by S.B. Rodgers
Chapter 49
Raph had heard Abby’s scream over the music, had seen the angels push their way out of the building. Something had happened. There was an evil presence overshadowing Abby’s life-pulse in his mind, a presence he knew all too well.
“Draven,” he said quietly to himself, staring in the direction the evil oozed from.
“What?” Brittany asked, dancing tipsily next to him. She clamped onto his arm, looking up at him with her eyes half-closed and hazy from the alcohol. “Dance with me, Raaaph.” She pouted.
Raph’s lip curled instinctively in disgust—he couldn’t believe this shameless human. He had no more patience for her, especially now that something was happening to Abby. “Dance with Jason. Or Tyler. Hell, I don’t care. Just get off me, I don’t have time for this!”
He shook her off and began shoving his way through the crowd, leaving her gaping after him in amazement. “Yeah, well, you’re just a—“ her words were made inaudible by the door slamming shut behind him as he stepped into the garden.
The frequent flashes of light and utter blackness through the rosebushes up ahead were enough to tell him that the battle had already begun. “Abby!” he gasped. He accessed his powers, letting the markings spin freely as he tried to sense the girl. His eyes cast about the garden, shining blackly in the dim light.
She wasn’t there; she had fled the scene. Good, he thought, feet already flying away from the garden path. At least those Guardians had done something right. The further away Abby got from Draven and however many minions he was bound to have with him, the better.
Raph had a pretty good idea of where she was heading. He had sensed something else back there, in the garden. A fading, sickly presence he had not felt for many years, but knew quite well. He had dealt with that person’s leftovers for years, after all, dealt with the millions of souls that he escorted to Hades. Malakh. And if Death was present, so was Hope. That meant that Gabe, whatever had happened to him, was in their care.
His feet pounded across the frozen ground, the twisted, hard turf occasionally causing him to stumble as he raced towards the one place he desperately hoped she was heading.
* * *
Abby staggered forward, her muscles throbbing painfully as she pushed on. She had lost one of her shoes somewhere behind her, but she didn’t dare to stop and shake off the other. She hobbled down the paved, snow-powdered pathways as fast as she could, trying desperately to control the violent shaking that threatened to take over her body.
She had no idea what was going on anymore, and now it seemed that her own senses couldn’t be trusted. She could hear the things sailing past her, see the streaks of light as they whooshed by at impossible speeds. The flashes of black and white light tailed each other, tangling together and clashing.
No, they weren’t just things, she thought as one of the dark, smoky beings flew past, cutting a slash on the side of her full skirt. They were people, the men who had found her in the garden. The silvery, white-winged spectres were Gabe’s family—she had figured that out when she had seen Aiden’s face, glasses and all, as he rocketed past her, still shouting at her to run.
The fighting surrounded her, pursued her as she hobbled frantically towards the hospital. Another dark figure reared up in front of her, its clawed hands ripping at her dress. Abby shrieked in terror and stumbled on her uneven footing, somehow managing to dodge the brunt of the attack and sacrificing a chunk of tulle in place of a chunk of flesh.
Fern flew by her like lightning, tackling the demon and sending him skidding backwards on the concrete and turf, his feet leaving twin gouges in the earth. “Abby, run! Get out of here!” Fern screamed over her shoulder as she hurled herself at the man once more, her outstretched elbow connecting with a loud crack to his jaw.
Exhausted, terrified and shaking badly, Abby kicked off her lone shoe and began running again, hiking her voluminous, torn skirts up and out of the way of her flailing bare feet. She didn’t even feel her feet as they struck the ice-cold walkway. All of her senses, all of her being was focused on one thing; getting out of this insane situation alive.
* * *
Raph’s breath steamed in the cold December night as he panted raggedly, running on the sidewalks now. It was dark, and he didn’t see the shoe as he focused on searching out Abby. His foot caught on the discarded high-heel, sending him sprawling to the ground. “Oww…” he groaned, pushing himself onto all fours and wiping blood away from his freshly split lip.
