by Vivian Wood
“I can’t leave,” Mercy said, closing her eyes. “I’m his now.”
“Okay, don’t worry about that,” Vesper said. A thousand questions came to mind, but there was no time. “Come on, I’m gonna help you up.”
She drew back the sheets, cringing at the mottled black and blue marks all over Mercy’s body.
“How’d you get here?” Mercy asked. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
Likely, Mercy didn’t even know where she was.
“I’ll tell you later. Come on. Do you have shoes?” Vesper asked.
“Don’t need ‘em,” Mercy sighed. “Besides, it doesn’t matter. He’s gonna take care of me…”
Vesper helped her sit up and swing her legs over the bed.
“Sure, honey. Can you walk? Here, let me just put my arm around you, okay?”
Vesper got Mercy upright, then looked around. There was little in the room except a second twin bed, so Vesper stripped the dark-colored top sheet off the spare bed and wrapped it around Mercy, making sure to cover her head.
“Where are we going?”
“Just for a walk,” Vesper said.
“I don’t think you’re real,” Mercy said. “I always think you’re here, but you never are.”
“Shhh, it’s okay. Come on, quickly now,” Vesper said. “Remember that game we played as kids, hide and seek?”
“Course. I always won,” Mercy slurred.
“Yeah, well we’re gonna do that, but while we take our walk. So we’re gonna be really sneaky, okay?” Vesper said.
“Kay.”
Sucking in a lungful of air, Vesper opened the door and stuck her head out into the hall. It was empty, so she hurried Mercy out and toward the stairs. Mercy was slow and clumsy, each movement jerky.
“You got this, Mercy,” Vesper said. “Come on, now.”
Vesper half-carried her all the way downstairs. Mercy was painfully thin, making Vesper’s job all too easy. To Vesper’s complete shock, she actually got her sister all the way to the back door without incident.
So close… she thought.
Pulling open the back door, she dragged Mercy outside.
“Ves…” Mercy moaned.
“Shhh, just a little further,” Vesper said.
“I can’t leave him, Ves.”
“Who, honey?”
Vesper waited until a cloak-wearing demon shambled passed them, not even looking up, and then pulled Mercy across the street.
“Lucifer,” Mercy said.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to,” Vesper said, too preoccupied to work through her sister’s words.
“He loves me.”
“Okay.”
“He really does.”
“Sure, honey,” Vesper said.
“Said I’m his favorite girl, because of you,” Mercy said in a near-singsong.
“What?” Vesper asked, stopping. “You know what, I want you to tell me all about it once we’re inside again.”
“Kay.”
They moved down the street, Mercy slowing things down so much that Vesper started to sweat under her clothes. It took almost ten minutes to make the two blocks from the brothel to the safe house, and getting Mercy up the front steps was a Herculean task in itself.
Finally Vesper flung open the door of the safe house, pushing her sister inside before slamming it behind them. Vesper flattened herself against the door, pressing her hand against her hammering heart.
Mercy slunk to the floor, and Vesper let her.
“Don’t move,” Vesper cautioned her sister, pushing herself off the wall. “I’ll be right back.”
Vesper took a minute to check out the house. It was a simple apartment, entirely empty. The windows and door were all papered over, like someone was about to paint the walls. After a moment, Vesper returned to Mercy.
“How are you feeling?” she asked, crouching down next to where Mercy sat, staring vacantly.
“Mmm. Tired. Need a fix,” Mercy mumbled. “He promised he’d bring me something really good. We should go to him.”
“Later, Mercy.”
“He talks about you, you know? I get jealous.”
“Who?”
“Lucifer,” Mercy said, losing patience. “You never listen when I talk.”
“I’m listening. He talks about me?”
“Yeah. He said he knows what we are,” Mercy said, absently rubbing a piece of her makeshift sheet cloak between her fingers.
“What you mean?” Vesper asked, reaching out to trace a bruise on Mercy’s wrist.
