Between (Crossroads Saga)

by Mary Ting

  I couldn’t believe what she was saying, but she was right. “Yes, of course,” I answered quickly.

  “Then set him free. Michael doesn’t think about himself, nor does he think about the consequences of his actions. He follows his heart, and that alone gets him in whole lot of trouble.”

  “I don’t know if I can let him go,” I said and immediately regretted sharing my feelings with her. I didn’t need to explain anything to her. I should just keep my mouth shut, I thought.

  “I didn’t think you could, but you are quite selfish. You don’t think about anyone else except for yourself,” she huffed and then crossed her arms.

  My mouth dropped as my eyes rolled in aggravation. She had no idea who I was, and it felt like a slap on my face for her to think that I was selfish. Then I thought am I being selfish to hold onto Michael when I know our relationship is forbidden? Will he be damned to Hell forever because of me?

  When she realized I wasn’t going to say another word, she opened her wings again. “Come on; let’s go. I don’t have all day.”

  I didn’t move. She let out an irritated sigh. “Don’t worry. I won’t drop you, I think…unless you’re heavy,” she laughed wickedly.

  I couldn’t tell by her tone of voice if she was serious or teasing. Either way, I was sensing warning signs, but I had no choice. If she was going to do whatever with me, she had the strength to do so.

  We ended up on a mountain that had an entrance to what looked like a cave. I didn’t know where I was, nor had I ever seen this place before. I wondered if this place was actually located on Earth or somewhere between.

  “Come on,” Trinity lured. “Don’t want to keep him waiting.”

  It was dark, but there was just enough light that I could see the path, slanting downwards. I followed behind her, trudging along, hearing nothing but my own steps, grinding on the pebbled ground. The cool air made me shiver, or maybe it was just that I was scared. I tried to stay calm by telling myself that if Michael and the venators trusted her, I could too, even though I thought she was two-faced and conniving. In order to wash away my fright, I tried to think of the surprise Michael had waiting for me, but the further I walked in, the faster my heart hammered with fear, and the dreadful foul odor that smelled worse than the gym made me think twice of Trinity’s intention of bringing me here.

  When we finally reached the center of the cave, there was a pool of water. It was odd to see such a thing, but it was mesmerizing to see the colors that were reflecting the light, beaming from high above. While I was looking around, I came to a dead stop when I saw Vivian. My instinct told me to run, so I did. As I ran for my life, thoughts of Vivian flashed through my mind and guilt settled in hard. How can I just leave her, I thought. I knew Trinity could stop me, so I stopped.

  She yanked my shirt and spun me around. “Where do you think you’re going?”

  Out of breath, I looked squarely into her eyes. I was not about to let her intimidate me. “Let Vivian go. I’m the one you want, not her.” Vivian’s hands were bound against the wall with the same cuff that the venator had used to bind the alkins. Her eyes were wide, blazing with anger. She couldn’t make a sound. Her mouth was bound too.

  “Don’t worry about her. If I were you, I would worry about myself.” She dragged me toward Vivian.

  “What do you want from me?” I yelled and tried to release myself from her.

  “Don’t worry. I don’t want your soul. I just want you dead. When you are gone, there will be no reason for Aliah and the other demons to come after you. And then there is this issue with Michael. Once you are gone, Michael will come running back to me. It’s the perfect plan,” she smirked.

  “It would have been a perfect plan, but too bad it won’t work,” Davin said, approaching us with the venators and the alkins.

  Trinity hooked her left arm around my chest and held a small dagger against my neck. “Don’t take another step!” She looked bewildered. “How did you find me?” They stopped abruptly.

  “I told them where you might be,” Michelle gloated. “This is one of Aliah’s hide outs. How do you know about this place?”

  “I’m not working for him if that’s what you are insinuating.”

  Michael stepped forward. “Trinity, don’t do this. Let Claudia go and I will be yours.”

  I knew he was just saying those words to save me, but his words stung like a knife through my heart.

  “Michael, do you think I’m a fool? As long as she is alive, you’ll never want me.”

