Testimony of the Blessed

by K. G. Reuss

  And while I’m writing you this letter, so you’ll know how very much you mean to me, I’m also writing it for another reason.

  Do you remember the treehouse we used to play in as kids? The one behind your mom’s house? If you take seven steps to the north and dig, you will find a box. Only a Nephilim can open the box. Inside, I have placed some items that are important that you may need should things happen as I fear they will. I fear I’ve placed my trust in someone I shouldn’t have. As an insurance policy, you’ll find a good deal of things to use in the event I made a mistake.

  Give Rusty a kiss for me and tell him I miss him. And please, take care of Brax. It’s important that he remain as he is now. You’re now his guardian. Keep him safe. Promise me.

  Stay safe. Stay strong. I love you.

  Faith, not hope.

  Maggie

  I finished the letter and folded it before stuffing it into my back pocket. The next letter was to Brax.

  Brax,

  You’re my angel. No matter what, that’s what you’ve always been to me and always will be. I fell in love with you the moment I saw you. And I will miss you desperately. You’re meant for so much more. You were meant to rule the world. I’ll make sure the crown is yours. Forgive me for leaving you. I did it to save you. You’re everything to me. I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. I will never regret a single moment with you, nor will I regret my choice. In that choice, I gave you those wings you asked for when we danced at Halloween. Use them to take you places. We’ll meet again. I promise.

  In this box that I’m hoping Lance has opened with you by his side, you will find a vial of Corbin’s blood. In addition, I have his true name.

  Corvus Valac Black.

  I think you’ll need both to save me. Use them to set me free.

  I love you so much! And I await the day until we’re together again. Because we will be.

  Faith, not hope.

  Your Angel

  Mags

  Chapter 80

  After hiking to the woods and burying the box where I said I would, I went back home. I crept silently past my mom and went to her closet. I opened the door and put the letter to Lance inside her box of keepsakes from when we’d been happy. I knew someday she’d look in there as a way to remember me. And it seemed like the best place to hide a letter addressed to Lance so he’d get it. I was sure if I left it out, Corbin would find it if he decided to come for his blood. When he decided to come for his blood.

  “What are you doing?” Alan growled as I stepped out of their bedroom.

  “I-I was just wondering if my mom was awake—”

  He struck me hard across the face and shoved me against the wall, his hand over my mouth.

  “You’re being a sneak!” he hissed out through his teeth. “I won’t have some whore sneaking around my house!”

  “No. Don’t. Please!” I cried as he forcefully pushed me to my bedroom and threw me down on the bed. There was no preparation for it. His belt was off in a matter of moments, whipping across my skin.

  The more I cried, the harder he struck me. And he didn’t bother only striking my back. His hits landed wherever—my arms, my legs, my abdomen, my back, my ribs. I rolled and bucked in agony, and the hits kept coming.

  “You. Left. Your. Room. You. Snuck. Out. Of. The. House!” His hits were heavy and hard, each word creating a new connection between his belt and my skin. “You’re a fucking worthless whore!”

  I couldn’t take it. I threw up from the pain, wishing my mother wasn’t wasted and passed out in her bedroom. And even through my heaving, he struck me over and over again until I’d fallen to the floor, my soul giving up.

  “Let that be a lesson.” He spit on me, his hair wild, his pants tighter than they had been, his sickness clearly on display. “Sneak out of this house again, you little bitch. See what happens next time!”

  He left my room, closing the door hard behind him. I lay for hours in my own vomit, my body aching from his onslaught. Finally able to get up, I staggered to my bathroom where I showered. I stared at myself in the mirror, the ugly red welts, cuts, and bruises growing as I stood there. I had to escape. Even if only for a night.

  I went downstairs after hearing Alan leave the house and drank anything my mom had in her liquor stores. I wandered outside and stumbled painfully along the street. I didn’t even know where my phone was. I didn’t even care.

