by S Lawrence
I can raise you up from the darkness.
None can stop the Bringer of Life.
Chapter 20
ARKYN
I am ripped from the darkness, from the never-ending pain, and from the eternal nothing.
She drags me from it. Her and her will alone brings me back.
Her scream shatters the darkness.
I can do nothing but obey.
The weight of her collapses on me. I struggle to lift my arms, to pull her close.
“You did it, Citlali,” Luc murmurs from somewhere near.
“We need to leave here. Theon will have felt that explosion of power.” Sitara sounds farther away.
“So will have Seraphina.” Lillian is at my side.
“Hold on to him, Citlali.” Luc’s power courses through us, but I can still hear her crying in my mind.
‘I killed you. I killed you,’ she sobs over and over.
‘No. Not you. The power. I felt you healing me before. I didn’t understand. You didn’t understand the duality of it. You healed me, you were healing me. You just got scared.’
‘What happens next time I get scared? I could have killed them all.’
‘But you didn’t.’
Luc brings us to the temple. I open my eyes in a room I hadn’t seen before. Lali is holding me tightly, and wrapping my arms around her, I squeeze her just as tight.
“You saved me,” I whisper in her ear as I pull her up into my lap.
“From myself.” I smile against her hair.
“Maybe. But you still saved me.” Placing my finger under her chin, I turn her face up to meet my eyes, then use it to wipe away her tears.
She opens her mouth to argue with me, but I cover her lips with my own, kissing her deeply, exploring the heat, and pouring myself into her. I kiss her until we are both gasping for breath, and Luc clears his throat.
“I love you,” she whispers against my lips, then moves farther away and says louder, “I will spend eternity making this up to you and the others.”
“None of the others blame you for any of this. Nor does Arkyn.” Luc’s tone brooks no argument.
She swivels on my lap, turning to face him. Her power flares a little, but he shakes his head.
“I don’t want to be healed, Citlali.” Opening her mouth, she draws a breath to argue with the King of Hell, but something like an explosion rocks the temple and us. We all jump to our feet and race into the large main room of the temple.
“They have found us,” Sitara shouts from the opening of the altar room. She stands with her arms raised, power visibly flowing from her hands. “I can buy us some time but not much. Theon has been closing in since he found Citlali. I tried to hide the temple, but it’s too late.”
Luc calls out to the others, his power breaching the wards she has erected just as she flies backwards. She hits the stone altar, and we hear her back break. She makes no noise as she slides to the ground. Even injured, maybe dying, she fights to hold the ward, but I can see Theon and Seraphina just beyond the opening to the tunnel now.
Lali races to her, but she shakes her head. “Don’t let them see your power. He will take you at all cost, exploit you and it for eternity. You cannot let him.” Lali shakes her head in denial. “Promise me.”
She doesn’t have time to respond as the wards drop.
The Fallen pour in, more than I’ve seen together. Ever. More than I knew even existed.
“Surprised, Morning Star?” Seraphina calls out from the opening where she, Theon, and the original Fallen stand waiting until we are overpowered. “Our ranks have grown exponentially since we first fell and even more since the girl showed them what they were missing.”
He fights the first to reach him. I watch as he tries even now not to hurt them, to not kill them as they try to kill him.
They swarm him, completely ignoring me until I roar.
“What’s little Arkyn going to do?” Her voice cuts through me like hot iron. Celine. “Nothing. Just like before. I’ve always wondered why Lucifer would bother to bring such a weak being back.”
Laughter fills the cavernous room, and I feel myself locking down. Failure. Loser. Weak.
A scream drowns out the laughter, propelling me into motion, but I slide to a stop when I find them among the bodies.
Celine has Lali by the throat, dragging her toward the opening to Theon.
“Aren’t you going to save her, Arky?” She smirks. “Save her like you did Uriel?” Laughter.
She looks at Lali, moving her mouth close to her ear. “Do you know how pathetically he died in Heaven? Did he tell you how easily I killed him?” She laughs as Citlali remains silent. “I didn’t think so.”
