Still… it shouldn’t be so easy.
“Sometimes we win.” Charma spoke softly next to him. She was always able to read him, to be in his mind, and he never had any idea. Feeling her there was as easy as breathing.
“Sometimes we do. But not this time. No one is delusional about this. If we win, it won’t be because we just pounded on them to death.”
Zane rushed by, followed by Gabriel. They were taking out the armies like they were nothing at all. Jason sighed. “Doesn’t it just feel wrong?”
Charma sighed. “I’m afraid to say no.”
“You aren’t going to make it that way by saying it aloud. We don’t create destinies with the words we speak. That’s not how this works.” Or at least he didn’t think it did. In all the years—more than he could fathom—they’d had this job, he’d always been the healer. He’d never been responsible for the death of the bad guys. He had, however, participated greatly when they lost. Jason was the one there when everyone died.
If the demons didn’t wipe them all out, he was the one left to bear the blame for not bringing them back from their injuries to live. But he had his offensive powers and since nothing the others were doing seemed to be working, maybe it was his job to kill the beast this time.
“I’m going in.”
Charma gaped at him. “You’re serious?”
“Yes.” He stepped back. “Stay away, my love. In fact…” He spun until he found what he looked for in the midst of all the chaos of everyone doing something different. This might have been the most poorly run battle he’d ever seen. They weren’t well-oiled cogs, it was more like they were individual parts not making up any kind of machine at all. “Go to Loraine. Stay with her.
She grabbed his arm. “How do you propose to do this… killing?”
“I can stop his heart.”
Charma pointed at the demon. “You can stop a human heart. That we know, yes. But we don’t even know if the thing has a heart.”
“I guess we’ll have to find out.” He touched her arm, keeping his movement gentle. He didn’t want to hurt her—never did—even though the moment was intense. A demon rushed by them and Zane ripped the heart right out of it. He sighed. Sometimes he wished he could just fight like that.
She kissed his chin. “Go if you need to. I’ll wait by Loraine.”
That was just what he needed.
Jason rushed forward into the fray, throwing a zombie to the side as he did. The Father brought quite the crew to beat them, except that they weren’t making any headway.
Jason couldn’t shake that feeling. This. Wasn’t. Right.
He got close enough to the Father and he lifted his hand. It wouldn’t take long. The dark side of his powers was potent. He could stop a heart beating in half a second. Jason narrowed his eyes and sent his power out of himself.
With his hand extended he could feel… nothing.
Jason blinked. What the fuck? Even if there wasn’t a heart, shouldn’t there be something?
Gabriel
Gabriel landed next to Jason with a thump. What in the ever-loving fuck was their healer thinking?
“Tell me something, oh wise one. If this fucking thing turns on its fucking head, and we stop maintaining and start losing, who is going to heal us if you’ve gotten yourself gutted?”
Jason rounded on him and Gabe wasn’t even surprised. He’d pushed him. “Shouldn’t you be doing something?”
“I am. I’m saving our healer from himself.”
He placed his hand on Jason’s arm, but Jason shoved it away. “There’s no heart. The demon has no heart. I tried to stop it.”
“Maybe you can only stop human hearts.” If they lived through this, they’d figure it out later. Gabriel really didn’t care. The sky was turning black. That couldn’t be a good sign.
Jason shook his head. “I should be able to stop his heart. I can do it on those zombie rats. I could make these demons die one by one. I can feel it. But there is no heart in that thing.”
“Well, he’s King Demon so I don’t know exactly why we’re surprised.”
Jason grabbed onto his shoulder. “Because it should have a heart. It bleeds.”
Gabriel blinked them both away. Jason was right. Still, priorities were priorities. The healer had to be kept safe.
Samuel
Samuel could look like anyone. Any face he chose, any image he wanted to portray. But his biggest role in life, the one he was the most proud of, was being Eden’s center here on Earth when the visions came.
Her eyes dilated. The magic that kept them away waned. It was time. She needed to see the battle and he would translate it for her. He would keep her safe, and if they all lived, that would be because of her. There was nothing he ever wanted more than to see to it that she got through this unscathed.
“What is it?” He lifted his eyes to meet hers. She couldn’t see unless they were visions or if she looked through his eyes. Maybe someday that would change.
She gasped, holding her head. “They’re coming.”
He took her hand. There was strength in being right where he was needed. “Tell me.”
Christophe
He stared at the drawings, at the symbols. None of this made any sense. They were ancient, he hadn’t recognized them.
Merde. He needed to concentrate. Okay. Okay. What did he need to understand about this?
The symbols were ancient, since before the birth of Christ, which was only a long amount of time by Earth reckoning. Other dimensions? No, they had longer periods, but this one was old.
He breathed. They were meant to astroproject a body. That meant that someone could take their body and show it somewhere else, right? It wasn’t the same as what Outsiders did. Or at least no Outsider he’d known. There were millions of things their kind could do and….
Why was the demon wearing that? Was he going to go elsewhere or was he…
“Shit. Ruby. He’s not here. He’s not really here.”
She paled. “But Colin touched him.”
“Yes, he can do that. Touch the non corporeal. It’s a thing—they used it against us.”
