Текст книги "Sweet Temptation"

Автор книги: Wendy Higgins

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Текущая страница: 23 (всего у книги 25 страниц)

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

It’s Time

“We are the lions, free of the coliseums . . .

We’re the beginning of the end.”

—“Young Volcanoes” by Fall Out Boy

I knew things would get worse.

Whispered voices down the hall catch my attention, European accents. I hear the name Marek and I listen intently. It’s a language I don’t understand, but the man speaking sounds urgent. He slips into English at the end. “Find it.”

Footsteps head down the hall, our direction. It’s Marek, and I know what he’s after. I run to my duffel bag and yank out Anna’s bag from within, shoving it toward her.

“Here’s your bag. Get ready.” She stares at me like I’ve gone crazy. I sign, Hide the hilt! The son of Shax is coming!

She pales and opens the bag. We all watch, tense, as she pulls out a sack of wrapped sweets, looks around the room frantically, and then shoves the sack into the rubbish bin. The hilt has traveled the world, hidden in this fashion, with no notice, undetected by man-made machines. But something tells me the son of Theft will be harder to fool.

Moments later he’s at the door, with a whisperer following him in. Marek is matter-of-fact, completely at ease. It’s almost eerie the way Marek seems to know exactly what he’s looking for—the bag of taffies. He fishes it from the bin and opens it, removing the hilt.

He turns to me. “She had it all along. Don’t you know never to trust a pretty face?” His eyes scan me from top to bottom. I’m getting a sense from this guy that I can’t place. It’s nothing to do with the sensual way he takes me in. It’s in the way his eyes seem to be trying to communicate something more. I am rigid from the fact that he’s taking the Sword of Righteousness on his father’s orders, but something in his gaze tells me not to fight it.

When Marek and the whisperer leave, Shax gives him instructions: “Dispose of it. Bury it in the desert if you must.”

We’ve lost our solitary weapon, and it’s almost time to leave for the summit. Panic flares in my chest, and then oddly subsides. From the look on Anna’s face, she’s got enough anxiety for the both of us.

It’s not until an hour later, as Marek is checking us over at the door to the nightclub, that I figure out what’s strange about him—he gives off no evil vibes, no malicious intent. I don’t get the feeling from him that I get with the Dukes and sons of Thamuz and other likely suspects. Marek takes his time patting me down. When the metal detector blares at my boots, and he checks them over with care, I am not nervous. He wears a malevolent expression, but I am the king of masks, and his feels false.

Despite appearances, I have the feeling Marek is an ally. I think he knew how the hilt was hidden because Belial got ahold of him. When he glances up at me from where he’s crouched at my feet, we share the smallest of inconspicuous grins. He knows there are compartments in the underside of my boots, but he doesn’t open them. He merely stands and nods for me to move along. I don’t linger. I want to tell Anna my suspicions, to ease her mind, but it’s not safe. As we enter the club, I bloody hope I’m right about Marek. I hope the son of Theft has the hilt up his sleeve, ready to play.

I keep myself consistently buzzed with a constant stream of alcohol. I have to keep the bonds between me and Anna hidden from Astaroth. I wish I could stay sober, but I must remain on that cusp of fuzziness.

As promised, Father shows to walk Anna into the summit, ready to take full credit for her “capture.” He looks her over with a sneer, and I know what he’s thinking.

She looks the part—a badass mercenary in black leather with heeled boots, and bright blond hair flowing wildly. Her eyes are dark and her lips are red. She doesn’t back down from his stare.

Father turns to me with an abrasive glare. “This isn’t exactly what I had in mind when I said to get her different clothes.”

I don’t respond. He grabs her arm and yanks her toward the VIP room where the summit will take place. Anna turns her head to capture my gaze over her shoulder. She is afraid, but pushing forward. My brave girl. Anyone else, including me, would have tried to run from this fate.

I’m here, I tell her with my eyes. I’m not going anywhere.

