Chapter Sixty-Seven
I lead them into Zeke’s room, thinking about the times I spent with him here. It’s impossible to push aside that feeling of wrong that I have being here without him. But looking at his bed, I remember the moment he murdered Maria, and I’m reminded about why I’m doing this in the first place.
I’m going to save him. I may not have a cure for the darkness, but we will remove the curse, and that’s a step in the right direction.
I press my hand against the wall, pushing open the hidden door that Zeke showed me before. “This way,” I tell them, walking inside toward the secret elevator. I press the down button and the doors open instantly. The three of us step inside, and I press in the number on the keypad—0129. I didn’t realize what it meant before, but now that Zeke’s told me about his past, I understand what the numbers represent.
129 AD. The year he met Julia and was cast from Heaven.
I never questioned why angels weren’t supposed to involve themselves romantically with humans. I always assumed it was because as angels, we’re incapable of any type of love that isn’t love for God. But now—after having fallen in love myself—I know that isn’t true.
So why aren’t angels supposed to fall in love? I don’t know. But I do know one thing—it isn’t fair.
And I’ll do everything to fight for my love for Zeke.
The elevator descends, my ears popping as we get lower and lower, until I suspect we’re below the ground itself. Finally, the doors open into the elaborate chamber that I remember from the first time Zeke took me here.
I look down at the Turkish rug in front of the elevator and smile, remembering how Zeke took my hands in his while we were standing on that rug and asked me to be his wife.
Teresa walks forward, her mouth open in awe as she approaches the Flaming Sword. “It’s here,” she says breathlessly. “It’s really here.”
“Of course it is,” I say. “I wouldn’t lie to you.”
“I need your help.” She looks at me, her expression switching from amazement to determination. “I need to break the boundary spell.”
“How am I supposed to help?” I step back. “I don’t know a thing about breaking spells.”
“You don’t need to know anything,” she says. “But remember when you helped me with the locator spell?” I nod, and she continues. “It’ll be like that. But this time, when you take my hands, I want you to close your eyes and think of what the sword looks like when it’s alight with flame. All right?”
“I can do that.” I walk slowly toward her, since even though I’ve been warming up to witches, I’m still not thrilled with the idea of helping with spells.
“Marco will remain on guard near the elevator,” Teresa says, glancing over at where he stands on the rug. “Just in case. Now—are you ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.” I take her hands in mine and close my eyes.
She begins.
Chapter Sixty-Eight
Teresa chants for what feels like over ten minutes. Her voice is loud, her hands warm and sweaty in mine. Her grip gets tighter and tighter as she continues. I do my best to picture the sword alight with flames, but so much time is passing that I can’t help but worry. Did Teresa overestimate her powers? Is she unable to break the boundary spell alone?
I want to suggest that she get Marco to help, but I don’t want to interrupt while she’s in the middle of the spell.
Finally, she stops chanting. She mutters another spell—I recognize it as the one she did earlier for luck—and her grip loosens around mine.
“You can open your eyes now.” She speaks quickly, clearly excited. “We did it.”
I open my eyes and take in the sight of the sword. It’s clearer than ever without the orb of the boundary spell around it, the gold shimmering even in the low light. “No.” I smile, giving her hands a small squeeze. “You did it.”
“Don’t be so modest,” she says. “We wouldn’t have gotten this far without your help. And the next move is yours as well. Are you ready to take the sword?”
I nod and turn to face the Flaming Sword. Once again, I’m awed by how elegantly simple it is. There are no complicated engravings upon it—the sword was clearly designed in a utilitarian manner perfect for battle. And it’s so close—all I have to do is reach forward and wrap my hand around the handle, and it’ll be mine.
I rub my hands on my dress, unsure if the sticky sweat is mine or from Teresa when she was doing her spell. I can barely breathe as I stare up at the sword—it’s impossible to control my shaking nerves. Because all angels know that only angels—including fallen angels—can light the sword aflame. Mortals can touch it, but they can’t ignite the magic within it. Even witches can’t ignite the magic, since they too are mortal.
