At that moment, he hated his angelic powers. He hated that he could see every droplet of blood streaming down Gabrielle’s smooth, wingless back, hear her wheezing breath, and see the black blade as it inched toward her neck.
There was another clap of thunder followed by a thick white mist moving fast against the sky. Jeremy’s heart leapt when an archangel emerged from the clouds and caught Gabrielle.
Father. Jeremy sighed with relief as Raphael held her tenderly in his arms. His hand moved over her body as he murmured healing words.
A second archangel shot out of the clouds, moving so fast Jeremy couldn’t see who it was despite his restored angelic vision.
There was a loud clash of metal on metal. Gleaming silver hit against Jether’s sword. The archangel whirled around and Jether was suddenly flying backward, howling in pain. The black sword fell from his hand.
“Joab! Come now!” Saleos ordered.
Jeremy rushed toward Sammy when Joab whisked to the sky to chase after the archangels.
“Stay with the little one,” Raphael said as he climbed higher into the sky. “The others are coming.”
“What’s going on, Jeremy?” Sammy asked, looking at Jeremy like he’d gone crazy.
“Stay near me.” His voice came out in a hoarse whisper as he watched the demons swarm around the second archangel. There were so many of them. The black wings hid the archangel’s face.
“You gonna hurl? Leilani says to take deep breaths.”
“Okay,” Jeremy said, taking a deep breath and wishing something as simple as oxygen could help him protect Sammy.
A streak of lightning lit the sky, followed by a clap of thunder. The powerful archangel’s wings soared up and away from the flock of demons as another white mist, so large that it took up half the sky, headed toward the demons.
The archangel paused and turned to Jeremy. His breath hitched when pale blue eyes locked with his for a second.
“We have this, brother.”
25
Jeremy’s chest filled with pride and joy as his angelic family flew out of the white mist: Rachel, Uri, and Naomi leading the army of angels. Lash joined Naomi’s side, pausing as he gave Jeremy a thumbs-up.
Naomi smiled and a weight seemed to lift off his shoulders. There was no anger. No grief. Her eyes were filled with forgiveness and sisterly love, the same love he’d seen so many times. And as he gazed back at her, the love he felt for her was different. He was happy and proud watching her lead the others as the archangel she was meant to be.
There was a loud roar. Naomi scowled as Joab charged at her. Curving her powerful wings for momentum, she spun and then thrusted her wings out, whacking Joab in the chest. His face twisted with surprise as he soared backward.
“Yeah, that’s right. My Naomi is too much angel for you,” Lash said as he zoomed past Joab, ripping his wing.
Joab screeched. One wing flapped hard, desperately making up for the other disabled wing. He looked anxiously from Naomi and to Saleos, wondering if he should attack again or leave.
“Save some for us!” Uri cried as he and Rachel passed Lash, chasing after Jether and a flock of demons.
Rachel swung her sword. It sliced through the tip of Jether’s wing. He howled.
“Come back. It was just a scratch,” Uri said as the demons flurried away.
“They’re cowards.” Jeremy chuckled. Saleos was nothing like his predecessor, Lucifer. He wasn’t too bright, either. Saleos should’ve known that one look at Michael’s army and his demon cronies would scurry away like the cockroaches they were. They had no loyalty. Saleos was too ignorant to see it.
Saleos yelled, demanding his army to return. When the last of them disappeared, he arched his back and let out a frustrated growl so loud the trees shook.
“What was that?” Sammy gazed up at him wide-eyed.
“Don’t worry. It’s just thunder.”
“That didn’t sound like thunder.”
“Whatever it was, it’ll be gone soon.”
Saleos would disappear from his life soon, knowing there was no way he could ever get to Jeremy. His family would never abandon him. When he needed them the most, they would always be there. After all his mistakes, they still loved him. That was something Saleos could never understand.
Saleos snapped to him. Jeremy held up his chin in defiance as Saleos glared. Saleos stayed like that for a moment, as if deep in thought. Then he barked out a laugh. Holding out his sword, Saleos rocketed downward, plummeting into the ocean.
