(I’m dedicating this chapter to anyone loyal enough to read this far! You guys are awesome! Enjoy…)

In and out… In and out, I continually repeated silently, the air entering my deprived lungs seeming tainted with the essence of death. My attempt to control my wayward emotions verged on impossible as I watched trickles of blood drip from the surface of the nearest car. My soul felt too overwhelmed with loss, my grief morphing rapidly into that of anger… into this uncontainable sense of fury as its rage forced the ribbon of scarlet to carve securely around the shape of my eyes. Power as always like a double edged sword burned at the core of my being, exploding in a stream of scorching vengeance along my limbs down to the tips of my fingers. My sight focused on Adriana as I took a step closer only for Andrea’s grip to pull me back.

Twisting me towards her, “no, as guardians we protect, and you stay within our perimeter.”

My brows creased in irritated confusion, “But they aren’t fighting! Seraphina’s blood is still fresh on the pavement and they have made no move to defend themselves! I mean they just kill-.”

“Anna, we all know that, but how does you being kidnapped fix anything? Seraphina died for you, stay within the circle and honor her sacrifice.”

Unhappy I remained rooted in the midst of keepers as Drea catching Adriana’s glance took a step directly in front of me, shielding me with her body. The grin that stole over our step sister’s cherry red lips at the obvious meaning behind the action sent shivers down my spine.

“If that’s how you wanna play,” she countered before she ordered her attentive minions, “We take no surrender, no prisoners. I expect Anna captured, and the beheading of all who stand in my way.” Beaming directly in the path of cerulean lenses, she quickly amended, “on second thought try not to harm Andrea too.”

Our crowd shifted backwards as they surged forward, Drea moving to my side once more, her palm sliding back into mine. Standing directly in the center of protectors, our vision on that of our sadistic sister as she laughed, her flock of demons bypassing her stilled figure, “Yes… I do believe Andrea’s death will be by my hand and my hand only.”

I felt rather then saw Gabe move to protect my other side as guardians crouched into defensive stances watching as the enemy charged forth only to realize too late that their advancement was merely a distraction as shadows unearthed from the ground directly before angel’s feet; demons falling from within its darkened shapes instantaneously. Horrified at the vision my hand rose to cover my quivering lips as decomposed beasts, their skin reeking of death pounced on the unexpected

whilst literally ripping their flesh from bone. Blood covered the surface of bodies so quickly, hands waving out helplessly for aid, their screams piercing the air. Those no longer diverted by the death of so many managed to defend themselves as huge beast leapt over the fallen who were still viciously being eaten to topple the next line of unsuspecting guardians. In the chaos I watched powerlessly as one watcher was actually dragged from our circle towards the enemy before a horde of vile beasts surrounded his screaming form before they tore him limb from limb.

Spinning away from the spectacle I quickly realized there was no safe place for my mind to find relief. Everywhere I looked on the edges of our crowd darkness had already tainted; their cruel acts of tearing into the holy forced blood to paint the pavement and screams to battle with the sound of my pounding heart.

Those in white robes, their heads held high moved towards the perimeter of our circle; their eyes never even blinking at the sight of so many of their cohorts dying horribly around them. Their expressions courageous as the next line of demons stampeded towards them. White clothed arms ascended in unison as a stream of white strength poured from the center of their palms. Cloaked demons intent on their allotted turn to feast blindly leapt forth; sharpened teeth already extended, their forms stretched within the air gracefully only to smack brutally into the surface of the shield, their bodies frying on impact. The scent of charred flesh caused me to raise my hand to cover my nose. The vision of their red pained eyes widening as their captured forms seized within the white expanse, their skin blistering until blackness widened and massive holes lied where skin once remained was not a sight I’d ever wish to witness again.

Adriana, her gaze remained livid and yet vigilant as she observed the literal incineration of her fiends, and the actual halt of her progression. Smirking and yet un-amused she retorted, “Shielding, not exactly something we did not foresee, but honestly do you really think that your amateur force field will keep us at bay?” Shaking her head sardonically, “Really for overseers of the council quite frankly I am disappointed in you.”

Motioning towards a chosen few I quickly realized Adriana’s way of thinking. She was sending her defenders out in order from weakest to strongest. The first waves of minions were nothing more than underlings meant to die in battle. The second were cloaked demons, harder to kill but not impossible to defeat. The chosen few who stepped forth now wore similar impassive expressions; their clothing identical in army fatigue pants and customary olive tinted tees fitting tightly over bulging muscles as they marched as if facing the front lines of a war. I had never come face to face with such deadened eyes and yet I knew whatever would come from their emergence wouldn’t be good. They stopped just outside the white barrier as my eyes rose to capture the glorious anticipation alighting my step sister’s face while men clad in black suits stood at attention behind her. The motionless mercenary figures with stony expressions dressed in finery watching death so emotionlessly… those were the ones I feared the most.

The army of demonic soldiers froze while in unexpected harmony black spheres formed into the center of their palms before blindly they maliciously launched them towards our white dome. Some watchers screamed in fright as the ebony balls of damnation sunk deeply into the barrier’s wall before exploding within its surface.

“Hold steady, our barricade must not be broken,” a white robed overseer yelled to the others as panic transformed into determination, the light surrounding us suddenly brightening, strengthened even more by their will to protect their beliefs.

“Enough of this,” one demon shrouded in human skin roared as he released a fireball at the barrier’s exterior, the other demons of his skill level doing the same.

“Don’t worry Anna,” Andrea whispered, her eyes still watching the barrage of thrown power, “they can’t penetrate its surface.”

Her words spoke to reassure in yet her eyes held reservation, and it was that uncertainty that made me become aware of the slight crack along the blockade’s rim. I took a cautious step back, my sister mimicking my movement. Her eyes tracing over my features in alarm, “Marie, what is it?”

All I could do was point to the widening breach at the crown of our shield. One idiotic minion had actually leapt upon its now weakened shell to physically rip pieces of our armor’s surface away. And although his skin burned unnoticed to his frenetic mind as he continued hacking at our defense his boldness revealed our secret. The barrier was slowly deteriorating.

The horde of darkness grinned animatedly ravenous at the sight as enlightenment befell our enemy, its newfound knowledge of our Achilles' heel only causing the bombardment of demonic ammo to increase. Gradually drained, our fortification disastrously began to crumple just before hell literally began to break loose.

