by Knight, TW
What would she think about the ramblings and confessions in his journals? Over the past dozen years or so, he’d laid out his darkest fears on his laptop. Would she think he was weak?
He gave himself a mental slap. There was no sense in worrying about it now. What would be, would be. For now, he’d ignore the worries and “what ifs” and focus on Cassidy’s needs and dreams—focus on their future.
Her project would save them all. And damn it, it was about time he forced the rest of the Knights to recognize what the program would do for them.
* * *
Cassidy ignored the cold lump in her stomach as she walked away from Rail, leaving him to face his secret concerns on his own. She hadn’t meant to press his buttons and then make light of the situation. She’d meant to distract him. Rail's emotional pain pulsed through their bond. Like most men, he couldn’t express what he was feeling or why. She let a tired sigh escape. Eventually, they’d have to address what he was hiding in those journals—what he was hiding from his past. She just had to give him time.
A cold darkness settled over their bond and the waves of pain abruptly stopped.
Rail was blocking her.
Turning her thoughts inward even further, Cassidy followed the shimmering threads connecting her to Rail. They skirted around a dark place in his soul she suspected was where his demon half-slept and ended at what she thought of as his heart.
His heart was full of quiet fear. Fear she was going to die—permanently—in seventy years or so of old age, leaving Rail alone and freeing his soul to move on to another person.
With a hand on the computer lab door, Cassidy froze. She hadn’t considered that before. What kind of affect would her death have, not just on Rail, but on the new soul-keeper? Would the experiences she and Rail shared transfer to this person? Would they grow up with a hunger for knowledge they didn’t understand? Maybe an obsession for Biblical history?
It was too much to take in. The very idea that she could somehow stain an innocent and yet unborn soul made her sick.
"You okay?"
Rail's velvety voice caressed her. His hands slipped around her waist, coming to rest on her abdomen.
Cassidy jumped, so lost in her thoughts she hadn’t realized he’d followed her.
"Sure," she lied, hoping Rail wouldn’t pick up on her tangled emotions. "I was just considering asking Margarite to help me with the data entry."
"Why Margarite? I would think you would want Seraphina to help. She’s better educated and seems to have a greater grasp of the situation."
Cassidy blew a loose strand of hair from her eyes before turning to face Rail. "Exactly. Seraphina is doing a phenomenal job in the library; even though it’s taking her hours to translate each passage using the Internet, and she has no real idea what she’s reading. I don’t want to pull her off of that. She’s actually enjoying herself. Besides, well, Gina barely has a seventh grade reading level, and Margarite needs something worthwhile to do."
"Are you saying neither one is helping search for the prophecy?" There was a touch of accusation in his voice.
Cassidy bristled. "I didn’t say that," she snapped, pinning him with her gaze. "Gina helps where she can, bringing food and drinks, helping us organize things. She can read some and follow directions, just not do the heavy research. And Margarite, well, she’s still not comfortable with her looks. Sitting in that room with everyone, wondering if they’re staring, is hard on her."
Rail softened. The realization he’d been a jerk flashed across his face. "She told you this?"
"Not in so many words, but yes. Did you know she’d been an aspiring model? Her looks were the focus of her whole life." Cassidy looped her arms around his neck. "I want to show her that she has more to offer. She’s smarter than she gives herself credit for."
"I’ll talk to Kaz—"
"No. Have Tam do it."
An eyebrow arched in confusion. "Why Tam?"
"Because you have no vested interest in Margarite's happiness." Rail’s blank look made her laugh. "If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trapped in the compulsion again."
"Huh?"
"You really didn’t notice?" She laughed harder, covering her mouth with her hands.
"Notice what? Don’t play games," Rail pleaded.
"Tam is in love with Margarite," Cassidy answered, laughter still in her voice.
Rail's brow furrowed for a moment and then he brightened. "I’m an idiot."
"No argument there." Cassidy placed a light kiss on his lips.
