Chapter Twenty-One
Eden
I knew that one day I would have to fight for my life, but I didn’t know it would be in the Underworld.
Alex had asked me what was wrong, but the truth was . . . I didn’t know what was wrong.
Ever since we’d stepped through the portal, I felt like something was wrong. This entire world was wrong. It was making me feel things I shouldn’t have. It had awoken darkness inside me that never existed before. There was a battle raging inside—good vs. evil. And here, in the Underworld, it seemed as if the darkness was devouring the light.
Up until this point, I had been petrified with fear. Talking about coming into the Underworld to save someone was one thing, but actually coming to this place was pure madness. I had barely survived a few Fallen in the mortal world, but we had just entered a place where the immortal Fallen lived, including Lucifer—King of the Underworld. That fact took me to a place beyond fear. A place with no light, where only shadows and darkness dwelled.
All around me, in the sky and on the ground, were hundreds of Fallen. Every one of them trained for battle with weapons in hand, wanting to kill me and all the people I’d grown to love. The fear of losing them, especially Alex, sent a crack deep in my soul and rippled through my cells.
Since I’d arrived in the Underworld, I’d fought the darkness trying to insert itself inside me. I felt its tendrils slowly seeking out the good. Then, I realized . . . What if it was trying to make me stronger? What if my goodness was making me weak? If the darkness could give me the power to save Alex and the others, why would I fight it?
I could feel the power of this place. It was tempting my gift, wanting me to reveal it. Maybe, because my father was Fallen, it knew that I was Fallen too. And it wanted to help.
As I looked into the faces of my friends and my bonded, I saw strength, but I also saw hope vanishing. They all knew there was no way to escape this place. Not with an army of hundreds of Fallen surrounding us.
So, I made a decision. I would do whatever necessary to assure their safety, even if it meant letting the darkness swallow my soul.
Then, Alex said he wasn’t going to leave me. I wanted to do this alone, but our bond would never let him leave me alone in the face of danger. With him here, I had no choice but to give in. Even now, I could feel the darkness knocking to let it in.
So, I closed my eyes and stopped fighting, letting the darkness flood over and through me. A surge of electricity jolted through me, stronger than I’d ever felt before. Every ounce of fear I had was gone. Every negative thought . . . quenched. The darkness smiled inside, and it was then I knew . . . even if I didn’t survive this, I could save them.
When I opened my eyes, the entire world and everyone in it was red. Blinking, nothing changed, but I could feel an immense power buzzing through and around me. Dark clouds circled in the sky and the wind began to blow.
I ordered Alaine and the others to head for the portal, and they listened without hesitation. Their faces told me that they knew something was different with me. I just hoped they realized that what I was doing was for them.
About twenty yards away, a figure stepped out from the massive wall of Fallen warriors. He was tall with dark hair and lots of muscles. He must have been the captain of the Fallen army because they seemed to move when he walked past.
“You must be Eden,” he said, his voice deep and loud.
I stood tall, crossing my arms over my chest. “It seems you know me. But who the hell are you?” A moment ago, I would have hidden behind Alex in fear. My knees would have buckled and I’d be cowering on the ground. But the fear was gone. And it seemed to have been replaced with what I could only explain as . . . an attitude.
I had become a bitch.
The man laughed, large ebony wings furled and glistened behind his back. He took a step forward and so did Alex with his sword tightly grasped in his hand.
“Don’t come any closer,” he warned.
“Ahhh—you must be her bonded. How sweet of you to want to try and protect her.”
“What do you want?” I hollered, taking Alex by his free hand.
He smiled a wicked smile. “You feel the darkness inside you, don’t you? That great power buzzing under your skin is growing because it’s drawing from this place . . . your true home.”
“This is not my home,” I growled, and thunder roared overhead.
“Whether you like it or not, Eden, you are one of us.”
Heat burned through my veins. “I will never be one of you.”
“Oh, I think it’s already too late for that. Even now, we can see the darkness growing inside you. It has even marked you.” He pointed to his eyes.
I turned to Alex. “What does he mean?”
Alex stared into my eyes, and took a deep breath, but didn’t speak.