Father struts into the darkened lounge, shooting a haughty look at the other Dukes, and shoves Anna away. “Go sit down until we’re ready to deal with you.”

I want to grab him by the thick neck and deal with him right now. I feel Marna scratch me gently on the back to calm me, and we all move forward, following Anna to the long black couches along the wall. Fake stars twinkle down on us from the black ceiling. Other Nephilim from around the world filter in and sit along the walls with us.

I search the room for exits. Aside from where we entered, there seems to be a door on the side wall that blends in with all the black. It has no exit sign. The club is underground, so that door could lead to a cellar or closet. I wish I could check for certain.

When Astaroth arrives, Marna inconspicuously leans forward and glances between me and Anna, checking to see if the bond will be visible to her father. She gives a satisfied nod to say we’re okay, and I exhale. I’m more nervous than I’ve ever been, but it’s different than the last summit. We still don’t have a plan. We’ve no clue how to take down all of these Dukes and spirits. Anna keeps talking about having faith, how this battle is bigger than just her, bigger than any of us, but I just want her to live. And yes. I want the demons gone for good.

I haven’t let myself imagine what life will be like without them, but as I watch the eleven of them mingling—all present except Belial—the lot of them unconcerned and unbothered by the hell they’ve put everyone through, I want them gone so badly it burns like acid in my blood. I want them to pay.

I sit very still, as do the other Neph. We learned early on not to fidget. Not to draw attention or show weakness or disrespect. Anna starts to nibble on her nail and I nudge her leg with mine. She drops her hand to her lap.

Moments later Duke Rahab fills the open spot in the center of the room. All attention is on him as he speaks in a French accent, malice lacing each word. “I never believed this summit would be called. But alas . . . the great prophecy is upon us.” He motions to Father. I tense as Father strides straight to Anna, yanking her to her feet. My lungs constrict, watching him pull her to the middle of the room.

I slide to the edge of my seat.

“Her badge holds the white of innocence,” Rahab spits. “First the angels intervened to keep her alive, and then her father goes missing when we attempt to question him. But once we take out his offspring, we will find Belial, and he will be dealt with.”

“How can this be, Brother Rahab?” asks Blake’s dad, Melchom. Blake stares at his father in his new, young body—he looks like a Chinese movie star, and he’s modeled his hair to look just like Blake’s. “The prophecy was a myth!”

Rahab grins wickedly. “We have reason to believe that eighteen years ago a guardian angel broke ranks and possessed her human to be with a Duke. Some of you might recall the angel Mariantha and her touching bond with Belial?”

“The traitor!” bellows Zania’s father, Duke Sonellion. His eyes burn red and he bashes a fist against the table. Other Dukes follow suit, shouting their disgust.

“I am not sold on this so-called prophecy,” calls the smooth voice of Duke Alocer, Kope’s father. “How do we know it’s true? What proof do we have?”

The Dukes are so accustomed to being lied to from every angle that they break into an argument about the prophecy’s validity. I’m quite pleased about this development, as watching them squabble among themselves makes me feel that our ranks of Neph are stronger. Plus, it gives me a chance to discreetly bend my knee up and reach down, prying my knife from the sole of my boot. And then, slowly, I grab the other, sliding them both into my pockets.

The only person in the whole room who subtly glances at me is Marek, from his station at the door. His cheeks tighten as if he’s holding back a grin, and that seals my earlier wonderings. He’s golden.

The Dukes are raising their voices now over confusion about the prophecy. Rahab’s version completely leaves out the pivotal bit about the demons being given a chance at redemption—he thinks the prophecy is only about banishing them from earth, back to hell. Anna watches them intently, her forehead pinched.

The first true wave of terror hits me when I hear her speak. Her voice reaches above them all. “You’re all being given a second chance at heaven!”

Rahab’s hand flies back and he hits her so hard she falls to the floor. I am on my feet, but I’m not alone. Our entire row has stood.

