Rebel Angel: A Sainted Sinners Novel (6 page)

“Yeah. Actually…” he said, glancing around. “Make it dusk!”

The sky slowly darkened, and Aurora gave him a curious look.

“Why dusk?” she asked.

“You’ll see in a minute.”

She made a soft mmm noise, leaning back. For a couple of minutes, they were quiet, soaking it in.

“This place is amazing,” she said, breaking the silence.

“I agree.”

“Why were you here before?” she asked.

Her eyes were closed, her features relaxed. Ezra mulled over her question for a second, unsure how to respond.

“I came here when I defected from Hell,” he said.

Aurora opened one eye, glancing at him. “You were hiding?”

“Yeah. There was a pretty hefty ransom on my return, so I wasn’t sure where to go.”

“You went to the voodoo queen, then?” she asked.

Ezra watched her closely, trying to figure out her intentions. Aurora glanced at him and shrugged.

“You don’t have to tell me, I’m just curious. I mean, it’s not every day I talk to a Fallen angel that left Hell.”

“Right, right,” Ezra said. “Well, Mere Marie actually found me. I hid out in New York for a while, figured no one could find anyone there. Needle in a haystack, looking for one person in such a big city.”

“And she offered you, what? A job?”

“Not exactly. At first, she offered me a place to hide. Then, a way to unburden myself. Serve as a protector for mankind, help keep Heaven and Hell in check. Keep myself off their radar, undo some of the chaos I wrought in my time serving Lucifer.”

“Hmmm. And Mere Marie, she works for Le Medcin?”

“That she does.”

Another silence, shorter this time. Aurora looked at him, then glanced away.

“Ask,” he said.

“Hmm?”

“You want to ask me why I Fell. Or maybe you want to know why I left Hell?”

“Both, kind of,” she admitted. “I’ve had this crazy life, always running from demons and angels. And yet, compared to you, I’ve barely lived. It’s interesting. Do you mind?”

“No. It’s not a great story, really. I left Heaven and Hell for nearly identical reasons.”

“Really?” she asked, leaning a little closer.

“Well, you already know that I was classified as a Destroyer. I’m not the only one, there are a few, but Lucifer targeted me before the Fall. He talked me up about this utopia he was going to create, how radically it would change us, change our lives.”

“I imagine that he wasn’t wrong about that.”

“It’s funny, in a way. Strange, I mean. In Heaven, I was very isolated. Other angels ushered in new life, served Heaven in various ways. The Destroyers, we were outcasts, and not the kind that band together.” He paused, drawing a breath. “I drifted through my time in Heaven, millennia really. I served because that was my purpose. Honor and duty are the cornerstones of angelic training, and I took them very seriously.”

“So you did your part, because you were told to do it. To cull souls,” she clarified.

“Well, it also needs to be done. There’s nothing wrong with what Destroyers do, despite the name. It’s a necessary thing, if a little… off-putting.”

“Kind of like a controlled burn in a forest, to help regrow things, right?”

Ezra arched his brows. “Yes, that’s exactly right.”

“I get it.”

“Well, Lucifer promised me…” he said, then paused to chuckle. “Well, classic tale. He promised me many things, and none of them fulfilled me. I left Heaven because I wanted a change for myself, not because I wanted to torture and maim pathetic Hellbound souls.”

“You tortured them?” Aurora asked, looking a little squeamish.

“No, I wouldn’t do it. So Lucifer, being the literal tricky devil he is, Lucifer returned me to my former position.”

“He made you a Destroyer again?” she asked.

“Right. I mean, it’s not exactly a talent, per se. My sword was created for the purpose of culling. I aim with the intent to end a soul’s burdens, and poof. Gone.”

“So you were right back where you started, after that.”

“Only worse, because not only was I stuck living in Hell and serving Lucifer, but… I was alone again. I had endless time to reflect on the Fall, on the mistakes I made that led me to Hell.”

“Sounds pretty harsh,” she said.

“It wasn’t great. I endured,” he said with a shrug. “That’s what I do.”

“Endure?”

“Yeah.”

“And then you left.”

“It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize that I didn’t have to stay.”

Aurora smiled. “I get that. You live your life a certain way for long enough, it’s hard to change the only thing you know.”

“The very moment the idea occurred to me, I was lying in my bed. I stood up, got dressed, and left that very moment.”

“Just like that? No epic battle or anything?” she asked.

“No. I think Kirael has a good story, but… it took Lucifer a while to even realize I was missing. I like to think that the worn-out souls just started piling up,” he said. “Sorry, that’s macabre.”

Aurora nodded, staying quiet.

“Disappointing? Missing all the action you’d hoped for?” Ezra asked.

“I think your story is just fine. It speaks to your character, in a lot of ways,” she said.

“It is what it is.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” she said, leaning back to stare up at the darkening sky.

“Oh!” she said after a long pause, pointing. “Look!”

A shimmering flash, almost too quick to see. Ezra moved closer to Aurora as she hurried ahead a hundred yards, looking around. Another flash, another.