Jeremy looked up at Lash and Naomi. They shrugged. He waited a few seconds, wondering if Saleos was going to suddenly raise up a new league of demons.
There was nothing. Just the sound of waves lapping the beach and sunshine as the dark clouds dissipated.
“Hey, the sun’s coming back out,” Sammy said.
“I guess there’s no storm today, buddy.”
“You feeling better?”
“Yep. Good enough for triple scoop sundae. Let’s see if—”
There was a loud boom. Jeremy looked out to spot where Saleos had plunged into ocean. A small ripple was the only indication that someone had been there.
He looked up at Naomi and Lash. “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?” Sammy asked.
“Yes,” Lash said, looking worried.
Please don’t let it be what I think it is.
“Uh, nothing,” Jeremy said to Sammy. “Let’s go get that sundae.”
As they were about to leave, he felt it. It started with a light trembling underneath his feet. He stilled, holding his breath. He’d felt this sensation before.
“The sand feels funny. It’s like its mov—Jeremy!”
The ground shook, and Sammy fell against Jeremy’s leg. In the distance, he could hear people screaming and metal crunching as cars crashed.
“Hold on to me, Sammy!”
26
The dumpster was rattling. Damn raccoon. Leilani had told Kai to always make sure the lids were closed. Obviously, he hadn’t listened. She should make him go in after it, because she sure as hell wasn’t going to do it.
She kicked the trashcan, hoping to scare the creature away.
It shook harder and slowly rolled toward her.
What the—!
The ground started to shake and she stumbled and fell onto the asphalt. The sound of shattering glass and people screaming came from the patio.
It’s an earthquake! Sammy! What if Kai and Sammy were on the road? What if they crashed? She had to get to a phone.
She grabbed hold of the side of the dumpster, trying to get back up. She could barely keep her balance as the ground shook harder. She held her arms wide, balancing herself as she walked like a drunken person back to the restaurant.
Hordes of people piled out of the building, pushing her back. She shoved against them, making her way to the entrance. By the time she got inside, the trembling had stopped. Candy stood by the bar, her face in shock.
“Candy! Did Kai come back?”
“My nails are ruined. I just got them done yesterday,” she sobbed.
“Are you kidding me? We just had an earthquake and you’re worried about your nails?”
“You don’t get it.” Candy dug into her purse, taking out a cell phone, car keys, and wallet. “Just because you’re okay with stubby nails doesn’t mean—”
“Will you shut up and tell me where Kai is?”
“Well, excuse me. I haven’t seen your precious Kai.”
“Oh no,” Leilani groaned.
“Puhleeze. He’s lucky that he’s not even on the island.”
“Yes he is. He took Sammy to watch that new sci-fi movie.”
“Uh, nope. You’re wrong. Daddy sent him on a private plane to Honolulu to pick up my new surfboard. Did you know Daddy got me a custom board? I mean, I don’t really surf like you do, but Daddy says I deserve the best.”
Before Leilani could tell her to shut up again, a siren blared.
“O
h my god.” Candy dropped her purse.
Leilani had heard stories from her mom about the siren. She’d even practiced with Sammy on what to do when the siren sounded.
“What are you doing?” Candy squealed as Leilani snatched the phone from her hand.
Ignoring her, Leilani dialed Kai’s number.
Please pick up. Please let Candy be lying.
“Yo, Candy. I told you I’ll get there with the board when I get there. Stop calling every five minutes.”
“Kai, it’s me. Tell me that Sammy is with you.”
“Oh, hey, Leilani. Sammy said he was going to—is that the siren? What happened?”
“Where’s Sammy?” She held the phone close to her ear. She could barely hear him.
“He said he was going to Queen’s Bath with a few of his friends.”
“You let him go to Queen’s Bath, and you didn’t tell me? Are you insane?”
