The Blood Bracelets #4 - Hell Raised

Chapter One

'But the stars that marked our starting fall away.We must go deeper into greater pain,for it is not permitted that we stay." ― Dante Alighieri, Inferno

Taryn stumbled as her feet hit the floor, and although she was surrounded by a shallow darkness all she could see was Julian – and Gabriel's sword through his chest.

Someone moved in front of her, his body a silhouette but his eyes a blazing green. Taryn looked up at Kael, her voice stolen by shock, but she didn't need to speak. Kael understood.

'He'll be fine,' Kael assured her quickly, his hands on either side of her face. 'Taryn, Julian will be fine. Michael will make sure of it.'

Taryn wasn't sure if she believed him, and she wasn't sure if Kael believed himself either.

'Where are we?' Eljae demanded then, reminding Taryn that they were no longer in the Immortal Halls.

Fury had transported Taryn, Kael, Eljae and Ace out of the Halls before Gabriel could harm them after he had sentenced Taryn – and Fury – to death. Taryn hadn't given Fury a location, hadn't even had the chance to think of one before she saw Julian injured by Gabriel's sword, but she forced herself to focus now and pulled away from Kael's hands to inspect their new surroundings.

'This is Jerry's place,' Kael said in surprise, exchanging a glance with Taryn.

Taryn remembered Jerry's place if only because it was where she had learned about her and Kael's connection through the blood bracelets. She had woken up with Jerry and Kael standing nearby, after she had watched Kael take on a handful of demons in an empty warehouse. But still, Taryn didn't recognise the room – in the darkness, Taryn saw silhouettes of toppled furniture, books and knick-knacks strewn across the floor, and the bed flipped over so it lay at an angle against the wall.

I came here after I was first freed, do you not remember? I was looking for clues to Lucifer's seal.

Taryn had been aware of everything that Fury was doing while in control of her body, conscious but unable to move or feel, yet Taryn couldn't remember the moment which Fury referred to. Given all that had happened, Taryn didn't worry herself too much over the lost memory.

Fury brushed it aside as well, saying instead, I brought you here because it was the first place I could think of, and the last place the Immortals would consider. Your old apartment, and Zed's, would be too obvious.

Taryn relayed the information to Kael, Eljae and Ace. 'We probably can't stay here though,' she added, looking again at the upended furniture. Eljae, having no problems with seeing in the dark, tried a light switch. Taryn heard it flick, but no electricity came on.

'Definitely can't stay here,' Eljae agreed, moving toward a window where the light from a neighbouring building highlighted her profile. 'There is a place we can go though. I've stayed there a few times when I didn't want to be found.'

'So it's safe?' Kael asked.

Eljae gave a noncommittal shrug. 'I can't say I've ever been on the run from Angels before, but it's as safe as it can be. The owner of the motel houses demons who need somewhere to hide, so he has a lot of magical wardings around the place. If nothing else, it'll give us time to rest and regroup.'

Take her hand, Taryn, and tell her to visualise this place. I will use her as a guide to transport us there.

They gathered together again, and Taryn closed her eyes just as Fury's power swept around them once more.