Final Redemption: The Chosen Chronicles

Swelter

The Guardians: UnderCity

Abroad

(with Amelia Cole)

The Chosen Chronicles:

Risen

and

Bloodlines

Prologue

She didn’t feel pain as she drew the razored edge of the blade against her hand. A line of crimson was left behind as dark blood began to pool in her palm. Stepping forward, Angie placed her blood-soaked hand on the rough rock and jagged wall. A few moments later she pulled back her hand, leaving a red print against the reddish-brown rock. To her amazement, the handprint slowly disappeared, absorbing into the wall.

Stepping away, she lifted her arms high and threw her head back. A low rumbling chant slipped past her lips. On her right side stood Lilith and to her left Kali, her mother. Angie’s midnight black wings stretched to her sides. She could feel each little breeze, grain of dust, or change in the atmosphere in each feather. It was no surprise when she felt the Earth begin to surge with energy. The power was addicting and a touch overwhelming. She continued, reveling in the high she felt.

Very good, my daughter, Kali crooned. Angie ignored her and concentrated on the words of her chant. If she could not fully focus on what she was doing, then everything they’d been through would be for naught.

The ground gave a low groan of protest and trembled beneath her feet, but she stood firm. Finally, the wall in front of them hissed and began to split.

Angie cleared her throat and began to speak.

"Iter! Egredere, et vocet te. Ego vocare te. Ego vocare te." The Latin rolled off her tongue as if it were her primary language. She clapped her hands in front of her once, and the sound rumbled like thunder, echoing through the valley around them. The towering walls that surrounded them trembled.

She repeated the incantation in English, her voice strong and clear. Open! Come forth, I summon you. I summon you. I summon you.

Slowly, she pulled her hands apart, and the crack began to widen. The further she opened her hands the wider the fissure grew. As she pulled the walls apart, sweat began to bead on her forehead. She was using more energy than she’d ever felt before. Her arms were growing tired, and she was starting to pant with the exertion. Sheer determination was what pushed her further. With her arms finally stretched out to her sides, Angie stared into the yawning black void in front of her. Wisps of thick black steam snaked out of the darkness, slithering across the ground, and curling around her legs.

Come forth, Angie demanded. You are free. Seven misty shapes drifted forward.

What year is this? One of the shapes hissed. To Angie’s ears, it sounded like the disembodied voice was coming out of a synthesizer. She wasn’t overly sure which of the seven were speaking. It seemed like each one spoke a different word to complete the question.

Two thousand and twelve.

We’ve been asleep for over a millennium, they said. Suddenly the air around them crackled with tension as they turned towards Kali. Ah, Kali, it’s so good to see you again, they hissed.

Kali stepped forward and reverently bowed at the waist in front of them. It is good to see you as well.

You’re feeling anxious, they observed as they drifted closer, creating a tight circle around her. It seemed like they were humming with excitement as they drew closer.

Angie watched as her mother’s face blanched.

It’s been a long time. Surely long enough to heal any grievances you harbored for me, Kali stammered anxiously as she tried to back away. She stopped abruptly when her back collided with a shape. How could ghostlike figures feel solid?

Do you know the funny thing about being trapped inside of a rock wall for one thousand years? The voices began to rise in anger, and Angie stepped closer, unable to take her eyes from the petrified look on her mother’s face. She found pleasure in her mother’s terror as the anger danced heavily around them. Her gaze darted to Lilith, who watched with eager anticipation as an evil smile tilted her lips.

W-what is that? Kali whispered.

We’ve had plenty of time to think about revenge, they hissed.

A warm breeze began to swirl little tornadoes of dust around them. Somewhere in the distance thunder rumbled. Angie’s short hair was lifted around her head. Tiny hairs on her arms prickled and stood on end. Intense waves of anger pulsed through the circle, forcing her to take a staggering step back. Her heels wobbled on the rocky and uneven ground.

I’m sorry, Kali simpered as she collapsed to her knees. Lilith stepped forward as if to soothe the woman, but was stopped short.

