Dark Abigail

by Thawer, Tish

  Loki flared the tails of his long coat. “Because it’s what I do.” His creepy smile had Garrett wanting to destroy the Norse God where he stood. However, he didn’t want to engage him alone and risk losing him––he wasn’t that prideful. Garrett continued to stall, hoping Michael was watching his seeing stone and would arrive at any minute to provide back-up. “As you know, we’re aware of Abigail’s deception and won’t be giving her any information on Holli for your use.”

  Loki laughed. “Now, why in the world would I need information about my own daughter? I know all there is to know about her and her true nature.” Loki dipped his head and smiled wide. “It’s not me you have to worry about.”

  “Cut the shit!” Death spat. “We know you’re working with Lucifer. How else could he create a Valkyrie like Abigail.”

  “Of course, you’re correct. And yes, you guessed it, Lucifer is the one with a hard-on for obtaining Holli’s secrets.”

  “Then why don’t you just tell him? You said it yourself, you’re working with him, and you do know everything about her.”

  “Correct, but where’s the fun in that?” Loki wandered back and forth between the two massive black marble columns. “Watching your world crumble around you is one of the best parts.” Loki struck the nearest column with his staff, sending a crack straight up its surface.

  Garrett flew forward, unwilling to wait any longer. Of course, Loki had disappeared by the time he’d reached the damaged column, but Garrett didn’t care. He laid a hand on the massive support and closed his eyes. The damage was only superficial, a hairline fracture at best, which thankfully hadn’t cause any structural issues. Death placed the tip of his scythe against the crack and took a deep breath. His weapon glowed and his magic pulsed, repairing the split and helping him to breathe a little easier.

  17

  Raven ran her hand over the smooth marble. “It was right here?” she asked after her and Garrett had squashed their issues from the previous night as quickly as only best friends could.

  “Yes.” Garrett replied from atop his throne. “The crack was easily repairable, but that’s not the point. Despite the added protections I’ve placed around the castle, the bastard still seems to be able to come and go whenever he pleases.”

  “If that’s the case, then why hasn’t he taken Abigail yet?” Michael asked.

  “I’m not sure. He said that watching my world crumble around me was part of the fun for him,” Garrett grumbled, “so most likely, he’s just waiting for Lucifer to figure out a way to come here, guns a blazin’, and put on the show he’s been waiting for.”

  “Fine!” Raven’s wings snapped open. “Let him come. I’m so over this cat and mouse game we’ve got going on. If they want to come at us, then I say, let’s get on with it.” The hard set to her jaw accentuated her words and the anger behind them.

  “That’s exactly what Loki wants,” Michael replied.

  Raven huffed and walked toward the balcony. “I understand that, but we know Lucifer’s motives; we know why Abigail is here, so why are we just sitting around waiting for something else to happen? We should be doing something about all this.”

  “I agree, Raven, but until Lucifer makes his move, I don’t know what we can do on our own. I’m an emissary of both Heaven and Hell, and don’t have the authority to punish Lucifer myself.” Garrett explained, then looked at Michael. “Until Heaven decides to step in, we really don’t have a choice but to remain on the defensive.”

  Raven turned to Michael. “Have you heard anything else from them?” She looked up to the ceiling.

  “No. My instructions remain the same. I’m only allowed to monitor Lucifer through the seeing stone.”

  “This is bullshit!” Raven dove off the balcony.

  Michael moved to follow her, but stopped at Garrett’s words. “Let her go. She just needs to blow off some steam. Besides, I need you to stay here and speak with Holli.”

  Michael curiously turned around and faced Death. “Speak to her about what?”

  “I’m not sure. After her breakdown last night, she said that she wanted to talk to you.” Garrett shrugged as another sour taste formed in his mouth.

  “All right. Where is she?”

  “In our personal quarters, but I’d like to check on her first and see if she’d rather come down here instead.”

  Michael nodded, understanding Death’s need to retain their privacy. Garrett disappeared in a blur of shadows and Michael took a seat in the sitting room to await their return.

