The Wings of Heaven and Hell (The Arcadian Steel Sequence Book 1)

by L. M. Peralta

  “How did you get here anyway?” I asked.

  He grimaced.

  “I’m sorry was that a rude question?” I turned my head to the side.

  Tom sighed. “Actually, it is, but I know you’re trying to be mean right now because you think I don’t care about Nash as much as you do. I’m not giving you my life story, but suffice to say, I chose to be in Sheol.”

  “Why would anyone choose Hell?”

  “Some people are suited for it.” Tom smirked.

  I folded my arms. “What about the Circles?”

  “Not everyone is tortured. Lucifer offers deals: collect a hundred souls, possess so-and-so, or wander the Earth wrecking the lives of humans.”

  “That seems like a lot of work for someone who decided against paradise.”

  “There are lots of theories.” Tom returned to his book.

  “Then, why don’t you talk about them?”

  Tom looked at me. “Because you’re far from able to discuss them. Contrary to popular belief I don’t like to hear myself talk.”

  “Try me,” I said. “I’m able to hold my own with the best of them.”

  Tom sighed. “Some souls are destined for Sheol. They don’t make a conscious decision, but the guilt eats them up inside. They don’t believe they belong anywhere else. But for those who choose it, the payoff is a life much like the one they lived on Earth, except they’re at the top. They live in nice houses, get the best booze, and don’t pay for any of it.”

  He sneered. “The best part: they get to skip Purgatory. Everybody sins. They got it so locked up in Heaven, they don’t let anybody in until they’ve purged. You think doing bad things to other people is shitty? Just imagine getting shitty stuff done to you every day for hundreds of thousands of years. Starving. Running through walls of flames. Most humans aren’t in Heaven, they’re in Purgatory. It’s not as bad as the Circles, but Lucifer gives everyone who wants it a way out. A lot of people take it. There aren’t very many humans who even know what Heaven is like.”

  “Why does Raphael want to shut the gates to humans if there aren’t that many there?” I asked.

  “Well, just because most humans are in Purgatory, doesn’t mean there aren’t still a lot in Heaven too. There are more people in Heaven than there are on Earth, but three times that many in Purgatory. If Raphael’s anything like the original Fallen, then it’s the thought of humans living in Heaven at all that bothers him. Imagine being an angel and feeling like somebody’s butler. Humans are whiny, little bitches, no offense.”

  I darted my head towards the front hallway. Voices echoed into the living room.

  Tom and I got up from the couch and headed for the door. Bob and three others stood in the foyer. Three men, all dressed like they were ready for training.

  “Here they are now,” said Bob. “Lia, Tom, this is Malcolm, Alex, and Chip.”

  “Hi.” Tom shook the shorter man’s hand. “You must be Chip.”

  “No.” Bob patted the tall, blond man’s shoulder, “this is Chip. That’s Malcolm.”

  My skin prickled. Malcolm was only a little taller than me, but his skin was blood red, and his eyes were black, snake-like slits.

  “Malcolm likes to go au naturel,” said Bob. He didn’t mean unclothed. Malcolm wore the same black clothing as the rest of the party, but it didn’t hide the forked tail that whipped from behind his back.

  Bob looked at me. “Alex is Chandra’s brother, so it’s kind of the same, right? He can’t fight too well, but he looks a bit like Nash, doesn’t he? Well, except for the eyes.”

  I folded my arms over my chest. “Bob, you’re not replacing Nash.”

  Bob put his hand on my shoulder and led me away from the group. I squirmed beneath his touch. “Listen,” he said. “I did what I could for you, Lia. I did, but the boss isn’t having it anymore. You’ve got to collect more than one fallen angel, or the deal’s off. I’m afraid, she’ll have you thrown into the Pit, and that’ll be the end of it.”

  I uncrossed my arms and looked at him wide-eyed.

  He pursed his lips and shrugged his shoulders. “Look, why don’t you work with us, okay? Once Raphael is gone, Lucifer doesn’t have to worry about him finding another way to lock down Heaven, and you don’t have to worry about your soul. These guys,” he nodded his head over to the group, “they’re good. Maybe better than Nash and the others. And, if you like Nash that much, you could always go back to him if he ever makes it out of the Ninth Circle. What do you say?”

