ALEXA PACED AROUND THE COUNTER DEMON DIVISION. Restless, the weight of losing all those mortals back at the nightclub weighed her down like a blanket of cold steel. She marched as if in a trance, not really seeing where she was going or noticing the same desks she kept passing, as though she was stuck in some horrible nightmare she couldn’t wake from.
She couldn’t shake the nauseating feeling of seeing so many young, dead mortals on the club’s dance floor. Their vacant expressions and hollow eyes would haunt her forever. Not to mention the horror of what she had almost done, or thought she could do—take an innocent life to save the others.
Perhaps another angel wouldn’t have hesitated and would have done their duty to save all those mortals. But Alexa couldn’t do it. Because of her failure, all those mortals’ lives and souls had been taken from them before their time, and under Alexa and Milo’s watch.
Alexa clamped down on the curse building in her chest. Her legs shook, and her hands were stiff from clenching and unclenching them as she made her fifteenth trip around the chamber. She trudged in and around desks and chairs, each step fueled only by a near-dizzying sick feeling. Failure. Failure. Failure.
She could still taste and smell the rancid stench of the dead, and the howls of the Egyptian god Anubis still rang fresh in her mind. The Greater demon was unlike anything she’d ever seen. Its power was unmatched and still growing, fed by an infinite source of power—mortals.
How many more Greater demons had Hades brought into the world? How could the Legion defeat such creatures? How could she or another angel fight such evil?
But she didn’t contemplate her own doom as she let herself tumble into dread and rage and despair. She was consumed by the thought of Milo’s.
If Anubis hadn’t stopped him, would the angel warrior have killed that mortal man?
The thought sent a chill through Alexa. She cringed at what she’d almost allowed Milo to do. He might be Lucifer’s son, but there was no evil in him. His actions had always been geared toward the greater good, toward the Legion’s best interest. If Milo had taken that man’s life, she knew it would have changed him forever.
As she tramped around the chamber, not even Milo’s sacrifice could ward off the deepening chill she felt in her chest.
The Counter Demon Division was unnaturally silent.
The once angel-packed chamber had always welcomed Alexa with the sounds of hundreds of voices, the tapping of fingers on keyboards, and the tread of busy angels coming and going. All that was now reduced to the sound of Alexa’s own tread.
The desks and chairs sat empty. Where they were once placed neatly, they now stood jumbled and overturned, as though they were moved in haste. Papers were scattered over the floors. All the desktop screens were black. All except for one.
A single female angel sat at one of the desks in the middle of the chamber. Thin lines marked her face and around her eyes and mouth. Her short auburn hair stood up at odd angles, as though she’d repeatedly run her fingers through it in frustration. Her screen beeped as it showed a multitude of red dots peppering a map of the world, dots that Alexa knew where breaches in the Veil, Rifts, and other demonic activity.
Upon her arrival in CDD an hour ago, Alexa had tried to spark a conversation with the angel.
“Where is everyone?” Alexa had asked.
“Can’t you see I’m busy,” the female angel had growled. “How am I supposed to work if you keep interrupting me? If they’re not here, they must be out there.” She’d pointed to a spot on her screen that looked like the middle of the Pacific Ocean. “It’s no use! It’s happening too fast. Too fast! It’s hopeless. I’m hopeless. We’re all doomed!”
Alexa had wanted to reply it was the first time she’d interrupted the angel but decided to leave well enough alone since she looked like she was in her own hell.
After that, Alexa couldn’t stand the eerie and unnatural silence or the covert glances the female angel kept shooting her, as though Alexa was still interrupting her. So she had started to pace around the chamber, trying to bring it back to life.
She needed to do something. Waiting was driving her mad. The last thing she needed was to be alone with her thoughts…
There was a ting, and the doors of the elevator opened. Alexa turned to see Milo strutting across to the chamber in the same black gear as before. There hadn’t been time to change as he was pulled into an emergency meeting.
“How did the meeting go?” Alexa had already crossed the chamber and reached Milo by the time he’d made four strides. “Are we suspended? Tell me we’re not suspended? I can never tell if it’s good news or bad news with that blank look on your face.”
Milo’s mouth fell open and he frowned. “Why would you think we’d get suspended?”
