40

The white hot fury that swelled inside Isobel was almost too much to bear.

"I can't believe you made me drop my ice cream cone!" She watched with despair as the spattered chocolate chip cookie dough got further and further away. Blitz could only watch as Enki carried her into the sky. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for something like that? Something actually cold and sweet. Something that wasn't just bland crap. Everything here tastes like a discount, diet TV dinner that someone heated in a shitty microwave. It's been forever since I had anything good, and just like that you knock it out of my hand. I knew I should have eaten it on my way back. For the love of fuck, they made their own waffle cones from scratch!"

Enki dropped Isobel on a nearby roof.

"Shut up about your stupid ice cream, you degenerate wretch. Just shut up or…"

"Or what? You going to wait until I get a churro next and then knock that out of my hands, too? Enki, you are just the fucking worst."

"How dare you speak my name," Enki alighted down next to Isobel, her teeth grinding and hatred seemingly pouring from every fiber of her being. "You lowly excuse for a living creature. You are not good enough to use my name. You are vile, and contemptible, and repugnant."

"Yeah, yeah," Isobel stood to her full height. "I'm soiled, polluted, blah, blah, blah. You've already said all this and let's face it, I've been called worse by better."

Enki's followers landed around them on the roof. Each angel stood like a statue tall and foreboding, but perhaps also bored. Good, Isobel thought. At least with their attention on her, Blitz would be able to escape.

"I should have silenced you a long time ago. I tried to help you, tried to lead you down a righteous path. But you, like the piece of human filth that you are, have defied me at every turn."

"You sure do hate human beings, don't you."

"Yes, and you are a grand example as to why." Enki marched up to Isobel pointing a jagged finger in her face. Each word out of her mouth became louder and more shrill, until she sounded like a banshee screaming into the wind. "You do not deserve grace, or forgiveness, or love. You were given everything to be perfect, but you all just become waste."

Isobel said nothing. She stood perfectly still refusing to flinch under the unhinged wrath spewed at her. Enki's breathing was ragged and crazed. In the distance the sound of a news helicopter could be heard, the only reminder of the city that surrounded them. The sound seemed to snap Enki out of her frenzy. She cleared her throat and backed away.

"Enough of this," she said as she joined the rest of her flock. "Kill her."

None moved, a clear hesitation from the others. They had not expected this turn of events. Enki was going rouge, and none of them knew what to do next. .

"I said kill her," she said more forcefully as she faced her warriors. This was her legion, were they too defying her?

"No." She spun back around at the sound of Isobel's voice. "You do it," Isobel said.

"Excuse me?" Enki's lips curled back.

"You do it," she repeated. "You're the one with the vendetta. Don't worry, I'm ready. I won't even try to escape this time."

"I don't believe that. I'm sure you have some nasty little trick up your sleeve." She turned back to her host. "Kill her now," she demanded. Still they hesitated.

"They won't, will they?" Isobel slowly rotated in a circle looking at them all. "They can't kill me, because it's against the rules, right? Or at least that's what a lamb in a poncho told me."

Enki's eyes widened as a realization came over her. The other shifted nervously.

"Did you think I went to the living world just to grab an ice cream?" Isobel continued. "I actually took your advice and for the first time in many, many years I prayed. And I have to admit, it was very effective."

"You're lying." Enki said with a subtle lilt of desperation.

"I was told the angels don't hurt living souls, but what that really meant is that they're not allowed to, right? And I suppose all that business with you erasing living souls just for your own purposes is a gray area at best. It would be a shame to let that secret out." Isobel shrugged her shoulders and feigned guilt. "I kind of told them everything you've been up to. I imagine when you get home, you will have some explaining to do."

"No," Enki cried as she snatched a spear from another angel's hands. "He would never stoop so low as to speak with the likes of you."

"I understand why you would think that, because all of what you've said is true. I am horrible, wretched, and impure."

"Shut up!" She advanced on Isobel.

"I probably don't deserve anything good in my life. I am deeply flawed."

"Don't you ever stop talking?" She was now charging, driven by a blind ferocity.