Surely you know Kali only did what she thought best, Lilith said flippantly, it was a weak attempt at standing up for her daughter, and everyone knew it. It was at that moment that Angie realized that Lilith had no intentions of protecting or even saving Kali.

You know as well as we do, Lilith, that we do not like being controlled.

She was careless, with misguided intentions.

You were betrayed, just as we were, and that betrayal shall be rectified.

Lilith didn’t protest further, she just stepped away from her sobbing daughter.

Slowly the shadows crept forward, and a shrill cry erupted from Kali’s throat. Angie watched in fascination as the shadows enveloped her mother. Four shadows passed between her lips, smothering her scream and disappearing into the void of her. Instantly her hands grasped at her throat, clawing deep gashes into her skin. Her face turned a putrid shade of purple as her eyes bulged and turned black. One shadow slithered into Kali’s nose, and the other two entered each ear. The surface of Kali’s skin began to crawl as the shadows moved within her. Furiously she dug into her arms and face, her nails raking deeply into her exposed skin. Black blood oozed from the cuts and dripped like thick sludge onto the dry dirt.

She reached out for Angie, but Angie stepped aside. Kali fell to the ground, writhing in pain as the shadows wreaked havoc from inside her body. Black sludge began to ooze from her nose and mouth as a choking sound gurgled up from her throat.

Instinctively, Angie backed further away, Lilith following her. They ducked behind a massive boulder as Kali’s scream sliced through the desert. Her shrill cries were quickly silenced by a loud pop.

Once everything had stilled, Lilith and Angie emerged from their shelter. The ground and the rock wall dripped with Kali’s black blood, the only thing remaining of her. Lilith carelessly walked through puddles of her daughter’s remains. Welcome home my lovelies, she cooed, stretching out her arms as the floating mists swirled around her.

We are going to have so much fun, they rasped as they caressed her.

Angie stepped forward and smiled. One of the shadows moved away from the group and floated in front of her. She could hear a low humming sound coming from somewhere inside its shapelessness.

There is much anger in you, but you are stronger than most humans, the voice purred.

That’s because she’s not completely human. She’s half-angel, and half-human with a large dose of my blood running her veins. Lilith wrapped her arms around Angie’s shoulders and gave her a tight squeeze.

She’s just recently fully embraced her true side.

She’s of mixed blood?

Lilith nodded. She was.

Angie was more than a little annoyed by the fact they were talking about her as if she weren’t there.

That is most interesting, the shape said drifting closer still, Normally we would take over our host without consent, but since you released us I am asking. Will you host me?

Without hesitation, Angie nodded. The shadow swooped downward, encircling her in a black whirlwind. She held out her hand, and the mist passed through her fingers like sifting sand.

Relax your mind and body and this will be relatively painless.

Angie did as she was told and soon the shadow enveloped her completely. Her body grew cold on the outside, but a raging furnace sprang to life beneath her skin. She collapsed to her hands and knees, gasping for air. Her lungs burned, and her mind throbbed.

I . . . can’t . . . do this, she wheezed. She clutched at the sand and gravel, arching her back as the mist entered through her nose and mouth, just as it had with Kali. Her wings sprang from her back but did nothing to protect her. The urge to panic was rising, but she pushed it down. At first, she wanted to gag, to try to expel the noxious fumes, but the feeling passed as quickly as it had begun.

Slowly climbing to her feet, Angie dragged air into her lungs. She could feel the power climbing through every inch of her body, settling into her cells. Power raced through her like an electrical current.

Never had she felt anything more enticingly delicious. Turning to the remaining shadows, she could feel the anxious anticipation emanating from them. She knew she was still herself, but could sense increased power from the new presence within her mind.

Come now, brothers and sisters. Let us find you some bodies. Her wings snapped out behind her, and she leapt high into the sky. Maniacal laughter bubbled from her chest and erupted passed her lips.

This is going to be fun, she whispered.

