2
“Li.”
Dominic paced the living area floor with agitation. “Dom, what’s going on?” Holly asked starting to feel very anxious. He had rushed them out the restaurant and had said nothing to her all the way home.
“Nothing.” He muttered absent mindedly then repeated with more vigour. “Li.”
“Don’t give me that crap!” Holly flung at him dis-guarding her winter wear onto the couch. “You’ve been like a bat out of hell since getting that damned thing!” She motioned to the gold envelope in his hand.
“Holly please…Li!”
“You rang.” Legion’s deep silky voice said. He was dressed in his usual black suit with a crisp white unbuttoned shirt underneath that exposed his flawless milky skin. Legion was taller than his younger brother and looked more like his identical twin. They shared the same high cheekbones and ruby red lips, but whereas Dom had dark and stormy eyes Legion had cold detached grey.
“Do you people ever use doors?” Holly asked with slight annoyance at the sudden intrusion. Legion had been glued to them since arriving in New York a few months ago, and he had gotten damn right paternal when Dom and Holly discovered what Legion had been hiding.
“Want to explain this.” Dominic tossed the envelope at him. Legion caught it effortlessly and examined it.
“The Divine Order…”
“Don’t look so surprised.” Dom snapped. “This stunt reeks of you.” Legion looked at him with calculating eyes before replying calmingly. “What makes you say that?” He asked cocking his head to the left, the gesture made Holly suspect that Dom was right, and Legion was stalling to see how much his brother really knew.
“Before leaving Oregon you met with Castillo, the only one who has the power to call the Order.” Holly looked at Legion sharply, he seemed impressed by the amount of knowledge Dom possessed.
“How did you know about that?”
“I have my spies.” Legion studied Dominic for a second then let a knowing smirk part his lips.
“Cyrus. The slimy git.”
“Why would you do this? You said you’re helping us, how’s this helping?” Dominic glared at him with eyes as black as midnight. Something changed in Legion, the cocky smile fell and he swallowed slowly before answering.
“Because Lucifer is coming and if we are to stand a chance against him, then we need Cas and his Angels.” He got to his feet and closed the distance between them. “Brother we can’t just wing this one like we have before. This time we’re simply not enough to protect Holly.”
“What do you mean?” Holly watched Dominic’s composure slip slightly. They all knew that the devil was coming for her, but after spending the last year running from the Archangel Michael who had been intent on her demise, these past few months in New York had been heaven. After watching her round the clock twenty four seven Dominic had to be just as tired, immortal or not it was no way to live. Holly couldn’t go back to that.
“Holly we knew this couldn’t last forever.” Legion told her softly, breaking through her train of thought. “Hell has been gathering all evil to it. Soon they will have amassed an army unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Make no mistake about it this fight concerns every living thing on this planet, mortal or otherwise. We need help and so does Heaven. They can’t hope to face Lucifer’s army by themselves, they are greatly outnumbered. The Divine Order is our last chance. We all must unite in a common cause or we will fall.”
The room suddenly felt colder and Holly hugged herself tightly trying to chase away the icy dread that formed in her stomach. “What exactly is the Order?” They both looked at her but it was Legion who answered. Dominic seemed to be having trouble dissolving what Legion had done.
“It’s a Council made up of the most powerful of Immortals. Good and evil. It’s only called at times of great need.”
“But they can never agree on a thing, there are too many egos.” Dominic added grimly. “It will cause more harm than good. They won’t listen to you Legion, and what’s worse is you’ve handed Holly straight to them.”
“What?” Fear unfurled inside her.
“I asked Cas to keep her out of it, but in his great wisdom he’s decided otherwise.” Legion said with a touch of sarcasm to his voice. “There’s no way around it now Holly, I’m afraid you will have to attend.”
“She is not going.” Dominic said firmly.
“You know as well as I do that she has no choice. One cannot simply decline a summons Dominic.”
“Why not?” Holly asked simply.
The brothers shared a look. “You tell her. You’re the one that got her into this mess.” Dom told him with barely contained fury.
“That’s not fair.”
“Guys!” Legion took a deep breath.
“The invitation.” He held up the envelope. “Is laced with a very old and powerful incantation. It gives the Council the right to…extinguish…”
“He means Kill.” Dominic clarified. Legion shot daggers at him before continuing. “Any person who does not answer the Order’s call.” Holly crumpled onto the couch with sheer disbelief.
“You have to understand Holly.” Legion implored her. “These rules were put in place to keep the members in line. Some of whom are the worst offenders of genocide, murder and such. They have to be severe.”
“I’m going to go to bed…”
“Holly please…” Legion held her arm but she yanked free.
“I’m tired. I’m going to bed.” She repeated slowly trying to control her flaring temper. He let go and Holly felt his eyes on her until she got to the bedroom.
***
“Nice one.” Dominic snorted at his older brother after the bedroom door slammed shut behind her. “What were you thinking?” He added with a sigh. The small apartment was a glow with the soft crisp light of the glass lamp in the corner. And outside on the street car engines filled the uneasy silence that had now fell over the two brothers.
“It’s a risk we have to take.” Legion finally whispered. Dom could almost feel the regret coming from him and his anger died down a little.
“They’ve just been waiting for an excuse to get their claws into her, and you’ve given them the perfect ammunition. I know you didn’t mean for this to happen Li, but quite frankly I’m amazed how you could be so dumb.” Legion’s head snapped up and Dominic saw rage dance in his cold eyes for a moment. “The Order,” Dom carried on. “Will take the easiest route they can. War with Lucifer is the hard way.”
“What are you getting at?” Legion snapped.
“You really don’t see it do you? They’ll order Holly’s execution rather than face Lucifer on the battlefield. Kill Holly and this whole thing goes away. She’s the last of her kind. Lucifer’s hopes are all pinned on her.”
“But they have sworn to protect her.” Dominic laughed at his reply. “Like it or not they have protected her for eighteen years.”
“Oh really. What about Michael? Castillo? Have you forgotten Cas let a whole town die just to prove a point.”
“And I know he feels remorse for his actions. Cas is on our side. And as far as Michael goes, his vendetta against Holly was not backed by Heaven.”
“They did fuck all to stop him.” Dominic tossed at him. Legion sighed and joined Dominic on the couch.
“You know I would never let any of them touch her. You know why I have invested myself in the girl you love. I would die before I let history repeat itself.” Dominic sank further into despair at the mention of the past. He hadn’t always been the guy Holly had fell in love with; he had kept his past from her because the Prince of Hell was scared of losing her if she found out about it. But he also realized that if they were to work he would have to come clean eventually.
“It’s about time you let it go.” Legion told him firmly. And Dom knew his face gave him away. “You weren’t to blame for what happened, you didn’t know.”
“It’s about time you stopped blaming Caleb.” Dominic counted getting to his feet. “I was the one who killed her not him, and I’ll tell you this now. If anything happens to Holly because of you…”
“You best hope you never see me again.”