Libera Me (25 page)

“You broke up with me,” I say as the Beast continues to scream through my thoughts.

“I was wrong. Scared.”

She steps in, kissing me softly.

“Nessa,” I whisper.

“Not Nessa,” she says. “Nesy.” She kisses me again, less tentatively this time. In her kiss I feel every moment we’ve shared together. Every lifetime.

“It’s really you?”

“Yes.”

I cover her mouth with mine. My head explodes with memories torn from my dreams. My nightmares.

Smoke and ash.

The alter.

Azza.

And Nesy. Nessa.

It’s all too real.

I pull away, pushing against Nessa. “No.”

“Aydan?” Confusion etches into her features as I force myself past her.

I need distance. Time.

Don’t trust her
.

The words weave between the images of being branded and the pictures of my life with Azza.

“Aydan, please. It’s me. It’s your Nesy.”

I stop and turn. “Don’t you say her name. You aren’t her. You’re a demon. One of Azza’s.”

“No. It’s me. Nesy. Let me prove it to you.”

“Nesy died. She told me herself. You are Azza’s.”

Nesy closes the distance, her eyes reaching into my soul, stripping me bare. My pulse quickens as I stay where I stand, rooted in her gaze. Her brow furrows and her lips mouth my confession.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6...

Her eyes widen for the briefest of moments, before her expression becomes stoic. Resolute.

My fingers reach to my neck and count the raised lines of the tattoo. The Beast screams as each mark is traced.

      1...2...

      3...4...

      5...

I swallow hard and trace a line that feels larger than the others; one that twines and unites the rest of the markings.

The sixth mark.

Complete.

Rage permeates my thoughts and I lunge toward Nesy. “You! You did this to me!” I wrap my fingers around her throat and squeeze.

The Beast is in charge now, and I will make this demon pay for what she’s done.

“Ay...” The word dies on her tongue as her eyes roll back.

The landscape explodes in green and indigo light. My fingers loosen and Nesy wrenches herself from my grasp.

“It’s me, Aydan. Azryel’s Wings, it’s me.” Nesy backs away as Zane and Cass appear next to her.

“It’s Nesy, Aydan. It’s really her.” Zane nods, taking Nesy’s hand.

I want to believe him.

My marks burn. Golden light floods the spaces around me, coalescing into the one I need more than anything.

Nesy.

“Don’t believe her, Aydan. I died at Azza’s hand. That girl is not me.”

Nesy speaks everything that is in my mind. My heart.

I look from the Nesy I remember to the girl claiming to be her. Which one lies? Which one holds my heart?

The Beast urges me to claim them both.

The girl standing with Zane steps forward, unafraid. “I am Nesayiel of the Sentinals, Aydan. Your Nesy.” She takes another step toward me, taking my hands. “Search your soul,” she says. “You know it’s me.”

She pulls me to her, kissing me hard. Everything melts as her lips part and I feel her give herself to me. Her kiss reaches into the dark spaces, filling them with hope.

Just as Nesy has always done.

“Nesy,” I whisper.

Again she kisses me. The Beast roars to life, demanding to be fed. I deepen the kiss, tasting her.

No!

I shove her away. “It’s too late,” I say, more to myself than anyone else.

“It’s not too late. We’ve beaten Azza before. Beaten them all. But you have to trust me. Trust in our love.”

I want to trust her more than anything.

“Aydan, please.”

“Nesy?”

She kisses me again. I melt into her embrace. Everything I’ve searched for, prayed for, is here. Now.

“You have to leave. It’s too late for me,” I say as I again push her away.

“You’ll never hurt me, Aydan. I know you won’t.” Nesy reaches for me.

And chaos explodes.

Chapter 38 – Requiem

Zane

The kiss, their kiss, kills a part of me.

“Zane,” Cass says as she reaches for my hand.

I yank it away. “I’m fine,” I lie. They were destined to find each other. Always destined to be together.

A golden light explodes the space around Aydan. From the center of the brilliance, a thick black smoke swirls, forming into Nessa’s twin—dark hair, navy eyes, tan skin.

Lilith.

I told you to stay away from her, Zanethios. Told you all to leave it alone. You should have listened to me.

In a heartbeat, Caim appears next to Lilith.

“Get her!” I yell.

