The Axelridge Series Book 3 Marc's Stolen Heart
Chapter 37

(Chapter song ‘They Hit Without Warning’ by Epic Score, ‘Let Me Love You' by DJ Snake)

MARCUS

“EDDIE!”

I sprinted across the grass and slid to a stop at Jax's side. Lefu is gone and so is most of the battle. The property is littered in bodies and we are now staring down Brock. He has Eddie in some sort of telepathic grip.

“You let him go.” Jax growls as he readies his mace.

“Sorry fellas.” Alistair grins. “I don’t like to share. Eddie’s mine.”

He turns Eddie to face him and Eddie face fills with fear.

“FUCK YOU!” Jax yells and we rush him.

Alistair lifts his other hand and shoves us back with a telepathic wall.

“You guys are too much. Don’t worry, once I get settled in Ed, here, we'll have all the time in the world together…well…until you’re dead that is.” Alistair smirks.

“Jax.” I side him then watch as Brock starts to leak black smoke from everywhere.

“HELP ME!” Eddie yells.

“DON’T LET HIM IN!” Finn hollers.

“YOU FIGHT HIM, ED! YOU FUCKING FIGHT HIM! DON’T YOU GIVE IN!” Jax yells.

“EDDIE! NO!”

The smoke surrounds him and he screams as it hits his body and forces its way under his skin.

“He shouldn’t be able…” I say in disbelief.

“You did this.” Adam stands up and faces the woman.

“I may have left a little treat for Alistair on Eddie’s soul. He’s a much better vessel for him.” She smiles and ticks her head.

“We'll see if it still works when you’re dead!” Adam runs at her and she throws her hand up. Adam drops to his knees and starts to scream

My jaw drops as he literally breaks apart then explodes in Astrid’s hands.

“AAADDDAAAMMM!” Astrid cries out then drops her hands and head to the ground.

She holds herself as she sits up. “NOOOO!!” Hunter runs to her and holds her as he pulls her out of the way. His face is filled with anguish and pain.

“Your savior can’t help you now. None of you can’t stop me.” She says.

“Or me.”

My brows cinch up as Eddie raises his fire eyes to us. He smirks. “I’m back and this time, I brought friends.”

The sky fills with the sounds of demonic birds. We look up as Eddie starts to laugh.

“Who knew we'd have a common enemy, huh?” He grins.

We look up and the sky fills with the dark shadows of black wings. Trumpets almost explode our eardrums and they swarm over us.

“You’re shitting me, right?” Jax points up.

“Fucking angels? Holy hell!” Griffin watches them fly in a circle.

We back up quick and duck as they dive bomb us and fly back up. They scream out an awful predatory bird like cries and we fall to our knees, holding ours ears. I pull my hands away from my ringing eardrums and see blood as the fly back up to the sky.

“Shit.” I mutter and look to the guys who all have bleeding ears.

Phoenix postures and Hunter takes front. “YOU BRING MY SON BACK NOW!!” He throws an arm at Genesis.

She laughs. “You’re son was a waste. He wasn’t even yours. He was mine.”

Hunter growls loud and runs at her. He shifts and she swipes her hand in the air. He flies back and bowls the other Phoenix Alphas over.

Jax looks to them. “Get her!” He growls.

We all run at Genesis as a loud, snarling, growling group. Phoenix shifts, Adams team fires everything they have and we all charge in with rage pouring off all of us.

We encircle her and close in fast. Just as we get within a 5 foot radius of her, Eddie steps in between her and us. He throws up his hands and we all are lifted into the air.

We all yelp in panic as we flail our legs and arms. We're at least 15 feet up in a giant mass of Alphas

“TIME TO MEET YOUR MAKERS!” He yells.

“OH FUCKKKK!!” Jax and I yell at the same time as we float on our backs.

“FINNNN!!”

“LOOK OUT!!”

Phoenix is yelling and struggling right along with us.

The sounds of flapping feathers surround us. In the dark sky, they’re almost hard to see.

“SHITTT! INCOMING!!”

The screeching war cries come from the right as some of the Alphas are hit. Some dive bomb the center of the group, pushing Alphas to the earth and slamming them into the ground.

“PETER! DARCY!”

“SOMEBODY HELP!!”

I glance down and Genesis turns to Alistair. “DESTROY THEM ALL! LEAVE NONE ALIVE!!”

“Ya got it, Goddess.” Alistair doesn’t take his eyes off us as Genesis turns and disappears.

I reach back and try to get control of my pack, but the way I’m floating, I can’t get a grip.

The angels circle like hungry sharks. Some swoop down and fly around the circle. Guys cry out and I see daggers dripping with blood in the gleam of the gold. I whip my head and some have cuts that are bleeding out.

“JAX! REACH MY PACK!” I say.

He stretches his arm out to the pack hanging off my back. His grits his teeth as his fingers barely hit the strap. I try to move enough to swing it to him.

“Almost…Got it!” He grabs the strap then moves to the flap.

“Grab one.” I nod.

He quickly rummages around in my pack and pulls out a ball. He slaps it in my hand just as he’s grabbed by the neck.

“JAXTON!!” I scream as he’s thrown into Finn and they both crash to the ground.

“Sorry, Ed.” I mumble, adjust the timer, push the button and aim.

I pray I can pitch from this angle and throw the ball as hard and fast as I can.