Which is why it’s up to me to take the sword—to prove that this sword is the real deal. I believe it is—Zeke wouldn’t have gone to so much trouble to protect it otherwise—but as Teresa said when she first explained our plan, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Then, once I prove that it’s real, Teresa and Marco will cast an invisibility spell around the sword and walk it out of the Watchtower. They’ll bring it back to her house and begin the ritual to break the curse.
“Rebekah.” Marco clears his throat, and I glance at him over my shoulder. “Are you going to take the sword? Gloria is still up there pretending to be you—the sooner we can get this over with, the better.”
“Yes.” I face the sword, straighten my shoulders, and grab it.
The handle slips easily into my grip—as if I were born to hold it. I wrap my other hand around it as well, holding it steadily in front of me, and stare at it in awe. This is the same sword that Uriel forged from the fire in his soul—the sword he used in every battle he fought. I never thought that I—a simple messenger angel—would hold such a holy object. But here I am, doing just that.
Still, there’s one more thing left for me to do. And so, I hold the sword up higher, and think of it igniting with flames.
The metal heats under my hands, and the sword glows—a golden glow that reminds me of Heaven itself. Fire bursts forth from the tip, so strong it nearly licks the ceiling. Power surges through my body and I stumble backward, but I steady myself, planting my feet firmly upon the ground.
The flames calm, gently surrounding the sword, caressing it with their light and warmth. My body hums with the power, and I feel invincible.
Then the elevator doors open, revealing Zeke. His eyes connect with mine, widening in shock.
My heart plummets, all that invincibility gone in a second.
“Adriana?” His voice is strained when he says my name, and he clenches his fists, his eyes going black as he rushes toward me.
Chapter Sixty-Nine
He stops running in the center of the rug—it looks like he crashes into a wall, except there’s no wall to be seen.
I lower the sword, the flames vanishing. I have no idea how to explain this, but I can’t let him see me as a threat.
“Adriana!” He pounds his fists forward, and they stop at the barrier. He tries to go around it, and even back, screaming in frustration when he can’t get through. It’s like he’s stuck in a circle of space in the middle of a rug. “A demon trap?” he says, giving an unsuccessful push at the barrier in front of him. “Really?”
“There’s no use in trying to escape.” Teresa steps forward, leaving little space between her and Zeke. “You can’t walk or teleport out of there while the trap remains intact.”
I look at Teresa, stunned. “How did a demon trap get there?” I ask her.
“I drew it under the rug while Teresa kept you busy during the spell to undo the boundary,” Marco says, holding up a piece of chalk. “She didn’t actually need you to do that spell. But it was nice of you to cooperate anyway.”
“You were in on this?” Zeke growls, banging his fists against the invisible wall. He’s looking at me with murder in his eyes, and I take a step back, swallowing down my fear.
>
“It’s not what you think,” I say quickly. “I can explain—I promise I can. But I love you, I truly do. You have to believe me. Everything that you’re seeing right now… it’s all because I love you.”
“You ignited the Flaming Sword.” He speaks slowly, his voice so low that it sends a shiver down my spine. “You’re not human. You lied to me. How long have you been lying to me?”
“Let’s skip the pleasantries and get this over with.” Teresa heaves a sigh and faces Zeke. “The girl you met—the one you think you love—isn’t Adriana. She’s never been Adriana. Weeks ago—right before you met her—an angel named Rebekah possessed Adriana’s body under God’s orders so that she can complete a mission assigned to her—a mission to free this continent from the curse you placed upon it.”
“Stop,” I command her, holding her gaze and pointing the sword toward her. “This is my story. Let me tell it.”
“Be my guest.” She motions for me to continue. “I’m sure he’ll love hearing how you lied to him and deceived him.”
