“Uriel is an asshole,” I agreed. Being the top Archangel had to suck. “You’ll bring him to heel, Archangel. Without more of us falling. Though, if they do fall, I promise that Lucifer will squash the cruelty right out of them. Fire meeting fire, and all that.”
We watched the crowd, their attention transfixed on the stage also. Hope definitely had a little extra oomph that wasn’t entirely human. Her eyes glanced our way and she startled slightly at the sight of Michael. He smiled and gave her a wave and she raised her hand back, before continuing her speech, the consummate professional.
“I fear she’ll be tested too, soon enough,” he murmured. “And the other twin? Estrella?”
“She joined the Boston Police Department,” I smiled, still remembering the Mulligans horror that she was going to become a cop. Hilarious.
“Aiding humanity too,” Michael nodded. He placed a hand on my shoulder. “You did a good thing all those years ago.”
“I know.”
As the rapturous applause echoed at the end of Hope's speech, I realized that Gusion had been right all those years ago. They had changed everything. They'd certainly changed me.
For my Family
Part I
Prologue
Ace
It wasn’t often that I got to mix work and pleasure, but today was one of those days. I stood at the back of the large auditorium, invisible to the world leaders that filled its seats, but not to the woman on stage. She saw me all too well, and her smile lit up my heart like a Christmas tree. She looked beautiful on the stage, her deep red hair ethereal under the lights pointing at the lectern. Hope. That tiny baby had turned into this beautiful, strong, intelligent woman, and I couldn’t be prouder.
I gave her a thumbs up as she began to speak.
“Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed leaders of the world, I thank you for inviting me to speak at the World Humanitarian Summit. I know that you wished for my father to speak here tonight, but unfortunately they are caught up in Hurricane Katherine in Polynesia, where they have been building clinics and schools in the poorer island nations. But as the Director of the NRH foundation for the United States, I can assure you I am more than qualified to speak in his place.
“As many of you know, NRH started as eight people with an idealistic idea to use their wealth to better the lives of others by dressing up as ninjas. Hence the Ninja Robin Hood name.” There was a muted laugh from around the room. “Since then, NRH has spread across the globe, teams of people working on the ground to better the services and facilities available to all. My parents were the first team and they will continue to do so until they can do no more. Luckily, between them all, they make quite the team.” There was another small chuckle from those who knew the story, who’d read the tabloids that had ‘exposed’ them as a polyamorous group. Hope continued.
“Our mission is to globally raise the level of healthcare and education to a standardized level, so everyone can have an equal opportunity to survive and thrive. And whilst we are doing that on the ground, we also want to do that on a much larger scale. We want to eradicate viral diseases that can cripple whole countries. The pharmaceutical wing of NRH has purchased half a dozen patents for vaccines to crippling diseases such as AIDS, hepatitis and the omega virus. We have also purchased the patents for the new cancer cure for 27 billion dollars and intend to distribute it at cost price plus 1%. Our working model is that if the patent pays itself off before the its exclusivity lapses, which is unlikely, we will make the patent public for free use by other companies. We do not want to make money, we want to eradicate needless deaths.”
Hope continued, and I dragged my eyes away as I felt a presence beside me. I almost startled when I realized it was Michael. I nodded my head in respect. “Archangel. What brings you here?”
He smiled at me, in that beatific way, but his eyes stayed on the stage. “She speaks beautifully, does she not?”
I nodded warily. Michael laughed. “Don’t look so worried, Acerezeal. I am just touching base? That’s the human phrase, no?”
I nodded again. “How are they doing? Your Arcadia and her redeemed Sins?”
“They are bettering humanity, as Hope said. Banging like monkeys in their down time. Seriously, if they don’t cut it out, one of them will have a heart attack.”
Michael frowned at me disapprovingly, but he couldn’t hide the shine of amusement in his eyes.
“I am glad it all worked out in the end. There has been too much animosity through the ages and it has led to attitudes like Uriel and Azriel’s, though I think Azriel may be tested soon.” He looked back at the stage, and I didn’t blame him. Hope looked magnetic. Michael continued. “Lucifer, for all his faults, fell because he cared too much not to question the Father. There is so much heart in him, more than he gives himself credit for. But there’s a faction that believes in following the Father's word to the letter, twisting it to go down the path of near cruelty.” Michael sighed.
