Angel Incarnate: Second Sight (8 page)

Chapter 10

By the time Mortriel
arrived in Purgatory, the black smoke had dissipated.

Stopping at one of the
outdoor cafes, he noticed the streets were unusually quiet. He approached a
small group of fallen sitting nervously at one of the tables.

“Bring the new girl to
me,” he bellowed to one of them.

Beads of sweat appeared
on the fallen angels lip and forehead. He wiped his brow with a napkin and
stared at the ground.

“My Lord – there has
been an attack. The guards are dead, and the angel-bloods have been taken.
 
The child isn’t here.”

Mortriel slammed his fist
into the table shattering the glass top. “How is that possible? This island is
impenetrable. Where was my army when this happened?”

“They are with the
ashes, My Lord.” While his friends huddled in silence, the fallen angel cleared
his throat, and tried to explain what he had witnessed.
 

“I saw the flames and
went to investigate. When I arrived outside the children’s dormitory, the
guards were lying on the ground; some had been beheaded. A barrier prevented me
from reaching them. I stood and watched as Bree and Tercia burned the bodies,
and then disappeared with the prisoners.”

The veins in Mortriel’s
neck pulsed with fury. He grabbed the fallen angel by the throat and lifted him
off the ground. “Bree and Tercia are dead!”

Knowing his temper was
out of control, the other guards tried to flee. With his free hand, Mortriel
grabbed another of them, and threw him against a brick building where he landed
with a loud thud.

“Unless you want to
join your cowardly friend, you’ll stay where you are,” Mortriel warned the
others.

Hearing the noise and
shrill sound of the dark prince’s voice, the remaining angel-bloods ran out of
the shops and cowered together in the middle of the square. Mortriel looked in
their direction, and turned back to glare at the guard.
 
“You told me they were gone, yet here they
stand.”

Mortriel’s hands were
still around his throat, but the fallen angel managed to respond in a raspy
voice.

“Bree and Tercia
wouldn’t risk coming into the square; there were too many of us. They only took
the youngest. I swear on my life it was them.”

How could they be alive?
 
I stood over their dead bodies
.
There are only two
angels who can resurrect another with a drop of their blood – Virgil, and my
father. Virgil gave up his wings years ago and my father would never bring back
an enemy. What game is the Creator playing with me?

Mortriel loosened his
grip, and the guard fell to his knees, holding his neck. While he was still on
the ground, Samhael arrived.

“I know you’re upset
with Father, but you don’t have to take it out on our brothers,” he chided.
“What did this one do to deserve such a harsh punishment?”

“This fool swears Bree
and Tercia killed our guards and rescued the youngest angel-bloods.”

Without divulging the
secret Lucifer made him promise to keep, Samhael looked at the girls who were
still standing in the street. “Don’t be ridiculous – they’re right there.”

“Whoever freed those
brats avoided the village and only went after the smallest. Perhaps I will make
an example of the others.”

As he walked towards
the girls, Samhael grabbed Mortriel’s arm and spun him around.

“We must keep a level
head. If these servants were in town, I doubt they even know the other children
are missing. Who will do their work, if you kill them?”

“Fine, but I want them
guarded at all times. We’ll move them into the carriage house, and when they
have finished their chores, they’ll be chained to the walls. I’ll ration their
food and two guards will sleep in the building with them. They will be treated
like the animals they are.”

“Don’t be a fool. Beat
them if you must, but rest assured, if you starve them -- they will die, and
their souls will ascend to Heaven. Most of them would prefer death rather than
remain our servants for the rest of their lives. I’m still convinced some of
them may be hiding special powers. We may be able to use them to our
advantage.”

Mortriel stared at his
best friend; deep down he knew Samhael was right. Though he had never witnessed
any powers, the guards rarely went into the house while the girls slept. They
could have practiced without anyone knowing.
 

Killing the
angel-bloods wasn’t an option either because it would hurt their comrades more
than it would hurt the girls. If he kept them alive, they would suffer, knowing
the others had been rescued, while they had been forgotten. The thought made
him smile.

“Get up,” he said to
the fallen angel. “I want to see what’s left of our brothers.”

