“You heard the lady,” Abdiel called. “Switch places.”
Cam sighed before shrugging his shoulders. He came and stood by Gabi. She reached up and took off his sunglasses.
“Quit hiding you eyes from us,” she ordered as she slipped the glasses in her jacket. “Personally I happen to think your eyes are beautiful.”
“I agree,” Rachael responded never taking her eyes off the street ahead of her. “Do you know they sell contacts on the internet that will make humans eyes look like that?”
“Great.” Cam smiled showing that he wasn’t offended. “It’s good to know that the internet likes me. It’s such a reliable source after all.”
“You should try signing up for a dating service on it,” Abdiel added. “Maybe that would get you to leave that succubus alone.”
“Yeah, I could just see the profile now.” Cam held his hand up. “Single male angel with psychotic disposition seeks like-minded female.”
“Don’t forget to add that she needs to bring a fire extinguisher on the first date.” Abdiel clapped Cam on the back as they laughed.
Rachael stopped walking and started jumping up and down in excitement. “Oh goodie, there are demons nearby.”
Gabi couldn’t help but smile at her sister-in-law’s enthusiasm. “Come on boys,” she said. “Let’s go find those demons so Rachel can zap ‘em.”
Appolion was walking through the city patrolling, which was totally stupid because he’d never gone out and actively hunted demons before. He had always kept his head down and only fought when absolutely necessary. Yet here he was acting like he was some lame archangel protecting the world from evil.
He had perfectly fine until Abdiel had come to Earth. Appolion had known the instant his big brother left Heaven and he’d been drawn to Detroit like some pathetic loser. He cursed the small part of him that wanted to run to his brother hoping for love and acceptance. The last time he had tried that with a family member, he ended up bitch slapped, laughed at, and spit on.
He had really meant to leave Detroit once Abdiel had seen him, then Rachael had shown up. He missed his twin so much that it hurt. Every time that he felt her calling him it had been torture not to respond to her, but, he didn’t want her to know what had happened to him or what he’d been forced to do. He was too ashamed to show her that side of him. He would still give anything just to be with her for five minutes. When he had cut off any contact with Rachael it had been like he lost a piece of himself.
When Abdiel had asked him to come home with him and his female, Appolion had almost agreed. He was so sick of living all alone with only the occasional human for a friend that he was willing to face Michael. But, he had been too scared to leave the life he had been living all these centuries. What would Abdiel think of him if he knew about all the things the demons had done to him? What if he couldn’t enter Heaven after being tainted by Hell? What if he really was a demon even though he fought turning?
He knew that he shouldn’t have contacted Cam . It was just that when he had seen him at the bar and remembered that the angel lived with his siblings, Appolion had seized on the opportunity. He still couldn’t not believe that they actually thought he was part of their stupid Scooby Gang. He may be a telepath but he did not have any powers like Rachael or Cam. Nada, zip, nothing, what you see is what you get.
Appolion stopped dead in his tracks when he felt something breathing on the back of his neck. He whipped his guns out of his waistband as he spun around. He let out a foul curse as five hounds from Hell greeted him with snarls. The demon dogs fanned out, surrounding him.
“Just flash out of here you idiot,” he muttered to himself under his breath. Although he knew he couldn’t do that. If he didn’t send these demons back to Hell, they would find some innocent humans to prey on.
He started to hum to himself then stopped and rolled his eyes when he realized it was “Who Let the Dogs Out?” Okay it’s official folks, I’m losing it. The hounds continued to slowly circle him but they made no move to attack. He kept his guns aimed and cocked even as he grew more apprehensive from their behavior.
Several throwing stars flew out from the night and buried themselves into his body. Instantly Apolion’s entire body felt like it was burning from the inside out. He furiously dug at the stars trying to rip them out. Several different voices started to scream and cry in his head. Clamping his hands over his ears he tried to shut them up, but it was useless. The tormented wailing continued. Remembering what Cam had told him, Appolion realized that he had just been poisoned with demon blood.
