The Angels' Pride Read online

  Modern day Greece was her original home, then Rome and its empire. She had had temples and orders spread across the ‘known world’, but they were all but dust. Only a few temples still stood, but surprisingly she still had priestesses who lit the Olympic Torches. She would reconnect with them later but for now, she would build her power in secret. New York was one of the biggest, richest and most powerful cities in the world. Where better to start.

  She wondered how Brigid would react when she discovered how much her little island had changed. The far-flung Roman city of Londinium was now one of the largest and most powerful cities in the world. As for the islands, it had survived invasion after invasion to develop into several different kingdoms that were eventually united into Great Britain before going on to become the biggest empire in the world.

  She hoped Brigid wouldn’t be foolish enough to go rushing back to her islands. She idly wondered where she ended up. She had crash landed into the Grand Canyon and had been swept along the Colorado River before she recovered from the shock and asserted her powers. Unfortunately, her natural storm powers had cocooned her and inadvertently caused intense flooding. There had also been an interesting reaction with the lingering traces of past Gods and spirits.

  She had unconsciously bonded with the land, claiming the whole Grand Canyon. She had left a blazing signal for the Angels to follow. She hadn’t formally claimed the land, so at least the Angels didn’t currently know about it. But she had fled as far east as possible, going to ground in New York.

  She hoped Brigid was safe, but it was far too dangerous to risk contacting her.

  Hera lounged across her Roman style couch, looking at her new lavish apartments. Using her magic she had procured several properties and a mass of wealth to go to ground with. It was so easy to get what she wanted from these mortals, they had absolutely no defence against her. Her inner economic tycoon was coming out with her rapidly growing understanding of modern economics. Wealth was the main power in the modern age. And she was going to use it to her advantage.

  In doing so, she had awoken and angered the Daemon inhabitants of New York. They had no idea who or what she was, to them she was a powerful enigma that had broken all their rules. They lived in the shadows, trying their best not to draw the Angels’ eyes to New York. The amount of magic she had been using far exceeded New York’s usual levels. The Angels’ attention would be drawn here once the flaring power in the Grand Canyon receded.

  So she waited for them to come to her and learn their lesson.

  She had adorned herself in a long white dress, ironically the Grecian style was in vogue, it seemed prophetic. It had been far too long since she had enjoyed the feel of expensive cotton on her skin or adorned herself in jewellery. Now more than ever she looked like an ancient Queen.

  She felt them coming, some were climbing the stairs or riding in the elevator. Some were descending from the roof, and a few were landing on the balcony outside.

  With a thought, all the lights went out instead replaced by hundreds of burning candles. The speakers started playing in the background, the classical music the closest thing she had found to the music she remembered. She gave the winds a slight empowerment, making the curtains gently drift in and out of the windows and doors.

  She watched as the first came through the balcony doors, apparently growing out of the shadows. That had been his aim, but the eyes and senses of a Goddess were not fooled but such things as the play of light. She let him approach as he gathered all his powers, using his glamour and enchantments to overpower her. He was completely foolish.

  She smiled at him and used a far more potent form of the same magic to overpower him. She felt his fear explode as his glamour and enchantments were ripped away, leaving him completely trapped by her small enchantments. He was down on his knees, in a position of worship before he had time for his body to protest.

  He was so afraid, she could see the question in his eyes that he could no longer voice. She had complete control of him. She gently stroked his cheek, driving more powers into him with such a simple action. He couldn’t understand how she could have powers that far outstripped any Incubus or Succubus.

  “Release him” yelled a Succubus as she ran across the room. She made no attempt to confound by seduction instead lashing out with fire. She was flat on the floor in a heartbeat, her flames extinguished, her power beyond her control. She trembled at the power before her.

  The next to appear were a pair of Maenads who entered through the front doors. They at least had the sense to recognise her as Divine. They fell to their knees upon seeing her. She smiled in satisfaction. This would be easier than she thought it would be.

  “Come forth my daughters,” she said gently to them gesturing the forward. They rose hesitantly to their feet before approaching. She rose to embrace them, both of them falling to their knees again, each of them grabbing one of her hands in reverence. Tears fell from their eyes, the joy they felt upon feeling her magic overwhelming them. The Gods were back to end the Age of Angels.

  Hera leant down and kissed them gently on the forehead, leaving a slight green glow behind.

  Others had joined them by now. The Siren had also prostrated herself, recognising her for what she was. One gesture from Hera had her racing across the floor on her knees to grab onto Hera’s hand.

  The Werewolf and Werecat stood in the shadows watching warily, but ready to defend the Kitsune a step in front of them. They didn’t understand. The four Vampires stood at the ready, guns and swords in their hands but they made no actions. The remaining species she did not know, but they too stood hesitantly in the shadows.

  She could feel their confusion. Nymphs were usually considered intelligent and responsible, Sirens less so but they were close relations, and they were among the best suited to blend into Human society. They had avoided being hunted for centuries while most of the other races were still being hunted to this day. To all intents and purposes, they were presumed extinct or hiding far from civilisation.

