Between (40 page)

“
Claudia,” Michael called in her mind. “Don’t look at me when I’m speaking to you, they will know. Concentrate on our bonds and say ‘licen’. You can do this.”

Claudia wanted to tell him that she couldn’t, but she couldn’t communicate through her mind. Michael believed that she could do it, and though she didn’t know how, she had to try. Claudia paid no attention to Samuel and Katherine. With all her will, she concentrated on the bonds. With her eyes closed, she envisioned the bonds being released on all the nephilim and said, “Licen,” as loud as she could, as loud and powerfully as when she told the demons to stop. She watched in amazement as the nephilim were released from their bonds.

As the bonds were broken, Austin couldn’t catch himself. Michael dove straight down and before Austin plunged into the pool of acid water, he stopped his fall. When Samuel looked away, Katherine surprised him by jabbing her elbow into his stomach, flipping him over, which produced a loud ‘thud’ sound. Swiftly, she placed her sword on his chest.

Samuel, dazed and shocked by Katherine’s ability to do what she had just done, surrendered with an amused smile.

“
You coward,” she stated with fire in her eyes. “I’ve learned a few tricks while observing my venators in training.”

Aliah, flabbergasted and stunned by the release of his enemies, dashed for his prize. Claudia saw Aliah coming for her. There was nowhere to run. She defended herself the only way she knew, the only thing she was familiar with. Lifting the bow, she aimed precisely for his heart. One lightning bolt darted right for him. As if it was nothing more than a mere speck of dust in the air, he waved his hand. The bolt stopped in mid-air and disappeared as quickly as it came.

“
Silly girl, have you not learned anything today?” Claudia was now in the arms of her worst nightmare.

“
Drop your weapons!” Aliah ordered with his arms around Claudia’s waist.

Hesitantly, they did as told. Their bows and swords lay on the pebbled ground leaving them defenseless. Demons and fallen enclosed them and helplessness settled in their defeated eyes.

“
We’ve wasted enough time.” He turned Claudia toward him and gripped her arm. Pain traveled through her and forced her to drop the bow. “Say, I give you my soul freely, unto thee.”

“
No, Claudia!” Michael pleaded with her. Then to Aliah he warned “Don’t touch her!”

“
Either way, she’ll be dead. Now say it!” he demanded, startling Claudia with his fierce tone, so cold that it immobilized her.

All Claudia could do was look at him. This infuriated Aliah even more so that he yanked Claudia’s hair and drew her close to him, looking bleakly into her eyes. “I will kill every single one of your friends. Do you understand? Starting with this one; I can feel the strong connection you have with him.” He looked at Michael and pulled him by angelic force. Michael’s body protruded forward while his feet dragged on the ground, unwillingly gliding towards him as a sword in Aliah’s hand awaited him.

“
No, no, no…I will do it!” Claudia bellowed. “Stop!” From Claudia’s command, Michael’s movement toward the sword slightly slowed its pace. The few seconds given was just enough.

Before Michael contacted the sword, Trinity appeared from behind the boulder and covered Michael with her body. The sword hit home, and they both fell to the ground with the sword protruding from Trinity’s back. “Michael,” she gasped, her eyes filled with shock. In the commotion, everyone had forgotten about Trinity.

“
No!” Claudia screamed with grief, trying to release herself. She had to know if Michael was alright.

Michael closed his eyes, pretending to be injured. His heart was filled with guilt and sorrow. Though Trinity had made some bad choices, at the end, she’d saved his life. If only things could have been different for her. “Trinity, thank you. I forgive you. Rest in peace,” he said to her telepathically. She smiled weakly and drew her last breath with the satisfaction of knowing that she had saved him. Then Michael focused on Claudia mentally. “Claudia, I’m okay.”

Claudia squealed in delight inside, but pretended to howl out in grief.

Michael continued. “You have a special soul. You are the only one who can do this. You must have peace in your heart. Will your soul,” Michael instructed her in her mind. “I don’t want to lose you. I need you. I love you too much. You are the reason my life is worth living.”

Claudia breathed in Michael’s words. She felt his words radiate in her heart, soul and mind. Every inch of her glowed with his love and peace, fulfilling her.

Losing patience, Aliah said once more, “Say it, before I kill another.”

“
I…give you…” Claudia started to say, trying to buy some time, trying to figure out what she was supposed to do. It was the moment of truth and all eyes rested heavily on her, waited for her to overpower him, but all she could do was look at death in the eye. “God, help me,” she prayed in her mind as she tried to summon the light she’d felt several times before. The light that helped her, the light that was her soul’s energy, the light that she hoped would conquer the darkness, but nothing happened.

Gamma, I’m sorry I failed you.
She would rather die than give her soul to this heartless creature. Preparing for her life to end, she closed her eyes and tried to come to peace with it, but all she could do was think about Gamma and how she’d loved her. She thought about her mom, Michael, alkins, venators and her friends, and how much they meant to her. Tears started to stream down her cheeks, knowing she would never see them again.

Then she remembered Gamma’s words.
Peace in your heart. Let me go. I will always love you.
Consumed with those thoughts, she now knew what she had to do. All this time, she thought she would defeat him with some deadly power, but how wrong she was. She needed Aliah to feel and see what was once good. She needed to show him the good light that he once had.

As these thoughts rushed through her, light started illuminating around her, traveling upward. She glowed brighter till it reached her hands; they were as bright as shooting stars. Unexplainably, her soul was guiding her; she knew exactly what to do. And when she felt ready, she placed her hands on Aliah’s chest. “I give you…peace, love and hope. Let my light consume your heart. Feel my peace and know that good will always conquer evil even in the darkest time.”

