Anarchy Rising

by Nicole Coverdale

  “Can you try to get the kids to be a little quiet? It might be a little much for Sky.”

  “Ah, he looks fine to me,” Winston said, glancing over his shoulder, laughing as the kids gathered around Sky, talking a million miles a minute. “I think they like him.”

  “I think you’re worrying a little too much about Sky,” Stella said, as she pulled a pan out of the oven. “After all, you should be the one taking it easy.”

  “Why me?”

  “Because you just had a heart attack!”

  “But Sky…”

  “Is just fine,” Sky said, walking back into the room, and clapping a hand on Winston’s shoulder. “And excited to meet this family of yours!”

  “Well come on, then!” Winston cried, dragging him forward. “Dillon’s so excited to meet you!”

  “Dillon?”

  “My husband.” Winston grinned at Sky’s look. “I’m gay, Sky.” He glanced at Sky. “You do know what that is, right?”

  “Of course I know what that is! I might not have my memories, but I still have common sense!” Sky laughed. “I’m happy for you, Winston. For all of you.”

  “Is this him?” A dark-haired man asked as he hung his coat up on the rack, glancing at Sky.

  “This is him,” Winston said. “Sky, this is Dillon. Dillon, this is Sky.”

  “Nice to meet you,” the man said, extending his hand. “I’ve heard so many things about you. Both good and bad, but it really is a miracle having you here with us.”

  “You have no idea,” Sky whispered.

  “Hey, Dad, who is this!” A young, Hispanic boy asked, as he raced up to them, tugging on Winston’s pant leg.

  “This? This is your uncle!” Winston cried, picking the boy up, and throwing him up in the air.

  The boy squealed. “I have another uncle?”

  “Yes, you do! Sky.” He glanced at Sky. “And you know what, I heard he loves to play mousetrap.”

  “Mousetrap? I love mousetrap!”

  “I know you do.”

  “Gee, thanks, Winston. Way to put me in the line of fire,” Sky muttered, as the kid turned to look at him. “And just who are you?” he asked, propping his hands on his hips.

  “I’m Diego!” the kid cried. “And I’m three!” He held his hand out.

  “Five? No way!” he cried. “You’re getting old!”

  The boy laughed, holding his arms out to him.

  “Oh! I guess he wants me to hold him, huh?” Sky asked, laughing, as he took the kid. He glanced at Winston. “How long have you had him?”

  “Since he was a baby,” Dillon said. “We were lucky to be able to adopt him when we did. A lot of couples are on the list for years!”

  “Do you want to play a game of mousetrap?”

  “How about this afternoon?” Sky asked as they walked into the kitchen. “Because I think brunch is just about ready. Are you hungry?”

  Dillon and Winson laughed.

  “I’m always hungry!” Diego cried. “And look, there are pancakes! They’re my favorite!”

  “You wanna hear a secret?” Sky whispered in his ear. “They’re my favorite too, and you know the best thing about pancakes?”

  “No, what?”

  “You can make them look like they’re smiling! Come on!”

  Chapter 24

  “Sir, do you know what’s happening?” the black angel asked, dropping to the ground behind Liam.

  “Yes, I am aware,” Liam said, glancing over his shoulder at the black angel, before turning back to Julie. “They have the sapphire and the witches.”

  “What do you want us to do?”

  “Nothing, right now,” Liam said, as he laid a hand on the glass capsule holding Julie inside. “Julie, Julie, Julie.” He sighed, shaking his head. “I had high hopes for you… when I heard of you, but you really disappointed me. Crossing to the dark side, marrying a demon, and bearing his child. A child, who holds the last ingredient I need for my potion. Blood of pure darkness.”

  “But you’re not able to get the blood yet, sir!”

  “I know that!” Liam snapped, glaring at the child. “She has to be at least six months along before I can extract the blood, which is why I’ve developed this potion.” He held up the syringe, as he opened the top of the capsule. “This will speed the pregnancy up.”

  “But isn’t dying?”

  “That was a little trick I played on the witches, in order to get them to let me take her,” Liam said, chuckling. “Satan left a few good tricks behind before he was taken from here.” He pushed the plunger, the liquid seeping into Julie.