The crack trickled further downward, its surface beyond repair no matter how hard the guardians focused. I could see their skin paling, the sweat gushing down their faces as fire blasted out into our small circle, the temperature within our protective sphere rising unpleasantly as we ducked to prevent being reduced to ashes. Haunted we became by the endless features of such avid hunger as the desperate continued to fling their bodies atop the unraveling shield whilst fireballs callously thrown quickly incinerated their earsplitting shrieking forms, red liquid pouring down our transparent casement of feeble security.

My sister and I took another footstep back but as I gazed out at the continued chaos I realized where exactly was there to go when they remained encircling us?

A girl no older than fourteen, her dark waves swinging out around her as she turned back to the others, the flames almost eating away her face screaming, “it won’t hold much longer!”

Her voice as if a signal to our downfall ceased, her words dying just as the barrier shattered like glass broken and flames engulfed her small figure and several others eagerly. Their bodies flailed around helplessly as if seeking a relief that would never come before collapsing upon the nearest figure demon and angel alike, their painful screeches at last combining. Exhausted, Guardians reversed in withdrawal only for the wicked to gaze upon us as if a newly discovered snack as heartless underlings leapt blindly over the fire directly for the throats of the righteous.

Gabe made a move to join the front lines only for Alex to suddenly push him back towards me. Grinning, his eyes moving from mine to Gabe’s, “sorry, can’t have you having all the fun!”

Rushing forward through the crush of fighting bodies I lost sight of Alex’s form quickly as the battle surged all around us. My feet slowly circled to take in the pandemonium encompassing me. I watched as angels propelled incensed demons across the room only for their bodies to crash brutally into cement walls.

“Drea,” I whispered in dismay as I gazed upon a demonic soldier grasping a watcher around the neck; one palm grasping a fist full of hair before actually twisting so viciously skin ripped until it detaching completely, bone snapping as easily as that of a twig . Their skull now a prize grasped within atrocious fingers.

“Drea, they’re all… dying…” I despondently whispered.

One demon chewed through the chest of a guardian so deeply I could see bone and muscle exposed all the while still alive its victim continued to twist and shout for the reprieve of death. Evil’s features impassive, its intentions cruel enough to strike her chest until it could literally wrench the heart from the now motionless angel’s torso before voraciously feasting upon it.

Gripping my sister’s arm fiercely I turned her towards me, “Andrea, we have to help.”

Never had I seen my sister at such a loss for words as she gazed upon such horror, “I-, I,” she stuttered incomprehensibly.

All notions of shaking her into reality left my thoughts as off in the distance I glimpsed the true beginning of the end as the sight of infinite quivering shadows slowly began to take form.

“My god,” my mouth fell agape as I murmured, “Adriana… she called for more backup.”

This was no battle…

This was an extermination.

Thomas, his robes now covered in splatters of crimson liquid from the fallen moved directly within the midst of the battle looking back towards us, “Gabe.”

My warrior rose from his crouched position as he propelled the nearest demon from our side that had currently been devouring one of our deceased allies. His features alert, ready for command.

“We can not risk her being taken. You get them out of here!” Thomas roared before his eyes fell to linger upon so many of his own people killing or being slaughtered themselves, his expression suddenly saddened. Turning to me he assured, “don’t worry, young one. You will remain our hope for the future.”

I felt Gabe’s fingers lace within mine just as Andrea’s tightened within my other palm, our eyes focused on the massive image of an enraged Angel. His body built like that of a mountain of muscle beneath his now tarnished robes, hunched as if waiting to attack, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His head bowed, his blond hair falling to shield his expression as white light moved to consume every inch of his form. His face twisted back to gaze up at my shocked features, a gasp falling from my lips at the sight of his eyes… his lenses now entirely empty of any color, its orbs as ivory as the robes he had once appeared in. “I’ll give you a head start.”

With his body almost appearing radioactive he roared a cry of pure fury before launching his powerful form up off the floor, his arm extended before he crashed his clenched fist cruelly back down to earth, his fingers ferociously burrowing into the ground. The impact of his blow unearthing gravel around his knuckles as the earth began to shudder perilously as if an earthquake commenced whilst all that stood around him were suddenly plunged backwards as if struck by an unstoppable force.

I felt my body go airborne, my shape suddenly weightless as I rushed above others, a desperate claw actually reaching to glide through my curls as I flew, my palms disconnecting from my protectors just before I smacked the pavement bone crushingly hard. I could taste the metallic flavor of blood lining my teeth as I picked my bruised face up off the ground. Dazed I watched that unyielding force as if a tidal wave capture my stepsister and her fiends tossing their resistant forms into the cement walls on the opposite side of the parking garage. Cars lifted from the ground squashing minions to adjacent walls like a shoe to a bug, flames discharging from metal as the entire space surrounding the vengeful angel cleared, and like Thor reincarnated he alone stood in the center of the explosions completely unharmed.

“Gabe,” he ordered, “do what needs to be done!”

Thomas never even had the opportunity to face his murderer as one of the demons I feared materialized mere inches from his reach. Its form partially formed into that of a man, the lower half of him consisting only of slivers of swirling black ribbons. Quickly wrapping around my guardian’s shape its inky tinted bands seemed to slowly choke the life from his form. All color drained from its victim’s skin as he struggled within the inescapable hold, his mouth opening gasping for air as that hold finally seized his neck.

“Oh my god…” I whispered as I took a step towards the continuing fight only for Gabe to sweep a strong arm up around my waist scooping me tightly to his body as he took flight.

“We must go,” he countered as he tossed me onto his shoulder, his speed increasing. Through the breaks in my curls I watched as the demon’s arm rose over Thomas’s gasping mouth before it unleashed a horde of black locus down his throat. Black constricting limbs reverted from around Thomas’s shaken form, watching in obvious enjoyment as the devilish bugs ate away at the overseer’s insides, the life in his gaze extinguishing in seconds. The last image I saw of my robed guardian was the moment he collapsed to his makeshift grave before the vicious horde of locus tore brutally through the surface of Thomas’s pained expression.

“No.” Tears blinded my view as the ghastly pack covered his body until only bloody bones survived before they moved on to chew on the next unfortunate soul.

