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Zoe
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I paced around the bonfire, waiting for Sidelle’s return. In my mind, I couldn’t stop seeing a battle scene featuring tangled arms and legs, swords, and demons’ black blood. I tried unsuccessfully to block out the fact that some of those limbs could belong to Shay, some of the blood could be his. He had to be alive. What would I do if he weren’t?
With envy I watched the youngest pack members roast s’mores, laughing as the marshmallows browned, burned, and dripped into the flames. A few of the kids ran around with chocolate smeared across their faces, and it reminded me of the many times my sister and I had made the treats at our cabin in northern Minnesota. Eventually, the parents corralled the younger children to send them back to their homes, and the older members made a tight circle around the fire.
A hush fell upon the group as Keegan approached. The Alpha nodded and looked around at all the faces. “Hello, everyone. At least one representative from each family is here?” His eyes landed on Jackson. “Good. I’m going to tell you something, and I want your sacred vow that you will keep this knowledge a secret.” He stretched out his arm toward me. “Let us welcome Zoe Jabril to our home. She has come here to request the pack join her in the ultimate battle against Sammael and his demons.”
Jackson squeezed my hand, and I waved with my other one.
“Is she the one we’ve been waiting for?” Keegan asked. He didn’t wait for a response but spoke directly to the pack. “We all know the prophesy:
Glory!
Babe born.
First and last.
Heaven and unto Earth
Receives the highest in jubilation.
Enlightens will unite; they shall band.
Triumph be if darkness is driven back.
Help found who love, the world will stand.”
He studied the eyes of each pack member. “What proof does she offer? None. Just her word. Will I accept that as enough? Well, it’s not completely up to me. As the pack leader, I will give you each a voice. Ultimately though, I will decide what is best for all.”
He crossed his arms, and I was in awe of the command he wielded. Not one face looked away from his. “We all know what’s at stake: Earth’s destruction and that of the other realms. It’s always been our mission to stop this evil. It’s what we were created to do. I fear troubling times will be upon us all soon, and we must follow our calling. Is Zoe the one? I ask each of you to reflect on what your heart tells you.” He drew in a deep breath. “Search within and reflect seriously. We will convene tomorrow at the house, so come prepared to explain your positions.”
“Tell us a story,” a teenager shouted.
Keegan grinned, his teeth reflecting the shine from the firelight. “Ah, yes. I know which one to tell. There are a lot of demon myths and legends I could choose, but I will tell my favorite.”
Keegan glanced around for an open chair, but decided to sit on the sand with his back to the lake. The others rose from their lawn chairs and sat on the ground beside him, though a few remained on the other side of the fire.
“This is a story from my youth,” Keegan said, his voice low. “Our own Chanhassen Dinner Theater was built on the site of a home that had burned down, trapping and killing a woman inside. Her spirit is said to haunt the theater, along with the ghost of a former actress who’d been bicycling home when she was hit and killed by a car. Of course both the theater and the Chaska Historical Society deny the hauntings, but we all know what happened on that night in the early 1960s.”
A few of the adults nodded.
“The veil thinned earlier than expected,” he continued. “Demons managed to get through, and they entered the Earth’s realm. The pack was waiting, but we hadn’t anticipated the numbers, so we weren’t prepared. A bloodbath ensued, and many of our brothers and sisters died. We tried to save the Ordinary woman, but a Marq took her hostage. She fought back but was powerless. When we wouldn’t let the Marq escape the property, he killed her then set the house on fire to cover his tracks. Her restless soul refused to pass into Heaven because of her brutal death.
“The young actress who was killed while riding her bike? She never met up with a car. She ran into a lone DK and was a victim of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. This second death marked the land as an unholy place.” He shrugged. “We had to tell the authorities something, and ghost stories were a nice way to cover up the ugly truth.”
I’d never known that about the dinner theater. My parents had taken my sister and me there a few times over the years.
Murmurs spread through the circle after the story ended, as clusters of teens and young adults had their own conversations. After a moment Keegan stood, and all whispering stopped.
“I’ll leave you to your party.”
The pack watched their Alpha turn and head back toward the house, and I noticed a movement on the third floor. I squinted for a better view and recognized Vash. He stood with his head bowed at the window with the curtain peeled back. If he was still up there, then Cali was not better. I waved, hoping he could see me. I wanted him to know he and Cali were still on my mind. Seeing my movement, Jackson turned and nodded when he saw Vash.
The party atmosphere resumed. Some people returned to the tables of food, some took a stroll by the water, and others remained by the bonfire. Conversation and laughter bounced through the night air. A dark cloud floated over the moon, casting shadows across the land, and I shivered. The feeling suddenly intensified. The tiny hairs at the back of my neck stood at attention, and uneasiness grew in the pit of my stomach. I clenched Jackson’s arm, digging my nails into his skin.
He gasped with surprise and looked at the half-moons I’d dug in his arm. “Zoe? Are you okay? You don’t look so good. Your face is as white as a full moon. Maybe you should go inside and lay down or something.”
