Azrael circled above Quinn and Marcus, onyx wings a sharp silhouette gliding along the shore of Bluebonnet Creek. She didn’t care what Azrael thought. He may be her protector, but this was her life, not his. He had no idea what it was like to be human, to feel so alone in grief and confusion. She needed someone to know what she’d been going through, all of it, and despite Azrael’s arguments that it was his job to be there for her, he wasn’t enough. Disapproval emanated from his essence as she confessed everything down to the last little detail to Marcus.
Marcus surprised her. He didn’t crack a joke, not even once, as she paced along the shore, telling a truly unbelievable story. When she got to the part about the demons warning her away from Aaron, she choked.
“He should never have come after me.” Quinn couldn’t stop the flood of emotions dripping down her cheeks. “It would have been better if he had let me die. He would be here now instead of trapped in the Underworld with that monster.”
“Don’t say that. Of course it wouldn’t be better.” Marcus brushed a stray strand of hair from her eye and smiled. “It all makes sense now. Don’t you see? It was his destiny to save you. This goes beyond everything, Quinn. When that thing was inside me, I could feel it digging for my deepest fear. It kept playing Aaron’s death over and over in my mind, trying to make me weak, to suppress my, what did you call it?”
“Your spirit essence.”
“Right. My essence. It got into my head and twisted my thoughts around to the point where I didn’t want to fight back any more.” Marcus shivered.
Foolish. Stupid. Careless. Rash. Azrael’s lecture went on and on. You do not know the first thing about the evil you are dealing with. Bad enough that you risk you own life in a futile pursuit of a boy you have no hope of saving, but you refuse to go to Arcadia where you’ll be safe, You put your friend at risk, too. Stubborn. Yes, add stubborn to the list. And did I mention stupid? If only I had leave to drag you to Arcadia kicking and screaming, I would.
I’m not leaving Aaron there. I told you.
I will not allow you to risk everything to go to the Underworld.
“What if they’re not just here to cross the veil and create chaos, as Azrael says. What if they’re here to destroy us?” Marcus scratched his forehead. “Look at what they had Jeff and Kerstin do to each other. Look at the wars we’re having, the sick things happening all over the world. You have to stop them, Quinn, before it’s too late. I can’t watch my family and friends suffer like that. Maybe Azrael’s right.”
The boy understands far better than you do. You should listen to him.
Quinn ignored Azrael’s interjection but didn’t ignore the fear in Marcus’s voice.
“Marcus, how can you say that? She has Aaron.” A million iron bands squeezed at Quinn’s chest, and her breath came in quick spurts. “You didn’t see him, didn’t talk to him. He’s being tortured.” She paced.
“And what’s in that box? This Lilith chick wants it pretty bad, which says to me you shouldn’t give it to her.” Marcus ran a hand through his hair.
Something dark. Something dangerous. Something you should not be in possession of. Agitation laced Azrael’s voice.
“If I don’t give Lilith what she wants, he’ll be trapped for eternity.” Quinn stopped in front of Marcus and squared her shoulders. “Giving her the box means we can have Aaron back. You can have him back, Marcus. Isn’t that what we both want more than anything?”
Do not be foolish, Quinn. Lilith is older and more powerful than you can imagine. If you set foot in the Underworld, you will not return. Your world will fall. Everything you love will die. And for what? The soul of one boy?
“How can you ask me to leave him there?” Quinn shouted at the sky as Azrael zigzagged in agitated patterns above them.
You can’t even be sure it was Aaron. Lilith is a master of deception and manipulation. Even Eve was not immune to her lies. The box, Quinn. It must be taken to Arcadia. Azrael spoke through his bond. It must not fall into her hands. Do you understand? I beg you to deliver it into my care.
“Marcus, he’s your best friend. You couldn’t leave him there, could you?”
Marcus dug the toe of his shoe in the dirt and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. “I don’t know, Quinn. I don’t think Aaron would want you to risk everything just for him.”
Yes. See? You should listen to your friend.
“What does that angel of yours say?” Marcus asked.
“He agrees with you. He thinks I should let him take the box to Arcadia for safe keeping and that I should go with him.” Quinn flung her hands in the air. “I can’t!”
“That demon said you have until the eclipse, right? That’s three days away. We have time to figure it out. Come up with a plan.”
No. You are both fools. I won’t let you throw all this away. There is no time. If you do this, you are on your own. Azrael flew in erratic circles around her head. Do you hear me? I will abandon you.
No. You won’t. And we both know it. That seemed to shut him up, for now at least.