Lilith pulls a scimitar and spins, thrusting it into Aydan.

“Nesy!” Indigo light explodes from Cass’s hands as she pulls Nesy back.

The color drains from Aydan’s face. He looks down to the wound. “Nes...”

Aydan falls, a crimson pool forming around him.

“No!” Nesy yells, pulling against Cass’s hold.

Lilith bends over his body, releasing his soul. She pulls him from himself, releasing the form of the Beast—skin pulled too tightly over bone, yellow-tinged body, bat-like black wings. Shoving him into a swirling black vortex, she stares at me and laughs. “Thanks for helping me unleash hell. I’m sure we’ll meet again soon.”

Lilith follows Aydan into the vortex and it closes in around her. I yell, running.

“Too late to rescue him now, Zanethios.” Caim draws his sword, positioning it at my neck.

“Zane!”

“Take Nesy and get out of here.”

“Not without you.”

“Go!” I open a portal behind Cass.

“Smart move. You wouldn’t want to risk any more of your friends, now. Would you?” Caim runs his blade along mine.

“Stand down, Caimael. That’s an order.” I step forward.

Caim laughs. “You have no dominion over me now. None of you do.”

“And Sariel? You’d refuse him too.”

“Didn’t you hear? The Council doesn’t exactly trust me anymore.”

“They’re right.” I swing my blade, determined to cut him down. Caim blocks, circling around me. “How can you betray your brethren?” I snarl. “Betray Celestium?”

“Me? What about you?” He jabs forward and I spin out of the way. “Celestium is the problem,” Caim says. “Not me. Not Lilith.”

Again I attack. Again he counters.

“Azzaziel killed her race. Her entire race.”

“I read the history, same as you,” I say as we encircle each other. “Mikayel tried to protect her.”

“No! He tried to convert her. Where was the Council when Azzaziel was killing everything? Where were the healers when her race lay bleeding in the caves? Where was Celestium’s mercy then?” Caim jabs and parries.

“It was war.” I block every blow, my arms growing tired.

“It was genocide.” Caim thrusts and attacks, spinning around me. His blade scrapes across my skin.

I growl as I turn and twist away from him. “Celestium gave her asylum.”

“Celestium nearly destroyed her.”

“She’s twisting you!” I parry again.

Caim steps back, opening a vortex. “You’ll see I’m right one day.”

I can’t let him leave. I spin around and stand in front of the opening, blocking his path. My sword levels with his chest.

“Get out of my way, Zanethios. As much as I hate you and what you stand for, I don’t want to kill you.” Caim raises his sword to my neck. “Not yet.”

“I won’t let you go to her.”

My mind spins and I stumble back. Images drenched from my deepest fears flash in front of me in rapid succession. Nesy and Aydan locked in a tight embrace, every moment of their passion displayed in horrific detail. My emotions churn. Pain, torment, heartache, it all rises, weaving within the images still playing in front of me. I close my eyes and the pictures come faster, stealing my breath. I stumble back and drop my sword. The vortex begins to close. My heart clenches. It feels as though it’s been carved from my body, still beating.

“You are so weak,” Caim says. “You can’t even face the truth of your own thoughts. Your feelings.”

I swallow back the rising tide. My shoulders tighten as my wings extend. I pick up the sword, my fingers tight around the hilt. In one swift motion, I place the blade firm against Caim’s neck and force my own wave of thoughts into Caim’s mind. Images of our brethren dying at Azza’s hands, Lilith and Azza joining forces against Celestium, the massacre of angels at the hands of Iblis.

Caim’s eyes widen as every thought replays in a loop he cannot avoid. His sword lowers and fresh images join the fray. In his mind, I force him to see what the Jinn has done to Celestium, what Lilith will do again.

“You can’t trust her, Caim. She will kill you when she’s done with you.”

Caim takes a step back. And another.

He closes his eyes and swallows hard. His sword lowers as his legs wobble slightly.

I’ve won.

I step in, my sword poses to attack. “Caim?”

His eyes pop open, vengeance painted on his face. Smoke overtakes my senses as he renews his attack. He swings a cutting blow. I block, retreat.

Spinning around, I attack and jab. He blocks and counters. Over and over, we engage.

“You’re stronger than I thought, Mediator.” A sadistic smile starts on his lips, working its way to his eyes. “But not strong enough.”

