Hades

32 The Sword of Michael

I had a few minutes to myself before it was time to go. Hanna and Tuck left me alone, figuring I needed some time to gather my thoughts. I couldn’t help myself and started projecting almost before they’d closed the door behind them. I wanted to see Xavier one last time; I wanted his face to be the last thing I saw before I gave away a precious part of myself. I knew if I could hold on to the memory of him in my head, I’d be able to get through this.

My family had already arrived in Alabama. It would’ve only been about a two-hour drive, but I was still surprised to find they’d gotten there so quickly. As far as I could tell, Broken Hill was a sleepy little town much like Venus Cove. The train station was no longer in use. The wooden benches lining the brick walls were littered with rubbish and the old-fashioned ticket booth was unattended. Weeds sprouted from between the tracks and crows pecked uselessly at the dry ground. I imagined it would have once been a charming little place, brimming with life. It was clear that since the train crash that had claimed so many lives the residents had steered clear of it and now it was nothing but a derelict shadow of its former self. The Chevy pulled up beside the rusted tracks and my family stepped out. Ivy sniffed the air and I wondered if she could smell sulfur given off by the portal that had to be close by.

“This place gives me the creeps,” Molly said, still lingering in the car.

“Stay where you are,” Gabriel told her and for once she didn’t argue.

“So what now?” Xavier asked. “Any idea what we’re looking for?”

“It could look like anything,” Gabriel said, bending down and holding his right palm above the earth. “But I think it’s embedded here in the tracks.”

“How do you know that?”

“The earth is always hotter above a portal into Hell.”

“That figures,” Xavier sighed. “All we gotta work out now is how to open it.”

“That’s the problem,” Ivy said. “Our combined power isn’t enough. We need back up.”

“Damn it.” Xavier kicked the ground with the toe of his boot, sending pebbles flying. “What was the point of coming here?”

“Michael wouldn’t have sent us on a wild goose chase,” Ivy murmured. “There must be something he wants us to do.”

“Or maybe he’s just a douche.”

“Indeed,” said a disembodied voice behind them.

They all spun around in time to see the archangel materialize before them, his towering form shadowing the tracks. He looked exactly the same as the first time we’d seen him, fair-haired and glowing, his powerful limbs much larger than the size of an average human. His wings were retracted.

“Not again,” I heard Molly groan from the car and she put her head between her knees.

Gabriel and Michael acknowledged each other as equal warriors by bowing their heads in recognition. “We have followed your instructions, brother,” Gabriel said. “What is it you would have us do now?”

“I have come to offer you my help,” Michael replied. “I bring with me the most powerful weapon throughout Heaven and Hell. It can open a portal as easily as popping a cork.”

“Thanks for sharing that vital piece of information earlier,” Xavier muttered ill-humoredly.

“It was for me to decide when the time was right,” Michael said, fixing his eyes on Xavier. “The Covenant met to discuss this unforeseen predicament. Lucifer knows the power of the angel he holds hostage and he plans to use her to achieve his own ends.”

Michael’s words struck a chord with me. For him to know that, it meant that all this time I hadn’t been alone. Heaven had been watching all along. Did I dare to hope that all was not lost?

“How does he plan to do that? Bethany’s no puppet,” Ivy protested.

“That we cannot know,” said Michael. “But divine essence in the hands of any demon is dangerous. Lucifer’s aim is to bring about Armageddon — the final battle — and he hopes to use the angel to his advantage. The forces of Heaven must retaliate.”

“How exactly does Beth fit in?” Xavier asked.

“She’s a catalyst, if you like,” Michael explained. “The demons want to trigger a full-scale war, but we will not descend to their level. We will show them the might of Heaven without the need for bloodshed.”

“You were always going to help us, weren’t you?” Xavier said suddenly. “Why couldn’t you have done that right from the start?”

Michael inclined his head slightly. “When a child breaks a toy and his parents immediately buy him a new one, what lesson is learned?”

“Beth is not a toy,” Xavier began hotly, but Gabriel put a restraining hand on his shoulder.

“Do not interrupt an angel of the Lord.”

