Bittersweet Seraphim (30 page)

“Save them all. That’s what I want.” The warmth she felt in His arms was the softest emotion. “And I’d really love to take Feisty for a ride.”

God released her, and her horse perked her ears up at the word
ride
.

God gave her a boost and changed her gown into jeans and a sweater in the process. Emma inhaled the sweet smell of her horse. With just a nudge, Feisty took off with a buck of pep. She went smoothly from walk to trot to canter, finally settling into a gorgeous, glorious gallop. Emma felt her hair flying behind her.

God would make everything okay.

When God brought her back into the bubble with Everett, she’d lived hours: her horse, her God, and a beautiful, sunny day with no worries. It had been a vacation. And now, even though she was smack in the middle of the most momentous battle between good and evil—or, as God would put it, incorrect choices and right choices—she was grateful to see Jack’s face.

She wished she had a way to convey to him that everything would be okay. She settled for a smile. Jack’s face was a picture. As handsome as he was, his reverence for her sweet friend God made him positively angelic.

God slipped Emma behind him as time began to grind forward again. She peeked around him to watch. Lucifer hit the bubble just as Everett threw himself prostrate on the ground. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Emma raged as she heard his bendable words, made of tin. Everett never meant it. God held out his hand to her while dissolving her dream bubble, save for the floor, which allowed Lucifer access. He squeezed her hand once, and Emma understood.

She prayed out loud. “Lord, please help Everett understand that being sorry comes from within, not from his mouth. Amen.”

Everett looked up with a glare of pure hatred. Her prayers wounded him far more than her blows had.

Emma motioned for Claudette to bring Jack closer. She covered him in a wing when he stepped down, wincing at the lack of a visible floor to support them.

“No fear, Jack. I have wings. I won’t let you fall.”

He ignored the world, the minions, and God to pull her into a deep kiss.

Jason, Dean, and Seriana—who clutched Mine’s hand—found each other in the stillness, with Violent still in tow. Lucifer’s pull had diminished, and their love for each other was a beacon, drawing them together.

It was Violent who figured out the cause of the stillness and pointed first. “It’s God!”

The terrible fighting had stopped. The angels seemed smug. They knew their weapon was the best. The minions looked shifty and unsure what to do. What was next, no one could possibly guess. Though bursting with joy, the siblings’ reunion was quiet. Jason touched his brother’s shoulder and sister’s cheek.

“Mom?” He whispered, but it seemed horribly loud.

Seriana shook her head, and Dean mouthed, “With Vittorio.”

Jason scanned the crowd as the others looked Heavenward. Rebecca was nowhere to be found. Kate and Nero, on the other hand, were just a few feet away. Kate found his eyes and pulled her father’s arm as she immediately moved toward him. He reached for her, and she hugged him hard.

“What happens now?” she asked. She continued to hold her father’s arm.

Jason tried to think of something comforting to say, but Nero answered her question. “Lucifer is on the horizon, God has come down. Right now is when the world could end.”

All watched as the huge red beast beat the sky with its wings, moving toward a very small-looking, human-sized God. Jason felt Kate squeeze his hand and eagerly sought her eyes. How amazing to see her again.

She raised an eyebrow and whispered, “While everybody’s distracted let’s go get your mom.”

Dean and Violent stepped closer, as did Seriana and Mine.

Violent turned to Nero and hopped on his back. At first he fought, instinctively, but she shushed him with a petting hand while she scanned the frozen battlefield. “I see him. He’s scurrying back toward the entrance to Hell, dragging your mother like a dog.”

Jason and his siblings instantly trained their eyes in the direction of Violent’s gaze. Jason bobbed and weaved, trying to sprint, but he had to settle for fast jog-walking along a winding path. Kate stayed right at his side. The frozen bystanders around him, all eyes glued to the sky, were obstacles. Most barely registered his presence. Seeing the former Devil and a seraph kissing like they were playing patty cake with their tonsils was quite riveting.

He heard the scuffles behind him and soon saw Violent, Nero, and Mine pushing their way through as the crow flies. Jason got behind them as they passed and followed their path. He held out his glowing palm to Kate, and she joined hers with his.

Dean and Seriana joined the other minions in relocating those in their way, angel and minion alike, and finally they were back at the exit Emma had created when she shot out of Hell and dared Everett to follow. Since the dragon had ripped his way through behind her, it now looked like a seething, angry mouth yawning open in the earth. Vittorio arrived just after they did, dragging an unresponsive Rebecca, chained by the neck on a metal leash. He was missing his army. The show above must have captivated them, along with everyone else, and they’d mixed in with the crowd. He looked old, but he rallied when he saw them.

