Forsaken Angel

by J F Cain

  Abaddon was sitting in a chair next to her bed and was holding her hand, a bitter expression on his face as he regarded her deathly pale face. Unanswered questions were going torturously round and round in his head.

  Why hadn’t he immediately sensed that she was in danger? Why had the Source permitted the attack? Was it as he had suspected? Did It want to separate him from his partner? That last question especially kept going round in his mind with painful persistence. His worst fear seemed to be coming true. Aranes was going to leave for the celestial realm, taking their child with her, and he couldn’t follow her. Right now he regretted not having spoken to her about his hunch. He could have discussed it with her and they could have found a solution. She probably had had the same hunch, and that was why she had been worried. If he had spoken to her, he wouldn’t now be in a position where he didn’t know how to help her. His mentor would have given him clear instructions on how to handle any likely scenario.

  Despair, his old friend, which he had abandoned after Aranes’ incarnation, came back with a vengeance, demanding the power he had deprived it. And it was stronger now, because its victim had much more to lose. Its black veils wrapped tightly around him, choking him. Abaddon could see his life unraveling and could do nothing to prevent the devastation. His sense of helplessness shattered him, stirring up his rage. He didn’t know who to let it out on. He wanted to shout, to scream, to find the vampire, everyone who was after Aranes, and wipe them off the face of the Earth and all the planes. But he couldn’t even do that right now. He didn’t want to leave her alone. He didn’t know how much longer she would be with him and he didn’t want to miss even a single moment of the precious time he had left.

  He lowered his head and breathed in the scent of her hand, trying to find beautiful memories that could calm his turmoil. Their wonderful moments together began to surface in his mind, happy moments touched by a dream. He saw Aranes sitting at a conference table, handling difficult situations with her calm strength, and him feeling awed at her supernatural intellect. He saw her swimming in the mansion’s swimming pool the previous summer; having dinner outside in the garden, bathed by the moon- and candlelight. He heard her speak to him in her serene voice as she taught him Ancient Wisdom, laugh at his witty remarks, and impart the Knowledge to him at every opportunity. But the most exquisite memory of all, and also the most painful, was seeing her eyes shine with her love for him when they made love. At that memory, he shivered, as if he was living that moment.

  Everything about her was wonderful—which stood to reason for the Superior of the Angels—and he would lose it all, possibly forever. Aranes would become the head of the celestial kingdom once more, and he would remain alone on Earth. Just the thought of it drove him mad. How long would they be apart? Until he fulfilled the prophecy? And if he didn’t succeed? What would happen then? Would he be forbidden to enter Elether forevermore? Would the Source forbid Aranes to contact him? At the thought that he would never see her again, even in her ethereal form, he froze. It wasn’t possible! The Source couldn’t do that to him! His mentor kept telling him that even though Its justice was incomprehensible to the common mind, it was always impartial and sound.

  The problem was that it wasn’t enough for him just to see Aranes. He wanted them to continue their life together on Earth. He wanted to see her in her physical form, listen to her natural voice and touch her. He wanted the same for their child; to see it being born in the physical dimension, take it in his arms, see its eyes open in the world for the first time ever, smell its mother’s scent on it, see its smile, hear its voice, its cries. He wanted to do everything a father did. To have the opportunity to love his child, take care of it and, above all, raise it with Aranes on Earth, at least for a few years.

  Abaddon rested his forehead on her hand. Despair was a vise around his heart and the pain was so unbearable that it was burning him up inside.

  I won’t be able to bear the separation; I’ll fall apart, I’ll go mad. Why are you throwing me in hell? What’s the point of it? he asked the Supreme Authority. However, there was no reply. Please, speak to me. Don’t abandon me. Its silence, Its absence, magnified his despair. A wave of terror rushed over him as he sensed Its irreversible decision. It’s all over.

  With his heart breaking from the painful realization, he turned his desolate gaze to his partner.

