produced magic. And what she meant about the mother comment. Plus, the glowing brand. I’d also like to know how she got the Bakers to poison everyone as well as why. Can’t believe she killed her own father.” Though, truthfully, she hadn’t said anything about poison or the Bakers. Unless she meant Mrs. Baker? Until the day she died, my mother-in-law insisted I call her “Mom.” Where was Ben Matlock when you needed him? And the seeds comment kept poking my brain. I knew I’d heard it or read it somewhere.
“She poisoned people? Who?” Heather asked.
Sadie wrinkled her nose at me. “Even I’ve never been mad enough to actually poison you. Yet.”
I raised both my eyebrows. “Remind me to bring my own snacks when I visit.”
Sadie opened her mouth, then squealed when Chase leaped over the garden cart. His rusty fur gleamed like dried blood in the Spellstone light. At least I hoped it wasn’t blood.
“Chase!” I yelled. “Dude! Nice to see you awake. Are the others with you?”
He looked over his shoulder and grunted. Which told me absolutely nothing.
“Let’s try this again. One grunt for no and two for yes, okay?”
He paced in front of me, then grunted twice.
“Perfect! Are the others behind you?”
Two grunts.
I couldn’t figure out an easy way for him to explain who was behind him. “Can you bite or claw through the Devil’s Twine?”
He snorted, which completely messed up our conversation. And to make it even worse, he turned tail and darted over the cart.
“Kids!” I hollered, ignoring the three sets of young eyeballs staring at me.
Sadie rubbed her face. “A werewolf. That was a fu—”
A piercing howl echoed through the tunnel. And not Chase’s howl.
“Oh no,” I groaned.
“Is that a …” Heather trailed off, looking horrified.
“Yep,” I said as a Hellhound plowed through the garden cart, sending it spinning into the air.
“Uh, what did that?” Sadie asked, as she must, thankfully, not see it.
“A very, very long story,” I replied.
The Hellhound skidded to a stop in front of me, and I was resigned to getting sulfur-drool slimed. “Hey … Buddy. Any chance you could get the Twine off us without permanently disfiguring anyone?” I thought it might be the Hellhound that bit me. The three festering lumps over its left eye looked familiar.
The Hellhound tilted its head, then lifted a paw. Six-inch claws shot out its paw pads like a switchblade. Or a demented cat. It carefully swiped down, carving through the Twine around me as if it was fluff.
“Thanks,” I said. “Could you do the kids?”
The Hellhound spun around, and if the kids whimpered a little, well who was there to tell?
I stood up and stretch my back until it cracked. “All right, guys, let’s blow this popsicle stand.”
The kids
exchanged glances. Sadie sighed. “Mama, you are so weird.”
I grinned. “You don’t even know the half of it.”
“Heather!” echoed faintly down the tunnel.
“Mama?” Heather called out, then hurried past the cart that still had its top wheel spinning.
I caught the Hellhound’s eyes. “Mind watching her?” I pointed at Delilah. “If she tries to get away, I doubt anyone would mind if you took a bite or two. Hellhound bites are a lot worse than Devil’s Twine, believe you me.” I wasn’t sure if she was still unconscious but figured I better play it safe.
The Hellhound yawned, so I took that for an affirmative.
Linc, Sadie, and I followed Heather. My left butt cheek had gone numb from the cold, rocky ground, but I did my best not to limp.
Outside, the sunlight was blinding in a cloudless sky and songbirds chirped overhead. A warm breeze, carrying the scent of fall roses, gave a friendly caress.
Lawson and Janice, looking rather worse for wear, waited under a stand of Texas ash trees. I finally knew where we were—back at Mack’s place. Was the tunnel something the Bwbach had dug? Damn, I really felt out of the loop.
“Heather!” Janice called out as her daughter bolted to her.
Linc hurried to his father as well.
I turned to Sadie, ready to face the music, when a flash of light flared.