“
Impossible,” Aliah fumed. “I was told you had no powers. Your light is no match for mine. There is no peace, love and hope.” He laughed out loud, amused. “Little girl, you are wasting…”

He didn’t get to finish. Claudia’s light transferred to him. He saw himself glow, but the light pained him. It was not his own. He saw and felt peace, love and hope. “Impossible,” he muttered as he started to become transparent, and then screamed out loud in agony.

The last thing Claudia heard was Michael telling her to pierce her butterfly necklace into his heart.

Aliah never saw it coming. The butterfly necklace melted into him with the heat radiating from Claudia’s hand. Claudia’s light completely transferred into Aliah. With Aliah’s hold still on Claudia, they both started to radiate so brightly that everyone had to cover their eyes, and even then it wasn’t enough. Without warning, Claudia and Aliah burst into a ball of flame. Claudia was thrown back several feet, but Michael was ready for her, catching her fall.

The demons and the fallen evaporated into black ashes, and there was no trace of them or Aliah. Safe, everyone gathered around Claudia and Michael. Katherine bound Samuel and dashed for her son who was still lying on the floor where Michael had left him, but he was already in Holly’s arms.

“
He’s okay. His energy is drained out of him, but that will take time to recover. Thank God he’s okay,” Holly said to Katherine, voice trembling as tears escaped her.

Katherine lovingly caressed Austin’s face, then swiftly turned and headed to the alkins.

“
How is she?” Davin asked, seeing Michael cradling her carefully and tenderly.

“
Davin, don’t worry. I won’t die without giving you one last dance,” Claudia whispered weakly, smiling with her eyes closed.

“
You better not. I mean…I better not mess with you. You can kick my ass.”

Caleb smacked Davin on his back. “Watch your mouth, Katherine is here.”

“
I mean…butt…no…behind…oh shit! Oops! I mean crap! Or poop.”

“
I see you’ve become assimilated into the human teenage language. Learned a few words, haven’t you?” Katherine commented, finding Davin amusing. Davin shrugged his shoulders, and turned red.

Then Katherine turned her attention to Claudia. “How is she?”

With one eye open Claudia said weakly, “My body aches, but I think I’ll be fine.”

“
I’m sure you’ve had better days. You’ve done a brave thing. Lucy would be very proud of you. I think it’s best if you all head to Island of Eden to rest up. I’m going to lock up Samuel for the rest of his pathetic life.”

As they scanned the surroundings of Specus once more, Michael gingerly scooped Claudia up in his arms. “My hero,” he said, leisurely unfolding his wings. “My Super Girl.”

Claudia giggled weakly. “Some hero. My sidekick is the one on his two feet. And I’m going to need a new butterfly necklace.”

“
Of course. Something better, but just as deadly,” he winked.

“
Sidekick? Did I hear you say sidekick?” Davin interrupted, standing beside them. “I can be one of your sidekicks, too.”

“
Not now, Davin.” Michael gestured for Davin to move back to give them space. “We’ll meet you at Island of Eden.” Before Michael’s wings completely engulfed them, he called to Davin and lit up with an ornery smile. “Peace out.”

Davin frowned. “Hey, that’s my line.” Then they were gone.

Chapter Thirty-One

After Claudia was able to be back on her own two feet, the alkins left for a debriefing meeting at Halo City with Philip, Margaret and Agnes. Austin on the other hand needed more rest. Holly stayed by Austin’s bedside and Katherine locked up Samuel in her holding cell in Nubilus City.

Claudia was alone in the room, the room she could almost think of as her room since she’d been there so many times before. She lifted the covers and placed her feet on the cold marble floor. Eagerly, she walked to the double doors. When she opened them, she breathed in the fresh cool crisp air. Looking out past the cliff to where it met the ocean, she soaked in the warmth and recalled the event at Specus.

One thing that surprised her was, though she had disliked Trinity, her heroic action had saved Michael and for that, she was grateful to her. She had given her life for his and had proved how much she really did love him. It was the ultimate sacrifice. If it wasn’t for her, Michael may have died. Claudia didn’t want to think awful thoughts or the “what ifs” anymore. So she looked up to the cloudless blue sky and did something she hadn’t done in a very long time. She began to pray.

“
Dear God. I know I haven’t been to church or…I haven’t prayed since I don’t know when, but I want to say…thank you for keeping my friends safe. And thank you for being with me. I killed Aliah…I think, or something inside me did. If I sinned…which I think I didn’t…I don’t know what I’m trying to say. I killed someone and I feel bad even though he tried to kill me and my friends. He was evil and he deserved to die.”

Claudia broke down and cried. All the emotion that was bottled up inside her from all that had happened in Specus finally caught up to her. After she let it all out, she felt better and decided to look for Austin, recalling that Michael had told her that Austin was resting in his room and the watchers were guarding both of them before he left.

Claudia knocked softly on a door, unsure which room was his and unsure if he was resting.

“
Come in,” he said.

Turning the door knob, she peered in, seeing him lying on a bed. She took a step forward, but retreated.

“
Welcome to my humble room,” he said, smiling. “It’s not much to look at; just a bed, a closet, and a desk.” The walls were plain, just like the other rooms, with no pictures or paintings on the walls. “Come in. I won’t bite…well, maybe a little nibble.” Austin chuckled.

Claudia rolled her eyes. Even when he was down, he flirted. “How are you feeling?” Claudia took several steps forward.

“
Better now that you’re here. Are you my nurse? Come here to attend my needs?” he smiled.