A dark wooded area that smells like piss and dirt forms around me. The sky falls to the earth in a deep shade of navy. I gag on my next breath as I stagger toward the charred trees. This must be the tunnels—the Tenebrous Woods. I take a quick glance around, nothing but acres of burnt out trees, the smell of fresh blood saturating the air. My heart breaks for Skyla, for every Celestra that’s ever had to endure a moment in this living hell.
I spot Wesley standing in a clearing. He’s speaking to a man who’s lit up from the inside a dull, sickly yellow.
“Wes,” I shout, making my way over. “Where’s Skyla?” I’ve never used my teleportation powers quite like this before, and I know for a fact these aren’t just a few simple Levatio tricks coming into play. I know for a fact I could never have teleported myself into the tunnels. This place is covered with an army of binding spirits. Demetri let me in. And I’m guessing he’ll dictate whether or not I get to leave.
“I haven’t seen Skyla.” Wes leans forward, examining my features as if looking for any nuance of a difference outside of our eyes. “What do you want?”
“What do I want? Rumor has it Laken is missing, but I’m betting you know all about that, don’t you?”
His lips cinch just shy of a smile, the exact way I’ve done it a million times before. It turns my stomach looking at him.
“Laken doesn’t want anything to do with me.” His expression dims. That smile that’s been playing on his face glides right off. “I hope for your sake you don’t lose, Skyla. I know how great that heartbreak can be.” He takes a step toward me, his eyes drilling into mine. “It can make you desperate, make you forget all about reason. It could and will drive you insane—brother.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“How does it feel knowing you’re a monster?” His eyes steady over mine. “Because that’s what you are. I know because I’m one, too. Ask me anything. I bet you’re teeming with questions.” There’s a fine edge of sarcasm in his voice, and it gets my blood pumping in a silent rage.
“And I bet you’re teeming with false answers. Look, I’m not interested in your bullshit. I’m here to get Skyla and Laken. I’m taking them both home.” I step away and take the place in. A glowing blue fog permeates the woods, low to the ground, weaving in and out of the forest like a maze.
He steps in close. “You ever wonder why the hell we’re so identical?”
“What’s the matter?” I turn around, holding back a laugh. “A little offended he didn’t break the mold with you? It’s obvious he didn’t get it right the first time.” I stare back into the woods for signs of life. I’m not sure why I’m wasting time bantering out here with this idiot. And he is an idiot. Anybody who would team up with Demetri automatically qualifies.
“Gage, the Steel Barricade needs you. With the two of us leading this bold expedition, the future of our kind, of this world will greatly benefit.”
“I’m not your kind so you can take me out of the box right now. I’m not putting on some black cape and teaming up with you either, so you can let go of all the schoolgirl fantasies you’re hanging onto. And, speaking of fantasies, you can let go of the fact Laken is ever coming back to you.”
He pulls me in by the shirt and pushes me back a good foot.
“I’m pretty sure I’m going to kick your ass,” I say, glancing down at my wrinkled T-shirt—stunned as shit he went there.
His chest bucks with a silent laugh. “Wouldn’t that be a little like kicking your own ass?”
“No, it’ll be like kicking your ass, and I’ll make sure you appreciate it.”
“Let’s do it.” He flicks his fingers, inviting me into the endeavor. “But know I’ll fight back.” His jaw clenches as if he means business. “By the way, I’m not into bruising—I’m into disfiguring. I’d like nothing more than inverting your baby blues and pulling your vocal cords out through your nose, so think twice before you threaten me.” He pulls me in by the shirt again until we’re face to face. “Don’t you ever forget who I am and what I can do.” He gives me a violent shove before turning away.
I don’t waste a moment before kicking his feet out from under him.
Wes lets out a hard grunt as he falls to the ground and gags as if trying to catch his breath.
“You little shit.” He reaches over and pulls me down by the belt loops before pummeling my gut with a never-ending right hook.
I kick him in the chest, and he lands on top of me like a rabid tiger. Wes plants one fist after another into my face until I summon up the strength of an entire legion of demons and knock him to hell and back.
