Chapter 7
Chloe took a deep gasp of air and her eyes flew open as her upper body arched slightly off the mat. She blinked her eyes smiling up at Azrael who was kneeling beside her. Her eyes drifted toward the table and the small pour me vial still sat on the table completely untouched. She frowned and slowly sat up with Azrael and Remi's help.
"What happened?" Chloe rubbed her throat gently. Her voice sounded like she had a frog in her throat. "Why didn't you use the vial, Azrael?"
"I didn't have to. The second I got your soul back in your body, your heart started beating," Azrael said, picking up the vial and handing it over to her.
"Maybe this is meant for something else then," Chloe said, rising to her feet and gently placing the vial in one of her jacket pockets.
"What in Dad's name were you doing, Amenadiel? Other than ruining my fun with your little slowing down time trick!"
"He was helping me," Chloe said, watching her Guardian Devil spin around.
Lucifer's eyes drank her in then a slow smile spread across his face. "Well, will wonders never cease. I must say this is a first for me. I've never seen Amenadiel lift a finger to help a human before. What makes you so special?"
"I'm not special. I'm a nobody actually," Chloe said, shrugging her shoulders.
"I would not say that, Sister."
"Sister…Remiel, you hardly acknowledge me at all, but you call this human your sister. What monumental joke am I missing here?"
"You aren't missing any joke, Lu."
"Azrael, now I'm truly intrigued. How did Remi and Amenadiel get you involved with this human?"
"They simply asked for my help, Lu."
"Of course you help them when they ask for it, but when I ask for it you ignore me."
"Lu, come on, it's not like that. You know I'd do anything for you but Dad…"
"Is a manipulative bastard," Lucifer growled, before he returned his attention to her. "Tell me my dear, what do you desire more than anything else in this life?"
Chloe frowned, glancing at each angel around her then returned her gaze to Lucifer. "I want to rescue my daughters. That's the only thing I want."
Lucifer frowned at her. "How did you…"
"Lucifer, we don't have time for your games. I need your help to find my necklace. The police weren't very helpful."
"Hey," Chloe said, offended.
Amenadiel raised his eyebrow again looking past his brother and at her. "Did you take my report seriously?"
"Well, no, not at first," Chloe said, honestly.
"But," Amenadiel prompted.
"But now I believe you. The problem is I'm not involved in the case. My Ex-husband is, and he's not going to dig too deep into it."
Amenadiel sighed and shook his head. "What does that mean for finding my necklace?"
"The odds aren't very good I'm afraid, and as much as I'd like to help you…"
Amenadiel nodded his head. "You have to get your daughters back. You know he's going to demand you come alone."
"I know, but if he's cursed with immortality there's nothing I can do to hurt him," Chloe said, noticing Lucifer's dark chocolate eyes were still locked on her face.
Lucifer's frown deepened and he took a step toward her. "Who are you?"
"Luci, you already know who she is," Amenadiel said, grabbing his arm.
Lucifer shook off his brother's grip. "I didn't ask you, Brother. I asked her," he growled, his eyes flashing red.
Chloe raised her chin and stood her ground. She'd seen a lot in her young life, and Lucifer's red Devil eyes didn't scare her. Seconds ticked by, and Chloe began to frown as she searched his dark eyes. Amenadiel stated he recognized her when he first saw her. Why was Lucifer not showing the same kind of recognition?
"I'm just an unimportant human who wants her daughters back. I've told you this already."
"I will not allow you to go alone, Sister. The Cursed One has the girls because I left them unprotected."
Chloe tore her gaze away from Lucifer and focused on Remi. "I told you this wasn't your fault. You were kept in the dark by your other siblings and by your Dad," she said, hearing her cell phone ring. She glanced down at her caller ID. "It's him," she said, answering the ringing phone. "I have what you want."
"It appears you also have three Archangels and the Devil at your beck and call." Cain's voice purred in her ear.
She ignored the comment as she turned around looking for his hiding spot. "Where the hell are you?"
Cain's chuckle echoed into her ear causing her to clench her jaw. "I'm smarter than that, Chloe. I'm not in plain sight, but I can still see you and your group of angels. You'll have to lose them before I'll agree to our exchange."
"They can't hurt you…"
"My rules, Chloe," Cain growled, cutting her off.
"Okay…okay, I get it."
"Good, I'm glad we're on the same page now. I'm giving you five minutes to get rid of your little gang. If you haven't done as I've requested, then you'll never see Trixie or Rory again."
