Fallen Angel Reclaimed: The Complete Series by Lacey Carter Andersen

7

Surcy teleportedthem to the top of a building, in a city she’d never been to, but that Mark had described in his note. Instantly, the farmer sagged to his knees, his mouth dropped in shock.

“The next Immortal is here,” she said, pulling out Mark’s note from her pocket and handing it to Daniel.

“Where the hell are we?” The farmer shouted. “Where are my kids?”

She looked at her demons, memorizing their faces, her heart in her throat. They were everything to her, everything in this world.

But she couldn’t let those children die.

“Don’t worry,” she told Clarence. “I’ll do everything I can to save them.”

Tristan’s brows drew together.

And, she teleported away.

Heart hammering, she stood in the cornfield just outside the farmhouse. Slowly moving forward she crept closer, gently pushing aside stalks with each step. Everything was far too quiet. Even the wind hardly stirred, and on the air she smelled the plants, the sun, and the sky, like all of it was alive and open to her. Underneath it all, the scent of copper lingered, the mother’s blood still wet and sticky on her clothes.

Up ahead, she heard a child crying. It took everything in her not to sprint forward. If she got killed, it wouldn't help the children get back to their father.

When she reached the edge of the field, she froze, squinting through the leaves of the corn. Inching a little forward, she held back a gasp. No less than fifty angels stood in perfect formation in front of the little house.

On the porch? The children stood before Frink. He clutched them against his chest and held his glowing blade at their throats.

Her heart sank. The blue flames just barely licked at their flesh, but she could see they were in pain and scared.

There was only one way she could think to save them. If she failed, they would all die.

Closing her eyes, she counted to three, feeling sweat run down her back. Feeling how her legs trembled.

“Surcy, let’s stop these games,” Frink said, his voice wasn’t loud, but it carried in the stillness. “Why keep pretending you can be anything but an angel? None of us can choose. We are what Caine assigns us to be, and you are his soldier.”

She said nothing, just watched the blade at the children’s throat. It needed to move, just an inch or two away. That’s all she needed.

Frink laughed. “You know what the best part of all of this is? You truly don’t know that you’re still working for us.”

If she could tune his words out, she would. Instead she sat, waiting for the opportunity to strike, unable to escape his cruel words.

“Did you really think a man as powerful as Caine couldn’t reach you? That your little garden house and three weak demons could keep him away? Think about it, Surcy, ask yourself why you’re still alive.”

She refused to think about it. Frink hated her with a passion. He was trying to distract her, trying to get inside her brain.

“Because, and this is just so delicious, you’re his little spy.”

The words fell like stones in her belly. Of course Frink would lie about something so terrible. He wanted to hurt her. To make her doubt herself.

“The man who can affect memories… it’s just pure fun, right? He can sneak into your room late at night, pull your memories from your mind, and leave without you even knowing he was there. He could find out all that you and your demons had done. And he could discover where you were keeping the Immortals.”

Nightmares came back to her, of Caine standing over her bed, of him pressing pain into her mind.

She wanted his words to be a lie, but they felt true.

Metal touched her throat. Her thoughts died away as she realized that a soul-blade threatened her. The angel behind her spoke in a low voice. “You shouldn’t have come here.”

A woman angel, then. Sometimes they were the most vicious. Surcy kept still and waited. She waited to lose her head, to be killed and returned to Caine with the knowledge that she’d failed these children, but nothing happened.

The woman’s voice came again, louder this time. “All of you rebels are the same, so certain you can defeat Caine and all his angels. I seriously don’t understand where you get your reckless faith.” She paused for a second. The voice lowered, just for Surcy. “Listen, I still don’t know what I believe, but I don’t believe in Caine. I won’t directly help you. I won’t put my own life at risk. But I can distract them.”

Her heart raced, filling her ears. She wanted to ask the angel why. Why would she help their cause?

But then, the blade was gone.

A second later, an angel stood in front of the ranks of soldiers. Her blonde hair fell down her back, and she wore a pale dress. “I saw them. The demons and farmer are trying to sneak through the back woods.”

Frink’s blade slipped slightly further from the children’s throats. “Alright, here’s the plan—“

Surcy called her soul-blade into her hand and teleported. Appearing just behind Frink, she sliced off his head, for what felt like the millionth time. Her arms wrapped around the children as his body fell between them, and she teleported away, erasing their path behind her.

When they reached just outside of the sanctuary, she sent her blade away.

The children turned to her, tears in their eyes.

“Where’s mom and dad?” the girl asked.

Her heart lurched. “Your mom is in a hospital. Your dad is helping to defeat the bad men.”

Tears tracked down their cheeks, and the boy touched his raw-looking throat. “What do we do now?”

She nibbled her lip. “Through these woods is a sanctuary of magic. Protected so that the angels can’t reach it. There are people like your father and you there. You’ll be safe. I could take you, but I think your dad and my demons need me.”

They stared at her for a long minute, and then took each other’s hands in a movement she knew gave them comfort.

“Just tell us which way to go,” the girl said.

The boy nodded. “My plants will help me find the way.”

Surcy hesitated only a moment and then pointed, praying that she was doing the right thing. The children gave her one last look, then turned and walked in the right direction. With each step, the plants bent to the side, making an easy path.

Please, please stay safe.

Taking a deep breath, she teleported away.