“What are we waiting for?” Duke Thamuz yells. “Let’s kill her!”

If he goes near her, he will be the first to see the edge of my knife this night. I watch him carefully for any sign that he’ll pull a weapon. But he is shushed by the other Dukes who want to find out what Anna’s talking about.

Now they’re fighting over whether or not to let her talk and whether or not to believe her. They finally decide to let Anna state the prophecy in its entirety, and Jezebet, the Duke of Lies, confirms that Anna’s telling the truth. But none of this is working. They’re too thick to see this is a good thing for them. The Dukes hate hell, but they love earth. Here, they are gods. Why would they want to return to heaven, where everyone is equal? They want to kill Anna purely for suggesting it.

Father yanks Anna by the hair and grabs her, putting an arm around her throat. I move forward quickly, but Ginger grabs my back pocket to hold me in check. I push her hand away and stare at Anna—they’re scaring her to death. I can’t bloody stand here much longer.

Duke Thamuz is practically drooling, his eyes bright red. “Enough games. I want blood.” I palm my knife in my pocket. If it’s blood he wants, I’ll give him his own.

I search the walls and ceiling desperately for that bright light, thinking now would be a brilliant time for the angels to show, but there are only demons and Neph.

Father chuckles and I seethe at how he holds Anna against himself, eyes bright with hunger for his prey. “We will savor her. I won’t even have her first. She’s my little gift to you, brothers. Just be careful not to kill her yet, because she needs to suffer in every possible way. Heaven is watching. Let’s give them a show.”

I can hardly breathe as the Dukes move toward her, their eyes glowing red—Mammon, Thamuz, and Sonellion—Dukes of Greed, Murder, and Hatred. My eyes dart across the walls. Where are the bloody angels???

Anna struggles against Father as he laughs, darkly, getting his kicks off her fear, feeding off the rabid look in the others’ eyes. I can’t take it.

“Father . . . ,” I call.

“Not now!” He doesn’t even turn.

Mammon, the bastard who killed his own son, Flynn, is mere feet away from Anna, and he’s unbuckling his pants. I glance at Kope, his eyes severe, and he gives me a nod.

I zone in on Mammon as he licks his lips lewdly and reaches for Anna. Before I can blink again, my knife is out, opened, and flying directly toward its target. It imbeds deep in his eye, only the handle showing.

My God.

I hold my breath. He staggers back, then to the side as he tries to right himself, and ultimately falls to his knees. His spirit starts wrenching itself out before the body is dead, frantically fighting to release itself as if it’s on fire. I pull out my second knife and snap it open. All eyes are on Mammon, in horror and confusion.

Father turns abruptly, dragging Anna sideways. His face is contorted, livid, and he sprays spittle when he snarls at me. “What have you done?”

“Just a bit of holy water on the blade,” I tell him.

Mammon’s body dies with a thunk on the floor, and his spirit writhes in midair, in agony.

“You,” Father whispers. He advances on me, pulling Anna, and my stomach twists. I have publicly shamed him in the worst possible way, and if something doesn’t happen soon, it could get very ugly. “I trusted you.”

I nearly laugh. “No, you didn’t.”

Father gapes. Neph and Dukes alike gasp at my backtalk. I have to be careful here—I need to get Anna away from him, and I only have one knife left. He’s pulled her body in front of his, practically crouching behind her.

“You filthy, weak idiot!” Father shouts. “You had more potential than all my past sons combined! How could you let yourself be charmed, like a dog, by a Neph girl? You’re a failure.”

You’re a failure. Nothing I ever did was good enough.

“Kill him,” Rahab demands.

Nobody moves.

Adrenaline beats through me as I stare around at the room, glad to have the attention off Anna. I weave the blade through my fingers, hoping they will forget about her and let her go while they’re focused on me. I wait for them to advance, but they simply stare at me with red eyes, quickened breaths, and ferocious faces.

