Rescuing A Fallen E-Book

Kelly Hollingshead

• Herausgeber: BQB Publishing
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Lucifer has finally accomplished capturing a guardian angel, a task that had eluded him for over two thousand years. He will incorporate the seven deadly sins, one at a time to break Jonathan. He is hoping to gain back what the false God stole from him after sentencing him to an eternity as an outcast.

Legionaries, once Lucifer’s lackey, has learned from his alter ego Legion, about free will and how to twist the thoughts of humans to attain what he desires most. To test this theory Legionaries has chosen the town of Broken Falls; not only because of the town’s small size, but also the secret tucked away at the base of the mountains.

Riley and Maggie are determined to rescue the guardian angel Jonathan from the clutches of the Devil, but face their own challenges along the way. The biggest being an escaped Hell hound. Only time will tell whether the hound is a friend or foe.

Will Riley and Maggie make it to Jonathan, before Lucifer breaks him? How much turmoil will Legionaries release on the small town of Broken Falls? All will be revealed in the third installment of The Riley Series.

Leseprobe

Rescuing a Fallen – Part 1

© 2024 Kelly Hollingshead. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopying, or recording, except for the inclusion in a review, without permission in writing from the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Published in the United States by BQB Publishing

(an imprint of Boutique of Quality Books Publishing, Inc.)

www.bqbpublishing.com

ISBN 979-8-88633-034-2 (p)

ISBN 979-8-88633-035-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024912257

Book design by Robin Krauss, www.bookformatters.com

Cover design by Rebecca Lown, www.rebeccalowndesign.com

First editor: Caleb Guard

Second editor: Allison Itterly

To my pastor, Dennis Hudson, of Saginaw Park Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. Thank you for your continuing patience and answering my barrage of questions through texts, phone calls, and conversations. You played such a vital role in helping me pull this one off.

As always, to my wife, Melissa, and daughter, Brynn. Thank you for putting up with me and believing in me when I doubted myself.

“Fate whispers to the warrior, ‘You cannot withstand the storm.’ The warrior whispers back, ‘I am the storm.’”

Author Unknown.

And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. And He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

Mark 4:35–41, paraphrased.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 33

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 35

CHAPTER 36

CHAPTER 37

CHAPTER 38

CHAPTER 39

CHAPTER 40

CHAPTER 41

CHAPTER 42

CHAPTER 43

CHAPTER 44

CHAPTER 45

CHAPTER 46

CHAPTER 47

CHAPTER 48

CHAPTER 49

CHAPTER 50

CHAPTER 51

CHAPTER 52

CHAPTER 53

CHAPTER 54

CHAPTER 55

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Riley and Maggie hid in the lake house with their bodies pressed against the front door. Riley prayed that the terror that had chased them into the house would be kept at bay long enough until he could figure out what to do next.

During the short time that Riley had known Jonathan, his guardian angel, they had battled demons and fought to stay one step ahead of the Devil. But now something far more sinister stood just on the other side of the front door. It was a mindless creature used for only one purpose: to kill.

Maggie stood next to Riley, breathing heavily, pressing herself against the door. Her expression was both fear and concern.

Maggie was the CEO of Gregory Portal Provider, a streaming company she’d started many years ago. She had been propelled into Riley’s paranormal world because of her brief encounter with the fallen angel, Jonathan.

“Is it still there?” asked Maggie, referencing the unwelcome guest on the opposite side of the door. After Jonathan had been pulled into Hell, the hound immediately appeared, chasing them into the lake house. At first, Riley thought they had just been fortunate to have made it back inside, but now he wasn’t so sure. The creature could have killed them when it had them trapped on the front porch. But thinking back on the way it happened, Riley realized it had only sniffed at them and never even attempted to follow them when they strategically moved around it to get inside.

The sun had put itself to bed as a full moon took up its vigilant watch in the night sky. Riley had turned off all the inside lights to conceal Maggie and himself in the darkness from the hound. But now the light from the moon shone through the glass patio door, playing tricks on his limited vision. Shadows appeared to take on a life of their own.

Riley peered out through the half-window at the top of the front door. There stood the colossally muscular beast with its glaring red eyes, and jet black, fur coat. It had the appearance of a black wolf, only it was the size of a bear. “It’s still there,” he whispered.

As soon as the words left his mouth, the hound turned its head, locking its menacing red eyes on Riley. The creature didn’t just look at him so much as it seemed to stare straight through him. Riley was the prey, and it was the predator.

“Jesus, God,” said Riley, quickly stepping away from the door.

“What?” asked Maggie.

“I’m certain it can see in the dark,” Riley whispered.

“What?” Maggie asked again.

Riley shook his head. “It looked right at me when I spoke. One minute it’s looking out at the yard, and the next its eyes are boring into me, as if it knew I was watching it!”

“What do we do?” asked Maggie.

Finally, having heard enough of the “what” questions, Riley turned the question around on her. “What do you think we should do?”

Maggie gave him a quizzical look. “What?”

Despite the intensity of their current situation, Riley laughed before immediately covering his mouth to stifle it.

