Damned

chapter 19

Lizzie

“Darrton?” I whispered, not sure if I even said it. His eyes were focused on mine. The pale blue forced an energy through me that ran down to the tips of my toes. He motioned for me to get down, hide, and that’s when I noticed the others. Scotty was walking toward the church. Warren and Caden stood back, waiting for Scotty to do their bidding.

I gasped, taking in a large chilled breath, and turned around. “They’re here, Ariel, what do we do?” I screeched.

Her face remained calm. Her smooth milk chocolate skin looked more radiant than I remembered. She picked up the sword from the edge of the room and tossed it to me. “This is where we defend ourselves. Remember what I told you?”

The sword seemed to be weighing me down. Its sharp edges were like spikes from Hell. “Go for the wings, the part where they connect to the back,” I said. My mouth was dry and a pain started to throb deep down in my chest. “I’m not sure if I can do this.”

Ariel cocked an eyebrow and placed the sword in a scabbard at her side. “Too late, kid. We have no choice. Get your ass up and be serious. Our lives are at stake here. It’s two against three, and you’re just human.”

“Darrton is here and Ian,” I said, gripping the sword and wondering how close Scotty was to opening the stairs to the attic.

“What! Where? You should have told me already.”

“They just got here. They are hiding in the woods,” I said, watching Samantha who was uncharacteristically quiet. I began to click my tongue automatically and realized I was doing it. But I was too afraid to stop.

Ariel nodded. “That’s promising, hiding in the woods when we need help,” she grumbled.

There was a creak from downstairs. “AH! God, he’s close,” I said, holding my sword in front of me.

Ariel gripped my shoulders and hit her flat palm to my forehead. “Calm down! Listen, this is what we are going to do. When Scotty opens the attic door, I’m going to jump down, okay?” She waited until I nodded before she continued. “I’m going to need you to take care of Samantha. You two will need to jump down, fly down, crawl down, I don’t give a damn how, but get the hell out of this attic. Being trapped will only make it easier to be caught. Then get to Darrton and Ian, somehow. Sneak past those bastards outside. Just get to them. Do you understand?”

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. The noise from below us meant we only had a few seconds. “Yes, I understand.”

“Okay.” She let go of my shoulder. “Get your asses over there behind the wall. We are going to do this. Lizzie, be careful, okay?”

Tears were forming in my eyes. I wasn’t sure if it was because I knew I could die in two minutes, that Samantha could die, that Ariel was risking her life for my sister and me, or because Darrton was just right there and I couldn’t get to him. “Ariel,” I choked out, “Thank you for this.”

She pulled her sword out as the door in the bottom of the floor fell open. “Thank me after you’re safe, okay?”

I cringed. The top of Scotty’s head appeared up the steps. Ariel gave me one last look. It seemed like she was hurt. She had to try and kill Scotty. The pain showed in her eyes, but she knew what was right. She knew they needed to be killed. She launched from her spot and screamed as she went.

There was a lot of bumping and hysterical noises coming from them as they tumbled down the attic steps.

Squeezing Sam’s hand, I pulled her along. She hadn’t said a word, but by the grip of her fingers, I knew she was scared. How could she not be? We hurried down the stairs and saw a few overturned pews, church hymns, and bibles strewn all over the place. I didn’t want to know where they had gone but by the mess and the noise coming from the front, it sounded like they were in the lobby. It sounds like thunder.

I tugged Samantha along toward the back. I couldn’t let Scotty get her and bring her to them. I had no idea where I was going. It was my first time in the little church. Most of the doors led to small Sunday school rooms or bathrooms.

“I’m scared,” Samantha whispered. “Please, get us out of here.”

“I’m trying, Sam, give me a minute.” I opened another door and it creaked. It led outside. I stopped. “Okay, Samantha, this is what we are going to do. I’m going to go find Darrton. I want you to run into the woods and hide. We will come find you when everything is over.”

