Live Like Legends (LIVING LEGEND #3)

Chapter 22

W e stepped out of the portal, landing right in front of Natalia’s large residence. After so much back and forth, my father had told Daya and Alex to stay put while he went back with me. I’d told him he didn’t have to, but Maurice Cassial was stubborn. He was also a really good dad and my biggest supporter; I’d mentally hit myself realizing that there had been a time that I’d forgotten that. We still had some rebuilding of our relationship to do, but for now I felt like something had reset inside of myself. I would always feel a sadness and slight anger at the past. The future, though, that looked clear. There didn’t seem to be anything muddling my mind and despite Dimitri’s complete lack of personal mental space, I knew I could fight against it if I had to.

What lay ahead was finding my girl. If I knew Dani at all, she would hate to be in the position of the one in distress. I knew that it nearly hurt her to not have freed herself and come back to us—come back to me —already.

My father placed his hand on my shoulder, grinning over at me as if just being beside me made him the happiest man in any realm. Once the portal minimized and closed, Reese and Elise rushed down the front stairs and headed straight for us.

Elise looked my father up and down and then did the same thing to me. She casually sniffed the air, but I had a feeling what she was searching for. “Seems as if you took my advice to heart, pretty boy.”

I raised an eyebrow at her. “Seems like I did.”

Reese shoved her shoulder. “Leave the guy alone. You had one good idea and it looks like it worked out. What do you want? A fucking cookie.”

Elise narrowed her gray eyes at him. “No thanks. I would like to go murder, rather brutally, a Son of Hell.”

I looked over her shoulder to see Garrett and Beetee coming out the front door. “Is everyone ready?”

“Yup. Weapons are in the house as we speak. You coming on this little life-threatening adventure, Mr. Cassial?” Reese asked, rubbing his hands together.

My father chuckled. It was a genuine laugh, one that came from his belly. “No, but I’ll be right here when you get back. And just in case you all decide to end up at my house again, Daya and Alex are waiting as well.”

Reese clapped him on the shoulder but placed his hazel eyes on me. “Hey, Zane said he got this off the floor when you collapsed earlier.” He reached into his back pocket, pulling out Jonah’s leather-bound notebook Dani and I had found in the Divine Library.

“Collapsed?” My father eyed me carefully. I could see the various things going on in his head and the million and one questions he, yet again, wanted to ask.

“I’ll tell you later. I promise.” I snatched the book from Reese and turned so that I was facing my dad. I didn’t know why I felt the need to tell him about this notebook as if it was a secret. Maybe because it was, but the only person that needed to not be aware of it was….

“We all thought you would be long gone by now, disobeying orders and such.” Ariel.

We all swung our heads to where his voice echoed from. He emerged a few feet from us, sentries surrounding him.

“Ariel?” My father sounded confused, as if he had no idea why the executive would be here. I forgot I hadn’t told him much about the sparring matches I’d gotten into with the red-headed angel.

Ariel gave him a little smile. “Ah, Maurice. I’m sure you are quite proud of your son. He is just like you. A spitting image in looks and idiotic choices.”

I swiftly moved the notebook so that it was behind my back. My fingers clenched around the leather as if my life depended on it. I felt a small tug and quickly looked over my shoulder to see Reese giving me a small nod as if he was silently confirming that regardless of understanding anything about this notebook, it was important. I let my fingers release it into his hold, right as Ariel started walking over to us.

“I think his choices are quite solid in the grand scheme of things,” my father said, trying to sound like the bigger man. When it came to personality and actual physical size, he was.

Ariel ran a hand down his lapels. “You would think that wouldn’t you. You made a choice to disobey Jonah’s father so long ago and letting your son inherit those bad habits, ugh, Maurice I would have hoped you learned. I would think you would want better for your own child.”

“Cause what you offer is better? This coming from a guy who treats all his subordinates like shit.” Elise rolled her eyes.

Ariel ignored her, though I could see his jaw working overtime from the way it tensed up.

I could hear commotion behind us, letting me know that the others were leaving the house. Natalia’s voice surrounded us like some kind of lyrically royal blanket. “Ariel? I didn’t know we had a meeting.”

The executive kept his eyes on me. Just me. “We don’t. I hate to intrude, truly. They were right where you’d said they’d be. See this is what a true leader, a true angel looks like.” He waved his hand over to the side and I pressed my lips together when Morgan walked up, glancing over at him proudly.

She stood as if she was waiting for some kind of medal or maybe she just liked to bask in the glow of thinking she did the right thing, when in reality she had just fucked us over.

“We aren’t going anywhere with you,” I finally said, keeping my eyes on him with as much intensity as he was giving me.

Ariel smirked, but Morgan opened her mouth before he could. “Where’s your adorable little girlfriend?” Her eyes searched around the area in faux concern. “I thought she was the entire reason you make so many bad decisions nowadays.”