“Heaven can always intervene,” Michael continued. “But He chooses the appropriate time. We are merely His messengers. If Our Father righted every wrong in the world, nobody would learn from their mistakes. We reward faith and loyalty and you have demonstrated both. Besides, your journey is not over. Heaven has plans for you.”

“Plans for me?” Xavier repeated, but Michael only fixed him with his powerful glare.

“Let’s not ruin the surprise.”

It was a shock to hear what Michael had to say. He ran with the big guns in the Kingdom and I had doubted my rescue was high up on his agenda. But it seemed that Lucifer was playing a more dangerous game than I’d realized. Michael seemed to think we were on the brink of war and that Heaven needed to reaffirm its dominance. I still had no idea how he planned to break through the portal, but he seemed confident in his abilities.

“The portal?” Ivy gently reminded him, anxious not to lose any more time. “We are here for a reason.”

“Very well,” Michael said, and from beneath his flowing robes he withdrew an object so bright and glorious that Xavier had to turn his face away.

The long, flaming sword pulsed in Michael’s hand ready to do his bidding. It burned blue at the edges and looked almost too elegant for its purpose of destruction. Along the golden hilt were etched letters in a language no human could possibly understand. The letters seemed to ripple and glow with a soft blue light. The sword was alive — as if it were blessed with a spirit of its own.

“The Sword of Michael,” said Gabriel in a strangely reverential tone I’d never heard him use before. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen it.”

“It actually exists?” Xavier asked.

“It’s more real than you know,” Gabriel replied. “Michael has gone up against them before.”

Xavier thought for a moment. “Of course,” he said finally. “It’s in Revelation. ‘And there was war in Heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.’ The dragon was Lucifer, right?”

“Correct,” Gabriel replied. “Michael was the one who cast him into Hell at Our Father’s command.”

“Good job,” Xavier said and Michael raised an eyebrow. I smiled at how informal his manner was compared to my siblings’. “And you reckon you can bust back in?”

“Let’s see, shall we?” was all Michael said.

He drew himself up to his full height in the middle of the tracks. The sword in his hand vibrated so loudly it caused the nearby birds to take flight. “Hey, man,” Xavier called out, sounding uncomfortable. “Sorry for calling you a douche. My bad.”

Michael nodded delicately to indicate there were no hard feelings. He raised the sword above his head so the sunlight poured off its silver surface in streams.

“In the name of God I command you …”

His voice started off booming and then began to peter out. I was fading away, back to my Hades. I tried to linger. I needed desperately to stay and see whether Michael’s sword would unlock the portal. But the jarring sound of a hotel phone ringing tugged me mercilessly back to my body.

“HELLO?” I asked, fumbling for the receiver and almost dropping it.

“Mr. Thorn is waiting in the lobby,” said the receptionist. I noticed her tone had changed from last time we spoke. Then it had been respectful. Now it was smug.

“Tell him I’ll be right down.”

I hung up and flopped back onto my bed, exhaling loudly. I didn’t know what to think. Could Michael really be about to burst through the portal and rescue me? I didn’t dare believe it. I dithered helplessly for a few moments, wondering what to do. I knew one thing for certain: I couldn’t let Jake find out what I’d just witnessed. I needed to go along with the deal as if nothing had happened. I hoped my skills as an actor were up to the challenge.

I met Jake in the lobby of Hotel Ambrosia. He’d shed his customary biker jacket and replaced it with tailcoats and silver cuff links, probably in a bid to play the romantic hero. But we both knew that despite the lavish dress-ups there was nothing romantic about the arrangement we’d made. Tuck and Hanna stood just inside the revolving doors looking forlorn as I was bundled into the back of Jake’s limousine and we sped off down the tunnels of Hades. I waved at them through the back window, trying to convey the same message of hope I’d been given.

The car finally pulled up at the mouth of what appeared to be a cave. I climbed out and glanced around.

“This is your idea of a romantic location?” I asked dubiously. “Why didn’t you just choose a broom closet?”

“Just wait.” Jake smiled secretively. “You haven’t seen it yet. Shall we?” He held out his arm and escorted me into the dark. I held on to him as he glided us through a short tunnel that opened as if by magic onto an expansive stone chamber. It had been arranged especially for the occasion. For a moment all I could think about was how strangely beautiful it looked. I stopped on the spot and stared openly.