  For three of them to drop to their knees crying at the feet of the very woman they had come to deal with was a perplexing situation. What made it even more incomprehensible was that the three of them had started to glow softly. It might have been centuries since it was last seen but they instinctively recognised the Divine glow Nymphs had once had.

  The very same glow was emitting from the woman, it flared brightly blinding them all, wrapping through their senses and giving them a taste of the powers she wielded.

  As one they fell to their knees, horrified, amazed, joyous and overwhelmed. A Goddess walked the Earth once more.

  “You all know me for what I am. I am Hera, the Queen of Heaven, and I am here to bring about your freedom from the tyranny of the Angels. It is time that your true natures were returned, so much of your nature has been forgotten. It is a crime for which the Angels will pay.”

  Magic danced all over her, fire, lightning and darkness swept over her skin, her hair floated around her, her eyes blazed violet and her voice thundered through their bones.

  “Grant me your loyalty and you will rise, do not and you will fall to the Angels. The War will continue, it is coming soon and with it, the world will be remade. Go now to your own kind and pass on my ultimatum.”

  They all staggered to their feet, leaving as fast as they could to report to their leaders or councils. She smiled once they had all left. That had been far easier than she had thought, the Nymphs and Siren had been an unexpected boon in recognising her power. Their actions would carry considerable weight with the others.

  She felt that this was a good start to her empire building. The Daemon races of New York had been given their warning, she doubted any would be foolish enough to stand alone. Which left the Human population which had retained its strong attachment to the Angels. Then, of course, there was the rest of the USA but for now, she had her first step forward.

  Brigid was far more subtle in her movements through Sydney. She was doing her utmost
to avoid all detection from Humans, Daemons and most importantly the Angels. She was but one among millions, insignificant to those around her. She had used magic sparingly to grant her access to basic commodities. Some things were essential, but she wanted no trace for the Angels to follow. She knew of Nuriel’s skills.

  It might have seemed demeaning to other Gods and Angels, but she had no qualms living like a Human, working for money to get food, clothing and other Humans needs. But she had been a prisoner for centuries, she had no pride or arrogance, unlike the other Divine. It had been ground down by the Angels, and she hadn’t had much to begin with. She hadn’t gotten to enjoy her civilisation at its peak.

  As a Fertility Goddess, she was quite at ease working for a living. Most of them were far more down to earth than the other Gods, uncaring of the difference between gold and flowers. She had lived with Fairies and Nymphs. She had worked in the Gardens of Gaia, Eden, Avalon and she had even tended the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

  “Oh Brigid this is beautiful.”

  Brigid turned to face Eleanor LaClarke, the matriarch of the LaClarke family, one of the richest within the Sydney area. She had extensive gardens open to the public and was generally a patron of the arts. She had hired Brigid as a gardener, mostly due to Brigid’s compulsion but she was a shrewd and sharp mind that instinctively fought compulsions. She had been the most surprising find.

  She was a woman in the dusk of her looks, their striking echo a stark reminder of what she must have looked like as a young woman. She was still lean, and still stood above most women. She was a gracefully aging woman shunning all cosmetic surgery and accepting her wrinkles. She dressed well and was one of those women who wore only simple makeup to accentuate.

  Her mind was as sharp as it had ever been and she was an extremely busy woman who stood for no nonsense. She still ran several businesses, attended multiple charity events, looked after her numerous grandchildren and spent a great deal of time attending to her gardens. She would have made an excellent High Priestess or Queen.

  “Thank you madam” and she genuinely meant it. She was far more in touch with simpler emotions like gratitude than she had been before. What Goddess was touched by a mortals’ opinion? How the other Gods would laugh.

  “It was a risk hiring you, but I have to say you have exceeded all my expectations. This garden is looking lovely.”

  Which was true. The English-style garden was exploding with rose blooms, their vibrant colours splashed everywhere and their rich, heavy scent hanging in the dry summer air. Compared to the other nearby gardens that were browning as they did annually these gardens looked fresh from Europe. It helped that she had magic to counteract both the dry, hot Australian summers and the rising levels of toxicity that were the greatest threat to any Australian garden, park or farm.

  The rest of the garden paled in comparison next to her creations. There were two reasons for its lush fertility. She was pouring her magic into it, and she had claimed the land as her own, binding it to her powers and widening up the Lifestream passing through the region.

  “You’ll have to work on the rest of the gardens Brigid, this is simply marvellous. It is miraculous, I’ve never seen roses so stunning, and the colours. I haven’t seen gardens this vibrant since my youth. You can stay can’t you, I know you’re working to get back to London, but I’ll pay you well. You simply have to work on my other gardens.”

  Brigid glowed at the compliments “Of course I can stay a while, London can wait.” And it could. As much as she wanted to see how much London had changed for herself, she had studied it well. She just had to see the physical changes to her islands. But she knew that the Angels would be crawling all over them. The longer she took to get there the less of them there would be.

  The darkness was near complete, the nearby street lights had been magically extinguished long before the meeting started. So it was on a frozen winter’s night thick fog clung to Central Park as the representatives of each Daemon race met with each other to discuss Hera.

