Falling Sons (continued)

Previously. . . Milady came clean to Aden about her involvement in Gabel's fall and how she had black-mailed Delilah into helping her. Gaven and Delilah shared an intimate moment outside of the cabin doubling as a safe house for her and her friends. And Gabel caught up with the bounty group and convinced them to let him help. This is how their journey continues...

Chapter Sixteen: Omar

Omar told Delilah he was fine. He pulled it off well too. In truth, on the inside, he was screaming with pain. He was surprised she hadn’t seen the venomous bite marks from Fallen that had lined his neck and arms.

Though, his pain became so insignificant when he had sensed his brother. He never in a million years thought that Gabel would be the one to find them.

Gus must have sensed him to for he only gave Omar a look across the table at supper. Omar had only nodded before they began preparing.

Omar stiffly paced the front room as Tatyana, Gus, Delilah and Gaven hid two miles underground, beneath the house. Omar had trouble sensing them and he knew exactly where they were. He opened the window to try and flush out Delilah’s strong aroma. It worked, for the most part.

He could hear his brother and the bounty hunters coming closer and closer. Two hundred feet…fifty feet…they must have been in the meadow by now. Then suddenly, to his horror, they vanished.

It was radio silence. He couldn’t even find their auras, usually thick like mud. He felt as if he were blindly stabbing in the dark.

He stopped pacing and desperately tried to find them. How could they just disappear?

A light knock came from the door.

His back stiffened, head jerking toward it.

He sensed no one.

Not even a human.

It came again, more forced this time. It couldn’t possibly be a bird. He cautiously, quietly neared the door, almost holding his breath so he could be just as hidden as they were.

Omar swung open the door in one fluent motion to find Scout in mid-swing for yet a third pair of knocks. “Scout?” He was in utter shock. Why hadn’t they sent Gabel? Was he not the man for the job? Brother to brother?

“What?” She pouted. “Not excited to see me?”

“More of surprised,” he heard himself mumble. She pushed past him as he surveyed the clearing.

Omar quickly pulled on his charming demeanor as he closed the door. “What happened to your wing?” He casually questioned as if he actually cared. It was a terrible patch job. Once the wing finished healing, it would forever have a small kink in the arch, making it difficult to fly properly.

“Oh this?” She lightly laughed. “I was flying at night during a storm and tried to play chicken with a plane.”

“Birds are easier to beat.” He numbly said, watching her. She slowly made her way through the living room, checking each and every nook and cranny before doing the same with the kitchen, opening cabinets, the stove and even the fridge. “Can I possibly help you find something?”

“A cup of tea would be amazing.”

He didn’t move.

Scout went down the hallway opening doors, going in and coming out unsatisfied.

“The bathroom’s at the end of the hall.”

“You know as well as I do, that that’s not what I'm looking for.”

“What are you looking for?” He wanted to make her say the words.

“A mistress,” she answered with a small smirk.

He flashed his own devious grin. “None today, just me.”

“I could be your mistress.” She teased, half-heartedly.

There was a silence as they studied one another. Omar forgot how seductive Scout was. Despite her shortness, she had the full figure of a voluptuous woman. Her short pixie hair cut framed her face with the same grace her wings had with her body. He even found the bend in her broken wing to be a bit sexy.

She caught him staring. “I’ve missed you Omar.” She whispered, her words tickled his ears. “You should come home.”

“I am home.” He clenched his jaw, not wanting to be reminded of the years he was robbed of while enslaved to Lucifer.

“No, you’re not.” She stepped toward him. “You know the holy-rollers don’t accept you the way they did before. We still care for you. Come home.”

He didn’t answer. There was such strong loyalty in her eyes. They had seen him as a leader, a god…

There is only one God. Omar told himself as his hands clutched together in fists.

“This is where I belong.” He spoke firmly. “Here protecting Del—” Omar caught himself before her name rolled off of his tongue, but the first syllabus had escaped.

A slow smile lifted her face. “So the girl is here?”

“No,” he quickly tried to lie, but it was too late.

“There’s a handsome price on her head, you know.” Scout closed the space between them. She smelt of strawberries, sweat and mud.

Very attractive, he sarcastically reckoned.

“Where is she Omar?” She flirtatiously purred.

If he hadn’t spent some ten odd years with her constant lost-puppy-dog-trailing act, he might have actually fallen for her little pretense.

He knew better and so did she.

Scout’s eyes turned cold and burned a bright red. “Don’t make me force this out of you.” Her threat almost seemed real. And part of him believed she would.

