Rebel Angels: The Complete Series

by Rosemary A Johns

  “I thought I’d already warned you to silence?” Drake’s eyes flashed predatory fury and hurt.

  Rahab had told me that Drake had been raised with the prince like brothers, but it was only hearing Drake’s immediate defense of him, as harsh as any he’d spoken for me, that I believed it.

  I lost my focus on Firebird, jittering with anticipation. Soon, I’d see my brother…

  Yet Mischief’s expression still held that pleading wary edge, which I’d seen so often on the faces of the carers at Jerusalem’s. When I’d been handed over to my adopted parents, they’d worn it: a caution not to hope. As my adopted mother had carried me back, unwanted, I’d realized that they’d been right.

  “Do you truly wish your brother to be free?” I jumped at Rahab’s honey-like question, as he stalked from the shadows of the gallery with Tiger at his heels, who was dressed now in golden silks that were slashed to reveal his tail and wings.

  My stomach clenched: this was it.

  “What do you think I’ve been battling for?” I demanded. “Free parking spaces for everyone who knows the lyrics to “Bohemian Rhapsody”?”

  Rahab grimaced. “Your brother to be unhurt and saved from the glass box. But not everyone should be free.” He smiled; his sandalwood scent wafted through the gallery in creamy waves. Tiger shrank against Mischief. “The prince is the only mage with the strength to challenge you for the title of Champion of Light. Are you so eager to help him now?”

  I rapped my boot tap — tap — tap on the stone. “Stick your title and stick your light. Where’s my brother?”

  Rahab waved his fingers lazily in the air. “It’s time that you met the Invisible Prince. Then perhaps you’ll discover why I’d never free the true monster in this castle.”

  A dark silhouette blotted out the bronzed sun.

  The water spouting from the Neptunes’ mouths sputtered out in shock. Firebird drifted to the floor, kicking his bare feet in the puddles.

  I shielded my eyes, squinting up at the angel — my older brother, no longer a baby but a masterful prince — who was plummeting towards Firebird with a predator’s savagery. The true monster had been unleashed, and whilst I’d always been terrified that it was me, it’d been my brother all along: The Butcher.

  21

  When my half-brother plunged from the sky, wreathed in wild flames — my dark reflection — my shadows whipped out towards him. They strained to meld with his because he was safe and alive, just as I’d first felt when I’d seen his snowy shoulder in the mirror room. They also froze me, holding me back from battling him, whilst he turned his blazing gaze on Firebird.

  I knew that look… I’d given that look myself, just before I’d hacked some poor bastard into a fine red mist.

  I battled to focus on Firebird, who was still at the bottom of Neptune’s Courtyard booting through the shallow waters below the masks. He was grinning like I’d allowed him a treat: a trip to a waterpark, rather than an imminent arse kicking.

  I shot magic through the bond, forcing Firebird to look up. He gasped, stepping back.

  Crunch — the prince landed on Firebird, knocking him onto his back.

  Firebird yelped, scrabbling to wriggle out from underneath my brother. The prince only stared down at him like a hunter over his felled trophy with one bare foot on Firebird’s bruised ribs.

  “I don’t imagine anyone has told our beloved Invisible Prince that attacking an untrained Phoenix is cowardly?” Mischief hollered, shaking from the effort of holding back his magic.

  Why hadn’t I yelled that? Why had I allowed Mischief to risk himself?

  Yet I knew it was because I couldn’t look away from the prince, who towered over Firebird — freed because of me. Here was my brother all grown up: imposing, proud, and with an air of sparkling superiority that sparked burning jealousy. What the hell did I know about being a princess…or queen?

  My brother, on the other hand, looked born to royalty.

  “No showing off for your sister,” Rahab laughed, as if the prince had merely taken roughhousing a little far. “Join us, Anael.”

  Anael: my brother’s true name. It thrilled through me like love and life. I soared on the connection, as my shadows rushed back inside, thrumming.

  When I leaned on the ledge, eagerly gazing down at the courtyard, Anael ground his heel once more into Firebird’s ribs. I winced on Firebird’s whimper.

  Firebird’s leonine eyes met mine in blinking confusion: why wasn’t his family keeping him safe?