“He said Kevin’s parents were going with them. I’m sure they’ll take care of him. Just stay put. The restaurant is the safest place to—Leilani? Leilani!”
“Hey, you can’t take my car in this mess!” Candy yelled when Leilani tossed the phone, snatched Candy’s keys, and ran out into the parking lot.
27
Jeremy reached over and rubbed the top of Sammy’s head. The earthquake wasn’t that bad. The one he’d experienced in Texas had been worse. “Hey, buddy. Everything’s going to be okay.”
Sammy kept his attention out the car window. He still seemed to be shaken up from the experience.
After the trembling had stopped, he wondered if Saleos had managed to bring his army back. He thought that the battle might still be going on and that he’d lost his angelic sight. But he’d seen Lash, Naomi, and the others wave before they’d left. He could even hear the fast thumping of Sammy’s heartbeat.
“I don’t know,” Sammy said.
“It was a small earthquake. See, there’s lots of people on the road.” A few telephone lines and trees were down, but most of the road was still passable. A lot of people lined the streets, taking in the damage.
“I’m not afraid of the earthquake.”
“Then what is it?”
“Leilani’s gonna kill me.”
“Why? What did you do?” He slowed down as he approached a flickering traffic light. There was a long line of cars taking their turn going through the intersection. Thank goodness they were only a mile away from the restaurant. He was anxious to get to Leilani.
“I told her I was going to see Interstellar Explosion with Kai.”
“You didn’t?”
“Nope.”
“So you lied.”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
A driver waved at him, motioning him to go. Jeremy waved back as he drove on.
Sammy fingered the door handle. The poor kid couldn’t even look at Jeremy.
“Come on, buddy. I can’t help you if you don’t tell me.”
Sammy clenched his jaw for a moment. Then everything came spilling out.
“Kevin said if I went with him and his cousin, Chris, to Queen’s Bath, they would let me go with them to the Giant Truck Rally. And I really wanted to go. Leilani hates that stuff. And Kai is too busy to take me. And you’re with Leilani all the time, and I don’t have any friends except Kevin. Chris was driving and told me I had to stand on the ledge first when we got there. And I said he should go first. Then he called me a haole baby, and I called him a MOFO. And he kicked me out of the car. Please don’t tell Leilani.”
Baby blue eyes blinked up at him.
“I thought Leilani said that Queen’s Bath is dangerous.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“You could’ve gotten hurt.”
“But I didn’t! I wasn’t really going to do it. I just wanted to hang out with Kevin. Please, Jeremy. Don’t tell Leilani.”
“I won’t tell her.” Sammy’s eyes brightened. “But you have to.”
“Aww, man. She’s gonna kill me.”
“She’ll probably be relieved that you’re all right and didn’t do anything stupid.”
He stopped the car at another flashing intersection when a loud siren blared.
“What’s that?”
“That’s nothing. Just the tsunami siren. It’s cool. We have drills all the time. Leilani says if we hear it, we’re supposed to go to the restaurant anyway.”
Jeremy tried to relax as the siren blared. He thrummed his fingers on the steering wheel, willing the cars to move faster. Everyone seemed to be acting normal. It was almost as if the siren was something they heard every day.
When he finally pulled the car to a stop in the parking lot, he forced himself to casually walk in with Sammy. There was a crowd of people hanging out in the parking lot. The staff and locals were talking with nervous tourists, offering them bottled water and assuring them they were safe where they were.
He spotted Candy next to another girl, her hands waving over an empty parking space.
“Candy, where’s Leilani?”
“Oh, hey, Jeremy. Leilani just took off looking for—hey! Sammy was with you all this time? Unbelievable. If she puts a scratch on my car, I swear—”
A cold slammed against his chest. He grabbed Candy’s arms.
“Where is she?”
“She went to Queen’s Bath to look for Sammy. I told her not go. She knows better than to go there, especially when there’s a tsunami warning.”
