Underworld Queen

by Sharon Hamilton

  “Come quickly or they will overcome you,” Molly told them.

  Carl stood behind the side of the van until the three armed guards exited. She started toward the dark woman, spreading her arms out to disperse the serpents. When one of the men turned to close the doors, she shouted a command.

  “Leave it. Their fate is not in our hands any longer.” The man obeyed her and followed the others.

  Carl jumped up into the back, finding Jonas bound and gagged. He quickly removed the rag from the dark angel’s mouth.

  “I cannot get these chains unlocked,” he said to Jonas.

  “You have a knife? You need to cut me out of this bag. My powers are diminished until I am free of it,” Jonas barked.

  Carl quickly produced his pocket knife and tried to slice open the bags, but the blade broke.

  “Check their duty bag.”

  Carl found the nastiest serrated edged knife and allowed it to slice through the black fabric, which bled as if it were made of skin from an Underworld creature itself, freeing the men inside. Jonas freed himself and his men from the chains.

  “How many men have you brought?” Jonas asked.

  Carl’s heart sank. “There are two others. Molly, Drucilla…and…and me.”

  “Christ!” Jonas surveyed the ground outside the van and swore. “Couldn’t you have found a soldier, someone who knows how to fight?”

  Carl shrugged. “This is all we have. There wasn’t—”

  “Never mind,” Jonas interrupted. “I’ve sent word to Audray that we’re free. They’re still in the cellar, but are being brought up top.” He stepped on heads of snakes with his massive boots. “Careful not to let those nasties get you. They can’t kill, but they have a swarm mentality, and together they can do you in. Carl, you’d best stay in the van.”

  “Not on your life,” Carl shouted. “Molly’s all alone.”

  “Not any longer. Everything is going to move very fast here. So stay close to me.”

  One of the men handed Carl a small laser weapon. “Careful not to get the heat on yourself. Only if one of them gets under your pants or on your body. I’ve set the focus to fine, but the thing will go fifty feet or more, so take care you don’t shoot one of the good guys.”

  The weight of the weapon didn’t seem to match the size of its firepower. He examined the trigger mechanism before Jonas reached over and flipped a red locking device. “You flick it with your thumb, like this,” he demonstrated quickly. “Leave it on safety, just in case.”

  The other guard shrugged at the scowl Jonas gave him.

  Entrusted now with something else he’d never encountered, a laser weapon from deep in the Underworld, Carl followed the three other warriors, his heart pounding in his ears.

  Suddenly, a message from Molly exploded in his mind, turning him to stone. Will love you forever. If not this lifetime, then the next.

  Chapter 38

  The message Jonas received from Audray was bad news. Jonas, my powers are nearly gone! He froze, causing the soldier behind to collide with him.

  He sent her back a warning, Love, save your powers.

  His warrior training had him prepared for any eventuality, but this scenario, with so many variables had him reeling. He decided to just rely on his dark angel instincts, hoping that his years of experience would give advantage to his human training for battle. If it were just him, the actions he’d take without regard to his own soul would be automatic. But now he had something to live for. The dedication to a new love and the possibility he could care for and protect a family bouyed his bravado, but his common sense told him that with all he had to lose, he was perhaps more vulnerable than he ever had been.

  And what would eternity be like if he failed to protect her? What if Catarina and her evil minions stole his birthright, his future, again? He’d made choices that had paid out consequences he’d had to live with for centuries. He would not allow this to happen again. He had to stay clear-headed, work with allies from different realms, trust people not yet vetted against not only one enemy, but opposing sides, crosses and possible double-crosses.

  He was relieved to see armed guards holding Audray in the back porch of the house. She stood of her own will, firm and erect, queen of his heart. He knew the men were awaiting instructions to transport her away, probably to the Underworld. Claire stood beside her, calming the baby, also looking unharmed.

  Dead or dying snakes littered the area between them as the fire in the house raged on. In a sonic boom that pierced the air, he heard his relative lay down the challenge.

