The world around me was no longer mine. I didn’t know how to react. Time was measured, slow and deliberate. Every second that ticked by was worse than the last. Tick-tock, tick-tock.
My throat was hoarse, scratchy. I wanted to speak, I wanted to say something to make it all go away. But what was left to say? Ky… Ky was gone. How the hell did it come to this? What do I have to do? What the hell do I do! How do I stop this?
Beau shot me a look of urgency and quickly pulled my arm. “Maya… Maya, look at me.” He cupped my face in his hands, rubbing my cheekbones with his thumbs.
I didn’t look at him, I couldn’t. I stared at Tommy and Mags sulking on the ground, tempted to join them.
I was encapsulated by guilt, like somehow everything was my fault. I was the Puritas, my mother died for me to win a holy war. Beau was an angel, demons killed people I cared about. They wanted me, not them. I was the problem. I am the problem.
“You are not the problem, stop that!” Beau held me in place, pleading for my attention.
When my eyes found his, he leaned his forehead against mine. “We have to go, okay? I’ll seal this door; no one, not even a demon can penetrate it. Maya,” he wiped the tears from my cheek. “You drink from that chalice, you absorb the grace God gave you when you were born. You’re untouchable and Lucifer has no choice but to call back his demons.”
Everything in me wanted to give up, to give in to the demons and let them take me. Anything to save my friends, my family. It was clear now they would hurt anyone in their path just to get to me.
“Ky didn’t commit suicide.” I muttered. My lips were dry.
Beau clenched his jaw. “Considering recent events, I’d think that highly unlikely.”
I shut my eyes, forcing all the water out. Be brave Maya. Your mother didn’t die for nothing. You are who you are, you’ve seen it with your own two eyes. You can’t escape this life, you have to embrace it. For your sake and for everyone else’s, you are more powerful than you know.
I moved away from Beau’s touch and knelt down to Mags and Tommy. “No one else is going to die.” I embraced both of them. “Stay here and wait for me to come back. I have to make things right.”
I didn’t give them time to respond. I signalled for Beau and exited the cabin, making my way for the car. Beau shortly followed, placing his hand against the entrance. A vibrant white hue radiated from beneath his palm, outlining the doorframe in ivory stardust. He knelt on the ground, mumbling a few words to himself. In a flash, the entire perimeter of the house lit up in crystalline beams and receded into the ground beneath it.
He jogged to the car and shut the door, starting the ignition. I took one last glance at the cabin before we pulled out of the driveway, releasing my final tear. I’m going to make things right.
“Let’s go to Port Hope.” I said.
Chapter 35
Hell
Siles awoke in a caged, dark room. In the distance, he could make out blue-fire torches lining the cave walls. His weak muscles ached with intense pain and his stomach, an empty pit. The whole of his chest was crusted with dried blood from Lucifer’s carving.
“Auxilium!” Siles yelled for aid, coughing out blood clots. When his swollen eyes finally came to, he quickly realized that he wasn’t on Earth but hell.
The faint echo of snickering demons loomed over Siles, followed by loud cries of lost souls, trapped in the stone.
Siles slumped back down, leaning against the cold bars with stinging discomfort. “I am… a coward.”
His mind wandered to Mags, and if Marina got to her. She would kill Mags before Maya, just because of me… Siles thought. It blew his mind how he ended up in the exact position he’d spent the last century running away from. Just a few months ago, he had been a warrior in Lucifer’s army, training for the fight against the enemy. But now, Siles was uncertain of who the true enemy really was.
“Are you afraid of pain?” An indistinct voice asked in the darkness.
Siles scampered away from the cage bars, startled. “Who’s there?” He saw no one.
“Cowards are afraid of pain.” The voice spoke again. “From what I see, you are no coward.”
Across from him, a glint of metal gleamed in the darkness. The soft, clanging sound of rusty bars echoed through the cave. Siles narrowed his eyes, making out a shaded face in the dim light of the torches. She was a woman, he gathered that from her long hair. But that’s all he could see.