“No!” she screamed, hanging onto me. “You can’t leave me; I don’t want to go out by myself, please!”

I tore her from my clothes. “Samantha, this isn’t a game. I need you to understand that. This is do or die. Please.” I hugged her tight. “Go Samantha.”

She wiped her small hands over her reddened cheeks, wiping away the tears that were streaming down. “Promise you will come get me?”

I smiled. “I wouldn’t leave you out there. Now go before they bring their fight back here.”

She nodded. Taking one baby step at a time, she walked out of the door down the steps, and then broke into a run toward the woods. She disappeared into the emerald shadows and didn’t look back.

The weight of the world lifted off my shoulder. As long as she is okay. Then a heavy pressure slammed down on my chest. “I have to find Darrton,” I whispered to myself. The air was calm and it set off an eerie wave of emotion. There wasn’t anything that seemed out of the ordinary except the erratic sound of Scotty and Ariel fighting in the church. I hope she is okay.

Creeping along the outside of the church, I held my breath. I peered around the corner and no one was there. Where are they?

Rounding the corner, I made it to the front of the church where they had been standing. Darrton wasn’t where he had been ten minutes before. There was banging from the inside of the church and I wondered what shape they were in. I jerked around when I heard crunching in the leaves behind me. My breath caught in my throat.

“Darrton.” I was shaking as I watched him walk toward me.

He put a finger to his lips and shook his head. I knew in my heart it was the wrong moment to be turned on but I couldn’t help it. His shirt was off. Sweat poured off of his chest. He looked as if he had just run a marathon. The V he had was poking out of the top of the jeans that sat low on his slender hips. His dark hair was tied at the nape of his neck and his jaw was set. The black edges of his wings were glowing in the sunlight. He was only a few yards away from me. My foot took a step without me even thinking about it. He shook his head again. His eyes were everywhere, looking for them.

When he stopped, he sighed. He motioned with his index finger for me to come toward him. A blaze set off inside me. I ran to him, reaching up to wrap my arms around him, when something gripped my hair tight pulling me back.

“Well, sorry to break up the reunion but I’d much rather you’d be with me,” Caden whispered. His chest was against my back, his lips touching my ear. I tried to scream but it caught in my throat. A sick feeling snaked its way through me. My sword dropped to the ground. I closed my eyes at the pain in my arm.

Darrton stopped in his tracks. His pale blue eyes caught fire. “Caden, nice to see you again, Brother.”

“Yes, very nice,” he said, gripping my ass in his hand.

I tried to push him away but he only drew me closer.

“Damn it, Caden, stop teasing Darrton,” Warren said, rounding the corner, dusting off his hands. He smiled, his red eyes glaring at me. The slender point of his nose gave him a feminine look. When he smiled, it made him look devious. “Well, nice to see you again, Elizabeth. I see you got away from us here recently.”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. I was too afraid to move, too afraid to even think. I just wanted Darrton to come and rescue me. I wanted this to all be a dream.

Warren looked at Darrton and smiled. “Nice to see you, Brother. I hope you’re ready to perform the ritual. I’m growing tired and so is He.”

He as in Satan? I shivered.

Darrton laughed but it was without humor. He ran his fingers down the length of his face. “Warren, I’m not going to perform the ritual. I’ve told you both that I have changed my plans,” he said, glancing at me.

Warren rubbed his hands together. “As I’ve told you, Darrton, you’ve made a deal and you can’t go back. I am going to forgive you for not killing Elizabeth when we told you to. Now look what you have done. Involved her sister, too.”

Bile tried to come up my throat. “Where is she?” I whispered.

Caden rubbed his hand across my stomach. “Some place safe, sweetheart. She is doing just fine.”

Darrton clenched his fist and stepped toward me again.

“Don’t take another step toward her, Darrton. It is nothing for us to snap her neck. We don’t want that now, do we?”

He didn’t answer. He kept his eyes on me, his face hopeless.

“Now, if you come with us over toward the clearing, we will start this process. I’m getting antsy,” Warren said.