With Eddie distracted by holding us up, the ball hits his chest and detonates. He blows up and we all fall with a scream. The angels all cry out and fly in a frenzy, seemingly spooked by it.

I sit up and Eddies gone. I look all over, but there’s no sign of him. I pull my pack to the front. I look in and have three balls left. I look to Noah. “How many seconds do you think I’d need to get a ball up there?”

Noah looks. “3 maybe 4.”

“Thank you.” I sing and grab a ball and my bat. I set the timer, run to the center under the swarm and toss the ball up. When it comes down I swing my bat for the biggest pop fly of my career.

I drop my arm and watch the ball soar straight up into the flock of angels. The ones closest, see the ball and stop. For a split second they hover before it explodes. The sky lights up and they wail in ear piercing screeches of pain. The flock flies off in different directions then they weave around each other in confusion.

Without taking my eyes off them, I reach behind me. “Noah!”

He tosses the next ball and I waste no time. I smack it up and it explodes in them again. More wails of fear and agony.

“One more then I’m out of ideas.” I hold my hand out, catching the last ball. “Here goes nothing.”

I throw it and hit it with grand slam power. It flies up and actually hits one. It blows on contact and the angel hollers in pain. His wings catch on fire and the other angels scramble in concern and fear as the angel burns then falls.

“HOLY FUCK!” Jax runs up and grabs my shoulder.

We follow the smoldering body to the ground and then look up.

They circle back around and dive for us. Their growls of anger were deafening.

“RUN!!” Finn yells.

We practically trip over ourselves as we run across the property.

“CLAUDIA! SOPHIE!” I yell to my girls.

“Oh shit!” They say at the same time.

I grab their hands and look back. Twisted angelic faces are coming straight for us with black wings flapping fast.

“GET DOWN!!”

I look ahead and see two women, one in a white robe and one in a black robe. We hit the deck.

“NOW!!” The older woman yells as they light bottles on fire and throw them like Molotov cocktails.

Our eyes follow them as the sail toward the angels in front. The fire burns down to the bottles and they both explode in bright red and white lights. We had to cover our heads because the booms were so loud they shook the ground.

The angels let out blood curdling screams. I whip my head to them and they narrowly avoiding mid air collisions as the race to the sky. They moved so fast you could barely see it happen. Screeches of terror faded with them into the clouds and they were gone.

Finn stands and looks the women over. “What the hell was that?”

The older woman steps to Finn. “Just a little angel repellant.” She smiles.

“Angel repellant? What? How?” We all rise to our feet and stand with Finn.

“We've never been properly introduced. I’m Miranda Williams. The Dark Shaman, if you want my title. Over there is Faith Wallace.” She motions to the other woman.

“My mother. Also a shaman.” Jake joins Finns side and crosses his arms.

Faith smiles and steps to Miranda’s side.

“Shaman. I don’t recall inviting you to this fight.” Finn folds his arms and looks her over.

Miranda raises her chin. “You didn’t. Someone else did.”

“Who?”

She looks everyone over. “Adam did. From what he told me, this is only going to get worse. If you don’t prepare yourselves, his future, will be yours.”

I swallow as I look all my friends over and they all have the same looks…

Utter dread.

****

After checking in with the medics, Claudia is given a clean bill of physical health, but the emotional damage will take some getting over. Being a prisoner to a demon was nightmare she didn’t need. My next task is making sure she processes this properly for her mental state.

I slip her jacket on and smile. I thread my fingers behind her hair and press my lips to hers. She lets out the tiniest of moans and my heart skips a beat.

She’s sitting on medical bed and we get ready to leave.

I fix her hair as I look her over. “You ready to go home, princess?”

She looks down then back up. “Yeah, sure.” She gives me a quick smile.

I give her a curious look. “What’s up?”

She holds my hands in her lap. “Nothing. Just glad it’s over.” She shakes her head and meets my eyes.

“Me, too. I thought I lost you forever.” I kiss her forehead and hold her.

“Yeah, me too.” She whispers.

I look down at her. “You sure you’re OK?”

She nods and pushes me away. “Yep. I’m fine.” She jumps down from the bed. “Let’s go.” She motions her head to the door.

“Sure.” I sling my arm around her neck and walk her out of the medic room.

We walk through the halls and come to the waiting room where Sophie is anxiously waiting.

She sees us and jumps up. She meets us half way. “What did the doctor say? Is everything alright? Is anything broken? What about internally, you’re not bleeding anywhere are you?” She inspects Claudia head to foot.

“Soph.” I laugh and push her back. “Let her breathe.”

Claudia chuckles. “I’m fine, Soph.” She slings an arm around Sophie’s neck. “You kicked lycan ass. I’m proud of you.” She leans her head to Sophie.

“Thanks.” Sophie smiles.

“Uh…hello? Angel killer over here.” I wave at the two ladies faces as we walk out.

They both giggle. “Our hero.” They say in unison, stop and kiss my cheeks.

I laugh and get in between them. I wrap my arms around their necks. “Now. When we get home, I want both of you to relax in the tub and I’ll bring the wine. Am I clear?” I eye them both.

The both mouth the word wine. “Yes, please!” Sophie grins.

“Leave the bottle.” Claudia laughs.

“Whatever my ladies want, they get.” I kiss both their temples and walk out of the front entrance feeling great that my Lunas are safe once again.

I feel it more than ever now. It’s happening. I know it.

Now, I need to make it very clear that this will happen. I don’t care how many cosmic rules I need to break.