The Belial Sacrifice

by R. D. Brady

  His phone beeped, and he glanced at it. Chang Kim had sent him a text. He’d contacted Chang, his executive assistant at the CIA, when he had reemerged, just in case there was anything pressing he needed to address. There hadn’t been, or at least nothing more pressing than the matter he was currently dealing with. According to Chang’s new text, the Vatican was making an announcement this morning. He frowned and walked over to the TV in the corner of the bedroom and flicked it on, turning it to CNN. The Pope was already speaking.

  “—much has been made of the enhanced individuals who have dominated the headlines as of late.”

  David kept one ear on the TV as he finished getting dressed.

  “A great deal of fear, but there is hope as well. With God, all things are possible.”

  David reached down to tie his shoes.

  “I would like to leave you with a little-known verse. In the days when the world is at its darkest, a light for the people will appear. God’s soldier will aid in their fight.”

  David’s head snapped up, his attention now focused on the TV. “As it says in Revelation: And when the soldier on high appears, he will defend the good, casting out the wicked and laying waste to those who subvert God’s plan.”

  Then the Pope spoke three words in a language that David knew very few were familiar with. But David was one of them. As the Pope spoke, his mind interpreted his words.

  He will rise.

  David’s mouth fell open. Oh God, no. He sprinted for the door just as the room began to shake.

  Chapter 55

  Havenville

  One hand resting on her belly, Jen walked down the cobblestoned street next to Mary Jane. The two had become closer in the last few months, Jen’s pregnancy encouraging that bond. Jen knew little to nothing about babies, so Mary Jane had been a fount of information. Jen had asked her dozens of questions, and Mary Jane had answered them all patiently, never once making Jen feel stupid for not knowing what was probably common baby knowledge for most people.

  But today, it wasn’t Jen’s baby they were talking about.

  “She’s good,” Mary Jane said. “She and Theresa were actually taking some of the little kids down to the river to catch tadpoles.”

  “Her nightmares?”

  “Fewer. Zaria is always with her, which I think keeps them at bay or maybe calms her down when she wakes. She hasn’t woken screaming in about a month.”

  “Good, that’s good.”

  “It is. I think we may have turned a corner.” Mary Jane’s eyes lit up, and Jen didn’t have to look far to see the reason why. Jake walked down the street toward them. When he reached them, he kissed Mary Jane lightly on the lips before sliding his arm around her waist. “Hey there.”

  “Hey.” Mary Jane smiled.

  They both seemed content to smile into each other’s eyes. Jen cleared her throat. “Well, never let it be said I can’t take a hint.”

  Mary Jane’s cheeks flushed red. “What? No. Sorry. Was there something—”

  Jen laughed. “I’m good. Although Danny printed up a baby furniture catalog for me. Maybe you could give me some advice later?”

  Mary Jane clasped her hands together, her smile incredibly wide. “Oh, I would love to.”

  Jen didn’t understand the response, because honestly, it was all a little overwhelming for her. But the fact that Mary Jane wasn’t intimidated by the idea was more than a little comforting. “I’m going to check in with Henry. I’ll see you guys later.”

  Jen waved goodbye and headed down the street, thinking of Jake and Mary Jane. She was glad that Jake had found someone. When he and Laney had broken up, she wasn’t sure what to think. She had liked them together. Her best friend and Henry’s best friend—it made it easy to see the possibilities. But Jake needed someone a little more traditional than Laney, and Laney needed someone a little less traditional, like Drake. So right now, everyone seemed to be right where they were supposed to be.

  Ahead, Cleo stepped out of Patrick’s cottage. Spying Jen, she started to trot toward her. Before tracking down Henry, Jen was going to stop in and check on Patrick. Laney had asked her to, but even without Laney making the request, Jen would have done so.

  Cleo reached Jen and rubbed against her leg. Jen reached down and scratched her behind the ears. “Hey, girl. How’s everyone doing today?”