A dull applause breaks out from behind, and I jump to my feet to find Edinger standing there like the prince of darkness himself.
“So—are you going to let him in on a few things?” Wes comes up beside me, looking straight at the lunatic who brought us into the world.
“Do tell, Wesley.” Demetri squints out his signature scowl with the illusion of a smile. “I’m sure Gage would rather hear it from you.”
“How’s this? I don’t want to hear anything from either of you.” I start to head off and Wes pulls me back.
“Stay.” His chin drops. His eyes pull with an indescribable sadness. It’s as if he’s trapped in this misery, and he believes I’m the only one on the planet that just might be able to commiserate—and I might. “Know that no matter what happens, no matter who you side with in the end, you’ll always be family to me.”
“You don’t know me.” I pull free from his grasp. “And you don’t know this piece of shit”—I jab a finger in Demetri’s direction—“because if you did, you wouldn’t be running this hellhole, you’d be shutting it down. And for damn sure you wouldn’t be siding with Demetri Edinger on anything.”
“We have a role to fulfill,” Wes shouts. “Whether you like it or not we were set apart for this exact moment in history. The Nephilim’s days are numbered.” He swallows hard. “You can side with life or you can side with death. Live or die, it’s entirely up to you.”
“And you’ll be responsible for this carnage? You’re delusional. He’s playing you like a puppet!” I roar it out in his face so loud that my voice comes back to me in an echo. “No brother of mine would ever be so stupid, so selfish and greedy for power to embark on whatever journey he’s about to take you on.” I pause at the thought of Wesley being my anything, let alone a brother. That title is strictly reserved for Logan. “You think you’re taking down Celestra? All of the Nephilim? Let me be the first to laugh in your face.”
Wes smirks. “And when Skyla gets rid of you? When she runs back to her Elysian, what then?”
I close my eyes a moment and shake my head. Wes knows Logan as Skyla’s Elysian. I can’t believe even he is throwing Logan in my face.
“Skyla has the right to decide what’s right for her. And if she doesn’t choose to be with me, guess what?” I bark right at him. “I’m not going to turn into some giant pussy and threaten to extinguish an entire race of people. All of those innocent lives you plan on attacking? They have no power to make Laken love you. Nobody does! Shut this hellhole down—maybe she’ll invite you to dinner.”
His jaw cinches tight. “The only dinner invitation I’m holding out for is from you. We’re blood, Gage. We’re something deeper than that. Let’s not get off on the wrong foot.”
‘The wrong foot?” It roars from me. “We’re in the wrong fucking bodies!” I push him back a good five feet. “I was supposed to be a Levatio. I was supposed to be Barron Oliver’s son—not some bastard spawn of Satan.”
“Technically I’m an angel.” Demetri spouts off from behind, and I consider clocking him for a second.
Wes charges and pulls me in so fast our foreheads knock. “You want to know why you look like me?”
“No, but since you’re so hot on letting me in on the big family secret—go ahead before your head explodes.” And I might arrange for that to happen anyway.
His features soften as he slips his hands
off my shirt. “It’s because he went into the future.” Wes takes a step toward the woods and stares out catatonically. “He didn’t know it was Skyla then—but she was a contender, along with Chloe. He pried into their minds through a waking dream and had them imagine the perfect someone.” He looks back at me. “And here we are. The spare parts and pieces of all their desires—according to him—Skyla’s was the most prominent. That was his first clue. Chloe Bishop was just a ruse. But it was too late, right pops?” He smirks at Demetri. “You fucked that one up by giving in and becoming her supervising spirit.” He averts his attention back to me. “But you and I are golden. Skyla, Chloe—they both approve of the final product.” He holds out his arms out as if mocking me. “And now here we are, one to love her, one to serve. Tell him why, Daddy Dearest.” Wes spears Demetri with a look of hatred.
It hits me like a ton of dumb bricks.
