Archangel of the Fallen

by Devin Lee Carlson

  “What about Mum’s suitcases? Her friends?”

  “All set. I called the hotel to have them packed and delivered.”

  Azrian glanced back at the girls’ table. “You don’t miss a beat.” He cringed when his father rolled his eyes.

  Paybacks.

  3 3 3

  Hesitant in each step, I strolled up to the petite woman, the mother of my child, the alluring creature who stole my virginity. For those and a slew of other reasons, I took Azumi’s hand and led her outside on the veranda, where we could dance to the music in peace without all eyes on us, especially the motley crew.

  “Your brother is sweet. But you...something about you intrigues me.”

  Perhaps a bit rough, I took her hands in mine and drew her up to me. Small steps pushed us back until she bumped the balcony railing. My eyes closed as I breathed in her floral scent, one I had never forgotten or ever will. Our lips met and we kissed as if the act was second nature. She matched my ferocity. All I had ever wished for was to offer her my undying love for the gift she granted at the cost of her life. This time, she’d live and grace the world with her talent and love of music. I vowed she would prevail.

  Regret suppressed the burn in my loins. I pulled back. “Sorry, no idea what came over me.” Really, I had a clue, but refused to reveal my moment of weakness. Not to her, not to anyone.

  Her dark eyes sparkled in the moonlight like two black star sapphires. Certain my bold approach flustered her, Azumi smoothed out her devil costume before she could find the words. “No one has ever kissed me like that,” she said, gasping on a sharp breath. “Not ever.”

  I pulled her in for another kiss but paused. “You bewitch me.” I drew in a deep breath to recover the strength to pull away. “You’re in danger. I know about the deal you made with Doctor Chambers and Morgan Wayde.” After that reveal, there’d be no reason to worry about our closeness any longer.

  Azumi pushed away. “How dare you lead me on. What’s wrong with you?” Tears welled in as her dreams hit bottom along with her dignity. “Can’t believe I fell for it.” Slender fingers brushed her ruby lips. “It felt so real.”

  When I took a step closer, Azumi backed away until she hit the railing. “I held both hands out to her. “My heart and soul went into that kiss. As real as you and I are standing here. A moment I never hoped to experience again.”

  “It sure felt that way…but what do you mean by danger?”

  At first, Azumi refused my hand until she realized I meant to lead her to the fairy lights draped along the veranda. Movement in the shadows had caught my eye. One of Wayde’s spies no less. “We’re being watched.”

  “I feel it too.” She glared in the darkness as if to give whomever a piece of her mind. “What now?”

  “Trust me over Wayde. Your friends are waiting for us in a limo to take you all to the airport. A private jet will fly everyone home. Luggage too.”

  “Are you kidding? Trust you to fly us halfway across the world?”

  “You agreed to do worse with Wayde. He means to murder you and your friends. Pocket the money he promised to pay if you seduced me.” Ignoring Azumi’s exasperated curse, I took her hand and firmly placed a small leather folder in her grasp, making sure all five fingers curled around the edges. “This is a Swiss bank account in your name. Enough to see you through a doctorate in music all expenses paid. Apply to any college worldwide. Your life is at your beck and call. Fulfill your dreams.”

  “Why?” She glanced over the inside of the booklet. “My God, you’re serious.”

  “You’d never believe the why, so leave it at that. I wish you success. My brother too.”

  “I don’t understand,” she said, her gaze locked onto mine. The star sapphires glistened. “You don’t know me. We never met before tonight.” Azumi paused long enough to ask, “Or have we? That kiss says we had.”

  I managed a meek smile, my voice caught deep in my throat. Whoever lurked in the shadows got too close. Malice walled us in. “No time to waste. You’ll realize we are on the up and up when you see your friends waiting in the limo.”

  “I believe you. I believe the kiss.”

  Too late. Bullets barreled toward us. The black wings erupted from my back to shield her from the spray of fire. The wings, black hole in nature, absorbed every bullet except one. My upper arm burned from the one that lodged into bone. If the bullet went through me in my energized state, it would have struck Azumi in the abdomen. My arm would expel it soon enough.

