Hey my loves! I am so excited/sad/emotional about this coming to an end! But it's been a really fun time writing it, and I really hope that you liked it so far! Just four more chapters! Please review and let me know how you've liked not just this chapter, but the story as a whole. The feedback is really helpful and i love it. xoxox
Gabriel gave Lucifer a wicked grin and extended his hand, "Then we have a deal." Lucifer stared at Gabriel's hand and stared coldly at him until Gabriel shifted uncomfortably and dropped it.
"So, how do you plan on capturing the dynameis?"Lucifer asked his tone bored. Gabriel hesitated and then glanced over his shoulder to the tree line. Gabriella ducked further behind the leaves and waited for his gaze to turn back to Lucifer.
"Perhaps we can discuss this later?" he said his eyes darting to the side nervously. Lucifer noted his antics and glanced over Gabriel's shoulder to the tree line, his eyes scouring the brush until they met Gabriella's for a second.
Gabriella felt the intensity in his gaze for that split second and the pure, raw power emanating from him and felt fear kick up her pulse.
Lucifer's gaze turned away and back to Gabriel, "Very well." Reaching a hand out he sent a blast of raw power into the tree line, and as it connected with Gabriella, knocking her back into reality, she heard him say, "Our little problem is taken care of for now."
Gabriella sat up with gasp and was quickly restrained by a hand. Her eyes flew around until they fixed on the sight of Alex and Michael above her. "Shh Gabby, lay back." Alex pushed her back harder against the couch she was laying on.
Gabriella winced; there was a tender spot on her shoulder just where Alex had pushed. Sitting up on the pillows a bit, she pushed aside her sweater and peered down at her shoulder, grimacing when she saw a large bruise spreading over her shoulder, and across half the right side of her chest.
Alex winced in sympathy when he saw it, "How did that happen?" Gabriella sighed and leaned her head back against the arm of the couch, "Well…I think it was Lucifer."
Alex laughed, "What? What are you talking about?" Gabriella looked over at him, her expression serious, "Alex, it was Lucifer. When we were driving I fell asleep, and I was in a dream state….I went to a tropical island, and I could hear voices."
She sat up again, restless, and smiled at Michael gratefully when he helped her sit up, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and sitting down next to her. She looked around the room and saw Raphael and the other three archangels standing close by.
She smiled to see them, but continued her story, "I kept walking down the beach and eventually came upon Gabriel and Lucifer talking. They were talking about making an alliance. Lucifer didn't seem interested until Gabriel said he knew a way to break into Heaven, to make it Lucifer's to control."
Raphael's face drained of color, "What do you mean, make it Lucifer's to control?" Gabriella sighed, she was so tired, of all of this….but she couldn't give up, not with what Gabriel and Lucifer had planned.
"They plan on capturing me and using my powers to open the gates of Heaven so that Lucifer can re-enter, take control, and give Gabriel his army to control Earth with. It would be hell on Earth."
The room fell quiet at her words. She could see all of the men trying to come up with a solution, and she knew, deep down, there was no good one. Michael looked up to Raphael, "We need to get to Vega, and fast. She has to be safe. And Claire's baby needs protecting."
Gabriella made a noise to protest and shook her head, "No, I don't need protecting. But Claire does. Two of you should go with Alex and protect Vega and Claire. I am taking this fight to Gabriel. I'm done letting him be two steps ahead of us."
Michael was shaking his head, "No! You can't fight him and Lucifer! Gabriel alone killed you!" Gabriella stood, furious, "Michael, I was human! I would never have survived no matter how healthy or good of a fighter I was. But I can stop him now!"
Michael rose to his feet, facing her, his face stormy, "Gabriella, you cannot take them both on! You will lose and you will die!" Gabriella stared at him, "I never said I wanted to go alone. But do you really have so little faith in me?"
He shook his head sadly, "I never said that. I just know my brother, and know his tricks. He will have brought Lucifer to his side because we are harming his army, and he needs Lucifer's strength!"
Gabriella sighed, "Agh! Michael, do you think I don't know that?" She walked forward and placed her hand on his face, sharing her knowledge of Gabriel, the tracking energy giving her insights into him. She showed him her plan, stars flashing before his eyes as they whirled through the galaxy.
