Ash and Stone (Hidden Truth Book 1)

by Rose Alexander

  “Wait! An angel is watching me?” My heart races faster and faster. If the angels know about me, my days are numbered.

  “Not necessarily. We smelled him yesterday at the church as well. It could be a coincidence.” Gideon points out.

  “But I arrived here yesterday.” I whisper as I shuffle to the couch and sit next to Donovan. “This is all such a mess.”

  Are the angels onto me already? I haven’t been here long enough to do anything suspicious. How could they find me? Could it just be a coincidence?

  I drop my head in my hands as Donovan rubs small circles on my back. The simple touch is sending jolts of electricity through my skin, making me shiver. What is with these men? Why am I still here and so damn comfortable with them? It doesn’t make sense.

  “We should check with the witches. Maybe they can provide some insight.” Josiah says from behind me.

  “What are witches?” I twist around and raise an eyebrow.

  “What do they teach you in hell?” Gideon looks at me like I’ve grown two heads.

  “For those of us who weren’t ever supposed to come to the human world, they don’t tell us very much. I was in charge of torturing souls. I didn’t need to know what goes on up here.” I groan, wishing I didn’t feel so stupid.

  “Witches are humans that possess magical abilities. They differ from person to person, but some can see the future. A seer might be able to help us see why this angel is hanging around. But until we find out, you shouldn’t leave the building without one of us with you,” Gideon explains.

  “It doesn’t matter what you know and don’t know.” Donovan stops rubbing my back and grabs my hand. “You have us now. We’ll teach you everything you need to know to survive.”

  “I don’t understand why you are helping me.” I watch as Josiah steps out of the room with his phone up to his ear.

  Gideon and Donovan stare at each other as if they are having an unspoken conversation. The tension rises in the room as they face off, each refusing to break eye contact. My eyes dart back and forth between the two, trying to figure out what’s going on when Josiah stomps back in the room.

  “Can you think a little quieter when I’m on the phone?” he growls at his brothers. “Besides, we already agreed, don’t try to go back on it now.”

  “You said that out loud, brother.” Gideon rolls his eyes.

  I study each of their faces. They really were speaking silently! Shit, this is going to make being around them more complicated. How many silent conversations have they had since I arrived in this apartment?

  “Shit! See what you’ve done now.” Josiah throws his arms in the air.

  “Ash, ignore us. It’s a gargoyle thing.” Donovan grins at me cheekily.

  "We need to go now. Josie has agreed to see us." Josiah walks to the door then turns and looks at us. "Are you coming?"

  "Who's Josie?" I ask as I stand up.

  "She's a seer. Let's get going." Gideon joins Josiah as Donovan and I rise to our feet.

  We follow Josiah out of the apartment building; they all look around before Gideon grabs my hand without a word. I squeal as giant grey leathery wings sprout from their backs.

  “Grab my neck.” He orders as he sweeps me off my feet, cradling me in his arms.

  He jumps and pumps his wings, taking flight, his brothers following close behind. The wind whips my hair behind me as I adjust to being weightless. My heart pounds in my chest as we soar over the city.

  "Won't people notice us flying above them?" I yell above the roar of wind in my ears.

  "People only see what they want to see." Gideon replies.

  We’re high enough now that everything looks tiny. The people look like ants scurrying along about their business as the streets become more congested with traffic. The buildings grow taller and taller as we approach the city center. Monoliths reaching the clouds.

  The men drift right and head towards the outskirts of town. The buildings spread out and green yards pop up around the houses. We descend and land in the middle of a green field with splashes of red, purples, and yellows all around. The floral scent is intoxicating, and I start giggling.

  “We forgot she’s half-demon.” Donovan puts his arm under my legs and sweeps me off my feet. “The defense system is going to make her loopy.”

  “Loopy.” I throw my head back and laugh. “Am I going to cartwheel across the yard? Or am I going to spin in loops?”

  I shake my head trying to clear the haze that is surrounding my brain. But in a way I don’t want it to leave. This is the best I’ve felt in days. Whatever these witches are using, it’s euphoric.

  “What’s wrong with me?” I snicker.