  “Stay low,” I whisper-shouted in her ear. Before she could ask, the wings shot back under each shoulder blade. I shoved a tablet into my mouth and engaged in speed faster than the blink of an eye, whipping into the shadow to extinguish the enemy.

  Chase again. Should’ve deposited him somewhere in the Sahara after the shopping stunt. His eyes darted as he shoved a cartridge in his Glock to reload. The semi-automatic sported a silencer on the end. No wonder no one ran outside.

  I body-slammed him, knocking us both over the railing a hundred feet onto the street below. The fall cracked Chase’s neck, dead on impact. His body broke my fall. I extended each limb to set any broken bones. The bullet in my arm popped out.

  Dirty pool played by Wayde set me in motion. He’d regret the stupid move. I swallowed a few more Colton tabs for the task ahead.

  “Brian!” Azumi called over the railing. “Are you all…”

  “I’ll live. Wayde’s man broke my fall. I’ll be right up.” Before she could ask how, I sped Chase to Wayde’s office, sat the corpse in his boss’s desk chair, and dashed back to the hall. A quick scramble carried me up and over the embankment and railing, setting me next to Azumi before she finished her question.

  “How?” She yelped when I appeared out of nowhere.

  “Let’s go. The others might be in trouble.” I hoped Azrian stayed alert.

  We crowded into the limo and headed for the airport. Fifteen minutes passed in silence. The girls sat on one side with Azrian and me on the other.

  My son’s frustration and concern touched my mind. “What about Aunt Ariane? You left her alone with Sabree.”

  “Don’t worry, this won’t take long. Doubt Sabree will cause too much trouble. Ariane’s a big girl.” I’d explain what happened later on. Chase must have detected her betrayal, seeing as we weren’t doing the wild thing at the time. Did he spy upon us all thirty-three trials? Ew gross. I cringed for stooping low enough to use my son’s favorite line.

  “Right, Pop, but what about Wayde?”

  My mind snapped shut. I refused to let him sense the sudden dread that consumed me with worry. Azrian was right. We left Ariane to herself. My eyes squeezed shut as a persuasive suggestion drifted outward to Sabree’s mind. “Take care of Ariane.” Unlike a telepathic voice, the mind command made him believe the mandate had come from his own resolve, not from anyone else’s.

  14

  Night Watch

  T he night still young, all control, if any existed, had slipped from Sabree’s grasp. Brian MIA, no longer on the property according to Chambers and Wayde’s hysterics, perhaps it would be more productive to woo Ariane instead. Even if the ghoul was here, a tyrant, one who behaved like an Original, possessed him. An old soul.

  Weary of fretting, Sabree set Brian aside for another day and instead asked Ariane to dance. She readily agreed. The waltz came second nature to Sabree, allowing his mind to ponder on stranger things. Where did the butler come from? When he took off the ridiculous mask to dance with the she-devil, this Azrian looked like he was related to the twins. Were the twins actually triplets? The odds had turned against him. Did Cayiel mislead him? A faithful, longtime friend, it seemed unlikely that the elder would betray such trust.

  Sabree and Ariane glided around the dance floor in a slow waltz. He held his partner close, breathing in the fruity hint of candy as his nose nuzzled her hair. In Arizona, the twins used to freak out at the sight of him, their eyes as big as saucers. Panic no longer tainted Brian’s gaze
. Nor hers, whose honey-amber irises sparkled beneath the chandelier. She flirted with him earlier, and now her smile widened as they breezed across the dance floor. Perhaps Brian put her up to seducing him.

  Still, Sabree couldn’t get over the changes in her brother. What happened between point A and point B, from the time they flew out of Arizona and arrived in Scotland? He could always detect the twins’ aura, but no longer Brian’s. Had Serine interfered? On Abyss’s orders? The mischievous women in his life made him swear off the idea of pursuing another love interest. Regrettably, in order to get closer to Ariane, to figure her out, he had to cozy up to the young woman. The bauble he purchased at Chisholm Hunter on Princes Street, the one he had flashed in Brian’s face to make him sweat, should do the trick. Time to pour on the charm.

  “Cherie, holding you and dancing on clouds has stolen my breath away. Shall we return to the table?”

  “Good idea. The buffet is ready.”