When she dropped her hand Michael gasped at the break in contact and power. His eyes watered, he had never been subjected to Gabriella's or any dynameis's power. He now suspected that wasn't a full taste, and for the first time was afraid of her power.
He had the power of an archangel, an avenging bright figure, but she….she was given the power to move cosmos, to bring stars to life, and to change the paths of lives. The dynameis were used sparingly by their Father, and for one to be given such power and free reign now…it meant that much upheaval and change was coming.
He stared at Gabriella and then nodded slowly, "Okay…I will go with you to stop Gabriel and Lucifer. We need one more with us…who would be best?" He turned and stared at the other four of his brothers and left the decision up to them, though he would have preferred Raphael.
Raphael looked to Alex, and knew there was a great need in Vega. He smiled sadly at Michael, "I'm sorry brother, but the other Chosen One needs strong fighters as well. You should take Raguel." Michael nodded; Raguel would have been his other choice anyway.
They divided up into their new groups and headed out to the cars, the snow still falling softly. Gabriella grabbed Alex and gave him a tight hug, a flash of precognition hitting her hard when she did. Pulling away she smiled at him and squeezed his arms, "Alex, listen to me. Do not let anyone but the angels guard Claire. Do you understand?"
He stared at her with fear and concern etched on his face, but he nodded anyway. She smiled reassuringly at him, "Okay…and the name Charlie is a nice one for a baby." Alex stared at her for a moment and then clung to her hand as she pulled away, "Wait! It's a boy?"
Gabriella pulled away and smiled, shrugging, "I can't see. Just keep it in mind."
She got into the car beside Raguel who was in the driver's seat, and glanced back at Michael in the back seat, "Okay, let's go."
Waving to Alex as they pulled away from the dilapidated house she closed her eyes and focused on the energy that connected her to Gabriel…and found him in Panama.
Smiling she opened her eyes, "Well. Time to head south of the border. He's in Panama." Raguel nodded and pressed harder on the accelerator, taking them south, hard and fast.
Two days later they were on the side of the road in Lincoln, Nebraska. Gabriella was frustrated, Gabriel was moving; he was no longer in Panama. He was now in Mexico somewhere…somewhere remote. She was fairly certain that Lucifer was with him, because she could sense an enormous power blocking her from figuring out Gabriel's exact location.
Focusing more intently, she bore down on the power blocking her, pushing until she broke through. She grasped an image of Gabriel's location, and then saw Lucifer's face as another stronger shield than before bounced back into place.
Opening her eyes she winced as the sunlight pierced into her skull like knives. "Ugh…fuck me" she muttered. Raguel and Michael glanced up at her soft speech and were back at her side in an instant. Pushing away from the side of the car Gabriella popped the trunk and pulled her duffle open, riffling through until she found painkillers.
She swallowed two high dosage NSAIDs and chugged a bottle of water, leaning against the car, breathing deeply. The pain was awful…she hadn't had a migraine since she was human. She had forgotten how much they hurt.
"What did you see?" Raguel asked at the same time Michael asked, "Are you ok?"
She smiled at both and nodded, "I'm ok. Lucifer is with Gabriel and blocking me from trying to find him. The kickback from breaking that block was stronger than I was expecting. But I got a location on them, though I doubt they will be there when we get there. So I think we should still try to head for the border, and keep them away from Vega. That seems to be their ultimate goal."
Raguel nodded, "That seems most likely. Thank you for finding the information sister. I am sorry you are in pain." Gabriella gave him a weak smile and shook her head, "I'll be fine. But we need to get back on the road."
Michael looked to Raguel, "It's my turn to drive. You have been going for far too long." Raguel nodded, in truth he was exhausted. Gabriella grabbed more painkillers just in case, along with more water and some trail mix and crawled into the back of the car, balling up her jacket under her head, and after a few minutes was asleep.
Michael glanced over to Raguel as he drove and saw he too was asleep. The silence suited him fine; it gave him time to ponder just what Gabriel's end game could be. Though, in truth, he was more concerned with Lucifer's plans.
Lucifer was an unknown in this large battle, and had until now, stayed out of it. Michael assumed that the biggest draw for him was the chance to rule over Heaven, and with Gabriel as his pawn, over Earth as well.