“You organized all this?”

“Guilty as charged. I want to give you a night to remember.”

I looked around in amazement. The floor of the underground cave was filled with shallow milky water the color of opals. Rose petals and candles floated on the surface, casting a soft flickering light against the fissured stone walls and sending shadows dancing across the water. Candelabra hung in midair, enchanted by Jake’s dark power. At the far end of the cave was a flight of broken stone steps that led to dry land. In the center sat a vast bed lavishly covered in gold satin and fringed pillows. The stone outcrop was decorated with intricate hanging tapestries and portraits from a forgotten world. Gilded mirrors covered every bare space, reflecting the murky light in a spectacular glittering pyramid. The notes of an operatic aria filtered from hidden speakers. Jake had transformed this dank, dark space into a fantastical subterranean world. Of course, the setting didn’t change anything.

My eye caught sight of something, half concealed by the water. It was a marble statue of the armless Venus de Milo. Through the fog, I could see a dark liquid trickling down her stone cheeks and landing with a rhythmic drip into the water below. It took me a moment to realize that the statue was crying tears of blood.

Before I could say a word, Jake softly clicked his fingers and an ornate gondola appeared before us.

“After you,” he said, gallantly offering me his arm for support. I stepped cautiously inside the waiting vessel and Jake slid in beside me. The gondola steered itself across the glittering water until it nudged against the stone platform. I stepped out, not bothering to gather up the hem of my dress, which dragged up the stone stairs. Jake drifted over to the bed and let his fingers trail across the coverlet. He beckoned me to his side.

Now we stood facing each other in silence. I could see a hunger in Jake’s face that made me shiver. I didn’t feel anything other than hollow. My emotions had completely shut down; my body was running on autopilot. I knew I needed to stay calm and detached while I waited for help to come … if it came. I didn’t allow myself to consider what would happen if Michael’s plan didn’t come to fruition. I knew if I did that I would scream or try and fling Jake away from me. So I stood still and waited. Jake reached out and ran his long, slender fingers down my arms. They worked skillfully and a few moments later the strap of my gown fell down exposing my shoulder. He leaned down and pressed his hot lips against my skin, moving along my collarbone and into the hollow of my throat. His hands came up and tightened around my waist, pulling me toward him. When he brought his lips to mine, his kiss was urgent. I tried not to think about the way Xavier used to kiss me — softly and slowly, as if the kiss were its own reward, not a prelude to anything more. I felt Jake’s tongue forcing my lips apart and pressing into my mouth. His breath, as hot as molten lead, was suffocating. As his hands began to crawl over my body, he seemed not to notice how unresponsive I was. Then, in one fluid movement, his hand reached out and opened the zipper on the back of my dress. It crumpled to the floor before I even realized what was happening and I stood before him in nothing but a transparent silk undergarment.

Jake drew back for a moment, breathing heavily as if he’d just run a marathon, then he pushed me down onto the bed and crouched over me, watching me with a curious expression. He shimmied down the bed and slipped a hand against my inner thigh rubbing his thumb in slow circles. He began to kiss a path from my neck down my breasts and stomach as he lowered his body over mine.

Where were Michael and the others? A sickening thought occurred to me. There was every chance that the sword had failed to open the portal, or maybe Michael had changed his mind. It only took minutes to alter the course of destiny; anything could have happened in the time I’d missed. I felt my heart begin to beat faster and a sheen of sweat broke out across my chest. Jake ran a finger lightly across it and smiled with satisfaction. He lifted one of my fingers to his mouth and sucked gently on it.

“Enjoying yourself after all?” he asked. My mouth felt too dry to speak, but I forced out an answer.

“Can we just get this over with?”

I thought it was a pretty safe bet that Jake would want to draw out the experience as long as possible, but his answer caught me off guard.

“We can do it however you like.” He tore off his shirt and threw it to the ground so his bare chest was looming over me, his chocolate hair falling over his blazing eyes. He dipped his head and I felt his teeth graze my ear. “This is just the beginning,” he whispered, moving down and running his tongue along my breastbone. “You think this is intense? Just wait, I’m going to push you over the edge. You’ll feel like you’re about to explode.”

