I rubbed my belly. I probably shouldn’t have had that third crab puff.
“Okay?”
“Yep, just full,” I gave him a reassuring smile.
He pulled off two dessert plates. One had a mini key lime pie and the other was a type of brownie. “Too full for dessert?”
I gave him an affronted look! “Never!”
“I think the babies look like you.” He pulled out the print out that Doctor Hamilton had given me of both the babies faces. He kept it in his wallet. The photo caught Hope mid yawn.
“They are smooshed into my amniotic fluid. They don’t look like anyone yet. Unless you think I look like a smooshed potato?” I laughed. It felt good to laugh.
“The most beautiful smooshed face in the whole world,” he kissed my temple.
A sharp pain bolted across my stomach and I grabbed at it. Ouch.
“Hey, what was that?”
My heart thudded. “I don’t know.”
Ace?
Silence. Panic trickled in.
Ace?
More silence and another shooting pain.
Something was wrong.
I didn’t say anything but Ri was throwing down cash in the table and getting me to my feet. “I’m taking you home to see Eli.”
Another sharp pain, and the world dimmed at the edges. “Something is wrong, Ri. Take me to the hospital.
Oz’s health tracker started to flash on my wrist and both mine and Ri’s phones started going off as he pushed his way out of the restaurant.
The phones continued to buzz until Ri answered. “There's something wrong with Cady. Yeah, I’m taking her to the hospital. No, Val has the Jag. Yes. Yes. Ok.” He hung up the phone.
“I need you to stand here,” he said, and halted me right next to the door. Another sharp pain made me nearly double over.
“Fuck. Just hold on, okay?” He walked over to a guy just getting out of his car. He was so far away, I could only just pick up their conversation.
“Hey, I’m gonna borrow your car, okay? I’ll leave it for you at Mount Sinai.” The guy smiled shyly, his jaw slightly unhinged and he just nodded as he handed over his keys.
“Will you be there?” The guy cooed, and Ri stroked his cheek.
“Maybe. Thanks, man.” So that was Lust at work. It was scary how easily it worked and how open to suggestion the guy was.
Ri hustled back over, and led me to the guy’s car. I frantically willed my mind and body to stay as calm as possible, but inside I was freaking the fuck out. Silent tears streamed down my cheeks as Ri helped me into the car.
“It’s going to be alright, Beautiful Girl. This is probably just those phantom contraction things. We’ll be at the hospital in five minutes and everyone will be okay.”
His voice was calm, but I could see the panic in his eyes. I nodded, and he shut the door, half jumping the hood of the car to get to the drivers side quicker.
It was too soon.
It all happened in a blur. Ri carried me into the emergency room and I was rushed through. Before I knew it, there were six doctors, four medical students and a barrage of nurses standing around my bed. The rest of my seven hadn’t arrived yet, though I had no doubt they’d be there and not even the Devil would stop them. Not that he would.
“We believe you’ve experienced a placental abruption. This is very serious for both you and the babies. This needs to be treated immediately, as the babies are not getting enough oxygen. I’ve booked a theater, and as soon as you are prepped, we will undergo an emergency c-section. The nurse will get you the appropriate forms to sign. We’ve contacted your specialists, and they will be on standby.” I just nodded along. The words weren’t connecting in my brain, but I would agree to anything that would give the babies a fighting chance.
“Will I be awake?”
“If you wish. You aren’t hemorrhaging large quantities, so the anesthetist will be along asap to give you a spinal block and epidural. However, we may put you under general anesthesia at any point if we judge it necessary.”
I nodded again. I wished Eli was here to tell me if we were doing the right thing. My intuition was saying yes, but what did I know?
Ace? I need you. Please be okay. I’d called her repeatedly, but no answer. A dark ball of dread in my gut formed at the thought she was gone forever, but I couldn’t dwell on it. I would deliver the babies and then I would mourn my best friend.
The anesthetist left just as the Lux, Sam and Eli arrived. Eli looked determined, and Sam looked terrified. Lux looked… broken. He came over and put his head on my chest. I ran my fingers over the smooth stubble of his skull. I couldn’t give him reassurances. I didn’t have them in me.