  My chest tight, I leaned further over the ledge, but Drake snatched my shoulder. I remembered our unspoken body language:

  Hold on, don’t do anything crazy, bitch.

  I shrugged him off:

  My choice, bro.

  Anael raised his head, tossing his brunet tresses casually out of his eyes, before meeting my gaze. I’d expected relief, joy, or excitement…something. After everything that I’d risked to save my brother from the glass box, as well as his wailed distress, which pricked my eyes with tears even now, how could he look at me with such studied indifference? Then he shoved away from Firebird, swooping up towards the gallery and landing next to Rahab.

  I shuddered, desperate to reach out to Anael: there was no mirror or glass between us anymore. He was no longer hidden from me. When the sour tang of lime caught in my nostrils, I swallowed with difficulty. It’d been Anael’s scent that’d coated the Bleeding Chamber, and it’d been his — rather than Phoenix’s — blood that’d bathed me.

  His magic was inside me.

  Yet Anael ignored me, prowling to Rahab and draping himself around him; Rahab relaxed against Anael with a contented sigh.

  I stiffened. What in the freakverse was up with this picture?

  With a click of his fingers, Anael summoned Drake.

  Drake squeezed my shoulder, before sauntering to Anael with a smile that curled both sides of his mouth; he didn’t even try to cover it. Anael ghosted his fingers up Drake’s injured chest with a frown, before tenderly pushing a stray curl behind Drake’s ear. Then he glanced over Drake’s shoulder at me, and Drake gave a short shake of his head.

  They had a language of their own, the same as Drake and I did: Anael thought that I’d been the one to hurt Drake. And why did that bastard shank me? The same as the happy families pose of Rahab with his son and my brother?

  Where did I fit in, standing on the edges, whilst Anael’s insolent gaze swept over me?

  At last, I couldn’t take the silence. “I’m Violet,” I stuck out my hand because my brother and I weren’t at the hugging stage, “your new annoying little sis.”

  Anael’s lips quirked mockingly, whilst he ignored my hand that hung between us like a gooseberry on a date. “Annoying? Surely not.” Then he glanced away, as if bored. Why was his indifference more painful than hate? His gaze settled on Mischief, who’d shrunk back against the ledge. “Clearly you don’t discipline your Underserving thoroughly enough. Would you like lessons?”

  Rage roared through me: black and twisting. I dropped my hand, stepping in front of Mischief. “I haven’t applied to Brainwashing College. Look, we could—”

  “Bored.” Anael wound closer around Rahab. “You promised meeting her would be fun, father.”

  “Patience, my pampered monster. She’s earned this, after all.” When Rahab grinned, Anael laughed: a wicked Prince Charming.

  And I wasn’t being let in on the joke.

  What had been done to my brother that he could lounge next to his captor like he hadn’t been deaged before the entire Legion?

  Gritting my teeth, I stormed towards Rahab. “Why’s my brother tripping? Doesn’t he remember the glass box?” I sneaked a glance at Anael, even as I stabbed a finger against Rahab’s chest. “This is the sick bastard who played cage the baby with you, and I’m the brave sister who risked my fam to save you.”

  Anael gave a lazy smile. “Who do you think came up with that touching tableaux?”

  My breath hitched, as my head
jerked back. Horror and grief rushed through me. Had Anael planned the whole scene at my celebratory feast? He hadn’t been the prey but the cunning predator all along…?

  The Butcher.

  I shook my head. “No bastard way…”

  “All I had to do was imagine what would burn me and make me perform doggy tricks, if I discovered that I had a brother and couldn’t help him.” For the first time, Anael’s expression softened, yet I hadn’t missed his emphasis on brother, rather than sister. “I’m touched by your concern.” He flicked imaginary lint off his muscled shoulder. Had the bruises been from Rahab’s abuse or nothing more than training injuries? “That is, I would be…if you weren’t a loathsome Glory.”

  Tiger’s eyes narrowed; his tail lashed. “She’s not just some Glory. She took out the Wynter sisters. Show some respect, angel.”

  I stiffened, as Anael’s interest ignited fully for the first time. He looked over Tiger like a new chew toy. He let go of Rahab, sliding closer to Tiger, who didn’t back down. Instead, he bristled, until Anael snatched Tiger’s tail, stroking its tip snake-like over Tiger’s nipples.

