Marked, Soul Guardians Book 1

by Kim Richardson

  Kara tried to avoid the unblinking stare of the ancient primate and looked to the ornate wood panels of the elevator instead. She could see her anxious reflection in his single round monocle. He was nearly hairless, and the sparse hairs he did have were snow—white. If the elevator jerked again, he looked as if he would burst into a cloud of white dust. Even though she’d taken the ride to the fifth level in Horizon many times, the old operator always gave her the creeps.

  With its rich wood panels and tan marble floors, the elevators always made her think that they belonged in some grand hotel. She traced her fingers gently along the golden—wing crests carved into the wood panels. She was shaking. She hid her trembling hands behind her back and shuddered lightly. She had abandoned her sick mother.

  Kara turned towards David. “I didn’t think I’d ever see the inside of this elevator again. The oracles had made it clear, my GA days were over. Don’t you think it’s weird that I’m back? I keep thinking I’m dreaming, and any second now I’m going to wake up and forget everything.”

  “You won’t, ’cause you’re not dreaming,” said David with a hint of a smile in his voice.

  He was much calmer inside the elevator. He had only just stopped apologizing for being late to escort her back to Horizon.

  “I’m really glad you’re back. Things just aren’t the same without you. You’re part of the legion—in a big way. Probably one of the best guardians the legion’s ever had. So it’s not really a surprise that you’re back so soon.”

  He leaned over a little closer and lowered his voice. “Besides, I knew you couldn’t resist my angelic—charms, my heavenly good looks. The fact is, woman, I’ve supernaturalized you.”

  Kara rolled her eyes and pushed David playfully. “Oh, please. Get over yourself.”

  She shook her head gently. “Do you even know how this is possible? I mean...I killed a mortal, remember? I broke the sacred law.”

  From the corner of her eye she saw the old primate lift its ancient head towards her. She forced herself not to meet his eyes.

  “I wonder why they decided to reinstate me. It’s not like I had everyone’s vote—I was never a favorite in the legion. I’m sure most of the GAs despise me.”

  “You’re back because the legion says you’re back, that’s all there is to it. Just as long as you’re here with me, that’s all that matters.” David searched her face with his intense blue eyes.

  She remembered his panic when the crystal timer had run out and she had disappeared. She remembered his pain. But they were together as GAs once again—all was well for now.

  “So what did I miss since I’ve been gone?”

  David took a moment before answering. “I don’t really know...they shipped me back to my mortal self soon after you’d left. It’s weird, it’s like they didn’t want me back either.”

  Kara felt a pain in her chest. She knew how much David loved his job as a guardian. This had something to do with her, she was certain of that. “That’s impossible, you’re a great guardian. I’m sure you’re wrong, David.”

  “Am I? It doesn’t feel like it.” David’s expression tightened. He pulled out his soul blade and flicked it between his fingers. “It’s the only thing I’m good at—fighting demons. There’s nothing for me as a mortal, no real future. I don’t have any real talent like you. My parents don’t have money for me for college. Well, maybe that’s a good thing, I hate school anyway.”

  Kara wanted to say that she was there for him as a mortal, but her words died on her lips when he turned away from her. It was like being stabbed in the chest. Maybe he was right. Maybe he felt tainted by association with her. Was there something else?

  She had to admit, it was great to be back. She wondered what the other GAs would think. Peter and Jenny would be on her side; she knew that, but what about the others? Would they accept her return? The guardian angel legion had been wary of her ever since they discovered her demon father and her elemental abilities. Kara was different. She would always be different. She set her jaw. Whatever happened, she would just have to wait and see. She pushed her doubts away resolutely.

  She watched David for a moment and said. “I think something bad is happening to my mom.”

  David edged closer to her again. “The flu virus, yeah I remember. How was she before you left?”

  Kara lowered her eyes, did her best to ignore the reproving stare from the operator, and told David about the mysterious green runes on her mother’s face.

  David fixed his eyes on Kara. “That’s some seriously freaky stuff. Never heard of glowing green tattoos on anyone’s face before, what do you think it is?”

