by Lynn Landes
“So, that is why I can smell her when you are near, and why I keep having flashes of her memories. What else do you have that is mine?” Anya’s eyes go black and she leans close to his mouth and inhales. Caius jerks and tries to scream, but the sound will not come. He can feel his essence being drained. It is painful at first, but soon the pain dims replaced by shock.
Unable to stop her or fight back he can only experience the moment in helpless horror. He underestimated her, again.
“You and I have similar plans.” Anya releases his spirit and presses a soft kiss to his mouth before biting his bottom lip and sucking on the blood that erupts beneath her fangs. “Mmm,” she says between bloody kisses. Again, she bites him but this time, her teeth seek his shoulder. Pain erupts beneath her mouth as she savagely bites him, taking the blood, laced with her mother’s essence. Sucking and pulling she drains him until she feels his hearts life-force begin to lift free of its earthly constraints.
“No,” she whispers and locks his soul tightly inside his weakened shell. “Stay, Caius. I thank you for helping to clarify things for me.” Gently she lowers his body to the floor beside Vorn. “Wanna know a secret? You are the true Herald of change in this tale.”
Caius jerks on the rocky ground coughing and convulsing in pain. Anya turns, laughing out loud at the look of shock and horror on his pale bloody face.
“The truth is I couldn’t figure out how to get through the gate, I knew I could open one, but what happened once I was inside? Would it destroy me? Not if I am recognized as a Traveler. With my mother’s essence inside of me, that will not be a problem.” Anya builds her power, her wings glow brightly as she touches the cavern wall and a new gate opens.
She glances back at Vorn and seeks Morgan’s mind. She projects the moment to the fallen angel and together they listen to Anya. “I have seen it, Caius. The future of this planet is grim. There is no turning back from the change you have started, so it’s only fair for you to be here to live with the choices you’ve made.”
Anya steps inside the gate. The bright white light surrounds her and closes swiftly behind her. Leaving him to stare in shock at the purple lit ceiling above him.
When Caius screams in his mind, the Fae stare in horror at Morgan as he stumbles from his feet with Katie’s arms wrapped protectively around him.
“Morgan, what’s happening?” Katie demands.
Caderyn stares at her husband with unshed tears in her eyes. “What have I done?” Releasing the Vale ensured the death of all that they know. It is not reversible. Drake holds her and looks to the Angels.
“Anya opened a new gate and left us to our fate,” Morgan says hoarsely. Looking up at his brothers, they all feel this. “We are all that stands between chaos and destruction.”
Chapter 34
“No. Anya would not abandon us,” Katie declares and grabs Morgan’s face. “Listen to me, it is what she wanted him to think, but she would not leave her Father’s to this fate.” Sebastian is listening but he is not as certain as Katie. All he knows is that Caius can’t be trusted.
“We need to capture him before he does more damage.” Sebastian snarls. “We will help you.” Morgan climbs to his feet and kisses Katie’s forehead.
“I know that we are going to need to take our people to safety but where?” Drake demands, looking at Reese. They begin discussing locations as Caderyn paces.
“Nowhere on Earth will be safe from these creatures. The evolution is just beginning.” Caderyn murmurs and glances at the Fae surrounding them, trusting them with their lives. “Is it possible that Caius has an antidote?”
“Caius knows how to control the creatures. He was able to imprison them, his knowledge will be invaluable,” Caderyn explains to Drake.
“Let’s ask him.” Reese searches for him and opens a portal to the cavern. Caderyn orders someone to carry Vorn through as Sebastian and the angels surround Caius’s body on the rocky floor. He appears to be sleeping, but Sebastian is not falling for it. “I can hear your traitorous heart pounding…” he starts to say and then he begins to laugh. His laughter echoes around the cavern and they stare at him in astonishment. “She’s a genius,” Sebastian is able to say and wipes his teary eyes as Caius opens his eyes and stares at them with hatred.
“This isn’t funny, Sebastian!” Caius shouts.
