Broken (Endurance) (48 page)

“I know. It’s not that. For some reason I’m nervous. Like something really bad is about to happen and there is nothing I can do about it,” Makayla said.

“There is always a silver lining.” He thought she was picking up on the unexpected pregnancy. “Promise me something.”

“What?”

“That you will be strong when I’m gone.”

“When you’re gone?” Makayla didn’t like his words.

“When I have to go back. I need to know that no matter what happens, you will keep a level head and be strong.”

“Stop. I don’t want to hear you talking like that. You know I will do whatever I have to

do. Whatever God wants me to do,” Makayla said as a combination of passion and pain filled her eyes.

“Baby, I’m sorry, but I worry about you more now than before.”

“Why? Nothing’s changed.”

“I never felt this way for anyone before. I thought I understood what love meant, but when I meet you… I never knew love could feel like this. You knocked me off of my feet.”

Makayla smiled. “You scared me so much.”

“How?”

“I looked into your eyes and they were pure and honest. Your intention was clear and I knew in an instant what you wanted. It scared me to think you could be the one I’m supposed to be with. What if you’re the one my heart has been searching for,” Makayla answered.

“I am.” Tamarius leaned closer and kissed his wife, pushing her back onto the bed. He pulled her clothes off. A knock at the door halted his actions. “No, not now,” he groaned.

“Tamarius, I just got the call,” Maxwell said somberly. “We must leave... tonight.”

Makayla and Tamarius stared into each others eyes the entire time Maxwell spoke. Makayla’s eyes began to water.

“Hey, I’ll be right back. I’m always coming back home to you.”

Makayla looked away from him and cried silently. Tamarius pleaded and begged her to stop crying, but she couldn’t. He kissed and nuzzled his head on her stomach.

“I don’t like seeing you like this.”

“Tamarius, something bad is going to happen. I can feel it,” Makayla said.

“What do you want me to do? It’s our job to secure a safe environment for our family. We can’t let Satan destroy what God has blessed us with.”

Makayla knew he was right, but could not help feeling the way she felt. “Just go,” she whispered.

“Kay?”

“Please.” She turned onto her side.

“I love you.  Everything is going to be fine.”

Makayla stayed silent. Her throat ached as she fought back her tears.

Tamarius got up and dressed. He pulled back the sheets next to Makayla and, although she fought him, he picked her up then placed her on the bed properly, covering her with the sheets. “Dead or alive, I will come back to you.”

“Death do us part remember,” Makayla said coldly, turning her away from him.

“Well, then I guess I will have to live.” He kissed her cheek.

Tamarius reluctantly left. He took one last look at his wife before closing the door.

“You better live,” Makayla whispered.

Tamarius met up with his brother who was just walking out of his room. He did not look too happy either.

“Ready? I want to get this over with,” Tamarius grumbled.

“She didn’t want to let you go.” Maxwell smiled at his brother.

“It’s more than that. She will be fine. Can’t be mad at me forever,” Tamarius replied.

“She’s not mad, bro, she’s your wife. No loving wife wants to be a widow.”

“I just hate seeing her that upset, especially now.” Tamarius realized he’d said too much.

“What do you mean, especially now? What’s going on? Is Makayla...?”

“No, let’s go.” Tamarius walked to the front door.

Maxwell was confounded by his brother’s actions, but knew when to leave him alone. He followed Tamarius to an awaiting car as they both began to mentally prepare themselves for the upcoming battle.

As the car drove off, heading to the college’s private air strip, a tall dark reptilian demon with yellow eyes appeared in front of the family’s vacation home. Satan had sent one of his elite spies to follow the Martinez brothers in order to find where they had hidden the ones they loved the most. It was all a part of his master plan. He needed them to put their guards down. The demon rubbed his hands together as he snickered, elated by his victory. He dematerialized and returned to hell to report back to Satan.

Maxwell reclined his seat in the jet as Tamarius gazed out of the window. He couldn't get over Makayla’s reaction. The nagging sense that something else was wrong began to worry him. Tamarius knew from experience that Makayla’s persistence held a reason.

Maxwell looked over at his brother. "Tamarius."

"She took a test and it came out negative." Tamarius knew the question that was on his brother’s mind.

"Okay, sorry to hear that," Maxwell replied, not really knowing what else to say about it. "Give it some time."

"I'm not worried, but you know women."

"Yeah, I think Cressida wants to have kids."

Tamarius turned his attention to his brother. "How do you feel about it?"

"I've always wanted to have a house full of kids, but now Max and Mei are doing it for me," Maxwell replied.

