Hey Guys, So sorry about the delay in posting. College has been insanely busy. I've a break coming up so hopefully I will be able to write more. Thanks for sticking with me. Please don't forget to review. It's much appreciated.
Chapter Thirteen
I awoke to the harsh, wailing noises of sirens. My eyes fluttered but didn't open as I coughed out the smoke that had gathered in my lungs. Eventually I got my eyes to open but my vision was extremely blurry and clouded. I lifted my head off the ground dizzily and gazed around at the disoriented surrounding area. Large orange flames licked at the black, smoke smothered sky. Too weak to hold the weight of my dead up any longer I let my head fall back down and cried out in agony as the pain hit me causing stars the enhance the blurriness of my vision. "Luce!" A voice called, though it almost sounded as though I was under water. I half smiled. "Luce! Where are you?! Luce!" The frantic angelic voice called. "Oh, God! No!" I heard the angel cry out in anguish followed by the heavy pounding of feet crushing the debris of Daniel's house into the ground. I felt heavy hands press against my head. "Hey!" A soft voice spoke. I shifted my head slightly wincing at the pain and gazed up into the grey-violent eyes. "Stay with me, you're going to be fine." He cooed as he gently and precariously stroked my hair. "DAD! EVERETT!" He bellowed out. I was close to laughing at the situation. If only he knew, how much our actually first meeting resembled this. I went to raise my hand to place over his to sooth him but my arm was stuck by my side. Daniel leant down and kissed my forehead gently. "You're going to be okay, Luce. Stay. Don't leave me!" He cried. I gazed up into his face and watched as his tears mingled with the blood that meandered down the left side of his face in multiple crimson paths.
More footsteps ensued and then the faces of Steven and Everett came into focus. "Oh, Shit!" Everett gasped as he saw my predicament. Steven with a look of frustrated hopelessness scanned the debris crushing my body, looking for anyway to get it off without revealing his true nature to his sons. "There's nothing we can do, T-There's too much on top of her." Everett spoke softly. "There's so much blood too!" He swallowed and I watched as his face went white with nausea. "Shut. Up." Daniel snarled at his brother. Steven extended his hand onto his Daniel's shoulder. "Dan, we can't move her, we're just going to have to try and make her as comfortable as possible." Steven spoke softly. Daniel's eyes widened in horror. "S—s-she's not going to die, Dad. No! You don't know her. You have no idea how strong she is! She can do anything." Daniel cried up at his father. Steven looked down at his son and then up at the fiery remains of his house. "Fran-Charlotte, Where's Charlotte?" I asked weakly as I looked up at Steven who's face contorted with agony and grief. "She's with a paramedic, who's trying to treat her for third degree burns and the loss of a hand." He choked out. I swallowed. "Daniel." I said as I shifted my head once again so I was looking directly at him. "Yes. I'm still here." He said soothingly as he gently stroked my face. "Go to an ambulance." I said weakly "And leave you?! Hell no!" He scoffed. "Daniel please, your head. It's really bad. I'II still be here." Daniel was about to protest when Steven said. "I'II stay with her and call if anything happens. Just go Daniel, please. I'm sure your mother would like to see you, anyway." Daniel with a frustrated, yet conflicted look, gazed down at me before kissing me gently. "Don't leave me." He choked out as he slowly got to his feet before trudging in the direction of where the flashing lights of an ambulances beacon were. "Everett, go with him and make sure he gets treated." Steven said in a monotone. "Umm, yeah dad sure." Everett said too fast as he stumbled nauseously after his brother. "Luce." Steven began. My mouth twitched downwards as water filled my eyes. "I know, Steven." I choked out as the water spilled over my eyes. I sobbed as I heard Steven crouch down and gently wipe my cheeks. "I know, why I'm not healing….. I only gained part of my angelic soul, my wings. No other perks" I manage to say relatively clearer in between sobs. Steven's sympathetic grief-stricken eyes bore down into mine. "We'll make them pay, Luce!" He snarled. "For doing his to you, to Francesca, to Everett and Daniel." He finished as he stroked my hair. "Was he really going to propose?" I asked as I gazed up at the dark blanket of smoke. "Yes." Steven said weakly. "My god, you have no idea how annoying he was, describing every single little detail and giving out to us if he thought we weren't listening to him." He chuckled half-heartedly as he swiped his tears away. My lips switched slightly into a smile.
