Chapter 3.

Despite my need to kill more Demons, I stayed at Tabitha’s house until sunrise.

Through the night, Margaret and Simone slept on and off, coming into the room often to check on Kadie’s progress.

And indeed, she did progress.

Her skin had a new glow to it. Her heartbeat was strong, and her body was healing all over.

“How much longer do you think?” I asked Tabitha sometime around sunrise.

I wanted to fly back to Earth and find who had done this. And then wipe them from the face of the planet.

But I didn’t want to miss the moment Kadie woke.

“I don’t know, Gabriel. She’d almost healed up physically, but that doesn’t mean she’s just going to wake up.”

“I know,” but I wanted her to.

Now.

“Where’s the baby?” She asked.

“With Jasmine. He’s safe.”

Tabitha’s shoulders visibly relaxed. “Good.”

“What baby?” Margaret’s voice sounded behind me.

I hadn’t told her of Kadie birthing my child before as I wasn’t sure I could trust her. But now, as Tabitha stood before me healed from her fight with the poison, and Kadie was finding her way back to me, it seemed I could trust the Witch.

“Kadie conceived my child less than two months ago, and then, yesterday, birthed him.”

Margaret’s eyes grew wide. “You must get him. If he is taken by the Demons, then we are all done for.”

I turned to face the Witch. “What are you talking about?

Simone and Margaret shared one of their speaking looks and I slammed my fist into the table.

“If you have been keeping something from me…”

Simone waved her hands. “It wasn’t like that. We didn’t realise that she had your child. You didn’t tell us.”

I help onto my temper by the barest of margins.

“Talk,” was all I could manage.

Simone stepped forward. “There have been tales of half angel babies since the dawn of time.”

“Yes…” I said, curling my fingers tightly into a fist.

“But within our covens, there has also been a legend. Of a man who will save all of humanity. A half Witch, half Angel child, who will be stronger than both.”

I looked at Tabitha and she nodded slowly.

She’d mentioned something like that to me yesterday and I had struggled to comprehend it then.

“So, you’re telling me that you think this is why the Demons wanted her? For our baby? But they were chasing her well before I met her.”

Margaret nodded. “Yes, but if a good person is terrorised, are you not called in to help? Which happens first I wonder? Were they trying to find the baby, or were they trying to destroy all the women who may conceive such a child?”

Nothing was certain in this topsy turvy world, quite the opposite. But I could see how a person so strong could bring havoc to all those who inhabited the Hell dimension.

Losing this war was not on their agenda, and my child may be the key to stopping them all. It was a centering thought.

“So, how can we stop them? Why are they still finding women like Simone if they know that my child has been conceived?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps they believed the baby to be poisoned also? Could he be dying and you not know?” Margaret asked, looking at me like I should know the answer.

Fear slithered through my heart like a rattle snake.

“I have to go. Will you both stay here until Kadie wakes?”

“Of course,” Margaret said.

“Thank you. All of you,” I said, reaching out to squeeze Tabitha’s hand as I moved past.

As soon as I walked outside, I took to the sky, flying back through the portal.

The sun had risen and its warmth on my skin reminded me that there was still an Earth to fight for.

It was a new day.

I flew straight to Jasmine’s home, where my child should be.

When I landed, the heat on my spine was like a blow torch. Demons had been here through the night. Some still lurked in the shadows.

I banged on the front door with my fist and Jasmine’s balding husband peeked through the hole.

The door swung open and his angry expression was one I expected.

“About time you came back.”

I pushed past him and moved into the lounge. “Is he still here? Is he alive?”

“Of course, he is,” Jasmine answered calmly as she walked into the room, holding a tightly wrapped bundle in a blue blanket.

She handed him straight to me and I stared down at his sleeping face.

Jasmine’s aura was so calm that it began to relax my fears, but I asked my questions anyway.

“You haven’t seen any signs of discolouration, or poison?” I asked her as I unwrapped him and stared down at his perfect hands and little blue outfit.

“No of course not, why?”

“What did you bring into our house, devil?” Her husband shouted at me and I turned to glare at him.