She drags her closer to Theon, who is smiling.
“Just bring the girl here, Celine.” Theon looks beyond the two women and focuses on his sister. “If Sitara risked everything for her, she’s special, so bring her to me.”
“Didn’t you already have her?” She snarls over her shoulder at him.
“I SAID BRING HER TO ME,” he roars, and the temple vibrates from the force of it. Dust drifts down from the stone blocks, centuries old, a mixture of ash and other things burnt in the temple for hundreds of years. Celine’s eyes narrow but she doesn’t dare respond.
They come to a stop between Seraphina and Theon.
“You can use your powers to free yourself.” Theon leans close to Lali, but his eyes are locked on Sitara.
“I don’t need to; Arkyn will save me, no matter what you do or where you take me.” My gaze bounces to hers.
Cackling laughter fills the air. Celine is such a fucking bitch. Luc is still fighting the others, slowly making his way through the masses. Knocking a group back, he circles away from them, moving around until he’s in front of Sitara. Protecting her.
“Remember what I told you.” I’m frozen, a cold sweat covering my body. “She believes the same.”
I look back at the woman who has chosen me. She smiles just as they disappear. Animals howl and call throughout the jungle surrounding us as some of the Fallen stop in their tracks. Ice falls from above as heat scalds our feet.
My brothers have arrived.
Chapter 21
CITLALI
Theon has taken the three of us far away.
I’m alone in a room. Straining, I listen for them but hear nothing so I tiptoe across the polished wood floor to the door and lay my ear against it.
Silence.
Wrapping my hand around the cut crystal knob, I turn it a millimeter at a time. I wait to hear it squeak loudly, the sound echoing through the building like in every horror movie I’ve ever seen.
Looking down, I’m happy that my feet are bare. At least I won’t be another cliché, falling in my heels while the murderer stalks me. The knob finally stops turning, no noise, and I turn my head, glancing at the hinges.
They appear almost new so maybe I can get out of this room without making any noise. It opens easily, and I slide out.
I might believe that Arkyn will find and save me but I’m going to give him every advantage I can. The hallway is empty, and I can see the outside through an open door.
Nerves skitter through me. Either this is a trap, or they have dumped me so far from anything that it doesn’t matter if I get out of the house. No better time to test my theories. I race at the open door and sail through it. A city, not mine, is just beyond a pristine yard.
My brain screams at me to stop, but I don’t. I run headlong at the ornate gate under the vine-covered arch.
Magic throws me backwards. I land back near the door, twenty-five feet from the gate. I hear the bones break as they make contact with the stone steps I hadn’t even noticed as I raced towards freedom.
Theon appears, towering over me, blocking the sun.
“Welcome to Avalon.” He smiles. “I’m afraid you’ve broken your back. Will it heal, do you think?”
I don’t answer as I wiggle my toes. They move slightly, thank God. I didn’t
manage to sever my spinal cord.
“You could use your new powers to call out to Sitara, and she could fix you right up.” He smiles bigger.
I wonder if maybe I had a little help hitting the steps as hard as I did. Tears run out the corners of my eyes from the pain radiating down my arms and legs.
“You could call to Arkyn.” The one called Celine steps to my side and leans over, her face inches from mine. “Not that he could or would do anything. You picked yourself a real winner.”
I don’t say anything, just watch her. “I hope he does come though. I think watching me kill you will be the best torture I have ever done to him.”
I frown at her words.
“Wondering what else I’ve done?” She sounds too gleeful, and I know I don’t want to know any of it. She looks over at Theon. “Should we move her or just let her lie out here and enjoy the city, enjoy the sinners?” I let my eyes travel over the buildings across the way. They don’t reek of sin, so I’m not sure what I would be enjoying.
