The Four Horsemen_Reckoning

by LJ Swallow

  When all this is over, will she stay in touch?

  One strong coffee later, I sit in the lounge room to keep myself away from the tension in the kitchen. The guys can’t hunt Seth and this causes as much stress as when he is taunting. Personally, I think he’s in hiding. Watching. Waiting.

  A knock at the door silences the house and I stand in the lounge doorway as Xander walks by to answer.

  “Wards don’t work on you either, then,” he says to someone, and Erzla and Leoc step inside.

  I watch them half-hidden. Erzla carries his usual disdain as he walks along the hallway to the kitchen. Leoc pauses as she passes and turns her head to smile at me. The smile that sends a shiver through.

  “Hello, Vee. How are you?”

  “Uh. Good. You?”

  She inclines her head. “Come and talk to us. We have news.”

  The discomfort turns to dread.

  I follow the angels and Xander into the kitchen. Joss stands from where he sits at the table and steps backwards. Ewan straightens and Heath takes my hand as I step inside.

  “What’s happening?” asks Xander. “Have you found him? Are we ending this?”

  “I bloody hope so, since we’re running out of time,” says Ewan.

  Erzla catches sight of something behind Joss and points. “What’s that? In the towel?"

  “This? A weapon.” Ewan unwraps the blade.

  “Weapon?” Leoc straightens. “What do you mean?”

  “We had a friend who was attacked and taken or killed. Her attackers left behind a weapon.”

  “Associate, not friend,” puts in Joss.

  “One of the demons you’ve chosen to ally with, I presume?” asks Erzla. “That’s not such a shame, then.”

  “Someone who was going to help us with translating the text. We think Seth took her—or people working with him,” I reply.

  “Interesting.” Leoc pulls out a chair and sits, resting her arms on the table. “I would like to see this weapon more closely.”

  Ewan places the bright silver blade in front of Leoc as he did with Syv. I watch her face but her expression is inscrutable.

  “Erzla.” She shifts in her seat so he can see past her.

  Erzla’s face remains passive too. He scratches the corner of his eye. “We don’t involve ourselves in the petty squabbles between the races who escaped through the portals the first time. We’re not the best people to ask about their weapons.”

  “Right.” Ewan sighs and folds the cloth back around the blade.

  The floor above our head creaks and Erzla glances at the ceiling. “You have a demon in the house.”

  “Another acquaintance?” asks Leoc with sarcasm. “You have made some bad friendship choices recently, haven’t you?”

  “Syv is okay,” I say. “She helped when nobody else could.”

  The sharp look Leoc gives me won’t work to quiet me. This angel told me I’m more powerful than anybody in this world, apart from Seth. I trust Syv more than Leoc and won’t allow her to threaten Syv.

  “She’s only half-demon,” puts in Heath.

  Erzla makes a derisive noise. “Half is still too much. You should kill them all. I’m surprised you haven’t, Verity.”

  “Why? With the other powerful gift, you gave me?”

  My irritation rises and Joss places a hand on my arm. He shakes his head and I draw in a calming breath.

  “We have news too. We’ve figured out a way to ensure Vee lives,” says Xander.

  “Oh?” Erzla pulls out a chair to sit beside Leoc.

  My stomach twists into knots as Xander explains their theory and plans. I don’t want to listen to conversations about Order, Chaos, and battles to the death. The angels still fill me with discomfort. I believe they are who they say, and that they want Chaos dead. But I don’t like their evasiveness—it makes me nervous.

  Footsteps thump downstairs and I glance in alarm at Joss. He gestures to the door, sharing my concern. What would happen if Syv met angels? Erzla already indicated he wouldn’t be welcoming.

  “Excuse me.” I slip through the door and close it with a quiet click, just as Syv appears at the bottom of the staircase. She’s brighter this morning, her stance more upbeat.

  “How’s your hand?” I ask.

  She holds her palm out to examine. “Fine. The mark faded. I’ll look out for anything that looks similar to that bloody item. I’m not touching one of those again. I need a coffee.”

