by K. G. Reuss
“You do?” He paled. “Are you afraid?”
“Of course, I’m afraid.” I sniffled. “But not for the reasons you think. I’m afraid because I might lose you. I don’t want to lose you!”
“You won’t lose me, angel.” He kissed me fiercely, making my toes curl.
“I heard you talking to Lance after… I-I … uh brought Rusty back. I heard everything—your life, your death, your deal with the Devil. But there was more. I heard the angels whispering to me. There’s so much you don’t know, Brax!”
“Then tell me,” he begged desperately. “I want to know!”
“You can’t know,” I whispered morosely. “I want to be with you. Always. Forever. I’ll do whatever it takes. Just tell me what I have to do. I want to save you. I want to save your soul, so you can live in peace! I-I will save your soul. I have to.” Maybe he knew of a way so that Corbin’s help wouldn’t be necessary.
. “Maggie, that’s not how it works. That’s not how any of this works. Our wants, our desires—they don’t make things happen. This isn’t a fairytale. We live, we die. Some go up, some go down. You and I were born to be separated. I can’t be saved. I’ve killed too many. I’ve caused too much damage. I am unsalvageable.”
“I don’t believe that,” I said desperately, kissing him. We weren’t born to be separated. I was born to save him. “God can’t be that cruel.”
“But He is.” He kissed me back before resting his forehead against mine. “He is.”
Chapter 85
We lay in bed, tangled up in one another all day, classes and clothes be damned. We talked about everything and nothing. We made love. He told me the story of his ring, and then made love to me again. He talked about his mother with so much love and adoration that it broke my heart even more. This beautiful creature deserved to be happy. I had to… I had to do this for him.
So as the day wound down and he suggested we run away together and leave it all behind, I agreed. It was our last-ditch effort. We both knew it. And it was worth a try. It beat to hell us being taken away from one another. I felt almost positive as he took my hand and led me to his car so that he could take me home to get my mom and our things. Things felt good. But that nasty, icky feeling was still lurking around the edges. I wanted it to go away! I wanted our happily ever after!
“I’ll come with you,” Brax said, shifting to get out of the car once we were at my house.
“No,” I answered immediately. Something was really beginning to feel bad. But I had to go in there. I had to get my mom, so I could be with Brax.
“I don’t want you going in there alone, Mags.” He frowned at me. “I’m coming with you.”
“This is something I need to do without you. Please. Trust me?” If Alan was in there, it would get bad. Brax was still angry about my last run in with Alan. And I knew Brax couldn’t afford any more points on his record.
“You know I do,” he murmured, looking at me worriedly. “I’ll wait here. Call me if you need me.”
“Promise.” I leaned in and captured his lips with mine, tasting every bit I could. His reaction was immediate—his fingers in my hair, on my body, his tongue dancing along mine. I had to break it off, as much as it killed me to do it. “I love you.” I kissed him once more before getting out of the car.
“I love you,” I heard him call out as I walked to the house.
I stepped inside to find it quiet. Quickly, I went upstairs and grabbed the last backpack of clothes I had before going to my mom’s room. She wasn’t there. I darted downstairs and found her in the kitchen.
“Mom, I need you to come with me,” I said urgently, reaching out for her.
“Why? What’s wrong?” she asked, slurring slightly.
“We need to go. It’s not safe. Please. Just come with me. I’ll tell you everything once we’re safe—”
“What’s this?” Alan growled coming into the kitchen, “Planning a getaway?”
“We’re leaving,” I said forcefully.
“I don’t think so.” Alan sneered reaching out and grabbing hold of my arm roughly. “You snuck out again, you fucking whore! I know what you’ve been up to.” His hand came out and caught me in the face. I tumbled back, my backpack falling off me.
“Don’t you touch her!” my mother screeched, lunging at Alan. He struck her hard across the face, knocking her to the ground. I crawled on my hands and knees to the living room, trying to pull the chalk from my pocket so I could get Brax. With shaky fingers, I started sketching the satanic star. But I didn’t make it far. Alan was on me in an instant, smashing my face down hard into the area rug.