“Uriel is an asshole,” I agreed. Being the top Archangel had to suck. “You’ll bring him to heel, Archangel. Without more of us falling. Though, if they do fall, I promise that Lucifer will squash the cruelty right out of them. Fire meeting fire, and all that.”
We watched the crowd, but their attention transfixed on the stage. Hope definitely had a little extra oomph that wasn’t entirely human. Her eyes glanced our way and she too startled slightly at the sight of Michael. He smiled and gave her a wave and she raised her hand back, before continuing her speech, the consummate professional.
“I fear she’ll be tested too, soon enough,” he murmured. “And the other twin? Estrella?”
“She joined the Boston Police Department,” I smiled, still remembering the Mulligans horror that she was going to become a cop. Hilarious.
“Aiding humanity too,” Michael nodded. He placed a hand on my shoulder. “You did a good thing all those years ago.”
“I know.”
Chapter One
Estrella
The force of Hope's scream in my head knocked my legs out from under me. My 'World's #1 Cop' mug slipped from my hands and fell to the ground, shattering. My head cracked against the old linoleum floors, and the world went grey.
Hope! I screamed back, but all I got was complete silence. I mentally scrambled around for my bond with my twin, but although I could feel she was still alive, I was getting nothing back. I jumped to my feet, slipping into the supply closet at the back of the precinct, thankful that no one else had arrived this early. Being an overachiever had its perks.
Luc! I shouted. Luc, I need you! I’m at work, supply closet in the back of the building near my desk, fourth door on the right. I could feel my call connect with Luc, and an instant later, the door to the supply closet was yanked open by no one; at least that's how it would appear to normal humans. But I was not normal. I saw the two huge Fallen Angels that stood there. One was Lucifer, Lord of Hell, and the other was one of the Princes of Hell, Mephistopheles. They jammed their way into the supply closet with me, and I was soon crushed in by a solid wall of muscle and massive wings.
“What is wrong, Estrella?” Luc’s voice held a sense of urgency.
“Something is wrong with Hope. She screamed and our connection went dead.” Luc’s body tensed against mine.
“Last location?”
“UN offices in Geneva.” Luc grabbed my arm and we sifted, and that rollercoaster feeling swirled up in my guts like always.
Sifting was like teleporting, but with a greater chance that all your parts won't mesh back together properly at the end. It was the worst and left me incapacitated for about ten seconds after we landed. Didn’t sound like much time, but I’d learned even seconds counted.
We landed on the footpath beside the conference center, and I sucked in a gasp, cold dread settling over my body. Hope’s bodyguard, JJ, lay dead on the pavement, two shots in his chest and one between his eyes. He’d been professionally executed. I scrambled for my connection to Hope again, but it wa
s still blank. My fear threatened to choke me.
Luc looked down at me. “Be calm. You would know if she were dead.” I nodded stiffly and tried to slip back into cop mode. I looked at the scene with cool professionalism.
JJ’s gun was still holstered, which told me that it was a surprise attack. Hope’s tote bag lay beside him, contents spread across the ground, as well as her purse and the latest model cellphone. She was a bit of a tech geek, not that she would admit it. The fact that it was all still here told me that it hadn’t been a random act of violence. As if JJ’s wounds hadn't been enough. The fact the stuff was still here and the place wasn’t crawling with cops told me that it hadn’t happened that long ago. Skid marks led away from curb.
“Luc,” Memphis called. I turned to where he stood beside a small row of box hedges. I looked over, holding my breath, prepared for it to be Hope’s dead body despite Luc’s confidence that she was alive.
I felt like an asshole when I was overcome with relief that the bodies of two valet’s lay crumpled there, like discarded trash blown into the shrub.
“They masqueraded as valets,” I whispered to myself, though Luc was nodding in agreement.