  “You saved me from death twice, and I can’t do it even once,” he said softly, his voice crushed. “What’s the use of having the powers you gave me if I can’t heal you?” He raised his eyes to the sky. “Gabriel, why did you abandon me?” he asked despairingly. Getting no answer, he lowered his head and his dejected gaze penetrated Aranes’ body yet one more time. Even with the life support machines, her vital organs were failing. The black splotches on her lungs, like malignant growths with tentacles, were sucking up her and the baby’s life energy little by little. Mother and child seemed to be suffering as they fought to stay alive. “Someone help me, please” he begged, aiming his plea at the Celestials and the Source. He couldn’t bear to watch his partner and unborn child suffer any longer.

  The Lord of Darkness appeared in the room, wanting it to look like he had answered his call. As soon as he saw him, Abaddon jumped out of his seat, toppling the chair behind him.

  “What do you want?” he asked, pinning his enraged, forbidding gaze on the Demon.

  Lucifer calmly accepted the Dark Angel’s evident animosity.

  “I don’t think they’re listening to you. They feign deafness in situations like these,” he said mockingly.

  Abaddon’s face showed he was not in the mood for jokes.

  “Did you come to gloat?”

  “What? You think I have something to do with this?” Lucifer asked, assuming an astonished expression as if he thought the idea ridiculous.

  “You’ve been after her for quite some time,” Abaddon reminded him with a glare.

  “You mean I’ve been protecting her for quite some time,” the Dark Lord corrected him. “You might not realize this, but things would have been bad for Aranes if I hadn’t intervened sometimes. Of course, my motives are selfish, as she would say. Even so, that doesn’t detract from the result.”

  “I see your results,” the Dark Angel scoffed, jerking his head toward this unconscious partner.

  Lucifer assumed a wounded look.

  “Don’t blame me for this.”

  “You’re behind everything bad that happens,” Abaddon retorted.

  “That’s what it serves them to say, but it’s not true. You see, my friend, the one behind this bad situation is you,” Lucifer replied, making sure the barb sounded like a friendly observation rather than an accusation.

  His attempt to place the blame for the attack on Abaddon didn’t bear fruit. The Dark Angel understood what the sly Demon meant, but wasn’t going to allow him to manipulate him.

  “How dare you?” he asked, his soft voice menacing.

  Lucifer didn’t give up. Totally calm, he raised his hand and pointed to the space in front of him. Abaddon saw dark microparticles appear out of nowhere and converge to create black ethereal energy. When the supernatural screen took shape, it showed his first battle with Vincent. The scene froze at the moment when he cut off the vampire’s hand.

  Abaddon looked away from the screen and scowled at Lucifer.

  “You have the tendency to underestimate my intelligence.” And I’m really glad about that.

  The Lord of Darkness turned to look at him and the screen was absorbed into the air.

  “I’ve told you before. I don’t make such mistakes,” he replied seriously. “But this doesn’t have to do with intelligence, but with knowledge. You don’t know the nature of vampires. They’re very cunning and their vengefulness can reach the point of stupidity. If the elders hear of the attack, they’ll probably turn the idiot who organized it to ashes. Even so, his wrath toward you was so strong that he risked his existence to have his revenge.” He paused and looked into his riv
al’s eyes. “You see, only the Source wants Aranes dead. Which is why, of course, It allowed the attack. We both know how It reacted in a similar situation,” he reminded him.

  Abaddon ignored the last remark. Lucifer’s intention to place the responsibility for the attack on anyone else but himself was so obvious that it confirmed his suspicion.

  “If the vampire wanted to take revenge on me, he would have tried to harm me,” he argued, his tone disapproving.

  The Dark Angel gestured toward Aranes.

  “And that’s exactly what he did,” he contended.

  Abaddon held his rage toward the sly Demon in check.

  “He’ll pay for that. If he doesn’t get it from his kind or from anyone else in whose interest it is to shut him up, I’ll get him,” he threatened, a fierce gleam in his eyes.

  Lucifer bypassed the insinuation about his culpability and smiled condescendingly.

  “I’m sure. Now, let’s see what we can do for the most valuable entity of the dimensions,” he said and began to approach the bed.

