Chapter Twenty Eight
Marie
Marie watched with tears in her eyes as her mom continued pulling at the chains. She felt so helpless. She didn't feel like an angel, only a failure. She knew she wasn't the one he needed, but Azazel wouldn't let her walk out of here. That she was sure of. She had to do something else.
“That should have worked. She is the one,” Azazel yelled.
DeMar stood over Marie waiting for any word to kill her. She could see it in his eyes. She felt his regret, the hatred he had for her. He wanted to be the one, the hero, the angel who set him free, but he was only a messenger boy. It irked him.
“Should I cut her some more? Maybe you require more blood,” he said to Azazel. Loyal as ever.
Azazel stopped dead in his tracks and turned to Marie once more. A lurid grin formed on his face and Marie felt sick to her stomach.
“You almost had me, spawn. You are the one I need,” he chortled loudly. “You just haven't discovered your other half yet.”
Everything seemed to stop in that moment. Marie had no idea what he was talking about, but something Helena said kept tugging at her. She said she had gifts that even her mother didn't know about. But if what he was saying was true then what did it mean for her father? Was he an Elyos, too? She then thought about what Brenton told her about her being adopted. Was there a chance that Frank wasn't her real father?
“Exactly right, my dear Marie,” he taunted. He pointed at Shaniece and Eric and they came to him. He said something to them in a hushed tone and they disappeared again.
Marie looked toward her mom. She had her head down. Marie didn't know if she was unconscious again or crying. Azazel was going to get what he wanted either way. There was nothing they could do. Even if she could come up with a plan, Azazel could read her thoughts. What she needed was a miracle.
A few minutes passed in complete silence. Marie tried to reach out to Brenton, but he wouldn't let her search his mind. The only thing she could make out was different scenes that kept playing of him and her. He was doing it on purpose, intentionally trying to make her see it. What was he really thinking?
Before she could try and push past his wall, Shaniece and Eric returned with someone else. Marie's mind began to pound against her skull. Images flashed so quickly she wanted to throw up. She knew what she saw was memories she had when she was younger, but didn't understand why she saw those memories now.
Her head felt like it was going to split in two. She was used to having migraines, she had them all the time when she was little, but this was nothing like she felt before. She put her hands over her eyes and forehead and pressed down. It didn't help.
“That pressure you're feeling is not a migraine; it's the other half of you trying to come out. Now that you're close to your other twin, it will only get worse. Your body trying to figure out which power to use since you only claimed one side of it,” Azazel said laughing. “Jason, step forward.”
Marie looked up long enough to make out a tall, Indian guy with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. He stood, nonchalant, facing her with a swollen lip and a cut across his cheek. His clothes were disheveled and ripped. He had been in a fight.
Words were flying through her head so fast, she couldn't make out what was being said or who was saying it. Her head continued to pound.
Jason walked to her and pulled the sleeve up on her arm. There was a faded mark in the crevice of her elbow, one she hadn't noticed before. Jason touched it and it darkened. The mark was in the shape of an infinite symbol. He then pulled up his sleeve and there was the same mark on him.
“It looks like Shamsiel and Semjaza bumped heads,” he laughed. “Semjaza was a smooth talker. I understand why you fell for one of his spawns, Renea.”
“But how?” Marie asked.
“It seems mommy and daddy have been lying to you,” he said turning toward Marie's mom. “Or is it just mommy whose a big liar?”
Marie couldn't believe what she was hearing. Frank wasn't her real dad? Why would her mom keep that information away from her?
Marie looked at her dad, he was still unconscious and losing a lot of blood. It didn't matter if he was her biological father or not, he was all she knew. She loved him and he loved her. She had to save them regardless of what happened in the past.
Please dad, hang in there for me, she thought.
Azazel lifted his hands, his fingers were connected together and he began to chant something in a language she had never heard before. It sounded like the same chant Helena sang.
A light glowed and hovered over Marie's head. Once the light went out, Azazel stopped chanting and Marie's headache was gone.
She heard Jason and Brenton's thoughts simultaneously, separate from each other, but she understood them all the same.
“Now bring her forward. The blood has merged and she is ready,” Azazel said.
DeMar pulled her forward and cut her other wrist. She bled out once more and he let it drain over the chains. A green glow cast a shadow over the whole cave as the chains melted away. The last chain fell and Azazel was free.
DeMar pushed Marie back and knelt down in front of him. Shaniece and Eric did the same. Azazel pulled the blindfold from his eyes and looked around. His eyes were an eery purple.
“Finally,” he shouted. “The world will be mine.”
He grew in height right before Marie's eyes, and the cave seemed to stretch with him. He now stood nine feet tall. He wasn't filthy anymore, his hair flying around the horns on his head. His wings grew and expanded across the length of the cave. His clothes changed, he was now in full black and gold armor. And there were even muscles in his goat legs. He was a massive beast, half angel and half goat, he radiated power and prowess. One could tell he was a seasoned warrior simply by looking at him.