My hands curled into fists, but I felt my father place a hand on my back. He didn’t rub circles or do any sort of movement to try to rectify my mood. He just settled his hand there, just simply being present. “She isn’t here.”

Ariel cocked his head to the side, intrigued. “And where did she go, Nicholas?”

Elise scoffed. “We don’t have time for this.”

The sentries started to surround us, but as they circled, the people who had my back started to surround me as well. Beetee and Garrett stood near my right, while Natalia and Zane were at my left. Reese and Elise flanked the immediate outside of me and my father. Ariel didn’t scare me and neither did his guards. He was an inconvenience at best.

“She was taken,” I answered. My voice was even and steady.

“By whom?”

“That part doesn’t matter. What matters is getting her back.”

Ariel nodded as if he understood this completely. “Ah, that ripple in the sky I presume. Maybe this is all some miracle then, the darkness has taken what it wants. Whether she went willingly or not. Now instead of living in fear of her, the people can fully hone their skills and increase our chances of fighting back.”

“Fighting back…from Dani?” Beetee squeaked. Morgan shot her eyes over to her, giving her a less than friendly smile.

“From what I was told she has impressively found the balance of her hybrid abilities, but now she’s been taken. You can’t honestly expect me to believe that she isn’t just dying to show her filthy demon buddies her new skills,” Ariel said, incredulously. “I respect you immensely Natalia, but clearly your wards were not enough to keep a simple demon out after all the work you did. Or maybe you wanted her gone as well.”

“Ariel, that is absolutely absurd…” Natalia started, but Elise interrupted, her neck tattoo thrumming. “It was a Son of Hell, you shriveled dick piece of shit. Even with High Priestess magic, wards are nothing when it comes to determined Hell spawns. So for the love of fucking Satan can you move so we can go retrieve her, before I decapitate you and feed your head to my hellhound.”

The sentries made a move towards her, but Ariel stopped them. He clucked his tongue. “Retrieve her. Yes, of course that’s what you mean to do. Always the hero.” He pointed a finger at my father. “Idiotic choices like I said. She didn’t want to fight in the war, so you didn’t want to fight in the war.” I noticed my father press his tongue into his cheek. Ariel was talking about my mother. I knew by the way the inflection in his voice and the way my father’s shoulders tensed. The red-headed executive continued. “The Soul Seether travels to Hell, so Nicholas travels to Hell. Do you see the resemblance?”

“Let me get one thing clear, she doesn’t make me do anything. I’m going because…” I was speaking through my clenched teeth, trying to maintain my composure.

“You love her. Yes, Nick, we got that.” Morgan shook her head as if I was being ridiculous.

Ariel raised his hands, making it seem like whatever he was about to say had merit. “Let me get one thing clear, Mr. Cassial. Whether the Soul Seether is here or not, you are coming back to The Skies and continuing to do your duty.”

“ No . I’m not.”

He didn’t look surprised by my answer. “I’m not asking. She is already gone. You will not be following. Please come along.” He moved as if he was assuming we would follow him.

“I said no . Dani would never put us in danger willingly. She isn’t the bad guy. She isn’t the monster you so clearly think she is.” I walked past my father and right up to Ariel. He watched me approach, a glint in his eye as if he enjoyed me defying him just so he could say more hateful things. “I am going there and I’m bringing her back.”

Ariel licked his lips and flashed me a cocky smile. “I think you are going to look back at his moment, Mr. Cassial, and consider that you could have made a better decision. That maybe what you wanted to believe isn’t what’s true. Maybe the girl warming your bed at night isn’t the person you thought and that she is simply a demon with immense power. She and her power should either be harnessed by the side of good or disposed of, which is likely what I should have done in the first place.” I flexed my fingers, feeling my molars grind together as I kept my mouth shut.

He kept going, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Or maybe the demons in Hell have just done everyone a favor and realized, like you said, that she won’t help them either, so they’ve disposed of her for me. You could be going straight to Hell to find her dead body, but hmm, maybe I should let you go and see that for yourself. You can wallow in the mistakes you’ve made and learn that you are putting all your efforts into the wrong things. Nicholas, trust me, when I say she isn’t worth it.”

All I knew was that I was vibrating with anger right before my fist connected with Ariel’s nose. He stumbled back, but I was already rearing back, slamming my knuckles against his nose again. His hands flew up to his face, shielding his bleeding nose. Morgan’s eyes widened, rushing over to him. I shook my hand, feeling the urge to hit him again and again, until his awful words ceased to exist. I was ready to hit lower this time, maybe in his stomach, or maybe even lower where it would really hurt. Ariel pulled one of his hands away, pushing past Morgan. “You ungrateful little…” He reached for me, but my father pushed me out of the way.

“That’s my son , Ariel. I would step away.”

Ariel nearly growled at him, pointing at his guards and then at me. “Seize him, now!”

They came charging at us and without our weapons, it was magic and hand to hand combat at the moment. One came up behind me and I brought my elbow back, hitting him right in the jaw. I shot out my light right in the eyes of another one. Elise slung out her tail, making a sweeping motion through a handful of them.