  “Bitch of the human world!” Catarina screamed to the heavens. Her bloodied face and shoulder giving off a ghastly cast. The healing process had begun, but her skin had bruised and puffed up, with one eye temporarily swollen shut. “Who choses snakes instead of warriors to guard her kingdom, who preys on humans like sexual toys—show yourself before I tire of this game and seek refuge from your stench of humanity.”

  Catarina was assaulted by a black-cloaked projectile, Glenda, who shrieked as she caused the dark angel to misfire, sending a huge burning branch of the oak tree in front of Josh’s house to the ground. It was immediately covered with snakes as if the ravenous beasts were anticipating a juicy dark creature. The women tumbled, Glenda temporarily on top, raising them up into the air while she attempted to twist the head of Catarina, perhaps to decapitate her.

  Jonas got out his weapon and shot at both of them. “Take the shot. Anyone take the shot,” he barked. But the bodies went in and out of visibility, and when Glenda managed to throw Catarina off her, the angel passed through to the other side of the tree trunk unharmed. Their firepower veered off into trees of the neighboring houses. Catarina followed the trajectory of one shot from one of Jonas’ men and fired a retaliatory laser which caught him squarely in the chest through his shield, and he was left a rubble of flesh. Next, Catarina turned her gaze on Glenda and gave her a sweet smile before Jonas saw the red in her eyes pool like molten lava.

  Before she could get her shot off, a laser hit the side of her face, sending her hair in flames. The heat traveled to her shoulder and neck as she screamed and turned on the person who had launched against her. Jonas was coming to Audray’s defense when he froze as he saw who Catarina was focused on.

  Carl stood alone in the once-beautiful rose garden, his arm still outstretched, his weapon shaking. Catarina was forced down on one knee, but Jonas knew it wasn’t a lethal blow and she would survive.

  Without moving her eyes from Carl, Catarina, screamed her victory speech. “Ignorant, pathetic human. I cannot be killed, you fool. I am immortal.”

  Jonas inhaled, ready for his move. Her ghastly face was filled with hatred.

  “Wait!” Molly ran from the bushes, standing in front of Carl. Desperately, Carl attempted to push her out of the way. Catarina might have been amused, but Jonas saw she was still in pain.

  Ignorant humans indeed.

  It was enough of a distraction that Jonas could fire his weapon at her. His two remaining guards did the same, but some sort of protection dome had been erected, effectively shielding her from their firepower.

  “Fire and move,” Jonas commanded. He didn’t want any of them to be tracked. They all scattered and fired in quick succession, hoping their combined efforts would penetrate the shield, but to no avail.

  From inside her protective dome, Catarina shouted, “Drop your weapon or I will fry the both of you together.”

  Carl hesitated. Molly pushed the gun down and helped him throw it on the ground.

  “Clever girl.”

  For a few seconds everything stopped. Jonas saw Josh had been released from another of the vans by a couple of Jonas’ men. Audray and Claire were being forced by Catarina’s minions to leave the porch and march toward Catarina. Jonas was prepared to place his body between them.

  But Catarina found him. “Why Grandfather, would you also kill your unborn? Is your pride and your love of your immortal life and your pathetic humans
so great you would sacrifice the life of your family, again? Your ego is your downfall, Grandfather.”

  Audray and Claire were led to stand next to Catarina, just outside the protective dome. He hoped there would be no more firing of weapons, knowing some of his best sharpshooters were still in the shadows. The risk was not worth it. He knew what he had to do.

  “I am yours. I am without a weapon,” Jonas said as he dropped his weapon and walked forward, his arms in the air, his hands splayed.

  Just as if he’d been stabbed in the chest, he felt Audray’s tears as she realized he had offered himself up in a futile attempt to rescue her. But he was out of options. There wasn’t any more time for anything else.

  I am sorry, love.

  Her response to him was swift. No!

  The mess that was Catarina’s face was made more horrific by the hatred she had towards him. He could see even the satisfaction of ending his life wouldn’t be enough to satisfy her lust for blood. No doubt she had something very public and brutal in store for him, not quick. She would force Audray to watch. It gave him an idea.

