Sacrifice (Revelations Book 1) (26 page)

Nico seemed to shiver as her breath danced over his neck. "We will figure out how to close it after you eat."

"But you know what happened last time. You felt it too, right?"

"God, yes, I felt it." His hand was tangling in her hair, he pressed his hips against her and she could feel his cock hardening. He was already feeling it. She was too. "We have to fight it. Fight the urge, Abby. Just drink and I promise when this is all over I will bring you home and neither of us will move from that bed for a week." He tilted her head up to look in her eyes. His voice shook, "Don't ever doubt how badly I want you. I promise to show you as soon as all of this is over."

Abby caressed his cheek. “I don’t think you really want me to bite you. You’re afraid, aren’t you?”

Nico swallowed hard. “I’m a little nervous, anyone in their right mind would be. But I trust you and I never want to lose you again. I still remember what it felt like that first night with your mouth on my wrist. I was afraid of that feeling then, I’m not afraid now.”

She nodded. That was all she needed to hear. He felt it too, he'd felt it that first night. The desires from her drinking from him weren't one sided. He'd enjoyed it and he was promising more to come. For that she'd face down the apocalypse with a smile on her face. He pressed his lips to hers, his tongue darting in her mouth and caressing her fangs. Usually he avoided them but tonight he let his tongue caress the sharp tips. Abby shivered and moaned. Then he pulled back and guided her mouth to his neck.

Her eyes widened. The pulsing vein called to her. Abby’s core tightened, nipples hardened. She didn't have to think about where to bite, her mouth knew exactly where to go. She sank her fangs in slowly and felt him go rigid. His cock strained against his jeans and she made soft little mewing sounds as she grinded against him. Unlike in the movies it wasn't the bite that sent blood gushing out, she kept her fangs embedded in his neck for a few seconds to try to calm her instincts. Only a small amount of blood reached her tongue.

Nico groaned. "Abby."

The sound of her name on his lips made her stomach flip flop. She slowly pulled her fangs out of the puncture holes releasing the flow of blood to fill her mouth. She suckled and tongued the wound, keeping the blood coming. Nico's hands dug into her hips as he thrust and she grinded against his rigid cock. Her body was on fire. The only thing that would feel better would be to have him inside her. She wanted nothing more than to rip the rest of the clothes from his body and ride him until neither of them could move, but for now this was all they had time for, and with her hunger dying off this intimacy with the man she loved was pure bliss.

Colors burst behind her closed eyes, everything tasted intense, smells were stronger, and her skin tingled at the slightest touch. Her hearing became a thousand times better than before. All the while Nico rubbed against her, letting her have her fill. Her belly warmed and she could feel a calm settling over her. The fresh full meal and being with Nico sated her and she once again felt in control of herself. She didn’t need to fight or stamp down those baser instincts. Her body and mind were in sync. She pulled back and licked over the wounds. The blood flow stopped almost instantly. She found her footing and pressed her hands on Nico's chest. He took a shaky deep breath. Both of them were panting, flushed, and physically worked up to a boiling point.

She gave him a smile. "I feel better now."

"I should hope so, that was amazing"

She nodded. "Yeah, it was. We'll finish what we started when this is over, right?"

"Absolutely."

She smiled and picked up his shirt from the floor. "Then you’ll need this."

He tugged his shirt on and wiped a towel over his neck to clean up the smears of blood. "Are you up for this fight?"

"Yes. I feel good. I won’t be hunting anymore Striga tonight," she replied with a grin.

"You know I love you, right?"

She looked up through her thick lashes and kissed him gently. "I know."

"Good, now let's go figure out how to close those Gates."

Nico held Abby's hand as they made their way through the melee. The knot of dread in her gut grew tighter with every step they took. Nico doubled over coughing. Abby stopped, waiting for him to catch his breath. "Can you keep going?"

"Yes. We aren't stopping until we close this thing."

She pressed forward without looking back. Abby’s steps faltered as the earth quaked beneath her. She held her arms out to the sides to help steady herself and even had to crouch down as the ground heaved up jutting her two feet higher than the rest of the landscape around her. The closer she moved to the center of the graveyard the hotter the air got. It was sweltering, she gave a glance back at Nico who was wiping sweat from his brow. A dust devil whipped past them and brought with it a thicker, heavier air than before. Struggling to put one foot in front of the other Abby reached back to grip Nico’s hand helping him along as best she could. "We must be close."

There was a howl not far from them and someone chanting a spell. Abby froze. If Rosa was summoning something else they'd all be in a world of hurt. She looked back at Nico and the fear must have shown on her face, he shook his head and shouted over the wind, "It's Meri, she's trying to contain Lobo."

“What do you mean, contain him?”

Nico surveyed their path while calling out. “I’ll explain later. He’s no normal shifter.”

Abby paused, mulling that revelation over in her head and cursing herself for her naivety. Later she’d find out what it meant that he wasn’t a normal shifter, in this moment her focus couldn’t be lost on her allies especially if Meri had it under control. There were bigger things to worry about. She would have faith that everyone else could manage their roles without her and Nico overseeing everything they did. She squinted and could see the opening. "Nico, straight ahead. About a hundred yards or so."