A glowing ivory disc formed into tanned fingers, its owner’s body moving like that of a blur as it swirled in a fluid arc. His hand swung out gracefully decapitating the murderous demon before my own eyes. Alex’s enraged pale green gaze met mine, a small nod of acknowledgement of our shared feelings of vengeance before he rejoined the battle and I lost him once again amongst the crowd.

My sister running at our side, “Gabe, they’re everywhere. We have to get her out of here.”

Gabe sprinted into the unknown, the sound of fighting motivating his footsteps to accelerate as demons continued to emerge from shadows in droves along the sidelines of our path. His eyes trained in on the distant metal door only a few feet from our reach. Minions fully formed began to chase after our scent, some so intent to capture their objective that they ran full force into each other, a few falling while others actually stampeded atop their tumbled figures.

“They’re coming,” Was all I could manage to mumble as if a warning to my guardian when in reality I just couldn’t help voicing even a minuscule amount of my inner fear of what would happen if I was seized.

Gabe’s arm extended towards the door’s handle, my eyes on evil still doggedly pursuing us just as I felt his pace distressingly decrease. Muscles quivered beneath me as his hand strained arduously to clasp the metal lever only for his body to further betray him as limbs immobilized into complete stillness.

My eyes shifted to take in my sister, her figure that of a mannequin frozen as she faced our enemy. The only body part she seemed able to control was her eyes; their shape widening as they took in the growing mass of minions calmly moving in on us. The fight continued to rage in the distance and yet this side of the garage harbored less reverberations of death as the sound of heels making its slow progression against pavement forced me to wiggle from the hardness of Gabe’s shoulder. I slid down his chest until my feet hit the ground, my eyes meeting his despondent gaze. My protector’s orbs appearing the sight of a warrior who failed miserably in his mission.

I shifted to brush my lips softly against his cheek whispering, “You could never fail me,” before I forced myself to move from within his embrace.

Dread consumed my soul and still I stiffened my spine as I took my place next to my sister, my palm sliding into hers watching as the crowd of demons slowly parted, Adriana sauntering towards us. Only this time instead of black suits trailing after her the forever honorable Katrina appeared whilst remaining completely unmoved by the surrounding carnage.

Beaming in the face of my disbelief she replied, “well, hello sweet Anna. It seems we meet again. Miss me?”

………………………………………………………………………

Adriana cackled, blood coating half her face, “let me guess… not exactly who you were expecting?”

I breathed in deeply to calm my pounding heart, my arms moving to cross over my chest, my expression appearing slightly bored if not annoyed. “No, actually she is exactly where I always imagined she’d be.” My eyes swung to my former guardian, “surrounded by tarnished yellow.”

I noticed the clenched fist at Katrina’s side before the rage simmered off her shoulders, the small specks of red lingering in her yellow aurora growing fainter. “You speak boldly for someone encircled by demons.”

“How should I speak to the weak,” I baited. “Would you honestly expect me to cower to those so clearly beneath me?”

The energy that suddenly took hold of my neck was stringent in its need to squeeze the soft expanse of my skin, its grip choking the air from my lungs as I collapsed to my knees weakly, tears coming to my eyes. My vision blurred, images fading and even without the ability to see I could sense Andrea fighting fervently against the compulsion at my side.

A figure bent to whisper into my ear as I fought to stay conscious, my curls shielding my pained expression, “no you fucking give respect to conquerors!”

My darker self stirred within me furiously, its inner strength adding to my own as darkness and light combined joined to eviscerate the power suffocating the life from my gasping form.

I watched through distressed eyes, the power holding me slowly unraveling from within as Katrina rose back to her full height, her azure dress smacking me in the face as she turned to consider her new allies while still ridiculing me, “to think they actually made the ridiculous presumption that you were anything special.” She snorted in contempt at the very ideal before derisively spitting just before my figure. “I could end you without even breaking a sweat.”

Rage destroyed Katrina’s control easily as budging swiftly I raised an unexpected palm towards her callous figure watching while oddly vindicated as a surge of power pitched her shocked form far back into the recesses of the crowd of fiends while easily breaking whatever hold she once had over my immobile guardians. Gabe turning around quickly to join my side halted once more as an infuriated, disheveled Katrina materialized almost instantly mere feet before me.

Her eyes piercing my figure; a grimace capturing her lips, her features deforming, her irises altering into that menacing red, an incensed screech sounded from her throat before her hands extended as she ran full force towards me. “You little Bit-!”

Adriana seemingly bored with these antics easily waved a hand tossing Katrina’s shape aside over the heads of many into the crush of the nearest demons. I heard even if I did not see a brutal thump of a body hitting the ground harshly.

My stepsister clearly amused by her partner’s bloodlust reluctantly stood firm, “You know the deal already, Kat. Anna Marie must arrive to Rick in one piece.”

Underlings abruptly hissed and roared as within the crowd bodies were hastily tossed from within Katrina’s path, their figures carelessly thrust away like humans discard unwanted trash. Waves covered most of her pissed expression as she impatiently pushed back her long silken strands, her fingers moving to smooth down her wrinkle free dress as she heatedly stalked forward to observe the lack of emotion etched upon Adriana’s uninterested face.

“One piece does not exactly mean unharmed.”

Envy ate away at red lenses as mesmerized they stalked my impassive features as Adriana strolled closer, “Daddy wants her pretty little face still intact.” That spiteful gaze unhurriedly wandered the length of my form, “her firm little shape in good condition…” Scarlet tinted orbs clashed viciously with hazel, disgust lingering upon the grin plastered amongst her face, “her innocence still firmly unbroken for him to splinter.”

My breath caught at the nausea inducing image those words caused while it took every inch of strength within me to not flinch at her mockery. She stood so close I could literally smell the scent of Rick’s cologne still clinging to her skin, hell one movement and our lips would have met.

“What can I say? He always did have a thing for… cherries,” she spat out while still peering deeply into the depths of my hazel eyes as if trying to catch a glimpse of my soul. Sadistically her grin widened as mirth replaced its former bitter appearance and instantly I knew whatever silent battle raged I had just lost. That speckle of fear I could never fully conceal betrayed me as it emerged within my enforced bravery.

My voice quivering, I insulted, “you can take your depraved Daddy and shove his wishes right up his-.”

