by S Lawrence
“Are you really here?” He smiles and steps in, closing the door behind him.
Relief rushes through me until his face shifts to something I don’t or can’t recognize. Pulling at the ropes, I begin to struggle even as I begin to understand.
This is just a new version of my hell. Forcing my muscles to relax, I stop struggling.
“Why don’t you just tell me your name?”
He finally shows me his true face as he draws near. “Theon.” He bows his head slightly.
“Sitara is your sister?” He nods, and a wicked smile splits his face.
“Oh, yes, and I’ve searched for her and the ones she hid from me for a very long time.” His fingertips skate over my ankle, and I fight the shiver of revulsion.
The ones. More than one. More than me. “There are others?”
My goal is to keep him talking, but if I learn more about all this, it will be a bonus.
“Did my dear little sister never tell you the story of our people?” I shake my head. “It’s tragic and yet as old as time. A jealous father who punishes his children because they dared to reach higher than him.”
His face twists in anger as his fingers tighten painfully on my leg, and I’m worried that this story might end badly for me.
“Sitara chose the wrong side in this war.” He glares at me.
I am the wrong side.
“It would be easier to show you.” I’m instantly in a beautiful city. Just looking at it, I know it isn’t one I would find anywhere in the world.
He still has a tight grip, but it’s now on my shoulders as he crowds me from behind. Pressing his body against mine from top to bottom, his hot breath puffs against my ear as he begins to talk about where we are.
“This was our home, a bright and shining example of what we were capable of.” Two children run down the street in front of us, hand in hand, and his fingers dig in for a second before loosening slightly.
“That is Sitara and me.” I watch the children play with new interest. “Of course, this was long before she betrayed me.”
The scene changes, and the city is in ruins, completely destroyed. People lay dead in the streets, and now he begins to almost growl.
“What happened?” I whisper.
“God.” The word is spit out. I can’t stop myself from turning to look at his face.
“God? The God?” He nods, the vein along his temple pulsing with rage.
“We were His first children.” His hands slide away. Glancing up at his face, I see that he’s focused on the scene and I’m almost forgotten. “Sitara and I had gone to visit the others. It’s the only reason we survived. They hid us for years. Then the angels came. Gave us the chance to avenge our entire race, and Sitara turned her back on them. On me.”
“I’m so sorry.” His head turns and he looks at me like he had forgotten me. “I didn’t know.”
“I’m not surprised she didn’t tell you of her betrayal.”
“Who were the ones that hid you? Where was that place?” He frowns.
“It doesn’t matter who they were, for they are gone. The place was what you humans called Avalon.”
“Like with King Arthur?” I can’t hide my surprise.
He actually rolls his eyes. “That was a story, but I suppose if that’s what you need to understand what I’m talking about, then fine.”
“Excuse me for trying to understand why you are doing this,” I grumble and regret it immediately.
His hand is around my throat before the last syllable is out of my throat.
“I don’t care if you understand.” Spit coats my face, and I struggle to break his grip. “You are nothing. A means to an end. Bait.”
Darkness winks across my vision, and I know he has his fingers perfectly placed over my carotid arteries.
Swinging my fist with all my might, I punch him straight in his nose, and a smile curves my lips. The blood that floods out is my last sight before my brain and body shut down.
Maybe this time will be my last death.
Chapter 8
ARKYN
I had her for one second after all this time. I had her.
My fist pounds into the stone wall and the rock crumbles.
Another failure.
I continue to hit the ancient stones until Luc’s power wraps around me, holding me frozen. Even the blood that had been dripping on the stone floor freezes.
“Arkyn, you must calm down before you destroy this place. I’m assuming Sitara wouldn’t like that.” He looks around, but of course, she is nowhere in sight. She leaves each time he has come.
Slowly, his power eases, and I flex my already-swelling hands. Bone rubs against bone, but I ignore the pain.
‘He’s right; I wouldn’t.’
‘Get here then and help me. Help her.’ I’ve grown tired of her cat and mouse games with the King of Hell. ‘Stop hiding from him.’
She grows quiet, and I worry that I might have pushed her too far this time. I’ve made comments as the days turned to weeks, but this is the first time I’ve been completely direct.
Her power wraps around me. Holding my hands up, I watch in fascination as the bones knit and the skin grows together. She appears right in front of me, and I jerk in surprise.
Her hands are a hair’s breadth from mine as she finishes the healing. Glancing back over my shoulder, I almost laugh at the expression on Luc’s face.
“Luc, meet Sitara.” She glances up at him, and he just stares, dumbfounded.
Finally, he speaks, only to say, “I remember you.”
She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, but we’ve never met.”
His head shakes. “No, I’m sorry, I meant I remember your people.” He steps closer, and I can feel her tense. Looking at her, I try to judge if she is afraid or if it’s just him. I see fear and before I can even recognize what I’m doing, I step between them.
“I wouldn’t hurt her.” He is both outraged and hurt, and I hate that it is my fault.
Opening my mouth, I start to speak, but he disappears and I’m left looking at empty space.
“Why did you do that?” Confusion is woven into the question, and when I look at her, I see it clouds her eyes.