When I glance back up at them, he’s looking at me. “I don’t pick the cities. I couldn’t care less about what you stupid, useless humans do, sins or not. But Seraphina likes to visit a certain group of places, time after time.” He shrugs and looks at Celine. “I’ll move her to the lounger.” She frowns, but there in the yard sits a lounger that wasn’t there a moment ago. She rolls her eyes as magic lifts me. I scream out in pain and I pray he doesn’t sever the cord now. He draws very close as she stands watching him. “They like to believe the propaganda about sins so they don’t have to admit they are just killers.” His voice is low. “Killers are all they are. They just happen to be packaged in gorgeous wrappers.”
His eyes skate over Celine, and I see hunger. I throw up in my mouth a little. The magic tightens on my back, and I cry out.
“We all have hungers,” he growls as he lowers me to the chair. “Welcome to Amsterdam.”
Another chair manifests across from me, and he lowers himself into it. Celine starts our direction, her hips rolling as she looks at him like she’s about to devour him, not in a good way, like she might literally devour him. He smiles at her, raising an eyebrow, and I feel like I’m caught in some creepy porn.
I’m tempted to try to use my powers to heal myself just so I can get away from them. Another chair appears, and she practically melts into it.
She makes a noise before dragging her eyes to me. “So, where was I? Oh, that’s right—the ways I tortured Arkyn since we both arrived here. It was really quite brilliant. We knew the ‘Princes’...” She rolls her eyes at the title, “didn’t remember their heavenly tasks, but it didn’t take me long to figure out that Arkyn was still drawn to the natives.” She grins as the pieces begin to click into place. “Like Eden did with Dagen, I drove them to extinction, or at least towards it.”
I let my eyelids fall closed as tears spring to my eyes. So many tribes, cultures, and people lost. My people.
“I did it slowly. Every time he showed up, I would make sure they were destroyed. I liked the massacres, like Wounded Knee, the most.”
“You are the demon,” I spit through clenched teeth.
“How dare you? Those heathens didn’t even worship the true God,” she roars as she leaps to her feet, fists clenched.
“Which was your Archangel?” I ask quietly, watching her.
“Mine? He was never mine.” She growls. “I was never his!” Her anger rolls through the air. I raise a brow waiting. “Uriel.” It sounds like a curse on her tongue, and then she draws a deep breath, calming herself. Her hand comes up, smoothing her hair. “I gutted him. Arkyn raced into my home and stood frozen, staring at the mighty Uriel bleeding out, and did nothing. He didn’t even fight back when I killed him. Pathetic.” She laughs as she remembers. “Do you know what he said as I drove my sword through him?”
I shake my head, feeling more tears stream down my face.
“He looked at me with those sad pathetic eyes and said ‘You can still be forgiven by Him. I forgive you.’ He forgave me as I killed him. What a fucking loser.”
She walks away, going in the house, stopping in the doorway to beckon Theon.
He looks at me as he stands. “She’s so much fun when she’s this angry.” He leans down and whispers ‘thank you’ in my ear.
Revulsion rushes through me.
They leave me laying on the lounger, pain ripping through me. I can feel my powers trying to flare to life but I keep them and the wings shoved down inside me. Sitara may have omitted some things she should have told me but she has never lied. Her warning was rushed and dangerous, so I will heed it.
I reach out to him but I’m not sure if it will make it past whatever magic is surrounding this place. Avalon. It’s not what I have ever imagined. A story for Lillian if I make it out of here, since she said she had been held with Seraphina. She must have lived within it.
‘Please hurry, Arkyn.’
Pain lances through me as I’m hit with more magic. I’ve reached my limit and I can feel consciousness slipping away as internal bleeding begins to fill my cavities.
‘Amsterdam.’
Darkness engulfs me just as I hear footsteps, stilettos clicking on stones.
“Is she dead?” It is the other one’s voice, Seraphina. I wish I could say ‘no but probably soon if you just wait, you miserable puta.’
I smile in my mind and let myself drift away.
Chapter 22
ARKYN
The battle ended hours ago, and the temple has once again been home to sacrifice. Blood coats its walls and fills the intricate carved pattern on the floor.
Evander had truly been a demon. Not just killing but slaughtering those that dared cross his path.
Lucifer had disappeared right after Citlali to track her, taking Sitara with him and hoping she could find Theon. I’m standing here feeling useless as I patch the others up. That’s me, putting a bandaid on your boo-boo.
