Sacrifice (Revelations Book 1) (21 page)

Rosa laughed. "My dear, don't be over dramatic. I mean, yes, I want you to die. But all in good time. No, the only thing I want from you is your word."

"My word?"

"Yes. It’s as simple as that. You can give me your word in exchange for setting him free, can’t you?"

Abby blurted out, "Yes." Before even thinking about it.

Rosa smirked. "I won't take that as your answer yet, you haven't heard what I want you to do." She deliberately raised an eyebrow at Nico and called out to him. "See how nice I can be? I'm not all bad." Turning her attention back to Abby she leaned forward. "Come closer, Abigail. Our bargain is just between the two of us.”

Abby gave her weapons a reassuring squeeze as she stepped through the cemetery gates. “Okay,” she feigned boredom in whatever Rosa’s proposal was even as her entire body was humming with anticipation. “What do you want?”

Rosa leaned closer and whispered for only Abby to hear, “In two nights’ time I want you to meet me at the shed behind Lobo's, bring nothing and tell no one. That is what I ask. Give me your word, an oath that you will show up in two nights, and I will set him free."

Abby fidgeted. It had to be a trap, but she couldn’t figure out what it might be. The crowd was muttering trying to figure out what was being said, and Nico wore a murderous look in his eyes. Abby kept her voice low in response, "That's it? That's all you want?"

"Yes."

"What if I decide to kill you with my bare hands then and there?"

Rosa gave a nonchalant shrug. "You can do what you want. I'm not binding you to anything other than your word that you will show up, unarmed, and without anyone else."

"Fine. I give you my word."

"Good."

Jack was moving again, pushing through the crowd and yelling something. Everyone else was in a frenzy not knowing what just happened but only knowing Rosa had promised to let Lucas go. Nico yelled something she couldn’t understand. But Abby kept her focus on Lucas. His face had fallen as he stared at Abby. Had she done something wrong? Surely he hadn't wanted her to say no, unless he knew Rosa had something far worse planned for down the road. Abby watched as his gaze moved to Chloe. He called out. "I love you, Chloe. Always remember that."

Rosa caressed his cheek to quiet him. "Abigail, would you come up here please?" Abby regarded her cautiously. Rosa continued, "We have a deal, remember? I just figured you'd want to help him."

Abby nodded and moved further into the cemetery. There it was again, her heart started to beat. It was faint but it was still there and even worse, Rosa heard it. Her eyes locked on Abby's chest. "Ah, it seems that spell can't always mask your beating heart. Interesting." She turned her attention back to Lucas, lovingly stroking his face. "I will miss you, Virtue, you've been so much fun to play with."

His lip curled into a snarl but he didn't say a word. Rosa unbolted the rusted metal collar that kept him leashed to her. As soon as it was off his face and body started its miraculous healing process right before Abby's eyes. Relief washed over her, thanking God for Lucas's ability to mend himself. She took it as a sign that things were swinging in their favor. Lucas was free.

He turned to face her, his foot moved to take a step when his body lurched. His mouth opened but no sound came out. There was a ringing in her ears, she could hear screaming coming from what sounded like Chloe but it sounded far away. She kept her eyes on Lucas, reaching out to help him when something burst through his chest showering her in blood. His eyes dulled as he gagged on the blood that managed to work its way up his throat and pour out the sides of his mouth.

Abby screamed. A hand was sticking out of Lucas's chest. A petite, feminine hand tipped with claws. It grasped something and her stomach heaved. The hand suddenly retracted, yanking a mound of pulsing muscle from Lucas's chest. His body fell forward onto Abby as she screamed. Rosa's bloody fist clenched Lucas's heart. It was still beating, which should have been impossible. Then the bitch squeezed. The wet, sickening sound of his heart squishing between her fingers made her heart go still. With one final grunt and a popping sound like a water balloon bursting, Lucas's body went cold and heavy.