Alexa caught the female angel listening so she lowered her voice. “Because of what happened. Because of all those lost souls. Because we couldn’t stop Anubis. I wasn’t there, so I don’t know what you talked about.” She tried hard to keep the bitterness from her voice, so she didn’t sound jaded by being excluded from the meeting with the High Council. More than ever, she felt a disconnect with the Legion.
Milo’s eyes were bright, though the smile he gave her didn’t meet it. “Why do you always think the worst in every situation?”
“Because it would be stupid not to.” Alexa watched the frown on Milo’s face deepen before she pressed, “Are you going to answer me?”
“Look around you, Alexa,” answered the warrior angel. “There are far fewer trained angels than before. The Legion needs us more than ever. Especially you. Your gift is a godsend, really. They’d never pass on it.”
“Well, they have a funny way of showing it.” This time Alexa didn’t hide the resentment in her voice. “I thought after the council cleared me—for a second time—they’d finally trust me. But they’ll never trust me. They’ll never see past this gift of mine and who gave it to me. It’ll always be Hades’ touch that altered me. Let’s face it. It’s why they didn’t want me in that meeting with you.”
Milo tensed. “They do trust you.”
“I’m not stupid. I know they don’t.”
“This meeting had nothing to do with that or with you,” said Milo, as though it should be obvious. “Only higher ranked angels were at the meeting…well, those of us left, which was about a handful if you don’t count those out on jobs. Our numbers are unusually low at the moment.” He looked around the room, his expression hardened. “I’m not going to lie to you. It’s much worse than I thought.”
“Does it have something to do with how empty CDD is?” Alexa glanced at the empty chairs, her anger slowly dissipating. “Where is everyone? I know they can’t all be out on assignments? Where are all the angels?”
“Gone,” said Milo, his voice hoarse and empty.
Alexa watched his face for a moment. She didn’t like the lines around his eyes and forehead. “You mean like gone on assignment, right? Not, gone, gone?” She felt a shadow of fear gripping her throat.
Milo clenched his jaw. “No, I mean gone as in, they deserted the Legion. They’ve forsaken us.”
He drew back and grasped the backrest of the nearest chair. His face was like stone, his grip white-knuckled on the back of the chair.
“He’s right,” said the female angel as she perked up in her chair. “They’ve all but abandoned us. Traitors, if you ask me. Tartarus is not punishment enough for what they’ve done.” She shook her head, the whites of her eyes showing. “They should pay the ultimate price! Suffer their true deaths. Yes, yes, that should serve them right! Death to those who turn their backs on the Legion!”
Alexa glared at the angel until she turned back to her screen. Alexa moved slowly next to Milo, searching his face.
“But why would so many leave? Where are they?”
Milo turned and looked at her. “Probably some remote part of Horizon. Mount Hope or Soul Summit, maybe, but no one knows for sure.”
“I never thought there were other parts of Horizon,” said Alexa, feeling more like a rookie than ever.
Milo smiled feebly at her. “Horizon has many parts. This is just one small part of a much bigger world.”
“So, what does this all mean?”
“Well, whatever the angel Ryan had stirred,” said Milo, and added quickly, seeing the expression on Alexa face, “he wasn’t the only one. The Legion first thought it was only a handful of defected angels, but turns out they were wrong. Many angels believed in Ryan’s preaching, many that were already following the same cause even before Ryan was made an angel. It’s been going on for years in secret. It seems they were waiting for the perfect opportunity to leave. There have always been cases of fallen angels, but this one is different. This time, the fallen took angels with them. Whatever they’d been preaching about the Cleansing, it convinced a lot of angels to follow.” His frown deepened. “Some of these angels were my friends.”
“I’m sorry, Milo.” Alexa had never seen him with other angels apart from her and Lance. Since they’d been paired together, he’d never once mentioned a friend or even a special friend. All his focus had been on the job. She’d always thought of him as more of a loner because of what he was before he was made an angel.
Milo was silent for a moment. He nodded distantly, blinking. “They’re calling themselves The Order of the First.”
“The Order of the First?” repeated Alexa. The title sounded creepy on her lips. It felt wrong somehow.
Milo’s eyes flared. “The first creation.”
