Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Chapter Fifty-Five
Chapter Fifty-Six
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Sixty
Chapter Sixty-One
Chapter Sixty-Two
Chapter Sixty-Three
Chapter Sixty-Four
Chapter Sixty-Five
Chapter Sixty-Six
Chapter Sixty-Seven
Chapter Sixty-Eight
Chapter Sixty-Nine
Chapter Seventy
Chapter Seventy-One
Chapter Seventy-Two
Chapter Seventy-Three
Epilogue
Demon Kissed
Cursed Angel Watchtowers
Michelle Madow
Dreamscape Publishing
Prologue
I hover among the clouds, gazing down upon the city that I’m being sent to on assignment.
Callejon del Beso—the Alley of Kiss. I watch as the first rays of sunlight appear over the city, remembering how this area used to be before the collision—vibrant and bursting with energy. Most of that’s gone now. Now only a small portion of the previously sprawling metropolis lights up with life. The rest of it—along with the rest of the continent that used to be called Mexico—is dark and full of despair.
Most of the planet is now dark and full of despair.
In my hundreds of years of existence, I’ve seen plenty of darkness and war. But nothing so devastating as what happened half a century ago, when a witch cast a spell that opened the gates to all thirteen Hell dimensions. These dimensions were full of demons, and the spell released their spirits upon the Earth.
I don’t understand why the witch did it. I don’t think I’ll ever know. Witches are an unpredictable, ungodly race… which is why I wasn’t surprised when I found out that angels are being called upon to go down to Earth to fix their mess.
What did surprise me was that I was one of the angels chosen. The task ahead requires an angel with more strength and experience than I’ve acquired during my few hundred years of existence. Why choose me when so many others are better suited for the job?
Because the opening of dimensions wasn’t the worst consequence of the witch’s spell. The spell also created rifts in the Earth, dividing it into thirteen continents and causing endless death and destruction.
I hate war. I remember how much my heart hurt when cities such as Warsaw and Aleppo were bombed to ruins in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
That’s what most of the world looks like today.
After five years of chaos, the Demon King Ezekiel took control of Callejon del Beso by unleashing a curse upon the continent. The curse is that of greed. Everyone who lives in the continent is affected by the curse, and they’re slaves to the demon.
Since assuming control, Ezekiel has built up the continent. A small portion of the city resembles the world before the collision—it’s booming and lively. At the center is the Watchtower—the gleaming, luxurious skyscraper where Ezekiel lives and reigns.
But the humans who live in such luxury are few and far between. Most are slaves in the work camps outside the city, bound to a lifetime of hard labor to ensure that the demon and his followers are left wanting nothing.
It’s my job as a messenger angel of God to go down to Earth and kill the demon Ezekiel, freeing the continent and the humans who live there from his curse forever.
I’m going down to Earth immediately after sunrise. I should feel ready. After all, out of all the angels in Heaven, I was the one chosen for this task. There must be a reason for that.
But I feel as far from ready as ever.
Chapter One
To break the curse, I’ll possess a human that God assigned to me. The human’s name is Adriana Medina—an eighteen-year-old socialite and the daughter of one of the most prominent men on the continent. Her father lords over a labor camp in the countryside, but Adriana recently moved in with her sister Teresa and Teresa’s husband Marco in the city so she can find herself a suitable husband.
For the past few days, I’ve been learning everything possible about Adriana’s life so when I’m in her body, no one will suspect that anything has changed.
I should feel prepared. But I don’t. Because once I enter Adriana’s body, I’ll also be a slave to the curse of greed that Ezekiel placed upon the continent.
I’ll fight the curse with every fiber of my being… but will that be enough?
A breeze stirs next to me, and Uriel appears by my side in a glowing orb of light. The seraph angel is much larger than I am—double my size, at least. Flames dance around his wings, and he glows with the brightness of Heaven itself.
“Rebekah.” He says my name with disdain, his nose turned down at me. “I trust you’re prepared for the task ahead?”
“As prepared as I possibly can be,” I say, although my voice wavers slightly.
Uriel’s lips straighten into a firm line. “I do not know why God has chosen you when there are more experienced messenger angels in Heaven who would excel at the task ahead,” he says. “But he has chosen you, and it’s not my place to question the will of God—only to deliver it.”
“So why are you here?” I ask. “Surely you have better places to be?”
“I’m here to give you the final piece of information you need to ensure your mission is a success.”
“The final piece?” I perk up at his words. “What more am I allowed to know?”
