After the Fall (Broken Angel #2) (18 page)

“You there,” Luke called to one of the stage crew.

The heavy-set man in the blue cap jogged to them. “Yes, Sir?” The man eyed Sal nervously, lowering his cap.

“Bring the senator some water, quickly.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Mr. Prescott,” Sal said. “I need a word with you.”

“Not now,” Luke said.

The young man returned and handed a bottle of water to Jane. “Thank you, uh, Mister...”

“Eduardo.” He gave Sal a quick look and scurried off back to the stage.

Jane took a sip of the cold water. “That’s better. I’m ready now...Luke?”

When she turned to Luke, he was whispering frantically with Sal. She looked around, panicked, wondering if there was a breach in security. She knew that her announcement wouldn’t be popular with a lot of people, especially after the explosion incident. She feared someone would get hurt, trying to stop her.

A shadow passed over her, and she looked up. She felt a sickly chill as dark clouds gathered overhead. “Luke, maybe we should cancel or move this inside. It looks like a thunderstorm is coming.”

“Nonsense. Nothing can stop your day of shining in the limelight. It’s a new beginning for you, my dear.”

***

N
aomi let out a sigh of relief when Lalo joined Chuy and Megan on the opposite side of the stage from Sal and Lucifer. She wanted to get closer, but she kept her distance, hiding in a cluster of trees near an office building. Even though she was in her angel form and they weren’t able to see her, she knew Lucifer and Sal could. She fought with every fiber in her being not to run over there and demand that they tell her where Lash was.

Thankful, for once, that angels had enhanced hearing abilities, she listened to them arguing about why Lalo was there. Lucifer looked nervously toward the group of reporters, who were starting to get curious. It was like they could pick up the scent of a scandal brewing.

She heard Lucifer order Sal to wait in the back of the crowd and to deal with Lalo later.

Jeremy, where are you?
She couldn’t let them get to Lalo. She knew she was there to watch over Megan, but if Sal touched a single hair on Lalo’s head, she didn’t care how powerful he was. He was going down.

“Ladies and Gentlemen.” A Texas twang rang out through the audience when a middle-aged man wearing a tan Stetson spoke into the microphone. “As mayor of this fine town, I’d like to welcome you to Gardenville, Texas. This is a historic moment in our country’s history. It is the birth of a new party, the American Federation party. The AF will take this country by storm and forge for us a better and brighter future. It is my honor, my privilege, to introduce our fearless and dedicated leader, Texas’ very own, Senator Jane Sutherland!”

There was polite applause as the senator approached the lectern. Naomi edged closer, her eyes darting between Megan and Chuy as the senator’s voice boomed through the speakers.

“Thanks to all of you who braved the heat today. You are here because you believe that the American Federation can transform this nation, this country, into a better America.”

As Jane spoke, Naomi watched Megan struggle to push her way past the security guards who blocked the entrance to the stage. The senator glanced in the direction of the disturbance but continued on with her speech. A few news reporters caught sight of what was happening and started making their way to the commotion.

A gust of wind rushed through the trees, sending a flock of birds screeching out into the darkening sky. Flashes of light lit the sky, and the audience grew nervous.

“Let go of me!” Megan tugged on a security officer who was dragging her away from the stage. “I have proof that Prescott Oil is illegally dumping the chemicals used in their drilling.”

A small group of reporters swarmed to her, firing one question after another.

“What proof do you have?”

“Are you with Green Peace?”

“Are you with Texans Against Environmental Destruction?”

“Aren’t you Megan Dalene, the niece of the woman who died in the gas leak accident?”

“It wasn’t an accident. Prescott Oil is to blame for my aunt’s death!” Megan cried over the thunder and wind. Her hair blew wildly, hitting against her face. “My little cousin was severely burned. She’s only four years old.”

“You’re going to have to leave.” A security guard grabbed her arm and hauled her away from the growing crowd of reporters.

“Leave her alone,” Chuy growled, blocking the guard. “She has every right to be here.”

“Step back,” the security officer warned. He took out a walkie-talkie and called for police assistance.

“Take it, Chuy!”

He reached out to Megan’s outstretched hand and took what looked like a USB flash drive. He then turned towards the stage.

