Sacrifice (Revelations Book 1) (15 page)

"Nope, not gonna happen. Listen, Rosalie, I don't know what’s really going on here but it's got to stop."

Rosalie crossed the small kitchen before Nico could move and stood in front of Abby. "You have to die, monster."

Abby shook her head. She had her long lean legs pulled up to her chest as she nursed the last of her blood bag. "I don't think so. You heard Nico, I get to live."

"He is a fool, you've seduced him. He isn't thinking clearly."

Rosalie snatched her by the hair, Abby saw Nico flinch out of the corner of her eye but she shot him a look that said “I’ve got this.” Abby slid off the counter and gripped the nun's wrist, twisting it sharply until the woman let go. Baring her fangs Abby hissed before warning, "Don't ever touch me."

Rosalie's hand shot out and connected with Abby's cheek. Chloe move closer, but Nico reached out and held her back. Abby snarled and swung a left hook, connecting with Rosalie's perfect face. The crunch of bone echoed through the small house and satisfaction filled Abby in a way food never did. "I said don't ever touch me." Nico smiled and warmth radiated throughout her body. Her shoulders drew back, she stood a little taller and grinned back at him.

Rosalie was murmuring something in a language Abby had never heard before. When the woman finally snapped her head up, she glanced between Nico and Abby. Her voice deepened as she commanded, "Kill this bitch, Nico, or suffer the consequences!"

"No. You need to leave. Abby is mine—" He paused and cleared his throat. "Abby is my responsibility and no harm will come to her while I still draw a breath. Rosalie, we were friends once, but clearly things have changed. We both know it's true, after last night..." His rubbed the back of his neck for a moment. "You can't be here. You can't keep threatening Abby and I won't allow anyone to hurt her."

"You're picking that thing over me?"

He nodded. "Yes." Abby was grinning from ear to ear, but Nico wasn't finished. "If you try to hurt her, I’ll kill you. Plain and simple. You aren't welcome here." He lifted his cup and took a drink. Rosalie stood dumbstruck in the kitchen. Nico cleared his throat. "I think you know where the door is."

Abby and Chloe exchanged glances as Rosalie turned on her heels and stormed towards the door. She flung it open and Nico moved quickly to yank Abby into the shadows. Rosalie kept the door wide open. "You will regret this, Priest. She will die, you will all suffer."

She vanished. It was the only way to describe it, she didn’t run or walk away, she simply wasn't there any longer. Abby blinked. "Is she not human?"

Nico walked over and slammed the door shut. A tic worked in his jaw as he searched the small house for any sign of Rosa. "Who knows, but this whole situation just gets weirder and weirder by the minute."

The women both nodded in unison. Nico came back into the kitchen and made his way straight to Abby. His hands tangled in her long brown hair, lightly tugging her head back. He took up all the space in the room, she could feel the vibrations in his body as he backed her against the counter. As all the air rushed from her lungs, he dipped his head and ran his nose against her cheek. "Are you okay?"

Her hands found purchase on his shoulders and she dug her nails into his muscles pulling herself closer to him. "Yes."

His lips met hers and she welcomed the invasion of his tongue. Wrapping her arms around his neck she raised up on her toes as he claimed her. Chloe was muttering something about feeling awkward and going home, but Abby wasn’t listening. She smiled against Nico’s lips and gave her friend a wave without looking away. Chloe gasped as the door opened, but Nico only ground out his command in a gravelly voice, "Shut the door."

Abby started to pull back when a man's voice cut through the air. "Got time for an old friend, Nico?"

Nico broke the kiss and slowly turned towards the door. The voice was unfamiliar to her and Nico had no real friends other than the Striga and Lobo, but from the way his eyes widened she was certain he knew this person. As she peeked over Nico’s shoulder Abby sucked in a sharp breath. She knew him too. He was the man they’d seen last night. "Shut the door, Jack, and come on in."