“You didn’t think you were going to be sent into the city without instructions about how to kill Ezekiel, did you?” he asks.
“I don’t know.” I shrug, since yes, that was exactly what I’d thought. “I assumed that part of my task was to figure out how to kill him on my own.”
“If you want to f
igure out how to kill him on your own, be my guest…” Uriel holds his hands up and backs away, his wings rising behind him.
“No!” I call out, stopping him. “Of course I want to know how to kill him.”
“That’s what I thought.” Uriel smirks and floats back to me, although his wings remain raised. I suspect to remind me of his glory—as if I need reminding. “To kill Ezekiel, you must impale him through the heart with my Flaming Sword.”
I suck in a sharp breath. “But your Flaming Sword…”
“Was stolen by Ezekiel when I journeyed to Earth to battle the demons in the chaos times following the collision of dimensions,” Uriel finishes. “No need to remind me—I know. I’m pretty sure all of Heaven knows. Which is extremely embarrassing—especially since Ezekiel evoked the power of the sword to cast the curse of greed upon the continent and enslave the humans who live there.”
“So I need to steal the Flaming Sword back from Ezekiel himself?” I huff. “Fantastic.”
“Yes,” he says simply. “Which means you must first locate the sword.”
“I thought you could always sense where the sword was, since you forged it yourself?” I ask. “Isn’t the essence of the sword tied to your soul?”
“It is.” His face hardens, and the flames on his wings grow taller, licking the clouds above us. “Except that after cursing the continent, Ezekiel hid the sword and had a witch cast a boundary spell around it. Until the boundary spell is removed, I can’t sense the sword.”
I press my lips together, soaking in the meaning behind his words. “So even if I’m able to find the sword, how am I supposed to remove the boundary spell?” I ask. “You know as well as I do that angels can’t reverse spells. Especially because I’ll be possessing a human. I’ll be powerless.”
“This is the part you’re not going to like…” Uriel starts.
“What is it?” I hold my gaze with his, waiting for the next piece of bad news.
“A witch will need to remove the boundary spell.”
I back up, repulsed. “You want me to work with a witch?” I ask, needing to make sure I understand this correctly.
“Yes.” Amusement dances across his face. “Precisely.”
“But there are barely any witches left on the continent!” I sputter. “Ezekiel killed them after taking control.”
“The key word is barely,” Uriel says. “As you know, Ezekiel didn’t kill all the witches on the continent. Some went into hiding, and they now practice in secret.”
“So how on Earth am I supposed to find one?” I ask. “And even if I do find a witch, how am I supposed to work with one? In case you’ve forgotten, a witch started this entire mess in the first place! Why would any of them want to help me? And even if by some miracle I find one who will, witches are erratic and volatile. I absolutely cannot work with one. There must be another way to reverse the boundary spell. A way that doesn’t involve teaming up with a witch.”
“Are you questioning the orders of God?” Uriel puffs out his chest, towering over me.
“No.” I glance down, shrinking under his gaze. “Of course not. It’s just…” I pause, taking a second to organize my thoughts. “God really wants me to work with a witch?”
“Do you think I’m making this up for my own amusement?”
I say nothing, since yes, the thought had crossed my mind.
“Look.” Uriel takes a deep breath, and for the first time since gracing me with his presence, the snark is gone from his tone. “I wouldn’t make something up for my own entertainment when the fate of an entire continent is at stake.” He pauses, allowing his words to sink in. “But if it helps, God wouldn’t have chosen you for this task if it was impossible for you to complete. God is all knowing and all seeing. If you make the correct choices, you can succeed on this mission and free the humans who live on this continent from being bound to Ezekiel and the curse he thrust upon them.”
“Thank you.” I glance down at the city below, getting ahold of myself as I watch the first rays of sunlight inch above the horizon. “You’re right—I shouldn’t have doubted God’s decision to appoint me to this task. I’ll do better once I’m down there. I promise.”
If I’m able to resist the curse, I think, although I don’t say it out loud.
“Good.” Uriel relaxes, the flames on his wings simmering down. “Now, the sun is starting to rise. Do you have any final questions before you descend to Earth?”
More than I have time to ask before the sun completes its ascent. Instead, I simply ask, “What if I get stuck on something while I’m down there? Will I be able to call on you for advice?”
“No,” he says sharply. “The curse is strong, and I cannot put myself in the position to be affected by it.”
“But I can?” I nearly roll my eyes, but stop myself.