  “You really like your potions, don’t you?” the black angel asked, eyeing the contraption laying behind them, liquid pooling from the line, gulping at the restraints laying on the metal slab. “It’s really the last thing you need?”

  “Well that, and a few things from the enchanted creatures,” Liam said.

  “And the witches? They have the sapphire, sir! They can get their powers back!”

  “Do you really think that I would leave the sapphire out in plain sight, for them to steal?” Liam asked, rolling his eyes. “It’s the reason I had Jordyn in the first place.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She’s the only witch on this earth, who has the ability to make crystals. She won’t remember it, because I had her in a trance, but she made a replica of the crystal. The real crystal is right here.” He pointed to the crystal, hovering above Julie. “And that’s not how they’re going to get their powers back.”

  “And how are they going to get their powers back?”

  “Just wait, my eager black angel. My plan is running right on schedule.”

  ***

  “Holy crap! I can’t believe this is here!” Josslyn cried as they weaved through the trees, staring at the rushing water as it rushed down from the cliffs hidden deep in the wasteland. “In the wasteland of all places!”

  “This place is definitely weird,” Jorja said, as they weaved through the trees, the ground turning from grass to stoned steps, sliding to a stop as the bridge appears below them. “Whoa! That’s quite a drop,” she said, peering down below, at the rushing water far below. “Be careful. Looks like there are a few boards missing.”

  “It’s also very wobbly,” Jasmine said, stepping back, as the bridge dropped under their weight. “I think we might have to take this one at a time.”

  “I think I’m with Jasmine on this one,” Josi said, eyeing the bridge, and the rushing depths underneath them. “I mean, I like my thrills better than anyone, but even this is testing me!” She glanced at Jorja. “Maybe you should go first?”

  “Why me?”

  “Well, you have been on more adventures then anyone else here,” Jordyn put in.

  “That doesn’t mean I put myself in dangerous situations!” Jorja cried, but turned, stepping onto the bridge. She blew out a breath, pausing, as the bridge swayed under her weight. Okay, Jorja, you go this! Just take it nice and slow. She took another step forward, the bridge swaying left, then right. She gasped, grabbing the sides of the bridge, her stomach churning. She swallowed, taking another step forward, then another, stepping over the whole in the middle of the bridge, racing forward and lunging. Her feet landing on bright, green grass. “Got it!” she cried. “Just take it very slowly!”

  “As if we would do anything but,” Josslyn said, rolling her eyes. “Jami, wanna go?”

  “Why not?” Jami stepped forward. The bridge swayed, and she paused, just like Jorja had, waiting for it to stop, then continued across the bridge, stepping over the missing plank.

  “She’s halfway, Jessi, I think you can go,” Jasmine said, nodding to her niece.

  “You’re sure?” Jessi asked, swallowing, as she stared down at the rushing water and the sharp rocks that lay underneath.

  “I wouldn’t tell you to if I thought I’d be putting you in danger,” Jasmine told her. “But we’ve gotta get going. We all need to rest, then we need to go find Julie
. Who knows what Liam is doing to her.”

  “I know.” Jessi swallowed. “Okay, I got this.” She started across the bridge.

  “Whoa!”

  Jami gasped, clutching the railing of the bridge, as it suddenly dipped. “Jessi!”

  “Jessi, don’t walk so fast!” Jorja cried, her heart skipping a beat, as the bridge dipped downward. “Just stop a minute!” She squatted, staring down at the girls. “Just wait. There, it’s stopped moving. Now Jami, come on. Continued across. Jessi, wait a moment and start across… slowly.”

  The girls nodded, listening to her instructions, and reached down a moment later to pull Jami up onto the grass. “I think the bridge is weakening,” she said, pulling Jessi up onto the grass next to them. “It’s getting closer and closer to the rushing water.”

  “Is everyone going to be able to cross?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Okay, Josi, it’s your turn,” Josslyn said, staring at the bridge, as it rose back up. “Just be careful. I don’t know how much longer it’s going to hold.”

  “I know, Mom,” Josi said, rolling her eyes. “Don’t worry. I’ll be careful.” She started across.

  “God, this is so nervewracking!” Josslyn cried, turning to Jasmine. “I’m not sure I can take much more of this.”

