by Hanna Peach
But before she could walk away she felt a hand on her arm. Alyx turned. Cleo was leaning in the door frame, staring intensely at her. “If you ever need to…escape again…you can come here.”
“Okay…thanks.”
“Even if you don’t need to escape, maybe you’ll come visit me anyway?” Before Alyx could reply, Cleo’s hand slid off her and she closed the door.
* * *
Balthazar was already waiting for Alyx in one of the Purgatory rooms. Alyx locked the door after she entered.
“We have the antidote.” The small vial of blue liquid was like a jewel shining in the middle of Balthazar’s palm.
Relief flooded her body. “Thank God. I mean, thank you.”
“Don’t thank us yet. We want to make an exchange in return for this antidote. A contract.” With his other hand, Balthazar brought out a small piece of parchment.
Alyx’s hand, which was reaching for the vial, froze mid-air. “What are you talking about?”
“In exchange for his antidote which will save Israel’s life, we want Israel.”
“What?” Her blood began to turn to ice. “Why?”
“Israel is vital to Samyara winning this war. We want to make sure that Israel doesn’t fall into Samyara’s hands. So we want him for…safe keeping.”
“You want to bring Israel back with you to…Hell?”
Balthazar nodded. “It will be the last place that Samyara looks for him.”
Alyx shook her head, backing up so fast that her back hit the door. “No. Never.”
Balthazar shrugged and slipped the vial back into his pocket. “Then Israel shall die. And he will be lost to Samyara. It makes no difference to us.”
“No.” Alyx crushed her hands to her face. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. And to think that she trusted this creature. “I thought you were on our side.”
“Alyx, this isn’t a personal thing. I am doing what’s best.”
“And you think that what’s best is either letting him die or taking him to Hell?”
Balthazar’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t think you realize how vital Israel is to Samyara’s plan.”
Alyx thought back to their discovery that demon blood was mixed in with Israel’s human blood. By now Balthazar would know this, having had a chance to study Israel’s blood closely. “No. I get it. Perfectly.”
“We could just let him die and our problems with Samyara would lessen. It is only because of our alliance with you that Lucifer is even entertaining to let the boy live. But if he is to live, he must be secured, and the only way we can guarantee that is for us to keep him.”
“As a prisoner.”
Balthazar tilted his head at her. “As our guest.”
“But Samyara has another half-breed.” Alyx blurted out without thinking. Mini, the half-demon half-mortal girl that Samyara had kidnapped from Aradale. “Even if you let Israel die, Samyara will use her and the Seraphim traitor, Passar, to create a child – a keye.”
Balthazar shook his head. “The girl doesn’t matter.”
“What?”
“It won’t work. For an interspecies couple to create a child, they have to be in love.”
In love.
“It was a Law that God decreed himself. Otherwise there would be millions of half-breeds and keyes running around already.”
Alyx thought of Purgatory and realized how true this was.
Then something else struck her. Israel’s parents must have fallen in love, otherwise he would not have been born. Israel’s blood – which he hated – was created from love. Perhaps if Israel knew this, it would comfort him. She had to save him first.
“This Passar of yours isn’t in love with the half-breed girl, is he?” Balthazar asked.
“No.”
“Then there is no threat. And we are back to Israel. Do you want him to live or not?”
She shook her head. “I don’t understand. If he can’t get a child out of Mini, then he can’t get a child out of Israel. Why is Israel such a threat then?”
“You don’t know, do you?” Balthazar said, a look of realization coming over his face.
“Know what?”
“Oh, Alyx. Israel isn’t a father to the keye. He is a keye.”
“What?”
“I confirmed it using his blood. Israel has mortal, demon and Seraphim blood.”
Alyx’s head spun. Israel is a keye. Israel has demon, mortal and Seraphim blood. But how? She remembered what Israel had told her about his parents. He never knew his father. So his father was…a Seraphim? A demon-Seraphim? But who?
Then Alyx remembered something that Mayrekk had said to her about the prophecy. “The prophecies talk about a Seraphim and a demon-mortal that fall in love.”
Mayrekk had assumed this part of the prophecy was about Alyx and Israel. He had been mistaken. It wasn’t about her and Israel, it was about Israel’s parents. A Seraphim and a demon-mortal that fall in love.
She was Guardian to a keye.
This was why their cure didn’t work on Israel. They needed the extra ingredient for his Seraphim blood. Seraphim blood that they didn’t realize he had.
Balthazar spoke, pulling Alyx out of her swirling thoughts. “You understand now why it is so important that we keep him out of Samyara’s hands. It is your decision how we do that. Let him die, or let us bring him to Hell.”
Alyx squeezed her eyes shut. How could Balthazar ask her to make this decision? How could she make this choice?
“Alyx, I am sorry that this decision is yours.” Balthazar’s voice was softer now. She could almost believe he felt some remorse. “I can see it causes you great pain. You love the boy, don’t you?”
“What the hell do any of you know about love?”
Balthazar smiled gently, despite her outburst. “We love. We can love greatly. Why else would there be half-breeds?”
“How will you even be able to take him to Hell?” she asked weakly. “Aren’t there rules for Purgatory?”
