Page 101 of Tainted Hearts

“Do you think he’s madat me?” Abby asks, biting on the nail of her thumb as we drive down Zed’s street.

“No, Starbright. He’s not mad. He’s probably worried sick about you.”

“I didn’t mean to blow up like that, I was just so mad and caught up in the moment.”

“I know,” Frankie says, wrapping her arm around Abby’s shoulder.

When Abby came home, she was in tears. Frankie wasn’t far behind. Luke, Noah, and Isaac joined us as I held Abby while she cried and Frankie told us what happened.

She yelled at Frankie too for keeping this from her, and Frankie sat there and took it, knowing she deserved some of Abby’s anger.

I knew I had to tell her I knew too. Even if it wasn’t as long as they did. After Frankie and I both talked to her about why we didn’t say anything, she realized why we did it. And as much as she didn’t like being kept in the dark, she understood and wasn’t mad anymore.

Then she started to cry again because of how upset she got with Zed. So, here we are, driving to Zed’s so Abby can apologize.

“What the fuck?” Luke mutters as we pull up to Zed’s house. We park across the street and get out.

“What is he doing here?” Abby growls as we walk across the street.

“Don’t you fucking talk about my mom like that!” Zed roars as he steps toward Michael. Megan runs down the stairs and pulls her son back.

“Zed, love, he’s not worth it. He’s just some sad man who hates to lose. You're better than him.”

Michael lets out a booming laugh. “Better than me? You're such a dumb cunt.”

“I’m going to fucking kill you,” Lucifer says in a low, demonic tone, his eyes going black.

“Stay out of it, Abby.” I grab her arm, pulling her back as she takes a step in their direction.

“But...” she looks up at us with anger swarming in her eyes.

“Your dad will handle him,” Isaac assures, stepping up next to us. We stand back and watch.

Megan steps back, trying to get Zed to go with her, but he’s yelling at Michael alongside Lucifer.

Lucifer bursts into flames, taking a step toward Michael. Fear flashes in his eyes as he takes a step back. Michael’s wings pop out and, like the fucking coward he is, he takes off into the air to run away. Only Lucifer isn’t letting him go without a fight. His wings emerge, dark as the darkest night, as the flames grow along the feathers before he’s fully engulfed and takes off after Michael.

“No, no!” Abby starts to shout.

“He’s going to be fine,” Isaac says. “Your dad is the devil, he’s got this.”

“No!” Abby shouts, spinning around with frantic eyes. “You don’t get it. The only people who can kill an Archangel is another Archangel or God himself. Yes, my dad is the devil, a fallen angel, but he still is technically an Archangel! If Michael dies, God will bring him back. But if my dad dies? There’s no one to bring him back. I’ll lose him. I can’t lose him.”

“If you go up there, Michael could kill you!” Frankie shouts.

There's a big boom in the sky. My eyes snap up, fear blanketing me as the two of them go at it, clashing together as the skies rage above them. Rain falls from the sky in angry fat drops.

The two of them get struck by lightning, sending them crashing to the ground. But that doesn’t stop them. They get to their feet. Punches are exchanged, foul words following.

Megan and Zed’s shouting gains my attention. They’re not yelling at the two holy beings at war, they’re shouting at each other.

“Zed!” Megan shouts as Zed storms over to the fighting men.

Everything feels like it slows down as we all stand there, frozen in place unable to do anything or to stop what is about to happen.

Michael pulls his fist back, ready to take another go at Lucifer, only Zed pushes Lucifer out of the way.

Dread fills my body as Zed’s eyes widen, Michael’s fist embedding itself into Zed’s chest. The whole world stops around us, the only one who moves is Michael as he pulls his fist back, taking Zed’s heart with him.

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