Ascension of Evil (Battle for Souls Book 3) (6 page)

“But this is my mother were talking about. I know last time the Prim twisted my thoughts, but the principal isn’t here anymore. I know it was my mother, and she told me to befriend my enemies. They will even the numbers for the war.”

Boon’s eyes grew wide as did the others. “Gabby, we—”

“It wasn’t a trick. It was my mother. I know it.”

They all stood in silence, trying to keep their doubt from showing on their faces. Her body shook with frustration.

Alexander wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head. “You know I love you. I will fight by your side, die to protect you.” He pulled her tighter, and she lost herself in his embrace.

“I know,” she murmured, her head buried in his strong chest, the place she was supposed to spend the entire night.

“You have to trust us. Boon sensed the demonic presence, but none of us saw an aura or detected an angel.”

She pushed from his strong embrace. “How am I supposed to command others in this war if you don’t trust me?”

“It’s not that,” Boon interjected. “I know how quickly one can betray us. Herak was a friend once, and look how that turned out.”

“No. My mother came to help. I’m the commander of the army, and we will work together to figure out what she meant. It’s the only way we’ll have a chance to win this war.”

Smiling, Sammy nodded. “I agree. We need to work together.”

Alexander nodded. “I’ll try to figure out what your mother meant.”

Gabby stilled her emotions and readied herself for the fight. “Thanks, Alex. Your support means everything to me.”

He brushed his lips over her cheek and whispered, “Always.”

“Great, because you need to find Forras.”

Alexander drew away from her, eyes blazing, but she grasped his arms. “He’s dead. You killed him. He’s serves Satan now.”

“Listen to me.” Gabby held tight and locked gazes with him. “My mother told me he could even the odds in the war. He must’ve escaped when we freed the trapped souls. We need more warriors to fight and if he didn’t join Satan, perhaps his heart has changed.”

Alexander twisted his arms in her grasp to clutch her elbows tight. “I know without talking to him, he’ll openly side with Hell.”

He had a point. Why would Forras fight for them? She didn’t have an answer, but something inside told her he would.

Sammy snapped her fingers. “The girl he loved. We need to speak with Grace. He would’ve done anything for her. That’s what caused him to fall.”

Alexander loosened his grip and turned on Sammy. “You’ve just admitted it. He fell. He chose to give up earth and pledge his life to Satan when he attempted to murder us. He’s not of this world or Heaven anymore.”

Gabby squeezed his arm to regain his attention. “We have to try.”

Alexander rubbed the back of his neck. “Gabby, you realize he’s the one responsible for your mother’s death, the one who caused your father to start drinking? Not to mention, he almost took you from me once. I won’t let that happen again.”

“We’ll be smarter this time. I trust my mother. If we can find him, we’ll figure it out. He’d be the perfect asset in this war.”

“He’ll turn on you, corrupt everyone. Heck, if he is here that’s why your father is drinking again.” Alexander palmed his forehead then looked back at Gabby.

The words hung in the air for a long time before anyone moved. Her heart ached. They knew.

She forced the words from her lips. “How long have you known?”

Alexander’s face softened and his eyebrows rose with pity. “Gabby, sweetheart, I’m sorry.”

“How long?” Gabby gritted her teeth. How could he keep that from her?

“At the wedding. I smelled alcohol. I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t want to say anything until I was certain.” Alexander took her hand in his and stroked his thumb over her knuckles. “You knew?”

Gabby’s throat constricted with grief and she had to clear it before she could speak. “He’s passed out on the couch.”

Boon stepped toward her house and scanned the area. “I knew something demonic had been lurking around, but I don’t know what.”

Sammy stroked Gabby’s upper arm. “We’ll figure out what got to him. I don’t believe Bruce decided to start drinking again on his own. He wouldn’t do that to you, Gabby.”