“You were scared.” My tone has a bit more bite than I intend.
“I’m not scared of him. Exactly.” I raise a brow and wait for the rest of her explanation. She draws a deep breath before sighing loudly. “God sent His angels to destroy us. Or so we thought. My brother and I weren’t there that day. Now I’m not so sure.” She paces away.
Spinning, she faces me, and I can tell she’s ready to spill her guts but I hold up my hand. She needs to know about Citlali.
“I connected with her for just an instant.” Her eyes widen. “She’s alive, but I’m not sure for how much longer. We have to find her now.”
“I’ve been thinking. He’s hiding her, but unlike how I hid by suppressing most of my power, I think he is drawing from the Fallen.” My fingers run up and down over my braids.
Fuck, that’s not good news. My hand stops, and I look down. A new bead is attached to the left one. Lifting it up, I bring it close to my face and study it. It is a bright green stone and on it, a drum is carved.
“Did you do this?” She shakes her head as she comes closer, and a smile slowly spreads across her face. It makes her look even younger than she already does. She is a lot like Luc in that aspect.
“It was Citlali. When she was in school, she studied all the tribes of the Americas. They were all her people, she said.”
The drum is used to talk with the Great Spirit. A prayer, in a way. I swallow hard at the emotion rolling through me.
“She would have asked Him to heal you, bring you back.” My fingers close on the stone tightly.
“Lot of good it did her,” I growl.
“You’re here, aren’t you?” Is she serious?
“You’re kidding, right? We both know you healed me. He did nothing. Just like always.” She shrugs, and it pis
ses me off more. “For fuck’s sake, Sitara, He killed your entire race except for you and your demented brother. Kicked Luc right out of Heaven and into Hell for questioning Him and then left the whole world to the Fallen.” The last word is screamed and it echoes off the stone walls.
Her hair stands on end as my power slips my control. Sparks light up the darkness of the temple.
“Arkyn, please.” From someone else, it would sound rude but from her, it is a quiet plea for me not to destroy more of her temple.
Deep breaths. Count to ten. My brothers would never let me live it down if they could hear those words.
“Sorry.” I don’t say it until her long hair is once again lying against her back.
“Let’s skip anything to do with the Father. What I had started to tell you about the Fallen and my brother,” I feel like a child being scolded even though her voice is calm and low, “is he’s using them as a battery or a booster. We learned many things while we were in Avalon, but he was far more interested than I. I’m afraid he may have perverted our hosts’ magic.”
Perverted some ancient beings’ magic. Just fucking wonderful.
“I’m calling everyone in.” I dare her to disagree but she nods instead. “I think we should head into the city, where we have access to modern technology.” And plumbing, among other things, but I don’t say that.
“I have a Jeep outside.” I grin as she holds out the keys. “I can ward wherever we end up, like I did here.”
So many things are starting to make sense now. This stone temple is her safe place, her hidey hole. I stare at her for a moment. She brought me here.
“You brought me here.” She nods. “You knew the others would eventually end up knowing about this place. Why? You could have taken me anywhere to heal me.”
“It is time for me to stop hiding.” That’s all she says before turning and walking to the entrance.
She glances back to see if I’m coming, so I nod and begin to follow. Once outside, I squint at the brightness of the sun. I’ve been inside that temple for weeks, first to heal and then doing some hiding of my own. After I woke, I stayed to try to connect with Citlali, afraid to leave just in case it was the place that allowed me to.
Whistling, I take in a beautiful, jacked up Jeep Renegade, matte black with black wheels. The top is hard and the windows are almost completely blacked out. It has a Punisher sticker on the gas cap. I think I’m in love.
Sitara grins at my reaction. “I thought you might like it.”
“I had something similar once.” I think I hear her whisper ‘I know’ but I’m not sure. “This is yours?”
Her head shakes as she climbs in the passenger side. Hopping in the driver’s seat, I wait for her to tell me whose it is, but she doesn’t.
“Come on, whose is it?”
“I thought you would need a vehicle.” My mouth falls open. She bought me a Jeep, a fucking cool ass Jeep.
“Why?” She shrugs, and I’ve been around her enough to know I’ll get no other answer. “Okay.” For now.
I make calls as I drive us down the mountain. Dagen and Charlie’s place is big enough for all of us to meet. We arrive faster than I thought we would. I put the Jeep in park and turn the key off but stay in my seat.
She turns her body towards mine and looks at me, waiting for me to get the nerve to ask what I really want to know.
I feel like a child or a coward or both. “Arkyn?”
I glance at the house. Charlie is standing at the front window watching us.
“How long have you watched me?” Sitara draws a deep breath before letting it out slowly.
“Many lifetimes. I watched you fight for people that you no longer remembered were yours to care for.” So, she knows of all my failures. “I watched their destruction almost break you, time and again.”
“All my failures.” Looking out the window, I try to make sense of it all, of her. “I led you to them.” Climbing out, I slam the door hard enough to rock the vehicle.
Maybe, the biggest failure of all, I led a being of immense power to my brothers. I stalk to the house, and Charlie opens the door with a frown on her face as she takes in my appearance or maybe she hears a difference in my song.