An orderly in scrubs came to wheel me down to the operating room and there was no more time.
“Wait, wait. I need to say goodbye to the others.” I reached for my guys. “We have to wait. Oz and Tolli and Valery. I need to see them first.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. You are booked down in theater.” The guy looked apologetic, if kind of confused. The look of confusion increased when each of the guys came up and kissed me. A tear dropped down onto my cheek when Sam pressed his forehead to mine. “I will see you when you come out. We will hold our babies together.”
The orderly cleared his throat and everyone moved back.
Lux reached out and touched my cheek. “You will come back to me.”
I could only nod. A nurse, who looked a little like Clary - god I needed Clary right now - met us at the lift.
“Hi, I’m Rose. I’ll be taking you down. Can I have your name and date of birth?”
I must have murmured the right thing, because I was down in theater before I knew it. The rest was a blur. I couldn’t feel anything below my rib cage, except the arrhythmic thumping of my heart and lungs that couldn’t draw enough air.
A bunch of specialists stood around me, all looking the same in their gowns and masks. Everything faded in and out, as the babies stopped moving.
“You have to hurry.”
“It’s okay, Arcadia.” I recognized Doctor Hamilton’s voice behind the mask and I calmed. “I’m making the incision now, and your babies will be in this world before you know it. Your only job is to stay calm.”
I felt no pain. Pressure, tugging, but no pain. Then I heard the most beautiful sound in the world. A cry. A tiny mewl. And another. It was perfect. “Baby number one is perfect, Arcadia. Ten fingers. Ten toes.”
More pressure, more tugging, and then silence. I was beginning to dread the silence. The nurses rushed around, one of the blue robed doctors taking Hope to another bed, working on her. Then another tiny cry. “That's two for two. Congratulations Mama. But your job isn’t over yet,” Doctor Hamilton said reassuringly.
Goodbye, Arcadia. The voice wasn't even a sound. It was a vibration I heard in my soul.
Ace? What do you mean goodbye? Ace?
I couldn't leave without saying goodbye. Silence, and I could hear her struggle. This is the best thing I have ever done. I love you.
I struggled but I couldn’t move, though moving would have been useless. I couldn’t grab hold of her. I couldn’t take her hand and make her stay. I turned to yell at the person beside me to make her stay.
Rather obscurely, it was a man wearing a poncho that stood beside me. “Where's the faith?”
He was cute. Maybe a little older, but he wore his age well. Like George Clooney or Brad Pitt, but with more grey hair. A silver fox.
I was definitely dying. This was the weirdest death hallucination ever. “Shouldn’t you be wearing scrubs?”
The man looked down at his poncho. It was blue and yellow in a repeating zig zag pattern. “This is freshly laundered. I got it from Tijuana.”
“It’s nice.”
“Thank you, Arcadia. Someone said they saw the face of Jesus in it. I don’t see the resemblance myself. The holy chicken nugget though, that was uncanny.”
I nearly swallowed my tongue. “Are you Jesus?”
<
br /> The man laughed. “God no. Or would it be Me no? I can never get the terminology right. I am the Father. God. Big G. The name you scream during climax.” He laughed and I just blinked. This was the weirdest coma dream ever.
That was when I noticed no one else in the room was moving. Everyone was frozen in a moment.
“Oh fuck. I'm dead. You're here to take me to heaven. The guys. The guys are going to be so crushed. And the babies.” Tears streamed down my cheeks.
“Hey, hold up. I don’t personally collect the dead. I have angels for that. They are much more-”
“Biblical looking?”
God shrugged. That was weird. I had to stop referring to him as the G word. I was beginning to freak out, like my heart could beat out of my chest. “As you say. Call me whatever you like. It doesn't matter to me as much as everyone on earth seems to believe.”
“Okay. The Big Guy. How’s that sound?”
“Just fine, Arcadia. No, I'm not here for you. I am here for my child. Acerezeal.” He snapped his fingers and a tearing sensation ripped through my chest. I screamed.
