Fallen Angel: Dawn of Reckoning (Blood Bound Origins) Page 5

  Held up by a few others, Cyrus spat blood as he spoke. “And should we refuse?”

  Gabriel delivered the only other choice there could be. “You will be banished to fiery pits of hell, trapped there with Lucifer for all eternity as the monsters you now are. This choice is each of yours. Bow to God—or meet his wrath.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Long seconds passed as Gabriel stood alongside the other two angels, waiting for Cyrus and the rest of the monsters to make their choice. It wasn’t a hard decision—in her eyes—but as time went on, her belief in what she’d come here to do shrank. Would she fail all these men too? Warmth rushed through her at the thought. Even though she’d been infused with God’s power, moving all these men across oceans had drained her badly. After already having obliterated the angel sword she swayed on her feet, sweat sprouting as her panic rose. After Lucifer’s eternal banishment, she couldn’t bear the thought of all these lost souls falling too.

  Hisses from the monsters grew louder. Each of them got back on their feet, no longer cowering in fear of the sun burning them alive. No longer afraid of what the angels might do. The king smiled a bloody smile, his wound improving with every passing second. “This hell you speak of does not exist elsewhere. We are already in it.” He cocked his head to his monsters. “Kill the winged creatures. Drain them dry!”

  The monsters launched and Michael and Remiel shot sky-high. Gabriel remained below, too weak to lift off. Instead, the angel sword reformed from her hand—as the monsters covered her like rabid oversized rats. She struck out but didn’t get far. Fangs claimed her arms and she was knocked down. She continued to fight, even though she knew it was the end. The stars above weren’t visible through the thick piling of bodies over her—

  A sudden collision sounded, shaking the swarm of monsters. The ones covering Gabriel went flying as light whizzed by. Michael. He’d dive-bombed with Remiel’s sword. He’d saved her. Swooping again, his face was wild with anger as the monsters around her scrambled.

  Rushing to stand, she almost came plummeting back down—and not only because she was weakened.

  Soaring above, Remiel’s hands shook. The tremors matched the ground that vibrated the entire clearing. Palms directing the power, explosions burst up and sent grass flying, driving jagged cracks out around her. The fragment split wider and wider as monsters scurried not to fall. Heat grew in tangible waves from below as Michael continued swooping and lashing out with the sword. The first to refuse God’s offer fell, their screams fading until the flames consumed them.

  Gabriel felt the horror of each spent life as she watched in despair. But as the numbers diminished, her focus diverted from their falling bodies. Down below on a raised structure of rocks at the fiery shore’s edge, a tall figure stood. His face was raised and his eyes locked on hers. “Lucifer.”

  With sight more superior than any of God’s other creations, she saw the rags his burned armor had been reduced to, and the almost healed skin beneath. His relief as he watched her suddenly vanished. “Gabriel, watch out!”

  Gabriel’s head cranked up as Cyrus leaped from one crumbling section of earth and onto the shrinking platform she stood on. She swung the angel sword too late, and it tore from her grasp as the once respectful king flattened her. Snapping over and over for her neck, she tried to hold him back. But she was too weak. Sight darting, she saw that this time no one was going to save her. Michael was grounded, battling against the remaining monsters with Remiel’s sword. Still hovering, Remiel looked pale as his wings struggled to flap. He swayed in the air while the tremors in his hands had little influence on the ground.

  Knowing she had to stop these monsters and save herself, Gabriel kicked out between the king’s legs. He grunted and tipped off her as she shoved. But as she scrambled up, she wasn’t fast enough. Cyrus was already up and—holding the angel sword.

  Gabriel backed up slowly. Her heel met the edge of the ground behind her and took her off balance.

  A crack erupted from below. The ground jolted lower beneath her feet and tilted, keeping her from falling. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Remiel fall from the starlit sky. Michael launched up to him.

  At the same time, Cyrus stabbed forward with the sword—and a hand appeared on the grassy edge as Lucifer leaped up from hell.

  With the element of surprise, Lucifer snatched the sword from Cyrus and sliced the blade across his throat. Then he threw the king over the edge.

  The platform they stood on tilted with another crack. Gabriel reached for Lucifer. “Take my hand. Please.” Her wings flapped, struggling to lift her from the ground.

  Lucifer stalled as he reached out, seeing her feet come back down. Not taking her outstretched hand, he handed her the sword as he scanned past her with a look of wonderment. Before she could question it, the ground gave way. Unable to save them both, Lucifer shoved her so hard she flew up and back—as he fell.

