by Mary Ting
“Did you say sisters?” I asked, looking past them to the door.
Another one entered. Same amber eyes, but sharper nose, square jaw, but she had crimson hair and petite features. Striking like her sisters, but Asian, and less intimidating with her honey-dripping smile.
“Oh good, I’m not late. You must be Malum.” She shook my hand and instead of standing with her sisters, she kept her distance. “My sisters think the youngest should do all the work.” She shot them an angry glance.
“It’s too bright in here,” Awan said and swirled her finger. The lights on the ceiling dimmed. “And I’m also hungry. Dinner, Dominic?” She offered a smile, the one he couldn’t refuse, it seemed.
He hooked his arms around Awan and Corian and escorted them toward the dining room. Being the gentleman I was, I did the same for...
“Your name. I didn’t catch your name,” I asked.
“Giselle. Just Giselle.”
Her warmth and her smile had me unraveled. I pictured us in bed. I wondered what it was like to bed a witch. What magic would she use to unglue me and drive me over the edge? My imagination ran wild.
I helped her to her seat and sat across from her at the dining table. The servants had begun to bring the lavish meals. Utensils clinked against the plates and wine glasses thudded lightly on the wood table.
Paymon stumbled in with someone I had never seen, and they sat to my right. Paymon stank of alcohol as usual, but he had clothes on—a wrinkly shirt and rumpled pants, but at least he was dressed. And for the new person...at first I’d thought he was Paymon’s new lover, but seeing dark curls, sharp nose, chiseled jaw, and amber eyes—he was a witch.
“I wondered where you went off to, brother,” Awan said dryly, peeling a cooked prawn. “Oh, this is Balen. Our brother. Sometimes I forget he exists. He’s the youngest and so unreliable. He likes to disappear from time to time. I wouldn’t count on him for anything.”
Balen’s lips twitched. He took a sip of his wine and drummed his fingers on the table. “You have such sweet words, sister. It’s the reason I can’t stand to be away from you.”
Awan picked up a fork but it flew across the table before it could reach her salad.
“Thanks, sis. I need a fork.” Balen had curled his finger and pointed to where he wanted the fork to land.
Awan snarled and flexed her fingers. Then she picked up another utensil. Same thing happened with her spoon. Giselle giggled under her breath and so did Balen. Then Awan’s fork lifted, floating in midair. It spun until it froze inches away from Balen’s throat.
Dom gripped the table tensely and Paymon slowly leaned to the side.
Balen swallowed. His Adam’s apple bobbed once.
“Next time you take any one of my things, I won’t stop. Understand, little brother?” Her voice—sweet yet deadly—sent chills through my bones.
“Sure, sis. Whatever you want.” He slammed the fork down, his lips twitching. “It’s always what you want.”
“Anyway...” Corian laughed, breaking the silence. “My siblings know how to entertain. Now, let’s talk about something more relevant. When do you think Enoch is planning to open this book?”
“Tonight at midnight,” Balen said casually as if he was talking about the weather.
Awan sliced her knife across the chicken breast and took a bite. “He tells tales. He knows not what he says. He’s drunk half the time, like your brother Paymon. They would make a fine alcoholic couple.”
Balen hiked up his thick eyebrows and angled his head. Then he curled his lips like he had a secret to tell. “It would be too bad if you missed the play because you failed to believe your precious brother.” He leaned forward to get a better look at Dom. “Are you in charge or him?” His eyes shifted to me.
“I am,” I said, but so did Dom.
Dom pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes in unmistakable command. I didn’t want to argue or make a scene, so I backed down.
“Well. Whoever is planning this and whatever it is you’re doing, I have news.” He gulped the rest of his wine and waited for the servant to fill his drink. His eyes lingered on the male servant and then the female. “So, as I was saying, my friend Kenan, who thinks I’m across the ocean, told me.”
Awan let out a boisterous wicked laugh. “Kenan?” Her tone rose. “That lying, two-timing son of a whore. Why would he share highly classified information with you?”
Why did she seem jealous?