My head whips up. I feel her. Pain rockets through me, and my demon breaks free, my wings snap out, and everyone freezes. Staring at me.
“What the fuck?” Dagen rushes towards me from where he was leaning against the altar. I step back as he draws close, hand outstretched. The problem is I didn’t see Torryn coming from the other direction.
“Well, look who is all special and shit.” I cringe as fingers slide over one of the long primary feathers.
I jerk, spinning away, and Zeph steps in front of me, blocking them. I wish I could see his face because whatever is on it stops them both in their tracks.
“We were just kidding, Arkyn.” Dagen’s eyes are filled with remorse. “Do you know why they aren’t midnight like ours?”
No way I’m saying ‘because Luc said I’m special.’ I shrug instead, but Torryn’s eyes narrow.
Lillian and Charlie’s mouths form perfect circles when they step into the room.
“So pretty,” they say in unison, and their men frown. I grin.
“Lali’s are silver and sparkle like diamonds,” I murmur, and the women oooh over my words. The men frown more. “Lali.” I shake my head, remembering what started all this. “I felt her, Zeph.” He turns and nods.
“I bet they are like that because of your power.” I turn and stare at Lillian. “Lightning. Silver until it hits something then boom. Black.”
“You are so damn smart, sweetheart.” Torryn wraps his arms around her.
“Citlali is hurt. Bad.” Everyone stops, freezes, ready to go to war for me. “I connected with her for just a second, and the pain...” I lock my eyes on Zeph. “We have to get to her.”
“Where?” Why he asks, I don’t know. I can feel him digging through my brain.
“Amsterdam. That’s all I know.” I look at them all.
“Luc!” Lillian yells, but it’s her power flowing out across the damn universe that he will hear.
He appears instantly, that baby girl in his arms. His eyes are wild. “Damn it, Lillian, don’t do that. I was afraid anoth
er battle had broken out, that they had returned with more Fallen.”
“So you brought the baby?” Charlie smirks. His face locks down, hiding his emotions.
“What do you want?” It’s a thunderous growl, but the tiny hand that comes up and grabs at his full lower lip ruins the effect.
Some turn away to hide their laughter. I smile at it, and Torryn barks out a laugh.
“I need to get to Amsterdam. Now.” I step around Zeph. Our leader sighs and hands Zeph the child. She smiles almost as dreamily at him as she does Luc, and I wonder if maybe he hasn’t been babysitting.
“I’ll take you, and the others can take the jet or use their own damn wings. Someone message Evander. Tell him to get one of Demon Bayou’s employees to take care of the houses and your things.” His hand clamps around my arm, and we break apart into nothing as he moves us around the world.
Moments or maybe seconds later, we are standing on a darkening street in Amsterdam, a canal to my left and people milling about. I turn slowly, focusing on her, trying to connect.
Nothing.
Now I understand Dagen’s sense of helplessness when Charlie disappeared before our eyes.
Hours turn to days as I search. Sitara can’t find Citlali; we believe Theon has found a new way to cloak her. Caliel can’t find Avalon; his beacon died with Grace.
This is my sixth day and night searching the city, a city that has been plagued with freak storms since my arrival. My power’s barely, okay, not really under my control. Lightning lights up the night again.
News stations have been constantly reporting on the freak lightning storms and not just local ones. Evander’s ringtone fills the moment of silence as Zeph answers his phone quickly. He is my watch dog, making sure that I don’t do something stupid like burn the city to the ground or fuck up in some other massive way.
He, of course, doesn’t say that’s what he’s doing, but we both know what it is. Babysitter.
“I’ve told you, he’s fine,” he growls, and I face away, letting the wind blow my hair. It’s loose, the way she left it, except the war braids at my temples, and the beads and trinkets attached to those make sounds that remind me of the wind chimes that hang from the four corners of my home. I focus on those sounds, pulling my powers back under control. “It’s not as if you haven’t been upset lately, so how about you cut him some slack.”