I trembled with fear beneath his touch. There were a hundred things I wanted to say, but I willed myself to keep quiet. At the back of my mind a voice was screaming out. What if they’re not coming? And as the minutes ticked by it became more and more apparent that they weren’t going to come. I tried stalling.

I reached up and let my finger travel lightly down Jake’s chest. He shivered and pressed against me more heavily.

“I’m nervous,” I whispered, making my voice sound as innocent as possible. “I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“That’s because you’ve been with an amateur,” Jake said. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.”

I couldn’t think what else to say to delay the inevitable. There was no sign of Xavier or my family. It was too late now; there was nothing else I could do. I lay back and closed my eyes, accepting my fate.

“I’m ready,” I said.

“I’ve been ready for a long time,” Jake purred and I felt his hands shift and travel up my thighs.

Suddenly there came a sound like a deep groan from the bowels of the cave. It was as if the very rock itself were being torn apart. The sound echoed off the walls, causing Jake to sit bolt upright, suddenly fiercely alert, his black eyes darting. The sound suggested the ceiling above us might be on the verge of caving in. I sat up, straining to hear a comforting sound.

I heard Jake let out a vicious stream of curses right before the far wall exploded in an ear-splitting shower of dirt and stone, and a familiar 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible plunged through the jagged hole. The car seemed to soar through the air almost in slow motion as it plowed into the cave and landed meters from us with a sound like a thunderclap. Its body was long and sleek, just like I remembered; its headlights blazing and its sky blue paint scuffed from the dive it had just taken.

“Xavier?” I whispered.

The windshield was coated with dust, but a moment later the driver’s door creaked open and a figure stepped out. He was just as I remembered him, tall and broad shouldered with eyes of liquid blue. The honey-colored strands of hair that fell across his forehead were still streaked with gold and around his throat, I could see the crucifix winking in the gloom. Behind him, Ivy and Gabriel stepped out from the passenger doors, looking like pillars of gold in the dark chamber. Their expressions were hard and their steel gray eyes were fixed on Jake. A wind blew up and their golden hair fanned out behind them. It took me a moment to realize that their wings had emerged, as they always did in preparation for conflict. They reared up behind them, like the wings of an eagle, casting shadows ten feet high against the stone walls. They looked as strong and majestic as always, but I could sense that just being in this place weakened them. They didn’t belong here and soon their powers would begin to diminish. There was no sign of Michael — I assumed he had opened the portal and disappeared. But his sword glittered in Gabriel’s hand. Molly too was nowhere to be seen. She must have been left behind in Alabama — this part of the mission would prove too dangerous for her.

Xavier’s face flooded with relief. He stepped forward and reached out to me but stopped when he registered my state of undress. His gaze traveled over the bed, the flowers, and the rumpled sheets. Our eyes met and the pained expression in his made me feel like someone had slapped me across the face. He looked confused at first, then angry, and then strangely blank, as if the roller coaster of emotions that hit him was too overwhelming to manage.

It was Jake who first broke the silence.

“No!” He lunged toward me and grasped me so tightly I cried out in pain. That seemed to spur Xavier into action.

“Take your filthy hands off her!” he growled. He went to run forward, but Ivy and Gabriel appeared by his side in an instant, holding him back. Jake glared at them like a ferocious animal, his black eyes wide with rage and panic.

Gabriel’s lip curled in an expression of mockery I’d never seen him wear before. “Did you really think you’d get away with this?” he asked in a soft voice that was all the more menacing.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Jake hissed. “How did you get in?”

Gabriel stepped forward and swung the sword in an arc, casually testing the weight of it in his hands.

“Let’s just say we had unexpected reinforcements.”

Jake hissed like a serpent, spraying spit through the air.

“You wouldn’t understand, but we take care of our own,” Gabriel said.

I felt Jake’s fingers dig harder into my shoulder. “She’s mine,” he spat. “You can’t take her from me. I won her fair and square.”

“You cheated and you lied,” Gabriel said. “She is ours and we have come to claim her. Release her before we make you.”

For a moment Jake stood completely still. Then suddenly I felt myself lifted off my feet, his fingers wrapped around my neck. I was dangling in midair and the pressure around my throat was almost unbearable. My feet kicked helplessly and I struggled to suck in whatever wisps of air I could.