  She steps towards the kitchen and I step in front of her. “We have visitors.”

  “Ripley?”

  “No. The angels.”

  Syv’s mouth parts and her expression switches to curiosity. “And you don’t want to introduce your demon friend?”

  “I’m worried how they’ll react to you.”

  She huffs. “Fair enough. I’ll go elsewhere for breakfast.”

  I blink as she turns away, runs upstairs two at a time and returns a minute later with her jacket. She shoves her arms in. “Coming? There must be a café nearby. We can eat.”

  “I’m um… busy.”

  Syv pouts. “You don’t want one last breakfast date before the apocalypse?”

  I’m unsure what disturbs me more—Syv inviting me on a ‘breakfast date’ or her blunt mention of the apocalypse.

  “Hang on.”

  I open the kitchen door wide enough to poke my head around. “I’m going out with Syv.”

  “Out?” ask Ewan and Xander in unison.

  Anybody would think I told the guys I was about to hunt down Seth alone.

  “For breakfast. Late breakfast.”

  “With the demon?” asks Erzla, his usual disdain replaced by shock.

  “Yes.”

  “No.” Xander pulls himself away from where he leans against the kitchen counter. “Not alone.”

  I close my eyes and take a deep breath but Leoc interrupts my response with a surprisingly supportive statement. “Vee doesn’t need your protection, Xander.”

  “I don’t think Seth is waiting around the corner,” I add with a smile.

  A smile not shared by any of the guys. “How can you be sure?”

  I wave a hand. “If he is, Seth won’t act. He wants you guys, remember? And he’s certainly not powerful enough to abduct me. You saw how I deflected him in the desert that day.”

  “There’s nobody around but us. And Leoc is correct. This girl contains the power of a god.”

  Don’t say that. “Finish up your meeting and follow us,” I suggest.

  “Yes. We won’t be long,” says Leoc. “The guys could meet you in ten minutes?”

  “But we won’t be joining you and the demon spawn.” Erzla pulls a face.

  “Okay.” I say brightly and turn to leave before either I say something I regret, or one of the guys decides I need protecting and drags me into the room.

  I close the door and turn to Syv. “Let’s go.”

  28

  VEE

  Syv twirls her mug of coffee before sipping. I lost track of the choices the barista gave me and now have a flat white. The roasted coffee bean scent mingles with the delicious smell from freshly baked breads and pastries.

  I pick up the muffin in front of me and bite. “Good plan, Syv,” I say through a mouthful.

  “Mmm-hmm.” She sinks her teeth into what I’d call a bacon sandwich and what the café christened something fancier. I prefer mine in white bread with tomato sauce, not sourdough and fancy tomato relish.

  “I’m surprised you don’t have something stronger in that coffee.” I point at her mug.

  Syv cranes her neck to look through the window. Cars cram the road as they drove at a snail’s pace. They weave in and out badly parked vehicles—and each other. Blaring car horns sound. People dodge cars as they attempt to cross roads. There’s no way I’d like to drive the LA streets—or cross many.

  “And I’m surprised you don’t have your harem in hot pursuit.”

  “Don’t call them that,” I protest.
>
  “Why not? It’s what they are.” She winks at me. “You never did answer my question about who’s the best in the sack.”

  Damn my heating cheeks. “And I’m never going to, Syv.”

  “Boring!” Syv chuckles.

  I shake my head and sip my coffee. “I expect they’ll arrive soon.”

  We fall silent and eat, adding more discomfort to my day. What did I expect? A cosy girlie chat?

  “Is there a reason for this coffee date?” I ask her.

  “No.” She picks at the edge of her sandwich. “Yes. I wanted to check the guys are okay with me being around. I wasn’t much help.”

  This isn’t the Syv I know. Unsure of herself? Well, I guess the end of the world can do that to a girl.

  “I want to help, but if I’m not welcome, I’d rather be with Col. He’s happier to tolerate me.” She grins.

  “I get it. You need protecting.”

