The Taking (26 page)

A picture of an angry, confused Ethan fills my mind. Slowly, I lower toward the ground. The demons are starting to reach out to Cindy and Ben. Cindy is fighting using her martial arts, bones and major limbs are being broken, but the demons are healing too fast. Ben swings his Butterfly swords with the skill of a master, yet too many demons are approaching. Soon they will be defeated. I turn to Separus. His black eyes survey me. It is like I am making a deal with the devil
—
I could be betrayed at any time.
 

I prompt myself.
Ethan, I must remember Ethan. It is all for him. If it weren’t for me, he would still be an Innocent.
My feet hit the ground right below the pedestal just as I hear Cindy moan in the defeat of exhaustion and slump to the ground.

- Chapter Twenty-Three -

My eyes search for Cindy. Her yellow form is not hard to spot in the dullness of black and grey. She lies passed out on the floor; the demons are no longer attacking her but rather stroking her wings, arms and face, draining her energy. Her eyes fall closed, and I gaze at her desperately keeping the picture of Ethan fresh in my mind. Separus grunts in anger. Confused over the cause considering I have done what he asked, I turn hoping he will keep his promise of restoring Ethan.
 

As I gaze into his deep, dark pits he yells, “Stop him.”
 

I frown.
What could he possibly be talking about? With this amount of demons, Ben would inevitably be defeated by now also, even though I
’
m sure he gave a good fight.
Forcing myself to look at Ben I see he is still fighting admirably, yet something strange is happening to the demons that are out of reach of his swords. Demons surrounding Ben in the layer out of reach of his swords are dropping to the ground clutching their heads.
 

I have no idea what is going on.
 

“I said stop him!” Separus yells at me.

Separus is clutching his ears and wriggling about appearing uncomfortable. My confusion must show over my face.
 

He throws his wrinkled hand up in the air. “No wonder you are so keen to toss in your angelic friends, you do not even know what they are capable of.” More demons fall, and he lets out grunts of anger as his eyes constrict. “He is inserting angelic song in their heads. If you do not stop him, you can still kiss our deal goodbye. I will disappear from this place, and your chance will be gone. Ethan will be evil, destined forever to serve me and do my bidding. You must stop him now. I give you five seconds.”

I glance at Ben. The muscles in his back ripple as he strokes the Butterfly Swords with ease and looking completely focussed on his fighting. To think that he is also singing to these demons in their head seems impossible, yet I know he can speak internally. Archangel Gabriel did say that he needed to come clean with his gifts.

“Time is nearly up,” Separus yells.
 

Clenching my jaw; I must decide.
 

Demons fall at Ben’s feet from the angelic blessed swords and continue to drop further away from him. There is so much I admire about this giving, caring angel, yet I have to save Ethan — my three lives true love and give him the life he deserves. My fingers find the hilt of my dagger still tucked in its sheath. I hesitate as more demons fall.
 

“I said stop him,” Separus croaks his command. “Last chance.”

A sharp picture of Ethan enters my vision. The light brown eyes gaze at me with undying love; his caresses, the tender kisses we shared, the life he leads now that I have disappeared — still single and living with my passing. Even after almost a year without me he still lives in misery from my sudden death, now he is paying for my life as an angel. Nimbly my fingers pull out my dagger and without another moment’s thought, the dagger leaves the fingers on my extended arm, spinning and inserting into Ben’s back, just above his Butterfly Swords sheath. The muscles stop rippling, and the ocean blue eyes connect with mine. A world full of hurt and treachery pour out of their almond shaped case. The swords clang to the ground and he drops to his knees as his body falls forward onto the cold concrete floor. A trail of crimson mixed with dark blue flow from the wound. With the challenge removed, the demons back away from his fallen body.

Screeches echo loud throughout the dreary room as I force the image of Ethan into my mind pushing out the horrid act I have committed. A well attempts to gather in the corners of my eyes and invisible hands grab at my heart. I tear my eyes away from the lifeless gaze that fills those oceans that are usually overflowing with love.
 

Ethan, remember Ethan.
Taking a deep breath, I push all other thoughts away and gaze into the black depths of evil. There is a strange kind of joy embedded in them — if you can call it that. It spreads across the ancient, shrivelled face. I reach my hand out and call for my dagger not turning my face. It flies back into my hand, and I put it back into its sheath.

He claps his oversized knobbly hands together a few times slowly, the pain gone from his expression. “Yes, that is what I want.” With his odd looking smile spreading further the screeches of the hordes of demons rise loudly, echoing off the dreary walls. “You are beginning to prove yourself.”
 

My eyes search his face. “What else is there to do to prove myself to you?” I turn my gaze to Cindy’s drained form lying in the middle of crouching demons still stroking her skin, and I point to her. “Do you need me to be rid of her too?”
 

He strokes his pointy chin then waves a hand dismissively in the air in her direction. “I am not worried about the weak one. We have her under control. Can you not see?”

Taking one last glance at her, I drop my arms to my side and turn away giving him a nod. “Then what?”
 