  I had this feeling that everything was about to end, and I just needed a brief escape from it all. I ended up wandering back out to the old treehouse. Once there, I finished an entire bottle of wine I’d brought with me before passing out.

  When I awoke, it had to be late in the afternoon. I grabbed the last bottle of booze I had and popped the top and took a swig.

  “Just like Mama,” I muttered morosely as I nursed the entire bottle before throwing it against the wall where it shattered into a million tiny pieces.

  Life wasn’t fair. I had to die. I had to keep faith that my plan would work. If it didn’t, we were screwed.

  “Michael!” I screamed loudly. “Michael! Dad! Get your sorry ass down here and fix this! Fix it! You let this happen! You let it!” I screamed for him over and over, my heart wishing he’d come but my mind knowing he wouldn’t. I screamed for so long that my voice started to give out.

  Finally, I stumbled drunk out of the treehouse and staggered to the road. Brax was probably worried sick about me. It had been irresponsible for me to leave my phone behind. All while I walked, I couldn’t shake the thought from my mind that Alan needed to die. He was a horrible creature that would always do horrible things.

  How could it be a sin if I was saving another girl’s life?

  The logic was sound, and I chuckled darkly as Corbin rolled his car up beside me, his green eyes sweeping over me quickly.

  “Are you ready now?” he asked, peering at me across the driver’s seat.

  “Yeah… I think I am,” I answered, climbing into the passenger seat.

  “That’s what I thought. Wasn’t such a hard choice after all was it?”

  Chapter 81

  “Where to?” Corbin asked as he drove. My head was blurry, my eyes unfocused.

  “I want to go to Brax’s,” I mumbled. “I need to see him.”

  “OK,” Corbin agreed, driving to my destination. I was barely able to stand as I climbed out of the car.

  He guided me easily into Brax’s house. Rusty greeted me excitedly, but all I could muster was a feeble pat on his soft head.

  “You’re hurt,” Corbin observed as he helped me to lie on the couch. A storm passed over his face quickly, but it only lasted a moment before he became impassive.

  “I’ll manage,” I muttered. “Go before Brax finds you here.”

  “Do you think I give a shit if my asshole brother finds me here?” Corbin asked sourly. “He should thank me for finding you before you got hurt even more.”

  “But he won’t. So go.” I brushed him away tiredly.

  “Maggie,” Corbin cleared his throat. “You know time’s up, right? Soon?”

  “I know.” A tear slipped out of my eye.

  “We’re all making sacrifices, just so you know,” he continued gently. “I might even get sent back to Hell. In fact, I know I will be. With or without you by my side. When the time comes, and you decide you can’t handle any more, just say the word.” He pulled a gun out of his pocket and showed it to me. I sat up with a wobble and stared fearfully at the gun.

  “Here. It’s for you,” he offered, holding it out to me. With shaky hands, I took the gun from him and looked down at it. This was the ticket I needed. This was how to rid the world of Alan. But at what cost?

  Corbin went to his knees before me. “Let whatever is going to happen, happen, Maggie. You can’t keep fighting a losing battle. You were born to die young. The choice is up to you on how you want to go. Do you want to be a victim even in death… or do you want to right the wrongs? Doesn’t the good book say an eye for an eye?”<
br />
  “I feel like you’re trying to lead me into temptation.”

  “I’m trying to lead you to your destiny, whatever that may be. And perhaps, I’ll give a little nudge along the way. Your mother hasn’t been there for you. She wants to be set free, too. She’s just as miserable as you are. She could die a victim too or live as a survivor. The choice is yours.”

  “I’m afraid,” I whispered.

  “Don’t be. I’ll be with you the whole time. I’ll be there because I want you, Maggie. And I’ll take you any way I can get you. Now sleep. Rest.” He leaned in and kissed my cheek. My head felt a million times foggier than it had before. He was right though. I did need to sleep. I was feeling too crazy to be awake.

