Chronicles of Absolution: Vision of the Horse Lords

Chapter 1

Then

… Choices have to be made. Some lead to perdition and some lead to end of old and alone. The question comes down to whether or not one believes that they can hold on till the end and finally not be afraid to open that door…

… There are things that are best left unsaid or they are better told by the one who experienced the event. Anyway the path is filled with blood and death. It is in the nature of things and of her race… even more so considering her heritage…

… Isis smiled in return. "She is special on many levels. To me it is like that of a mother and daughter. Her abilities while special are nothing compared to her nature."

… "That is the known destiny for you. When chaos comes, you are thrown into the fight and you create the ripples that make things what they are. You always knew this."

… "Ellen, people who get close to me… they have met disastrous consequences. Maybe I am lucky that there are still friends that are still alive. And with what is to come, I will do whatever I have to do to make sure that they stay with me a little while longer."

… "You protect your family but not at the expense of who you are." She stopped Angela from speaking and continued, "I know you have knowledge up there and memories that are bloody and things you have to deal with but there is a fine line that you are at. You have to make the choice on whether or not it fight this as who you are or go down the road that you fear the most."

… Releasing her sleeve, he reached up with his right hand and with his two first fingers he pressed the tips gently to the left side of her neck. He tried not to notice her wide eyed expression of surprise but he couldn't help but look her in the eye as he slowly and almost seductively brought his fingers down the side of her neck down to the collar bone. He finished by leaning forward and planted a kiss in the same spot she did, letting his breath linger slightly before pulling back…

… The expression on her face at first was indiscernible but the way she held his hand… His fingers tightened around her hand gently as she placed her other hand on top of hers and he saw it. He saw the lotus…

… She replied, "Your heart's desire."

Sam blinked a bit at that. "Really?"

Haley nodded, "What you want the most will come." She paused a moment and then added, "You just got to have faith."

… Angela thought about it and started piecing together. Her eyes lighted on the book that she had been looking at. She could recall a time long ago that had her learning a few things that helped her get back on her feet. She then said, "Oh crap."

"The demon is after the twins. He kept trying to gun for them when I fought him."

"Yeah, we know," Dean replied. "Why?"

Angela clicked her tongue on her teeth as she shifted to look at the others. "It makes sense with the whole karmic circle thing and the fact that they are a little off for humans and I don't mean the normal kind." She paused a moment and looked at the group. "The twins are the current incarnation of the Ashvins."

… "Mount Kailasa?"

"The home of Shiva, the Hindu god known as the Destroyer in some texts." Angela lifted her leg to rest her forearm on her knee. "The safest place for them since his guard are like the demons and his own power protects the place."

… "Lady Parvati is the wife of Lord Shiva. She can open a way from here to the sanctuary. Weird covering distance thing and lot less painful than going by angel."

… We meet again little sister…

… "The Ashvins are a prize in terms of tactics. They do have the power after all to heal the gods. I can only imagine what they could do with the demons. So fuck off before I add to that scar on your miserable face."

… "Lord Shiva is known for his philosophy on state of being, the ultimate that in the end we can transform into the energy around us or something like that. I think he was talking about souls but…" She shrugged since it was a little over the top for her. "There is one other thing he is known for and that is his prowess in battle. He defends the sacred realms and according to some really old texts… let's just say that when Rameses destroyed Syria, that was an accident. In the days before history he led his guard against the Ancients, fighting for humanity."

… "There is nothing to be sorry for."

"There is," Sam insisted. "I… I was a jerk when you mentioned Shiva and…" He felt his cheeks flush from the fact that he was admitting to jealousy.

"It's not a typical friendship with this particular pair," Angela admitted more to save Sam from feeling to uncomfortable. Also it was because she knew that she hadn't fully explained the nature of that relationship.

Sam gave a cautious smile and offered, "Well you kind of looked like you didn't want to talk about it. Is it bad?"

"No." Angela offered a smile and was pleased when Sam responded in kind. "Just… it's different and… I get why cupids are like they are." At Sam's expression she explained, "Lady Parvati is the Hindu goddess of love."

