by Amanda Jones
A bright flash of golden light momentarily blinded the occupants of the room, leaving Metatron standing in its wake.
“Morningstar,” Metatron said with a smile.
Luc shook his head and replied, “Nope. Just Luc, remember?”
Metatron nodded. “Ah yes, the deal. In fact, that’s why I’ve come.”
Luc felt Katia shift in his arms as she turned towards the brilliantly-glowing angel standing before them. He felt her intake of breath as she stared at the magnificent wings that arched gracefully from his shoulders. The other angels had hidden their splendor from her eyes at Sergei’s, and, in the heat of battle, she had not taken the time to admire the others. Her breath was quite literally taken away at the sight of Metatron in all his glory. Luc felt a momentary stab of jealousy as he thought back to the days when he’d been able to take flight on wings of his own. Katia would have loved his wings; he could have flown her around the world and back again. He felt her squeeze his hand, his thoughts having drifted through to her, making him smile anew at the depth and beauty of their bond.
“What deal?” Katia asked, looking back and forth between Luc and the angel.
Metatron smiled at Katia, the glow around him seemed to grow brighter in his happiness. “He was willing to barter the only thing he’s ever wanted in order to be there for you.”
Gasping, Katia turned back to Luc with so much love shining in her eyes he felt his heart swell with pride and happiness. “That’s why your Sigil is gone, why you’re human. You did this to come after me.”
Luc raised his hand and cupped her cheek. Leaning down he kissed her lips reverently. Their lips clung for a sweet moment before his pulled back and looked into those beautiful mismatched eyes and replied. “Sweetheart, I would do anything for you.”
Metatron stepped forward and grasped Katia’s upper arm, firmly drawing her out of Luc’s embrace. “You may want to step away from him for a moment.”
Luc snapped his eyes up to lock on Metatron, frustrated and annoyed at his interruption. He barely had time to register his own feelings when Metatron called out loudly in the Voice. “Lux es tenebris, ego te absolve, Deus vult.” Light from darkness, I absolve you, the Deity wills it.
Power crackled throughout the room as Luc began to feel a tingling make its way up his arms and legs. “What’s happening to me?” he cried out as the feeling grew stronger and began to center around his heart. His chest burned like a brand had been taken to his skin. Sparks lit up the air around him and his entire body jolted, struck with what felt like a bolt of lightning as a radiant golden glow shot out from his chest and consumed him entirely in light. He felt a flash of pain slice across his shoulder blades that made him cry out and squeeze his eyes shut. As the pain receded it was replaced by a familiar hum of power, and an intense feeling of peace. A hush fell over the room. Luc cracked open his eyes and took in the faces of his friends around him. They were staring at him with awe and incredulity. Flicking his eyes over to Katia, he could see that she had tears streaming down her face, but all he could feel through their connection was joy. Luc moved to take a step towards her and was momentarily thrown off balance by a weight behind him. Frowning, he reached a hand back and froze in disbelief. Katia smiled at him through her tears. “They’re amazing,” she said softly.
Luc swallowed hard and, in an action he hadn’t performed in centuries, he stretched out his soft gray wings. Looking down, he saw the sigil that he’d been given the day he was created once again burning with a golden light centered directly above his heart, not a trace of darkness to be seen. Katia stepped towards him and placed her hand over the glow and smiled up at him. Luc tipped his head down to rest his forehead on hers as he enveloped her in his wings. She reached out and stroked the inside of one softly making him sigh and shiver in pleasure. He had forgotten how sensitive his wings had been; this was definitely going to make life more interesting. Katia heard his thoughts and punched him lightly on the arm making them both laugh.
Raising his head, Luc addressed Metatron, “I’ve been forgiven?”
“Yes. You were given the chance to redeem yourself. By giving up what you desired for the love for another, you’ve proven you’re not the same angel you were when you warred for self-indulgence and pride. You’ve always had a good heart; you just needed the opportunity to prove it to yourself.”
