Authors: Maer Wilson
We got more bad news sooner than expected. Stuart came in as the meeting was breaking up and spoke quietly to Jones.
“Wait a moment, please, everyone.” He turned to inset doors in one wall, which unfolded to show a gigantic screen at the press of a button. He quickly turned it on to a news station. Rioting had started in Los Angeles. Scenes were flashing by of looting, people running panicked in the streets and police trying to contain the situation. In other shots, people carried signs that read “The Apocalypse is here” and “Aliens Go Home.”
Lovely. Apparently humanity had finally broken its stupor to do what it does best. Idiocy. I simply didn't have patience for that and left the room in disgust. I wandered to the back and went outside to the patio where we had lunch only a few days before. It felt like a lifetime ago. In a way it was, I guess. I moved a chair to the railing and sat down watching the ocean. The sun was sinking into the water, casting its red and gold glow across the waves. The rhythmic sound of the sea was soothing, and I let the ocean breeze blow over me as I closed my eyes.
I felt Thulu pull up a chair and sit next to me. I opened my eyes when he took my hand. Together, we sat there for a long time, watching the sunset.
“I called Dad to let him know what was up. He sends his love –” he paused. I looked over where he slouched in the chair next to me. Something in his voice caught me. I waited for him to continue. “He also wished us luck.” Another pause as he watched the ocean. “He said to tell Aela that if she gets the shot to kill Gabriel.”
My eyebrows rose in surprise. “Your dad said that?” Erik was one of the most gentle, mellow, loving people I knew. He didn't believe in capital punishment and thought there was good in everyone, if only it could be tapped. He might be older and wiser than me in a lot of ways, but even I knew that evil existed. I'd seen some humans who might have had some sliver of good in them, but finding it was nearly impossible.
As far as I was concerned, some people were as close to pure evil as you could get. Maybe that's why Gabriel's behavior wasn't as shocking to me as it was to some of the others. Horrifying, yes, but Thulu and I were not strangers to evil.
In a way, I found it sad that my father-in-law had found out that evil actually existed. I liked knowing there were people in the world who believed as he did. Erik had led a charmed life, with few major disruptions to mar his naïve world-view. I shook my head, sorry he'd lost that part of himself.
“Well then, I guess we should pass the message on.” A dead Gabriel wouldn’t break my heart one bit. “How bad is the rioting?”
“Scattered here and there across the planet. They're getting it under control. It's mostly those who use any little thing as an excuse to create havoc.”
Pretty much what I'd figured. I only hoped the more normal folks didn't get infected with mob mentality and join in.
The door to the patio opened behind us, and Reo called to us.
“They're serving dinner. Jones said to tell you guys you need to eat. Food is fuel, and you need your energy. His words, not mine.”
Thulu gave my hand a squeeze and stood, pulling me to my feet. We pushed the chairs back to their spots and followed Reo inside. The others had gathered around a long table that had been set up in the library. I realized that Sarah Grant and the other two daemons had left. Jones said they were reconnoitering the area near the portal and would return later.
Dinner, of course, was delicious. Raoul had prepared roast beef, sliced turkey, baked salmon, an assortment of vegetables and desserts. Everything was served buffet style in deference to those who were actually doing something to get ready for the meeting.
That started mostly with the fairies, who were applying some substance to the arrows in their quivers. I realized that had to be what killed Light Ones. That made a lot more sense than teeny arrows doing the job. There had to be several dozen of the little warriors. Aela flew from group to group, checking on their progress and speaking in a low voice.
Jones called her to one side, and they had a rather intense, if short exchange. She hovered in front of his face with her tiny fists on her hips, glaring at him. He spoke quietly, but apparently convincingly because she finally gave one short nod and disappeared.
After neatly stacking his plate and silverware, Sloane pulled a dagger from a sheath on his belt and a stone from a pouch and began to sharpen the dagger. The blade had that same weird metal that the gold dagger did, but the handle was silver, wrapped with leather and more functional than ornamental. It definitely looked like it had been used in the past and not to cut roast beef.
Belus had a sword, and Aurelia materialized a bow. All around us, weapons were being drawn out and sharpened or checked. Romeo and Juliet each had daggers. Kareem had a long, curved sword, and Ceil brought out a wooden wand with a tiny gem embedded in the tip. I wanted to say something smart-assed, but there was something business-like about her, and I didn't dare.
I got my purse from where I'd dropped it on a table and pulled out my S&W .38. Carefully keeping it pointed at the floor, I opened the chamber and checked to see that it was loaded. All five rounds were in, but I emptied and checked each bullet anyway. Thulu had pulled his own 9 mm Glock out and checked to ensure he had a full magazine.
