Heaven's Help

[Shadowess]

This was a story I was working on on VampireFreaks.com when it was a social media site. Please consider it an example of my writing skills.

***Had to do some research on The Vatican as it's not something I'm familiar with so please forgive me if I get anything wrong.***

It has been about two weeks since Damien's funeral. Sara and Jessica haven't been staying in one place since. Always on the move in an attempt to be difficult to track. Sara had sold the café and bought an RV. All their belongings on board as they drive across the states day by day. They had no goal. No plan. Simply survive and avoid another run in with Lucifer. Sara couldn't bare to lose her daughter as well as her son. Funnily enough, Sara hadn't cried since his death. She wouldn't allow herself to. She needed to be strong for her daughter who grieved openly. No, she needed to focus on trying to keep them one step ahead, which in itself is difficult to do when you have no idea where your enemy is nor how they move around. To Sara, Lucifer had always seemed to simply "appear" in her life then just as swiftly disappear to not return for a random amount of time.

Sara was driving, the only sounds she could hear being the engine as they cruise down the highway and the occasional quiet sob from Jessica who sat in the passenger seat, staring out of her door window at the scenery outside. She was still coming to terms with their loss and Sara knew she felt responsible for Damien making the choice that he did. She blames herself for not signing the contract. Wanting to take her mind off things, Sara leans towards the centre of the vehicle's dash board and turns on the radio. Bon Jovi is halfway through singing the chorus to "You give love a bad name" when Jessica suddenly turns the radio off again and looks at Sara. "It's never going to end, is it?"

Sara blinks at her daughter before returning her gaze to the road. It had been the first time Jessica had spoken since Damien's death. It takes her a moment to find the right words and just as soon as she opens her mouth, Jessica speaks again. "Damien said...we're damned anyway...is that true?"
Sara didn't take her eyes off the road but she could feel Jessica's eyes on her. "Why didn't you tell us? You kept it from us..." Her voice sounds broken but the accusation is heavy in her tone.

Sara sighs and flicks on an indicator before pulling into the hard shoulder to park up. Putting on her hazard lights so she wouldn't be bothered by police, she turns off the engine and sits back in the chair. Resting an elbow against the glass of her door window, she rubs her forehead with her fingers. Her eyes closed for a moment. She knew Jessica was still staring at her. "I wanted to protect you. Both of you." Sara sighs again. She hadn't considered that her own contract might still be affecting Jessica, despite Jessica having not signed one. "I don't know...I don't know..." Sara wanted to much to cry and break down but at the same time, she felt numb. Almost lost.

Jessica on the other hand was staring out of the windscreen thoughtfully. "You said my dad is an Angel..." Sara didn't move nor answer. "Maybe...maybe we can get help from them...there must be a way to reverse it all...maybe they know how."

Sara lowers her hands and turns to look at her daughter who seemed to be looking back at her with new hope. Sighing again, she puts the vehicle into gear and turns the engine back on. "Worth a shot..." She says as she drives down the hard shoulder until they pick up enough speed to join the other cars on the road again. Sara was uncertain but if it was a chance to keep her child safe, what other choice did she have? Jessica meanwhile was now smiling a little as she watches the scenery out of her window pass them by once more. They finally had a plan.

***

After driving for several hours to the nearest airport, a quick phone call to one of Ryan's "friends", paying for tickets and finding somewhere safe to keep their RV before take-off. Sara and Jessica boarded a plane to Rome, hoping that they might find Arch-Angel's in the Vatican City. Once there, they took little time to see the sights before getting themselves a hotel room. Only moments after placing their bags in the room, they lock the door and leave the hotel to head straight for St Peter's Square.

To avoid being confused with tourists as well as avoid any security that might try to stop them, Sara led Jessica around the back of the building where they managed to climb in through an unguarded, open window. Now to find one of the priests...
It didn't take them long. Upon walking out of the room they'd climbed into and walking along the corridors that echoed with each footstep, a priest in black robes with a purple belt caught sight of them. The elderly man with the purple cap that just about covered a balding head shakes his hands before him in shock at seeing the intruders and begins calling down the corridors in Italian. "Help! Help! intruders!"

Inwardly thanking her father for making her travel the world with him when she was younger, Sara shouts back in fluent Italian. "Wait! We need the help of Arch-Angels!" It was a long shot but it was straight to the point. Unable to understand the language, Jessica is left to watch everything unfold with uncertainty. "We're seeking to escape the grasp of the Devil! Please help us!"