“They’re almost like lightning bugs, but bigger,” she said, tilting her head back to see a few lights winking throughout the clearing.

“I think those might be wood sprites,” Ezra said.

Aurora turned to him, eyes wide as dinner plates. “No
way
. Actual Faeries?”

“Actual Faeries,” he agreed with a chuckle.

“This is amazing!” Aurora said.

“It is,” he agreed, content to sit and watch her.

They stayed for a bit longer, until Aurora seemed to tire.

“Let’s go inside,” he suggested.

She nodded, relaxed and easygoing. This side of her was a pleasant surprise. He caught himself thinking that she would be undeniably, breathtakingly lovely if she were always like this, at ease and happy.

As they neared the house, he wondered if now wasn’t the perfect time to ask her a few more personal questions. She was calm and in a good mood, there wouldn’t really be a better time for it.

“I want to ask you a question,” he said.

She glanced up at him, tossing her hair out of her eyes.

“Alright,” she said, giving him a wan smile.

“How can you be sure that Heaven is involved in your mother’s death?” he asked.

Aurora slowed, giving him a blank look. He hurried to clarify.

“I mean, Hell… that’s completely expected. But Heaven… I don’t quite see it.”

Aurora’s expression hardened.

“You think I’m lying?” she asked, her eyes sparking with anger.

“No, I just—”

“You think I’m stupid? Or maybe crazy, huh?”

“Aurora, I didn’t say that.”

“Is that why you’re really here?” she spat, her face flushed with fury. “Heaven wants you to sway me, charm me, try to convince me that I’m wrong?”

He didn’t have a response for that. Technically, he was supposed to sway her to the side of Heaven. He wouldn’t lie to her, so he kept his mouth shut.

“Let me tell you something, Ezra. Angels and demons took everything from me.
Everything
. If you think I didn’t do my homework, think I just plucked a bunch of crazy ideas out of the sky, think again.”

“I didn’t mean to say—” he tried.

“You know what? Save it. I should have known better. I don’t know whose side you’re on, but clearly you’re not on mine.”

She whirled and headed for the house, but Ezra caught her wrist, jerking her to a stop. She rounded on him, looking ready to spew fire.

“Don’t,” she warned.

“I am here for you, as your protector. I have no stakes in this game.”

She pulled from his grasp.

“This isn’t a game, this is my life,” she said. “And if you don’t believe me, you should leave. Or let me go. I’m better off alone than with someone who thinks I’m a crazy liar.”

“I don’t think that.”

“You don’t believe me, either.”

He paused. “I am just trying to understand.”

Aurora gave him a long look, then shook her head. She turned and left without another word, leaving him standing in the sand feeling like a fool.

Way to ruin a perfectly good evening, he admonished himself.

Shaking his head, he followed her into the house. He wasn’t going to leave, not after Le Medcin’s command that Ezra protect her.

If he was going to stay, if he was going to gain her trust, something would have to give.

And damned if he wasn’t certain that it would be him.

T
he next night
, Ezra dreamt of the end of the world. In the dream, he flew high above the earth, watching the chaos begin. Everything was a little fuzzy, only a few details catching his attention at first. He felt strangely detached, disconnected from it all.

Down below, great seas of fiery lava welled to the surface of the planet at the far corners, creeping outward and scorching everything they touched. As the seas began to heat and recede, the fires caught and spread.

The heat provided huge drafts that pushed him higher and higher. He glided toward North America, moving impossibly fast. He pumped his wings hard and tucked them in, diving down toward the Southern states, zooming in on New Orleans.

As he dropped, he saw that the skies were pink and orange and red, reflecting the fires in the distance. It was frightening even to Ezra, who’d existed before all the prophecies about the end of the world were even written down.

In the States, at least, the rivers were still flowing. The lava and fires were yet distant, but not far enough for Ezra’s comfort.

The idea of checking in on Mere Marie floated into his mind. As he got closer, the heat lessened, and he dove down toward the city skyline. At once, he could tell that things were not as they should be.

Smoke rose from burning buildings. The Superdome was ablaze, the fire burning high and bright. He veered toward the French Quarter, to fly over his apartment. In the streets, humans ran in every direction, quick, dark demons chasing them down. Every couple of minutes, a high scream pierced the air, only to end abruptly as the human fell to a demon.

He dropped down further, and saw one of the demons catch a young woman. Barefoot and terrified, she ran down Decatur Street, probably heading for the Cathedral. Too slow, though; the dark-robed demon caught her and slid its arms around her.

The young woman’s cry died on her lips. She went still, pure black bleeding into her eyes until they were entirely dark. She threw her head back, the shining white mist of her soul rising from her body. The demon dropped her corpse and snagged the mist, sucking it into his lungs with one big breath.

Snarling with pleasure, the demon shuddered, then turned and spied another victim running down the street. It was off like a shot, chasing down its prey.

In the dream, Ezra turned away, feeling helpless. He flapped his wings and moved on, hoping to find Kirael and Vesper at their home. He’d barely made it onto the street when he saw that the entire block of buildings was on fire, already beginning to crumble, dropping smoldering chunks of wood and brick into the street.

