”It is a dark deed that is being done.”
Wyatt puts a hand up, “I agree, but we can’t let them all loose. The third brings starvation. People starving and the scripture says the rich will be fine; it is the already impoverished and the middle class who will die from starvation and poverty.”
She nods, her eyes burning with something. She knows something we do not. Her lips twist into a grin. “The black horse is upon the Earth now. They shall all be tested.”
“Shit.”
Wyatt nods, “Double shit.”
“The horsemen will come for Lillith’s blood.” The priestess laughs as if we’ve told a joke. I feel like it might be on us though.
The Black Horse
“When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come and see!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"
Revelations
One
We crawl up the slippery, slime-coated rocks of the English coastline. I look back at the nixie. They have become lights in the ocean and nothing more. I’m soaked and frozen. I look at Wyatt, “I’ll fly us up. I can’t scale that wall.”
He nods, shivering too. I jump into the air, bursting my wings from my back and fly upward. I flap, lowering, “Grab my foot.”
He laughs, “I’m fucking cold, Rayne. My fingers are cramping.”
I nod, “Mine too. Just grab on and we’ll be in a hot shower in like five minutes.”
I feel his strong grip attach to my ankle. I flap harder, pushing us up into the air.
I struggle against the cold wind and hateful English winter weather.
“Say something funny. Make me happy. Make me smile.”
“I have a serious case of blue balls, and the entire swim this damned painting smacked me in the head.”
I start to laugh and he becomes lighter. My exhaustion is insane and my feeble brain decides that his statement, about his balls, is the funniest thing I have ever heard. I drop him down into the courtyard of the castle and almost fall into his arms.
He gives me a pained expression, “You think it’s funny that I’m suffering?”
I laugh harder, “I’m so-sor-sorry.” I can actually imagine the painting hitting him in the head.
He carries me to the house. Marie opens the door, “Miss Ellie, you alright?”
I nod. “My skin is blue and I’m exhausted, but I’m all right. Just cold.” When we get inside, I moan, “Drafty, stupid castle.”
“RAYNE!”
My eyes pop open. I step back into Wyatt. He wraps his arms around me.
Stella comes stomping down the hallway. Her eyes are black and the blue veins she gets when she feeds are there. She points, “What did you do to Constantine?”
I shake my head, “Nothing? I had to leave, that’s all.”
She sneers, “You had to kill my brother?”
My jaw drops open, “What? Oh my God! Is he…?”
“He could be.” She grabs my shoulders, “He went crazy when you left. What did you do?”
I swallow hard, taking a breath. “Oh my God. You scared me.”
Her eyes narrow and she leans in, looking at my finger where the ring sits. She whispers, “Oh God, why? Why would you marry him? You have broken my brother’s heart.” She hovers and I’m scared of what she will do. I shake my head, “Stella, I had no choice. The dead wanted it, and it was the right choice, I don’t know why.”
She steps back, stumbling a little. Her face breaks my heart even more. Her voice is hollow and emotionless “You have to leave. Take that Mona with you. I can’t have her here. I almost ate her earlier. You have to leave.” Her eyes dart to Wyatt and the rage starts, “Take your family and get the FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!” Her fangs are there and her eyes are black, almost red. Her screams echo and bring the wind with them. The dead sparkle around me, making a barrier.
She is trembling and laughing bitterly suddenly, “Would you threaten me with the dead, Ellie?”
I shake my head, “Never.” I can feel them there, waiting for me to ask them to fight. I whisper, “I love you.”
She rages, “YOU LOVE NO ONE! YOU ARE TRULY THE DAUGHTER OF LUCIFER AND LILLITH!”
Tears stream my cheeks. I know I’m heartbroken, but I can’t feel it. I am close to losing my mind. I drop to my knees and grab the dagger I know Maria keeps on her ankle under her dress. She flinches when I pull it. Stella’s eyes are wide. I grab the blade, looking Stella in the eyes and turn it. I close my eyes, tears slipping down my cheeks, and drive the blade into my stomach. I gag and buckle forward. I cannot scream. I thought it would bring a scream, but it has stolen my voice. The pain is intense. I sob but it sounds like a sheep. Maria cries out and I feel Wyatt tense behind me.