Chapter 1

The breeze ruffled her wings, shifting them slightly. Silent tears tracked down her cheeks as she watched—from the safety of the unseen state—as a group of tourists walked around beneath her. From her vantage point, the top of one of the giant stones of Stonehenge, she could see for miles. The green hills rolled gently in the distance as thick white clouds floated lazily in the azure sky. The tourists snapped pictures of this and that; some clicked pictures of their friends posing in front of the monument, while others laughed and joked. The sounds of their laughter only added to Erin’s misery.

Two weeks had passed since Angie became evil, and the guilt still weighed heavily on her. She had been unable to keep her friend from losing herself and, as a result, the purest evil known to man roamed the Earth.

For some bizarre reason, most of the demonic activity had ceased, only causing Erin’s and her friends’ anxiety to ratchet up to high alert. The peacefulness fueled her suspicions and angst. Something was about to happen; she just wasn’t sure what, they had already lost two members of their family, but she knew she couldn’t bear the thought of losing someone else.

She dashed away her tears with the back of her hand as she relived the horrible day that had changed everything.

Two weeks earlier

Wait! Gabriel’s voice echoed around them.

Erin opened her eyes when the painful pressure was released from her chest. Greedily she gulped as much air in as possible, filling her sore lungs. She looked up and found Gabriel looking down at Blaze’s prone body. Blood still trickled from the wounds Kali, and Angie had inflicted. The other angels were staring at Gabriel in confusion. The leader of the Arc Angels met her gaze.

Things have just changed.

The angels allowed their hands to fall to their sides, releasing Erin’s friends from their torment. The Arcs looked at Gabriel expectantly. Gabriel’s head turned from side to side, much like a dog listening to a high pitch sound, but Erin didn’t wait to find out what was going on.

Blaze, she whispered. She crawled the short distance to his still body. Tears mingled with the blood and dirt on her face. Sobs hiccupped in her chest as she tried to fold his broken wings in against his back. Then, as gently as she could manage, she rolled him over and cradled his head in her lap. Dirt and debris stuck to the drying blood. She placed her hand over the area the sword had penetrated, knowing it was already too late to save him. His skin was already beginning to lose its warmth.

You can’t die on me, she whispered, gently rocking back and forth. Do you hear me? I need you. . . . Her tears splashed onto his forehead. She cradled his right cheek with her right hand and placed the palm of her left-hand flat on the ground, but it was no use. What little strength she had was not enough to pull the energy from the Earth.

Bring him back, she demanded angrily. Gabriel didn’t respond. Instead, he just stared down at her with a bizarre look in his eyes. The plans have changed, he repeated.

You’re not going to change anything by reliving that day. Thad’s disembodied voice had popped into her head moments before he appeared beside her. She jumped, startled by his sudden presence. Thad’s smooth Australian accent was like balm to her frayed nerves. Even though they were in the unseen state—a state that allowed them to go undetected by humans—their voices could still be heard.

You scared me, she thought softly. She laced her fingers through his and snuggled into his side.

I sensed your distress. I was worried, he replied, giving her hand a slight squeeze.

Like most Nephilim, Thad had the disturbing ability to hear her thoughts, but he was rare because he could listen to them even when their barriers were up. So, she quite literally could not hide anything from him. While it was intrusive, at times, she also found it comforting. He’d told her once before that he could typically tune everyone else’s thoughts out, but when it came to hers he couldn’t do it

He gave her hand another squeeze.

You’re sweet, but I’m okay. She took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet lemon and vanilla scent that was meant for just her.

As evident by the tear stains? He reached up and brushed one away with his thumb.

I’m fine. I’ve just been thinking about what happened, and if there was anything different that I could’ve done. She fidgeted anxiously.

You know as well as I do that there was nothing more we could’ve done. We didn’t listen when the Arcs advised us to find the seventh, and by doing so, we paid the consequences.

Erin shifted uncomfortably; she had known going against the Arcs would have consequences, but she didn’t expect the ones they’d gotten.

Feeling another tide of emotions swell within her chest, she abruptly changed the subject. Where is everyone?