  Abaddon was immediately in front of him.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” he demanded.

  Lucifer seemed bewildered by his reaction.

  “I’m trying to help.”

  The Dark Angel arched one eyebrow mockingly.

  “What’s with the sudden acts of kindness?” Despite his superficial calm, his heart had begun to pound. The bastard knows how to save Aranes, he noted to himself.

  “Let’s just say that I prefer her human,” Lucifer replied with convincing simplicity.

  “I don’t doubt it, but I still don’t trust you.” The Demon could bring her back to life but still harm her in some way.

  The Lord of Darkness regarded him for a while, as if contemplating something, and then stepped back.

  “Alright, but do something,” he said, imparting a sense of urgency in his voice. “The Celestials have abandoned you and the doctor isn’t going to find a cure for vampire poison. It’s not his specialty.”

  His casual air convinced Abaddon about the reason why he was there, and this time he struggled to contain his fury.

  The Demon obviously knew how to save Aranes and had set this whole thing up for an important reason. What exactly was he trying to achieve? Did it have to do with her, was he trying to get closer to him, or did he have something else in his malevolent mind? One day you’ll pay for all I’m going through because of you, you scum! he promised inwardly, but the critical situation forced him to swallow his anger. The burning question at this moment was if he should accept Lucifer’s help, which he now needed desperately thanks to him and for which he had no doubt he would pay dearly in the future. How would Aranes react if he accepted the Demon’s offer?

  “Your concern is touching,” he said sarcastically as he thought about what he should do. The word “concern” suddenly brought the Source to mind along with a rather paradoxical idea. Had It answered his pleas and was giving him the chance to keep Its precious daughter with him? Given the unorthodox tactics It had been using to achieve Its purposes, it wouldn’t be all that strange for It to use Lucifer now. Was this a valid hypothesis, a bold assumption, or a thought born from his despair?

  The Lord of Darkness pinned his red eyes on those of his rival and then nodded, as if he had just realized why Abaddon wasn’t doing anything.

  “They’re still keeping you in the dark, aren’t they? I really don’t understand that,” he said looking sincerely puzzled.

  Abaddon was glaring at the Demon, but all the while his mind was working feverishly. He had to make a decision quickly. “When in doubt, follow your intuition,” Aranes had advised him. But his intuition wasn’t telling him anything. So the only thing that could guide him was his own will, which was driven by the desire to keep his family alive. He therefore set his doubts aside and decided to do it. He would soon know if he had done the right thing. Besides, what was considered right was always relative in the sphere of human knowledge, and understanding the Source’s will went beyond human capabilities.

  Lucifer’s voice brought him back to the present.

  “Right, you should know that, besides what you’re already aware of, there are many other things you can do. One of those things is to heal her,” he heard him say.

  “How?” Abaddon asked without letting his voice betray his anxiousness to find out.

  “You tried to do it in the car, but the wrong way. You have to do the opposite, and of course you must be in Angel form,” Lucifer explained.

  The Celestial looked at the Demon suspiciously. It seemed too simple to be real. So simple, in fact, that it was ridiculous that he hadn’t thought of it himself. If it was true, then it would be incontrovertible proof that losing your cool could prove fatal.

  Seeing him hesitate, Lucifer increased the effect of his poisonous blood in Aranes’ body. The black growths expanded and covered her lungs entirely. Their tentacles lengthened, penetrated the rest of her vital organs, infecting them, and then spread to her belly. They pierced the amniotic sac and wrapped themselves around the baby’s body and neck. The vital signs on the monitors plummeted and the machines started to beep urgently and ominously, letting them know that the body’s resistance was at a critical point.

  “Hurry, Abaddon, they’re dying!” Lucifer said with feigned concern, putting pressure on him to decide.

  The Celestial turned and examined his partner’s body internally. With horror, he saw the horrible tentacles crushing her vital organs and choking the baby. He hesitated for a moment, but then immediately transformed into an Angel. He wanted to keep Aranes and their child with him, and if his desire went against her or the Source’s will, then he would pay the price.

