by SJ West
I shake my head resolutely. “I refuse to have them until I’m back home.”
“Then I suggest you leave as soon as possible, because considering how far along your dilation is, they’ll be coming within the next hour.”
I look over at the clock on the wall and see that it’s close to twelve. I just need to make it a little while longer. As soon as we have Lucas, I’m sure the babies will take us back home.
“Thank you for coming,” I tell her. “But I don’t think we’ll need you here anymore. I’ll have my own doctor deliver the babies when I get home.”
“Do you want some medication to dull the pain?”
“Will it affect me in any way?”
“It may make you drowsy.”
“Then, no. I need to be able to think. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, doctor. I’m sure Ava can take you back to where you were before she brought you here.”
“Well, if your circumstances change, don’t hesitate to have Ava come and get me.” Marie stands from her seat on the bed and heads for the bedroom door as she says, “I wish you the best of luck, Anna.”
“Thank you.” I grimace as another contraction strikes.
After she leaves the room, Xavier and Lucifer walk back in to learn what the doctor had to say.
“I don’t see how you can go to the meeting while you’re in the middle of labor,” my father declares, clearly showing his anxiety over the matter.
“I have no choice,” I try to explain. “Lucas is depending on his mother to rescue him. I won’t let him down, not even if I have to drag myself there on my hands and knees.”
“Maybe we can use this situation to our advantage,” Xavier suggests. “If we explain what’s happening, Lucian might be more willing to let me stay with you. I have to phase you there anyway. We can just say that my presence is required in case you need to be rushed to the hospital.”
“That might actually work,” Lucifer agrees. “It won’t hurt to try, and I would feel better having you there with us in case things do go south.”
“We need to get going,” I say, attempting to stand up on my own but finding the task difficult given my current condition.
Both Xavier and Lucifer come to help me stand up. They each grab one of my arms, making me feel like an invalid. However, I don’t complain about their assistance. I need all the help I can get at the moment.
“Are you ready?” Xavier asks, unable to stop himself from looking concerned over my welfare.
I nod. “Yes. Let’s go get my son.”
“Good luck,” I hear Jess say behind me.
With both men still holding me up with gentle hands on my arms, Xavier phases us to the rendezvous point: Lucian’s apartment in New York City. I faintly register all the glass and steel in the room, but I immediately focus all of my attention on Lucian, who is holding one of my son’s arms in a tight grip and keeping him firmly by his side.
“Mommy!” Lucas says excitedly when he sees me. He attempts to tug his arm out of Lucian’s hold, but all that does is make him tighten his grasp on Lucas.
“Don’t you dare hurt him,” I warn, on the verge of losing the little bit of self-control I have left that’s preventing me from rushing over to my son.
“I won’t as long as he behaves himself,” Lucian replies curtly. “All I want to do is talk to you.”
I look at Lucas and try to give him a reassuring smile, hoping it doesn’t look like a grimace instead. “He won’t hurt you. Just stay put and we’ll be able to go home soon.”
“Okay,” Lucas says reluctantly, visibly relaxing a little bit after my promise. He knows I would never lie to him.
I return my attention to Lucian. In any other circumstance, I would have considered the body Lucian inhabits to be handsome. With his tanned skin and finely chiseled facial features, he reminds me of the men who live in Bianca’s cloud city of Alto above South America.
Lucian narrows his eyes as he takes in my appearance. “Are you in labor?”
“Yes, she is,” Xavier answers for me. “And I need to stay here in case she needs to go to the hospital quickly.”
“Whatever,” Lucian says off-handedly. “I don’t care if you stay, Xavier.”
“What do you want, Lucian?” my dad asks, unable to hide his irritation at the whole situation. “As you can see, we don’t have a lot of time for small talk. What will it take for you to let the boy go so we can leave?”
“I want to know if it’s true,” Lucian says to Lucifer. “Have you been redeemed by our father?”
“Yes,” Lucifer says simply. “Can we go now?”
“But how?” Lucian inquires, looking mystified by my father’s answer. “How were you able to ask for forgiveness and truly mean it? I just don’t understand how you could humble yourself in front of Him after everything you’ve done in the Origin.”
“It’s not like my redemption happened overnight,” Lucifer replies impatiently. “I found my soul mate and had Anna. My wife and my daughter helped me learn how to love again. The explanation is that simple. If you hadn’t killed Seraphina during your war, it might have happened to you, too, but I guess we’ll never know.”
“No, we won’t,” Lucian agrees. “Even if I had left her alive, I don’t think I could act as weak as you. For being the original, you sure act like a pathetic copy.”
“It takes strength to admit when you’re wrong,” I tell Lucian, trying to make him grasp what he refuses to understand. “That’s what my father learned in the end, but I think you’re a little too pigheaded to do something so noble.”
Lucas whimpers slightly as Lucian tightens his hold on my son’s arm.
“Don’t hurt him!” I order vehemently. “You said you wouldn’t if we came here to talk to you!”
“And what exactly are you going to do to me if I do?” Lucian asks snidely. “None of you brought weapons. Although I’m sure my counterpart can probably conjure up his sword if he needs it. I doubt our father sent you back to Earth defenseless.”