“She’s telling the truth.” Zeke looks at me like I’m a stranger. “You were sent here to kill me.”
“Yes.” I lower my eyes, but raise them again. “I was. But then I got to know you. I fell in love with you. All of that was real. I didn’t mean to fall in love with you, but I did, and I meant it when I said I would marry you. I want to marry you. I still will, if you’ll still have me.”
“I don’t even know you.” He snarls, his eyes turning black. “Once I’m out of this damn demon trap, I swear on Lucifer himself that I’m going to kill you.”
“Not if she kills you first.” Teresa glares at him, crosses her arms, and looks at me in challenge. “Did you hear that?” she asks. “He’s going to kill you. But he can’t from inside the demon trap. And you have the Flaming Sword. Ignite it again, sink it into his heart, and not only will you save yourself, but my sister will also be free and you’ll save this entire continent. Do it. Now.”
“No.” I tighten my grip around the handle of the sword and look back at Zeke. “You won’t kill me,” I tell him. “You love me, just like I love you. I’m here right now to save you! Teresa found another way to break the curse. She just needed the Flaming Sword to do it, since the sword’s what you used to cast it. It will take her a few days to break it, and it would have worked better if you didn’t know it was happening, but it can still work. Please, forgive me for lying to you, Zeke. I hated every second of it, but I had no choice. By the time I fell in love with you, it was too late. But I love you—I do. I want to marry you. I’ll be your wife, and once the curse is broken, we’ll rule this continent and bring it into a Golden Age—together. Isn’t that what you want, too?”
“The curse can only be broken if I’m killed by the Flaming Sword,” Zeke says darkly. “There is no other way.”
“That’s not true,” I tell him, turning to Teresa for confirmation. “Tell him what you can do!”
“I can’t do that,” Teresa says, a devious smile forming on her face. “Because he’s right. Everything I told you—about the alternate way of breaking the curse—was a lie. The only way to break the curse is for you to finish what you came here to do. You have to kill Ezekiel.”
Chapter Seventy
“You lied to me.” I drop my arm to the side, the tip of the sword clanging to the ground. “All of this was a trick.”
“I had no choice,” she says, her voice cold. “The only way to get my sister back is for you to complete your mission. To complete your mission, you need to kill Ezekiel with the Flaming Sword. But you told me yourself—you weren’t going to kill him. I tried to get you to change your mind, but you were too far gone with the curse. Your desire to be loved made you lose touch with reality. I knew after talking with you—after seeing how in love with him you think you are—that it was hopeless. You weren’t going to kill him, let alone steal the sword. So I had to figure out a way to get it myself. Now—are you going to give me the sword, or am I going to have to take it from you?”
I hold the sword up higher, igniting it into flames. I can’t let her take it from me. But right now, it’s two against one—her and Marco versus me. Two witches against a human. The only person in this room more powerful than the three of us combined is Zeke.
Somehow, I need to get him out of that demon trap. But I glance over at him, and he glares at me, his eyes covered with black. The darkness is consuming him. He doesn’t even look like he’s trying to fight it.
What will he do when he gets out of there? Will he kill Teresa and Marco? I’m sure of it. Will he kill me? I want to say no, but right now, I honestly don’t know. I lied to him—I betrayed him.
I wouldn’t blame him if he never forgave me for what I did.
I need to figure out something to do. But I don’t know what, so I do the only thing I can think to—I stall.
“I’m not going to give you the sword,” I tell her. “This is my mission. I’m going to kill Zeke myself.”
“Really?” Teresa raises an eyebrow. “Why the sudden change of heart?”
“You heard him,” I say. “Once he gets out of there, he’s going to kill me. He can’t forgive me for this. And I don’t blame him.”
“I don’t believe you.” Marco walks to join Teresa, the two of them forming a wall in front of me. “But if you’re going to do it, now’s your chance. Kill him. Now.”
“I will,” I say. “But first, I have one question. How did Zeke know I was down here at all? Was Gloria in on this, too?”
