Alice walked towards them with slow measured steps. She left behind black scorch marks in her wake from her footsteps. Azrael knew it wasn’t her any longer, but it didn’t stop him wanting to go to her. His feet moved of their own accord before anyone could stop him. She was still everything to him. His Alice. Something shifted behind her black eyes. Something which gave him far more hope than he should ever strive to possess.
Alice stopped halfway towards the assembled group. A frown appeared on her brow. Her eyes fell on Az. She put a hand on her heart as if she was feeling something alien. He didn’t hesitate, striding over to her with determined steps. Alice blinked rapidly when he stood in front of her. Her black eyes cleared. Those perfect grey eyes appearing in their stead.
“Az?” she whispered. “Are you… are you really here?”
He reached out, cupping her face, running a thumb along her cheek.
My love.
“Yes.”
“I don’t know how long I can keep it at bay.”
She shuddered, the smoke coiling around her. She shook it off.
“How are you still in there? It took you from me.”
His heart pounded so hard he felt as though it might burst through his chest. She was still here. She was still alive. His Alice.
“I don’t know. When it saw you, it couldn’t keep me out. I can see everything it sees. Feel everything it feels. It is almost as if we are linked to each other. The Darkness cannot exist without me.”
Azrael froze, the implications of what she was saying dawning on him. He didn’t like it. Not one bit. Yet she was standing in front of him. The woman he loved with every inch of his being. The Darkness hadn’t destroyed her. Not yet.
“Alice, I thought… I thought I’d never see you again. I thought I would only see the Darkness wearing your face.”
She gave him her brightest smile. Radiant. She had always been the most perfect woman to him.
“I can’t keep this up, Az. I’m sorry.”
Tears slipped down her cheeks. He brushed them away. He took her hand, placing it directly on his chest where his heart lay. He placed his own on top of hers.
“This is yours.”
“Az,” she said, choking on his name.
“It has always been yours. I will never feel this way about another.”
She brought her other hand up, placing it on his, where he could feel her heart pounding.
“And mine is yours.”
Her eyes flickered from black to grey. He was losing her again. He leant down, their lips brushing for a mere moment. When he pulled away, her eyes were black again. She smiled at him.
“Azrael,” the Darkness spoke through her perfect mouth. “Your little human girl is going to watch me burn the world.”
He was shoved backwards, flying through the air until he slammed into someone else. They fell backwards with Azrael sprawled out on top of his brother.
“Get off me,” Lucifer grunted, shoving at Azrael’s back.
He rolled off his brother, getting up and dusting himself down. Lucifer sprung up, rage burning in his dark eyes.
“That was not a smart idea, brother,” he said, his words dripping with disdain.
“What would you have me to do? The Darkness has taken her form.”
“Your feelings for that human girl will be our downfall.”
Azrael clenched his fists. Lucifer was already getting on his nerves. An alliance with his brother was never a good idea. No after the centuries had soured their relationship.
“You couldn’t possibly understand.”
“No, I suppose not. I do not concern myself with mortal emotions. They’re useless. And yet they will prevent you from doing what you’re meant to.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“What did Father say to you?”
Azrael paced away. Alice was still standing watching the assembled crowd with an expression of glee on her face.
“Does it matter? He told me I had to fulfil my purpose no matter what.”
“Only you can end this. Don’t you see? None of us will be able to do it.”
He looked at the woman he loved. He knew what Lucifer was getting at. The end. His father said he would bring the end. Azrael had always thought he meant the end of the world, but perhaps he was wrong. Perhaps his real destiny was to bring an end to the Darkness.
A prospect he did not relish in the slightest.
He would have to kill Alice in order to destroy the Darkness.
It was the only way to save the world from ruin.
And it would tear his heart and soul to shreds in the process.
§
Alice felt the Darkness commanding every inch of her body. She was frozen inside. Utterly helpless. Those last few moments she’d been able to speak to Az were too much for her. She’d already said her goodbyes. She thought the Darkness would destroy her. It could inhabit her body, but Alice was still here. She felt herself rising up, huge black wings of smoke coiled around her back.
“The time has come. You who stand in my way will be cast down,” the Darkness said.
You know, you sound like a cartoon villain right now.
The Darkness ignored her. Black smoke poured out of her fingers, coiling around until there were at least a hundred solid smoke figures below her. The demons were the first to engage, roaring as they ran towards the figures, swinging swords and battle axes. The vampires and wolves followed. Azrael and Lucifer stayed back. She hadn’t expected the two of them to engage. They seemed to be arguing with each other instead. She wanted to know what they were saying, but she was too far away and the battle cries were too loud.
The Darkness laughed, the sound echoing around her head.
Evil laughs are also cartoonish. Are you really that one dimensional? You might have control of my body, but I’m not some pawn in your games.
“Oh, dear Alice, but you are.”
She shoved at the Darkness, wanting it out of her body. She knew it was useless to try, but it didn’t stop her. This sick game it was playing made her heart ache. God’s Wrath. She couldn’t help but feel God was holding back a little. All this talk of destroying the world and yet there was no real evidence it was what he actually intended.
If God really wanted to destroy everything, He could do it without sending you. Tell me, why are you really here?
“You ought not to think too much on it. It’s not your concern. You are merely my vessel. You cannot stop this from happening.”
Nothing good was coming out of her arguing with the Darkness. She observed the ensuing battle. Demons, vampires and shifters clashed with smoke figures. She couldn’t tell who was winning and who wasn’t. The witches started to engage, throwing spells at the figures approaching the two angels, Ella, Lukas and Daisy.
