The Eternal War Series Box Set

by Holly Vane

  Her mother smiled. “Never.” Tears ran down her mother's cheeks. “I am s-so proud of you.”

  Holly heard Jo footsteps clamouring down the stairs. “Upstairs is secure.” Her voice yelled. “Where's your...” Her voice trailed off as she entered the kitchen. “Oh...god.” Jo fell to her knees.

  Holly couldn't see her mother through the tears that poured down her face. “I love you mum.” She whispered.

  But her mother had gone.

  Jo and Holly cuddled into the wall, their tears of pain splashing off the tiled floor.

  A window smashed and Holly felt herself being pulled up by strong arms. She heard Jo struggling beside her but Holly was too numb to do anything.

  ***

  Michael stood on the clock tower.

  Taking in the massacre from above.

  Caleb should have listened to Castillo. But he had always been weak. Plagued by emotions. Michael had learned the hard way, how emotions crippled the will.

  He heard a metal door swing back on its hinges. He smiled.

  “You have been waiting a long time for this, haven't you.” He swung around, amusement glowing in his dull eyes.

  Dominic tossed aside his jacket. “I'm done waiting.” He charged at Michael.

  ***

  Holly watched as Jo was slung on to the ground. “Filth.” A cold voice spat at her. Jo crawled away right into the legs of Dominic.

  He looked down at her in surprise, then his eyes flicked to Holly. Who was still held around the waist by a powerful grip.

  “Dominic.” Jo let out in relief. She clung to his leg. “Help us.” She told him.

  “Oh he can't help you now little girl.” Michael smiled at her. He grabbed her by the hair but Dominic's fist caught him in the face. He let go flapping his dull, silver wings for balance.

  Arms grabbed Dominic he fought back against them. It took ten Angels to restrain him.

  “You touch her and I'll kill you.” He spat at Michael, his eyes burning pure hate.

  Michael regarded him coolly. A smile appearing. “Which one?” He asked him enjoying himself.

  “Both!”

  “Oh that's right. You've had your dirty little way with both of them, haven't you?”

  Dominic laughed, but there was no amusement in it. “You wouldn't know what that feels like jug-less.”

  Michael's smile vanished. “You know you are my least favourite nephew. Even you're brother has more control of his bodily functions than you.”

  “My brother would kick your teeth down your throat if he was here, uncle.”

  Michael’s eyes rested on Holly. “Bring her to me.” He ordered.

  The Angel holding Holly dropped her on her feet inches away from Michael.

  Michael studied her for a second then glanced at Dominic, a vicious grin crossing his lips.

  “We both know which one has you're heart. Dominic. So the question is, which one will you save?”

  Dominic froze, the Angels released him and retreated back through the metal door.

  Michael moved to the highest point of the clock tower a dazed, defeated Holly in one hand, a simpering Jo in the other.

  “You only have time to save one, trying to save both will result in killing them both. Good luck.”

  Michael flapped his wings, rising higher in the sky. Holly felt a cold breeze tug at her hair. Jo was screaming beside her. She met Dominic's eyes and shook her head; don't save me she begged him silently, save Jo.

  His eyes looked between her and Jo, agony set deep in them.

  Michael released them.

  Holly Felt as light as a feather. She wasn't afraid of dying. She welcomed it. She closed her eyes and waited for death to take her.

  ***

  Dominic caught Jo's ankle, just before she fell past the Clock-tower roof.

  Her body collided with the brick wall. Her pink dress flapped over her head.

  Dominic grinned pulling her up, “of all the times, you pick now to go commando. Are you trying to distract me tiger.” He wrenched her up and set her feet down.

  She ran to the ledge, “Holly!”

  Dominic prayed that his instincts was right. If they weren’t he had just killed Holly.

  He went to the ledge.

  Holly was hurtling faster now. Where was he?

  Out the corner of his eye he caught White wings glitter on the horizon; Caleb.

  Jo hid her face in his chest. “I can't watch.” She sobbed.

  Caleb was chasing Holly.