Chloe shook her head. "No, he can't be here. He has to leave!" She was rummaging through her purse and starting to sob. "Banish him, call Meri to banish him. He can't be here."

The stranger shut the door and smiled at Chloe. "I'm not here to hurt you, Chloe."

She threw her purse at him and screamed. "Leave!"

Abby was at her friend’s side pulling her back as Nico and the man exchanged looks. Abby brushed Chloe's hair out of her face and whispered. "Who is he?"

"I don't know. I just know he has to leave."

"Can't do that darlin'. There's bad business going down in this town and I can't just walk away from it." His blue eyes were locked in Chloe's direction. "And besides, there’s something else I’m here for."

Nico tapped his friend on the shoulder and nodded towards the kitchen. "Coming on a little strong there, friend. Might want to tone it down."

"Right. But—" he shook his head. "It can wait. Anyways, shit is going down. Care to fill me in on what's happening?"

Chloe was on the phone to Meredith and Abby struggled to hear the conversation in the kitchen, but she did know Meri was on her way to pick up Chloe and get rid of the asshole scaring her sister. Abby's world turned upside down again in the blink of an eye.

Meri arrived in record time, but as soon as she stormed in the house ready to give hell to the stranger, she stopped dead in her tracks. She refused to say a word and gathered up Chloe, leaving as quickly as she'd arrived. Abby would ask later what all that was about but for now she made her way into the kitchen. Nico pulled out a chair for her. "Abby, I'd like you to meet Jack. He's an archaeologist. A few years ago he was in town doing a dig nearby—”

Abby jutted her chin in Jack’s direction and interrupted, “Then why doesn’t Chloe know him?”

Nico scrubbed his chin. “You know, come to think of it that must have been around the time Arveda let Chloe and some of her sisters go to Australia.” He nodded to himself. “The old hag doesn’t let them out of her sight very often but there are rare occasions when she sends them away. She did the same thing with Chloe when you first showed up. Anyway, he was here looking for some sort of holy relics." He glanced at Jack. "I guess that's why you are back here now?"

"Nope. I'm here to help."

Nico snorted. "Help? No offense but what can an archaeologist do?"

"I take it you've never seen
Indiana Jones
?"

"I have, but you are no Harrison Ford."

Abby coughed to cover her laugh of disagreement. This man would give Harrison Ford a run for his money even in his younger days.

Jack pulled out a map of the town with circles around the church and the various places in the outskirts where demons were amassing. "You've got an infestation and,” He pointed at Abby, “she’s the key to the Gates. So yes, I’m here to help and I might be your only hope at stopping this shit storm. Much as I don't want to admit it, we might have to call in some reinforcements on this too." He glanced towards the door and heaved a heavy sigh. "Striga, Virtues, and such."

Nico scanned over the map. "How do you know all this?"

"I'm not what I appear to be."

"No shit, I'm getting used to that these days."

"The demons and the Cult of the Little Horn are determined to bring about the apocalypse, but it's not supposed to happen right now. They’re trying to start it early."

"What do you mean, start it early?"

"This isn't the time it's supposed to happen."

Nico shook his head. "Could be. I mean, no one knows the time."

Jack drummed his fingers against the table top. "I do."

"That's a little egotistical of you."

"Not really." His nonchalant attitude to the whole situation piqued Abby’s interest. He was hiding something.

Nico on the other hand wasn’t buying it in the least bit. "Why is that?"

Jack glanced up and held Nico’s gaze. "Because I wrote it."

Nico slowly raised his head. "What do you mean, you wrote it?"

"The Book of Revelations." Jack smiled. "I wrote it."

Abby's reflexes kicked in as Nico dropped his cup. She caught it before it hit the table and only sloshed a couple of drops of coffee onto the map. She couldn't quite fathom what was happening but there was fear in Nico's eyes. "Impossible."

"It's the God’s honest truth, Nico. I wrote the book and this is not how it happened the first time."