  I glared at him with narrowed eyes. “One training session,” I said, “but I want you out of this house, Beelzebub.”

  He smiled when I said his true name.

  “Alright.” He put his hands up in surrender. “I’m out. You do your thing. Oh, and I got you something.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew an MP3 player. “Peace offering.”

  WE practiced all afternoon. It felt weird to use Nash’s weapons and his training field. I landed on my back more times than I liked.

  “They’re good,” said Tom.

  I took a swig of water from the bottle I carried. “Yeah, that’s what Bob said.”

  Tom sighed. “Look, I’ve been hanging with them for what you would consider an eternity. So, yeah, it really sucks that they’re gone. I wanted to finish this fight with Nash, but if we don’t do this, I’m destined for nothing but the Pit. I don’t know what Bob said to you, but knowing him it was probably a threat. If Nash gets out of the Ninth Circle, it will be because of him, Kiran, Chandra, and Adrianna. There’s nothing we can do out here, but continue to fight.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “But I’m not going to stop trying. I’ll train. I’ll fight angels. But I’m not going to stop looking for answers.”

  Alex, sweaty after fighting Malcolm, settled down next to us while Malcolm and Chip sparred together.

  “Aren’t you worried about your sister in the Circles?” I asked.

  “Chandra can handle herself. She started fighting when she was twelve. I see her more now than I ever did in life.” He swallowed a long draw of water.

  I looked at Tom, critically. At least Alex had hope.

  “Anyway, I hope you don’t mind if I use the shower.” Alex stood up.

  Tom winked at him. A subtle smile lit his face.

  TOM swiveled in the chair. “I’ve checked it out,” he said. “It’s an Archdemon, but he’s alone.”

  “He’s in New Orleans?”

  An orange dot on the screen radiated circles from its center.

  Tom nodded. “Demons like the city. It has a great nightlife.” He smirked.

  A demon in my city. I wondered if I’d seen him before, if he was one of the ones who frightened me over the years. Perhaps he was. I couldn’t let him lurk around.

  “Do you think the others would be up for it? It would be their first time,” I said.

  Tom shook his head. “No, it wouldn’t.”

  I put my hands on my hips. “What do you mean?”

  “I sent them after Andromeda last week.”

  “You found her?”

  “Yeah.” Tom ran a hand through his hair. “She didn’t get far from where we left her.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me? I could have gone with them.”

  “That’s why I didn’t tell you. I’m not sure I should even be telling you about this one.”

  “Just because Nash isn’t here, it doesn’t mean I’m no longer part of this team,” I said. “Making angels fall isn’t the only thing I’m good for.”

  “But it’s a pretty big thing to be good for,” said Tom. “Every time I send you out there, I’m sending you to possible slaughter.”

  I folded my arms. “I can’t let everything Nash taught me fade away. I can’t get soft.”

  “You haven’t gotten out of soft.”

  I groaned.

  “Did Andromeda tell anyone?” I asked.

  “About you?” Tom shook his head. “It’s not likely she met with any other angels where she wa
s, and not being able to fly, she couldn’t have made it back to Heaven. Besides, no angel will listen to an angel without light.”

  I wasn’t so sure about that.

  I met Malcolm, Alex, and Chip outside on the field. “No training today.” I stopped in front of them. “We have a demon to track down.”

  “A demon?” Malcom squinted at me. “We didn’t sign up to hunt our own kind.”

  I hated the way he looked at me with those thin, black eyes. He was always scowling. Maybe that was because demon faces were less expressive. He couldn’t be angry all the time.

  “Well, someone has to do it.” My hands were on my hips. “Lucifer won’t be happy if we ignore a demon who’s been loafing around on Earth.”

  I thought of Nash. He wouldn’t pass up on a demon hunt. This was what he did. He ferried thousands of demons back to Sheol, and he was good at it.

  “I’m the leader of this team. We’re going to fight.” That always worked for Nash.

  Malcolm pursed his lips. “Fine.” He, Alex and Chip shuffled out of the room.

