Kapitel 10: 10
"Elizabeth!" I shouted, running into the house and heading for the safe inside the hallway closet. "Elizabeth!"
"What?! What's wrong!?" She asked, racing down the stairs.
She found me opening the safe and digging through our old things, pulling a 9mm and checking it to make sure it was loaded.
"Someone took Alex," I said. I'm sure a normal person would have lost it here, but she only nodded and went to the door to pull on her boots. "It looked like a newer Mustang. Dark. Didn't catch the license plate. They were heading towards the old bridge when I lost them."
"We'll find her," Elizabeth said, getting into the safe herself, taking a bowie knife from it and strapping it to her leg. "We taught her how to defend herself. She'll be fine until we can get there."
I wasn't sure if I believed her, but I figured she was saying it more to convince herself than me. I could see the tremor in her hands as she pulled another small pistol from the safe and slammed a magazine into it.
"I'll drive," Elizabeth said as she left the house. I followed her, throwing a bag of other weapons over my shoulder. "Did she have her phone on her?"
"I already tried to track it. They must have turned it off." I answered, climbing into the passenger seat as Elizabeth took the wheel.
"Suicide Bridge?" She asked, slamming the gas and squealing away from the curb.
"That'd be the one." I nodded.
We were quiet as Elizabeth weaved through the late-night traffic, not seeming to care about how reckless she was being. But I couldn't blame her. This was our daughter. Our only child. Our pride and joy. And we would do anything to get her back, no matter the cost.
There were ten bullets in the gun I had, and I wouldn't hesitate to stop shooting until the last case clinked onto the floor and the gun lay hot in my hands as the body of her takers lay twisted and dead on the floor.
We crossed the old rickety bridge and continued onto a dirt road. "Right or left?" Elizabeth finally said, her voice tight.
"Left at the fork." I pointed.
She didn't answer, simply made pushed the car faster as she took the turn, clouds of dust and dirt spraying behind us.
"There's an old farm back here. Been there since I was little. She could be there." She suggested.
"Or she could be at the dairy factory that's further up the road," I added.
"Right. You take the farm and I'll handle the factory. Call me if you find her." There wasn't even the hint of a suggestion in her voice. This was a sharp order and I knew better than to fight her on this. I knew she could handle herself.
The car slowed down as we got closer to the farm and Elizabeth turned off the headlights. She eventually came to a stop a few hundred feet from the large farmhouse. There were no lights on there, but I still got out of the car, taking my gun and a hunting knife with me.
"Remember, call me if you find her." Elizabeth reminded softly before I closed the door and watched her pull away.
I took a deep breath and walked towards the house. The old house must have been little more than a glorified shed in its hay day. But now it sat empty and in shambles. It almost looked like a giant had sat on the roof, the metal sagged terribly and a giant hole had been rusted into the center. Most of the windows were broken gaping holes in the sides and air rushed in and out of them coldly. The barn door hung loosely on its hinges at a jaunty angle, more just a frame now than a door. It was nothing more than a rotting heap, bowing down and subservient to the elements.
I stepped onto the tattered porch that wrapped its way around the building. I watched where I placed my feet, the old, rotten wood creaking softly. I didn't want to search the house, and I had a feeling there wouldn't be a need to. Especially since I was sure it looked exactly like it did on the inside as it did on the outside.
I got to the other side of the house and hopped the old railing into the tall grass next to it, gun firmly in my hand. I could just make out the dark outline of another old building that sat on a hill behind the house. It must have been the barn. As I started up a hill I could just make out a flickering light through one of the windows.
I took a deep breath. I hadn't gone hunting in a while and to say that I was a little nervous would have been a lie. I was a wreck. I just wanted my daughter back, and I knew I would do anything to make it happen.
I reached the barn after another five minutes and walked around it as quietly as I could, searching for a door or a low broken window I could get through. I came to a broken window and carefully looked through it. I could see a dim lantern sitting on top of an old table, its light barely making the rest of the room visible.
I could make out two men sitting in the light. I was sure there were more, but it was too dark around the rest of the room to see them. And I wasn't about to waste grace to see into the shadows.
I stood up a little straighter and hoisted myself up and through the window carefully. I dropped the the ground, the floor a little lower than the wall outside had led me to believe, and stumbled slightly. I caught myself and clapped a hand over my mouth to silence my breathing as the two men looked in my direction.
A tense silence fell over the room and my heart raced through my ears. I wasn't sure what they were, most of me wanted to hope they were just some stupid humans, but I knew the odds of that weren't with me. If my luck held out, they at least wouldn't be anything that could see me in the shadows.
After what felt like hours of kneeling in old hay, and steadying my breath as much as I could, the two men turned back around and continued with whatever conversation they had been having. I lowered my hand from my mouth and exhaled as quietly as I could.
