Angel Incarnate: Second Sight

by Linda Creel

  Aura’s shoulders slumped. “No – I’m sorry.”

  Paul cupped her chin in his hand. “There is no reason to apologize. Your gifts will come to you in time.”

  He stepped carefully over Pierre’s body, but stopped abruptly when he got to Charlotte. He bent down and picked up her right arm. There, on her wrist, a pentagram was burned into her skin. Lucifer’s mark; this woman made a deal with the fallen angel. But why would he kill her, unless she broke their pact?

  “What is it?” Aura asked, kneeling beside him.

  Paul shook his head and dropped Charlotte’s arm. He walked over to inspect Pierre’s body. After unbuttoning his shirt, he found a similar mark over the old man’s left breast. “Where is the bracelet?” Paul asked.

  Aura led him into the kitchen where Father Patrick was sitting in one of the chairs; his head bent as he mouthed a silent prayer. He looked up to see the angel and his daughter. The priest pointed to the towel on the counter. “The children put it over there, so it would be out of their way.”

  Paul reached to pick it up, when Father Patrick screamed, “NO – the bracelet holds some kind of curse. It will burn you.”

  “I am not affected by darkness the same as you, my mortal friend.” Paul’s expression blanched as he picked up the relic, turning it over in his hands. There’s no mistake; this was worn by Laelah.

  “Do you recognize it?” Aura asked.

  “Yes – it belonged to Lucifer’s first wife. Take the children home, while Father Patrick and I bury the Chastains. Then, I’ll show this to my father and the rest of the Council.

  “Aren’t we going to give them a proper funeral?” the priest asked.

  “They both bare the mark of Lucifer. He is in possession of their souls. It seems the Chastains are not the good Christians they pretended to be.”

  The priest clasped his hands together and stared at the floor. “I welcomed them into our parish. Now you tell me they have bargained their soul away? How can you ever forgive me?”

  “You had no way of knowing. If it’s any consolation to you, I didn’t recognize they were under Lucifer’s control either. The question now is who killed them? If they failed to honor their agreement, Lucifer wouldn’t hesitate to take their lives. Still, there’s a chance their deaths came by someone else’s hands and Lucifer isn’t aware they’re dead. I’m certain they have been watching my family closely.”

  That may explain how he knew about Avriel’s reincarnation.

  Aura wanted to ask how something owned by Lucifer’s wife, ended up at the Chastain’s home, but if Paul had wanted her to know, he would have told her.

  Chapter 39

  Samhael went straight to the cottage when he left the woods. The hell-fire should have done its job by now, and even if someone saw the smoke, no one would be able to identify the bodies; there should be nothing left but ashes.

  When he opened the door, he found Mehri and Stella in the living room sipping on glasses of red wine. “I trust your meeting with the priest went well?” he asked.

  “The meeting was fine, but we have another problem,” Stella said.

  Samhael’s brows furrowed as he took a seat next to his daughter. “Explain – why was there a problem if you only met with Ryan and the runaways?”

  Mehri cleared her throat. “I’m afraid it’s my fault. I wanted to take a trip to see my parents this morning, and well – they’re both dead now.”

  A guttural laugh escaped Samhael’s throat. “I expected you would want to see them. I wouldn’t worry; there is no way anyone can link you to their deaths.”

  “Mehri was responsible for killing her mother. I’m afraid I sent her father to Hell,” Stella said.

  After clearing her throat, Mehri swallowed hard. “I lost the bracelet Lucifer gave to me before I left. My fear is that someone will find it.”

  There was a hint of annoyance in Samhael’s tone. This is why mortals can’t be trusted with even the simplest of tasks. “Why didn’t you go back when you realized the charm was missing?”

  “I wanted to, but Stella said the bodies may have already been discovered. Do you think Lucifer will be angry with me?”

  Taking a sip from one of the goblets, Samhael looked at her and smiled.