“Lucifer will never pity you, and the ones that will are locked up, like you and I.” Her voice was clearer now. She had a distinct accent.
A small orange light beamed from within her cell, radiating a glowing yellow hue.
The ones that will are locked up, like you and I. “There… there are more?” Siles questioned.
“Many. I have seen the guards drag down demons like dogs, because they rebelled against Lucifer’s tactics.” Her tone was raspy and strained, as if she hadn’t used her voice in decades.
Siles had never seen this part of hell before. He was used to the glamour, the enriching vices that Lucifer allowed him to see. He spent his days in comforted rooms, surrounded by luscious embers and glittering shadows. The depths of hell – these parts were foreign, unknown… frightening.
“How long have you been down here?” Siles asked, concerned.
No response.
He leaned against the cold bars once again, extending his legs. His back ached with twisting pain in any way he tried to sit. “Well, since we’re partners in this prison, why don’t you tell me how you ended up here?”
For a few moments, only the soft sound of crackling fire was heard.
Then, her faint voice. “Love.”
Siles clenched his jaw, squeezing his fingers into a fist. Love is an incurable venom… hatred is the salvation of humanity. Lucifer trained the fallen to dismiss the thought of humanness, kindness, love or light. He said that knowing tenderness would release the dragons of hell, the worst eternal punishment and the gravest violation of any kind. And yet, Earth dismissed all of Lucifer’s teachings. Siles found life again, a life untouched by fire and flame – a life he wanted to live. Mags made him feel something; the importance of humanity. Right and wrong, a conscience that Lucifer forbade.
Siles cleared his throat, pushing away the past he could never return to. “Lucifer tasked me to Earth, to eradicate a mortal.” He mocked Lucifer. “My father is making a fool out of me… Her and her angel companion must be stopped.” He laughed, shaking his head. “You know, I –”
“Her what?” The woman’s voice interrupted, sharply. “Who is this angel?”
Siles scrunched his eyebrows. “Why?”
“The name!” she yelled, desperate.
“B – Beau.” He responded, aghast.
Silence.
Siles hadn’t heard anything for a while. He tried calling out, over and over again, but she never responded. It was as if she was never there, a hallucination of Siles’ diminishing psyche. The sound of crackling fire filled the air for hours, until suddenly, the yellow hue from across his cell rolled under his bars.
Siles picked up the orange crystal and held it in his hands. He examined it thoroughly, gazing at the dancing black lines encased inside of it.
“What is this?” Siles asked, twirling it in his fingers.
The woman held her face against the bars, shaded by the dark atmosphere. “When Lucifer caged me, I bottled my remaining power into this crystal from Earth. Consume it, and you will turn into a crow. Fly to the portal and fulfill what needs to be done.”
Siles heart pounded against his chest. Could this be? Could I really return to Earth? Siles fought with his head and his heart. He didn’t know this demon, and she knew nothing of him. This could be a trick. But for some reason, he didn’t feel like this was the case. He felt like he could trust her. What do I have to lose? I’m spending eternity in here anyways.
“If this is true, why haven’t you consumed it?” Siles asked, doubtfully.
A stressed breath. “I have no reason to return to Earth,” the woman whispered, a tinge of sadness in her voice.
Siles squeezed his eyes shut and prepared for the worst possible outcome. A crow, he thought. Roams are ancient demons. Who are you…
With tentative movements, he held the crystal to his mouth and swallowed hard. A sizzling bubble formed in his stomach, burning his chest. Siles screamed in anguish as his fingers popped out of his sockets, morphing into black claws. This isn’t a trick! I’m going to Earth!
In between sore breaths, Siles huffed, “I promise to get you out of here once I get back.” He shouted in pain, attempting to level his breathing. “What is… your name, demon – What is it?”
The woman snickered softly, fading back into the shadows of her cage. “Rosanna.”
