Gabriel (29 page)

Gabriel and his companions
fired the dart guns into each of the Kematians. A grim smile curved on
Gabriel’s lips. That part of the mission was successful. Now all they had to do
was live until the medication took effect. As the sound of bullets echoed
throughout the warehouse, he signaled the others, and they separated, moving in
different directions.

****

In the corner where Michael
had placed them, Calla couldn’t see anything. She thought that was probably
what Michael intended, but she couldn’t listen to the fighting. She started to
climb on the crate, but Maree grabbed her.

“
What are you doing?”

“
I need to see what’s going on.”

Maree tugged on her again.
“Get down from there. Please, Calla, I’m scared. Don’t leave me here alone.”

Calla reached back for
Maree’s hand. She didn’t want to leave Maree, but she knew if Robert or Gabriel
were in trouble she wouldn’t be able to just sit back and watch. She needed to
make Maree understand in case she had to leave.

“
Stay out of sight. I won’t leave unless I have to, but I won’t sit
by and let anything happen to Robert or Gabriel.”

Maree nodded. She didn’t look
completely convinced, but after everything that happened it would have to do
for now. She turned and watched the men and monsters before her.

 
Nearby, Tre
and Ajeet stood back-to-back fighting a Kematian on each side. The Kematians
appeared stronger, but Calla knew Tre and Ajeet were warriors from a time when
men were bred for nothing but bloodshed. Ajeet unloaded a clip into the
Kematian’s chest. She jerked as though the bullets were hitting her, but the
Kematian looked down, let out a cry and backhanded Ajeet into Tre, who fell
into the other Kematian. Ajeet righted himself with swift movements and then
helped Tre.

“
Let’s make a run for it,” Ajeet said.

Tre shook his head. “They are too fast. Our best
bet is to wait for the drug to kick in.”

“
You
have faced them before, so I will do as you say, but we are not faring so well
right

now. I hope your plan turns things around for
us.
”

“
Me too,” Tre said.

Calla gasped as Tre leaned
back, dodging a claw that raked through the air where his head had been a
second before.

Noise to her left made Calla
turn her head. Devdan and Rama stood on the stairway with the two Kematians
standing above, slashing their claws at them.

“
We need to get above them or fight them on the ground before we
lose our heads.” Devdan ducked.

“
Agreed.” Rama started backing up as the Kematians descended the
stairs. Calla bit her lip. The Kematians had backed the brothers into a corner.

“
Oh, Robert!” Maree had been watching behind her and gripped
Calla’s arm. She turned to see where the older woman was looking.

Robert and Chander were on
the opposite side of the warehouse from the other four, but the women had a
clear view of them. Their backs were against the wall, and three demons
surrounded them. Robert held the handgun in one hand and the stun gun in the
other. A Kematian charged him. The stun gun touched his bare skin, and the
Kematian started to buckle while trying to pull away. Robert followed it to the
ground. “Guess that settles that,” Robert said with a satisfied smile. He had
barely uttered the words when another Kematian came at Robert’s back.

 
“
Behind you,”
Maree called out and moved as if to go to him, but Calla held onto her. The
Kematian grabbed Robert by the shoulders, his claws ripping into flesh. Robert
let out a scream, and the stun gun dropped to the ground next to the
unconscious Kematian. The Kematian lowered his head, tongue snaking out.

Calla started to move the
barrels out of her way to go help, but then Chander came to aid Robert. Before
Chander made it he was slammed against the wall, knocking the wind from him. A
huge, leering Kematian grasped his shoulders, pinning him there. Viscous slime
trailed from its misshapen jaw, and its breath came in a rasping hiss. Calla
cringed. She knew what that breath smelled like. “A warrior from ages past is
still food to a Kematian.” Chander smashed his head into the Kematian’s temple
and raised his legs so his feet were level with the Kematian’s midsection.
Calla wanted to jump up and cheer, but this battle was far from over. Chander kicked
out hard, and the Kematian’s balance swayed, but the demon did not fall. It
slammed Chander to the floor, picked him up, and slammed him against the wall
again. It leaned its face in close to Chander's face, and he could smell the
rotting stench of death. Calla turned away. Bile rose in her throat, and the
invisible wound on her neck began to ache. She needed to get herself together.
Right now she was of no use to no one. Trying to distract herself she looked
for Michael.