“No.” Teresa laughs bitterly. “Gloria’s just as in love with Ezekiel as you are. Why do you think she hasn’t remarried? She wouldn’t have had it in her heart to kill him. So I told her the same lie I told you. She should have known that the spell I made up—destroying the sword to destroy the curse—was impossible. But she was too blinded by love to face it.”
“At least not everyone I trusted in this city deceived me,” I say, holding tighter onto the sword. “But if Gloria didn’t tell him where I was, how did he know?”
“Do you want to tell her?” Teresa smirks at Zeke. “Or should I?”
“You filthy, ungrateful witch,” he says instead, sneering at her. “I should have left you for dead in your sector. Once I’m out of here, I’m going to kill you.”
“Then it’s a good thing you’re not getting out of there, isn’t it?” She smiles at him and turns back to me. “The answer to your question is simple—your engagement ring is more than just a pretty piece of jewelry. It has a tracking spell on it. Whoever cast the spell is a strong witch, but not strong enough to deceive me. I sensed the spell the moment I saw the ring. And remember that spell I did for ‘luck?’” She continues before I can reply. “It wasn’t actually for luck. The first time I cast it, I was blocking the tracking spell. The second time—once I made sure we had the sword and the demon trap was in place—I turned it back on. Just like I predicted, he ran here the moment he realized you weren’t actually with him. Tell me, Zeke,” she says to him, her voice a low purr. “What did you do to Gloria when you realized she wasn’t Adriana?”
He glares at her with so much hate that he doesn’t even need to speak to get his message across.
Gloria is dead. And once he’s out of the demon trap, he’s going to kill Teresa, too.
“He wasn’t supposed to find out that Gloria wasn’t me,” I say softly, realizing just how dark Teresa’s plan truly was. “But you… you knew he would find out. You knew what he would do once he did. And you let her go through with it anyway. Knowing she would die.”
“This is a war,” Teresa says, her eyes hard and cold. “There are always casualties in war. And if this all ends in getting my sister back and breaking this curse, then so be it. At least Gloria died for a worthy cause.”
I back away, staring at Teresa in horror. Didn’t Teresa say that the curse didn’t affect witches as much as humans? Because right now, she seems just as cursed as the rest of them—willing to do anything to get
what she wants.
And if it isn’t the curse, that’s even worse. Because it means this is who Teresa truly is.
I should have known to never trust a witch.
“She’s not going to kill him,” Teresa tells Marco. “She lied. Get that sword from her. One of us is going to have to do this ourselves.”
Marco runs for me, his hands outstretched to attack, and I do the first thing that comes to mind—I light the sword ablaze and swing it through his neck.
Chapter Seventy-One
His head falls to the ground next to my feet, and his body crumples beside it.
A scream pierces through the room—Teresa.
She runs to Marco, and I back away from the pieces of him, my stomach churning at the pool of blood forming where his head was once connected to his neck. Teresa lowers herself beside his head and picks it up, gazing into his sightless eyes. She closes them, places his head back down, and turns to me, her face twisted in rage.
“You’re going to die for this,” she says, and then she starts saying a familiar spell—the exorcism spell.
I scream as pain wracks through my body, so strong that it feels like my flesh is being slowly carved away. I want to fall to the ground in agony, but I don’t. Instead, I stand strong, maintaining my grip on the sword.
If she succeeds—if she exorcises me from Adriana—I’ll fail my mission. I’ll be cast from Heaven.
Once I’m gone, Teresa will surely take the sword and kill Zeke.
I can’t let that happen. I can’t let her kill him. I love him. And she betrayed me.
The pain digs deeper, and I stare into her eyes as she chants the spell—her eyes that are darkened with hate and revenge. I want to beg her to stop, but the pain is so strong that I can’t spare the energy to speak. If I do, I’ll surely collapse.
Demon Kissed (Cursed Angel Collection) Page 20