Alexa closed her mouth when she realized it was open. A chill snaked down her spine. “So, this is how they managed to convince all those angels. With a name like The Order of the First, it makes them sound special, an elite group. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that special group.”
“I wouldn’t.” Milo let go of the chair and raked his fingers through his hair. “Whatever lies they spread, they were able to convince a quarter of the Legion including many highly ranked angels.”
“And the rookies?”
“Some rookies, but mostly older angels. Angels with more experience.”
Alexa began to pace again. “This is crazy. I haven’t been an angel all that long, but I can’t help but think of all the mortals they’re abandoning. Some of them probably still have family alive. How can they be so selfish? What do they want?” she asked, but she had a feeling she already knew the answer.
“What else? To cleanse the Earth of mortals,” answered Milo, his voice cold. So cold. “To release themselves from their obligation, and from the Legion. They don’t want to deal with the mortals anymore. It’s always been for the same reason. They just never gave themselves a title before. A title like that gives them purpose. It gives them power.”
Alexa didn’t like the way he said power, like this new order of angels was stronger than the Legion. “Who’s in charge of The Order of the First?”
Milo studied the empty chamber and then turned back to Alexa. “No one knows for sure. But I think it must be one of the senior angels, someone who’s been in service for a very, very long time. The High Council have a few of them under suspicion, but it could be any of them.”
“What do you think?” Alexa knew to trust her angel instincts, and she knew it would be the same for Milo. “Do any of those names stand out? You must have an idea of who that might be.” She eyed him for a moment. “You do, don’t you? I can see it in your face. Tell me. What does your gut tell you?”
“Nathaniel.” Milo’s voice was harsh, and his eyes flashed with sudden anger, the kind that had history.
Alexa studied the tall, muscular angel as bitterness and rage flooded his features. He knew this angel personally, and he hated him.
“Nathaniel,” said Alexa, tasting the name on her lips. “Tell me about him.” Alexa couldn’t help but be a little curious. She’d only seen that kind of anger on Milo’s face after Hades had mentioned who his father was.
Milo was silent for so long that she wasn’t sure he’d ever speak again. “Nathaniel’s an ancient angel,” he began in a monotone voice. “Almost as old as the archangels. He was one of the first guardian angels created.”
Alexa scowled. “I bet he’s the one who came up with the name The Order of the First.”
Milo gave a small nod of his head. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it was him. It’s just like him to choose such a bold and self-righteous title. He always thought of himself as being above the other angels. He believed that being one of the first guardians gave him special privileges.”
Alexa stared at Milo. “And did it?”
“No.” He shook his head. “All angels are created equal in Horizon. No angel is above another.”
“Really?” said Alexa, incredulous. “You’re forgetting the whole petty officer thing. If that were true, we’d be the same rank.”
Milo shot Alexa a look of surprise. “I don’t mean equal as in ranks, although ranks are necessary here just like any administration, to set boundaries and to instruct and train rookies. I’m talking about angels who think they have claims over other angels because they’ve been in service longer, or just because they come from a long line of guardian angels. It doesn’t matter where you’re from—if you were born poor or rich, what your background was, the color of your skin, your sex—none of it matters. We’re all the same. We’re angels. We all have the same rights, same opportunities and the same training. We’re one big army geared towards the same goal—to guard and protect the lives of mortals.”
Milo studied her intently, his expression stony and unreadable despite the storm raging in his dark eyes.
“But this Nathaniel thinks otherwise,” said Alexa. “He believes that not all angels are created equal. Some are superior to others, and he is one of them.”
“Exactly.” Milo gazed at her steadily. “I was surprised to hear that he didn’t join the first Cleansing when it happened. Maybe he didn’t agree with Asmodeus’ methods. I don’t know. He’s still on the list of names the High Council mentioned during the meeting, but they’re not all convinced it’s him.”
Alexa stared at Milo, her mind reeling. “So, what happened between the two of you?”
Milo looked away from her. His frown deepened but he didn’t answer.
From the tension in his shoulders, Alexa knew he wouldn’t tell her, at least not yet. Instead she said, “But you think it’s him.”
“I do.”
“Well, whoever this Nathaniel is,” said Alexa, glowering. “He couldn’t have picked a worse time to try and divide the Legion.”