  With his gleaming armor and shining aura, both entirely out of place in a hospital room, he approached the bed. Without a second thought, he gently tugged the tube out of Aranes’ mouth, lifted her by the shoulders and held her in his arms. He brought his mouth close to hers and inhaled deeply, at the same time looking inside her body. Unable to withstand the strong pull, the tentacles of the deadly growths released the infant, detached from its mother’s organs and withdrew into their central mass, which began to shrink. The tainted forms that had been created from the blood of the greatest Demon turned into dark smoke that flowed up Aranes’ throat and into her celestial healer’s mouth, where it dispersed from his powerful energy. Slowly, the repeated beeping of the life support machines stopped and the room was now filled with the quiet sounds produced by completely normal vital signs.

  The Dark Angel observed his partner’s face anxiously, looking for movement, a sign of recovery.

  Aranes’ lids fluttered and she opened her eyes.

  “What happened?” she asked softly, struggling to speak and still exhausted from her ordeal.

  Abaddon’s joyful smile lit up his face.

  “Everything is fine now, my love,” he replied and squeezed her tightly in his arms. At last, the nightmare was over. He turned and aimed an indecipherable look at Lucifer.

  “You’re welcome,” the Demon said with a friendly smile, pretending he hadn’t noticed the animosity in his rival’s gaze.

  Aranes caught her partner’s movement.

  “Is someone here?” she asked, looking at the same spot.

  Abaddon turned his head immediately.

  “No, no one,” he said, lying with rare ease, and bent to kiss her forehead to avoid her perceptive gaze. Now wasn’t the time to explain to her. He would tell her the truth later.

  The Lord of Darkness stopped himself from smiling with satisfaction. He may have not managed to convince the Angel that he wasn’t behind the attack, but he had made a good start. Blatant lies between Celestials were considered unacceptable, and even more so when aimed at the Superior, who—no matter the form or dimension she was in—was the one who ran Elether. In this case, the lie was grave, especially coming from her partner.

  Abaddon was the worst choice you could make, he told Aranes
in his thoughts as she looked his way without seeing him. You can’t imagine how much you’ll regret it. The hurried steps of the approaching doctors pulled him out of his thoughts. “Hurry, people are coming,” he warned Abaddon and left the room.

  The Dark Angel lay Aranes back on the pillows and took his human form again. His dark suit had just covered his body when the door opened and Dr. Wilson and another two of the three doctors who had examined Aranes rushed in worriedly. Seeing their dying patient with her eyes open and breathing without any assistance, they were taken aback. As soon as they overcame their initial shock, they approached the bed.

  “How did this happen?” Dr. Wilson asked as he checked her vitals on the monitors. They seemed too normal for a person who had just come out of a deep coma.

  “I don’t know,” Abaddon answered, his face showing the necessary surprise that would make him convincing. “The machines suddenly started to beep and when they stopped she opened her eyes!”

  Dr. Wilson stopped examining Aranes and turned to look at him. His intense gaze sought explanations which, in any event, couldn’t be given in front of his colleagues. He didn’t want the poor people to have to rethink everything they knew about themselves and the medical discipline they served just because he had gotten himself mixed up with strange people—if they were people and not some alien form of life with superhuman healing abilities they might not know about either, which was why they rushed to the hospital, asking for help and putting his mental equilibrium to the test.

  “Can I please speak to you in private?” he asked Abaddon, and without waiting for an answer he headed for the door.

  The Celestial followed him unwillingly. He had heard his thoughts and knew he would be forced to lie again. And he didn’t like that at all.

  Before he could walk through the open door, the Guardians entered in a panic—they had gone to the hospital cafeteria, and coming out of the elevator, they had seen the doctors running down the corridor and realized something serious had happened to the Superior. As soon as they saw her sitting calmly in bed, they heaved a sigh of relief. Abaddon gestured to them to watch what they would say in front of the two doctors who weren’t checking Aranes but rather the life support machinery to make sure that what the monitors were showing were correct. He then walked out of the room, ignoring Eiael’s questioning gaze.