"I just thought his attentiveness toward her was because of her fragile nature. Tam’s always been the sensitive type. I chalked up his hovering to a feeling of responsibility. You know, he was the one who saved her." He laughed. "You really think they’re in love?"
"I do. Although, I’m not sure they know it. Yet."
Chapter Forty-Three
"No!"
Rail stood outside Kaz’s office as Tam talked to him about adding Margarite to Cassidy’s project "team", giving her access to the computer lab.
Things were not going well.
After a moment of charged silence, the door flew open to reveal a seething Fallen Angel so angry he was on verge of transforming. "You! This is your fault." Kaz stabbed a finger at Rail.
"Guilty," he replied with a cocky smile.
"This is unacceptable!" Kaz stormed back into the office and swept everything off the desk.
Rail followed in his wake, sidestepping the scattered files, paperweights, and various other displaced objects, including a stack of books and an antique clock. "When you calm down, I’d like to discuss this with everyone," he offered, placing a hand on Tam's shoulder. "We’ve got to change how things operate around here."
"Did Cassidy put you up to this?" Kaz snarled, his inner demon waking. So far, the creature was only glowing embers in his eyes and horns shifting beneath his darkening skin. It wouldn’t take much to push him over the edge.
Rail ignored the heat his leader radiated, letting it sweep over him like a summer breeze. In answer, his fists tightened until he thought his knuckles would snap. It was instinct to let his own demon out, but for Cassidy’s sake he only showed the fire in his eyes. "No. Cassidy woke me to this need. It’s a need you recognized when you showed us the library and the prophecy."
"Kaz," Tam interjected, placing himself between the two men. "We’re at a crossroads here. We have Aktura, humans, living with us again. As a community. This is a new situation for all of us, not just you. You need to remember some of us hadn’t been blessed with human companionship for more than a few months before our imprisonment. We need to change. Adapt. I hadn’t wanted to admit it before, but I see now that we didn’t evolve with the world. We sat back and took the pieces that fit our needs—but we no longer fit in." The warrior took another step forward. His color changed from its natural deep chocolate to midnight black; a sign his own demon had awakened. "We need to move beyond what we were, what we are, to what we need to be. We’re on the verge of a demon war, and our army isn’t just spread out over the world, it’s disconnected. We need this, Kaz. We need to see who else is out there and open ourselves up to the possibility that we are going to be fighting Lucifer on our own."
"Is this a challenge?" Kaz ground out. His eyes burned brighter.
"You’ve lead us wisely for centuries. No one is questioning that." Moving next to Tam, Rail let the fire in his eyes dim, "But now it’s time to stop hiding and take this war to the next level." Rail held his ground. He hadn’t really answered Kaz’s question. It wasn’t a challenge, yet, but it could easily become one.
Preparing for a fight, Rail made a quick assessment of the male's frame of mind. It was obvious by his stance; Kaz’s rage was under tenuous control. He tightened his fists at his side until his claws cut into his palms. His body shook with his demon's need to get out and bust some heads.
After a few tense minutes, Kaz asked, "How do the others feel?"
His tone left ic
e in Rail's blood.
"That’s why we want to call a meeting," Tam answered. "Rail and I think it’s time we all had a voice in how we move forward."
"This is not a democracy," Kaz snapped, turning away from the other two. "If you don’t like how things are being handled, take your Aktura and leave."
"Now you’re being childish," Frustrated with his leader, Rail shoved Kaz in the back.
In a heartbeat, both were fully transformed and beating the hell out of each other.
Shaking his head, Tam retreated to the far side of the office to let the alphas duke it out. Eventually, the anger would burn out, the demons would calm down, and they would be able to discuss things in a calmer manner. Until then, he was going to enjoy the show.
"Damn. Wish I had some popcorn."
* * *
"Let’s not start that again," Tam warned when it looked as if Kaz would transform again. "We have breakable people in the room this time."
Kaz gave him the finger and returned to pacing in front of the picture window—which was now missing its glass. "Hiding behind the humans? Some warrior you are."