Maggie frowned and delivered several hard punches to his shoulder. “Seriously, Riley, what are you, twelve?” she asked in an annoyed tone.

“Ow,” said Riley, massaging where she had hit him. “Maggie, eventually that thing is going to grow tired of waiting, and it’s going to walk right through that front door as if it were made of paper. This will sound crazy, but I don’t believe it’s actually here to harm us.”

Maggie scoffed. “I think you have officially lost your damn mind!”

“Okay, but if it really wanted to harm us, then why didn’t it do it when we were only a few feet away from it on the front porch? Do you honestly believe something produced by Hell could be kept out by wooden doors and walls? Or even the patio door that is made entirely of glass?”

Maggie’s eyes widened as she looked back at the patio door. Riley didn’t want her to worry, but he needed her to understand why he believed the hound wasn’t here to harm them.

“I see your point,” Maggie replied in an unsteady voice. “What do you suggest we do?”

Biting his lower lip, Riley couldn’t believe he was about to go through with this next part. He spoke quickly, hoping that once he voiced his plan, he wouldn’t be able to back out of it. “I’m going outside to test my theory. Don’t try to change my mind. This was what Jonathan trained me for, to fight off and survive whatever the Devil threw at me.”

Maggie looked at him dumbfounded and responded in a condescending tone, “Riley, you are absolutely correct. That’s the dumbest thing you have ever said. Jonathan didn’t teach you to fight just so you could fight off the paranormal!”

“No?” asked Riley.

“No, he taught you to fight to help keep yourself alive, not to put your life in danger just because you have a wild brain idea. We should just wait and hope the hound gets pulled back to Hell. We have guns, ammo, and plenty of food. So, we need to wait it out, and if it does come inside, then we fight.”

In spite of her making sense, Riley felt the urgency to track down the demon who had disappeared when Jonathan had been pulled into Hell. For some reason, Riley could literally smell the foul, rotting stench of the demon, but he was afraid if they waited too long, he would lose its scent and Jonathan would be lost forever. It had only been a few hours, but Riley didn’t know how long this new gift would last.

“Maggie, I don’t have time to play the waiting game to see who will make the first move. I have to find that demon. I’m not asking you to go with me, but Jonathan did something to me because I can now smell that rogue demon.”

Maggie’s expression changed from fear to understanding. “That was why Jonathan kissed and rubbed your nose.”

Riley gave her a confused look before piecing together what she had said. The moment Maggie was talking about had occurred in the living room of the lake house. It was the last time all three of them had been together.

“Jonathan must have given me this gift so we could track down that demon and possibly be able to rescue him. I have to try, and I need to do it right now, with or without you.”

Riley retrieved one of the handguns from under the kitchen sink and handed it to Maggie. When Jonathan had first entered Riley’s life, they made the decision to leave Taupe City, where Riley lived, and move to Riley’s lake house in Potogi. Jonathan had made several upgrades to the lake house and property, beginning with the construction of a large metal building a few feet away from the house. Riley referred to it as “the hole” because it was where Jonathan put him through intense and grueling daily workouts. An underground tunnel was next, starting in the garage and spanning the length of two footballs fields. Then they placed a small arsenal of various rifles, handguns, and shotguns in various spots around the house. Jonathan was constantly checking to make sure that Riley knew the precise location of each one.

Out of all the terrifying paranormal experiences Riley had lived through, from being attacked by demons, to meeting the Devil himself, none of those compared to what Riley was about to attempt, especially since Jonathan wasn’t here to intervene or distract the hound if it did go on the attack.

Placing his hands on Maggie’s shoulders, Riley gave her a weak smile and said, “This is going to work, Maggie. It is just another obstacle we need to overcome to rescue Jonathan.”

As much as Maggie wanted to try and rescue Jonathan, she feared if she went along with Riley’s quest, she could die and spend the rest of eternity in Hell, where her mother now resided.

Maggie didn’t really want to believe it, but somehow knew it to be true: her mom was an occupant of Hell. The rogue demon they were after had conjured up dreams for both Riley and Maggie, revealing their deepest, darkest fears. Her worst fears were that there really was a God, but because she was raised not believing in such things, even if her and her family were all good people, they would still end up in Hell.

In Maggie’s dream, she encountered her mother—not just a figment of her imagination, but her actual mom, who spoke to her, revealing facts only Maggie knew. At that time, Maggie wouldn’t have the luxury of waking from the nightmare. This had only fortified Maggie’s position in not wanting to believe in some kind of all-knowing God when it placed her in a lose-lose situation. On the one hand, she wouldn’t be cursed to an eternity in Hell; however, it would mean accepting that her mother was in Hell, which was something Maggie could not and would not come to terms with.

Maggie had not realized that she had been crying until Riley said, “What’s wrong?”

Wiping away her tears, Maggie couldn’t make herself look at him. “I just don’t think you should go outside. We should wait and see what happens. At least for a little while longer.” But she knew Riley was not going to listen to reason.

“I’m going to sneak out the patio door and make my way around to the front where my truck is parked. If, for whatever reason, things don’t work out as planned, then I want you to head immediately to the secret passage in the garage.”