“I told you I’m not doing it,” Darrton replied.

Warren jerked his head back. I could see the anger building in his face. “Okay, then. If that’s what you want.” He motioned to Caden.

Caden grabbed my arm, the one that was already hurt and pulled it behind my back, it felt like it might pull from the socket. I screamed and my legs gave out from underneath me.

“Stop,” Darrton said. “Okay, I’ll do it.”

“No! Darrton, don’t. Just let them kill me. Please think about what you’re doing. This will destroy our world,” I said through the pain working overtime in my arm.

“Shut up, princess. He might be able to spare your life.”

“I have no other choice, Elizabeth. I can’t let them kill you. I would never forgive myself.”

Warren smiled and began walking toward the back of the church. Caden tried to make me walk but I couldn’t move. My arm was throbbing. Caden picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder. His blond hair was pushed upright and I tried to fight the urge to pull it.

“Darrton! Help me! Please, stop. Let me go, Caden. Put me down! Please!”

“Be calm, Elizabeth. I won’t let them hurt you,” I heard Darrton say.

I bit my tongue to keep from screaming. I wanted to punch Caden in the back. I wanted him not to touch me at all. I wanted to jump down and run to Darrton.

Darrton was behind us. I wanted to lift my head and look at him but my arm was hurting too much to put anymore strain on it. I wondered if Ariel was all right. She and Scotty had left a long time ago. And where is Ian?

I closed my eyes and stopped listening to anything around me. I just let Caden carry me wincing from his big footsteps. When we stopped, I lifted my head and noticed we were in a clearing. There was a circle of rocks and in the center were the things I had seen at the warehouse.

Caden dropped me and sat me down. He pressed his face close to mine and inhaled. “Hmm, you smell pretty, baby girl.”

I looked the other way but he grabbed my chin and forced my face to his. His lips were chapped and rough against my lips. “Caden, damn it. Leave the girl alone!” Warren shouted.

Tears filled my eyes when I noticed Darrton standing next to Warren. His face was a mixture of emotion. I wiped my lips and curled up into a ball. “Go get them, Caden,” Warren said.

Caden left. Warren placed the Bible in the middle, a scale, sword, and lastly Caden’s bow around the Bible. Darrton never looked at any of it. He stared at me, his blue eyes sliding over me. “I’m sorry,” he said to me.

“Ah! Brother, don’t be sorry for her. You’re sparing her life.”

“For what? For her to die afterward by the plagues, by the demons you’re letting out.”

This sent a shiver down to the tips of my toes. They are letting out demons. This can’t happen. This will kill everyone. The entire world will die.

“Correction, we’re letting out,” Warren said.

Caden returned a moment later. Scotty was behind him, blood gushing from his face. There was a cut oozing blood down the length of his jaw. When he looked at me, I saw Scotty, the one I knew when I first met him. There was anger and fright in his eyes and then disappointment. He knew he had no choice anymore. Behind was Samantha. I stood up, holding my arm. Caden shook his head. “Sit down, princess. I’ll bring the little bitch to you.”

I opened my mouth to say something. Darrton shook his head no. Caden pushed Samantha into me and she fell at my side. “I’m sorry, I tried to run but he caught me, Lizzie. He caught me.”

I watched Caden walk away from us and disappear behind a tree.

I grabbed her and rocked her slowly in my arms. “It’s okay, it’s fine. None of this is your fault. It’s mine.”

When I looked back, I noticed Caden coming from behind a large tree with something in his hands...or someone...Ariel.

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head and holding Samantha tighter.

Scotty wouldn’t look at Ariel. He kept his eyes glued to the ground.

Warren clapped his hands. “Well, we have a sacrifice. That is great. We don’t have to kill one of the girls.”

That was his plan all along?