  I closed my eyes, drifting off as Corbin continued to murmur to me.

  Chapter 82

  “Maggie!” Brax’s voice called out frantically to me. I opened my eyes blearily and stared up at his worried face. He pulled me into his arms and held me tightly. “Where were you? Why were you drinking?”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t come to the carnival,” I slurred out.

  “Shit.” He kissed my head. “Baby, where were you? I was worried sick.”

  “I went and looked for my dad. I couldn’t find him. I even did that thing you told me to do. I yelled and yelled for him. He still didn’t come. Figures, huh? I think he really did leave me.”

  “Angel.” He kissed me. “Why? Why didn’t you talk to me?”

  “I had a bad night. I think I should definitely move in with you.”

  “What happened?” he demanded. I was too tired to speak. I closed my eyes and drifted off. I came to as I felt Brax roll me gently on my side. He sucked in a sharp breath. He knew. He’d seen!

  I felt him move off the bed, and I knew he was leaving. To take care of Alan. But this wasn’t his fight. It was mine.

  “Stay with me,” I whimpered. “I’m afraid.”

  He didn’t move for a moment before finally coming back to bed.

  “I’m going to kill him. Then you’ll be rid of that bastard,” he whispered into my ear.

  “No,” I answered sleepily. “I’m going to kill him.” And I meant it. I’d rid the world of Alan, and if I fell, at least I’d be with Brax forever.

  Chapter 83

  “Hey,” I said, reaching out for Brax the following morning.

  “Hey.” He kissed the tips of my fingers. He looked awful. He still hadn’t eaten. “How are you feeling?”

  “Like a train wreck,” I groaned.

  “I bet.” He absently ran his fingers through my hair. “Why did you drink, angel? Why didn’t you answer when I tried to reach you? Why didn’t you talk to me?”

  “I didn’t have anything to talk about,” I answered delicately, not wanting him to worry about everything. He didn’t need to know about the terrible choice I was going to have to make. Or who I was putting my trust in to reunite me with him. “I drank to forget. And I didn’t answer because I was too drunk to find my phone.”

  “Then how did you manage to find your way to my house?” he pressed with a frown.

  “Corbin gave me a ride here,” I admitted, waiting for the bomb to explode. “He helped me inside.”

  “Corbin again? I asked you not to talk to him,” he growled, clenching his fingers into fists.

  “Are you mad?”

  “Fucking pissed,” he snapped, getting out of bed and pacing the room. “Why would you let that-that monster help you, Maggie? Why wouldn’t you call me? You promised you’d call me!”

  “I couldn’t find my chalk.” I got to my feet angrily. “Isn’t that how I’m supposed to reach you, Abraxas?” I immediately regretted calling him by his true name. This wasn’t his fault.

  “You could’ve called on the phone,” he replied softly. “You have one of those!” He was right. I had no excuse. At least not one I could give him. Knowing the decision looming over me would break his heart, and he might do something rash. Unforgivable.

  “What happened to your back, Maggie?” he demanded when I didn’t answer. We both knew what had happened to it. I didn’t want to say the ugly words out loud. “Look. I know it was Alan. I’m going to kill him. I don’t want you to be hurt. It fucking kills me inside to know he’s hurting you!”

  “I won’t let you do any such thing,” I went to him and rested my hands on his hard chest. “Not for me. You’ve done enough.”

  “I’ve not done nearly enough for you,” he snarled. “I’d crawl through the pits of Hell for you. You have no idea the things I would do for you, angel.”

  “I just want you to love me,” I murmured. His love was all I needed. It was enough. It would have to be. It would be all I had left when I was gone.

  “And I do. That’s why I want to do this. I want to free you.”

  “Don’t worry so much about me,” I scoffed. “Let me free you instead. Let me take care of you.” I knew what I could do. Swallowing my nerves, I went up on my tiptoes and planted my mouth on his. He didn’t resist me for long.