  She turns her eyes back to her meal. “No. I’d rather avoid being alone until this is over. But I might move on. I don’t want to be around angels.”

  “Why?”

  “Maybe I always knew they’d hate me. I used to dream about angels and they were mean bastards. I hated the nativity play at school.” She laughs. “One year, I was selected as an angel and I sabotaged the costume. Pulled the wings off. I had to be a shepherd instead.”

  “I can picture Erzla and Leoc being unkind. They’re very… officious.”

  “Yeah. Never expected to meet real ones, though. I understand if I need to leave.”

  “No. We were the ones who involved you in this situation, I’ll make sure you can hang around as long as you like.”

  Syv nods and her usual smile returns. “Okay, I will hang around. I need to get paid for the job I did for you all, don’t I?”

  She sips her coffee.

  JOSS

  I pull my attention away from listening to the door close behind Vee and Syv and back to the conversation happening around me. Ewan explains his theory and Xander backs it up with enthusiasm. Our decision yesterday brought something we haven’t had for a long time: hope.

  They’re silent for a minute after Ewan finishes his explanation of our plan—how we intend to spilt Orders’ energy between five and defeat Chaos with our shared power. How this makes the most sense and we’ll live. All of us.

  Leoc smooths her fingers along the table and rubs her lips together before looking up to us. “I can understand why you want to do this, but it’s not possible, Ewan.”

  He blinks rapidly. “Why?”

  “Because you’re not the same as Vee.”

  “You said we were created, the way she is. Vee took power from us and we can take it back.”

  “No. That can’t happen,” replies Erzla.

  Leoc sighs. “But you know you’re different to Vee.”

  “Aren’t we the same? Just energy in human bodies?” asks Heath.

  “No. We told you. We created the Four Horsemen to guard the portals and contain part of Order. There is more to your role, as you know.”

  “Vee has our powers too,” puts in Ewan.

  Erzla rubs his temples. “She wasn’t supposed to. You connected on a different level too, it seems.”

  “Which is helpful, right?” I ask. “That we’re closer.”

  The look he gives me raises hair on my neck. Each time I see them, I pick up displeasure at our closeness. Maybe we’re right. Did the angels expect Vee and us to go our separate ways after we gave her back Order?

  My heart speeds as a thought hits. Is that why the angels came?

  We’re not following their plans.

  I interrupt, “Vee has false memories of a childhood, and we have memories too. But mine are of more. The past. We’ve lived before. We’re not the original Horsemen, are we? Something happens.”

  “You have a different purpose and that takes a different form. We needed someone to guard the portals, someone with power greater than humans. Angels wandering the world and taking on this task wasn’t an option.”

  “Why not?” asks Ewan. “Surely angels are equal match for demons, and at least you’d be aware what was happening.”

  “No way. Allowing humans and angels to mix always leads to disaster. I’m sure you know stories of Nephilim, the bastardised human-angel creatures. We needed another solution and created you for that purpose. The Order you contain, mixed with your human souls and the powers we gave you, ensured the world could stay safe until we needed to reunite the five parts.”

  I step forward. “Why would we agree to take on the Four Horsemen role? We don’t even remember agreeing.”

  “Because the place your souls were before we ‘employed’ you was unpleasant. We offered you a way out.”

  My mouth dries and I can barely say the next words. All my other suspicions have been confirmed, why not this one too? “We were in Hell, weren’t we?” The angels look to each other. “Weren’t we?” I repeat, louder.

  “Your souls were in Hell, yes. These bodies—we created them. As you know, your role as the Four Horsemen isn’t pleasant either, but we made a deal.”

  “What deal?” asks Xander sharply.

  “We offer a deal to souls who deserve a second chance: work with us and help protect the world they damaged in their human lives. In return, we offer redemption from an afterlife in Hell.”

  “Bullshit,” mutters Ewan.