Aela returned, followed by six fairies carrying a pot with a wide mouth and a corked stopper. It would hold about a pint. They set it on Jones's desk, and Aela glared at Jones.
“She said yes, but you better be careful and not waste it. Oh, and you owe the queen big time, too.” I smiled at her modern slang, but quickly hid it when she looked at me suspiciously.
Jones smiled broadly and nodded graciously. “Please thank her majesty and tell her I am at her command.”
Aela motioned to those who had carried in the pot, and they disappeared. Jones looked around and said that we could coat our own weapons with the substance the fairies used. Sloane whistled appreciatively, an oddly human sound. Jones brought out a gun, another 9mm Glock. He looked over at me and Thulu.
“I recommend we carefully dip our bullets. Just the tips should be fine. This only works on Light Ones. It doesn’t harm other races.” He and Thulu set about emptying their magazines while I removed my bullets from my revolver once more.
Everyone took turns under Aela's supervision in carefully coating our weapons of choice. When it was my turn, I saw that the liquid shimmered like mercury a bit, but was thinner. I dipped my bullet in very carefully. I pulled it out, ready to let it drip, but it was instantly dry. It glimmered and shone almost as if it was a tiny light of its own.
I finished coating my other bullets and made room for Kareem. My hands shook slightly as I reloaded my gun. I realized I might go to bed that night a killer. I figured it would be better than going to bed dead though.
The three daemons returned and said there were only two Light Ones guarding the inside of the old warehouse and four outside. Sarah and one of the daemons had guns, but the third had a sword. They took time to grab some food as they added Aela's magic potion to their weapons. Soon enough, everyone was ready.
Jones looked at them thoughtfully. “Perhaps we should change. It might give us an edge,” he said, as he set his gun down on the desk. The air around each of them shimmered. Jones completely transformed into what I assumed was his true form. I gasped out loud. He was breathtaking. His skin was a rich mahogany, and his wings and long hair were a sleek, shiny midnight blue. He easily hit the eight foot mark. His feathered wings were folded tight to his back. That ended the similarity to the Light Ones, though.
Jones's daemon face had sharply defined features: high cheek bones, a hawkish nose and surprisingly human eyes, bright green, with long dark lashes. He had small horns curving out from the side of his head. His human clothing had been replaced with sleek, dark brown leather of some kind, and his chest was bare, smooth and muscular. He smiled at us, showing sharp teeth and actual fangs. I think I actually gulped. This was definitely a predator.
Jones moved to the desk in a flowing movement that would have made a dancer envious. He unsheathed his claws and carefully dipped them into the fairy potion. Each claw took on an unearthly glow. I thought they'd looked deadly enough without the poison, but I was suddenly glad this creature was on my side.
The room had gotten suddenly smaller with four large creatures standing in it, even though they kept their wings furled, the other three daemons had transformed, as well. They were no less stunning than Jones and were obviously of the same race.
Sarah Grant was obviously female and slightly shorter than the others. She wore a tightly fitted top that tied around her neck and waist, leaving her dark copper wings free. She and the others glided to the desk to dip their own claws.
I got another surprise when Jones spoke because it was his same voice, deep and velvety.
“I'll open a portal directly inside the warehouse on the opposite end from the other portal. I'll keep it small until Michael arrives. Ready?”
There were nods all around. My heart was pounding fast. I glanced at Thulu, standing beside me, and at Reo on the other side. They had matching expressions of nervous excitement.
Jones – I wondered if I was supposed to call him “Dhavenbahtek” in that form, but decided it didn't matter – opened a small portal. One of the fairies flew through it. He would wait until Michael arrived and signal us to come through. Weapons drawn, we waited.
It was only a few minutes before the fairy who had flown through the portal returned to say that Michael and several Light Ones had arrived. Jones enlarged the portal, and the fairies flew through first. Jones looked at us, the only humans in the party and told us to stay close. He stepped through, and the others followed. Thulu, Reo and I were in the middle.
I was getting used to the taste and smell of light and got the same sensations as before, but this time it passed much quicker. Maybe I was acclimating to portal travel.
My foot landed on concrete. I looked around as I moved away from the portal, gun held in both hands and pointed to the floor. To my right was a concrete loading bay. A few stairs on one side of the bay led up to it, with a ramp on the other. The building was large and empty of equipment or furnishings. At least as far as I could see in the dim light. Several Light Ones were approaching from the far end, where I could see the small pulsating light of another portal. The rest of our party had stepped through our portal and spread out around us. It was much lighter at our end, and we could see each other clearly.