Abby couldn't wrap her mind around what had happened. They had a deal. "Why?" she screamed.

"Why not?" Rosa absently licked the dripping blood from her fingers.

"We had a deal."

"And I kept my end of it. I set him free." Rosa winked. “He is no longer bound by the shackles of immortality.”

Without another word The Whore vanished. Abby held tight to Lucas. The weight of his body slowly dragged her to the ground. “Lucas, please, please come back.” Abby pleas went un answered as mass chaos ensued from the different factions. The undead hands reaching from the graves were all but forgotten, no trace of Rosa’s army remained. All that was left was the blood.

Chloe had pushed past the crowd and made her way to Lucas. Gently she collaped next to Abby as Abby moved Lucas's head into Chloe’s lap. Chloe’s shoulders shook, tears streamed down her pink cheeks. She stroked his hair and cheek. Abby placed a kiss against Chloe’s forehead and slid out of the way to give the Striga some space.

As she stepped aside Abby snapped her head up to find Hannah standing speechless in the crowd. Abby advanced on the Virtue and had her by the throat before the woman could defend herself. "You!" Abby shouted. "You did this."

Hannah narrowed her eyes. "Get your hands off of me. You have no right to even speak to me."

"I have every right. He was my friend."

"Well, then he made some poor decisions during his life, didn't he?"

Abby flexed her fingers to squeeze Hannah’s throat, but Nico grabbed her wrist and yanked her back. "Now is not the time."

Abby’s fangs elongated and the urge to rip Hannah’s throat out was an impulse she was struggling to hold back. "But—"

"There will come a time, but it's not now." He motioned toward Chloe with her head buried in Lucas's neck. "She needs you. You’ll have your revenge on Hannah soon enough."

Abby stood frozen with regret as she watched Chloe sobbing, from the corner of her eye she saw Jack at the edge of the crowd. He obviously knew better than to approach Chloe, but he wore the same guilt on his face as Abby did. She knew he felt the same, they were both to blame.

Chloe didn't see anything or anyone, she kept her face buried in the crook of Lucas's neck. "Please don't leave me. Please, wake up."

The pleas kept coming. Then the bargains. Everyone watched as Chloe made deal after deal with a God who either wasn't listening or didn't care. Then the anger set in. Meri approached cautiously. "Chloe, we should move him."

"Shut up!" Chloe snapped. "None of you even liked him, always making fun of me for loving someone like him. You all would have preferred I had slept around with degenerate monsters like you do. You're all probably glad he's dead."

Meri tensed. A tick worked in her jaw, but it wasn't Meri's voice that echoed all around, it was Arveda's. "Chloe, you will stand up and dry your tears. We are Striga, we don't cry for our losses in front of others, we gather our strength and get our revenge. Now, get up."

Chloe's tears didn't stop on command but Abby could tell she was doing her best to obey. There was something about the tone Arveda used, like a spell that compelled everyone to do as they were told. Chloe carefully placed Lucas's head on the ground and stood up, squaring her shoulders, and sniffling to stop her tears. "But I—"

"You can mourn him later." Arveda was finally standing where everyone could see her. She turned her attention to the group. "Gather what you need for the night and patrol the town in shifts. The rest of you make preparations at the church, a Virtue requires a proper burial. My daughters will put up some more wards around the church and the cemetery. I suggest everyone stay out of our way." She turned on her heals and snapped her fingers. "Chloe, return home when you are done. There is no more reason for you to be a part of this war. We have much to discuss."

Long after Arveda and the Striga were gone the weight of her commands still hung in the air. Why was there no more reason for Chloe to help them fight? Yes, Lucas was gone, but this was about the fate of the entire world. Wouldn't Arveda care about the millions of lives at stake?

Abby had stayed at Chloe's side. Her friend had responded to Arveda’s commands, but only slightly. And even in the overwhelming presence of Arveda, Abby got the feeling Chloe was only half listening.

