“Doll, this is such a bad idea.” The grating voice provided some sort of comfort.
Ah, the downside to her escape. She hadn’t wanted Rocky to come. In fact, when he’d popped into her room, catching her in the act of buckling and tying all the weapons she owned to her body, she’d wished for the ability to make him disappear for good.
He’d threatened to go to Mikos, but when he didn’t immediately follow through, Lexi had sensed that maybe she had an ally. Or at least she would until he figured out what she truly planned to do.
Turning her head, she eyed Rocky who had his customary perch on her shoulder. “Yeah,” she agreed.
“Then what are we doing here?”
Lexi opened her mouth, then shut it, her lips pressed together for a second. Finally, she sighed. “I don’t have a freaking clue.”
“Great. That makes me feel so much better.”
“Glad to help.”
In silence, both stared at the far off dim glow. She had no idea what thoughts raced through the shapeshifter’s mind. Her own took on disturbing twists, all coming back to focus on the last time she’d checked out a light in a dark building.
“So,” Rocky was the first to break the quiet. “We go get Mikos now?”
“No, we don’t.”
“I don’t get it, Lexi. Mikos can take care of himself.” His tone suggested a strong hint of reproach.
“I know.”
“Then what is the big deal?” This time irritation echoed in the gravelly voice.
It was time. She sucked in a deep, fortifying breath. “Rocky, it’s not about whether he can take care of himself,” she said. “It’s about him stopping what I’m about to do.”
She barely noted Rocky’s soft grumble. Had he understood? It didn’t matter whether he did or not. He couldn’t stop her. Another person would not die because of Lexi.
She’d lost so many. Each death chipped away at her heart. So many freaking pieces were missing, she often wondered how she managed to live. But that was the point wasn’t it? She wasn’t really living. Going through the motions of living, eating, sleeping, breathing. Not feeling. Not caring.
Yet, every time she opened her heart to another human being, that human died. Her parents. Devyn. And now Samantha. Did that make her unlovable or cursed? Either explanation didn’t matter, didn’t lessen on inescapable truth. Their deaths were her fault. And the book she held in her hand.
She headed to the dim glow, her steps sober but confident. Any hesitation she felt was at her betrayal of Mikos, not for what she was about to do. Or, rather, what could happen.
“Doll, what are you going to do?” Rocky whispered, his tone both admiring and concerned. What a combination.
“I’m going to give the bastard what he wants.”
For a moment the silence from her shoulder made her think Rocky left. Lexi resisted the urge to check. Despite being a rock, she never felt him on her shoulder. Then he sighed, a puff of air brushing against her neck.
“Rocky, it’s not what you think.” Or was it? She hadn’t decided. “Trust me.” But he didn’t need to know that.
She felt, rather than saw his slight nod. They reached the glow. Lexi took a deep breath and stepped through the doorway. Her scan of the small room immediately located Samantha.
Relief flooded her body, taking away some of the tension. Samantha was still alive. In fact, she was actually more than alive. She looked angry, defiant and determined as hell, despite being pinned, her legs and arms in the same position as Devyn’s had been.
Lexi took in the rest of the room, noting the altar and items on top of and surrounding the cloth-covered table.
“What under Heaven’s light are you doing here?”
Taken aback, Lexi looked around the room. There was no one else here. Just her and Sam. The petite blonde had fixed an exasperated glare on Lexi that seemed at odds with the fact Lexi was there to rescue the other dancer.
“Excuse me?”
“Lexi, get out of here. It’s a trap.”
Lexi stared. No. Scratch that. How about she gaped, gawked with mouth-dropping shock at the blonde, sure she’d left Earth and was now in an alternative reality. Was that Sam talking as if she knew exactly what was going on? Where was the fear and terror? All Lexi saw was rage and embarrassment.
“I’ve come to rescue you.”
“Yes, I can see that but why? Didn’t Mikos tell you this was a trap? Agrigorockie, what are you doing here? Of all the irresponsible—”
“Hello? Who are you and what did you do with Sam?” Lexi was beginning to feel she was in a reality show’s version of body-snatchers meets Laurel and Hardy.
