Just as Nicor taught me, I tucked the shield tight, slamming the war hammer into the Gaurdians throat as another came up from behind. Ducking down, his pole arm swiped through the top of my head, splashing water against the door. If being a ripped spirit had advantages, I hadn’t been able to think of one better than being impossible to physically harm. Unaffected by the blow, I pivoted, shoving the pick of the war hammer into his jowl.
“I got it!” Ra called out.
Looking back at him, Ra had freed himself, and was ankle deep in the lifeless bodies he had snuffed out. In his hand, he held the chain attached to my soul. Rushing toward him, a clattering of metal caught my attention. Turning to my right, a sea of Guardians rushed into the cavern. A force of thirty swarmed Astaroth, dismembering him in moments. Nicor released a chilling war cry as he watched his brother’s limbs tossed to the side and trampled.
With the cavern filling up by the second, I knew it would only be a matter of time before we would be overrun. Ra, Nicor, and my essence needed to get to the safety beyond the gates. Inside Purgatory’s walls, Ra and Nicor would be unable to flash with my stone self. In his escape, Ra had cleared the passageways to his rear. Seeing an opportunity to save him, I knew he had to run.
“Run, Ra! Get it out of here!” I screamed, fighting off the mob before me.
“I won’t leave without you!” Ra yelled. His attention quickly diverted to his left. By his stance I knew another wave of Guardians were coming from the left passageway.
“Go now!” I ordered with such a fierceness the cavern floor shook violently.
“I’ll get her to safety.” Nicor cried out to Ra.
No sooner had Ra run down the middle passageway, droves of Guardians filed in from the hall, giving chase.
“He won’t make it.” I called out to Nicor.
“Hold on!” Nicor dropped the Guardian in front of him and with a giant leap, Nicor jumped inside of me.
“You better pray to your God this works!” Nicor forced my arm to strike the ground with the head of the war hammer.
A shock wave of water blasted the floor, knocking our enemies off their feet. As the waves came back in I had been violently thrust forward in waves of my own fluid. The same as when I saw Ra at Heaven’s gates, I transformed into a wall of water, drilling through the rock dividing the corridors.
Realizing a tsunami nipped at their heels, Ra’s pursuers scattered in search of refuge. Those unfortunate to be in my path were swept up in the rush of water. Rounding a corner, I spotted Ra nearing the gates, dragging my stone spirit behind him. With the exit in sight, I attempted to return to my more humanoid self, but all attempts failed. The force of liquid blob I had become was too great. Unable to call out to Ra, I silently prayed he’d make it out before he was also swept away in my undercurrent.
Pushing on the locked gates, Ra peered over his shoulder at me. Releasing his grasp on the iron bars, Ra jerked my stone spirit to him, pinning it between his broad chest and the gates.
Exploding through the exit, an added heaviness came over me, causing my wave to crest. Sluggish, I came upon the Templars waiting outside the iron gates, scattering similar to roaches when a light is turned on. A fearless whirlwind, the third piece of my essence stood holding her position in my path. With the destructive force of a sky scraper falling, I toppled onto her. As our spirits collided, I was sucked into a raging tornado that dissipated as spontaneously as it had appeared.
Falling, I closed my eyes, bracing for impact into the orange desert below. Seconds passed with no thud, thump, or cracking you’d expect from someone free falling a hundred feet then smacking into the ground. Wary of what I would find, I opened one eye.
“That was insane. Are you okay?” A drenched Ra yanked me into his embrace as a mass of curious onlookers encircled us. The warmth of his skin, the beating of his heart, his chin resting on my head told me I was more than okay. Finally being able to feel his touch, I hadn’t cared about what just happened, how, or why.
“I feel them. I have my souls back. Wait. I can feel you.” I said, wrapping my arms around him when the strange, weightless sensation came over me.
“Then you can feel this.” Ra said as he lifted my chin and crushed his lips against mine. Tangling his fingers in my hair and sliding his other hand down my backside, Ra dipped me, sending his tongue in search of mine. Running my palm up the nape of his neck, I pulled his kiss deeper into mine. The heat of his breath and the sweet honey taste of his lips reminded me of home.