  “Is that your answer to everything, Pestilence?” asks Erzla tersely. “Because in this situation you know that’s true.” He looks between us, from shocked face to the next. You remember, don’t you, Joss? Often the empathetic Famine is the first to break through the veil and see who he really is. You’ve all had visions. You will begin to remember and this weakens your abilities.”

  “And?” snaps Xander. “What then?”

  “When this happens to the Horsemen, we take back the souls,” says Leoc. “We fulfill our end of the deal and choose new souls to create new Horsemen.”

  “Redeem and replace us?” I ask.

  Heath chews on his lip as he listens and our eyes meet. He believes this. I know it. I’ve felt this veil, as they call it, breaking in their minds too—sensed the darkness Logan said he saw in Vee. Did we have darkness in our souls that we gave to her?

  “You’re from Hell?” I ask. “You run the place?”

  “No. Like yourselves and Ripley, the leaders of Heaven and Hell have a common interest in preventing the world’s destruction. Don’t forget both Heaven and Hell are connected. End the universe and you end us both.”

  “Chaos is ending the world, not the universe,” I say.

  Leoc shakes her head. “No. I think his ultimate aim is to start the creation process again. Reduce everything to the beginning.”

  “Lucifer.” I clear my throat when the word is barely audible. “Does the fallen angel exist too?”

  Erzla sighs. “We don’t have time to run through political history behind our society. Yes. He does. But like yourselves, he’s not what you read in the bible. Hell has a leader the way Heaven does, but the story is complicated and irrelevant to the current situation.”

  “As long as he’s not wandering around too,” mutters Heath.

  “No.”

  I slump forward with my head in my hands as the conversation finally clicks together into a horrific picture. I squeeze my eyes closed and fight against the images trying to force their way in. Each night, the dreams intensify, and now I know the nightmares are real. Now I know they’re memories and that terrifies me. Hell. I hate myself for thinking this, but I want them to experience the memories too. To truly understand.

  I told them over and over—Lucifer exists, God exists, and Ripley is a part of a bigger picture. This fallen angel is who we’re really trying to stop controlling the world. Isn’t he? I told them, Ripley is the advance party. Their denial met mine in stalemate, and now I have proof.

  “We will deal with him if he escapes.”

  “Excuse me?” I jerk my head u
p. “Escapes from where?”

  “Through the portal to Hell.”

  “Oh, holy fuck.” I drop my head back into my hands.

  Xander places a palm on the table and leans forward. “Which of the six is the portal to Hell? Which continent?”

  “There is a seventh.”

  Xander steps back and I swear he wants to punch Erzla. “And why didn’t we know?”

  “Because we know fucking nothing,” growls Heath.

  “Chaos opened a gateway to Hell?”

  “No. He doesn’t know where the portal is. But we need to meet there. That’s what we’ve come to talk to you about.”

  “Where?” insists Ewan.

  “The portal is beneath your house in England. Or where the house once stood.”

  I wait for someone to retort but gaping mouths and tired confusion are our only responses, until Ewan speaks. “Under our house. Seriously? Joss detects demons, he’d know.”

  “A long way beneath your house, nothing can be detected, even by Chaos.”

  Leoc takes on a gentler tone. “The seventh portal needed protecting too. The most important one. You guarded this one without being aware.”

  Xander turns away, hands on the back of his head and elbows at right angles.

  I have no fucking clue what to say. We’ve spent the last ten years living above the gateway to Hell? Insane shit has happened recently, but this.

  “The elemental,” continues Leoc. “We worried Chaos had discovered and that was his first attack, but now we’re convinced his motive was to kill Xander.”

  “Chaos definitely doesn’t know?”

  “As soon as he reveals himself again, we will tell him to meet us there. Now we’re satisfied Vee is strong enough, it’s time.”

  Xander turns. “That’s where the prophecy ends? In our burned-out house?”

  “Yes.” Leoc reaches out and touches my hand. “Joss. I sense your fear and mistrust, but we are here to help. We would never reveal this location to anybody outside Heaven unless we intended to win.”

  I search her beautiful face, aware her touch sends a calm through me, as soothing as I am to others.