Maggie had been down there with Riley once before, and once had been enough. She would accept being mauled to death rather than subject herself to dying inside a small underground tunnel.

Riley went to the patio door, unlocked it, and stepped out into the night. Drawing his handgun out of the back of his jeans, he then pulled the door closed and disappeared out of sight.

Maggie hurried to the front door and stood on tiptoes to peer through the half window at the top of the door. The first thing she saw was a red pair of eyes looking back at her. It was just like Riley had told her; the damn thing could track their movements through walls. Now Maggie was merely a few feet from the hound with only a door separating them. If that “thing” truly wanted to get inside, then it could have done so at any time. The sheer size of the hound made her question if their handguns would do anything more than piss it off, like shooting a paintball gun at a grizzly bear.

This uneasiness of knowing that they were practically defenseless caused Maggie to grip the gun even tighter in her hand. As the intensity of their circumstances increased, Maggie raised the gun in self-defense. The hound issued a deep, spine-chilling growl, and Maggie immediately dropped the gun back to her side to deescalate the situation.

Maggie caught movement out of the corner of her eye, which caused her to break eye contact with the hound. As soon as she made this critical error, the hound disappeared. Without regard for her own safety, Maggie quickly pulled the front door open and stepped out into the night.

Once her eyes adjusted, Maggie saw the hound standing a few feet away from Riley. She raised her gun, putting sights on the back of its head, hoping the hound’s skull would be its weakness.

Stiff as a statue, with both arms raised high above his head, Riley looked helplessly in her direction. “Maggie, whatever you do, don’t pull that trigger. I want you to make your way slowly over to the truck and let me try to ease this situation.”

Not wanting to tempt fate, Maggie walked backward away from them, keeping an eye on the hound until she bumped into the side of the truck. After blindly locating the door handle, she awkwardly climbed inside, pulling the door closed a bit harder than intended.

Staring out the passenger window, Maggie watched as Riley slowly reached back toward the massive head of the black hound, offering it his shaking hand to sniff. Instead, the hound issued a deafening bark, causing Riley to jerk his hand back and caused Maggie to involuntarily cry out in horror before she immediately covered her ears as it violently rattled the truck’s windows.

After the ringing in her ears had subsided, Maggie opened her eyes, surprised to find Riley still in one piece. Just move slowly and get your ass to the truck, thought Maggie.

As if sharing the same thought, Riley took one cautious step away from the hound and paused. When it didn’t so much as move, Riley took another step, followed by another and another, until he was finally inside the truck, pulling the door closed quickly behind him. The hound had practically remained in the same spot, only turning its body ever so often to track Riley’s movements.

Now that Riley was next to Maggie, she could see firsthand just how scared he truly was. “You’re safe now, just breathe.” She stuttered and then froze. Seeing movement in her peripheral vision, Maggie knew the hound had made its way into the back seat.

“W-w-what?” stuttered Riley.

Unable to verbally voice her concern, Maggie shifted her eyes toward the back seat several times, hoping Riley wouldn’t make any abrupt movements.

Realizing the game of cat and mouse had come to an end, Maggie closed her eyes, hoping her death would be quick and painless. After what seemed like several minutes had passed, she forced her eyes open and glanced at the back seat. She gasped at the sight of the hound’s red eyes boring into hers. Riley jerked and yelled something she couldn’t quite understand.

“You can now call me crazy,” said Maggie, her voice shaking. “But I agree, if this instrument of evil meant us any harm, then we would already be dead!”

Suddenly, her phone rang, causing a moment of chaos as she searched her pockets to answer her phone. “Hello?” she whispered.

“Maggie, is that you?”

It was her best friend, Stuart. “Yes, Stu, it’s me,” she said.

“Why are you whispering?” Stuart asked.

“Because I can’t talk right now. I’ll have to call—”

“You have to come back to Gregory Portal Provider right now,” Stu said. “I know it’s late, but I need you here as soon as possible. The feds have been here asking about you. If you don’t come, then I have no idea what the feds will do, but I’m assuming they’ll issue a warrant for your arrest. The agent in charge of the Miles Jackson investigation wants you to explain the million-dollar wire transfer that occurred between you two just days before his arrest.”

Maggie said to Stu, “I’ll be there in five hours tops.”

Stu’s voice took on a sense of pleading that she hadn’t heard from him before. “Maggie, hurry. You need to be here no later than eight tomorrow morning so I can prep you. Call me as soon as you are in the office, no matter the time. Understood?”

“I promise,” said Maggie. Not waiting for a reply, she disconnected the call. Riley gave her a hateful look because this meant they were being sidetracked from tracking the rogue demon and rescuing Jonathan. She knew that momentarily giving up the hunt for the rogue demon could potentially cause them to lose his trail, but she had to clear things up with the feds. Even if it was completely selfish because Jonathan’s life hung in the balance, she said, “Riley, I’m so sorry. Just give me a little bit of time to resolve what’s happening with my life, and afterward, I swear, I will help you find that rogue demon.”

This was even news to her, as she hadn’t known she’d completely made up her mind as to whether she was going to go through with this rescue mission or not.