  Kara dreaded to think what it might be. “The more I think about it now, the more it sounds like some demon virus. I wouldn’t put it passed them, they’ve been very resourceful in the past.”

  “I think you might be right,” David said. “But don’t worry, whatever it is, Ariel will know.”

  Before Kara could answer, the elevator stopped with a loud ting, the doors slid open and Kara followed David out into Horizon. She was glad to put some more distance between herself and the ancient white monkey.

  The Counter Demon Division looked exactly as she had remembered. Hundreds of guardian angels rushed up and down metal stairs from second and third floors or busied their fingers on keyboards as they sat at desks spread out around the giant circular room. It was like being on the bridge of a great battle ship. GAs were huddled together around holographic screens that flickered with images of major cities around the mortal world. Were they looking for demon Rifts? What other possible threats could the legion fear?

  As Kara and David made their way quietly between desks with holographic screens, a silence spread across the great room. Heads lifted, and Kara could feel their stares burning the back of her head. She straightened herself and prepared to challenge them with her own stone cold look. But her expression softened as she realized they weren’t the angry faces she’d expected. They were dumbfounded, speechless, with their jaws hanging open. They were in shock. They had not expected to see her again.

  Kara followed David to the large round desk on a raised platform in the middle of the chamber. Their footsteps echoed around them unnaturally loudly, as though they were walking on drums. Kara couldn’t wait to sit down. A dozen stone—faced angels sat around the round desk and watched Kara warily.

  Then she saw Peter and Jenny, whose grins were larger than life.

  Jenny jumped from her seat and wrapped her arms around Kara’s neck, “I told Peter you’d be back. I told him you would. I just knew it!” Her green eyes sparkled as she let Kara go.

  “Hi, Kara,” said Peter.

  He fumbled clumsily with a flat metal contraption on the table. “You can’t imagine how happy I am to be wrong. I didn’t think we’d see you again.” He laughed nervously and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

  “Well that’s a first,” said David. He smacked Peter on the shoulder, and they both started laughing.

  Kara smiled at her friends. “It’s nice to see things haven’t changed around here.”

  “Jenny got reprimanded for punching another GA,” blurted Peter suddenly.

  “You didn’t?” said Kara, looking at Jenny who shrugged with a smirk on her face.

  “I don’t know what he’s talking about.” Jenny picked at her fingernails.

  Peter laughed. “It was awesome. The guy had it coming though. He was teasing her about her hair—and then whack! It was great!”

  Kara smiled warmly, grateful to be back amongst her friends again. “I still can’t believe I’m here. It still feels like a dream.” She looked around the table.

  The archangel Ariel sat at the end of the table. Her mocha colored skin shone under the light, making it look almost golden. She looked like a goddess who didn’t want to attract too much attention. She wore a simple short—sleeved black shirt and black cargo pants. Her toffee—colored eyes measured Kara for a moment, and th
en she spoke.

  “Welcome back, Kara Nightingale.”

  “Thank you,” said Kara awkwardly. “It’s good to be back.”

  She looked over to the angels sitting around the desk and smiled. None of them smiled back, so she lowered her eyes and stared at the desk instead.

  “Thank you for bringing her back to us in one piece, David,” said Ariel. Kara detected a little irritation in her tone.

  David looked utterly abashed by the statement. “I’m offended by your tone, your supreme godliness. I promised I would get her back safely, didn’t I? Which, as you see, is what I did, your royal holiness.” He pressed his right hand on his chest. “I am an angel of my word, your grace.”

  Ariel favored him with the faintest of smiles. “We shall see.” She gestured to them with her hand. “Please, sit down. We have lots to talk about.”

  Jenny pushed an empty chair towards Kara. David flung himself dramatically in an empty chair between Kara and Peter, who did his best not to laugh at David’s theatrical performance. But Kara could see the stress on David’s face. He was putting up his usual front. Under his cheeky grin, she knew he was hurt.

  “Well then,” began Ariel, her voice was smooth but demanded attention. She interlaced her fingers on the table. “I’m sure you have lots of questions regarding your return, Kara, and I will get to that in a minute. And from the expressions on the faces here, I can see that most of you were not expecting to see Miss Nightingale amongst us again. Your eyes do not deceive you—she is back. And I am very glad for it.” The archangel smiled tenderly at Kara.