“He’s human!” Cassiel laughs as Sebastian sniffs the air and his eyes turn red with hatred and revenge. He can smell Lailah on the air around him.
“Hold him!” Morgan shouts to Liam and Cassiel. They grab Sebastian before he can seize Caius. “We need him alive, Sebastian!”
Sebastian struggles but even an ancient is no use against the strength of the two angels.
“For now,” Liam murmurs into Sebastian’s ear. He stops struggling and stares at him and gives a nod of understanding. Liam releases him and they watch as Morgan points a sword at Caius as he stumbles to his knees.
“Your traitorous daughter left us here to die!” Caius spits out at Keane.
“Wrong, she left you here to die. The thing about Anya’s bite that you do not understand yet, is that when she strips you of your immortality it leaves behind traces of something… well, let’s just say if an immortal creature bites you, it will kill you. Not change you.” Morgan whispers as he grabs his wrist.
“Never again will you feel the gift of immortality,” Keane snarls.
Morgan feels her in his mind and smiles. Of course! Morgan pushes to his feet and seizes Caius by the throat before he disappears.
All the color drains from Caius’s face. One second he is kneeling in the cave and flash the next second he is standing in the center of Beijing. Chaos, screaming surround them, sensing the new comers, the creatures turn in unison to look up at him. He is their master, creator, maker of the hell they exist in.
“I will tell you everything!” Caius screams in terror clutching at him. “There is no antidote! I only wanted her to open the gate! To leave this hell, I wasn’t supposed to end up here.”
“You lie!” Morgan drops his screaming body to the horde below but grabs him just before they reach him.
“I swear,” Caius screams, “they will spread across the planet creating a new version of humanity. It is too late. The forced evolution has begun.” Glaring at Morgan with hatred he sneers, “Your kind will no longer hold dominion over everything. We will all be free!”
Unable to stand his evil any longer, Morgan slams his forehead into Caius’s and knocks him out cold. When he returns to the cavern with Caius and tells them what he said.
“Very good,” Keane replies when an intense flash of light followed by a powerful wave of energy blows everyone from their feet. The cavern wall begins to glow as a gate forms on the rocky surface behind them. Glyphs etch into the stone in a language only the angels can read, and they fall to their knees in reverence. As soon as the script is complete it opens and Anya steps through. Behind her, Lailah smiles at her beloved. Beautiful as the day he met her, she glows with the silver light of heaven. Large pink pearlescent wings spread out behind her, long red hair and her lilac eyes shimmer with love for him. Sebastian steps forward to run to her, but Anya stops him.
“Not yet, Dad. We have some work to do first.”
Lailah smiles at him and then blows a kiss before stepping aside as the gate begins to glow.
Turning to the group Anya smiles, “You might want to back up. I brought some help.” They scramble out of the way pulling Caius with them, just as a surge of light pours through the gate. Legions of Angels follow, and when the first touches the cavern wall it explodes outward in a shower of rock and debris. The angels fill the sky in a grey blur covering the ceiling of the earth.
“Join me, brothers,” Anya calls. Her summons rings out to the Fae, the Shadow Kings army, even the Fallen Angels. She calls to every immortal who lives on this planet to join them and they answer the call. They leap into the sky to join in the healing of the planet.
Those people watchin
g across the planet will remember the day the sky was blanketed by angels and immortals in numbers so great they blacked out the sun. Wing tip to wing tip they fly, raining down their power on the dead and dying. Just as before in New York, humans are healed, and the animal hybrids are returned to their original form.
Caius sees his opportunity to leap into the gate, but Keane punches him, knocking him out cold once more. “You won’t get away from me so easily,” he hisses. Keane ties his hands behind his back and returns to watch his daughter work. Pride fills his heart and soul as he hears Lailah call to him from the gate. She’s as beautiful as the day he met her.
“Keane, I promised you once that you would be rewarded for your service. Immortality is yours if you want it.” He stares into the sky at the child he has raised and loved, smiling with pride.