“I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.” He tried to casually shrug as he leaned against the couch.

Every muscle in his body ached and all he wanted was a good night’s rest. He almost asked her to leave. If Scout saw any chance of weakness or vulnerability in him, she would take advantage of that. And besides, he was meant to have a hard shell, be impermeable to the outer forces: physical, mental and emotional. It’s what had separated him from the others. Compartmentalizing when he was a Fallen was the only thing that kept him sane.

Scout suddenly looked out the window as if sensing something he hadn’t.

Omar abruptly remembered his brother.

“What was that?” He demanded.

She turned back to him, poker face in play. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

His arm came up and her head snapped back. “I asked you a question.” He hissed.

Even though he could see the red hand print on the side of her face, she acted as if she hadn’t felt anything. “Do you really think a little smack could make me tell you anything? Did you forget where I come from? I was dark before the darkness could find me.”

He had never seen this side of Scout before. It was almost as if she had gained her own outer shell, but hers went through to the core.

The only way to break her was to be just as cold. He grabbed her throat with one hand and forced her back against the couch. With the other hand, he held a blessed sword against her side. A hissing sound could be heard as the metal burnt her skin.

She began laughing. “Are you going to kill me?”

“Where are they?” He barely managed to speak through clenched teeth.

“Isn’t killing someone against your rules, angel?” She sneered. “Or are you that desperate to become one of us again?”

“Killing doesn’t count if it’s against the damned.”

Realizing he spoke the truth, she thrashed and struggled as he began to cut off her air way.

He knew she’d sing like a canary. Her only fear, which wasn’t very realistic, was death. It was near impossible to kill a Fallen. Choking her wouldn’t kill her. She’d blackout and wake up in a couple of hours, throat burning.

“You think getting rid of me will stop them?” She coughed. “By the time you’re done here it’ll be too late for her.”

“What?” His heart stopped as he let her go.

She dropped to her knees gasping for air, massaging her throat. “Did you really think I was here to get the information out of you? I was the decoy, stupid. You didn’t think Gabel could find her after he was able to hide all five of us? They already have her. And if your so-called friends are smart, they won’t fight back.”

A piercing scream filled the air outside.

Omar ran out of the front door to see a blur of black wings in the sky with Delilah, unconscious, in the arms of a boy with black hair.

Chapter Seventeen: Gabel

Gabel did things he never thought he could. He knew that one could create a bubble around their own aura to hide from anyone who may be looking. Why not with multiple people? He was so surprised when it had actually worked. Lucifer had made good on his promise about the black magic enhancing his natural abilities. He had also promised Scout that he would expand a protective aura around her so no extensive harm would come to her. He hadn’t been sure it would even work. And all the while, he tracked Delilah. His heart yearned to see her. At this point, it was all excitement and nervousness. Would she feel the same way about him? Even with him being a Fallen? Even if she didn’t, he would always love her.

Gabel found the trap door easily, though without an experienced eye and the over-bearing senses that he had, he wouldn’t have been able to find it. The top of the door was covered in patches of grass and the handle was actually a tree root. A staircase led down into the darkness and he descended first, not entirely sure what he would find below.

The farther down they went, the darker it became, but his Fallen eyes quickly adjusted. They were so deep within the earth the air became moist. The open door far above looked like a small speck, far off in the distance.

Just when he was beginning to lose hope and that this had been another kind of trick, they came to a metal door. “I’ll get the girl. She’ll come easily if you don’t try to fight the others.” Three pairs of red eyes stared back at Gabel.

“Not even in self-defense?” Katrina questioned.

“There is only one Fallen, the rest are human. Do not harm them. It’ll only upset Delilah and then she’ll fight us off.”

They seemed hesitant to follow his plan, but eventually gave in seeing that it was his way or no way. No one was willing to find the ‘Dark Prince’, he inwardly cringed at the name.

“If I don’t come out with her in five minutes, come in.”

Gabel didn’t wait for a nod before he slid into the room. It was lit by various lamps that he wasn’t sure what they were running on, perhaps some sort of gas, and the other source of light came from candles that didn’t appear to have a scent. It was a small space with two couches, which were both occupied, a kitchen with limited appliances and two doors. One he assumed led to a bedroom and the other a bathroom.

On one of the couches, Tatyana slept and the other appeared to be lovers sharing a very passionate embrace. He didn’t recognize the boy who lay on top of the girl. It was insinuated to Gabel that he was suffocating her. He almost moved on. He almost left them alone.

But his pull to the girl was so strong.

His blood ran cold. “Delilah?” Her name barely came out of his closing throat.