  If Kara had any blood in her system her face would have been tomato—red. But at the same time, she felt an overwhelming gratitude towards the archangel. Being back with an archangel’s approval was bound to help smooth things over for her. She looked over to David who winked at her. Typical.

  But Kara’s smile quickly faded. Sitting across from her was a guardian with hazel eyes and a long blond braid. She was a little older than Kara, with sharp features and a plain face. She looked as if she loathed Kara, as if she would have spat at her from across the table if Ariel hadn’t been there. What was her problem?

  Kara shifted uneasily in her seat and looked away.

  “Although I cannot disclose to you the details of Kara’s reinstatement as a guardian,” Ariel continued, “rest assured it was with the best interest of this legion and honored our mandate to the mortal world. The matter was brought before the High Council, and Kara has been granted the same privileges as any member of the CDD unit.”

  For the first time, Kara heard the muffled discontent of the other guardians around the table. The blond girl whispered to the angels seated next to her, but Kara couldn’t make out what they were saying to each other. But from the pinched and disgusted expressions on their faces it was clear to her that they were not as pleased as the archangel that she was back. The hostility edged around the great table like a sudden frost. With the exception of Jenny, Peter and David, it was clear that the other field agents were unsympathetic to her miraculous return. They all loathed her.

  Ariel gave an impatient shake of her head, and her short curls bounced lightly above her head like soft springs. “It is time to put aside any petty differences you might have—and I don’t care to hear them.”

  Ariel’s voice rose dangerously. “I see only guardian angels seated before me, and I will not have any divisiveness amongst you, especially now that everyone needs to work together on this special assignment. You have all sworn the same oath, and we are all here for the exact same reason—to fight evil.”

  Ariel glared around the table, waiting for anyone to defy her. The guardians didn’t move a muscle and so she continued.

  “Once again the mortal world is in great danger and in need of our help. An ancient evil plagues the Earth and is taking innocent lives. It is a great malevolent force that moves like a tidal wave from town to town. We have been unsuccessful in our attempts to uncover its weakness and defeat it. We’ve already lost five teams—and we cannot afford to lose any more. Needless to say, this will be a very challenging assignment.”

  “What’s the new threat?” interrupted David as he interlaced his fingers behind his head. “It sounds pretty bad. Are we talking Seirs again? Because if we are, I’d like to volunteer to be the first to give them a serious kick in the—”

  Kara kicked David from under the table and glared at him. Something in Ariel’s eyes told her that the archangel wasn’t in the mood to have her patience tested by David’s shenanigans. Grinning like a schoolboy, David laughed playfully before settling down again.

  Ariel cleared her throat. “The Seirs present a constant threat, but this is something far worse than mere mortals, David. This new threat is something we haven’t seen in over a century.”

  “The suspense is killing me,” mumbled David under his breath.

  Ariel looked at the faces around the table and said calmly, “This new enemy is a dark warlock.”

  David leaned forward on the table. “A warlock? Seriously? With the long black cloak flying on his broomstick shooting spells? Whoa! I thought they were only a myth. I used to role—play as a warlock in Dungeons & Dragons.” He leaped from his chair and started to mimic himself riding on an imaginary broomstick. “I’ve always wanted to fly on a broomstick—”

  “Can you shut up and let her finish,” said the same blond girl that had given Kara the look of loathing. Her voice was like ice. She smiled defiantly. “Warlocks don’t fly on broomsticks, stupid. But you wouldn’t know that. I guess the rumors are true...you’re just a pretty face with nothing between the ears, David McGowan.”

  David’s face hardened. “Relax, friend. No need to get your panties in a bunch.”

  He sat down and crossed his arms over his chest. Kara could almost see the steam shooting from his ears. Kara felt her temper rise as well. She glared at the blond girl, and to her surprise she was not looking at David at all, but at Kara—and with the same distasteful look on her face as before.

  “Enough!” Ariel hit the table with her hand, sending a great boom across the chamber. “I don’t have time for your childish games. You are soldiers of Horizon, guardians of Earth—act like it. Now listen up. I will not repeat myself. Are we clear?”