  The Matriarch of the Maenads stood next to the Siren Queen, both were surrounded by their honour guards but stood contently in each other’s company. On this matter, they were united, and it had strengthened old relations.

  Sarah Appel was the most powerful Maenad in the whole of North America, magically and politically. She had been the Mother of New York for over a hundred years and the Matriarch of the United States for nearly fifty. She was a wealthy woman, with Human political clout who was always looking out for her Maenad brethren. She blended into the respectable elite of New York, avoiding the occasional Angel by regularly attending temple and living a lifestyle that she resented.

  Belle Aurora, on the other hand, lived a lavish lifestyle which directed Angel attention away by living a debauched Human lifestyle as an international supermodel. But her lifestyle in no way reflected her ability as Queen of the Sirens, she was new to the post, her mother only dying two years prior but she had learned quickly from Sarah and strengthened Nymph relations. She had also made overtures to the Lilin to strengthen relations with them.

  Many of the other leaders were slowly appearing out of the shadows flanked by their own guard. Some were blending in as Humans, other had made no attempt.

  Akiko Sumatsu stood in her Human form, her tails hidden beneath her long dress. There was nothing to suggest she was a Kitsune. She was the Diplomat of the New York Were, holding considerable weight in the Were Council and was usually the one who dealt with the other species. Her honour guard consisted of both the Alpha of the Werewolves and the Werecats as well as several others all in their animal form. A light illusion made it look like a lady out walking her dogs.

  Standing beside her was the Encantado High Priestess, also in her Human form, enjoying the protection offered to her.

  The Temptress of the Lilin arrived on foot, looking for all appearances like a gothic teenager out with friends, but each and every one of them was more than capable of defending themselves.

  The King of the Vampires chose to arrive in his stylish black car, his attendants rushing to open the door for him and assist him out. He was the oldest of them all, being nearly 900 years of age, the other Vampires were all under 200 years. The last Angel purge of New York had been very efficient, nearly eradicating them all. Since then they had hung more to the shadows, being silent hunters and trying to avoid publicity.

  The strangest arrival was the Tsarina of the Wild Ones, for they rarely came. They were the blended descendants of Fairies, Elves, and Nephilim. Their powers were wide-ranging and highly elemental. They were a secretive lot that rarely interacted with the other species. They had rejected their earlier roots, having left the confines of the Old World. No one was quite sure how they had managed to get Nephilim in their mix, but it was easy to see from their blended wings. One pair feathered the other pair dragon like. They floated in the air watching all before them.

  “The Goddess Hera has returned to Earth and now we have but two options, join her or face annihilation from two fronts,” Sarah said as she stepped forward, her voice ringing clearly through the fog. “The Nymphs and Sirens will stand with the Goddess, she was one of the Gods that made us and shaped us. We have a debt of duty to her. The rest of you have the freedom to choose as you will, but I do warn you. It is far better to have Hera as an ally than an enemy, her wrath is legendary, her revenge inescapable, her powers without a match.”

  “If her powers are without match how was she defeated in the War?” retorted one of the Succubi.

  “The War changed many things, the element of surprise and the extra powers the Angels had stolen from imprisoned Gods gave them the upper hand. Hera was imprisoned in Heaven by her own husband fearing her.”

  “If that doesn’t say something about her then I don’t know what does. The Shapeshifters acknowledge Hera as protector and absolute authority.” Akiko said stepping forward, one hand raised up.

  Your pledge is accepted little fox, you are most wise. She heard
whispered into her mind. She glanced around but saw nothing, and none of the other leaders acted like they had heard anything. Hera was listening, and no one realised it. This would not end well.

  Tsarina Sophia Ben Sarah was no fool, she knew the Goddess was around and felt her communicate with the Kitsune. She didn’t know what was said, but she felt the subtle power of the Goddess suffocating all other powers. Her eerie melodious voice rang out “The Forsaken bow before the Goddess.”

  And they shall stand above their ancestors. Hera whispered back.

  Sophia gasped quietly, she knew their past, knew their dream, their driving need. They had broken their Oaths to the Seelie Court and the Light Court, fleeing their ancestral homes when the Angels attacked. They had fled to France discovering and breeding with small pockets of Nephilim, only to flee once again when the revolution started and the Angels eyes were drawn to France. They had fled to America seeking a new start and a new identity. And Hera was going to give it to them.

  One of the Succubi spat “I refuse to bow before her. The Gods abandoned us to the Angels, and now they reappear. Let her fight her own war.” She was cut off suddenly as violet fire engulfed her. All watched in horror as she writhed in agony for minutes as her skin blistered and burned, peeling off from blackening bones, but she was not allowed to die. Her reddish spirit was trapped in the dead body until it was completely consumed. A slash of violet ripped the spirit apart, fragments of green magic splashing across the park and sinking into the ground.

  “Anyone else of the same opinion?” came Hera’s disembodied voice, rolling like thunder.

  The Temptress and King dropped to their knees instantly “In the name of Hera we are reborn.”

  “Good,” she said as the materialised in the space between them, her predatory smile bright against the shadows. “Then it is time we started claiming New York as our own. We can’t build an empire if we don’t have a city. We need to remove all power of the Angels.”