“Sorry about that. It's like ripping off a Band-Aid. It's better without forewarning.” He snapped his fingers again, and Ace stood there before me. Solid, in her angelic body. Wings and all.
She was beautiful.
“Father?” She looked around the room, confused. “I ceased to be. I felt my consciousness stop. How?” She touched her naked body, wrapping her wings around herself and stroking the feathers. “My body. My wings. I’m me.” Her eyes shot to mine, and then she leaned forward and wrapped me in a hug that crushed my bones.
“But why? Are all the sins redeemed?”
The Big Guy shook his head. “No, though Lucifer’s Redeemer did a far better job than I anticipated. No, there is still one to be redeemed.” He cupped Ace’s cheek in his hand, and she leaned into the embrace, her body shuddering. “But Lucifer proved his point in a way that neither of us could have seen. She didn’t just redeem those who had succumbed to the deadly sins. She redeemed one of my Fallen. A Fallen who willingly gave her life for two innocents. Despite the wishes of her beloved. That deserved a reward. You have earned back you body, Acerezeal, my favored child. Willful, but you have always held more love, more life, in your heart than the rest of my angels.”
Ace fell to her knees and cried. Wracking sobs made her wings drag on the floor, their shade that of clouds in a summer storm. So beautiful.
“Thank you.” She reached up and wrapped her fingers in mine. “And you.” She pulled herself to her feet, and sucked in a deep breath. “Does this mean I am no longer Fallen? Am I welcome back in heaven?”
The Big Guy laughed. It was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard, even more beautiful than the Archangel Michael’s, and again the tears were streaming down my cheeks.
“Would you want to come back?”
Ace shook her head. “No.”
I wanted to slap her, but I couldn’t raise my hands. Was she insane? How could say no?
The Big Guy just shrugged. “I didn’t think so. Besides, you are fine where you are. You temper Lucifer’s more impulsive side.”
“Ace is the responsible one? Eesh.” Ace threw me a dirty look, and it was exactly how I imagined it. She was exactly how I imagined her, right down to the long raven hair and the pale, milky skin that was way too exposed right now. “You should find some scrubs before someone sees you.” I still wasn’t convinced that this wasn’t just a death hallucination.
God checked his nonexistent watch. “I should be going. Time waits for no man.” He threw me a smile. “But then, I am no man.”
“Wait!” Ace reached out and touched The Big Guy’s arm. “What about Arcadia? You can heal her right?”
The smile slid from his face, and I mourned its loss. “Unfortunately no. She stepped outside of my plan as soon as Lucifer placed your soul in hers. Arcadia’s fate rests solely on the shoulders of destiny now. Goodbye Arcadia, I wish you the best of luck.”
He was gone, and the world started moving again. Pain gripped my chest, and I couldn't suck in any air. The monitors were blaring and doctors were yelling.
“We’re losing her!”
I tried to breathe enough air to call for Ace, but there was none.
And then Azriel was there, leaning over me, his nose inches from mine. “Balance is always restored, Arcadia Jones.” He clawed his hand and plunged it into my chest.
Machines wailed in one long screech, but I could barely hear it over Ace’s screams. Azriel pulled out his hand, clean despite just being in my chest, and in it held the glowing light of my soul. He let it go and I watched it drift toward the roof, briefly aware of the searing agony, the ice cold emptiness in my chest, as the world faded to blackness.
Ace was right. Having your soul torn out did hurt.
Part IV
Chapter Thirty-Two
Ace
I reached for my sword, then realized I was naked. No shirt, no pants and definitely no sword. I screamed in frustration as Azriel plunged his hand into Arcadia’s chest and tore out her soul.
Fuck, fuck, fuck! I jumped toward him but my body was as weak as a fawn’s from decades of stagnation.
“Lucifer!” I yelled, feeling a little ashamed that I had to call for my lover to take care of Azriel.
“Too late now, Acerezeal. It’s over.” His smug voice grated against my nerves. Weak or not, I stumbled toward him, keeping one eye on Arcadia’s soul as it drifted upwards.
“You better get out of here before I gain back enough coordination to kick you where your balls should be!”