“Mom! Mom! Help!” I shouted. Her footsteps clacked against the floor as she rushed into the room. She dove on top of Alan, knocking him sideways. He tossed her off easily. I watched in horror as her head struck the edge of the coffee table, her body going limp. She looked so small and pale.
“No!” I sobbed, trying to get to my feet so I could run to the door.
“Where do you think you’re going, you little bitch? I know you aren’t pure anymore. You gave it up to your boyfriend. Now you’re the whore I always knew you’d be. Guess what? Now that you’ve been defiled, there’s no reason I can’t break you in properly. Your boyfriend might even thank me for it,” Alan hollered, reaching out and grabbing me and twisting me onto my back. He slapped me hard across the face as I struggled to fight him off. I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. Hope surged.
“C-corbin! Help! Help me!” I wailed as Alan undid his pants and spread my legs painfully apart. “Corbin!”
“He deserves to die, princess,” Corbin said sorrowfully. “The gun. It’s in your purse.”
I sobbed as Alan tore at my dress, ripping it so it slid down my shoulder. He couldn’t see him! Alan couldn’t see Corbin!
“No. No, no, no!” I moaned. “I don’t want to fall! I don’t want to! Corbin, please!”
“It’s for the best,” he murmured.
“Don’t let this happen, Corbin! Please! Save me. Save me, Corbin!”
He grew silent and looked away as Alan pushed himself forward. I squirmed and let out an earth shattering scream. I was Brax’s! I belonged to him! I didn’t deserve this! What had I ever done wrong?
Alan’s mouth found mine, his hot sticky lips pressing against my own. I clenched my lips together, not wanting any part of him. He let out a growl as he pushed against me.
Just before the worst possible thing could happen, Corbin rushed forward and knocked Alan off me. There was a banging on the front door, and Brax shouting my name.
“The gun. Get it,” Corbin hissed, his eyes leveled on Alan who was climbing to his feet. I pulled the gun out of my bag. My hands didn’t shake as much as I expected them to. Corbin struck Alan in the face, knocking him to the ground again before coming to stand behind me.
“Do it, Maggie. Kill him. Then kill yourself. I’ll be here with you. End it. No more fighting. No more fear. And you’ll save Brax from the pits in the process.”
I trained the gun on Alan, whose eyes were huge and fearful as he gazed at me from where he cowered in a pitiful pile on the floor.
“That’s my good girl,” Corbin cooed. “Pull the trigger.”
Brax burst through the door just then, stopping me.
“Maggie. What are you doing, angel?” he called out to me in a choked voice.
“He hurt my mother. He hurt me,” I whispered. “He makes me do things, Brax. You were right outside.” I wept. “He still made me…made me kiss him. Made me touch him.” I trained the gun steadier on him. Alan needed to go.
“You don’t want to do this, angel. I promise you that you don’t. Give me the gun, Mags. Please.” I lowered the gun a little, wanting to run into his arms where I’d be safe.
Corbin came back to my side and steadied my arm, raising it up so the gun was trained on at Alan.
“Maggie, today’s the day. I’m sorry. I told you not to trust me.”
My hand shook at his words.
“I just really want you. And I know falling is the best choice. It’ll fix everything. You’ll be able to be with Brax. Just pull the fucking trigger and end this.”
I nodded my head, sick to my stomach. Even though he’d betrayed me, I knew there was truth to his words. Would it really be so bad? I’d be with Brax. That’s all that mattered.
“Let her go,” Brax yelled to Corbin. “My time’s not up yet. It’s not Resurrection Day.” I frowned. What did Easter have to do with anything?
Corbin laughed wickedly, sending chills up my spine. “Really, brother? You trusted me to keep my word? A demon? We’re cut from the same cloth.”
“Not anymore we aren’t.”
I tuned the guys out as they shouted back and forth at one another, my eyes trained on Alan as he continued to peer up at me like a scared puppy that had just pissed on the floor.
Corbin distracted me momentarily. “Did you hear that, doll face? Brax wants to sacrifice himself for you.”