The priest pauses as the Swiss Guards come around the corner wearing what appeared to be police uniform. They begin barking orders at the two women when the priest raises a hand to quiet them. His eyes not leaving Sara and Jessica, he tilts his head a little then speaks again. "Elaborate?" He says while watching them carefully. It was clear that he was debating whether or not they are being genuine or if they're simply mad.

Sara and Jessica don't move while under the glare of security who held guns pointed at them at the ready. "I am Sara Rai and this is my daughter Jessica. My husband is Ryan Rai, an Arch-Angel who is currently on duty in Hell to search for missing Angels...." Sara pauses and gulps, a little nervous to explain the rest but continues regardless. "Myself and my father were visited by Lucifer before I met Ryan. He forced me to sign a contract that I refused to sign...please...please help us. You're our last hope. If not, it's not only my soul that's damned but the souls of any generation of my family after mine." She finishes close to tears and barely notices that Jessica had placed a hand on her shoulder as she'd been talking.

The priest is silent and regards them both thoughtfully for several seconds before sighing and taking steps towards them. As he does, the haggard old man dissolves and a younger, more beautiful male stands before them in the same robes. His features seemed more chiselled and full. Shining, ginger hair with just a kink of a curl fell to his shoulders. Large white wings appear behind him and he wears a warm smile as he comes to a stop in front of Sara. He turns to look at the Swiss Guards, who don't seem the least bit surprised, and makes a gesture with his hand to prompt them to lower their weapons. "You may return to your posts. These women are not a threat." He says then turns to look back at the two. "They are our guests." He smiles, his tone soft and comforting.

"Come, I will take you somewhere you can relax while I gather others to listen to your story then we can decide whether or not we can help you." The Angel says and begins leading them down the corridor to a room with dark wooden walls and a red carpet. He walks to the centre of the room and holds his hands together in front of him while turning to look between Sara and Jessica. "You may wait here. Make yourselves comfortable, I shall be back soon." and he was. He brought five other Angels with him, three of whom had remained looking like the old, human priests.

All of them had a very stern gaze, even as Sara explained her whole story to them. It wasn't a surprise that her faith would be called into question by one of the Angel's but Sara was prepared to answer for herself, saying that in the years since, she had no reason to not believe and that she'd done everything she could to help herself and her children by taking them to church, repenting her sins and generally trying to live a good life. It only seemed to be when Lucifer came that she'd need to resort to violence. The angel's didn't seem entirely happy with her answer but thanked her for her honesty.

After asking Jessica a few questions as well, they exchanged glances between them before finally asking that Sara and Jessica wait in their hotel rooms while they discussed the matter. Thankful to at least have been given the chance to be heard, Sara and Jessica returned to their hotel room where they waited until around midday the next day. A couple of the Swiss Guards knocked on their hotel room door and escorted the two women back to St Peter's Square.

Sara and Jessica were escorted into a different, smaller room this time. It appeared to be more like an office, with a large chair behind a desk that the Angel they'd spoken to the day before now sat in. He gestures across from him to the two chairs on the other side of the desk, closest to them. They each take a seat and Sara looks at the three other Angel's in the room. One stood directly in front of the now closed door, the other two on either side of the desk, facing them with their hands behind their backs. The two beside the desk could easily be twins. They looked identical from their brown, cropped hair, right to their slightly crooked noses. The one at the door was blonde, with brown eyes and was staring at the two with a frown. All of them had large, white, feathery wings.

Sara didn't like this. Something felt off. The way they're positioned...almost like guards. She returns her gaze to the one sat across from them who seemed to have a sad smile but was waiting patiently for them to settle into their chairs. "I'm just going to ask you a couple of questions. Just to confirm that we understand everything. Is that alright?" He asks in that soothing tone. Sara nods, as does Jessica and the Angel sits back a little. Shuffling his wings slightly to make himself more comfortable. "You signed a contract with Lucifer?"
"Against my will." Sara answers, being sure to make this point crystal clear.
The Angel nods, looking at his lap for a moment then bringing his gaze back to Sara's.

