Garden of the Gods: The Immortals Series, #3

Chapter 1

Anna watched nervously as the Russian tanks rolled through the streets of Prague. Only a decade before, she and Colin had witnessed a similar scene play out in Hungary with disastrous and deadly consequences. They didn’t want to see it happen here, but there was apparently no toleration in this Russian empire. Protestors were filling the streets to defy the Russian tanks and troops, and Colin and Anna stepped back from the swarming crowd, sure that the Russians would open fire any time now on the unarmed Czech citizens.

Those gunshots never came. They watched in astonishment as the tanks rolled to a stop and the angry Czechs climbed on top of them, but they still didn’t fire. It didn’t make any sense to Anna. They had been in Hungary in 1956. They knew what Moscow was capable of. Colin pointed to a cameraman down the street who was taking pictures of the protestors.

"The world is watching now more than ever. If they can repress this revolution without killing anyone, there’s far less risk of provoking a war with the west."

The west did nothing in 1956 or 1961. Why would they do anything now? Anna countered.

But Colin didn’t have an answer for that. "Different leader? Maybe Brezhnev will be different."

Doubt it. Besides, The Angel sent us here.

Colin pulled Anna farther away from the street as the crowd swelled and angry, defiant people continued to block the path for the invading Russian army. Some of the Russian soldiers were finally pulling the Czech protestors away from the tanks and pushing them out of the way. Anna’s heart accelerated as she waited for the bloodshed to begin.

She and Colin noticed they weren’t the only ones waiting. A few blocks down the street, she caught the signature scent of Hell walking the Earth. Colin noticed it, too. Butterscotch mists had materialized and were apparently deliberating what form to take. One of them settled on a human form; it must have decided there wasn’t enough violence here to make its job easy. Demons could be so damn lazy.

The other one finally followed its lead and took on the form of another human, keeping its butterscotch color for its hair. Anna was about to make a smartass comment about how that should be a giveaway to anyone that it wasn’t a real human when Jas pulled her even farther away from the crowd and into a building behind them. Colin was still standing on the sidewalk watching the demons impersonate people, but Anna was confused by Jas’s interference. Colin should have grabbed her hand to start chasing those bastards. Anna knew it wouldn’t take them long to reach them and kill them both because she’d lived this life before. But not with Jas.

She pulled her arm free from Jas’s grip and was about to reprimand her friend when she remembered Jas shouldn’t be here. Jas was dead. She hadn’t even been born yet. And Anna realized she was dreaming and what that meant.

Oh, God. They’re here, aren’t they?

Jas nodded toward the street. What’s going on here?

"The Soviet Union is trying to suppress a reform movement. Jas, what are you doing here?" Anna asked. She was so scared now she felt like she was suffocating.

Jas turned her bright brown eyes back toward her friend and offered her a comforting smile. Don’t worry. I found you. And Colin’s fine. Look, he’s talking to Max.

Anna looked out the window again and Colin wasn’t alone or watching those demons anymore. He was talking to Max, and he was smiling. Max laughed, and Anna’s heart felt like it was pinched tightly in her chest. God, she missed her friends so much.

"You found us. That means they were here, and they had us first. What you mean is you saved us."

Jas’s eyes sparkled and she shrugged like it was no big deal, but Anna knew she was right. These fallen angels had found her and Colin first, and Max and Jas had pulled them both out of their grasps.

How are you and Max doing this? How are you getting us back? Anna asked.

She couldn’t even begin to imagine how difficult it was to combat the most powerful creatures God had ever created.

Because they haven’t figured out how to take over your minds completely yet. They’re still experimenting, but the longer they’re left to mess around with your heads, the easier it will be to figure out how to separate you and Colin and eventually take over your minds. They’ll make sure you never wake up. Not until you’re supposed to die anyway. I can only guess they’ve figured out that’s the easiest way to kill you and Colin.

Anna felt dizzy and nauseated. She needed to sit down. Jas pulled a chair over to her, and Anna let herself wonder where the hell the chair had even come from for only a moment before sitting in it.

You and Max are finding us though. How?