He fell onto the street laying on his back as he writhed around in agony. Someone walked up and placed their foot on his chest pinning him to the ground. He barely noticed them until they stomped on one of the stars and ground it deeper into his body. When he saw who it was, Appolion tried hard to stifle the whimper that came out, not wanting to show his fear. It was Forcas, and Douma was right behind him. They both smirked at him.
Rachael, help me. He knew he had no right to call out to her, but he could not go back to Hell.
Appolion, is that really you? She responded.
Please, Rachael don’t let them take me back there. He knew he was being pathetic by begging his sister to come save him. He was too desperate to care, though.
Don’t worry, we’re coming. Her reassuring words helped calm him down some.
“Get your fucking foot off me you son of a bitch!” Appolion yelled out loud to Forcas. His brother ground the weapon even deeper into his chest causing Appolion to groan in pain.
“Look what the dogs dragged in, Douma,” the demon said. “Here we were looking for Abdiel, and his crew and we get a little bonus. You always were good at hiding your stench, Appolion.”
“You know you both are still dickheads. Some things never change.”
Forcas kicked him in the side of the head. “You’re still the same cocky, little shit too. You’ll soon change your tune when you find yourself in your old cell in Hell.”
“Please, Forcas, don’t take me back to Hell.” Appolion cringed at the pathetic groveling tone his voice had taken. “If you have any compassion in your heart, you will do me a favor and destroy me instead.”
Even as he asked the question, he knew that it was hopeless. His brothers would never give up a chance to watch him suffer. They were going to take him back to Hell. His life was once again going to be filled with torture and abject loneliness. The poison continued to pulsate through his body. He arched his back as another wave of pain hit him, and he foamed at the mouth. His vision clouded as the screaming voices threatened to split his skull.
A flurry of arrows rained down hitting the hounds. The demons dogs howled in pain as his brothers started to curse. Appolion lifted his head and was shocked by what he saw. Four tall warriors walked towards them. There were two males and two females, and they were all dressed in black leather. As they marched side by side down the center of the street they made formable sight.
Appolion smiled when he recognized Rachael, Cam, Abdiel and Gabi. His sister had not let him down, and judging by the expression on the other angels’ faces, his demon brothers were in big trouble.
He suddenly felt like a little kid being saved from the neighborhood bullies. “My big brother is here, and he is so going to beat you up.”
Of course, Douma and Forcas did not get the joke. Forcas just gave him another swift kick before they turned and got ready for battle.
Chapter Twenty-One
Crap, crap, crap, double crap. Abdiel let out a growl of anger. Rachael had been right, Appolion was in a world of trouble and as usual The Brothers Grimm were behind it. He was lying on the street yelling in pain as Forcas stood over him stomping him in the chest. Abdiel heard Rachael let out a foul curse behind him. While part of him was appalled that his sweet, little sister knew such language, another part of him totally agreed with her. That was their Appolion that was being treated like he was nothing more than a cockroach being stepped on.
>
Gabi fired her crossbow at Forcas causing the demon to jump away from Appolion in order to avoid being hit. At the same time, Cam threw several small throwing daggers at Douma. The demon brothers ran in the same direction as the hounds. Retreating, for now.
As soon as the demon was no longer pinning him down, Appolion rolled up to his knees and put his head between his hands. He made no move to stand up. Instead his rocked back and forth and moaned. Damn it, the bastards poisoned him.
“Gabi, do you have the antidote with you?” Abdiel asked.
Gabi nodded, her bright green eyes flashing with anger when she saw all the throwing stars sticking out of Appolion.
Appolion obviously had not lost his sense of humor, however. He raked them over with his eyes before throwing out snidely, “In all that frigging leather you look like rejects from the Hell’s Angels biker gang.”
