The Angel's Vow: A New Adult Urban Fantasy Series (Bloodcaster Chronicles Book 2)

by R. L. Perez

  I nodded, keeping my eyes shut tight.

  “I, Vince Delgado, pledge a vow to this clan of Reapers.”

  Grateful my voice didn’t shake, I repeated the words.

  “I swear to use my magic to heal and not hurt.”

  Again, I repeated.

  “To continue the natural order.”

  My voice sounded wooden as I said the words.

  “To part souls from their magic and restore balance to the realms.”

  I trembled as I repeated after Mom.

  The rock underneath me quivered. My eyes snapped open as I expected the ceiling to cave in, crushing me into oblivion. Sparks ignited in the air. Ash stung my nose, mingled with a foreign power I didn’t often smell around Nephilim.

  Dark magic.

  Something tickled just behind my shoulder blades, and in a flash, my dark wings spread out behind me, lifting me off the concrete and pitching me forward. Feathers fluttered in the air around me.

  Then, a blistering pain surged within my body as if my insides had been set on fire. I stiffened, my hands forming fists at my side. The strange presence cut into me, slicing through bone and flesh. I cried out, my voice echoing. Dark spots filled my vision. My fingernails dug into my palms.

  Power exploded within me so violently that I screamed. The sound was shrill and rang in my ears.

  And then . . . a burst of clarity. I saw my warlock powers—a glistening blue orb that hovered above me, illuminating the dark room. And next to it, a crimson ball, much smaller than the blue one.

  My Reaper powers.

  The redness gleamed like a predator sizing me up. The color was ominous to me; I’d never seen a caster with red magic before.

  The magic of the Underworld, a voice whispered in my head.

  The magic of death.

  I swallowed, and in a flash, the two orbs disappeared, darting back inside me. At first, I thought I’d imagined it, but something sharp sliced through my gut as if the magic had literally cut its way into me. I gritted my teeth, biting back another scream.

  Then, as if someone had flipped a switch, the magic in the air vanished. My ears still rang and my body shook from exertion. But the pain was gone. Nothing but a cold sweat and my own sharp gasps remained.

  Gradually, my vision cleared, and I made out the figures of the Reapers surrounding me. Their hands lowered, and Gwen’s voice rang out, “You are one of us now, Vince.”

  My mouth felt dry. Gwen watched me expectantly, but what was I supposed to say? Thanks for infusing me with the magic of death. Really appreciate it.

  “Stand up, Vince,” Mom whispered.

  I rose to my feet. My legs felt like lead, but I forced myself forward. My head was spinning, and I barely remained upright. A flash of red caught my eye—Jocelyn. I stumbled toward her and found her lingering in the corner, away from the circle, no doubt because she wasn’t a full Reaper yet. Her eyes were wide and her face pale.

  “Are you all right?” she asked, looking me up and down. I patted my chest and stomach, searching for wounds. I was certain something had cut me open and pierced through my innards.

  But I was fine. Had the pain been my imagination? Or had it been healed right away?

  Jocelyn stared at me, her eyes fearful, and I realized she was waiting for an answer. I cleared my throat. “Yeah. I’m fine. I think.”

  “Your turn,” said a bored voice from the circle of Reapers. It was Ellis, and he watched Jocelyn with a blank expression.

  Jocelyn shivered and stepped forward before lying on the concrete just like I had. I backed into the corner, rubbing my arms and trying to ward off the sudden chill that surrounded me. My wings had receded at some point, and I hadn’t noticed. But right now, I was more focused on trying not to throw up to worry about it.

  The Reapers began chanting again, but I was barely paying attention. Magic had come to life inside me, sweeping through my body like a current. What had once been familiar and comfortable was now foreign and frightening. It churned, buzzing expectantly as if waiting to be unleashed.

  It was horrifying.

  Jocelyn started repeating after Ellis just like I’d done with Mom. Her voice trembled, and it sounded like she was about to burst into tears.

  I closed my eyes, pressing my lips together. I knew what would happen next. My back pressed against the wall, as far as I could possibly go, as if putting distance between me and Jocelyn would lessen the horror of it all.

