A Little Piece Of Heaven

Claire leant back, nestling into Zacky’s shoulder and thumbing through the book that had appeared on the top of the pile they had been reading. Johnny snored next to her, Stefanie slung across his chest and Claire checked around to make sure that everyone was present and correct. There had been so much swapping that it had got hard to tell. Syn was predictably next to Zack, Matt and Dani curled together on one of the sofas, Jimmy and Raven on the other. She looked down, Stefanie was sweetly curled around Johnny which left…..
“Lilith ?”
“Uhhhhhhhhh ?”
Lilith appeared from under the table rubbing her head, Claire noted that her friend looked sick and seemed troubled again. She crawled over, wrapping her arms around her sister as Lilith gratefully rested her aching head against her shoulder. There was a moment of peace and silence, the sisters letting the tension between them dissipate a little.
“Does it hurt ?”
“It burns and it’s getting worse. If I was mortal Patollo would have total control by now. I think that’s how he got to Gee and Mikey in the first place.”
Claire kissed Lilith’s forehead and looked over to the pile of books that were bringing them no closer to a solution. Everything she found had pointed at a fallen angel fighting the god as being their only option and there was no guarantee that those harbouring the demon would even survive that although Lilith being immortal gave them more of a chance. That the chance could kill Raven was still the stumbling block. Dani had located another book but it was not local in this area and they would have trouble reaching it unnoticed.
“We will find a way.”
Lilith nodded, not really believing it and still pinning her few hopes on Raven.
“If not…then take care of him.”
“No, don’t think like that.”
Lilith smiled, winking up at Claire before kissing along her neck. The part of her that always wanted a fight was having an argument with the sensible part and neither was really winning. If she did end up in some hell dimension then there was no doubt that Syn would pull the world to pieces in an attempt to get her back. Shame there was no option for that to happen.
“He will need you. I’m by no means giving up, just saying.”
Lilith picked herself up and located some clothes from under Syn, the lampshade and halfway out the window. There was no sign of Mikey returning but she didn’t trust Gee not to send Arin over to add some pressure. Picking up the fallen chair she looked at the book in Claire’s hand.
“There’s a spell in there to help Raven wake the angel.”
Claire stared, her face freezing into a scowl.
“You know we can’t do that if she has to die to save you. Can’t ask for that.”
“That god won’t stop till it gets out, you should hear it. Whether I die again or not, may not have a choice.”
There was an impasse, Claire could see the logic in what Lilith was saying and had no doubt of the physical effect if was having but looking over at Raven sleeping peacefully in Jimmy’s arms was enough to make her stall on that thought. To harness the power of an angel properly would take years and she had a sudden thought that caused her to narrow her eyes at her sister.
“Even if we did that and Raven somehow killed Patollo, all that power in inexperienced hands would not be good.”
Lilith shrugged, not really all that concerned.
“Probably not but it wouldn’t end the world. As far as I know….”
“Forever the optimist.”
Zacky spoke without opening his eyes, the metal rings in his lip glinting as he smiled. Listening into their conversations had long been a habit of his. Gave him an upper hand and a head start when they wanted to do something stupid or enticing. Both the women smiled and snuggled back onto the carpet next to him, his smile widening as he wrapped his arms around their shoulders.
“Keep looking for that book and get Johnny to finish that machine. If we can break that tomb open before they are ready we can at least destroy your pal’s physical body.”
Lilith kissed along his chest before looking up.
“They are expecting an attack. We would have to go try that very soon.”
There was a giggle as she realised that Syn was awake too and groping some very interesting places as he smirked over at his best friend. Everyone was slowly stirring and Matt had heard the last part of the conversation.
“How about now ? Mikey and his crew are out the way. Can Gerard control the other half of that zombie army ?”
“I would think so.”
Jimmy stood up, his face a mask of determination. They had been waylaid for too long and now was the time to actually do something. There was a flurry of activity, the advantages of being immortal and not needing to eat or really sleep was going to be useful. The girls gathered up the books and began a series of spells to blanket the area in supernatural silence, they didn’t want Mikey to know what they were going to try and even some surprise against Gerard would be useful.
“You girls stay here.”
Jimmy was met with a wall of angry faces before he smiled and the charming glint in his eyes appeared. Lilith ignored it, adding a little extra something to the spell while Dani and Claire were distracted. Stefanie hefted a large rifle in her hand and shook her head.
“Hell fucking no.”
“Protect Raven and finish the spell stuff, that’s all.”