“No, He most certainly did not,” Lucifer states. “Let the boy go, Lucian. He hasn’t done anything to you.”
“Hasn’t done anything to me?” he asks, a crazed look in his eyes. “He ruined my party! I should snap his fragile little neck and end his life again for what he did.”
“What are you talking about?” my son asks, looking at Lucian in bewilderment. “Why do you keep saying things about me being here before?”
“He’s crazy, Lucas,” I say in an attempt to deflect Lucian’s anger away from him. “Don’t listen to anything he says. He’s a liar.”
“Well, if that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black, I don’t know what is,” Lucian says spitefully. “Who is lying to whom exactly? I’m willing to tell the boy the truth. If you’re supposed to be his mother, then you should stop lying to him about who he really is.”
I let out a gasp in pain as another contraction begins. However this time my water breaks, spilling clear amniotic fluid all over Lucian’s white tiled floor.
“Eh,” he says in disgust, “thanks for the mess I’ll have to clean up later.”
“Mommy, are you okay?” Lucas asks. I truly love my son. Even when he’s the one in mortal danger, he worries about me instead of himself.
“I’m fine, sweetie,” I reassure him before he tries to run over to me again. “The babies just want to come a little earlier than I want them to, but we’ll all be okay.”
“So I guess you’re all just one big happy family,” Lucian sneers. “How wonderful for you.”
“Jealousy isn’t a very attractive look for you, Lucian,” Xavier chides. “If I were you, I would just let them go back to their Earth. All you’re doing here is torturing yourself because you’ll never be able to ask for forgiveness and mean it.”
“I don’t need forgiveness!” He roughly pushes Lucas forward onto the floor, finally letting go of his arm. “All I need is revenge.”
Lucian phases, and I instantly feel his hand u
nderneath my chin.
I don’t think.
I simply react on a primal level, knowing that if I don’t do something, he will snap my neck and end not only my life, but also the lives of my children. I’m faintly aware of Lucifer calling his black sword to his hand and of Xavier turning to face Lucian as he stands directly behind me.
In less time than it takes to blink, I wrench my arms out of my protectors’ hold and call upon a power only I possess: the ability to end an archangel’s life. Within the short window of time I have to make a decision, I know I don’t have any other choice. I never wanted it to come down to this, but Lucian has forced my hand. I have to wonder if there is some small part of him that knew this was the way things would play out if he attacked me. I remember my promise to Lucifer that I would do my best not to take Lucian’s life and exile him to the Void for all eternity, but I also made a promise to Jess that I would do whatever it took to keep myself and my babies safe.
With our only point of contact being his hand beneath my chin, I unleash my power, instantly reducing Lucian to a pile of black ash behind me. I hear both Xavier and Lucifer let out gasps of surprise. I’m not sure if they’re truly shocked by what I did or if it’s an involuntary reaction on their part. I feel no guilt over what just happened. As far as I’m concerned, Lucian deserved what he got not only for threatening my life, but also the lives of my unborn children.
As another contraction begins, I end up doubled over by the pain and say, “We need to go! I refuse to have these babies on this Earth.”
Lucas runs over to us and takes hold of my father’s hand.
“Let’s get my mom home,” he says.
We immediately phase back to the living room in Boldt Castle, leaving what remains of this Earth’s Lucifer on the floor of his apartment.
Ava, Jess, and Helena are waiting in the room for us.
“Oh, thank goodness,” Jess says, walking over to Lucas and kneeling to give him a fierce hug. “We were so worried about you, Lucas.”
“I’m okay,” he says, returning her hug. “But we need to go back home so my mom can have the babies.”
Jess stands up to look between Lucifer and me. “So Lucian didn’t give you any trouble?”
“He’s dead,” my father informs her quickly. “He won’t be hurting anyone again. We need to go, Jess. Anna needs to have these babies back home.”
Xavier gives me a quick hug. “I’m grateful I was given the chance to meet you,” he says to me. “Tell Malcolm I think he’s a lucky man and to take care of you.”
“I will,” I promise as he lets me go.
Ava hands Jess a long brown box without saying a word about what’s inside it.
“I wish you all a safe trip home,” she tells us as we all reach for each other.
“Well, I can’t say it hasn’t been an interesting visit, but I’m ready to go back to our own problems,” Helena says, coming to stand with us. “I just hope the babies aren’t too preoccupied with being born to open the vortex for us.”
I grab one of her hands to complete our connection.
As if they heard her statement, which they probably did, the twins kick me hard in unison and the lavender vortex of stars reappears above my head. With my free hand, I reach up to touch the brightest one, which seems to be calling me home.
As we travel back to our own Earth, I pray to God that we don’t ever have to venture this way ever again. The pain is excruciating, to say the least.
I end up finding myself lying flat on my back in a grassy field, groaning in pain.
A cool hand rests on my brow. “There, there, sister. I’m here for you.”
I open my eyes and see Helena’s smiling face hovering only inches above mine. I’ve never seen her look so peaceful.