Cam snickered even as they ran up to Appolion in order to help his smart mouthed ass. Rachael started to remove all the stars letting out small cry of distress with each one she yanked free. When she saw the wounds they had left behind, she touched each area lovingly. Appolion flinched whenever she touched him but let her continue to help him. They all heard the snarls that let them know the hounds were coming back.
“You guys help Appolion,” Cam said. “Rachael and I will be doggy bait.”
“Douma and Forcas are still close,” Appolion gasped out between clenched teeth.
“That’s the story of our life, big boy,” Cam said drolly. “Don’t worry. Rachael and I can handle ourselves.”
Appolion managed a ghost of a smile before another wave of pain hit him. He still managed to bark out an order however. “Take my guns with you. They’re over there on the ground.”
Cam walked over and picked them up. He handed one to Rachael. “What good are these going to do?” he asked. “Human weapons never work against demons.”
“The bullets are infused with holy water. It’s one of the few things that can take down a hound from Hell.” Appolion wiped away the blood that had started to drip from his nose.
“I think you’ve been watching too many late night horror movies, little bro,” Abdiel said doubtfully. “That stuff doesn’t work against demons. It’s just a myth.”
“Have you ever tried it before?” Appolion shuddered when Gabi wiped his face. “Trust me; they work. I buy them from the black market.”
Cam shrugged before he started running towards where the hound’s howls were coming from. Rachael shot a worried look at her twin before she followed. After a few steps, she stopped and turned around. She ran back to Appolion and threw her arms around him. He grunted in pain when she slammed into him, but he still hugged her back. She pulled away and left to help Cam. Abdiel saw her wipe away a tear with her finger.
“Come on, Appolion. We need to get you out of the street before Forcas and Douma come back,” Abdiel said.
Abdiel went to help his brother up. Appolion avoided his hands and struggled to his feet by himself. He managed to stumble a couple of steps before he crumpled to the ground. Abdiel let out an aggravated sigh at his brother’s stubbornness. Gabi shot him an “I told you so,” look.
“Fuck, this hurts,” Appolion snarled out. He looked over at Gabi and cringed. “Sorry about that Abdiel, I’ll try to watch my language around your female.”
“I’ll make sure to cover my ears next time,” Gabi said sarcastically. She grabbed Appolion by the back of the collar and dragged him behind the shelter of a dumpster.
“I forget how strong female angels are,” Appolion whimpered out. “I’ve been living around humans too long.”
Gabi saw that he had started to foam at the mouth again and realized he was getting worse. She pulled the antidote out of her pocket and tapped the side of the syringe. When she rolled up Appolion’s shirt, he pulled his arm back, his eyes wide with fear.
“What the hell is that?” His voice was horse with panic.
Abdiel knelt down so he could look his brother in the eye. “It’s just the antidote. I know it’s hard, but you just have to trust us. We would never hurt you. If you can’t believe in me, then believe in Rachael. If I so much as harmed a hair on your head she would zap me into the next century.”
Appolion reluctantly nodded his head. “Aren’t you going to wipe the injection site with alcohol?” he asked incredulously.
Gabi rolled her eyes. “You’re immortal, remember? I could lick the needle and nothing would happen to you.” She injected him before he could change his mind.
Appolion laid back and seemed to relax a bit as the antidote started to work its way through his system. Abdiel went to the front of the dumpster to watch out for Douma and Forcas. Off in the distance, they heard a gunshot.
“Whoo Hoo!” Cam’s voice echoed through the streets. “Take that you demented, twisted Lassie wanna be.”
“I guess holy water does work after all.” Gabi stared laughing, and Appolion joined her.
“I should go see if they need help.” He started to get up, but Gabi stopped him.
“No, you’re still wounded. You need to be healed and this time I’m not letting you get away until I’ve helped you,” she said firmly.
“I’ve had worse, honestly.”
“I know you have.” She gave him a tender smile. “You still carry some of those injuries. Let me take those away for you.”
“I’m not worth the hassle.” Appolion looked down, ashamed.