  Tiger shoved against Anael’s shoulders, beating his wings in furious gusts. “Figured you Legion sorts would be deviants.”

  Smack — Anael slapped Tiger across the cheek.

  Yet the blow was a delicate caress, compared to the savagery Anael had used to tear into Firebird.

  “Hold your tongue, moggy.” Anael traced the light pink that shaded Tiger’s cheek. “Or I shall bite it off.”

  This was my brother? The innocent trapped on the opposite side of the mirror? In the glass box? Except, they’d both been illusions. Traps to play me and make me dance.

  Yet was this the truth?

  Rahab laughed high with delighted surprise. “Something new has caught your eye? A pretty pet to play with in your lodge? Well, when have I denied my favorite?”

  My guts clenched not only at Anael’s twisted smile, but also at the way that Drake’s gaze dropped to the ground. It hadn’t been just at the reminder that Anael was the favorite son (and I’d never seen Rahab act daddy indulgence like this towards Drake), but as if Drake recognized Anael’s play and it wouldn’t be chasing after balls of string.

  Drake had been Rebel’s jailer for forty years, even if he had been forced into the role by my mum. He knew about pain and pleasure. If Drake had on The Grimace, then Tiger wasn’t in for cuddles and milk.

  It seemed Tiger thought so too.

  “I’m no one’s pet anymore.” Tiger’s fangs shot out, as he whipped his tail away from Anael’s hold.

  Yet the moment Tiger crouched and leapt with a beat of his wings onto the ledge, I saw his mistake in the excited flash of Anael’s eyes. Because I buzzed with the same pulse pounding call to the hunt, even if Angel World’s training on self-discipline held me back.

  Yet when Anael licked his lips, blowing Tiger a taunting kiss, Rahab didn’t hold him back. Instead, he nodded. “Good boy.”

  I’d never been so grateful that Rebel had warned me against becoming nothing but a monster, and that Mischief battled against that side of me now.

  I growled, snatching Anael’s ankle, as he soared over my head. He twirled, booting me onto my arse. When spinning disks began to grow on Mischief’s palms, however, I shook my head, hiding my gasp behind a cough.

  The disks faded.

  All those years of hiding his powers, yet Mischief had been about to reveal himself…?

  By the time I’d pushed myself back up, Anael had plucked Tiger off the ledge. Tiger howled, slashing his claws through the air.

  “It’s lonely in my tower; I promise, it’ll not be as bad as you fear to be mine.” Anael sank his blunt teeth into Tiger’s neck, just as I had Mischief’s when I’d been taming him as a unicorn shifter.

  I shuddered to see my own weaknesses — or power — acted out in front of me.

  Tiger stilled, quivering: what happened to a Blood Lover if another drank from them?

  Anael didn’t suck from the wound, however, only dragging Tiger after him like he in fact was the cat. He spat Tiger out at Rahab’s feet. “I’ve done the meet and greet thing.” He rubbed his head against Rahab’s chin, who smiled at him, fondly. “May I take my treat back to my room?”

  “Is this how you treat your Halfling guests?” I glared at Rahab. “Rehabilitation by mauling?”

  Anael waved his hand at me. “Why is this Glory still talking?”

  I bit hard on my tongue, sucking at the tangy copper. “You’re my brother, whether that means anything to you or not. I know that you’ve been raised on this freaky island with no one to…but I’m here now. And I’m asking you not to drag Tiger away with you.”

  “Why on earth should I do anything for you, sister?”

  I recoiled; Anael’s sudden scorn broke through the indifference like a slap.

  Drake sidled to Anael, reaching up to tip his head, until their gazes met. Drake ran the fingers of his other hand along Anael’s feathers, even though my brother loomed over Drake’s slight frame: it was a mouse taming a lion. At last, the tension bled away, and Anael started to purr.

  Drake had spent his childhood taming my brother; he knew the tricks. Finally, Drake murmured, “Calm yourself. If you won’t release the…Halfling…for your sister, then how about for me?”

  Anael reared back, but Drake stood his ground. Anael tilted his head with a calculating look. “Why, cherub?”

  I sniggered: Barakiel had used the same nickname for Drake on Angel World, and I still hadn’t been able to call Drake on being the Angel of Love.

