“Why must everything be a riddle? Just out with it, old man,” Insepth ordered.
The vision of the burning city rose again in my mind. The pastor was right. I knew where they went.
Goosebumps began to rise up on my arms. A mist rose and I turned my face into its chill.
It’s beginning. There isn’t much time. Go, my dear. Go to your destiny. Ila’s voice was a soft keening noise on the wind, but I’d heard her loud and clear.
Clip-clops struck pavement behind us and I clutched Insepth’s arm, pulling him away from the pastor.
“I’ll do my best,” I called out, forcing a smile.
“Have faith, child!”
His words echoed in my mind as Insepth lifted me onto Cricket’s back and then jumped up behind me. We trotted around a partially collapsed building and then we were out of sight.
“Has your plan changed?” Insepth raised a brow, his hand wavering in the air.
“No. Open the loophole. We’re running out of time,” I said.
CHAPTER 27
EMBER
We rode into a wall of smoke that choked me. Cricket reared up and Insepth almost came off her backside.
Steady, girl. Let’s not panic yet, I told Cricket.
Her reply was muddled and loud in my mind. I pressed my hands into the sides of her neck, using my Water power to calm her. It worked. She dropped her head and walked forward slowly as I squinted into the heavy air.
“What happened here?” Insepth whispered near my ear.
I didn’t answer him. I was afraid to utter a sound when I realized where we were. I knew this exact spot on the highway. It was same mile marker that the semi-truck had lost control and jackknifed into the path of our vehicle. Dad had been driving and Mom was in the passenger seat. I was in the back. Our car had crumpled into the side of the giant, shiny cylinder full of gasoline. Our car exploded, and I’d seen them burning. I had seen Mom and Dad burning in the flames.
I shivered and Insepth squeezed me. “Ember, are you all right?”
For a moment, the smoke and abandoned cars with their doors flung open, disappeared.
There was bright sunlight overhead and the wails of sirens in my ears. I was sitting naked in the ashes. A kind fireman draped a blanket over my shoulders and picked me up.
At the time, I had thought that was the worst thing that would ever happen to me. I’d been so wrong. That day was just the beginning of the end. Now, years later, I was back again, in the very same spot where it all had happened. Coincidence? After everything I’d been through, I highly doubted it.
I peeked into the shadowy interiors of the cars we passed. There weren’t any bodies or blood, or anything.
“It’s as if everyone just disappeared,” I murmured.
Guiding Cricket with my legs, we walked between an overturned truck and a school bus. I strained to hear noises of any kind, but the highway was quiet, except for Cricket’s hooves striking the pavement and her gentle snorting.
“I don’t like this one bit.” Insepth continued to whisper, and for the first time I heard fear in his voice. “It might be a trap.”
I would think the Devil would be too busy to come after two Watchers, but Sawyer was another story. Whatever Samael had done to him had erased any humanity the Demon had left. He’d thrown his life away to save me, and now he only wanted me dead. It was hard to even imagine, but it was true.
We came around the bus and the city skyline rose in front of us. The buildings were dark and none of the streetlights were lit. The full moon provided the only light to see by, but gray-fringed clouds passed over it, casting long shadows from the buildings and the overpass.
Cricket pulled up and I heard pebbles dropping and striking rocks.
“My God,” I gasped.
The clouds separated and moonlight sprayed down, revealing a gaping crevice across the highway. A car was teetering on the other side. Wind gusted and there was a rhythmic scrapping sound. I grasped Cricket’s mane.
She backed away from the edge, but not quick enough. The car came loose and fell with loud, metal scraping noises. The sounds went on an unbearably long time, echoing over the roadway and into the city. When the falling car finally hit bottom, dust billowed up from the deep hole.
“We should get out of here,” Insepth urged.
“We can’t leave without my family and friends—” I stopped talking and stared into the shadows beneath the overpass. I could see shapes gathering. Blood red eyes blinked—thousands of them.