  “Holli, sweetheart? Michael is downstairs if you’d like to speak to him.” Garrett tiptoed into the room in case she was still asleep. “Baby?” He reached for the blankets on their bed and gasped when they collapsed under his touch. “Holli? Where are you?” The panic in his voice brought Svell bounding into the room. “Where is she and why aren’t you with her?” Garrett snapped.

  Svell’s knowledge-filled eyes closed and in seconds he phased into his shadow-beast form and disappeared through the nearest wall. “Fuck!” Garrett cussed, unable to track the ice-hellions movements. Spinning into his own cloud of mist, Garrett reappeared in his throne room, hoping Holli had made her way downstairs and was already speaking with the archangel.

  “What’s wrong?” Michael asked, pushing up from his seat on the couch.

  “Holli’s gone.” Death stomped straight to the gazing pool and pulled up an image of Hell. It was clear by the torture Lucifer was dispensing on one of his princes that he wasn’t happy, so Garrett could only assume Holli wasn’t there. “Stay here, I’ll be right back.” With his scythe in hand, he disappeared again, emerging into Abigail’s room unannounced.

  “Holy shit!” Abigail squawked.

  “My love, you scared us.” Holli’s response was reserved and demure, and in just the right tone to bring Death back from the edge of insanity.

  He took a deep breath before speaking while piercing Holli with his gaze. “May I speak with you privately?” He extended his hand.

  “Actually, would it be all right if I finished my conversation with Abigail first?” Holli’s smile was tight lipped but genuine, and the only thing that allowed Death to relax and leave the room without her.

  “Of course. I’ll be just outside.” Death pulled open the door and was met with a blast of ice cold air as Svell breathed into his face. Garrett’s composure was barely intact as he exited the room. “A big help you are,” he teased Svell, petting the ice-hellion on his massive head.

  Ten excruciating minutes later, Holli emerged, waving goodbye to Abigail like they were now best friends.

  “What’s all this about?” Death asked, unable to hide his concern or hold his tongue a second longer.

  “I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad.” Holli turned away and proceeded down the tight corridor with her wings tucked snuggly to her back.

  “Honey, I’m not mad, I was just scared. With everything going on right now, it’s not really the best time to just disappear.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry, but after I woke up this morning, I knew it wasn’t Michael I needed to talk to, it was Abigail.”

  Garrett’s eyes closed as he took another deep breath. “And why is it that you can’t talk to me?” The power of Death layered his voice more than he’d meant it to.

  Holli stopped dead in her tracks but didn’t turn around. “Because, you can’t help me.” She threw open the wooden door and slammed through the exit, not stopping until she reached the balcony. “I’m going to go for a fly. I’ll see you later.”

  Death stood there, gawking at his beautiful wife, as she dove out into the gray murky sky. He laid his hand on the balustrade and tried not to damage the plaster with his grip as he watched Holli soar through the inky tendrils of the twisting souls.

  “Is everything okay?” Michael asked, coming up behind him.

  “I have no idea, but I’m going to find out.” Death turned and started back towards the door from which Holli had just emerged, ready to place Svell on watch
again as he conducted his own conversation with Abigail.

  “Do you want me to come with you?” Michael offered.

  Garrett shrugged, annoyed at the idea of company, but quickly relented. “Sure. Why not.”

  The three moved back up the hallway, anxious to get some answers, when Death suddenly stopped mid-step. A thick bank of green fog filled the tunnel like water filled a pipe. It came rolling towards them like a solid wall intent on swallowing them whole.

  “Get back!” Garrett exclaimed. He turned around, catching a look of pure panic on Michael’s face just before the archangel teleported himself out of harm’s way. Death quickly did the same, followed by Svell in his shadow-beast form, however it was only he and the ice-hellion who rematerialized in the throne room.

  Apparently, Michael, too, had now disappeared.

  18

  “It’s good to have you back, my dear,” Lucifer purred as Loki escorted Abigail into the throne room.

  “It’s good to be back. Now do you want to explain why my portal didn’t work from inside that room?” She cocked a hip and stood in place while Loki continued forward, taking a seat on the steps beneath Lucifer’s throne.