Michael drove for nearly a day straight relying on his angelic strength to sustain him, letting both Raguel and Gabriella recover before he pulled over and woke them both. They rested for a few hours, eating and drinking, enjoying the relative warmth of the day.
The cold front seemed to have followed them from the east coast, but there was no snow, luckily. Gabriella reached out again to try and find Gabriel and was met by a barrier so strong she backed away instantly. Frustrated she banged on the trunk of the car.
Suddenly, a thought came to her. She reached out again, this time looking not for Gabriel's location, but for the source of the block, and found Lucifer, a bright spot of power. Reaching deeper into her power she scoured the Mexican countryside and searched for that bright spot, until she found it.
Backing away quickly before she was noticed she opened her eyes and grinned at Michael who was watching her from the side of the road. "Juarez. They're in Juarez." He nodded; they were only about 5 hours from Vega, which meant they were about two days from Juarez. If they pushed hard, they could be there in a day and a half.
Gabriella went to Michael and wrapped her arms around his waist, smiling up at him, "Hey, this is good. We know where they are. We can go stop them. I'll drive and we'll get there fast." Michael nodded and cupped her cheek gently, the thought of the confrontation ahead scaring him. The thought of losing her again, terrifying him.
Gabriella could see the fear in his eyes and it scared her. He was never not strong. Leaning up she brushed a kiss across his lips and whispered, "Hey flyboy, we'll be ok. I promise." Her use of his nickname brought a smile to his lips and Michael closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers.
They stood that way for a time, breathing each other in, letting their closeness steal away their fears. Gabriella finally sighed and tugged him close, kissing him softly, sweetly, sighing as his long fingers wound through her loose bun, pulling her closer, his heartbeat racing to match with hers.
When they broke away, breathing unevenly Michael stared at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable and then whispered "Don't ever leave me like before. I won't survive without you."
Gabriella felt her heart ache, "Oh my love, my flyboy. You won't have to, remember? Unbreakably bonded." She touched her chest where the tattoo had been and then touched his chest, "Nothing can separate us, not even death."
Michael nodded, trying to believe her. A light cough from behind them turned their attention away and to Raguel who grinned sheepishly. "My apologies, but we should get back on the road…."
Gabriella nodded and grinned, "Right, we can't stand around all day if we're going to stop Gabriel and his hell minion." Unexpectedly Michael and Raguel laughed. "What?" Gabriella exclaimed.
Michael chuckled softly and shook his head, "Nothing. It's just…you're wonderful Gabriella. Your humor is always a bright spot in our dark times. And it's nice to laugh." Gabriella raised a brow and shook her head at both men but said nothing, choosing instead to get in the car and wait for them to join her.
Michael reclined in the back seat while Raguel sat next to Gabriella. Before pulling away from the side of the road, she concentrated again, reaching for her power. This time she looked for Alex….
She found him, Remiel, Saraqael and Raphael in Vega, the city on lockdown as 8balls swarmed overhead. The archangels used their powers to hold them off the city, but could do little more. Without all of them there, Alex couldn't perform an exorcism and send the dogs back to Heaven.
She searched and found Claire, locked in her room, guarded by two Vegans. Gabriella watched as a hooded figure approached the doors and raised a gun, killing both guards. Pushing Claire's doors open the figure pushed its hood back, revealing the grotesque face of a badly burned 8ball.
It sniffed, searching the rooms for Claire, coming to a stop in front of a particular wood paneling in the wall. Finding the hidden catch, it popped the wall open and found Claire huddled on the floor, clutching a gun. She fired up at the 8ball, repelling it back a few feet, only to have it scuttle back and backhand her, ripping the gun away.
Grabbing her by the arm, it led her from the room and into the hallway. Claire begged and pleaded, crying. From the shadows Alex emerged and fired twice, double tapping the 8ball in the head, dropping it to the ground. Claire screamed and backed away, turning into Alex's embrace.
As he soothed her, Gabriella returned her attention to the outer walls of the city. The 8balls were retreating. They were weakened from fighting the archangels. They would take a few days to regroup and be back.
In that time, they needed to find Gabriel and Lucifer and stop them. They had no more chances.
Big bads are hankering for a fight! Things are going to get ugly before they get good again, so fair warning! Thank you all for reading!