Her body went rigid before pushing the boy off of her and sitting up. She slowly turned around. Her jaw dropped and her eyes grew three times in size, only making her look more innocent and child-like. He could have sworn he heard her breathe his name.

Gabel’s heart nearly melted. She looked different with her short brown hair. He didn’t like it. Not one bit.

—but she had been all over that…that human.

His hands clutched into fists.

She stood, straightening her top nervously as her beautiful green eyes filled to the brim with tears. “Gabel?” She gasped before running to him. His tough demeanor crumbled as she tucked her head into his chest and wrapped her tiny arms around his stomach and held tight. He pulled her close with one arm and stroked her hair with the other as she lightly sobbed. He never thought he’d get to hold her again. He missed the way their bodies fit together. All the anger he had had a moment ago dissipating.

“How did you find me?”

He ignored her question and held her tighter.

“I was so worried about you.” She sniffled. “Omar said you Fell. It’s all my fault.”

“I don’t blame you.” He murmured into her ear.

“It isn’t your fault.”

On the inside he knew this was his fault. Sure his parents played a key role in it, but he should have controlled himself. All he said was, “I'm just happy you’re ok.”

She squeezed him.

A silence fell between them. It wasn’t an uncomfortable one, just needed. He buried his face in her hair. It smelt sweet like honey. Gabel had missed this so much, missed her.

“I’ve missed you.” She whispered so only he could hear.

“I’ve missed you more.” He kissed her forehead.

He heard the human clear his throat, almost in disgust and annoyance.

Gabel glared at him.

Delilah either didn’t hear him or ignored him. She pulled away from Gabel slightly to look up at him.

“You cut your hair.” She marveled as she ran her fingers through it.

It felt so good. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, not wanting her to stop. “It’s to match the new look.”

Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Well I think it’s very sexy.”

He heard the click of a door opening.

Delilah spun to face Gus who didn’t seem pleased.

“What’s this?” Gus demanded, arms crossed. The human mimicked his gesture.

“He doesn’t mean any harm Gus.” Delilah took a protective stance in front of Gabel. It was a very brave, but very stupid thing to do.

“He may not be, but what of them?” Gus nodded to the door.

As if on cue, the door flew open and the search party Gabel had led here came storming in prepared for battle.

Gabel had forgotten about them, but now it was too late.

Delilah had no hope.

She slowly turned to him. Her face washed of color, eyes carried a hard, cold stone. “Gabel?” Her eyes searched his face. “Did you…?” She couldn’t even finish her sentence.

A sickening feeling began to grow in the pit of his stomach. This was what he feared, that look of rejection and distance in her gaze.

Gabel grabbed her and tried moving toward the stairs. To his surprise, she pushed him off.

He heard the human boy call after her. With the struggle between Gus and the other Fallen, Tatyana—now awake—screamed incoherent sentences.

“Let me go!” Delilah wailed as tears poured down her face.

A yelp of pain came from the room behind them. She stopped struggling and froze as she tried to see what was going on.

“Gaven!” She cried, spinning back to the room.

The human, Gabel thought and his heart turned cold once more.

“Make them stop.” Delilah begged, turning to Gabel. “Please, I promise I’ll go with you. Just make them stop.”

“You promise you’ll come with me?”

She nodded, her eyes sad with defeat.

He let go of her arm and quickly returned to the room. The human, Gaven, laid face down on the carpet. Shallow breaths barely raised his chest. Good, not dead. That would be one less thing Delilah would have to forgive him for.

Gus struggled to fight off the two men so he could get to Tatyana who was cornered by Katrina. Tatyana’s only weapon was a butcher knife from the kitchen. Gabel had forgotten that Gus had killed Katrina’s mate. She was thirsty for revenge.

“Enough!” Gabel roared. He never should have brought them here.

The men froze, all staring at him. But Katrina seemed unaffected and stabbed. Tatyana screamed before crumpling to the ground, holding her chest.

“No!” Gus roared, attempting to move forward, but was restrained by Hound and Leif.

Katrina was about to attack again, but Gabel was faster. He pinned her against the wall, his forearm choking her. The bloodied dagger fell to the ground. “I said enough.” He hissed.

Her glare bore into his soul, but said nothing.

“Go,” he mumbled.

No one moved.

“GO!” He yelled at Hound and Leif. They hurried from the room.

Gus ran to Tatyana’s side. “Let me see.” He cooed gently. “It’ll be alright, Angel.”

She coughed and winced with pain as she tried to breathe.