Tam returned the single finger salute.
"The Aktura are here because they have the right to be," Zach offered, "and if their presence helps keep the tempers in check, I’m all for it."
"All of you can kiss my ass! If not for me—"
"Blah, blah, blah." Boomer opened and closed his hands like puppets. "I think you’re suffering from a God complex. Isn’t that the last sign before you go completely bat-shit crazy and try to kill us all?" He laughed when Kaz roared and punched the wall nearest to him, showering them in plaster from the ceiling.
"Boomer!" Gina punched her man in the shoulder. "Stop riling him up."
Cassidy stood in the back of the meeting room near the door, trying to block out the shouting. It had been like that for over an hour. At least when the Knights switched to the Angelic language, her head didn’t feel like it was going to split anymore. In fact, she understood scraps of it. Courtesy of her connection to Rail, she surmised. It still didn’t sound like flutes or children laughing, though. Rumbling thunder? Maybe. Or a roaring lion.
"Can you please go back to yelling in English," someone asked. Cassidy thought it was Tucker or maybe Serephina, but the static in her head made it difficult to focus on the voice.
She wasn’t feeling well. For the past half hour, she’d felt like the flu was coming on hard and fast, and it was getting worse. There was a constant thrumming—like the beginning of a migraine tapping on her skull; her stomach roiled.
On top of everything else, she had the strange sensation that her body was being pulled away even though she stood perfectly still.
The only thing holding her in place was the constant invisible bond to Rail. At times, his strength wrapped around her like a warm blanket. A barrier to protect her from the storm. He was her anchor. No matter how badly she felt, she couldn’t abandon him.
Even though the others were arguing on Rail's behalf, she stood as his only true support.
Mentally, she hugged him, hoping he took comfort in her strength.
As the shouting escalated again, another wave of "wrongness" swept through her.
Taking a deep breath to balance herself almost cost Cassidy her last meal. With a hand flying to her mouth, she stepped into the hall.
The sudden motion made her head spin and stomach roll like a Tilt-a-Whirl.
She took another, slower, breath and found herself drowning in scents; everyone in the house—tonight's dinner, the sharp tang of the sea, the woodsy spice of trees, the different flowers. To keep from choking, Cassidy focused on her breathing and began picking the scents apart, exploring the different layers.
She worked her way through identifying the different perfumes coming from the garden, and her heart rate slowed. The thrumming in her head turned into a jackhammer, threatening to split her skull.
The shouting in the other room drilled into her brain, and she grabbed the wall. Bracing herself, Cassidy sank to the floor, covering her ears with her hands.
Her connection to Rail must have gone into overdrive or something.
A small pair of bare feet appeared in front of her. Without lifting her head, she asked the Un-tar to get Rail. In response, she was bombarded by a high pitched screeching—nails on a chalkboard. Cassidy’s head snapped upward, a vicious growl escaping her lips.
Startled, the little demon stepped back, gesturing wildly.
More screeching cut into her brain, allowing other sounds to flood in: the crash of the breakers, trees rustling in the breeze, the snap of wings, animals calling to each other. The once beautiful birdsongs became rabid noise.
Sensory overload ravaged her body, stole her mind.
Cassidy tried to push herself to her feet, but her legs were like jelly. Her strength vanished, and she slid back to the floor. Pain exploded in her chest.
This time she knew what it was—she was going to flash again.
Just as her desperation to be with her family had triggered her flash last time, this time it had to be her need to escape the assault on her senses.
The air around her shimmered and grew hot, her blood began to boil, and her bones splintered.
Just when she thought she would burst, Rail's warmth and love broke through the chaos and surrounded her—but it was too late.
In a blink, the world shattered.
Chapter Forty-Four
Rail threw his hands up in frustration. "Kaz! You’re not listening. Again."
"Because all I’m hearing is foolishness." Kaz stood with his arms crossed over his chest. Switching to the Angelic language, he snarked, "Why don’t we just announce to the world that we really exist? Maybe tell them about the Entity that created this world is an interdimensional alien and how everything they think they know is bullshit!"