  Scrambling to the edge of the now gaping hole in the earth, she saw him land on his back and the dirt shatter to pieces over him. A few moments of stillness stretched on as she held her breath, and then he twitched to life. Rolling sideways, his muscles strained as he rose to his knees. His joined hands lifted to his lips and a silver tear trickled from one eye with the movement of his lips. “I am sorry, Gabriel. You were right. Forgive me.”

  Seeing him down there, and after what he’d done to save her, Gabriel wanted to plead her case with God. Plead that he lift Lucifer up and give him the chance to repent. Though she knew there was no point. She had already failed to change His mind. Lucifer had to learn a lesson. One that—for now—was eternal. The last few monsters across the gaping hole fell as Michael and Remiel fought with all they had left. And then the ground shifted, reforming not by Remiel’s hand but by Michael’s on top of his brother’s. As her sight of the angel she’d held the most hope for shrank, she smiled down at him. “I already have. Please do not squander it.”

  The grassy earth continued to grow, becoming solid once more. As Michael and Remiel came to her, she frowned and then followed their stares to look behind her. Her eyes widened in disbelief. Not every one of the monsters was gone. Down on their knees, twelve men in total surrounded them, their heads bowed in reverence.

  This is what Lucifer had seen, and the reason he’d said she was right.

  “You bow to our God?” Michael looked from one to the next as if he couldn’t believe it either. “You surrender to His will?”

  In a snarl that was more animal, one replied, “I do.” The rest made similar vows in grunted agreement or a hissed, “Yes.”

  Gabriel, though glad for any to surrender, felt saddened by the countless monsters that had refused. So many lives—souls—now lost. So many below that could sway Lucifer to continue his destructive ways. Weak on her feet, she moved to the first that had spoken, feeling the power that waited inside of her to be let free. The power that kept her going on in this moment. “Lord Bathory, rise.”

  The man did as told, but as his face lifted, she saw he wasn’t quite a man. He was young. The same boy Lucifer had spared when she’d confronted him outside that camp. “I am no Lord, winged creature. Before this,”—he ran his hands that were now dried of blood down his body—“I was a peasant.”

  Gabriel’s smile was as bright as the sun that waited back in Babylon for them. “No longer.” She touched the man’s cheek and his eyes widened as a spark of light absorbed into him. Moving on, she said the men’s names and ordered them one-by-one to rise before delivering their gift. Once done, she watched each of the men as they looked down at themselves, knowing they felt the phenomenon of God’s power with the realignment of their souls and consciences. “You twelve will be royalty. The beginning of a new race.” Blinking the sweat from her eyes and forcing her legs to hold out, she nodded back to Michael and Remiel, requesting their help.

  Without words, they each knew what she wanted, and responded by clicking their fingers at once. Darkness fell as the campsite returned. A gen
tle morning breeze swept in as the trees untangled themselves, and light speared in through the border of thick trunks. The twelve men cringed, their hands coming up as if to ward off the danger.

  “You returned our souls only to kill us?” One of the men, Lord Ruthaven, stammered.

  “God is nothing like the monsters inside of you that you are now able to control.” Michael was the one to answer as he slung a supporting arm around Gabriel who weaved on her feet.

  “He is your savior,” Remiel added.

  The light grew brighter, the sun rising fast as if eager to deliver something great. As glorious beams broke over the canopy of trees, the twelve men threw their arms up to cover themselves.

  And were not burned to dust.

  “You are free to walk amongst the light once more,” Gabriel announced. She watched as the men slowly lowered their protective arms when they hadn’t burst into flames. As they stared at her with awe, she retrieved the angel sword. Holding the jeweled hilt, she pointed the tip down at the ground and it blazed to life with blue light.

  Remiel flashed to her other side, understanding across his face as he placed his hand on her shoulder to lend her all the strength he had left. His voice was strong as he spoke to the men. “So long as you abide by your promise.”

  Gabriel drove the sword down into the earth, twelve power-filled blue bolts striking out, one at each of the men. They cried out as they were hit, falling down to their knees. Gabriel staggered too, but Michael’s hold kept her upright even after Remiel’s touch left her. She took a few deep breaths, leaning on the hilt of the long sword. “I name you The Twelve. The first of the saved race.” She rushed on as the ground seemed to tilt beneath her and her head swam. “Blood is your weakness, and though you need it to survive, know that taking even a single life will bring about your end. From this day on, you are a new and pure race. Remain with light and control your hungers…or be cursed for all of time. Welcome to your new lives and your new race—as the first vampires.”

  Gabriel’s consciousness fled with her last words, and as Michael swooped her up, everything faded. It was time to rest so she could fight another day…for Lucifer.