"Isn't that just swell. You and Danny-boy were to be married!" A mocking, terribly portrayed southern accent voice sang, causing me to jump slightly as my eyes flicked to the direction the voice had come from. "YOU!" Steven snarled as he stood up and charged at the figure stood atop the debris on top of me. BANG! A flash of white sent Steven sprawling far back onto the sand of the beach. The figure chuckled before they turned their attention to me. "You should have listened to me." They snarled. "You and I could have taken over the world. Put into place our own empire!" They hissed as they approached with the grace of a predator about to pounce on their prey. "I'm sorry for any inconvenience I caused." I chuckled before breaking down in a fit of coughing as blood trickled out of the side of my mouth. "You poor wee thing." The Dark One mocked as she tilted my chin up with her staff to see the blood as it travelled along my cheek to my jawline. The action caused me to hiss in pain. The Dark One smirked. "There's only one thing left to do now and that is to do the humane thing and put you down…. little birdy." The Dark One mocked as she raised her staff and twirled it around to reveal its blunt straight silver edge. A star shot modified into the shape of a staff. "Bye-Bye little girl." They mocked as they dove the starshot down. I squeezed my eyes shut and awaited my fate before I heard a gasp and two heavy thuds. "Didn't your mother ever teach you, to be nice to others." A familiar voice hissed. I opened my eyes to find Arriane crouched protectively in between me and The Dark One. The Dark One howled in rage and charged at Arriane just as Annabelle swooped in and kicked The Dark One to the ground sending them sprawling into the dirt. "EDGAR!" They bellowed as she got to her feet. "Looking for this one?" A voice called back as Roland came into view restraining The creature who had nearly drowned Daniel and who had stolen his wings, which were no longer attached to the creature's body but wrapped up and hanging from one of Roland's broad shoulders.
"You Idiot." The Dark One snarled at Edgar, who flinched at their master's tone. In the blink of an eye. The Dark One was pinned beneath Cam. "Now, Let's see who you nearly are!" Cam snarled as he pressed his arm into The Dark One's throat and ripped off the mask. Revealing a woman, with fiery red, wavy hair. Cam's eyes widen and I saw his lips form a word but couldn't hear it. The others wore expressions of shock also. The Dark One, taking advantage of Cam's Surprise kicked him off and stood before disappearing in a flash of smoke. Cam lay on his back and stared at where The Dark One had disappeared in shock and horror. "Lilith!" He spoke. Arriane, Annabelle and Roland, quickly snapped out of their trance and raced over. Annabelle held a bottle to my lips. "Open your mouth and drink, quickly!" She said softly as Roland and Arriane picked their way through the debris. I drank and felt all tingly. As I was freed, I noticed that the rate of the blood that was pooling around me had stopped. "What was that?" I asked Annabelle. "A healing potion." She smiled. As she helped me to my feet. "Who was that? How do you know her?" I asked Cam who slowly got to his feet but still didn't speak. "That was Lilith. Cam's first love. She broke his heart a couple of millennia ago, she's the reason why he changed sides. We all thought she was dead after all she apparently threw herself off a cliff but obviously not." Arriane explained. "What did she say to you before she disappeared?" Roland asked. "To prepare." Cam whispered. "Prepare? Prepare for what?" I asked. "Battle. She has initiated an End-Game. In a weeks' time, at the time of the Total Lunar Eclipse, there will be a battle but it's like nothing we're seen before, for this battle to end, either Luce must defeat her, or Lilith must defeat Luce." He choked out. "Where one shall stand triumphant will all. The Other shall fall and have nothing at all." I gasp out. Cam nodded. He and I both knew what was going to happen. Lilith is going to be triumphant and I'm going to fall as I have no experience with warfare unlike her.