“Stay with Candy, Sammy!” Jeremy dashed to his car, and his tires screeched as he sped off, praying desperately he wasn’t too late.
28
Jeremy couldn’t drive fast enough. Everyone and everything seemed to be getting in his way. The roads were packed now. Nothing was moving. He wanted to scream. He wanted to plow his car through the road. All he could do was grip the steering wheel, white-knuckled, as the minutes turned into hours.
“Lash? Naomi? Are you there?” He listened past the honking of horns, the couple arguing in the car next to him, and the water droplets from the car’s air conditioner splashing onto the asphalt.
No answer.
He was in hell. This was probably Saleos’s plan all along—to leave him with enough powers to see and hear everything going on around him and yet not be able to do a thing about it.
The traffic finally lessened, and he pressed down the gas pedal as far as it would go.
He was being silly. Leilani was smart, and she knew every inch of the island. How many times had he underestimated her and been wrong? Worst case, she was stuck somewhere.
He pulled the car near the entrance to the trail that led to Queen’s Bath. He jumped out, calling out for her as he ran down the steep slope of the trail.
“Leilani!”
He leaped over one of the fallen trees. His foot slipped on the slippery foliage and he fell into the mud. He stumbled as he made his way through the muddy trail.
“Leilani! Leila—”
He froze near the bottom of the trail when he spotted a rock sign at his feet. Tallies had been etched into a sign made of rock, indicating the number of people who had drowned at Queen’s Bath and warning tourists they could easily be swept out to sea.
Slowly, his eyes drifted to the ocean.
No. He forced himself to look back on the rocks along the shore. He wasn’t even going to think it. Leilani was here somewhere. She had to be.
“Over here, Jeremy.”
Rachel’s voice was so soft he could barely hear her. Turning, he gazed into large, sad eyes that filled her tiny heart-shaped face.
Slowly, his eyes drifted down to the pile of palm leaves next to her. He sucked in a breath.
“Jeremy, I—”
“No! Don’t say it.”
The entire area was littered with driftwood and palm leaves. There was nothing significant about where she was standing.
“I’m sorry. We don’t have much time.”
“Please, Rachel. Don’t say any more. Please.”
His
chest tightened as he stared at the pile. If she didn’t say it, then it hadn’t happened. That pile of leaves was just leaves. There was nothing underneath it.
“I’m busy right now. I have to find Leilani. She’s here somewhere,” he said, turning away.
“She’s right here,” her voice croaked.
“I know she’s here!” He kept his back to her. He swallowed thickly, trying to keep his voice steady. “I’m going back to the trail to look for her. Leilani. Leilani!”
“Jeremy—”
“Stop it!” he growled when Rachel took hold of his arm. “Let go of me! Leilani! Leilani! Leilani!”
Rachel held on to him, waiting as he called out for Leilani over and over again until his voice became a hoarse whisper. Why wouldn’t Rachel let go and let him look for her?
“Please let me go,” his voice cracked.
Rachel didn’t answer. She touched his cheek, wearing a familiar expression that he’d seen too many times as the archangel of death.
“Why are you here?”
“I knew you’d want to see her one last time. I’m so sorry, Jeremy. I know how much you loved her.”
She stepped aside, creating a soft breeze as she moved her wings. A large palm leaf blew from the pile.
And there lay Leilani, dark, wet hair caressing a slumbering, pale face like a pearl against the velvet night.
29
“Hey, sleepy head. Time to wake up.” Jeremy pushed the rest of the palm leaves off Leilani.
Rachel was wrong. Leilani was only sleeping. She worked so hard. He’d have to have a long, hard talk with her about that. As soon as he woke her up, he was going to demand that she quit her job at Candy’s. He could take care of her, Sammy, and Auntie Anela.
“Wake up, sweetheart.” He sat down and pulled her wet body onto his lap. “Your arms are like ice. It’s just like you not to bring something warm to wear.”
He took off his t-shirt and tucked it around her.
Golden Angel: (Broken Angel #5) Page 13