  “You think? I mean, they could only fall to their deaths!”

  “You’re not helping, Jasmine!”

  “Right. Sorry.” Jasmine squeezed Josslyn’s shoulder, a rustle sounding nearby. “Ah. Joss, did you hear that?”

  “Hear what?”

  “Some wort of noise.”

  “No. I think you’re hearing things.”

  “I’m not…” Jasmine trailed off, cocking her head to the side, watching as big oak trees, and bright, green grass suddenly surrounded them once more. “Uh oh. It’s changing again.” A noise sounding nearby. “Oh no.”

  “Hiss…”

  “What? What is it? Do you see something?” Josslyn asked, turning.

  Jasmine shook her head. “No, I don’t see anything, but I definitely hear something.”

  “What do you hear?”

  “That!” Jasmine cried, jabbing her finger forward, as a long, black snake slithered out from the bushes. “It’s Tony.”

  “What!”

  “Who’s Tony?” Mark asked, staring at the two women.

  “A very bad, very nasty demon,” Josslyn said. “Jasmine, are you sure? He’s dead!”

  “And just where did he and the other demons go, when Liam stole the power from Mathias and Cyrus?”

  “Ah…” Josslyn trailed off. “Oh my God, I don’t know? You think they’re here?”

  “Josslyn…”

  The dark, raspy voice sounded, and Josslyn winced. “You know, I would have been perfectly happy to never hear that voice ever again!”

  “Me too!” Jasmine cried, as something wrapped around her ankle. She bit her lip, staring down t the green and black patterned snake wrapped around her ankle. “Ahh, Joss…”

  “Josslyn! Catch!” Jordyn grabbed the stick lying at her feet.

  “You expect me to kill it with a stick?” Josslyn asked, staring at her in shock. “It won’t even do any damage!”

  “Don’t you dare hurt my babies!”

  The loud voice shouted from behind them, and they all jumped, as Tony came barreling out from the trees.

  “Jordyn! Mark! Run!” Josslyn shouted.

  Jordyn and Mark turned, racing across the bridge.

  “No! Don’t run!” Jorja shouted as they raced across the bridge, pulling Josi up onto the grass. “It’s not safe!”

  “Demon!” Jordyn shouted, turning, and jabbing a finger over her shoulder. She raced forward, leaping over the hole in the bridge. It swayed, dipping downward, and she swallowed, glancing over at Mark. “You got this?”

  “I think so!”

  “Jordyn! The bridge!” Jorja screamed, watching as the bridge ripped free. “You have to hurry!”

  “I’m coming!” Jordyn cried, racing forward as fast as she could. Planks few in the air around her, and she lunged forward, falling to the grass next to her mother.

  “Mark!”

  Jami screamed as the bridge fell apart, falling to the depths far below. Her breath caught, as his hand slid from the edge, falling downward. “Jorja! Mark!”

  “Ahh!”

  Mark screamed, his body propelling downward, grabbing a hold of the thick vine. “Whoa!”

  “Oh my God! He’s still alive!” Jessi cried. “Mark, you have to climb!”

  “In a sec!” Mark said, drawing in a deep breath, and pulling himself upward. He let out a loud grunt, grabbing the hands that reached for him, pulling him up to the grass. “That was scary!”

  “You think?” Jami asked. “You scared me! I thought you were dead!”

  “Jordyn, what did you mean that there’s a demon?” Jorja asked, staring at her daughter. “What demon?”

  “Tony!” Jordyn cried, staring off across the water, as the demon stepped toward Josslyn and Jami on the other side. “The snake demon!”

  “He’s the first demon they ever had to face,” Jessi said. “Jorja, they have no powers!”

  “And we have no way to help them!” Jorja cried. “Except for this. She pulled the sapphire from her pocket, staring down at the raging beauty. “But I don’t think I can do it.”

  “You’re not serious,” Josi said, staring at her aunt in dismay. “Jorja, it’s a stone! Think about it. The stone or your family.”

  “But I’ve been searching for this thing my whole life!”

  “Oh, would you just give that to me?” Jessi asked, rolling her eyes. “I’ll do it! Jami, Jordyn, can you lift that rock for me?”