Josh is attempting to cook, and the others are training. She didn’t miss how he avoided saying Angelo’s name.

I can’t help it, he thought softly, I know you still love him. It’s just going to take me some time to get used to it.

Erin picked up their linked hands and kissed the back of his. You’re right where I want to be. Yes, I still feel for him, and I’m not exactly sure how deep that goes, but I don’t have the energy to think about that. You’re the one I chose to be with, so let’s just leave it at that for now.

I know.

We’ll get there, she assured.

Thad wrapped his free arm around her waist. We need to get back and discuss what our next step should be.

Erin groaned. We’ve talked until we’re blue in the face and we can’t agree on anything.

I know, but we may have a solution. Thad said, his voice sounding hopeful.

Erin sighed and rolled her eyes. I’ll be there shortly.

He placed a soft kiss on her lips and vanished, leaving her alone with the tourists. Slowly, she climbed to her feet and brushed off the back of her shorts. When she looked back down at the ground, she saw that most of the tourists had wandered off, except for one.

A girl, not much older than herself, was standing just beneath Erin looking up at her. Her hair was twisted into sloppy twin buns on each side of her head, with bright green strands poking out in all directions. She wore a green, vintage-style t-shirt with a picture of Kermit the Frog printed on the front. Beneath her black tutu, her slender legs were clad in bright green tights with metallic streaks of silver paint splattered all over them. On her feet was a pair of clunky, untied combat boots, also covered in metallic paint splatters. Black fingerless, lace gloves adorned her small hands. The girl unwrapped a lollipop and impatiently stuck it in her mouth. Deep dimples dug into her cheeks, each boasting tiny studded dermal piercings.

Erin stared down at her for a long moment. There was no way the girl could see her, and yet it felt as if she was staring right at her with enormous almond shaped eyes. The girl looked like a Japanese anime character come to life.

I know you’re there, the girl said softly. Erin nearly fell off the stone column in shock. However she remained silent.

Show yourself, the girl demanded in the same quiet tone. Erin pushed her mind out and touched the barrier of the girl’s but found it tightly closed. Looking around, making sure any of the other tourists wouldn't see her, Erin allowed the veil to lift.

How did you know I was here? she called down to the girl.

The girl just lifted her shoulder and smiled around the sucker in her mouth. Why are you perched on top of a rock like a big bird? she countered.

Did you just call me Big Bird?

She rolled her eyes. No, I said ‘like a big bird. Huge difference.

Who are you? Erin asked, clearly ignoring the girl’s question. Slowly she rotated her shoulders, making her wings disappear.

Lucy.

Lucy, how did you know I was up here?

Again, she just lifted her shoulder. I’ve been around your kind before. She removed something from the lime green fanny pack at her hip. She uncoiled the wires and stuck one of the tiny buds into her ear.

But how?

Why are you crying?

It’s rude to answer a question with another question, Erin pointed out.

Never said I was polite, did I? Lucy shot back.

Touché, she relented.

So, what’s your deal? Lucy pressed. Just had a tough time, Erin answered.

"We all have tough times, grow up and deal with it."

That’s harsh for someone you’ve never met, Erin said as she frowned down at Lucy.

Lucy shrugged again. If it weren’t true you wouldn’t be offended right now, she replied simply.

People need to sack up and deal with their issues.

You don’t know anything about my issues, Erin fired back.

Nor do I want to. I’m just speak’n my mind.

That’s not always a good thing, you know?

Does it really look like I care? Her bright pink lips twitched upwards into a mischievous smile as she arched a dark, perfectly shaped eyebrow.

Erin wasn’t sure if she liked the girl or not. Her attitude was borderline belligerent, but at the same time, she found herself admiring Lucy’s ability to speak her mind so easily.

I think you should move on and deal. The tone of her voice wasn’t unkind; in fact, it was dripping with witty sarcasm.

I don’t remember asking what you think.

Lucy’s smile broadened. Now who’s being harsh?

Moving on isn’t that easy.