“I am the one you call Sam. Kind of.” For an instant wistfulness stole into her expression then she sighed. “We don’t have time for this. You need to leave. Now.”
“Ah, Lexi, perhaps we should—” Rocky growled in agreement from her shoulder.
“Lexi, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”
The icy tone shattered the darkness. Lexi jumped. Her heart raced, then settled back into her chest with a thump. Oh, crap. So freaking soon?
She didn’t turn around. Of course she knew that tone, the cool clip of the words, and the underlying suggestion of barely controlled passion.
“I’m taking care of the problem.”
“I told you we would not trade you or the Key.”
This time she spun around, facing him. Jackson and Mari stood to Mikos’ left and right. She couldn’t help the sharp inhale at her angel’s appearance. Oh. My. God. Mikos was in full battle armor. Dark metal covered his chest, shoulders, forearms and shins. He looked like a Greek soldier, complete with shield and sword. The only thing missing were his wings.
Shaking off her reaction to his attire, Lexi lifted her chin. “You did. And I told you I would not let another person die because of me.”
“Yet, you would destroy an entire race?”
“I told you I didn’t want this gig. You didn’t listen. Michael didn’t listen—”
Clapping cut her off in mid-sentence and yanked both their attentions off each other. From the shadows at the edge of the light, Beliel stepped into view. He wore a scarlet robe that covered his body from under his chin down to the floor to brush against the concrete. The crimson of the robe exactly matched the crimson in his eyes.
“How very entertaining.” Sardonic humor curled his lips. “She is very different from the other defenders, is she not?” he walked over to the makeshift altar, the bronze jar sitting dead center and in front of the dangling body of Sam.
“The others would not have concerned themselves with the death of one innocent,” he continued, “knowing the lives of all mortals hung in the balance.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m special.” Lexi rolled her eyes. “So what? Let the girl go and I’ll give you the Key.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw Mikos give her a sidelong glance of utter disbelief. And horror. The same expressions were mirrored on Mari’s face except the demon looked as if she was about to leap on Lexi at any second. Great. Did they think so little of her that she’d risk everything? Ignoring the scoffing voice inside her head, she continued, “Let her go. Now.”
“Lexi, I cannot let you give the Key to Beliel.”
Was that pain, and disappointment in Mikos’s voice? She steeled herself against the emotions at the idea he might be hurt arose in her. Later, if she survived, she’d deal with hurting him.
“Mikos, I have to.” She took a chance, pulling her gaze from Beliel to focus on Mikos’s silver eyes. “Trust me.”
She could see the struggle in the angel’s eyes before he finally nodded. Mari let out a gasp of surprise. He turned to her and shook his head. Her lips pressed together, but she didn’t move. Mikos may have yielded. However, his posture didn’t. If anything, it stiffened more, becoming larger and full in appearance. She was gratified to see he kept the greatsword at his side instead of at hers. For a minute, she wondered if he would use
it on her if she tried to give Beliel the Key.
God, she hoped not. She shook off the thought, not needing the negativity it left in her already jittery nerves. A bark of laughter yanked her attention from Mikos.
“How touching,” Beliel said. “Foolish, mortal. You care for Mikos, don’t you?” The demon’s lips curled into a sneer. “You have no idea who, what, he is, do you?”
Lexi sucked in a quiet, but deep breath. Where was the damn demon going with this? Of course, she knew who, what, Mikos was. An angel.
Strong, militant and tender, not anything like the Landon character, but still an angel. A beacon of hope. Of faith. And all that stuff that until recently, she believed no longer existed. Contrary to what she’d just hinted to Mikos.
She cast a quick glance at the silent man beside her. He had absolutely no expression of any kind on his face. No wrinkles of confusion, no righteous anger at the possible besmirching of his character and above all, no concern in the deep pools of the shimmering silver in his eyes. Nothing.
She turned back to Beliel. That smug expression on his face didn’t bode well with whatever he had up his sleeve, metaphorically speaking since he didn’t have a sleeve. “What kind of game are you playing?”