… "Have you forgotten my beloved? That you bow to no one."

… Anyway there is an obscure story about a warrior who caught the attention of the mother goddess. The warrior was known for a few bloody events and pretty much saved the goddess from violation.

Violation that would break the mother goddess and spread the wrath of a husband across the land. Basically this guy saved the goddess from something that would have had Shiva's ass down on earth and being a colossal asshat.

Well their story alone is enough to make you understand why. Anyway, the warrior saved the goddess and from there it gets sketchy. Sources say that the goddess healed the brokenness in the warrior and forgave him for all crimes real and imagined. Others say that the goddess saw greatness and wanted to help. Either way to be called a beloved of Parvati meant great favor. What exactly happened when Angie went to meet her?

… "Better late than never," Dean countered as he picked up a beer…

… "Things usually do when you try not so hard to control every aspect. It becomes an illusion and it crumbles like bricks when it falls," the goddess replied in agreement. She looked over at the twins and said, "I just hope Shifa' remembers that."

… Sam gave into the impulse and pressed his lips against hers in a hard kiss, drawing it out. Angela, for her part, welcomed it and let him press her against the tree as he kept kissing her.

It was fast fading though especially now that he was close enough to get a good whiff and he smelled roses; not any roses but different.

Breaking the kiss, he leaned forward to where he had kissed her collarbone and took a whiff, his lips hovering over the skin. "You smell nice."

Angela felt Sam's breath on her neck and leaned her head against his. She managed to turn her head slightly and took in the scent she knew so well and drove the instinct to stalk him and not in a hunting kind of way. She breathed on his neck, "You smell pretty good yourself."

All that Angela heard was a low hum from Sam and she felt his breath on her skin before his lips made contact. She felt her skin flush with heat and she hummed in response but it came out more like a purr growl. She then felt Sam press a little harder and start to suckle on the skin.

… "Did you really think that those defenses would keep us out?"

"Slowed you down," Angela replied to Lenya's taunt. She then turned to Kartikeya and whispered, "I'm sure." She turned back to the demons and called out, "You have violated the sanctity of the mother goddess."

… "Nice to see you back, Shifa'," Kartikeya said as he backed up to cover.

"Likewise."

… "Just give me what I want," Lenya replied bored, "And I'll let you live."

There was no way that would happen and the Winchesters voiced it with the others. Angela took the lead and stepped forward. "And that's not going to happen."

Lenya grinned, "Then this will be fun." She gave a signal and the fight was on…

Now

The flash of silver occurred and there was a flash of orange as the blade buried itself into the stomach of the demon. The knife was yanked out quickly and the demon dropped to the ground. He put his hand to his abdomen and looked up at the one who stabbed him and glared. "Why don't you just kill me?"

"Now where is the fun in that?" Angela stepped forward and kneeled to get closer to the demon. She stared at him with a near impassive gaze as she rested the hand holding the knife on her knee in a taunting fashion. "I have some questions for you."

"Like I'd tell you anything."

Angela hummed and gave a slight smile before plunging the knife into the leg just above the right ankle and gave it a deft twist. She then pulled it out after the demon screamed and called her foul names. Her face was impassive as she pulled her hand with the knife and put it back to where she had it previously. "Care to rephrase that answer?"

"Go to hell."

That was followed by more screams as she drove the knife into the left leg above the ankle. She huffed a sigh like she was bored as she yanked it out. She looked at the demon and said, "You can make this easy on yourself. I mean I got all night and I can prolong the agony."

The demon looked at her with a narrowed look. He grunted from the pain and air hissed from the pain and the burning anger. He was in pain, burning pain and bleeding and it wasn't stopping. The demon resilience wasn't working. He huffed some more and glared at her.

Angela studied the demon as he huffed and glared at her. She wanted to know one thing but the demon was being stubborn about it. She had to know what the demon knew. There was a lot riding on it. "Do you really want to test me? Do you want to see the things I do with just a knife?" She moved the blade and tapped the tip on the wound of the left leg. "And there are things I can do without a knife."