I’ve pissed off the lot of them. Except perhaps Jezebet, the one female Duke. She looks rather amused. And Alocer is stoic and unmoved, very much like Kopano, his son.

“Brother Pharzuph,” Astaroth begins. I know what he is going to say, and I steel myself. “I’m afraid this is more dire than we thought. Your son and the traitor’s daughter are quite . . . in love.”

Hm. I like the sound of that. It’s the worst possible kick in the balls I can give Father, who looks as if he might vomit. “You jest,” he snarls.

“Not in the least,” Astaroth says. “And they’ve acted on it. They’re married.”

The room erupts in loud gasps and sounds of outrage.

Our Nephilim revolt has begun.

The sons of Thamuz are next to disobey their father, although it’s under the influence of Anna—she telepathically sends them the order, even as she’s being gripped from behind by my father. She rarely uses her unique power of influence unless it’s to stop an evil act such as this. Much to their own confusion, the sons of Thamuz put down their guns and won’t shoot us.

The twins are next, refusing to move away from my side when Astaroth orders. The Dukes are seething at the audacity of the Nephilim not to obey them.

“Excuse me, Duke Rahab,” calls Marek from the door he guards. “I apologize for the interruption, but I believe Duke Belial approaches.”

Belial enters in his rapper body, sporting a pinstriped suit with a gorgeous Zania at his side, standing tall and strong. Her father, Sonellion, lets out a growl of outrage.

“Traitor! You were behind all of this! You stole my daughter!”

Belial laughs at this notion. Everyone knows Sonellion discarded his daughter. “We got a lot to talk about,” Belial tells his fellow Dukes. “I know I’m not the only one in this room who knew after the Fall we’d been used like a bunch of fools. Lucifer’s the one who did us wrong—”

“How dare you!” Rahab bellows.

Sonellion reaches for his gun, but Belial points a finger straight at me.

“You’d better rethink that, my man. You see my son-in-law over there? He got damn good aim with that knife, as y’all have seen.”

I hold my shiny blade out for them to see. Eyes glow red all around me.

Belial challenges the other Dukes to consider returning to heaven, and they argue fiercely among themselves. I watch Father carefully, waiting for the moment I can extract Anna from his grip. He’s loosening his hold as he joins the argument, and has got her only by the wrist now. I’m about to rush the center of the room to make my move when something incredible happens.

The Neph Marek brilliantly pulls something from under the back of his shirt and tosses it to Anna, who snatches it from the air. Father leaps away when he realizes what it is, and I run to Anna’s side as the blade brilliantly bursts to life in her hands. She wields the sword, bathing the room in its celestial glow.

It’s absolutely beautiful. And so is she. My warrior.

Screams and shouts erupt as the Dukes and whisperers knock into each other, clamoring to distance themselves from the Sword of Righteousness.

Belial, Marek, Blake, the twins, Zania, Kopano, and his brothers all join me as we stand behind Anna. The Dukes slink back, looking as if they might piss themselves, and the spirits overhead hiss and stir.

I’m still expecting, hoping, the angels will come at any moment. How will Anna get rid of the demons on her own? The room holds more than a hundred Neph, but I’m certain not all of them will want to fight. Some are too old, or too young. Some of them are loyal to their fathers and will fight against us.

I bloody hate it that I cannot figure out a strategy. It’s beyond me. Anxiousness is threatening to overtake me when something horrendous happens.

It’s Patti. They bring her in through the hidden door I’d noticed. They captured poor Patti and dragged her here, to torture her in front of Anna.

I have witnessed my share of heartbreaking events, but none has affected me like this. When Anna sees her earthly mum, her wail is agonizing to my ears. Patti’s love blooms out from her body when she hears Anna’s voice, and then she’s surrounded by an aura of peace. I’ve always admired this woman, from the day I met her, long before I knew she’d become my mother-in-law. She’s the only woman who’s ever loved me in a purely motherly way.