He glared behind him—what had done that? His eyes widened as they finally took in the shoe. Scrambling over to the shoe he picked it up, handling it gently and turning it in his hands. “Abby…It has to be hers.” He whispered, confident now that he was on the right path. He recognized that shoe. It was from the same pair he had given her months ago, the shoes she had worn to the formal.
He stood, safely placing the shoe off to the side of the path, and took off running again with renewed vigour, a pained smile on his face. She was still alive, still breathing. Still running. Raph’s hunch had been right; there was no doubt now that she was fleeing to the hospital, where Gabe had to be. He had to get there first—if he didn’t, every one of his dreams for her would crumble into nothingness. He had to get there first, if he held any hope of saving her from herself.
He saw no other choice; his black-feathered wings sprouted instantaneously, tearing through the back of his suit, shreds of fabric clinging to the feathers here and there. He put all of his energy, all of his will into it, dashing forward and leaping into the air. His wings carried him up as he flew towards the tall building, becoming another glowing black blur in the freezing night sky.
* * *
Silently Mammon waited, his arms crossed over his chest as his pale eyes pierced the darkness. The girl was coming; he could sense her fear as she ran blindly towards him. He smirked—this was proving an easier task than he had anticipated.
His dogs shifted restlessly behind him, Fenris’ periodic whining carrying over the sounds of the battle that raged below them and the wind that rushed around them, high up on the roof of the hospital. He watched the girl-a gold and white dot ahead of the others- hurry to the entrance. It was time.
Chapter 50
Aiden launched himself into the cold night air, white wings flapping to keep him aloft as he chased after Draven. The hulking demon was fast, faster than Aiden had guessed someone so physically gargantuan could be. Draven didn’t acknowledge his presence, never looking backwards.
Aiden growled in frustration; if there was one thing he didn’t like, it was being ignored. Being ignored by his enemy was even worse. Spurring himself onwards, he sped forwards, his hands balling into fists as he flew at Draven.
Draven pulled up sharply, dodging the impending attack and sending Aiden sailing past. Spinning in midair, Aiden grinned, his warrior spirit growing with his mounting excitement. “So you did notice me.” He chuckled, adrenaline pounding in his veins. “Excellent.”
Draven hovered in front of him, wings flapping rhythmically as he finally took a good look at his persistent opponent. His eyes travelled over Aiden for a moment, curious and observing. Their gazes locked, demon and angel staring each other down. Draven cracked a small, crooked smile. “Agreed.”
Without warning he flew at Aiden, swiping at his vulnerable sides with clawed hands. Aiden reeled back, twisting out of his grasp in the nick of time, barely dodging the blow as it ripped through his flapping suit jacket. He looked at Draven in amazement, watched as the shreds of fabric in his hand burst into flame and crumbled into soot, drifting away in the icy wind with the soft snow.
Despite himself, despite the fear he knew he should be feeling, Aiden nearly trembled with excitement. The sense of danger was nearly intoxicating; he felt his lips curve upwards, his teeth showing. This was perfect. This was what he wanted, what he craved, and, oh, how he had missed this!
Aiden hadn’t risen to the rank of General in the Heavenly Army for no reas
on. His Warrior spirit enveloped him once again, the old skills coming back to him as he faced this powerful foe. Holy power pulsed through him, the silver light pouring from his body reflecting off of his glasses. They needed no words. Both rushing forward heedlessly, angel and demon collided in a flash that lit up the sky like fireworks.
* * *
Her legs throbbed as her frozen, bleeding feet hit the asphalt of the hospital parking lot. The Emergency sign loomed large in front of her, and she felt a wave of relief wash over her. She was almost there; a few more yards, and she could see Gabe. A few more yards, and this crazy nightmare would be over.
Abby shrieked in terror as something landed next to her with a huge, cracking crash and the force of a meteor. The asphalt split jaggedly, standing up at sharp angles from the crater where a very tall, very pale man dressed all in black stood. It took Abby a few seconds of astonished gaping to see that he was not alone, to take in the two similar looking people standing silently in the man’s shadow, staring back at her with cold purplish eyes.
