Sandy's Story (Ditch Lane Diaries Book 3) (19 page)

Erinelle waited for him. “You’re the most stubborn angel I’ve ever known. You placed the entire operation in jeopardy.”

Baldric roared into the night air. He picked up a square bale of hay and threw it into the outside lot. “I didn’t get caught, and I know where she is. We have to work fast. Sandy doesn’t have much time. With or without the AAF’s permission, I’m going back for her either tomorrow morning or tomorrow night. You decide. I saw Luc’s plans for Sandy. He plans on taking my bride.” Sandy’s look of distrust and disbelief ripped out his heart.

Erinelle sat on the metal gate leading out to the cow pasture. “It’s too soon. We’ll place the Campbell Ridge wards in harm’s way. I need at least one more day of training before we execute retrieval of the captives. Well, did you get a layout of where Luc’s keeping Sandy? How many human guards? How many demon angels? Anything that’ll be of use to our military strategy?”

“One more day. Or I’m going in by myself and don’t try to pull that trick again with the calming chair. I swear I’ll strap you to it.”

Erinelle chuckled. “You were limp as a dish rag when we took you out of it. I’m sorry. You weren’t thinking clearly. I had to do something. You’d have done the same thing, and you know it.”

Baldric propped his forearms on the gate and looked up at Erinelle. “All right, the estate has roughly a dozen human guards with automatic weapons. A half dozen on the main house roof. The house sits on a hill, and the guards can easily pick off anyone who tries to enter. Two additional guards for the barn and one guard for the outbuildings. The north left flank is where we should enter.”

Baldric flew up and sat on the front tire of Harry’s tractor. Pulling from thin air, he produced a screen and began to draw an outline of the buildings, using Xs to mark the guards. “There’s a tree line, and if we attack at dusk or dawn, we’ll have sufficient cover to knock out the human guards at the outbuildings and barn. We can take positions in the barn and then eliminate the remaining boys on the roof. I’d say that’ll give the division, oh, about five to ten minutes to scale the yard and enter the main house. I’ll need two dozen AAF, skilled soldiers. I didn’t get a head count of the demon angels, but I do have a suggestion.”

Erinelle hopped on the other side of the tractor to make notes on Baldric’s screen. “So, what’s the suggestion?”

“My wife has turned the eye of Caiojezeal. Let me approach him. He may consider working as a spy if we offer him leniency. Maybe allow him in the AAF reconditioning program. He’s a talented messenger and has many contacts.”

Erinelle placed her finger over her mouth as she entertained his proposal. “How do you know Caiojezeal likes your wife?”

Baldric laughed and shook his head. “Come on, Erinelle. I’ve been Sandy’s guardian and unfortunately seen her in action. The demon angel is smitten with her. I swear while I was replaying the events, part of me wanted to kill him, and the other part wanted to kiss his ass.”

Erinelle waved her hand, and the screen disappeared. “Very well. But be sure before you offer him any deal. It could be a trap. Bringing down Baldric the Warrior would be a shining star on anyone’s résumé, and that’s exactly what Luc wants to do.”

“At this point, I’m willing to take the chance because time is ticking. The longer Sandy stays in the cavern, the more her soul is at risk. Luc’s twisted, and you’ve seen it firsthand.” Erinelle winced at his reference. “Sorry.” There had been few beaus in Erinelle’s life since Lucifer broke her heart in heaven. Baldric thought for a second. No, Luc trampled Erinelle’s heart with one of her best friends.

Luc’s demon angels would work double time on Sandy’s weaknesses. What made matters worse, Luc’s private chamber adjoined Sandy’s. He knew what the S.O.B. had on his mind, and sleeping wasn’t it. “I want Sandy out of there before she can’t remember me at all and before Luc brings her into his bed. I’m praying Luc is still vain. He’ll want Sandy to come to him willingly.”

* * *

Sandy swung her legs over on the side of the bed. Caiojezeal returned the illusion of the mountain chateau. Sandy knew it wasn’t real, but the illusion kept her calm. Sleeping had helped her regain some strength. But seeing Baldric as a hologram left her with mixed feelings. He found her, and the son of a bitch left her here. She knew he couldn’t just walk into Luc’s compound, but damn it. Baldric left her here.

The door to Luc’s chamber blew open, and he strode into her room. “Where’s Baldric? I smell the son of a bitch.” He stepped over to her and yelled, “Tell me, human whore.”

