Black Wings

Chapter 25

"And there's still no sign of her. Somehow she's gone completely off the radar." I explained to Rachel a few days after Raphael's attack.

I hadn't seen her since and she was going out of her mind with worry. Even more so when I came back with Gabriel instead of Rina. I explained everything to her as she sat wide eyed, tears streaking her face. When I finished she buried her face in her hands.

"Oh god, I shouldn't have listened to her. I should have told you." She mumbled.

"Tell Michael what?" Gabriel questioned.

"Rina's half demon. I think I know where she is. I didn't think Rina would go to Hell. I knew there was something she wasn't telling me."

"Rina's what?" I stood dumbfounded.

"If only we had known." Gabriel said.

"We did." I growled. "The books, Carver's books. That bastard knew but he didn't say anything."

"Wouldn't that mess everything up?" Rachel questioned.

"Yes, but we wouldn't be in this situation!"

"You guys might want to see this." Jason called from the living room.

Gabriel and I hovered behind the couch, while Rachel went to sit next to her parents. The news was on, butthe story was far from normal.

"So, Jen, back to that shocking and bizarre headline."

"Yes, Mich, all over the world, murders, rapists, and other people convicted of unforgivable crimes are dying suddenly. Some are killed horribly and others show no signs of anything being wrong."

"Like they just dropped dead?"

"Yes, Mich. But it's been confirmed that all of these people died from murder. At each killing, the words 'Long live the Queen' have been found. The question is, how could all these people be dying simultaneously and there be no suspects. Could this be a new cult?"

"I don't know, Jen. But crime all over the world has dropped substantially. Who is this Queen? And should we be thanking her or should we be afraid? More tonight at six."

They went on to a local story about a panda at the zoo. The tv was switched off, leaving us in silence.

"I know you're dealing with other promblems, but seems to be something in your wheelhouse." Jason addressed us.

"'Long live the Queen'? What Queen?" Gabriel pondered.

"Michael, who's the queen of Hell?" Rachel asked.

"Lilith is the ruler of Hell, so I guess you could call her the queen."

"Michael, Lilith is Rina's mother. Those words could mean Lilith or Rina."

"Damn, and it's certainly not Lilith. This is not the Rina we knew."

"Maybe she doesn't have a choice." Amy said sadly. "The poor child, from everything I've heard, she probably feels like she has no other option."

"Don't worry mom, we'll bring her home." Rachel comforted her.

Gabriel and I looked at each other. We both knew bringing Rina home might not be an option, but we didn't want to tell them. The day was quiet and sullen. It seemed as if the whole world had become sad. But the news suddenly interrupted normal television around noon.

"We have breaking news on the worldwide murders, Mich."

"Really?"

"Yes, there's been a change in the message left with the murders. We have a picture of the latest message here."