“If I’m forgiven, then why are my wings not white as they once were?” Luc asked.
Metatron smiled and nodded. “You have your free will as you’ve always wanted. However, like your Chimera, you’re neither wholly good, nor wholly evil. You’re capable of both and the decision will be yours. Your wings are a reflection of that, neither pure nor impure, but a shade of gray.”
“Will I be able to enter the heavens again?”
“You are an earthbound angel now, no longer fallen. Use your influence and power wisely, Morningstar. I’m just glad you finally found your destined light.”
Luc frowned. “What do you mean?”
Metatron smiled a slightly devious smile that took Luc off guard coming from such a formal angel. “Elaina, Katia’s name given to her by Bellerophon at her birth — Elaina means light,” he said just before he disappeared in a flash.
Chapter Thirty Nine
Lucifer
Luc stood on the parapet of the gothic Czech castle gazing down at Katia as she played her violin in the courtyard and still couldn’t believe his good fortune. It had been a few weeks, the frenzy around them had died down, and they were finally alone in their new home. The castle wasn’t exactly low-key, but it was perfectly located in an area with a strong coven of witches that had managed to cast all kinds of wards to keep them safe and hidden from prying eyes. Luc didn’t even pretend to understand it all. As long as Katia was safe, that was all he cared about. It was probably good they had such a large home because Luc had a sneaking suspicion they would be having a lot of houseguests. All of the guys had crashed with them for a while, along with Sergei and Amir. There had been an amazing feeling of lightheartedness and celebration the entire time, with each and every one of the former fallen taking full advantage of their freedom from Satan.
What they hadn’t understood at the time had become clear in very short order. When Luc had been forgiven, so had the others. Luc had instigated their renegade actions all those centuries ago. When they chose to forfeit themselves to save both him and Katia, they too had earned their freedom, though none of them had gotten back their wings. Luc turned his head into the driving wind and let it whip through his hair, enjoying the thought of the innumerable possibilities that were open to him now that he was free. Turning his back slowly into the wind, Luc stretched out his wings to their full span and stepped off the ledge, allowing his body to glide gracefully on the wind as he angled left and right, finally dipping down to spiral into an easy landing a few feet away from Katia. As she put her violin down, she looked at him with sparkling eyes and laughed delightedly.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to watching you jump off roofs.”
“It’s not a roof, it’s a parapet. And you’re going to have to join me one of these times,” Luc replied with a teasing smile.
“Smartass,” Katia replied as she made her way over to give him a quick kiss.
“Yeah, but you love me anyhow…Heofon knows why,” Luc laughed back.
“Apparently they do know why, considering they planned it,” Katia joked. “But so do I. You’re sweet, and kind, and you risked everything for me.”
“Not to mention my stunning good looks.” Luc struck a modelesque pose and raised his eyebrow.
Katia burst out laughing. “Yeah, you’re passable,” she said with a wink.
“Now who’s the smartass,” Luc replied with a smile. He pointed over to her violin that lay resting on one of the wrought iron garden benches. “That was a lovely piece you were playing.”
Katia’s smile faltered. “Um, thanks. I was hoping to be playing happy music, but the violin
seems to be the outlet for my feelings about Keir.”
Luc stepped forward and drew Katia into his arms, holding her tight. “We’ll find a way to get him back. I promise you. I won’t ever stop trying to find a way.” Katia rested her head on Luc’s chest as he breathed in the scent of her shampoo. The scent had become so familiar and loved he didn’t think he could ever live without it again. “Why don’t we take a little adventure? I know exactly what will make you forget all your worries and put a smile back on your gorgeous face.”
Katia peered up at him coyly through her lashes. “Do you now?”
Luc gave her a wolfish grin. “Have you ever wanted to join the mile-high club?” With a great whoosh, Luc propelled them into the air, holding Katia tightly against him, her squeal of laughter music to his ears as they climbed higher and higher. Looking down at her radiantly-smiling face, Luc realized he didn’t know what the future held for them, but he knew one thing was true…amor vincit omnia. Love truly does conquer all.