Sandy took a deep breath and calmly replied, “You’re delusional.”

Wrong answer.
Whack!
Luc backhanded her. “Answer me, now.”

Sandy should’ve cowered, but she hated abusers in any form, including Satan. “Screw you.”

Luc raised Sandy into the air and slammed her against the uneven rock wall of the cavern. Caiojezeal’s mountain chalet illusion shattered. The room became cold and smelled of dank earth. Luc said, “I can go all day.” With his mind, Luc raised her up the wall about three feet off the ground, making her arms and legs spread-eagle. He materialized a cat of nine tails from thin air into his hand and cracked it loudly in the air. Caiojezeal rushed into the room, and Luc cut his eyes toward him and said, “Out. Now.”

Caiojezeal pleaded, “But sire, you don’t want to do this to Baldric’s wife. You know there are rules. Pairing partners of any angels are off limits on either side of the war. You’ll have to answer to The Creator.” Caiojezeal looked back and forth between Sandy and Luc.

Luc ran his hand along the whip cord. “Caiojezeal, you can be next if you like. You can even watch, but shut your mouth or I’ll rip out your tongue. Got it?”

Caiojezeal’s opalescent wings jutted up while he planted his feet on the ground. “You may do what you like to me, but let her down. Don’t torture her.”

“Fine.”

Caiojezeal exhaled as Sandy hit the stone floor. In a flash, Caiojezeal replaced Sandy and was splayed out on the wall. Luc said, “Looks like you’ve snared another admirer, among many, I’m sure. This is your fault, Daireann.” Luc began to flog Caiojezeal, ripping and tearing out his flesh, lash after lash until Caiojezeal’s head hung low.

Sandy watched in abject horror. She couldn’t tell if Caiojezeal was alive or dead. She screamed, “Stop it. Please stop it. I’ll tell you what you want to know. Please stop hurting him.”

Luc’s eyes glowed red, and his skin shimmered with sweat. He turned slowly, and an evil smile crept across his lips. “Well, I’m waiting.” He cracked the whip in the air, barely missing Caiojezeal’s face.

From somewhere down deep in her soul, Sandy pulled off the performance of a lifetime. “I dreamed of Baldric. I dreamed we were making love. I dreamed of him taking me from every position, over and over. You were smelling his scent because I came. His mark is on my body. Not Baldric’s physical form, but his essence.”

Luc walked around Sandy, inhaling and sniffing like the beast he was. He cupped her privates and held her stare. Sandy tilted her head back slightly, parted her lips, and stared at Luc with heavy lids. In her mind, Sandy thickened the multicolored cords of light to block her real thoughts, praying it was enough, praying Luc believed she wanted him.

Luc went from maniac to charming in less than a second. “Darling, I would’ve accommodated you had I known you were in need of release.” He raised a brow. “Are you in need of release?”

Sandy never wavered her gaze from Luc’s eyes. “No, I’m quite weak-kneed at the moment.”

“Tomorrow evening, I shall take you on a trip. I’ll show you what I can lay before your feet if you join my side.” Shaking his head, Luc chuckled and said, “You’re proving to be a delightful distraction from the humdrum.” He dropped Caiojezeal to the floor. “Clean up your friend. I’ll see you tomorrow night.” Luc dematerialized.

Sandy rushed to Caiojezeal. He was covered in blood, or what she thought was blood. “What can I do to help?”

Caiojezeal pulled his upper body upright and leaned against the wall. “Look in your fridge and bring me wine. The wounds will heal by morning. I need to get drunk. How about you? I’ve seen Luc flog others, but he’s never laid a hand on me. I’ve faithfully served Luc since our fall to earth.”

Sandy rummaged inside the fridge and then through the cabinet doors, opening one after the other. “Eureka, I found a bottle.” She brought the bottle with a silver goblet to him.

Caiojezeal grabbed the bottle, pulled the cork out with his teeth and guzzled it. He said, “The wine has dulled the pain, but I’m afraid there’s not much left. You want some?”

Sandy shook her head and slid down on the floor beside him. With her back against the wall, she asked, “Why did you do it? I’m grateful, but why did you do it?”

