Seventh Heaven (Heaven Sent Book 7)

by Mary Abshire

  “Stop,” Andrew said.

  The demon froze again. “Why are you here for me?”

  “Because you’re evil. You don’t belong here.”

  The demon smirked and took another step to his right. “I’m prepared to die. Are you?”

  Andrew moved closer. “I’m glad you’re ready.”

  When the man darted for the table, Andrew rushed at him. The demon grabbed the nearest vest and something clicked right before Andrew stabbed the man in his chest. Andrew shoved the man against the table and held his back to it. The demon groaned while he held onto the vest. Andrew yanked the switchblade out and then thrust it into the man’s heart. The demon didn’t fight back, but his hand continued to move. Andrew glanced down and saw a red light on the device attached to the vest.

  “You die too,” the demon said.

  Andrew’s phone vibrated in his pocket while realization flashed in his mind. He looked down at the demon’s hand. The man held a small object with a button on top. He pressed his thumb on the button.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Emily stared at the picture of vests on her phone. Her heart raced. Bombs. The demon had been making bombs. She’d sent Andrew a message to get out, but the demon had stepped out of his house. She feared Andrew hadn’t received her message in time.

  A huge ball of light brighter than the sun flashed. She ducked to the side and near the dashboard. With a thunderous boom, her windows shattered and the Jeep shook gently. Shards of glass fell over and around her. The car alarm and others started blaring. Panic gripped her and she squeezed her eyes shut.

  After several seconds, she slowly straightened and grabbed the key from the ignition. She pressed the button to shut off the alarm. When she lifted her gaze to the demon’s property, she couldn’t believe her eyes.

  Black smoke rose high into the air. Fire consumed the small scraps of his house, the two on each side and other houses nearby. The demon’s garage didn’t exist except for a part of the roof. The framework of the sedan burned fiercely. The trees once behind the garage had been obliterated. Flames devoured the remaining wooded area. The neighborhood further back had been spared save for the burning fragments in their yards. Debris continued to fall from the sky. Staring at the destroyed garage, she started to shake.

  She pushed open her door and left the Jeep. Glass crunched under her shoes. All the windows to houses and cars in the area had been shattered by the blast. People started to come out of their homes.

  Trembling, she crossed the street. Bits of insulation floated in the air. Pieces of wood were scattered in yards, on cars, and in the street. The fire grew and stretched toward the sky. Three houses were gone. Just … gone.

  And so was Andrew.

  Standing on the sidewalk, her knees felt weak and ready to buckle. Andrew had been in the garage. Even if he had received her message and had gotten away, he would’ve been too close to the explosion to survive.

  She wrapped her arms around her torso as she scanned the demon’s property and surrounding area. Unidentifiable objects burned in the charred Earth. Any of the hundreds or thousands of remains could be body parts.

  She stood in shock. She didn’t know what to do. Other people gathered to watch. A few were on their phones, some talking and others taking photographs. The wail of a fire engine snapped her out of her trance.

  She backed up and then headed to her car. She had to get out of there before the police showed up and started asking questions. Having left the door open, she climbed inside. She started the engine and pulled out of the spot. The Jeep jiggled slightly as it crawled over the wreckage on the road. Tears started to build in her eyes as she passed the decimated area. She couldn’t look.

  The sirens grew louder. Her heart began to pump fiercer. Once she cleared the debris field, she accelerated toward the street with the wind blowing her hair away from her face since the windows were gone.

  She made it out of the neighborhood. In her rearview mirror, she saw flashing lights. She pressed her foot on the pedal to put more distance between her and the blast. And her dead husband.

  Nausea rose hot and fast within her. Seeing a gas station ahead on the corner, she switched lanes to get to it. When she reached the entrance, she turned and parked in a spot on the side of the building. One other car sat idle nearby.

  She gripped the steering wheel tight while she fought the urge to vomit. He was gone. Dead. And she was alone.

