by Jill Cooper
More knowledge. More grief. She always thought they were ambushed. She never thought her parents gave their lives willingly for her. For Amanda.
Amanda. They were dead, she was the reason. It was time for her to know. Time for her to pay.
20: Amanda Blood
A constant moaning tugged at the edges of Amanda’s unconscious mind. As she awoke, she realized the sound was escaping her own lips.
There was a buildup of intense pain behind her eyes and it thumped like a drum. With a groan, Amanda rubbed her hands through her hair and did her best to sit. She had to concentrate on the task at hand. There was no time to waste on other things.
Jessica had to be cleansed. It was up to Amanda. There was no one else for the job, so she crawled over to the cage and grabbed the bars. Her chest clenched to see her sister trapped like that. Jessica’s face was peaceful despite the burn marks on her unhinged jaw.
If she hadn’t been marked, Amanda doubted Jessica would even still be alive. Her body was a wreck and her spirit was fractured, held together by duct tape.
“It was you, you know,” Jessica’s eyes opened and Amanda was taken aback by how inhuman they looked, despite all her work, “our parents are dead because of you.”
She shouldn’t have been shocked that an agent of Lourdes could be so mean, but Amanda’s mouth fell open hearing that level of spite coming from Jessica’s mouth. Maybe she wasn’t Jessica anymore, but she sure as hell sounded like her. “Jess never blamed me,” Amanda mumbled and gawked at the floor.
Jessica sat up straighter, her legs crossed under her. “That’s because I didn’t know before, but Lourdes showed me the truth. She showed me what happened the night they died.” Jessica took a deep breath and her anger stacked like building blocks. It was about to all come crashing down around them.
“They sacrificed themselves to hide you from the demons. Mom, she died to give Dad more time to complete the ritual. Dad did it and he’s dead, of his own doing, for you, and now, he’s trapped in the underworld forever. A play thing for Lourdes and for what? To save you?” Jessica tilted her head and hissed. “What makes you worth saving?”
Amanda recoiled at the words, as though the wind was knocked from her. Her eyes widened and her mouth snapped shut tight. “That’s not…you’re lying.”
Jessica laughed with bitterness. “You know I’m not. If I was, you’d feel it, princess. He seemed like a good man, someone who fought against Lourdes, can you believe it? It was his worst nightmare to be ensnared by her and you sent him there. He went there willingly and he’s been there for the last decade.”
She gritted her teeth. “All because of you. I wish you were never born.”
Heartbreaking sadness, like the smashing of a long held mirror, Amanda shook her head and felt a slow buildup of anger. “Stop it.”
“What do you think she’s done to him in that time? She’s killed me dozens upon dozens of times and it’s been less than a week. How do you think she makes him suffer? You think he curses your name?”
“I said stop!” Amanda hopped up to her feet and assaulted Jessica with the full force of her power. The light shot out and slammed against the cage. It rattled, throwing Jessica back, her teeth chattered together and the full force of Amanda’s power engulfed her. Jessica gripped the cage floor and turned her head to shield herself from the bright light.
But it kept going. Amanda couldn’t stop. She gritted her teeth as the bruises and burns faded from Jessica’s skin and the mark on her lower back from Lourdes, Amanda could feel it developing on her own skin.
The mark had almost been transferred. It might be the only way to save Jessica, so Amanda kept pushing. Once the mark was hers, totally hers, she’d heal it right off herself.
Hopefully.
Almost completely absorbed, but Amanda didn’t know if she could hold onto that level of power long enough.
Lourdes laughed in Amanda’s mind. You’re such a fool, Amanda Blood. Now you’re mine. Just like your sister. The possibilities are endless and I will finally be free.
No, Amanda wouldn’t go quietly. She wouldn’t allow Lourdes to win.
She gasped as her eyes widened and her vision began to fade. The walls of the church changed to the caverns of the underworld. Amanda edged closer to winning. She saw Jessica’s soul and she grabbed it, holding onto it tight, as her consciousness ripped back into the church.