“Ow, don’t!” Mercy said, shooting her a glare. “He said I’m not gonna get these bites anymore, cause we’re so special. That’s why I’m his girl. He said he was gonna bring you here, too. So we could both be his girls.”
“Lucifer said that?” Vesper asked, feeling a chill run through her blood.
“Yep. He said we were gonna have the nicest life. Immortals deserve a really nice life, since it’s so long, you know?”
Vesper shook her head. “Okay, Mercy.”
“Don’t be like that. You never believe me.”
“I do. I’m just… worried, right now. We have to take a long walk, and I’m not sure how we’re going to do that.”
Mercy flapped a hand at her, but Vesper was distracted by a quiet sound from just outside. Grabbing Mercy by the shoulders, she hushed her sister as she dragged her away from the door, motioning for her to stay quiet.
Pulling out one of her short swords, Vesper crept to the door, putting her eye right up to the peep hole. Outside, several Fallen were striding down the street, coming in the direction of the brothel.
One of them called to the others, and they all split in different directions, trotting and looking around.
“Shit,” Vesper whispered.
They were definitely hunting for someone, though whether it was for Mercy or for Kirael, Vesper couldn’t know.
Kirael, where are you? she wondered. She checked her watch, chewing her bottom lip, then put her sword back in its shoulder sheath.
It was three minutes past the time he’d insisted that she run. Vesper started to panic; there was no way she leaving without him. Not only was Mercy simply too loopy to run for it, but she couldn’t even consider the alternatives.
She paced the floor, jumping at every little sound, checking the peephole again and again. Her breath caught when one of the Fallen strode through the yard, glancing at the front door. Luckily he didn’t slow, just kept moving.
“Vesper.”
Vesper nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned to find Kirael walking into the room.
She immediately ran over to him and flung her arms around him, hugging him tight. Her face heated, but the relief she felt at seeing him just couldn’t be expressed in words.
He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close for a long moment. Vesper wanted nothing more than to hold him, to close her eyes and then open them again to find herself far, far away from here.
“How did you get in?” she asked, confused. There was only one door, after all.
“Basement window. The Fallen are out in force, I had to be careful.”
“Looking for you, or for Mercy?” she asked.
“Both, probably,” Kirael said. “You broke your promise, you know.”
“What?”
“I’m late. You should have left already,” he said, releasing her and stepping back to give her a look.
“I wouldn’t do that,” she said, a little hurt. “Besides, Mercy’s not doing so hot.”
They both glanced over to Mercy, who was slumped against the wall, mouth wide open as she slept.
“Alright. The search is going to spread wider soon enough, and then we’ll make a break for it,” Kirael said, running a hand through his hair. “I won’t lie, it’s going to be pretty tough.”
He peeled back a bit of the paper at one of the windows and glanced out, his expression dubious. She could see the wheels turning.
“I need you
to promise me something,” she said.
He dropped the paper and looked at her, arching a brow.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“No heroics,” she said. “None of this, I’ll distract them while you run stuff.”
Kirael’s face went stormy. “Vesper…”
“I mean it. I want to get out of here more than anything, but I don’t want it without you.”
They were both silent, looking at each other, a thousand unsaid things between them.
“I can’t promise that,” he said, his gaze intent on hers.
“Kirael… I know we’re in a very uncertain situation, but… I don’t want to go home to a world without you in it.”
“You’d rather die down here, then?” he asked, crossing his arms.
“No, I’d rather we all stick together, no matter what. Call me crazy, but I’m still hoping we can pull this off.”
“Vesper, I just…” he started.
“No! This is not the time and place for your bullshit about unclean hands and what I deserve. Please, Kirael.” She moved closer, placing a hand on his chest. “I’m not saying marry me, I’m just saying… I want you in my life. You make me feel good, and… that doesn’t come around very often. Or ever, actually.”
Kirael cupped her jaw, leaning down to give her a quick, fierce kiss. He closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers, looking nothing short of tormented.