"I see it. We've got to close it."

Abby looked at the hordes of demons still swarming the cemetery grounds. "How?"

"No idea." He grunted and stomped on a mangled demon squirming towards them.

"Nothing?"

"Nope, gonna have to improvise." Nico crouched down and Abby followed suit.

She called out, "I don't like the sound of that."

He grabbed her arm. Yanking her to the side and pinning her behind a tree. She was about to protest but Nico pointed towards the glow of the entrance. Four silhouettes stood in stark contrast to the firelight behind them. Each of them mounted on giant steeds. The first was white, then red, next was black, and at the back of the procession came a pale horse. No color could describe it, the best Abby could compare it to was a pale yellow like the light of the moon. Each time the Beasts’ hooves struck the ground sparks flew causing a shiver to run down Abby's spine. "Is that who I think it is?"

Nico's eyes were the size of saucers. "The Horsemen."

“As in the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?”

Nico nodded. “That means the first four seals have been broken.”

Abby’s brow drew together in a hard line. “Me dying broke all four seals just like Jack said it would.”

His face darkened. “It looks that way, but according to the book of Revelations they were broken by the Lamb, not by humans or demons.”

Abby’s voice quivered, "What do we do?"

Nico shook his head. He was silent, simply observing the newest spectacle. The horsemen made a show of their arrival. Everything on the battlefield had stopped. Everyone stood in awe of their power, horrible as it was, the air was thick with magick. It was laced with fear that seeped so deep into Abby’s bones she wanted to run and hide. The steeds pawed at the ground any time their riders stopped their slow cantor. The closer they came the more details Abby could make out. Two were male, two female, all of them radiating power. They held their heads high, scouting the scene, as if they were above this battle. And Abby imagined that their interests were held by something far beyond the skirmish that lay before them. After all, these were the bringers of death and doom. Not a sound was made by anyone, even the demons seemed to feel the wave of fear that the Horsemen produced. In the distance the Wolfman had stopped howling and whatever spells Meri had been casting fell silent as well.

The rider on the white horse held a bow, she kept a black arrow notched as she scanned the battle field. Her blond hair whipped wildly in the breeze. On her back was a brass quiver. Even in the low ambient light of the flames Abby could see it’s brilliant color. The red rider reached back to grip the hilt of the giant sword strapped to his back as his blood-colored steed whinnied and pawed at the ground. His features were sharp and dark giving the distinct impression that no one, not even an immortal, should dare challenge him. Next in the procession was the Black Rider. She was stunning with long black hair, shiny armor, and a pair of golden scales gripped in her right hand. When the earth trembled once more the last Rider came into full view on his pale horse. Unlike the others he wore a full helm to cover his head, he carried a scythe that looked too large to actually wield and a pack of wild beasts surrounded his mount.

No one stood in their way as if the four Horsemen had willed everyone to let them pass. Abby ground her teeth and clenched her fists. They couldn't just get away, they had to be stopped. She started to move but someone gripped her shoulder. Both Nico and Abby spun around to see Jack standing behind them.

He kept his voice low. "Don't go after them."

"But why not?" She demanded.

Jack cast a glance at the Horsemen and then back to Abby. "That's what they want. They want to lure you out and keep you from closing the Gate. If it closes before the full army can emerge then they’re stuck with only the troops they have here right now. You have to close the Gate, don't take the bait."

Abby's cheeks grew hot. The words left unspoken were
don't take the bait like last time. Don't get us all killed like you got Lucas killed.

Jack shook his head. "You know I would never think or say that, Abby."

She cursed. "Stop reading my mind." An instant flood of guilt hit her, if she hadn't taken the bait and gotten Lucas killed than Chloe wouldn't have killed herself and none of this would be happening.

Jack paled. "What did you just...Chloe killed herself?" He looked as if he'd walked over his own grave. "No."

Now she felt even worse, she should have known he'd still be in her head. "Jack, I'm sorry."

"No, it's not true. Chloe isn't dead, she wouldn't take her own life no matter what." He wiped his hand over his face after taking a few deep breaths. "Just stay here and get the Gate closed as soon as they are gone."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm gonna say hello to some old friends."

Nico reached out and grabbed Jack's arm before he could leave. "How do we close the Gate?"

"You’ll figure it out. Just look inside yourself."

"Cut the fortune teller bullshit and just tell us how to do it."

"Can't, brother. Them's the rules. You'll figure it out. Just go when it's clear." Without another word he stepped out onto the path in front of the horsemen. "Kruger, Diana, Cassius, Nona. Long time no see."

The Black Rider spoke as she nudged her way to the front of the line. Her beauty faded like a mask being melted away until her face was pale with black eyes and an oozing pattern tattooed on her face that made it look like her eyes, nose, and mouth were bleeding black blood. "John the Prophet," her tone was flat, "Shouldn't you be enjoying your eternal slumber in heaven?"