He’d always been an asshole. I had no idea why Jasmine had married him.

“Jasmine, I suggest you ask you husband to leave before I do something we will all regret.”

I was already serving an eternity. What was a few more years for permanently maiming her husband?

Jasmine went straight over to her purple-faced husband. “James, please. Can you take Zhara to her room and change her? I won’t be long.”

Her husband glared at me with all the venom in his tiny heart and stomped from the room.

Jasmine came back to me, unzipped the baby’s outfit, and checked his pale skin.

“He looks fine, Gabriel. Why? What’s happened?”

“His mother was poisoned before she gave birth, and I was afraid it might have gotten into him.”

I should have thought of it earlier, but I’d had so many things to focus on when he’d been born. Feeding him seemed like the main priority.

I stared down at his round tummy and assessed him again.

“Has he grown a lot since yesterday?”

Jasmine laughed softly. “Definitely. I don’t know how, but he’s grown dramatically in only one night. I’d like to think it was my milk, but my daughter is under sized for her age.”

With his gestation being less than a few months, I wasn’t surprised he was continuing to grow at such a rapid rate.

“How is his mother now?” Jasmine asked.

“Doing much better, although still unconscious.” So therefore still unable to feed him and he needed human milk to grow strong…

“Are you able to keep him safe for another day Jasmine? I know it’s asking a lot…”

She nodded and began re-dressing the sleeping baby.

“Of course, I can. It was hard last night, though. I have to tell you. They’re everywhere. In our back yard. At our windows. We’re lucky we live in a house like this one. We all slept in the nanny’s quarters last night. There’s no windows in the cellar.”

“Oh Jasmine, I’m so sorry.”

The fear and panic they must have gone through. All for me.

I should never have asked this of Jasmine and her family…

“No.” She shook her head. “No, its fine. It reminded me just how lucky I am to have survived what I did. And that’s all because of you. Don’t worry, I won’t let them have him. I won’t leave the house. None of us will. Until you come to take him back.”

“That’s definitely the smartest move.”

They were all vulnerable to attack. My son the most.

“Hopefully I will be able to get him later today, or early tomorrow. As soon as Kadie is well enough to look after him. I’ll be back. I promise.”

I lifted my son up to my face and pressed a kiss to his soft forehead. He smelled of good health and happiness. Everything I wanted in this world for him.

I handed the baby back to Jasmine, who promptly swaddled him back up again and tucked him into her arms.

“What is he, exactly Gabriel? I can’t help feeling that he is someone very special.” Jasmine looked down at the baby in her arms with a look of pure love and my heart tugged at me to stay with him.

“He will be someone very special. I just have to keep him alive long enough for him to grow into the man he’s meant to be.”

Jasmine held the baby tighter within the cradle of her arms. Her face set with determination.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then, Gabriel.”

“Thank you, Jasmine.”

I left her brownstone building, my heart lighter than it had been only moments before.

My son is healthy and growing. I cast to Tabitha.

Thank the Lord for that. Was her reply.

Kadie? Any change.

No. I’ll let you know when there is.

Tabitha’s tone sounded ominous and despair began to fill me. Before I could feel the pain such a loss would cause me, I switched off our conversation and took to the skies once again.

It was daylight.

Time to search out the Demons who’d kidnapped and tortured Kadie.

I flew over the city of New York and headed in the direction my instincts had taken me last time. To the overgrown hedges and barren earth of the Demon castle.

I landed where I had last time I was here, the stilted air cold, despite the warmth of the sun on my back.

I slipped beneath my invisibility. Although it wouldn’t work on any Demons in the area, it would at least protect me from their daytime human watchers.

I walked slowly up to the castle this time, not rushing as I had when I was here to rescue Kadie. I needed to take it all in. See what I had missed last time.

I searched the exterior building and saw nothing of real note.

Crumbling blue stone and rock kept the huge building afloat. Each tower was peaked with a flag of black. There was no modern security I could see.

I walked around to the huge double door entry.

I extended to my full height and pulled my sword from my back scabbard.