“Your Ethan will never become what you are now, he has been tainted by evil. If the archangels are telling you he has a chance, then I hate to say,” he smirks as he pauses, “they are lying.” He paces on his pedestal. “If returned to a normal human, he will only ever be that nothing else and his days will be numbered. You will never be human again.
 

I stare at him with a blank face. “There must be a way we can be connected and together again. He is my soul mate. Nothing should separate us, death or life. We must make this right; I cannot live a proper life without him. No other will be the same.”

“Yes.” He turns his head in Ben’s direction. “I can see that no other will be the same for you.” He turns back, and that strange look that resembles a smile crosses his face again. “For you to be truly connected again with your soul mate you will need to change sides.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

He tilts his chin high. “You will need to bow and worship me.” He raises a hand. “If you do this, I will give you the glory you deserve, and you will be one of my high ranking demons, and this will also be extended to your beloved.”

I wave my hand at his surrounding minions. “Do you mean like these?”

He throws back his head and laughs, filling the air with additional evil. “No, these are nothings to me. Earthlings that have transformed with no glory, but they have committed too much evil to be able to live as humans anymore. I do not care for these as they come in many. If left alone, this will also be your beloved’s life. I will not care for him either. On the other hand, if you do as I ask, I will give you both honour in our world.”

“How can this be done?” I ask.

“As I said, you must bow to me and commit yourself wholly to my service.”

My mind is racing trying to process the information and what I should do. I look at the demons hovering in Separus’ background, the nothings, as he had called them. It is not a life. I cannot allow this to happen to Ethan. With my decision made I look back at Separus expecting him to be watching my every move, except he is not. He is looking at something over my shoulder. I study his face for a brief moment and recognise the look of shock. Before I manage to see what has his attention, a stern voice calls.

“Don’t do it, Aurora. It is not worth it.” It is the voice of Archangel Michael.

- Chapter Twenty-Four -

A whispered hiss escapes the demon before me. “You need to get rid of him now, or I will disappear and your Ethan’s life is ruined forever. He will be another useless servant demon. Not to mention the havoc he will cause by doing evil to the humans.”

My shoulders seize, and I quickly side-glance at Ben. I have come too far to rectify Ethan. I cannot let anyone stop me, even Archangel Michael. Bracing my heart I plant an image of Ethan firmly in my mind, and my fingers grab my dagger, flicking it in one motion behind my shoulder. They release the point of the dagger in a spinning motion from hours of excessive practice. Our eyes connect. The normally hard sapphires are filled with hurt and confusion as it lands directly into the rare piece of skin just above Archangel Michael’s chest plate. It has undoubtedly pierced his upper lung and possibly a vital artery. Something plucks at my heartstrings.
Why do they have to always give me the hurt look?

Before the guilt sets in, I reach out for my dagger, and it returns at my command landing in my hand as I hear Archangel Michael slump to the floor. His usually stern voice croaks, “Don’t do it, Aurora. Don’t—” He falls silent.

From the base of the pedestal, I look into the blackness of Separus’ eyes. I didn’t think it was possible, but the blackness has darkened. The evil is gratified. “Excellent, very excellent. My master will be pleased.”

His master? I didn’t know there were more above him.
I hold my gaze, making sure my face hides my confusion.

“You have proven yourself higher than we expected, but you must still bow to me before I raise both you, and Ethan, to an esteemed level in my domain. If you do, you will serve together,” he smirks, “there is no rule against relationships here. You may partake in any activity you desire.” His teeth show in what I think is a grin. “Even the ones the angels consider dirty. You may also keep your pretty form if you wish.” His eyes gaze over every inch of me from my head to my toes. “So bow at my feet and we will become one unstoppable team, me, you, and your beloved earthling.”

I bend over and reach for my boots. My hand unzips the side.
 

“What are you doing?” Separus demands.
 

I stop and straighten. “In holy places it is deemed more respectful to remove your shoes before entering the sacred ground. This is for both sides of the good or evil scale.” I indicate to my half removed boot. “I believe this would be a more sacred way of approaching you by removing my shoes.”
 

The tight skin on his face stretches to its limit. I take this as a sign that he is pleased. “Yes, this is acceptable. You are a fast learner. Our union will be a successful one.”

Bending over, I unzip my other boot. Slowly I remove the boots placing my feet on the dirty concrete floor. It is cold against the skin on the soles of my feet, and I find it very fitting as the cold embraces my heart. I place my boots neatly together on my left side and step forward slowly, trying to steel my nerves. I have high hopes, all reliant on the next few moments of my eternal life.
 

For Ethan. For Ethan
. I continue to remind myself trying to raise enough courage to complete my task.
 

Step after step, I approach the bottom of the pedestal. I didn’t realise it was so far until I had to walk these steps. I clench and unclench my hand making sure the blood continues to pump around this anxious body. Eyes straight ahead, don’t look at the destruction in your past.
 

For Ethan. For Ethan.
I chant to myself.
 

I have reached the pedestal. There is still quite a distance between me and Separus. I raise my leg to take that step up when I see he holds out his hand in a stop motion. I pause, and he steps to the edges of the platform.

“You should always be below your master,” he says.