Cricket whirled, shooting into a gallop. She darted through the abandoned vehicles, not needing my urging. Tapping sounds, like giant insects, followed us and I bent down to peer under Insepth’s arm to see.
The vision that Youmi had showed us in the water had come true. These weren’t Hell-beasts or hounds chasing after us. They were grotesquely shaped humans, pale and filthy, with sunken faces and hollow eyes. These creatures came out of the darkness slowly at first, gaining speed with spiderlike movements as they alternated between running and crawling. They made smacking sounds that made my stomach churn.
More creatures spilled out from unhinged doorways and alleyways. The pale shapes moved in clusters, crashing into each other as they pursued us with unnatural speed. Saliva flew from their gaping mouths, and what was left of the clothes they’d worn in their human lives was tattered and bloodied. Even with Cricket galloping as fast as she could, two of the creatures grabbed for her hind legs and she kicked out, striking one in the face and the other in the chest. Black liquid splattered my arms from their wounds.
It was nearly impossible to tell that they had once been humans. The evil smoke I’d seen in Youmi’s water vision had risen from the crevice that split the highway. Wispy tentacles had reanimated the dead. But what about the rapture? Had it also happened?
The creatures caught up and came abreast of Cricket. She swerved, knocking several down. But they kept coming—hundreds of them. A bony hand shot out from the thrashing bodies, catching my ankle. Insepth stabbed at the hand with his dagger, but it wouldn’t let go. It tightened, yanking me into the gnashing teeth. Insepth held on and Cricket kicked sideways. There was a cracking noise, but the creature still clutched me and was crawling up Cricket’s side.
I hadn’t used my powers, afraid they would be a beacon to Samael that we were here. But I didn’t have a choice anymore.
Delicious Fire surged through me and out my fingertips. I aimed for the creature that was hanging on, pummeling it with flames.
Insepth wrapped his arms tightly around me, holding on while I worked my Fire to free myself.
There was a nauseating sizzling sound, and the smell of burning flesh. My heart leaped into my throat when the creature’s back bubbled and cracked. The scorched skin stretched and snapped apart, revealing puffy new reddened skin.
Insepth bent over me and sawed at the hand with his dagger. Black blood squirted and when he met bone, he yanked the wrist backward until it crunched loose. The creature squealed as it fell, disappearing into the flailing limbs.
Cricket turned down a narrow street, dodging abandoned cars and jumping over fallen street lamps. More and more creatures poured out of the buildings until the street was covered with writhing bodies that looked like a swarm of ants. And they were all focused on one thing—us.
Cricket slid to a stop and reared. A tractor trailer was overturned, blocking the entire street. There was nowhere to go.
I clutched Cricket’s mane as she kicked off creatures with her hind feet and struck out with her front.
“We have no choice!” Insepth cried. Earth flooded my senses, and I called on my own Gaia. Fire didn’t work on these evil things, but dropping a building on them might do the trick. There would be no hiding once we unleashed our combined powers.
The swarm of creatures was too much. Clawed fingers snatched at us, cutting into Cricket’s hindquarters and slashing my legs. The fresh blood turned the mob scene into a frenzy of pawing hands and lapping tongues
.
Insepth linked with me.
“Here! Over here!” A familiar voice shouted from one of the buildings.
An incredibly tall figure was silhouetted in an open doorway across the street. He was waving at us.
Insepth growled, the power fluttering around him.
“Samael will come for us,” I choked out.
Cricket saw the giant in the doorway and made the decision for us. She whacked her head sideways, clearing a path and leaped forward. It took every muscle I had to hold on.
The black horse bit, reared, and kicked her way through the horde. We were almost to the doorway when all the creatures turned as one and charged us.
The crowd caught us, slamming into Cricket. Insepth and I went airborne and skidded along the street, and Cricket was knocked to the ground. She rolled, thrashing to rise on her hooves. Monsters clawed and bit at me, dragging me away from Insepth.