"Okay, I…"
Chloe pulled the silent phone from her ear. She glanced up at Amenadiel who sighed then nodded his head. In the blink of an eye, both he and Lucifer were gone. She turned to Azrael who immediately gave her the four sheathed blades she forged in Hell then unfurled her wings and flew off. The moment the handles touched her palms each of the sheaths changed into leather. Her watery blue eyes lifted, noticing Remi's smile.
"I do not like this, Chloe, but I could not let you leave without covering those blades in better sheaths. They can also be attached to your belt."
"Thank you Remi," Chloe said, pulling the Archangel close. While her hands couldn't be seen by any surrounding surveillance cameras, she quickly attached two of the four daggers to Remi's belt. "Keep these safe for me," she whispered, then stepped away from her. "You need to go…now," she said, before Remi had a chance to say anything.
"As you wish," Remi said. She bowed her head, unfurled her wings, then flew off the roof.
The moment Remi was out of sight her phone rang again. She answered it, listening to Cain as he congratulated her accomplishment. She made no comment, her eyes focused on the two remaining white star dusted daggers in her hand. Being a miracle or not, would God send her soul to Hell if she found a way to kill Cain? Killing was certainly against His rules, but Cain had kidnaped His Grandchildren after all.
"I'm tired of listening to these little brats crying for you," Cain growled. "Meet me under the Santa Monica Pier, and we'll do the exchange out of sight of the tourists."
"Fine, whatever you want. I'm on my way."
Chloe hung up her phone and walked over to her police cruiser. She set the two sheathed blades beside her and cranked the car. It was still barely morning so the roads weren't clogged yet with stop and go traffic. She arrived at the pier twenty-five minutes later parking her car in the parking lot before she made her way to the sandy beach below the famous pier.
"Mommie," Rory and Trixie yelled at the same time as she came into view of them.
"That's far enough, Chloe," a tall man said, stepping out from behind the girls.
Chloe nodded her head and held her hands out away from her body. She tore her eyes away from Cain's cold blue eyes to the two women holding Rory and Trixie. Who were they? Looking into their eyes, she didn't see the same coldness in them like she did in Cain's eyes.
"I have the daggers you wanted," Chloe said, shifting her eyes back on Cain.
"Remove them slowly, place them on the sand, and back away from them."
"I can do that," Chloe said, nodding her head. "I'm reaching for them now," she continued, reaching behind her back for the two sheathed daggers.
She placed them on the wet sand and took a step back. As she backed up, she opened her jacket showing Cain her empty holster. He never mentioned her gun since her bullets couldn't hurt him. Chloe didn't want to risk Rory, Trixie, or herself getting shot if there was a struggle over her gun.
"That was a wise decision, Chloe. Although using your gun on me wouldn't have killed me," Cain said, smiling. His blue eyes sparkled with humor, but the sight only made her sick. "I am happy to see you're putting your daughters first."
"I'll always put them first. That's what being a mother means."
"It is, but unlike my own mother who favored Able over me, I haven't seen you do that. Even before you discovered that Trixie was your biological daughter, you loved her unconditionally."
"Family isn't defined by blood," Chloe replied.
Cain nodded his head as he bent down picking up the two daggers. "That is true," he said, rising to his full height. He glanced down unsheathing one of the daggers. "I find it fascinating that these blades were forged in Hell. You'd expect every blade forged in that dark place to be dark in color, but yours are white."
"You have your daggers. Now, let my daughters go."
"Yes, we agreed on returning your daughters if I got two Hell forged blades. You held up your end of the bargain, so I will hold up my end." He turned his head toward the women and motioned for them to move. "Go on…you're free as well. I got what I wanted from you both."
Chloe released the breath she hadn't been aware she was holding, and took a step toward the women. She froze when Cain's head turned and his blue eyes locked on her. "You're not letting me go are you." It was more of a statement than a question.
"No, you and I are going to spend a little bit of time together, Chloe. I need to rid myself of this mark, and you're going to help me."
"I don't know how to lift your curse, Cain," Chloe said, glancing over at Trixie and Rory who were struggling to be freed from the women's grip.
"I know you don't, but perhaps the one who gave me the mark does."
"Mommie…," Trixie yelled.
"Mommie…," Rory yelled, pushing against the woman holding her.
"Rory, Trixie, it's going to be okay. I want you to go with these nice ladies," she said, tears filling her eyes. She could only hope Remi followed her from a distance and would intercept both the girls and the women holding them. "I'll come find you later."