Adriana’s body dispersed rapidly in bounds of smoky wisps of menacing shadows before reappearing within an instant to stand next to my sister. Allowing the tips of her nails to run softly through Andrea’s long golden tresses tumbling over one shoulder, “tsk, tsk, tsk little Marie. You might want to stay on my good side. I may not be able to hurt you but…” Turning to glance up into Andrea’s stilled expression, her fingers brushing her features as if playing with a living doll. The slant of her nail pierced the subtle expanse of Andrea’s cheek until a tiny trail of blood rushed to the surface. “Your sister on the other hand is a completely different matter.”

My jaw hardened watching as Katrina joined Adriana’s side, gleefully observing the misery consuming my gaze, “Aww, the never-ending bond of sisterhood. You do realize that she is your true weakness, don’t you?”

I glared in silence while trying to rein in my darker identity urging me to rip blindly into the hearts of the wicked.

“Gabe was right,” Katrina insisted. “To capture her would be to lead you right to us.” She turned to Adriana in mocking contemplation before merrily retorting, “You know… maybe we should just chop Andrea up into little pieces and pass around the parts.” Giggling at the crimson fighting with hazel within my tragic gaze, “watch madness truly capture Anna’s mind in trying to figure out who to attack first.”

Refusing to be goaded into something I would most likely regret I latched onto my inner control, conquering my central need to maim… to mutilate their disgusting figures. In the time I had faced demons I’d realized wounds healed, that the impulse to attack was something they desired, but to truly entice them to destroy themselves, to lure them into self destruction was to play along while using their own tactics against them.

And so calmly I asked, “tell me, what exactly do you get out of all this?”

Confused at my ability to ignore the threat looming over my sister, to toss aside my urging to rip into my enemy Katrina’s grin almost slipped from her lips as she unknowing did exactly as I had hoped. She moved away from my stationary sibling to stalk slowly towards me.

“What exactly do you mean?” she questioned, those crazed reddened eyes focused solely upon my face.

“I mean I get why Adriana is here, but not you,” I whispered watching as my stepsister moved to trail behind her partner while deserting any interest in Andrea and finally allowing me to breathe easily again. “Why are you doing this?” Pointing back towards the screams and turmoil of a war still being fought in the distance, “you have just slaughtered people on a side you claimed to have allegiance to. And I want to know why?”

Animosity towards her past pulled her once demented beam into that of a grimace as eyes deadened of all joy seemed forced back into memories, “I always knew you’d be the higher council’s complete devastation.” Her lips trembled even as she attempted to smile, her eyes shifting frantically within those lids as if reliving a moment she’d rather forget. “I have been a watcher, a guardian, an overseer for decades. I have watched over hundreds of future good, helped those in need of protection, followed every damn command the council could invent and never did I question their leadership for I knew that mankind was a better place under their guidance.”

“And then… what?” I questioned bewildered by her logic. “You woke up and suddenly decided,” my features mocked her desolate expression, “I think I’ll go completely nuts today and join forces with the damned?”

Sadness altered into that of utter abhorrence for my existence at my words, an angry flush tinting her skin, “what happened was you!” Flinging her arms widely around us she yelled, “Your birth lead to all of this misery!” Drawing nearer red lenses stared deeply within hazel, “Did you really honestly think that Andrea was the only watcher gifted with foresight?”

Inwardly I gathered strength allowing its force to rip through my pores unseen towards my guardian, its power tearing at the forces bounding him to Katrina’s compulsion. “You foresaw this future and yet you still picked their side?”

Her snort held no true humor, “no, I foresaw your arrival here. The lives you’d take, the chaos erupting just to keep you safe,” her voice quivered in her clear detestation of me. “I foresaw demons slaughtering guardians, minions killing humans basically murdering anything that got in their path to get to you… like you’re so fucking special!” She paced a small circle before me, her fingers pushing back her auburn waves agitatedly before her hand pointedly swept out around her, “you see, demons have always hurt the weak, the innocent. Hell it’s in their nature, so honestly how can we blame basic instinct, but… you.”

Her shaken palm rose to point a finger directly at my chest, “You are no hopeful beacon for the future. You are the literal end to all of mankind!”

I felt the coercion surrounding Gabe rupture at last, my use of power weakening me as I sensed his body loosen. I remained secure in the inner knowledge that although unspoken I knew he detected the need to remain inert as suddenly tired I spat viciously, “and so you thought killing your friends, turning your back on everything you believed in was the right thing to do?”

I could tell from the livid tightening around her lips that Katrina could hear the condemnatory accusation within my tone, the shape of her eyes widening with outrage, “you dare to judge me! You of all people!” She leaned in close, our faces mere inches apart, “You want to know what I thought of when I saw the destruction of our future? I thought of survival.”

Laughing weakly as she backed away, her sight fell towards the ground, her fingers roughly gliding through her tresses, “I used to be naïve like you.” Our eyes met, “I used to…” she lapsed into silence for so long I thought she’d quite frankly forgotten I was there before she continued quietly, “I blindly took my fears to the council and do you know what they did? They threw it back in my face. I warned them of everything your existence would mean, begged them to end you before it could begin… and just look at you.” Her eyes trailed my figure resentfully, “here you are making truth to every admonition I foretold!”

My expression emotionless I allowed my sarcastic nature to take hold of my tongue, “Oh boo fucking hoo, the council didn’t favor you,” I mocked. “Why don’t you grow a pair and get over it.”

The force of the slap that hit me felt almost blinding, its power nearly knocking me off my feet. I straightened, my mouth spitting blood at the base of her position, my eyes lingering towards Adriana.

Grinning blamelessly Adriana observed us clearly pleased, “hey, you always did have that smart mouth.”

My curls shifted from my view as snickering with blood dripping from my chin I responded, “And you always had a problem with follow through.”

Swinging my leg up towards Katrina’s face I allowed a surge of strength to sweep throughout my limbs until its impact sent her flying back into the crowd. The force within its strike sending several demons within Katrina’s path airborne along with her before my palm rose to project a stunned Adriana back across the parking garage, back into the heart of the fight. Gabe shaking off his false sense of entrapment instantly joined my side; his eyes on the demons already running towards us as hurriedly his hands rose encasing our bodies within a protective shield.

Black smoke arose within the crowd of encircling demons, Adriana’s enraged figure like a dark phantom appearing within the crowd’s center whilst a tousled and bruised Katrina remained at her side. Smirking while wiping the blood from her battered nose, Adriana’s eyes intent to hold my own, her footsteps towards us slow as she openly taunted, “Well aren’t you the clever girl.”