Raven kicked him hard, making both Syn and Zacky turn away. Neither could help but getting the giggles whenever Jimmy wore the astonished and slightly hurt look he was wearing now. Matt merely smiled and handed Johnny an axe and a loaded handgun.
“I do not need protecting, we are coming with you.”
“Jimmy, they don’t know what she is. Or has the potential to be.”
Lilith whirled a fireball in her hand, itching to dish out some violence as Jimmy considered his options. Every fibre in his being cried out to protect her but he knew that Raven was having none of it and Jimmy had to admit that maybe it was time to back off.
“Fine but what about the spells ?”
“The basics are already done, it will take time to ferment so let’s go have some fun.”
Claire kissed Zacky’s lips hard and conjured up a fireball to match Lilith’s as Dani grabbed two pointed and razor tipped daggers, Matt trying to ignore what the sight of his armed and devastating ice maiden was doing to his groin. There were times when he absolutely blessed his luck in even getting to look at her.
There was no traffic on the road outside, the slumber spell kept anyone else out of this fight as they calmly walked across the road and into the crypt. One of the lumbering zombie soldiers wandered forward, the grunt of surprise as the demon called Gates punched right through it’s forehead was the only noise and none of them broke step. Claire sent balls of energy left and right at the risen corpses, the element of surprise helping to defeat numbers as Matt, Jimmy and Johnny headed straight down the ladder and into the crypt.
Zacky and Syn set to enjoying themselves, Stefanie and Raven throwing themselves into the battle with gusto as more and more of the zombies herded in. Claire began to wonder just how many Mikey had managed to raise as they seemed never ending in a string of grunting and shuffling. Dani had one pinned down, hacking away at it until a hand in her hair sent her across the room and Lilith growled, seeing that Mikey was now in the room. There was a glint of madness in his eyes and she realised a minute too late what was happening.
“It’s a fucking trap, get the fuck out of here!”
Claire heard, turning and managing to knock Mikey away from Dani with a well timed fireball that set light to his jacket. Syn yelled down into the crypt, realising that the fight down there was even worse. He swore loudly and jumped down after them, ignoring the ladder and Lilith cursing his name.
Matt and Jimmy were cornered but fighting, Johnny writhing on the floor as Gerard had him pinned in some kind of alien light. Something else was flitting among the shadows, something that Syn couldn’t see but which called out to the demon in him. He pulled one of the zombies away and crushed it’s head as Lilith appeared beside him and screeched out a curse at Gerard that caused the light to falter. Gerard stared at her with a savage smile.
“Did you really think I would let you work against me ? Original plan still stands even if I have to kill your friends to make you go through with it.”
Lilith snarled and sent a blast of white heat through him, the ghost shrieking as the supernatural fire scalded him. Syn was at her shoulder, adding his gun to the noise and slowly they seemed to be pushing Gerard back and away from Johnny who was pulled to his feet by Matt and checked over roughly before another wave of undead descended on them. Fresh pain seemed to rip through Lilith’s head and she staggered, wondering what the hell was pulling at her so hard. The cavern was dark, the lights flickering and creating shadows over the shadows. Jimmy tore another beast in two and grabbed the long axe back up to slam it into the crypt.
“So predictable….”
Garard grinned and Lilith turned back, feeling something now probing her head. It hurt badly, more so as she realised they had all miscalculated somewhere and the voice in her head chimed in loudly.
“A fallen angel ? Here ? Oh Lilith….”
“JIMMY, get Raven and go now. They know, it knows what she is !!”
Lilith hit the floor hard, unable to talk through the blinding pain of the god raping her mind as Syn pulled her back toward the ladder. Jimmy was quicker, knocking the ladder down and smashing another zombie in the throat with it. He looked up, seeing Zacky and Claire at the top and frantically pointing away.
“Get the fuck out of here. Somewhere safe.”
Zacky paused but knew in the pit of his stomach that there was no way that he could let Jimmy down and not protect Raven despite his urge to fight. With a roar of pure rage he threw Mikey out of the door and into the street, herding Raven, Stefanie and Dani after him as Claire fired volley after volley into the pit. The zombies seemed to be moving faster now and the fight became a rout. Whatever happened all of them knew that the only chance they had to save the others was a tactical retreat.
Lilith could hear very little, only see feet as her friends continued to fight until unconsciousness overcame her. The god continued to screech and scream, pleased to be free of one prison but still bound by uncompleted magic to be nothing more than a shadow. The cavern rocked and shook, the sounds of the fight fading out as one by one the reapers were forced down to their knees and finally Gerard was able to see up towards the opening.
They had his brother but now he could finish his work and finally be free.

Notes