Gilded Wings (19 page)

“Emma,” Malachi yelled from below. I was glad to hear his voice.

As I turned to him, I noticed his eyes were filled with concern. “Look,” he said, holding up Lucian’s severed wing, showing us the tip which pierced through Ethon. “He attached immortal blades to them.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means… there’s nothing we can do for him,” he said sadly.

“You can’t die,” I said, turning back to Ethon, bringing my face to his. My heart was torched with an intense and shooting pain.

“It’s alright,” he whispered, then smiled weakly. “Death is my final destiny. But you will live, my beautiful Emma.”

“Ethon, no,” I sobbed. The bond was literally bashing my heart, splintering it into the tiniest fragments.

He raised his hand and rested it on the side of my cheek. I held it tight.

“Don’t cry for me, Emma,” he said softly. “I’ve been in existence longer than I’ve wanted. This life was never meant for me, the bastard son of Darkness. I’m sick and tired of it all, and am ready to find peace and rest.”

“I’m sorry, Ethon. I’m so sorry. I wish things could have been different between us,” I cried. My heart was tormented as everything he had ever done for me replayed in my mind. I leaned over, and kissed his cheek, then whispered in his ear. “Thank you.”

“For what?” He breathed out and gasped for air.

“For coming into my life. For protecting me. For loving me, even if it was for a moment. You showed me there is good in things that are seemingly dark.”

“Be happy, Emma. That’s all I ever wanted for you. I know you will find it.” Ethon’s eyes directed to Kade. “She’s always loved you… that’s never changed. I was always second choice,” he said, his eyes weakening. “Make her happy.”

“I promise,” Kade said.

I watched the crimson in Ethon’s eyes slowly changing… fading into a dull white.

“Emma?” he exhaled roughly, looking around but not seeing anything.

I placed both hands on his face and leaned over him. “I’m here, Ethon.”

“Did you ever love me?”

Tears streamed down my face. “Yes, Ethon. I loved you. I still do, and I always will.”

A smile lifted on his lips. “Remember me,” he said, then took his last breath.

“Always,” I whispered. Tears poured from my eyes and I placed my lips on his forehead.

Ethon’s lifeless hand dropped to his side, and I found myself screaming uncontrollably. My heart felt like it was being ripped right out of my chest. The pain was indescribable. Fear, loss, and agony tore through every cell. I felt like I was dying.

Kade tried to pick me up but Dom held him back.

“Let her be. The pain she’s experiencing is from the bond, and there is nothing anyone can do. It’s a process she has to go through,” he said with tears in his eyes. My pain must have been a reminder of what he’d lost.

It took a while before the agony subsided, but it didn’t leave. It just became a bit more bearable.

EVERYONE’S ATTENTION WAS ON US and not the leader of the Underworld. Lucifer stood in the background, quietly mourning his son, but not for long. An ear-piercing wail echoed through the house, causing an earthquake.

His eyes were burning bright, erupting with flames of pain which licked the sides of his face. He strode forward, eyes locked onto the lifeless body of his son grasped in my arms. Hate and anger were embedded in his eyes and on his face.

I didn’t know if I should say anything to him.

“If Ethon cannot have you, neither will the other,” Lucifer roared, his flaming eyes narrowed on Kade.

Before anyone could decipher what was happening, he flew at Kade, wrapping his arm around his neck, pushing him backward against a wall.

Everyone charged forward, but froze in place when Lucifer pressed a long, sharp sword to Kade’s side, right in line with his heart.

“Test me and see if I will not kill him,” Lucifer shouted.

“
No
!” I screamed. I released Ethon’s body and ran toward Kade.

“Emma, stop!” he yelled, holding his hand up. I was grabbed from behind, so I twisted and held the dagger up, pressing it against Dom’s throat.

Dom’s eyes landed on mine. “Emma, we’re on the same team, remember?”

When I realized it was him, I fell into his arms and sobbed. Pushing away from him, I fell to my knees crawling toward Lucifer.

“I beg you. Please let him go,” I pleaded. “Take me. I’m the one you wanted anyway.” Blinding hot tears flooded my eyes and poured down my cheeks.

This could not be happening.

“Don’t worry, Emma,” Samuel spoke softly, appearing out of nowhere to lay a hand on my shoulder. “I told you I’d take care of this.”

“Samuel, wait!” I cried, grabbing hold of his arm as he walked past me.