Caiojezeal ran his fingers through his hair and drew his right leg up to rest his forearm on his knee. “Beats me.” He laughed and said, “We’re stupid fools. Luc sees weakness as a challenge. Our compassion for one another, he’ll use against us. I guess I did it because you reminded me of the warrior angel I used to be. The part of me still belonging to The Creator. And partly, because I’m sick of this war.” He took a deep breath and exhaled, then winced with pain. “I’ve less than twenty-four hours to teach you ways to thwart Luc’s come-on.”

Sandy drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. “Why does he want me? He hates humans.”

Caiojezeal turned up the bottle and drank. “One reason is you’re Baldric’s pairing partner. He made a vow to Baldric long ago that he’d sleep with any female Baldric was promised to. Luc sees humans as a blight on the earth. I don’t think he desires you. Luc wants you to submit to him, and he wants your divine power.”

Caiojezeal rubbed his jaw and with hesitation, he said, “Luc had around nine or ten wards in the Arrington’s caves, below in his lower earth. Three turned to the darkness and were released to work both sides of the war. Three were tortured and died, keeping their souls intact. Three more are being worked over daily, and then there’s you. He’s placed a spell on you. Outside of this room, you won’t remember much. If Baldric returns, you won’t remember him. You won’t remember your friends. I have no clue what the counter spell is. You may want to use your cords of light to find one in the book. I unbind you, Sandy. Oh, was Baldric here?”

Sandy didn’t know if she could trust Caiojezeal, but she needed his help. “Ever since I was a little girl, Baldric and I have carried on conversations with the cords of light. He was in my mind, but he was real. He’s coming for me.”

“I hope, for your sake, he doesn’t wait.”

Chapter 12

Live To Tell

After breakfast, Baldric waited impatiently for the AAF soldiers and the Campbell Ridge wards to arrive in the red barn. He worked out feverishly and still had energy to burn. He wanted to sever The Dragon, but The Creator kept waiting for the final battle of the war.

Erinelle appeared behind him and knocked him to his knees. “Thought you were ready, huh? You’re thinking with your heart, not your head, soldier. The Creator waits for Luc to admit defeat. To humble himself and repent. To ask for forgiveness. The irony is Luc waits for the same thing. I can’t imagine what it must’ve felt like to create something so beautiful and have the creation stab you in the back. Admittedly, even before the fall, The Creator saw how Luc treated the other angels.”

Baldric draped an arm around her shoulders. “It’s not our right to ask even though we think it. He’ll end the war when it’s His time, not ours, not the humans, and certainly not Luc’s. Did you find me warriors?”

“Only the best. Me.” She shoved Baldric away. “And more are arriving now.”

The barn filled with warrior angels of varying sizes and shapes armed with weapons of mass destruction, Creator-style. Baldric watched Ruby and Reed, Jerry and Anna, Lee and George enter the area set up for sparring in the barn. The soldiers were ready. The wards were not. Each ward would be spotlighted in the center of the arena to fight an angel who wasn’t their guardian, and the AAF warrior angels didn’t play.

Erinelle walked up to Lee and said, “You up to the challenge?”

Lee placed a hand on her hip and raised a brow. “You asking?” They both laughed. “So, George doesn’t have to go to Luc’s compound?”

Erinelle said, “Yes, he does. Baldric has the vicinity of the captives. I need George to place bugging devices around the interior of the house. Any intel is better than what we have now. We attack at dawn tomorrow.”

Lee stretched and said, “Place me in the arena first. Allow the kids to see what they’re up against. They have to know going into a supernatural battle they may not come out.”

Erinelle nodded and whistled. The roar in the barn became silent. “Lee has volunteered for the arena. Who will be her challenger?”

“I will.” Raizeal stepped forward and bowed in front of Lee.

Lee and Raizeal stepped inside the arena, and the spectators shouted from both sides. Then the lights went out. Flashes of light from the blade on blade contact lit the room. Thumps and bumps, grunts and sighs filtered in the air. The lights came back on. Lee and Raizeal were in full-fledged combat mode. Blood oozed from the side of Lee’s head, and flesh carved out of Raizeal’s leg. Neither Lee nor Raizeal held back. They fought as if their lives depended on it. That was the point.

Baldric watched as Ruby held Reed’s forearm, white-knuckled. He didn’t know if Reed was holding Ruby back or vice versa. Seeing her mom battle for the first time had to be a shock. The AAF had been training the wards, but not like this angel-on-human combat. That was what the wards would face in the morning.