Jas pulled another chair over to where Anna was sitting. Anna wondered how many mystery chairs Jas could make appear. Jas snickered and told her as many as they needed. It was just a dream, after all. Your angel, Jas told her, as she sat next to her friend and watched the streets outside with her. But mostly, Anna was still watching Colin, still making sure he was safe and that Max was with him. Colin was laughing now about something, and Max was gesturing with his hands, telling some story in that animated way of his.

She gave Max and me a couple of gifts of our own, Jas continued. I’m bound to you and Max is bound to Colin. That’s what I meant when I told you I followed you around. I get pulled back into this world when you need me, because we’re connected now. Your angel can’t bind herself to you both in the same way. More rules, I think. But we were human, so we can do it. But believe me, she wanted to. You have no idea how much that angel loves you and Colin.

Anna felt tears brimming in her eyes and she blinked them away. She was absolutely certain she’d never done anything to deserve that kind of love and loyalty from The Angel. Somehow, maybe because it was a dream or maybe because they were bound now, Jas knew what Anna was thinking again. Jas put her arm through Anna’s and made her friend look at her.

She loved you both even when you were mortals. Why do you think she came to Colin that night? And everything y’all have done for her and for Heaven since then… Anna, how can you still question why you deserve everyone’s love and respect?

Anna glanced at Colin again, partly to make sure he was still with Max and partly because she had always believed he was the one who deserved The Angel’s admiration. His love for her was so powerful, so complete, that she was sure only Heaven itself could have created it.

Jas heard that thought, too, and sighed.

Anna turned back to her friend. What’s wrong?

Jas bit her lip, embarrassed suddenly, and if she’d had Anna’s alabaster complexion instead of her smooth caramel skin, Anna was pretty sure she’d notice her blushing as well.

Jas… Anna said softly. She suspected now the source of her friend’s embarrassment.

I can’t help wondering sometimes if, when this is over, she’ll let me visit his dreams. Just once, at least. I’d like to tell him some things myself. Like how stupid we both were, thinking the other one was too good for us. It’s just different coming from me and not through another person, you know?

Anna hugged her friend because she knew exactly what she meant. You know what he said when I gave him your message? He knew it wasn’t fair to expect you to wait five hundred years for him. But that’s how much he loves you, Jas. Those years on Earth won’t change that, no matter what happens.

Jas blinked a few times and Anna was surprised that ghosts could cry. That made Anna cry, too. And then Jas laughed at how absurd their whole situation was – she’d come here to save Anna from being murdered by a fallen angel, and here they were crying over a lost love she’d never had the chance to explore. Anna just smiled and told her it wasn’t silly at all. There was nothing more powerful in Heaven or on Earth than love.

Jas was about to respond but something made her jump. And this time, Anna knew why. She felt chills breaking out along her skin. The fallen angel was back and was trying to pull her away from Jas. You need to wake up now, Anna. Oh, and tell him yes. I’d wait forever for him.

Then Anna woke up.

Colin stirred from his own dream and rolled onto his side to look at his wife. He had been busy with his own conversation with Max, which hadn’t seemed nearly as serious as the conversation she’d been having with Jas, so she told him what Jas had told her.

How long do you think I’ll have to be the liaison between Dylan and Jas? Anna asked him.

Colin smiled at her. As long as she needs you to be.

Anna smiled back at him, because as usual, he was right. She shouldn’t even be complaining considering what Max and Jas were sacrificing to do this for them. Being bound to them meant they were never really out of this world. They had to live between Heaven and Earth, and it was so incredibly unfair to them. It only made Anna angrier at these fallen angels who had made her friends choose to live in this suspended state rather than crossing over to the afterlife they’d always wanted.

Anna yawned and grabbed her phone off the nightstand to check the time. They’d gotten more sleep than she’d thought. Five straight hours was a good night for them. She yawned again and offered to make coffee. They couldn’t stay in bed anymore; falling back to sleep now would be too dangerous.

They waited until the sun had at least risen to walk the short distance to Luca’s apartment. He lived only a few apartments away from them, with Dylan sandwiched between them. Andrew had been staying with Dylan since he’d rented a two bedroom apartment in Devil’s Thumb. Max had still been alive then. But Luca lived alone, which is why the O’Conners were surprised when they heard voices from within his apartment. And then their surprise quickly evaporated when they realized one of those voices was female.