  Cleo purred. Jen let out a little laugh. “Well, that sounds—”

  A tremor ran through the ground. Jen straightened, looking around with a frown. What was that? There’d never been anything like that the entire time they’d been here. She took a step toward Patrick’s cottage. The ground shifted under her feet. Jen stumbled, but Cleo zipped next to her, bracing her and keeping her upright. Jen grabbed on to her fur as the ground began to tremble in earnest. A cracking sounded.

  She whirled around as a giant fissure opened, stretching from one side of the street to the other.

  Chapter 56

  Georgetown, Washington, D.C.

  Laney grabbed on to the side of the couch as the living room shook. The Pope had just finished speaking when the earthquake hit. It felt like maybe a five or six on the Richter scale. Picture frames crashed from the walls, scattering glass across the floor. Drake stood still, his back to her, then on the TV as the shaking stopped.

  She laughed. “Well, that was a little ominous.”

  Drake didn’t move. He didn’t say a word. But his body seemed to vibrate with tension. Laney frowned, uncurling her legs. She stood, reaching out a hand for him. “Drake?”

  “Laney! Don’t!” David barreled into the room, yanking her hand back and pulling her toward the doorway.

  Laney yanked her arm from David’s grasp. “What are you doing?”

  Matt appeared behind him, his face showing his own confusion.

  David flicked a gaze to Drake. “We need to go. Now.”

  She shook her head, turning to Drake. David grabbed her arm again, his voice coming out in a hiss. “He’s not Drake anymore.”

  Laney went still, then turned slowly to where Drake stood. He hadn’t moved an inch. Hadn’t turned his head at David’s entrance. “Drake?”

  Drake’s shoulders stiffened, and he looked at her over his shoulder. His eyes held no warmth. There was no kindness or laughter in his face. And the voice that came from his lips . . . it was Drake’s, and at the same time, not. “Ring Bearer, you are to cease disobeying God’s demands.”

  A chill ran over Laney as he turned to face her. His whole body radiated power and menace. “Who are you?”

  “I am God’s soldier most high. I am His shield.”

  Michael.

  He nodded as if she had spoken out loud. “Will you comply?”

  Laney couldn’t form a sentence. She couldn’t form a thought.

  “You have been warned,” he said, his voice sounded like death. No, like the soldier of God, she realized. Light burst from around him.

  Laney let out a cry, covering her eyes. The light dimmed, and she turned back.

  Drake was gone. She stared at where he had been. What had just happened?

  Chapter 57

  Havenville

  The ground trembled so hard that windows cracked. A chimney tumbled off a roof a few houses away. Jen ran for Patrick’s cottage. Cain was stumbling out of the door, pushing Patrick’s wheelchair, Nyssa in Patrick’s lap.

  An alarm rang out. It was the emergency beacon. Everyone was supposed to head to the entrance. Cleo peeled off, heading for Dom’s cottage with a roar.

  “Take Nyssa. I’ll get Patrick. Head to the entrance,” Jen ordered as she grabbed the back of Patrick’s chair. Cain gathered Nyssa into his arms and ran for the road. Jen shoved Patrick forward just as the ground gave way. She yanked him back before he could topple into the cavern.

  “We can’t take the chair,” she said, picking Patrick up without waiting for a reply. She jumped over the divide and sprinted for the entrance. With her speed, she outpaced Cain. Stopping at the entrance, she handed
Patrick to Susan Jacobs, who stood by the exit, ushering people through. “Can you take him?”

  Susan nodded, holding him easily. “I’ll take him through.”

  “Be careful, Jen!” Patrick yelled just before Susan disappeared through the portal with him. Cain and Nyssa stepped through right after them. Noriko was running up the street, four children with her, flanked by three cats. Gerard was blurring back and forth at the entrance, depositing people before heading back through the crumbling Havenville to get more. Rahim ran toward the entrance, a dozen kids following him.

  Jake appeared, the McAdamses behind him. Jen looked over at him. “Havenville’s coming apart.”

  “Everyone go through the entrance.” Jake nodded at Lou and Rolly as they sprinted up with Dom and Gina. “Get a head count when you get through.”

  Rahim grabbed two children into his arms. “Come on, guys.” He led them through the wavering entrance.