Lucifer and Azrael were still deep in conversation, ignoring the battle completely. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the three vampires she’d met fighting back to back in a defensive stance. The Darkness seemed to notice her interest.
“Ah, that vampire. Now, where is his little wife?”
Don’t. Don’t you dare!
Images of what the Darkness intended to do to Daisy flashed through her mind. She wanted to scream. It was horrific. She might not have trusted Gavin, but she didn’t want the Darkness to kill an innocent human either.
The Darkness reached out a long arm of smoke, coiling through the crowd until it hit its target standing beside Ella and Lukas. It whipped her upwards. A scream rang out.
“Get the fuck off me,” Daisy shouted, trying to desperately shove the dark smoke off her.
Stop. Just stop. She doesn’t deserve any of this.
Daisy was hanging upside down, her dark hair falling down in waves. The smoke had latched on to one of her feet. Alice tried to push against the Darkness again. It laughed in her head.
I hate you. You’re ruining all our lives and for what? Because God commanded you? That’s bullshit.
“Oh, little vampire, look who I’ve found,” the Darkness said, its attention on Gavin.
Gavin turned looking up at the Darkness with a frown. His eyes followed the line of smoke widening when they fell on Daisy.
“No,” he shouted.
He ran towards her, fighting his way through the mass of bodies and smoke.
“Daisy!”
“Gavin,” she shouted, twisting around to look at him. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
The Darkness laughed.
“Little human, your life is wasted on him. Vampires are abominations. Yet, you still seek to stay with the man who almost got you killed.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Daisy said. “What the fuck do you even know anyway?”
“I’ve seen inside your head, little human.”
“Then you’ll know he’s changed. He loves me and I love him. What does it even matter to you anyway?”
“Why, nothing.”
And with that, the Darkness threw her across the clearing. She flew into a tree, an almighty smack sounding before she slumped down in front of it. The Darkness turned its attention back to the battle, but Alice was focused on the vampires and Daisy.
No! No! She can’t be dead.
Daisy raised her head slightly. She opened her mouth. Blood pooled out of it. A roar of anguish sounded. Neave and Jack turned their heads, spying Daisy by the trees. They zipped towards her just as Gavin arrived at her feet. He knelt down, cupping her face.
“Gavin,” she choked out.
“Shh, my love, it’s okay. I’m here.”
“This feels a little like déjà vu.”
“Don’t say that.”
She half smiled at him.
“Did you ask her?”
He shook his head.
“Well, now she won’t have a choice.”
Alice had no idea what they were referring to, but she knew on some level, Daisy was dying. It wasn’t right. She’d done nothing.
Neave and Jack arrived next to Daisy and Gavin. He looked up at the female vampire.
“She doesn’t look good, boss,” Neave said.
Jack eyed Gavin for a moment before nodding.
“I need you to do something for me, Neave,” Gavin said.
“What?”
“Turn her.”
Neave’s eyebrows shot up. She took a step back.
“No. Hell no. You know I don’t want to be anyone’s sire. You know why. Don’t make me do this.”
Daisy’s head lolled on her chest. She’d fallen unconscious.
“If I do it, our relationship will change and neither of us want that. Please, Daisy is willing. We’ve talked about this. It has to be you.”
Neave looked between Daisy and Gavin. Alice didn’t know what a relationship between a vampire and their maker entailed. Azrael hadn’t told her much about the supernatural world.
“Why not Jack?”
“You know why,” Jack replied. “I’m returning to Peru with her brother.”
Neave looked sceptical for a moment. She sighed. She knelt down on the floor besides Gavin, taking Daisy’s arm and pulling it towards her.
“Are you sure this is what she wants?” Neave asked.
“Yes. Save my wife. Please.”
Neave bit down on Daisy’s wrist. Alice flinched internally. She didn’t really want to watch a blood exchanged. She imagined it was what Neave was going to do. She couldn’t think of another way that a vampire could create another. If this was the only way to save Daisy, she could only be glad of it. It would rob the Darkness of its revenge against Gavin in some small way.
Minutes ticked by until Neave released Daisy’s wrist.
“How much blood do I need to give her?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve never made another vampire,” Gavin replied.
“And yet you expect me to do it. Men. Typical.”
Gavin smiled at her. Neave tore open her wrist with her teeth before clasping Daisy’s head and tipping it back. Neave opened Daisy’s mouth and put her wrist to it. Alice couldn’t make out exactly what was happening, but she imagined blood was dripping down. After a minute, Neave had to re-open the wound at her wrist.
“How will I know when it’s taken?” Neave asked.
“You’ll feel it. At least that’s what I’ve been told.”
Neave frowned but turned back to Daisy. She looked very pale to Alice’s eyes. Neave seemed to stiffen for a moment before pulling her wrist back.
“It’s done,” she said.
“Now you have to take her to ground,” Jack said.
“Seriously? And this is a new outfit.”
She leant down and picked up Daisy.
“I trust you, Neave,” Gavin said. “Take care of my wife.”
Neave rolled her eyes. Gavin stroked Daisy’s hair from her face, placing a kiss on her cheek. He stepped back and Neave sped away. Alice could only hope that Daisy survived.
Gavin turned, looking up at the Darkness with a thunderous expression on his face. Alice knew without a doubt; the vampire would show no mercy. Not when it had tried to kill the woman he loved.