“Can you not kiss in front of me? I don’t need to see that crap. I am still her father.” My dad barked.
Ra pulled back his lips, flashing a coquettish smile. Electricity flowed from his assessing gaze as he placed me back onto my feet. Draping his arm over my shoulder, he squeezed me into his side as he faced the group of Templars.
“Next stop, Hell, boys. Wait, where’s the war hammer and scutum?” Ra snapped to me, gripping me by the arms.
“Right here.” A battle worn Nicor spoke from the back of the group.
“Hand them over!” Ra commanded as the Templars raised their weapons.
“Consider them payment for my trouble and the loss of my brother’s life.” As Ra advanced on him, Nicor flashed.
“Son of a bit…!” Ra exclaimed.
Moving to Ra, the odd sensation returned with an overwhelming lightness throughout my body. It seemed as though I would float away. Stopping to take inventory of my appendages, I froze in shock.
“What the hell is wrong with me?” I yelled, staring at what should have been my feet. A blackened fog took their place, curling up to my thighs. At first glance my hands appeared human, until I turned my palms up. Every movement swirled a dark wisp in its trail.
“Calm down. It’s okay. You’re okay.” Ra consoled.
“Okay? Look at me. I’m a flippin’ storm cloud.” I chided.
“You’re not a storm cloud, dork. You’re a Wraith.” Ra chuckled.
I hadn’t a clue what he was talking about. A Wraith? I lived in a world of Angels, Demons, and Humans. I’d never heard of it except in cheesy paranormal romance books.
“You think this is funny? I can catch the wind anytime and float off!”
“Yes it’s funny when you’re face distorts as if it were a miniature storm, but you’re not going to float away. A Wraith is nothing more than a shadow of a lost spirit. I think it’s better than being a goofy water spout, depressing tornado, and a “we-are-the- world, kumbaya” statue. Once we get the last piece you’ll be back to normal.” Ra chuckled.
“What do you mean when my face distorts?” I patted my face, trying to feel any abnormalities.
“Let’s just say you look pretty haggard but still gorgeous to me.” Ra arched his eyebrows as his cheeks curled to his ears, revealing a grin.
“Cute. Real cute, Ra.” I huffed.
“I really do hate to break up the fight but unless you want to be a Wraith forever, we should get going.” My dad butted in.
“Now that Nicor has the war hammer the game has changed. We need to alert Father and summon the troops before traipsing off to Lucifer’s throne room.” A Templar stepped forward.
“You guys go. I’ll stay behind with Etta.” Dad declared.
“No. We’re not leaving her. She comes too.” Ra countered.
Dad shook his head in disappointment as the Templars broke out in frantic shouting and jeers. A few called for my death while others said to throw me to Lilith. For a moment I thought they would attack. Taking refuge, I clenched Ra’s hand, sucking in tight to him. Ra looked down at me with a loving, sweet smile and squeezed my hand as he tucked me farther behind him.
“We can’t take a Wraith behind Heaven’s gates.” A Templar shouted.
Flaring his wing, Ra took a defensive stance. Flashing to Ra’s side, Dad readied his stave in my defense. Despite the volatility people may see on the outside of our relationships, Ra and my dad would never hurt me nor would they let any harm come to me. They w
ould fight anyone, Demon, Angel, or Templar, if it came down to it.
“Why can’t Wraiths go behind the gates?” I anxiously asked, peeking through Ra’s feathers.
Keeping his sights on the Templars, Ra turned his head, “Only a Wraith can kill Father.”
Ra’s short answer to my question had been enough explanation for why the Templars suddenly turned on me and why I had never known anything about a Wraith prior to being one.
“Etta holds no threat to us.” Dad assured the mob.
“Would you stake your life on it?” another Templar challenged with his hand out.
Lowering his stave, my father gripped the Templars wrist, “Without question, Brother. I swear to you on my honor, Etta is no threat to our kingdom.” A golden light sparked between the two men’s hands, sealing the pact.