“Alex, tell me.”
He held out his sword to me, polished and glistening. In the blade I saw my eyes and gasped. They weren’t brown anymore. They were black with a crimson ring around it.
“What does this mean?” I exhaled, my heart racing.
The wind picked up and a bolt of lightning shot from the sky, striking the ground between us and the man.
“It means nothing,” Alex said.
I looked into his beautiful emerald eyes. They were so soft, so warm. His beautiful white wings were folded behind his back, and raven hair rustled in the wind caused by me. My heart softened as the bond between us tightened.
There was nothing in any world—mortal or immortal—that I could ever love more. He’d come into the Underworld with me, stayed by my side, and I knew without a shadow of a doubt, that he would give his life to save mine.
I hoped he knew and understood that I would do the same for him.
I took a step forward staring straight at the man. “I asked you before but you seemed to have averted my question. What. Do. You. Want?”
I already knew what they wanted even before he answered. They wanted me. They’d captured and tortured Thomas, severed his wings and sent one in a box to Alaine’s house because they wanted me in exchange for him.
They hated Nephilim, and I’d witnessed what they did to them. That poor girl, Sage, had been starved and tortured because she was a half-breed like me. They were scared of us. Scared of the power we possessed.
They should be scared.
“We want you to come home, Eden.”
“Bullshit!” I let out a vociferate laugh. “You mean the same home you threw the poor Nephilim girl into? The one where she was abused? Not gonna happen.” The rage and hatred inside began to grow and I let it, because with it, more power coursed through my veins.
Thunder rumbled across the sky making the ground quake beneath us.
None of the Fallen warriors advanced, and I could tell they were shaken by my power.
I smiled, inside and out, tilting my head slightly to the side. “Since you already know my name . . . I’d like to know yours.” I was referencing their apparent leader.
“Beleth,” he answered.
“Hmm,” I tapped a finger to my chin. “Beleth, was it you who imprisoned my friend Thomas and tortured him?”
He gave a haughty grin. “And what if I did?”
“Then you should run, because the hell inside me is about to be unleashed.”
I twisted my head back to see the group nearing the warriors at the portal.
Heat and electricity charged through my body. I raised my arms into the air and the wind began to swirl around us creating a huge dust storm, blinding the Fallen from what was about to happen. With a flick of my finger, bolts of lightning burst from the sky, striking the Fallen in front of the portal. Screams echoed beyond the wall of dust. I sent lightning, again and again, until the screams became silent.
“Run!” I screamed to the group. I clenched my fists shut and the wind died, settling the dust.
Samuel grabbed Alaine and took to flight. Black wings spread and flew toward the portal. One after another, I watched my friends disappear. On the ground were dozens of Fallen bodies, steam rising from where the lightning had hit.
Dom stopped right before he entered. He turned back and his eyes met mine.
I grinned and nodded at him. “I’ll take care of him,” I said.
Dom gave me a single nod, then disappeared into the portal.
“You bitch,” Beleth growled.
I felt another wave of power jolt through me, set off by my growing rage.
“Alex,” I breathed.
He stepped behind me, the heat of his chest seeping through my back.
“I’m here,” he replied, his eyes scanning the Fallen, sword gripped tightly in his fist.
“Hold me and don’t let go.”
Alex sheathed his sword behind his back and wrapped his arms around my waist. “I’m here, Eden. I won’t let you go.” His words traveled straight into my heart, keeping that small flicker of light inside alive.
What I was about to do was for him. I was about to wage war on the Fallen.
Beleth wasn’t stupid. He knew what I was about to do. But I saw something flicker in his eyes. I saw something probably no one ever saw before. Fear.
“Kill them!” he shouted, his finger directing at me and Alex.
And just like that, Hell’s army was unleashed on us. From all sides they charged forward.
“I’ll always love you, Eden . . . in life and even in death,” Alex whispered into my ear. “From the beginning of my existence, my heart searched for you. It was always yours.”
Lightning cracked in the dark sky, lighting it up. A few of the Fallen stopped advancing. They must have been afraid after seeing what happened at the portal. But there were still hundreds bounding forward with hatred on their faces.
