Nightingale Girl (23 page)

I screamed at him that day—begged him not to kill himself over a handful of feathers. I promised I’d help him find more. That was the first time I allowed him to touch me. We held each other in the empty road after we made the climb. I think Sparrow was crying over his lost feathers. I was crying because I nearly lost my last friend in the world.

Look at us now, so far from what we started out as. Almost completely different people

“Follow the 401,” I shout to my parents.

Clea and Gabriel coast to the left and follow the four-lane highway below us.

There are tiny specks moving along the crumbling asphalt, the walking dead searching for Sparrow and Nightingale. I keep my eye on the road and the signs, remembering the way to the cabin.

We pass exits for Gananoque and Kingston, and just as I see the sign for upcoming Odessa, I shout, “Take a right.”

Gabriel and Clea lean to turn, beating their strong wings. I wonder what it must be like to have power like that, rising above the ground and dancing with the wind. Almost makes me wish I had wings like the rest of them.

We soar over treetops, tiny roads, and rivers. I recognize Unity Road as we fly over it.

“It’s coming up,” I warn them. “There’s a cabin next to that lake.”

Gabriel nods. “We should descend.”

Gabriel hovers in the sky, his body upright, his wings flapping gently as he lowers himself to the ground.

Clea tips to the side, then glides lower and lower in a tight circle before flapping her wings and landing on her feet. She hops a few times and tips to the side so we can slide off, before transforming back to her normal figure.

The walking sacks of flesh are moaning and dragging their feet through the forest, silencing any sound we make. And I thought they were worthless. Gabriel motions for me to lead them. My boots crunch on the gravel road. The dead keep their distance.

“I hope they didn’t hurt her,” Noah whispers.

“Shh,” I scold him.

We turn a corner. I point to the small cabin ahead of us.

Gabriel leads us through the forest and around the back.

There is noise coming from inside: loud thuds, something metallic hitting stone.

A scream rips through the forest.

“Nightingale!” Noah takes off running.

I think we should have planned something, but we didn’t. I don’t hesitate or wait for direction. I grab my blade from its holster and run after Noah.

Noah kicks the door open like a drug dealer looking for his money. I run in behind him.

Holy crap.

There is a giant arch in the middle of the cabin. Black markings are etched into the gray stone, surrounded by freshly dug dirt. There’s a man in the surrounding trench, digging it deeper. The hollow rattle of dried bones echoes with each movement.

I step closer and recognize the wings. It’s Sparrow!

He digs into the wall of the trench, covering the bones with dirt. Strange hoses extend from his arms. I follow their path and find that they are draining into a large cask. There are empty glasses next to the cask, coated with blood.

They’re draining his blood.

They’re draining my blood out of him.

My eyes flash to the stone arch. I have only known portals to be present on hallowed ground. Something is not right about this.

Your blood is rubies and jewels to those who are damned.

The space under the arch wavers and flickers. It looks like heat radiating off the pavement in summer. A shadow begins in the center; it stretches, pulls, and grows. Shimmers with movement. A foot steps through, and then another. Then hands, arms, legs. Forms appear. I recognize Jim and two Hellions.

Jim is talking—doesn’t even know what we’ve found.

Two Hellions step through, each carrying an unconscious woman.

Jim looks up. His face drops. His mouth opens to say something, but I move. Without any thought other than pure rage, I swipe my blade and cut off his head. Fire erupts from Clea’s hands, setting Jim’s body aflame.

“Bastard won’t come back from that,” Gabriel says. “Blood from the living makes them even stronger.” He shakes his head in disgust.

The Hellions drop the women and charge.

Watching an Archangel fight the warriors of Hell is a sight. Gabriel towers over them, and it is like watching sunlight battle the shadows of evening.

My blade hums in my hand, begging for blood. I don’t watch for long before joining in.

A Hellion grabs my free arm. I cut his off and shake his twitching hand away. The beast roars. It seems they don’t care that Lucifer forbade them to touch me. Jim has them high on the blood of the living. I duck, spin on the balls of my feet, and slice at the Hellion’s leg. The Hellion sways. I jump up on a nearby chair and slice his head off.

Gabriel’s laughter fills the cabin. “That’s my girl!”

Three more Hellions walk through the portal and join in.

