Return to Mercy Falls: The Woman of the Apocalypse awaits…

The saga continues with Chapter 7

Previously on Mercy Falls…Riley comes to terms with her new reality. Meanwhile, Jacob makes a deadly decision.

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Chapter 7

Jacob

I stumbled through the city streets, sobering with each step. The sounds of Mercy Falls—horns blaring, traffic snarling, people yapping about nothing—scraped against my pounding head.

But the closer I got to the falls, the more the city’s noise faded, replaced by the deep, bone-shaking rumble of water crashing down.

This waterfall wasn’t just a scenic spot for postcards or family snapshots. It had once fueled the city’s rise to glory, back when industry was king. Now? It had a different kind of power—one that felt all wrong.

The old city founders dug too deep, messed with forces they didn’t understand, and tore a hole in the fucking universe. Under the right conditions—water, lightning, magic, and blood—this waterfall could punch a hole straight to Helenium.

I approached Rainbow Bridge, named for the almost daily mist-induced rainbows. The falls plunged eighty feet into the Hamilton River, framed by basalt cliffs that looked both stunning and surreal.

I stood there for a moment, frozen.

I’d been so sure of my mission. But now that I was here—now that the very real prospect of opening a portal to Hell was staring me in the face, along with the possibility of being mangled or sucked into nothingness—I started to have second thoughts.

This was a big fucking deal.

Did I have the balls to go through with it?

I almost bailed. But then the vision flashed through my mind like a lightning strike: the waterfall, dark, almost black. The little girl’s laughter echoed across the chasm, bright and haunting. I saw a glimpse of her silver eyes—eyes just like mine. A dull ache hit me, familiar in a way that didn’t make sense—like she was mine.

Fuck it. What did I have to lose—except maybe my life?

Shit, I was already here, and there was no going back. I pulled the switchblade from my back pocket and began the incantation drilled into every demi-demon’s head before coming to Earth, just in case.

I cut my palm, letting my blood mingle with the rushing water. Lightning split the sky—a jagged bolt striking the river with a deafening crack. The air thrummed with energy as a dark void spread, widening into a pulsing portal. The ground beneath me trembled, as if the earth itself was warning me to turn back.

Poised on the railing, I watched as the portal grew from a blood drop, slowly expanding to full size.

I wished it didn’t take so long. Waiting gave me time to think.

And thinking, for me, was a dangerous pastime.

My thoughts turned to Helenium. My memories of it had faded over the centuries.

I remembered only fragments: the relentless heat, the nauseating scent of sulfur, and the absence of sunrise or sunset. Food was bland and rationed among the city’s residents. But worst of all were the endless wails of lost souls beyond its protective walls.

Still, I distinctly remembered the thrill—so ready to come to Earth, proud of my sacred duty.

Shit, I was going to save souls. What was nobler than that?

My disillusionment was almost instant.

According to the Nephilim, my job only mattered when it was someone they wanted saving—someone from their elite class. Or a pawn like O’Malley.

But in the end, no matter how many souls I had saved, their disdain—especially Zach’s—only festered.

Fuck them. And fuck Zach. I wish I could drag him to Hell with me.

Another crack of lightning struck into the river, too close for comfort. The air around me thickened, as if the portal was slowly sucking up the surrounding gravity.

This was happening.

I shuddered in my Doc Martens. What was I returning to?

I suddenly remembered Esme, my childhood best friend. She was beautiful and kind, but her father’s beastly features marked her, disqualifying her from living on Earth.

She’d cried so hard when I left. I’d promised her that when the Woman of the Apocalypse came, I’d be there, standing at the gates of Hell, waiting for her to join me on the Earth.

Was she even alive anymore? Had the monotony of Hell driven her to give in to her feral instincts? Did she hate me for not keeping my promise?

Another bolt of lightning split the sky. The portal was growing, dragging the air and gravity with it. It was almost time.

My knees shook, my boots trembling beneath me. Sweat beaded on my brow as the smell of electricity and sulfur filled my nose.

But then I thought of my father. And shit, I really missed him. I hardly remembered his face. All I could picture were his twisting ram-like horns, piercing silver eyes, and crimson skin. But in his own way, he too had been beautiful.

I clasped the pendant around my neck. He’d given it to me as a token to keep the faith.

I’d failed him.

I stared down at the growing portal. I had to choose, and fast.

The roar of the waterfall pounded in my skull, the vision’s command echoing: “Come home.”

My breath came in ragged bursts as I gripped the railing. This was it—the moment of truth. Leap into the unknown or live with the unanswered questions.

