As we pulled up to my driveway, I was gently shaken awake by Luc, realizing I had fallen asleep leaning on his shoulder. I did my best to fix my disheveled hair and hair piece, giving Luc a shy smile. The vampire smiled back at me, although he was quick to turn away to avoid tipping off our bodyguards to his loving gaze. I heard as Cissi and Stella climbed out of the front seats, and I was surprised when they opened both doors.
"Evangela, please remain calm." As soon as the words left Cissi's mouth, I pushed my way past the demon, my heart pounding. What in the world could have happened for them to say that? Exactly what did I need to stay calm about? "Evangela."
As soon as I saw the destroyed state of the front door, my heart sank in my chest. Without a second thought I raced up to the destroyed entrance, and I could hear Luc moving behind me as Stella failed to keep the vampire calm. I pushed my way past the broken wood, my chest pounding as I saw the destruction inside my home. It was good Lee was still gone, but it only made me worry more that our house had been attacked while both Jinx and Lee were out. Had they been hoping to find me, or was there something else they were searching for?
"Lin," I turned to see Luc stopped at the door, grunting in pain as he tried to push his way inside. Despite having given in more to his demonic side during the date, his vampiric side still would not allow him to enter.
"C'mon." I called back, moving deeper into the house as Luc sighed with relief and followed me into the kitchen. The table was knocked aside and the chairs were similarly thrown around. Nothing else seemed to be touched however, and I noticed the same was true of Lee's study on the other side. No books were moved, his desk left untouched except for the chair being knocked into the glass that led to the backyard. What in the world had the intruder been looking for?
"Lin…Evan…gela," My heart leapt back into my throat as I heard Sarai's voice from my computer upstairs, and I quickly moved past Luc as I made my way back to the front of the house. Was the message stuttering? Why had it suddenly started playing without my computer asking me? "Lin…Evangela."
"Computer!" I nearly screamed the word as I slammed my door open, Luc's footsteps still pounding up the stairs as he tried to follow me. I could see the telltale red flashes of an emergency message and I could barely force the next word out of my mouth. "Play message! Now!"
"Angels. Sarai." The computer spoke with the same, calm monotone voice that sounded too much like Evan's as it accepted my command. The immediate sound of commotion made me run over to my desk as I gripped it tightly, desperate to hear my sister's voice. "Lin! Evangela! I… I don't know what's happening, someone is-"
Static filled the message and I pounded my hand into the desk. Dammit, what in the world was happening in Heaven? She was in Heaven, right? Sarai never had a reason to leave. My heart sank as I heard her message resume.
"I… Someone is here Lin! They are looking for both of us, asking everyone where you are!" Sarai's voice sounded panicked and I heard more noise through the speakers as she paused, a loud pounding on the door to the room she was in. I heard my twin squeak with fear and my rage and fear was only mounting. "I don't know what they want with us, but be careful Lin! Don't let them-"
"There!" I heard as the door finally gave under the weight of whomever was assaulting Sarai and her attempts to fight back against them. "Find the other Virtue, we need both of them."
"Sarai!" I screamed at the computer, listening as my twin fought off her abductor, causing the person to cry out in pain from whatever she had done.
"Lin! They'll come to find you too, please be careful! I'm going to our spot on Earth, please come find me there!" I heard Sarai slam her hand on her keyboard to send the message as an emergency message and the sounds of her quickly leaving her room as sounds of chaos continued to come through the speakers. The message recorded more sound before finally cutting off and I was left gripping the desk tightly as silence once again filled my room.
"Check the news." Luc whispered quietly, and I looked up as my computer started to process his request and more noise flooded the room as one of the news channels was brought up.
"Trouble in paradise as Heaven was invaded this evening." My worry and concern was only mounting as they showed the image of Angels fleeing to Earth, exiting our eternal paradise through the only gate between Heaven and Earth. "The invaders' identity are unknown, as well as how they were able to invade such a hold sanctuary but the Angelic Council is fairly certain of their goals."
"It seems they were interested in capturing the Virtues, both past and present." Minn, one of the few Angels on the Council I knew by name appeared, sitting calmly at their desk. Minn was one of the few on the Council who had objected to my falling, and I was somewhat reassured to see their face. "It does not seem any one was taken, and we are taking every precaution to secure and protect the location of all Virtues on Heaven and Earth. Such an attack on our home will not be ignored, and the entire wrath of the Creator will be brought against those who dare attack our holy Paradise."
I stopped paying attention as I breathed a sigh of relief, ignoring the rest of the broadcast. From Minn's words, Sarai had managed to escape and it was likely the Council either knew where she was, or at least knew she had not been taken. I turned around to face Luc, noticing that his demeanor had changed. He was closer to his usual self, but filled with the determination he always had when something was wrong. He no longer presented demonic confidence, but his stance with serious all the same,
"Do you know where Sarai went?" He asked directly, and I nodded my head, taking a moment to summon my magic. My outfit was swiftly replaced, returning me to a look I had not dared wear since my fall. The white jacket and pants swiftly replaced the dark black dress and I adjusted the black undershirt and gloves as I looked up to the vampire. Luc had also changed his outfit, returning to the all-black outfit that he had worn when he first came.
"Yes. There's only one safe haven we had together on Earth and it's somewhere only Virtues know the location of us." I took a deep breath trying to calm down my raging heart. Most other virtues had refused to visit that retreat, but for Sarai and I, it had been one of the only places we could find peace away from all the expectations that were placed on us. "I can't take you."
"I understand." Luc nodded, keeping his red eyes locked with mine. "I'll have Cissi and Stella stay here, to make sure the intruders don't return or try to follow us."
"Us?"
"I think I can figure out who the intruders were." He closed his eyes, finally releasing a heavy sigh. "We both know Heaven can't be broken into unless-"
"A demon is summoned into Paradise." I agreed, seeing his logic. "Would Requiem allow it?"
"He won't have a choice." Luc said darkly, and I was surprised by the sound in his voice. Perhaps he had not calmed down as much as I thought he had. "With Heaven invaded and the Virtues attacked, he'll have no choice but to try and find out who worked with the invaders. Since the Council said they don't know who did it, clearly a demon was only helping and then fled."
"Meaning they might tell us more." I agreed, finally pulling out my phone. As I pulled up Lee's number and let it ring, I nodded to the vampire. "Do it, and keep in touch. I won't let whoever did this get away with it."
"Neither will I." Luc promised as he left the room, going downstairs to give Cissi and Stella their orders. I took another deep breath as Lee finally answered, panic in his voice.
"Lin! Are you-"
"I need you back Lee. I need to go meet Sarai." I interrupted his questioning, taking the moment to lean under my bed, pulling out the angelic blades I had not used in years. I blew the dust from the brilliant iridescent blades, sliding them into the slots on my back.
"Where?"
"In the Garden."