Fall From Grace (5 page)

“I’ve gotta go. I need to get everything
ready.”

“Okay, but Gaby, your dad’s not going to
start drinking just ’cause the house isn’t clean. He’s coming home
to you, not a perfect daughter.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“You know what I mean. I’ll see you later.
Bye.”

“Bye.”

Gaby straightened pictures on the coffee
table. Pausing, she lifted a photo of Alexander and her father.
They stood with broad smiles, in front of the nineteen sixty-seven
mustang. Who knew her father would ever accept a guy in her life,
let alone welcome him? She brushed the frame lightly with a dust
rag. Taking a deep breath, hope filled her chest; she sighed and
placed the image back.

She went to the kitchen and filled a vase
with water for the orchids on the Formica kitchen counter. Her
shaking finger glided down the purple line from column to tip of a
silky petal. Floral scent caught the wind, overshadowing the stale
smell of the old shag carpet and singed wires in the living room.
Orchids were her mom’s favorite and a welcome home present for her
father returning from rehab.

A cool sting covered her arms. No. Not now.
It had only been a couple days since the last time she
involuntarily froze an object and five minutes since the
air-conditioner exploded.

Aftershocks of her newfound powers haunted
her months after the battle with Forras, the now dead local head
demon. Even in death, his brand remained on her abdomen, although
now only a faded mark.

Shaking her shoulders and arms, the sting
faded enough so she could arrange the flowers and put them on the
table. Mist rose from the water, and the glass cracked in her hand.
Stabbing pain pierced her stomach. Sharp, icy shocks raced down her
arms. The glass shattered. Water flooded the oak table, running
onto the grey linoleum floor. She looked down at the small
fragments that remained in her blue tinged hands.

Eyes closed, she focused on calming herself.
Her powers were not suppose to surface for another year, maybe
more. She needed more time to enjoy life before her nightmares
became reality, when she’d be forced to fight in a demonic war on
Earth.

Clearing the broken glass, she dumped the
pieces into the trash and mopped up the water. She took a deep
cleansing breath and swallowed. Spit slid down her throat with a
raw sting as if she’d swallowed the shards instead of disposing
them in the trash.

Patronus stood on all fours and growled at
the kitchen door. Gaby walked to the window and pulled back the
linen curtain. “What is it boy?”

No demons in sight. Nothing but Spanish moss
hung from tree limbs swaying in the steady wind. “Relax, no demons
left in Kemp.”

A dull burn spread around her heart.

Patronus growled again. He jumped into the
air twice, barking at the door.

“Go outside?” Gaby unlatched the door.

Patronus bolted to the woods, disappearing
in the brush. The minute she stepped over the threshold, the dull
burn exploded across her chest.

“Patronus, wait!” Gaby sprinted toward the
trees. Volcanic heat erupted from her ribcage, singeing her throat.
Choking and coughing, a puff of smoke escaped and she grasped her
throat with ice-cold hands. Looking down she discovered they were
the color of a crest of an ocean wave.

“Alexander, help.” A mere whisper escaped
before her lips froze.

Patronus backed from the woods barking and
snarling. A massive creature stepped from the shadows.

Gaby’s heart crashed like cymbals against
her frozen ribs. Her skin, so cold it burned.

Patronus barked and jumped, but the creature
continued toward her. No horns. No red eyes. Its skin glowed like
raw amber; its eyes reminiscent of an owl hunting prey at
night.

She wanted to turn, to run, to scream. Her
body remained frozen solid. Forced to watch the seven foot mass of
hell approach, from down on her knees.

A dull roar of heat crawled up her esophagus
followed by a bubbling acid.

Patronus stood next to her on all fours.
Half whimpering, half barking. The creature towered over them both
and lifted its long tree branch sized arms. Gaby’s head throbbed;
her eyes burned as if hot coals pressed against them, yet her lips
remained solid like Italian marble.

Mom, help me.

The creature’s arm swung down at her. Acid
in her throat met the coals in her eyes and together shot fire. She
saw a blaze ignite and dance over the creature’s skin. Terror
sizzled down her back and legs.

Deep guttural roars echoed from the creature
that jumped and rolled against the ground. Fire licked the tree
limbs, grass, and brush around him. Flames spewed from her even
with the creature down. She couldn’t stop it, her body possessed by
a power she didn’t understand. Tension seized her muscles as she
struggled to take back control.

