Web Short 1 - Sweet Burden Series (Pt. 2)

Web Short 1 - Sweet Burden Series

Sophie's Decision (Pt. 2)

**This takes place between Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 and during the same time as Vol. 2.5**

Liam promptly stood up as his brow creased. Sophie scrambled up to her feet and secured the blanket around her.

“Hey Roland. Any news on Hitomi?” Sophie asked. She could see the seriousness on Roland’s face and it instantly unnerved her.

He didn’t even bother to look at her as he pushed a few dreadlocks away from his face. His gaze was fixated on Liam. “I’m not here concerning Hitomi,” he stated.

The tension in the air was thick and Sophie fidgeted nervously. “Um, okay. Are you all staying at the cabin for the night?”

“No,” he answered still not looking at her. “Can you step outside with us for a minute Liam?”

Liam stood motionless and said nothing. Sophie took a hold of his hand and Liam mashed his lips together as if in pain.

“Roland, what’s going on?” Sophie questioned with more force.

“It doesn’t concern you.”

“If it concerns Liam, it concerns me.”

“Sophie, stop,” Liam said softly as he turned to her. He took her other hand and peered down at her. “Just remember I love you.”

Roland snickered in the background. “Another death god who thinks he can love,” he mumbled.

Neither Sophie nor Liam paid him any attention. Sophie wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, but Liam seemed to know precisely what was happening. Liam held her hands firmly. “Just promise me you’ll remember. No matter what happens.”

“You’re scaring me. What’s going on?”

From the corner of her eye, Sophie saw Roland move forward. “We’re arresting your death god boyfriend,” he stated.

Her mouth gaped open. A sudden rush of fear overtook her. “Arresting him? Why? He hasn’t done anything.” It had been hundreds of years since she lost her first love, she couldn’t bear to lose her second. “No. No!” she repeated as she shook her head. “Who ordered this? Hitomi would never want this.”

“Hitomi’s not around right now,” Roland replied with a bored sigh.

Why would London take someone away from Hitomi’s search? Arresting Liam had to be Gareth’s doing. She didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t let them take him. There was no way to know for certain she would ever see him again. Sophie looked at the two guys behind Roland. Just by looking at them she could tell they were still inexperienced. They most likely hadn’t even completed training yet. She could easily take both of them on. Liam could overpower Roland and they would have time to escape.

“Sophie? Sophie?” Liam let go of her hands and gently grabbed her face forcing her to look at him. “It’ll be okay. I’ll go with them.”

She hated how calm he was acting. Tears began trickling down her cheeks. “No,” she cried.

He pulled her against him in a tight embrace. “I’m counting on you to find me,” he whispered before pulling away and kissing her.

“Okay, that’s enough.” Roland grabbed Liam yanking him backwards. Liam stumbled but never took his eyes from her.

“I promise,” she quickly said realizing she had never responded to his earlier request, but she also meant it as a promise to find him. Sophie watched in horror as they bound Liam’s hands behind his back. Still his eyes never left her. “Please don’t hurt him,” she pleaded.

“We won’t. At least not more than necessary,” Roland replied with a chuckle. He made a motion to the other two angels and they started to lead him out.

Sophie wasn’t ready to say goodbye just yet. She rushed across the room as the angels readied for a fight. To their surprise and Roland’s disappointment she threw her arms around Liam’s neck clinging to him.

“I love you.” With her lips to his ear she whispered, “I will find you.” She kissed him again until the couple was pulled apart. The angels led him out of the cabin, but Roland lingered.

“An angel in love with a death god. How utterly tragic,” he commented as he rolled his eyes.

Sophie didn’t want to hear anything he had to say. She would take her issues up with London and get Liam released. She would make them understand he was on their side.

“Don’t think you’re getting off easy. London has ordered you back to the Heavens. He wants to speak to you. How you’ve acted is unbecoming of an angel. I’m not sure how you can even consider yourself a part of the Heavens. It’s disgusting shacking up with that thing and calling it love.”

Sophie’s brow furrowed. She wanted nothing more than to hurt Roland at that point. “Well, I hope London realizes he’s condemning an ally, an innocent…”

“Innocent?” he scoffed interrupting her. “He’s anything but innocent. He’s a death god Sophie. How do you know he hasn’t been reporting everything back to the Afterworld? Maybe he had a part in the attack on Finn. Maybe he has something to do with Hitomi’s disappearance.”

Sophie shook her head in disbelief. “That’s ridiculous and you know it. Do you think he had some role in Obi’s death too?”

“That might be the only thing to save him if he did.”

“I don’t know who’s been filling your head with all this crap, but they’re wrong. I know Liam had nothing to do with any of those things because I know him. He risked everything by leaving the Afterworld.”

“Or gained everything,” he replied eyeing her in a way that made her suddenly feel naked. “I guess it depends on how you look at it.”

He could ogle her all he wanted. It gave her a small sense of satisfaction knowing that Roland would be jealous of something Liam had. Unwrapping herself from the blanket, she tossed it on the couch. She wiped her cheeks free of tears and crossed her arms over her chest. “If Liam hadn’t stopped me, I would have kicked your ass.”

A smirk formed across his lips. “I would have liked to see that. Maybe another time.” He gave her a wink and turned on his heel to leave.

“The only time I would ever touch you is if I was beating the crap out of you. Just keep in mind that I’d prefer the touch of a death god rather than anything you have to offer,” she spat.

He stopped for a second. She knew her words stung. Without another word he strode out the door with such arrogance it made Sophie want to kick him in the teeth. As the screen door slammed, she rushed over to the doorway. They all took off into the sky with Roland in the lead. The other two angels had Liam secured between them carrying him off into the sky. He didn’t appear to be harmed, but she feared for him. Although death gods seemed to have a monopoly on bad reputation, she knew how ruthless angels could be. And if they really suspected Liam of still working for the Afterworld, there would be torture involved.

The only thing she could think to do was go to Rediisu. With Obi gone, Guri in the Heavens and Finn turning into London’s lapdog, there was no one else to turn to. She didn’t trust him, but there was no one left. Besides, if they were taking Liam then they would eventually come for Rediisu. She would at least have a chance to warn him and maybe they could help Liam.

(read the conclusion next week...)