  She was having a nightmare. What she saw couldn’t be real. She didn’t want to believe it. Staring out her nonexistent windows, she knew she was lying to herself.

  Her entire body shook. The weight of his loss sucked the life and breath from her. Words repeated in her head. Gone. Dead. Windowed. Alone.

  Feeling the surge of bile, she shoved her door open and puked. Mostly fluid came out since she hadn’t eaten much. Her stomach heaved again and again. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Pain squeezed her heart. She’d lost her one and only love. And she had no guarantee she’d ever see him again.

  When nothing more came out of her, she spit and then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. The muscles in her abdomen tightened as if her belly hadn’t finished. She needed to get away to cry and to grieve, but she was in no condition to drive much. If she could make it back to the hotel, she’d call Matt.

  The baby kicked after her stomach muscles spasmed. The baby. What if Andrew never got to hold or see his child? She wanted to roll up into a ball, hide in a dark corner, and cry. Her baby might never get to meet Andrew.

  Sorrow began to consume her. If she didn’t get to the hotel soon, she feared she wouldn’t make it at all. Moisture rolled away from her eyes as she backed out of the parking spot. Biting her lip to slow down the incoming tsunami of grief, she drove away.

  The shudders in her stomach slowed. Each time she felt one, the baby moved, kicked, or punched. The strong wind coming in through the windows dried the tears from her eyes and face. She steered onto the interstate but drove the speed limit to avoid cops. The sun warmed her face, but her body still felt ice cold.

  By the time she reached the hotel, the retching and baby taps were few and far between. Hoping to avoid questions about the Jeep, she parked it on the side of the building where it would be out of sight. As quickly as she could, she gathered her phone and purse and left the vehicle.

  She made it back to the room and leaned her back against the door. Her mind suddenly seemed blank and she couldn’t remember how she’d gotten to the room. She tried to recall driving to the hotel and even those memories were spotty. What the hell was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she remember?

  Purse in hand, she headed to the bed. The maid had come and straightened the covers. All traces of her and Andrew’s lovemaking were gone. And so was he.

  She sat and put her purse beside her. How could this have happened? How could he go? The people upstairs had given him a year from the sixth demon destroyed. How could they let this happen? Why would they take him back early? Would they return him to finish out his sentence?

  Hope sparked as if it was a matchstick struck, but the emotion died as fast as the light being extinguished. If he’d gone back to heaven, she suspected those in charge wouldn’t return him. Why would they when he had eight months left and he’d delayed destroying this demon? Why would they waste time to send him back when they probably knew he wouldn’t destroy any more because of the upcoming birth of his baby?

  She closed her eyes and recalled seeing the flash from the explosion. The intense light had blinded her briefly. She’d been smart to duck as quickly as she had.

  Regret began to build within her. She should’ve listened to her gut. After what she’d seen yesterday, she’d been on edge, suspecting something horrible would happen. Well, it had and the demon had taken her one and only love away from her.

  A new wave of heartache began. Before it consumed her, she dug her phone from her purse. She tapped the screen and then dialed Matt’s number. Her hand shook as she he
ld the phone to her ear.

  “Hey Emily, how are things going?” Matt said in a cheerful voice. “I didn’t think I’d hear from you again so soon.”

  Her bottom lip quivered. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Her eyes filled with tears.

  “Are you there?” he asked.

  She sniffled.

  “Emily? Are you okay?” His tone held a hint of concern.

  She swallowed hard. The moisture rolled down her face.

  “He’s… He’s dead.” She couldn’t believe she’d said the words. They didn’t sound right. They couldn’t be right. But they were. “Oh, God, Matt. He’s dead. He’s … gone.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  A fog lifted from Andrew’s mind as if he were waking from a dream. The massive train station looked familiar. The lavish building had a high ceiling and arched gateways. The bright lighting almost hurt his eyes. The chatter of voices dominated all other sounds. He gazed around and saw men and women dressed in uniforms talking to people. Those with the same attire held tablets in their hands. His eyes widened with alarm. As he watched people stride toward the back of the station, he realized where he was.