Three figures appeared around her. More
demons coming to finish the job? No. Navy, lavender, and rose
lights encircled them. A hint of hope broke the barrier of her
fear.

“Gaby. Stop.” Alexander’s voice barely
audible over the roaring fire.

“I can’t control it.” Boon shouted.

“She has to stop, or we’ll all perish.”
Sammy’s voice cracked.

Trembling, her soul clawed for peace, but
the fear in their voices only fueled the fire.

With every ounce of concentration, Gaby
focused on the frozen parts of her body, trying to move it over and
extinguish the flame within. But she couldn’t. Nothing could stop
her now.

****

With fists clinched, Alexander squinted
against the bright flames. Stench of charcoaled demon flesh filled
the air. He retched but swallowed back the bile. Legs swayed under
him, threatening to give way. His navy aura thrust forward to
extinguish the fire.

Red and gold waves shot from Gaby’s mouth
and eyes. His heart thrashed his ribs. The sight of Gaby tormented
by her own abilities nearly crippled his movement. Fire, dead
grass, faint, sporadic cries muffled in the roar of the flames. A
vision straight from a mythology book, he squeezed his eyes tight
for a moment, then looked to see how Boon and Sammy faired.

Perspiration vibrated on Sammy’s upper lip,
her eyes wide, as her rose aura faded back into her body. A small
wave mixed with Boon’s aura, they blended into an amethyst hue. It
pulsed forward, as if their love made their combined auras
stronger. But it trickled away, and Sammy stepped back and doubled
over.

Enough of this. They were wasting time. He’d
fly over the flames and pull her into his arms, calming her enough
so she could regain control. Spreading his wings, he dropped his
angelic shield.

“No. Wait. You can’t.” Boon shouted. “It’s
not just fire.” Boon’s demonic raven wings descended as he swayed.
How could she bring down an ancient angel with the strength of a
demon’s body?

“Alexander, get ready.
You…must…break…barrier.” Boon pulled back from the fire and lifted
his wings. “Sammy, concentrate on the flames directly in front of
Alexander. If we both pinpoint one area, we might be able to get
him close enough to calm her.”

Sammy nodded.

“Gaby, hold on. I’m coming.” Sweat slid down
his back. Blood rushed by his ears, the sound of the ocean echoing
in his head. Boon was right. This wasn’t just fire. “This has to
work.”

Boon and Sammy stepped forward, their brows
furrowed. If they didn’t control the fire, Alexander would run
through despite the consequences.

Amethyst light pressed down the flames for a
second. That was all he needed.

He flew across the fire barrier. Sharp
pulses of electricity shot through his body. He clutched his side,
landed next to Gaby, and pulled her frigid body into his arms. The
heat intensified around him while his chest and arms froze against
her body; mist covered them like dry ice hitting tepid water. He
gagged at the scent of singed feathers and burnt hair.

“Gaby, please. Listen to me. I love you.
Concentrate on me and the life we have together.” He panted, trying
to speak despite the fact all the moisture evaporated from his body
like a drizzle hitting asphalt in the Florida mid-afternoon
sun.

The fire dulled, Gaby trembled in his arms.
Would she survive this? How could her body tolerate these extreme
temperatures if his angelic form didn’t provide protection? His
joints ached, and shooting pains plagued his arms and legs.

“I love you.” His lips pressed against her
icicle hair strands. “Shhh, my love. The creature’s gone.
Everything is fine now. I’m here.”

Gaby’s body relaxed in his arms. The fire
stopped as she coughed and choked.

“That’s it. You’re doing great.” He brushed
his cheek against hers.

Sammy and Boon pressed down the waves of red
and yellow surrounding them.

“Gaby!” Bruce’s voice broke his
concentration.

The dull warmth exploded again. Massive
flames engulfed the St. Augustine grass around them. Screams echoed
from beyond. Alexander refocused and wrapped his arms tight around
her. A shock raced through his body, catapulting him into the fire.
He rolled out and landed next to Bruce.

Flames covered them both. Alexander grabbed
Bruce and continued to roll with him. They knocked against the side
of the back porch. Bruce lay motionless next to him. Clothes black,
half his face melted.