“Because you knew I wouldn’t do both,” the words stream from me, stale as the air in a tomb. I soak in Wes with his twin face to mine and groan. “I know why you’re here. It’s not just to serve—he could have spawned a dozen heirs to do that, probably has.” My heart crushes because the next few words feel heavier than heaven and hell combined. “It’s to remind Skyla of what she’s lost once I’m gone. You’re only here to bring her pain, Wes. And if you choose to serve him, you’ll bring Laken pain, too. She doesn’t want to see you like this, man. She still cares about you.”
Wesley’s gaze hits the ground, and I know I’ve struck a nerve. Not that she’d ever leave Coop for him, but as long as Wes is buying the delusion, the world is in a hell of a lot less danger if only for a moment.
Demetri steps between us as if settling a fight. His wheels are turning. He’s looking for a way to reel Wes back in again. Maybe, deep down, Wes knows that nothing Demetri can ever offer him will be worth it.
“You’re right”—Demetri lets the words swim through the air, wrapped in mystery—“Wesley is here to remind Skyla what she’s lost, once you’re gone. The sight of him will bring her pain—and only he can uniquely heal it.” Demetri adds as if it were a sane thought.
“It’ll never happen.” That’s one thing I’ll never lose sleep over. Skyla would never be with Wes. I know for a fact Wesley will grow to be nothing more than a thorn in her side. “You lose, Demetri. I’m not having any children with Skyla. I won’t propagate your demented lineage.”
“Gage”—Wes calls out as I start to take off—“side with me. No one belongs in the Steel Barricade more than the two of us. You’ll have until Sunday at midnight to decide your fate. Should you join the effort, you’ll be part of the inner sanctum, an elite group that oversees the Barricade.” His brows arch as if he’s trying to lure me in. “I will divide my authority with you. You have my word. Not one decision will ride until we both agree on the outcome.”
“And if I break faith with the Barricade—and flood the world with your filthy secrets?” I hold back a laugh because he has to be shitting me if he doesn’t think I’d tell Skyla. My wife is the world to me.
“Then the heart of one you hold dear will turn against you—and everything you think you stand for. The price of breaking the covenant with the Steel Barricade is high, but the punishment won’t be dolled out by me.” He glances toward Demetri. “Only he can impress wickedness onto another’s soul.” Wes turns to me. “Only he would do that to his own grandchild.”
Grandchild? And if we never have children, I’ll have nothing to lose. I consider it a moment before staggering off into the shadowed woods with its blackened trees, its thorny branches. A velum-like fog seeps between the tree trunks, gliding over the forest floor like river snakes.
The words I shouted at Demetri come back to haunt me. I’m not having any children with Skyla. In hindsight, it was probably an accurate declaration on my part, considering the odds of me having breakfast with Skyla seem highly improbable these days. I’m not too worried about breaking faith with the Steel Barricade because I have no desire to toss my soul willingly into hell, and if I’m not siding with Skyla that’s exactly what it would feel like—hell.
That’s another reason I’m not having children with Skyla—not only would it give the Fems dominion, it would make Demetri a grandfather. And that would put any poor kid through hell.
I should know—I’m his son.
Logan
The sky above the Tenebrous Woods spins with a nest of dark ominous clouds in unnatural hues of red and turquoise.
Skyla folds into my arms as we stand at the forest’s edge.
“Do you believe what you heard? It’s true, Skyla he loves you,” I whisper tenderly into her ear as if it were a sweet nothing. But, in truth, I’m vying for Gage, for their love to grow and flourish not mine.
“Yes.” She sags in my arms a moment. “Ironically, I probably wouldn’t have believed it any other way.” She chokes out the words as if holding back tears. “I’m not ready though. I can’t do this with him right now. The wound is too fresh and my priority is getting Laken back home safely.” She picks up my hand and leads us out of the woods toward Wes and Demetri who are locked in a heated debate.
Gage heads for us, and Skyla tenses up once again.