“Hold her while I get in position,” Caden said to Scotty. Scotty didn’t move. He sat there, ignoring Caden as if he hadn’t said anything. “Hold her!” he screamed this time, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

He shoved her into Scotty’s hands. Her body was limp, bruised, and cut. A tear fell down my face. She died trying to save us. The thought of them giving an angel’s dead body to Satan, repulsed me. I figured they would resurrect her and use her powers for evil. She would have never been involved, if not for me. She would have lived without even knowing what had happened. This is all my fault.

“Places,” Warren said, as he pulled out a short blade and cut his wrist. “Now it’s time to give up blood for our master.”

“Close your eyes,” I whispered to Samantha. “Don’t look unless I say it’s okay.” Sam hid her head against my shoulder and began to shake.

I watched as they each cut a slit in their wrists and let one drop of blood drop on the Bible in the middle. This is happening.

“Now, Scotty, place the sacrifice on the ground. We are giving her soul to him.” Warren’s red eyes were glazed over.

Scotty slowly bent down. And from beside me, out of the bushes, I saw something fly. It was silver and small. It hit Scotty in the head with such force he collapsed.

“Who is that?” Warren screamed.

Scotty was lying on top of Ariel and on the ground beside him was a flask. Scotty didn’t move. Maybe he is just knocked out? I turned my attention back to the flask. A flask? Ian. I almost smiled at the fact that he would waste a good flask, hitting someone. I was utterly surprised. But I couldn’t stop looking over at Scotty. Ian had killed his son? I bit back a cry. Scotty was being forced. He was good.

“Well hello, my darlin’s. It’s nice to see ya ’gain, Caden. Son, I seen you’ve taken the wrong route. ‘Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.’ I always liked that Frost guy. Do you wish you’d taken a different route, partner?”

Caden snarled and I quit smiling. It was menacing.

“Oh, hello, Lizzie?” Ian said and waved nonchalantly.

“Hey,” I whispered.

Warren laughed but it was harsh and evil. “So, you think you can come over here and stop us, right? Do you really think that I won’t kill you?”

Ian cocked an eyebrow. “Well, I believe if you would kill your own brother, you would certainly kill me. But I’ve killed Scotty, my own flesh and blood. Who seems worse to you, scout?” he said, smiling and slicking his hair back out of his face.

“I killed my brother because he was foolish, just like this one.” He pointed toward Darrton. “Both of you falling in love with mortals! Idiots. We can rule everything. Start a race, have the world to ourselves, the list is endless, and you both decide to fall in love with mortals.”

Darrton stepped back from Warren and looked at both of them.

“You’re not backing out of this, Darrton, or the girl gets it,” Warren said. “I swear I’ll kill her in front of both of you.”

Darrton shook his head. “You’ve got it wrong, Warren. I am backing out on this and you won’t even try to take her.” Darrton’s movement was so quick that I thought I was dreaming it at first.

He picked up the sword lying a few feet away from the circle and swung it. He missed by a mere inch. Warren slammed Darrton up against the tree and grabbed his throat.

“You might want to run now, Lizzie. We will find you,” Ian said from beside me. He dusted off his hands and balled up his fist. Caden walked toward him. Ian cocked an eyebrow and stepped toward Caden. Ian had already killed one of his sons. I hated that he would have to kill another.

I grabbed Samantha and began to run. We ran toward the tree line and stopped behind a great oak. Warren was on his back with Darrton’s blade at his throat. But right when the blade would get close, Warren would kick Darrton off.

“They’re going to kill each other!” Samantha screamed.

“Shhh, let’s hope only two end up dead today,” I mumbled. The ground shook when Caden picked up Ian and slammed him down on his back. His dark wings fluttered as Caden grabbed them. Oh no. Cut off the wings and you can kill them.

Without thinking about it, I ran toward them. My hair was blowing back in the cool breeze and my eyes were on Ian’s sword, laying off to the side. I had no idea what I was doing, but the adrenaline was rushing through my veins too fast for me to care. Ian’s sword was heavy in my hand, and it took every ounce of my power to swing it. I lifted it over my head and swept it down through the place where Caden’s wings met his back. He stopped. Blood poured down his body.