Lucy rolled her eyes heavenward. Let me guess. You’ve found yourself in a very unsettling love triangle. There’s the old lover, ever loyal and true, your first love, yada. Then there is the second one. This one is different, and you can’t understand why you’re attracted to him, but you are. You’ve made your decision on which one to be with, and now you’re second-guessing if you made the right choice. Am I getting close? Lucy’s hazel eyes sparkled up at Erin, who stood in slack-jawed wonder.

How did you know?

Lucy giggled. I just saw it on some cheesy movie the other day, thought I’d take a shot.

Erin frowned in response.

Lucy pulled the sucker from her mouth and pursed her lips. Listen, life’s not easy, but why worry about what has already been when you have what’s to come to look forward to? You cannot add another day to your life by worrying, so why do it? Whatever happened, happened. Deal and move on because you’re not doing anyone, including yourself, any good. You’ve already made your decision so, stick with it.

That worrying part is from the Bible, Erin said absently.

Lucy nodded and smiled. Sure is. She placed the other earbud in her ear and spun around. Erin called out to her, but she didn’t respond; instead, the girl just skipped off and joined the waiting group.

She watched as Lucy climbed into the van, still puzzled by her.

Erin, are you coming home? Josh’s sudden voice caused her to yelp.

What the hell? I swear I am going to install an electric fence around my mind if one more person jumps inside my head.

Sorry, came Josh’s errant reply.

I’ll be there in a few minutes; she sighed wearily.

Ok. Erin felt Josh slip from her mind and then she slammed all the barriers closed. Alone once again, she looked to where the van had disappeared, leaving only a cloud of dust behind. She couldn’t help feeling that it wouldn’t be the last time she saw Lucy.

She closed her eyes and focused on their new home. The hair on her arms stood on end, and her skin tingled. Then she vanished.

Chapter 2

Erin appeared in her room at their new home. She couldn’t really call it a house because in the traditional sense it was the farthest thing from a house. However, she did consider it home, even after a few short weeks. Thanks to Sable—being the paranoid Nephilim that he is—their new place resided in the base of a dead volcano. From the outside, the volcano appeared to be nothing but an anomaly in the middle of the ocean. Its rugged exterior and dangerous tidewater around the base made it impossible to approach by boat.

Apparently, Sable had been working for a few hundred years to make it livable ‘just in case of an emergency’ he’d said. At first, he’d done most of the work himself, but when Daemon stole his powers, he’d been forced to hire people to do it. Once finished with their job, Josh used his mind cleaning abilities and erased all the construction worker’s memories of ever having been there.

There were three levels in total. The first was used as training grounds. It resembled the training field on what used to be their island. In fact, except for the three-thousand-foot-high rock walls surrounding them, it was almost identical. The primary source of light for this level came from the football field-sized mouth of the volcano. Thanks to the tropical climate of the region, lush vegetation carpeted the ground. Flowers bloomed and filled the air with their fragrant aroma. Even a small forest was beginning to take root as a copse of trees began to form and spread. Moisture from the many storms created enough fresh water to sustain the environment. The water that wasn’t used by the plants was run through an intricate filtering system and stored in holding tanks on the bottom level.

The second level was the living quarters; all carved out of stone and consisting of six bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a weapons room. Each room was sparsely decorated and contained only the necessities and basic furniture. Attached to the kitchen was a dining area. However, it was used kind of like a war room.

The third level was the heart of the whole system. It was where the six enormous generators were housed, as well as the plumbing system. Once every couple of months the generators had to be refueled, and sometimes the water tanks had to be replenished.

Upon arriving at the volcano, each one of the Nephilim placed their wards around the exterior and the interior. With them combined, the island was invisible to the evil eye and knowing that made Erin relax a little more.

I’m home, she announced kinetically. She got a few grunted responses before rolling her eyes. It really did suck being the only woman in a house full of men.

Quickly she changed out of her shorts and into her training gear, consisting of black yoga pants and a black tank top. She gathered her hair into a ponytail and then wound it into a knot on top of her head. On her way out of her room, her stomach rumbled loudly, reminding her that it had been several hours since she’d last eaten. Nephilim had a rapid metabolism, and due to the usage of their power, they had to constantly eat.