I drop to my knees. Stella is there instantly, at my side. “What are you doing?”
I shake my head and speak in my sheep voice, “I feel nothing. I have no heart anymore. I have to feel the betrayal that I have committed and blood is the only way.” The words are not mine. They are Ellie’s and the others. “I have no love in my heart.”
With a trembling hand, she reaches for the blade, pulling it from my stomach. Blood seeps out, spilling onto the floor.”
She sobs with me, “Why?”
I shake my head, “I think I am not meant to feel this time, sister. I think I am meant to die. In the end, I am still meant to die.”
She shakes her head, “Don’t leave me again.”
I curl into her. She looks up at Wyatt who has not moved, not even a little. “You did this.”
I shake my head, “It was me.”
She holds me until the blood stops flowing. Wyatt drops down onto the floor behind me. His body is no longer cold. It is warm, hot even. He presses against me and I feel something wet. I reach behind me, touching his wet stomach. When I bring my hand forward I cry out. My hand is coated in blood.
He whispers into my neck, “What happens to you, happens to me.”
I shake my head as more tears fall. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I just needed to feel the pain I have caused.”
Stella laughs, “You always were so dramatic.” She hugs me to her, but I know she is looking at Wyatt when she says, “Someone just guaranteed his ass would always be saved.”
Wyatt scoffs, “You know nothing about me, fanged devil.”
Stella laughs, “I’m just relieved you don’t have her sense of humor now.” She gets up, lifting me with her. Maria is pressed against the wall of the hallway, stunned and scared. I smile at her, passing her back her dagger. She takes it, shaking her head and whispering a prayer.
As we hobble to the great room, I ask softly, “Where did he go?”
She shakes her head, “I can only assume after the horsemen. He wants this to end so he can be with you forever.”
My eyes lift to meet her pained ones, “I don’t have forever, Stella. I have until I finish.”
She shakes her head, “How do you know?”
I shrug, “Just a feeling.”
Wyatt looks back at me, “You’re wrong.” He wishes I were, but I know he can feel it too.
Mona comes running over when we get to the fire, “Where did you guys go?”
I shake my head, “Boston. Just quick.”
Her eyes are hopeful. I close my eyes, “I’m sorry.”
Her hands slip to her mouth, “Oh God.” I wrap my arms around her, holding her to me. She sobs into my already-wet and stinking over-sized shirt. Wyatt gives me a look. I hate this. I hate everything. I can’t feel the hate, and I can’t be angry or sad for my friend. But I know I do. I know I hate it all.
Stella sits on the couch next to Michelle who looks up and takes her headphones off. “Hey guys! Where did you go?”
Wyatt speaks in the same tone he always uses for Michelle, “Boston.”
She nods, “Cool.” She looks at Stella, “Wanna go for a walk?”
Stella smiles at her, “No. Constantine told me you were never to leave the castle. No matter what.” She tilts her head and plays with Michelle’s blonde hair. Michelle frowns, “Why?”
Wyatt gives her a disgusted look, “Because you sold your soul to the devil and we don’t want him tracking you. Constantine puts a guard on his houses. Can’t you feel it in the air?”
She looks down instantly, “Oh.”
Mona pulls away from me and leaves the room. I don’t have what she needs. I don’t have compassion. I don’t have anything. I am a void, an empty void.
I hear the others inside of me, muttering and speaking in low tones. They are panicking. They sense him. I spin, seeing the most tragic thing I have ever seen, walking into the room. Constantine laughs bitterly, undoing his blue dress shirt. His eyes land on the ring on my finger. I see hatred burning on his face. His dark hair is wet from the rain and mist. He looks tragic and beautiful as he crosses the room to me. I see Wyatt’s eyes on me. Constantine opens his shirt. There on his chest is my other name, Ellie appears just like the witch said it would. It is exactly like Wyatt’s.