"Are you worried about what other people will think?"

"A little. Max is grown I would be starting over, and I wasn't so good at it the first time around."

"You weren't so bad, and don't you think you should give yourself a second chance? Max loves you. You’ve made up for the things you did in the past, and we’ve seen worse. Look at Cressida's dad. You would never try to sell your son's soul to the devil."

"Of course not. I love him too much."

"You know most couples have this talk before they get married," Tamarius teased.

"Yeah, you’d think I would have learned that the first time," Maxwell joked.

Tamarius smiled at his brother's remark. "Give it another try. You had Max young. Wouldn't it be great to have a child with the woman you love?"

"Yeah.  She said she would only want one child, maybe two depending on if she feels she could handle parenthood."

"One thing that always amazes me with women is how they will blossom into a mother the instant their baby is placed in their arms." Tamarius thought of his wife.

"I miss Mom," Maxwell said as he thought about what his brother had said.

"She was a great woman."

"We should get some sleep. It's going to be rough." Maxwell made himself comfortable and closed his eyes.

Tamarius looked out the window and gazed over the ocean. He reclined his seat and fell into a deep, yet troubled sleep. He couldn’t understand his dream and when he awoke he couldn’t remember anything about his dream.

It was around noon when they arrived at the mansion. Neither looked forward to what lay ahead. They decided to enter through the back way. In the family’s secret wing they met with Archangel Michael. The room had been converted into an efficient military bunker where Michael, Gabriel and Lahael stood around an architectural drawing of the Martinez mansion.

Maxwell and Tamarius instantly fell right into place and gathered around the mansion's layout with the angels. "We will need to secure these secret passages." Michael instructed.

"They have already gained entry into the home," Lahael replied.

"I'm more concerned about the portals they keep opening up," Gabriel stated.

"Maxwell and Tamarius, you need to go prepare yourself." Michael instructed.

They nodded and walked away. After they’d finished meditating and praying, Lahael approached them with two new swords in his hands. "Give me your old swords."

Maxwell and Tamarius handed Lahael their old swords as he handed them new ones.

"These are your upgrades." He smiled.

Tamarius smiled as he ran his fingers along the intricate designs that ran down the blade.

Maxwell was equally impressed as he looked at the weapon in amazement.

"It's time." Lahael turned and walked away.

For six nights and five days they fought Satan and his army. Maxwell moved relentlessly forward, running on pure adrenalin. When he became tired, he thought about his wife and family and he was filled with a new explosion of energy. 

Tamarius was aggressive as he tore through the horde of demons, killing as many as he could get his hands on.  He didn't notice when the demon he’d been fighting with for the past few months, the Soul Reaper, stood in the midst of the chaos.

The Soul Reaper grinned because now he knew where Makayla was. Today he would go after her. Satan's plan was to abrade their energy so that when he sent his demons after their family they would be too weak to fight back. "I will enjoy feasting on Makayla; the feel of her flesh and the taste of her blood." He growled with a show of razor sharp teeth just before he vanished.

Tamarius stopped fighting. His heart began to pound loudly in his chest. He screamed out in pain as he was stabbed in the back and hit across the back of his head. He turned and swung his sword, but he felt lightheaded and lost consciousness. As his sword flew across the room, he fell to the floor.

Devious

"What day is it?" Makayla asked Cressida as they sat on the beach watching the waves crash in.

"Saturday, the seventh," Cressida answered.

"I feel so helpless. I hate this."

"Yeah, but seriously, we would get them killed if we tried to...  Hell, I can't fight so I would be dead, too," Cressida said.

"I don't think I could do what they are doing," Makayla said.

"We haven't heard from them and tomorrow will make it one week," Cressida said, looking over at Makayla.

"Something is wrong, Cress, I can feel it," Makayla said.

"What do you feel?"

"I can't tell exactly, but I keep having this foreboding feeling," Makayla explained as she looked out at the shore where Max and Mei played with their son.

"Did you pray about it?" Cressida asked.

"Yeah, I did."

"Then don't worry. God knows best," Cressida replied.

"I just married the man of my dreams. What if...?"

"Don't even go there. If this family were to lose Tamarius... I can't even think about it."

"That’s what I’m afraid of," Makayla whispered

Cressida looked at Makayla who seemed to be miles away. She thought about what she was saying and began to think about her own husband. What if they lost both of them? "Kay, this is serious." Cressida was not even aware she had spoken out loud.

Makayla looked at her realizing that she just shattered her peace. "I’m sorry. I shouldn't... we need to stay positive." She struggled to find the right words to say.