  It didn’t. When the screaming began, it tore right through me.

  And the deadly magic inside me laughed with delight.

  12

  Cora

  A few days later, I made my way through the neighborhood. It took monumental effort for me to slow my pace. Normally, my strides were quick and purposeful because I had no reason for delay.

  Not today. Today, I was a concerned citizen. Today, my people needed to see me and know I would stop for them.

  My legs itched to sprint, and I thought longingly of that run a few days ago. So liberating.

  Maybe I’ll have to take up jogging, I thought. The idea was so strange that I almost laughed out loud. Cora Covington, the Blade of Hinport, the feared assassin—now a jogger.

  It was ridiculous. Was this what normal people did?

  I walked down the road between apartment buildings. Most of the coven lived right here in the same complex, which made things easier. It was still early, so I knew a lot of them weren’t up yet.

  But some were.

  As I made my way down the sidewalk, I came across a pair of figures in the shadows, making their way to the staircase. They stiffened at my approach, and I tried not to wrinkle my nose at their strong vinegar smell.

  Vampires.

  “Hello, boys,” I said brightly, offering a jovial wave.

  The two men eyed me warily, their red eyes gleaming. For a moment, they did nothing but stare at me. Then, one of them ducked his head politely. “Ms. Covington.”

  This time, I did wrinkle my nose. “Call me Cora. Please.” I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. “How—how are you?” The question sounded forced and awkward.

  The vampires fidgeted too and glanced at each other. “We’re well, thank you,” said the second one. His hair was longer than the other’s and fell past his shoulders.

  I rubbed my arms, feeling deeply uncomfortable. Normally, our coven didn’t have any predators like vampires or werewolves. But after Benny and his fellow wolves pledged loyalty to me, several other demons took that as a sign and joined up as well. After Damien’s death, I couldn’t exactly say no. I needed all the support I could get.

  But I was uneasy around vampires. And it was painfully obvious. It was time for me to change that.

  I sighed. Drop the act, Cora. They can see right through you. “Can I just . . . ask you guys some questions? You’re the newest members of the coven, so I wanted to make sure you’re comfortable here.”

  The first vampire shrugged. “Sure.”

  “Where do you feed?”

  The second vampire flinched, and the first elbowed him.

  My eyes widened. “I—did I say something wrong?”

  “Of course not,” the first vampire said quickly. “It’s only‍—‍” He stopped, his mouth clamping shut.

  I waved my hand impatiently. “Tell me. I promise I won’t attack you or anything.”

  He swallowed and continued, “There is a prejudice against our kind. Most assume we feed on the innocent. But we don’t. Hunter here was just reacting instinctively.”

  “Okay. So, how do you feed?”

  “We have Donors,” Hunter said. “Willing participants. We exchange blood.”

  I knew how Donors worked, but I still nodded encouragingly. “In Hinport?”

  “No. Ravenbrooke.”

  My heart jolted. Damien once had me wipe out vampires who fed on people from Ravenbrooke because it posed a threat to us. Branching out to other cities was dangerous. Hinport was a gem because demons could
live out in the open. But Ravenbrooke was different. Magic had to be hidden.

  The first vampire read my alarm and jumped in hastily, “We’re very discrete. And our feedings always happen here in the city. The Donors come to us.”

  I forced myself to nod again. “That’s good.”

  “Dex,” Hunter muttered, pointing to the sky. The sun peeked out from behind the buildings. Dex and Hunter shrank against the wall, clinging to the shadows.

  “Oh,” I said. “The sun. Right. Sorry to keep you. Thanks for answering my questions.” I turned away, then paused. Facing them once more, I asked, “Can I visit you again? Maybe after sundown?”

  Dex blinked, but a small smile spread on his face. “Certainly. Thank you for your time, Cora.” He and Hunter vanished into the shadows, and I heard their quiet steps as they returned to their apartment.

  It wasn’t until silence fell that I finally relaxed. I hadn’t realized my hands had been in tight fists until I released the tension and cringed at the cuts in my palm.