I pulled my phone from my pocket, scanning through my messages to the group chat we had with our parents. Hope had sent a picture of her rental Prius to taunt Tolliver. He hated her Prius at home, and she loved to tease him about his car snobbery. I clicked #3 on my speed dial but there was no answer. Dammit. Stupid Hurricane. I needed my Dad right now. I called #4 on my speed dial instead. It answered on the second ring.
“Charlie speaking,” a bored voice said on the other line.
“Charlie, it’s me. I need your help. I need you to track Hope’s rental Prius, license plate number VK-96-KT. It should have a LoJack. She’s been taken.” I cursed myself when my voice wavered, but Charlie wouldn't care.
“Fuck. Fuck. Hang on, Rella.” I could hear his fingers flying across his keyboard. Charlie was a Mulligan, of the Mulligan mob, and he was their resident tech expert. Everything he knew though, he learned from Oz, my dad. Mom was not amused when she found out, though the Mulligan’s had been over the moon. “It’s on a stretch of road about three miles away; sending you the coordinates now. Looks like it’s been dumped.” He hesitated. “Rella, can you, you know?”
We’d grown up with Charlie. He knew Hope and I had a bond; that we could communicate telepathically and feel the twin bond no matter where we were in the world. It defied explanation, but it was hard to hide as a kid.
“She’s not dead, Charlie. I can’t reach her, but she’s not dead.” With that I hung up. I showed Luc the coordinates, and he sifted us there. My heart pounded as we walked toward the car. I knew how Schrödinger’s cat felt now. If I didn’t look in there, I could hold onto the belief that she may still be alive. Luc strode ahead and looked into the backseat. He pulled open the boot using brute force.
“She’s not here.” I let out the breath that was burning my lungs. I looked through the car, careful to not touch anything for the lab guys. Did Geneva have lab guys? Fuck it, I didn’t care. There was blood on the backseat, and my heart lurched. She was injured, but I knew that. She’d have to be unconscious for me not to be able to feel her.
“You guys getting anything?” The Fallen had abilities, especially Luc. I didn’t know what they were really, other than being piss-your-pants scary. Memphis looked at me, his eyes swirling with anger.
“They left an imprint of evil. Death. Bloodlust.”
“Can you tell where they were going?” Memphis shook his head, and Luc just stared at the car intently. Any more intently and the Prius would set on fire.
“Nothing,” Luc growled out.
I looked at my watch. Thirty-seven minutes from her abduction. The golden hour was winding up fast, and we had nothing.
Wake up, Hope. Goddammit, wake the fuck up! I shouted down our link. I yelled it over and over, until I felt her stutter awake. And then I let out a scream and fell to my knees. She was in so much pain. Luc was beside me, dragging me to my feet.
“North, about five miles. Warehouse.” I sent him a mental image. Luc’s face got even scarier, and he sifted us to the location that only I could feel.
Three sifts in quick succession had left me disorientated, and I barely held my feet and my lunch when we landed
“Azriel, no!” Memphis yelled, and I spun, my vision whirling with me like I was drunk. I saw an angel sift out of the room, taking all my oxygen with him.
Hope was chained to a pipe, her body naked and severely beaten. She made a wracking, gasping noise, and blood pooled on her lips. I moved inhumanly fast to her side. I whispered reassurances, though I didn’t comprehend what was coming out of my mouth. I tugged at her chains, but then Luc was there, pulling them apart like string, and Memphis was catching her frail body in his arms as if she were made of the finest porcelain. Then Memphis disappeared. “What the fuck? Luc, where did they go? She needs a hospital!” Luc looked pissed, but he managed to mutter. “Memphis will not let her die. Let's go see if there's anyone here that knows death stalks them.”
I followed behind him as he strode out of the basement, and up into the main room of what appeared to be mechanic workshop. A man leaned against the wall beside the door, and all the color left his face as he took in the Devil.
“Who are you?” Luc roared, and the guy legit pissed himself. I got it. I was tempted to do the same, lucky I did my Kegels. “Answer me!”
“Paul-l-o Varucci,” the guy stuttered out.
“Why did you take the girl?”
“I didn’t.” Tears were beginning to stream down his face.
“Do not lie to me.” Luc’s voice went whisper soft, and it was even scarier than his yell.