"Promise, Mommie," Trixie pleaded, tears sliding unchecked down her tiny cheeks.
"I promise, Munchkin." She looked at the women holding her girls and mouthed the word 'go.' She turned her attention back toward Cain just in time to block a punch he threw at her. "Why do you want to keep me around, Cain? I'm a mortal."
"You're a very special mortal, Chloe," Cain said, pointing the blade of the dagger at her.
"And yet you're trying to hurt me. Why?"
"I told you, I intend to speak with the one who cursed me," Cain growled.
"Amenadiel may have marked you, but he was only doing as he was told. He may not know how to lift it."
"He has to know how to do it. And you're the key to bringing him to me."
Chloe frowned as they circled each other. "You saw Amenadiel with me at the precinct. If you wanted to talk to him, why did you have me send him away?"
"I want him alone, Chloe! Now, call for your Guardian Angel," he growled.
Chloe slowly shook her head. "No, I won't call for him. There was a reason you wanted me to forge those daggers." Her eyes widened as everything clicked into place. "Angels are invulnerable to anything man made, but a Celestial weapon…"
"Can kill them…yes, I wanted a weapon that could kill Amenadiel, but that isn't my intent. If this dagger is capable of killing an Angel, then maybe it'll be powerful enough to kill me. I'd like to reunite with my parents in the Silver City."
"I don't see God allowing you anywhere near the Silver City."
"I have no guilt over anything I've done."
"But you said it yourself, Cain. Your mother favored your brother. Why do you want to go there only to be reminded who her favorite son is?"
He laughed, tightening his hold on the dagger in his hand. "I see what you're trying to do, but your reverse psychology isn't going to work on me. I'm not going to drop my guard."
"Except you know I'm right," Chloe said, moving them closer toward the waves crashing on shore. She didn't have a weapon, but if she could get some salt water into his eyes, then she might have a chance.
"Shut up! It doesn't matter if you're right or not. There are only two places our souls can go after we die. I'll be damned if mine ends up in Hell."
"Sadly, you're locked into that fate I'm afraid. All you've done is continue to blacken your heart and soul. Have you done anything to redeem yourself? To make yourself worthy of His love?"
"I am tired of listening to your stalling! Call your Guardian!"
"No," Chloe said, kicking up both water and sand.
"Ahh, you bitch!" Cain dropped his face into his hands rubbing at his eyes.
Chloe took the opportunity and ran. A part of her wanted to kick his feet out from under him then stab him with his dagger, but she buried that darkness. If she did that, then she'd be no better than he was. She also knew how guilty she'd feel over taking a life knowing it wasn't truly self defense. She'd be killing him, or attempting to kill him, out of revenge. She didn't get far before Cain grabbed her roughly and spun her around.
"Wrong choice, Chloe," Cain growled, plunging his dagger into her soft belly.
Chloe gasped pain exploding through her entire body. He twisted the dagger, intensifying the pain and ripping a scream of agony from her throat. She grabbed for his hand in a vain attempt to make him let go of it. As excruciating as it was, she knew the chances of her bleeding out increased if the dagger was removed. The second the thought crossed her mind, he ripped the blood slick blade from her body.
"Call for him," Cain hissed in her ear, clenching his free hand in her jacket.
"No," she wheezed. The use of her voice caused her to start coughing. She tasted her blood on her tongue then spit it out into his demanding face.
He smiled then thrust his dagger forward sinking it in a different part of her body. "I will get what I want."
"No, you won't. I'll be dead soon, and it won't be Amenadiel who comes for my soul."
She was completely numb to the pain being inflicted on her body. Her only regret was knowing she was leaving her girls all alone in this world. She didn't like that, but she also knew she couldn't change this outcome. Her body jerked as the dagger was once again ripped out.
"He wouldn't allow that to happen. Why are you being so stubborn? All you have to do is call for him."
"Yes, He would. He's not going to interfere in our free will," she said, groaning as Cain stabbed her again. "And I refuse to call for him. I won't let you hurt him." She closed her eyes and a soft smile graced her cold lips as Lucifer's face flashed across her mind. She heard Cain yell then her body crumpled onto the wet sand. Her hair having long since fallen out of her bun fell across her face.
"I have you now."
She forced her eyes open and looked up at her Guardian Devil. "Lucifer…how…"
"Save your strength, Urchin. There will be a time for questions later, and believe me I have many myself. For now, rest."
"You won't reach the…hospital in time…"
"Yes, he will, Chloe. Go Luci, I've got your back."
"Thank…"