Without speaking, the
dark wing scrambled to his feet, and ran towards the wooden shack.
 

Mortriel turned to the
fallen who were still seated at one of the tables. “Pick up your friend, and
follow me with the prisoners.”

As an afterthought he
added, “And make sure none of them get away.”

The men rushed from the
table and surrounded the angel-bloods who shuffled behind them without making a
sound. The guards were already angry, and so far, the children had miraculously
escaped punishment today; there was no cause to tempt fate.

Samhael and Mortriel
strolled at a leisurely pace. There was no nothing they could do for the dead
now.
 

When they arrived at
the scene, all that remained of their brethren were piles of black ash -- some
smaller than others -- where their heads had been detached from their bodies.
Mortriel contemplated leaving the remains as a reminder that the fallen were
not untouchable.
 

Treading carefully
around the ashes, Samhael was more concerned about protecting his expensive
Italian shoes, than he was about the dead. “We have to inform your father about
what’s happened.”

“Yes, but first, I’ll speak
with the half-breeds.”

Mortriel walked over to
the half dozen girls who were still captive.

“Someone has rescued
the others, but they didn’t care enough to take you with them. I never make the
same mistake twice. If your friends come back, they will join you as my
prisoners.”

A smug smile appeared
at the corners of his mouth.

“In case you’re
considering leaving… don’t. No one is coming for you. You’ll get brooms and
sweep these ashes into trash cans. When you’re finished, you’ll go back to your
regular duties. Afterwards, you will be kept in town where my guards will be
with you even when you sleep. Since you were not a part of this plot, you will
be spared punishment.”

Some of the guards
started to grumble, but stopped when they saw Mortriel’s face grow taut.
 
While the girls scattered to find brooms, he
walked over to the remaining fallen.

“We have lost some of
our own, but in time, their deaths will be avenged. For those of you who do not
reside here permanently, I caution you -- the angels may seek you out. I’ll
speak to Father and we’ll decide on a course of action. These other girls are
not to be touched.
 
Anyone who violates
my orders will be punished.”

“These half-breeds
should die for what they did,” one of them answered. “Do you think the angels
won’t return and try to free them too?”

Mortriel walked up and
slapped the guard across the face so hard, he tumbled over backwards. “Does
anyone else want to question my authority?”

No one said a word.

“Good – then we won’t
have any problems.”

He and Samhael turned
and walked back towards the village.

Mortriel would have
liked to see the girls punished, but knew the guards wouldn’t have stopped
torturing them until they were dead. If they had any hidden powers, he wanted
to have access to them.
 

When he returned to the
outside café, he called for a carafe of wine. “Let’s have some refreshments,
and then we’ll meet with Father.”
 

Samhael nodded and filled one of the
glasses.
 
That should be an interesting discussion
.

Chapter 11

When Mortriel arrived
in Hell, he intended to barge through the doors, but Samhael grabbed his arm
again.

“Remember what happened
before you left; Father may still be angry.”

Rather than kick the
door open, Mortriel knocked instead. Mehri answered, and as soon as she saw Lucifer’s
son, she cowered behind the wooden entryway.

“Your father is in the
library,” she whispered.

Seeing her fear humored
Mortriel.
 
He pulled her from behind the
door by the hand and inspected the damage he made to her arm.
 
“I see the healers were able to stitch you
up,” he joked.

Hearing his son’s
voice, Lucifer came out of the study. “You must be tired, Mehri. Why don’t you
go into the bedroom and change? I see no reason for you to endure Mortriel’s
disrespect a second time today.”

Lucifer walked over and
kissed his wife on the forehead.
 
His
gesture was to show his son that he cared deeply for this woman, and he would
do well to remember it.

After saying goodnight
to her husband, Mehri nodded towards Mortriel and Samhael, and then quietly
exited the room.

“I thought you would
still be sulking in Purgatory,” Lucifer said. “Why have you returned so soon?”

“Perhaps we should sit
before we tell you our news,” Samhael suggested.

They were an odd
looking trio.

Lucifer had changed clothes,
and like Samhael, was now wearing a Brioni suit, with a matching black linen
shirt, red tie and expensive Italian shoes.