  One of the male employees approached him. “Can I get your name please?”

  “Andrew Webster. I shouldn’t be here. This is a mistake. I have to go back.”

  He ambled and ran a hand through his hair as the young man typed on his device. He tried to recall the last moments on Earth. His thoughts were still cloudy. He’d stabbed the demon. Yes. He’d shoved the blade into the man’s heart. Then what? He pressed his eyes shut while he tried to remember. Everything had vanished.

  “I’m not able to find you in the system. This is strange,” the young man said, and Andrew opened his eyelids.

  “I’m not supposed to be here yet. I was returned to complete a sentence. But I haven’t. I have to go back.”

  The employee lifted his arm and pointed. “Do you see that office over there?”

  Andrew turned his gaze in the direction the worker indicated. A large glass window showed two women behind a tall counter. One of the gals held a phone receiver to her ear. Several feet away, he found a door with a sign.

  “Go inside and tell them you’re not showing up in the system. They will figure out the problem,” the young man said.

  Andrew didn’t bother thanking him and started walking toward office. He had to get back to Earth pronto. Emily would go into hysterics if she hadn’t already.

  He reached the door with the sign showing Office. Without delay, he stepped into the quiet room. A young woman with her long brown hair tied behind her head smiled at Andrew. With her button-down white blouse and somewhat round collar fastened together, she looked as if she’d died in the 1950s.

  “Can I help you?” she asked.

  He stepped up to the counter. “My name is Andrew Webster. I spoke to one of the workers and he couldn’t locate my name in the system. I think I know why. I shouldn’t be here. I’m supposed to be on Earth fulfilling a sentence. So I need to go back right away.”

  She took a piece of paper from underneath the counter. Taking a pen from the countertop, she wrote his name. “Wait here, Mr. Webster. I’ll find out what the problem is.” She walked away and then disappeared behind a door near the end of the counter.

  Andrew spun and headed toward the window. As he watched people come in and head to the trains, all he could think about was Emily. She’d sensed something had been off. He should’ve listened to her. What if she’d been hurt? He should’ve forced her to stay in the hotel. He should’ve kept her in Utah for the birth of their child.

  Alarm coursed through him. The baby. What if something had happened to the baby? He had to get back today. He had to find out if his wife and child were safe and unharmed. If she’d seen the explosion, she would dive deep into a world of hurt. From there, she could lose the baby.

  “Mr. Webster?” the young gal called out.

  Andrew strode to meet her at the counter.

  “Would you mind having a seat in our waiting area?” She pointed to the other end of the room. Beyond the counter, a row of chairs backed up to the wall. “I’m having someone call the main switchboard to get instructions.”

  “Look, I’ve been here in heaven before. I wouldn’t lie to you. I was sentenced to Earth to destroy demons. I was in the process of destroying one and ended up back here. I need someone to return me so I can finish my sentence.”

  He didn’t bother mentioning his marriage or the upcoming birth of his child. He wagered none of it would matter since workers in heaven followed strict rules.

  “Yes, I saw the terms of your sentence. I have someone trying to get directives,” she said. “If you have a seat, I’m sure we’ll get this cleared up soon.”

  Andrew released a breath of frustration. He understood she had to do her job and investigate the matter. But with each passing minute, he feared for the lives of his wife and child.

  With no other options, he strode to the back of the room and sat. He bobbed one knee and crossed his arms. His stomach churned as he thought about Emily again. She’d go into shock. She would be alone. She hadn’t been prepared to say goodbye yet.

  He lifted his hand to rub the back of his neck and noticed the gauze still on his forearm. He lowered his arm and tore the bandage away. The tattoo had vanished. Brows tense, he wondered why the ink had disappeared. Then he recalled he’d been touching the demon when the explosion occurred. Although he hadn’t seen the demon leave the human when they both died, he hoped he’d destroyed it. And if he hadn’t, then the Council would have to send him back. He tossed the beige dressing in the nearby trashcan.

