The Forsaken(51)
“Do you honestly think they will offer salvation to you…a mere human?”
Gareth stilled his breathing, his body tensed for an attack, but Ash had already invaded the young man’s mind. In Iraq when Gareth’s senses had screamed evil he’d listened, and Ash knew he longed to confront a demon. Ash, however, was not like the demons the human had seen in Iraq. He was as far removed from the soul-sucking demons who’d taken this human’s friends than being classified as an angel. Tonight with the bite of the late October wind cutting through the human’s bulky Celtics sweater, sweat trickled down his back. Fear had a funny way of making humans sweat even when their body froze in shock.
“Who the Hell’s there?” barked Gareth, rising to his feet. This human was always ready for a fight. In fact, Ash knew he longed for it.
“It is not Hell that you seek but Hell might yet take you.”
Gareth barked a dry laugh. “Buddy, you want to do psychobabble, take that shit somewhere else.”
Ash laughed causing Gareth to tremor, even though he tried hard not to show his fear. Ash’s esteem for the male rose a notch but not enough to turn the course of his actions. This human would be used for his purposes because he was not about to let Shea suffer. Her power had changed him and while he hated worrying about her, he did need to ensure Isabella, the leader of this exiled group of Cherubs, did as asked.
“I see why they have taken you into their fold.”
Gareth didn’t acknowledge the remark. When Ash stepped fully into the light cast by the half-moon, Gareth also didn’t speak. The miracle of wings, the alien-like mystery, no longer surprised him, but Ash wasn’t an angel and Gareth was about to discover the huge difference separating them.
“I take it you are an angel,” stated Gareth, trying to sound bored.
“Of sorts, human. So it is salvation that draws you like a magnet to them.” Ash moved closer to Gareth. “It is good you are ignorant of who I am and what I could do to you.”
Gareth smirked. A vivid image of feeling the warm flesh from his buddies mutilated body on his skin assaulted him, and this time it was Ash trying to appear unaffected. Reading this human wasn’t easy.
“You humans are so limited in your perception of evil. The things I could do to you…you would beg me for the mercy of what had happened to you in that war.”
Everything inside Gareth stilled and if Ash hadn’t had his increased powers, this human would have been able to block him. “You reading my mind?”
“Of course, human, but soon your worries shall cease.”
Ash clasped Gareth on the shoulder. Searing pain blinded both Ash and Gareth as the connection was made. Ash willed his essence to seep into Gareth’s mouth to stream inside of him. The human fought the conversion, first by choking and then trying to vomit. Ash’s will would win the day. Shea needed him. With that thought utmost in Ash’s mind, he forced himself again onto the human.
“I do this because I care for her and they will not welcome me into their fold.”
Through the clenching pain in Gareth’s gut, which Ash too felt to the core of his being, Gareth crumpled into a fetal heap, his body bucking and spasming, against what Ash was forcing. There was nothing Gareth could do to fight against Ash’s hold.
“There is no other way. I must become you for them to gain my trust. Forgive me.” The more Ash stayed in the human realm, the more he understood the exiled Cherub’s angst. A day ago he would never have thought to ask for forgiveness. It certainly would have had him killed in his father’s realm. Forgiveness, thinking of another beyond oneself, was the single most punishable crime one could commit in Lucifer’s domain and one Ash never forgot. Until, he amended, he’d touched Shea. For eternity, she might truly doom me.
*
Meredith was anxious. She slipped the red robe over her head, belting the gold-colored rope around her middle. With one last look at her room, she walked out and made her way to the common room where the blessed ceremony would take place.
“Everything is ready,” said Nayla, bringing in a second tray of food to the room.
A feast to celebrate the x’simcha ceremony, the joining of Isabella and Nathanael. Not nearly as celebratory as in the heavenly realm, but Meredith did want it to be remembered properly. Tonight, we will make it special. The younger ones need to see this. They need to realize the significance of this act. I beg of you again, Mistress, honor us with your presence.
“Is everything the way you remember?” asked Nayla, bringing Meredith’s mind back to the task at hand. She quickly surveyed the common room, taking in the subtle but efficient changes to the space.
“Nayla, once again you shine like a rare beacon of light. Everything is perfect. You even remembered to create the uq’mulat—the heavenly cloud cake.”
“It will not taste exactly like it would…”
Meredith drew the sister closer for a loving embrace. “You always work a miracle. Tonight, you did not disappoint. I know it will taste divine.”
Nayla bowed her head, hiding a rush of thankful tears.
“Would you be so kind, Nayla, to ask Shea to bring in the black candle? We only need one.”
“Of course,” said Nayla, rushing off to complete her task.
Like most of the sisters, Nayla loved a task. In fact routine was still so ingrained in all of them, Meredith suspected to be idle would truly break their spirit. And maybe that was why Izzy formed the band. Maybe she sensed giving them all a purpose, telling them to quite literally sing for their supper, was what they needed to survive in this realm. And just maybe that was why Izzy needed to still fight the demons, even though she wouldn’t let them help her. Meredith recalled a fonder time when the simple pleasure of holding a heavy sword made her smile. Izzy sheltered them on Earth. She feared letting them get hurt, but Meredith realized now she should have pressed more to follow her in arms. Their bond of anguish had united them in their heavenly quest to take up arms, but Izzy didn’t view it as the same here and Meredith needed to change her thinking. The future Meredith was seeing scared her. She highly suspected what was to come had already been set in motion—a human-demon army ready to overthrow the heavenly gates.