  Dominic gave a sigh of relief as Caleb's hands caught her waist. But something was wrong. Holly wasn't slowing.

  The gulf stream of her decent had sucked up Caleb.

  He was wrestling with her, trying to break the current. But impact was only inches away.

  At the last minute Dominic saw Caleb break free, but the ground was almost upon them.

  They weren’t going to make it.

  Caleb gave a beat of his wings, and they turned him on his back, Holly was held to his chest. They fell through the car roof below.

  ***

  Caleb felt the metal bend underneath him.

  That had been too close. He prayed that he had done enough to break Holly's fall.

  She was laying on top of him. Her eyes closed, her body slack.

  “Holly?”

  Slowly she opened her eyes. Shock flickered on her face then was replaced by pain.

  He rolled her over. “Are you injured?” He said panicked. His hands feeling her body for wounds.

  She shook her head.

  He sighed with relief. His head flopped down on her chest. “Let's never do that again.” He mumbled.

  Epilogue

  ∞

  Just The Beginning

  Holly took one more glance over her shoulder.

  Then shut the front door for good.

  She walked with Caleb and Dominic silently.

  Her parent’s funeral had been hard, but it made it easier to do what she had to next.

  Leave Cherry Falls. Leave behind everything.

  Caleb had found her father's body washed up on shore, the day after the massacre. Ricky was still missing.

  “How's Jo?” Holly finally asked Dominic.

  “She's fine princess.” He winked at her.

  It had been two weeks since that devastating night. Half the population of Cherry Falls had perished. Gang warfare had been the story the news had gone with. Slowly people was trying to pull their lives back together.

  She knew saying goodbye to Jo would be hard. But she hadn't been prepared for Jo to hang on to her and scream at her to stay. Dominic had been the only one who could get her to calm down.

  She knew Jo was better off without her. As long as Holly was Lucifer's one redemption it would never be safe. Jo would get hurt or killed just like everyone else around her had.

  Caleb and Dominic was all she had now.

  “So, where to?” Holly asked them.

  “I've heard Venice is nice this time of year.” Caleb smiled at her. His hand slipped round her waist. Dominic relieved him of Holly's black suitcase. “I'll give you two a minute.” He said. Wheeling the suitcase up the street.

  Caleb kissed her tenderly. She sank into him.

  Caleb had defected from Heaven. Like Michael he had stopped taking orders from Heaven. When Holly asked what had happened to him up in Heaven, his eyes went dull and she knew that whatever it was he suffered, it wasn't pleasant.

  But as long as she had him Heaven and Hell couldn't hurt her.

  Caleb was all she needed. Come what may, they would face it together.

  Book Two

  Love vs. Lust

  the Eternal War Series

  Prologue

  ∬

  Monsters from the Deep

  Holly Adams darted around the tiny square with growing desperation. Every side street that connected to it lead to a dead end, or came to an abrupt halt in sloshing dark water. She had fumbled around the narrow intricate maze that wa
s Venice for more than fifteen minutes, without so much as a flash of recognition at any of the landmarks she passed.

  Holly juggled melting cones of Ice-cream into one hand then rummaged in the back pocket of her Jean cut-offs for her cell. Gazing down at the complicated touch screen she felt a longing ness for her old battered Nokia. Dominic had bought her the iPhone as a late Christmas present so he had said, but Holly knew it was to cut her off from Jo, her best friend she had had to leave behind in Cherry Falls. It was for Jo’s own safety, people who got closed to Holly had a knack of dying, but she still missed the outspoken, shaggy haired girl who had been her best friend since kindergarten.

  Diamonds by Rihanna flooded out of the phone’s speaker, causing her to jump nearly dropping the melting ooze that ran down her fingers. She cursed out loud when she saw the caller ID, earning a reproachful look from a passing elderly couple. She contemplated not answering. Holly rarely got time to herself, between her Guardian Angel boyfriend and the Prince of Hell she was never alone, it frustrated her that they had taken to doing everything for her, or insisted that she was to be escorted everywhere. Holly appreciated their concern, guarding her 24 hours a day couldn’t be a walk in the park for them either, but she was sick of being treated like a child. Rihanna’s voice died only to start up again. Holly took a lick of her strawberry cone and grinned mischievously. It wouldn’t hurt to make him wait for the satisfaction of being proved right.