When he raised his head, the white in his eyes had turned green. What? His body shrank and his wings disappeared. It took me a second before I realized I was seeing a glimpse of what he’d looked like before he was a Horseman. A human. He let out a scream and fell to his knees. His hands hit the ground and he began to fade before my eyes.

Then he was gone.

Darrton and Warren had stopped what they were doing and froze. There wasn’t a trace of Caden left. I imagined how stupid I must have looked—a sword in my hand that I could hardly hold, and tears in my eyes. Ian couldn’t move. He was unconscious.

Warren let out a scream, ripped his sword back, and swung it at Darrton. It hit his wing. Darrton fell to the ground and hunched over on his knees. “Stay back, Lizzie, I’m fine,” he mumbled through intakes of breath.

My lips began to tremble. I was trying hard to make sense of everything roaming around in my head.

Warren looked over at me. “I see you have ruined everything, you little bitch. Do you understand that we can’t do this without at least two horsemen and two creatures from Heaven or Hell?”

I didn’t answer. I was too shocked to say anything. Blood was dripping from Darrton’s wing. I wanted to run and help him. Warren laughed and was on the verge of being hysterical. “I have an offer for you, Elizabeth. I’ll make you a deal.”

“No!” Darrton screamed. “Don’t do it, Lizzie. Don’t listen to a thing he says.”

Warren kicked Darrton in his side. “Silence. This is your fault. If you would have just done as I said, she wouldn’t be in danger right now.”

Darrton spit out blood. “No, she would have been dead.”

“I’ll give you a choice, Elizabeth. You make a deal with me now. Your two choices are, you let Darrton die here, or you make a blood oath to me and Darrton lives.”

“No, please, Lizzie,” Darrton whispered. “Don’t do it.”

Warren smiled. Taking his blade, he stuck it at the edge of Darrton’s wings. Darrton screamed and clawed at the earth below him. “Don’t, Elizabeth! He’ll own you! Please, do not do this.” He struggled to get up, but Warren pressed the blade harder into Darrton’s wing.

A lump was forming in my throat, and I couldn’t feel my entire body. It took every ounce of my strength to keep my feet underneath me. I have to do this. Through my watering eyes I glanced at Darrton. “I’m sorry.”

Darrton shook his head and slammed his fist into the ground, while Warren pressed the blade harder into him.

“Okay,” I whispered.

“No, no, no, no, Elizabeth,” Darrton whispered into the dirt. “Don’t do this to her. Warren, don’t.” He tried to push up off of the ground but Warren pressed the blade into his wings harder, making Darrton scream. Warren kicked him again, harder. Darrton tried to move but fell back to the ground.

Warren smiled and walked toward me. I watched in pure fear as he lifted the blade and slit his other wrist. “Hold out your hand, Elizabeth.”

I dropped my sword and stepped closer. I put my hand out and it began to shake.

“Bend you elbow,” he ordered. He bent his own elbow and slid the blade across my wrist. It stung and I let out a moan.

Warren intertwined our fingers together as the blood dripped down my wrist to the crease of my bent elbow. “Repeat after me,” he said. “I, Elizabeth Lawrence.”

I opened my dry mouth and forced the words out. “I Elizabeth Lawrence.”

“Do solemnly swear, to do Warren Barnes’s bidding for the rest of my natural life,” he said with a nasty smile.

“Due solemnly swear, to do Warren Barnes’s bidding for the rest of my natural life,” I repeated.

Warren smiled and released my hand. Knowing that his blood was mixed with mine, made my skin crawl. “Now, Elizabeth. This isn’t the end of anything for us. It’s the beginning.” He smiled and wiped off his bloody wrist.

Ian grunted as he rose from the ground and shook his head, as if trying to clear his vision. When his eyes saw my bleeding wrist and Warren’s, he closed his eyes and shook his head. “I think it’s time for you to go now, Warren. I see you have f*cked up everythin’.”