“Let us worry about that. You are running out of time. From the condition of his blood, I estimate he barely has until midday left. Do we have a deal or not?”
Only until midday – a few short hours away. Assuming Balthazar was telling the truth there was no way that she could get another cure together, given her new information about his blood.
Alyx eyed the parchment. She couldn’t hand Israel over to Lucifer. She couldn’t. But she couldn’t let him die either.
“I’m Israel’s Guardian, I can take care of him. I was destined to guard him. Give me time to get rid of Samyara’s threat. If I fail…then you can take Israel.”
Balthazar pursed his lips, considering this. “This may work. We have not been able to find out where Samyara’s demon body has been hidden in Hell while he possesses a host on Earth. But there is a way to kill the demon, Samyara, from Earth.”
“How?”
“Israel’s blood is a keye between our worlds. Pierce Samyara through the heart on Earth with a blade dipped in Israel’s blood and your blade shall also pierce his demon heart in Hell.”
“So do we have a deal?”
Balthazar nodded. “You have seven days.”
Chapter 41
Alyx slipped into Israel’s compartment. His cheeks were shrunken and he was barely breathing. His veins flashed purple weakly as his heart rate slowed.
She was just in time to save him. And curse him, too. She shook off this thought. Seven days. She had seven days to get rid of Samyara.
With shaking hands she undid the lid of the vial and poured the antidote carefully into Israel’s mouth. She brushed the damp hair from his forehead. A single drop moistened his bottom lip. She leaned forward and kissed him. As she did, her heart broke for Jordan. She tasted the antidote, sweet yet bitter. Like this kiss. Like all their kisses would be from now on.
Her lips were trembling when she pulled them off his. She prayed she was in time. Her hands clasped around one of Israel’s hands, holding
the vial between them like an offering to the gods. She didn’t know how long she remained at his side.
She was jolted from sleep when the door opened.
“Alyx.”
She flinched. It was Jordan’s voice.
She refused to turn around to him, even though the part that loved him and his arms and his strength and the way he shielded her and the way he saw through her wanted to fling herself into his embrace and cry and confess. She wanted him to take some of this weight from her shoulders. She knew if she asked, he would. “You don’t have to do everything alone.”
No. She had to be alone. She couldn’t do what she needed to if she allowed herself to be tossed about between Jordan and Israel like a buoy. She had to stay strong.
She heard Jordan enter the compartment. Alyx stood, slipping her hands from Israel’s. She didn’t want Jordan to see that she had been touching him. She curled her fingers around the vial to hide it.
Already Israel’s skin was beginning to look less pale and the bruise-like veins had faded from sight. His breathing sounded less tortured. She knew in her heart that he was saved.
She didn’t look up as Jordan came to stand beside her. But she could feel him, his strong presence, his warmth. She let herself bask in it for one moment.
“He looks better… You gave him something. What did you give him?”
Alyx slipped the empty vial into her pocket and turned to walk out of the compartment. She couldn’t be here with both Jordan and Israel at the same time. It was too much.
“Jesus, Alyx.” Jordan grabbed her roughly by the shoulder. “Please, talk to me.”
“I did what I had to.” Her voice sounded hollow. She pulled her arm out of Jordan’s grasp and left the compartment.
She wasn’t ready to explain what she had done to keep Israel alive.
Buying time, that’s all you did. You bought him seven days.
At least he was alive. And she would do everything she could to keep him that way.
* * *
Angelblood (Dark Angel #4)
Hanna Peach
Seven days…
Israel’s life has been saved, but Alyx had to make a deal with the Devil to do so. She has to hand Israel over to Lucifer unless she finds a way to defeat Samyara. But first she has to find him. And the only way she can is by delving deep into the mind of Adere, Israel’s ex-girlfriend and an ex-Darkened. To do this Alyx will need Israel and Jordan, the two men fighting for her heart, to work together. But can they put aside their differences long enough?
Seven days until Israel is sentenced to Hell. Seven days to find Samyara. Seven days to raise an army.
This will be Alyx’s greatest battle yet.
To my adaik, Ben.
Who supports me like no other, and in his own words, “pushes my books like a pimp”. Like Israel does in this book, you have grown into such a great man.
I am so proud of you. Love you.
Chapter 1
Seven days…
Alyx gripped the door handle to Israel’s compartment. They were still hiding out in the Saint’s Revenge, the underground station that was home to Mason and his mortal gang of kind-hearted thieves. Now that she had all her memories back, she remembered the first 24 hours after they had arrived here. She had barely left Israel’s compartment, holding a constant vigil at his side. Now she could barely bring herself to go in.
How a few days could change everything.
She could “feel” him through their bond now that he had woken from his unearthly sleep. She could feel his pull on her through this door, urging her to close the distance between them. If only the pull had never left her. Perhaps she wouldn’t have had the chance to fall for someone else.
She took a deep breath. She couldn’t put this off any longer. He had been asking for her since he had woken. She turned the handle and stepped inside.
The simple compartment smelled like tomatoes and beef. Israel was sitting upright, holding a bowl of stew in one hand and blowing on a spoonful in his other.