“Ah, Luv, she is all the reward I could ever need.”
“Thank you, Keane.” Lailah gently smiles at him and she looks at Sebastian with sorrow. “Look after them for me,” she asks and fades from sight.
Keane sighs and turns to watch history.
In major cities across the globe, people and animals are healed and return to their natural form. The angels stay long enough to help the sick, injured and wounded. Sebastian returns with Anya to the newly formed gate and they watch as the legion returns.
“I have more work to do.” Anya turns to look at her Dads and the fallen Angels standing around her. “There will be four new gates on earth. Each will have new guardians, and should they fall more will take their place. You are to watch over them, guiding them and helping when they need it. I will see you soon, look after Vorn for me.” Anya leaps into the gate and it closes behind her. The only light left in the cavern is from the great hole blasted in the wall passing to the outside.
Sebastian stares and walks forward desperate to reach her. The rocks are still warm beneath his hand and his head is bowed in sorrow.
“Someone needs to give me a lift to New York.” Keane’s voice booms out.
Laughter ripples through the group as they all turn to leave. Aided by the Shadow King, Reese, they all join in the recovery efforts.
Chapter 35
One day later, Keane is in New York, finishing up the clean-up when Morgan arrives with Caius.
“This thing has much to discuss with you,” Morgan says shoving Caius forward. “I trust that you will put his knowledge to good use. If he doesn’t cooperate feed him to one of the animals.”
Caius wants to live more than he wishes to die. In his weakened state, he is unable to fight back. Meekly he follows the Guild members into the blacked out van. They watch it drive out of sight and Morgan turns back to him.
“True enough. I need to get back to Katie. How are the recovery efforts going?” He asks Keane.
“Well, enough. It will take weeks to repair the damage here and in the other cities around the world, but it is coming along nicely.”
Morgan bows and disappears.
“Where’s the van?” A Guild driver asks as he walks up.
Keane’s eye widen and he starts to cuss.
Sebastian drives the van, releasing the glamour spell he holds. He turns into a dark alley and puts the van into park. As he walks around the back of the van his teeth erupt out of his jaws and his eyes go black with vengeance. A hard pull and he jerks open the rear door. Sebastian snarls, revealing his dripping fangs and climbs inside, slamming the door behind him.
“Retribution will be mine,” Sebastian growls and the screaming starts.
Keane leaps into another van and tears off down the road. Each van is tagged with GPS locators. It doesn’t take him long to find Sebastian. He is leaning against the van, staring into the sky above when Keane pulls into the alley. From the blood covering his clothes and the satisfaction on his face, he doesn’t need to ask what he has done.
“I take it that you were waiting for this moment.”
“Of course, I had unfinished business to take care of,” Sebastian replies with a satisfied shrug of his shoulders.
“You’re going to go after the council next, aren’t you?”
A red flame flickers behind his eyes and Sebastian snarls in response, “Don’t try to stop me, Keane.”
“I understand.” Keane steps close, “Your daughter will worry about you. Stay safe.” They shake hands and Sebastian is surprised when Keane presses a slip of paper into his palm. “You will find what you seek at this address. Good luck.” He clears his throat and turns to climb inside the idling van and leave.
Sebastian grins and leaps into the night air.
The building is unlike most of the state-of-the-art facilities Caius held. This is a simple storage unit outside of small town, in Connecticut. Mostly used for boats, furniture and people moving, it is protected by a chain link fence surrounding the facility.
His heart is pounding out the ancient rhythm of revenge and nothing will stop him from claiming it. Slipping effortlessly through the fence he turns and walks silently through the darkened maze of buildings and stops with a hiss when she steps in front of him.
Anya smiles at her father, she can feel the pain and rage emanating from his spirit. “You won’t change my mind daughter. They will pay for taking your mother from me!”