  “No, that’s not true. I was guarding her, pretending to have feelings for her. I was lost without you. She is just a replacement. Now that I know you still care enough for me to go to this length of trouble, I know that we belong together.” He took several steps closer, reaching out to her with such a look of soft passion in his eyes that even I was almost convinced.

  “I…I…want to believe you, but I can’t.” Her dagger pricked my skin, and I felt a sharp pain. I could feel blood oozing from my neck.

  Michael’s eyes displayed no emotions. Solely focusing on Trinity, he said, “Do you remember when we used to talk about our plan to escape Aden and how we could build our lives somewhere Between?”

  “Yes. But that is gone now. I thought you were dead. Do you know how much it hurt thinking you were dead and that I was never going to see you again? And to see you with her is even a thousand times worse.”

  “Trinity, I thought you were dead too.” Michael reached out his hand, closing the gap between us. “You and I can go find our Between and start our lives together.”

  The venators and alkins dispersed around the cave. I couldn’t see them anymore from my skewed point of view.

  Trinity’s hold on me was less tense. Her heart rate that had been accelerated had finally found a normal beat. Then she spotted Patrick lunging toward her. She swiftly jerked backward with a tighter grip on me. “I told you not to come. Now you just…” She didn’t finish her words. Her eyes grew wide, pierced with fear, looking behind Michael to see white demons gravitating forward with Mr. Cain—Nicholas.

  “Not again. How many girlfriends did you have, Caleb?” Davin wisecracked.

  “Apparently too many,” Caleb replied, half joking, but he obviously felt nervous from the last attack, remembering how long it took him to recover.

  “Ahhh…what a happy reunion.” Nicholas clapped his hands. “You’ve done well, Trinity. But I’m a little bit disappointed that you didn’t tell me you were coming today. You have betrayed me. And for that, you shall be punished.”

  All eyes were on Trinity. Her betrayal ripped through the venators’ hearts.

  “Didn’t I tell you to take your stretched out marshmallows back to hell?” Austin said.

  “How could you, Trinity?” Holly’s eyes filled with betrayal and hurt. “I trusted you.”

  “Trinity… no,” Patrick said out loud.

  “I…I didn’t…just wanted…” She didn’t get a chance to finish. Nicholas pointed at us and the white demons charged in full force.

  Trinity moved the dagger away from my neck, and it magically became longer. With her hold still around my chest, she fought the demons. Austin came from behind her and demanded her to release me. Instead of doing so, she attacked him. Then we were surrounded by the demons. The venators and the alkins were encircled by them too.

  “Trinity!” Nicholas called, “give me Claudia and I’ll spare your life.”

  “Very tempting, but you need to spare one more…Michael. You let us go, then you can have the rest.”

  “You’re dead,” Holly said to Trinity. “I’m coming after you.”

  Trinity looked down, shamefully, knowing she had lost her only friend.

  Austin took this opportunity and managed to place his bow on Trinity’s neck. “Let go of her. And release the bond on Vivian,” he demanded.

  Trinity had no option but to do as she was told. Austin pulled me to him and flew us to the back of the cave, behind some boulders
.

  “Here…take this and defend yourself next to me.”

  It was my bow. “I…thanks,” I said and held onto it tightly, hugging it, afraid to move.

  “Claudia. I’m right here. Shoot anything that comes close to you,” Austin directed.

  I stood nervously with the bow in my hand, wondering if I could summon up the courage to even shoot it, let alone aim it correctly.

  I peered past Austin to see Michael fighting alongside the alkins and the venators, but he turned his head every so often.

  “Where’s Claudia?” Michael yelled. I wanted to tell him I was safe, but the words wouldn’t come out. I was afraid to attract any attention.

  “Austin has her,” Davin replied while cutting off the white demon’s claws.

  “Where’s Trinity?” Holly asked lunging forward. “I don’t see her.”