“They will be stronger than normal,” Gabriel warns.

I don’t care. Leaping through the air, I throw myself at the closest one.

Gabriel shouts orders at Clea and Noah. I can’t focus on them, only the wrath building inside me, seeking revenge for what Jim did to Sparrow.

I take on another Hellion. Noah was right: my weapon is way better than the Beretta I used last time I fought them. The Hellion throws a punch and hits me in the shoulder so hard I twist and fall to the ground. He barrels toward me. I kick him in the ankle; the beast doesn’t flinch, but he does fall. I raise my blade just before he lands and sink it into the Hellion’s gut. The breath is knocked out of me as the beast falls on top of me. Warmth spreads across my stomach as his blood drains out. I lie there, struggling to push the limp body off me. Finally, it’s off, and the smiling face of Gabriel greets me.

“Next time, roll.” He pulls me to my feet.

I take a deep breath and look down at the blood covering my clothing. The bodies of the Hellions burn, smokeless and silent, igniting nothing other than the figures slumped on the floor. The last of Jim’s blond hair singes. He is nothing but scorching bone and cooking flesh.

Nightingale’s scream rips through the cabin. It sounds muffled, almost like it’s coming from outside.

A Hellion bursts through the back door. He’s covered in blood, and black feathers are stuck to his vest.

“That’s her blood!” Noah charges, going after the Hellion with only his bare hands. “Where is she?” he shouts.

Noah punches the giant creature in the stomach, but Noah is no match for a beast so dark. The Hellion moves with lightning speed, grabs Noah by his throat, and squeezes.

Noah turns to dust at the Hellions feet.

No! No. No. No. No. No! I run to the Hellion, wield the blade forged for me in the fires of hell, and slice through the Hellion’s thick neck.

He crumples to the ground.

Clea sets him on fire.

Noah is gone.

Gabriel moves to the flaming body and plucks the black feather off the ground. “What happened to her feathers?” he asks.

“Lucifer,” I answer. “He turned them black. To hide her.”

Gabriel’s face twists in thought.

The scraping sound catches my attention. I run across the room, jump into the dirt hole, and drag myself through waist-high bones.

“Sparrow,” I call.

He stops digging. His shoulders are slumped, his body thin and weak. I reach for him, but he starts digging again.

“Stop.” I touch his hands.

Sparrow’s vacant gaze falls on me.

“They need a final resting place.” His voice echoes of exhaustion. “Can’t leave them like this.”

My heart breaks. Even in his most dark, Sparrow’s light shines through. I take the shovel out of his hand. “We’ll bury them,” I say.

His tired eyes look into mine. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

“A promise is a promise.” His shoulders slump, and he leans against the dirt wall of the hole.

“I know.”

I pull the tubes out of Sparrow’s arms and press my thumbs over the trickling blood to make it stop.

“Council’s going to be pissed about this.” Gabriel knocks on the stone arch. “Illegal portal.” He moves to the bodies of the women on the ground. “Have to take them back to the earthen plane. It’s not their time. This is not their place.”

Gabriel bends and hefts one of the women into his arms. He turns to Clea. “Will you help me? Have to take them to a portal on consecrated ground. Can’t use this abomination.” Gabriel waves at the stone arch. “God knows where it leads.”

Clea lifts the other woman.

“We will return shortly,” Gabriel promises, as he steps out of the cabin.

I help Sparrow out of the trench and to a threadbare couch against the far wall. He drops with a groan. I move his feet up so he’s lying down. If I didn’t know better, I’d think him one of the walking meat sacks.

Standing up straight, I try to figure out how to best help him. The cask still has a small amount of blood in it. I move to the table and pour the remaining blood into one of the glasses, then bring it to Sparrow. Crouching down, I wrap his hand around the glass, bring it to his dry lips, and help him drink. After he’s drained the glass, my gaze falls to the burning Hellion on the floor. We need to get out of here. Just as I stand to move, a loud clap and a bright flash erupt in the room.

“That fucking hurt.” Noah appears, rubbing his neck.

“Oh my God.” I run to him and throw my arms around his neck. “I thought he killed you.”

Noah smiles his lady-killer smile. “I’m already dead, Meg. Can’t kill me twice.” He twists his neck to the side. “But whatever he did hurt like fucking hell.” Concern cloaks his face.