"Hey," Tucker called. "Can you please go back to yelling in English?"
"Kaz said he wants to come out of the closet to the human race," Boomer snickered.
Kaz roared and lunged for the younger angel. "That’s not what I said!"
"We’re not asking for that," Seraphina interjected quickly as Bass and Hacker blocked Kaz. "We want to help Cassidy help you. We don’t have to reveal ourselves to interact with the outside world."
"What does it matter if the world knows about you, huh? You’re human."
Seraphina stepped forward and jabbed a finger into Kaz’s chest. "Have you forgotten that we are a part of this war too? Without us, you die. Permanently. We have just as much to risk as you do."
"All we’re asking for is a chance to help," Margarite said softly.
Tam rested a hand on her shoulder. "Not one of the Aktura is asking to leave or contact their families—"
"And how long before they want to?" Kaz glared at the humans in turn, challenging them.
"You’re being a bigger ass than usual." Boomer got into Kaz’s face. "You’re just pissed because someone is questioning you."
Kaz shoved Boomer back. "Do you think you could do better? Or you?" He pointed at Rail.
"Better? I don’t know and I’m not asking to find out. You’ve been our leader for a long time." Rail stepped forward, relaxing his body. "I remember when we were first cast out. We landed right in the middle of a demon horde. You rallied those closest to you, organized us. That is your strength. Your weakness is in your reluctance to face changes. We are no longer alone in our fight and damn it, our humans have the right to know what’s going on and help. Wake up, Kaz. It’s humanity at stake here—always has been. Somewhere along the way, you forgot that."
Kaz growled low and menacing, but Rail didn’t give ground. The men stared at each other, eyes burning as the air around them crackled with energy.
Abruptly, Rail stepped back, his hands clutching his head. "Cassidy!" He looked to the back of the room. The spot she’d occupied since the meeting started was now vacant.
Without a thought for the others, he ran from the
room, skidding to a stop in the hall.
Cassidy leaned against the wall, head down, pain and energy radiating off her in waves. An Un-tar stood next to her, asking what it could do to help.
Rail shoved the creature aside and gathered Cassidy into his arms. Immediately, his body filled with pain and fire. The building energy surrounding them turned into a supernova. The resulting explosion took them with it.
Chapter Forty-Five
"What the fuck?" Rail rolled off Cassidy, flinging several daggers at the unfamiliar presence he sensed near them. With his next breath, he fully transformed. Taking a defensive position over Cassidy, he raised his eyes to the male in front of him.
"Now was that really necessary?" Lucifer pulled a blade from his left should and another from his right thigh, casually tossing them aside. Flames leapt into his eyes as his gaze fell on Cassidy. "A two for one special!" He laughed, pointing at the couple with a bloody sword.
Rail narrowed his eyes at the blade. It was the same blade the minion, Sayer, skewered them with a few weeks ago. The one that killed Cassidy.
Noting the look on his foe’s face, Lucifer waved the sword back and forth like a conductor’s wand. "Now how did this happen? Unless…" He ran his tongue over the length of the blade. "Ah, I see now. My minion got you both. Interesting." He kicked a small rock across the floor. "That would explain why the first summoning didn’t work—you weren’t together. Oh, well." Lucifer sighed, sounding bored, but the fire hadn’t left his eyes, showing it was an act. "I have you now and this will work much better, I think."
With a flick of his wrist, Cassidy went flying into the wall behind her. The scent of burning flesh and hair made Rail gag.
Her screams echoed through the cavern.
"Damn you, Lucifer!"
Lucifer braced for Rail’s attack then stood back in shock as the Knight rushed to his woman instead.
"I see now. She is your soul-keeper. Or perhaps she is more? Your lover? Your Aktur-mon maybe?" He licked his lips. "I can feel your bond. Your souls have blended." Chuckling, Lucifer lazily paced in front of them. "You can save her. Swear fealty to me and I’ll let her go."