The sweltering heat surrounding us practically suffocates me, but it’s a clear indication that we are definitely back on our own Earth. With the midday sun high in the sky, I feel as though my skin is being roasted slowly. I hastily take in our surroundings and see that we’re in the same place Jess, Lucifer, and I were deposited on in alternate Earth: the park at the center of New York City. It’s where Cirrus is situated above, but the usual white mist from my cloud city’s propulsion system is nowhere to be seen. In fact, I don’t see my home in the sky at all.
“Where is Cirrus?” I ask as I continue to stare up at the sky.
“Oh, yes, that,” Helena says, as if I’ve reminded her about something. She glances skyward and says, “I’m afraid those pesky rebellion angels tore it from the sky out of spite. I’m sure it’s sitting safely at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean by now.”
“What?” I say, feeling my heart sink at the thought of my beautiful city and home forever lost to me.
A severe contraction causes me to cry out in pain, temporarily causing me to forget about Cirrus’ fate.
“Oh, you poor thing,” Helena croons, attempting to sound sympathetic about the pain I’m experiencing, but she can’t hide the underlying happiness I hear in her voice.
“You need to get me to a doctor, Helena,” I practically beg, desperately trying to reach any shred of decency she might possess.
“Oh, I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I can’t risk taking you anywhere just yet.”
Frantically I turn my head from side to side, searching for Jess, Lucifer, and Lucas.
“Where are the others?” I ask.
“I have no idea,” Helena replies with a small shrug of her shoulders. “I’m afraid it’s just the two of us, dear sister. But don’t you worry your pretty little head. I won’t let anything happen to your babies.”
Helena crawls over to my feet, grabs my ankles, and bends my legs up. She lifts the hem of my dress and lays it over my raised knees. Unceremoniously, she rips my underwear away with more physical strength than I thought she possessed.
“I see the top of a head, sister!” Helena says with glee. “I had no idea you were this close to giving birth. How exciting!”
I have another strong contraction and automatically begin to push.
“That’s it. Keep pushing,” she urges excitedly. “The little head is almost out now. Don’t stop!”
When the next contraction comes, I try to resist the urge to push but can’t seem to. My body feels like it’s acting of its own accord. I scream out in pain as I feel the baby slip out of my body.
I sigh with relief when I hear Liana’s sweet cry as she takes in her very first breath. I have no doubt it’s Liana because every descendant has had a female child as her firstborn.
“Is she all right?” I ask anxiously, lowering my legs so I can see my baby.
“Yes,” Helena says, picking Liana up from the ground and cradling her in her arms. “She’s absolute perfection.”
I feel another strong contraction and know that Liam is ready to come into the world to join his sister.
“Liam is coming, Helena,” I warn.
I watch in confusion as Helena stands to her feet, cradling Liana in her arms. The possessive way she looks at my daughter sends an icy dagger of panic straight through my heart.
Helena looks down at me and smiles. “I have no need for your son. I already have my prize … your firstborn child.”
“No!” I cry, holding out my arms. “Give her to me, Helena. You can’t have her!”
“I’m sorry, sister, but you’re the one who forfeited the game when you transported us to alternate Earth. Liana is mine by right.”
Without allowing me to argue for my daughter’s life, Helena phases straight to Hell, taking Liana with her.
I feel as though Helena has just ripped my rapidly beating heart out of my chest with her bare hands as I dissolve into inconsolable tears. I attempt to phase and follow her, even though I’m in no condition to fight anyone for anything, but even with just Liam left inside my womb, I’m unable to work that simple miracle.
All I can do as my heart breaks is scream “Malcolm!”
Chapter 20
(Malcolm’s Point of
View)
When the pain from my guilt instantly vanishes, I know something is very wrong in Hell. Helena wouldn’t ease my suffering unless she had something even worse planned. Cautiously I stand to my feet, wondering what to expect from her next. Slade and Jered also rise, warily looking around us, assuming the worst just like me.
“What’s happening?” Mason asks as the thick fog that has hampered our search for Anna and Lucas begins to dissipate. It’s almost like it’s being sucked away by some unseen force.
“I’m not sure,” I admit as I take in our surroundings.
With the fog gone, I can see the children of the Watchers who have been hampering our search for the castle with their random attacks and taunting howls. There are ten of them, standing in random positions around us. Those who were close to us scurry away from our location before they all begin to transform back into their human forms.
“Something is definitely wrong here,” Jered says as he and Slade come to stand with Mason and me. “Do you feel it?”
I look away from the Watcher children to Jered. “I’m not sure I feel anything.”
“Exactly,” he says, as if I’ve confirmed his suspicion. “This place is normally filled with an oppressive hate. Now, it feels empty of it.”
“He’s right,” Slade confirms. “It’s never felt so peaceful here.”
Jered looks around us until his gaze finds Silas. His son stands fully naked in his human form, only twenty feet away. His brooding hazel eyes are filled with a deep set animosity as he stares back at his father. It’s been a very long time since I last saw Jered’s son. I’d almost forgotten how much he favors his dad.
“Silas!” Jered calls out. “What’s happening here?”
Silas stands motionless, just staring at his father as if he doesn’t intend to answer, but finally he does.
“I don’t know,” he replies, his bitterness toward Jered not forgotten but at least pushed aside for the moment. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say Helena is dead.”