“I just get paid to guard the door,” the man cried, as blood began to trickle from his ears. “By the Estonians.” The last word was a whisper.
Luc leaned forward, putting his hands on both sides of the guy’s head, and it looked almost loving. He leaned real close, and I thought he might give him the kiss of Judas. Instead he whispered, “You will know no rest in my domain,” and ripped the man's head from his shoulders.
I struggled to stop myself from throwing up, but I didn’t want to leave any evidence that I’d been at the crime scene. It was a close-run thing though.
Luc cocked his head. “There's no one else here. Let’s go.”
He wrapped an arm around my waist, and I stared up at him. “I’m going to kill them all, you know.”
He nodded, and there was a glint in his eye that may have been pride. He sifted us one more time, and I clung to his shirt until my land legs came back. Then I gaped. I stood in the presence of an Archangel. I couldn’t be sure which one, but there was no doubt in my mind what he was. Luc smiled and wrapped his arms around the Archangel. “Hello, old friend.”
I was more shocked by Luc hugging someone than I was about him ripping the head of that guy. I was so mesmerized by the brilliant light coming from the Archangel that I missed all the conversation, unable to drag my eyes from his face.
Memphis handed Hope to Luc, and Hope looked less like death. They sifted away, and I looked back at the Archangel. He smiled at me, and cupped a hand around my temple, his warmth flooding my mind.
“Don’t let it consume you, sweet one,” he said, and I resisted the urge to turn my face into his hand. I couldn't make my tongue work, and Memphis just rolled his eyes and sifted us away, the Archangel’s laughter trailing us.
We were back in Hope’s Manhattan apartment, and she connected with me straight away.
I could read Raphael.
I jolted with shock. So that was who the Archangel was. Still, I gave her the same warning I always did. Keep it quiet, don’t tell anyone. It was more important than ever now. Her empath abilities were our lifelong secret, though I suspected everyone knew, and kept it a very close secret. We never spoke about it. It was too much of a threat.
After Luc laid her on the bed, I
wrapped the sheet around her and then I laid down beside her, wrapping my body around her small broken one.
I’m okay now, she whispered in my mind. I let the tension leave my body. When Mom and Eli turned up with Ace, I knew that it would all be okay.
But I knew what I had to do.
Chapter Two
I downed another glass of whiskey and caught Mike the Barman’s attention. I pointed to my glass, and Mike raised his eyebrows. I scowled at him. I was good. He just laughed and came over to pour another one.
“You putting my kids through college, Jones?”
“As long as they don’t wanna become cops, Mike.”
“Sip this one, Jones, or I’m gonna have to cut you off.” I rolled my eyes but nodded.
Someone settled onto the stool beside me. “I got her, Mike.”
I looked at Charlie, and then back at Mike accusingly. “Traitor.” Mike just laughed and walked to the other end of the bar.
“Getting messy, Rella?” he asked quietly.
I looked over at him, his sharp jaw pressing against pale Irish skin, a few freckles across his nose highlighting his boyish good looks. The sparkling green eyes and dimples made him an adorable lady killer. But I knew that he blushed when he was embarrassed, and he didn’t have his first kiss until he was seventeen and had a growth spurt. We were best friends.
He just happened to be the Mulligan Gang’s tech guy.
I just happened to be a Boston cop.
Well, I used to be.
“Bernie at the precinct told me you quit.”
I glared at Mike and downed my drink. Take that, Mike. “Is Bernie a Mulligan informer now?”
Charlie grinned. “Nah, Bernie's banging Aunt Clary.”
I tried not to imagine that. Bernie was gross, and Clary was like a second mother to me. She’d adopted Adnan and Nazir after they’d been rescued from the rubble in Aleppo and raised them in the brownstone next to ours. I still didn’t know the entire story there, but the whole lot of us were close. Well, except Nazir. I didn’t really remember him. He’d gone to military school before I was five and hadn’t really been home since. But Adnan was like the third musketeer to Hope and I. Add in a couple of the Mulligan cousins including Charlie and we had raised hell in our Boston neighborhood.
Hell's Redemption- The Complete Series Boxset Page 32