“But still, the masses will panic and chaos will ensue if she is spotted.” another Templar argued.
“They won’t see her.” Ra admonished.
“And how do you expect to hide her?” the Templar snarled.
“I will take her to my quarters.” Ra countered.
“Very well. May the consequences fall on you should she decide to go for a stroll, but I will have no part in this.” the Templar said, and then flashed.
“If anyone wishes to leave, go now!” Dad ordered. After a brief moment of unintelligible mumbling, the Templars stood down.
“Very well then. Let’s get this show on the road.” Dad sighed with relief. Feeling the tension ease, I started gliding toward home when Ra stopped me.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.” I answered
“Why walk when we can flash.” Ra grinned.
“And how do you propose we do that.” I contested.
“Wraiths can flash.” Ra whispered in my ear. “Just think of where you want to go, and ta-da, you’re there.” Ra whispered in my other ear, grazing my shoulder with his as he strutted around me.
“And just where are we going?” I coyly asked, emphasizing ‘we’.
“Think of home…our home.” Ra answered and disappeared with my dad.
Drawing in a deep breath, preparing to flash, I sensed someone watching me. Glaring at the battered gates, I caught Lilith’s smug leer. In a blink, she appeared before me.
“You were always my favorite. No one else has been able to take a lashing quite the same as you.” Lilith smiled as she flipped her long charcoal braids over her shoulder.
Being alone, face to face with her, a lump of fear rose in my throat. I had no weapon to defend myself and no way to call for help. Unable to allow my fear to show, I straightened my posture and raised my chin in hopes she hadn’t noticed how scared I truly was.
I’d seen Lilith in action before. Tsunami or no tsunami, our capture of my essence and escape had been too easy. A flick of her wrist and she’d summon a rain of fire. A throw of her hand would conjure bolts of lightning. Why she hadn’t used her power to stop us meant only one thing. Lilith hadn’t been taken out of the game yet.
“What do you want, Lilith?”
“Just to warn you.”
“About what?”
“You see, I never intended to keep your soul. I had simply been protecting it. Lucifer has plans for you, very bad plans. Well, I couldn’t let a man get the upper hand.”
“So by keeping me from being whole, you protect me how?”
“You have no idea how powerful we are.”
“We? Lilith, you know I’m not into the whole ‘I am woman hear me roar’ crap.”
“‘We’ as in Wraiths, girl. What do you think I am? You really think Heavenly Father banished me because I refused to be at Michael’s beck and call? How naive. That is not the case. I was banished because of the threat I pose to him and his kind. We are not limited by His rules. We can go anywhere we wish to go and do anything we wish to do. You may not feel it but believe me when I say, as a Wraith, there are no limits to what you can do; good or evil.” Lilith smirked
“That’s great and all, but I’m nothing like you. I don’t want to be like you. I’m going to get my soul back. I don’t care what a Wraith can do.”
“You may want to hold off on forming that opinion. You see, the only reason Father hasn’t gotten rid of that hack Lucifer is because of your bond. Created as twins, you share the same life force as your brother. If he falls, you fall. Father wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he hurt you simply to rid him and the worlds of that slime brother of yours.”
“Everyone knows why Lucifer is still around.”
“As a Wraith, the bond between you and your brother is severed. As long as your soul is shattered, Lucifer can be killed with no harm coming to you. You can finally free yourself of him, permanently.”
For all I knew Lilith had been lying in an attempt to get me to do her dirty work, but the thought of finally getting rid of my brother and his attempts to have me serve as queen was alluring. I’d grown tired of constantly watching my back, wondering if someone at the store was truly a Demon working against me or an Angel watching out for me. If I’d manage to kill Lucifer then the fighting for my life would stop.
It was no secret Lilith wanted to rule the lands. She made it plain and clear when she murdered me on Earth. She hadn’t taken the risk of revealing herself on Earth, so I would succeed to Lucifer’s throne. If Lilith had been lying and I attempted to kill my brother, I would end up killing myself as well. Lilith would be rid of two birds with one stone, leaving her to waltz into Hell.