  He pulled me to the bed. Then I took the initiative and pushed him onto it, my mind made up. He needed strength. I crawled over him and straddled him, removing my dress, leaving me in nothing but my bra and panties.

  “What are you doing?” he choked out, his eyes drinking me in.

  “I want this,” I answered, releasing my hair from my ponytail so it cascaded around me.

  “Angel,” he moaned, kissing me “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” I breathed out. “You’re tired. You’re weak. You need me like I need you.”

  He maneuvered me, so my back was flat on the mattress. Then he proceeded to plant kisses on every inch of exposed skin he could, his lips hot and wet. The butterflies that he’d planted in my stomach so long ago with just a smoldering look, took flight, flapping wildly in time with each punctuating kiss. The feelings his touch stirred in me were building like a fire. I traced my fingers across a thin black line streaking across his chest. I stared in awe as his eyes darkened to black. The strain on his face let me know he was holding back. I didn’t want that. I wanted him to let go.

  “Let go,” I whispered, brushing my fingers against his face. His black wings unfurled, blocking the sunlight. They were breathtaking. Unable to resist, I tangled my fingers in his soft feathers as he continued raining a delicious storm of blistering kisses all over my body, his lips making my injuries feel a million times better. My touch made him groan. The sound was empowering. Knowing that my hands were bringing him pleasure. By the time he removed my remaining clothing, any reservations that might have lingered in my mind had been obliterated by this burning, aching need for something I’d never experienced but knew he could give me.

  Brax spent hours making me writhe and whimper his name, my fingers knotted in his thick hair. At some point in my delirious haze of bliss, Brax shed his own clothes. As nervous as the idea of sex had always made me, feeling the heat of his body against mine with nothing in between let me know in my soul that we were meant to be. His skin on mine was perfect. And the way he gazed at me left me breathless. It was like I was the only thing in the entire universe that mattered to him. In my heart, I knew what I was doing was right. I was going to save him. Somehow. And I was going to be with him always.

  When he looked down at me, his black eyes asking for my consent, I nodded breathlessly, giving myself to him. He kissed me deeply as he pushed forward. The pain was fleeting as we were linked completely. Then it was replaced with pleasure as he took me to places I’d never been before. He had me. He had all of me. Forever.

  Chapter 84

  A week had passed since I’d given myself to Brax. And I couldn’t stop. He was a drug I was addicted to. I wanted him with me always. I wanted him to be a part of me. But I knew the end was near. I could feel it in the air. It made me more frantic. A week later when I got out of bed, a terrible sense of foreboding washed over me. Something terrible was coming.

  I had to see him.

  I rus
hed to his house way earlier than I should have and knocked on his door. I wanted to be able to live out my remaining days with him. I had to.

  When he pulled his door open to greet me, my heart all but stopped. He was breathtaking.

  “Hey,” he greeted me. “I wasn’t expecting a visit this early. Why didn’t you call me? I’d have picked you up!”

  “I didn’t want to wake you,” I said, giving him a small smile and taking off my jacket and the hat and scarf he’d made me. Brax reached forward and lifted up my locket, fingering it gently.

  “I like this on you,” he proclaimed, letting it fall back against my skin.

  I kissed him passionately, my fingers in his hair. What if this was the last time?

  “Hey,” he pulled away, taking my hand and leading me to the couch. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

  “OK,” I answered nervously.

  “I want to talk to you about what happened with Rust–”

  “I don’t want to talk about it, Brax,” I said immediately. There was no way we were going to waste our last few days together talking about something we couldn’t change.

  “We need to, angel. What happened—what you did—was a miracle. You aren’t like other people. You’re special, Maggie.”

  “Please stop,” I whimpered.

  “You need to understand. It’s important–”

  “I already know!” I burst out, my eyes burning with tears. “I know, OK! And I hate it! I know what it means! I know that I’m some apocalyptic being sent here to tip the scales! I know exactly what you are!”