The Fallen (The Alexandra Denton Chronicles)

by Amanda K. Dudley-Penn

  “Me, Jace, Catherine and Ky are going up there,” I said, pointing up the stairs. I shifted uncomfortably, “Count to a hundred before you go in. Take ten steps and run out and toward the door where we entered the factory. Do not hesitate.”

  “Are you saying we’re going to see them first?” She asked with wide eyes, “In other words are we the bait?”

  I nodded, “Yes. I’m sorry but I promise this is how it needs to be. Let them think it was easy. Think of nothing once they possess you but where Jeremy, Jonathon, Kelly and Jenna are. They’ll tell the others. They will go to them. When your demon is cast out. Fight.”

  “No worries about that,” Clyde said. Still, I could see the fear in his eyes.

  I hugged Raina and then, began to walk up the stairs behind Ky. I waited at the top of the stairs, listening. It wasn’t long before I could hear the hisses of the demons below. Then, there were hurried footsteps. I was too focused on the sounds of my friends running from the demons that I didn’t realize that the hissing was in front of us too.

  It was only Ky’s hand on my arm that pulled me back to where I needed to be. I blinked as I realized that he was trying to show me what was in front of him. I looked around Ky who had stopped walking to see the possessed form of Leighton.

  **********

  “Catherine, use your gift,” I whispered as I watched the demon possessed body of my friend step toward me. It was clear that he would hurt us if given a chance.

  “I can’t,” she said in a shaky voice, “It’s Leighton.”

  My heart clenched at her words because I understood what she meant. The body was Leighton’s. It would still hurt him too.

  “Leighton would want you to do it,” I said and Catherine glanced at me. Her eyes widened, “He wouldn‘t want to hurt us. He wouldn’t be able to live with it.”

  That was enough. Her face hardened as her decision was made. She turned back to him and stretched out her hand.

  “You can’t move without pain,” she said quietly at first but gaining strength, “With every step you take excruciating pain slams through your bones and muscles and fire enters your veins.”

  A howl of pain slammed through the air so forcefully that I had to cover my ears. Catherine’s gaze stayed on him as tears rolled down her cheeks. My heart clenched, “Run now and then, you can release him,” I said, not needing to explain that he would have to be out in the parking lot where Kelly was to be healed.

  She nodded and we ran down the stairs. When we reached the bottom, she called up the stairwell, “You’re released, Leighton.”

  We turned to run again and nearly run into Clyde’s wide chest. I put my hand over my mouth to keep from screaming. Catherine did let out a little squeak as I looked up into his eyes. I sighed relieved to see that they were not pulsing crimson, “You frightened me,“ I said with wide eyes, “Where’s Raina?”

  “I’m right here,” she said, looking around Clyde, “Your dad, Will and Daniel are here too.”

  “Daddy, are you okay?” I asked with worry clear in my voice.

  “I’m fine, Baby Girl,” he said, softly, “Are you?”

  “I’m okay,” I said as we walked, “We saw Leighton. He’s probably right behind us. Where are the other demons?”

  “I don’t know,” Raina said as we came to the wider part of the hallway, “They chased us out of the work room but then, they were gone.”

  I nodded. Raina, Will, Clyde and my dad stayed in front of us while Daniel dropped behind to study my face. I heard Ky growl low in his throat though I didn’t understand why.

  “I wonder where our angels are,” I said, realizing that somewhere along the way, they had disappeared.

  “They’re still here,” Raina said, looking around, “I’m sure they’re just hidden from sight.”

  I nodded sure that they would reappear. After all, they were in my vision and they were very visible.

  We took two more steps before Clyde stopped in front of me.

  “What’s that?” He asked, frowning.

  I looked around him to see a black cloud, blocking the door. I didn’t even have time to scream a warning before it reached out and swamped Raina. I heard her scream as tears wet my eyes.

  “No!” I cried out as my dad was taken in to, “Daddy, no!”