“My children, step forward,” he said with his arms spread wide.
Marie took this chance to move closer to Brenton. She needed him now more than ever. She was still losing blood and she felt weak. Brenton tore his shirt and wrapped both of her wrist then kissed her on the forehead.
As she moved she saw Jason's eyes on her. She felt that he was confused about her and Brenton's relationship. Jason made his way to where she was and stood behind her. He didn't want to leave her side. Brenton shot a glance in his direction and looked him up and down. This wasn't the time.
“You have done well, DeMar and Shaniece. Even you Eric, descendent of Ezeqeel. Decide now what you want for this favor and I will grant it.”
DeMar stood up first, but before he could talk, a mighty wind picked up in the cave. It was all a blur, but she heard in her head, “ Time to go .”
The wind swirled around her mom and dad first and then one came for her and Brenton. She closed her eyes and hoped this was the miracle she was praying for.
When she opened them again, they were back at her uncle's house. They had crashed into the back yard, toppling over his willow trees.
Marie ignored the pain that shot down her back. She had to find her mom and dad. She jumped up frantically and searched the area. She finally spotted them near the house. Micheal was taking the cover off her mom's mouth. She ran and fell down in front of her.
“Mom,” she cried.
“Baby, I'm so glad you're okay. I don't know what I would've done without you.”
“I gotta get these chains off of you,” Marie said.
She knew it would hurt, but she had to do it. She felt around in the dirt and found something with a jagged edge. She cut another part of her wrist and held it over the chains. They began to melt off.
As soon as the chains came off she squeezed her mom so hard. It was like a weight was lifted off of her and she could finally breathe.
Uncle Josh was tending to her dad. She made her way over to him and got the chains off of him as well. He was still knocked out. Marie was overwhelmed with so many emotions, she began to cry. How could he not be her father? And who was?
They picked him up and took him into the house to fix his wound. He had a giant cut on his back and some bruises on his face. The rest of him looked okay.
As soon as they got him in the house, she wanted to collapse. The pressure was returning. In the whirlwind of being rescued, Jason got swept up, too. He was there, following and watching her every move. He still hadn't said anything, which freaked Marie out. Brenton seemed a little edgy as well.
“Mom, what was Azazel talking about? What am I? Who is my real father?” Marie asked.
Her mom's head dropped. She rubbed her wrist and tried to avoid Marie's gaze. She knew this was going to be another story that would turn her whole world upside down.
“Let's make sure your father is okay and then we will talk. I promise,” she finally said.
Marie nodded and together they walked to the room they were tending to her father in. Once inside the room, she noticed everyone was standing around talking. Marie assumed this was a good sign.
Her uncle was next to the bed and when he moved, she could see her dad's eyes open. She sped up and almost threw herself on the bed trying to hug him. All that mattered was he was going to be okay.
“Dad, I was so scared,” she said easing back. He looked like he was still in pain.
“I know baby, but you saved us. I'm so proud of you,” he said wincing.
“Thanks dad. I'm just happy you're better.”
“So you're an angel, huh? I knew you were special. The day you were born, I saw that star on your head and I told Renea, she is going to steal my heart from you,” he said and laughed.
Marie grabbed his hand and squeezed. Renea came to stand on the other side of his bed. He looked into her eyes and the air in the room changed. Her mom gently touched his cheek and he leaned over to kiss her hand.
Her uncle stood behind her mother, his arms folded and head down. Marie could see that look. He was completely in love with her mom. She wondered if she knew.
Her dad turned back to her. “From what your uncle has filled me in on, you have a great task ahead of you. I don't want you to worry your head at all about me, just continue to make me proud and I will be around if you need me.”
“Yes sir.” She hugged him again. “How are you awake right now?”
Her uncle stepped in, “Compliments of Helena. Nacole had some healing leaves. She obviously knew we were going to need these.”
Marie thought back once more to her conversation with Helena. It would have been easier for her to just come out and tell her.. She should have known that since she kept going around the conversation, it was going to be something big.
She still felt a great deal of gratitude for Helena. Even though she said she couldn't help them, she did anyway in so many ways. She would have to express her gratitude to her when she got the chance.
“How did you guys find us?” Marie said to Micheal.
“It took some time to narrow the map down and about three different wrong turns, but Nacole used every bit of energy to find you. I just hate that we didn't make it before Azazel freed himself,” he said looking at her wrist.
“That's okay. You made it, that's all that matters. We'll get him next time.”
She hugged him and Rochelle, who was standing behind him. She hoped they knew how much she appreciated them for everything they had done for her and her parents. They came in the nick of time because there was no telling what Azazel would have done to them.
“ You're more than welcome ,” Rochelle said in her mind and walked out of the room.