Mortriel, on the other
hand, was comfortable in his faded jeans and red pullover. Traces of ash still
dusted his Doc Martin boots.

After plopping on the
leather couch, Mortriel stretched out his legs, leaving the ash of his fallen
brethren on one of the cushions. Samhael took a seat in a high-backed mahogany
chair opposite the sofa.

Before Lucifer joined
him in an adjoining chair, he walked over to his son and grabbed his legs,
forcing them to the floor.

“Your constant
disrespect for my belongings holds no bounds,” he said.

“It’s just furniture,
Father. You can easily have it replaced.”

“This is made from the
finest Italian leather available. Why should I be inconvenienced because you
have no manners? Now, what is so urgent that it couldn’t wait until morning?”

Mortriel sat up
straight. “There has been an incident in Purgatory. My best guards are dead,
and the youngest angel-blood prisoners have been rescued.”

Lucifer began to laugh.
“I was under the impression your island was well protected. How could someone
penetrate your barriers?”

“It wasn’t just someone
– it was Bree and Tercia.”

Lucifer glared at
Samhael. “Did you break your promise and tell him?”

“No, Father – the
angels were seen by one of the guards.”

Mortriel stood up and
shuffled over to his best friend. “Tell him – you mean you knew Bree and Tercia
were alive?”

Samhael bent his head.
“Your father asked me not to discuss it with you.”

Mortriel whipped around
to face his father. Though he was angry, he was also hurt by his father’s lack
of trust. “I’m your flesh and blood. Why wasn’t I informed first?”

“You fly off the handle
too easily. When you can get your emotions under control; I will confide in you
more.”

Lucifer then told him
about his visit to Aeden, including seeing Bree, and Tercia. He also mentioned
the confrontation with Gabriel and Michael.

“So it’s true -- they
have returned, but how is that possible? I killed them with my own hands.”

“I have no idea how
they were reborn, but they are angel-blood now. The brats must have used
Gideon’s shield to enter the island and prevent the guards from calling for
reinforcements.”
 

Mortriel shook his
head. “Gideon’s shield should not have restricted my soldiers. There had to be
greater forces at work. These are no ordinary angel-bloods. One of them must
have the second sight. How else could they even find our island?”

“Eve has Esra’s blood;
some say she is a powerful seer too. The gift must have been passed on to her
daughter, Bren. We don’t know what powers the girls received when they were
reincarnated, but if they were able to kill your guards and capture the
children without help, we need to respect their abilities.”

“At least they didn’t
get the rest of the half-breeds. I am having them moved to the village, where
they will be guarded at all times.”

“You need to stop
focusing on your prisoners, and concentrate on those who have started this
trouble. I have no doubt the children were taken to Aeden since their parents
are dead, but I’ll send you to Savannah just to make sure. You have been
foolish. Did you realize the last woman you killed was Josiah’s wife? It was
his daughters you captured. As a member of the Elite Guard, he will not be as
forgiving as your friend, Malakiel.”

“I wasn’t aware Josiah
had a family,” Mortriel admitted. “Malakiel and his brother are in charge; they
will run interference for us because they despise the angel-bloods as much as
we do.”

“If Bree and Tercia
have been reincarnated; there is a reason they were brought back now,” Lucifer
said.

“What about Avriel? Is
she alive too?”

“I didn’t see her
during my visit to Aeden, but I suspect she is with the others. The Guild will never
allow you to get close to her, so we’ll find another way to get the ring.”

Lucifer turned to
Samhael. “You have maintained contact with my sister’s grandson. It’s time to
find out how loyal he is to our cause. I want you to meet with him, and find some
mortals who can accept the blood of the hounds. If any survive, we will need to
keep them just outside Utopia, so they can be watched.”

Samhael nodded.
“Richard is preparing for his brother’s wedding the day after tomorrow. I’m
sure he can spare a few moments to meet with me.”

“While he is there,
you’ll go to Savannah to see if Josiah’s daughter has been placed in the care
of the other Guild families,” Lucifer told Mortriel. “You should contact
Malakiel and inform him of what happened in Purgatory.
 
When you return, I want to learn everything
about Aura. If my suspicions are correct, she is friendly with a young mortal
priest.”

