The beautiful pink baby was rosy cheeked, but had her father’s dark complexion and brown eyes. Her clear eyes studied Audray as if recognizing her.
“She’s beautiful,” was all Audray could say.
“Born on Christmas, can you believe it?” Claire smiled. “My little Christmas baby,” she said as she kissed Alondra on the forehead. “And now you will have one of your own.” Claire reached out and touched her stomach. Blessings to you, Audray.”
Jonas was at their backside and barking orders, breaking up the reunion. “I’m not happy about this. Now we have three more humans to defend and a whole lot more to lose. I’m not sure this was smart, but this is the hand we’ve been dealt.”
“Yes, we must get inside,” Daniel said. Wrapping an arm around Claire, they made their way up the steps to the kitchen. Audray walked behind them. She turned to Jonas.
“What’s the plan?”
“Get ready for the onslaught. It could be a few, it could be thousands. I have no clue.”
“She’ll send the expendables first,” Rupert blurted out. “Then she’ll send her best. And when it’s safe, or she thinks she’s safe, she’ll come.”
“That’s a strategy I’m familiar with. Old thinking.”
“Usually effective,” Josh said.
Claire turned around and drilled Josh a look no one would be able to misinterpret. “No more negative talk. We win this fight. And the next one and the next one if there is one. We fight until they are all destroyed.”
Audray didn’t want to mention that she doubted all the darklings of the Underworld could possibly be destroyed, especially by this little band of ill-equipped warriors.
No, they won’t all be destroyed. Just until the balance between Heaven and the Underworld is restored. Jonas’ thoughts soothed her.
“You’re right,” she whispered.
“The safest room in my house is the wine cellar,” Josh said. “And there’s a good several months’ supply of food there, too.” He leaned into an arched doorway that sucked open like the door on a large freezer. “I say Audray, Judy, Claire and the baby go down there and make themselves comfortable, while we save the world. All right with you, gents?”
Before he could be tagged, she watched Rupert slink off into the bushes. She doubted she’d see him again until after the dust settled, if then.
Jonas cursed again. Josh shook his head and shrugged.
Audray addressed the small gathering. “I should stay upstairs to help. My powers. You are going to need my powers.”
“Not on your life. You go downstairs,” Jonas was red-faced, the veins at the side of his neck extended, bulging. “You have what, one shot? At best? Is that worth the health of our child?”
She saw it was the truth. Audray gave Jonas a kiss she hoped wouldn’t be her last, as Claire chastely kissed Daniel and he kissed the baby. Judy wrapped her legs around Josh’s hips and placed a liplock on him that rivaled the suction sound of the cellar door. He spanked her behind as she slid down his front, waved with her fingers at the rest of the men standing awkwardly at attention. The women filed one by one into the cellar stairway as the large door was closed. Judy locked it from the inside.
The musky smell was ancient and familiar. Audray had been in many of them when she did Josh’s bidding as a human assistant. Rows of dusty green and black bottles lined two walls, layered on rolling shelving that stacked four deep. The collection of wine was the largest Audray had ever seen.
“I had no idea he had all of this,” she found herself saying.
“We actually spend quite a lot of time down here. He calls it his man cave.” She giggled. “Not a tool or poster in sight!”
Claire nodded, gently swaying with the baby in her arms. “All he needs is some good wine and a large bed.”
“And that we have!” Judy showed them an alcove with a stunning gold leaf fresco, sides adorned in tiny mosaics from some ancient temple or monastery. In the center of the space was a large master bed covered in satin pillows.
“You both should try to rest. No telling when we’ll get another calm.” The sisters agreed. Claire lay the baby between them as they placed their heads on the burgundy satin pillows and stared up at the painted copy of Botticelli’s Birth of Venus on the ceiling.
Claire reached over and held Audray’s hand. “Never thought this day would come, sister.”
“Hope it’s the first of many, sister.”
“Me too,” whispered Claire.