A cry echoed between the buildings and the creatures paused their attack, flicking their heads in the direction of the sound. The pause was only the length of a drawn breath, and I pushed up on my hands to see what they were looking at.
A sword sliced the air, decapitating several of our assailants. Black ooze rained down and I scurried up and shimmied past falling bodies to reach Cricket.
Her shrill neigh pierced my heart, and I caught a glimpse of her buried beneath the mob. Insepth was beside her head, stabbing at the backs of her assailants. He was covered in gore, and his blond hair was slicked back with the stuff.
All my elements reared to life inside of me. To Hell with Samael and his Hell beasts finding us. That death wouldn’t be any worse than this one.
I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes. I could hear every snapping jaw and snarling hiss. The smell of my own blood filled my nose as I was knocked to my knees. I didn’t feel the teeth biting into me. The power rippled and grew.
My eyes flew open and the world was blood red. I was about to let the power go when I was jerked off the ground and slung over a shoulder.
The sword swiped at the creatures that had Cricket down and their severed limbs covered her. She rolled to her feet, ducked, and galloped through the door, clearing a path for us.
I was dropped into Insepth’s arms and he shouted, “That way!”
With an explosion of colors, Cricket changed into a woman and followed Insepth’s outstretched arm that pointed to the path. My mind registered that this building was a bank and we were aiming for the vault.
Little hands waved from the darkness and I blinked, unsure of what I was seeing.
“Hurry! Come on!” children’s voices shouted.
Yes. They were kids—a boy and two smaller girls—urging us to run faster.
My heart pounded and I grasped Insepth’s shoulder, pulling up so I could see the man brandishing the sword.
He was spinning, holding his sword out. Creatures dropped to the floor in piles. A faint glow surround him and I gasped.
Insepth turned and shouted, “Come on!”
The warrior gathered his muscles and leaped, covering the distance in a single stride.
Insepth slammed the vault door shut and there was complete blackness. The scratching noises on the vault door faded away after a moment.
A light burst to life and a boy was holding up a lantern.
The warrior who had saved us was bloodied and bruised, and two little girls clung to his legs, but there was no mistaking who he was.
I saw Eae through a blur of tears. And then I was right alongside the girls, hugging him for dear life.
CHAPTER 28
EMBER
“That one is Joey,” Eae nodded at the boy stretched out on the floor, and then at the girls in his lap, “and these are Sarah and Emily.”
Emily stirred. She yawned and nestled against Eae’s large chest.
My gaze lifted. “Where did they come from?”
“After we were separated in Los Angeles, I discovered them. They were alone and afraid. Their parents had been killed.” He grunted. “I couldn’t bring myself to leave them.”
“How did you cross the country—did Angels help you?” Insepth asked.
Eae slowly shook his head, careful not to disturb the sleeping girls on his lap. “I would have gotten no aid from them. Azriel offered to take me up to Heaven, but I refused.”
“Why?” My hand paused on Cricket’s hair. She’d fallen asleep with her head resting on my leg. Even though I’d healed her injuries, she had been too distraught to say much. I wasn’t sure if it was because she’d come so close to dying or that War hadn’t come to her rescue.
“I am an Angel no longer. I would only be a burden in Heaven, with no purpose to our Father or anyone else.” His green eyes clouded. “In the land of men, I thought I could help you, Ember. I am sorry that I failed.”
“You didn’t fail!” I whispered fiercely. “You saved all of us from being eaten.”
He sighed deeply. “And now we are trapped in a vault, surrounded by monsters. I only prolonged your death.”
I licked my lips and glanced at Insepth, waiting for one of his witty comments to ease the tension.
He just stared at the wall, saying nothing.
“There has to be a way for us to escape,” I said.
“If we use our powers to break free and destroy the horde of creatures beyond that doorway, Samael and his army will know we’re here. And they’ll come for us,” Insepth said.
“If we do nothing, we’ll die of starvation,” I replied.