Jones stepped forward. “Michael.”
“Dhavenbahtek – and his friends.” His voice was a deep rumble. Michael was in the lead with two others flanking him. Both of the other angels had silvery gray wings and hair. Michael's faceted blue on blue eyes took us all in calmly. Even the fairies didn't seem to faze him, and he nodded politely at all of us, ignoring the drawn weapons.
Michael was quite simply gorgeous. Golden where Gabriel had been white. Even his skin had a gold tone to it. His deep blue eyes didn't seem as hard as Gabriel's had, though.
A voice whispered in my ear, “That's the nice angel, La Fi, and I'm already gone, so don't yell at me.” Parker hadn't even materialized. Just the whisper.
Reo must have caught it too because he gave a soft snort. I spared him a quick look before returning my attention to the beings in front of me.
“We would prefer that you listen carefully, Michael. What we have to say is very important.”
Michael narrowed those blue eyes of his and nodded.
“I am listening. Speak.”
“Gabriel has done things that you certainly would not approve. He has arbitrarily murdered humans to force my humans to cooperate with him.”
His humans?
“Light Ones do not arbitrarily murder. Killing is for your kind.”
He probably considered the invasion of the daemon world war, but I would count it as murder. Jones apparently decided to let it pass. He pointed to me, Thulu and Reo. “He killed members of their family.”
“These are the ones who can find the relics?”
Jones nodded while Michael looked at the three of us. He focused on me.
“You have agreed to turn over the relics to us.” It was not a question.
“Gabriel murdered some of her family to try to break her contract with me,” Jones spoke before I could open my mouth. Michael seemed to want to skip over that part, but we knew he needed to focus on what was unacceptable behavior for a Light One, according to their own rules.
Michael was frowning now. His guards remained impassive. “Light Ones do not murder. Maybe Gabriel has declared war on this family.”
“You call it what you want. He killed three members of my family.” I'd had enough. His denial irritated me. I stepped within a few feet of Michael and peered up at him, determined not to show fear.
Sloane stepped forward. “Actually he killed seven of her family, but the elves were able to save three and return them to their bodies. There were four deaths.”
Four? Oh, yeah, he must be counting Lynda-Jean.
Michael looked at Sloane as Aurelia and Belus moved to stand next to their friend. “The elves saw this killing?”
The three elves shook their heads.
“We saw the aftermath immediately after it happened,” Sloane said. “There was no doubt the damage had been done by a powerful being.”
Aela flew forward. Michael didn't really move, but his body seemed to draw away from the arrow pointed at him. The guards moved in closer to him.
“I saw the entire thing. It was Gabriel. He used a wind spell to pick up the family and hurl them into a wall. He broke the neck of another by twisting her head. Gabriel forced La Fi to make a promise that would break her contract with Dhavenbahtek. This is not how we do business, Michael. Amends must be made.” Aela dropped her bow to her side. “You know fairies do not lie, Michael. I speak truth.”
Michael's frown had deepened. He was clearly disturbed by what Aela had said, and his guards seemed uneasy. I was gaining even more respect for Aela. Michael's reaction to her certainly gave credibility to her warrior status.
Ceil flew forward. “Well, pixies sometimes do lie,” she gave an apologetic shrug, “but I was there and also saw Gabriel do these things.”
Michael thought for a long moment. “Very well, I accept that Gabriel has killed the humans of which you speak.”
Well, thank you, your highness.
He looked around at our group. “However, there is no evidence that Gabriel was wrong to do so. Our people are in danger. We are having a difficult time finding enough positive energy to sustain us. Some of us are sick. Some have died. Many of us need so much more than in the past. We must find a new supply. This planet is rich in people. We can help them. It is what you call a win-win situation.”
Thulu shook his head. “Sorry, but we don't want your kind of help. Your people would destroy my people trying to keep them happy.”
Michael was familiar enough with Earth and should know that was true. “Your people are weak-willed and do not always make good choices, but we will try to not be any more disruptive than needed to ensure our healthy continuation.”
I stared at Michael in amazement. Not all of us were weak-willed. For instance, my will was strengthening by the second. And it wanted no part of these cold, arrogant, creatures.
“We need to go somewhere, and this is the best place for us at this time,” he continued. “What amends do you seek for the deaths?”
Jones's answer was firm, “The golden pitcher and scroll must be returned to me. They are my property.”
Michael shook his head. “That is impossible. You would close the portal, and we need it opened.”
“Well, we need it closed. Your people are too dangerous to us. Gabriel has created havoc on our world already and not just to my family,” I said.
“How is this?” Michael asked.