“You will be possessing a human,” he reminds me. “God instructed you to do this for a reason—because if you lose yourself to the curse, there’s not much harm you can cause in human form. And I have it on good authority that you’ll be locked in that form until you complete your task. But if an angel—specifically a seraph angel like myself—were to be affected by the curse, the results could be disastrous. It’s a risk I cannot take. So once you’re down there, you’re on your own. But the sun has nearly risen, so God bless and good luck.”
He raises his wings, the flames consuming him, and he’s gone.
Chapter Two
I teleport down to Earth, appearing in the bedroom of Adriana Medina. But I remain invisible, because while I’m not in a corporeal form, I can’t affect or be affected by the world around me. Which means that until entering Adriana’s body, I won’t be affected by the curse.
Adriana is fast asleep, and I look around, studying the place I’ll live until I complete my mission. A sparkly dress lies haphazardly across a chair—she must have thrown it there after getting home last night. There’s a trash can next to her bed. The television is on but muted, playing the only channel available—the Watchtower broadcast that plays infomercials around the clock, along with the occasional bits of breaking news from the city.
Adriana groans in her sleep and adjusts herself in her bed. Her makeup is smudged and running down her cheeks, one arm draped over the edge of the mattress. Her dark hair forms a halo on her pillow. She looks so calm and peaceful.
But I feel awful for her. Because her free will is about to be yanked away, and I’m the one who’s going to do it.
In the few times I’ve been sent down to Earth to convey a message, it’s been in my natural form—although I, of course, hid my wings and angelic glow. I’ve never possessed a human. It’s not something angels are typically ordered to do, since God values the free will of all creatures on the Earth. Demons are the ones who possess humans, and they take advantage of them in horrible ways. I’ve heard terrible stories from angels who have been sent down to assist with exorcising them from their hosts.
The thought of possessing a human feels wrong on many levels. Mainly because I dislike the idea of taking away Adriana’s free will, but also because while I’m in her body, I won’t be able to use my angelic powers.
But it’s not my place to question God’s plan. He wouldn’t send me on this mission if it were impossible for me to succeed. I must trust in Him.
So I float above Adriana, sink my body into hers, and allow my soul to fill the shape of its new human form.
Chapter Three
I awake to a wrenching pain in the pit of my stomach.
It feels like there’s poison swirling in my gut, and I swallow down the urge to be sick. My mouth tastes dry and vile, and I groan and curl up into myself, although the movement only makes me feel worse.
What’s happening? Did something go wrong when I possessed Adriana’s body? Because surely humans don’t feel like this all the time. They wouldn’t be able to function if they did.
My eyes feel glued together with crust, but I manage to pry them open. The sunlight streaming through the
window pounds into my head. I clutch my stomach again, trying to swallow down the nausea creeping up my throat, but it’s forcing itself up, and this time, there’s no keeping it down.
I lean over the bed and retch into the trash can, emptying my stomach until the pit of poison is gone. The experience is disgusting, but at least I feel slightly better.
Despite how miserable I feel, I should get out of bed since I have a mission to accomplish—but I feel too awful to move. Instead, I lay there, clutching my stomach and wishing I could magically make a glass of water appear on the nightstand next to me.
I’m just about to fall back asleep—maybe once I wake up again, I won’t feel so miserable—when someone knocks on the door.
“Adriana?” a female voice asks softly. “Are you awake?”
She doesn’t give me time to answer, instead opening the door and peeking inside. I know who she is immediately—Adriana’s older sister Teresa. Like Adriana, she has dark hair, brown eyes, and tan skin, although she’s slightly taller. Her eyes are kind and concerned, making her look older than her twenty-three years.
She glances down at the trash can, her nose scrunching in disgust. “Rough night last night?” She doesn’t wait for me to answer, instead striding inside and placing a glass of ice water on the nightstand.
I reach for it, chugging the water in a few gulps. In that moment, it’s the most divine substance I’ve ever tasted.
“Thanks,” I say once I’m finished, placing the glass back on the nightstand. “How did you know I needed that?”
“I heard you throwing up from my room,” she says. “And I thought you should know that Sofia called—she’ll be here in an hour to pick you up for brunch.”
The mention of food makes my stomach churn. “I don’t think I can go,” I say, wrapping my arms around myself again. “I think I’m sick.”
“Seriously?” Teresa laughs, which surprises me, since she was being so kind until now. “You’ve championed through hangovers since moving here. Unless all that partying is starting to catch up with you?”
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