I hated killing humans. It was part of our code that we never harmed a mortal. There would be points deducted in Heaven for such a crime, and it weighed heavily on my soul. But those that were working for the Demons, here in this evil place, would not be innocent. I need not bear the burden of guilt.

I reached for the large metal doorhandle and pulled hard, expecting resistance. It gave way easily and swung open. Odd.. Why wasn’t this place locked up?

I stepped back and held up my weapon, waiting for the attack to come. Silence filled the air. Gripping the hilt of my sword, I stepped inside and swung the blade in a wide arc.

Nothing.

Nobody was here except the ancient armour of the knights who served their king. Decorating the halls as though it were 1155 BC.

This is creepy.

A chill vibrated along my arms, making the hairs stand on end. There was pure evil in this castle, and I couldn’t believe that my beautiful Kadie had made it in and out in one piece.

I took a cautious step forward, expecting a trap to fall from the ceiling. I looked up, then around me. Nothing happened.

So I continued to move forward, through the huge double height entrance and around the ground floor. I searched every room, always mindful of where the windows were in case I needed a hasty escape.

I saw nothing of consequence. Not even the tingle of the heat that should be here if a Demon was nearby.

Disappointing to say the least. Not to mention confusing as hell.

As I moved back into the foyer and took my first steps up the large winding staircase, I began to re-think my conclusions about this place.

Perhaps the Demons had abandoned it now that they’d found Kadie? Had they retrieved what they’d needed from her when they’d brought her here?

And if they had, why were they still attacking young Witches like Simone? None of it was making any sense.

I crept up the stairs, holding my sword erect and ready to use. I strained to sense anything that looked out of place or foreign.

My boots finished their climb of the stairs and I finally reached the first floor, where the stained carpets caught my attention. Were they stained and splattered with blood as the patterns indicated?

And was it fresh or ancient?

Or simply a horrible choice in décor? I couldn’t be sure.

I crept along the hallway, spotting the familiar doors I’d witnessed last time I was here. Kadie had been held on this floor.

I glanced down a hallway to my right to where the human guards had been last time. There was nothing there now. Nobody to be seen at all.

Anger was beginning to swirl in my gut like the beginnings of a storm. I did not like this. Nor this puzzle I’d been presented with.

I wanted an enemy to fight. A resolution to be found.

I walked faster along the hallway and opened the first heavy door. It was dark and I could barely see a thing in the gloom.

But there was a smell I could not deny. The reek of fear. A woman’s blood, sweat and tears ran in this room.

I took a breath and surged into the inky blackness, looking for a sliver of light.

When it called to me, I raced forward, grabbed hold of the old curtains and wrenched them open.

I twisted back around and vomit rose in my mouth at the sight of the girl on the table. I was nearly brought to my knees at the sight.

Oh God.

Please let this girl be in Heaven where she is meant to be.

Barely sixteen, she was held in chains, and cut up like a piece of meat on a butchers table.

What were they looking for within this beautiful girl?

I walked forward and tried to assess her for information to take back. Anything I could use to help my Kadie.

The scene from Kadie’s torture tore through my mind. The poison had been her main instrument of death, and yet this room was very different. There were no drips, no needles nearby. Had they simply tortured her to death by the normal instruments of pain? Or had they taken something more useful from her?

I looked closer and saw that her belly had been almost entirely removed.

Had they been looking for the babe? Or perhaps a power that could not be found in mere flesh?

My stomach churned once again, my gaze drawn to the twisted look of pain upon her face. I didn’t want to leave her here, but I needed to find answers. There was no choice.

I picked up a blanket from the old bed in the room and draped it over her. To keep her warm in this evil place seemed a moot point now, but it felt wrong to leave her exposed to the room.

She had to be a Witch, but from where? And why hadn’t Tabitha known about all these disappearances?

Then it hit me. Like an ice shovel in the face. The Law of Targets. The Demons had used our own rules to get under our guard. It had to be. It was so clear now that I recognised it.

The Law of Targets is that we, the Fallen Angels, are only assigned to those who will make a huge difference in the world. Pure souls of great importance and intelligence.

These Witches were so young, barely old enough to come up on the elders’ radar. And even if they were old enough, they obviously weren’t going to change the future of the planet. Not enough to warrant being on The List.