  Kara turned away from the girl. Why did she loathe her so much? Kara had never even seen her before. What was her problem?

  “Good, now let us continue,” said the archangel with a touch of venom in her voice.

  Ariel’s eyes darted to David for a moment. “Warlocks are masters of the demonic arts. They can summon demons as their minions, and they use an ancient evil called dark magic. A dark warlock can take his victim’s soul and leave the body behind to die. A dark warlock is an evil trickster of the worse kind imaginable.”

  “Sounds like a few angels I know,” whispered David so only Kara could hear. She silently prayed that he would stop. Ariel looked livid and ready to kill anyone who interrupted her again.

  “Mortal souls have a unique, pure energy,” explained Ariel. “When you combine the energy of many souls together—it becomes a great power—and warlocks crave power for themselves. The warlock has already begun collecting souls across North America, and soon he will plague the whole earth with his dark magic. With the energy from millions of mortal souls, he will become unstoppable. The mortal world as you know it will cease to exist. All living things will die.”

  Kara thought of her mother and Sabrina with the green symbols on their faces. It had to be connected. She began to grow angry.

  “Archangel Ariel, the recent flu epidemic...my mother’s sick...she has these green markings on her.”

  “She is not sick, but infected by Dark magic—her soul has been taken,” said Ariel somberly. “The markings on your mother are the marks of a dark warlock. The sickness that is spreading and killing the mortals is caused by his dark magic.”

  Kara’s expression turned sullen. “I need to get to her. She needs my he
lp.”

  “There’s nothing you can do for her now,” said Ariel gently. “Only the death of the dark warlock will reverse the effect and save her soul. There is no other way.”

  Kara leaned back in her chair and tried to stretch out the tension in her back that her rage was causing. She couldn’t feel her arms anymore. One thing was for sure—she was going to kill this warlock.

  Ariel raised her voice. “This dark warlock has been dead for over a century. Something or someone with great knowledge of dark magic has raised him back from the dead. They have unleashed an unspeakable evil upon the mortal world.”

  Kara chewed her lip uncertainly. She didn’t like the wavering in Ariel’s voice; it was almost as though the archangel thought they couldn’t defeat this guy.

  “I’m sure we can defeat this dark warlock,” said Kara, aware of all the eyes watching her and thankful that her voice came out strongly. “I mean...we’ve defeated demons before. We’ve been to the Netherworld, and we’ve faced some pretty gruesome creatures. I’m sure we can defeat one warlock?”

  Kara heard murmurings around the table, but they were quickly stilled.

  “He’s not just any warlock, Kara,” said Ariel. “He is the warlock, Wergoth, a creature born from darkness and skilled with dark magic. As supernatural beings, we angels have abilities beyond the mortal realm, but we do not possess magic, especially dark magic. No ordinary angel can defeat him.”

  David whistled loudly. “So that rules us out. What the heck are we doing here then? To play board games? I’d kill for a game of Dungeons & Dragons right now.”

  Kara screwed up her face. “I don’t understand. What do you mean we can’t defeat him? We have to! I have to save my mother!”

  The archangel’s eyes flashed ominously. “The warlock cannot be destroyed by any means we possess. Soul blades, firestones, moonstones, or any other weapons we use on demons, will not affect him. Only magic can defeat him.”

  “And how are we supposed to get magic?” asked Kara, fighting to stay calm.

  “Maybe if you’d stop asking stupid questions, she would tell us,” said the blond girl in a flat voice.

  Kara glared at the girl across the table. She wanted to slap her for being so impertinent. Before she knew what was happening, she stood up, her hands curled into fists.

  “Kara!” whispered Jenny, her eyes wide as she grabbed a hold of Kara’s arm and pulled her down. She shook her head gently. “Don’t. Not now. She’s not worth it.”

  “Oh...she’s worth it,” whispered David. “I’d say she’s really worth it.”

  A smile spread on the girl’s face. “Did the famous Kara wish to say something to me?”

  “That’s enough, Ashley,” said Ariel, her lips pressed into a hard line. “There’s no need for that now.”