“Sammy.” He coughed and sputtered. “Boon…I
need help.” No one answered. He glanced around to find the entire
back field engulfed in flames. “Dear God. Help us.”

There’d be no way to break through right
now. His stomach twisted. He leaned over Bruce and placed his
shaking hands on the only viable skin left on his face.

Placing his fingers on Bruce’s forehead and
chin, he focused on healing his wounds. Nothing happened. A zing of
uncertainty shot up the nape of his neck.

He glanced back in Gaby’s direction. If only
he could do something to help her. He clinched his fist and hit the
cement porch step. White dust sprayed them. The only person he
could help lay unconscious on the ground in front of him.

He shook his head and turned back to Bruce.
Gaby would want him to save her father. Eyes closed, he refocused
on Bruce’s wounds. A minuscule shot of warmth penetrated his
fingertips and moved into Bruce. The blackened section under his
eye faded to a deep red.

As he focused deeper, concentrating on
muscle and tendons, more heat passed into Bruce. Alexander watched
Bruce’s cheek fade to a bright pink resembling a pig. He let go and
fell back, only able to heal thirty percent of the damage. Why was
this so difficult?

He glanced back and knew why. Gaby drained
his powers. But was it his grief draining him or Gaby herself?

Sammy
. He concentrated and called out
for her.

I’m here. Boon is still fighting but
fading quickly. I’m drained.
Sammy’s voice echoed in his head.
Thank God they were able to communicate now through their minds
instead of primitive human speech.
There’s nothing else we can
do.

Boon and Sammy appeared in front of him.

“No, please, we can’t give up.”

“Alexander.” Boon fell to his knees, in
human form. Drained of all power.

Sammy knelt next to him. “You tried.” She
clutched his hand and looked out at the inferno then back down at
Bruce. “Is he?”

“He’s alive. But I can’t help him. I can’t
help anyone.” He looked into Sammy’s eyes, pleading for her
forgiveness for what he was about to do. “But I can be with
Gaby.”

Alexander pressed forward, shoving Sammy’s
hand from his arm.

“No, wait.” Sammy begged.

Alexander took a deep breath, the gravity of
the situation like a five hundred pound weight resting on his
shoulders as he stumbled.

“I can at least be with her when we
die.”

“Alexander. No!” Sammy grabbed him from
behind and tugged, but her grasp possessed less force than a
feather resting on his arm.

He stepped forward into the fire, human skin
burned. His angel shield faded. Anxiety zapped each nerve.
Shuffling through, the heat intensified. The shield pulsed twice
and dropped, his knees gave way. Coughing, gasping, he fumbled
around on the ground reaching out for Gaby, but grasped
nothing.

“Ahhhhh.” Skin slid down his hands.
Thousands of needles pressed into his body, driving into his
organs. “Gaby…I—”

Orange exploded around him. Everything spun
and twisted. Wind whipped around him, the heat blanketed by a cold
wave of comfort as if he’d jumped into the ocean on a hot day. His
heart faded to a light tapping of a snare drum. Breath came at a
slow steady pace. “God?”

This was it. Would he be reborn on Earth, go
to hell, or would Heaven bring him home? Would Gaby be with him?
Lowering his head to the ground, eyes closed, a soft white cocoon
encased his body as he faded from the harsh world.

Chapter Five

Rough, wet sandpaper brushed across Gaby’s
cheek. The smell of smoldering wood mixed with burnt clothing and
hair invaded as she opened her eyes. “Patronus?”

He barked and nuzzled her neck. A deep
throbbing pain pulsed in her head. She followed the circular trail
of carnage until her eyes rested on her father. Her pulse thrummed
against her neck. Had she done that to him?

“Daddy?” She pushed up onto her elbows and
saw the grey mist rise from his hair and clothes, what was left of
them.

“Gaby.” Boon ran over and squatted next to
her. Sammy crouched over Alexander lying motionless on the
ground.

“I…I…t-tried to stop.” Sobs choked her
speech, but dread suppressed them in her throat.

“It’s okay. Everything’s all right now.
Grace is here.” Gaby followed the direction where Boon’s finger
pointed. Grace stood looking down at the remains of the demon.

“We need to dispose of this, Boon.” Grace
moved toward them, a solemn look on her face. “Gaby, can you move?”
Her business-like persona cut through Gaby. How was she calm and
direct when her earthbound son lay motionless?