“No game, mortal. Just the truth.” He cocked a head at Mikos. “You remember truth, don’t you, Phoenix?”
“For Pete’s sake,” Lexi said, exasperation making her interrupt Beliel’s posturing. “Just spit it out. I’m tired of your blathering, and I don’t have all day.”
A point of fact, she didn’t even have an hour much less a day. Some instinct told her the midnight hour, the darkest time of the time was fast approaching. It was as if an internal alarm rang a shrill refrain through her mind. All she had to do was destroy the Key, right?
Sure, sounded simple enough if she didn’t have the looming specter of Samantha stretched out as Devyn had been.
“Fine, you want the truth? Are you sure you can handle it?”
“For Pete’s sake!” Exasperation filled her voice. “What are you doing, reenacting Jack Nicholson from A Few Good Men? Get on with it.”
“Your dear Mikos is not an angel.” Beliel twitched a glance at Mikos. Triumph filled the red eyes. “Oh, he used to be. Like me. Like her,” he said gesturing at Mari. “Until he was kicked out of Heaven.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that Mikos is a fallen angel. A demon if you will. Just like me.”
For a minute, as the concrete seemed to flow and shift around her feet threatening to knock her off balance, Lexi stared at Beliel, sure her expression was wide with horror shining in the depths.
Mikos was a fallen angel? A demon? Like Beliel?
Before this, the thought Mikos was a Fallen much less a concern that the Fallen were considered demons crossed her mind. Sure, Marisol had identified herself as a fallen angel, a demon, but she didn’t suppose it had actually stuck with her.
Half afraid to meet Mikos’s eyes, Lexi slowly faced him, starting with his chest and then lifting to his face. What she saw caused disbelief to knock the strength from her legs. She half wobbled. He put out a hand as if to assist her, but she jerked back.
“Mikos?” she whispered, not having the strength to speak louder. “Is this true? Are you a fallen angel? Are you like—” she gestured, “—him?”
Her cinnamon-shaded eyes pleaded with Mikos to say no. To deny the truth he could see building behind the vibrant pale amber. He wished more than anything he could.
“Yes,” he said.
She paled, her olive skin losing any semblance of color. “You lied to me?” As the words left her mouth, her skin flushed to a vivid scarlet, making the copper of her eyes dominate her face.
He could have offered an explanation. Could have told her that he’d started as a fallen angel but then redeemed. He could have offered any number of reasons for why he never told her. Including the fact he hadn’t ever lied. He’d simply not offered her the truth about what he was.
Instead, he did nothing. Said nothing. Which likely made the revelation even more damning in her eyes.
“Brilliant!” Satisfaction pursed Beliel’s lips. “You see, Lexi, you thought you were on the side wearing the white hat. Instead, neither side is white or black. More like an elusive shade of gray.”
Mikos took his gaze off Lexi for a brief moment and scowled at Beliel. “You twist the truth, demon.”
“What truth? That you are a demon?” This from Lexi. Her voice sounded odd as if she struggled to either stop from screaming or crying. Underneath the armor protecting his body, he had nothing protecting his heart.
Mikos slowly turned his head. Her eyes glittered. Anger or tears? He still couldn’t tell.
“Or the truth about you being an angel?” she continued. “Which truth, Mikos?” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Beliel’s right. I am a fool. A fool to believe. To let my guard down. To trust again.”
A raucous caw sounded nearby. Malphas, the feather-wearing, yellow-eyed demon she’d encountered before stepped from the shadows. “This is delightful. I haven’t had this much fun in centuries.”
“Kiss my ass, feather-head.” At this point, Lexi didn’t care about pissing off demons. All she cared about was Mikos’s lying. His betrayal. He was just like the others. So, where did that leave her?
“What do you want?” she continued. Might as well finish it.
“Oh, I think you know.” Red glittered. Beliel leaned forward, anticipation and excitement glowing. “I want the Key.” One corner of his lips lifted. “And I want you. In exchange for her.” He swept an arm in Sam’s direction.
“Damn it, Lexi, don’t do it.” Sam snarled interrupting any response Lexi might have made. The woman’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Beliel. “My death means nothing.”