Walking around our bubble of protection as if looking for unknown weaknesses to our shield she mocked, “But not clever enough. You do realize we just destroyed one of these earlier, don’t you?” She allowed a finger to touch the barrier’s surface, her skin burning like that of a palm placed over a lighter before she removed it to glance down at her barely blistered skin. Sneering at the pain, her scarlet orbs clashed with mine, her fingers wiggling before me, “barely even hurts, but then what do you expect when comparing a novice to the masters of protection. It’s only a matter of time before we topple this one.”

Katrina walking in the opposite encircling direction, their forms stalking around us like that of buzzards, teased, “Did you know that a watcher of Andrea’s skill level can not transport others?” She candidly laughed, “Well of course you did. It’s the reason you unfroze Gabe and not your sister. What you don’t know is while Gabe may keep you safe…for now… all of his strength, his power is currently focused on safeguarding your three pathetic souls.” Giggling in venomous delight, “he can’t transport you either.”

My alarmed eyes swung to clash with Gabe’s seeing the truth beneath his vigilant expression while inwardly trying to ignore their hilarity in the downfall of my plan. I watched as in unison they reversed to stand on the edge of the horde before my stepsister ordered, “Demolish their wretched defense and try not to harm Anna in the process. You all know who you will answer to if anything happens to her.”

Possessed humans enclosed our sphere of protection before an unending hailstorm of fireballs and globes of darkened power bombarded our motionless figures. My breathing altered into that of quiet panic, my hand moving to squeeze Andrea’s as I watched fire literally explode upon the transparent shield while secretly wondering if I too would become like that young girl. Wondered when the barrier would falter and flames would leap greedily upon my skin. I could see my demonic sibling through the fiery flickers smiling in the face of my fear.

“This is it Anna,” she taunted, “You’ve lost. No longer will he see me as a failure. At last Andrea will be out of the way and your unwilling surrender will be my trophy.” Emotion clouded ruby lenses as she stepped closer, watching as our white light slowly dimmed.

“Do you even know what its like to be me?” she countered. “Always on the sidelines waiting to be acknowledged by someone you love only to be tossed aside in his obsession to obtain you. I failed once,” a tear trickled from her lids, its path jammed within the thick coating of blood plastered to her face before it transformed into a pinkish droplet slipping from her cheek. “And Rick never forgave me.”

Her high heeled feet brought her before the statue that had become my sister, Adriana’s livid gaze meticulously gliding along every beautiful detail of Andrea’s face, “It’s all her fault, you know” she remarked sullenly. “He was all mine until she offered herself to him. In that one uselessly noble action nights within my bed ceased and slowly hers began.” The moisture that gathered along the rim of her eyes causing the hatred within her scarlet tinted irises to blaze that much more intensely before quickly those orbs turned back towards mine as her features further crumbled. “Do you know how pathetic I became?” Laughing weakly as those eyes shifted back to glower at my sister, “I actually used to stand outside her bedroom door listening to her muffled screams wishing it was my body he was pleasuring instead of hers.”

Her laughter turned into despondency, her expression tragic as my eyes widened as the true sickness within in her became visible.

“And then he grew bored…” she stated irately, her body moving to stand directly before mine, “as he fell even more deeply in love with you. Did you know I was the one ordered to remove Andrea from your side?”

My brows furrowed as the realization donned on me, finally knowing my dreadful suspicions were correct. “It’s why you were missing that night, wasn’t it?”

Her beam remained more of a scowl at the thought, “yeah, and dear old Dad made damn sure you weren’t in that car. That night wasn’t only a test for you; it was a test for me too.”

Confused I whispered, “A test?”

“Yeah, Rick was still under the delusion that Courtney may be the future key, that maybe we wouldn’t need you.”

A flash of Courtney’s enraged image just before she brought the golf club down upon my skull took over my vision causing me to involuntarily flinch back just as sparks flew out within our bubble. Blinking away the nightmarish reflection I questioned, “He wanted her to attack me?”

Ignoring my words she continued reliving the mistakes of her past, “all I had to do was cause a slow leak within the brake lines. The plan was flawless and beyond circumspection. A long stretch of empty road on a dark thunderous night.” Grinning insanely at the mental picture, “sounds like something straight out of a Stephen King novel.” Her grin slowly disappeared as she fell deeper into memories, “It should have been perfect. The highway’s traffic due to an opportune accident forcing them to take an alternative route, the rain accelerating the car. Heck, even your father’s feeble fears of protecting his precious daughter played a key factor in his distraction along the road as I watched Katrina force a horde of deer directly within their lane.”

My horrified gaze sung to the prideful expression captured upon the face of my former guardian before I could finally force out, “it was you…”

Emotionless to my repulsion, “I did what needed to be done!”

Rage caused the rampant rise and fall of my chest, fury surpassing my fear, “You threw away everything they taught you! You took away life! You murdered my family!”

Beaming while confronting my anger, “I like to think of it as… a joint effort in controlling a situation the council was too blind to amend.”

A fracture formed at the peak of our shield, heat quickly consuming the small space. Sweat dripped off the tip of my nose as I envisioned slowly ripping the skin off their contented features at the mere thought of my sister’s death.

Grudgingly Katrina retorted, “The only thing I didn’t foresee was your sister’s determination to stay at your side, and the foolish decision to make her into your guardian. Hell, the witless higher council even forced me to be your overseer! Talk about asinine decision making!”

My stepsister’s eyes intent upon the widening gap within our barrier countered, “I gave him exactly what he wanted, and yet he never forgave me.” Shaking her head in the irony of the situation, “I did exactly what he requested, and he hated me for it. In killing Andrea I had managed to give her even more aid to protect you.” Her tears now plummeted in freefall as she whispered, “And I was punished-.”

Glaring at the useless show of emotion, my heart was far too hardened to care of any reprimand administrated to a murderer. “Oh yes, I saw exactly how you were punished. I watched as he slowly choked the life from your form,” I openly criticized, “saw you beg for your supposed lover to stop as he simply watched you gasp for air. I observed him burn the flesh from your skin-.”

“You know nothing-,” she whispered obviously panicked by my words.

I snorted in contempt, “I know everything because I saw you grovel like the pathetic waste of space that you are. You begged your abuser and still he didn’t want you!”