“It’s an illness. He can’t help it.” Gabby spoke the words she’d rehearsed so many times since he returned from rehab, but they still sounded like an empty excuse. She couldn’t understand why he just didn’t stop. Surely, if he loved her enough, he would.

Sammy squeezed her shoulder and went to Boon’s side. “What are you thinking?”

“Don’t know.” Boon weaved his arm behind Sammy’s back and stood there for a moment. “We might not have to go far to find Forras.”

“You mean you believe he’s been messing with my dad?” Gabby blurted.

Alexander pulled her hands to his chest. “You still think it’s a good idea to have him join us?”

“No, but I don’t know that we have a choice.” Gabby struggled to make a decision, but that was her job. Dark clouds swirled in the sky and she knew time was running out. “I believe he was released when the gates were opened, so it makes sense he would return here. We have to figure out how to find him and convince him to fight for us. If he won’t, then we’ll send him back to darkness.”

“Agreed.” Boon sauntered past them with Sammy by his side. “Alexander, you should stay here tonight. And Sammy and I won’t be far away.”

Gabby thought about what her father would do as a hunter, to find Forras and capture him. She didn’t like where it led her, but she knew what she had to do. “Don’t stay too close. If Forras wants my dad, then that’s how we trap him.”

****

Alexander gripped the back of Gabby’s desk chair. Outside her window, orange, supernatural clouds swirled in the night sky, warning of the coming demonic war. He needed to figure out how to win the war, and Heaven’s favor, so he could return with Gabby.

Gabby opened the door, padded across the rug to him, and pressed her chest against his back. She wrapped her arms around him. The scent of apple filled the air as her hair brushed against the back of his arms. He could stand there all night. Her touch made the world full of hope, instead of despair.

Alexander stroked her arms. “How are you?”

“Fine,” Gabby whispered.

Alexander pivoted to face her and pulled her close to him. “It’s me. You don’t need to be brave. I’m here for you. Talk to me.” He gazed at her a moment, letting her absorb the truthfulness of his words. “I’m sorry about your dad.”

Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them back and pulled free of his arms. She sat on the bed, her legs curled under her, twisting a loose thread on her comforter.

He ran his fingers down her back and felt her wings push against her skin. She was an angel, so why had Heaven denied them?

“I’m fine,” she whispered again. “The war is coming, and we’ll be ready this time.”

He rubbed her shoulders. “I’ll be with you, always.”

Gabby shook her head. “You can’t promise that.”

His heart ached to argue the point, but it was true. There was no guarantee if they died in battle tomorrow that they wouldn’t be ripped from each other’s arms for all eternity. His hands shook at the thought. Eternity without Gabby. No, he couldn’t face it. He sat at the head of the bed and pulled her into his arms. “I can’t lose you. I won’t.”

“We don’t get to choose. Fate will decide.” Gabby raked her nails down his forearm.

Shivers shot up his arm, around his shoulder, and down his back. One touch sent him to Heaven, something had happened between them, a sort of bond that couldn’t be broken. He clung to that thought as he held her tight.

She turned to face him. “We have now.” She brushed the hair from his eyes and kissed his temple, his cheek, his chin then swept her lips across his. His body hummed, and he strung his fingers through her hair, tugging her head back. Her mouth teased his lower lip, nibbling and sweeping along the edge. The taste of mint and the smell of apples drew him closer.

Her tongue broke through his lips, connecting with his in a gentle caress, until he nearly came undone and met her passion with his own. Heated pleasure blanketed his skin and he rolled on top of her, wanting to be closer, to join, to live for eternity as one.

He reached out with his soul, and it lingered around her, his aura pulsing against her skin.

His hand massaged her thigh, and she wrapped her leg around him. Lost, swimming in her beauty and love, he never wanted to let her go.

They kissed and held each other as if these were their last moments together.

Gabby nibbled down his neck. “I love you.”

Her words gave him courage to live for eternity trapped beneath the skin and bones of his human frame, even if he was only able to kiss and hold her all night. “I love you, too,” he whispered and cupped her head to his shoulder, wrapping her body in his. He held her and prayed they wouldn’t be torn apart.

