Angelus (22 page)

Angela let out an ironic and pained laugh. Though she couldn't move, inwardly she recoiled from Mikel in disgust. “What choice do I have? You're a traitor. You told me when we first met that you wanted to help your father, Raziel, and here you are, doing the Devil's dirty work. Do you realize how much blood you have on your hands?”

“This would never have been necessary if Israfel hadn't conspired with my brother to imprison me. I . . . I could have found another way to end my life.”

“End your life?” Angela shouted. “That's what this is all about? You want to commit suicide?”

“As if it makes me any different than you were once upon a time,” Mikel shouted back. “As if you of all people can't understand what it is to be born in an unfair world. I didn't ask to be what I am—and I'm not like the other angels, Archon. I can't die like they can, whether from illness or accident. My mother alone—only Lucifel—can end my misery. If that means an end to this universe, so be it. But I'll be damned if you try to stop me like Zion and Israfel did.”

“You are already damned,” Angela hissed at her. “Do you hear yourself? How selfish can you be?”

This was unbelievable. Angela felt like any at second she'd
wake up from this nightmare, and yet she knew with equal conviction that it was never going to happen.

“It doesn't matter,” Mikel shot back. “I don't need lectures from a human who caught the fancy of my dead father. You don't know the real truth. We—all of us—have been down this road before. It's time to put a stop to it once and for all. The world no longer needs to suffer for the sake of your redemption, Angela Mathers.”

“I have no idea what the hell you're talking about,” Angela snapped. “You're just as insane as Lucifel.”

“Wrong,” Mikel said, breathing into her face. “
You
are the real source of our misery.
You
are the very reason my father died.
You
are the reason the cycle of death refuses to end. Well—my mother is determined to put a stop to it, and I've decided to help her. My final wish to end my pathetic existence is only a bonus.”

“There's no way I can be the cause of everyone's misery,” Angela shouted. “How can you blame one person for everyone else's fates and circumstances?”

“You tell me,” Mikel said. “You helped set the wheels in motion eons ago. You don't remember? How convenient. But that doesn't change the facts. Even if you're the only god this world has, it's better that it doesn't exist at all.”

“That makes no sense!” Angela said. A painful quiet took hold of her. Once again, she was on the verge, ready to tip over into something that frightened her more than she ever thought possible.

“I'd be a fool to give you any more to work with,” Mikel said. “It's enough for you to know that at least these other girls won't have to bleed to death now that we have the blood necessary to open the Book.”

Mikel stepped away from them, gesturing for the priests
to come closer. They grabbed Angela by the shoulders and dragged her toward the stone table. She struggled violently while Kim remained eerily still and silent. His gaze had riveted on Mikel and a frankly contemptuous smirk touched his lips.

“And you, half-breed,” Mikel said too sweetly to him. “You should be happy I'm allowing you to stay by the Archon's side in Her final moments.”

A priest with long and tangled dark hair quickly set a knife to Kim's neck.

“Yes, I should thank you, Mikel,” Kim said to her gently. “This was an entertaining game to play, after all. But I think there's another hand that has you in checkmate.”

Mikel—though residing in Father Schrader's body—paused, with the look of a frightened child on her face. She glanced at the drained hourglass pendant resting near Kim's chest.

Suddenly, Angela could barely see. Her head slammed against the table and stars pinpricked her vision. Hands fought with her as more hands gripped her ankles. Angela kicked and squirmed as her captors tried to wrap ropes around her limbs.

A deathly hissing sound echoed through the air.

Everyone froze. Hands lifted from Angela's body. She lay on the table for a second, breathing hard. The hissing sound continued to echo, and a chill shuddered through her.

A creaking, crumbling sound took over. Stones now tumbled from the ceiling and clattered onto the floor. Angela shot up onto her elbows, and the ropes wrapped around her waist and wrists slid to the rock. The priests who'd been hard at work tying her down stared at an enormous shadow circling the round chamber outside. It resembled living smoke,
but the more Angela focused, the more it condensed into a solid mass of muscle and glittering black and violet scales. A gigantic serpent was busy encircling the tower. It hissed again, sending a fiery dart of fear right through her.

