Original Sin

Chapter 25

Hailey awoke wrapped in a warm blanket. The fluffy down was scratching against her face a bit, but she dared not move. It could simply be a wonderful dream again. She hardly remembered the previous days, so full of cold and hungry mornings with a clinically insane angel breathing down her neck. Alex's perpetual kisses and protective nature made sure those memories were deeply buried and locked away. Because of such memories, Hailey knew she would never be the same again.

Gradually, she sat up in the crude bed they'd made out of spare blankets and rubber mats. This place was far below standard in every way possible, but it was safe and secure. The downy comforter slid from Hailey's body, letting a chill waft in to replace the warmth. A ray of sunlight founds its way through the unruly blinds and ripped curtains. Hailey wished it would go away; the mornings were hardly something she enjoyed.

They camped further south of Mount Ararat, along the coast of the Mediterranean. Demons seemed to flow in from every corner of the world, heeding Alex's call. Hailey pulled up the blanket again as she walked to the window, peering out the training part of the compound. She caught sight of him screaming at one of the new demon recruits, a recent fallen angel by the looks of it; the poor boy still had charred remnants of wings left on his back. Yet, Alex did not let up his training. He struck the poor boy down with an easily defensible blow to the side. The boy needed to learn the basics of self-defense, and they didn't really have much time to teach that and prep him for a grueling battle with Michael's monsters. 

Hailey sighed. She was proud of the man Alex had become, standing up to his duty as "Lucifer", the deliverer of souls. He was a natural born leader, probably why God hated to lose him so much. But even leaders need a strong companion beside them. Alex used to say that Hailey was what kept him sane, grounded, safe. 

Safe...I should be the one saying that to him, Hailey thought. 

They couldn't afford to be lenient now. Michael's entire army was ready while they were still recruiting demons to fight. Hailey felt sorry that so many were going to die as a mere distraction, keeping Michael's eyes fixed solely on the battlefield while she and Alex quietly opened the gate.

Hailey didn't realize she'd been staring this whole time. Alex's eyes caught sight of her and smirked with an adorable, playful look. She turned away from the window before her face could get any redder.

Of course, the second she turned around Alex was already there, still smirking. Sometimes she wished angels would learn to knock, then realized it just wasn't in his nature to respect privacy. He already knew everything about her, so what was left to hide behind closed doors?

That smirk was infectious, and Hailey caught herself grinning from ear to ear, laughing, even though she didn't know why.

"I'm not sure what's so funny, love. That recruit got his ass kicked, after all," Alex managed to say through a fit of laughter.

Hailey said nothing but embraced her husband in a laughable hug. The blanket fell into a puddle at her ankles. She didn't care. Perhaps it was this inconceivable situation they found themselves in, or the warmer, happier weather they were having, that made Hailey's spirit feel light and her body sink into his arms and chest like a giggly, love struck teenager.

But, more likely, she just finally figured out this is where she belonged.

"Are you feeling better?" Alex's voice had calmed to his normal, deep tone. 

"Yes, I think so," Hailey replied propping her chin on his muscular chest. She studied his face now, noticing how much more rigid it appeared from this angle. God definitely took his time on this one, Hailey thought.

"You know it's coming soon, right?"

Hailey cocked her head at Alex's query, not sure what he meant. A lot was coming soon.

"I mean..." Alex's voice trailed off. He seemed to be looking far away. Whatever it was, knew it was a sad thought. "I mean our deaths. We won't walk away from this alive, not this time."

She did know what to say at first. Truthfully, she'd accepted the fact that they would both die for this a long time ago, but had it really sunk in? No. In fact, she'd been enjoying the short new life granted to them. The memory of when they agreed to die together for the cause was slowly coming back to the foreground.

"It's okay, love. You don't have to say anything." Alex's voice was heavy with emotion. Clearly, he'd been carrying this with a heavier heart than she had. How long has he been like this? Hailey couldn't help but wonder.

Alex pulled back from the long embrace they shared. He reached into his back pocket and retrieved a simple object strung on a thin, black ribbon. The circular pendant looked handmade, old, filled with black metallic paint and a red crucifix in the center. But the back...

Hailey gasped as she turned the necklace over in her palm. The back was also black, but instead of a crucifix or bible verse, as she expected, it contained a red set of wings, with a pair of horns and halo in the center. It was Lucifer's long-held insignia. Alex wanted her to wear it.

"I made this a while ago, but when we started drifting apart, I couldn't find the right time to give it to you," Alex explained, taking the necklace in his hands.

Hailey swept the long, blond hair away from her neck so Alex could tie the ribbon flush around it. When she looked in the mirror across the room, it was as though he'd marked her somehow, finally "put a ring on it", as most young ladies said nowadays. The black and red was easily noticeable on her pale, naked flesh; no one would miss it. Not even Michael would pass over it without looking again.

Like every couple, this was a symbol of their eternal love and devotion to each other. However, Hailey's symbol implied a far more powerful force than any normal human girl could ever dream of.

Alex stood behind her, eyeing her reflection in the mirror with desire that burned brightly. Hailey hadn't had time to put clothes on. The image in the mirror was erotic, passionate. Her breath sped up. Gently, Alex put both hands on her shoulders and caressed down the length of her arms. His lips played with the delicate flesh at the junction of her neck and collarbone. A low growl erupted from within his soul, shaking Hailey's body.

"You look good in that necklace, love," Alex mumbled into her skin.

"You aren't even looking," Hailey replied, her voice straining from the tingling sensations coursing through her.

"I don't really need to." Alex spun her around and kissed her passionately.

Hailey, feeling daring, pulled away, taking his bottom lip along with her. "You're playing with fire, love. I wouldn't do that if I were you. Might wake up a beast," Alex grumbled, clearly turned-on by her sudden and rather forward actions. His dark, slightly fiery eyes stared her down and refused to break away.

But life doesn't stop for love.

In a rush of wind, Gabriel entered the room, the door swinging on its hinges. Alex's growl could probably be heard from across the compound. His grip on Hailey's arms tightened as he turned around, his back to Gabriel, shielding her from the sight of an unwanted intruder. Hailey bit her lip, genuinely fearing for Gabriel's life at the moment.

"There had better be a damn good reason for this interruption!" Alex roared.

"Well sorry for interrupting your sexual escapades," Gabriel retorted, "but perhaps you'd like to see the raging horde of monsters at the edge of camp?"

Hailey and Alex exchanged a worried look before grabbing a spare blanket from the floor and darting to the window. At the camp gates, rattling the barbed chains and digging in the dirt like rabid animals, were at least several thousand humans-turned-monsters. Leading them, soaring through the air on pale blue wings, was Michael. He stuck his chain out proudly. He acted as though he already owned everything on the earth, as though he was untouchable.

Alex placed his hand in Hailey's and squeezed it tightly. The war has finally begun. 

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