  “To be honest, I’m not sure. Obviously, Death’s magic is powerful, and most likely even more so when he concentrates it like that.” Lucifer cast a side-glance at Loki, clearly unhappy with the way things played out.

  “Well, you can forget about me going back. I won’t be trapped like that again.” Abigail turned to leave and was met with the doors, slamming in her face.

  “You will do as I command. And if that means heading back into Purgatory, so be it.” Flames in the nearby torches reached for the sky in response to Lucifer’s rising anger.

  “Why? What’s the point? I didn’t get any information on the woman, and now that the entire place is aware of my existence, what good am I as an assassin? They’ll see me coming from a mile away?”

  Loki pretended to hide a snide laugh and was met with another fury-filled look from Lucifer. “Are you saying you can no longer do your job?” he questioned, refocused on Abigail.

  “That’s not what I’m saying at all. But you have to admit, it will now be much harder with all that’s happened.” Abigail squared her shoulders.

  Lucifer ran a hand over the stubble on his chin. “Perhaps you’re right. Perhaps a new skill is in order.” Without another word, a white-hot strike of lightening hit Abigail in the chest.

  “Ouch! What the fuck?” She collapsed onto the floor, rubbing at the burning sensation that was radiating up her neck.

  “The pain will pass, and once your new power is seeded, you won’t have to worry about failing in your tasks again.” The doors opened behind her, and Lucifer dismissed her with a frightening leer plastered across his face.

  “That wasn’t part of the deal.” Loki rose from his relaxed pose on the stairs and crossed his arms.

  “Neither was letting my assassin get captured and being held against our will. Asmodeus tried to get her out but was unable to do so.”

  “Yes. I saw the handy work of your punishment for his failure.” Loki walked towards the exit, recalling Asmodeus’ flayed stomach.

  “Then you should know that I’m not someone who likes to be disappointed,” Lucifer growled, “or double-crossed.”

  “Double-crossed? I just sprang your assassin from her cage. How could I possibly be double-crossing you?” Loki’s carefree laughter filled the room.

  “Well, let’s just keep it that way. I would have done it myself, but you know I’m not allowed to enter Purgatory.” Lucifer shifted on his throne, clearly not solid in his rebuttal. “I’ll be sending Abigail back to Purgatory to complete her previous mission of killing more Reapers. With her new power she shouldn’t have any problems, but if for some reason she’s captured again, I’ll be grateful for your aid once more.”

  Loki danced a jig in his head, thoroughly enjoying the moment as Lucifer ate crow. “But of course. I’m only here to help.” The God of Mischief smiled wide then disappeared in puff of green smoke.

  “Highly doubtful,” Lucifer whispered to himself.

  Abigail entered her room, only to find the damaged demon of lust laying across her bed. “Asmodeus, my god, what happened to you?”

  “I failed. I sent you on a mission and couldn’t get you back.” He turned his head toward the wall, away from Abigail’s concerned gaze.

  Ripping sounds filled the room as Abigail stripped pieces of material from her sheets. She walked to the nearby basin and drenched them in the water. “Lucifer had no right to punish you like this. It’s not your fault I couldn’t get back out. Even he admitted to not knowing the level of Death’s magic.”

  Asmodeus flinched when the cold rag hit his raw wounds. “That’s not how he sees it.”

  “Well, then someone should open his eyes.”

  Asmodeus turned back to face her and was met with the most beautiful look of determination he’d ever seen. “You really do care, don’t you?”

  Abigail paused, waiting for his usual brush of power but was surprised when the only thing between them was a moment of softened honesty. “Yes. I care.”

  Asmodeus reached for her hand, squeezing lightly and jerked when a stream of water ran down his ribs. “Whoa, that’s cold.”

  Abigail laughed. “Sorry. Here, let me warm it up.” She rubbed her hands together, hoping the friction would help. Suddenly the material burst into flames, causing both Abigail and Asmodeus to jump back.

  “What’s happening?” she screamed.