He battled two Kematians. Calla
had never witnessed the angels fight before. Michael moved with strength and
grace combined into one. They circled Michael, and he moved, turning his head
from side to side as kept an eye on them both. The one at his back side slashed
through the trench coat, and blood trickled down Michael’s back. Calla gasped,
but Michael kept moving. The one in front brought his claws up striking toward
Michael’s chest, but he twisted and raised his arm, striking his foe in the
face sending the Kematian onto the ground. Calla’s hands were balled into fists
at her sides. She wanted to help, but it looked like Michael had it under
control. Then the Kematian recovered quickly and charged Michael. He moved to
the side sending the Kematian from the front into the one from the rear.
Michael kicked the one closest in the back sending them both to the ground. He
pulled his sword and then put it back as quick as he had withdrawn it.
Why the hell didn’t he chop their heads off?
Calla glanced back at Maree.

“
Did you see that?”

“
Yeah,” Maree said, holding onto Calla’s shoulders.

“
Why doesn’t he kill them?”

“
He can’t. He doesn’t know which ones, if any, are human. He has to
use hand-to-hand combat until he knows for sure.”

“
Shit, I didn’t think of that.”

Michael was holding his own,
and Calla's stomach had settled a bit. So she started searching for Gabriel and
found him. The Captain and Gabriel circled each other. The Captain held the Nex
Addo in his hand and slashed Gabriel’s abdomen and arm. Calla pushed a barrel
out of the way. She was going to help Gabriel. That bastard was slicing him up,
and all he could do was fight with his hands. She wanted to yell, “Fuck it,
kill the bastard.” Maree stopped her and pointed toward Gabriel.

“
He’s got this,” Maree said.

 
Gabriel
grabbed the wrist holding the sword and twisted it, but the Captain refused to
drop it. The Captain pulled Gabriel in closer and kicked him the stomach,
forcing Gabriel to release his wrist. The Captain swung the sword again, but
Gabriel dodged the blade.

“
Two minutes,” Gabriel called out.

“
How the hell does he know how long they have left?” Calla asked.

Maree shrugged. “It must be
an angel thing.”

“
It seems like they’ve been fighting a lot longer.”

“
I know.”

A loud crash drew Calla’s
attention away from Gabriel to the other side of the warehouse. Two Kematians
stormed Rama and Devdan. Calla watched as Rama gripped the Kematian’s wrists,
turned him and slammed him into the wall while Devdan punched the other
Kematian in the face. Calla was about to turn her attention back to Gabriel
when she saw the blood flowing from the open wounds. The sharp teeth had
pierced Devdan’s skin. The brothers looked like they were winning. The
Kematians broke away from them. Calla thought for a moment that they were
retreating, until the Kematians regrouped their efforts and charged the
brothers.
 
It happened in slow motion,
Calla saw the glint of steel, Rama edged in front of Devdan, the Kematians hand
moved in a blur, and Rama glanced back at his brother with a half smile then
collapsed to the ground. Rama’s knees smashed into the concrete, and his head
fell from his shoulders, before the scream left Calla’s mouth. Blood spurted
from the opening like a geyser, and then his frame hit the floor.

“
No!” Devdan screamed.

Rama’s head rolled away, and
Maree turned to the side and started making retching noises. Calla rubbed her
back murmuring soft reassurances while keeping her eye on the battle.

Devdan now faced two of the
monsters alone, while his brother’s body painted the floor red. Calla flinched
as the sound of bullets echoed in the warehouse. Devdan had fired the gun over
and over. The Kematians still charged, but Devdan couldn’t move.