"And this contract was signed with your blood?"
"Yes." Sara was getting a little agitated. She didn't like repeating herself and she couldn't help but feel like they were accusing her.
"And this contract, not only binds yourself but all of your children and future generations from those children?"
Sara takes a breath to calm herself. "Yes."
The Angel now looks at Jessica. "Is this your daughter?" 
"Yes."
"Do you have any other children?"
Sara hesitates then lowers her gaze. "Not any more."
"Condolences...Has your daughter been bound?"
"No."
"Will her children be bound?"
"Not if I can help it!" Sara growls but the Angel holds up a hand to quiet her, his gaze returning to her with a gentle smile.
"But they would be if you were not there? Is that correct? You're not immortal Sara."
"Which is why I'm here!" Sara snaps but once more, the Angel holds up a patient hand to quiet her.
"There is one way we can help those future generations..."

The Angel nods to one of the twins by his desk and the twin gestures for Jessica to stand. As she does so, Sara looks between them with confusion before returning her gaze to the Angel behind the desk. "But-!...what about Jessica? What about my son?...me?" She asks, some fear coming through her voice.
The Angel's warm smile slips into a saddened frown. "Whether or not you were willing to sign that contract, your blood is on it. There is nothing we can do. If you seek release, it's Lucifer you need to speak with but even then, I would advise against making any further deals with the Devil. He is not to be trusted."

Sara's heart sank but then a realisation began to dawn on her as she returned her gaze back to her daughter who was now being told to close her eyes. If they couldn't help because of the contract Sara had signed then how else would they "help future generations"? By helping them not exist!

Sara realised this a little too late, "JESSICA!" she screams, diving out of her chair to attempt to grab her daughter but by the time she'd reached her, the twin Angel had plunged a knife, hidden under the sleeve of his robe into Jessica's stomach, twisting it sharply before retracting it and stepping back in time for Sara to catch her.

Kneeling on the floor, holding onto Jessica who coughs up a little blood before her eyes roll, Sara begins breathing heavily, starting to panic. She taps her daughter's cheek lightly while trying to put pressure on the wounds with her free hand. "Jessica! Jessica stay with me!" She begins to cry. The Angel behind the desk had gotten to his feet and was looking at Sara with a sad expression. "Don't worry. The knife is glazed in one of our poisons. Jessica will drift into a deep sleep before she passes. You'll be joining her very soon."

Unable to believe what she was hearing, Sara looks up at the Angel then eyes the twins holding a knife each warily. "Why?! We came to you for help!" She shouts at them, tears falling freely now.
"This is the only form of help we can offer. We cannot free you from your contract but we can ensure future generations do not suffer the same fate. If by some miracle, you both survive the poison, where we strike should leave you both barren."

"You bastards! If you couldn't help, you could've just sent us away!"
"I'm afraid your contract poses a far greater risk than you realise...but we thank you for bringing it to us as quickly as you did."
"What risk?!"
"I'm afraid I've told you too much already. I wish you the best of luck in freeing your family Sara Rai."

The twins begin approaching Sara but by this point, Sara had begun to see red. Her last hope dashed. She'd come to them for help and what do they do? Kill them? If not leave them barren for life? Sara was growling as she slowly moved to stand straight. Her teeth lengthening into fangs. "Saints." She looks between the twins, her eyes shifting to her demonic red ones. "My." Sara's finger nails harden and sharpen, changing into claws. "ARSE!"

Sara doesn't recall what happened after. Having blacked out. But she can remember the angry shouts, painful screams and savage growls clearly. By the time she'd calmed down enough to see straight again, the room was practically painted red. Feathers, skin, innards strewn across the whole room. Sara was standing over the battered, mutilated body of the ginger Angel. Her features slowly returning to normal but still contorted in rage. Apparently swords had been brought into the mix. A couple of the Swiss Guards had run in, only to be ripped apart as well. A price for having her blood on Lucifer's contract was the slow transformation into one of his demonic servants. Sara could hear sirens in the distance. She had to get out of here...before more security turns up...before the authorities turn up...she had to get Jessica out of here too...get her to a hospital. Moving across the room, she looks at her daughter on the ground, now splattered with Angel blood.

Sara's lower lip trembles, her eyes threatening tears. Not yet. Have to get out first. She beds down and picks Jessica up, turning to leave through the window, the pauses as the Angel coughs some final words. "These...events will...not be...forgotten...You only...served...to damn yourself...further...There is...no place...for one like you...in Heaven." While the words stung, Sara looked down at her daughter's relaxed, sleeping features. If Heaven would take her children's lives..."Fuck Heaven." She growls and leaps through the window.