The demon grunted and bellowed out a groan of pain when the wound was touched. He didn't want to feel the pain and yet he couldn't tell her about what he was doing. But the agony was horrible. She had to have hit a nerve. He watched as she moved the tip of the blade towards the other one. She was almost close when he decided enough was enough, "Alright! Alright I'll answer your fucking questions."

Angela gave a slow smile. "Now that's better." She moved the knife away but it was within easy reach. "See how easy it is when you cooperate with me?"

"If you weren't so high and mighty with your knife there," the demon retorted. He assumed a defiant look that was mingled with the pain that he was trying not to let show through.

"And it's not my fault that you and your buddies got caught in my scent line." Angela gestured at the bodies of two other demons on the ground. Their corpses were stinking of decomposition having been dead for quite some time before the demons were killed. She turned back to look at the demon. "So you have to pay the forfeit."

The demon grew fearful at that phrase. He had heard the stories and the boss had warned him that she was vicious. It occurred to him that he was probably going to die anyway. He could stick it to the bitch looking at him and not say anything after all but then again it would be a slow and painful death. If he said something, he would just be dead and more likely from the boss' hands. Neither option was favorable but the weighing factor was prolonged agony versus swift and efficient. He chose the latter. "Fine. What do you want to know?"

Angela smiled a sweet smile that was anything but that. "Good boy." She gave a mocking pat on the demon's thigh. "First question: How far behind?"

"What?"

"How far behind is that bitch?" Angela didn't need to clarify. Anyone with a brain knew she was referring to Lenya. She poked at the injured ankle.

"She's not following you," the demon admitting after gritting his teeth. He was with a sadistic bitch. "She wants you to think that."

"Typical. Never one to get her hands dirty unless I really piss her off."

"She wants the Ashvins and is willing to trade for them or make a deal." The demon panted since Angela was stuck in thought and she ended up applying a little weight to his injury. It was agonizing and he wanted to do nothing more than to kick the bitch but the pain was too much. "She wants to make a deal."

Angela looked at the demon. "And what makes you think I want to do that?"

"Dealing devil."

Angela snorted at that. "Do you actually think that I would do that? Betray innocent children?"

"They're not exactly normal now huh?"

In retaliation, Angela pressed the tip of her knife into the demon's left leg just above the initial injury and inserted the tip in. She slowly started to tug it upwards towards the calf and heard the demon scream in pain.

"Stop!"

Angela didn't stop. She made it to the calf and leaving the knife in, jiggled it a little bit. She listened to the screams of the demon as it cursed at her. He finally burbled something and she paused in her ministrations. She looked at the demon, "What are you babbling about?"

"She… she knows."

"Knows what?"

"She knows that you are looking for sanctuary and the vision." The demon was panting hard from the pain. "Please just kill me now!"

Angela looked at the demon like she was a puzzled little puppy. She took in the pain laced face, the groans and the curses. She twiddled the knife a little in the wound to make the demon squeal more before pulling it out. "How does she know about the vision?"

The demon was willing to dance a jig if Angela wanted it and sang like a canary, "She knows that you will do anything to protect the Ashvins but also find the means for them to defend themselves. She knows you're looking for it."

"And how much does she know?"

"Just that you're looking for it."

Angela nodded as she heard that. She gave a slight smile as she eyed the demon. That was just perfect. She could play with the demon but he had cooperated with her so far. "I just have one last question."

"Whatever you want."

"Are you the only ones that she sent or will she send more?"

The demon thought it to be an odd question. Yet the serious expression on Angela's face meant that he better answer or he would suffer death. "She sent only us but… you know her. Would she keep sending them after you?"

Angela took in the question, clearly impressed by the demon's insight. She nodded at that and replied, "That is a possibility. After all… I do know her." She smiled at the demon and patted his cheek. "You have done well." She then stood up and started to walk away.

"What are you doing?" The demon wasn't sure what was going to happen and that terrified him. "You can't leave me here. She'll kill me."