  She had begged them to let her go for Ice-Cream, craved the opportunity to show Caleb that she could stand on her own two feet, he had reluctantly agreed despite Dominic’s misgivings, letting out a heavy breath Holly pushed the slider along and accepted the call.

  “What took you so bloody long?” Dominic’s annoyed tone greeted her ear.

  “I had to find my phone.” She lied. He uttered something she couldn’t catch over the static. “Where are you?”

  “Err…” She hesitated.

  “Are you lost?” She heard the smugness in his voice and pictured the wide grin that she knew would be parting his ruby red lips. “No.” She said sternly.

  “Jeez princess the vendor was only down the street.”

  “I’m not lost Dominic! Just got turned around is all.” She added sheepishly. A grunt of pain and the smashing of glass travelled down the line. “What was that?” She asked, her spider sense tingling. “What’s going on?”

  “Just stay where you, we’ll come to you.” He hung up.

  Holly looked down at the bright screen perplexed, what the hell was that about? Had Michael caught up to them?

  Images of Caleb’s broken lifeless body floated through her mind. Caleb and Dominic were the only things she had left in this world. Heaven and Hell had taken everything else in their mad race to claim her. She couldn’t stand the thought of losing them too.

  Holly discarded the cones in a nearby bin and moved to the centre of the square, resting on a huge fountain that shot water out of a fish’s tail. She could see the whole deserted square from her vantage point; her frantic blue eyes searched every opening for Caleb and Dominic.

  “Please let them be okay.” She prayed to herself.

  As time ticked by Holly paced the cobbles continually ringing Dominic’s cell when it went straight to voicemail she tried Caleb’s. Where were they?

  The sun was setting over the buildings that surrounded her when she felt a hand slip into hers, warmth flowed through her body. She knew it was Caleb even before she turned. His muscular tanned body pressed up against her own, his sapphire eyes shone through strands of brown hair.

  She clutched him tightly. “Where’ve you been?” She almost yelled never wanting to let go. His arms wrapped around her immediately killing the feeling of dread that dwelled in her gut.

  “Hey it’s okay,” he soothed. “I’m right here.” His graceful fingers ran her raven curls. She willed her emotions back in line then looked up at him. “What’s going on? And don’t tell me nothing, you’ve got that look Caleb.” She added before he could answer.

  “We ran into a pack of Angels,” he finally said with a sigh. “Don’t worry they’re gone now.” He told her hurriedly after seeing her anxious expression. “But we can’t stay here any longer. Dominic went to get your things from the hotel.”

  “But I like Venice. We’ve only just got here.” She pouted. Caleb released her. “I’m sorry Holly but they know we’re here. The city isn’t safe now.”

  Holly snubbed at the ground with the toe of her tennis shoes, “dammed Angels.” She spat.

  “Hey there’s other places to visit you know, how about New York?”

  She stared at him coldly. Holly knew he was trying to cheer her up but she had wanted to see more of The City of love. For the past six months she had been hurried from one location to the next, never staying long enough to visit its sights and attractions. It was like putting a bar of gold in front of you then telling you that you couldn’t touch it. Caleb wasn’t to blame nor Dominic they were just trying to keep her alive. All Angels were linked meaning that Caleb was a glowing beacon to the Archangel Michael and Heaven.

  He guided her through the quaint streets of Venice. It amazed Holly how he could negotiate the winding lanes in near darkness, but then again he was an Angel: Sat Navigation came as standard.

  Something hit the paving next to her and she jerked her head round. It had sounded like cement, frowning she looked up just in time to see a shadow lighter than its surroundings guide over her head silently. She gripped Caleb’s hand tighter then jogged to his side. “Caleb,” she hissed softly. “Something’s following us.” He looked at her and she motioned slightly to the stretch of roof running parallel with the street. Holly saw his blue eyes peer into the night then he turned away. “It’s nothing to worry about.” He said happily like they were taking a midnight stroll. She glared at him but he had returned his gaze straight ahead again.