“He’s already divided us.”
Alexa gripped her hands into fists. “It’s almost as though they did this on purpose. Like they timed it perfectly with Hades’ ascension from the Netherworld, waiting until our backs were turned. We should go and bring them back by force. Fight them. Take down this Nathaniel character. I’m sure some of the angels are just confused, brainwashed because their minds are weak. They’ll be all right once they see reason.”
“Maybe you’re right,” said Milo, looking grim. “It was discussed in the meeting, but the Legion’s first and foremost mandate is to protect human life. What we saw in that nightclub is just the beginning of Hades’ madness. More and more reports of heightened demon activity are coming in. It’s in every major city in the world. And it’s growing.”
“We should have stopped him from getting the helm,” said Alexa as the image of Hades putting on the Helm of Darkness and then vanishing in a shimmer flashed in her mind’s eye. She felt sick. “If I had used my gift on Hades—”
“It’s too late for that now,” said Milo. “But Hades’ threat is pressing.” He glanced around, as if he half-expected to see the black shadow of Hades hulking toward him. “The other units will be back soon. I wanted to find you before they came.”
“Really, why’s that?”
“I have news you might find interesting.”
Alexa perked up. “Like what?”
“As you know, the Legion’s resources are divided,” Milo began. “They don’t have the necessary resources to fight Hades. And by the time the new rookies are trained and ready for duty—it’ll be too late.”
“So, what exactly are you saying?” Alexa’s mind was whirling and she tried to speak calmly. “We’re just going to give up? Let Hades win?”
A look of annoyance flashed across Milo’s face. “No, that’s not what I’m saying. If you let me finish before interrupting, I can tell you.”
Alexa raised an eyebrow, as she would to a child who’d said something stupid. To complete the look of annoyance, she crossed her arms over her chest, glowering.
“Because of the lack of resources,” continued Milo, his voice tense. “The Legion has no other choice but to ask for help from the humans.”
“You mean the Sensitives?”
“Exactly,” said Milo. “With our numbers failing, we’re going to need help if we want to defeat Hades and the recently roused Greater demons, not to mention the new threat of the belphegor demons. Apparently, the belphegors have taken an interest in Sensitive safe houses. There have already been ten attacks, including the one on Hallow Hall.”
A knot of dread formed in Alexa’s chest at the mention of that particular safe house. She couldn’t help but think of Erik—and the kiss they’d shared—as well as the others from Hallow Hall. The attacks had caused a rift between her and Erik. Something had broken. But after all she’d seen and suffered, she wasn’t sure she wanted to repair it.
Alexa could feel Milo’s eyes on her. She knew he was watching her for a reaction, a sign that would tell him if she was still in love with the mortal. Not that it was any of his business, and not that it had ever even been love—more of an infatuation. From the little she knew of Milo, he was probably making sure she was fit for duty. That her resolve was sound, so she could focus on the job and not be distracted by Erik’s muscled chest.
It was even more apparent when she met his eyes. His face held traces of uncertainty, like he was still unsure about her, but she also saw a hint of worry. Then it was gone so fast, part of her thought she’d imagined it.
Why would Milo even care what Alexa thought of Erik? Did he think she was so weak she might break down if faced with him again? She’d been humiliated enough. She would not break.
Milo fell silent. It was clear from the look on his face, some kind of struggle was taking place inside him.
“What?” she said, her voice rising in irritation. She resisted the urge to grab his shoulders and shake him. “Either there’s something on my face or you’re not telling me something—”
“I can tell you for sure, there’s nothing on your face,” interrupted the female angel, “so there’s definitely something he’s not telling you.”
Alexa had forgotten about her. She’d probably listened to their entire conversation. But when Alexa shot her another glare, the angel pressed her lips together and gave her a suit-yourself kind of look before turning away.
Milo looked like he was caught between a smile and a frown. “The Legion called an emergency meeting with the Heads of the North American Division. Which is unheard of. The Legion usually only communicates with the Sensitives through House Ramiel.”
Alexa pressed her hands on her hips. “And?”
“And,” said Milo, as he thrust his hands into the pockets of his pants, “the meeting’s taking place in New York. You and I, fledgling, have been summoned.”