The clouds swirled, the wind howled, and thunder rumbled in the sky.
I won’t let him die.
Raising my arms, I felt that raw power surge through my fingertips. I quickly pulled a funnel downward, creating a massive twister. It was larger than any other I’d created before.
The Fallen’s charge slowed as the wind whipped, sending rubble and dust into the sky.
On our left, a few Fallen had pulled to the front. I pushed my hands toward them, directing the twister. It followed and in seconds, they were sucked up. I checked myself and found that even with the intense power I was wielding, I seemed to be getting stronger.
The wind was at my command.
As if orchestrating a symphony, I glided my hands from left to right, the twister sucking up Fallen like a vacuum. With a flick of my wrist, the bottom of the funnel thrust the ones caught inside, clear across the Underworld, until they were specks on the horizon.
“I know how they feel,” Alex said softly, probably to himself. If I wasn’t in a zone, trying to save us, I would have laughed.
My eyes scanned the area, looking for the man named Beleth, but he was nowhere to be seen. That the bastard sent his army, only to run away?
Coward.
Even with the twister, the Fallen were still coming, and I couldn’t suck them up fast enough. In between the twister, I sent lightening to strike the ones who were closest.
I felt Alex’s breath by my ear. “Eden, can you suck us up and shoot us into the portal?”
“Possibly,” I replied. That was genius, but I hadn’t ever tried it before. What if it sucked us up and I couldn’t get us out? The doubt was quickly swallowed up. I was the one who commanded the wind, and told it what to do.
I suddenly felt cold as Alex’s body left mine. He grabbed hold of my hand and when I turned, watched him block a Fallen attack with his sword. Anger filled me. They were getting too close. With a pulse of adrenaline, I pushed a massive bolt of lightning down, directly on top of the Fallen’s head. His head exploded, his body dropped to the ground, on fire.
Six more were too close. This was it.
I looked up into the dark sky and pulled down another funnel. This time I directed it over me and Alex and it dropped on us. The wind picked Alex up. I grabbed his hand with both of mine and held him, pulling him toward me. When he was close enough, I jumped toward him, wrapping my arms around his neck. His arms enclosed around my back. With just a thought, the twister began to move, Alex and me safe in its center.
“Eden, look,” Alex said looking down.
We were floating about six feet off the ground, the twister carrying us toward the portal.
“What happens if they follow us?” I questioned.
“They probably will. Once we get through the portal, I’ll fly you back to Alaine’s house.”
“But we won’t be invisible.”
“At this point, it doesn’t matter. I’ll keep low, just above the tree line.”
When I nodded, Alex leaned forward and pressed his lips against my brow. Despite the horrors that lay outside this twister, I never felt more safe than right there in his arms.
We were nearing the portal and right behind us were the Fallen, ready to pounce.
“Are you ready?” I asked him.
“Always,” he replied.
Flicking my wrist, the bottom of the funnel rose. In a split second, we shot like a rocket right out of the bottom. Alex spread his wings, gliding right into the portal. We flew over Santa’s chair and crashed into the Christmas tree. Decorations and fake presents flew everywhere.
“What the? You’re still alive,” Dom cheered, running over to us. “You two know how to make a smashing entrance.”
Dom, Mark, and Samuel had stayed behind and waited for us. Dom extended his arm and pulled Alex to his feet, then Alex lifted me into his arms. “They’re coming,” Alex said. “We have to get out of here.”
Samuel was at the door swinging it open. “Go,” he said.
Alex ran past him and took to the sky. Dom and Mark flew on either side of us, and Samuel in the back. They’d waited for us.
I hugged Alex’s neck and buried my face in his neck.
“Thank you,” I breathed.
“For what?”
“For loving me.” I kissed his cheek.
“I realize you’re emotional about being alive, but we’re being hunted. How about we pick up the pace?” Dom said.
Alex twisted his head toward him. “You got it, bro.” With a flap of his wings, Alex pushed forward.
I looked up into the sky and sent the wind sweeping behind us, slipping under their wings, carrying us faster.
“That is convenient,” Dom said. “Let’s all appreciate the fresh, cool air.”