Where should I go now? he wondered.

It was hot, so very hot. He wanted to get to the river, only a few blocks away. He turned and flew toward the water, passing dozens of doomed humans as he went. It seemed as though there should be more of them, but perhaps they were all hiding, taking shelter against the onslaught.

When he crossed the broad pedestrian plazas to the riverfront, he realized that the humans had the same idea. Go to the river, stand together against the demons and the heat. A couple thousand were clustered together near the Steamboat Natchez.

The deck of the Natchez was crammed with screaming people. Further down the shore he could see the Algiers ferry and a couple other boats shoving off. Faintly, Ezra could see demons lined up and waiting on the other side of the river. It seemed as though they couldn’t cross the water, and the humans had figured that much out at least.

The Algiers ferry drifted midstream, maybe hoping to find a safe harbor downriver.

On the shore, demons had surrounded the unlucky ones without a spot on the boats. Humans were fighting back, shooting guns and attacking with makeshift staves, but the demons were unaffected. Slowly but surely, the demons were grabbing people at the fringes, sucking their misty souls out of the air.

Going back for more, and more. It was quickly growing into a feeding frenzy. Ezra touched down behind the hordes. A few of them turned and withdrew from him with a hiss.

He looked down to find his sword in his palm, the incantation already on his lips. He’d only rarely culled demons during his tenure in Hell, but he knew it could be done.

He moved forward, steady and sure and calm. Raising his sword, he struck at the demons, who dissolved with soft screams the moment his sword touched their shapeless, shadowy flesh or dark robes.

The humans around him panicked and backed away, the crowd flattening toward the shore. Some started jumping into the river, quickly disappearing into the choppy current. Some were shoved toward the slavering demons, screams dying in their throats as they dropped, their souls snatched.

“Don’t fear me!” Ezra tried to shout, but his throat was too dry, his words coming out a rasp.

He turned to the business of the demons, his heart beginning to pound. He threw himself into the battle, his stomach dropping a little each time another human died. More demons flocked toward the humans, afraid of Ezra but unable to resist the temptation of a good meal.

He fought until he was sweating, until his muscles grew sore. For every demon he culled, two more arrived. The number of humans decreased bit by bit, until he could see that there were only a few rows of adults encircling all the human children, doing their best to protect them.

Some of the children started to clamber across the rocks and vanish into the water. Ezra couldn’t blame them; it wasn’t as if he was going to save them, no matter how hard he tried.

Behind him, he heard a booming laugh. All the demons went still, drifted away from the humans. Ezra turned to see none other than Lucifer himself, riding in on a gleaming, armor clad horse. The stallion was black as coal, matching the oil-slick dark feathers of Lucifer’s wings, the black nothingness of his eyes.

Behind him, four dark-hooded black horsemen rode, flanking a woman on a white mare.

Aurora
. Her long copper hair flowing down her back, her sky-blue eyes dull and unblinking. She wore a silvery dress, slit high at the sides to display her bare legs and allow her to ride astride. She didn’t so much as glance at Ezra or the humans near the river. Instead, she focused on Lucifer, following his every movement as though he were her personal deity.

“Aurora!” he called out. This time his voice rang clear as a bell, but Aurora didn’t acknowledge him.

“She can’t hear you, Ezra,” Lucifer said, drawing the procession to a halt before Ezra. “You are too late. She belongs to me now.”

“Aurora, look at me!” he said.

Unflinching, she continued to stare at Lucifer as if he were the only creature in the entire universe.

Lucifer grinned.

“Beautiful, isn’t she? My greatest accomplishment, breaking her.” He glanced back at Aurora. “Isn’t that right, slave?”

“Yes, my prince,” Aurora said. As she spoke, a slow tear broke free and slipped down her cheek. She let it fall, frozen in place.

“You bastard,” Ezra uttered, horrified. “What did you do?”

“That is no longer your concern, Ezra. I think you’d do best to think about what comes next for you.”

“Next?” Ezra asked, looking around the apocalyptic landscape, at a complete loss.

“You’re an immortal. You don’t die with the rest of the humans. And there’s no Heaven to run to anymore, the angels have all Fallen to join me.”

“You mean you forced them to Fall,” Ezra gritted out.

Lucifer shrugged, unconcerned. “Some of them have a little more loyalty than you do, Ezra. In any case, you’d better practice your groveling if you hope to rejoin my Army.”

“Never,” Ezra swore, glancing at Aurora.

“Once the cleansing is complete, and the earth has been converted to nothing more than another level of Hell… I think you’ll change your mind. That, or I’ll find a way to kill you,” Lucifer said.

Before Ezra could say another word, Lucifer pulled at the reigns, making his stallion rear and whinny. Lucifer turned and took off at a gallop, Aurora and the four horsemen fast on his heels.

Gritting his teeth, Ezra did the only thing he could think of. Raising his sword, he hurled it at Aurora. It flew straight and true, closer and closer.

It sunk deep into her back. She cried out, a blossom of crimson appearing at her back…