Noah bends and watches the Hellion burn. “They hurt her.” His voice is soft, anxious.

I know the pain of the Hellions. They’ve hurt me once before, but I hope to God that they didn’t do those things to Nightingale.

“Gabriel’s coming back. We’ll find her.” I follow his gaze to the piles of ash on the floor. “They’re all dead. The only one left is Sparrow.”

Noah picks up a small black feather and crosses the room until he’s standing next to me.

Sparrow finishes his blood and drops the glass on the floor, showing his fatigue.

“He’ll drain you dry if you try to feed him right now,” Noah warns.

“I know.”

Not knowing what else to do with myself, I turn to the portal and start knocking pieces of stone out of it. One by one they fall to the ground, until there is a hole big enough to lessen its stability. I push on the arch with all my strength until it crumbles to the floor.

Gabriel and Clea walk through the doorway to the cabin as the dust clears.

“Come,” Clea beckons Noah.

Gabriel crosses the room and lifts Sparrow from the couch. I follow them outdoors.

Clea turns into the Argentavis. I climb on her back; Noah follows.

Gabriel carries Sparrow. His large wings spread, and he thrusts them both into the air. Clea takes flight and soon we are flying side by side. I don’t take my eyes off Sparrow. His arms and legs hang lifeless; the only indications that he is still alive are the occasional moments that he opens his eyes.

I grip Clea’s feathers between my fingers and lean down. Though the wind is loud in my ears, I hear a strange chirping. Noah gives me a curious look. I focus behind him and see a handful of songbirds flying behind us. Their small wings beat frantically, and the pumping of Clea’s wings throws some of them off-kilter. It doesn’t stop them from following.

We return to the burning caves. Clea lands, then transforms, and the songbirds fly over us. We walk toward the entrance to the cave together.

Gabriel stops at the threshold. “Call on Lucifer. I can go no farther without causing trouble.” His eyes fall on Clea. “Your father does not forgive me for taking you from him.”

Clea touches his arm. “I went willingly.” She turns and calls for her father.

The giant man that is Lucifer appears at the entrance. His gaze falls over us all. “You have violated the treaty,” he says to Gabriel, his gaze menacing.

“They’re not all dead.” Gabriel motions to Sparrow’s body in his arms. “This Hellion still breathes.”

Clea tells Lucifer about the portal Jim was building and draining Sparrow of my blood.

The king of Hell remains expressionless. “Vine will answer to his son’s offenses. I’m sure the Council will be notified of this?” he asks Gabriel.

“Of course.”

Lucifer nods. “You may enter. Bring him inside.”

Gabriel carries Sparrow to my room and sets him on the bed. His breathing is shallow; cheekbones jut from the skin of his face. He’s covered in dirt; blood is smeared on his arms.

“Gabriel?” I ask. “Can you help him?”

Gabriel frowns. “I can only heal pure light. It’s too late for Sparrow.” Gabriel’s hand settles on my shoulder. “For this, I am sorry.”

Lucifer appears in the room next to Sparrow. He reaches out with his fingertip and touches it to Sparrow’s forehead. Lucifer’s eyes flash open and focus on me. “He will be well.”

“Is his time done down here?” I ask. “Is he finally finished?”

“No.”

My stomach sinks. “But—”

“The treaty states that one realm is not allowed to fully decimate another realm’s patrolling force. Sparrow is the last Hellion. There will be recruits. Vine will take over until Sparrow is well. This is how it must be.”

Sparrow stirs.

“I should return,” Gabriel says quietly. He leaves the room.

Clea follows him. Before Gabriel is gone from my view, she hands him a large black feather. I am curious to know what Gabriel’s feather shows him, especially since he never told me what the first one revealed.

“You are Meg.” Sparrow’s hand touches my face, redirecting my attention.

I turn and sit on the bed near him. “I thought I lost you.”

“Unpossible.” Sparrow smiles.

“You can’t make up words.”

“I can do what I want.” He reaches out, his finger landing on the tattoo over my heart. “This is me.”

“Yes.”

“You are mine, and I am yours.” His eyes, though green and bright, look weary.

I nod.

“We’ll be invincible together.”

“That’s what people keep saying.” I press my lips together to stop myself from crying.