It was a gloomy day in Pennsylvania. The clouds are gray, the buildings and houses that we passed by are wrecked. There were no people around, it’s like they died protecting their home or they probably left when monsters started running amok. I just hope, even just a few of them, are safe some place.
We arrived just outside of Summerdale, maybe a few feet away, but not entirely a suspicious vehicle. There were guards barricading the road straight ahead, then Collin hits the breaks, “oh man, how’re we gonna get in there?”
Merikh taps Collin’s shoulder, “switch places with me.”
“What? Why?”
“Just switch places with me and hide in the backseat with Azriel. I got a plan.”
Merikh looks over at Collin and Azriel before putting the gear back to drive. We were asked to stop by the entrance, and he pushes down the button for the window. It smoothly went down and Merikh said hello to them. “Who are you here for?” asked the guard on duty.
“I’m here to see Mr. Roth. We, uh, we have some unfinished business to discuss,” he replied. The guard gave a suspicious look then he took a peek at me on the passenger seat. He pressed the side of the radio hanging on his upper left chest, “yeah. We got a guy here in a black Tacoma, his name is….” he looked back at Merikh.
“It’s Merikh. The name’s Merikh,” he replied. The guard took his eyes off him again, then after a little while there was static on the man’s radio. I couldn’t make out what it was, then he pressed the side again, “copy that.”
He motioned for us to pass, “thank you!” Merikh said politely and with a smile.
We drove through and saw that the empty road became a beautiful town full of people. It’s like a poster for Lake & Home magazine meets Better Homes. Even though it’s gloomy, a lot of them were still out and about. Maybe they’re preparing for the storm and wanted to keep their pantries fully stocked. I looked over at their park and there were people there setting up like an altar. Probably for the god they are worshipping in this town. We drove all the way to the end of the town where a gated mansion stood.
The house’s exterior is painted white with lights are on the ground, making an upward shine to it. It’s modern and classy, a light brown door with glass on the side. The windows are huge, like floor to ceiling huge. Though there were white curtains for privacy, it’s really beautiful. The balcony’s fences are made of glass which added to the house’s class. But man, imagine getting drunk up there and stupidly leaned on it, I thought and shook my head.
As we entered and premises, a man in a suit came closer to the driver’s side and knocked on the window. Merikh pushes the button down again, “yes?”
“Mr. Roth’s expecting you, please park over there. We’ll wait for you,” the man said. Merikh just nodded and did what he was instructed to do. Azriel and Collin got up from hiding. “You know, it’s really hard to hide here when we’re both at least 6ft tall,” Azriel complained.
“I apologize, but right now that’s the only way I can think of,” he replied to his brother.
“Collin,” I suddenly said, “did you know your dad has a house here?”
“Honestly? No. I had no idea. All I know is our house in LA and the other one outside of New Jersey.”
“And don’t forget the penthouse in Pittsburgh,” I reminded him.
“Yeah, that one too.”
Both Merikh and Azriel looked at him, “how rich are you?!” Azriel asked.
“Uhm, let’s just say my father’s a businessman and owns half of Pittsburgh.”
“Damn,” the three of us said in unison.
“And you’re willing to go against your father?” Merikh got curious.
“Yeah, well, I’m his only living heir. If something happens to him, I get everything. I get to destroy all of it. I mean, it's probably blood money considering, you know, he’s a cold-blooded killer and all.”
“Or maybe he made a deal with a demon to get where he is now,” I said, thinking out loud.
“You know, that’s not impossible. Really,” Collin said.
“Alright. Mia and I will go with suits right there. You two stay here. Or maybe snoop around?” Merikh said.
We’re the first ones to get down from the truck, Azriel and Collin followed. Four of those men in suits were left outside to guard the house. The other four went inside with me and Merikh, leading us to a room at the end of the hall.
***
Collin and Azriel crouched in the backseat as they watched Mia and Merikh go inside the house. They looked at each other and slowly opened the door facing the garden. Both of them slid down to the ground, hands first, trying their best not to make a single sound. They crouched behind the truck and searched for the cameras. Azriel found three working cameras and 1 decoy. His eyes glowed bright green and manipulated each of them. Then he stood up straight, Collin tugs him, “what are you doing?!”
“Relax, I manipulated the cameras,” he replied when the four guards took their guns out, “aren’t you guys monsters? Gonna fight me with a gun? I’m a celestial being, that’s not gonna work.”
One of them shoots at Azriel. The bullet just dropped on the ground as it hits his chest. Then all of them tried shooting him as he walked around the truck. When the last ammo was shot, they started panicking. “Come on, Collin. It’s not gonna be fun if it’s just me,” he said. Collin stood up straight, eyes glowing, and fangs out with Mia’s machete hanging from his pants. Azriel lets his wings out. A huge brown wings as majestic as a hawk’s. He takes his sword out, the four guards were about to run away when Azriel turns his sword upside down and stabs the ground with it. The earth rumbled as the guards fall down.