“Of course you are.” Gabi rubbed his arm. When he did not pull away, she took that as a good sign. “You are my Abdiel’s brother.”
“So are Forcas and Douma,” there was a small hitch in his voice.
“You and Rachael are nothing like Douma and Forcas.”
That seemed to convince Appolion enough to allow her to lower him onto his back again. “It’s all a waste of your time,” he still argued. “If you’re doing this because you think I’m part of that Order thing, you may as well save it. I don’t have any mad skills like Rachael or Cam. All I have is telepathy and telekinesis and even those powers aren’t as strong as theirs.”
“What about that thing you did to the demon that made it choke?”
“Oh you mean the Darth Vader thing?” He shook his head ruefully. “That was just a jazzed up form of telepathy. I just made the demon think it couldn’t breathe.”
“You forget that you can also shield your presence from others.”
“That was just a survival mechanism.” He sighed when she gave him a doubtful look. “I figured out how to do that little trick when I was real young. It’s better if you go unnoticed in Hell.”
She smiled sadly at him before she put her hand over his eyes and put him in a relaxed state. It would have been better to put him completely asleep, but she knew she only had a thin thread of trust from him to begin with. Somehow she knew that if she knocked him unconscious and dragged him back to the house it would not be the start of a good friendship. The demons would be coming back soon, so she had to work quickly and get as much done in the little time that she had.
She closed her eyes and let herself slip into a trance. Her heart lurched when she realized just how damaged he was. Numerous wounds were scattered throughout his body, both internal and external. Some were so vicious and old that she didn’t know how the poor angel had survived so long. The pain must have been horrific.
She paused when she felt the energy force that was held down by his battered body. It was stronger than the ones she had felt in Rachael and Cam, much stronger. Appolion was as powerful as his twin had predicted. He just didn’t know it yet. She hesitated only a moment before she healed the area around his energy field releasing his powers. He was in for one hell of a shock. He may not want to be a hero, but he was.
She worked fast knowing that time was running out. She was a great healer; unfortunately, Appolion was one of the worst cases she had ever seen. She still tried to be as meticulous as possible. Working from the inside out, she fused together flesh an
d bone trying to make him whole again. A fleeting part of her wondered when he had ever been whole. With an aggravated growl, she pulled out as she sensed Douma and Forcas coming down the street. There was so much more that still needed to be done.
Appolion gingerly sat up. As he flexed his shoulders, she could see the shocked expression that his face had. It was probably the first time he’d been able to do that without pain. Hot tears spilled unchecked down her face. He saw them, and his jaw dropped.
“Nobody but Rachael ever cried for me,” he said in awe. “I’m not worth it.”
“Quit saying that,” she told him. “You’re a wonderful angel with a pure heart, and don’t even think of arguing with me about that. I was inside you, Appolion. I saw what they’ve done to you, and yet you never gave in and turned.”
He reached out and placed the palm of his hand over her stomach. “You shouldn’t be out here fighting. You’re pregnant.”
“No, I’m not,” she argued as her breath left her. “I would know it.”
“Sorry, Charlie.” He grinned at her. “But in case you forgot, I was born healer too. You are definitely preggers.”
“Well when you put it in such medical terms, how can I argue?” she shot back tartly. Her hand still went protectively over her stomach. There was no doubt in her mind that he was right. She was having Abdiel’s baby
“I better go help Abdiel,” he said gruffly, standing up. “Douma and Forcas are getting closer.”
“Appolion,” Gabi called. The male turned around to look at her. “Rachael wasn’t the only one that wept over you. Abdiel did, I saw how he was right after you father took you to Hell. It devastated him. Then I held him in my arms while he cried over losing you again just recently. He never got over not being able to save you and Rachael.”
She could see a mixture of emotions pass over his face, pain, confusion, and then finally hope. He gave her a little smile before he went to help Abdiel.
Abdiel had just unsheathed his sword when Appolion came up and stood by his side. “You doing okay?” he asked his younger brother.
Angel Warriors Page 31