  Jen glanced back at the town. Buildings were shaking so hard they were shattering apart. The cats were running in between buildings, herding people toward the entryway. Jen sprinted back to help.

  “Jen!” Jake yelled. But she was already moving. She grabbed one of the Otero kids as they stumbled from the field with three other children. Mariana Otero blurred into view, her eyes wide.

  “Get the kids to the entrance. We’re evacuating,” Jen said.

  Mariana picked up two kids. Jen grabbed the other two, sprinting for the exit. She deposited them and headed back for more. She made four more trips. On the fifth, Jake grabbed her arm. “Jen, get out of here.”

  A scream split the air. Jen shook Jake off and sprinted in the direction of the scream.

  The sound was coming from the back of the village. A little girl stood at the edge of a cliff, reaching into it. Jen blurred toward her. She glanced down. Sister Angelica, Bas’s sister, held on to the edge. Jen grabbed her arms, hauling her up.

  Lou appeared, her breath coming out in pants. “You’re one of the last.”

  Jen pushed the girl and Angelica toward her. “Get them out of here.”

  Lou grabbed them both and took off at a run. Jen stepped forward to follow when the ground gave way, and instead of running, she found herself falling.

  Chapter 58

  Jen scrambled for something to grab as the ground gave way. But there was nothing. Then her descent stopped with a sudden jolt. She looked up. Cleo had Jen’s ponytail locked in her jaws.

  Jen tried to reach up, but she still had no purchase.

  Henry’s face appeared next to Cleo’s. “Jen!” He reached down and hauled her up. Cleo released her as soon as she was over the edge.

  Henry crushed her in a hug, his heart pounding in his chest. “Are you okay?”

  Jen reached out a hand, hauling herself upright, using Cleo for balance. “Yes. Thank you, Cleo.” Cleo roared in response before running for the entrance.

  Henry swept Jen into his arms.

  “I can—” Her words were drowned out as he sprinted toward the exit. Part of a house collapsed as they ran by, throwing debris in the air. It was like running through a war zone. Henry zigged and zagged, trying to avoid the shards of stone and wood that were flying through the air.

  Jen felt herself go airborne as they took a hit from the side just as the exit came into view. Jen tucked, rolling, her hands protecting her belly. She rolled to her feet as she hit the ground, Henry doing the same next to her. Jen whirled around to see what had hit them. A dark shape lay half buried under a pile of debris. That would have been Jen and Henry if they hadn’t been pushed out of the way. “Cleo!”

  The ground trembled even more violently, but Jen fought to get to Cleo. Henry beat her there, shoving the debris off of her. Cleo stumbled to her feet, blood seeping from her side. Henry turned to Jen.

  She glared at him. “Don’t you dare pick me up. Get Cleo.”

  Henry hesitated for only a moment before picking Cleo up. Jen sprinted for the exit as the tremors increased. A giant fissure opened in front of the exit just as Henry crossed through it, Cleo in his arms. Jen leaped over it, diving through the exit. She took the hit on her shoulder, careful to roll to her back to protect the baby as sunlight and the Gate of the Sun came into view. Jake grabbed her under the arms, pulling her back as the ancient gate cracked and crashed to the ground, sending up plumes of dust.

  Coughing, Jen stared at it in horror. She looked up at Jake. “Is everybody out?”

  Jake nodded. “You three were the last.”

  Beyond him, Gina was hunched over Cleo, applying bandages. “Cleo?”

  “A few cuts, looks like a broken leg, but nothing life threatening.”

  Henry crouched down next to Jen, helping her sit up. “You two okay?”

  Jen placed her hand on her belly. “Yeah. We’re good.” Her gaze drifted back to the ancient doorway. “What just happened?”

  “Do you think something happened to Laney?” Jake asked.

  Henry shook his head. “No, this isn’t about Laney. She didn’t create Havenville.”

  Horror rolled through Jen as she realized he was right. “Drake did. Something happened to Drake.”

  Chapter 59

  Georgetown, Washington, D.C.