My eyes darted to his. Sorrow gripped my heart as I stared at my love. No, I couldn’t let him die for me. Suffer for me. That wasn’t how our story was supposed to go. “He won’t ever stop, Brax. He deserves to die. You said so yourself. He’ll only hurt others if I let him go!”
I hated Alan. With every ounce of blood in my body, I hated him! It wasn’t fair that I had to die, and that monster got to live! Where was God? Where was he?
Corbin’s lips pressed against my temple. Everything felt so surreal. Sighing, I resigned myself to what had to be done. I was empty of everything. Except my love for Brax.
“Do it, princess. End him. It isn’t fair that you have to suffer while he gets freedom. Look what he did to your mom. Look what he did to you! Don’t leave the monster to live.” His voice was low and hypnotizing.
He was right. I knew he was. I zoned out, reliving every vile thing Alan had ever done to me. I don’t know how much time passed before Brax’s broken voice pulled me back to the present.
“Maggie, don’t do this,” Brax begged. “I don’t want this for you. I don’t want my existence, my Hell, for you! Put the gun down and walk away, angel. I can’t save you if you fall. I can’t.” He was frantic as he beseeched me. “I love you, Maggie! Please! Put the gun down!”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. My heart broke over his anguish. But I knew what had to be done so that I could keep him. Part of me still didn’t want to fall. But in falling in love with Brax, I was already halfway there. My existence would be hell without him. Did I really have a choice?
Chapter 86
The oddest sensation overcame me. In my mind, I felt and saw everything. Brax was in my body with me, taking over, possessing me. I’d thought we’d been one before. This was way more intimate than giving myself to him and allowing him in my body. Though it was strange, it was surprisingly wonderful connecting with him this way.
I saw every atrocity in his existence. I saw the good, the bad, the ugly. I witnessed his humanity as he met me. I felt it stir deep within his core. It felt like I did when I met him the first time. That instant, unexplainable connection and magnetism. Instantly, I learned all of his likes and dislikes. And my heart swelled with the knowledge of the things he loved—me, Rusty. And I knew the things he missed so much that it broke my heart.
Then I saw his death. I wailed in anguish at his heartbreak. My beautiful angel had been broken. He deserved so much more than what was given to him! A demon had done that to him! I knew it. He’d had his own demons, and I’d had mine. The reminder of what his demon cost him brought me clarity.
I didn’t want this. To fall. To lose my purpose. I wasn’t this person! I’d abandoned my own plan to save him in my effort to terminate Alan. That wasn’t the plan!
All of Brax’s sweet words blanketed me in comfort and love, ebbing the darkness away. I could do this. We could do this!
"Oh, Brax," I whimpered, as I watched the memory of him taking his own life. "No. No, no, no!"
"I'm sorry," he sputtered. "Please don't look at it anymore. I can't bear to have you hurt, angel."
"You're so brave and good," I answered back. "To know your pain… I'd die for you, Brax. I'm ready."
"No! No, Mags! Please," he urged me. "Not for me. I’m not worth it,” his beautiful voice was all around me, in me. “Let it go.”
"I can't be without you," I said forlornly. "I refuse to be. I-I have to save you! If we can’t be together, then I have to save you!”
"Then run away with me! We can run forever. I'll keep you safe. Drop the gun, Maggie. Please. Drop it. God will deal with Alan someday. You know He will,” Brax implored in my mind, in my body.
“What if he doesn’t? What if Alan gets an offer by the Devil to hurt others? At least make him suffer now!” I was so torn! What if…
“Baby, no. No. That’s not how it works. You’re too beautiful of a soul to do this. I can’t let you do it. I won’t.”
“I only want to help,” I answered weakly. “This isn’t even about him. It’s about you! You’ll be taken back to Hell! You’ll be chained in the pits! Your soul, it doesn’t deserve that! I saw it, Brax! I know what happened! I know what you are! The real you! I know you!”
“Don’t worry about me, baby,” his voice reverberated through me. “I’m right here. I’m with you! I’ll always be with you! I swear it. I’ll fight every moment until I can get back to you. And I’ll find a way, sweetheart. I swear I will. There’s not a force in this world or the next that will stop me. I promise, Maggie.”