  “How did you do that?” Asmodeus asked.

  “I have no idea.”

  19

  “Raven, wait up!” Holli called as she caught sight of her friend flying over top of portal fields.

  “Hey, there you are. I didn’t see you this morning.” Raven landed on one of the mausoleums and took a seat upon its pitched roof.

  “Yeah. I wasn’t feeling well, so I slept in.” Holli lowered her head.

  “Do you want to talk about what happened last night? I was worried about you.” Raven cast a casual glance at Holli, hoping to coax her into spilling the beans.

  “No, not really. I just don’t feel good and until I get a handle on why, there’s not much to talk about.” Holli shrugged as if it was no big deal, but Raven could tell otherwise.

  “Okay, well, like I said, I’m always here if you want to talk.”

  “Thanks.” Holli smiled, then the two fell into an awkward silence as they watched the black, smoke-like wisps of the souls float by.

  “So, now that Abigail’s stuck here, do you think she’ll still try to get the info on you she was sent here for?” Raven wasn’t sure what they should talk about, seeing any plans to retaliate had already been tabled by Garrett.

  “When I spoke with her this morning, she didn’t ask me a single thing about myself.” Holli practically whispered.

  “You talked to her again?” Raven hiked up a knee and turned her body so she was facing Holli head-on.

  “Yes. I went back to learn more about her and how she was able to resist Hell. I’m curious as to why Lucifer chose her to become his assassin.” Holli lifted her chin, unapologetic.

  “Interesting. Did she give you any clues?”

  “Not really. She was as surprised as anyone and has no idea why she’s unaffected in Hell.” Holli shrugged.

  “Well, in our case, we were able to become Reapers because we both experienced death while still alive. Me with my TIA’s, and you because, well, you’re the Norse Goddess of the afterlife, considered to be half-dead and half-alive.” Raven’s awkward smile brought a grin to Holli’s face.

  “Thanks for the reminder.” Holli laughed.

  “No problem. Always glad to help.” Raven bumped her friend’s knee, happy she’d been able to lighten the mood.

  “I suppose we should get back. Garrett’s probably worried about us.” Holli sighed.

  “You know what? I’m so sick of these guys acting lik
e we can’t take care of ourselves. We’re Reapers, dammit. They need to chill out.” Raven stood up and extended her wings. “I say we head to Digger’s for a drink and go back when we’re goddamned good and ready.”

  Holli giggled and stood up next to her friend, balancing in place on the steep roof. “You’re right. They can wait a little longer, and then maybe they’ll see we aren’t a couple of damsels in distress.”

  Raven shot into the sky and headed to Digger’s with Holli following closely behind. Landing outside their favorite restaurant, they pulled their wings tight and entered the establishment with their spirits high.

  “Hey, Digger! A table for two please,” Raven called out to the owner.

  “For my favorite two Reapers? You got it!” Digger lowered his almost bald head in an exaggerated bow, eliciting a giggle from both of the girls.

  Walking through the low-lit dining room, Raven noticed some new caskets and tombstones along the back wall. “You redecorating?” she asked Digger.

  “Yeah. Some of the old decor was getting a bit old, even for in here.” Digger winked.

  “Well, I like it. Those will look great with the candelabras and the rest of the leather benches.” Raven gave him a high-five, then slid into the booth he’d shown them to.

  “Can I start you ladies off with a drink?” Digger asked.

  “Absolutely! I’ll take a gin and tonic,” Raven ordered.

  “I’ll just have a...” Holli started.

  “She’ll have a gin and tonic too,” Raven finished for her.

  Holli nodded her head as Digger walked back to the front of the restaurant and slid behind the bar.

  “I haven’t been here in a while. I miss it,” Raven looked around, trying to pinpoint any other differences she’d yet to notice.”

  “Are there other things you miss about living here?” Holli asked.

  “Of course. Practically everything.” Raven shrugged. “It took a while for me to settle in after arriving in Purgatory, but once I did, it quickly became my home. The gray sky, the drifting souls, the old stone and London-like architecture. I love it all.”