Chapter 36
Beech County, 24 Hours
Port Hope was under a day’s drive down a plain, yet scenic highway. There was nothing but distant mountains and fog, though every so often a glimmer of sun peaked through the clouds. Beau and I had been on the road for almost eight hours, taking turns at the wheel. Given the circumstances, I couldn’t think of someone better to have shared a car with. Not that I had much of a choice.
“Isn’t this fun?” Beau bantered, nudging my arm playfully. “You’ve got me all to yourself.”
I rolled my eyes, holding in a laugh. “Huh, you think I would’ve gotten used to it by now.” I kept my gaze forward, but I knew he was smiling.
“Come on, ask me questions.” Beau gave me a genial shove.
“Questions?” I laughed, thinking about the vast list of things I’ve wanted to know since I met Beau. “Do you have all of eternity?”
A small smirk. “Technically, yes.”
Funny. “What does Heaven look like?”
“Boring, next question.”
My eyebrows raised in surprise, my mouth twitching to a jested grin. “You can’t do that! Heaven must be a beautiful place.”
For a moment, Beau was silent, contemplating quietly. Then he licked his lips, and turned his gaze to me. “Heaven is home,” he began. “And sometimes home isn’t always a place.”
I caught my breath. My cheeks were on fire. He turned his attention back to the road, one hand on the wheel and the other on the gear shift. Sometimes home isn’t always a place…
Before I could respond, he poked my thigh and released, “Next question.”
◆◆◆
After a while, my tongue was dry and my lips crusted with dried saliva. It was half past noon and my stomach yearned for a meal.
“We have to pull over, I might die of starvation.” I groaned, wrapping my arms around my middle.
Beau laughed, laying his palm flat against the steering wheel. “I was waiting for you to say that.”
He took the next exit off to Beech County, pulling into the first diner we saw. There were two people sitting at the bar drinking coffee and four tables occupied by small families and couples. The air carried the scent of bacon and eggs which my stomach growled at.
“Anywhere you’d like.” The kind waitress said upon entry.
We sat down next to an old jukebox that’s sole purpose looked to be collecting dust. Beau chuckled, scanning the menu. “Haven’t seen that in ages.”
I never took into account how old Beau really was. He’d been on Earth for so long, it puzzled me how he still enjoyed it. “When did you fall?” I asked.
“What?”
“From Heaven.”
Beau smiled without taking his eyes off the menu, clicking his tongue. “Never ask a man’s age.”
Flashbacks to one of our very first conversations came to mind. “So you aren’t twenty-two?” I smirked.
He held his hand to his heart, jokingly offended. “I believe that I look twenty-two, therefore, I am.”
I chuckled, staring at the pixelated image of a clubhouse sandwich. That would be so good right now. My mouth could have practically devoured the picture right then and there. My stomach rumbled loudly as I finalized my decision, rubbing my middle. I think we’re in agreement.
“No really,” I pried. “How many lifetimes have you lived? Three thousand?”
“Fuck, feels like it.” He laced his fingers together, planting them on the table. “I fell in 1842, so if you do the math then I’m –”
“Old.” I responded quickly, smirking.
He looked up at me, flashing his pearly smile. His grey eyes twinkled against the radiating sunlight. “Very old.”
A young blonde woman wearing a high ponytail and a white checkered ensemble approached us, flipping open a notepad. Finally. “Hi there, my name’s Layla, what can I get you both?” she asked, peppy.
No need to ask me twice. “Chicken clubhouse on rye please.” I pushed the menu towards her and smiled.
She wrote it down quickly and turned to Beau, blushing. “Oh and um, for you, sir?” She batted her eyelashes.
Of course. I internally rolled my eyes. Every instance I’ve had with Beau had been like this. All women viewed him as some Greek god, insatiably desirable. I’ve counted at least five different occasions where I’d seen drool practically fall out of girls’ mouths – and those were only the times I’d noticed.
It never bothered me… not really anyway. I never thought about what Beau and I were, never had time to. I thought about our kiss, how he barely brushed his lips against mine but the feeling lingered for days.