Quinn turned the box over in her hands. “Three days.”
“Well, whatever you decide, I’ll stand with you. And you have to tell Reese.”
“I can’t bring her into this. I shouldn’t have even told you.”
“You can’t do this alone. Let us help you. It’s our world, too.”
“Fine, I’ll tell Reese, but I’ll need to call Caleb too. That’s okay with you, right?”
“This is your show, just think of me as your backup dancer.” Marcus did a spin and slide, and Quinn couldn’t help but laugh.
“With those kinds of moves, we’re sure to win this fight.” He unzipped the backpack and eyed the splintered spirit board. “I guess I’ll be buying my little sister a new one of those.”
He handed the backpack to Quinn, and she placed the box deep inside, zipped it all the way up to make sure it was secure, and slung it over her shoulder.
“Come on. I’ll call Reese, and we can meet at my house. My parents are out tonight, so we’ll have complete privacy. Now, let’s get out of here. This place is nothing but trouble.” Marcus put an arm around her and guided her back up the hill. “You’re not alone anymore. We’ll figure this out, together.”
Hot, white fury rolled off Azrael, but he followed, his bond to her too strong to do anything but.
***
Quinn bit her lip as she pulled into the circle drive of Marcus’s house. Beneath the porch light, Reese leaned against the archway, waiting. Quinn turned off the engine and looked in the rearview mirror. Where was Marcus? In the time since they had left Bluebonnet Creek, she had gone home, showered, and changed. Plenty of time for him to pick up the pizza and make it home. He’d promised she wouldn’t have to face Reese alone. No time. She couldn’t just sit in the car and wait. That would make an awkward situation even worse.
Come on, Quinn, this is your best friend. Not like she’s going to bite. Get out of the car. That’s it. See? Was that so hard?
“Hey,” Reese walked down the stairs, rubbing her arms, “I’m so glad you guys called. I was going crazy at home alone.” She dabbed her eyes with the cuff of her cream cardigan. “My dad’s off doing damage control with the sheriff’s department, and Ami won’t stop texting me. She seems to think I’m her new best friend. I even had to turn the television off. They keep showing repeats of Kerstin attacking Jeff and him shooting her. If I hear one more ‘expert’ analyze why, I’m going to go postal.”
“About that … ”
“Looks like you started the party without me.” Marcus slammed his Jeep door, two boxes of pizza balanced on one hand. “I brought snacks. We can play a little Zombie Island while we figure out how to rescue Aaron.” Marcus handed Quinn the pizzas and fumbled with his keys to unlock the front door. “There’s this one level where you stumble onto a crashed airliner. You have to open the door to get to a quest item, but when you do, all the dead passengers swarm you and try to eat your brain. It’s awesome.”
“What do you mean, rescue Aaron?” Reese asked. “Wait. That spirit board thing didn’t actually work, did it?
“You mean you haven’t told her yet?” The key clicked into place, and Marcus motioned the girls to enter. Azrael slipped in behind them and slinked into a dark corner of the living room. Arms over his chest, he rested his sullen gaze on Quinn. At least he was keeping his thoughts to himself.
“I was just getting to that.” Ignoring him, Quinn grabbed Reese’s hand and pulled her over to the couch. “You might want to sit down for this.”
Reese looked at Quinn and then at Marcus. “You’re joking, right?” She settled into the sofa and sighed. “Okay, I’m sitting. Go ahead.”
“Do you want to, or should I?” Marcus bounced on the balls of his feet.
“I think she’ll take it better from you.”
“Oh, for God’s sake, somebody tell me what’s going on.”
“My idea worked, Reese. Quinn contacted Aaron, and then these demons showed up.” Marcus waved his hands, acting out the whole scene for Reese’s benefit. Reese, ever the skeptic, stared at him and rolled her eyes, totally not buying it. “They possessed me.”
“Demons. Right. We just had two more friends die, and you want to make jokes. I’d rather be home alone than listen to this bull for one more second.”
Marcus squatted in front of Reese and took both her hands in his. “It’s true. I saw one of those demon things with my own eyes. It was nasty! All fangs and hair, and the smell! It was worse than that time the boys swim team had a farting contest in the back of the bus on the way to regionals. Nasty!”
“Stop it, Marcus. You’re scaring me.” Reese jerked away from him.
“You should be scared.” Marcus’s sober expression stopped Reese from heading for the door. “They’re the reason Jeff and Kerstin are dead, why Aaron is missing. I wouldn’t joke about that, I swear.”
