Between (2 page)

My wonderful family and friends, for your love, support and encouragement: My mom and dad, Roy, Maggie, William, Jenny T, Linda, Michelle, Kristina, Jennie, Lily, Jane, Holly, Gracie, Hung, Patricia, Sylvie, Ai, Patty, Jenny S, Eileen, Janet, Tim, and Los Molinos Elementary teachers, staff and parents.

Writing Crossroads was a way for me to heal the loss of my grandmother. I wrote it for her, but I wrote Between for my fans. My fans have been so dedicated and their encouragement and enthusiasm has inspired me. So, for all the Crossroads fans out there, Between is for you!!! Thank you so much for your support and for loving Crossroads where love and friendship know no boundaries!!! Hugs!!!

Read how it all began…

In the beginning…

God created the world in seven days. Filled with the living and fruitful land, it was perfect–paradise. He then created man in his image to walk upon His world. Then God sent angels known as the watchers with pristine, enormous white wings. These beautiful creatures sole purpose was to look after his creations; but they could not resist the temptations confronting them. Thus, forbidden children were created, half angel and half human, called nephilim.

For their sin and betrayal, Earth was flooded for 40 days and 40 nights, wiping the land clean. But He saved the ones who asked for forgiveness. After the land was fruitful again, God sent the Twelve and Earth angels to guide his creations. The Twelve resembled watchers with their majestic wings, but the Earth angels had none. The Earth angel’s role was to guide and interact among his creations as the Twelve balanced the world, keeping it safe from unworldly creatures.

Again, temptations were irresistible and nephilim were born. Instead of cleansing the land once more, the Royal Council, a group of God’s first angels, sent the nephilim to a place called Crossroads. These nephilim were known as the alkins – the only group of nephilim sent to Crossroads. All was peaceful until Aden, one of the Twelve, rebelled and procreated a legion of evil angels known as the fallen. More of the fallen escaped when he opened the gates of the Abyss with Alexa Rose’s help. Out of the Abyss came many demons and fallen, and one of God’s first angels named Aliah–the most dangerous, heartless angel ever created.

“
The earth also was
corrupt
before God,
and the earth was filled with
violence
.
And God looked upon the earth,
and, behold it was
corrupt
;
for all flesh had
corrupted
his way upon the earth.
And God said unto Noah,
The end of all flesh is come before me:
for the earth is filled with
violence
through them:
and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” (Genesis 5:11-13)

Prologue

A blanket of thick fog settled along the dark entrance of Specus, a place between Heaven and Earth. The stench within the cave smelled sour, foul and like burnt flesh. The inner walls were cemented with the bodies of dead souls, crying out to be saved, but there was no way out; they were trapped for eternity. No sound was audible from them, but sorrow and pain screamed out from their eyes. Their tears dampened the walls, forming a constant wet residue that trickled down a path to the core of the cave, creating a pool of acid water.

In the stomach of the cave, light beamed through cracks from high above providing just enough light to see the nearby surroundings as it glistened within the pool of tears. The water sparkled with colors of fuchsia, turquoise and violet, overlapping, hypnotizing the eyes.

Kyle stood nervously between his two victims. They were petrified, slumped over on bended knees as they shivered from the freezing cold. Their hands were tightly bound behind their backs, cloths were stuffed inside their mouths, and their faces were shielded by black hoods. Their hearts were thumping out of their chests in sheer panic and their breaths were short and heavy. As hopelessness settled in, death was the only thing on their minds. Desperately, the male victim groaned loudly through his muffled covering.

“
Shut up!” Kyle scolded and saw mist puff out of his mouth when he spoke. “You need to keep your mouth shut. Master does not like noise. He will be here soon and when he does arrive, both of you must cooperate.”

The female victim whimpered softly as frightened tears escaped her eyes, but they were soaked up by her mask before they could fall down her cheeks.

“
Don’t be afraid, my sweet. Your life will be taken for a good cause.” Kyle smiled cunningly, running his hand through her soft, long auburn hair.

The temperature was slowly rising. Kyle could feel the heat as one drop of sweat trickled from his dirty, silver hair, and he began to tremble in fear. “Master is near.” Then he stood tall, trying to look confident and proud.

Without a sound, Aliah appeared. His once pure alabaster wings were now filthy and unevenly sheared at the bottom, and countless feathers were missing, as if they had been randomly plucked.

“
Ahhh, you have brought Claudia Emerson to me; the one with the soul of the Holy Spirit.” Excitement rushed through his evil veins as he circled his victims–how long he had waited for this moment! “Are you positive she is the one?” Aliah questioned, desperately wanting it to be true.

“
Yes, without a doubt.” Kyle was almost certain, but not absolute so.
Please let her be the one
, he thought as he crossed his fingers in hope.

“
Take off her mask…let me take a look at this beauty,” Aliah commanded.

Kyle exposed Claudia’s face. Her forehead was damp and strands of hair clung to her face. She blinked her teary eyes to adjust her vision. When it had cleared, her eyes widened with horror and disbelief and her heart hammered even faster.

