A rumbling beneath her feet tells her they are too late. If she leaves, they will die, if she stays she might be able to save some. Unsure what to do Elina hesitates until she hears Janet’s voice yelling, “Go Keeper!”
With tears of frustration she leaves just at the mountain collapses, and all of the voices below her are silenced in one instant. Moving through space towards the golden thread, Elina knows she has failed them once again.
Chapter 5
This time the moment her feet touch the grassy earth, Elina is prepared to fight. She does not know where she is, only that she is being hunted by human and fallen alike. Unseen eyes are boring into her back, but Elina is determined not to use her gifts again. A wind blows through the green trees. It is cold with the sun setting and Elina realizes she is in the mountains.
She hears the scream of a child in pain. Elina takes off at a full run into the trees, towards the sound. Heart pounding in panic, she pushes through thick trees and hears mocking laughter, followed by another scream of pain.
Rage ignites in an instant when Elina sees a young girl surrounded by two fallen angels and a group of ten demon companions. They are laughing and tormenting her. Elina begins to build her power, letting it ripple through her body and into her hands. The heat feels good she thinks, as she waits for the perfect moment to strike.
Her eyes are drawn to the black hair of the young girl. She looks to be about ten years old, but it is hard to tell because her hair covers her face. The child is cowering on the ground and nursing her wounded arm.
“Tell us where your family hides and we will kill you quickly, girl.” One of the fallen promises. The group of demons surrounding her snicker, for they know it’s not true. The little girl stands up and cradles her arm.
“If you are smart, and your kind never are, you will let me go and run before my brother gets here.” The laughter dies as the group becomes agitated. Some hiss and spit with rage at the audacity of the child. Anger fuels the hunger for blood and the desire to hurt her grows stronger.
“I will make you watch, child, as I skin your brother alive and then you will join him in his endless…” the fallen angel starts to say only to be interrupted.
“Yeah, I’ve heard it all before,” she says covering her yawn with her good arm. Elina smothers her chuckle, I like this kid she thinks. Her smile fades as a demon strikes her across the face, sending a spray of blood across the green grass.
The child grunts and falls with a thud to the ground and looks up at the demon with a smile. She tosses her hair back from her face and wipes the blood from her mouth with the back of her good hand.
“I warned you,” she whispers with a wicked grin and black wings explode from her back. She leaps straight up into the air and lands on the top of a tree, clinging to it like a monkey. Elina’s heart almost stops when she hears her call out, “Hey, where’s the popcorn?”
Oh my God! It can’t be her! Distracted Elina steps from her cover, into the open, just as the ground below the clearing explodes with warriors. They attack the fallen and Elina realizes it was a trap. They used the child as bait to lure the demons! Elina shifts to shadow to watch the battle.
Alexandria leaps from the sky and dives straight into the fray. Her eyes are completely black and she attacks the demon who struck her. He is busy battling the humans, when she lands on his back like a leach! She sinks her fangs deeply into his throat, drinking as much as she can before he flings her to the ground.
“Run now and I may kill you quickly, demon,” she snarls with his blood dripping down her chin.
“Your Father wants you back, Alexandria!” He snaps at her. “Come back with me and I will let these humans live,” he promises.
The child looks away and her black eyes meet the stunned blue eyes of the Keeper and she snaps, “Not today!”
“Lexy?” Elina whispers.
The battle grows fierce and Elina watches as one, by, one, humans are tossed into the center of the clearing, next to the child. Bloody and bruised they are all weary as the leader speaks.
“We seek your leader,” pointing a sharp blade at Lexy’s throat, he asks, “Where is the Hammer?”
Elina’s heart thumps with anticipation for she knows who the Hammer is. It’s Alex! Unable to deny the truth anymore, Elina stares at Lexy, and the reality of her situation strikes home. Malach pushed her ten years into the future!
Lexy is in trouble, where is Alex? Just as the thought forms, she hears the sound of a male voice. “Now!!!” The humans in the circle, huddle around Lexy, linking hands, one moment they are together, the next they are gone!
Elina is stunned to see Alex, the man. He is not the young fifteen year old she remembers. He stands six feet tall, with long dark hair, and the dark eyes of their father. The sight of him brings tears to her eyes and she has to force herself to stand still and stay in the shadow.
Alex smiles and attacks. Her fear for him has her dropping her protective shield and stepping out to help him. He is up against two fallen angels and a group of bloodthirsty demons, they will not touch her brother!
Elina draws her swords carving through three of the demons before she notices they have