  I was so busy watching them that I hadn’t noticed a few demons approaching. In fear of them finding me, my heart thumped too fast for me to catch my breath. Austin dashed out in front with his bow, shooting out the silver flames. I didn’t want to sit there hugging my bow, so I tried to build up the courage to fight back. What was the point of the lessons and what was the point of even having a bow if I was too chicken to use it?

  I stepped out to the left and shot the closest demon. The silver flame bolted through its body. It snapped its head to me and charged in anger. As I thought my stomach would burst from fright, I focused the flames to its dreadful claws. Unbelievably, it pierced right through the claws and the demon sizzled to the ground. I couldn’t believe I had actually killed one.

  Feeling elated, I quickly got ready to shoot another one. But I became distracted when I heard Michael’s urgent voice inside my head telling me to hide behind the boulders. It was more of a command than a request. Then like a rush of heat, I felt a warm sensation run through my body. My hands felt hot and tingly, like the feeling when your legs fall asleep. It was the same feeling I’d

  felt in the bathtub. Startled, the bow slipped out of my hands. Michael must have spotted me because the next thing I knew, he was standing in front of me.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Demons and fallen surrounded Michael. He could see Claudia from a distance, holding one of the venators’ bows, ready to face her enemies. How did she get one? he thought angrily. He knew it would be impossible to intervene so he would have to get there as fast as he could. Claudia managed to eliminate one. Michael was so proud of her for being brave but also thought how impulsive she was to risk her life the way she did. There were plenty of angels protecting her, but he knew she was too stubborn to follow anyone’s orders.

  Concentrating on her and blocking attacks at the same time, he telepathically commanded her to hide behind the boulders. She didn’t respond; instead, her eyes revealed a look of shock, and she didn’t move back to guard herself from an incoming blow. Her hands were clasped together and the bow was on the ground.

  With a swift motion, Michael stood in front of Claudia, shielding her from the demon. “Claudia, move back!” Michael said with a forceful tone, blocking an attack. His sword contacted the claws with a loud screech.

  Claudia moved to do what she was told. But when she turned to go back, someone muffled her mouth. She tried to wiggle free from the hold, but she was shoved to a spot near the pool of acid water. Michael was not only devastated, but shocked to see her gone when just a minute ago, she had been safely standing behind him. Claudia was now once again in the hands of Trinity.

  “How did this happen?” Austin snapped.

  “She was right behind me,” Michael replied, blaming himself for his careless act.

  Nicholas stopped the demons and glided toward Trinity. All was focused on her.

  “Stop where you are!” Trinity shouted when she noticed Nicholas closer to her than before. “I’ll kill her.” Her dagger was firmly placed against Claudia’s chest, and Claudia gasped from the force of the unyielding hold against her.

  “Trinity, let me have her, and I will let you free, along with your precious Michael.”

  “Send your demons away first to show me you mean it,” Trinity demanded. Fear and anger heated through her eyes.

  “No!” Michael shouted. “Don’t do this. You give her to him and it will be the end of humanity. Is this what you want? Have you lost your way? The Trinity I knew would never…”

  “I was lost without you, Michael. Heartbroken when I was told you were dead. I died the day I was told you were gone. And now, I will do anything for another chance to be with you.”

  “This is not the way. Let me take you away. We can talk about this.”

  “No! I don’t want to talk.”

  “Trinity, look; I’ve sent the demons away,” Nicholas declared, interrupting, waiting for the perfect opportunity. “Have some faith in me. Now give me what is mine.”

  Trinity scanned the cave. All the demons seemed to have disappeared. Just as she was about to release Claudia to Nicholas, however, a demon attacked her from behind, but she managed to swing her sword and kill it, all the while holding steadfastly onto Claudia. Afterward, she snapped around and exhaled sharply, eyes blazing with anger toward Nicholas, and she said, “You flat out lied to me. You pissed me off. You see her?”

  “Trinity!” Michael snapped angrily. “You do this, and I will never forgive you. I will hunt you down and kill you with my bare hands. Do you understand me?”

