Chapter Twenty-One
THEA
Thea sucked in a breath, a rush of power and emotion coursing through her body. Oriah's hold on her snapped and melted away, and the only thing she felt was Cam. His presence was inside her, comforting, strong, and powerful. She stared at him, unable to take her eyes off him as she felt a pleasant burn at the back of her neck that she knew had something to do with the fact they just mated.
Thea. We need to fight, came Cam's voice from inside Thea's mind. Unlike her mother's, Cam's voice was soothing and comforting, soft as a caress in her mind.
Thea nodded. I'm back in control, she said back to him.
Just as she was about to go through the door, they both sprang into action. She pulled on the Stream… and energy came to her. It was slow at first, but flowed quicker the more she pulled.
I can access the Stream, she told Cam, who was using his fists and daggers. Use the Stream, Cam.
She created a shield and expelled a wall of energy that hit all the demons around her in one blast, knocking them to the ground. Instantaneously creating a number of spikes, she sent them through the necks of as many demons she could before they managed to get up, taking advantage of their shock and slow reaction. One of them sent a flutter of energy out of the room through the wall, and she knew that more were going to come.
Behind her, she felt Cam's progress with his demons and knew he was out of their grasp and moving toward her. She stepped backward toward him and they met in the middle of the room back-to-back.
How will we get out of here? Thea said.
We fight. Either we both get out of here, Cam replied, grimly, or we both die.
Thea smiled, and even though he couldn't see it, she knew he could feel it.
They firmed their stances, as more Legion entered the room and surrounded them. Their shields merged, and energy balls and spikes materialized in the air around them as they prepare to fight. Working in perfect sync as always, they rotated, spun passed each other and crossed to counter the attacks of all the Legion in the room. They threw angelic energy, darted out to land a punch or kick, and even slashed and threw holy blades. As they fought, Thea realized their energies were indistinguishable. She could use and manipulate energy balls and spikes Cam created, and he could use hers. It made their combined attack seamless. At one point, as she turned to direct a spike over his shoulder, she pulled three of his blades from his boot and hip and swung them in various directions across the room, hitting the demons she knew were standing back. Even the cowards would not be safe. Cam chuckled, and a blush rose to her cheeks that he'd overheard that thought.
She glimpsed her mother crossing the room to a door she hadn’t noticed before, and instinctively grabbed the last holy dagger from Cam’s hip. Her mother had agreed with the demons that she would bring Thea there to be mated with the Devourer, which meant if Thea had refused to do what she wanted, that’s what would have happened. Cam had highlighted something Thea struggled to grasp with her mother in her mind, which was that Oriah had manipulated her for her own selfish needs and continued to manipulate her by not allowing her to even have control over her own emotions and body. Asteroth had been right; Oriah was not the angel she once was, not the woman her father had known, and no mother to her. Channeling all of the new energy she had acquired into the dagger, she stepped forward, whipped her body around and threw it at her mother. It slammed into Oriah’s stomach and she collapsed.
As the extra power drained from her, a burning heat engulfed her body, and she grit her teeth as she returned to battling the demons while trying to endure it.
While they fought, more Legion poured into the room soon followed by Zak and a few other angels, including Dani who seemed to be drawing on red lightning. Immediately the burn on Thea’s skin lessened.
The room was thick with energy, heat, and movement as angels and demons fought each other. Dani stayed near the door and channeled angelic energy into the room for angels to use. Thea watched in horror as Zak was thrown backwards by a blow from one of the Legion but as she stepped towards him, he bounced back from the fall immediately, his face a mask of cool anger and blasted the Legion back with something that looked like a giant spike of purple energy. He glanced at Thea and dipped his head. She nodded and returned to Cam's side.
Suddenly it was over. The Legion were lying dead or dying on the floor, and Thea was surrounded by angels. Thea looked around at all of them, at Dani, at Zak. They had sustained substantial injuries but for the most part, everyone looked okay. She sighed, relieved it was over.
"We have to leave now," Zak ordered. "Everyone back to the portal. More Legion are coming."
"Thea," came a weak voice from behind her. Thea turned to see her mother on the ground gripping the hilt of a holy blade protruding from her stomach. She went to her and dropped to her knees.
“Thank you, Thea,” her mother sighed. “You don’t know how grateful I—”
"I did this for Dad. Not for you." Thea said, choking on the tears that threatened. “He’ll never know what you became. That you were willing to enslave your own child to the most evil being that exists to share your torture with you.”
Oriah’s eyes widened and her face dropped. "I'm sorry, Thea," she whispered. "I'm sorry I didn't give you a choice. I'm sorry I made you kill and hurt those people." She winced and shifted onto her side a little. "I was thinking of myself; I didn't think about them or you. I couldn’t.” She struggled for words to explain. “As a demon, it’s not possible for me to… do good. I tried, but this was the best I could do. The choices that demons make are warped and steeped within what we are. Look at your father, I tried to help him and I ended up…" Tears filled her eyes and her voice trembled. "I love him. I have always loved him, and I will always love you. So thank you. I hope you can forgive me one day; forgive me for making you kill and forgive me for bargaining your life with the Devourer for mine. I wish you could have known me before I became this."
Thea shook her head as her nose stung and tears filled her eyes. The room was quiet and she knew the angels must be watching her with her mother. She didn't care.
"Thank you for what you did for me," Thea said, softly. "The sacrifice you made to protect me and Dad. I wish you could have been with me, that we could have been together. I have always loved you too, Mom. And I love you for who you were."
Oriah nodded and reached up to touch Thea's face, then her eyes closed and her head dropped back. Thea felt the energy drain from her mother until she was nothing but a shell. Thea closed her eyes and let the tears come, the tears she thought she didn't have anymore. Cam knelt down, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her away from her mother.
Thea turned into him and he cocooned her with his body, his love, and his attention, sending her comfort through their connection. She buried herself in him and he scooped into his arms and took her away.