  “That’s our new team,” I said to Tom. “They won’t even hunt demons.”

  “They don’t want to turn on their own,” said Tom. “We’re not looked upon very highly by our demon brethren.”

  That night, Alex opened the portal, and we stepped through into a dingy bathroom with tiled walls and wooden stalls.

  Too bad Lucifer wouldn’t give me the ability to open portals. Going through portals was nauseating, but it would be nice to go where I wanted, when I wanted. I’d still have to consult with Tom though. Portals could go anywhere since Sheol was like a disk, rapidly bisecting sections of Earth. Knowing me, I’d probably portal myself into a volcano.

  I led the way out of the bathroom and into a dark hallway that led to a room with a bar and pool table. Loud music played, and people talked, danced, and drank. The door was open to a crowded street of people walking back and forth down the covered walkways and in the middle of the road. Lights glowed from signs beneath balconies with black iron railings.

  We walked out onto Bourbon Street, and although we were all dressed in black and wore swords at our hips, we didn’t garner a second glance.

  “How are we going to find the demon here?” Alex peered up and down the crowded street.

  The stench of beer stung my nostrils. “Come on.” My feet stuck to the brick street as I walked. People stumbled and laughed, but one man weaved through the crowd on deft feet. He wasn’t drunk, and he wasn’t with anyone.

  “There.” I pointed out the man.

  “Him?” asked Malcolm.

  “He didn’t come here for the party,” I said. “And he doesn’t seem to be making a beeline towards the strip clubs.”

  We followed the man. He was tall, maybe the same height as Bob with long, black hair pulled into a ponytail and dark skin. He wore a fitted jacket and dark jeans. His hands were in his pockets as he walked.

  He walked down Canal street. Cars drove by and parked behind a gate under the overpass. Carts and tents were set up by the homeless. One woman huddled among the trash in a dirty tank top. A man in tattered clothes was petting his dog.

  Tarps covered the ground, and graffiti was etched into the stone walls like a gallery without gatekeepers. Broken and dirty lawn chairs leaned over next to an empty, blue shopping cart and a flat, gray mattress.

  Low hanging clouds covered the stars and saturated the sky with thick, black tar. The tar melted from the sky and sent deep shadows to the edges of the city and between dark alleyways.

  The passing cars hummed. The smell of exhaust tingled my nostrils. I held the back of my hand to my nose, stifling a sneeze.

  Chip crept ahead of us. Something whished beneath his coat. Chip had a tail! The tail was long and thin like a lizard’s. I’d lifted the Veil again. It would be nice to know how to control that.

  The further we walked, the quieter the streets became. I rubbed my arms. The silence unnerved me. The quiet always did that to me. That’s why I found it hard to sleep without the TV on.

  The demon stopped at a house several blocks away. We watched him from a few houses down. He walked inside. I signaled for Malcolm, Alex, and Chip to follow me. We approached the house. Malcolm swung the door open. The creak cracked the silence.

  Chip wore a worried look on his face. I passed him, moving into the dark and musty house. Worn wood floor trailed down the hallway. The plaster walls were gray in the night.

  On my right was a living room with a sofa on wooden feet and a small television with bunny ear receptors. To my left was a dining room. The long table had a dozen cushioned chairs around it. A dusty chandelier was above the table.

  Stairs were in front of us, and upon the stairs were black footprints. With a wave, I signaled the group to move forward. I drew my sword. The metal zinged as I released the blade from its sheath and took the stairs.

  The footsteps led to a room. I opened the door and looked around. A small bed was catty-cornered in the room.

  On the bed was an old woman. Her skin was leathery. Her body was thin and wrapped in a loose nightgown. She sat upright in the bed. Her eyes were a milky blue.

  The others stepped behind me as I spotted something in the opposite corner. The form was tall and black with red eyes.

  A circle glowed around us.

  “He tricked us,” said Malcolm.

  The demon unhinged itself from the wall and walked to the edge of the circle. “Mari tricked you,” he said. “She was always a most capable witch even without her sight.”

  “Belial.” Malcolm wore a look of recognition.

  “You know him?” I asked.

  Malcolm gulped. “We shouldn’t have come.”