Audray was awakened by the sound of automatic gunfire and explosions that startled the baby. Claire was able to settle Alondra before she began to cry out. Audray went in search for a bathroom.
She found Judy sitting on the closed lid of the pot, on her cell phone. She abruptly closed the case when she saw Audray.
“Who are you talking to?” Audray asked, just as another blast shook the foundations of the house.
“A friend.” She was evasive and Audray could see everyone had misjudged her. “You’re talking to her, to them.”
“Well, I would think you’d be more thankful, Audray. I wanted to make sure that with all the firepower going on upstairs, someone didn’t accidentally decide to turn everything to glass. Her minions do disobey. Look at Rupert, that snake.”
“The ones who disobey don’t live very long, Judy.”
“My point exactly. So I’ve just had to do a little insurance checkup.”
“You honestly think you can negotiate with an evil witch like Catarina?”
“You think this little group could possibly defeat them?” She frowned, staring at her phone that gave off a ping. “That’s the sound of freedom, Audray. I’m going to be given my true freedom, not the one Jonas tried to offer me. I’m hoping you’ll be given the same, after…”
“What have you done?”
“I think I’ve saved your life, or at least the life of your unborn.”
“What?”
“Don’t you see? It’s the only way you’ll survive. She wants the baby you’re carrying. She won’t do anything to you for fear of hurting the child. That baby is very important.”
Audray was sick to her stomach again and placed one palm on her belly. “She’s never getting my baby.”
“I don’t think she can be denied.”
“It won’t happen, Judy. I’ll die first.”
“And then you’d be killing the child. Is it so bad to pay such a price for freedom, true freedom?”
“You understand you can’t count on anything she promises. Freedom for now? Always looking over our shoulders? Even if she let Jonas live, you honestly think we’d be able to enjoy a life together somewhere else? I’ve thought about running away, but it would only be temporary.”
“You fight, I think you will lose, Audray, and badly. Painful to think of it, really.”
“Judy, surely you’re not sporting a conscience. You care nothing for Josh? He has no worth to anyone and will be expendable.”
“Josh is a wily devil and I think somehow he will survive. But I doubt he could protect anyone but himself. No, we’re all on our own. Best thing is to cooperate, give her what she wants without a fight, and then live to war another day, if need be.”
“It won’t happen. You’ve misjudged all of us, Judy.”
The young dark angel got up, stretched like the cat-like creature she was, tiring of her taunting of a favorite mouse. “Suit yourself. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She left the bathroom.
The sounds of gunfire and explosions above them ceased and an eerie calm descended on them. Audray washed her face and hands and found Judy draped over a chair in the main room, reading a wine magazine. She casually looked up at her. “Everything better now?”
“Hardly,” Audray said.
“Won’t be long now,” Judy quipped.
“Oh, we have just begun to fight, Judy.”
“You have no faith. You’ll see. You are the prize. You are in a good position to bargain for the life of those you love. Me, on the o
ther hand, can only help deliver you to them. And that’s what I’ve done.”
“Done what?” Claire’s raspy voice enveloped Audray from behind.
She turned and addressed her sister. “Judy’s sold us out, Claire. She’s made some sort of demonic deal with Catarina.”
Holding the baby in her arms, the little former Guardian confronted their enemy. “You are more a fool than I thought before. You’ll be the first she’ll dispose of when she no longer needs you. You chose the wrong side.”
The two sisters faced each other. “I’m not sure we can do anything but wait,” Claire whispered. She leaned towards Audray and softly asked her, “Can you warn him?”
Audray nodded, turning away from Judy and closing her eyes. Judy has betrayed us. Be safe, my love. She wants the baby.
Jonas heartfelt answer came seconds later. Save yourself and our child at all costs. We are restrained. Stay alive. I will figure a way somehow.
The large oak door at the top of the stairwell was drawn open. Amidst smoke which quickly descended the metal stairway, sending an acrid scent of destruction, a lone figure appeared at the top, peering down on their little group.