“Shut up,” she raged.

“Punishment,” I grunted disdainfully, “what he did to you doesn’t even begin to fit your crimes, so excuse me if I don’t shed any tears for your so called hard life!”

Adriana’s chin wobbled as she tried to suppress the emotions pouring down her face. Her body moved swiftly towards me, the barrier my only protection against her wrath. Her fury consumed her so much so that she moved directly adjacent to a thrown fireball, its scorching edges nearly singeing the tendrils of her hair and still she remained oblivious to its trajectory. “You know nothing of my pain! You think what you glimpsed even begins to describe what I went through after Andrea’s death? Your sentencing to a padded cell would have been heaven compared to where I was dispatched to!”

Breathing heavily, her red orbs pained, “you actually think being tasted by a demon is awful, being cut into is the worst thing that can happen to a person? Try being cast into the center of hell by the one man you adore! Try having your body sampled by every demon you couldn’t fight off as flames melt the flesh from your very bones! And even while living your darkest fears, your most hellish phobias you still can’t die! You think you fear darkness? Darkness is nothing compared to what lies in the glowing embers of damnation, little girl! And because of one little mistake he callously ordered me there!”

Stunned into silence I watched as pale, her face streaked with tears as she calmly stepped back just as to my dread our shield at last shattered into a million tiny pieces.

Crazed eyes now unobstructed by an invisible blockade stared deeply into mine as she continued, “so yes, I openly forgave him like the useless waste of space that I am.”

I felt the touch of Gabe’s sweaty weak palm slide into mine, his energy all but vanishing, this act being his one and only last effort to protect me.

“So you see Saint Marie, I would do anything… anything for him if it meant not going back there. Even if that meant feeding an obsession of serving on a fucking silver platter the one vile, worthless person I detest the most to the one being I explicitly worship.”

“Well let’s just hope you enjoy the taste of failure,” I smugly insulted as a blinding white light took over my vision.

I felt the literal vanishing of my form as our limbs began to evaporate before their very eyes. Something wasn’t right though. I couldn’t put my finger on it exactly but this felt different than when we had disappeared from Rick’s house. Panicking I twisted towards Gabriel watching defeat enter his beautiful eyes as his features to my horror began to freeze and slowly but surely white light dispersed back into the hellish image of the parking garage. My eyes shifted to take in Katrina’s superior expression; her arm outstretched sucking the light from Gabe’s form.

Smirking at my obvious alarm the former overseer gloated, “I told you protecting you would weaken him. It slowed his movements making halting your oh so haughty exit damn near effortless, I’m afraid.” She moved closer to our side, her dress shifting against her slim form in the sudden gust of wind, “besides honey, I have lived decades longer than Gabriel. I have skills he can only dream about.”

“Enough of this,” Adriana interrupted, her livid features shifting to stand in front of Katrina. “We’ve wasted enough time talking. No more playing around.” In one movement she brutally propelled my weakened guardian from my side tossing him over her shoulder into the crowd like that of a rag doll. He collapsed harshly upon pavement the severity of his fall making me fear the damage to his spine as he lay motionless, unconscious along the ground.

“Anna now, run for the door!” a voice exploded within my mind.

Andrea’s arm lifted deflecting Katrina’s shocked form once again from our side before encasing Adriana inside her own bubbled cell. Adriana’s features altered into that of true fury as she blasted the surface with power only to have it uselessly bounce off the walls around her. A thin layer of protection rose up between us and our stepsister’s pets, their forms quick to try and penetrate its exterior.

My eyes fell back to Gabe’s immobile shape, “Andrea, I can’t-.”

My sister never even bothered to turn around, the sweat pouring from her brow as she concentrated on keeping our enemy contained, “Anna, I said now!”

Torn with indecision I begrudgingly twisted towards the door just as the sound of the shield shattering pierced the air, my footsteps hitting the pavement was as deafening within my ears as the beat of my hammering heart, claws now hastily following my movement.

Adriana’s voice echoed throughout the space, “There are easier ways to capture Anna Marie than using bait.”

An unyielding power crashed into my retreating form, unearthing my small figure from the ground only to crash hazardly into the center of the pursuing horde of demons. Burning hands instantly clasped unprotected skin as ravenous masses of red orbs surpassed my panicked sight. I struggled uselessly beneath their strong, scorching touch as they yanked me callously back to my feet, blood pouring from inflicted wounds just as my eyes fell to the sight of my sister as she raced towards me.

Unhurried I caught a glimpse of Adriana stalking directly behind Andrea, her features impassive, “to trap the one Anna loves is to only further enrage her, but what I’m figuring is… to kill the one she loves is to completely unhinge her mentally…”

The distance between my sister and I remained massive and still the sight of my capture forced all sense of reason from Andrea’s mind. The idea of me being hurt robbed her of all logic, of any fear of danger to herself. As always Andrea remained completely and utterly selfless where I was concerned, her mind consumed with only the idea of reaching my side just as Adriana’s palms rose, her voice dead as she retorted, “not this time, my dear Andrea.”

A force in the shape of a red grid flew from beneath my stepsister’s hands and although I knew not of its purpose it forced my struggles to increase. I no longer cared of the pain, no longer cared of the scars, of the blood that lined the floor. All I saw was the vision of my sister running towards me and that unspeakable red glow speedily trailing after her.

“Andrea-,” was all I could manage to scream before the grid impaled her skin, slicing into her body with the percussion of a gun’s bullet into its intended target. On impact my sister’s cerulean eyes intent upon mine widened in disbelief, her mouth fallen open, a horrified gasp falling from her lips before red lines viciously carved its way through pores. Her body froze in mid-run before like puzzle pieces broken she disassembled into bloody fractions of body parts falling harshly upon the crimson tinted cement.

Devastated, I allowed my body to collapse limply onto the stained ground, my mouth agape, tears trapped within my lifeless gaze as I looked upon the blood soaked chucks; the vestiges of my sister. Her severed hand lying mere inches from my knees, her butterfly ring still attached to her finger. Ignorant to reality I never even noticed Gabe slowly awakening watching me despondently in the distance, I remained blind to Alex and several other guardians running towards us too late to aid our escape, their bodies halting at the sight of my entrapment. They gazed upon so many of hell’s occupant’s surrounding me knowing that any rescue with so many of their own dead or currently injured was impossible.