"Do we have everything now?" The taller of the two asked.
"Ya. Blood, fruit, some weird rock, and now grace." the second answered.
My eyebrows furrowed. I knew that spell. They were trying to open a rift. I was sure I wouldn't get to know the reason, but just knowing they were trying was enough to bother me. Why had they taken Alex? Was it only to get me here? Did they know I was an archangel?
"What are you talking about?" a small and terrified voice said.
My eyes widened. I moved quietly from my spot beneath the window and around several bales of hay until I could see around the men and to her.
Alex was tied to a chair, her hair left in disheveled, tangled lumps. One of her cheeks had been cut and blood trickled from it down her face and neck. Her face was stark white and I could see the fear in her eyes even from here. But she was here, and alive. That was all that mattered.
"Where's everyone else? We're running out of time." The taller one grumbled, starting to pace. "If Lucifer doesn't catch us, that fucking demon bitch will. She was in town today."
"Demon?" Alex asked, echoing my thoughts. "Lucifer? What are you talking about?"
"Will you shut up?" The taller one turned to her, pointing a sharp finger.
"Please just let me go." Alex whimpered, a tear running down her cheek. "Please. I won't tell anyone."
"I said shut up!" He took a few steps towards her and slapped her. I felt my hands clench at my sides as Alex looked at him, her cheek bright and red.
"Calm down, Zack. They'll be here soon." The shorter one said, finally giving a name to one of them. He took the other's arm and pulled him away from Alex.
I started to make my way quietly around the room and to her as the two continued their verbal fight.
"I'm sure the others wouldn't object if we took her with us once the rift opens. They'd probably like the snack." the second continued.
I saw Alex's eyes widen and she began looking around the room desperately. Her eyes came to rest on me and I put a finger to my lips, willing her to be quiet. Her face relaxed slightly and she gave a curt nod. I looked over to the other two again, their voice raising as they continued to argue. They were occupied for the time being.
I crept from behind the hay bales and raced to Alex's chair, crouching low behind it. I took her hand in mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze before I pulled out my knife and cut through the duct tape that held her arms. I almost had it when something cold pressed against my temple. I looked at a third man as the barrel of his gun pressed painfully against my skin.
"Get up," He hissed, his arm taking mine and dragging me to my feet. He shoved me forward and into the light of the lantern. "Looks like Daddy Dearest Lucifer came to join the party." Three guns were pointed at me as I raised my hands in surrender.
Zack came over and patted me down, easily finding the gun and taking it from me. I exhaled deeply. I knew I could still take them, three on one had never been a problem for me before. And when one of them picked up the knife and got burned by the silver of the blade, I silently cursed.
"So what are you?" I asked, looking at them all. "Ghouls?"
"Werewolves," Zach replied, his gun still trained on me, even though it trembled in his grip.
"Dad? What's going on?" Alex's soft voice said.
I looked behind me at her. She seemed more concerned now than before.
"Don't worry sweetheart. I'll take care of this." I said, gently smiling at her. "These suckers are nothing."
"Ha. Just wait until the rest of the pack gets here." The short wolf said.
"Darren's right." Zack stood straighter, calling my attention back to him as he took a closer step toward me.
"You shouldn't do that," I warned, lowering my hands.
"Oh please, you won't have a chance once the others get here." Zack continued, fear an edge to his tone.
"Will you explain something to me at least?" I said, a cocky tone slipping into my words. It felt good to use it again. "Why are you trying to open a rift? Where are you expecting to go?"
"Anywhere but here," Darren explained. "That damn demon has been hunting us for weeks more. Followed us from Texas. We want to leave and go to the world where there aren't hunters anymore."
I looked back at my daughter, she looked so lost. But these monsters weren't focused on her anymore and that was all I wanted.
"I've been to the other world," I said, returning my focus to the three of them. "You're better off here than you are there. They have way more hunters and angels in that world."
"What a load of shit." The still unnamed wolf hissed behind me.
"If you want to go there, you need archangel grace." I continued. "I'm here. I'll give you my grace if you let my daughter go."
"She's a Nephilim," Zack said, lowering his gun a little. "Her grace has more power than yours does."
"I'ma what?" Alex asked from behind us. I waved a hand behind me, silently pleading with her to stay quiet.
"Did daddy not tell you?" The third man asked with a sneer, moving towards her.
I was running out of time and knew I couldn't wait any longer. Especially if there was more of their pack coming. Three I could handle easily, but without someone else, a whole pack of out of the question.
I lunged for Zack, his gun lowered to his side now. I took his head in my hands and slammed my knee up into his face, breaking his nose. I released him and he stumbled back from me, crimson dripping from his nose.
Arms wrapped around my neck and pulled me back, flipping me onto my back. A fist came at my face as the arms released me and I ducked under it. I stood back up quickly and kicked Darren in the gut, sending him back into the hay bales and over the top of one of them.