"But that is because I am human. And you know what that means." Enki lunged forward striking out with the blade. It was a clumsy attack, but she felt the thud as the weapon met its target. "I'm still God's favorite."

Enki looked down and realized that the thud she had felt was not from the spear piercing Isobel's body. What she had felt was Isobel's hands grabbing the shaft of the spear and stopping the attack.

It had never occurred to Isobel to fight back against Enki. She had just assumed she lacked the strength to go against an angel. But she had slowly begun to realize that the power inside her soul could not only be harnessed and manipulated by demons and angels, but that she, herself, could use it. Which was exactly what Enki was truly afraid of.

The two fought and grappled with each other. They pushed and pulled the spear between them. The other angels began to step away, furthering themselves from this blasphemous action.

Enki screamed with effort. Her eyes began to glow gold as if possessed by some celestial light. She pushed her opponent back and down to one knee as Isobel's strength started to fail.

"I will destroy you and no one will mourn your passing," the deranged angel spat.

There was a time not long ago in which those words would have been true. Isobel had been alone in the world and she had convinced herself that she was happy that way. But things were different now. She wanted to go back home. She wanted the hotel and her friends. She wanted to see Alastor's creepy, fucking face again.

She roared with all the frustration and anger she had felt for so long. Tears welled and spilled from her eyes as she closed them tight and used what little she had left inside to push back against Enki's oppressive force.

At that moment it felt as if something broke inside of Isobel. Like a wall holding back the tide crumbled away in an instant. She could feel her hands and feet burn as the black smudges rapidly spread, coating her in black to the middle of her forearms and calves. A black line ran the length of her back from tailbone to the base of her skull and over her scalp.

As if hit by a shock wave, Enki lost her grip on the spear and fell back. The concussion sent her to the ground, sprawled on her back, wings splayed out in odd angles. She had never been hit before. She gasped for air, dazed and confused. Her reaction was too slow and she suddenly became aware of Isobel standing over her, spear in hand.

This was an Isobel that Enki did not recognize. The whites of her eyes had turned completely bloodshot and glared down with a crazed frenzy.

Enki looked around for her other angels. Where were they? Why were they not putting a stop to this? To her surprise most had seemed to have already fled, those that stayed simply looked on in shock.

Isobel bared her teeth and pulled back her arm ready for the killing blow. Tears still rolled down her cheeks and Enki could swear that she saw black horns sprouting from Isobel's temples just before she closed her eyes, preparing herself for the hit.

But it didn't come.

Just as Isobel's muscles primed for the deadly thrust, a hand gripped her around the wrist. Firm, yet gentle, she whipped around and found Lucifer standing by her side.

He looked at her with a soft, reassuring smile and said, "sorry it took so long to find you. I came as soon as Charlie called."

All anger drained from Isobel and was replaced by an overwhelming relief. The spear clattered to the floor as all of her strength gave out. She crumpled to her knees and Lucifer held her as she sobbed all the while whispering, "it's ok. You're ok now."

Enki climbed to her feet readying herself for the continuation of the fight. She had not expected to battle another angel, especially not Lucifer himself, but she would do what she must and would prevail. After all, God was still on her side, right? Lucifer just looked up at her serious and stern.

"I think you had better leave," he said, sounding far more calm than he felt.

"You're not going to attack?"

He chuckled as he lifted Isobel's worn-out body into his arms.

"Something tells me that no matter what I do, it won't compare to what's waiting for you up there." His eyes rose to the sky. "Now, if you'll excuse us."

A circular portal opened next to them and Lucifer carried Isobel through. It closed immediately leaving Enki alone on the rooftop with just the sound of the wind and the womp, womp, womp of the news helicopter.

***08/12/2024 Note from the author: I really can't believe I've made it to chapter 40 already. And what a ride it has been. I truly love writing this story, and there is more yet to come. Unfortunately, due to some work responsibilities, I will have to take the rest of the week off. So I will see you all again next Monday. Until then, feel free to let me know what you think so far. Comments, questions, any feedback are always appreciated. Thank you all for reading!***