Numb to it all I disregarded everything as Katrina crouched down low before my desolate unresponsive form, her features delighted, “wow, had I known that all it took to get complete obedience from her was to kill the inadequate blond I would have done it ages ago.”

Adriana smirked at her comment clearly savoring the taste of victory in finally achieving what was expected of her. Calmly stepping over a fragment of my sister, Adriana’s mind had already dismissed Andrea’s slaughter from her thoughts. Advancing towards her minions she didn’t even hesitate to issue her latest order, “kill all who remains, and make it quick and agonizing.” Smiling insanely she retorted, “I do believe a party awaits us.”

I sensed the crowd around me tapering as footsteps advancing towards light’s poor defense rang out around me, the righteousness’s screams hollow in its aim at the apathy currently taking over my heart as demons attacked the few angels that remained.

I heard someone yell, “We must retreat,” just as feeling gradually returned to anesthetized limbs, my long lashes fluttering against my cheeks. My eyes at last rose to gaze upon my protector only to glimpse the sight of Gabe’s surrounding by the enemy. Back to back Gabe and Alex remained; their bodies quick in their movements, his strength nowhere near as weak as his determination. He would rather die than surrender. Inwardly I knew he would rather die than leave without me.

“Gabe, there are too many of them,” Alex screamed as he arched his disc to chop off the limbs of the nearest advancing minion.

“I won’t leave her,” Gabe yelled just as a demon viciously toppled his form to the ground, its teeth inches from ripping open his throat.

Alex quickly slicing open Gabe’s opponent hastily helped him back to his feet, “pretty soon you won’t have much of a choice.”

Explosions of white bursts of illumination suddenly ensued all around us as battered angels were forced to withdraw whilst what was once despondency within me distorted into that of raw vehemence. The red ribbon that once fitted tightly around my lenses pulsated vividly within my gaze before victoriously it ravished every semblance of hazel within my orbs. The sensations literally making them feel torturously ablaze as that never-ending semblance of power erupted inwardly only to rage an uncontrollable surge of anarchy along my veins. Veins the appearance of boundless wire coursed towards the surface of my skin as it sliced into its outer shell, its exterior slowly gaining in it growing temperature. Inky tinted ebony consumed the white of my eyes as I sensed my outer aurora changing. My sight fell to the reflection of the nearest car adjacent to my form, seeing not the customary colors of red, blue, black, yellow or white surrounding me. No, around my body vibrated an intense thick vivacious ribbon of violet. The majestic color of royalty, the magnificent shade of ceaseless power.

A tremulous gust rushed its way throughout the parking garage sweeping all who stood off their feet. Bodies tumbled from my side cataclysmically while smacking harshly into the back wall as cars as if toys danced along its potent breeze only to disastrously crash into others. Flames exploded at their joining, heat mixing within cold autumn’s bite. I rose easily observing as numerous vehicles managed to even impale several angels and demons alike. The effervescent current of air whipped through my curls as emotionlessly I watched as Katrina and Adriana helplessly clung to pillars, their bodies thrashing powerlessly out behind them.

The wind blew her waves from within her sight allowing me the first glimpse of the true terror etched into Katrina’s features as she gazed upon my stationary figure, took in the sight of my black orbs. “It’s her… Adriana, Marie she’s doing this!” Fighting against the wind she twisted her head to gaze furiously upon her cohort yelling, “You fucking managed to unhinge her, well how the hell do you put her mind back together again!”

The ground began to tremble, gravel trickling down upon us as I took a step closer.

Clearly at a lost for words, Adriana stuttered, “I… I don’t-.”

“Anna, you have to stop this!” A shriek bound into the wind halted my progression as I turned to view my fearless guardian clinging perilously to his own post. “You’re killing not only demons but innocents too!”

My voice deeper than it had even been as I turned back to focus on my prey, “they murdered my sister.”

“I know that Marie,” he appeased, his tone sounding hoarse as he screamed, “but this is not the way! No good will come from this!”

His reproachful nature forced my head to wrench from them back to him, my curls bounding riotously out around me as fury took command of my senses and uncontrollable power unintentionally slammed into him forcing Gabe to loose his grip. His body like that of a ball within a pinball machine brutally smacked the hardened column next to him before tumbling viciously towards the flame encased wall. Alex’s hand shot out towards Gabriel’s bruised form, his fingers clasping my protector’s palm while becoming the only link preventing him from stumbling to his death.

“Man, you have to face reality. Marie is gone!” Alex stared into the stubbornness within my watcher’s gaze trying to enforce reason into such blatant denial. “The girl you knew is no longer inside there. We have to go!”

Glaring up at his rescuer, “no, I can’t give up on her!”

“Your plan is unraveling,” Katrina screeched causing my focus to return to their pathetic attempt to avoid death. “Adriana do something!”

“I… I,” she stumbled as she gazed upon my stationary detached form, her fear nearly crippling her ability to think let alone act before she ordered her nearest minions. “Don’t kill; just make sure she is fucking unconscious this time!”

No one moved in the wake of my enforced destruction, their decrepit forms remained huddled at my stepsister’s side. Enraged at their blatant disregard of command she roared, “What the hell are you waiting for? You’re demons not simpering idiots! Attack!”

Stupidity drove several minions to mindlessly launch their decaying forms towards me only to easily get trapped within the current and effortlessly dragged towards their fiery death. The stench of burning flesh filling the air. A smarter few vanished only to reemerge mere inches from my inert figure, their hands quick to apprehend only for my skin’s elevated body temperature to sear off palms; the outer layer melting, skin’s corrosion quickly progressing as my blistering touch burned through muscle. Their screams of dismayed agony barely falling from the tongue before its ignition escalated along their figures until all that stood beside me was worthless cinders.

Stepping over the useless mounds of gray as they too were swept along the wind I allowed my footsteps to unearth more gravel as the ground visibly cracked, splitting, the beginnings of a chasm forming beneath the soles of my shoes.

“Anna, there are people… defenseless people still inside this mall! Do you really want to be responsible for their death?” Gabriel appealed but by now his words no longer held any true meaning to my incensed mind.