Alexander pressed his lips to her head. “Someday we will be one, but for now, every kiss is precious to me.” He reached out with his soul, connecting with Gabby.

She gasped. Her head arched back, and the connection between them sizzled through his body. She clung to him and moaned. “I didn’t know it was possible to feel this way,” Gabby whimpered. “You soothe the pain of this life, and give me hope. Without you…” Her words faded and he knew she couldn’t finish.

His heart throbbed with a plethora of emotions. He squeezed Gabby to his chest and surged calming peace into her. It was all he could give her, but at least for a few moments she would rest. Her body relaxed against him, but he couldn’t sleep. Every second they had was precious. He nudged her head from his shoulder and onto the pillow then sat on his elbow, watching the rise and fall of her chest. She slept peacefully and, if for just a few moments, without the weight of the world upon her shoulders. If only he could take the burden on himself. But Heaven had chosen her. All he could do was support and love her. And fight, fight with everything he had to ensure they stayed together. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift off into dreams of a peaceful life with Gabby.

Howls woke him from a restless sleep. He pushed from the bed to peek outside. Dark shadows galloped across the front drive to the line of trees. A cold sting shot through his wings and down his legs.

Dogs or coyotes, that was all. There couldn’t be that many demons running free through Kemp. He would have sensed them.

The amber clouds spun faster, in sync with the churning of his stomach. His cell phone buzzed in his pocket, and he grabbed it before it could wake Gabby, still keeping an eye out the window on the shadowy creatures.

He glanced down at the screen. A text from Sammy that simply read,
They’re here
.

His pulse thudded against his neck, and he gripped the chair. Black dots covered the front lawn. There had to be dozens of them.

Need help. Dozens here,
he quickly texted back.

Gabby stirred on the bed. “What is it?”

Before he could answer the phone buzzed in his hand.
Dozens here 2.

Shit!
They needed to get out of there. Could Gabby fly? They hadn’t practiced yet. He could fly her out, but would he make it back in time for Bruce?

An eerie screech echoed up the stairs. Gabby bolted to the bedroom door, but he caught her, wrapping his arms around her. “Shh,” he whispered, his finger to his lips.

They stood there for a second before he released her and cracked the bedroom door open. Shadows moved at the bottom of the stairwell, and he knew they had a fight on their hands.

Gabby tiptoed to her closet, pulled an old, splintered, wooden box from her shelf, and placed it on the bed. She slid the wooden top off and retrieved a dark handgun. He’d known she slept with a gun in her room, but he’d never seen her hold it before. The dark metal looked wrong in Gabby’s gentle hand, but she handled it like a pro, checking the magazine and sliding back the safety.

A distant crash drew their attention, and they raced to the top of the stairs. Each step creaked, announcing their descent as they slowly made their way to the lower floor. His fingers raked against the dark wood paneling. Hopefully Sammy, Boon, and Grace were able to get past the demons to help them fight.

Halfway down, a familiar, haunting stench assaulted his nose, stopping him in his tracks. He grasped the railing and it cracked under the pressure of his grip.

Forras.

Alexander glanced over his shoulder. Gabby held the gun against her thigh, her jaw clenched in determination. He prayed her powers would do more damage than that gun. Considering how many minions roamed the front lawn, he was certain Forras hadn’t shown up for a chat. He’d come to kill them all.

“You!” Bruce shouted from the living room, terror lacing his words.

Gabby shoved past him. Alexander leapt to the bottom of the stairs and his wings shot out, punching a hole through a kitchen cabinet behind him. Dishes crashed to the floor. Gunfire echoed through the house.

Alexander bolted to Gabby’s side in the entryway. Claws scratched down the front door. Glass shattered in Bruce’s room. Orange eyes glowed in the darkness at the end of the hallway, red lines fissured in a web of evil around the glowing orbs.