Mortriel chuckled. “I
wonder how Aidan feels about that.”

“It’s not what you
think. The human is a bit of an anomaly – being half male and half female. I
suppose that’s why he decided to devote his life to the church. My sources tell
me this young priest is involved with a group of troubled teenagers. If Mehri
pretends to be one of them; she can get close to him. Then, she should have
sufficient time to gather intimate details of Aura’s life.”

“Do you trust Mehri
enough to allow her to leave?” Samhael asked.

“When she learns that
Paul killed her son, she will be only too happy to avenge his death. I don’t
care what happens to Aura, but we must have possession of Avriel’s ring before
she dies.”

“I don’t want her dead.
I will take her as my bride and mother of my children,” Mortriel said. “Think
of the powers they will have.”

Samhael chuckled. “What
makes you think she will have you?”

“Two reasons – and they
are both downstairs.”

“I think it’s time to
retrieve Hope from the glass cell. While I thought she might be useful in
gathering information, I’m no longer feeling charitable. You can do with her as
you please. I’ll say goodnight to Mehri, and then we’ll meet with the
prisoners.”

Lucifer left the room,
returning a few minutes later. The three fallen angels then exited his private
chambers and maneuvered through the catacombs until they were in front of the
glass prison.

The broken porcelain
doll lay at Lucifer’s feet.

The three children were
sleeping on one bed; Fionn on the other. Not wanting to get too close, Lucifer
flung the broken doll against one of the glass walls, shattering what was left
of it, and awakening all of them.

“Is this how you treat
a gift from your father?” he asked Hope.

“You are not my father.
Your son killed my mother, and took my sister to Purgatory.”

Lucifer chuckled. “I’m
impressed that you have learned so much in such a short time. I’m afraid your
visit is over. Say goodbye, and I’ll take you to your room. Remember what
happened to the sentry. Don’t make me use force.”

“She’s not going
anywhere with you, and neither is Fionn,” Alorrah said.
 
“Now, if you’re smart, you’ll move away from
the glass, unless you want to have an accident.”

She held out her hands,
and Lucifer could see the light already illuminating from her fingers.

Mortriel attempted to
grab the child, but Samhael pulled him back, holding up his own hand to show
the burn made with angel-fire that would never heal.

“You may think you have
the advantage, but you’re wrong,” Lucifer said. “Unlike you, and Alexis, Hope
and Fionn will need sustenance in order to survive. How long do you think your
food and water will last?”

“It will last until
Mommy comes for us,” Alorrah vowed.

“I hope your mother
does come,” Mortriel yelled. “I promise, once she’s here, she will never
leave.”

“I’ll give you one last
chance to change your mind,” Lucifer said to Hope.

“No – I’ve made my
decision.”

“Very well – have it
your way, butt don’t think your friend will be leaving this room.”

Lucifer called for
Pytha, and the four prisoners watched as a huge snake slithered across the
floor.

“This is what’s left of
Kaelariel’s whip. The angels won’t destroy it, because if they do, there is no
chance of their return to Heaven. If Alexis attempts to leave for food, or
water, Pytha will contain her.”

“You can’t kill Alexis
either,” Alorrah reminded him. “If you do, you’ll have no chance of restoring
the sacred gifts.”

“Oh – Pytha won’t kill
her; she’ll just keep her restrained.”

He turned to Mortriel
and Samhael. “We’re finished here. You both have a lot of work to do.”

As they were walking
away, Lucifer stopped and turned towards the girls.

“I trust you will heed
my warning; it is the only one you will receive.” With that, the three fallen
angels disappeared through the dark tunnel.

“Don’t worry – Alexis
will be careful,” Alorrah promised. “We aren’t afraid of Lucifer or his
pets.
 
Let’s go back to sleep. He won’t
come again for awhile.”

Fionn, who had remained silent during
the conversation, looked at the girls. He would rather starve than to see any
of them hurt, but knew Alexis would risk her life to keep the others alive.

Hopefully, Alorrah was right and they
would be rescued, but he wasn’t going to hold his breath. Though he never lost
faith, after one hundred and fifty years; he began to lose hope of ever leaving
Hell.