“It’ll be alright, sweetheart,” he said softly, disengaging his arm from my grasp.

“
Samuel
,” Alaine bellowed from the lower level.

“Stay there, Alaine,” he commanded.

“Don’t do this. I need you.
Please
,” she begged in anguish.

Samuel glanced down at her with a smile on his face. “I’ve always loved you.”

Alaine cried out, trying to rush for him, but three of the Fallen immediately surrounded her. One of them slapped her backward and James charged forward, shoving his blade through the Fallen’s chest.

Malachi joined to help him, but they were seriously outnumbered.

From behind, a Fallen grabbed James and threw him clear across the room where he was immediately surrounded. James stood, then crouched with his weapon in hand. A Fallen charged him from the front, and as soon as he swung to defend himself, another came from behind and sliced across his neck with a sword, instantly decapitating him.

“
James
!” Alaine’s cries were piercing. She tried to run to him, but fell weakly to her knees. Thomas ran after her and folding his arms around her. She fell helplessly into his arms.

Malachi fought bravely, slaughtering three Fallen before he was struck in the back. His eyes went wide as he fell to his knees. He stumbled to get up, but was kicked down again.

“Malachi!” Dom roared as he turned to run to him, but he was blocked by four massive Fallen on the stairwell, their swords drawn and ready to spill blood.

Thomas held Alaine’s head away from the scene; her screams were heart wrenching.

I cried, turning my head away as a Fallen held Malachi down, and the other raised his sword. My loud sobs didn’t mute the sound of the blade as it took of his head, and Dom’s howl of anger and pain.

I looked to Samuel trying to find some kind of sanity within the madness. Rage was carved heavily on his face, his body was tense, his chest was rising and falling with long deep breaths. This showed me how much restraint he had.

It must have been killing him to watch Alaine, and not do anything about it.

He took in one final deep breath, and turned to me. His eyes instantly softened.

“I love you, my daughter, and am so proud of you. Please take care of your mother.”

“We just got you back. You can’t leave,” I cried.

Dom knelt behind me and wrapped me in his arms.

“What is happening? I can’t handle this,” I bawled.

“I know,” Dom exhaled, his voice shaking.

“Dad,” I yelled. “You can’t do this.”

Samuel turned to me, and a smile I’d not seen before lit his entire face. He was glowing and I knew it was because I finally called him by his true name. He
was
my dad, and he was the bravest, most selfless person I’d ever met.

He gave a slight nod to Dom, and his arms tightened around me.

“Let me go, Dom,” I begged.

“I can’t,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

I could hear Alaine’s heartbreaking cries below, pleading with Samuel, her voice raspy from overuse. If he gave himself up, she would be mourning the three men who were closest her. This couldn’t be happening. It was the worst nightmare imaginable, with no way of waking out of it.

“Leave him be, Lucifer. Take me instead,” Samuel said calmly. His shoulders were relaxed; his arms were extended out to his sides in surrender.

Lucifer’s crimson eyes raged with flames, and narrowed on Samuel with burning disgust. “What is it with you immortals, willing to give up your life for worthless human insects who will die within a few years?”

“He was once an immortal - Emma’s Guardian - who asked for mortality to lead her into the Underworld to seek you out. You and I will outlive him a million times. Let him go, and take me instead,” Samuel courageously requested.

Ever since I met my father, he’d been my hero. He had defied death and come back to life to watch over me and Alaine, making sure of our safety. And here he was, still protecting us.

I flashed back to when I met him out beyond Alaine’s gate. That was the first time he saved me, and from that moment on, he came to my aid whenever I needed him most. He was always there for me, and now I was witnessing him offering his life for me… for Kade.

I didn’t know how much more pain my heart could take.

Lucifer paused, and his eyes narrowed on Samuel.

“No,” his voice rumbled. “My only legacy, my son is dead because of her. My Ethon is gone.” Pain and hatred burned in his eyes as he glanced over to Ethon’s lifeless body, then back at me. “Now she will pay for the rest of her life. Her heart was torn because of this worthless mortal. And as per our agreement, his soul will become the final payment.”

“
No
!” I hollered. “Let me go!” I struggled to break free from Dom’s hold.

“Lucifer, don’t,” Samuel urged, stepping toward him.

Before he or anyone else could make another move, Lucifer slowly pushed his sharp blade into the side of Kade’s chest.