Riley stared through the windshield in silence, and Maggie hoped that he would agree to the terms. She periodically kept glancing over at him, impatiently waiting for him to respond.

After what felt like an eternity to Maggie, Riley’s voice cut the silent tension, “I will give you three days and then I have to leave,” he flatly said. “I’m sorry I can’t give you more time, but I have to locate that demon as soon as possible.”

“Three days will be plenty,” said Maggie, uncertain if she could really live up to her end of the agreement.

Making the five-minute drive to church in complete silence, George Humphrey was aware that his wife, Miranda, had a drinking problem. He was also aware that he was likely the cause of it. Although she had always been moody and even downright rude on occasions, Miranda was now completely withdrawn after the move to Broken Falls. He wondered if she was experiencing a mid-life crisis and wished there were more he could do to lift her spirits. He stifled the thought when Miranda yawned, followed by a loud burp that stank of whiskey.

They had met on a blind date thanks to Brad, his old college roommate, who was dating Miranda’s best friend at the time. Brad had been more than vague about the details. “Bro, she’s drop-dead gorgeous. That’s all you need to know. Besides, you haven’t dated since high school, so enjoy getting out of your comfort zone for a little bit.”

“If she is drop-dead gorgeous and single, what is wrong with her?” George had wanted to ask, but he shelved the thought. It was true that he needed to get out of his comfort zone instead of working himself to death in his office, hopeful for the day his hard work would finally pay off in the fast-ever-changing tech world.

George was sitting in the lobby of a restaurant staring at the one picture of Miranda that Brad had sent him. He couldn’t understand how she was single. She had long black hair, dark mysterious eyes, pouty lips, and a perfect smile. He’d surmised that either his friend was having a joke at his expense, or there had to be something wrong with her.

When Miranda entered the restaurant, George immediately recognized her and stood, hoping to make a good first impression. However, what he got in return was a scrutinizing look before she tentatively accepted his outstretched hand. George could tell that she was ready to call the whole thing off and bolt out the door, but a young hostess had appeared, stopping her escape.

The dinner had been awkward and filled with small talk. Then Miranda abruptly stood when the check arrived. “Listen, George, I’m sure you really are a good guy, but this was a huge mistake.”

Before he had time to respond, Miranda quickly walked away, turning several male patrons’ heads in her wake.

After paying, George had started to leave, but then he noticed that Miranda was now at the bar talking to two eager men, both vying for her attention.

“Thanks for nothing, Brad,” he’d mumbled.

Miranda made eye contact with him and waved, followed by a warm smile. Despite how badly their night had gone, George wondered if she wanted him to join her. That thought was instantly squashed once the three of them began laughing and pointing at him.

With a bruised ego, George ducked his head and proceeded to leave quickly when he’d accidentally barreled over a couple, which sent him flying face-first to the floor. Loud gasps followed by laughter poured over him as someone attempted to help him up. Too embarrassed to apologize or thank the onlooker for their assistance, George sprinted out of the restaurant.

Years later, Miranda reentered his life as a temporary employee at Code Creators, George’s small software company. He wasn’t the one who’d hired her, but he still would have given her the job. He just didn’t have the heart to hold a grudge. There was already too much hate in the world, and he didn’t need to add to it.

When he’d walked into work that Monday morning, George stopped and did a double take when he saw Miranda seated behind the lobby front desk. Which is how they were reintroduced.

George pulled into the parking lot of the church and parked. Miranda could feel him scrutinizing her very existence. Her head buzzed from the alcohol she had consumed earlier this morning. “Do you ever feel like your life has just gone to hell, and all you’re really waiting for is to take your final dirt nap?” It was a morbid thing to say, but at least it would change the narrative of him begging her to get some help.

When George’s face changed from concern to pity, Miranda wished she would have said something uplifting so he would stop with his constant attempts to save her.

Her only reason she went to church with him every Sunday was so she could see the one attractive guy in this God-awful town that she desperately desired to have a fling with. They had never been properly introduced, but Miranda found herself daydreaming of taking this man for a good roll in the sheets, preferably in some sleazy back-road motel room. Besides, it had been far too long since she had the opportunity for a cheap thrill.

The only problem was that they were both married, which wasn’t and hadn’t been a problem for her in the past, since, in her opinion, it only generated more of a thrill. That was until they moved to this hellhole town and the limited participants it provided. Plus, the idiot she came to see each Sunday never picked up on any of her advances, even when she wore her blouse low, exposing as much of her ample chest as possible.

Maybe one day after church, she would lean in and whisper, “Yes, they are real!” This thought caused her to laugh, making George scrutinize her even more.

“What, George? What?” she finally blurted.

Closing her eyes, Miranda knew he was working up the courage to give her an ultimatum, but instead felt him take her hand in his.

“You look very beautiful today, sweetie. Thank you for remaining by my side and helping me through this time. I know this isn’t our ideal future, but I promise it’s only temporary.”

If she were being honest, she only had herself to blame. She was the one who’d pursued George all those years ago.