  Anael glared at me. “She’s the one you speak of like she’s different to the others?”

  Yeah, not the time for name calling.

  Instead, I painted on my holiest expression, peeking up at Anael through my lashes. Nope, he wasn’t tooting the belief horn.

  Drake snorted. “The queen is foolish, reckless, and hotblooded.” One, two, and three points in Drake’s ass kicking pot… “But so are you.” Now Anael was growling too. Did Drake enjoy having his wings broken? “Plus, she’s your sister. I apologize if I’ve not made it clear enough, but for that reason alone, I’d protect her as I would you. And you’re not petty enough to harm her over me.”

  Anael’s growl died. He stroked his knuckles down Drake’s cheek. “Am I not, cherub? I’ve always found it bewildering how easily you forgive those who hurt and humiliate you.” I flushed at Anael’s hard stare. “Yet this Glory believes herself better than us.”

  “This Glory can talk for herself. If there’s one bastard belief I’ve never bought into, it’s that I’m better than anyone else.” I stepped closer; my hands shook. “Look, I didn’t even know that I had a brother, until I was dragged to this castle. But I am your sister and I’m psyched about that, even if you never want to see me again. I just wanted to know you were OK.”

  Anael’s face flickered with confusion, whilst he glanced between Rahab and me. He turned away, then faltered, turning back again. “Maybe I will see you again,” his voice was gentler, as if the bravado had been stripped away. “Keep your moggy; I have no wish to catch fleas.”

  Tiger hissed.

  When I stroked Anael’s wing, he didn’t flinch away. “Cheers, bro.”

  “He’s my Invisible Prince.” Rahab’s fists clenched, as he flapped his wings, flustered. Our meeting wasn’t going down like he’d hoped. Had he wanted my brother to rip out my heart? For us to remain rivals? For me to be the misfit on the outside of his happy family? Screw that. “Don’t mistake my indulgence for weakness. Raised amongst humans, I imagine that you have little idea of true devotion or dedication.” He swept his wings up in a flaring arc, before barking, “Brothers of the Legion!”

  Instantly, his two sons — Drake and Anael — snapped to attention like they were on the drill ground.

  My shoulder blades and gums tingled with the same creeping warning that wormed across skin that was suddenly too tight.

  Rahab met m
y gaze; his lips were thinned into a grim line. “My darling monster, kill yourself.”

  I gasped, and Drake flinched. But Anael didn’t even hesitate: he placed his hands on either side of his head.

  Crack.

  I jumped, as my brother snapped his own neck.

  22

  Grief is a devourer: it hollows you out. Unless you let in the darkness and let out the demons.

  Once, when Rebel had hunched on the concrete floor of the cellar in the House of Rose, Fox, and Wolf, clutching his dead witch family like he could bring them to life, I hadn’t understood the intensity of his grief. Only now that I rocked, cradling my own brother’s corpse in my arms on the ledge above Neptune’s Courtyard, did I get it.

  Ash had also sacrificed his sisters. How the hell had he done that?

  When I sobbed, shadows blasted out of my chest, expanding over Anael’s body and mine like I could keep him safe.

  Like it wasn’t too late.

  I stroked my fingers through Anael’s cooling feathers, then down his cheek. He looked like he could be asleep, but I’d seen enough dead bodies both on Utopia Estate and in battles since to know the difference.

  Anael had killed himself on Rahab’s order. If Rahab had wanted to show me his control, I was convinced. Yet he’d severed any control that he’d had over me as Phoenix Queen because my connection in blood to my brother screamed vengeance. Maybe it wasn’t righteous but it was another side to me: primal, ferocious, and protective of my family.

  I shook, glaring through the veil of tears at Drake, who still stood at attention next to his dad. To my surprise, Tiger had pulled himself up and wound himself around Drake in comfort, rubbing his ears and mop of hair under Drake’s chin. Drake remained motionless, even if a single tear traced from the corner of his eye.

  The cold bastard: Anael had been raised as Drake’s own brother but he was only worth one tear…?

  Shadows howled through me, banshee wailing that Drake had no right to stand there, like stone, whilst I alone clutched Anael’s corpse. “I thought you loved the prince as a true brother?”