“Oh, sister. Just because he wasn’t satisfied with you and shared my bed, doesn’t give you the right to be so cruel.”
Ahhh. The truth came out. I had wondered what Balen had done for Awan to treat him like dirt.
“You...” Her nostrils flared. “Do not speak to me with such disrespect and make a fool out of me in front of—”
“Friends?” Balen said. “You have no friends because you chase everyone away.”
By this point, I had lost my appetite. I debated whether to kick one of them out before it got out of hand. And I’d thought our family was bad.
Thud!
Balen bellowed in pain. A knife had pinned his hand to the table. Paymon growled and immediately pulled out the knife. Dom had done the same to him before.
“Enough!”
I was surprised Dom had raised his voice, though he wasn’t speaking to anyone in particular. “Balen, is it true Enoch plans to open the book tonight?”
“Yes,” Balen whimpered, cradling his injured hand. He had wrapped the white linen cloth around it, but it did nothing to stop the crimson liquid from spreading. After he muttered words that sounded poetic, the bleeding stopped.
“Do you know where and what time?” Dom asked.
“Midnight at St. Margaret’s Cemetery.”
“And how do you know this?”
Just then my phone lit with a text message from Liana.
“He’s telling you the truth,” I said as I finished reading it. “Liana just texted me. Enoch met with Kenan. St. Margaret’s Cemetery at midnight.”
“Liana?” Dom said. “Good girl.” He turned to Awan. “See. Your brother wasn’t lying. It’s all good. Now, no more squabbles. I would like for us to eat dinner in peace.”
And just like that, the sound of civil beings eating resumed. I jerked and cleared my throat when Giselle placed a hand on my thigh and slid it higher.
She leaned closer and whispered, “Do you have dessert?”
“Yes. I believe the chef made chocolate cake.” I wiped my mouth with the cloth napkin to do something with my hands. I wasn’t the nervous type and didn’t lack experience. I suspected witchery.
She giggled in my ear and licked my earlobe. I shivered and I felt that lick way down to my toes. I peered up to see if anyone noticed us flirting, but Dom seemed to be in a heavy conversation with Awan and Corina, and Paymon and Balen had left.
“Malum, I’m bringing dessert to your bedroom unless you protest. It’s called Giselle cake.”
I draped my arm around her and whispered, “I welcome you. Let me show you how monstrous I can be in bed.”
“Are you big as the beast? I’ve heard rumors.” She smirked.
“Why don’t you tell me?” I wiggled my eyebrows.
“Oh, I plan to find out.” She winked.
And though her fingers were wrapped around her wine glass, I felt a sensation as if a hand stroked me intimately. I inhaled as pleasure coursed through my body. That little witch. I could not wait.
Chapter 31
St. Margaret Cemetery
Uriel
As Jonah drove us to St. Margaret’s Cemetery, darkness engulfed the road. Not a car in sight and no street lights. Only our headlights led the way. Flying to our destination was a possibility, but we wanted to keep a low profile.
The ride to the cemetery seemed tedious. For miles we traveled on an endless road. Anticipation of the fate awaiting us did nothing to calm my nerves as I clutched the book tightly in my hands.
“Uriel,” Jonah said, “y
ou might not recognize the cemetery. In fact, after you closed the book, no one has buried their dead there or kept up the grounds. They believed it to be haunted.”
“I see. I’ll keep that in mind.” I didn’t care about the cemetery’s condition. My goal was to bring my brothers back so we could go home.
“Kenan doesn’t have a reason to backstab us, does he?” Jonah asked, keeping his eyes straight ahead.
“How do you know him?” I realized I hadn’t asked Samyaza how he’d met Kenan, an important question.
Samyaza flashed a glance at me, and then to Jonah. “Kenan and I go way back. After I left the watchers, I went in search for Cain, the original vampire. In the process, I have met many others. My journey liberated me in many ways. I also realized by leaving before the book opened, I had betrayed my own kind. As you know, Uriel, Ko is ruthless and unforgiving. With him, there is no second chance. Regardless of the outcome, I would have been banned from ever contacting my brothers, and perhaps even be hunted down.”