  He dropped to his knee and prayed for forgiveness, like he had done several centuries ago when he’d been knighted. “I am wrong to war against another member of my family, my many times great granddaughter,” he began. “For this I should be punished. And it will be worth it if you will spare the life of my child, and the woman who is my only reason to live. You can take everything else of me you wish, but spare me the life of my woman and my child. Do that and I will be your slave for all eternity.”

  Catarina was annoyed as she brushed her face. A large piece of flesh still attached to long tendrils of hair fell onto her bodice. She flicked it to the ground. Jonas could see the healing process working, although he knew she was still in pain.

  “You’d do that? Serve me like that idiot husband of mine, Rupert?”

  “Yes.”

  “You would call me queen?”

  “Of course, my queen.”

  “You would breed another heir?”

  Jonas hadn’t considered this. He hesitated too long.

  “Ah! See? There are things you would not do.”

  “That I would not,” Jonas looked up at her and then to Audray, hoping she’d see the truth in his eyes. “I have paid the price for that mistake before, I will not do it again.”

  Suddenly Drucilla appeared at the edge of the circle. “You evil bitch. Jonas holds more honor in his little finger than you would ever hold in a thousand lifetimes.” Her little finger glowed for a second before a shimmer of crystals flew at Catarina, encapsulating her.

  Catarina’s countermeasures melted the golden veil, her eyes murderous and red. “Then die with honor, witch.” The dark angel lowered the shield to send a pulsing beam at Drucilla, melting her quickly. Molly shrieked, but was held back by Carl. Catarina clasped her hands and chuckled. “You see? There is no hope. Time to die, all of you. I’m tired of this game of cat and mouse.”

  Jonas was nearly close enough to touch Audray, but the dark angel warned, “Stop now or it costs your bride a limb. Your choice, Grandfather.” She backed up, reaching for Audray’s bound hands, to pull her with her. Jonas saw the shield was still down. He mentally searched for a weapon, knowing she was fully exposed. Claire pushed Audray aside at the last minute, prepared to defend Audray’s body with her own.

  A large red liquid beam the diameter of an arm hit Catarina square in the chest, causing a gaping hole that surprised even her. Out of reflex, her eyes began the vaporization sequence but to no avail. Her face reddened as the red liquid found the heat within her own body and the dark angel exploded, leaving behind smoldering bloody rags.

  “Couldn’t stand that bitch,” Doris said, lowering the flamethrower.

  Audray collapsed into Jonas arms, safe at last.

  Chapter 39

  In the chaos afterwards, Jonas and two of his men carefully carried Drucilla’s remains to the lawn of a nearby church yard. Audray watched as the fire at Joshua’s house was put out. The former dark angel was shouting instructions to the fire crew as they tried to salvage as much as possible. She saw rescue workers take note of the scene, examining the large piles of dead and charred snakes, the bloody remains of the powerful dark angel as well as remains of two dark winged creatures and several other armed men. She knew the report to be filed would not make any sense, and no doubt Josh would have a hand in drafting something creative and nearly believable. Humans were his people now, after all.

  Molly was beside herself with grief over the death of her grandmother, who had been the one to tip the scales in their favor, forcing the protective shield down. Carl went to the young witch, embracing her bended frame, but Molly was inconsolable.

  “She wanted this for you, Molly. Believe me, she chose this,” Carl whispered to her as he kissed her forehead and placed a blanket over her shoulders. “She’d want you to live your life and not to grieve.”

  “I can’t help it.”

  Audray buried her face in Jonas’ chest.

  “Come, sister.” Claire suddenly appeared from the darkness. Behind her, Daniel held Alondra tightly. “You need a place to rest. Daniel and I will bring you to our place, and then you can make your plans.”

  “I can’t ask you to do that for me,” Audray responded.

  “But sister, you have no where else to go. Am I wrong?”

  Jonas encouraged her to agree.