“We will more likely succumb to suffocation before we starve,” Eae commented nonchalantly.
“Thanks for the reality check,” Insepth muttered.
I sat up straighter and ignoring Insepth’s comment, I glanced between the wingless Angel and the Watcher. “Then we must try!”
Eae’s face softened and he bent his head. “Since you were a babe, you were my responsibility to watch over. But now, I also have these young ones.” His eyes glistened in the dim light. “What will become of them if we open those doors? I fear if the destruction you wreak doesn’t kill them, the creatures will. A quiet death within these walls would be a mercy, don’t you think?”
I swallowed down the knot in my throat and pressed my lips together. Eae was right.
I stared at the lantern, wondering when the batteries would go dead. The darkness would frighten the children, too.
I inhaled, clearing my mind. Something wasn’t right.
“Do you remember when Youmi showed us the vision in the water?” I asked Eae.
“Of course. That was the day my wings were taken.”
I nodded, trying to block the image of Eae’s butchered back from my mind. Insepth looked away, but not before I saw the shadow of shame pass over his face.
“We had seen people drop to the ground and long golden threads leave their bodies. Michael had appeared. He’d raised his sword and there was a boom that had parted the sky, revealing a place beyond that was too bright to see. The threads had streamed toward the opening, passed through, and joined the blinding light. And then the rest of the Angels had arrived. They had lined up in the sky, their golden and silver battle armor shining, and their weapons drawn.” My eyes narrowed. “Do you remember?”
“Yes, that is what I saw as well,” Eae agreed.
“Did any of that happen before people changed into those things out there?” I worked to keep my voice level, but my heart was racing.
Eae’s brows rose. “The rapture didn’t take place. If it had, these innocents would have been the first claimed by our Father.”
I leaned in. “The Angels aren’t going to collect the good souls.” Eae’s eyes widened and I continued, “They’re letting the Devil and his army march over the earth, killing and torturing everyone along the way.” I looked at the girls. “There’s no salvation coming for them.”
“I don’t believe that. You must be mistaken,” Eae said firmly.
“She’s right. I was there when Michael and Raguel said
it. The Angels have achieved what they always wanted—the annihilation of mankind. They don’t care about the souls of the righteous,” Insepth said.
Eae shook his head. “No. Our Father would not allow the souls to be taken by Samael. He wouldn’t.”
I sat back. “I don’t think so, either.”
Insepth cast me a sideways glance. “How is this a good thing? What is going through that busy head of yours, Ember?”
The scratching noises had stopped some time ago and when we weren’t talking, the silence was achingly thick. The air was stale and if my imagination wasn’t playing tricks on me, the lantern had just dimmed.
“What time do you think it is?” I turned to Insepth.
He snorted and lifted his eyes, thinking. After a pause, he said, “I’d estimate it’s early morning by now. The sun is probably rising.”
Eae looked at me with sharp eyes and I swallowed, trying to slow my heartrate.
“None of this is supposed to be happening.” I squeezed Cricket’s shoulder and she twisted away, rubbing her eyes. I bolted to my feet and looked down at Eae. “This isn’t God destroying the world—the Devil is doing it.”
“What are you saying, child. Speak clearly,” Eae ordered.
I knelt in front of him. “The Bible says that the horn will be blown calling the Horsemen to spread destruction across the earth, right?”
“Yes, but the exact details are not recorded in the Book. There has always been room for interpretation of the words.”
“The Horsemen work for God, right?” I asked.
Eae nodded.
“They said they couldn’t find Him, so they left. They didn’t want to destroy His creation if it wasn’t what He really wanted.” I lowered my voice. “Somehow, Ila knew they were the key to our salvation. That’s why she told me to change Cricket into a Horsewoman—so she could convince them not to go through with it.”
Eae was losing patience. His voice was rough when he asked, “What of it? It doesn’t matter whether the Horsemen or Samael bring the final Apocalypse. The world still ends, either way.”
Eternity (Wings of War Book 4) Page 17