  Trinity looked at Michael. Her eyes flared with emotion he couldn’t identify. His words did not register in her mind. The only thought she had now was to escape. Then she looked at Nicholas. She wanted to prove a point…to show him she was not playing games. There was also Claudia, whom she had mixed feeling toward. There was only one way out. There was only one thing to do.

  “Michael. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I just wanted you. What I’m about to do is the only option. Please forgive me.”

  Fear emanated through Michael. Trinity’s words meant only one thing. He hoped he was wrong, but he couldn’t just stand there and wonder. He bolted toward her. Nicholas did the same when he realized Michael was on the move. But it was too late. Trinity plunged her dagger into Claudia’s heart and spanned her wings open to cover both of them to disappear.

  Michael got to where they had just stood a split second earlier only to find Trinity’s dagger. Kneeling down, he cried out in agony. “Claudia!” His body slumped over, drained from having his heart ripped apart. He recalled seeing blood and the look of fear in her eyes.

  Stunned silence filled the room. The venators and the alkins stared in disbelief. And Nicholas was nowhere in sight. Michael finally stood up. His face was long and weary. He turned to the only person he thought would be able to locate them.

  “Vivian, find them, please.” His tone was urgent.

  Vivian snapped out of her disbelief and concentrated on Claudia.

  Davin was completely speechless while he stood next to Michael. He was thinking of ways to comfort him, but he knew if he opened his mouth, he may say something to make it worse.

  “This is just great,” Austin said. “This is all your fault.” He raked his eyes on Michael. “We should be protecting Claudia and not having to worry about your ex-girlfriend. I knew we couldn’t trust her. I’m going to kill her. You know that, don’t you?”

  “I may beat you to it. I just hope she does the right thing as soon as she comes to her senses.”

  “Her senses? Have you not heard a word she said? She is in love with you and there is no stopping her from killing Claudia!”

  “I heard what she said and I heard what you said. I got it!” Michael scowled.

  “They’re at the Island of Eden,” Vivian said with a look of relief.

  “Island of Eden? Why would she go there?” Austin questioned.

  “Maybe she came to her senses,” Patrick answered.

  “I doubt that,” Austin replied.

  “Let’s go!” Davin shouted. “Yo, Goose, stop talking.
You talk too much.” Davin looked at Austin.

  Austin ignored him when he realized Michael was nowhere to be seen. “Where’s Michael?”

  “He left without us?” Davin registered that Michael took off as soon as Vivian announced the location.

  Trinity gulped a painful lump back down her throat as she lay Claudia on the floor of her room at Island of Eden and then looked at her hands, which were covered in red. “What have I done?” Feeling bewildered, her eyes fell on Claudia on the floor, unconscious. She knelt down and set her eyes on her chest. Heaving a sigh of relief seeing she was still breathing, she placed her hands over the wound, closed her eyes, and whispered, “I ask you to send forth your ministering angels, to repair and restore any damage that was caused in her body by the presence of sin, sickness, or demonically influenced infirmities. Restore strength to her body and joy to her spirit. I ask that you send forth your Holy Spirit and fill me with your love, light, peace, and joy so that I may heal this being.”

  At first, a speck of light shone around Claudia’s chest, then it slowly radiated throughout her body. Trinity’s special power was the ability to heal humans and angels—the reason Katherine had saved her and kept her on Earth.

  Though Claudia was healed completely, she was unconscious. Trinity stood up, feeling weak and dazed. She knew she had to face the consequences of her actions. Would Katherine imprison her for eternity? Could she ever go back to the venators? As these thoughts ran through her mind, sensing a presence in the room, she turned sharply. “Michael!” she mumbled, backing away in fright. “I…I…I can explain.”

  Michael stood there, and as his eyes fell upon Claudia, he was filled with guilt. But knowing she was still alive was all that mattered to him. He had arrived when Trinity was healing Claudia, and he was not about to interrupt. He felt baffled by Trinity’s behavior. First, she tried to kill her, and now she had saved her. Hoping she had come to her senses, he turned his attention to her when she called out his name.