Jessica lifted her chin with a wobble and her eyes were green. They weren’t the color of evil any longer, but as she tried to move inside the cage, Amanda’s power kept her pinned down. “Stop it,” Jessica cried, “Mandy, you’re going to die!”
Die? She wasn’t going to die. How could Jessica think—
With clarity, came the truth of Jessica’s words. The charred skin on her arms rose up in patches and flame raced toward the hem of her dress. Inside, Amanda felt the wrath of evil as Lourdes’s mark branded her soul, but her body would absorb it. It would cleanse it, wouldn’t it?
Vision failing, Amanda flicked her wrist to open the door to the cage and fell to the dirt floor. The sound of Jessica scampering free faded far from her mind. Amanda stood in a twisted cavern. The underworld was as dark and scary as it had ever been, but this time, she stood at the mouth of a cave.
The wind blew past her hair and Amanda touched the nameplate affixed to the side of the wall. The soul kept in that place was J. Blood. Amanda had seen it in visions before. Each time she thought it marked Jessica Blood’s prison, but Amanda realized it was Dad’s.
Dad.
She stepped forward into the cavern, but with fright she paused, unable to move on. It was too dark and the bottom was endless. In the darkness, green eyes peered at her. His face twisted with a deep snarl. He leaned forward on his arm, revealing a tattoo.
Amanda’s eyes widened. “Daddy?”
Kindness returned to his eyes as he sat up straight. Clarity hit and his lip quivered open. “Mandy? You don’t belong here.” His teeth were bared at her as he shouted. “I gave up everything so you won’t have to be here!”
His sadness was only outdone by his raw aggression. Amanda opened her mouth to speak but was ripped away to the surface. Someone performed compressions on her chest so hard her ribs ached. Her soul slammed into place so violently she forgot to breathe.
Someone pinched her nose and blew air down her throat.
Amanda’s eyes flew open and she gasped a deep breath. Her eyes locked with those of her sister. Jessica’s eyes widened as she sat back on her heels. Her face was streaked wet with tears. A frazzled mess with bloodshot eyes, but at the very least she looked like Jessica and not some possessed monster.
Sitting up, Amanda wanted to say so much to Jessica—she had been right about Dad, Amanda was so sorry about all of it—could they ever begin to forgive each other? Jessica’s eyes were wide with heartbroken sadness.
Now wasn’t the right time to talk about anything important. Amanda reached for Jessica to give her a gentle hug, but Jessica crushed against her in a fierce embrace. Nestling far down against Amanda’s waist, Jessica buried her head and sobbed. Amanda hadn’t heard Jessica sob like that since they were kids, and barely even then.
The waves of pain radiating from inside Jessica blocked everything else out. Amanda couldn’t see anything from her that wasn’t hurt, heartbreak and so much sorrow; it made the sky part with sadness. The cry was so heavy, so heart breaking with grief that Amanda’s shoulders slumped forward and she sobbed too. But they were together. They were back together and nothing else mattered.
Amanda stroked Jessica’s hair back. She’d take care of her, give Jessica anything she needed.
Better days were coming. They had to be.
21: Father Mike
Mike wasn’t big on fairy tales or flights of fancy, but once upon a time, he was a young lad who believed in love. True, and pure. The kind that only came from God.
A priest who had just taken his vows, he’d discovered how serious the fight against
the forces of evil really was. In those early days of cleansing towns and setting up spiritual protection, he met a sassy redhead who changed the course of his life forever.
Some would say she ruined it.
Then her hair had been long and fell in waves down the middle of her back, but she had always wore a yellow bandana across the top of her head. Her cheeks had been rosy and the fire in her eyes was only outdone by her commitment to the cause.
By the time Mike fell in love with her, it was too late to back away. He broke his oath and God’s commandments, and bedded her without realizing the full consequences of his actions. The years weren’t kind to them and now Mike did what he could to avoid her.
Driven from the church or leaving on his own, he wasn’t sure anymore which happened first, but his life mission was the same.
Rid the world of demons. Stem the advance of Lourdes. The one he helped create. Not on purpose of course, he’d never side with evil. What was once mist and shadow were able to take human form because of what they did. What Gwen and Mike created together and unleashed on the world was evil incarnate.