  If food occupied her mind more than his charm, then Sabree had already lost his touch. Napped too long. On the way to the table, they squeezed by two men—an angel and a Greek Adonis—locked in each other’s arms on the dance floor. Sabree marveled at how the times had changed. If only humans could visualize beyond the physical body and into the soul instead. He caught up to Ariane and pulled out her seat. “May I speak before we dine.”

  “You work for Wayde. Brian told your boss that he’d give him the journal. End of story. No reason to stick around to entertain me.”

  “Au contraire, Ariane Rose.” Her straightforwardness caught him off guard. Unlike Abyss or Serine, she mirrored his one and only love, Zoe. The simple Greek maiden had stolen his heart, his soul. If not careful, Ariane might do the same. “My work for the lowlife is finis. You, on the other hand, intrigue me. Unlike your brother, you cherish your human half.”

  Ariane downed the diluted margarita and smacked her lips. “I’m thinking you’d say anything to get information.” She put her drink down and glanced his way, batting her lashes. “Are we in any way like you? If yes, the thought scares me. Not like a frightened doe caught in headlights.” She paused as her gaze fell on fingers that twisted in a knot. “No, I’m more terrified of the monster I might become. You called us ghouls. What am I supposed to think?”

  I, too, am a monster when I don’t get my way. The harsh tactics Brian outsmarted him with came to mind. He swirled the wine in his goblet. Ariane had opened up to him, revealing her innermost fear. Honesty seemed to be the only way to play on her emotions. Sabree edged his glass aside and reached for her hand. “Ariane Rose, listen to me. If you are anything like your brother, then you are not ghouls. You are special, akin to my kind yet different.”

  Her gaze met his, her eyes blinking as though amazed. “The color of your eyes…a second ago they were teal. Now they’re violet.” Her fingers caressed his cheek. “You may be dressed like the Lord Commander of the Night Watch, but you look more like an angel. Even more than that man on the dance floor.”

  His cheeks burned from either her touch or her words. He had an idea which one had set him on fire. No woman had touched him since waking from his recovery nap.

  “So, you think Brian and I are special?”

  “Mostly you. Your brother is the devil’s spawn.” Sabree squirmed at the mere thought of Brian outwitting him of late. Her giggles lightened his mood. “May I ask you a question?”

  “Only if we can eat soon.” Her line of sight targeted the buffet.

  “Another time for the question then. I have a gift for you. A token of my appreciation for taking me into your home.”

  “Brian invited you. Give it to him.”

  Without a doubt, he had earned the nasty comeback. Not one to surrender so easily, Sabree set the bait as he dangled the gold chain near the candlelight. The Imperial topaz teardrop sparkled like her eyes. Tiny chocolate diamonds crowned the top of the jewel. “The chain is too dainty for your brother’s neck.” Sabree would rather slip a dog collar around his neck to demonstrate he was the alpha.

  “Oh my,” Ariane said. “This is more than a token of appreciation.” She held the teardrop pendant at eyelevel. “Does it have GPS, so you can track me?”

  His gaze moved upward in thought. “I have no need for manmade devices, Cherie.”

  “Stop with the French sweet talk. Let’s get something straight. You work for Wayde. You’re one of the bad guys.”

  “Not true. Wayde thinks I am Zanyael. I, Sabree, work for no human.”

  “Do you mean us harm?”

  “I cannot speak for Wayde, but I do have ulterior motives.” Time to say no more. This strange creature made him spill his guts so effortlessly as though bewitched.

  “Well, whatever your reason, I have no one to confide in. Brian is more a stranger than a brother. A changed man. He chased off my boyfriend. And now, he invited you into our home.” Tears brimmed her lower lids. “I have no idea what he’s up to.”

  Someone stepped up to their table—human tainted with an undetectable talisman. Their time alone had come to an end. Sabree squeezed the necklace into Ariane’s hand.

  Her eyes blinked back tears as she gazed up at the man dressed in Navajo tradition. “Jesse?”

  “In the flesh.”

  Ariane jumped to her feet and sprang into his arms. The necklace dropped to the floor.

