© Katherine Pocock 2013

Chapter One

I hated snow. It was official – I really loathed the white pretty-looking powder that was spread out for miles and miles in every direction. And to make my mood even cheerier, there was no end in sight.

Back home it was different. Seeing a blanket of fluffy snow out of the window would usually guarantee fun. Work would be cancelled because the UK has absolutely no idea how to handle anything other than rain. Danny would finally be able to appreciate the art of snowman building. Last time it had snowed, my little boy had still been a baby and we had only just escaped the complete annihilation of the angelic and demonic races. Frolicking in the snow had been the least of our priorities.

But no, the snowy ground that was whizzing past outside of the window was nothing as magical as that. It was stark and endless. Just looking at it was sending shivers up my spine. It certainly wasn’t helpful when I was already suffering from a bone deep chill despite the many articles of clothing layered over my body.

“Stop moping Savannah.” Lucius teased, blowing warm air into my ear.

We were sat side by side in the back of a vehicle that Lucius, with all of his charm, had managed to bargain from a group of researchers on our arrival at the frozen wasteland. The men on the small research facility had been completely enthralled and were more than happy to accept the dozen or so cases of beer in exchange for the use of their vehicle for two weeks.

I thought we were getting the better deal by miles because, if our track history for trouble was anything to go by, they would most certainly never lay eyes upon the vehicle again. At least not whole I added as an afterthought.

The vehicle was bright blue and made up of two parts. The scientists had called it a double hagglund. It made no difference to me. It could be called big blue bug and it would still be the love child between a car and a tank. There were no wheels and instead our transportation operated on tracks so it could easily manoeuvre over the harsh terrain. It was useful because it came with enough seating for all of us. Unfortunately it didn’t offer enough room for all of the male egos in the vehicle.

Another bump in the icy terrain forced me into Lucius’ lap. He chuckled into my ear and murmured under his breath while his arms held me in place. Stupid man child, I thought while crossing my arms over my chest. 

“I don’t understand how you’re so happy.” I huffed and folded my arms across my chest. “This entire trip has been a nightmare so far.  And if the endless nothing stretching out in every direction is a clue then we won’t be finding anyone soon.”

“We WILL find him.” Lucius said through gritted teeth. “Star has never pointed me wrong. She’s my other half after all. If she tells me he is alive and cowering out here like a timid mouse then I will hunt him down and make him tell me everything. This all began with him and I will make sure that it ends with him too.”

The vehicle was silent after his impromptu speech. Only the roar of the engine cut through the stillness. And there was something there – a tension that lurked just under the surface.  Even after a year they were still feeling the sting of the knife that Phil, whose true name was Mephistopheles, had stabbed into their backs. This wasn’t just a fact finding mission, this was also about revenge.

Trying to take my mind off of the bloodthirsty reality that was lurking under their stoic facades, I turned my attention to the man resting his chin upon my shoulder.

“I know you need to find him Lucius but Star gave me that information weeks ago and - .”  I paused and released a sigh. “Let’s be realistic. Why would he stay in one place - out here away from everything? How would he even think we would be looking for him? If it wasn’t for Star we would all think he was dead.”

“Savannah, we have to find him. It is the only option we have right now because he is older than me. He knows more about what was in Tartarus than any other living demon, angel, Greek god or hellion. Some things are older than us and have existed since the creation of the universe. If we are to truly stand a chance then we are going to have to get the advice of an expert.”

I nodded my head and tried to pull myself from his lap but he just held me close and nuzzled into my neck. That was something we hadn’t discussed either. I sighed and fell back into his hold. We needed to talk about it – about us - but there just never seemed to be time. Nothing was ever going to happen between us if this running off to save the world thing was going to become a regular occurrence.

We settled into a comfortable silence with only the lull of the engine to keep us company. Several hours passed before things changed.

First someone gasped. I had been bordering between sleep and awake when excited chatter started to make its way through the vehicle. Second, in my sudden rush to wakefulness I threw out my hand and clobbered Lucius in the face. Blearily I rubbed my eyes and lifted my head from Lucius shoulder who hadn’t even uttered an expletive at my assault on his person. That was strange in itself but as my surroundings came into focus, I noted that it was much stranger than that. Every pair of eyes was turned towards the front windscreen. I followed their gazes and only saw whiteness.