The moment Chuy placed his foot on the step leading onto the stage, Naomi felt a surge of terror.

“Don’t, Chuy!” Naomi ran to him, knowing he couldn’t hear her but praying that maybe, just maybe he could sense her.

Then everything seemed to happen all at once.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Lucifer nod in her direction. She felt a jolt hit against her back, and she fell to the ground. Quickly, she flipped over, just as one of the evil twins was about to strike. She flicked out her wings and took off up into the sky, with the dark angel chasing after her.

There was another loud crack of thunder, and a stinging rain poured down. She was flying as fast as she could go, trying to out-maneuver the dark angel, when his twin appeared.

She stopped and hovered above the audience, who were scrambling to get out of the rain. With one dark angel on her right and the other to her left, she had no choice but to fight.

The dark angel to her left gave her a wicked smile. Just as he was about to attack, there was a loud crash, and he spiraled down to the ground with Jeremy on top of him.

Naomi quickly turned around, and the other dark angel slammed into her, placing an arm around her neck. She twisted and clawed his arm, trying to pull him off her.

She heard a scream in the crowd below. When she looked down, people were dropping to the ground. And that’s when she saw Sal pull out a gun. He was aiming it at Chuy.

“No!” She wailed and bit into the dark angel’s arm as hard as she could.

He screeched and released his hold, shouting a stream of obscenities.

Quickly, she flew down toward the stage. “Run, Chuy!”

Just as she was about to reach him, she felt a searing pain on her wing as the dark angel grabbed onto it. She watched helplessly as the dark angel jerked her back. She could see every single detail between Chuy and the senator as if it were all in slow motion.

The senator pushed her wet hair off her forehead and turned to Chuy, a look of recognition flashing across her face. She gazed down at his outstretched hand and was about to reach out to it when there was a loud crack.

She turned in the direction of the sound, her blue eyes widening at the sight of the gun. Her head turned, and her red lips formed a silent “No,” as she looked to Chuy.

In one swoop, she pushed him away and fell back as the bullet lodged into her own chest.

“You fool!” Naomi heard Lucifer roar as he ran onto the stage.

“Chuy!” Naomi screamed, jerking herself forward.

A loud cackle of laughter from the dark angel was cut off by a loud bang, and she was suddenly free. She turned to face a grinning Uri.

“Go! I’ll take care of Mr. Clean,” he said.

Just then, Rachel emerged from the clouds with Raphael close behind her. His face was full of a rage she had never seen before and never thought possible from him.

He lifted his hand, and a fierce ray of light streaked down, striking Lucifer in the chest. His body flew back and landed on the edge of the stage. His suit was torn to shreds, exposing severe burns all over his body as he convulsed, rolling down the steps. When he landed on the bottom, his body fell limp, his eyes open and blank.

The dark twins and Sal stared down at the motionless body. Within seconds, they disappeared.

“Let’s go,” Jeremy said as he flew toward the stage.

Naomi and the others landed on the stage. “He’s alright,” she said with relief as she looked Chuy over. “He’s not hurt.”

She watched as Chuy rolled over and crawled to the senator. Blood blossomed on her suit.

“Senator. Hold on. I’ll get you some help.”

She grabbed his hand. “Tell...tell your grandmother...”

“Don’t talk, Senator. Save your energy. Let’s get an ambulance over here!” Chuy yelled.

“Tell your grandmother...she was right,” she wheezed. She closed her eyes and winced. Rain slid down her pale face.

“Right about what? Senator? Senator?”

Slowly, she opened her eyes, and Naomi felt a pang in her chest as she watched the Senator’s tears mix with the rain on her face. She didn’t look like the powerful woman the world knew. She looked like a little girl, innocent, and pure. It was the Jane that Lash must’ve seen.

“How beautiful! He’s so beautiful,” Jane said.

Naomi turned, surprised that she was looking directly at Uri. “Rachel and I have this one, Jeremy. Go with Naomi and get Lash. Raphael will show you the way.”

“Where are the others? Where are the rest of the angels?” Naomi cried to Raphael.

“There is no army for this.” Raphael gazed sadly at her. “All who came here did so of their own will.”