She had found a way to weasel herself back into George’s life a year after their first date. She’d seen his picture in the newspaper with a headline that read: “Gregory Portal Provider considering merger with Code Creators.” She knew George wasn’t the wealthiest man in town but with his little software company, he was doing good for himself, and Miranda knew that anytime Gregory Portal Provider was mentioned, a large payout was sure to follow.

Boy was she wrong.

Miranda wanted to live a carefree life spending someone else’s money, and with George’s company being considered for a merger with the biggest streaming company around, she had made it her mission to do whatever it took to ensure she would run into George again. She’d called his office the next day to inquire about any open positions and lied about her qualifications just to get an interview.

She had watched as George’s confusion turned into one of curiosity as he finally recognized her.

“Miranda, it’s great to see you. How have you been?” George had asked.

She’d kept up the false persona and hoped that he didn’t see through it. “I’m truly blessed, thank you so much for asking.” When his expression changed from shocked to skeptical, Miranda elaborated. “I know, I was awful to you when we first met, and as cliché as this will sound, I’m no longer that person. That was a dark time in my life, and it took a lot of praying and soul searching to get me to where I am now. I just hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”

George’s expression softened. “Thank you for apologizing, Miranda. That was very thoughtful and kindhearted of you. I’ve never been one to hold a grudge. Though, my parents once told me that I was far too forgiving, and people would one day take advantage of me if I wasn’t careful.”

Miranda forced a smile.

“I just like to look for the good in people,” said George. “In today’s world, it’s far too easy to judge someone just because we see them behave a certain way for even a brief moment of their lives.”

Thank you for being so naïve, Miranda thought. She knew it was only a matter of time before he belonged to her. Months passed, and Miranda wooed him and got him to trust her. Finally, he’d asked her on a second date. Two months later they were married.

The big payday from Gregory Portal Provider never came because their merger with George’s company, Code Creators, fell through. Although George made more than enough and she no longer had to work, Miranda wanted to travel and see the world, with or without him, preferably without.

A very depressing ten years later, which had felt more like a prison sentence than a marriage, George’s parents’ mental health took a turn for the worse.

“Fucking Alzheimer’s,” Miranda cursed under her breath when George told her.

The fact that both his parents were experiencing dementia at the same time caused Miranda to believe that something in the universe was working against her, as if her quest for financial freedom would always be just out of her reach.

Against her wishes, George had sold Code Creators for a meager six figures. Then they moved to the small town of Broken Falls to be closer to his parents. Miranda would have filed for a divorce had it not been for the fact that she only had a G.E.D. and hadn’t worked in a decade. She didn’t want to end up following in her mother’s footsteps, bouncing from one dead-end job to another, waiting tables and dreaming about a life that could have been. Instead, she was tied down to George, for better or worse.

Miranda did take comfort in the fact that they never had kids. At first, Miranda thought her infertility issues were because of George, only to later learn that she was unable to get pregnant. George had tried to console her, saying it was okay to not have children, but Miranda knew the truth: he really wanted to be a dad.

Later, when he brought up adoption, Miranda wanted to slap him senselessly. “Do you have any idea how that makes me feel? I can’t have children of my own, and now you think adoption will make everything better?”

Truthfully, she never really wanted children. The only reason she had ever considered the topic of children was to lock down alimony, plus her half of everything when they got divorced. Except it never happened.

Damn that Gregory Portal Provider, Miranda thought. If I ever meet the owner, Mary Allison Gregory, I’m going to punch her right in that perfect damn face of hers!

However, now that the billionaire princess was having legal issues, and with Miranda contemplating divorcing George, maybe Mary and Miranda would wind up waiting tables at the same restaurant one day. That would be justice enough in Miranda’s mind.

“Honey, are you okay?” George asked, pulling her back to the present.

If she had any feelings for him whatsoever, she would have grabbed his face and kissed him long and good. However, Miranda only saw a weak, pathetic little man sitting next to her.

“George, I’m trying to refrain from telling you just how much my life is a living hell because of you! So, let’s go into the church and receive our weekly lesson on how we suck at life. I’m sure that the good Priest Johnstone has a real gem up his sleeve to enlighten us with. Or maybe he’ll just come right out and tell us how he prefers altar boys instead of abstinence!”

Not waiting for a reply, Miranda exited the Honda, slamming the door behind her, which caused her to teeter before regaining balance. Four older women passing by gave her a disapproving look as they whispered to one another. Miranda thought of grabbing her crotch since she was feeling so carefree, except George was now by her side, slipping his hand in hers.

As they began the death march toward the chapel, George took her by surprise and said, “I’ve had enough of your attitude! You treat me like I’m nothing more than a damn paycheck! If you ever speak to me in this manner again, I’ll show you just how miserable I can make your life, beginning with cancelling every damn one of your credit cards!”

Strangely, Miranda found this side of him erotic since she had only seen him play the part of a submissive. Removing her sunshades, Miranda searched his face, which had turned a bright shade of red as the veins in his narrow neck protruded. She felt her cheeks redden when she thought about how rough he might be with her when they got home. However, the moment quickly passed when they made eye contact. The desperation and worry behind his eyes told her an apology would soon follow.