  THEN END

  THANK YOU FOR READING!

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for reading Fallen Angel (Blood Bound Origins). If you enjoyed this book please leave a review. It doesn’t have to be long—one or two sentences would be amazing. The more reviews a book has the more it is likely to put it in front of potential readers. As an indie author, I don’t have a big publishing company promoting my work, so every little bit helps and I’d love for my audience to be a part of it. I read every one of my reviews and completely appreciate the thoughts and opinions of all my readers.

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  Thank you, J.L. Myers

  **Continue reading for a sneak peak at the Blood Bound Series, What Lies Inside.**

  Epic Books With Bite – Amelia’s story stars in…

  What Lies Inside – Blood Bound #1

  My mind screamed for me to move. To fight the monster who trapped me with its arms. But my body remained paralyzed, a prisoner of flesh and bone. It wasn’t fear. I knew that much. Inside I was striking out with limbs, nails, and teeth. But any connection to actual movement was lost. My whole body felt like it was filled with cement.

  Parted lips closed in on my neck. My eyes darted around, desperate to find a way out of this. Darkness stretched beyond the waning light of a naked bulb. There was a single door, then nothing but damp stone and shadow. The stink of death and decay hung thick in the air. Horror seeped through my veins.

  There was nothing I could do. No way to stop this. No way to save my life.

  The sound of labored breath rasped. Not my own. Not this monster’s. In the shadows it was impossible to see where it came from. Was someone watching? Fear snaked through my soul. The fear wasn’t for my own life, not really. I was afraid for someone else. But who?

  Any thoughts vanished as fangs punctured my flesh. A gasp escaped my lips.

  Flames bloomed from the punctures, swarming across my skin. The monster clutched my body tighter and tighter with every sickening gulp.

  As the flames began to dull, my internal screams and my drive to fight faded. Without the current of blood filling my veins, violent shivers took hold of my entire body.

  My body was giving up.

  With shallow contractions, my heart slowed. My mind wavered as my body began to fail. The crushing pain of imminent death faded. As my eyes fluttered shut, a memory of the boy I loved floated across the backs of my eyelids. I saw his dejected expression. I felt the moment he had crushed me against his body, covering my lips with his. Then I heard the words he had spoken for the very first time. “Amelia, I love you.”

  An icy tear escaped my eye. Now he would never know the truth. Never know that my feelings for him were still as irrefutable and irrevocable as ever. Never know that I would give anything just to be in his arms and feel the warmth of his kiss one last time. The realization was more agonizing than knowing my fate now, more agonizing than any lingering pain.

  I love you too. The memory faded, dissipating like a cloud of smoke.

  The room began to blur and spin. Unable to blink, my eyes stared up at the dusty light bulb. Blood loss pressed in on me. I was so deathly cold. The edge of my vision turned black, light being eaten away by a stain like blotted ink. Then empty darkness took hold.

  This is it, I thought. I’m dying.

  Get What Lies Inside Here: http://bit.ly/bb1whatliesinside

  Amelia’s story continues…

  Made By Design – Blood Bound #2

  My eyelids fluttered as my vision cleared. Through the disappearing haze I could see a row of thrones illuminated by the dancing candlelight of a chandelier. The reigning royals occupied them, cloaks draped over formal attire. Muted whispers rose behind me, the sound coming from countless people. Yet there was no scent of human blood. An audience of vampires…

  I shot a glance down and my heart stopped. Elevated on a dais? I was kneeling, dressed in a white bodice and thin billowy skirt that pooled over my legs.

  Approaching footsteps across planked wood drew my sight up.

  Panic sliced through my chest, liquefying my insides. Caius stood before me. In one hand he held a scarlet-painted sword, the tip biting the wooden floor like a pointed cane.

  What he held in his other hand would have made my mouth water in any other circumstance. It was a gold chalice coated with jewels…and filled with the peppery, metallic aroma of a vampire’s Pure Blood.

  Caius smiled and held out the chalice. “Take it, Amelia.”

  Instinctively I went to bolt, to escape whatever heinous act he was about to pull on me. Only my body refused to move. I wasn’t in control.

  As I fought harder my hands rose against my will. A moment later the chalice was in my grasp.

  Stop, I screamed internally, unable to force my lips to move. But it was no use. Inch by slow inch the chalice lifted until its cold edge grazed my lower lip.

  There was an instantaneous hush around me and I wavered. Had my scream gotten through? Was I resisting Caius’s poison?

  The sudden slice of metal cutting air broke the silence. Gasps erupted as Caius’s sword arched towards my heart. His eyes gleamed, incredulous and crazed.

  “Traitor!”

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