“Follow them,” Gabel spat before letting Katrina go. He gave an apologetic glance to the two of them before leaving.

“Where’s the girl?” Katrina demanded as Gabel entered the hall.

He concentrated on Delilah’s scent and found it fading. With a snarl, he bolted up the stairs and into the woods within seconds.

“Delilah?” He called.

He could hear her panting as she ran. He took to the sky. She couldn’t have gotten far. Her shadow flickered between two trees.

He dove, dodging branches before picking her up. She shrieked in surprise as he joined Scout, Hound and Katrina above the trees.

Delilah clawed and scratched at him, but he wasn’t letting her go, not now. “I hate you!” She screamed, tears soaking her face as her nails dug into his cheek, drawing blood. “I hate you!”

He gently pressed the pressure point in her shoulder and whispered, “I'm sorry,” before her body went limp in his arms.

It only took a day of flying to get back to the main gate in New York.

“What success,” his father greeted him. “Is she alive?”

“Yes, only swooned.” Gabel gently put her down on the satin clothed bed. “Now, what you promised?”

“Oh, yes. You should know that making deals with me isn’t a very good decision on your part.” Lucifer stepped into the light with a grin. The wrinkles had faded and he was young once more. “I hope you got a chance to say goodbye.”

Chapter Eighteen

Delilah woke up in a dark room, but she could feel Gabel’s presence in the room with her. She wanted to tear out his heart so he could feel an ounce of the pain and betrayal that she felt. She moved to get up, but found her right ankle chained to the stone wall behind the bed. Lovely, she sarcastically sneered.

“Delilah?” His beautiful voice was dressed in worry. “Are you alright?”

She glared at him in the darkness. Hating him even more for making her stomach swarm with butterflies just at the sound of his voice.

“Delilah?”

“I hope you sold your soul to the devil.” She spat. “Because this is unforgiveable.”

“You don’t understand.” He sighed, exhausted, clearly not wanting to fight.

But she wanted to fight. She wanted to scream and kick until her heart was content. “Understand? Gabel you’re my boyfriend and you sent me to be slaughtered. I thought you loved me.” She choked on tears. Angry at herself for skipping the fuming rage and going straight to crying. “I hope you’re happy.”

“You think this is what I wanted?” He demanded. “And what of you? You call me boyfriend when just yesterday you were with another man?”

“I never thought I’d see you again. I knew Omar and Aden and even Gus, would never let me near you. Gaven…Gaven was there for me, Gabel. I know you can’t understand why, with the complexities of human emotions and all, but…” her eyes burned. She knew she was here to die and she didn’t want to spend her last moments arguing with him, no matter how upset with him she may be.

“You trusted me.” He seemed to be able to say the thing down inside of her that she couldn’t.

The tears freely flowed and she didn’t even try to push them away. “Why?” She wasn’t sure if the word actually came out or if she imagined it.

“Lucifer said he only needed the immortality from you. And then…then you’d be human again. He told me if I brought you to him, he’d make me mortal so we could be human together.”

Her tears turned to streams and she could barely breathe. He did this for them. Her brain couldn’t and wouldn’t believe it. Why was it so much easier to simply believe he was bad now?

“I'm sorry.” His voice rough. “My love for you blinded the devil’s lies.”

She wished she could speak.

She wanted to hold him and tell him she was sorry. Sorry she’d kissed Gaven. Sorry she believe he was bad.

The silence in the room was unbearable. Had he left? No, she could still feel his presence.

Delilah attempted to move, but forgot about the cuff around her ankle. She whimpered as it cut into her flesh. Gabel didn’t say anything, but she heard metal chains drag along the floor as he came closer.

She could finally see his red irises. They didn’t frighten her now like they used to. He looked close enough to touch.

She sat up and reached for him. He seemed to be straining just as much as she was. And then their fingertips grazed one another.

She gasped in surprise.

“It’s alright, Love.” He breathed. “I won’t let them hurt you. I—”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

As if their words were a reminder, a door opened on the other side of the room creating a thin orange rectangle of light. She couldn’t see who was in the doorway, but the wings led her to believe it was a Fallen.

Gabel struggled to get free from his chains, which she could now see. There was one on each of his wrists. Right before it seemed they would break free of the wall, a hot, golden, searing light radiated from them. She smelled his flesh sizzle. He wailed in agony and yet continued to struggle.

“Gabel stop!” Delilah cried as only more tears streamed down her face. “It’s ok.” She murmured. “It’ll be ok.”

The Fallen was over her, unlocking the ankle cuff.