“Alyx,” his voice radiated with so much longing that it caused a stab in her chest. He dropped the spoon back into the stew and pushed the bowl to the side table. His arms reached out for her, as did his eyes. Their bond tugged in her chest with a pained fury.
Heaven help her. How was she supposed to tell him?
Alyx forced a smile and closed the door behind her. Guilt trapped her against the door. “It’s good to see you sitting up and eating.”
He frowned when she didn’t move immediately to his side. “Alyx, please come here.”
She peeled herself away from the door and sat on the side of his bed, her hands folded in her lap. He reached out with one hand and fingered the ends of her dark hair. She had cut off the longer telltale sections before she went into Michaelea undercover. “You changed your hair.”
“A lot has changed.”
He frowned. “I’m getting déjà vu here. This feels like the time I woke up in Tara. Why are you being so distant?”
She didn’t reply. She wanted to tell him. She tried to open her mouth and say…what the hell should she say?
A look of realization crossed his face. He took her hands from her lap and kissed the tips of her fingers; every soft press was a blow to her heart. “I know that our bond felt broken while I was sleeping. But you don’t have to worry. My love for you hasn’t changed. And it won’t. It’ll just get stronger.”
Oh God.
“Oh my angel,” he breathed into her palm. “All I could think of when I was in that nowhere-place was getting back to you. I know I said we needed time to sort ourselves out, but having been so close to death, I know I don’t want to be apart from you.”
Every word caused the warmth in her heart to heighten then crash with guilt like waves against rock.
“Kiss me,” he whispered as he leaned into her. “I need to feel you. I need to know you’re real.”
She pressed her mouth to his. And it was stardust and spring rain spreading all over her body. He let go of her fingers. He ran his hand up her arm, across her shoulders and neck, tracing her, remembering her, rememorizing her. Then his fingers found her hair and they became cautious, exploratory. As if he was seeking out everything about her that was different. Thank God he couldn’t touch her heart. He would feel Jordan there.
Jordan. Guilt twisted its sharp knife in her stomach.
She pulled back, her body reacting with a flush of anger at losing Israel’s lips after being denied them while he was dying. She couldn’t do this right now. “I have to go. I have the meeting with everyone now.”
He started to peel the corner of his bed covers away. “I should come−”
“No!” Alyx cringed at how harsh her voice sounded. “What I mean is, you’re not better yet. You should stay here and get some rest.”
She looked up at Israel, fearing that he would see the lies in her eyes. For a second he looked hurt. Then his face broke out into a smile. “You’re always so worried for me. Always taking care of me. Will you come back after you’re done?”
Yes, she would tell him then. She nodded and kissed him once more before she left.
* * *
Alyx walked into the larger compartment that they had been using as a meeting place. Tobias, Jordan and Dianne were already there. Without meaning to, she caught Jordan’s eyes, causing her throat to go dry. They hadn’t spoken since Israel had awoken. And for now, Alyx wanted to keep it that way.
It burned her that he had kept her memory loss a secret. If she was honest with herself, she blamed him more than she should. Yes, he kept it from her. But he wasn’t the one who had taken her memories away. But to forgive Jordan would mean she would have to face her own responsibilities in falling for him. Yes, it was easier to hate him, wasn’t it?
She tore her eyes away from him and walked over to the spare seat next to Xiang. Xiang was Vix’s lithe mortal life partner with olive skin and beautiful almond eyes. It was Xiang’s first time being invol
ved in their meetings. Having once been Darkened herself, she had been invited to this meeting to give them advice on Adere, an ex-Darkened and Israel’s ex-girlfriend.
Adere had been a mute shadow of her former self since Israel had exorcised the demon from her by taking that poisoned knife that had been meant for her. But now, Alyx needed to know everything that Adere did about Samyara and his whereabouts. Israel’s soul was at stake.
Usually Tobias would start the meetings. But as Alyx had called this one herself and had given nobody any idea why, she began. “There’s a lot to tell you all. Firstly I need to tell you why Israel’s poison cure didn’t work the first time…he isn’t just a demon-mortal. He has Seraphim blood too.”
Gasps erupted and every face around the room was stunned.
Tobias spoke, “Mortal, demon and Seraphim blood. That makes him…”
“…a keye that unlocks Hell. Yes. Which is why Samyara wants him so badly. And why we can’t let him fall into the wrong hands.”
“But who were his parents, then?” Dianne asked. “If he is part Seraphim…”
Alyx shook her head. “I don’t know. Israel doesn’t know. His mother died at childbirth and he never met his father. All I know is that this coupling only worked because his parents were in love. You can’t force an inter-species child. This is why Michael failed with Mini and why Samyara will fail with her too if he tries.” She paused momentarily, quelling the anger that rose when she remembered what Elder Michael did to Mini, the demon-mortal that Alyx had rescued from the Hollows. “That is a blessing, at least.”
“I didn’t know that was a prerequisite,” said Tobias.
“No,” she said. “It’s not common knowledge.”
“It makes sense though. The prophecies state ‘the bloods come together in love’…”
“Who exactly did you learn this from?” Jordan asked. Even though his face remained passive, Alyx could read the suspicion in his eyes.