“This is where you say, I like you too, or something,” Vesper told him.
His eyes snapped open, twin pools of blue ice.
“I don’t like you.”
Vesper scowled, trying to pull away from him.
“Stop,” he said, catching her hands. “I just… like isn’t close to the word for how I feel about you. Maybe there isn’t a word for it, yet.”
She stopped resisting, letting herself lean into him once more.
“Oh yeah?” she asked, her face going red.
“Yes.”
“I guess that’s all right, then,” she said. Tipping up her face, she pulled him close for another kiss, sucking in a breath to inhale his heady, masculine scent.
Damn, I really might love him, she thought, smiling against his lips.
“Later,” Kirael said, pulling away. “When we’re not in mortal danger and all.”
“You still haven’t made that promise,” Vesper said, shooting him a look.
“I think it’s about time to move,” Kirael said, glancing out the window again. “A whole troop of Fallen just went toward the palace, which means we’re about to draw Lucifer’s attention.”
“Yikes.”
“Yeah.” He glanced over at Mercy. “Is she going to be okay?”
Vesper raised a shoulder. “I don’t really know. She was babbling, saying crazy stuff.”
“Alright. Put your head scarf back on. I’ll carry her, try to hide her under my cloak the best I can,” he said. “We just have to make it to the tunnels.”
“Right,” Vesper said. “Right. Okay.”
Kirael went over and picked up Mercy, the tenderness in his movements nearly brought tears to Vesper’s eyes again. She helped him pull his cloak over most of Mercy’s body as he cradled her close.
Kirael gave Vesper a tight smile, and she returned it.
“Let’s do this thing,” she said.
“Lead the way… and keep your swords close.”
Drawing both gleaming, gold swords, Vesper opened the door and strode out into the open.
23
Kirael
They only made it about halfway to the tunnels before Kirael saw an unwelcome face: Jeremet, walking down the steps of another brothel. Kirael’s invisibility shield wouldn’t work on Jeremet, or not for long anyway.
The other Fallen stopped mid-step when he saw them, his whole body going rigid with interest. He was several blocks away, but far too close for Kirael’s comfort.
“Shit. Ten o’clock,” Kirael said.
Vesper nodded; she’d already clocked Jeremet and was taking a sharp right turn to avoid heading straight for him. She broke into a trot, not bothering to hide her swords.
“Don’t let them drive us back into the center of the Atrium,” Kirael said, readjusting Mercy in his arms. “That’s what they’ll try to do.”
“Can we fly?” she asked.
“No. I can’t fight and carry both of you, the Fallen would tear us apart midair.”
“Right,” she said. At the end of the block, she went left again.
“We’re really close,” Kirael promised. “Don’t panic.”
“I’m not,” she said, preoccupied.
Another two blocks, and Kirael could actually see the dark stone tunnels ahead. Behind them, a cry rang out.
They’d been spotted, and a Fallen was calling the others to the chase.
A glowing green Aetrin demon sprung out in Vesper’s path, hissing and spitting venom. Vesper didn’t flinch or hesitate. She beheaded the thing in three seconds flat, not even slowing as she let the body drop to the ground.
Kirael’s heart swelled. No delicate flower, his Vesper.
Perhaps, if they did make it out, there was a real chance for something between them. Maybe Vesper was tough enough to handle him, sins and all.
“Kirael, they’re gaining on us,” she shouted back over her shoulder. “Can you run?”
“Yes,” he said, shifting Mercy to make movement easier. “Go!”
Vesper broke into a sprint, Kirael right on her heels. In his peripheral vision, Kirael sensed Fallen and demons coming from behind them, from the left and right, too.
“Go!” he shouted again.
Swords flying like a golden blur, Vesper ran flat-out, making it into the mouth of the tunnel.
“Don’t stop!” Kirael urged. “Turn! Keep moving!”