“Damn!” Miranda said. “I wanted so desperately to believe you. For you to force me back to the car, take me home, and slap me around till I learned my lesson.” George’s face went even redder from embarrassment, staring back at her in shock.

Once inside the cathedral, they found their usual seats. Not caring if she was being obvious about her intentions, Miranda scanned the crowd for her crush, spotting him several rows ahead of them. She let out a loud sigh, causing the man’s wife to turn and look at her. She gave Miranda a knowing look, telling her that she was on to her game.

Returning the fake smile, Miranda mouthed “fuck you,” except it didn’t have the desired effect that she had anticipated. Instead, the woman’s smile broadened before turning back around. Priest Johnstone walked to stand before the pulpit. Here we go, thought Miranda. Serve me up an extra side of guilt and make sure not to hold back on the failure portion!

“Good morning,” Priest Johnstone said, receiving the appropriate mundane response.

Miranda let out a loud exaggerated yawn, followed by George giving her hand a hard squeeze. She leaned in to tell him that she would rip his balls off if he ever did that again, but her train of thought was interrupted by several people in front of her looking up at the ceiling. Following their gaze, Miranda found they were staring at the statue of the Virgin Mary. Shaking her head, Miranda couldn’t understand why Catholics put so much faith in a woman who clearly hadn’t been a virgin.

Priest Johnstone spoke in an authoritative I’m-right-and-you’re-wrong tone. Miranda blocked him all the way out and resumed her focus once more on the statue. Water dripped down. She thought there must be a leak in the ceiling, but then she realized it hadn’t been raining outside. Miranda stared more intently through her alcoholic gaze, finding that the water-like substance was coming from the statue’s eyes.

Nudging George so he would confirm what she was seeing, only to be ignored, Miranda turned to glare at him, but he was also transfixed by the statue. Guess I made that tequila sunrise a little too strong this morning, she thought with a laugh.

Soft murmurs began to arise throughout the cathedral, as people noticed the same phenomenon.

Irritated, Priest Johnstone barked loudly, “Is there something more important going on than what God has asked me to speak on today?”

Unable to help herself, Miranda quickly stood and pointed up at the Virgin Mary. “Actually, good priest of ours, there is indeed something more important. You see, our dear old virgin appears to be crying because she finds you quite boring and thinks you’re a hypocrite!”

The humor didn’t find its mark as George jerked her back down.

Priest Johnstone gave her a condescending look, which Miranda answered by pointing at the Virgin Mary. Reluctantly, he gave the statue a quick glance, then did a double take and stumbled backward. Finding his balance, he made the sign of the cross over his chest with a shaky hand.

The entrance door then boomed open behind them as a large, dark haired man dressed in all black, strolled confidently down the middle aisle. He walked with an arrogance of belonging and although he was an attractive man, something about him resonated evil. He placed two fingers to his lips and held them up to the Virgin Mary, saluting her. The congregation went silent as they watched this stranger make his way up to the pulpit. He waved Priest Johnstone away like a nuisance.

“My good people of Broken Falls, it is my privilege to inform you that after today nothing will ever be the same in your little town, and I am the reason why. You see, I know who among you are worshippers of a false God and who are not. Come midnight, any worshippers of the false God that are left in my town will be executed on the spot, without question.”

Miranda was intrigued by this strange man and enthralled with what he would say next. She leaned forward in her seat.

“I know most of you are probably thinking that I’m just some deranged lunatic saying utter nonsense to scare you. Some of you may even believe you can overpower me and turn me into your so-called authorities. However, be warned: If you challenge me, you will meet a quick and painful death, for I will show none of you, mercy. So, spread the word of my arrival and meet me back here at midnight, but only if you’re ready to declare yourself to me.”

Miranda and the rest of the congregation watched in anticipation as the stranger dropped to all fours and began dry heaving. His body rocked slowly back and forth, as if trying to spit up something lodged deep inside him, until at last he went completely still and faceplanted to the floor. The congregation was stunned into silence. The man lay in a heap, unmoving.

Suddenly, the man sprung to life, except he was no longer a man. He had transformed into a strange beast, with the body of a lion and an eagle’s head. Down the length of the lion’s body were scales of a snake that rippled, sending out currents of electricity. The eagle’s mouth abruptly opened, revealing a long, slender snake in place of its tongue.

Chaos erupted. People screamed and pushed one another over as they made their way to the exit. Miranda remained seated, completely dumbfounded yet intrigued at what she was witnessing. George attempted to pull her to her feet, but she easily shook loose of him. He screamed at her, but Miranda couldn’t understand a word he was saying, lost within her own thoughts. Again, he grabbed hold of her with a strength she didn’t know he even possessed.

“Goddammit, George! Let go of me!” Miranda barked.

When he refused, she slapped the back of his hands until he cried out, releasing his hold.

“You can leave, but I’m staying.”

Miranda was subconsciously aware that he was giving her the exact same dumbfounded look he always gave her when he found her passed out drunk on the couch. Except now she felt stone sober, unable to take her eyes off this entity, not caring in the least what her husband was thinking.