Until Kadie.

I thought back to my first conclusions of Kadie. That she was ordinary. Un-remarkable in the huge scheme of things. I’d questioned why I’d been sent to protect one like her.

And here was the answer. She had been destined to birth my son. A future man that would rid the Earth of the Demons seeking to destroy it. If the predictions I’d been listening to lately were true.

I looked at the girl lying on the table and regret pulled through my heart. I hated leaving her here. Once we knew more, and I knew this place was safe, I would bring Margaret and the others here to bury the Witches. Assuming there was more than just this one on the grounds.

I’m sorry.

I stepped into the hallway once more and took a deep breath of clean air. I couldn’t breathe properly in a room with the dead. Death always made the air cloying and heavy.

The next room was empty, save for tubs of grease and lard. I assumed they were left over from a time when this castle was a functional home.

The third room stunk of death and decay, and yet held only pools of blood and nothing more.

How many women had they brought here?

And had any, except Kadie, survived?

That question had my hands tightening into fists and my skin tingling with a hot anger I could barely control. I’d seen a lot of death in my time. Senseless war and suffering. But I’d always been distanced from it. Never taking on the personalridiculousness of man.

But this was personal. And I knew it was going to get a hell of a lot more personal before this was over.

The final room at the end of the hall was the one Kadie had been held in, and as I put a hand to the door handle, heat seared up my spine.

Demons.

They were here, in this room, when they weren’t anywhere else in the house. Perhaps the other torture rooms were run by humans?

What a sickening thought.

There was something unique about this end room that I remembered from last time. There had been a presence of Hell itself in this room. A feeling of magic and evil, darkness and power.

I pushed open the door and held the sword in front of me as I stepped inside.

The blackness was unnatural, and as I looked around for even a glimmer of light, I found none.

I flung the door open wide and pushed it against the wall, using what little light there was to cast my eyes around the room.

I needed fire, and a torch. There had to be something in this castle.

When I turned to leave this eerie blackness, a flicker of light caught my eye. It glowed from the inside of the room and I grinned.

Good. They’re back.

A single Demon grew right in front of me. From the tiniest flicker of flame, to a huge, glowing beast that lit up the room.

Once it was as big as I was, I addressed it.

“I have a few questions for you,” I shouted at the Demon, who, if it’s possible for a Demon to look it - seemed surprised to see me.

He didn’t move. Instead, just stood still glowing in the darkened room. Giving me the much needed light that I required.

My gaze skittered around the room. Looking for clues or information I could take home with me.

The room seemed to be in the same state as it had been when I’d taken Kadie, which was good news. Hopefully they hadn’t taken any more girls hostage.

Full of instruments, and needles, and bags of fluid.

Dark bags of fluid.

Blood they’d taken out of her? Poison they’d put into her? I didn’t know.

I raised my sword and surged forward, the heaviness of the air making me want to choke on my own tongue.

The Demon began to glow a fiery red and as I lifted my blade higher to slice at his head, he disappeared into thin air.

Like he’d never been.

The room went pitch black once more.

I spun around, sweat coating my skin as I waited for the attack.

Nothing came and I was left waiting.

I stalked back towards the door, then thought better of leaving with nothing. I grabbed one of the dark bags of fluid from the medical table and one of the used syringes.

Better for Margaret or Tabitha to look at these and tell me what was going on here.

I scanned the room with eyes that struggled to see anything in the gloominess, then marched back to the open door.

Walking back through the empty, eerily quiet castle reminded me of a battle field. When the dead lay quiet and the living had taken themselves home.

I moved along the terrace where I’d taken Kadie when we’d been running away from the Demons. It seemed so long ago, and yet it was only two days day since I’d picked her up in my arms. My wings barely able to carry us home.

I glanced down at my wings, battered and burnt. They’d still carry me, but they’d never look the same.

With the blood bag and the syringe in my hand I took flight, flying harder while the sun danced on my skin.

I had to go back to Tabitha’s and hopefully when I got there, Kadie would be awake, and able to tell us what happened to her.