“I’m glad you left, or we might not have gotten to this point as fast. However, you turned your back on your brothers. If you had left us, we would never let you back in. You’re an outcast now. Keep that in mind,” I said.
Samyaza looked over his shoulder at me. “Are you warning me? Are you worried that I will turn my back on you, Uriel?”
“You’d do well to remember I am an archangel. You do anything that does not please me, I will hunt you down myself.”
Samyaza rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well, get in line.”
“We’re here,” Jonah said. “Talk about a creepy cemetery.” Jonah parked the car near tall bushes and massive, barren trees.
Dead leaves crunched under my feet when I stepped out. Thick fog covered everything in sight and cool mist kissed my face. The gate barely hanging on its hinges creaked when I pushed it open.
Even the breeze seemed to still as I walked farther in. I winced, covered my ears, and hunched over. Voices, melancholic and eerie, sent shivers through my skin. I thought about my brothers. What darkness and torture had they had to endure every single day? I had to stop thinking, to focus, and pray when I opened Book of Watchers, only my brothers would come through.
“There. I remember you standing there.” Samyaza pointed to two tombstones with spidery cracks down the middle.
“Yes.” I strode toward them and turned to face Jonah. “I remember...” I inhaled a deep breath and blew. The fog spiraled and rolled away, like a wave of the ocean, showing the true face of the cemetery.
Twisted fallen branches and dead leaves blanketed the ground. The graves I’d dug for the original watchers had been covered up with dirt and tombstones with no names to mark their location.
I held the book in my hand and hesitantly placed my hand over the star, but halted. Something in my gut yanked at me.
Don’t open. Don’t open. Don’t open. Not yet!
“This is too easy,” I said to Jonah standing beside me.
“Maybe it’s supposed to be.” Jonah shrugged. “I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but do it before anyone shows up.”
“Where are Marcus and Enoch’s mother?” I said. “He better show up. He better not have harmed her.”
“What are you waiting for?” Samyaza sounded too eager.
I didn’t hear the rest of his mumbles. Sticks cracked one after the other all around me.
“Show yourself,” I demanded, my sword readied.
“Stop!” Samyaza yelled at me. “These are Kenan’s men. We need them alive.”
I snarled. “They’re late.”
Samyaza raised his brow. “Actually, they’re right on time.” He began barking orders.
“I believe we are just in time.” A seductive female voice said.
“Who the hell are you?” Samyaza spat. “What are you doing here?”
“My sisters and I were taking a walk and I spied a handsome angel.” She locked eyes with me.
Her seductive gait, poised with elegance, had me entranced. Behind her were two more like her, and behind them twelve more.
She ran a finger down my arm. “My name is Awan, leader of a witch coven from the other side of the world. You see, I’d heard so much about you, Enoch, or Uriel, whatever name you go by. I’m here to ensure the book doesn’t open.”
“Why? What does it matter to you?” I said.
“The watchers mistrusted us. Killed my sisters and brothers until we were nearly extinct. Over centuries, we have rebuilt. If they come back, they will do the same.” Her nail, sharp as a blade, nicked my neck. Her other hand went around my shoulder from behind.
“This is not your decision to make.” I twisted her around in one swift fast motion while I held the book...wait...where was the book? The book disappeared about the time I lost my grip on Awan. Damn it. She slipped away between my fingers like a mist.
“No, not her decision, but ours.” The second witch with dark skin held up the book mockingly.
“Give it back,” I growled. “You do not know what you do. I’m not here to bring back watchers, I’m here for my brothers. They will not intervene. I just want to take them home.”
The smirk on the dark-skinned witch faded, as if she understood. But I knew better.
Awan appeared by the Asian witch. “It’s a risk we’re not willing to take.”
“Get them.” Samyaza ordered Kenan’s men.
The vampires moved with the same speed as the witches. As the vampires attacked with strength, the witches fought back with bright, electrifying lights that shot from their fingers.