  I could feel Daniel push me below the stairs as I heard Will scream in pain. Tears fell down my cheeks as he pushed me further and further beneath the stairwell.

  “Stay here,” he said fiercly as I heard Clyde curse. The darkness surrounded him as a howl of pain broke through the air. Daniel pulled Ky, Catherine and Jace below the stairs with me.

  “Take care of her,” he said, looking into my eyes as he began to back away.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, terrified as I realized this was not part of my vision.

  “What you’ve always done for me and the others,” he said, standing in the middle of the hall.

  “He’s sacrificing himself,” Jace said as the black cloud swamped him. A scream broke through the air. I didn’t realize that it wasn’t Daniel’s scream until Ky placed his hand over my mouth. Tears fell down my cheek, coating his hand as I felt my heart break into.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Facing the Darkness

  “He didn’t have to do that,” I said, shocked as we watched the black cloud dissipate and the new demon possessed Appointed run down the hall toward the door where we had entered the building.

  Ky put his arm around me, “He knew that,” he said, looking into my eyes. For once, he didn‘t seem angry with Daniel. He rubbed my shoulder trying to reassure me, “But he’ll be okay. Kelly will pull the demon from him.”

  I shook my head, “I’m not sure,” I said, feeling my heart sink, “I didn’t see what would happen if he took this path. It‘s something new.”

  Ky peered into my eyes and I could see the worry there, “It will be okay,” he said, caressing my face, “I promise.”

  I nodded as he stood even though I could see he was worried that he had just lied, “Alex, if we’re going to help him or any of the others, we’ll need to continue. Right now, we have to get out of here. We have to finish this.”

  I nodded realizing he was right as he reached out his hand. I took it as he pulled me to him. I held him close to me for a few moments, as the understanding that we were all going to be possessed within a matter of minutes slammed through my head. I felt Catherine grab my hand.

  “We’re here with you,” she said, softly and I did feel a small comfort in that.

  I nodded and then, sighed, “I know you are,” I said as I released Ky. I raised my chin, “You’re with me no matter what.”

  “That’s right,” Jace said. I glanced at him and smiled.

  “I’m alright now,” I said taking a deep breath, “Let’s bait some demons.”

  “How do we do that?” Catherine asked, frowning.

  “The same way the others did,” I said, raising my chin, “We quit hiding.”

  “Okay,” Catherine said, stepping out into the open with Jace at her side. Ky and I followed their lead.

  Only seconds passed before the cloud appeared again. I narrowed my eyes as I studied it a bit longer than I should have. The bodies of the fallen angels twisted within it and each of them were reaching for us. Everyone else looked at it as mesmerized as me.

  “I think we need to run toward the exit,” I said, softly, hoping not to cause it to sweep down and take us.

  “Me too,” Catherine said with wide frightened eyes.

  The cloud moved closer and we all took a cautious step back before turning and running. As the hallway widened, Ky pulled us ahead of Jace and Catherine. A moment later, I heard Catherine and Jace’s screams of pain. I tried to keep the tears from coming but I couldn’t causing me to run blindly toward the exit with Ky as my only guide.

  He pushed me ahead of him right before I felt a violent tug spin me around. Ky was ripped away from me as the darkness began to cover him.

>   “Ky!” I screamed, taking a step forward.

  “No, Alex!” He yelled back, “Run! Don’t stop! Run!”

  My heart broke as I looked toward the exit. I looked back at him as his beautiful eyes turned crimson. I backed away and then, turned and began to run again, making it to the exit a few seconds later. Drake, Gloria and Sarah were there waiting for me. Semarias suddenly appeared by my side.

  “Where is Catherine, Jace and Ky?” Gloria asked, concerned.

  “All of the others that entered with us are possessed,” I said as tears rolled down my cheeks.

  “What about us?” Drake asked, frowning.

  “It means we’re next,” I whispered, “Which is why we need to run.”