“You’re both crazy,” Reese said, but she didn’t leave. Instead, she looked from Marcus to Quinn and back to Marcus, tapping her foot on the concrete. “Next, you’ll be telling me Quinn is some alien from the planet Zulu.”
“Or a teenager who can see angels and demons and was born to save humanity from ultimate darkness?” Marcus pounced at the opportunity.
Reese burst out laughing. “Good one. One Slayer born to kick a little vampire butt back through the Hellmouth.”
“Not vampires, demons. And it’s called the Underworld, not the Hellmouth.” Quinn waited for her friend to calm down. “I’m serious.”
“No.” Reese looked at Marcus. “Is she?”
Frustration welled up in Quinn. How could she make Reese believe her? It sounded so far-fetched. Maybe Caleb could explain, but why would Reese believe a boy she barely knew. No, there had to be another way.
Azrael. If Reese saw her Sentinel with her own eyes, she would have to believe. Why hadn’t she thought of it before? A minute ago, he’d been sulking in the corner, now he was nowhere to be seen.
“Azrael?” Although she could speak to him telepathically, Quinn chose to speak out loud so her friends could understand what she was doing. “Where are you? Show yourself. I command it.”
No need to shout. Azrael floated through the ceiling, landed softly beside them, and tucked his wings to his side. They cannot see me. Their sight does not resonate at the correct frequency. No matter how much you command, I cannot reveal myself.
“Where were you?” Quinn asked.
Patrolling the perimeter, as is my duty. You seemed too busy with this wearisome teenage chatter to be worried about demon attacks.
“Who are you talking to?” Reese looked around and shrugged.
“Azrael, he’s my Sentinel, my guardian angel. I commanded him to show himself to you, but he says he can’t.”
“Of course he can’t. Guardian angels can’t show themselves to just any old humans, only those destined to save the world. Everyone knows that.” Skepticism laced Reese’s voice, but Quinn wouldn’t give up on her plan.
“Give her a minute.” Marcus put his arm around Reese, and she snuggled into him.
“I’ll give you five, and then I’m out of here.” Reese pulled her cell phone from her pocket and began surfing.
“There must be a way. You have to tell me if there is a way.” Quinn pushed her will onto Azrael. She was his boss, not the other way around.
Don’t let your power go to your head. Pride comes before a fall. Light pulsed around Azrael, and he grimaced. She could feel his desire to resist, but her wish overruled his. Perhaps there is a way, but I don’t know if it will work.
“Tell me already.” Quinn wondered if she looked like some of those mentally ill patients she saw in New York, talking to imaginary people. Maybe they weren’t crazy after all. Maybe they were like her.
Encompass them within your barrier and use your energy to include them in what you see. If they are within your bubble, you might be able to influence their essences and let them see what you see. Use your energy to manipulate their perception, so to speak.
“And how am I to do that?”
Azrael shrugged. You are Eol Ananael, not me. I am doing what you asked: telling you what I think might work. Since I do not know for sure, I am putting forth a theory. In theory, it should work, but there is no guarantee. And for the record, I still don’t think this is a good idea. It is against the edicts of the Dominions. They will not be best pleased.
“I don’t care if the Dominions are best pleased. Am I Eol Ananael or not? Besides, you never think any of my ideas are a good idea.” She looked over to Reese and Marcus, explaining, “Azrael says there’s something that might work. Give me your hands.”
Marcus stood and took her right hand while Reese gave him a sidelong glance.
“Oh, come on.” Marcus grabbed Reese’s wrist, took her phone, and pulled her forward.
“Okay! I can give her my hand myself, thanks.” Reese jerked away from Marcus, and then held her arms out and nodded. Quinn stepped forward and took one hand while Marcus took the other.
“Will this hurt?” Reese asked.
“I don’t think so.” The circle complete, Quinn closed her eyes. As her essence brushed against theirs, she could feel the tension and skepticism in Reese like a block of ice against her energy. Marcus on the other hand, was so open that it was easy to push her bubble of protection out and around him.
“Dude. That’s awesome!” Marcus exclaimed a few seconds later.
“What? What’s awesome?” Reese asked.
“You should see him, Reese. He’s so … bright.”
Impatient frustration coursed down Reese’s arm and into Quinn’s. “Why can Marcus see him and not me?”
“Relax, Reese, or at least try to have an open mind. Like meditation. Focus on your breathing.”
“Do I have to chant or something? This feels so silly.”
