Shadows Remain
5
Matthew stumbles backwards out of the reach of the demonic creature.
It’s dressed entirely in black; a long dark tunic with a hood covering its ominous face, matching dark trousers and boots. Infernals appear in the form of Mortals, with blackened, soulless eyes and ink black hair. Their iron clawed nails and demonic weapons are toxic to Seraphim.
Dark Angels are the Angels that fell down from Heaven, and can shape shift into different figures, but they rarely make appearances on Earth, sending Infernals to carry out their dirty plans on their behalf like pets. Infernals can use the dark forces of Earth to fight – wind, impure metals, poisons and darkness.
They’re either summoned to Earth by dark Elementals or sent by the Dark Angels themselves, appearing in thin air from other realms.
Standing still, Matthew hears the soft patter of someone coming up behind him. Without looking, he knows it’s Kora from her musky jasmine scent. She slides a golden blade out from her back sheath and holds it out in front of her in preparation.
Matthew reaches for his own dagger, its light hue glowing with angelic powers, ready to strike its prey.
With a flick of his wrist over his shoulder, he throws it viciously towards the Infernal. The creature moves quickly, but not fast enough for Matthew’s speed. The blade strikes its leg before clanging to the ground .
The demon grins in their direction. It’s ominous black eyes glaring. A sickening, sly smile showing its perfectly sharpened iron teeth like a row of nail tips.
A low hiss escapes the Internals’ mouth before it takes off towards them again. Matthew pulls out another blade from his belt. Tossing it through the air, it sails towards the demon’s head, missing it marginally.
A second blade flies past Matthew’s head, hitting the being in the shoulder.
The Infernal snarls at the two of them like it’s still entertained. As if the impaled knife has no effect on it. The demon’s hands clasp together, creating a ball of swirling darkness between its palms. Drawing them apart, a gust of shadow forms. Dark and thick like smoke. His palms face the two of them, releasing a gust of shadow.
Matthew pushes Kora out of the way, and she stumbles backwards. The gust of darkness knocks Matthew off his feet. His head hits the stone ground, knocking the air from his lungs.
The Infernal lunges towards Kora who’s still getting to her feet. Viciously swiping a claw at her, Kora shouts angrily, curving her blade up to drive it straight through the chest of the ominous creature.
A loud screech escapes the creature’s throat, echoing down the alleyway. The deafening writhing sound is painful to the ears of the Seraphim.
Lewis winces from the ground and covers his ears until the Infernal stops screaming.
Matthew jumps quickly to his feet, forcing his knife into the ribs of the creature, as Kora yanks her blade out of the creature’s chest.
Clear blood- essence -as they refer to Infernal blood as gushes out of the wounds, spraying onto the ground surrounding them and sizzling as it lands on the cobblestones like poisonous water.
Another ear-splitting cry cuts through the air as it falls to the ground, its body trying to repair itself, but it’s no use against the angelic weapons. Demonic energy is strong and dark, but ethereal energy is overpowering.
Both Matthew and Kora watch its body stiffen, its blackened eyes darkening impossibly deeper into nothing, staring into the night sky above them and glassing over with death before returning to its realm.
Matthew lets out a breath, catching himself and looking to Kora beside him. “Are you all right? It didn’t get you, did it?”
She shakes her hair before wiping her forehead clean from sweat and returning her golden blade into the slot of her back sheath. They peer back to see Lewis trying to stand, but his legs are too weak to carry his own weight. Daisy helps him off the ground, her thinner body struggling to keep him upright.
“Lewis, Daisy, stay there!” Kora yells out to their friends.
Lewis collapses onto the ground again, taking Daisy down with him with a whimper.
Kora can still sense the dark energy surrounding them like a blanket of angst and gloom. Typically, when an Infernal dies, and returns to another dark realm, its dark energy diminishes with its body.
The two of them glance around, trying to glimpse of any other creature tracking them like prey.
Spinning, Kora’s eyes fall on a blurred figure, watching them from afar. Tall, masculine and dressed entirely in black. His eyes aren’t black like the other Infernals, but a dark green shade – murky and shadowy. He’s dark in the dull moonlight shining overhead. His figure is almost translucent.
Taking a step in his direction, the shadowed man steps backwards, disappearing out of sight.
Leaving the others behind, Kora races towards the spot where the figure was standing, observing them closely. The man is nowhere to be seen now. Dark, demonic energy disappearing into thin air along with him.
Matthew catches up to her. “What did you see?” he asks in a concerned tone .
Kora’s jaw clenches before she shakes her head lightly, eyes still focused on the empty alleyway before them. There’s nothing but darkness now. The lights snuffed out from the overwhelming dark energy that consumed the last of the flames.
“It must have been nothing. I just thought I saw someone.” She whispers.
She’s never seen a greater demon disguised as an Infernal before. She’s never seen a greater demon all together, but she’s learnt about them at the Ascendancy. About their overwhelming presence and destructive abilities.
But why would a Dark Angel watch them and not approach them? And was his body blurred and transparent?
She feels Matthew’s hand gently touching her arm through her thin coat. “We should get back to Daisy and Lewis.” His words drawing her attention away once again.
“We should.”
Sliding his weapons back into their appropriate places, Matthew’s careful not to get essence on his skin. Infernal blood is highly poisonous and burns Seraphim skin instantly from its potency. They heal faster than Mortals, but it still stings for a few hours.