  Freshly showered and with some clothes Claire lent her, Audray felt like a new woman. Daniel had made strong coffee for him and Jonas. The two men were seated in front of the fireplace Audray knew only too well. A new painting adorned the wall above, replacing the one Audray had enjoyed when she was doing Josh’s dark bidding. Daniel blushed and looked down at his coffee. The painting was just as bright as the jungle canvases he was known for, but these new ones looked like they’d been suffused with light from within.

  “I like it, Daniel. These are lovely,” she said as she examined the other canvases on an adjacent wall which led to the kitchen where Claire was working.

  “You should see the ones he’s been working on for the children’s book series. I’ll show you later. We’ve turned the attic into a studio. The light is perfect and he feels inspired to work there.”

  “As he should be, sister.” Audray hugged Claire.

  “You must rest, Audray. I can’t imagine what this ordeal has done to you. How are you feeling?”

  Audray was tired, but she didn’t want to be without the company of her newfound sister. “I’m feeling well, thank you.” She had so many questions she wanted to ask. “Do you remember our father at all, Claire?”

  “Sadly, no.”

  “I’d give anything if I could have met him. I’m glad you didn’t see what our mother had become.”

  “I hardly remember that time. The Wash is supposed to remove all our human memories. I thought perhaps when Father gave me back my human life some of those memories would remain. But I think now I’m glad for his gift of amnesia. My life really started when I became a Guardian.”

  “I can’t see you living with or being any part of the mother I knew. How strange that two lives could be so different.” She hesitated to explore more of what Claire knew of her past. “You know I found your grave. And the grave of our father. You are buried next to him. Perhaps I’ll take you there to see it one day.”

  “Someday. I take things a day at a time now with Alondra. I’m not sure what we’ll tell her of my past. But at some point she’ll need to know.”

  They held hands in the kitchen, Audray rubbing the knuckles on the back of Claire’s hand. “If I survive this—” Pain welled up inside her at the thought that perhaps she wouldn’t be around to experience the life of her baby.

  “You’ll survive, Audray. You’ll live to tell the tale to successive generations,” Claire said lovingly and squeezed her hand. With her smooth still-angelic face and clear blue eyes, Audray found herself trusting and depending on Claire the more s
he was around her.

  “But Josh said the mother doesn’t usually—”

  “Nonsense. Josh doesn’t know everything. You know this for a fact, Audray, don’t you?”

  She nodded, placing her palms on her belly, rubbing the tiny bump she could feel. Or, maybe it was her imagination. Would she know this child? Would she be able to communicate with this child like she did with Jonas? Would this bundle of love cause her own death? She had more questions, but had no one to ask.

  “You must have faith, Audray. Trust that there is a golden future for you out there. And for Jonas and your child. After all, we have no hard evidence to the contrary.” Claire began preparing a plate of fruit. “Go and sit with Jonas and Daniel. And then I’m going to insist you take a nap.”

  Visitors were at the front door as Audray headed back to the living room. Jonas greeted several of his men, Omar among them, who reported the Underworld was in total chaos. They inquired whether Audray would be returning to restore order. Audray heard the angst in his thoughts as she told them that no, she would remain in the human world, for the time being. She saw Luke hanging in the background. “Luke? Should I appoint a successor?”

  “As you wish, my queen.”

  “Luke would make an excellent Director,” Jonas smiled in admiration at her choice.

  “What about you, Jonas? The angels respect you,” Luke asked.

  Jonas placed his arm around Audray. “No. My place is here.”

  A battered yellow and black taxi cab pulled up into the driveway, and Audray recognized Doris behind the wheel. She was transporting Joshua and another man in the back seat. Audray couldn’t help but run through the foyer to greet the Guardian and thank her properly. The hug she tried to bestow on the cabbie was shrugged off. Doris separated herself and stood stiffly, taking on a big gulp of air before she began.

  “I’m not into the touchy-feely stuff, Audray, and I’m going to be real honest, I was ordered to watch over the little war we had this evening.”