  Kara lowered herself back into her seat and hid her trembling hands under the table. She was surprised at her sudden outburst. Something about that girl made her hair stand on end. She gritted her teeth and tried hard not to imagine a fight.

  Ariel leaned forward. “Magic was what defeated the warlocks long ago. The angels and white witches fought side by side to destroy the last of the dark warlocks. And as the mortal world evolved, the white witches died out—and their secrets died with them.”

  She folded her hands in front of her. “And yet there is one who can help us. You must seek the help of an old Cornish witch who goes by the name of Olga. She is the last of the dark witches and over a century old. The legion knows that she has been dabbling in the Dark arts for many years. You will find her in the remote village of Boscastle, in Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. The old witch is skilled in necromancy. Her charms, spells and dark incantations make her the terror of the village.

  “She alone holds the knowledge and the means to destroy Wergoth. Your job is to convince her to fight with us—to destroy the dark warlock once and for all.”

  “Why do I get the feeling it won’t be easy to convince her to help us,” said Kara, reading Ariel’s face.

  “Let’s just say witches and angels haven’t always been allies. In fact, they hate us.”

  Kara frowned. “They hate us? Why would they? What happened?”

  Ariel shook her head and sighed. “It’s a very long story, and we don’t have time to get into it. Olga is a dark witch, which makes her extremely powerful and very dangerous. She doesn’t care much for the Legion, and she despises angels. She will not be easily persuaded. In fact, she has already killed five field teams.”

  David and Kara shared a look.

  Ariel paused and glanced around the table. “But because her magic is the only thing that can destroy the warlock, it is a risk we must take. We know the warlock plans to perform a ritual with the souls he’s collected, but we are ignorant as to what kind of ritual. He will use the longest night of the year to perform this rite. We cannot allow it to happen. If he is not defeated by the winter solstice, then all the mortals whose souls he has stolen will die. Their souls will be destroyed forever.”

  “When’s the winter solstice?” asked Kara.

  “December twenty first.”

  Kara wanted to jump out of her seat. “But that’s in three days!”

  Ariel’s expression was grim. “I’m sending out two of my best teams to the witch’s village. Sasha, Raymond, Ling—you’ll be on Ashley’s team.” Ariel’s eyes moved across the table. “Jenny, Peter, David—you’re on Kara’s team.”

  Kara saw the relief on David’s face.

  “Both teams must work together and watch each other’s backs. You understand me?”

  Ariel focused on Kara and when she spoke next her voice was even. “And now, Kara, I must tell you specifically why you’ve been summoned back.”

  Kara squeezed her hands together under the table. Ariel’s toffee—colored eyes mesmerized her, and she couldn’t look away.

  “This assignment needs your special talent, but in a very different way. The dark witch can detect angels. She can kill you in a blink of an eye, and not before she has enjoyed torturing you first.”

  “Sounds like fun,” whispered David.

  “So far, it has been impossible to seek her help without suffering causalities. Kara, we need you to approach her without her detecting that you are a guardian. Think of it as an undercover assignment. We believe your elemental part will act as a distraction. The witch will be unable to see your angel essence. Where ordinary angels have failed, we believe you will succeed.”

  Kara could feel the tension across the table. She started to panic. Her throat was tight, and she thought her head was about to explode. Her elemental power was still very wild and hard to control. Simply snapping her fingers wouldn’t activate it; it was triggered by her emotions—and they were extremely hard to control. Her elemental power was more like a time bomb with a short fuse.

  Ariel paused, as if giving Kara the time to prepare herself for the worst. “The legion has never asked another guardian what I’m about to propose to you, Kara.”

  Kara could feel the unease in the chamber. The field agents and GAs strained to listen.

  Kara leaned forward and shook her head. “But I’m still an angel. If, like you say, she can detect angels, then surely she can detect me too? My elemental part is still only one part of me; the rest is angel. She’ll be able to see right through my M—suit.”

  “Not if you’re not wearing one.” Ariel held Kara in her gaze. “You see, Kara, on this assignment, we need you to be a mortal.”

  Chapter 3

  Memory Projection