All because he chose her over the mission, one time. One. Nothing he could ever do would make up for that.
That was Mike’s ultimate failure as a human being and as a priest. His soul was darkened and purity would never again be obtained.
Now, in an old soup kitchen, he had strung his former lover up like an entrée. Mike used rope to bind her arms spread wide—one to the stove and the other to the large immobile prep-counter. Her legs were rigged in a similar fashion. Still unconscious, Mike took advantage of that to sprinkle salt around her body.
All the while ignoring her face. All the while refusing to look at her, but once she awoke it’d be harder. The demon in her would egg him on to engage; Mike couldn’t for a multitude of reasons—the exorcism, his personal shame, and failures. He bit his lip with a deep breath and sprinkled holy water on her head. Then flipped his bible open and started the prayer.
Gwen’s head rolled back and forth and she hissed in pain. “You really think this is going to work?”
Mike ignored her words but licked his lips. His words grew louder, and his eyes didn’t deviate from the page. “And let this vengeful demon be gone, in the name of the Lord…”
She spat at him. “You got to hell!”
“It’s you, she-beast, who will be dining there tonight. You better be prepared to answer for your failure to Lourdes herself.” He poured more holy water onto her forehead.
Her back arched as the struggle really began. Gwen’s arms yanked at the ropes until they were taunt. “Let me go! I will kill you, Michael Mortenson! Kill you!”
Words Mike had heard before from her, but even those hadn’t sounded so vengeful. He kept his chant going, but, this time flipped the pages. He found John and read the gospel word for word.
The demon hollered in pain, green mist pouring from her eyes, but it wasn’t over. No, the worst was just beginning. The demon just laughed. “I am anchored deep. You can’t destroy me. I’ll destroy you first.”
“Be gone wrathful spirit and never return to this place. I speak on the authority of God, Lord in the highest.” Mike sprinkled more holy water onto Gwen, being careful not to disturb the ring of salt around her body.
Gwen slithered back and forth, not going anywhere, but her mouth was open. Her hips bucked as if in pain and her fingers flexed like claws.
Maybe the demon wasn’t as anchored as it pretended to be. Master of liars. Mike surged with determination; he bent over Gwen and dangled the rosary beads to her face. “Take in the sight of this, demon. He isn’t just my God; he is also yours!”
Her screams echoed in his ears as sweat broke out on her forehead. The chattering of her teeth stilled Mike’s heart. That was the real pain he expected, but to be the one that caused it, to be the one that had to keep this going.
There were no choices.
Mike placed his hand against Gwen’s forehead. “You will leave this woman!”
Gwen’s body started seizing. Her body bucking back and forth. Eyes wide she gagged as if choking. Real fright presented on her face and for the first time, the mist of the demon was gone. Instead Mike saw the green eyes that all Blood women had. She looked on him with love, the tenderness he always expected from her.
But could it be real? Mike doubted it.
“She’ll never let me go.” Gwen’s voice grew hoarse. “You need to kill me to free me. Michael—do it.”
He couldn’t, what she asked was ridiculous. Mike couldn’t kill Gwen any more than he could kill his own child.
The mist returned to Gwen’s eyes and she laughed. “Knew you wouldn’t have the stomach for it. I knew you wouldn’t have the balls to—. “
Mike squeezed her throat. The words Gwen spoke were true. Trying was the least he could do to save Gwen, maybe not for life, but from torment. Grinding down on his knees, Mike tightened his grip on Gwen’s slender neck.
Her eyes widened and she gagged, thrashing around to free herself. If she got herself free, even one hand, Mike knew he was in the thick of it—he had crossed into the salt circle and what remained of it was destroyed by his kneeling.
If this didn’t work, Mike was in real trouble. There’d be three bodies in the soup kitchen for them to find in the morning.
A tear fell from his eye and Mike gritted his teeth. “I’m sorry, Gwen. God, forgive me.”
The color of her skin turned blue. Eyes bulging, Gwen’s head rocked back and she made a final wheeze for air. Her arms went slack as she stopped fighting against him and the ropes. Slowly Mike removed his hands from her throat and he checked for a heartbeat.