Suddenly, a familiar voice broke through the roar of the falls, sharp and desperate.

“Jake, don’t do it!” His voice cracked, barely rising above the waterfall’s roar.

I spun around, glaring at my younger brother, Remy. Of all Azza’s offspring, Remy was the one who looked most like me—blond hair, silver eyes, and a broad, muscular frame. We shared the same bloodline—his mother and mine were separated by three hundred years of bad decisions.

“What are you doing here?” I muttered, ashamed he’d caught me in the act.

“I had a bad feeling you were going to do something crazy.” He eyed the portal, his handsome face twisted with pain. “Jake, it’s a suicide mission.”

I’d already failed at my last suicide mission. How could I explain to him that I was trying to save myself?

“Jake, please. Don’t do this. We’re all worried about you. I’m worried about you.”

“Yeah, I see you brought the cavalry with you,” I muttered. “They’re done with me. And I don’t blame them.”

“Jake, we want you to fix yourself, not kill yourself.”

I glanced back at the slowly growing portal. “I’ll either kill myself or I’ll find what I’m looking for. A win-win if you ask me.”

“I have to save you,” he begged. “Because you saved me. You were the one who found me in the park, terrified, frozen, and starving.”

He stepped closer, his eyes watering. “You taught me English—the bad words,” he added, a bittersweet smile tugging at his lips. “You taught me how to sneak into movie theaters. That YMCA dance, remember? You made me spell the letters with my arms, even though I had no clue what the hell I was doing. And… and… Jin—remember when he was sick, and you broke into the pharmacy to get him the meds he needed?”

“Yeah, and I got arrested for that. Zach let my ass sit in jail until he needed my services again.”

Remy sighed, frustrated. “That’s not the point. Helenium is not the answer to your problems.”

I had no idea those little things had mattered so much to him, but he was young, naïve, and so fresh to Earth that he practically still smelled like brimstone “Then what’s the answer, huh?”

His brows furrowed, like the question had knocked the air out of him. He took a deep breath, his voice trembling. “Staying here. With us. Kai needs you, Jake. We all do. Even if they don’t say it. If you go now, after everything, Kai’s going to feel like he got beat up by Zach for nothing.”

I flinched, the reminder of Kai cutting deeper than I wanted to admit.

“Remy, you don’t understand,” I said, my voice faltering. “I have to do this.”

“What if something goes wrong? You know the stories. The last time someone tried to open the portal, they never came back.” Remy’s voice wavered, his fear bleeding through every word.

I felt the weight of the pendant around my neck. Behind me, the portal grew louder, humming with promises I couldn’t ignore.

“Listen, kid,” I said, extending a hand to him, my voice heavy with regret. “Come with me. I’ll save you the heartbreak—it’s not going to get any better here. I know. I’ve waited centuries.”

“No, you’re wrong,” Remy insisted, his face tightening with frustration. “It’s awful there. You just don’t remember.”

He was right—I didn’t remember. But I needed answers. I needed to know what the vision meant, what my destiny held.

With a heavy heart, I pulled the chain off my neck and tossed him the pendant. “Here," I said. "Hold onto this—for now.”

His face froze in shock as he caught it, his hands shaking.

“I’m not giving it to you,” I added, my voice softening. “You’re holding on to it for me until I return.”

Tears streaked down his face, his chin trembling. “Jake, please…”

“I’m sorry, Rems,” I whispered, my gaze fixed on the expanding portal. The air sizzled with energy, static prickling the back of my neck. My pulse pounded in my ears, matching the portal’s hum.

The ground beneath me trembled, as if the Earth itself was trying to hold me back. But the void called to me.

A sudden chill cut through the air, seeping into my bones. I tightened my grip on the railing, my knuckles white, as a thousand doubts clawed at the edges of my mind.

What if I never made it back? What if the portal swallowed me whole, like it had the others?

But then, beneath the roar of the waterfall, I heard it again—the faint echo of the little girl’s giggle, distant but clear, just like in the vision. Something about it made me feel anchored—like I had a purpose. Someone to fight for. Someone to love.

The thought cut through my fears, sharpening my resolve.

With one last glance at Remy, I saw the tears streaking his cheeks, his face tight with anguish. But I couldn’t waver.

“Take care,” I murmured, more to myself than to Remy. I took a deep breath, let go of the railing, and dove into the abyss, saying goodbye to Mercy Falls.

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Next Time on The Woman of the Apocalypse...

Arriving in Mercy Falls, Riley meets the Council and makes a startling discovery about her newfound vampire abilities.

Chapter 8 drops this Tuesday.

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