It wasn’t until George resumed his seat that Miranda was able to look away. “What in the hell do you think you are doing?” she barked.

“If you’re staying, then I am as well,” George answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

“George, did you not understand a single word this man, or beast, or whatever the hell it is just said?”

George gave her a sympathetic smile, as if hoping to convey that they were in this together. “Miranda, I have always loved you, even from our first date when you blew me off. You aren’t easy to love, but I cherish every morning I get to wake up next to you.”

Miranda wasn’t shocked by his admittance but felt the need to make clear that he would only be throwing his life away by staying. “George, I need you to listen to me—and I mean actually listen—without thoughts of grandeur or belief in some all-knowing higher God who will come rescue you in your time of need.” When he only responded with a defiant look, Miranda grew a little more irritated with his self-righteous attitude. “I know why you insist on bringing me here every week. You’re hoping I’ll turn my life around and be the woman you think I am, but I need you to understand that I don’t believe in any kind of deity and never have. What I do believe is that you will die if you stay here.”

Her words didn’t appear to resonate as he looked at her with complete defiance that his God would rescue him. “George, you can put on a brave face now, but if that beast asks me, I know without a doubt I’ll do as I am commanded.”

George’s face finally softened as he replied in a softer tone, “Miranda, this may come as a shock to you, but I knew long ago that you never really loved me. I’m not as naïve as you make me out to be. I know you’ve cheated on me far more than once, and I know why you really married me. It took me awhile to come to terms with this. I just always hoped and prayed that one day you would realize I’m a good man, and you would learn to love me. So, with that said, if I must die to show you what true love is, then I will, but I will never abandon you.”

Miranda closed her eyes, ashamed of how she had treated George. When she opened them, George gave her a sad smile, as if to communicate it was okay.

Looking around at the remaining congregation, Miranda was not surprised to find that the man she lusted over every Sunday was gone. However, his wife remained and was staring directly at her. His wife then mouthed, “Fuck you” to Miranda. Miranda just smiled back, knowing that his wife staying meant, whatever Legion had planned for them, it was going to be one hell of a ride.

Breaking eye contact, Miranda looked up at the Virgin Mary. The watery tears had now changed to a dark red. Even though Miranda wasn’t a believer, she knew the Virgin Mary was crying tears of blood, warning all that death had arrived in their small town. Miranda grinned, then kissed her index and middle finger, just like the stranger did when he entered the chapel and held them up in an act of defiance.

“We shouldn’t be interrupted by the slaves for the next hour or so,” Jameson informed Gideon and Barbados as they all stood crammed in Tristan’s office. “However, we are all aware of the consequences if Savior unexpectedly drops in. So, let’s keep this as brief as possible.”

Savior was the name given to Lucifer by his assistant, Esperanza. Although Esperanza had only been in her current role for a short time, it was clear that Savior looked upon her with favor.

The three demons held their secret meetings in the tiny office where Tristan used to watch his slaves collecting the souls of the dead from Earth. Just as in all 666 regions, the Region Leader’s office was furnished with a desk, three chairs, and an old couch. The size of the office varied from region to region, but this was on the smaller side. Tristan had paid no mind to the size of his office because his only concern was growing his region.

Tristan’s territory was vast. Over a hundred slaves worked his region, as well as three Elder demons, Barbados, Jameson, and Gideon. The three began meeting secretly a lot more ever since Tristan had not returned from the assignment that Savior sent him on. The intent of their meetings was to devise the perfect plan to overthrow Tristan and claim the region as their own.

Out of all the 666 regions, Tristan was the only high demon to be rewarded with this many slaves. He had grown the region by scheming and causing problems for other Region Leaders. The leaders came and went, usually because of an uprising beneath their ranks, often caused by Tristan himself.

Savior seemed pleased by the turmoil in the regions, as he allowed Tristan to continue with his cunning ways and rewarded him by shrinking another region and expanding Tristan’s. Tristan was the only Region Leader who had never been replaced. He was regarded as the closest thing to perfection in his job, second only to Savior.

However, now that Tristan had been out of the picture for quite some time, the region was in need of a new leader. The only question was, which of the three Elders would it be?

Savior only allowed 666 Region Leaders. He was, after all, quite fond of the number. Never had Savior allowed the other Elders to be in charge, no matter how small some regions had become. According to Savior, “The number is pure perfection,” and he declared it to be his mark, which would live throughout all of time. Even humans both feared and loved the number, depending on whether they were a worshipper of the Devil or a worshipper of a false God.

“Where do you think Tristan could be?” Jameson asked the other two Elders, starting their little meeting the same way, they always did.

Jameson, the first Elder of Tristan’s region, believed he was superior to Barbados and Gideon. The only reason they were now Elders was because of Jameson’s recommendation. At the time, Tristan worried he needed two more Elders to help manage his ever-growing region. Jameson had gone out on a limb and suggested Barbados and Gideon, which Tristan eventually agreed to, except under one condition: Jameson was to train them, but if either one screwed up, Jameson would suffer the same punishment, which would result in all three being cast back into the pits of Hell.