Two of the priests tripped over metal urns at the foot of the table in their effort to get away. Sluices ran from the table to their dull iron insides, probably the most efficient means they had right now to collect Angela's blood.

The tower groaned, as if in pain. More stones dropped and smashed against the floor.

The priests ran for the doors that were the only safe exit available.

Instantly, the snake's coils smashed through the far wall. Rocks sprayed everywhere. Angela screamed and ducked, using her arms to protect her head and face. She rolled and found herself close to Kim. The eerie smile was still on his face, but then he saw Angela and he shook his head, as if clearing it. He'd been in a trance.

He turned and glanced around in horror. The tower was now close to collapsing.

Angela looked at the exit. It was open, but the priests had been crushed to death like mice pressed in a vise. She clapped a hand over her mouth, trying to contain her nausea. Mikel remained in Father Schrader's body, staring defiantly at a gigantic snake's head that slipped through an open window and swayed dangerously above her.

Python had arrived in his true form as a feathered serpent. The plumes on his head fluttered majestically and he yawned, displaying his enormous teeth.

“What are you doing here?” Mikel shouted at him.

I've merely come to collect what belongs to me,
Python said. His voice shivered through the walls and floor that
remained.
It's just unfortunate you happen to be standing in the way. So please step aside. I would hate to see your little mortal worshippers suffer any more casualties.

“You have no claim on anyone here, serpent.”

On the contrary, I happen to have the only valid claim left. Let's face it, you're not exactly in a position to argue. I wouldn't have traveled out of Hell, biding my time, if it weren't for a very good reason, little chick. Taking control of Luz is a bonus on its own. I think it's high time for you and the other angels to soar back home for now.

As if to emphasize the point, Python coughed up two mangled, severed wings. Mikel jumped back as they landed at her feet in bloody lumps. She looked up at him with a nasty expression.

“Why is Python doing this?” Angela asked Kim.

Kim shook his head, and then he grabbed his pendant. “He's come to claim my soul,” he whispered. “And God knows what else . . .”

“What do you mean he's here to claim your soul—”

Kim clasped Angela's face. “Because I sold it for your sake.”

“
That was the deal you made with Python? Are you insane?
No, that can't be—” Angela felt herself shaking.

“It is. It's true.”

“
Kim!
” she screamed at him.

“I won't let him hurt you, Angela. If he tries to make me harm you in any way, I—I'll—”

But how in the world could you stop Python from doing anything?
Angela wanted to scream back at him. But she only stared at him in horror, suddenly aware that Mikel and Python were still talking.

“I'll make sure Lucifel sends an entire army after you, snake,” Mikel was saying to him.

Python laughed.

Now Mikel turned away.
Thud
. With that sickening sound, Father Schrader's body dropped to the cold hard floor.

Angela broke away from Kim and ran over to Father Schrader. She shoved back one of his long black sleeves, trying to feel for a pulse. There it was. Thank God, he was alive. But for how long?

Well, now that we're alone, we can get down to business,
Python whispered. His serpentine body condensed amid a blinding violet smoke. When it cleared, he stood in his more human-looking demonic form, gazing curiously at Angela with his intense orange eyes. “Now if you'd be so kind as to get back on that altar,” he said to her, gesturing impatiently at the stone table and the urns.

“Over my dead body,” Angela muttered.

Python smirked. “Yes, that is entirely the point.” He looked to his left.

Two angels had landed outside the tower. They notched their bows, aiming for Python's head.

He flicked his wrist and a wave of crackling red energy blasted toward them. They opened their wings and soared out of reach, becoming silhouettes amid a deep night sky, their forms only visible far over the ocean.

“Something tells me those sparrows will be back again before long,” Python muttered. “So come now. I have more to do today besides bleeding you to death, Archon.”

“So sorry,” Angela said, gritting her teeth, “but I enjoy making things difficult for you.”

