Multiple zigzags of lightning shot downward and continued to sunder my world.
"What's going on?" Cain asked.
A deep premonition circled in my mind.
"I think we are about to have a visitor." I kept my tone flat, but on the inside, uneasiness stirred. God had sent me here with a bolt of lightning. It wasnota pleasant journey.
Fifty feet from where we stood, a thick bolt of electricity shot upward from the sand, its path colliding with a downward striking bolt. Black smoke filled the air, and the impact left a twenty-foot deep crater.
I felt the intrusion of Hell in the marrow of my bones.
"This better not be what I think it is." I flew toward the hole in the ground and hovered, immediately clearing the smoke from the air. From behind, I could hear the soft wisp of Cain and Samael's wings as they caught up. Cain supported himself and Phoebe's wingless body.
Below me, curled into a fetal position, laid an angel of heaven , his once-white wings smoking and darkened with soot. With a grunt, he rolled to his side and opened his icy azure eyes.
I know him.Silent alarms blared in my head.
"Michael." I immediately shielded myself, as did everyone else. Michael was not just any archangel; he wasthearchangel of God. Still, he should not have been able to pierce the veil between the worlds.
Which means God sent him here. But why?
"Dad?" Phoebe yelled, struggling to free herself from Cain's arms. He gently settled her to the ground, and she sprinted to the angel, cradling her father's huge form in her arms.
Instead of responding, the archangel slowly blinked and looked around. He seemed dumbstruck.
Cain helped the wayward angel to his feet. "What happened?"
Michael shook his head. "The bargain, the deal," he whispered, then his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he collapsed. If Cain and Phoebe hadn't been supporting his overly muscled body, he would've fallen on his face.
I let out a long sigh. "I'd like to deal with one crisis at a time."
"Dad," Phoebe shouted, tears forming in her eyes.
"He's okay as far as I can tell." Cain laid a hand on the man's neck. "I think he's just in shock."
Irritation surged through me. "He'll be fine in a little while. It's not every day God exiles an angel. It takes some getting used to."
I didn't envy the poor bloke, though Ididtake immense satisfaction at seeing another of Her favorites fall from grace.Looks like she's on a housecleaning spree.But there was certainly no need to pawn them off on me.
"What?" Phoebe asked. "My dad was thrown out of Heaven?"
"Seems so." With the tip of my wing, I pointed at Samael. "Take the archangel below Sheol and put him in the dungeon." I eyed Phoebe, who opened her mouth to object, I'm sure. "Wait, scratch that. Put him in the guest quarters but make sure he's shielded. Until I know what's going on, I want him guarded at all times."
"Yes, Lord." Samael gave a quick nod.
"And no more mistakes. I don't need MalachiandMichael running loose here. Hell isn't a place for rejects."
Cain raised his eyebrows. "But didn'tyouget exiled here, along with the Chosen?"
I narrowed my eyes to my son. "Careful, careful."
Samael, studiously ignoring Cain, created ether cuffs around Michael's wrist.
"Stop." A sword of pure light appeared in Phoebe's hands. "My father is not some common prisoner." She stood before him, assuming a fighting stance.
"Phoebe, please. I am doing my best to be hospitable to enemies who arrived here uninvited. I swear he will come to no harm if he does not try anything. You can even go with him if you'd like."
She and Cain exchanged a long glance, then Cain nodded. "It's a good idea. Stay with him." He turned to me. "Malachi cannot be allowed to run loose. You and I both know the chaos he'll create, especially with Lilith. I'm sure they'll travel to Earth and lay low."