My entire world collapsed right in front of my eyes.

Kade gasped, his eyes widened, his body drooped forward.

Lucifer drew out his blade, and let go of Kade. He fell to his knees, then grabbed at the side of his chest. Blood poured from the wound as he toppled backward, his legs bent awkwardly beneath him.

“Now, we are even,” Lucifer hissed, with a wicked scowl.

“You bastard!” I bellowed in anger and hate. Dom’s arms, which had been tightly wrapped around me, unfolded, setting me free.

Rage torched my insides, turning the world around me red; hatred grasped my entire being and exuded from my pores, squeezing the air from my lungs, trying to render me weak. Every negative emotion wrapped itself tightly around me, suffocating, gripping my heart and compressing it to the point of depleting every ounce of good left in me.

I wanted nothing more than having the pleasure of killing him and watching him suffer.

I charged toward Lucifer, crying out with every ounce of anger and pain I had inside me. I raised my trusted dagger above my head, hoping it would aid me in finding its mark, and sink itself deep into Lucifer’s vile, amoral, merciless heart.

Samuel had also charged forward, but Lucifer had anticipated his move and thrust him to the side. He hit the bannister, cracking a few of the rails.

I pressed forward and dove for Lucifer, my blade aimed directly at his heart. As soon as the tip touched his flesh, he burst into a million black flies. They swarmed around us, biting at our exposed flesh, then disappeared up and out through the hole he’d entered.

I scrambled to Kade and saw his eyes roll back into his head. He couldn’t be dead. I dropped down next to his body and felt for a pulse. It was faint, but there was one. He was still alive, but barely.

Blood pumped out from the wound in the side of his chest.  

“You can’t die. Please, you can’t die,” I grieved, the pain in my heart aching to the point of bursting. I pressed my hands against his injury to help slow the bleeding.

“Alaine,” I screamed, as blood soaked my hands. Samuel and Dominic knelt next to me. Dom laid his hand on his shoulder.

“Fight brother. Don’t give up,” he said as tears welled in his eyes.

“In a few seconds Alaine bounded up the stairs and knelt down beside me. After examining his would, her eyes pressed shut.

“Where is the potion? We need to get his potion,” I yelled.

“His potion isn’t going to help a fatal wound inflicted by an immortal blade,” Alaine said with tears spilling down her face. “I’m so sorry, Emma.”

“What are you saying? You can’t heal him?”

Her lips quivered uncontrollably as she shook her head, and brought a hand up to brush his hair back.

“I’m sorry,” she sobbed.

Samuel came up behind her. Alaine jumped up and wrapped her arms around him.

“I thought I’d lost you,” she wailed.

He didn’t respond, but held her tightly.

“Help me!” I bellowed, pleading with anyone. “There has to be a way. He can’t die. We can’t give up! Is there some magic I can use to give my life for his? Something?
Anything
?”

The true love of my life, my first bonded, my protector, my Guardian, was dying right before my eyes and there was nothing I could do about it. I was helpless, watching him quickly fade away. The horrifying dreams were becoming reality.

Then I remembered the last dream I had… the one where my kiss saved him.

I leaned over and kissed him. “Don’t die. Please don’t die,” I spoke against his lips, hoping my words would travel down to his heart and magically heal him.

But they didn’t.

In absolute horror I helplessly watched him take his last, weak breath and was gone. Just like that. I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. I didn’t even have a chance to tell him how much I loved him.

My heart burst in agony, hot tormenting tears burned my swollen eyes.

He left me.

I had a chance to say goodbye to Ethon, why not my Kade?

“Kade,” I wailed, clawing at his shirt. Trembling, I lay over his lifeless body. No one should ever be allowed to feel this kind of pain.

His body started to glow brightly, and I watched as he dissolved right from under me, disappearing in a fine mist.

He was gone from my grasp, and I lay alone in a pool of his blood.

“Where is he? What happened?” I frantically pleaded.

“His family must have called his body home,” Dom replied. “I’m so sorry, Emma.”

There wasn’t much more I could take. My body, my mind, my soul was in utter anguish and disbelief. I was exhausted to the point of collapsing.

Strong arms lifted and cradled me.

“You’ll be alright. I promise.” Samuel pressed his lips to my forehead. I rolled my head onto his chest, and closed my eyes, too weak to move.

“You just need to
sleep
, my Emma.”

With his words, I faded into darkness, hoping never to awake.