Abby wrapped her arms around Chloe tugging lightly to pull her away from Lucas’s body as his brothers and sisters gathered around to lift him up. "Chloe, we have to move him. He can't stay out here."

"Where—" she sobbed, "Where are they taking him?"

"To the church. He'll be safe there."

"It doesn't matter." Chloe's hands balled into fists. "He's dead and she made sure he could never come back. He's gone and I'm—" Her voice broke off into another chorus of sobs.

Abby rubbed her back. "We can still honor him by protecting his body and giving him a proper burial."

Nico interrupted. "Entombment, actually."

"Right.” While comforting Chloe, Abby had listened in on Meri, Nico, and Jack making their plans. “They’re going to entomb him, none of those monsters will be able to defile his body." Abby gave Chloe a light squeeze as she slowly directed her toward the church.

They walked in a slow procession, the group moving Lucas's body was far ahead of them by the time they'd even made it out of the cemetery. Well-wishers stopped them to offer Chloe their condolences. Except the Virtues who had all but vanished to attend to his body.

Good riddance
.

If she got a chance to wrap her hands around Hannah's neck she'd make her pay and no one, not even Nico, was going to stop her.

As soon as they'd opened the doors and stepped inside, Chloe straightened. Her eyes locked on Jack who was tending to Lucas's body. Abby stood silently and watched Jack wash Lucas. Not a drop of blood was visible. They watched him washing Lucas's feet with great care. He was chanting something in another language. Abby pursed her lips. Why did it matter if his feet were clean? None of it mattered.

As if he knew what she was thinking, Nico leaned over and whispered. "It's a very old, very sacred ritual. He is calling on God to place Lucas at his side, to make sure he is given his eternal rest. He's washing Lucas's feet to show that even in death he is humbled and beneath Lucas. Because nothing can match the Virtue's sacrifice. He's saying he isn't worthy and calling on God to honor Lucas."

Abby wiped a stray tear as it slid down her cheek. This man had every reason to be glad Lucas was gone and yet he, almost more than anyone, seemed the most devastated. Abby clasped her hand over her mouth to hold back her emotions as Jack lowered his head and kissed the tops of Lucas's feet and then stood up and pulled a white sheet over the body.

Everyone quietly watched. Everyone except Chloe. The minute she stepped forward Abby reached out to pull her back but Chloe shrugged her off. She crossed the room, Jack stood perfectly still. She shot her hand out and connected with his cheek hard enough he had to take a step back and regain his balance. "This is your fault! You wanted him dead."

Jack shook his head. "I never wanted this. I respected him."

"No. You and Hannah, you were working together. You could have saved him. As you said, you know Rosa better than anyone. Where were you all day? You said you would save him."

"I was out looking for her, every time I got close her demons would attack. I searched all day and I tried last night. She had this planned from the get-go. We were all just being used."

"Bullshit." She stabbed her finger into his chest. "You’re a murderer. I hate you. You took him from me. You, Hannah, and Rosa.”

"Chloe, I—"

She shoved him back causing him to bump against the table holding Lucas. "No! I hate you, I hope you all die. I hope those demons come in here and tear every single one of you limb from limb. I hope you feel every second of it, then maybe you might feel a fraction of the pain I feel."

Jack was silent. The entire room was silent. This was all wrong. They weren't supposed to lose, they weren't supposed to turn on each other. Were they? Jack and Chloe were in the midst of a staring contest. His Adam’s apple bobbed under thick swallows and his posture slouched. Chloe was silent but still seething. Her whole body shook as her hands curled into fists at her side. Abby and the others simply waited to see how or when she'd lash out again.

The doors of the church flung open and a ripple of magick blew through the room like a hot wind, drawing everyone’s attention, even Chloe turned to see who had interrupted. Arveda and the rest of the Striga stopped their determined march. The eldest Striga held her chin up, casted a wicked glance at everyone in the church and finally settled on her daughter, Jack, and the body of Lucas. "Chloe, I told you to return home.” She paused as if thinking up a good reason for Chloe to come with her. “I can make the pain go away."