“It’s been far too long for him to be away,” replied Gideon. “I just hope wherever he is, his worthless ass stays there!”

Gideon had an extreme hatred for Tristan due to a senseless punishment that had cost him his left eye. Tristan had ripped it out after Gideon supposedly gave him a questionable look. For further punishment and his own amusement, Tristan had cursed the missing eye so it would never regenerate.

The curse cast by Tristan caused the same worms that ate the damned in Hell to also reside in Gideon’s eye socket. Tristan then fastened Gideon with an eye patch to cover up the gruesomeness. Luckily, the only punishment Jameson had ever received was a verbal tongue lashing.

Everything in Hell is always regenerated, with Gideon’s eye being the only exception. The regeneration process was slow and painful as the bones, muscles, veins, and flesh grew back. Gideon was truly disgusting to look at; he was short but stout, his wavey brown hair was just long enough to be scruffy, and his face was scarred and weathered. Jameson couldn’t help but shudder anytime he was around him. But he also couldn’t stop staring, which earned a hard glare from Gideon’s one good eye.

Jameson was the more handsome of the three, he was very lean and tall with short, curly red hair that matched the color of his wiry goatee. Barbados was the shortest, but he had a stocky body, his dark skin was covered in tattoos and scars, black buzzed hair sat atop his head, and his face always wore a scowl.

“You think that what I’m forced to endure is disgusting, don’t you? If I could remove this patch, I’d show you what disgusting really is! I can feel every one of the worms crawling around, not just under this patch, but throughout my whole damn body. And you being squeamish like a—”

Gideon’s brain short-circuited, leaving his mouth agape, his expression twisted in agony. He often lost his train of thought. The first time this happened was shortly after Tristan ripped out his eye. Jameson noticed these episodes had increased exponentially over the last few days.

After a few moments, Gideon came back around. Clearly confused as to what had just happened, he looked at Jameson and Barbados before he stuttered, “W-w-wait. W-w-was I just saying something?”

The reason Gideon remained one of the Elders was because Tristan loved how ruthless he was. Jameson overheard the slaves saying they believed he was even more unmerciful with punishments than Tristan. He would have made the perfect leader, if not for his memory being no better than a goldfish. Yet, both Jameson and Barbados feared it was only a matter of time until Gideon would become the new Region Leader. This had never sat well with Jameson since he was the one who had trained Gideon and recommended him for the role of Elder.

Jameson was aware of his own limitations and knew he couldn’t compete with Gideon if they ever fought. Tristan must have also realized that Gideon was a legitimate adversary.

“What do you think we should do, Jameson?” Barbados interjected, not bothering to answer Gideon. “Should we just declare you as the new Region Leader? Or do you think we should wait for Master to make the announcement?”

“Don’t be naïve, Barbados,” said Jameson. “You know we can’t declare me as leader just because we feel like it. First, there must be an uprising, followed by a leader being overthrown.”

“True,” Barbados replied, “but our leader is gone and hasn’t shown his face for a month. What if Master is just waiting for someone to take the initiative and claim the territory?”

Gideon, still confused, said, “W-w-what are we talking about?”

Because of Gideon’s ability to fight so well and his ruthlessness, Jameson knew that his first action as Region Leader would be to appoint Gideon as his enforcer. In doing so, he wouldn’t have to worry about the other Region Leaders trying to take advantage of his new status as Region Leader. They, too, feared Gideon, as Tristan only used him to stir up trouble in other regions.

Barbados looked at Gideon. “You were saying that we shouldn’t wait to declare Jameson as leader.”

Jameson started to laugh, only to hide it by coughing into his hand.

“That’s right, now I remember,” said Gideon. “So, why don’t we just make an announcement that you’re the new Region Leader?”

This time Jameson couldn’t suppress his laugh. With that, Barbados walked around Gideon to position himself closer to Jameson. Barbados crossed his eyes and circled his pointer finger around one ear as if saying that Gideon was indeed crazy. Jameson laughed again, earning a suspicious look from Gideon.

“What’s so funny?” asked Gideon.

“What do you think would be the best way of making me the new leader?” Jameson said. “After all, it’s not as if we can start an uprising when there isn’t a leader to overthrow. Sure, the slaves will just follow along with whatever we say, but that means nothing when we all know that Savior is the only one who can declare it.”

Without missing a beat, all his senses now fully intact, Gideon replied, “That’s true, but we can always ask for an audience with Savior. Nothing prevents us from doing that. Besides, the only two things Savior really cares about is that the territory continues to run smoothly, and the number of Region Leaders remains as 666.”

Jameson and Barbados exchanged surprised looks, realizing that Gideon had just told them a perfect solution to their problem. “Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every once in a while,” Barbados softly whispered to Jameson. This time, however, Jameson did not laugh.

“Contact Esperanza at once!” Jameson ordered Barbados.

Esperanza was Savior’s right-hand advisor and had the privilege of determining whether or not someone’s situation warranted an audience with him.

Smiling broadly at Gideon, Jameson placed both hands on his shoulders. “You are a genius, Gideon. Seriously! An absolute genius!”