Sebastian strode out, wearing a bright white robe with his hair pulled back in a ponytail and carrying a round tin. The wounds on his forehead and wings didn’t look any better. “Gatekeeper.”
I smiled. “I’m so glad to see you. You okay?”
He opened the lid to show off a pile of chocolate chip cookies. “The Archangel outside the city has lost patience. I offer my sincerest apologies in advance for the horrendous death you are about to experience. Cookie?”
TWENTY-SIX
Angel apocalypse
Lawson stepped away from his son. “Archangel?” he asked just as I said, “Cookie?”
He stared at me like I was a card short of a full deck, but, in my defense, I’d received far more death threats than cookie offers this week.
“Yes,” Sebastian said with a mournful tone and proffered the cookies to hedge his bets. “I believe a decision to sanitize the town has been made. I still cannot communicate with my brethren, but I feel the buildup in my essence. I will genuinely miss you.” He flashed his wings, catching the sun, and the weeping sores glittered like diamonds above his head.
Sadie let out a strangled “Eep!” before stumbling back, then taking a hard seat to the ground.
I mouthed, “Sorry.”
Janice began frantically whispering to Heather and Linc, catching them up on all the fun events of the past two days.
I frowned. “What exactly is the Archangel gonna do?”
Sebastian hesitated for a few seconds. “It is hard to explain. Basically, the Gate will be moved to a new location. All the area under Crossing Shadows’ control will be ripped down to its very atoms and snuffed out of existence.”
“Oh yay,” I sighed. Perhaps that wasn’t the most illuminating speech ever uttered, but give me a break. I was running on little sleep with no coffee in sight.
“How soon?” Lawson asked.
Sebastian’s wings fluttered, then closed. “Very soon, although I cannot give an exact time.”
“Gatekeeper!”
I turned as Luna bounded into sight. Chase, in human form, paced her, while Grady and Boone had their back. All lugged rucksacks that I’d bet all the wine in the world held weapons. At least Luna’s would.
Chase grinned. “Gatekeeper, I am glad I finally scented your blood.”
“Me too! So glad to see you, Luna!”
She swerved to a stop, dropped her rucksack, then pulled me into a super-tight bear hug. “You’re alive! I knew you would be.”
“And you’re awake,” I squeaked out with what breath remained in my lungs. Though why the kids had survived and were now awake while the town’s elders bled out baffled me.
Sadie moved to my side. “Who’s this?”
Luna released me to proudly announce. “I’m the Gatekeeper’s assistant! And bodyguard. And weapons carrier. And cook, except for waffles. They’re just wrong. Like over-crispy pancakes. Who are you?”
Sadie stepped closer to me. “I’m Sadie Collins. And this is my mom, Everly Collins.”
The two sized each other up like puppies meeting at doggie daycare for the first time. Saints, I wish I still had that kinda energy to burn.
A shrill yowl rang out from the tunnel, and I was running toward it before I realized that I’d moved.
“Everly? Everly!” Lawson hollered as he caught up with me. “What are you doing?”
“Something’s wrong with Buddy!”
“Buddy? Who the hell is that?”
We’d made it inside the tunnel, so I didn’t bother wasting any breath to respond. The Hellhound’s yowls ripped through the air, setting my nerves on fire.
The poor thing was writhing on its back, soaking wet, with blisters erupting, then breaking. Black ichor dripped from every part of its misshapen body, releasing a stench of burnt sulfur into the air.
“Buddy! What happened?” I asked. “We have to help him.”
Sebastian, the cookie tin gone, dropped next to me. “Holy water.” He sprang into the air above the Hellhound and waved his arms in complex angelic patterns. Though he still lit up with Celestial light, it was a dim yellowish color versus the brilliant white light of two days ago. Sebastian was running out of Grace.
Trying to sound nonchalant—as marriage taught me men didn’t like their shortcomings pointed out, no matter how helpful a wife was trying to be—I asked, “Do you think you should conserve—”
The Hellhound’s fur dried from its head to its tail like a train of dominoes falling. As the fur dried, the blisters healed. The Hellhound flopped to its side, breathing heavily and quietly whimpering.