It was the tall man’s pale gaze, though, that captured and held her attention, made her stomach twist into knots. Those eyes that held not even a shred of humanity made her skin crawl, and she unconsciously backed away.
“Stop.” His voice was as cold as his eyes, chilling her blood with each word he spoke. “I’ve been looking for you, Abby. You’ll come along quietly like a good girl, won’t you, my dear?”
It was his smile, his sickening smile that rooted her to the spot in terror. This wasn’t good; she wanted to run, would run forever if it meant getting away from this man, but her body wasn’t responding to any of her commands. She stifled a sob, her mind going blank. The man’s smile deepened as he took a step towards her.
Something on the back of her neck began to burn horribly, something inside of her clawing desperately towards the surface. Abby felt her skin growing hot, not with blood, but with something she had never felt before. Her vision began to fade, turning a strange gold colour around the edges.
“Mammon!” a familiar voice shouted as Elijah appeared in a flash of silver, aiming directly for the pale man.
Mammon’s hand shot out, deflecting the angel’s attack. Eli appeared behind him, his chest rising and falling with exertion. “Your fight is with me, Hunter. I owe you for what you did to Fern.” Mammon glanced at him and gave a snort of derision. He turned back to Abby, whose vision had returned to normal.
She stood there, blinking as she tried to work out what the hell had just happened. The burning feeling had stopped abruptly as soon as Elijah had appeared, but she couldn’t help but feel it simmering under the surface. Mammon took another step towards Abby.
“Don’t touch her!” Elijah shouted, launching himself at the demon again.
Mammon snapped his fingers, and Elijah was intercepted by the pair behind him. “Two tips, boy. One, when fighting me, don’t try the same thing twice. And two, you have to get through my dogs first.”
Elijah laughed mirthlessly as he moved. “Fern already sent your puppies packing once; I’m willing to bet I can do the same. Tell me, where do you want me to drop this one off?” He had Fenris in a headlock with one arm, fending off Freja’s enraged attacks with the silver dagger that had materialised in his hand.
Mammon huffed. He looked from Abby to Elijah, seeming to come to a decision within himself. “If you wanted to die that badly, boy, you should have just said so.” He clicked his fingers together, capturing his dogs’ attention. “Change of plans. Get the girl. I’ll deal with this one.” Mammon walked calmly towards Elijah, pulling off his black leather gloves and discarding them as he did.
Abby took a step back, able to move again now that Mammon was away from her. But now she was faced with two equally dangerous beings; she could sense the malice from the man and woman who advanced on her slowly, stalking her like wolves going in for the kill.
Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that she was close to the entrance; it was no more than ten feet behind her. If she ran, if she was fast, just maybe…Her legs trembled under her at the very thought, threatening to buckle. Her muscles were exhausted, spent after all of their effort. I might as well give up, she thought, though her body still backed away from the feral pair.
I’d never see Gabe again. Her heart ached at the possibility, and she remembered why she had faced all of the trials she had, just to get to the hospital, to get to Gabe’s side. She was close, so close to seeing him again. I can’t give up now. Not after everything I’ve been through.
Her green eyes snapped up, meeting the gaze of the female. Her scar-faced partner paused. “Sister, she isn’t afraid anymore…”
Freja tossed her head and laughed, lips curling up in a vicious grin that had too many teeth for a human mouth. “Then make her afraid, little brother.”
Abby flinched back as the woman pounced, her dark blue eyes turning pure black. She tried desperately to remember that feeling, the unknown something that lay dormant deep inside of her. Abby stood defenseless, eyes closed, bracing herself for the impact.
The blow never connected, and she heard a loud yelp of pain. Her eyes flew open. “Aiden!” She cried, happier than she ever thought she could be to see Gabe’s brother-in-law.
Aiden stood in front of her, literally glowing with holy power. Looking closer, Abby could see gouges and rips in his suit, splotches and droplets of blood that she wasn’t convinced were all his covering him liberally. “Aiden, are you alright?”