“I could break her neck in an instant,” Jake taunted.

“To hell with this,” Xavier said and before anyone could stop him he charged forward and rammed into Jake with his right shoulder, as if he were on the football field. Taken by surprise, Jake released me and I sank onto the bed, gasping for breath. They tumbled backward into the water. Jake seemed taken aback by the passion behind Xavier’s attack. Xavier swung, his fist connecting solidly with Jake’s jaw. They tackled each other again, rolling over rocks in the shallows as they struggled for control. I heard Jake grunt repeatedly as Xavier’s fist thudded into him. It was evident who was physically superior. But Jake wasn’t one to play fair and as soon as he regained his composure for a moment, he swept a hand through the air and Xavier was flung across the cavern and crashed onto the bed beside me. Jake snapped his fingers and iron chains materialized around us both, binding us to the spot. Jake approached like a predator, waiting for the kill. He loomed above us for a moment and then his fist shot out and punched Xavier square across the left eye. Xavier’s head snapped to the side and I saw him wince, but he didn’t give Jake the satisfaction of knowing he was hurt. I screamed and struggled against the restraints as Jake’s fist smashed into Xavier’s jaw and a trickle of blood ran from his lip.

Then a force lifted Jake clean off his feet and threw him across the cave. The chains that bound us dissolved. Xavier groaned and rolled onto his side, facing me.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m so sorry I let this happen. I swore to always protect you and I let you down.”

I stared at him for a moment before throwing my arms around him and burying my face in his neck. “You’re here,” I whispered. “You’re really here. Oh God, I’ve missed you so much.”

We stayed locked in our embrace for several long moments before we sat up to see my brother and sister squaring off against Jake. He had transformed from a dapper gentleman into something that looked barely human. His dark hair was mussed, his nose was bleeding, and his eyes were glistening with rage.

Ivy and Gabriel together looked like unassailable opponents.

“Let Bethany go, Arakiel,” Gabriel warned in a low voice. “Before this gets out of hand.”

“You’ll have to kill me,” Jake spat. “And you did a bang-up job of that the first time.”

Gabriel pointed Michael’s sword directly at Jake. “We do not come unprepared.”

“You think I don’t know what this place does to you?” Jake asked. “Every second you spend here, you grow weaker.”

“There are four of us,” Gabriel pointed out.

“Including one human and one angel so easy she was about to surrender herself to a demon.”

Xavier slid off the bed and fixed Jake with a dark look. “Don’t talk about her that way.”

“What?” Jake taunted. “Can’t handle the idea that your little girlfriend was about to let another man enjoy her? Give her something you never could?”

Xavier shook his head. “That’s not true.”

“Ask her yourself,” Jake said smugly.

Xavier turned his head an inch to look at me. “Beth?”

I didn’t know what to say. How could I break the news to him that I had been on the verge of committing an unforgiveable betrayal? I opened my mouth and then closed it again, twisting the bedsheets in my hands.

“I think her silence speaks volumes,” Jake said, sounding pleased with himself.

Xavier flinched and drew back. “So it is true.” He waved a hand around him. “That’s what all this is?”

“You don’t understand,” I said. “I was doing it for you.”

“For me? How exactly do you figure that?”

Jake clapped his hands in delight. “Oh, come now, this isn’t the time for a lover’s tiff.”

“I made a deal,” I blurted out. “If I slept with him, he said he wouldn’t try and hurt you again.”

Gabriel’s silver eyes flickered across to Jake. “You really are the vermin of the earth,” he said in disgust. “Don’t blame Bethany, Xavier — she didn’t know he was lying.”

“You were lying?” I cried. “I was going to give myself to you and you were lying to me the whole time!”

“Of course I was,” Jake scoffed. “Never trust a demon, sweetheart. You of all people should know that.”

Before I could respond, Xavier let rip with a steady flow of cursing. I’d never heard him cuss before and even Gabriel raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“My oh my, it seems pretty boy has some bite in him after all,” Jake said.

“When will you stop screwing with us?” Xavier hissed. “Is this the only way you can get a kick out of life? Are you really that pathetic?”