  ******

  We had reached the corner of the factory when I heard Sarah’s scream rent the air. I took a deep breath convincing myself that in one more turn we would be there. Her possession wouldn’t last that long. Drake grabbed my hand and I looked beside me to see that he was pulling me and Gloria along. Still, the cloud of fallen angels had reached us, cloaking us in darkness.

  Their whispers surrounded me as they moved closer and closer. Then, suddenly I could make out what they were saying.

  “Don’t touch the male,” a demon snarled and I frowned too confused for my fear to take over.

  “He’s already been tainted by us once,” another demon said, “We can’t have him again. It will destroy us.”

  “We’ll just kill him,” they hissed, “As soon as we take these.”

  My eyes widened as I understood. I looked at Drake, “They can’t possess you again,” I said as Gloria’s screams burst through the air. Tears ran down his face and I could tell he was listening but didn’t know what to do.

  “The only way you can help us is to run to my brothers and sister and Jenna. Tell Kelly no matter what, do not stop pulling demons out,” I said and he blinked and then, nodded as the dark cloud moved closer to me, “Run! Now!”

  He gave me one last look and then, released my hand as he ran in the direction of my siblings and Jenna. The darkness lapped at me leaving searing pain like acid had been injected into my veins and it was now running freely through my body. I closed my eyes and screamed as the dark cloud cloaked me. Slowly, the pain subsided and though I could still see out of my eyes, I couldn’t control any of my movements and there was another voice in my head. Fear slammed through me as I realized that my body had received its fallen angel.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Opened Eyes

  I looked out through my eyes, realizing how strange it was to feel nothing physically. There was no cold, no heat…no pain. I was as disconnected as I could be from my skin, muscles and bones.

  “I suppose I could thank you for the use of your body,” the voice of the one who possessed me, whispered in a disconnected version of my voice, “Though I doubt you’d accept it.”

  “Who are you?” I asked, trying not to be affected by the odd feeling that I was floating even though I knew I certainly was not.

  “My name is of no concern to you,” the demon said and I couldn’t help but to be annoyed. I didn’t know if the demon who possessed me was female or male. I didn’t even know what level demon it was. I knew nothing.

  “You’re right,” I said, sarcastically, “It’s not like you’ll have my body long enough for us to create an emotional bond.”

  The demon laughed, “Lucifer said you were funny. We’ll be together for a long while as soon as my brothers and sisters possess the rest of the Appointed.”

  I could hear the hisses of demons around the corner and would have smiled if I was still attached to my body.

  “It sounds like they are being defeated,” I said and I experienced a wave of uncertainty.

  “They aren’t,” the demon replied, “My brothers and sisters are too strong.”

  “I doubt it,” I whispered as the demon frowned.

  “Why do you doubt it so much?” It asked and I could feel it’s anger.

  “Because we’re stronger,” I said as confidence rose in me once more.

  Slowly, I felt my body begin to walk. I would have grinned in triumph if I could when I saw that we were walking around the corner of the building and into the middle of the battle in my dreams.

  *******

  Relief flooded my soul as I saw the scene from my dream, playing out but this time I could see more. I could see all of my friends who had been possessed. The sight of their eyes pulsing red broke my heart.

  “Does this look like we’re losing?” The demon asked, glancing around until my eyes rested on my siblings and Jenna. For the first time, I noticed that Drake was behind them nearly hidden from the demons.

  Kelly glanced around once and raised her hand toward a group of people, “Demons are a disease,” she said, loudly, “In the name of Jesus you are healed.”

  I laughed when I felt the demon’s anger, “It does look like we’re winning…again.”

  “You’re the one who killed Jezebel,” the demon said, flatly.

  “Was she a friend of yours?” I asked, sarcastically.

  I was startled when the demon answered, “She was my sister...My true sister. We were made at the same time.”

  “And you chose me to possess?” I asked, confused, “I would think you’d want me dead.”

  “Yes, I did choose you to possess. I wanted the last face your loved ones see when they die to be yours,” the demon said, “That alone would torture you for eternity.”

  “I thought you would just possess them,” I said, trying to control the horror I experienced at the demon’s plan.