“He opened the portals to the other worlds!”
Michael looked at me blankly. I sighed in exasperation. “Do any of the rest of you even have a clue what's he's doing?”
Michael looked startled. “Gabriel opened the portals? Dhavenbahtek had done this in case we opened our portal completely.” He turned to Jones, who shook his head. “That makes no sense. We need people to be happy, not the chaos that is going on now. Gabriel knows this. There is no reason for him to want turmoil.”
There was a pause. We needed to give Michael the bad news, but even I was reluctant to just spit it out. Jones let Michael think for a few moments before continuing quietly, but firmly. I studied the two similar races, side by side. Michael and Jones made a striking picture. I quickly brought my attention back to the conversation.
“There is a reason, Michael. I think Gabriel's chemistry changed a very long time ago. He no longer feeds on positive energy. Gabriel needs negative energy. I believe this explains the changes eons ago, when he invaded our world. I think he blamed us for his change somehow. And I believe deep down you know this to be true.”
Michael was clearly stunned and stared at Jones in shock for long moments. He shook his head in denial. His guards were equally shocked. Michael slumped a bit and nodded slowly. It was obvious he was in emotional pain, but he seemed to be getting over his denial. “I guess I have always known –”
I was breathing a sigh of relief, but before he could continue, he was interrupted.
A sudden light and a flurry of wings announced the presence of someone else. He stepped through another portal that had materialized beside ours. We turned as Gabriel moved forward. He was followed by two more Light Ones before he closed the portal behind him. Each of his two followers carried a wooden box. Gabriel looked around at our group. He ignored the rest and focused on me.
“It is time for you to honor your promise and bring the other relics to me. I know you have them.”
I'm not sure why Jones did what he did next. Suddenly I was in his mind, sharing his thoughts. Time seemed to stop. Whether he intended to share, I may never know, but I felt his rage, his pain. I knew he had originally decided to protect humans simply to thwart Gabriel's desire to use us. I knew a lot of other things that went by too fast for me to grasp at the time.
What happened over the next few minutes seemed to take forever. Jones’s sense of time was very different from mine and, through him, I felt fractions of seconds. He carefully unsheathed each claw one by one. Each had its own deathly glow, and I didn’t think it was due to the poison coating them. His eyes blazed with his hatred of Gabriel, and his massive wings spread wide. He flew up into the air and was met there by Gabriel in a crash of bodies, wings and metal. Gabriel had materialized a sword and a large shield, and Jones’s outstretched claws skittered off the metal in a loud screeching sound.
Gabriel used the shield to slam the daemon back. Jones lost control for a brief second, but he quickly recovered and materialized a breastplate. Loose feathers danced in the wind caused by their buffeting wings. Again and again they came together, equally matched, deadly claws against shield and sword – neither getting an advantage for very long. Their speed was blindingly fast. Jones veered from another inevitable crash, and they tore past each other. Turning as soon as he was past Gabriel, Jones reached out with one arm and hooked Gabriel around the neck, drawing his head back. In one mighty swipe, Jones sunk the claws of his other hand into Gabriel's eyes. Gabriel barely got his shield raised halfway to his face before he disintegrated into sparkling dust. Sword and shield clattered to the floor.
No one moved as Jones settled back to the floor. Those images would be forever burned into my mind. Jones turned toward me, his expression unfathomable. I could no longer see what he was thinking, and again I wondered if he'd intended to let me see.
A flurry on either side of Jones caught my attention. The other daemons attacked the two Light Ones who had come through the portal with Gabriel, catching the boxes before they smashed on the concrete. As far as fights went, the whole thing was over in minutes. The only things left of Gabriel and his escort were the sword, the shield and the glittering dust floating to the floor.
We were in control of all of the relics, and Gabriel was dead. That sounded good to me.
Suddenly, I was grabbed from behind. Looking up, way up, I couldn't make out his face because Michael held me tightly with one arm. All I saw was the underside of his chin and his golden hair as it flowed down his shoulders. The sharp point of a dagger was poised at my throat in his other hand
“Cease immediately.” His two guards had started to move forward, but stopped when fairies surrounded each of them.
I felt the flutter of small wings over my head and assumed that other fairies were also focused on Michael.
“Back away. I can kill her before you kill me. Or at the same time, if you prefer,” said Michael.
I didn't doubt that at all. The point was at my throat, and I felt it every time I breathed or swallowed.
I saw Jones give a slow nod. The fairies over my head came into view as they backed off. I was happy to see they didn't move all that far, though. I could feel Michael's heart beating in his chest. I didn't know whether it was fast or slow for a Light One, but it seemed pretty steady.