  “That’s right you shouldn’t have come,” said Belial. “No demon can leave this circle.”

  “Well, I’m not a demon, and I’m not afraid of you.” I stepped out the circle and faced the demon, my sword in front of me.

  Belial squinted. “Lydia.” He breathed the name and stepped closer to me despite the sword raised against him.

  “I thought you were dead.”

  “I’m not Lydia,” I said. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.” I backed away as he tried to touch my face.

  “No, you’re not Lydia,” he said. “But you are someone close to her. You look just like her.”

  Lydia. I had never heard that name before. She was a woman I looked just like, but who I didn’t know. “My mother?”

  FOURTEEN

  MY mother.

  “What do you know about my mother?” My sword was still pointed at him.

  Belial put his hands up, but his voice was uneven and mocking. “Hey, we’re all friends here. I wouldn’t hurt the daughter of one of my own.”

  “What do you mean one of your own?”

  “Lia, don’t talk to him,” hissed Malcolm. “Just break the ring and let us out.”

  “Do that,” said Belial, “and you’ll learn nothing from me.”

  I looked back at Malcolm, Alex, and Chip caged by an invisible force. Their eyes were desperate and afraid. But I saw hundreds of demons like Belial. It wasn’t until later that I realized it wasn’t Belial’s appearance that frightened them, but his power.

  “How do you know my birth mother?” I asked.

  Belial’s lips spread to either side of his face, and long, pointed teeth were visible beneath short, reddened gums. “She is one of my own. A witch. She was one of the best.”

  The small, old woman whimpered in the corner.

  Belial looked upon her with compassion. “So, are you, my dear, Mari.” That seemed to appease the woman. Her lips stopped quivering in a frown, and she returned to her blank gaze. She concentrated on keeping Alex, Malcolm, and Chip entrapped within the glowing circle.

  Belial continued, “When I saw Lydia for the first time, she cradled you in her arms in a tight blanket. She was afraid I came for her child. Lydia was so desperate, so fragile. She had done something terrible
. She made a deal she couldn’t turn back on, so I helped her.”

  “You helped her perform a spell?” I asked.

  Belial frowned. The moonlight touched the side of his face. His skin was black and scaly like a lizard’s. “I’m flattered you think I can do magic, but that’s not the case and unfortunately, I haven’t taken the time to study many spells, especially the arcane ones like the one your mother wished to perform. She didn’t understand why she didn’t know magic like her mother and her mother’s mother. She knew a few incantations but had no power.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “So, how did you help her?”

  “I allowed her to drink my blood.”

  My hand tightened on my sword. “I don’t understand.”

  “My blood gave her power. It is what made her a witch.”

  I shook my head. “And you just happened to come to her at the right time?”

  “No.” Belial shook his head. “I didn’t know your dear mother from Adam. Someone told me about her. He called himself: The Redeemer.”

  The Redeemer. That was the second time I’d heard that name: first from the mouth of a fallen angel and now from this demon.

  “He told me to tell Lydia about the spell that could help her daughter.”

  I squinted at him.

  “I didn’t care one way or the other,” said Belial. “I’ve spent thousands of years looking for desperate souls to become my creations. I would have told her anything. But I knew the spell wouldn’t work. Even an experienced witch who could lure an angel couldn’t perform such a spell without someone dying in the process and utterly ruining the whole thing. But I don’t tell my children what they can and cannot do with their magic. Lydia wouldn’t have listened to me if I warned her against it, and I doubted she would have become what I wanted her to become for any less. But you are here so I guess she didn’t kill you. Maybe she decided not to do the spell after all.”

  “She did do the spell,” I whispered. “And it worked.”

  Belial looked at me in surprise. “You little liar.”

  “I’ve touched angels, and I’ve seen their wings burst into flames and their eyes grow dark. My mother turned me into a monster.”

  Belial’s face twisted into a grimace of anger. “Your mother earned herself a one-way ticket to Hell to save your life, girl. Her mistake was made before you were born, and she sacrificed everything to fix it. You’re mortal. I can smell it on you and running around with demons. You’re undoing everything your mother gave her soul for. She should hate you.” His words were laced with venom, and he lurched forward.