Azriel stood up straighter, taking his sword with him. He tucked back his wings and walked towards the guards with Collin. He closed his eyes, and he places his hand on one of the guards’ head. He screamed in pain. The other one ran away but he managed to throw his sword at him, hitting him right on his back straight through the chest. He walked over to him and took his sword back. Collin broke one guard’s neck, and he did it again to the other one. Azriel saw it and stopped walking, “hold on,” he paused. “Sorry, I think I’m gonna be sick,” he said as he made a nauseated face. “What?” Collin said as he retracted his fangs.
“I, uhm, didn’t expect to see any neck-breaking today.”
“Come on, let’s just go inside.”
They were about to enter the house when the guards from the gate started running towards them. Azriel just pushed them with his powers, and they all hit the gate real hard, leaving them unconscious.
***
When we got inside, Mr. Roth was sitting on his office chair, talking on the phone. After he hangs up the phone, he looked at us, “ah. Merikh, nice of you to come by. I see you brought me a gift,” he said. I looked at Merikh and he whispered, “just play along.” I nodded.
“Yes, sir, I did. This is the Nephilim that you wanted,” he said convincingly. Mr. Roth stood up from his chair and walked closer. He looked like Collin but older. He has the same dark hair, blue-gray eyes, and pinkish lips. He laid his hand on my cheek, went down to my neck, then he slid the back of his finger where my cleavage is. In my peripheral vision, I can see Merikh getting pissed. “She’s a beauty. I wonder what she tastes like,” he licked his lips as he puts a hand on my butt cheek. He started smelling my hair, then he pushed back a couple of strands to reveal my neck. He tilted my head to the side, then I looked at Merikh. My eyes are screaming for help.
“Sir,” he began, making Mr. Roth stop getting a little too touchy, “sorry to interrupt but now that we have the Nephilim, what’s your plan?”
“Ah yes, well, I am planning on taking the Nephilim to the basement, where she will be kept until I need her. I mean, come on, she’s a Nephilim! A very powerful being! She can lead an army!” he said, then he puts a hand on my waist, “or maybe, she can be good for something else.”
Merikh got the idea of what he wanted to do with me, “sir, that’s not what we talked about.”
“Yeah, well, I can change my mind. I need her to cooperate, any way I want her to, if she wants to live. But most of all,” he lays a hand on my neck, choking me, “I want her grace.”
Merikh placed his staff on top of Mr. Roth’s wrist, “she won’t be any good if she’s dead.”
Mr. Roth smiled and releases his hold on my neck. One of the suits busted inside, “sir. There’s been a breach.”
Mr. Roth took a sip from his glass of Scotch and sighed, “who is it?”
“Sir,” he said, “we think it’s your son.”
He stopped, glass inches from his lips, “take the Nephilim to the basement. Make sure she’s tied and locked up. Also, make sure my son doesn’t see her.”
“Yes, sir,” he replied then three other men came in, dragging me out of the room, leaving Merikh with that sick son of a bitch. I looked back at Merikh. He was getting furious.
On the way to the basement, two of them were holding on to my arms while the other two are in front and at the back. I thought of taking them by surprise by attacking the ones on my sides first, but I don’t really know I’m going to do that. Then suddenly, I saw an opportunity. We were about to turn left when I abruptly stopped, and sat down, taking the two men on my side down with me. The suits behind me was taken aback then I rolled backwards, I stood up in front of him and gave him a headbutt. I totally forgot there was another one and he tased me. Knocking me out instantly.
I woke up inside a dungeon looking basement. Complete with a prison door. I looked up and saw that my hands are tied to a hook. My back is facing the prison door, and my feet are about 3 to 4 inches above the ground. I can hear footsteps, then I heard the prison door open and close. Whoever was there turned me to face them, and there he was, my perverted captor, Mr. Roth. He glanced back to see if anyone is there to witness whatever lusting deed he’s going to do. When he sees no one, he took out a knife. It looked like Azriel’s sword but only smaller, like a pocket knife. “Mia, right?” he said, I just stared at him.
“I know for a fact that you’re close with my son, and maybe, now is the right time to thank you for bringing him here,” he said.
“If Collin is your reason to lock me up, you could’ve been a good father and just called him!” I yelled.
He laughed, “you’re adorable.”
He took the knife and sliced my shirt, from top to bottom, revealing my bra. He looked at me from head to toe, “you know, you can be on my side. I can give you anything. I can give you some monsters to do your dirt. I can give you all the protection,” he said while he slid the tip of the knife from my chest to the top of my pants. He placed the knife under my chin as he unzips my pants. I was getting nervous and angry at the same time that I started yelling and wiggling. I wanted to kick him where the sun won’t shine but I couldn’t. My ankles are tied up too. He punched me on my stomach so hard, I stopped from wiggling, then he held me on my waist, and he started kissing my neck. I tried fighting him off then he slapped me, he grabbed my face. Forcing him to look at him, “fight me one more time, and I swear, you will get hurt!”
“Go ahead. I’d rather die anyway,” I said, lips trembling. He tried to kiss me again, but I started to fight back. He, then, took the knife and made a slit on my belly. I screamed as loud as I can, hoping someone would hear. Then he made another one on my arm, and another.
Every time he made an advance, I scream and fight back. But every time I did, he slits me open with a knife that seems to weaken the angel inside of me.