She paused as if noticing the incredulous look Lexi gave her. “Not even for my kids. If you give him what he wants, they won’t have a life anyway.”
“Enough!” Beliel snapped. His dark skin seemed even darker. “Defender, what is your answer?”
Lexi hesitated. Good grief, she actually hesitated. The pain mixed with anger in Sam’s voice spoke volumes. She was willing to give up her life, leaving her kids without a mother, just to save the rest of her miserable human race.
“Fine.” Beliel ground out the word between his teeth. “Say good-bye, Sam.” His gaze darted to Sam. The chains holding her arms and legs snapped and the woman fell.
Lexi gasped. Mikos leaped for Sam, his wings snapping into view. He caught her about the waist before she dropped into the dark swirling mass that had suddenly appeared below her.
His great wings pounded the air in a powerful beat. It seemed as if their momentum slowed but then even faster, the pair plummeted into the dark pit.
Lexi screamed out Mikos’s name. Oh, God, no, not another one. Not Mikos. She didn’t care what he was before, she knew what he was now. In her heart, she’d always known. How could she have been so stupid?
She started to rush to the pit, but Beliel stepped in front of her. “Give me the Key,” he said, his voice raging as if composed of thunder.
“No,” Lexi said, shaking her head and backing away. “You just killed Sam and Mikos. You think I’m ever going to give you the Key? No freaking way.”
Before he could anticipate her actions, Lexi feinted to the right. When he shifted his body to follow, she spun and leaped to the left, dodging around him. She headed for the pit.
She’d take the damn book over the edge. Wherever it went, it couldn’t be good so there was little to no chance she’d be followed.
A shout from Beliel behind her only strengthened her resolve. He sounded pissed. Good. She took a quick look over her shoulder. Jackson and Mari were frozen in place, obviously having tried to stop the demon from getting to her. Thank you, she breathed silently. Mia reached the pit’s edge, feeling the darkness reaching out for her, tugging at her willpower.
She took a step forward, her foot
reaching out over into the nothingness. A flash of white caught her attention. Two figures burst from the pit. One in pure white, the other dark but edged with silver.
With a cry of alarm, Lexi tripped backward and fell, her butt hitting the cement. Sharp pain traveled up her spine.
“Heavens above, I hate that accursed place.” Sam stood erect, brushing her hands down the long white robe she now wore. She frowned as she looked at Jackson and Mari. “Well, that won’t do,” she said and swept a hand in their direction. Both gasped as they were released from whatever had turned them into statutes.
Mari snarled. In her hands, a sword suddenly appeared.
“Hold, demon,” Sam said. Mari growled, but stopped and looked at Sam. “Take the human and go.”
Without argument, Mari grabbed Jackson’s arm and both disappeared. Sam smiled and nodded.
From her sitting position, Lexi stared at Sam and her petite form covered in the type of garment angels in Hollywood or in paintings wore.
When Sam met Lexi’s gaze, the serene expression, touched by a hint of humor further spun her world. What happened to the waitress? Before she could demand an explanation, the clash of metal upon metal tore her attention from Sam’s unusual appearance.
Scrambling to her feet, Lexi faced the noise. Her heart thudded to a stuttering stop, then galloped. Her dark angel, the one she thought had sacrificed his life for Sam, faced off against Beliel.
She wanted to go bash Mikos’s head.
Or at least, kick him in the shin for scaring her. Damn him.
Ignoring the pain in her ass, Lexi took a step toward Mikos. At the hand on her shoulder she froze and looked down at the pale hand resting on her shoulder.
“No, Lexi, this is for Mikos to do.”
Was that Sam? It sounded like Sam, yet didn’t. The crystal, chime-like tone had a familiar ring. The hand fell away and Lexi turned. “Who are you?”
“She is Gabrael,” Rocky said. The shapeshifter sat on Sam’s shoulder. No, not Sam. Gabrael. The awe and respect in Rocky’s tone said this woman was more than just a woman.
Key of Solomon: Relic Defenders, Book 1 Page 26