A loud crack sang through the air and a new pain bloomed in my right arm. It felt like fire as the pain climbed up my arm, I felt for the hole, with my other hand and found blood already pouring from it as I clenched my teeth.
"Dad!" Alex yelled.
Through blurry eyes, I could make out Zack beside her, a gun to her head, his nose still bleeding freely and visibly out of place. I winced as a fist collided with the bullet wound and dropped to my knees with the pain.
There were more people now. I could hear the rest of the pack as they ran around the building. This wasn't good. I was as good as dead now. I couldn't fight in this condition.
I met my daughter's eyes, the sapphires terrified and weeping. It was like I had failed her. I knew I could do better. I could do so much better, but it was like I was afraid to try. I wasn't sure anymore what it would do to me if I did try. But I knew Alex was worth trying, just like her mother had been.
I got to my feet, a warm heat entering my fingers as a familiar strength rushed through my system. I watched Alex's eyes widen as she looked over me. I knew it was because she could see the shadow of my wings in the lanternlight as I called on my grace for strength.
I took another deep breath and then moved right for Zack, his hand now trembling around the gun he still held. In a quick motion, his collar was in my hand and I threw him through the side of the barn wall, the wood splintering around him.
Another werewolf raced at me, and I took its head in my hand. His eyes turned white as power poured from my palm into him and he screamed before dropping to the ground, dead. Another gun fired, but this bullet didn't even graze my skin before it fell to the ground as dust. I kicked this wolf through a large stack of hay, a bale falling on top of her.
The next few were all too easy to take care of. Breaking and killing them before they had a chance to do any real damage to me was all too satisfying. But I was beginning to feel the grace in my body failing as my muscles became sore and tired. I could feel everything draining from me.
Yet another shot ripped through the night, ripping through my side with it. And that was all it took. I was done, the fight leaking from me just like my blood. I wasn't bulletproof anymore. And everything hurt. There were only five of them left. I could do this. For her, for Alex, I would fight through the pain and do this. Besides, Elizabeth would come looking for us soon.
"Dad! Behind you!" Alex warned.
I turned in time to meet a knife as it slashed down my chest, tearing through my shirt. I groaned, doubling over before knocking the knife from my attacker's hand and tackling them to the ground. There was another wolf immediately on my back and more searing pain crossed my back as their claws dug in.
Claws ripped me away from the girl I had tackled and dragged me over to where Alex still sat. A fist connected with my face, and blood sprayed from my mouth. They tied my hands behind me and my ankles together in front of me, before striking my temple with the butt of a gun. I fell forward into the hay, blood dripping from a cut that now lay across my forehead. I blinked through the blood that dripped into my eye and did my best to sit up. I coughed and spit the blood from my mouth. I closed one eye as blood continued to drip down into it.
When I could finally make out what was in front of me, I studied the muzzle that stared me down. I spit more blood and smiled, sure my teeth were bright red.
"You're gonna kill me?" I laughed. "You need my grace, asshole." Darren's eyes narrowed. "And if you haven't noticed, I'm in short supply. If you want to make the rift work, you need me."
I watched his finger tighten on the trigger and I felt my heart pause in my chest preemptively. The shot that followed it, made me jump. It was silent as Darren slumped to the floor. I could just make out a figure in the shadows behind him, but had no idea who it belonged to. I figured it was a hunter of some sort. The only bullets that would have dropped him like that were silver.
Several more shots rang out into the night and the last few wolves fell to the ground. The room fell silent after, save for Alex's sharp breathing, her eyes still wide and terrified. I closed my eyes as more blood dripped down my face. I could hear footsteps through the hay.
A cold knife pressed against my neck and I felt my pulse quicken against the blade. "You're getting slow Lucifer." A familiar female voice said. Gruff and unchanged from when I had last heard it. The knife pulled away from my neck and I could feel a cloth wipe the blood from my eyes. "She really your kid? She's beautiful. Sorry she had to see all this."
I opened my eyes and stared at the woman before me. Her hair had grown a bit since I'd last seen her, but it was still just as dark as the night around us. Her eyes, on the other hand, once a dark honey brown, now glowed like pieces of dark amber in the dim lights. She didn't look like she had aged much, her movements still as fluid as they had been the day she'd died, if not faster.
"Never thought I'd see you again, doll," I said softly.
The woman scoffed and smiled down at me as she stood and walked around me.
"Stay away from my family." another voice said from the darkness.
"M…mom!" Alex cried out, her voice getting stuck in her throat.
"Still the blonde bomb shell I remember you as, Elly." The woman said, turning towards Elizabeth and taking the surprise on her face as if it were the best gift in the world. "You've aged like a fine wine, too."
"Alex?" Elizabeth questioned, lowering the gun she'd had trained on her long-dead friend.
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