A blue, sizzling zigzag sparked across space and hit a tree. The tree cracked in half and split down the middle. Another light hit a vampire, and he exploded into dust.
“Damn it. You’re not supposed to die. You cost me money,” Samyaza yelled.
A vampire maneuvered around a tombstone, sank its teeth into the witch’s neck, and snapped her spine. As they battled, I searched for the witch with my book.
There. Awan ran toward the exit. Determination and anger propelled me, and as fast as lighting, I released my sharp-as-knives feathers from my wings. They flew like arrows, distracting anyone who got in my way. In a blink, I stood in front of her and snatched the book.
She gasped. Mumbling words I didn’t understand, she extended her hands. Some kind of spell, no doubt. Witch or no witch, I was an archangel. Enough was enough.
I opened my fist, palm out, and let the power within me shine. Light blasted, illuminated a white glow, cleansing the darkness. My power held everyone temporarily immobile. Then without any further delay, I slammed my hand on the star on the book.
The book opened and floated on its own accord. It began moving toward where I had stood a few seconds before. As I followed, I began to recite the words that entered my head. I didn’t know where they came from, but the book seemed to feed them to me.
The light dimmed. Tombstones at either side of me erupted as I passed.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The remnants of the headstones tossed pebbles and rocks. The debris rained around me.
Then arms poked through the dirt from the burial site, and then the wings.
Chapter 32
The Battle
Keira
We tailed behind Jonah’s car with our headlights off, but kept a far distance. Being the only two cars on this winding road had me on pins and needles. The pitch-dark did nothing to ease my concerns, and it got worse when we arrived. I prayed they didn’t notice us.
Daniel parked a distance away so they wouldn’t hear our car and we trekked up the path. Fog covered the ground like a thick blanket, and I shivered from the drastic drop of temperature. Being a nephilim, I could tolerate extreme heat or cold, but tonight was unbearable.
“Are we almost there?” Suri whispered.
I blinked at the mist that flowed out of her mouth.
“It’s too cold. I can’t stand this.” Kai opened his wings and used them as a poncho.
; We did the same as we continued to ascend. When we reached the peak, we stayed low, bellies flat to the wet soil, and hid behind the bushes. Scouting remained difficult, especially with the lack of visibility. The only thing we had going for us was our ability to see in the dark, and even that was limited.
I ducked when Uriel faced our way. I’d thought he had found us, but instead he blew his breath. The mist rolled over us like a breeze passing through.
“There. Do you see them?” I asked.
Some type of super beings I didn’t recognize surrounded Uriel and his team. Ezekiel had told us not to intervene, but...
Daniel grabbed my shoulder. “No. This is not our fight. Don’t you recognize them?”
“Vampires,” Suri breathed, voice shaking. “They will suck you dry to the bones and pluck out every one of your feathers just for fun.”
The vampires didn’t attack; instead Samyaza gave them instructions. Then other beings showed up, materializing from thin air.
At first, I thought the newcomers were allies, until the book in Uriel’s hands flew to another woman’s grasp. Witches. Uriel seemed dumbfounded. Then magical lights, beautiful but deadly, blasted from witches’ palms, and vampires dispersed.
The vampires and witches battled, but when half of the vampires had died, Samyaza ordered them to flee. Cowards.
“I think we should retreat.” Daniel propped his leg under him.
I yanked him by his shirt and pulled him down. “Wait. Not yet. Uriel is after that blonde witch who stole the book.”
Uriel opened his palm and light blasted. The power of an archangel. I knew this very well. I had the same power.
“Holy cow. Are you seeing this?” I turned to Daniel, but he was stiff as a tree trunk. What the hell? Suri and Kai too were immobile, as well as the other supernaturals around Uriel.
Why wasn’t I affected? Perhaps the archangel blood in me shielded me from Uriel’s power?
Then Uriel slammed his hand on the book and light erupted, blinding everything in sight. I covered my eyes, and even that wasn’t enough to block out the brightness. Uriel followed the book, which floated on its own.