The end.
Coming Soon…
The Fallen Chronicles:
Broken Angel
Chapter One
Bataryal
Bataryal heaved a sigh and pushed a hand through his hair as he shoved his way out the side door of the apartment building and entered the alley. He felt the familiar sensation of his stomach rolling as he cleared the doorway. It was always like this, he’d go home with one of the female demons he’d picked up at The Advocate — the go-to demon bar — fuck their brains out, then sneak out the back door fighting to keep his dinner down. He’d been stuck on repeat for centuries now, but the nausea still seemed to sneak up on him and kick his ass. B leaned back against the brick wall of the building and hunched forward, resting his hands on his knees as he desperately sucked air into his lungs in a bid to slow down the roller coaster in his abdomen. He chuckled bitterly. This was all so ridiculous.
He’d started his existence as an angel, light and pure, with majestic wings he’d used to soar through the skies. He’d had few cares and fewer problems; that was, until he’d helped lead a rebellion in the heavens. He and a company of his closest friends had been responsible for the deaths of many of their kind, incurring the wrath of The Deity, which led to their expulsion and subsequent fall. As if falling wasn’t bad enough, things for B had only gotten worse from there. He’d been found by demons — naked and injured from the removal of his wings — and held captive for close to a century. All manner of abuses had been heaped upon him, leaving him battered and bruised in both mind and body.
Since he’d reclaimed his freedom, he’d spent as much time as he could trying to erase the awful memories — being the best fighter, screwing the most women, joking around all the time. But at the end of the day, B knew the truth. He wasn’t just damaged; he was broken beyond repair. He’d already forgotten tonight’s distraction’s name…if he’d even bothered to ask. All he knew for sure was that she’d had red hair. Not the flaming, madly-curling mane he dreamed of, but as close as he could get.
B closed his eyes and saw her face, not the woman he’d just left, but the one woman he wanted more than anything in all the Otherworld — Mara, the vampire with her wild hair, jade green eyes, infectious laugh, and sharp white fangs. Another wave of nausea rolled through him as he forced her image from his mind. He’d never be good enough for her, clean enough. He was too broken and she deserved so much better. B would just have to make do with cheap substitutes.
Shoving himself upright, B yanked his Blackberry out of his jeans pocket. The little red light was flashing as he thumbed the keypad to check his messages. There were two new texts. One was from Yetarel, B’s closest friend, asking when he’d be making an appearance back at The Advocate. The other was from Luc…Lucifer, checking in from his honeymoon. B’s heart felt hollow as he read Luc’s message.
It was a simple note, nothing fancy, just letting him know that he and Katia, his new wife, were both well, telling him that he could come and visit them anytime at their new home in the Czech Republic, but it just served to remind B how empty his existence really was. He could fill it with all the women and fighting in the world, but he would never have the love and peace that Luc had found when Katia came into his life. How Luc had lucked into that relationship was beyond him. Katia was a special woman, strong enough to be Luc’s match in every way, but soft enough to have brought him back his light. Luc was a lucky man indeed.
B shook his head and rolled his shoulders as he pulled up Yetarel’s number on his phone, time to put his game face back on before he talked to his buddy. Yetarel knew what the real deal was, but he was notorious for answering calls on speakerphone, and B was damned if he’d have anyone else guessing at all the ugly in his past. With a deep breath, B took all the painful thoughts, threw them in a safe and spun the lock. He pasted a cocky grin on his face and thumbed the send button on his cell.