"You know I was denied."

She cackled. "Oh yes, that's right. You defied your maker and for what, an empty vessel? Tell us, Prophet, was she worth it?"

Jack was shaking, but his voice stayed calm, "Yes."

"Well, then, what a pity for you that she's gone."

He sucked in a sharp breath. "How did you know that?"

"Oh, old friend, I know many things."

Jack shook his head. "Why are you here, Diana?"

"To share my gifts with the world, John of Patmos. Why are you here?"

"To stop you."

The Pale Rider moved his horse a step closer. He removed his helmet and to Abby's shock the man was identical to Jack. Handsome and rugged, but his eyes were black and his voice made the earth rumble. "You cannot stop us, brother. I don't have time for your distractions tonight, but I promise you this, you will die by the end of this war."

"Then what are you waiting for, Kruger? Kill me and end it now."

"It’s not your time," the White Rider chimed in.

"Oh shut up, Nona."

The woman sneered at him. She changed from beautiful and radiant to a living nightmare before their eyes. The small amounts of skin exposed by her armor started rotting and sores began to puss and ooze all over her face. Even her smile was putrid; her cracked and blistered lips bled as they curled up in a Cheshire Cat grin. "Bitter, John? Or do we call you Jack now?"

"It’s Jack now, you sickness-infested bitch." He turned back to his brother and narrowed his eyes. "If you aren't going to kill me then what's keeping you on this side of the Gate?"

"Like Famine said, we aren't here for you... Yet. We are here to bless this world with our gifts."

Abby bristled. What did that even mean? Without another word all four horsemen kicked their horses and took off in a thunderous rush. Diana, Famine headed south. Kruger and his pack of wild animals, who Abby fingered as Death from the rot that seemed to follow his trail headed north. The other female Nona, Pestilence, and her horse took off towards the west. And lastly the silent man who had to be Cassius, aka the horseman of War, went east.

Without Jack having to give any direction, the factions started to split in hot pursuit of the Horsemen. Now was Abby's chance. She took off towards the opening of the Gate in a dead run, racking her brain trying to figure out just how she was going to close the entrance to Hell.

Abby was only a football fields’ length from the gaping maw of the Gate, she could hear Nico right behind her thanks to demons sprouting up along the way and slowing her down. They were so close. Their goal was almost reachable. She had to do this, she had to figure out how to close the damn Gate and save everyone she cared about. Still nothing was coming to mind. The Gates were made of stone and had to be at least thirty feet high, god only knew how thick they were. Clearly just pushing them closed wasn't going to do the trick.

"Any ideas, Nico?" she shouted.

She heard a brief grumble in response that she took to mean no. They kept running, closing in on their goal. Halfway there another tremor hit. Nico shouted something but Abby couldn't hear anything over the roar that was coming from the other side of the Gate.

Fireballs rained down from the heavens. Scorching the earth and setting anything they touched ablaze. Screams echoed from the town. The demons were making their way further from the cemetery. Abby’s stomach clinched. She had to stop this.

Nico caught up to her. He brought his finger to his mouth to shush her and pointed toward the entrance. Something new was coming out, something big. She gave an exasperated sigh. “What now?” Her words trailed off, she blinked trying to make out what or who it was. The fires of Hell lit up the backdrop and slowly another creature emerged. This one bigger than any of the Horsemen. A single, solitary man.

No, it wasn't a man, it was a beast. It stood taller than any human she’d ever seen. Given the distance and his size she guessed he’d have to be close to nine feet tall. As he came into full view Abby gasped. His height was the least of her concerns. She expected something human looking by the shape of his silhouette, but his horrific form was more like something from a nightmare. Ten large horns jutted out from its lion-like head, with legs of a goat that seemed to spark when each hoof struck the ground like the horses that came out before him. The fire glowing in the entrance wasn't so much around him as it was radiating from him.

She swallowed hard, the smell of sulfur stung her nose and she had to remind herself there was no need to breathe. Nico, on the other hand was having a harder time of it. He was gagging and coughing as his eyes watered.

"How is this even possible?” Abby whispered to herself.

Jack approached the Beast head on. He didn't seem surprised or rattled to see the monster. His arm stretched back to his shoulder with his hand resting on the butt of a rifle that was holstered on his back, but he made no attempt to hide it. "Go back in your hole, Gregor. It's not your time."

"Mortal time means nothing to me."

"You can't win, go back and tell your master this ends now."

"I can't win..." he paused for a moment, "And yet, it feels like I am already winning. You can't kill me until I gain a mortal shell. And that's not all I have up my sleeve."

Abby rolled her eyes and she was pretty sure Jack did the same, but he kept his cool. "I'm not taking your bait." He pulled the rifle off his back and took aim.

The Beast roared. "John the Ageless is going to kill me with a mortal weapon? How quaint." His voice lowered, "You know it won't work, don't bother with this dog and pony show for your followers. They might still respect you if you turn tail and run right now."