“What are you all looking at?” I asked sparing a glance at Lucius. His jaw was clenched tight but there was a glint in his eyes that I didn’t like. I nudged him in the ribs bringing his attention down to me.

“Just keep looking.” He murmured distractedly. His eyes once more strayed out of the front windscreen.

I did as asked and just shook my head at a complete loss. There was nothing out there that would hold my attention rapt like it was for the rest of them. Maybe it was a fallen angel thing?

And then it happened. A bright flash lit up the horizon causing me to squint against the glare. And in that flash of light I saw -. I shook my head as the bright light died away and left just the nothingness once more.

“I think I’m going crazy.” I murmured to which Lucius wrapped his arms around my waist and squeezed me tighter to him.

“You’re not crazy. We’ve just been shown the way. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner.”

His words meant absolutely nothing to me so I just nodded dumbly as we continued our trek across the ice and snow. The unchanging terrain made it feel like we were barely even moving.

The sky lit up once more and I blinked. It was still there when I opened my eyes once more and the mirage no longer wavered in and out of sight. It held revealing the true form it had taunted me with only minutes before.

“Do you see it?” I whispered to Lucius laying my hand over his. He kissed the back of my head and laced his fingers through mine.

The awe we both radiated was enough to make me feel giddy because it was truly inspiring sight. It was what dreams were made of.

After seeing the home of the earth people and the beauty of hell, I didn’t think anything could surprise me anymore. But there it was – like a mirage on the horizon – an entire city that looked as if it was carved out of ice. White rock stretched up into the sky, its roofs and windows made out of a kind of crystal that glinted in the arctic sun.

The architecture was different to anything I had ever seen. It was a mixture of designs from all over the world. Some were simple flat roof homes while others boasted columns and great crystal domes at their peaks. A broad and blocky building dominated the skyline. It was more like a medieval English castle than anything else with its high walls and turrets. It stood in the centre of a small group of one story homes, a giant among the small town.

“We’re here.” Lucius murmured while I eyed the crystalline apparition before me.

“And where is here?” I questioned as we moved ever closer to the pristine beauty.

“The North Pole of course.”

My mouth dropped open into the perfect ‘O’. He could not be serious. This was the North Pole? He turned his gaze away and his icy blues met my darker gaze.

“Come on Savannah, have you not learnt anything yet?”

I shook my head while allowing my mind to process the finer details of the city that stood a few miles away. The city was becoming clearer to see every moment as we continued to travel towards it.

“For every story, myth or legend there is at least some grain of truth. For example, there was a charitable old man called Nicholas who donated toys and food to the poor but he has never lived anywhere near here and he has definitely never travelled the entire world in a night to deliver presents.”

A nod of the head was all he received but I was strangely bereft that Santa wasn’t real.

“Okay, but how did this place come to be Santa’s home and workshop?”

“Simple – elves.”

That raised so many questions in my mind but I did not get to ask any because the Hagglund shuddered violently before rolling to a stop. Castiel, who had been taking a turn at driving, immediately released a stream of curses as he beat his fists against the steering wheel.

He turned the key in the ignition several times and revved but there was only a few choked protests which cut through the air. The engine stuttered and died once more.

“Looks like we’ll be walking from here.” He informed us, swivelling his stubble covered face in our direction.  

I glanced out of the window, where white flakes were now descending rapidly so that the white city was almost completely obscured from view, and gulped.

“You want me to go out into that? Are you crazy?” I muttered, my gaze watching as the visibility beyond the windows lessened with each passing moment.

“Not crazy. This is the only way we will get our answers. Now will you walk or do I have to carry you” Lucius questioned, sounding strangely like an adult for once in his life.

I however chose that moment to revert back into a child, folding my arms across my chest and pouting.

“You can’t make me.” I promised, turning my head away from him.

I missed the smirk he shared with the other fallen angels. It was why I found myself swinging side to side as our motley group pressed on through the blizzard conditions towards the promise of civilisation. I was swung over his shoulder and had the joy of watching as the storm gathered around us, swallowing our transport as it closed off our retreat.

Unfortunately I also got to see the ankle height red glowing orbs that followed us through the knee deep snow. They were floating there, circling us with a predatory gleam. We were here to catch ourselves a demon, but there were things here that were clearly hunting us.

“Lucius?” I whispered, not daring to blink in case one of these things decided to pounce. “We’re being followed.”