“You okay?” I give her a curt nod.
“Anyone else here yet?”
“Torryn and Lillian; they have a place just a few streets over. The others are coming. They were spread across South America.” She doesn’t need to say what they were doing.
We’ve all been desperate to find Citlali. For different reasons but all searching. I feel Sitara rather than hear her approach. I realize now that it’s only because she lets me.
“Charlie, this is Sitara.” Charlie smiles while pushing by me.
“I’m very happy to see you again.” Again? “I knew you would keep him safe.” She draws the woman into a tight hug before releasing her and turning back to me. “Sitara. I like it. I was tired of calling you ‘the woman.’” They walk past me as I just stare at them. “You coming?” Charlie looks back over her shoulder at me after they get inside.
Following them, I try to figure out what just happened. “Anyone want to tell me how you know each other?”
“She is the one who took me from the parking garage, and I was the one that was with you when she came to take you.” Her tone tacks on ‘you idiot’ to the end of her words.
“You knew she had me all along?” Now the look she throws my way is essentially... duh. “Well, excuse me, no one has said anything about that at all.”
Now I sound like a huffy child so I push by them like one so I can find Dagen. I see him standing in the backyard talking to Evander. I’m surprised to see the boss man here. I know the others have been trying to keep him at the head office in New Orleans, since he’s been so unpredictable since Grace was killed.
They both turn as I step through the patio door. I cross straight to them.
“It’s very good to see you, Arkyn.” Evander’s eyes are bracketed by a new set of faint wrinkles, and I hate knowing I added to his burden.
“I’m sorry I caused such a ruckus.” I glance back through the door at the women, their heads close as they talk quickly and quietly. “She could have gotten a message to you a lot sooner.”
Luc appears, and I fight my instinct to tense. I hate when he or anyone does that shit.
“I think she might have had other worries.” He’s staring at Sitara as he speaks. I wasn’t wrong when I thought he might be interested earlier.
“Maybe,” I agree and then watching him, I add to the word, “Hell, maybe she was busy with her man.”
He doesn’t let me down. Of course, if I hadn’t been looking for it, I wouldn’t have seen the slight flex of his jaw muscles. Dagen raises a brow at me in silent question, and I shake my head.
No way will I be telling a soul that I think the King of Hell has a crush on the last of the Lumeria. Well, soon to be last, if I have anything to do with it.
I look between the two of them. The two most powerful beings left on this planet might just be the perfect match. She needs someone that can protect her. He needs someone that can see the real Lucifer.
“Do we know she’s still alive?” The question pulls me from my plotting.
“Of course she’s still alive,” I growl at Evander. “He’s keeping her for a reason. He wants Sitara.”
“He’s correct.” I spin, looking at the woman in question. “He thinks I betrayed him. I suppose in a way I did.”
“Not helping the Fallen wasn’t a betrayal, Sitara.” Her smile is filled with sadness.
“Thank you for trying to make me feel better, Arkyn, but Theon begged me to come with him, and I turned my back on him. I’ve hidden from him for thousands of years. I’ve heard him call for hundreds of times and I refused to answer.” Tears pool in her strange eyes. “I created the monster he’s become.”
“No.” Luc’s voice is dark and filled with such rage that I turn to look at him. I feel his power fluctuate
as he fights to control it. “My Father created the monster, just as He created the monsters that Theon is helping.”
Evander steps closer to our leader. Laying his hand on Luc’s shoulder, he leans close and whispers something low in his ear. Luc spins away, and his wings lift him into the air. I’m surprised by the speed of his ascent.
“Is he going to be okay?” Evander nods, but his eyes are locked on our fearless leader. “So you said you might have a way to find the girl and maybe get us ahead of the Fallen for once.”
Okay, we’re just going to ignore what just happened. Turning, I look back at Sitara, but her eyes are locked on Luc as he rockets away.
“Sitara?” She blinks and then lowers her face. She didn’t hear his question. “Evander wants to know the plan. I thought you could explain it much better, since it is yours.”
She explains her battery theory, adding her plan. I let my eyes drift up to the sky, wondering if we can do this without Luc.
“I think it will be enough with the Princes and the two descendants that have been found,” she answers, before I even have a chance to ask the question or voice the concern.
“So, we just need to get them all here.” She nods. “Charlie!”
The woman walks as slowly as she can, a smirk on her face. “Yes?”
“How far out is everyone?” She just looks at me. “Please.”
“A couple hours at the most.”
I look at Sitara, and she sees something in my face. It scares her.
“I’m going to kill him.”
“If he doesn’t kill you first.”
Chapter 9
CITLALI
Still not dead or at least, not still dead. She has risen!
I chuckle at my own joke even while I run my hand over my chest and stomach.
He took his anger at Sitara out on me, but the stab wounds are gone now. Doesn’t mean I can’t still feel the pain of the blade going in over and over, so many times I lost count before I lost consciousness.
This time, I’m laying on a concrete floor. I glance around the space. Warehouse maybe. Pushing up to sit, I look at my legs and finally notice how thin they are.