I turned to the area where I’d been tied up, knowing what I would find. Delilah was missing, as was the Devil’s Twine. Seven green, sparkling loops floated in the air where she had been, then disintegrated when I stepped toward them. “This is so bad,” I groaned.
Lawson raised an eyebrow. “Worse than the Archangel?”
I shrugged. “That’s on angel time. Right, Sebastian?” My stomach cramped, but I firmly reminded it that angels measured everything in eons instead of hours and that we could fix this. We also had time to fix Sebastian.
He considered it. “True. Time does move differently for the Celestials, but I give no guarantees.”
“Saints alive!” Janice yelped. “What is this?”
The rest of our team had followed Janice—Luna and Sadie still stink-eying each other—so the tunnel felt very claustrophobic. The Hellhound let out one last whimper, then popped out of sight. We might have a small bowl filled with large problems, but Delilah now had a pissed-off Hellhound after her. As much as I’d like her to appear before the Celestial Governing Body to answer for her sins, I wouldn’t lose a wink of sleep if Buddy and his friends found her first.
I pointed at the supplies. “Apparently, Delilah made this into some sorta bug-out shelter. Sure would like to know where she got all that Devil’s Twine. Maybe the same jackwagon that provided her with the holy water?” It always shocked me how outside churches just had basins of holy water hanging about. In a border town, it was a highly regulated weapon. Only Hunters were given flasks of it. “Any ideas how we could find out who blessed the water?”
“That would be impossible to track.” Sebastian touched the wall, causing the Spellstones to flicker. “This pattern. It should not be here. The Semence de Vie were destroyed decades ago. Though it does explain how the kidnapped children were masked from us for so long.”
Ignoring Sadie’s rude muttering about being called a child, I pumped my fist in the air. “The Semence de Vie! That’s where I knew that seeds phrase. It’s the motto of the group working with W
itchy Helen.”
Sebastian turned to me. “Witchy Helen? Of whom do you speak?”
“She’s the witch who wrote the diary we were reading,” Lawson responded.
I said to the confused-looking group, “Helen mentioned completing occult rituals with this human group, the Semence de Vie.”
Janice and Heather gasped; everyone else stared at me.
Sebastian’s wings snapped out in full battle display. The leaking wounds actually made them look even more formidable. “Did this diary provide a full name for the witch?”
“Helen Winthrop, I think,” I said. “Did you know her or something?”
“Winthrop. Hmm. I witnessed her death over a hundred and fifty years ago.” He gave me a hard look, like he wanted to say something but was holding back.
“Does this matter?” Janice asked. “I’m sure everyone would like a shower and meal before we deal with the next disaster.”
“Wait.” Lawson edged near Sebastian. “If we’re talking about the same Helen, her diary was dated forty years after she died. How’s that possible?”
I quickly did the math in my head. William Popa released a soul from Hell months after Helen’s death date. It was beyond humiliating to discuss this in front of everyone, but secrets were destroying us. “I know what William did.”
Sebastian snapped his wings again. “We do not need to deliberate him here.”
“We do, actually.” I took a deep breath. “FYI, the last Popa Gatekeeper at Crossing Shadows went to a coven of witches outside of town to help his dying wife. In exchange, he released a soul. It was Helen’s, wasn’t it?”
“WHAT?” Heather and Luna yelled. Janice and Lawson repeated the question but used more colorful language. I held up my hand to stop everyone from talking. I needed answers, no matter how much they shamed my family and me.
Sebastian nodded slowly. “Yes. She was the mother of the six witches William had futility gone to for help. I very much wish he had spoken to me first.”
“A released soul?” Sadie asked. “Like a ghost or something? Ghosts keep diaries, for real?”
I couldn’t help smiling with pride at how well Sadie was responding to all this craziness.