Dread filled his stomach. “Colin,” he shouted as he rushed toward his brother. Sending his body through space wouldn’t matter now. They were too close. He just had to reach him.
“Colin. Leonardo. Kal.” Someone had to hear him. This whole thing… it was just a decoy.
Drew
This was the moment. He nodded to Zane. Colin had been able to knock that demon down and that was a good sign because that meant Zane with his demon-busting abilities was going to really be able to kill him. Drew grabbed onto Zane’s hand. He knew him the least of everyone and that was fine. They were in this together. They didn’t have to be best friends.
Drew had enough of the demons. They were going to stay away from him, from Marina, from everything he loved. From now on.
“You ready?”
Zane nodded. “Never more so.”
“Good.” He looked over at Marina and she stared back at him with the same resolve in her eyes. They’d always understood each other perfectly. The years he’d wasted not letting them be together haunted him. Still, they were finally going to turn the tide.
Zane
Zane popped in front of the demon. Raquel’s fire filled the horizon, burning any zombies who might come their way. He reached forward to pull out the heart. The Father stared down at him, silent. Did he know he was about to die? Zane didn’t care. He ripped his hand forward and found nothing…
Just air. “What the fuck?”
“Zane?” Drew called to him. “What’s happening?”
He rushed two steps back, staring up at the now smiling demon. “Drew. We are…we are wrong.”
“What?” Drew grabbed him. “I don’t understand.”
“He’s not there,” it was Christophe’s voice that sounded around them. “He’s not really there.”
Zane jumped, turning in a circle. The demon wasn’t there. So… where
was he? What did that mean? Where had he gone?
There was nothing but the black sky and the certainty that it was all about to end. Right then.
“We have to get back.” Raquel was strong but she would need him and as a flash of lightning lit the horizon—Kal must be trying to help light their way—he could see right where that fucker was.
And they were all going to be too late.
Twelve
Leonardo
More than anything, he wanted to be alone with Alexa. Doing it while facing the Father of all demons dampened that a bit.
He took her hand and she didn’t pull away. Instead, they both stared up at the creature standing before them, staring down at them. Something had gone wrong because Leonardo had been pretty sure they were already fighting this one out there on the beach. So who was this one standing on the cliff with them?
“They don’t know and no one is coming to save you.” The demon sounded like a snake. They all did. Even Sebastian who did a great impression of being human sounded like a snake.
“We don’t need saving,” Leonardo spoke the words he needed to say. “But you do.”
“Maybe that was true in another lifetime, but I’ve been watching this one and you… you can’t beat me. Not this time, Outsider Leader. You’re weak and she’s tainted. In fact, she’s mine.”
No, that would never be true. Leonardo wouldn’t allow it. Still, Alexa pulled her hand away as she fell to the ground, gasping. The demon leaned down, towering over her. “You’re as much my daughter now as Sebastian is my son. You belong to me. And I think you are strong. I can give you pain, but I can also give you pleasure.” She gasped, rubbing her fingers over her face. A shudder visibly took over her and yet her face stayed pained. He knew her well enough. This was hell.
And he wouldn’t let her suffer another minute. Not after he’d failed her, not after he’d let her down so often. This was his last chance to show her how she mattered to him, how he’d loved her forever.
He took the next step with his eyes wide open. He was going to die.
When everything in his life had changed, when life had gotten on this track that led to this moment, he’d made a decision and killed a fellow Outsider. He’d known it was what he had to do even though it went against every rule they had for themselves. There was right and wrong. But breaking the rules were right that day.
And sacrificing himself for Alexa was right. Even though it would end his life. Forget prophecy. The others would win without him and this was the gift he could give to Alexa. He’d owed his love, and he’d failed her.
He never would again.
She opened her eyes and he saw the second she registered what he was about to do. “Leonardo, no. You can’t.”
Once, they could have spoken in each other’s minds. Not any longer. And that was on him.
He reached toward the demon and without giving it another thought placed his hands on the demon’s chest. Electricity zapped through him, nearly taking him to his knees but he held steady
“Leonardo, no.” It was Colin’s voice. Where had the other man come from? It didn’t matter. He’d done this with Veli, he could do it again. He could take other’s powers and since they turned out to be part demon it just made sense he could have what he wanted.
He tugged harder and the Father cried out. Yes, the demon had to know by now. His time was limited. The creature tried to shove Leo off, but he wouldn’t be removed. His hands were like glue, they stuck to the hot skin of the Father and he refused to let go.
Power surged inside of him, the buildup excruciating. He gritted his teeth. Something was going to happen and… he couldn’t let go. “Colin, take Alexa out of here.”
He was pretty sure he’d managed to speak the words. But maybe not. Perhaps he’d only thought them.
His body burned and he cried out, but he didn’t let go. This was different than Veli, as he’d known it was going to be. This was going to kill him, but so help him he was going to take the demon down with him.
His skin reddened and scorched off. He wasn’t going to be able to hold on much longer and then…
Gia
Isabelle had to pull Alexa back. Gia had never seen the woman cry like that before. Leonardo was… dead. She looked away. He’d just sacrificed himself for Alexa. They’d all seen it. They couldn’t stop it. Even Drew hadn’t been able to pull him back and he was almost as strong as Colin, who had also failed at it.