Angela turned to look at the demon. It was looking at her and in a complete panic. She knew what would happen if she sent the demon back to Lenya. It was easy to kill it and be done with it. But still… She turned back and walked up to the demon and kneeled to look him in the eye. She noted the fear and resentment. The former was sort of good but the latter was not usually a good thing considering the sides they operated on. "If I let you live, will you pursue me?"

"No. I'll do whatever you want."

Angela looked at the demon and twisted her head like she was inspecting it. "You'll go to hell and stay there. You'll heal there. If you head topside… use a corpse and if I find out anything that would make me want to do this again…"

"Alright, whatever. I'll do it."

Nothing more was said as Angela summoned her powers and pulled the demon out. It surprised it since he thought it was an exorcism rite. It would have been fun to hear him squeal a little more but… She pulled it out and sent it to hell. All that was left now were the corpses and the stench of death and the lingering one of sulfur. Now it was time for cleanup.

She was quiet when she entered the room, opening and closing the door with minimal sound; you had to have the ears of a bat to hear it. Softly she treaded through the room and picked through her bag, pulling out clothes by touch and headed towards the bathroom where she discarded the clothes she was wearing in a pile on the floor and stepped into the shower.

The water was hot and the pressure really good for a cheap motel. The head though made the water feel like a massage as she washed off the smell of blood and sulfur. She watched the pink water trail down the drain and disappear and she was lost in the swirling of the water. Eventually she finished and came out of the bathroom quietly leaving her clothes in the bathroom since it would probably drive the pups crazy.

The twins were asleep in the bed closest to the bathroom and they looked dwarfed in the full sized bed. They were facing each other with Xander lying asleep between them. Each had their arms wrapped around the Wilder in comfort. Angela studied them and her expression softened; she would always have a soft spot for children no matter if they were delinquent, freaks or geeks, monsters… whatever. Seeing them asleep without worry etched on their faces was reassuring.

She stood there watching them as if to convince herself that they were fine and nothing bad happened. It wasn't a trust issue at all when she got anxious of leaving her charges to take care of an issue. It was more like that of a parent wondering if their kids were okay and she knew she got a little carried away with the adults that she cared for. The long and the short of it was that it was because she cared; she had a big heart and it was a wonder that she hadn't been jaded or broken long before now. Even after her imprisonment in hell she never lost her compassion.

She knows that you are looking for the sanctuary and the vision.

Angela felt her throat convulse as she recalled her 'conversation' with the demon. She had been waiting for them, having tricked them in order to buy time for the Winchesters to take the boys and go to the rally point. She suspected that they were being followed and relied on her scent and the dogs and they pretty much told her they were being followed.

She knew the game Lenya liked to play. It was a deadly game of cat and mouse and Angela never liked being the mouse. She almost had the bitch too the last time they fought and would have killed her if the pisacha hadn't interfered. She frowned and turned away, saddened that the peaceful sanctuary of Parvati was violated, at least the outer layers were. The inner sanctum had been spared and that was where she found the twins with the mother goddess. And it was where she came to the decision to take them with her until she figured something else out and that was the vision.

Stifling a yawn, Angela cast one last look at the twins and rubbed Xander's head when he looked at her to let her know that it was okay and to go to sleep. She accepted the lick and rubbed his ears before heading over to the other bed. She braided her hair in a loose braid as she sat down on the edge of the side closest to the twins. It allowed her to watch them while she put back her hair so it didn't get all over the place not that it was longer.

Finished with braiding her hair, she put the brush down on the nightstand and tucked herself into bed, pulling the covers up though she would more likely kick them off since her body temp decided to fluctuate a little. She turned to her left to face the twins and was about to close her eyes when she felt and arm wrap around her waist and pull her towards its owner. She didn't panic but let it be and relaxed into the hold. The last thing she did before falling asleep was to check for the gun she had stashed in easy reach and then settled into the embrace that enveloped her in warmth and safety.

A/N: Picking up where we left off from Kind, Enlightened Giving and it looks like Angie is taking care of some tailing demons and learns a few things. Also some snuggling moments. Stay tuned for next time on Vision of the Horse Lords...