  “You worry too much. The Chastains were mortal. Whoever finds their bodies, and I’m assuming it will be the police, won’t know anything about the origin of the bracelet. They’ll think it belonged to Charlotte and since she has no family to speak of, it will end up in storage. I’ll wait for an appropriate time and then I’ll steal it. Of course, I’m sure Lucifer placed some type of protection on the bangle, so we’ll have to be careful until its back on your wrist.”

  Holding her hands in her lap to keep them from trembling, Mehri stared incredulously at the fallen angel.

  “Father Patrick will call the Guild instead of the police. You’ve told me he shares a close bond with the angel-bloods. He may recognize the stone; it’s the same worn by the wives of the Guild and their daughters.”

  “I have some business to take care of, and then I’ll go after the bracelet this evening. It will be in your possession before first light.”

  “Are you going to tell Lucifer?” Mehri asked.

  Samhael shrugged his shoulders. “Accidents happen – as long as you don’t lose sight of the reason you’re here, I’m certain you will be forgiven. If the Guild does become involved, I’ll speak to Lucifer about bringing you home. Stella has already provided me a great deal of information about Aura and her family. Now – tell me about your meeting.”

  “The girls seemed receptive to my joining their group. I’m planning to have brunch with them on Sunday after mass. Stella thinks I should go to the service, but I’m not sure that’s wise.”

  “They may question your absence. If you want to become close to the girls and their priest, I would advise you to go – if you’re still here. If not, Stella can tell them you had a change of heart and returned to your parents.”

  “I’ll do whatever you ask,” Stella said.

  “We are all in agreement then.” He looked at Mehri who was still fidgeting on the sofa. “One more thing -- you are not to attend your parent’s funeral, under any circumstances. Right now, no one can associate their deaths to you, and we need to keep it that way.”

  “I’ve been invited to a party at Aura’s house on Halloween, but I’m debating about whether to go or not.”

  “I’ll speak to Lucifer and see if he wants to bring you back. If you are still here, you’ll go to the party. If you’re in costume, no one will recognize you. It will give you the perfect opportunity to meet Aura. Perhaps you should arrive late to the party.

  “I was thinking the same thing,” Stella said. “I know of a way to lure Father Ryan here.”

  Samhael set the glass on the coffee table. “Excellent -- the priest will be of no further value to us by then. Once you have him alone, Mehri can kill him, and then you can summon me.”

  Mehri’s jaw dropped. “You want me to kill the priest?”

  “Yes – do you have a problem with that? The reason you were sent here was two-fold. First gather information, and then kill Aura’s best friend. She will be heartbroken over the loss. Lucifer wants to send a message to the Guild. He may not be able to touch their children, but he can do as he pleases with their friends.”

  “Don’t worry, Father. If she doesn’t have the courage to kill him, I’ll do it myself,” Stella said.

  “Good, then its settled.”

  Samhael stood and walked towards the door. He paused before leaving.

  “I’ll be back in a few days. I have another matter to deal with first. If Lucifer decides to bring you home, I’ll return later this evening.”

  “I hope he’ll allow me to stay,” Mehri said. “I need to avenge my son’s death.”

  Samhael chortled, “Keep that in mind as you are befriending the priest. I don’t want you to start feeling sorry for him. If we are to be successful, we need to m
ake the angel-bloods bleed. Killing Aura’s friend is the best way to accomplish that.”

  He opened the door and closed it quietly behind him. Maybe I’ll take a quick peek at the farm and see if anyone has discovered the bodies yet.

  “Do you think Lucifer will summon me back to Hell?” Mehri asked Stella.

  “No – there is too much to be gained by letting you stay. Now, I’m getting hungry. Why don’t we go out for lunch? I know a great little seafood restaurant in the city.”

  “That sounds great. I was too upset about the bracelet to eat much at the meeting.”

  Stella grabbed her purse and they walked to the black sedan. “I’m really sorry if I caused any trouble for you,” Mehri apologized.

  “What trouble – like my father said – accidents happen.”

  They buckled in and Stella sped out of the driveway.

  Maybe I should get my license again; my driving can’t be any worse than hers. Mehri leaned her head against the window and listened to the radio. She hoped Stella couldn’t see the tension in her neck muscles, or her brows knitting together.