“Use extreme caution. If any individual part of your soul is trapped, it can be shattered. If that happens, Heaven, Hell and Purgatory will not be an option for you. You simply vanish with the winds as if you never existed. There’s no coming back from it.” Lilith continued.
Though I hadn’t asked for her warnings, I had patiently stood with her, listening intently. I had serious doubts Lilith would simply offer up any information to help me without some type of strings attached.
“And what do I owe you for this advice?” I asked, wary of her motives.
“Bring me Lucifer’s soul in exchange for my advice and solemn promise if you deliver him to me, my servants and I will become your loyal allies.”
Searching her body language for signs of deceit, Lilith and I locked eyes. Her confident gaze eased my concerns about the validity of what she said. All I had to do was get close enough to my brother. One right plunge of a sword, and I would be done with him and gain a formidable ally in the process. Why I would need one with my brother gone was a mystery but when dealing with the celestial world, it never hurt to have friends in high places just in case. I nodded. With a slight bow of her head, Lilith accepted my silent agreement then disappeared.
I had to catch up to the others to tell them what had just happened. Turning my thoughts to my destination, I hurtled through the air until I came to a stop in a bedroom I had long forgotten.
Chapter Nine Ra
Appearing in my celestial living room, I had been met with the Arches, their significant others, and Gabriel.
“Did you get them?” an excited Gabriel asked as he engulfed me in his embrace.
“Yes, and more.” I said warily.
“Well, where is she?” Gabriel prodded as everyone funneled around him, waiting for my answer.
“She’s on her way. Look, before she gets here, you all should know—”
“Where’s the war hammer and scutum?” Uriel cut me off, pushing to the front of the group.
With Etta not far behind me, Nicor’s weapons were the least of my concerns. Though the weaponry being in Nicor’s possession held an incredible risk of the next Demon attack being too much to handle, it barely faired in comparison to what Etta may do to our world as a Wraith.
“Nicor took it, but as I was saying, with just three parts of her soul, Etta’s a—”
“Nicor has the war hammer? Are you kidding me? Do you know what he can do with them?” Uriel protested.
“Yes! I know what he
can do. I’ll take care of it. Now if you don’t mind I’d like to finish what I’ve been trying to say!” I stepped in front of Uriel’s face, annoyed at his need to interrupt me, when Etta’s voice broke behind me.
“Hey guys.” Etta said, stepping from our bedroom. Shoving their women behind them, the Arches drew their swords and flared their wings.
“No!” I cried, but it had been too late.
Raphael, followed by the others, charged toward Etta. As Raphael ran past me I grabbed onto his wings and slammed him onto his back, then pivoted in time to clothesline Remiel. As I moved to drop Saraqael, I caught a glimpse of Uriel’s shield as he bashed it against the side of my face, knocking me to the floor.
A siren’s wail erupted with a shockwave, catapulting us through the front of my house until we landed on Heaven’s streets. Debris showered down around me as I attempted to get to my feet. Weak from the blow of crashing into ground, I stumble to my knees.
“You dare raise arms against me and my husband?” Peering back, a charcoal figure glided through the dust cloud where the side of my house once stood, snaking a shadowy wisp around Raphael’s neck as it lifted him from his feet over her head. Raphael tried to struggle against her causing Etta to constrict tighter around his neck. Raphael’s olive skin faded into a purple-blue hue as his waist length black hair turned to platinum white.
“Etta! Don’t! They didn’t know!” I called out.
Behind me, the clattering of metal grew louder. The sentries were coming. If they arrived before I got Etta to release Raphael they would kill her, no questions asked.
“Etta, put him down, please.” I pleaded as the sentries rounded the corner in a battle charge.
Scrambling to my feet I took off in a full throttle run until I collided with Etta, hoping she’d sense my intention as I thought of the one place I wished we had been. Wrapping my arms around her, I held tight as she flashed, narrowly escaping as an onslaught of spears flew past our heads.
The Angel Side Page 11