“Nothing but the best for my master,” Warren said. “This isn’t over, princess. Darrton will end up calling on him. When we’re ready again, I’ll be back.” He turned to leave and Ian grabbed me. “Oh and, Elizabeth, I will be calling. You’ll know when, and you will come. Because you have to.”

Warren disappeared into the forest but I knew he would be back soon. And when he did return, I would have to do whatever he said. There was nothing left for him to do until he found some others to help. Then it would be my turn to do what he said forever.

Ian tried to comfort me but I shoved him away and ran toward Darrton. He pushed himself up to his knees, and I fell down to the ground with him. He stroked my chin, my face, my neck. He was touching me so tenderly.

“Iofiel, I can’t believe you just agreed to that,” he said, pressing our foreheads together.

“I had to. I couldn’t let him kill you. I would never have forgiven myself for it,” I mumbled through my sobs.

Darrton pressed his lips to mine, and I felt myself automatically relax. His hands were so rough on my back, I thought he was trying to make us one. He ruffled his fingers through my hair and pressed his tongue into my mouth. “I can’t be away from you again, Elizabeth. We have to stay together. I won’t let them hurt you ever again. Is your arm okay?”

I was still light headed and was trying to wipe the smile off of my face. At any other moment, I could afford to smile but not then. “I thought it was broken at first but it’s okay, just hurts.”

“We’ll get it looked at,” he said, glancing back over my shoulder.

“I feel like I should cover Samantha’s eyes over here.” Ian pointed toward my little sister who was standing there wide eyed. “Well, hell I might need to cover my own.”

I blushed. I stood, helping Darrton up. He had a limp and a bad cut but other than that, everything was fine. “Samantha.” I cleared my throat. “This is Darrton.”

She opened her mouth in awe. “Our cousin?”

Ian snorted. “It could happen, I mean back down the line he could have been—”

“No, I’m not your cousin. I’m in love with your sister.”

My heart stopped beating for a clear two seconds. Did he say love? My cheeks were heating up and his hand on my lower back wasn’t helping the blushing situation.

Samantha rolled her eyes. “Well, the Darrton that loves my sister, could you please take me home?”

Wow, two seconds after the drama and she is already being a diva again.

Ian laughed. “That is a lovely idea. I would love to go home. Even though my home is trashed.”

Darrton smiled and kissed my forehead. “I think it’s a great idea, too. We need to get you both home before your parents have any more time to freak out.” He glanced back over his shoulder at the bodies. “We’ll come back and lay both of them to rest.”

“What will we tell them?” I asked, clicking my tongue but stopping when Darrton’s lips pulled up into a smile.

“That you don’t remember anything,” Darrton said. “You either, Samantha.”

She nodded. “I don’t care what we say, but I just want to go the hell home.” She sighed and ran her fingers through her now nappy hair. “Eww! I need to take another bath. Let’s go.”

“Yes, let’s go home,” I said.

Ian smiled. “Hop on, sister friend,” Ian said holding his arms out to Samantha.

She snarled. “Not this again. Please hold me tighter than Ariel did. She almost dropped me. I’m grateful she caught me but that flight to the church was rough.”

Ian smiled and tipped an imaginary hat. “You have my word, dear lady.”

She looked back over her shoulder and gave me one last look. She held on to Ian as he lifted off the ground and headed toward our house.

“Um, Darrton,” I said before he lifted us up.

“Yes, Elizabeth.”

“Back there when you said you...you said that you...”

“Loved you?” he asked, his lips parting and making my body melt on the inside.

I nodded. “Ummhmm. Were you serious?”

He smiled and kissed my lips. “I am always serious, Iofiel.”

“I love you, too, Darrton.”

His mouth pulled up at the corner and my heart fluttered. His fingers traced my jawline and he kissed my forehead. “That’s great to hear you say. Now, let’s go home, Iofiel.”