Abby interjected. "The first time?"

"God sent me forward in time to record what would happen, as a warning to his followers of what would come to pass. This isn't how it went. Someone figured out how to speed it up, to catch the Armies of Heaven off guard. They want a different outcome, and this is how they think they can get it."

Nico still stared at him. "You wrote the Book of Revelations?"

Jack blew out a breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes, Nico. I wrote the Book. I am, or better yet, I was, John of Patmos. Yes, I've been alive for way more years than I'd like to admit and I’m here to make sure this shit gets back on track. Or alternatively, if that’s impossible, I'm here to make sure we still win. Last time we lost a lot more than we should have, I'd like to ensure things go better this time around."

Nico rocked back in his chair letting out a mad laugh. "You're John the Author. You wrote the Book of the End of Days. And you’re here to creep Chloe out and help save us. Does that about sum it up?"

"Yep." Jack ignored the outburst and went back to studying the map. "That sums it up."

Nico seemed to be struck speechless but Abby edged closer. "Revelations is really a thing? It's not just a story to scare people into being good?"

"Nope, darlin'. It's real and not meant to happen yet."

"And it all starts with me?"

"Not in the original, but yes, right now it looks like it all starts with you." He reached over and patted her hand. "Your death will break the first four seals and unleash hell on earth.” He glanced up and flashed a charming smile. “Don't worry, no matter what, we’ll make sure you are safe."

"Don’t worry? That’s not even remotely possible when someone tells you you’re the key to ending the world. And what if that crazy nun kills me?" Abby glanced over at Nico who was finally back on planet Earth and paying attention. "She just threatened to make us all pay and she's gone out of her way to try to convince Nico to smite me."

Jack sat up. "What nun?"

Nico spoke up, "Sister Rosalie, she served at the same church as me back in the day. She's gunning for Abby."

"Rosa? No." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a faded picture and handed it to Nico. "Is this your Sister Rosalie?"

"Yep." Nico frowned. "Why do you have a picture of her?"

Jack's head dropped. "Long story, but she has a role to play in all of this."

Abby folded her arms over her chest and snickered. "What's her role? Bitchiest Hag?"

"Close," Jack paused. "She's the Whore."

Abby coughed and slapped the table. "She's a whore?"

"Not a whore, she's The Whore."

Nico added, "She's The Whore of Babylon, Abby. She's the manipulator. She aids the Beast in his plans to plunge the world into darkness." He turned his attention back to Jack. "How can she be The Whore? She served the Church. When did she change?"

"One thing to know right here and now, she never changed. She’s been this way for her entire unnatural life.” He paused and chuckled. " My best guess is she was able to infiltrate the order and pose as a nun to try to get closer to you. As much as Abby is the key, so are you. They've been after you since you first decided to join the priesthood, hell before you even decided to join. Why do you think your mother was killed? They've played you like a fiddle for almost two decades. Ever since then the forces of Hell have been trying to aid your downfall. I was given the chance to see the future once, but I’m not the prophet this time around. Even worse they have their own seers to guide them and they've seen you for a long time, brother."

"So it all comes down to Abby and me?" Jack nodded and Nico folded his arms behind his head. "Then we are good, no apocalypse is happening any time soon. Abby and I, well, let's just say I won't be killing her any time soon."

"Good to hear, but don't think they’ll make it easy on you. Just because you have feelings for her doesn't mean one of those demons can't get into your head, make you think crazy thoughts or physically manipulate you into doing something you don't want to do."

Abby stood. "Then we’ll need to keep our guard up. We can do that. In the meantime, how long are you staying?"

"Until this is finished."

"You can't stay here, you upset Chloe and the Striga aren't going to let you stay without a fight."

Something crossed over Jack's face. Anger, maybe? Sadness for sure. "Arveda can try her best to keep me away this time. I'm not going anywhere. Especially not with Chloe being in danger."

"Chloe's in danger? Try leading with that next time."