“
Master, have I fulfilled my duty?” Kyle asked nervously, wanting to leave as quickly as possible. He didn’t want to stick around, afraid of what Aliah may do to him if he had brought the wrong girl.

Aliah gave him an icy ominous stare. “You leave when I tell you to leave.”

“
Yes, Master.” Kyle looked down submissively.

“
Bring the girl to me.”

“
Yes, Master.” He gripped Claudia’s arm firmly, pulled her up, and dragged her to Aliah. She tried to wiggle free from his hold, but it was no use. All she could do was stare at the being in front of her that was staring back with eyes like endless black holes.

“
I heard you were feisty.” Aliah ran his index finger along the side of her right cheek. Claudia jerked back from his icicle touch, and her whole body shook from being deathly frightened beyond her control. Aliah continued and ignored her response. “And beautiful.” His jet black eyes sparkled as he lowered his face to breathe in her scent, filled with jasmine. “Splendid.” He ran his hands gently down her arms, and Claudia shivered in fright and disgust, yanking her arms back when he touched her. “Soft. You’re slimmer than I had imagined, but none the less, perfect.” Then he took the cloth out of her mouth.

Claudia’s mouth felt dry, sore, and hot, and she used her saliva to moisten what she could. She desperately needed water, but she was in no position to ask. Unable to catch her breath, her chest heaved with terror and exhaustion. Every nerve in her body had awakened and she had never known fear like she had known today. The creature before her was unlike anything she had ever seen, something straight out of a nightmare. This had to be just a terrible dream; after all, this place and whatever he was didn’t exist in real life.

“
Is your name Claudia Emerson?” Aliah asked. He placed his finger under her chin, forcing her to look him in his eyes.

“
Yes,” Claudia nodded hesitantly.

“
Does
he
mean anything to you?” Aliah pointed at the male victim. Kyle pulled off the boy’s covering, unveiling his face.

“
Ryan,” Claudia said in hoarse whisper.

“
Do you love him?” Aliah asked.

“
Yes.”

“
Then do as I say and he will be set free. Do you understand?” Aliah’s voice was calm, yet forceful.

After Claudia nodded, Aliah held his long sword upward as if it was an extension of his arm. Horrified, Claudia backed away as far as she could, but Kyle was right behind her. At that moment, she prayed to God, asking for forgiveness, for she knew that she would face death today. Ryan’s eyes grew wide in panic, grunting, begging for Aliah to let her go. Aliah gave him a bone chilling look and pointed his hand toward him. Ryan flew across the room, his body slammed against the wall, and he fell to the floor, unconscious.

“
Ryan!” Claudia cried. “No!” She tried to run toward him, but Kyle held onto her shirt. Claudia’s tears poured down. “Why are you doing this? Who are you? What do you want with us?”

“
I just want your soul, that’s all. Just say, ‘I give my soul willingly unto thee’ and he shall live.”

“
Are you going to kill me?” she asked hesitantly, afraid of his answer.

Before he could answer, they were abruptly interrupted. Aliah turned to two angels that appeared behind him. His eyes rolled with irritation. “Michelle, Gracie, I told you not to disturb me. Why must you disobey my order?” Aliah scorned.

“
Master, your demon spirits are out of control. Many have escaped, invading human bodies,” Gracie informed.

“
The demon spirit can only possess the weakened soul, especially those who do not believe. Their souls are already destroyed. They didn’t escape; I sent them. They are under my orders to look for Claudia since I can’t leave the realms of these dimensions. I can only travel in the Betweens.” Aliah looked at Claudia standing in front of him, his eyes gleaming with hope. “Perhaps…after today, I can.”

“
Is she the
one
for sure?” Michelle asked, glaring at Claudia.

“
Kyle brought her to me. Fly away and let me continue, and don’t forget to find the healing crystal.”

“
It’s nearly impossible. We would have to get close to the Twelve.”

“
Find a way!” he snapped. “And don’t come back to Specus without it!”

“
Yes, Master,” the girls said. They opened their silver wings and disappeared.

“
Now, repeat the words,” Aliah demanded, pulling her closer.

Claudia stood her ground, looked straight into his eyes and shook her head. “I won’t give you my soul.”

“
Don’t be foolish, my child. You see what I can do. With a snap of my finger, I can break his spine.” He gazed toward where Ryan lay, lifeless. Aliah pointed at Ryan, and his body elevated off the ground. “Shall I drop him?”

“
No, no, no…I’ll say it! Please, don’t hurt him. Put him down,” she cried. “Please…I’ll do it.”

Ryan was lowered to the ground. Aliah looked at Claudia. “Say it right now.”

“
I…um…I…give…”

Aliah was losing patience. “Now!” he shouted.

Startled by the loudness and anger in his tone, she surrendered, knowing with all her heart that there was no escape. “I give my soul…willingly…unto…thee,” Claudia said reluctantly, as tears streamed down her face.

“
Now, now, that’s a good girl. Everything will be just fine.” Aliah gave a deceiving smile, placed his left hand behind her back and pretended to give her a hug. With the
other hand, he drove his sword straight into her heart and muttered, “In the sweet of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”