“Skyla, I want to help you find Laken.” His hand stops just shy of touching her shoulder. He’s afraid of any more rejection. I can see the pain in his eyes just begging for mercy. It kills me to see Gage dejected, afraid of losing the one person he cherishes more than his own life, and, in truth, I’m afraid for him, too. I’m terrified Gage might be desperate enough to do something outrageously foolish to try and hold onto Skyla, to protect Skyla. Not that there’s anything wrong with that—it’s the reason I’m dead to begin with, and I don’t regret a thing.
“Then let’s get to the root of the problem.” She bullets ahead toward Wes just as Demetri disappears in the shadows.
I pull Gage back a second. “You’re good with Skyla. I promise. Don’t fuck this up by doing anything stupid.” I dig in with a look that asserts how serious this is. “I love you man, just as much as I love her. Think things through before going off half-cocked. Go easy. I know you two can work things out. We’ll get Laken. Dudley is with Coop, scouting out the backwoods. We’ve got this, dude.”
Gage doesn’t say a word. His jaw tightens as he gives a stealth nod, but I can tell his thoughts are racing a million panicked miles an hour. He’s all amped up and nowhere to go which makes him a danger to himself whether he admits it or not.
We catch up to Skyla and Wes just as she snatches him by the shirt and pulls him in.
“Where the hell is she?” Skyla’s voice shakes with anger.
“She’s right behind you.” He gently removes her hands from his chest. “Turn around and see for yourself.”
We turn to find Laken dressed in some oddball dress comprised of black roses with a train that eats up the forest floor behind her.
“I’m safe, Skyla.” Laken holds out her hands. “I want to be here. My new home is with Wesley.”
“Laken?” Skyla steps toward her.
“Come with me, Skyla. There’s something I need to show you.”
Skyla takes up her hand with reservation and her body jolts as if she were electrocuted. She rakes her hand across Laken’s face and four neat crimson lines appear, each with a seam of blood pooling to the surface. She gives Laken a violent shove to the ground just as Coop darts over from the woods.
“What the hell?” he shouts, dropping to his girlfriend’s side.
“That’s not Laken,” she pants. “But I have a feeling I know where she is.” Skyla bolts into the woods, and Gage and I run after her. She flits through the forest like a deer, and it’s near impossible to keep up—just dodging the trees proves to be an obstacle.
“Skyla!” I shout after her, but my voice deadens. Gage and I both stumble to a stop as we hit a barren field. “Go to her,” I pant to Gage. If anyone can find out where the hell she went it’s him. Now that’s he’s one of them, there’s
not a whole lot he can’t do.
He slumps over his knees and closes his eyes just trying to catch his breath. “Can’t—binding spirit.”
“Shit. Skyla!” I roar it out, and the Tenebrous Woods ignite with the sound of my voice crashing all around it.
Then a thought comes to me. Skyla and I have both been here on more than one occasion. We were held captive here for a while.
“I think I know where she might be.” I lead Gage down the twisted road toward the area where Celestra is taken for sacrifice. We pass the row of caged structures that line the border to our left while cries for help emanate from somewhere far away. The sob of a young girl permeates the air with a palpable desperation.
“I can’t take this, dude,” Gage says it weak as if he’s about to pass out. “I can’t stand the fact these people are down here and that creatures who share my lineage are responsible. We need to get them all out, tonight.”
“That’s noble, but let’s get this straight.” I yank his arm. “I’m the one with a trace of Countenance in me, not you. The Fems aren’t shit down here. The Counts opened these tunnels before you or I ever existed. Got it? The last thing I want is for you to go off the deep end.” I step in and whisper, “Gage, you have to get a grip and realize there’s not a thing you did to cause this.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” He shakes me off and treads past the rows of burnt out Eucalyptus with their long, lean trunks, looking like a series of badly charred legs. “Logan, come here.”
I jog over and pause at the sight.
A nest of skulls rise into the night at least twenty feet high while resting on a large granite stone. Stacks and stacks of eerie grimaces—hollowed out eyes—it’s a thing of horror, a holocaust of our people for nothing more than the greed of the Counts. A ring of fire crackles around the base of the expansive stone altar with black petals sprayed out around it. The entire area is thinly veiled with an iridescent fog.