“No, just … ” Just what? Quinn didn’t even know what she was doing. How was it so easy for her to influence Marcus and not her best friend? “Let me in. Think about something fun we shared, like when we went on that road trip to Magic Island.” It was working. She could feel Reese’s essence unwinding, and she heard Reese giggle at the memory. “That’s it.”
Reese gasped and let go of Quinn’s hand, and the bubble burst. “What the … Where did he go?”
“If you want to see him, keep holding my hand. It’s not easy for me to do this.” Reese joined the circle again, and Quinn concentrated on expanding her barrier to include them. Then she worked to tune their essences into Azrael’s frequency. It wasn’t as hard as she’d imagined. Instincts led her where she needed to go as she experimented with how to manipulate their desire to see Azrael into reality.
Within seconds, she sensed Azrael shimmering into focus. She let go of their hands and opened her eyes. They would only be able to see him when Quinn was near. The change she made to their essences depended on her being close. It was similar to the way she pushed out her barrier to defend her mother from the demons. If they stepped out of the bubble, he would disappear.
“I can see him now! Oh, my God, Quinn, you weren’t lying. He is so beautiful.” Quinn remembered the first time she saw Azrael and wondered if her face had looked like Reese’s right then.
“I’m sorry, Quinn. We’re supposed to be best friends, but all this talk of ghosts and psychic powers, it spooked me, you know? I wanted to believe you, but couldn’t let myself. It was all too scary.” Reese and Quinn fell into a tangle of hugs and tears.
“No, I’m sorry. You were right when you said our relationship was nothing but lies and secrets and that I didn’t trust you. I was afraid you wouldn’t understand.”
“I wouldn’t listen. No wonder you kept secrets from me. God, Quinn, I’ve been so stupid. But I’m here now.” A flash of fear mixed with wonder rumbled through Reese’s essence. “Is he dangerous?”
“Only to demons.”
Azrael stood before them in all his glory, hands gripping the pommels of his swords, a hard look on his face. He did not like being her dancing monkey. He didn’t even try to hide his distain from her.
“Azrael, this is Reese and Marcus. Guys, this is my Sentinel, Azrael.”
“I know who they are.” Azrael pulled his sword from his scabbard and began picking dirt from beneath his nails with the tip. Reese and Marcus both backed away.
“Play nice, Az.”
“Don’t call me that, and maybe I will.”
“Ignore him. His bark is worse than his bite.”
Azrael snarled, and then grinned. Quinn rolled her eyes.
Reese circled Azrael, studying him as if examining a work of art. Quinn couldn’t blame her; he was an Adonis to look at, though his personality was completely lacking. Azrael ignored Reese like a cat ignored its owner, preening himself and looking smug.
“And you started seeing him after you drowned?” Reese asked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know how. Would you have known how to tell me something like this?”
Reese shook her head. “I guess not. So what does this have to do with Aaron?”
“Long story short? He’s trapped in the Underworld by Adam’s first wife, Lilith. She wants this box I found in exchange for Aaron.”
“A box that, when opened, will unleash the rest of Lilith’s horde into the human realm and rip the veil to pieces.” Azrael flexed his jaw, wings fluttering in agitation. “Lilith will no longer be trapped in the Underworld. You are being foolish and selfish. You would risk the lives of your friends, your family, their families, for the life of one boy?”
“I have until the eclipse to bring it to her or damn him for eternity.” Quinn didn’t know what the Underworld looked like, but she imagined it was a terrible place. She pictured Aaron alone and in pain, and her heart shattered all over again.
At the thought of his face, pain crackled through her body like a million volts of electricity running under her skin. “He’s here,” Quinn whispered. Although she couldn’t see him, the magnetic draw of his essence pulled her to him. She sensed his urgency pushing across from the Underworld.
“Don’t. You do not know what is contacting you.” Azrael took two giant steps toward her, intent on keeping her from Aaron. Quinn raised a hand, palm out, and directed all her focus at Azrael. “You will let me do this. Azrael, Sentinel of Arcadia, I bind you to my command and order you to hold your position.”
“You do not know what you are doing.” Azrael growled.
“I know exactly what I’m doing.” She didn’t need to think about it anymore. Accessing her power was as easy as breathing. Wish, and it will be.
Before Azrael could say another word, Quinn commanded him to be silent then slammed a barrier between them so he couldn’t follow her. He paced like a caged animal, repelled by the wall she put between them. Satisfied he wouldn’t be able to interfere, she dropped to her knees and projected her essence out of her body and into the astral plane, the seam where the fabric of the Underworld and her realm joined.