I took the opportunity of Jake’s distracted state to jump off the bed and run to my brother and sister, positioning myself safely behind them.

“You can hide, Bethany,” Jake called lazily. “But you’re not getting out.”

“Actually, brother,” Gabriel said darkly. “It’s you who isn’t getting out.”

Suddenly Gabriel’s wings lifted him off his feet and in a flash he soared over Jake — Michael’s sword poised above him. It all happened so quickly, it was almost a blur. I heard the swish of metal slicing through the air, a ragged gasp, and when Gabriel’s feet touched solid earth, the sword was embedded deep in Jake’s chest. Xavier’s mouth fell open in shock and he ran to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. Jake screamed then and gripped the hilt, tearing it from his body and tossing it to the ground with a clatter. The blood that stained the blade was thicker than normal and black as night. It spurted from the gaping wound to pool around him, his demonic power leaking out with it. Suddenly blood bubbled like froth from Jake’s mouth. A spasm jolted his body as he collapsed, twitching to the ground. Before Jake’s face became a mask he raised his head and reached out to me. His eyes were pleading as he mouthed something soundlessly. At first I couldn’t make out the words but I caught fragments in between his ragged breathing.

“Bethany, forgive me.”

Pity made me move toward him. I was driven by a desire to offer what comfort I could.

“What are you doing?” I heard Xavier’s voice behind me, but I was too distracted by the misery in Jake’s black eyes. He may have been my tormentor in Hades but I knew it all stemmed from a twisted desire to win my affection. Maybe deep down Jake just wanted to be loved. At the very least, he shouldn’t have to die alone. A strange part of me wanted a chance to say good-bye.

“Bethany, no!”

My fingers had almost closed over Jake’s withering hand when I was suddenly yanked back. I toppled onto the ground and saw a pair of luminous wings beating over my head. Gabriel, understanding what I was about to do, had swooped across the cavern to stop me.

“Stay back! If you touch him now he takes you with him into death.”

I curled my fingers into a fist and pressed it against my chest. So I had misjudged again. It seemed Jake had remained true to himself till the bitter end.

He was still staring fixedly at me as his body jerked one last time and then was still. We watched the fire go out of his eyes until they glazed over and stared dully into space.

“It’s over,” I whispered, needing to say the words aloud in order to believe them. Ivy and Gabriel closed around me in a tight embrace. “Thank you for coming for me.”

“We’re family,” Gabriel replied as if it were the only explanation necessary.

I found Xavier’s face and took it in my hands. His eyes were wet with tears and when he touched my cheek, I realized I had been crying silently too.

“I love you,” I said simply, stating an unassailable fact. There was plenty more I could have said, but in that moment it was all I needed to say. It was all that mattered.

“I love you too, Beth,” Xavier said. “More than you can ever know.”

“We need to move quickly,” Gabriel said, shepherding us toward the Chevy. “The portal won’t stay open much longer.”

“Wait.” I resisted as they tried to usher me into the car. “What about Hanna and Tuck?”

“Who?” Ivy asked in confusion.

“My friends, they looked after me while I was here. I can’t just leave them.”

“I’m sorry, Bethany.” My sister’s eyes were full of genuine sorrow. “There’s nothing we can do for them.”

“It’s not fair,” I cried. “Everyone deserves a second chance.”

“The demons are coming.” Gabriel took my hand. “They know we’re here and the portal is starting to seal. We must leave or we’ll be trapped.”

I nodded silently and followed them, hot tears trickling down my cheeks. Gabriel took the wheel while I leaned against Xavier in the backseat. I looked over my shoulder one last time and saw Jake’s body floating in the water. What he’d put me through would probably haunt me for the rest of my existence, but he could no longer hurt me. I wanted to feel anger, but I felt only pity for him. He died as he had lived, alone and without ever having known love.

“Good-bye, Jake,” I whispered and turned my face away, burying it in Xavier’s chest. I felt him kiss the top of my head and his strong arms held me close as the Chevy roared to life and sped toward the gaping hole in the cave that had already begun to close over.

I had only one thought as the blackness closed in, drawing me back to my beloved earth. I was going back to the life I’d known before, the life I’d missed and longed for … but there in Xavier’s arms, I was already home.