B turned and began heading toward the mouth of the alley and the lights and sounds of the city. With his phone to his ear, B walked as he listened to the ringing of the line. Three rings in, he heard footsteps coming down the alley behind him. He stopped and stood there listening. The footsteps fell silent. B held his breath and turned slowly to face the source of the noise, alarm bells ringing in the back of his mind. As he completed the one-eighty, he came face to face with a huge problem. Standing a few feet away from him in the semi-darkness of the alley was Keir, Katia’s brother. Luc’s wife had been inconsolable after Satan had used her twin’s body as a vessel for a blackened soul, their last glimpse of him had left everyone shaken, and evil had oozed out of him like an infectious disease. Nobody had heard any news of him in weeks, and now here he was, his jet black hair cut into a Mohawk, an assortment of piercings adorning his pale, angular face, black leather encased his lean body, and his eyes glowed like blood-red beacons in the night.
The hand holding the Blackberry dropped from B’s ear as he heard Yetarel’s disembodied voice float through the connection. “Hello? Hello? B? Hellooooo?”
A shiver ran up B’s spine as Keir’s lips twisted into a sneer. “Well, well, if it isn’t Bataryal. I’ve been looking all over for you.”
B schooled his features into an expression of boredom. “Really? I can’t imagine why you’d waste your time on me.” Reaching into his jacket pocket, he fished around a bit and pulled out a cigarette. “Got a light?” he asked, feigning nonchalance. Not a chance in Sheol he’d let anyone on Team Satan know he was shaking in his boots. Since he and his friends had been redeemed a few weeks ago, none of them were really sure where they stood in the supernatural realm. They were no longer servants of Satan, but aside from Luc, none of them had regained their wings…it was anybody’s guess exactly what they were now, and what they could survive. B stuck the cigarette between his lips and raised his eyebrow at Keir.
Keir smirked at B. “I’m almost tempted to let you have one for the road but, unfortunately, I’m working on a schedule. There are five of you that I’ve been asked to terminate, so time is, sadly, not on your side.” He reached under his jacket and began to unwind something from around his waist. “I know the others are holed up in the bar but they can’t remain there forever.”
B plucked the cigarette back out of his mouth and tucked it behind his ear. “So I drew lucky number one, did I?” He narrowed his eyes at the whip that rested in Keir’s hands. The black leather was studded with nasty looking barbs that glinted in the weak light filtering into the alley.
“Give my regards to your friend Asmodeus when you see him in Sheol.” Keir cracked the whip, his movements so quick B was almost unable to track them. B hit the deck, his Blackberry crashing to the ground and splintering apart on impact. He felt a biting pain as the barbs connected with his cheek as he fell. He sucked in breath at the sting. He leapt to his feet as quickly as he could and began to race down the alley towards the street, his boots pounding on the pavement as he ran. The sound of blood rushing in his ears drowned out the noises around him, making the
sounds of the city muffled and distant like he was under water. It was only the chill running up his spine that gave away Keir’s pursuit. The cut on his cheek was burning like the Devil himself as B’s blood dripped down his cheek. Why wasn’t it healing?
Before another thought crossed his mind, B was struck from behind, sending him sprawling onto the concrete. A steel-toed boot connected with his face and he felt his nose break. B’s mind spun. His wounds weren’t healing as they should have. He could feel the blood, warm and sticky on his face, as he tried to ward off a flurry of fists. His bones cracked and snapped beneath Keir’s assault. Shoring up his remaining strength, B tucked up his legs and kicked out at his assailant, sending Keir flying through the air. B rolled to one side and hauled himself to his feet, staggering a few steps toward the mouth of the alley. There was no way he’d be pursued onto the crowded sidewalk. That was the one positive about the balance that was maintained between the light and the dark — and one of the only things they agreed upon — the standing rule that knowledge about the Otherworld should be avoided among the general human population. Only a few more paces and he’d be in plain sight of everyone on the street. An iron grip clamped down on his upper arm, spinning him around to face an irate Keir. His features were twisted in rage, his glowing red eyes boring into B’s hazel ones. B’s back slammed into the brick of the building behind him, he wheezed as the air was expelled from his lungs with the force of impact.
“Why can’t you just lay down and die?” Keir spat out at him.
Knowing he had nothing to lose, B let his smartass mouth run rampant. “I’m going to assume that’s a rhetorical question.” He mumbled through his split lips.