My eyes burn. She’s been like a mum to me—to all of us.

Anna holds the sword in both hands, moving her weight from foot to foot. Tears stream down her face, and the twins are silently crying. I am dizzy with the horror of it all. I hold my knife, keeping my wrist loose.

Thamuz cuts Patti across the face, but Belial grabs my arm before I can throw my knife. His eyes are pained as he shakes his head. How can he stand there and let this happen? I know it’s some bloody test of faith for Anna, but this is wrong!

I could ignore Belial and kill Thamuz now. I can see Anna wants to leap forward, wants to run to her, but if she gets herself in the thick of the Dukes she will be overpowered, even if she manages to take out one or two before she goes down.

I understand all of this, but I hate it. Two seconds ago we were gaining an upper hand, and now it’s like we’re powerless all over again. They’ve got one of ours for leverage. One of our most beloved.

When Thamuz attacks Patti, stabbing her, I grasp Anna to hold her up. The shrieks from Anna and the twins are the sounds of night terrors. Everything in me feels heavy and hollow.

“Bastards,” I say through gritted teeth.

Thamuz raises the knife again, but I cannot let it happen. This must stop now. Anna mirrors my thoughts: “Stop him, Kai.”

With pleasure.

Thamuz is turned away from us, facing Patti with his arm raised, and I hurl my knife into the back of his thick neck. When his feral spirit heaves itself from its body and comes racing jaggedly toward us, Anna slashes him through. We watch as his spirit evaporates. Disappears. The Dukes back away—watching another from their ranks obliterated seems to stun them. I can see their minds working, though they make no move to fight.

Belial scoops up Patti and brings her to Anna. It’s not good. She’s only human. She can’t heal from this kind of injury on her own. Patti’s eyes move to each of our faces in turn, to say her good-byes. When her eyes meet mine she tries to smile and I’m slammed with angry sorrow. Anna is crying, still clenching the hilt in her hands, and I hold her by the shoulder, wishing I could fix this.

“I’m not scared, honey,” Patti says to Anna. “I’m ready.” We watch, helpless, as she takes her last breath, and her spirit rises gracefully from her body, smaller than an angel, and without wings, but beautiful in its own way. Her guardian angel bows its head over her, gathering her close. It lifts her straight up and out of sight, taking her home. Anna grits her teeth, her face wet and her eyes filled with the shock of loss.

Pandemonium arises as Neph, fed up from years of abuse, stampede toward the Dukes. Other Neph, who’re loyal to their fathers, try to shield them, and the fighting begins.

“Work to disarm them!” Belial shouts.

Belial is right. Several of the Dukes have guns. They have to be dealt with first. I stand in front of Anna with Belial at my side, blocking her from any stray bullets as our allies bear down on the Dukes with weapons.

Fighting back, rebelling, is far more exhilarating than I ever expected. The fear is still there, but when it blends with all the other feelings, the need for revenge, for freedom, it adds to the ripe recklessness within. I grasp this feeling, holding tight.

To the left, Duke Kobal tries to aim at Anna, leaning to the side. I instinctually lean as well, shielding her.

“Get Kobal!” I yell, and point at him.

Marna kicks him in the leg just before she’s yanked back by the hair by the small but substantial Neph Caterina. Kobal jerks when he’s kicked, shooting Duke Jezebet in the arm. She screams. Kobal aims again, but Kopano bursts through the crowd and takes him down. They wrestle on the ground. An enemy Neph runs past me, toward them, but I snatch him by the back of his shirt, spinning him and smashing my fist into his nose with a crunch. Then I shove him aside to deal with his bleeding and I shake out my hand. Blake dives for Kobal’s arm, wrenching the gun away and cracking Kobal in the eye with the handle.

I want to dive into the fight, but I refuse to leave Anna unguarded. Belial looks at me and nods his approval. We are her last line of defense.