Catarina.
“Your men are alive, for the moment. But they are in chains and shall remain that way until I have your full cooperation.”
Claire stood close to Audray and they locked hands.
As Catarina began her first step down, Audray mustered what she could of her strength, raised her palm to the air and fired a laser at the dark angel, hitting her in the chest and knocking her back against the wall. Catarina screamed in pain, but did not fall. Although there was a scorched ring of fire on the ashen cloak she wore, the laser had not drilled through her body nor melted her flesh. The pain in Audray’s palm was only half that compared to the sadness in her heart as she realized she’d lost the ability to vaporize.
Catarina’s shrill voice boomed, sending bottles of wine bursting. “You fool! You wish to see what torture I can cause your Jonas? Your sister, you’ve even endangered your sister!”
She was breathing hard, gripping the metal railing as she righted herself. Audray deduced she was in some pain, although temporary.
Judy had scrambled to her feet, attempting to run to the stairwell to assist Catarina, who gave an evil grimace as she shot a red beam of fiery light at the young dark angel, leaving a gaping hole in her chest as she fell dead, charred black and bleeding on the stone floor of the wine cellar.
It wasn’t much, but at least Audray could take comfort in the fact that she had judged Catarina correctly.
She heard Jonas whisper in her inner ear, Good to know your enemies. Keep a level head, my love, and survive for Round Two.
Chapter 37
The campus appeared abandoned, which surprised Carl. As they descended rapidly to the grassy hill outside the library, they found the doors ajar.
“Molly is inside this building. I saw her as we flew,” Carl said.
Drucilla sprang through the doors without touching the ground. Carl tried to keep up with her. As he ran through the lobby to the stacks, Drucilla was already at the stack doors, pulling them, her legs spread, one foot pressed against the side wall and the other against the other door. She yanked and yanked until she lost her grip and was thrown back, nearly toppling Carl in the fray. Her small bony body skidded on the smooth fabric of her skirt until she hit the back of the reception desk, stopping her travels.
Molly was at the window. “I have a pass key, but it will do me no good in here.”
Drucilla said something under her breath. She righted herself, adjusted her skirt and top and walked through the wall of the vault. Carl remained outside, blinking. She exited the sealed room and produced the pass key, giving it to Carl.
“Sometimes it’s so simple. I love it when that’s the case.”
Carl saw the damage to the doors and wondered if the key would work. They had not broken the seal, but someone had managed to make deep hatchet stabs into the metal-covered fiberglass doors, leaving gaping holes like slashes to a human body. He inserted the key, heard the reassuring sucking sound as the doors released.
Drucilla pushed him out of the way as if she were discarding a piece of dirty laundry. Molly was weaving as her grandmother grabbed her and started putting her hands on her neck, her belly, her back and then held her face to inspect her eyes. “You are all right, child? Did they drug or hurt you?”
“No. They never got to me.”
Carl inserted himself, edging her grandmother away and nearly knocking her over. He held Molly against him, whispering in her ear, “Oh God, I am so glad you are unharmed.”
Molly kissed him back, returned the squeeze he was giving her.
“So they’re on their way, then? They’ll be back?” Carl was searching the campus through the opened doorway. Only thing he saw moving was green shrubbery.
“I’m not picking up anything. They’re off somewhere else. Some gathering…” Drucilla had placed her fingers at her temples.
“But I thought—” Carl started.
“Shhh!” Drucilla silenced him, holding her finger up in the air and bending her head. “Carl, your dark angels are attracting a lot of attention.”
Carl’s heart sank. He was too late to save Jonas and Audray. He had rescued Molly, but only because the attackers had been pulled off and sent another direction. The battle was raging elsewhere, and he had not done his job to warn Jonas. He righted an overturned chair and sat, placing his forehead to his palm. “I have no clue where they are. I feel like I have failed them. We said we’d help, and I failed them.”