  The two lifted the rock, and the bushes suddenly rustled.

  “Well, hello there, ladies,” a man said, as he rose from where he was huddled in the long grass, crossing his eight legs across his chest. “We’ve been waiting for you.” He grinned, his fangs hovering over his lower lip. He glanced over his shoulder at the men and women standing behind them, jabbing a finger forward. “Get them!”

  Chapter 25

  “Did you just say Satan… is being resurrected?” Jade asked, staring at the leprechauns in shock. “But he can’t be resurrected. He… he…he…”

  “Any demon can be resurrected, Jade,” Ashwin said, from across from her, his eyes locking with hers.

  “But not Satan!” Jade cried. “If he’s resurrected, Julie’s premonition will come true!”

  “What premonition?” Elijah asked.

  “Her premonition of Josslyn dying!” Jade shouted, wrapping her hands and shaking the cage. “I need to get our od here!”

  “Jade! Stop!” Elijah shouted, as the bars to her cage suddenly turned a bright red.

  “Whoa!” Jade jumped back, her eyes wide. “What the hell is that?”

  “Zeus made this cage, centuries ago. The demons infused it with a special crystal. If we try to break free… we’ll die.”

  “But I thought Alana didn’t want us dead!”

  “She probably doesn’t know about the cage,” Ashwin said, locking eyes with Jade once more. “But we’ll get out of here, Jade. I know we will. Some way.”

  “But what about your magic?” Jade asked, looking at Elijah. “I know you still have it!”

  “And if I use my magic, we’ll all be burnt to a crisp!”

  “But my sisters! The book! Satan!”

  “As if I like being stuck here any more then you do,” Elijah said, rolling his eyes. “I’m also not thrilled with the prospect of seeing Satan again. Remember, he is the one who banished me.”

  “Seems to me, it wasn’t a bad idea,” Jade muttered her breath.

  “Hey, don’t forget you’re the one who came to me for help, Jade,” Elijah said, glaring at her. “I was perfectly content where I was, but you dragged me into this mess. Remember, I have the whole magical community looking for me!”

  “Yes, and putting o
ur lives in danger in the process,” Jade muttered. “And I only asked for your help because I didn’t have a choice. Because you told me he was our only chance!” She snapped, stabbing a finger at Ashwin. “Now look at us!

  “As if I knew what was going to happen,” Ashwin grumbled. “It’s not like I have a crystal ball, Jade!”

  “Oh, will you all just shut up!” one of the leprechauns snapped, interrupting them. “You’re giving me a headache. I’m trying to sleep!”

  “Sleep? You’re trying to sleep in here?” Jade asked, glancing at the dusty, cement under her feet. “How on earth can you sleep in here?”

  “Because I need my strength for what’s to come,” the leprechaun told her. “You should preserve your strength too. There’s a battle coming, and it’s not going to be pretty.”

  “What do you know?” Jade asked, the door slamming open above them, and she turned, watching as the demons rounded the corner. “Ugh. What now?”

  “It’s dinner time!” the large, gray demon said, as he and five other demons walked in front of the cages, sliding a tray of food underneath the doors. “Eat up!”

  “What is it?” Jade asked, wrinkling her nose as she stared at the slop. “Is it poisonous?”

  “Poison is the least of your worries here in the underworld,” the demon told her, raising his head, and grinning. “You’ll be dead soon.”

  “So you’ve aligned yourself with the vampires?” Jade asked, inching toward the demon.

  “Are you kidding! I hate vampires!” the demon cried, glancing over at Ashwin. “And traitors.” He glanced at Elijah. “And witches.” He glanced back at Jade. “But I’ve heard Talia and Alana’s plan. It’s good, and something I can get behind until a new leader rises who is worthy of my loyalty. Let’s go.” He nodded to the other demons, and they turned, disappearing up the steps.

  “I don’t think I can eat this,” Ashwin said, kicking the tray at his feet, the foul smell of the porridge filling his senses. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

  “Well, it’s a good thing you won’t have to,” Jade said, dangling the keys from her hand. “Look at what I have.”

  “You have the keys?” Elijah jumped to his feet. “How?”