Page 11 of Providence

“She’s trapped in a repeat of her time in Purgatory,” Hope said, her voice shaky. She had the same haunted look in her face as Sera had when she’d been first dropped into my care. I wondered what this Purgatory was like, but prayed to God I never found out. “I’ll send her some good vibes, but I think you need to get Raphael back here ASAP. This would be torture for her.”

Azriel stepped toward her. “I will get him.” He looked at all the men in the room, before his eyes settled on me. “You watch her. Anything happens to my Beloved and I will tear your soul from your body and grind it to dust.”

I blinked and nodded, but that must have been enough. He disappeared with a pop in the atmospheric pressure.

Hope pressed her hand once more to Sera’s head, humming low under her breath. I couldn’t tell if it was working or not. Sera looked as still as she had moments earlier. Finally, Hope sighed and opened her eyes. She stood, rubbing her palms along her thighs.

“That should hold her for a little while,” she said softly. Then a huge smile lit up her face. “Now, who wants to introduce me to my new grandson?”

Well. That was fucking weird.

6

Serendipity

Iwas running through darkness so thick, I thought I would suffocate on my screams. In the distance, I could hear Uriel and Dalius taunting me, their voices just far enough away that I couldn’t make out their words.

I could hear the scuttling of rats fleeing as my bare feet hit the freezing slate floors. I had to find my baby. He was lost here in Purgatory too. I had to find him. I felt the tears on my cheeks turning to ice as they streaked down my face, and my body was so cold I would never be warm again. I couldn’t be here. Not again. I wouldn’t survive again.

A sob shook my chest as I bit my tongue to hold back the wail that threatened to burst from my mouth. I had to be silent. They would find me if I made noise. Then I’d never find my baby. Oh God, where was he? What if Uriel has him already?

I bit back a cry as my shoulder hit the wall, my stomach rolling as I stumbled and hit the floor. The pain of my shattered kneecaps was excruciating and I screamed, unable to hold it back any longer. I needed to keep going. Needed to get to my baby. But this hallway just kept going on and on into a black abyss so deep that I feared that if I fell, I’d never stop falling.

I sucked in a breath as I stood, and began hobbling down the hallway again. I couldn’t stop.

Up ahead, there was a spotlight of golden warmth, and I nearly wept at the sight of it. I just needed to make it to that spot and it would all be okay. My legs refused to hold me up any longer, so I fell to the floor, dragging myself along the rough stone. I could make it. I knew that golden light would save me.

As soon as my fingers brushed the brightness, my body shuddered with relief. The warmth spread through my limbs in a wave, and I couldn’t hold back the tears of relief. I dragged myself further into the light, curling in a ball beneath its rays. Yes. It was going to be okay. My baby would be safe. I couldn’t remember why, but I knew the people who had him were good. I trusted them. He was safe. I didn’t have to worry. It would be all okay.

I looked down at my body and realized my body was naked, but my pregnant stomach flared open like someone had peeled me like a banana. I was looking down at my guts, but it wasn’t there. All that was there was a golden pea in a huge empty cavity. I felt like I should be more worried about my guts being all exposed like that, it couldn’t be very sanitary, but the golden light was chasing away all my worries. All I had to do is nap here. I was safe. It would all be okay.

I must have slept, because when I woke up, I felt like I was falling. I shot upright, clutching at my banana peel stomach so nothing fell out. In front of me was a huge set of white wings, and I screamed. No. No. He found me.

He found me, and now he’d kill me. Torture me again. No. Not the rats.

The wings stepped into the light, and I sighed when I realized it wasn’t Dalius or Uriel. It was another angel, one with a sad, tired face and huge white wings. When he stepped into the light, it multiplied, spreading, until that golden light lit up every inch of the abyss. I closed my eyes because the light hurt even though it felt so good.

“Serendipity,” the Angel said softly, and I forced myself to open my eyes and look at his face, my eyes watering. He knelt before me, his beautiful white wings brushing the dirty floor beneath his feet. “It is time to go. Time to wake up. I am sorry I left you here. I did not know. I thought you would convalesce peacefully.” He opened his arms and it didn’t even occur to me that I should resist. This Angel was comforting. He was light. He would help me.

I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders, tucking my cheek into his wide, smooth chest. He pressed his cheek to the top of my head and the light contracted around me, almost as suffocating as the darkness, until I was screaming once more.

I joltedupright in the bed. Sweat poured down my face, stinging my eyes. I heaved in breaths, trying to shake off that heavy pressure on my chest. I looked up into the eyes of the sad faced Angel. He removed his hands from my stomach, and my eyes shot downwards, vague recollections of banana peels and golden beans teasing the edges of my brain.

“Serendipity. I am Raphael. You must rest, but you will be okay now.” With one more sad look that I didn’t understand, he disappeared.

It was then I realized that the room was full of people. Marco, as well as the kids. Hope and Azriel. My heart stuttered at the sight of the former Angel of Death before logic kicked in and focused on the ‘former’ part of that title. Solomon and Cain were so close to the foot of the bed, I could have reached out and touched them. Judas was by the door, his heavy gaze tracing my face.

Goliath was in the corner of the room, slightly turned from me, a gun hanging heavily by his side. As if he felt my eyes on him, he turned slightly, and a weird happy sob slipped from my lips. Cradled to his chest was a baby. My baby.

Goliath tucked his gun into the back of his jeans and walked toward me. My eyes were riveted on my perfect baby. He placed him gently into my arms and my heart felt like it was going to explode. I tucked that tiny, sweet smelling baby to my chest, and when a drop of water landed on his head, I realized I was crying. He looked up at me with his big eyes, so like mine, and I didn’t think I could love another being the way I loved him right in this moment. It was a terrifying, hopeful ache in my soul.

He was in a tiny onesie, and one of the guys must have cut a slit out of the back for his wings. Perfectly feathered miniature wings, the purest white, tipped with pale blue. They should be impossible. Hell, he should be an impossibility. But there he was, in my arms.

“Hey baby. You are just so beautiful.” I don’t know how I knew he was a boy. I just knew. I looked up at Goliath, the look in his eyes completely unreadable. I gave him a watery smile. “You looked after him. Protected him for me.”

His jaw flexed. “I gave you my word.” His face was unreadable, but I saw the hint of something softer in his eyes when they slid to the baby.

I reached over, and gripped his fingers. He startled like I’d electrocuted him. His tongue darted out and ran over his lower lip. Then he swallowed hard, turned away and left the room. My eyes followed him until he was gone, briefly touching on a frowning Judas, before falling back to my baby. Solomon and Cain crowded around the bed. Solomon leaned over the bed and kissed me hard, like he could merge us together with that kiss.

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