  Sheesh, this was worse than killing. A million times worse.

  I was not a people person.

  “Two down, twenty to go,” I muttered.

  Vince was screaming, a raw sound of pure agony. Blood covered his face, and he held a shaking hand over a long, jagged gash on his cheek. He moaned, collapsing to the ground in pain. His dark wings fanned out behind him, but one of them was completely shredded. A halo of red magic encircled him, but I couldn’t tell if it was his own Reaper magic, or . . . something else.

  I wanted to reach out to him, to help him. But I could only watch. The sight of Vince, so wounded, so anguished, tore through my heart as if ripping it out of my chest. I wanted to sob with him. To hold him. To heal him. But I could do nothing.

  Vince! I tried screaming.

  Then, a dark shape rose from the ground, funneling in front of Vince and towering over him. Vince sucked in a ragged gasp, still clutching his face as he gazed up at the massive shadow. Magic churned in the air, and I suddenly felt ice cold. A low hiss emitted from the shadow, and Vince trembled.

  “Please,” he begged.

  The shadow engulfed him. Vince screamed.

  And I woke up, gasping for breath and covered in sweat. My chest wouldn’t stop rising and falling, and each deep breath felt like knives in my throat. My head was spinning, my heart racing.

  The dream had seemed so real. I’d taken my fair share of Seeing elixirs, so I knew what a true vision felt like.

  It felt a lot like this.

  I sat up in bed, wiping my damp hair out of my face and trying to calm my heart rate. It couldn’t have been a vision. I hadn’t taken that elixir in months—back when Vince and I had taken it together.

  Nausea and fear churned within me, making me want to heave. What if it was real? I had powerful blood, after all. Perhaps this vision was strong enough to reach me even without an elixir.

  I shivered, rubbing my arms and hunching over until my head pressed against my knees. I couldn’t get the image of Vince’s mangled face out of my head. His screams. His sobs.

  My shaking fingers balled into fists. My nails dug into my palms. I couldn’t take this. I was a killer. I was the leader of a demon coven. A silly dream shouldn’t be able to rattle me like this.

  Unless it isn’t just a dream, I thought.

  I went still, my breathing finally calm. My jaw ticked back and forth as I contemplated.

  I glanced at the window. The sky was still dark, but faint purple rays peeked through the blinds. Dawn was approaching. I had a packed schedule, filled with frivolous things I had no desire to do, all to convince my coven I cared about them. It was important, I knew this. But I still didn’t want to do it.

  At this point, I knew I should probably just start my day. Get ahead of things.

  But still, I remained frozen on the edge of my bed. Goosebumps rose on my skin as I circled through that haunting vision again . . . and again . . .

  I had to do something. I had to.

  Determination coursed through me as I jumped up from the bed and crossed the room to my stash of potion ingredients. Muttering to myself, I threw the ingredients together in my cauldron and waited for the hot plate to warm.

  I would make a Seeing elixir and drink it. Then, if I had the vision again, I would know it was real.

  And I didn’t care if Vince lived in another realm. I would tear every world apart if it meant I could save him.

  13

  Vince

  My strange new magic swirled within me constantly. It was like riding a roller coaster nonstop. At first it was exhilarating, even frightening. Now, a few days later, it just made me nauseous all the time.

  As soon as Jocelyn and I pledged our vows, we were grouped with several other Reapers to undergo rigorous training before diving into our reaping responsibilities. The structured format made Jocelyn and me roll our eyes at each other, and I knew we both thought the same thing. We’d already finished high school, but now it felt like we were right back in it.

  Except in a damp and musty, cave-like tunnel.

  Our first teacher, a Reaper named Joey, gave us instructions on how to tap into our magic. Though a small, begrudging part of me wanted to resist this new power inside me, I resigned myself to try my best. I’d made my vow. I’d made my choice. Now, I had to live with it.

  No point in fighting or complaining. I had to embrace it.