“I should be asking you that.” Aiden said, not turning to look at her. His voice sounded…different. More powerful. And much angrier. Not like the silly, light-hearted man she knew at all. That voice broke through her reverie. “Abby, you need to get inside the hospital. They won’t follow you in there; well, the ones that are left anyway.”
He did look at her then, smiling gently at her over his shoulder. His glasses were cracked and spattered with an arc of dried blood. More blood spray covered his face. “I’ll teach these mutts a lesson. Just hurry up and get in there.”
Abby stared at him for a second, horror and relief mingling together. Something clicked in her mind and she ran for the emergency entrance with renewed strength as Aiden held back the two snarling dogs. “Why didn’t you go after her?” he asked the two after Abby had disappeared inside.
Freja answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “You were on our list before her. We can always go after her once we’ve torn you to shreds.”
Aiden laughed, a harsh sound that rang through the night air. “I suppose you could. I have to have a word with your master, though. I’ll only be able to play with you two for a moment.”
Fenris spoke, rubbing the raw slashes on his cheek with the palm of his hand. “A moment is all we’ll need.”
* * *
Aiden wiped away some of the blood that clung to his face with the back of his hand. It wasn’t very effective; he could feel the warm, heavy wetness drying where it landed. He stepped over the unconscious siblings, hurrying to the place where Mammon and Elijah still fought, flashes of black and silver lighting the night and making the air crackle with power.
“Mammon!” he called as he strode towards them. He couldn’t let this fight continue—Mammon was too dangerous, too powerful for Eli to best. They didn’t stop, didn’t acknowledge him. “Mammon!”
“Still alive, General?” Mammon shouted as he lunged at Eli.
“Despite your father’s efforts, yes.”
“Ah, yes. And how is my dear father?”
“About the same as you’ll be in a moment!” Aiden shouted as he flew at the demon, eyes blazing.
Mammon sidestepped smoothly, grabbing Eli’s outstretched arm as the boy readied another attack. “I’d love to stay and continue this chat, General, but this boy and I have some business. He was here first, you see.” With a cold sneer Mammon vanished, taking Elijah along with him.
Aiden cursed loudly as they dis
appeared. They could have gone anywhere, and he had no way of following them; it wouldn’t stop him from trying. Aiden flew, determined to follow after his future son-in-law. Fern would never forgive him if he didn’t at least try.
Chapter 51
Abby slammed her palms flat against the push-bar of the emergency room doors, flinging herself headlong into the sterile, off-white walled building. Panting and shaking slightly with that final exertion, she looked around to try and get her bearings.
The waiting room was large but mostly empty. A handful of people sat in the black leatherette seats that had seen better days. A few stared at her curiously, taking in her tattered dress and terrified, bloodless face. The triage nurse sitting behind the long, glass-windowed desk spoke to her from across the room. “Are you alright, miss?”
Abby looked over at the sound of the voice and, recognizing that this woman might be able to help her, hurried over to the desk. “Can you help me? I’m looking for someone…”
The nurse gave her a kindly smile. “I can try! Now, who are you looking for?”
“Gabe—Gabriel Ward? He would have come in here a little while ago with an older couple.” The woman’s eyes lit up with recognition, then filled with the sort of pitying look that Abby desperately didn’t want to see. “Is he here? Is he alright?!”
“Calm down, miss. He’s in stable condition…but he hasn’t woken up yet. The doctors are—“
“Where is he? Can I see him?” Abby interjected.
“Room 315, but…” Abby didn’t hear the rest. She took off like a shot towards the stairwell, taking the steps two at a time. Her bare feet slapped loudly against the sterile stairs and landings, her breathing ragged as she surged ever upward. She was almost there. She was almost to Gabe’s side again, the only place she wanted to be at that moment. The only place she had wanted to be all night.
Abby reached the third landing and glanced at the large red map that was screwed into the wall behind a sheet of thick, clear plastic. Room 315 was down the hall on the left—she staggered forward, pushing her way out of the stairwell on overly-exhausted limbs.