  “My brothers and sisters aren’t as strong as me,” the demon said, angrily, “They’ll be pulled out. They’ll die.”

  “And you think, you won’t?” I asked as I saw Kelly look toward me with tears rolling down her cheeks.

  “No,” The demon said.

  “You’re wrong,” I said just before Kelly began to speak.

  “Alex, you are healed in the name of Jesus,” she said and immediately, I heard the scream of the demon within me. I closed my eyes as pain worse than the possession filled me but just as quickly as it came, it faded.

  When I opened my eyes, I realized I had been thrown backward. A female fallen angel stood in front of me. The scars where her wings had been ripped from her back stretched down the length. I looked toward Kelly and saw that she had paused.

  “Kelly, remember to continue!” I screamed, “Don’t stop just because you think we’re hurt! You have to keep going!”

  She nodded and turned toward my father. The demon which stood before me, turned and reached for me, “You will die, Alex,” She said, flashing perfect white teeth. I crawled backwards, trying to escape her reach. A moment before she could touch me, a flash of light blinded me. I blinked the spots from my eyes and found that she was gone. Only Semarias stood in front of me with a sword of flames so hot they burned white poking through the empty air.

  “Thanks,” I said in awe as he pulled the sword back. Immediately, the flame died and he was gripping the golden handle of what looked to be a sword with a glass blade.

  He grinned when he saw my eyes widen, “You’re welcome,” he said as he offered me his hand and I took it. He pulled me to my feet. I saw that Jace and Catherine were no longer possessed and Catherine was already putting some of the demons in serious pain. Sarah had been freed as had Will and Clyde. My father was standing to the side of Jeremy blowing his breath so strongly that it was throwing the demons backwards. Still, there were others. Kelly had not stopped and was still, pulling the demons out bit by bit. I glanced around trying to find Ky and Daniel but I couldn’t see them. My heart clenched in fear.

  I saw my mother still demon possessed run past me toward Kelly and I winced as the demon was pulled from her. Semarias stepped forward and sliced through the demon with one quick jab. My mother’s eyes widened in fear.

  “Alex,” she said, terrified.

  “It’s okay, Mom,�
�� I said but just as I took a step toward her the earth began to rumble and I was thrown backwards once again. I groaned as I landed on the concrete hard, blinking as spots danced before my eyes. As soon as my sight cleared, I sat up and glanced around. A few feet from me, I saw the crack in the earth beginning to widen.

  The angels had stopped fighting. Instead, they surrounded the opening, placing their flaming swords upon it and searing the ground. A horrific scream rose into the air as a light too bright to look at burst upward. Howls rent the air as the light faded. I blinked as I stared down at where the crack had been sealed. An eerie silence came over the parking lot where a moment ago a battle raged. I glanced around in awe. In an instant the tide had turned and we had defeated the demons and their king.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Conclusions and Consequences

  A violent tremor shook down my spine as I glanced around. The fear should have been gone. The panic should have dissipated but it had not. I looked toward my siblings mentally cataloguing who was with them. My heart siezed as I realized there were two missing.

  “Where is Ky?“ I asked, shaking uncontrollably, “Where is Daniel?“

  Each question made my heart squeeze. I trembled as my eyes moved quickly from one place to another, searching each of the people who were sitting up and looking around confused.

  Semarias stood beside me and offered his hand. I took it still looking around. He smiled as he pointed, “I believe one of the objects of your worry is walking toward you.”

  My eyes followed the point of his finger and I sighed in relief as tears coursed down my cheek. I broke into a run meeting Ky in the middle of the parking lot and kissing him hard.

  “Alex, I’m okay,” he said, pulling me closer to him. He pulled back and looked into my eyes, “You didn’t think I’d leave you here to get yourself in trouble, did you?”

  I smiled, sadly, “No, but Daniel is still missing.”

  “Let’s go find him,” he said, taking my hand and turning around to search. Minutes passed before my heart began to sink. He wasn’t among the others in the parking lot. He was truly missing.