  Killing my mother was an accident; I’m not sure I can kill a priest. At least Stella has already volunteered, so I won’t have Ryan’s blood on my hands too.

  Chapter 40

  Willow remained in New York with Matthew, while Rita and Jessica took Gregory’s body back to Aeden. It may have looked unusual for a mortal to see a teenage girl carrying a grown man over her shoulders like a sack of potatoes, but the portal landed them in front of Aura’s house.

  Eve was waiting in the front yard. “We’ll put him in one of the guest rooms for now, and then he’ll be taken to the mortuary.”

  “Is Dad here?” Rita asked.

  “No - an elderly, mortal couple was killed sometime this morning. You may remember the Chastains; they attended some of Father Patrick’s sermons. Your father is at their farmhouse with Aura, the kids, and Father Patrick.”

  Eve walked to the sink and put the kettle on to warm water for tea.

  “Why would Dad investigate the deaths of a couple of mortals?”

  “Father Patrick found an ancient bracelet made with a blue diamond next to Charlotte’s body. He recognized the stone, and when he picked it up, his hands were burned. He thought your father might be able to identify the piece.”

  “Why would Charlotte have something like that in her possession?” Rita asked.

  “It didn’t belong to her. They suspect whoever killed the Chastains must have lost the bracelet during the struggle. Adam can take care of Gregory’s body until your father returns.”

  Eve opened the door and Rita and Jessica followed her to one of the spare rooms on the first floor. When they retreated to the kitchen, Adam was waiting.

  “I heard what happened. I suppose we’ll be planning two funerals – one for Gregory and the other for the mortal couple,” Adam said.

  Plopping into one of the kitchen chairs, Rita grabbed an orange from the bowl and threw it to Jess before choosing another one for herself. As she peeled the fruit, she looked at her mother. “You don’t think the deaths are related, do you?” she asked as she shoved one of the slices into her mouth.

  “You know I can’t talk about my visions. Suffice it to say- Lucifer is not innocent.”

  “Why would Lucifer be interested in the Chastains? They have to be –what –ninety something years old. I can’t imagine either of them being a threat.”

  Eve knew the Chastains were well past one hundred years of age. She was forbidden to speak of the pact they made with Lucifer, but hoped her family would soon make the connection.

  “So – we have three more deaths. Lucifer’s cohorts have been pretty busy. I hope Caspian and Axel can convince the angel-bloods to move here until we figure out who is behind all of these murders. Do you think Dad will allow them to come home for Gregory’s funeral?”

  “No – he’ll speak to Caspian, but their mission has to be a top priority. Most of those families are defenseless. I daresay these are not the last deaths,” Eve sighed. She brought the kettle from the stove and turned over the teacups which were already on the table. “Is chamomile alright?”

  The girls and Adam nodded.

  “I wish they would just show themselves. I’m ready for war,” Rita said.

  “Be careful what you wish for. So many angels lost their lives in the last battle. Lucifer has no regards for human life,” Eve noted.

  “We’ll have to keep a close watch on Ryan. If anything were to happen to him, Aura would be devastated,” Jessica said. “Do you think the Council will give permission to exchange blood with him now?”

  “No – that’s out of the question. I’m sure they have their reasons. For now, Adam will take Gregory’s body to the mortuary, and I’ll send Paul there when he returns.”

  “Dad will go to Utopia and make Henry aware of Gregory’s death. Jessica and I would like to go with him,” Rita said.

  “Aura and the girls should be back soon. Why don’t you wait here?” her mother asked.

  “That suits me,” Jessica said. “I really don’t want to be around Andromeda right now. She’s blaming herself for Gregory’s death, even though she had nothing to do with it. It’s not like he treated her all that well. Willow told us stories about his verbal abuse. I don’t wish harm to anyone, but Gregory might have gotten what he deserved.”

  “He was still her husband, and I’m sure Andromeda had some feelings for him,” Eve said.

  “Matt didn’t seem too upset about his father’s death. Maybe there was more to Gregory than anyone knew,” Jessica said as she finished the last slice of orange.