Katrina terrified at my slow advancement yelled, “fuck this! Adriana I’m out.” Letting go of her grip she allowed her body to flip and twist chaotically towards the flames just before our eyes met. Beaming up at my indifference she exclaimed, “Until we meet again…”

My palm ascended knowing without a doubt in my mind what her next action would be as I literally froze her body in mid-disappearance. Her legs from her feet to her calves had all but vanished and yet everything above that remained stationary fixed within the hellish blast of air. A trembling of the earth’s foundation was that of nightmares as I made my way towards her; columns cracked sending several minions directly in the path of crashed car’s flames while the rupture in the cement’s floor widened, the view of its lower level clear.

Her eyes wide, fear swimming within their rapidly recessing red tint, the blue of her petrified lenses at last showing as I reached her side. Her lips movement was all her body seemed capable of, “you won’t kill me,” she rationalized pitifully. “No one saw me truly switch sides. They only saw me clinging to life like all the others around you, and trust me Gabe’s word will be useless when they take in how indomitable he is to keep you safe! To kill me would be to cast yourself from heavens gates!”

My hand rose brushing aside her waves while burning her skin in the process, “nil desperandum, my precious guardian.”

“Never despair.”

My fingers caressed her features watching as tears formed within her eyes at my scorching touch, “everyone is one day faced with a life altering choice,” I paused watching as hope slowly died within her pupils, “and I’m afraid today… you chose the wrong selection.”

Useless dejection plummeted from her lids, her brain frantically searching for a way out as I leaned in closer, my lips pressing softly amongst the smoothness of her cheek. Pulling away I watched as the very fabric of her skin discolored as its surface retracted; its edges appearing blackened as exposed muscles melted until blood covered bone was revealed. Peach colored tissues fell rapidly like flesh tinted globs of decay plummeting to the quivering cement, the exterior of her face continuing to dissolve as I reveled in the sounds of anguished screams belting off her tongue.

“Detus tecum,” I whispered as what was left of her turned to ash.

“May God be with you.”

Laughing hysterically at the sight of the remaining pieces of her limbs at last resurfaced only to fall uselessly beside her remains as I announced a rather demented sense of a eulogy, “and may he be with you in the darkest recesses of your mind as your dragged kicking and screaming down into the hollows of hell.”

“Marie, what have you done?”

I twisted to view Gabriel’s petrified expression, a similar one lying upon Alex’s features. Within their faces I saw the reflection of what I had become as my eyes took in the commotion around me. Demons still burning in a ceaseless fire, the bodies of guardians lying motionlessly amongst the ground, the look of complete panic of those who managed to cling to life. Then dazedly my sight fell back to Adriana’s hiding place, fury eviscerating my inner calm at finding its spot now empty.

She had used Katrina’s cowardice to aid her own, the former guardian’s death serving as a much needed distraction to abandon her own ruined plans without even bothering to recue her few remaining damned followers.

Trailing a bloody path as I retraced my footsteps, scarlet orbs finally landed on that of what remained of my sister. Listlessly I fell to my knees at last allowing the pain to enter my heart as my curls fell forward to shield my emotions. The ground’s quaking now verging on total implosion as columns split in half, the cement barriers surrounding the garage’s edges crumpled plummeting into the night sky. Alarms sounded in the distance whilst screams from beyond the walls fed the air around us. The fire continued to rage as the first droplets of tears fell from my gaze.

The wind had decreased enough to allow a chosen few a chance to escape the deteriorating surroundings as my protector bruised and battered from defending my wellbeing still attempted in vain to reach me.

“Marie-,” he began as took a step towards me only for Alex’s hold on his arm to stop him. Gabriel shook off his grasp, his eyes focused solely upon me.

“Gabe, she can’t be helped,” Alex reasoned as he rose back to his feet while backing further away from my slumped form. “I can’t stay here with you any longer. The council will be up in arms waiting for as many guardians and warriors they can reach to return to the fold.”

Ignoring his plea, Gabe’s slow footsteps brought him closer, “Marie, its over. The battle has ceased.”

My shoulders shook as I wept, my eyes rising; cherry tinted droplets falling from my gaze, “Andrea…”

Whispering gently, “Baby doll, she’s gone.”

I shook my head frantically, my sight falling back to my sister’s remains, my fingers sliding into her cold detached palm. “No, she wouldn’t leave me.”

Gabe took another cautious step closer, careful not to fall at the ground’s continued quake, “I know she wouldn’t… unless she had no choice. Anna, she did everything she could to keep you safe. She gave her life in order to protect you.”

My eyes swung up furiously, the earth now vibrating dangerously within my wrath, “she did not give anything! It was taken!”

One side of the carport ceiling tipped treacherously before caving in, rocks crashing into pavement as supports continued to collapse, the shrieks of the entrapped becoming muffled. Alex still waiting impatiently along the edges implored my guardian to see logic, “Gabriel-.”

Twisting back towards him my watcher fumed at the interruption, “Alex, just go without me!”

Indecision claimed Alex’s features before defeat won over as blinding white light encircled his image. Gabe turned back to me, emotion clouding his vision as he held out a hand for me to grasp, “come with me, Anna. Please, just come with me.”

Regretfully I shook my head in denial to his earnest plea, “You sacrificed so much to protect me Gabriel, but as you said innocent lives have been lost here tonight.”

“We can work it out,” he begged.

“No,” I reiterated miserably, “we can’t.”

My hand rose, my strength taking seize of his unwilling form propelling him into Alex’s white light, its illumination swallowed their figures instantly, Gabe’s screams of protest the only thing left to linger behind.

The ground continued to split in two as one side of the parking garage actually tilted dangerously towards the street so far below. Cars slide off the edge; plummeting the many stories to the ground as chucks of the roof fell down all around me.

Coughing profusely within the growing cloud of combined dust and smoke I stared with burning eyes upon our attached fingers as at last I felt the ground beneath me collapse, my shape remained weightless for several horrifying moments before my back brutally made contact with harsh cement. My hand still connected to my sisters, I gazed dazedly up at how far I’d fallen while watching as the ceiling continued to splinter. With blood pouring from my lips, my limbs too overwhelmed with pain to move I gazed upon the deterioration of the cemented covering; observed as at last it fell numerous levels intent to crush my battered form.

Liquid blurred my vision, my heart hammering inside my chest at the sight of my end as I whispered, “its okay Andrea… As long as we’re together that’s all that matters.”

My voice died within the stale air just as the debris rained down in a gruesome torrent of death…

……………………………………………………………………………

(I just passed 500 pages on word lol)

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