  After several minutes of sitting, he grew restless and started pacing in the room. The council would have to send him back since he hadn’t completed the terms of his sentence. If he arrived naked and without any phone or money on Earth again, which he believed he would, he’d have to find a way to reach her. He hoped she would contact Matt and go back to Utah. His smart wife would know better than to stick around in San Antonio.

  Andrew shook his head in disgust while he walked back and forth. He should’ve figured out what the demon had been doing when he saw the pipes connected to the devices. He recalled his cell had vibrated in his pocket before darkness engulfed him. Emily probably had figured out the demon’s handiwork and had sent him a warning message. She had to be sick to her stomach from seeing the blast. He’d been beyond stupid not to listen to her. He’d hate himself if she’d been hurt. He’d never forgive himself if she lost the baby.

  The office door opened and the sounds from the outside trickled in with the female guard. Her white uniform gave her position away. Though shorter than Emily, she had a curvy figure and her dark hair pinned in a tight bun behind her head. She had a stun stick and another boxy device clipped to her belt. The guard strode toward him.

  “Mr. Webster?” she asked.

  He stepped closer to her. “Andrew, yes.”

  “I need you to come with me.”

  “Will you be sending me back?”

  “No, the council has to make that decision.”

  He swallowed hard as dread surfaced within him.

  “I have to go back right away. Will you be taking me to see them now?”

  “Their schedule is full for the day. You’ll get to go in front of them tomorrow. For now, you will have to stay in holding.”

  His cheeks warmed as ire replaced all other emotions. He took a step back. “No, I have to see them today.”

  “I’m sorry, but that isn’t possible.”

  “Then make it possible,” he said in a strong voice.

  She closed her lips and lifted her chin. “Sir, you need to come with me.” She inched her hand toward her stun stick.

  “Call them right now. Put me on the calendar. I don’t care what you have to do, but I must speak with them today.”

  The firmness of his tone gathered the attention of the two office ladies. The guar
d unclipped her stun stick.

  Andrew took another step back and lifted his palms up. “I don’t want to cause trouble, but it’s urgent I get back.”

  “I have my orders, Mr. Webster. Now please, come with me,” the guard said.

  Andrew considered pushing her aside and dodging for the exit. The problem was she’d have time to stun him since he’d have to pass her. Maybe if he caused a scene, the council would see him sooner.

  She lifted the stick and moved closer.

  “No offense, but your orders suck. I have to speak with them today,” he said.

  “I told you, that isn’t possible.”

  He didn’t believe her. And he couldn’t waste any more time. He darted to the right to get around her. When she moved to block him, he gave her the stiff arm. She raised the stun stick and jabbed his rib cage as she stumbled back. He heard a snap and felt searing pain. The jolt of the electrical current sent him crashing to the floor and he blacked out.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Emily sat on the bed with her back to the headboard and her knees drawn up in front of her. The dim room, along with her swollen watery eyes encouraged her to sleep, but her mind wouldn’t let her. She hadn’t changed from her clothes. Balls of tissue filled the trashcan near the bed. The tissue box lay beside her. She stared at the television, watching the evening news about the explosion. Police reported the remains of one body had been found along with other suspicious items used to make pipe bombs.

  They’d said one body. She wanted to believe Andrew had made it away to safety. If he hadn’t, she thought heaven would return him to complete his sentence. Either option instilled her with hope he’d show up at her door. If she left, he might not find his way back to her.

  She sniffled, but her clogged nose allowed no air entrance. Her head, eyes, and nose ached along with her heart. But the latter hurt in a different kind of way.

  Her stomach gurgled. It had been growling for the longest time earlier. She hadn’t eaten anything besides the yogurt in the morning. The thought of food made her nauseated, but she knew she had to eat at some point.