“Fair enough,” Python said. He winked at her. “I suppose I deserve your contempt by now.” He folded his arms, wandering dangerously close to her. “I must say, you've exceeded all my expectations, Angela. It was my fault to think I had
you cornered in Hell. I should have known it wouldn't be so easy to use you. This was one instance where my mother—much as I hate to admit it—had a clear advantage.” His eyes narrowed. “And you have no idea how much it cost me to escape her and come here. I doubt I can ever return, so I might as well settle down on Earth for a little while. Until the Book of Raziel is opened anyway. Then—I dare say I'll aim a bit higher. It's been a long time since I walked the crystal pathways of Malakhim.”

“Lucifel wouldn't let you get that far,” Angela said breathlessly. “How stupid do you think she is? I guarantee she'll kill you the moment you enter Heaven.”

Python smiled. “Oh, you should have more faith in me than that by now. I'll make sure the Book is opened first, remember? And at that moment, I'll have much more power than Lucifel. She'll be nothing then but a toy dog snapping at my heels.”

“First you need the Book,” Angela said. She allowed a note of triumph in her voice. “And I don't see Sophia, so—”

“But you see, the Book will always return to you as long as you're alive, Angela. That's the way of things. She found you first, I'm sure. And she is about to find you again. In fact, she'll do anything to reunite with you. You're her child, after all.”

Angela felt her soul bottom out.

“No, I'm not,” she said weakly. Her breath came in shallow gasps. “That's impossible . . .”

“Really?” Python arched an eyebrow. “You don't know the truth? Oh, that's right. You never did get a chance to speak to the Cherubim. I made certain of that. How disappointing for you, but it looks like I have the upper hand right now, Archon. Perhaps if you play nice, I'll whisper the
truth in your ears before you die. You're likely to find it as fascinating as I did.” Python paused and looked across the half-destroyed room to where the staircase opened onto a landing. “Well, speak of the devil . . .”

Angela whipped her head around. Sophia stood there, all alone, staring at Python like he'd already drained Angela of all her blood.

“Sophia?” Angela croaked painfully. “But—but how did you—”

Sophia glanced at her, her face sapped of every last ounce of color. She turned back to Python. “How dare you,
you wicked serpent,
” she shouted at him, her voice resounding like thunder.

Python smiled at Angela. “See,” he said sweetly. “Just like I said—she'll always find you, Angela.”

“What are you doing here?” Angela shrieked.

She didn't know what to feel. Of course, Angela was beyond ecstatic that Sophia was safe. But why in the world had she endangered herself by trying to rescue Angela? And—worst of all—why had Sophia been keeping secrets from her that Angela now had to learn from a demon's lips?

Sophia balked at Angela's tone. “I came to help you,” she said.

“
Run!
” Angela screamed back at her. “
Go!
” Now she felt hot tears running down her face.

But Sophia didn't budge. She gazed steadily at Python, her head held high.

“Well,” Python said. “Shall I enlighten the Archon about things? I'm sure She'd much prefer hearing the truth from you. It's just a pity it's under these circumstances, isn't it? Imagine how nice everything would have been if you'd been honest with Her from the start.”

Sophia clasped the lifeless pendant at her chest. “Angela . . .”

“Tell her,” Python whispered. A wicked gleam lit his reptilian eyes. “Come on now. This is just too entertaining to pass up.”

Sophia shot him a murderous glare but regarded Angela again, walking over to her. Angela still knelt by Father Schrader. She was vaguely aware of Kim watching them, yet his attention still seemed somewhere else, as if he'd focused on a point far beyond whatever lay in front of him.

“What is the truth?” Angela whispered to Sophia, and she felt a million needles of pain drive through her heart.

Sophia knelt in front of her. She didn't say anything at first. And then she reached up to Angela's face and stroked her cheek.

“Python said you're my mother,” Angela said. “But that doesn't make sense—”

But at that very second, she thought of her terrible visions where she'd been born to the stars.