I shook my head, my vision swimming. “I feel—”
A boom shuddered through the night like a cannon firing. Something crashed into the water, and a massive wave rolled over the beach. A black figure rose from the middle of the lake, its soaked robes flapping heavily in the wind. Before anyone could move, the figure had floated over the lake toward us, reaching for something behind its back. As soon as the cloaked figure closed half the distance, an identical body emerged from the same spot in the lake, followed by another and another. Before long, a steady stream of creatures had materialized and headed our way.
“Jackson!” I screamed. “Those are Mar—”
Someone howled and chaos erupted. People scrambled, the food tables were flipped onto their sides, and the bonfire blazed intensely after more wood was thrown on to brighten the beach area.
“How did they get into our territory?” Jackson roared. “Everyone stay calm. This is what we are meant to do.” He grabbed my hand and jerked me behind his body. He looked for his little sister. “Era? Era, get back to the house and find Dad.”
“I’m on it, Jacks!” came a high-pitched shout from across the yard.
“I didn’t think the Marquises demons could come here,” I yelled over the screams. “Kieran said—”
More and more demons rose from the water’s surface, lifting their swords as they glided onto the beach. The pack transformed into their wolf forms, and each took an opponent.
“They’ve never been able to before.” Jackson tugged me toward the house. “Come on. You have to go inside. You’ll be safer in there.”
“Will I?” I demanded, digging in my heels. “Because they’re here on your land now. I won’t be safe anywhere.”
“Do as you’re told, Zoe.”
Vash ran out of the house and grabbed my shoulders, squaring them. “Go watch over Cali for me. Era’s in there with her now.” He gave me a shove toward the house before joining in the fight.
With no other choice, I sprinted through the foyer and up the stairs, stopping momentarily to glance out the picture window. More Marqs rose from the lake, except now they carried something on their backs. As soon as their forms cleared the water, they flung whatever it was onto the beach. The packages rolled ... then stood.
Great. They’d carried DKs with them.
I flung open the door to Cali’s room. Era already sat on the bed, guarding her, so I ran to the window to watch the battle. The DKs added to the disorder, though they were easy to pick off. They died like humans, and once they were decapitated, their bodies returned to Hell to regenerate.
The wolves raced all over the property, killing the demons, but there were too many. More than the pack would ever be able to handle. Beside the raging bonfire, I spotted a lone wolf lying on the ground, not moving. He didn’t get back up.
“Is it bad out there?” Era asked softly. She sounded close to tears. “I want to join them, but the Alpha and Beta told me to to stay here. But ... but I can feel the call of my pack. They need help, and I can’t do a thing.”
I didn’t bother turning to look at her. “Yes, it’s bad. And I know exactly what you mean.”
All at once the moon’s rays flooded the grass—or at least I thought it was light from the moon. Then I saw a stream of white light circling onto the ground, just outside the fighting. A figure stood within the ray, golden wings extended.
“Kieran!” I slammed my fist against the glass. “Kieran’s back.”
Era bounced off the bed and stood next to me. “He must’ve heard my prayer.”
At least fifty demons had risen from the water, taking on only twenty wolves, but now we had an angel. Watching Kieran fight was like watching a ballet. His movements were graceful but deadly. His Angel Light obliterated the DKs.
“There’s my dad.” Era pointed toward a massive white wolf running from the house into the fight. As we watched, Keegan slammed into the nearest demon. Without stopping he rolled, and was back on his paws, running again. He headed for the cluster of Marqs who had landed on the beach, where he joined Vash. I knew Vash’s dark chocolate-brown fur from two nights ago when he’d helped defeat the Marqs at my house.
The groups of Marqs had thinned. We were making a dent, or so I hoped.
“Look,” Era cried, pointing at the lake.
The water pulled back from the shoreline as the lake formed a wave. Sidelle now stood in the spot from which the demons had emerged, her arms waving high above her head. She sent the water crashing onto a small cluster of demon knights, sending them to their watery graves.
Now, we had a fairy on our team.
Sidelle could hold a few of the Marqs at bay, but she couldn’t stop them. During battles the Marqs were usually left to the Archangels, so she concentrated on the DKs. With her help, more demons were disappearing, which evened the score. Glancing down, I noticed a smaller, tan-colored wolf lying on the ground in a pool of blood. With a pang of fear, I wondered if it could be Jackson.
“It’s not,” Era said.
“What?”
“It’s not Jackson.”
“Can you read my mind?” I asked, frowning at her.
“No. I just saw you staring and made the connection. I’m worried about him and my family, too. You’re probably—”
A shadow moved across the door, and my heart raced. “I hope you know how to fight,” I whispered to Era. “Because it looks like you’re going to get your chance.”