He just laughed, and I silently vowed revenge. He must have seen murder on my face, because he quit laughing.
“Lucifer!” I yelled again. “I’d go if I were you; he isn’t going to be happy that you snuffed his Redeemer.” I let out a humorless laugh. “You know what, stay. I’d love to see him pummel the shit out of your smug angel face.”
Azriel narrowed his eyes. “It’s good to have you back, Acerezeal. I look forward to separating your body and your soul again, hopefully permanently this time.”
I grinned as a knife came from behind him and pressed against his throat.
“Threaten her again, Azriel, and the only thing being separated will be your head from your body,” Luc growled. My heart beat faster. I’d forgotten how sexy he was when he was threatening our enemies with decapitation.
Azriel disappeared in a flash, the coward. Luc just stared at me in awe. I wanted to run to him, wrap my arms around his body and feel his touch against my skin. But first…
“Quick, Arcadia’s soul!” I pointed to the luminous soul getting closer to the roof.
Luc shot out a hand and whispered in Latin. Angels like me could do a lot of things, but manipulation of souls was strictly an Archangel thing. And despite his Fallen status, Luc had once been an Archangel.
He called it back to his hand, like a puppy to heel.
“Acerezeal, I cannot place this back in her damaged body. She will just die anyway.” I took a moment to watch the humans work as they desperately tried to save Arcadia. I trusted that they would ensure she lived, but I needed to keep her soul safe until they fixed her physical form.
“Put her soul into my body. She shared her body with me for so many years, it’s time I returned the favor.”
Luc raised his eyebrows. “You want to put a human soul in your body?”
“Yes. Now let’s do it before anything else goes wrong.”
He leaned down and kissed me. “I have missed you, my love.” I relished the feel of his lips on mine. I would never take his kisses for granted again. I would appreciate every touch, every embrace. “This might feel a little uncomfortable,” he said as he jammed his hand at my chest and I felt my body’s confusion as another soul settled beside mine. It was like a heart attack, or maybe a panic attack. Living with Arcadia had taught me what both of those sensations felt like. It would adapt. My body was angelic. I could car
ry Arcadia with me forever, if need be.
As Cady's soul settled in my body, the screeching of the human vitals machines stopped, and they stabilized her body.
Arcadia?
I could feel her confusion. What’s happening? Where am I?
Ugh. I forgot the soul amnesia. We needed to kick start her memory ASAP because this whole thing was going to be way too hard to explain. I walked out of the operating theater, taking Luc’s hand. His strong fingers threaded through mine, and I wanted to weep with joy. But fallen angels don’t weep. Hell, angels don’t weep at all.
Am I naked? Arcadia asked, outraged and a little embarrassed. She must have caught a glimpse of me in the glass windows.
Technically I’m naked. But don’t worry. No one can see us unless I allow them too.
We made it to the waiting room, and there were Arcadia’s Seven, looking like utter shit. Oz was sitting with his head in his hands, his eyes bloodshot red. Ri was beside him, worry and fear fighting for prominence on his face. Lux was standing in the corner, his face a hard mask to keep in the emotion. Sam kept running his hand through nonexistent hair as he paced back and forward. Valery was leaning against a wall, wiping tears on his sleeve. Tolliver was at the nurse's station demanding answers. And Eli looked… devastated. He looked as if his soul was being put through a meat mincer.
Oh. There was such pain in Arcadia’s single, whispered word. Oh, my guys. I’m so sorry. A huge wave of sadness flowed through my body. I remember. Azriel, that motherfucking asshole. Angel or not, I am going to shred him when I see him next. Wait until I tell Lux.
“He’ll have to get in line. Azriel was lucky I didn’t have my sword.”
Luc gave me a lopsided grin. He was so happy, and I was so torn. I was ecstatic to be back with him, always, but not at the cost of Arcadia’s life. I wouldn’t be truly happy until she was back in that weird poly lovefest she called a relationship.
What are we going to do? Arcadia asked, her voice suddenly small.
We're going to fix this, but first…
Hell's Redemption- The Complete Series Boxset Page 24