  “I’m assuming Willow will stay with Matt?”

  “Yes, but I’d rather his mother bring him here,” Rita said.

  “Andromeda is stronger than you think. She’ll be fine. I’m going to find Angie, so we can make funeral arrangements. I’ll speak to you girls later.”

  Adam collected Gregory’s body and walked Eve out. As soon as they heard the door close, Rita looked at Jessica. “I think Gregory was trying to tell me Richard poisoned him. We’ll see if he’s in Utopia when we get there.”

  “Yeah – Richard is up to something. We’ll ask Will and Joshua if they noticed him missing this morning. All of these deaths -- do you think it has anything to do with Lucifer’s visit?”

  “He’s planning something. I don’t think any of this is a coincidence, but I am curious about the mortals. I still can’t wrap my head around why anyone would kill them. Mom knows more than she’s saying, but Dad will eventually get to the bottom of it. Maybe we should do some more training in case the dark wings try to come through the wards.”

  “Lucifer’s powers exceed those of his minions. I doubt they can make it past the barriers, but I’d really like to see them try,” Jessica said.

  Rita nodded and the girls carried their teacups to the family room, where they started thumbing through some of the fashion magazines.

  Eve walked next door to find Angie to advise her about the deaths. This is only the beginning. My poor girls; I hope they are prepared for what’s coming.

  Chapter 41

  Aura felt her muscles tense as she closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath.

  “What is it?” her father asked.

  “A Dark Wing is close.”

  A blood-curdling scream came from one of the children. Gertie…Aura turned to run and tripped over Charlotte’s body trying to get to the children. Crawling on her knees, she stumbled to the door; falling down the wooden steps, and landing face first in the dirt.

  Paul and Father Patrick followed her outside, where they found the children huddled together on the lawn, Gertie crying hysterically. Bren and Tracy surrounded the kids – Gabriel’s sword was clasped tightly in Bren’s hands, and Tracy already had an arrow notched in the bow that fell from Heaven.

  As Aura scanned the property, she caught a glimpse of a tall, blonde stranger a few hundred feet from the farmhouse. His ba
ck was turned, so she couldn’t see his face, but Gertie apparently recognized him.

  Aura picked herself up and pulled the little girl into a tight embrace. Seeing a wooden glider on the porch, she sat and began to rock the child, hoping to calm her.

  “He wasn’t supposed to find us,” Gertie cried. “You promised we would be safe. Now, he’ll bring Mortriel back, and they’ll take us away again,” she sobbed. She snuggled closer, burying her face into Aura’s neck.

  “Shh --no one is taking you anywhere,” Aura whispered.

  “I told her he couldn’t get through Mommy’s shield,” Bren said, “and if he tries we’ll use the swords and put the dog down.”

  Paul came over and knelt beside Gertie, placing his hand on the small of her back. “Do you know his name?”

  She shook her head. “His name is Samhael. He killed my mommy, and took me to that awful place.”

  Samhael… “Are you certain?”

  “That’s his name,” one of the other girls said. “He killed my mommy and took me too.”

  Paul stared at the bracelet in his hand. Did you come back for this? “Listen to me. Bren and Aura are right. No one is going to take you away. Do you remember what we told you?”

  “Yes – you said we don’t have to leave; we can stay forever,” Gertie whimpered.

  Paul patted the top of her head. “That’s right. Now, Aura is going to take you home, and I don’t want you to worry about Samhael. He will never come close to you – I swear it.”

  Gertie wrapped her legs around Aura’s waist, and then forced a weak smile. “Yeah – cause Bren will kick his butt, right?”

  “Yep – me and Tracy don’t take crap from any dark wings,” Bren said proudly.

  “That’s right. We no take their crap either,” Gracie added, and the rest of the kids, including Gertie, started laughing.

  Aura walked the children down the steps and waited for them to form a circle. With their hands firmly grasped, she used the portal to take them home.

  “This Samhael – do you think he has something to do with the bracelet?” Father Patrick asked.