In no time we were back at the house. They landed on the front porch and Alex immediately carried me inside. Alaine was coming from the kitchen with towels and supplies.
She dropped them on the ground and ran toward us with tears in her eyes. Alex set me on my feet and Alaine threw her arms around us, hugging us both.
“I wasn’t sure if we were going to see you both again.” Her chocolate eyes met mine. “Thank you, Eden. You saved us.”
“They’re still coming,” I said.
“I know,” she sighed. “We’ll talk after I bandage Sage. She’s taking a shower upstairs, but some of her wounds really need to be tended to.” She walked over and picked up her things. “The Fallen cannot cross the barrier. We’re safe from them, at least for tonight.”
“I’ll head to the tower and take first watch,” Samuel said.
Alaine pointed toward the kitchen as she made her way up the stairs. “Miss Lily made sandwiches. There is a basket of them on the kitchen counter.”
“Thanks,” Dom said, heading straight back. “My freaking pecks need some sustenance.”
“Samuel, I’ll come with you,” Mark said.
“Thanks, Mark. Let’s go get some sandwiches and head up. We can switch off.”
“I’ll take third shift,” Dom yelled from the kitchen. “I need a nap and a hot shower. Not in that order.”
“Let’s go upstairs.” Alex slipped one arm around my back, and the other under my knees and lifted me into his arms. Fatigue was finally catching up to me.
Alex drew me a bath and put some lavender salts inside. “I’m going to get us something to eat. I’ll be right back,” he said.
“Okay.” I snapped the door shut, slipped out of my super suit, and sank into the hot water. It caressed my aching muscles, instantly relaxing me. I sucked in a deep breath and exhaled, then found myself sobbing. So many different emotions hit me all at once and I didn’t know how to deal with it.
The rage and all that came with it had disappeared as soon as we exited the Underworld.
Just the fact that we had been in the Underworld, less than an hour ago, dialed my anxiety to high. Now that I was back, it had felt like I had been captured in a horrible episode of the Twilight Zone. But it wasn’t a nightmare. We had gone into Hell and rescued Thomas. Emma also saved Sage as well.
We did it. We actually did it and were all here to survive another day.
I took a deep breath and sank under the water, my ears muted.
How much longer would we have to fight for our lives? Would the Fallen ever leave the Nephilim alone? I could only hope, for my sake and all the Nephilim in the future, that there would be some way to stop it, so we could live our lives in normalcy. Well, as normal a life a Nephilim could get.
I stayed in the water until my fingers and toes were wrinkled and the water was cold.
When I finally got out of the bathroom, Alex had two trays set up on the bed with sandwiches, chips, and drinks. But one tray was emptied of its contents.
He was sitting on the edge of the bed, his green eyes glimmering, his raven hair disheveled. My stomach twisted inside. How in the world could he look so damn sexy after what we’d been through? It would always remain a mystery to me. He was gorgeous twenty-four-seven. It wasn’t fair.
I walked over to him and pressed myself against him. He cradled my face in his hands and pressed his warm lips against mine. Tongues, teeth, and lips became hungry. I moaned into his mouth and he smiled.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, his eyes studying mine. “Honestly.”
“Honestly, just a little tired. Not as bad as I thought I’d be.”
Placing another kiss on my lips, he stood from the bed. “Eat. You have to eat and rest to heal.”
“Where are you going?”
“First, I’m going to take a shower. Then, I’m going to talk to Alaine and give her a rundown of what happened. And lastly, I’m going to come to bed, possibly make love to my drop dead gorgeous mate.” He gave me a look of adoration. “You were kickass today.”
“I never want to go back there. Ever, ever, ever again.”
He smiled. “You will never have to go back there. Over my dead body.”
“That’s great to know. Because you are not allowed to die and leave me here alone.”
“Deal,” he said, holding out his pinky. “Only if you agree not to die either.”
I linked my pinky with his, then we both came in for one, dizzying kiss.
“And sealed with a kiss,” I breathed.
“Eat,” he said, heading into the bathroom with some clean pants and a tee.
I sat on the bed and enjoyed every bite, glad to be alive.