Garrett shielded Beetee as best he could as he expelled his own colorful magic at the sentries that came their way. He looked as if he was trying to keep her in check. And the look on her face told me she was mere moments away from shifting if she were given the okay. A large snake would be a distraction, but it would cause more problems than solve them. Reese pushed out his wings and headed for the sky while other sentries did the same, sending their light magic up at him. He sent his own down as well, but we were all on the same level when it came to our magic expertise, so it was a fight amongst equals.

My father fought off a sentry that barreled towards us, gripping him by the waist and swinging him over his body so that he collapsed on the ground in a defeated heap. Zane secured Natalia, but the High Priestess huffed out an exasperated sigh, pushing her hands out and a jolt of yellow and pink magic moved over all of us.

We all paused—motionless.

I couldn’t move my feet or my arms. Nothing hurt, but I was paralyzed. I could blink my eyes and move my mouth, but any motion in my joints and appendages were a lost cause. Natalia moved around the immovable sentries, stalking over to where me and my father were.

“Ariel this will not happen, not on my land, not in my home.” Natalia stood with her back straight, her arched eyebrows rising. “You will cease this fighting.” She looked at the executive, waiting for him to speak.

Ariel narrowed his eyes at her but conceded. “ Apologies . Of course.”

She looked skeptical as if she didn’t believe him. “Very well.”

She waved her hand eloquently; the feeling returned to my body almost instantly. She let Reese come back to the ground with a soft landing which by the look on his face, he greatly appreciated.

Ariel gave her a half smile as he stretched, his nose covered in blood and staining his suit. He brought his hand up and released a white-gold rope in my direction. It circled around me and in a matter of minutes I was being yanked over to him.

“Ariel! That’s my son!” My father yelled, heading for me. Ariel wiggled his fingers and suddenly my father’s wrists snapped together and gold electrifying circles encapsulated his wrists. He couldn’t move them apart, no matter how hard he tried. It wasn’t just him either, it was everyone. Everyone except for the Enchanters.

Elise violently tried to escape hers, but to no avail. “The fuck is this?!” The sentries came up behind each and every one of them, shoving them to their knees. Almost like they were bowing.

Ariel rubbed his knuckles under his nose delicately. “Executives have been able to conjure up magic dampening skills for quite some time. Your precious Jonah didn’t want us using it anymore unless it was dire and had us reverting back to the manual ones. Same effect, just in my opinion, less eventful .” I was finally all the way over to him as I strained against the roped restraints that circled my body. “I wanted you to come willingly Nicholas, but it looks as if we have come to a bit of déjà vu. I threatened to put you in the Ethereal Bastille once, didn’t I?”

“Ariel, you will let him go or…” Natalia had the trees rustling around her house and the gravel under us shook. Her fingers sparked different shades of colors.

“Your Highness….” Zane started but was quickly cut off by Ariel’s laughter.

The red-headed executive tutted. “He is not your charge, High Priestess. He may be your friend, on your land, but he is one of mine . He is not an Enchanter, so you have no right to stop me. I do with him what I please. I have left your people free of my magical dampeners because I understand the rules. If you would like to harm me for simply disciplining an angel that works for me, then so be it. I would hate for your people to have a tragic repeat of the past because their leader doesn’t know when to stand down, hmm.”

Garrett and Zane stomped over to where Natalia stood. Garrett opened his mouth before Zane had a chance. “You will not speak to her like that.”

“I am simply speaking facts. And by the look on her face, she understands what I’m saying.” Ariel looked her up and down.

Zane leaned down to be close to his face. “Do not threaten her. You are not the highest executive. She ranks higher than you from where I stand. She always will.” He reached for me, but Ariel nodded over to Morgan to pull me away.

“Hmm, that may be, but the people see me as their leader, so for all intents and purposes that’s what I am. And like a good leader, angels that go rogue do not need special treatment, they need discipline.” The golden ropes evaporated, but the glowing cuffs surrounded my wrists and two sentries grabbed me by my elbows.

“You let him go, Ariel! Let him go!” My father pleaded and yelled, pushing off his knees and running for me, but a sentry got to him in record time and shoved him to the ground again.

Natalia looked lost, but Zane and Garrett stood by her side, yet they were giving me looks like they hadn’t lost faith in what we were all planning to do no more than thirty minutes ago.

“We’ll get you out, Nick!” Reese yelled, grunting as a sentry kicked him. As he sucked in a breath, he said, “we’ll find her!”

Beetee looked as if she wanted to cry but they were almost like angry tears, her eyebrows pulling downward. Elise stared daggers at Ariel, likely plotting his death over and over in her imaginative head.

Morgan came around and created a portal with her own key, letting the sentries past her so we could go through. Ariel came up next to me, a smug look on his face. His broken nose was the only thing that made this moment worthwhile.

“Rogue angels rot in the Ethereal Bastille. They don’t get to be the hero.”