She made her way to the kitchen and frowned when the smell of something burning reached her nose. What in the hell are you doing in here, Josh? She asked as she hopped up and sat on the counter.

He looked at her, clearly puzzled. I’m cooking. What does it look like I’m doing? He asked as he held up the spatula.

It looks like you are killing the grilled cheese. I’m fairly certain it’s not supposed to be blackened.

It’s Cajun. He lifted it from the pan and plopped it onto a plate. He then placed the pan beside the enormous pile of dishes in the sink. For some reason, Josh had decided to quit wearing his hair in a Mohawk. Still keeping the sides buzzed, he chose to pull his shoulder-length black hair back in a ponytail. He still wore his spiked wrist cuffs, but the rest of the hardware had vanished. Today, he was sporting a pair of loose-fitting cargo pants that sat on his lean hips instead of below his butt, and a white tank top that showed off the snake tattoo curling up his right arm.

Whose turn is it to do dishes? Erin asked, eyeing the crusting stack.

Josh shrugged as he took a bite. She laughed when he grimaced. Cajun style doesn’t taste so great huh?

He walked over to the trashcan and spat into the bag. Not so much. He pulled an energy drink from the fridge and popped the top. After taking a long drink, he propped a hip against the counter and looked at her. Where’ve you been?

She just shrugged. Had to get out for a while.

You okay?

Josh’s concern touched her. It seemed that somewhere along the line, a friendship had finally taken root. More than likely, it had started when they’d been forced to fight an original demon together.

I’ll be fine, she muttered. I’ve been listening to the scanners and the news. Nothing unusual has happened so far. It’s like they disappeared.

We’ll find her, Erin said placing her hand on top of his and giving it a comforting squeeze.

Then what, do we beg her to turn away from the ‘dark side’? I doubt that’s gonna work. Besides, Blaze tried that and look where that got him.

Josh’s anger slowly began to radiate outward. Erin grabbed him by the shoulders, forcing him to look at her. Hey, we’re going to figure this out. The angels said there is still hope.

"Yeah, they’ve been super helpful. They drop a bomb in our lap by informing us that we’re their children or grandchild in my case. They tell us we have to find some seventh chosen to keep Lilith from rising and only give us only two days to do it. Then, when we fail, they’re ready to pull the trigger, even though this whole damn thing is their fault because they couldn’t keep their celestial genitals where they belong." Josh’s face molted with anger.

"But they are giving us a second chance," she said trying to calm him down.

"To clean up their mess," he snorted.

"It doesn’t matter whose mess it is. We’ve got a second chance to fix this, and I don’t care what it takes, we’re going to get Angie back. I don’t believe, for one minute, the angels would have spared us if they didn’t think we could do this."

But with Blaze—

Just stop, she said cutting him off. We’re going to figure this out. Why don’t you go train for a while, maybe burn off some steam, yeah?

Whatever, he said, shrugging his shoulders.

The sound of his booted footsteps echoed off the stone walls as he disappeared down the hall. As she watched him go, she felt sorry for him. His world had been turned upside-down. He’d lost the most important person in his life, found out that he was some sort of cosmic mistake and then to top everything off he had a mother who couldn’t have cared less whether he was alive or dead.

Her stomach rumbled again. Heaving a heavy sigh, she jumped from the counter and removed enough stuff from the refrigerator to make a few sandwiches. After retrieving two cans of soda, she gathered the sandwiches in the other hand and walked down the hall leading back to the bedrooms. She knocked softly on one of the doors but didn’t wait for a response before pushing it open.

Brought you something to eat, she said. A warm smile greeted her.

Thanks, I’m starved.

Blaze pushed himself into a sitting position, resting his back against the headboard, but then he shifted again, unable to get completely comfortable. Erin sat the food and drinks on the nightstand and pushed some pillows behind his back.

Better? she asked.

Much. Thanks. He leaned back, and