Chloe didn't answer but Jack did. "No way in hell, Arveda. You've erased her memories enough times, let her have this."

Arveda snarled. "Let her have pain?"

"Let her have her memories of Lucas. Don't take him away from her too."

"She deserves peace," Arveda screeched.

"She deserves to remember."

Chloe screamed, "Both of you shut the fuck up."

Arveda turned her head slowly toward her daughter. "Language."

"I don't give a damn about my language. Both of you shut up. Both of you are liars. You're both—"

Arveda laughed. "Both what, my dear? Working together? You've already accused him of that. Were you about to lump me in with this lot? I mean really, Chloe, you need to come up with a better accusation. You can't keep assuming everyone you don't like is somehow working together. Contrary to your belief, the world doesn't revolve around you."

Nico finally stepped up. "Arveda, that's enough. She's hurting, let her mourn."

"If mourning means lashing out and wielding wild accusations than I shall do no such thing. Striga do not mourn, we act. We seek vengeance and we do not let others see us falter." She turned to Chloe. "Now, pull yourself together. If you wish to avenge Courage, then do something productive. Crying gets you nowhere in this life, girl.”

Chloe swallowed several times before the words came out. "But, he's gone and I loved him."

"Love? You know nothing about love." Arveda pointed to Jack. "Do you know how many times you said the same thing about him? You've loved him dozens of times and he fights for you every time and in the end do you know what happens?" Chloe turned away, eyes squeezed shut and body shaking. Arveda continued, "You forget him. This time was different, it was the only reason I allowed you to continue on with Courage. I'd hand you over to Lucifer himself if it meant keeping you away from Jackie-boy here. You were happy with Lucas, I'll give you that, but it was never meant to be. You aren't meant for anyone but me."

All of this back and forth and Arveda's cruel words made Abby’s head spin. That wasn't how a mother should act, those weren't the things a mother should say to a child who just lost someone. Not that Abby had much to go on in the department of motherly love, but Arveda was piling on cruel words over Chloe's fresh pain. From the looks of it, her daughter was about a break. Abby wanted to go to Chloe, but Nico had a tight grip on her arm to hold her back. In a low whisper he warned, “Don’t interfere in a Striga argument.”

Abby shook her head and pulled out of his grip. "Chloe, don't listen to her," she pleaded.

Jack seemed to second that. He stepped between them and squared off with Arveda. "You might have been right to take her memories of me, maybe it wasn't love after all. But her love for Lucas is real and you're not stealing it from her."

Arveda threw her hand out and sent Jack flying across the room. The lights dimmed in the church and an unnatural wind howled through the building. "Stay out of this. You cost me my daughter in the first place. Now because of you she is a hollow shell... And I will make sure you do not take what little is left of her away from me again. She will forget about the Virtue, she will forget about you, and she will fulfill her destiny when the time is right. And this isn’t the right time, as you’ve already told us. Therefore, until the actual apocalypse happens you are to stay far away from her."

Chloe stomped her foot. "What the hell are you talking about?" Arveda remained quiet, but Chloe persisted. "Tell me, mother."

"You died, my dear. There are you happy now?"

"I... Died?"

Abby shook off Nico's hand and ran to Chloe's side to hold her upright as she began to sway on her feet. "Arveda, stop this. She can't take all this stress."

Arveda curled her lip at Abby. "She asked, if she wants the truth I'll tell it. She died, many, many centuries ago."

Abby wrapped her arms around Chloe and held her, as if she could block out what the Striga was saying, but there was no stopping the information from sinking in. Arveda spat, "I lost my daughter, she was killed because of him." Her hand shot out and blasted Jack with another invisible blow. "I prayed to God to save her, when he didn’t answer my prayers I sought out dark magick to bring her back. Instead an angel came to me and said I could have my daughter back, but she would not be made whole. She would become a vessel. A container to house a powerful weapon.” She paused and took an uncharacteristically ragged breath. “He said when the time was right it would be the responsibility of John of Patmos to wield her power against the armies of Hell." Her dark eyes narrowed. "And that time hasn’t come yet."