As soon as she heard the click, she brought her knee up, hitting him square in the face.

He howled in pain as he held his eye. She ran for the door.

She could almost feel the warmth of the light—

Suddenly something knocked the side of her head with a brutal force and she went tumbling to the floor. She hit her head on a rock and momentarily lost her vision. She imagined a cartoon her with stars circling her head as she scrambled across the floor. The Fallen’s angry booted steps came closer and closer.

“Don’t touch her!” Gabel screamed.

She was violently picked up by the hair and thrown onto her stomach. She groaned with aches as her face hit the ground yet again. Blood trickled down the right side of her face. She may have the speed and healing properties of an angel, but she still had a very human body.

The Fallen yanked her arms back and tightly bound her hands together with a coarse rope. The knot was much too tight and her hands began to go numb immediately. He yanked her up by the rope around her hands, pulling her shoulder blades taunt.

A groan escaped her lips as she was dragged along the floor. She saw Gabel for perhaps the last time. Horror and rage smeared across his face. His eyes burned blood red instead of his heavenly misty grey. Tears stained his face as he still fought against the glowing chains. Delilah closed her eyes and tried to forget. This wasn’t how she wanted to remember him.

Delilah didn’t remember passing out, but figured it was from the head injury. She felt like she had a bump the size of a grapefruit growing out of her forehead. It throbbed at a frequency different than her blood pumped.

She moaned as she tried to move, but found her body stiff. She opened her eyes to try and figure out where she was. The room was dark, but she could sense others around her. It was unbelievably warm and she guessed she was back in the furnace room where her original sacrifice and death was meant to take place.

A small tap, tap came and it reminded her of an old man walking with a cane.

“Did you miss me?” Lucifer’s voice almost had an echo to it, even though he stood so close. She could see his fiery red eyes watching her.

She spat in his general direction. “I’d rather rot in Hell.” She snapped sarcastically. “Oh, wait. I'm already here.”

“Oh, how I missed you too.” He seemed less than delighted. “And I believe she missed you as well.”

Almost as if a spot light was fixed in the ceiling, a beam of light showered down onto a girl with short golden blonde hair, as if it had been hastily cut. Dried blood and dirt covered her arms and legs staining her mud caked and torn gown. Chains ran around her legs, binding them together. Her mid-section and chest were almost completely covered in the metal links, tying her to the chair. Her hands tightly pulled behind her back. Delilah didn’t recognize her and was curious as to what significance she could possibly have.

Then she picked up her head.

Even with the soured bruised eye, her crystal blue beauties still seemed like ice daggers, even now with sadness and glossy with tears.

“Milady?” Delilah gasped.

Milady met Delilah’s eyes for a second before looking away.

Her wings are gone. Delilah realized.

“Did you know she was working for me?” Lucifer’s skinny black silhouette pointed toward her with what proved to be a cane. “And yet she protected you.” He angrily stated. “And then there is this young man.” Another spot light fell from above, bathing Delilah’s brother in yellow light.

“Aden!” She hoarsely called out to him.

He didn’t answer.

He didn’t move.

His head slumped against his chest. Aden was tied to a wooden post as if he were going to be burned on a stake like a witch.

“He had to accompany her and he’ll get his punishment simply because his lovely bride was disobedient to my rules.”

Delilah’s throat burned with tears she told herself she wouldn’t shed. “Let them go! It’s me you want, I’m here now. Please don’t hurt them.”

“Delilah don’t.” Milady pleaded. “Don’t bargain your life for mine.”

Despite the fact that Delilah hated Milady’s guts more than she had ever hated anyone or anything before, she couldn’t just let her die.

Delilah turned back to the Devil, who was surprisingly close to her. With the light, she could see silver in his hair and the aged lines on his face. But in the shadows she saw the youth and the horrible pointed teeth. “You want to save her? An unholy angel? But why? They won’t accept her, not without her wings, just like they didn’t accept you.”

She ignored his hurtful words. “They’ll grow back though…” Delilah eyed her.

“There, you are wrong. Milady was born wingless, like you. You see, I can’t use her blood because it is spoiled. She wasn’t created from love, a powerful thing which only your ‘king’ can provide. But you, my dear, were created from nothing, but love, making you the most prized possession.”

It was tempting to spit in his face again, make his eyes burn as hers did now, but she had a better idea. “Let’s make a deal.”

Lucifer’s eyes flashed. “You stole my line.”

Delilah smirked.

“Now, my dear, I am interested in what you have could possibly have to offer me.”

To be continued...

(Thank you for reading!)