Kora follows him wordlessly back to the others. Daisy’s protectively sitting in front of Lewis, who is sleeping against the brick wall again. His soft black lashes laying against his alcohol-flushed cheeks.
Matthew sighs before leaning down and slinging Lewis’ limp body over his shoulder.
“Matthew…” Lewis mumbles to him in his sleepy, drunkard voice.
“We are almost there, Lewis. Just hold on if you can,” Matthew reassures his friend as he follows behind the two girls again.
His body stiffens when Lewis speaks again. “Matthew,” Lewis whispers with a sluggish tone, “I think I will be sick.”
* ? * ? *
Josephine sits in the armchair beside the fire. She has her needle stitch resting in her lap as she sips on her steaming cup of black tea. It’s late evening, and she’s still waiting for Tobias to finish up his work for the night.
Sighing, she finishes the rest of her drink, the warm tart liquid heating her insides when the door to their library opens. It’s only a small library. Nothing like the one set up in the London Ascendancy. They have one of the four walls displaying their collection. A hearth opposite with dancing flames and three armchairs circling the centre where a rug sits underneath to keep the chill off their toes.
Looking up, Tobias strolls in, closing the door behind him. Their children are already upstairs sleeping or reading. They wouldn’t want to disturb them by being loud.
Josephine is dressed in her silky pink dressing gown tied loosely around her nightdress. Greyish-blue eyes stormy in the dim firelight.
Tobias approaches her seat, standing with his back to the fire, warming himself up.
“It was lovely seeing Robert, and it’ll be delightful to see Lucy again tomorrow night after all these years.” Her light voice filling the peaceful room. “I have missed our friends.”
Tobias looks at her sitting beside him. He’s just as handsome as the day she first saw him at the ball. More lines contour his face, and a few silver strands decorate his hair, but she still thinks him to be as beautiful and loving as he was when he was eighteen.
“It was.” He admits to her without breaking eye contact. “I just hope Jordan and Valarie fit in here.”
“Why wouldn’t they?” Josephine questions, placing her cup on the table next to her chair. “They already have friends here. I’m sure they will make plenty more. And you adored Daisy, Lewis and the Blackwell children when they came to Oxford.”
“You’re right,” Tobias agrees, fiddling with the cuffs of his sleeves, rolling them up to expose his forearms. “I have a meeting with Robert in the morning.”
Josephine’s grin is as comforting as always as she chimes, “Wonderful. I’m sure he’s glad you came back to work for him.”
Tobias’ gaze is affixed on hers as he mutters, “Will is going to be there as well.”
His wife’s mouth opens as she stands from the chair. Her needle point falling to the floor, forgotten about entirely. A look of shock etched into her lovely face. “Will Hamilton?”
“Do you know another Will, Jose?” Tobias grumbles, rubbing his face.
She tilts her head at him, her hand reaching out to entwine with his. “It’s been years since we saw him last. Perhaps he’s changed now. Matured into his role as Uncle.”
“I know you miss them, Jose. Everyone does. But we offered to take those children in and raise them, and he selfishly refused. He’s been off gallivanting around for Robert ever since, leaving their children at home, alone, for weeks on end. He wouldn’t even allow them to come visit Oxford when we invited them.”
Her fingers squeeze against his in the way he adores. “He refused, but he also has the final say in the matter. He’s their uncle. Their blood. We can’t change what happened now, Tobi. It’s been fourteen years. I wish we could have taken them in, but it was Will’s decision to make. I just hope he’s raised them as well as we could’ve-like a family.”
“If it is the same Will we knew back then,” Tobias begins, “then those children would have grown up alone and afraid. He was never around when anyone needed him, and I doubt he was around for them as well. ”
She wraps her arms around him. Tobias’ arms encircling her shoulders, his chin resting on her soft hair. She’s always found his embrace the warmest and most soothing.
“I just hope they are all right.” He adds on after a moment of silence between the two of them.
“I am sure they are.” Her voice is low and gentle. “Stefan and Tessa would have known you offered. And I know you still blame yourself for their deaths, but that wasn’t your fault, Tobi. None of this is your fault.”
“If only I’d gone with them, Jose. Then I could have helped them. Saved them-”
“Or you would also be dead right now, and I’d have had to raise our children alone.” Josephine painfully interrupts his thought.
“I’ve always felt like I let them down. I still can’t believe they’re gone. Nobody could save them. Their children left essentially orphaned. Their closest friends fleeing the city to escape the sadness and emptiness surrounding them.” Tobias recalls the feeling.
“You never let them down,” she reminds him. “They told you to stay with me. If you’d listened to them, then you wouldn’t be here with me right now.” The thought bringing tears to her eyes.
He draws her tighter against his familiar body. “I had to stay with you. You were still recovering after birthing Valarie. I was only worried about you and our children at that moment.”
Josephine lifts her head to look at her husband. Standing up onto the balls of her feet, she kisses him gently on the lips. It’s enough to remind him of how she’s eternally grateful for him.
His fingers tighten in her hair as their kiss deepens. Josephine’s eyes close as she leans into his body more, enjoying their kiss as she always does. The taste of tea and biscuits on her lips. She still finds his kisses just as enticing and surprising after all these years of being together.
Tobias pulls away, their noses still touching. “I will always love you, Jose, no matter what.”
A smile creeps onto her face. “I will always love you too, Tobi.”