Gone.
He had really done it. She was…dead.
The demon knew too. It wisped out of her open mouth and hovered in the air, searching for a new host. Mike was weak right then; it could try to take him. So Mike stood and held the rosary beads out. “You find no host here. Back to the underworld with you!”
Commanded with authority and with the backing of God, the demon had no human host to inhabit. It couldn’t win that battle. Jaw tense, Mike sealed the deal by splattering the air with holy water. The demon dissipated like a cloud of smoke and Mike breathed a sigh of bittersweet relief.
But Gwen. Dear God, no…Her still face unmoving. Not breathing.
No life.
He could bring her back. He had to.
Rolling up his sleeves, he crashed down to the ground. A sob struggled to escape his mouth and the sound was that of a wounded animal. His shoulders rocked back and forth as he started chest compressions, breathing into her mouth.
“Come on, sweetheart,” Mike tilted her head, breathing into her mouth again.
Chest compressions. 1…2…3…4
Check for a pulse. Nothing. Damn it, nothing.
“Damn you, Genevieve,” Mike’s lips quivered and a lifesaving breath turned into a mournful kiss. And a crying aching sob escaped him that sounded more like a scream.
She was a Blood. Wasn’t supposed to go out with this. What would his old buddy Jacob think? After everything they did, that it was Mike that sent Gwen to her death?
There was still hope. They could save her.
Amanda….
He gathered Gwen up in his arms. If truly dead, there was only a fool’s hope left, but Mike would take it. There was only one person left who could try to save Gwen. If she was strong enough to try.
22: Jessica Blood
So much lost, so much to process, but Jessica couldn’t begin to wrap her mind around it. Instead, her head lay on her sister’s lap—her very sweet sister—and Amanda stroked her hair.
There was love and compassion in that embrace, but she didn’t deserve it. Not after everything Jessica had felt and said. That intense burning rage, maybe it hadn’t been hers. Instead, it had been put in her heart by Lourdes.
But Jessica felt it as if it was her own. It set her on fire and the hate; it may as well have consumed he
r. She didn’t deserve forgiveness or Amanda’s love.
“You deserve it,” Amanda finally spoke in a small, gentle voice. Her fingers swept across Jessica’s cheek, as a mother would comfort a child. Jessica’s insides trembled to feel so much love. She never thought she’d feel it again. To be back with her sister was a joy, but…wait a second.
Had Amanda just read her mind?
She leaned up on her elbow and peered into her sister’s soft green eyes. Everything about her was the same, but somehow Amanda looked different. Stronger; not as fragile as before. Or maybe Jessica was seeing her for the first time from a place of vulnerability.
Amanda cupped Jessica’s chin and came down low, nuzzling her cheek. It brought Jessica so much warmth, that fresh tears sprung to her eyes. “I did, but I didn’t mean to. My powers have grown since my soul was fractured by Vaughn’s drugs.”
Vaughn. It all seemed so far away. She forced herself to sit even though it was hard to pull away from her sister. Instead, they held hands. “I’ve missed so much,” Jessica muttered. “I never thought we’d get to do this again.” She bit her lip to keep control of her emotions and looked away.
“I did so many horrible things.” The tears in Jessica’s eyes stung hot and her mouth fell open as she struggled with heartbreak. “The Black Scorpions—.” She shook her head and swept her tears away. “What have I done, Mandy?” Her voice cracked. “What have I done?”
The idea that she’d have to face Duncan again knowing she murdered his gang—all his friends? Jessica felt sick—didn’t think she could do it. She wished she could melt into the ground.
Rising to her knees, Amanda stroked Jessica’s hair back. “You didn’t ask to be stolen into the underworld or lose your free will to Lourdes. We made it here because of how strong you are, Jess. You fought and endured so much pain.” Amanda placed her hand over Jessica’s heart.
“I can see the scars,” Amanda said softly. “Not real, but invisible. Stretching and carved on you from all the times you died. All those times she brought you back.” She bit her lip, looking like a vulnerable child.