  A chill seemed encased over Laney’s bones. Matt had put a blanket around her shoulders, but it didn’t help. She couldn’t stop shaking. She sat at David’s kitchen table as David carried over tea. “I don’t understand what just happened.”

  David placed a mug of tea in front of her before sitting next to her. “Bas and I told you Drake was Michael. Somehow, he cast off his Drake persona and embraced his other role.”

  Matt studied David. “You were already running down the stairs before he turned around. You knew. How?”

  “The words the Pope said. They’re Aramaic. They mean ‘He will rise.’ It’s in the Tome. It’s a call to action for Michael.” He looked at Laney. “You were both watching as he said it.”

  He will rise. Laney clutched the blanket more tightly around her. She flashed on the look on Drake’s face when he’d looked at her. It was as if he did not know her or that he did not care, despite what he knew. Even before she knew their history, he never looked at her like that. It was as if he was a stranger. There was no sign of her Drake anywhere.

  She cleared her throat. “But what about Drake? It was as if all his emotions were shut off.”

  David shrugged, but his eyes were full of concern. “I don’t know. In the Tome it mentions Michael being called, but it never really explained what would happen to him.”

  Laney took a shaky sip from the mug in front of her. She welcomed the warmth down her throat because she felt so very cold. She could accept that it had been Michael that she had seen. But she could not accept that Drake was just gone. Or worse, that he had never truly and fully existed. That he’d been only a small sliver of Michael’s personality, which now had been pushed out by the weight of his duty. Fear mixed with grief at the very idea of it.

  Matt’s voice, low and somber, broke into her thoughts. “I haven’t mentioned it, but the last couple of months, some of my memories have been returning.”

  David frowned. “What memories?”

  Laney looked at Matt. The wrinkles in his forehead were more pronounced, and there were dark circles under his eyes. His entire frame radiated tension. Matt was a Fallen and had lived many lives, but he’d never spoken of them. “Do you mean your past lives?”

  Matt wrapped his hands around his mug. “More than that. My time before I fell.”

  Laney sucked in a breath. “I didn’t realize that was possible.”

  “I didn’t either.” He frowned. “But it was strange. I was me, but all my emotions, my thoughts, they were muted, turned down. I couldn’t access them. But when I would watch you humans, your joys, your sorrows, your freedom to express and feel it all, I could feel some of it. It was like a breath of fresh air after being trapped in a windowless room for days. Our lives felt so monotonous in comparison.
There were no lows but no highs either. No sadness, no joy. Just a never-ending sameness.”

  “You think that’s who Drake has reverted to,” David said.

  Matt nodded. “I think so.”

  “But when you fell, you broke through that,” Laney said. “Drake, all his emotions, he’d still have them there. He’s still Drake.”

  “I’m not so sure,” Matt spoke quietly. “You have to keep in mind that Drake, or Michael, rather, never fell. In everything he’s done, it was part of his duty. Even his sabbaticals were ordained. He has never disobeyed. And now, he has been reminded of his duty.”

  “But he wouldn’t hurt us. He wouldn’t hurt me,” Laney said.

  David and Matt exchanged a look that Laney did not like. “Drake wouldn’t hurt you,” Matt said. “But he’s not running the show right now. Right now, Michael is in charge. And Michael follows orders.”

  “And those orders seem to put him on the opposite side from us,” David said.

  Laney shook her head. “No. I can’t believe he would let that happen.”

  “I don’t think he has a choice,” Matt said. “He is not human. Humans have choices. Humans have free will. Angels don’t.”

  Laney looked at him. “So you’re saying one of the enemies we are going up against will be Michael.”

  “More than that. If he believes it is his duty, he will do everything within his considerable power to stop us. To stop you.”

  Chapter 60

  Matt took the lead in the meeting that morning to finalize the rest of the details. Laney was struggling to focus on anything. All she could picture was Drake’s, no, Michael’s face before he disappeared. A hole had opened up in her chest, and her skin felt like it no longer fit her. Drake, he gave her strength. Just his presence did something. He never doubted what she could do. He never wavered in his support. But that look—it was tearing her up.