“T
his is it? Are you sure?” Naomi gazed at the familiar clear stream that ran through the lush landscape and the towering snow-capped mountains in the background. “This doesn’t look like Hell. It looks like home.”

“Lucifer purposely made it look like the home where the fallen came from,” Raphael said as he stopped in front of a waterfall. “It makes it easier to sway those who are displeased with their work. It is not until after they join him that they realize the truth.”

“Lash is in there?” She pointed to the cave hidden behind the rushing water.

“Yes.”

“What are we waiting for?” Naomi rushed past Jeremy.

“Wait!” Raphael grabbed her arm. “This is no ordinary place.”

“I know. Rachel told me about the Lake of Fire.” She shivered at the image of Uri being held captive. Lash was there now. There was no time to waste. “Let’s go.”

Raphael tightened his hold on her. “This is not something to be taken lightly. Let me go first.” He put his hand into the water. It splashed onto his hand, and he withdrew it, wincing.

“What is it?” Jeremy drew her behind him.

Raphael turned to them, a serious look in his eyes. “All that you see here―the water, the cave, even the air―is made to weaken you, body and soul. The closer you get to the lake, the more your powers will be stripped from you. Do not let the lava touch you. It
will
burn.”

“I know that,” she said. She didn’t care what happened to her. She just wanted to get to Lash. “I’m ready.”

“We must be careful, but we must also be swift. Lucifer can return at any time.”

“What? But I saw you kill him,” she said.

“You saw me destroy his human body, but his soul remains. We may have only moments before his soul is revived, and he’ll head straight here to destroy us all.”

With a deep breath, he turned and went through the water.

Naomi followed after him. When the water hit her back and wings, a searing pain hit the core of her being, and she threw a hand over her mouth, muffling her screams.

“Naomi!” Jeremy ran through the water, gritting his teeth as he went through.

Raphael drew her into his arms and gently glided his hand over her back. She immediately felt the pain turn into a dull ache.

Raphael leaned against the cave wall, gasping for air. “Jeremy, I am sorry. I won’t be able to heal you right now. Give me a moment.”

“Save your strength for Lash.” Jeremy patted him on the shoulder. “I can take the pain.”

Naomi ran down the tunnel as fast as she could, struggling to keep up with Raphael and Jeremy. The dull ache on her wings and back was nothing compared to the searing pain that swept through her lungs with each breath of the ice-cold air. Jeremy sprinted far ahead of them. She heard his groans echoing through the cave every couple of minutes. But he kept his pace, never slowing down.

Her feet were growing numb, and she barely felt the ground beneath her. She tripped, and Raphael caught her. “We are almost there, Naomi.”

She nodded, gasping. She couldn’t breathe. She needed air. But with each gasp, it was like she was swallowing a thousand knives, each one piercing her chest.

She expanded her wings and tried to take flight, hoping to get to Lash faster. Her wings felt like dead weights on her shoulders, and she could barely lift herself off the ground.

“Lash!” Jeremy’s yell echoed down the corridor.

She felt her stomach drop at the despair in his voice, and with every ounce of strength she had, she propelled herself forward. Raphael followed close behind.

They entered into the vast chamber, and a wave of heat slammed into her, blurring her vision. She blinked until her eyes cleared. Across the lake of lava, tied against a cracking wall and charred almost beyond recognition was Lash.

“No!” She screamed hysterically and fell to the ground. Her hands clawed the cave floor as she wailed in agony. “No! No! No!”

It’s too late. We’re too late.

Her Lash, her beautiful Lash, hung limp and motionless against the stone wall. Chains around his wrists, waist, and feet were the only things that seemed to hold him up. Lava oozed from the cracks in the wall above him, dripping down onto his charred wings and body.

“Lash! Lash!” He can’t be dead. He
can’t
be dead.
I won’t believe it!

Her heart leapt into her throat as his head lifted slightly.

“Naomi,” he croaked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I’m coming!” she cried as she struggled to get to her feet. She’d gotten as far as the edge of the lake when lava shot through the air and splashed on her foot, making her stumble and fall to the ground, crying out in pain.

“Naomi,” Lash’s voice rasped. “Don’t.”