“
Devdan, move!” Calla yelled.

 
Razor sharp
teeth gnashed as the Kematians kicked the body out of their way. It was the
only obstacle that prevented them from reaching Devdan.

Michael was the closest, and
Calla wasn’t sure he could get to him in time, but she had to try. “Michael!”

He looked at Calla who
pointed to Devdan. His face was pale; his hands were at his sides, and he shook
his head back and forth.

“
Gabriel, I am sorry.” Michael pulled his sword.

Calla’s eyes met Gabriel’s
for a second. He then saw Rama’s lifeless body on the ground. Calla saw him nod
to Michael. She wondered if they were using telepathy or if the years of battle
and brotherhood communicated all they needed to know. Calla shielded her eyes
as Michael’s body radiated a bright light that traveled into his sword. Michael
swiftly sliced through their necks, and the bodies collapsed to the ground a
few seconds after Michael left.

Chander screamed, she turned
and watched the horror on his face. One brother lay dead, and the other was no
longer defending himself. Calla wasn’t sure if Michael would make it there in
time, and she could only guess that Chander must have the same thoughts.

Calla did a quick glance
around the room. Robert didn’t make any progress. The Kematian clearly had the
upper hand, and she could see the fatigue on Robert’s face. When the Kematian
lowered his head, Calla mumbled to Maree to stay where she was before she
stood, slipped between the two remaining barrels, and ran as fast as she could
towards the stun gun. She dropped down, grabbed it, and stuck it to the
Kematian’s leg. He fell back, loosening his grip. Robert fell to the ground and
took the stun gun from Calla. She kicked the Kematian’s leg that held Chander.
When the Kematian turned, his grip loosened, and Chander was able to bring the
stun gun around enough to make contact. The Kematian fell to the ground. Chander
jumped on top of him and started bashing in his face. He dropped the stun gun,
but grabbed it and stuffed it in between the razor sharp teeth and pressed the
button. The Kematian started convulsing. Calla reached over and placed her hand
on Chander’s shoulder. Chander’s face was red, and tears flowed. He let go of
the button, jumped up, and took off towards his brothers and Michael.

Calla stood and remained
against the wall. She watched the fight between Gabriel and the Captain. It was
like an orchestrated dance.

The Captain lunged, and
Gabriel evaded the razor sharp claws. Gabriel swung at the Captain, who darted
to the side, missing the blow. The Captain threw blow after blow, landing on
Gabriel’s midsection. Gabriel was forced backward, before he regained his
momentum. His fist landed on the Captain’s chin throwing his head backward.
Gabriel took a deep breath as the Captain shook his head and smiled. Gabriel
rushed him, and his fists slammed into the Captain’s face and stomach. The
Captain didn’t smile this time. The Captain’s arms started in a windmill
pattern, with him swinging all over the place. Gabriel ducked the wild swing as
he feinted to his left, then drove a solid shot to the Captain’s midsection.
The Captain doubled over in front of Gabriel. He grasped the demon and kneed
him over and over. The Captain fell to the ground.

Calla thought the Captain was
down for the count and exhaled the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
Gabriel must have thought he was done, too, because he started looking around
the room. But the Captain got to his knees, the Nex Addo in his hand. He stood
and brought the sword up.

****

Gabriel took his attention
away from the Captain for a few seconds while he swept the room. He saw as
Michael incapacitated the Kematians that threatened Devdan, who still wasn’t
defending himself. Tre and Ajeet both had a Kematian lying at their feet, and
Chander was running towards his brothers. Robert remained hovered over the
three Kematians while sparing a glance towards Maree who was huddled in the
corner hugging herself. Gabriel’s eyes met Calla’s, and she was running towards
him and screaming. The Captain jabbed the knife in a downward motion and
stabbed towards Gabriel, but she reached the Captain before his knife made
contact. Calla slammed into him, knocking him down on top of her.