As spirits swoop down, trying to overpower Anna with their vile whispers, I cast furtive glances back to be sure she’s okay. She is slashing the hell out of any who are stupid enough to get within arm’s reach.

Our allies work together to take down Dukes and enemy Neph. Marek retrieves my knife from Thamuz’s dead body and corners one of the enemy Neph. I can only assume we’re rounding up the Dukes in order to fulfill the prophecy, but as the battle rages on I’m beginning to wonder when the hell that’s ever going to happen.

In the middle of the fighting I see one of the sons of Thamuz crawling forward, grabbing for a small handgun that’s been knocked to the ground.

I shout to one of Kopano’s brothers, who’s standing closest, and he rushes for the Neph, but it’s too late. The son of Thamuz has made it to his knees and shoots half a second before he’s knocked down violently by Kope’s brother. Zania cries out as Kopano curls in on himself, shot in the chest, and falls to the ground.

Oh, fuck.

“No!” Anna screams. She tries to run, but I grab her arm and yank her back behind me.

Zania is at Kopano’s side, trying to stop the bleeding with her hands. From the corner of my eye I see someone rushing our other side and hear Belial yell. I turn just as Belial and Blake are grabbing Duke Sonellion’s arms. He thrashes, pushing toward Anna, and Blake swipes his feet out from under him. Anna raises the sword and I get the hell out of the way. She stabs him straight through. His chest arches up, then there’s a puff of smoke as his soul is extinguished.

Good riddance, Duke of Hate.

We look back over at Kopano, who’s now surrounded by Zania, his brothers, and his father. He’s so still. It makes something in my chest twist in agony.

“It’s not his time!” Duke Alocer cries out. My eyes are glued to the scene as Alocer’s spirit begins to rise from his skin, and his body slumps to the floor.

Anna gasps. “Oh, my gosh . . .”

Alocer, in spirit form, floats above Kope for a mysterious moment, and then sinks, disappearing into Kope’s body. My mouth drops. My God . . . his father is possessing him. He’s healing him. Saving him. Zania lets out a sob as Kopano’s body lurches. When his chest rises and falls in a pattern of regular breathing, his body heaves to dispense the invasive spirit. Alocer pulls himself from Kope’s form and looks down at his son. A few people cheer. Zania looks at his father’s spirit with open gratitude. Kope blinks up at him.

I’ve always known Duke Alocer loved Kopano, but to see it burns my chest with longing. I seek out my father in the mass, and he is watching the interaction with loathing. He can make no move, though. Duke Jezebet, who turned out to be a longtime ally of Belial, stands behind him, pointing a knife at his back.

Zania kisses Kope’s forehead, crying with joy, and I nod to myself, huffing out a breath of relief. Anna lets out a laugh. He’s going to be okay.

Nearly all of the remaining Dukes and enemy Neph are disarmed and detained, but I’m not sure how long we can hold them. They are still struggling viciously and screaming their anger like savages.

“It’s time,” Anna says.

“Yes!” I shout over my shoulder.

Does she know what’s to happen next? Does she sense that angels are coming?

And then her voice turns sweet and reverent in the air behind me. . . .

“Father . . . let your will be done.”

She’s . . . praying? That’s not at all the tactic I was expecting, but each word sends a tingle down my spine. I’m not the only one who feels it. Others around us look up.

Through the fighting I see my father again. He’s staring at Anna. For a moment I imagine that the look of shock on his face means something different, like perhaps he’s having an epiphany, and I feel a lightness of hope. And then his eyes burn red and he opens his mouth with a war cry. All hope vanishes when I see the bloodlust in his eyes—his hatred of her and what she’s trying to do. He backhands Jezebet, who drops the knife and grabs her bleeding nose. Father charges. I raise my arm to stop him, knife up.

Belial rushes from the side and tackles him with a forearm to the throat. His head slams against the floor. Father is large in his new body, but Belial is massive and holds him down while I crouch at his side.