  Holly quickened her pace keeping up with his long strides. Every now and then a noise from above would make her tense and she would glance at Caleb whose face didn’t register anything.

  They came to a bridge and Holly started when the water splashed loudly. Water had always held terror for her, ever since Jo had made her watch The Creature from the Black Lagoon when they were seven. Holly had sworn never to venture into the deep blue sea after that.

  She stumbled back against the bridges brick wall imagining a monster lurking just below the surface biding its time to get her. Caleb steadied her then tugged on her hand. “We’ve have to keep going Holly.”

  “Why?” The pitch of her voice rose with fear.

  “We don’t have time for this.” His eyes pleaded with her.

  “Oh you have all the time in the world Angel. You’re not going anywhere.”

  A bulky form materialized ahead of them, he grinned maliciously while stepping onto the bridge.

  Holly darted a quick glance to the other side to see more silhouettes blocking their escape. They were surrounded on both sides, trapped in the middle of the bridge. Caleb swept Holly behind him and waited for them to advance. “Just stay behind me, you’ll be fine.” He said to her calmly. How could he be so bloody relaxed about this? They were outnumbered and at a strict disadvantage.

  Holly felt strong arms clamp around her in an unbearably tight bear hug, she wrestled with her attacker as she was dragged over the wall.

  She screamed and grabbed for Caleb but her fingers missed his by inches grasping nothing but air. Her frightened eyes locked onto Caleb’s before she was swept over the bricks and plummeted down into the murky depths of Davey Jones locker.

  Chapter One

  ∬

  Complications

  Green murky water pressed down on Holly.

  She flayed her arms furiously scooping through the liquid like a knife through butter, trying to propel herself back to the surface but the firm grip around her ankle caused her to sink further to the bottom. Holly kicked at it with her free leg breath was becoming an expiring luxury
, her lungs burned at the lack of oxygen and black dots swarmed her vision.

  No! She couldn’t die like this!

  She refused to go to her watery grave quietly and struggled with renewed vigour, the death grip tightened. She looked down at a horrifying face: pale skin shone through the gloom like fading sunlight; his dark eyes were fixed on hers and his thin mouth twisted into a deadly smile.

  Holly was going to die.

  The thought popped into her head with a calm clarity. Her eye-lids closed slowly. A slideshow of Images containing her murdered parents flowed through her mind as her body shut down. She was going to see them again, be with them…maybe death wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

  Holly spluttered to life then vomited a bucket full of water onto the cold pavement. Her waterlogged eyes opened as Caleb let out a heavy sigh of relief. She watched him slump against the bridge wall, his soaked white t shirt clinging to his defined upper torso.

  “Never do that to me again.” He said breathlessly.

  Holly’s throat stung and it took a while before she found her voice. “What happened…?” She croaked. He crawled forward and lifted her shoulders with a gentle grace, propping her up against him. “Demons. I was trying to reach St. Mary’s but once they caught on where I was taking you…”

  “Demons?” She repeated struggling to a sitting position, her mind was foggy and her chest hurt but other than that she felt fine, despite nearly drowning. “I thought Hell couldn’t kill me, they need me alive to set Lucifer free.” His powerful arms embraced her pushing her back against him, “somehow I don’t think these particular Demons cared about that.”

  Holly pulled free of Caleb’s protective arms and shakily got to her feet. “I’ve had it!” She arched her arms down in a lazy cross to emphasize her point. “Lunatics try to kill me; Michael tosses me off a roof, now Demons are trying to drown me! Is there anyone on this fringing planet that’s not out to kill me!”

  Caleb let her rant with a worried expression on his gorgeous face. Her nostrils flared like a bull being tormented by a red cloth. The bridge before her blurred and she swayed precariously. He was beside her in a heartbeat and carried her over to an alleyway where he leaned her against the wall, his hands on her hips holding her upright.