Oh, hell, let’s just leave, Colin mumbled. But he’d already knocked and they heard that strange voice getting closer.

Doesn’t matter. We can still walk away, Anna insisted.

But they didn’t have time. The door opened and a pretty brunette stood before them, wearing the same royal blue dress she had probably worn the night before, and she looked between the O’Conners and waited for them to speak. Colin decided they really should have just walked away.

Anna decided weeks of little sleep was making her impatient and cranky. Where’s Luca?

She wasn’t sure if it had come out sounding more like a question, a demand, a sigh or a little bit of each of those. Busy. Can I help you?

"May I," Anna corrected.

Colin just smiled.

We’ll wait for him, he said and he pushed past her and entered Luca’s apartment.

The woman shouted at him to get out, but Anna followed him inside.

Luca, hurry the hell up, she called. We’re supposed to be leaving in fifteen minutes!

From the bedroom, Luca called back, I’ll be ready, my sweet girl. There’s coffee in the kitchen. You sound like you need it.

Asshole, she grumbled, but she went into the kitchen to pour another mug of coffee.

Luca emerged from the bedroom looking far too rested and cheerful, and that just made Anna crankier.

He held out an arm toward the pretty brunette in the royal blue cocktail dress and introduced her to the O’Conners. Rachelle, these are my oldest friends, Colin and Anna.

The young woman crossed her arms and glared at him, and Colin tried not to laugh.

"It’s Rachel," she hissed.

Of course. Just my accent, Luca insisted, still flashing that devilish grin at her and Anna turned away from them to roll her eyes when his lie actually worked and the young woman entered his embrace and kissed him. Colin and Anna knew he could pronounce both Rachel and Rachelle perfectly well.

"Hey, he got close at least. He’s gotten the name completely wrong before," Colin said. He was still trying not to laugh at Anna who was having a hard time concealing her disapproval. "Besides, he’s alone. Not fair for us to judge."

"I’m not judging him for all the women, Colin. He could at least make the effort to learn their names first though."

Luca walked Rachel to his door, promising to call her when he got back to town, and as soon as the sound of her high heels were no longer echoing in the hallway, Anna turned on her old friend. You are so not going to call her, are you?

Luca shrugged and glanced at his watch. Still have five minutes. Told you I’d be ready in time.

You’re a pig, Anna insisted.

Luca smiled at her. And you’re mean when you don’t get enough sleep.

Anna acknowledged that was true. Another knock at Luca’s door stopped her from apologizing though. Dylan and Andrew had arrived, and Luca let them in. Anna thought Dylan looked entirely too chipper as well. Of course, everyone did these days.

Well, gang’s all here. Y’all ready? Dylan asked.

Not quite, Luca answered. Have to tell you something first. Had a dream last night. A visit from my angel.

Anna put her coffee mug down. She knew she shouldn’t say it, considering she had been kind of mean earlier, but it came out anyway. Did he show up to reprimand you for your philandering ways?

Luca actually laughed. Anna, if he had a problem with my philandering ways, I’d have been reprimanded centuries ago. He just had a message. A directive, really. About where he thinks these fallen angels might be hiding.

All of the Immortals tensed. They had gathered this morning for more practice with their gifts – Colin and Anna with their telekinesis, and Dylan with his speed and strength – but if Luca’s angel had discovered some demonic hiding place, nothing in this world was more important.

Well? Colin asked. Even thinking about the possibility of chasing these fallen angels, of getting any sort of lead on them, made that now familiar tingling sensation ripple through his fingers and arms, spreading through him with the warmth that only this tremendous power could convey. And that meant it had awakened in Anna, too.

He thinks they may be hiding in Colorado Springs, Luca told them. Forget target practice today, my friends. We’re going to the Garden of the Gods.

Chapter 2

Anna kept yawning on the drive south to Colorado Springs. Colin was driving and trying to keep her awake, mostly because he was tired, too, and needed her to keep him alert. So he reminded her that Luca’s angel visiting him in a dream to direct them to go to Garden of the Gods counted as a visit, and Luca still didn’t have this telekinetic power. That meant he won their bet by default. And Anna hated losing, so arguing about the nuances and details of their bet kept her awake.

"If he never gets