“You don’t understand, Brax.” Drawing in a deep breath, I weighed my words. I had to make him see. He really had no clue about who he was or was meant to be. “Listen to me. It’s not what you think. Eliza. Corbin. It’s all a game! Your existence isn’t what you think! I have to do this. You have to do this. You have to let me! It’s the only way.” His confusion filled my mind for a moment. Then he shook it off.
“What? Just drop the gun, Maggie. Walk away. Come with me. You know there are other options, baby. We can do this. I have faith in you. In us.”
“Faith, not hope,” I whispered in my mind, knowing he was still there, listening. This was it. We would find each other again someday. I vowed it to myself and our love with every ounce of my being. I didn’t need to do this. God, wherever He was, was out there. He wouldn’t be so cruel. I’d lost my faith for a moment, but it was back. I had it in God, in Lance, in Brax, in our love. I knew we’d get through this. “You understand. There are more options. Don’t forget.”
“Faith, not hope,” Brax repeated. “I understand. I won’t forget. I love you. Always, Maggie.”
Our joined hand shook before falling to our side.
“There you go, angel. I want you to run out to my car and drive away as fast as you can, OK? I’m going to deal with Corbin. I want you to find Lance. He’ll protect you, and no matter what, Maggie, know that I love you with every fiber of my being. I will love you every second for the rest of my death. If I’d met you four hundred years ago, I’d have loved you with every beat of my heart.”
“OK, I’ll go. For now. And I will love you with every beat of my heart and every second of eternity even after my heart has stopped,” I agreed, knowing I wasn’t meant to make it to his car. I dropped the gun to the ground and kicked it away. Brax left my body. The agony of his departure tore me apart.
Corbin was on him instantly. The two ripped mercilessly at one another, their wings out. Lance came into the room and shoved me away, a gleaming blade in his hand. It didn’t take Brax long to knock Corbin down.
A well-aimed hit to Corbin’s ribs sent an awful cracking noise throughout the house. Corbin fell to one knee, and Lance tossed Brax the blade he’d been holding. Corbin glanced at me, a look of sadness sweeping over his face. Without hesitation, Brax ran the blade through Corbin’s chest. I couldn’t bear to look. He’d been my friend. Yes, there was darkness in him. A lot of it. But there was a flicker of light too. He’d saved me from the worst of Alan�
��s brutality. He’d helped me open my heart to Brax. I turned away, crying. At his dark chuckle, I turned and found empty space where his body once lay. I thought it was over.
But it wasn’t. It was far from over.
Another man entered the room. Gleaming in his hands was the same sort of blade that Lance had given to Brax. His eyes were dark and determined as they narrowed in on Brax.
No. No!
“Brandon, no!” Lance shouted.
Time stalled for a moment, then it moved in slow motion. I rushed forward and threw myself in front of the blade that would drive Brax back to Hell. I knew it was the sacrifice Raphael spoke of. I didn’t hesitate. Didn’t even have to think about it. My reaction and instinct to save him was natural. I wanted this. This way was far better than to be so selfish and let myself fall just so I could be with him. Raphael was right. Brax was in agony. And I didn’t want that for him. He needed to be set free. He deserved it. And even if he didn’t, our love made it so.
Pain rippled through me as the blade entered my chest. I winced as Brax caught me in his arms. Lance knocked the man to the floor and beat him.
“Maggie!” Brax wailed, catching my body to him before it hit the ground.
“No. No, no, no, no, no!” Brax sobbed, holding me in his arms. “No! Don’t you dare leave me! Please, don’t leave me, Maggie! I need you. I love you, Mags.” My heart filled with his love, even as it slowed.
My eyelids fluttered as a tear slipped out. I was so cold.
“D-do you remember the story of the crucifixion? Do you remember Jesus’s story?” I asked weakly. Blood oozed from my mouth. It made speaking difficult.
“Yes,” Brax sniffled.
“I-I did this for you. I wanted your sins. I wanted them gone. Because I love you. This is me saving you, Brax. I promised you I would, remember?”
“You saved me a long time ago, Mags. The moment I saw you, you saved me.” He bawled over me. I smiled up at him, feeling the cold spread. This was it.