  “You are a vision, Ariane. Look at you.” Jesse stepped back and held her arm high, so he could twirl her in place as if dancing. Then his gaze narrowed on Sabree. “Who’s this?” Jesse asked. “Definitely not Jon Snow.” He rubbed his chin. “Hmm, more a White Walker or the Night King himself.”

  Sabree scooped up the pendant. White Walker sounded like White Ghost. He frowned. Too many details to absorb after waking from such a long recovery. Technology, puns, modern dialect, not to mention thousands of make-believe characters, books, and shows. Unfamiliar with these characters, Sabree would have to add it to his bring himself up-to-date list. For now, he had to deal with Ariane’s white knight. “I am her escort for the evening. There are plenty of other single women to dance and mingle with.”

  “La de da,” Jesse crooned. “Who unburied you? I thought misters got out more. You sound ancient.”

  Sabree’s breath caught. So, this interloper knew about the Fallen, particularly misters. “You must be a liaison of the Fallen. Which clan?”

  “Several. Yours included. I know all about you, Sabree. Thought you were still recovering. Best catch up with the times or you’ll end up tangled in Brian’s wake.” He winked as he sat on the other side of Ariane. “If you catch my drift.”

  Azrian hustled over to the table and air slapped Jesse a high five. Just as quickly, he whipped the same hand behind his back. “Your plane finally landed?”

  “Yes, and you are? Where’s Brian?”

  “I’m his assistant butler. Mr. Colton is taking care of unfinished business. He’ll be along shortly.” Azrian took his old seat opposite Sabree. He shrugged an innocent smile when Ariane asked him where he had been.

  “We’ll talk later,” Ariane said. She tapped Jesse’s arm. “Speaking of Brian. I’m worried about him. He’s not the same. Something’s different and it has nothing to do with the fits he has suffered from the get-go. I need your help.”

  “We’ll fill you in, but in due time. Right now, I’m famished. Nothing worth mentioning was edible on the plane.”

  Ariane shot out of her seat, almost knocking over the chair. Both fists planted on her hips, she bit the lower lip of her pursed frown. “So, you’re in on this too? You know what’s wrong with my brother?”

  Rising from his seat to face her wrath head on, Jesse patted her arm. “Brian and I will fill you in later. Now’s not the time.” He cringed when she slapped his hand aside.

  “Let’s eat.” Ariane cuffed his arm without saying a word, snubbed her nose at Sabree, and walked ahead to the buffet. Azrian followed the couple.

  Defeated once again, Sabree plopped down on his chair. The carro
t he had dangled caught her attention for a mere second. A modern woman of the day, she would be harder to woo than he thought. Perhaps he should fall back to Plan B: Brian. There had to be an easier way to tame the feral spirit within him. Perhaps a trip to the dog factory. His muscles twitched as cautionary stimuli hit him head-on. No, the table might turn on him. There had to be another way. Perhaps friendship.

  From out of nowhere, a can of dog food magically appeared on his empty plate. It rattled as it spun in place. Sabree slid his chair back, fearful the can might open and splatter the contents. He glanced around for Zanyael’s ghost, too soon for the DanJal to regenerate from his decomposed remains—dog food.

  “Thought you might be hungry, Fang.”

  A forceful shove, more than Sabree expected of the ghoul, slammed him into the table. The only way he could escape was to mist away. Curiosity—his downfall—compelled him to stay put. How did this frail, scared-of-his-own-shadow creature evolve into someone in command, confident, and deadly? So fast too? No longer on his list of trusted friends, Cayiel lied about this mission. The Caderen should be worried, the rest of the clans as well.

  “Lost for words, Sabree?” Brian sat next to him. “Did you miss me? I’ve been busy. Azumi and her friends are in flight to Japan, safe from Wayde and his motley crew. Speaking of which, Chase met his end tonight. Toppled to his death.”

  “Merde. I do not work for Wayde, never did. I stepped in for the Caderen. Granted, you don’t know who they—”

  “I know all about the Caderen. Cayiel, an untrustworthy elder, leads the clan. Your clan by the way. Aren’t they located underground in Arizona?” Brian studied his face. “Cat got your tongue? You might catch a few flies if your mouth opens any wider.” His middle finger tapped the can. “Does Zanyael want to come out to play?”