He flicks his wrist, his sword hard against mine. My arms tremble and my hands loosen their grasp. Caim laughs, thrusting forward.

“You would really side with our enemy. With Azza?” I snarl as I struggle to regain my footing against him. “With the UnHoly?”

“No. Not with Azza and the UnHoly. I side with Lilith.”

“It’s the same thing.”

“Not even close.” Madness sparks in Caim’s expression as he takes a step back, the sword still level with mine. “Lilith is the answer, brother. The one the world has waited for.”

“You’re insane.”

“You know I’m not. The war between Mikayel and Azzaziel has hurt us all. Their incessant feud must end.”

Caim circles, jabbing at my side. I duck and pivot, growing tired with each step. I don’t know how much more I can take.

“Lilith can end the fighting, brother. Restore the balance they’ve destroyed. She can bring back the peace.”

“At what cost? Caimael, listen to yourself. She’s tricking you. There is no peace with the Jinn. There can’t be; they aren’t capable of it.”

“You’re blind, Zanethios. A slave to the Council.” Caim parries, spins and parries again.

A vortex reopens behind me as Caim continues his assault.

“You’re the slave. Lilith’s slave. Open your eyes while you still can.”

Caim thrusts forward, forcing me back toward the swirling portal. My wings ruffle. I can’t steady my stance. My legs tremble as Caim pushes forward.

“I’ve had enough of this. You can join me Zanethios, or suffer the same fate as the Council and your friends. Either way, this ends tonight.”

“Whatever you’re planning, I’ll stop you.” I say as our blades clash.

“Too late for that. Things are in motion that you can’t stop. It’s time to end this war one way or another.”

“You can’t win. She’s lying to you, Caim. She’s the enemy.”

“And you’re a fool.”

Caim shoves hard against my blade and I fall backward into the vortex. Darkness closes in around me as I spin.

Spin.

      Spin.

Chapter 39 – FEALTY

Aydan

My mind is dark. Raw. There is no sound, save a deep gnawing that wells up from the depths of my being. It pounds like a heartbeat, but with less life. There is a desperation to it, a feral need. Louder and louder it gets as it rises through my consciousness. Until the black crevices become the gnawing and my thoughts waken.

I open my eyes, my senses fully alert. The air is cold and heavy with the stench of death and ash. Sulfur fills my nose as I draw a deep breath. I sputter, choking on the destruction that now surrounds me.

I pull myself up, my body stiff. I stretch my back, my shoulders, my neck. Wings—my wings—extend behind me. They feel familiar. Unwanted. I glance over my shoulder, confirming my suspicion. Black and bat-like, they fold, curving along my back. I touch my face, noting the skeletal frame. Tracing the lines on my neck, I count out my truth and memories unleash in a whoosh.

Nesy is alive.

And me...I am dead.

      Or worse.

I open my mouth to speak, my words replaced by a primal growl. The sound shakes the ground. Once more I attempt to speak. And once more, I am left with only sounds.

I have become the Beast.

The acknowledgement awakens a need to feed and my stomach clenches.

“Soon, my pet. Soon.”

Thick, black smoke swirls in front of me, forming itself into a woman. She resembles Nesy, same height, same stature. But she is dark, where Nesy is light.

Nessa.

“No, not Nessa, Aydan. Lilith, Queen of the Jinn.”

I open my mouth, questions pouring out in a series of grunts and snarls.

“Patience. I will tell you everything in time. But first, you must pledge yourself to me.”

Never.

My howl rattles the stones around me, causing several to fall. I look around, noticing my surroundings for the first time. Ancient ruins covered in moss. Ever-present mist that hugs the ground. And the unmistakable stench of Azza.

Infernum
. I’ve come to face my end at last.

I search my thoughts for Nesy, attempting to recreate tonight’s events.

A kiss.

Zane and Cass.

Screams.

My marks burn across my neck.

And pain.

      Excruciating pain.

I feel Lilith’s sword sever my tie to humanity, feel it when she rips me from my dying body. I see Cass take Nesy to safety and Caim engage Zane. My body relaxes. Nesy is safe.

“No one is safe from you now, my pet. Except, perhaps, me.”

I lock eyes with my captor, baring my teeth. So much I want to say, so much I long to do.