Drucilla hit him in the back of the head, practically sending him sprawling forward. “You big oaf. You think that kind of disturbance would escape me? Come.” She stretched out her arms.
They were off, but this time he closed his eyes in time.
Just before they landed, Carl smelled smoke. Molly was tense and rigid, nearly jumping out of her skin as he touched her in the night air. A house was on fire in the foreground. It was a large home in a neighborhood with several other large mansions. Part of the oak tree in the front yard had ignited. They could hear sirens blaring.
Drucilla was bowed in concentration, her eyes closed, thumbs at her temples. “She’s here. They’re all here.”
“What do we do?” he asked the older witch.
“Not sure she knows about our arrival. At least I’m hoping that’s the case,” she whispered back. “Get ready for something spectacular.”
A loud clap of thunder and lightning sounded, illuminating the grounds around the house. They could see several large vehicles with heavily armed men standing nearby in a semicircle. Another group of men was handling several prisoners who were wrapped in black body bags of some sort and chained, inserting them into the vans.
The next flash of lightning gave Carl a glimpse of some dark winged creatures jockeying for position in the now-burning oak tree. As if on cue they squawked and screeched in unison as heavy hail came down upon the whole area. But as Carl looked closer, he could see it was raining snakes. The sheer number and weight of them pulled one of the winged creatures down from the tree as it tried to take flight. The animal hit the ground and screamed, fire and steam rising from the wave of dark snakes covering it. Occasionally a claw or wing would rise up, only to be taken down. The dying cries of anguish telegraphed a warning every creature on the ground would heed.
The other two creatures were circling overhead, stopping as if searching for a target. The armed men were trying to avoid the vicious serpents and ran to take cover in their vehicles. Some used automatic weapons, which appeared useless against the black horde as an even heavier rain of the creatures followed the first wave.
“We need to move back,” Drucilla whispered. They were just outside of the rain of serpents, but retreated several steps further into the foliage of the house next door.
“Flesh-eating snakes. Yuck. Strictly thirteenth century witchcraft.” Drucilla shuddered.
“Effective against humans, not much against the Underworld.” Molly sniffed the air. “Grandmother, you smell her?”
“She’s here, but she’s not in this game for some reason. She’s helping.”
Molly snuggled close. It had been one more day of surprises. Allies from enemies. Enemies from allies. Snakes falling from the skies. If someone had told Carl a month ago he would fall in love with a witch, he’d not have believed them. And now this. What else was in store for them, he wondered. He felt totally inadequate for whatever was going to befall them.
Drucilla pulled Carl by his shirt lapel, her foul breath turning his stomach. “They’ve captured the dark prince, the one you seek. You will have to try to free him while I am busy.”
“Where is he?”
“I feel his presence. There are several others as well who are alive. I’m guessing the packages they put into the vans. I cannot release those bonds. We are going to need his help.”
“How?”
Molly spoke up. “We wait for the rain to stop, then I think I can get you to the vehicles.”
Drucilla touched Molly’s cheek. “Such a pretty thing. Shame we haven’t had more time to spend together.”
“We’ll still have that time, Grandmother. You’ll see. This isn’t over yet.”
Drucilla placed a palm on Molly’s forehead, whispering an incantation, then did the same for Carl. “Now go, with my blessing.”
Molly’s arms were outstretched, fingers splayed as the snakes receded away from them, leaving behind dead and injured serpents. A commotion started near the house as a woman in black, not Glenda, was shouting orders. She was occupied with searing a path with a red laser light, scorching anything that moved.
The doors to one of the vans opened, and they were face to face with dark warriors who did not look of this world. Thinking quickly, Molly called out, “She’s sent me to lead the way. I can protect you.”
Just as she said this another of the dark winged creatures was brought down in a hail of screams, fraying Carl’s nerves to the breaking point.
Underworld Queen Page 25