“Look at this! Grandchildren, plus my monster, the gorgeous minion, and another. We could really do some damage if we team up.” He pulled Rebecca to her feet. “Your mother? You want her? Come with me. We will rule Hell. Can’t you feel the power calling?”

Rebecca staggered and got her feet under her. Jason watched as Dean inched around the mouth of the hole, rocks crumbling into the abyss. He saw the glint in his mother’s eyes before she acted, but it wasn’t enough time to warn anyone. Rebecca pushed their grandfather into Hell, and chained to him, she plummeted as well. Her children screamed in horror, drawing the attention of the crowd around them. Seriana tried to dive in after her, but Mine prevented her.

The breeze turned into a whirlwind as a white shooting star careened past them. Moments later the smell of angel cake filled the air as Emma fluttered to the surface, cradling their mother like a doll. She hovered like a hummingbird as she ran a healing hand over Rebecca. “You raised three beautiful children. Mothers are precious,” she whispered softly. Then she landed next to Jason and passed his mother into his arms. Seriana and Dean joined the embrace.

Their happy tears seemed to repel some of the gawking minions, who shifted away from them before they resumed their vigil of watching Lucifer. Emma was gone before Jason could thank her, flying back up to where she’d left Jack.

Chapter 33

Everett stared at God’s feet. Lucifer stood over him like he was a doormat covered in shit. He was screwed, and to top it all off, Emma was fluttering around like a prom queen high on a crack pipe full of happiness. Bitch. She’d prayed for him in front of God—such a suck up. He’d been to Heaven and Hell to find her ass. And now he was groveling like a slug. He’d sell his soul for another chance at her.

God looked down. “You already did, son,” He said, responding to the thoughts Everett had believed were private. He then resumed His conversation with the giant red beast.

Everett watched as Emma took a quick detour to save the day down below. She pulled a stupid half-breed out of the ground before coming back up to gaze adoringly at Jack. Everett looked away and noticed the conversation above him had stopped. The scene became a picture instead of a living, breathing world. Everett knew then he was in a pause with God. He stayed on the ground.

“Stand.” God was seriously ticked.

Everett crawled out from underneath Lucifer. This “battle” was a farce. He could see that now. God was humoring them. It could all be over with a snap of His fingers.

“If I fixed everything like that, there’d be no point in free will.” God crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“Um. I, ah, would like to be on Lucifer’s side. So, this is sort of inappropriate—consorting with the enemy.” Everett shuffled his feet.

“If I’m your enemy, Everett, you never learned. Plead your case. Tell me your side. I’d like to hear what you say.”

God hadn’t whisked them somewhere new. Everett could still see the motionless Emma staring into the eyes of a pleased Jack. It burned him.

“I wanted her,” he spat. “She was supposed to be mine. Everything I did was to get her where she belonged.” He stepped in her direction. She wouldn’t move, so he could at least touch her hair…

“You will not.” God didn’t move, but Everett knew the tone. “Sometimes a soul can grow into the apology they offer,” He continued. “That was my hope for you. But it didn’t happen. Your regret when you were admitted to Heaven did not blossom into a better soul.”

“So I’m your mistake? Is that what you’re saying?” Everett felt a little hot under the collar. Arguing with God was a rush. There was a gripping silence as he wondered what was next.

“My child, I always assume the best of my creations. Sometimes they chose repeatedly to be less. These things were your choice.” God’s jaw tensed.

“Forgive those who trespass against us. Those are Your words. Do you not stand behind them?” Everett stood taller. He loved loopholes.

“They are. They roll off your tongue effortlessly but find no foothold in your heart. I have forgiven you, Everett, but that is not a free pass to continue to make evil choices. There must be a reckoning for the effect you’ve had on the world, on all those you’ve come in contact with. Are you ready to receive the bounty you’ve earned?” God didn’t look angry anymore. He looked sad.

“No. No. No. Not today, okay? You need someone to run Hell. I’ll be that man.” Everett dropped to his knees and crawled to God’s feet.

His maker crouched and placed a hand on his back. “I wanted more for you, my son. And I do love you, despite what’s next. In the time I’m giving you, I hope you’ll come to understand that.”

Everett kept his head down because this sounded promising. He thought for a minute about the effect he’d had on those around him. Flash after flash of pain came to the surface of his memories: the animals he’d tortured and killed, his mother, Emma’s Sam, Emma. Oh God.

Then he was dissolving, crumbling away like ash, his soul showing its true worth. Everett screamed as he began reaping what he’d sown.

Jack held her close. His Emma was smiling, seemingly oblivious to Lucifer glowering at God behind her. Then he noticed a key player was missing: Everett. Jack pulled Emma closer and scoured the sky for the evil bastard.