Their pursuers dropped back for a moment, bottlenecked by the tunnel entrance. Kirael scrambled for a destination, somewhere they could go to hide…
“Left!” he said, an idea forming. “Go left, and up when you can!”
They twisted and turned until the sound of footsteps behind them quieted, then died away.
“Okay, okay, slow down,” he said, struggling for breath.
Vesper stumbled to a stop, leaning against a wall, chest heaving. Kirael put Mercy down, then dropped his hands to his knees. They both stayed like that for a full minute, recovering.
“We didn’t die,” Vesper said, sounding surprised.
“No.”
“Can we get back to the portal from here?” she asked.
“Fuck it,” Kirael said, shaking his head and standing up again. “We need to go to plan B.”
“And what’s plan B?” Vesper asked, sheathing her blades and wiping at her forehead.
“I’m not completely sure,” Kirael admitted. “But I know where we should go while we try to figure it out.”
Once they’d collected themselves, Kirael picked up Mercy again and took the lead. The Void wasn’t far; their haphazard escape had brought them within a quarter mile of it. He led them vaguely up, the tunnels growing familiar as he went.
“Ah, here we are…” he said. “Don’t freak out, okay?”
Vesper gave him an unamused look. “Just go in.”
They stepped through the portal, coming out onto the broad rock shelf and endless sea of white nothingness that Kirael knew so very well.
“Holy shit…” Vesper said.
She walked out toward the edge, seemingly drawn to it in the same way Kirael was.
“It’s something, huh?” he said.
There was a small area of wall and floor to one side, and Kirael felt it reasonably safe to put Mercy down. When he knelt to set her down, she opened her eyes.
“Is he here?” she asked. “I need something. Just a little bit.”
Kirael stood, looking at Vesper.
“She means drugs,” Vesper said, her voice gone flat. “We’ll deal with that later. The withdrawal will be… bad.”
&nb
sp; Kirael walked over to join her at the edge, staring out at the seething mist.
“It’s lovely, in a strange way,” Vesper said.
“I agree.”
They were quiet, in a comfortable way. Both coming down from the adrenaline rush, reeling from the insanity of the last day.
Vesper’s stomach made a sound, and she snorted.
“I know, I know,” she muttered to her body. “I will feed you at some point, I promise.”
Kirael’s lips lifted, but his thoughts started to circle.
“When she says he…”
“Hmm?” Vesper asked.
“Your sister. Is he coming, she said.”
“She thinks she and Lucifer are in love. And that she’s immortal, or something. I don’t know,” Vesper said with a shrug.
Kirael’s brows shot up. “Why would she think that?”
“Because it’s true,” came a low, silky voice.
Crisp British accent, smarmy tone… it could only be one person.
Vesper and Kirael both turned to see Lucifer himself standing in front of the portal, looking beyond smug. Dark suit, dark shirt, hair slicked back. It was the uniform of Hell, and no one wore it better than Lucifer.
“Lucifer,” Kirael said, his hands clenching into tight fists.
Hadn’t this always been his fate? His punishment, for the sin of choosing the wrong side during the Fall? The only shock was his immediate and intense fury at Vesper being involved in the whole thing.
“Kirael. Can’t say I’m terribly glad to see you,” Lucifer said, straightening his shirt cuffs. “You, on the other hand…”
He gazed at Vesper with avid interest, looking her up and down. Kirael saw Vesper’s shudder, caught her quick, helpless glance. He wanted to go to her, comfort her, but that would only give Lucifer more incentive.
Desperation clawed through him. He needed to strike a bargain, and quickly. Lucifer couldn’t resist a deal, if it would cause pain and suffering.
“Let them leave,” Kirael said. “I’ll submit to you, willingly.”
“Ah!” Lucifer said, laughing politely. “I think not. A rebellious Fallen angel is worthless to me. Whereas these two ladies are… well, priceless.”
Lucifer strode forward. Behind him, Belial, Jeremet, and a dozen other Fallen emerged from the Void.