He struggles against Belial, his face furious, and I shake my head. “It’s too late, Father. This is your opportunity to make amends.”

It would be stupid to harbor a grain of hope at this point. And yet, I am still disappointed in his response.

“I will not grovel at His feet!”

Belial shakes his head and mumbles, “You gonna be groveling in hell, brother.”

Father tries to spit at him, but it ends up on his own chin. I look up at Anna, nodding for her to continue.

Her voice is clear. “I pray forgiveness, for the souls who once betrayed you and have reconciled. Return them to their rightful home, and let those spirits who still harbor hatred be returned to hell. . . .”

The dark room begins to glow, as if night-lights have been switched on. Whisperers circle and spin above us. Belial grins at me.

“It’s working!” I say to Anna. “Keep going!”

Her eyes are closed and her face is luminescent. She stands with her feet apart, the sword still blazing in her hands, and says the magic words: “Banish all the demons from earth!”

I’m racked with a sudden bout of dizzying vertigo, but when I look around I see I’m not alone. Everyone’s eyes have gone round as they’re staring at the floor. Blake’s eyes lock with mine across the room. I skate my gaze to the twins, Kope, and Z.

What is happening? It feels like a bloody earthquake. Are we all going to be killed? Will we all be taken tonight?

The fear that threatens to rise up is suddenly snuffed out by a glorious warmth that envelops me and sends an absolute hush over the room.

Anna belts out the last of her prayer. “I ask with all my heart that the demon stains be washed from the souls of all Nephilim, both here on earth and those who came before us. Please allow us a chance at redemption!”

The ground cracks open with a shattering boom, throwing the room off balance. Anna stumbles and drops the sword. It rolls straight into the depths of the crack. I grab her and pull her aside as tables slide past and chairs fall over. I look toward the side door, not twenty feet away. We have to make it there.

The room stills again.

One by one, the souls of the Dukes are sucked from their bodies. One by one the dark souls are siphoned into the crack, returning to hell for good. I watch with more sadness than I want to admit as Father’s soul lifts and his hand reaches for me before it goes lifeless. And then his soul is spiraling away. Down, down, down.

Gone.

Now angels appear from above, a whole slew of them lighting up the room, and I want to say, Bit late, aren’t you? But then I have to smile, because we handled it without them—with Anna leading the way.

With the angels comes that warm feeling again. Belial closes his eyes and lifts his face. Something alive is in the room. Something I can’t see, but I can feel. It’s like the warm joy I get when I’m with Anna, and when I saw her mother, but even purer. Even stronger. It’s all-encompassing.

It’s a feeling of love.

“It is well,” says a soothing whisper in my ear like the wind. My heart is beating too fast. I remember what I’d said that day at the Grand Canyon. We can talk peace when You get rid of the demons. Well, I’ll be damned. I think I’ve just been humbled.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

I look over at Anna, who’s watching in awe as the few redeemed demons’ stains are lifted from their badges, and their souls rise.

Belial and Anna look at each other.

“You did good, baby girl,” he says. He grasps Anna tightly, and she all but disappears inside his large embrace. And then, like the others, his soul rises, leaving Big Rotty’s body lying there. He smiles down on us, shining in the newness of his cleansed soul, white wings flapping. With a final grin, he shoots up and away.

The angels ascend, leaving us, and I stare at Anna. Her eyes are aglow with joy. She’s alive. She made it. We both did. I pull her to me and hold her tight. She laughs in my arms.

And then something feels . . . strange. My entire torso is heavy and overly hot, then there’s a pull, like a vacuum is on my sternum. I watch in shock as dark red smoke leaves my body where my badge is, and wafts away.

What the . . . ?

I look at Anna as a fizzle of putrid yellow seeps from her badge, leaving it white as snow. She puts a hand over her chest, then looks at my badge and grins. I lift my eyes to the other Neph in the room, who are all staring around at each other’s white badges. What does it mean?