Chloe sobbed. "I’m dead?"

Arveda seemed to soften for a moment but steeled herself once more. "You are alive. You just don’t have all of your soul. You think. You feel. If you didn't we wouldn't be in this mess right now. Because even after all this time, you always find your way back to him." Another snarl erupted from the Striga as Jack struggled against her magick. "But only a small part of your soul remains in your body. You are a vessel, some would call you a homunculus, an empty shell, an animated corpse waiting for its host. This punishment falls on all of us, we all have to bare it. He failed to do what was necessary to save mankind and as a result my daughter died. I failed as a servant of God by attempting to bring her back without permission. Jack's punishment was to be waylaid on that island to record and live through the End of Days, not once but twice. Once to write it all down. The second to make sure it stayed on track. My punishment has been to watch the shell of my daughter find and fall in love with him time and time again only to be killed and reborn again. I wipe her memories to give us all a little respite between tragedies."

Abby glared. "Arveda, stop."

Chloe pushed Abby away and lifted her head defiantly. "I will not play the part of a containment unit." Her gaze swept over Jack. "And I won't play the part of your long-lost love either. You all can go to Hell." She glared at her mother. "You most of all."

Abby reached for her but Chloe muttered a word and was gone.

Arveda gasped. "When did she learn that?"

The other Striga shrugged and the group of witches turned in unison and left the church. All except Meri who stood in the shadows not saying a word. Abby called out to them, "Where did she go? Don't you care that she's gone?"

Arveda barely glanced over her shoulder. "She's a child throwing a tantrum, she'll return when she realizes the world is a cold, harsh place that doesn't want her."

The church doors slammed shut behind the Striga and Abby whispered, "What a bitch."

Nico was already at her side. "That's how she's always been."

"But Chloe is her daughter, how could she act like that?"

Nico cast a glance toward Jack and then back to Abby. "Some people are just cold."

Meri finally made her way toward the group and released Jack from her mother's spell. "My mother might be cold, but years of watching Chloe die," her green, flinty eyes locked on Jack, "every time he showed up and forced Chloe to remember him has hardened her." She let out a heavy sigh. "She wasn't always like this, you know."

Nico’s brow shot upward. "Really?" His sarcastic tone said he didn't believe her one bit.

Meri lifted her chin high. "Yes, really. She's always been cold to others, she's always held the air of power that causes people to fear her, but she wasn't always like this with her daughters."

Jack cleared his throat. "I love her, Meri. You know this. I never meant for her to die, if I had known..."

Meri glared. "If you had known what? Would you have sacrificed yourself like you were supposed to?"

"Yes." He muttered.

Abby blanched. "You were supposed to sacrifice yourself?"

He nodded. "To save the world and I had been prepared to do it, but then I met her. Everything changed for me. I couldn't leave her, I loved her too much to go through with it. I made a selfish choice and in return God took the person I loved most in exchange for my selfishness and exiled me on the isle of Patmos. Arveda tried dark magick to bring Chloe's soul back and it almost worked, but then the Angels came to enact God's revenge on her for her arrogance. We've all been punished."

Meri started to advance on him, Abby and Nico stepped in her path. There didn't need to be any more violence tonight. This was exactly what Rosa and Lucifer wanted. Fighting among themselves. The door to the church opened and Lobo stood in the moonlight. He ran his hand through his short dark hair. "No more fighting, mate."

Abby's eyes went wide, she'd never heard Lobo call Meri that before and from the way Meri bristled she was uncomfortable with him saying it in front of everyone. She spun on her heels, sending her long red tendrils dancing like flickering flames all around her. She pinned Lobo with a lethal stare. "I'm not your mate, remember?"