“Of course, they will, but you won’t be facing them alone, Dad.” Anya points to the unit beside her and the door slides up like a garage. He grins and moves to step inside, but she stops him with a hand on his arm. “Wait,” she whispers.
A light appears on the back wall behind a stack of boxes revealing a hidden door. Quickly he pushes the boxes out of the way and Anya steps up to the panel. Punching in a code the door opens revealing stairs to a lower level. Moving swiftly down the stairs they enter a darkened room lined with glass front horizontal cryo chambers. Each chamber has a large silver tube in the center of the top leading back to a central computer.
“All eight of them are here.” Anya passes her hand over the computer tapping a few buttons, she locks the doors on each chamber.
Sebastian steps over in front of the closest glass door back lit with an orange light, Lady Faygin appears to be asleep. Sebastian taps the glass viewport and smiles when her eyes snap open in surprise. Lord Emmanuel is in the chamber next to hers. Her squeal of surprise alerts the other members. “What is all of this, Anya?” Sebastian demands.
“It seems they grew tired of drinking stale blood, so they joined Caius in these, I believe he called them, Viro Chambers. A person can be harvested, every ounce of them utilized and injected into the chamber and they absorb the essence. This is how Lailah was …
Sebastian hisses and rushes towards the first chamber and tries to rip the door open, only to have Anya stop him.
“No! Dad, we have two options,” Anya presses a button and turns on the speaker to each chamber, switching from the music they were listening to, to a joint speaker so they can hear her. Lady Faygin can see the rage in Sebastian’s eyes as he stands in front of her. Terrified, she struggles with the door and finds it locked.
“Sebastian, let us out! We can explain everything?” she yells.
“What options, Anya?” he says and turns to look at his daughter. “I’m going to rip them all into tiny pieces, just as they did your mother!” he hisses. Chaos ensues as those inside the chambers begin beating on the glass hoping to break it. After a few seconds, they find it is impossible to break the shatter proof glass.
“Dad, I simply press this button and watch,” she presses a button and slides a dial to the left, dropping the temperature to its lowest point. Each chamber instantly starts pumping liquid nitrogen into it. Sebastian grins and watches as they start fighting and turning blue with the icy cold temperatures freezing them.
“Too easy, Anya, I want them to suffer more,” he says tapping on the glass in front of Lord Emmanuel. “I will be sure to document every second of this so no one will ever wonder what became of this council of betrayers.” Emmanuel punches the glass to no avail. Anya presses t
he off button and stops the nitrogen. Biting her lip, she remembers her mother’s screams as their swords slice into her body.
Anya moves around the side of the main computer. A tube runs from the top of the liquid nitrogen bottle and into a tank where it is dispersed evenly between the multiple chambers. She finds a tray of medical supplies including a large syringe. An idea stikes her, she takes the syringe and shoves it into her arm, drawing her own blood. Sebastian hurries over to watch her. He gasps when he realizes what she is doing. Multiple times she draws her blood and slides each tube into the sample tray. The computer accepts the donation and they stand back to watch as the blood is diffused and pumped evenly into the chambers.
Anya’s blood is poison to the ancients of this world. Especially those who are as evil as these. The moment they breathe it in, the screaming begins. The skin on their bodies bubbles as if covered in acid. Caius walks around the room and watches each and every member of the council die slow, excruciating deaths. In his mind, it will never be enough, but it will have to do.
Anya feels his pain and grabs his arm, “We are done here.” Back outside the chamber breathing in the fresh night air, she hugs him and turns to go.
“Thank you, Anya, for bringing me peace.” He watches her turn to go and stops her when he whispers, “If you see her…”
Anya stops his next words, “You will see her again, Dad. When your time in this world is done, she will be waiting for you. For now, you are needed here.”
“That should comfort me, but I feel as if I am losing my daughter and my beloved all over again.”
She runs into his waiting arms. “I will be around, Dad. I want time with you too. I’ll see you soon.” She spins and is gone in an instant leaving him alone once more.