Her hands burned. She’d wanted to attack the demon the second she was in his presence but hadn’t dared while he was attached to Leonardo. Their leader had weakened him. He was half-power. She could taste the decline in her mouth. These were the shadow powers, the ones they’d given to her.
With a smile, she knew what had to be done. Gia extended her hand. She wasn’t going to have to touch him. No, the shadows would.
They flowed over her and a second later coated the demon in total blackness. For one second, she could hear them talking—all of those shadows—speaking as once. They surrounded him and as the Father of all demons roared, she knew she had killed him.
But there was nothing, but sadness flowing through her veins. The shadows were gone. This was their gift to her because she’d made them understand something about love by explaining sadness to them. She understood it better herself.
Sebastian still lived. They’d all just seen him before he vanished. They’d won this battle but with Leonardo dead… they’d lost the war.
Colin’s arms came around her from behind. “Good work.”
She was glad the Father was gone. He melted away. They’d ended the biggest danger in the universe and she’d played a role. But, the price was too high. The prophecy was real and without Leonardo… it was over now.
Not to mention Alexa. How was she going to get through this? Whatever had happened in this life, you didn’t get over losing your soul mate who had loved you for eternity. Or at least she wouldn’t.
Colin
Gia and Leonardo had saved them all.
They were silent. With the Father dead, his armies were gone but he knew from experience they’d be back, this time led by Sebastian. Colin looked out the window. Everyone was in the same room, no one with anything to say. What was left, really? Leonardo had sacrificed himself to stop Alexa’s pain.
Colin understood. He shot Gia a look as she handed Raquel some ice. He’d have done the same damn thing as Leonardo.
In a heartbeat.
“I love you,” he just had to tell her one more time.
Gia looked up from where she stared at the floor and smiled at him. There was all the warmth in the universe in that grin. “Me, too. I love you, I mean.”
He’d flustered her. With so little time left, he’d take every moment of affection he could get.
“He’s gone.” It was Marina who spoke. She looked at Drew, tears streaming down her face. “How can he just be gone? I mean he is this time, right? There’s no future so he’s just gone. No being reborn on another dimension to try again.”
Drew leaned over, putting his head in her lap. “We don’t know for sure. We…”
Colin would never know exactly what Drew would have said because a buzzing noise sounded so loudly he had to cover his ears. Gia rushed over to him. “Are you okay?”
No, he wasn’t, but as he looked around he could see it was just the men in the room hearing it. What was happening? Flames coated his skin and it took a second for Sebastian to show himself in the corner.
“I wondered if it would work.” He sauntered into the room. “Sorry, boys. Now that Leonardo is gone, all of your protections are gone. I tried to decide. What would hurt the most? What would decimate you guys until you couldn’t fight at all? I don’t want any more from you people. I just want you to suffer until you die. So I decided. The flames. All the men would go up in flames. Oh, don’t bother Marina, you can’t stop it.”
And with his words pain Colin hadn’t known could exist overtook him. He screamed. He couldn
’t have stopped if he’d wanted to. He wasn’t alone. The room exploded in agony.
Gia
He was ash.
Tears streamed down Gia’s face. The demon had left. She knew that in the corner of her mind, but that was all she knew. Colin was ash. She looked around through her blurred vision from her tears. All the men were gone. It really was… the end of things. Gia sunk to the floor. This was what losing felt like.
Oh Colin, she called out her thought to the universe How I loved you. I’m sorry so many lies came between us.
Maybe she slept, bathed, and ate. She couldn’t really remember what she did as the Earth burned to the ground. The demon left them alone now. What more could he have done to them? That was why days later—maybe it was weeks—when a burst of magic woke her from her stupor she could hardly fathom what was going on.
Gia’s legs worked, that much was still true, and she walked from her bedroom outside as though she knew where she was going. She didn’t and yet somehow… she did.
There was a fire lit but everything was burning so that didn’t surprise her. What caught her attention was who stood at the corner of it.
Alexa. Her hair was as dark as the night. Eden was by her side and the others appeared, walking toward the fire, too, as though they’d also received the call of magic.
“What’s going on?” Gia asked no in particular. Anyone who wanted to tell her would be fine.
“I don’t accept this,” it was Alexa who spoke, as she met everyone’s gaze, even Eden who was now blind and couldn’t see. “I don’t take this as our end. No.”
Isabelle cleared her throat. She was pale and even skinnier than the last time Gia focused on her. “There’s nothing we can do.”
“Bullshit,” Alexa spat out. The fire crackled and that was the only sound Gia heard in the night after the sounds of the waves on the ocean. “We’re Outsider women. We have the power of the universe at our fingertips. And we are bringing our men back from death. Then we’re taking out that fucker. I know I’ve been off. I know I haven’t been who you all need me to be. But if you can just trust me, if you can let me be who I was born to be, I can make you who you were. With Gia’s capacity to love, we can win. There is love beyond limits. You know that right?”
Love Beyond Lies Page 14