Era turned and as she did, she fell to the floor. In her place stood a beautiful white wolf, the size of a husky, with a brown spot covering one eye and the tip of her tail. Era howled as she launched herself at the Marquises demon standing in our doorway. The creature stood before me in all its deathly glory, strands of long, black hair whipping from under his hood. Hollowed spaces stared at me instead of eyes. Era stopped him from entering the room, and I ran in front of Cali’s sleeping body to protect her. I wasn’t sure what I could do, or how I would stop a Marq, but I sure as hell had to do something. How had he managed to slip through the barricade of wolves?
Normally by this time, a purple, protective orb would have formed around me. For some reason it hadn’t. I could sure use one right about now.
The snarling Era was no match for the demon warrior. She tried her best, but she was only a pup. The Marq easily lifted her body and threw her across the room. She stumbled onto her paws and charged the demon again, determined.
I couldn’t ask her to lay down her life for mine. I didn’t have a protective orb this time, but I wasn’t helpless. I knew it was in me somewhere: the Light that made me a Seraph angel. I left Cali’s side and advanced on the demon, determined that Era and I would take it down. Stupid move? Maybe. But as soon as I joined the fight, the demon stopped trying to slice Era in half with its sword. With my head held high, I summoned every ounce of Light I could find within me. I thought of the other night, of everything Cali had gone through today, and of the wolf whose body lay still outside.
A spark of purple light showed in my mind. There. Now I just had to call it, force it out, and find more. But in the split second it took to summon the Light, the demon had advanced the few steps to get to me. Its sword lashed out, and a yowl of pain filled the room. Era’s white fur was stained red, and she limped toward me, still doing all she could to protect Cali and me. I had to do something. Era wouldn’t stop fighting back.
“No,” I screamed. “You will not kill us.”
My palms thrust outward, and purple light shot out of them. The black color drained entirely out of the Marquises. Vaguely, I remembered that this was how Kieran had helped defeat the demons. The fading color of the demon meant its powers were weakened. The light pulsed once more, and then an explosion came from the room. I flew backward from the force, thankfully landing on a soft bed, before scrambling to my feet. I scanned the room for the demon, but it was no longer with us; however, its empty black cloak lay heaped on the floor. I ran to Era’s side and lifted her paw, checking it. She slowly rose.
“You stay here.” I told her. “I’m going outside to help.”
She shook her head frantically, but I ignored her and bolted for the door. Something huge and furry blocked my path. Vash.
“I thought I told you to stay in the room.” I stared at him, dumbfounded. He was still in wolf form, so he couldn’t speak, but I could hear him in my mind. I’d never been able to hear the wolves before. I swallowed my amazement and got back to work.
“You did, and now I’m leaving.” I tried pushing past the huge brown wolf, but he didn’t budge.
“There’s nothing you can do out there.”
“Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be out there?”
“I heard an explosion and came to check on you two.”
“Don’t worry. I took care of the Marq, with Era’s help.” The spotted wolf was licking her paw. Her brown eyes flickered when I said her name. “And now I’m going outside to help you. Move out of my way. You’ll have to bite me to stop me.” I sidestepped past him and sprinted down the stairs.
“You know I can’t and won’t do that,” Vash said as he trailed behind me.
The battle outside was chaotic. Sidelle flung trees, dirt, and debris at any demon, and rays of Angel Light shot through the sky. Howls and metal clanks filled the night air, but I could see no more knights; they must’ve all been sent back to Hell. A few Marquises demons still stood on the beach. Seeing them, Vash ran ahead of me and joined the Alpha wolf, as well as a dark gray one.
As I came across the bodies of dead wolves, I paused at the shock of seeing the bodies slain, but grief only fueled my rage.
I stopped where the grass met the sand, and Kieran landed softly at my side. Sidelle appeared on the other side. We watched for a brief moment, wanting to assess where we could help the most. The wolves seemed to be holding their own with the remaining demons. Kieran opened his mouth to speak, but I raised my hand to stop him. I had a plan. I searched within and found my Angel Light again. I grabbed both my friends’ hands. With our linked fingers, I knew we would be strong enough to handle whatever came our way. I drew on that knowledge.
Then I saw the body of the white wolf—the Alpha—lying on the ground, a silver sword protruding from his stomach.
A purple haze filled my vision. As I felt my body’s power growing, a scream cut through the night, coming from inside the house. We turned toward a shadow in the third-floor window: Cali was awake, her hands pressed desperately against the window.
A dark purple hue emitted from my palms, unlike anything I’d produced before. Because of our joined hands, it amplified and created a star-like effect. Kieran and Sidelle blinked down at our linked fingers, then at me. Without a word, they both took a step back. In that instant, purple light shot out from every part of my body that wasn’t covered by clothes. Even then, you could still see a glow from underneath. The power felt stronger than it had the other night, when I’d drawn on Kieran and Shay’s Light.
This was a beast all its own.
My head tilted back, and I let out a gut-wrenching roar, so loud and fierce I thought my head might explode. I thrust my hands forward, and the dark purple light streamed out like whips, slashing the black cloaks and reducing the Marqs to nothing. They disintegrated on the spot.