I felt stupid thinking about something so minor in comparison to everything else. It wasn’t really a priority in my mind, it couldn’t be, considering he and I never had a sense of normalcy since being together. And a kiss? Well, people kiss all the time…
I wanted to ask him about it, why he did it or how it made him feel but I guess it wasn’t a priority on his mind either. Though now, for some reason, I wanted to bring it up. Maybe it was because our waitress was getting cheeky with him, or maybe, just maybe, I felt a twang of jealousy. But I wasn’t about to give Beau the satisfaction of another girl fawning over him, when one was practically on her knees begging for a second of his attention.
The corner of Beau’s lips upturned as he pointed to the Belgian waffles.
“Extra syrup on the side?” Layla asked, puckering her lips. “Tell you what, I’ll give it to you for free.”
She gathered our menus and walked away, looking back once before fleeing into the kitchen.
“Extra syrup on the side…” I mocked.
Beau’s eyes lit up as he shrugged, laughing. “Oh shut up.”
◆◆◆
We walked out of the diner with full stomachs. Layla ended up writing her number down on the receipt, unaware that he was paying for both of us.
“I’m sorry,” she gasped. “I didn’t realize yous’ were an item.”
“We aren’t.”
“We are.” Beau countered.
I blushed, pressing my lips into a small smile.
The sun was at its peak, hitting mid-afternoon. I’d heard of Beech County as being one of the nicest spots for hiking trails, but it appeared to be much more than that. Trees encompassed the town, blossoming with different coloured leaves. The atmosphere smelt of lake water and evergreen. Shops were connected in a line downtown, and there were not many cars. In a town where everything seemed close-knit, there would be no reason to own a vehicle if everything was within walking distance.
“Do you remember what day you fell?” I asked, getting in the driver’s seat.
Beau clicked his seatbelt and leaned forward. “Hard to forget.”
“Okay, so… spill.” I said curiously, taking a sip of my iced tea.
A huff. “Today, a hundred and seventy-eight years ago.”
The tea caught my esophagus, burning as I forced it down my throat. I almost died. “Are you serious? And you never thought to tell me?”
He leaned back and stretched his arms. “Didn’t think I needed to.”
I stared into his grey eyes, searching for
something. I didn’t know what in that moment, but I couldn’t look away. An idea buzzed in my brain, one that I could very well end up regretting later on, but screw it. I’ve always been quite impulsive, and having Mags around fuelled my fire. For whatever reason, though, amidst all the craziness that was going on, I felt like I could be.
We were hours away from Kleaton’s Gate, all my friends and family were off the grid and there were no signs of Marina and Siles tracking us. I wanted one night, to not worry, to not feel responsible… to forget. Since Beau and I had met, we’d never done anything together but worry. There were so many secrets, so much pain, everything but happiness. I stared at him with wide eyes, this man, angel, that despite all the tribulations we endured, made me happy.
My body took control of my senses and without thinking, I started the ignition and made my way for the town square.
“Where – Maya, where are we going? The exit’s that way?” He pointed out the window.
I stopped at the traffic light and turned to face him. “You fell from Heaven on this day well over a century ago. Technically, it’s your birthday.”
Beau laughed hesitantly. “I guess?”
He must have read my mind because the sheepish smile that he wore now faded into a downturned frown. “No, Maya, we don’t have time for this.”
I waved him off. “Beau I know it seems –”
“Reckless? Unnecessary? Idiotic?” he contested.
I let out a sigh of exasperation, determined to get my way. “You’re confident your grace can hold its protection?”
One thing I came to learn about Beau was his undeniable weakness to flattery. If his abilities ever came into question, he would stroke it with pride.
“Of course.” He clapped back. Right where I want him.
“The first place Siles and Marina would think to look for us is with Mags, especially since she just got out of his control. If your grace is impenetrable, they won’t be able to get in. Mags can make them believe we’re inside the cabin, meanwhile we’re here. Hours away from them.” I proposed, fidgeting with my fingers.
The Gates of Gabriel Page 19