  “The trigger is different for everyone,” Joey said, pacing in front of the six of us in the small room. The space wasn’t big enough for chairs or desks, so we sat cross-legged on large cushions. I felt like I was in kindergarten doing circle time. “The power within you has a presence,” Joey went on. “A mind of its own. It won’t grant you access unless you display the proper readiness.”

  He stopped pacing and clasped his long fingers together in front of him. His black wings rippled slightly, framing his bulky arms and shoulders. His dark eyes gleamed under the shadow of his curly black hair. “You must bond with your new magic. It’s like it has a soul of its own. If you fight it, it will fight back. It can only bond with you when you complement each other.” He held up his laced fingers, pulling them apart before bringing them back together. “You open up to it, and it will open up to you so you both fit together perfectly.”

  “How do we find out what our trigger is?” I asked.

  Joey’s eyes met mine. “You practice.” His gaze swept over the other Reapers. “But I must caution you. An intense emotion is never a good idea. The power only responds to subtlety and gentleness. That is the way Reapers work. We do not thrust our power on anyone. It has to be freely accepted. As you practice, touch your emotions lightly. See what works and what doesn’t. Anything too strong, and you put yourself and others at risk.”

  I remembered what Mom had said about the person who was stealing magic. The magic had been forcibly taken, which was a crime against humanity. But Reapers were supposed to coax the magic back into the atmosphere, guiding the magic like a nurturing hand.

  It was almost laughable. Except, ever since I’d pledged my vow, I understood it more. We were like guardians, protecting the web of magic that surrounded us. The balance of magic in the web was a delicate thing. If we forced or pulled too strongly, it risked shredding the web completely.

  Joey had us split into pairs and separate into different rooms so we could practice. Jocelyn and I partnered up and moved to the room adjacent to our classroom. We dragged our cushions with us and sat across from each other, keeping at least six feet between us in case things got messy.

  “Want me to go first?” Jocelyn asked.

  I almost volunteered instead, but knots formed in my stomach. Instead, I nodded quickly, wiping my sweaty palms on my pants.

  Jocelyn exhaled long and slow, resting her hands on her knees as if in meditation. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. I resisted the urge to squirm as I watched her.

  A minute passed. Then two.

  I clear
ed my throat.

  Jocelyn released a breath in a huff, her frame drooping. “Nothing?” she asked.

  I shook my head.

  “Damn.” She rubbed her forehead.

  “What did you try?”

  “I just sifted through some mild emotions. Irritation. Fatigue. Anxiety.”

  I frowned, remembering something Cora had said when she’d helped me tap into my time travel ability. She told me to replicate the feeling of adrenaline I’d felt on the lacrosse field, and I’d laughed because it sounded too easy.

  It was more than just mentally leafing through the emotions. It was putting yourself into that exact same mental place. For me, this was literal because of my connection to Luke.

  I suddenly went still, my pulse racing. Luke had said we were bound. Could I use his magic to access my powers?

  Would he let me? Even if he did, I had no idea the extent of Luke’s power compared to mine.

  I swallowed. “Let me try.” I inhaled and straightened, closing my eyes just like Jocelyn had.

  In my mind, I returned to the field. It was effortless. As easy as breathing. I’d come here so often that the transition was nothing.

  For the first time, I wondered about it. I didn’t know anyone else who could do this. I’d just thought my imagination was vivid, but now that I knew about Luke, I wasn’t so sure.

  On the field, I gripped my crosse. My body was covered in sweat and dirt. My heart was pounding as if I’d just run a mile.

  It was all so real.

  Something foreign stirred within me. My new magic. My heart lurched in alarm, my body on high alert. I had to calm down.

  I gripped my crosse tightly. Faceless figures stood before me, some opponents and some teammates. One of them lobbed the ball toward me.

  I sucked in a breath and caught it before racing forward, dodging figures as I ran. A thrill raced through me. My magic surged in response.

  “Stop,” said a voice in my ear.

  I froze. The figures around me flickered and vanished like I’d turned off the TV.

  Luke appeared in front of me, wearing street clothes like before. He crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows. “What’re you doing?”