  “Jasmine. It’s essentially a narcotic for demons. It makes it easier for the witches to defend themselves from you,” Josiah answers as the men continue to the middle of the field.

  “Why are we in the middle of an empty field? I thought we were visiting a witch.” I glance around, now wondering if this wasn’t just a trap but too drugged to care.

  “You can’t see the large building in front of us?” Gideon’s eyebrows scrunch together.

  “Obviously, she can’t. I didn’t anticipate this.” Josiah growls. “Let me get Josie and we will figure this out.”

  My head rests against Donovan’s cool chest and I close my eyes as a small smile plays on my lips. I could stay like this forever. A woman’s voice drifts through my mind, but I can’t make out the words. I feel the wind shift and blow around us, but my eyes are too heavy to open. I sink further into the darkness.

  “Ash, please wake up.” Gideon’s voice floats around me.

  My eyes flutter open and I find myself lying on the couch in their apartment. How did we get back here? Or did we never leave and it was all a dream. I sit up and try to shake the fog from my mind. My mouth feels like sandpaper and my head is pounding as if I’d spent the night out drinking grog with the guys from work back in Hell.

  “Ash, focus on my voice. Your head is clearing from the jasmine. Josiah didn’t warn me you were a demon when he requested an audience.” A woman’s face comes into view. “I’m Josie and it’s lovely to meet you.”

  “If you ward from demons, why would it be lovely to meet me?” I rasp, my throat screaming for moisture. “Can I have some water?”

  “Because I can sense you are not a typical demon, and something tells me you’ll be a better friend than enemy.” Josie smiles.

  Donovan appears at my side and helps me sit upright before handing me a glass of water. I gulp down the water greedily as my head finally clears. I need to avoid jasmine at all costs. I don’t want a repeat of that situation.

  “Okay, so jasmine is evil stuff. What else do I need to avoid?” I survey the faces around me.

  “St John’s wort, rosemary, and catnip can be hard on demons, but jasmine is the worst.” Josie smiles as she sits next to me. “You’ve been asleep for a couple of hours. Sorry to rush you but I need to be getting back.”

  “What do you need me to do?” I face her, unsure of what this will entail.

  “Give me your hands.” She holds her hands out face up.

  I place my hands in hers and she grabs them tightly. I watch in fascination as her eyes change to a milky white.

  “Two sets of three I see. One to guide you and one to complete the void. The answers are hidden under layers of truths. The one you trust most knows all but won’t reveal the answers you seek. When dark and light meet, the path becomes clear. Though the journey is perilous the end is unclear. Follow your head or your heart. One will lead to redemption while the other will lead to destruction. A precarious balance between Ash and Stone, and the second coming; three heads are better than one. One will rise and one will fall. When the trumpet sounds the final days will await.” An ethereal voice flows from Josie’s mouth, though it isn’t her own.

  “What does any of that mean?” My eyes track between the men and Josie.

  “What dear?” Josie asks, her eyes clear and
voice returning to normal. “Did you record it?”

  “I got it all.” Josiah holds up his phone then glances at me. “Josie can’t remember her prophecies. As soon as it’s said, it disappears from her mind.”

  We listen carefully as Josie’s words are repeated back.

  “What are you?” Josie inspects me carefully. “There’s no way you’re just a demon.”

  “That’s enough for today. I’m going to pretend like I didn’t hear that.” Donovan jumps up and grabs Josie’s hand to pull her to her feet.

  Her eyes bleed white again.

  “The halfling changes everything. What was once believed will be put aside for a higher calling. When good fights evil the mediator steps away, choosing to protect the true balance instead of the false truth. The highest powers will watch as the world burns if the wrong choice is made. He will rise as another falls. Count the heads, six are required. Two sets of three. When darkness descends only then can we rebuild a new world.” The ethereal voice silences the room.

  My chest tightens. She is talking about me. But how am I involved? Both visions were similar. Does that mean my future is tied to these men somehow? Maybe I should leave now before things get too messy. I don’t have time to focus on relationships. I need to find out what is going on with my own life for now. To put myself first.

  “I’ll take Josie home, then we can all talk about this.” Donovan says as he leads the witch out the door.

  9

  Donovan

  I lead Josie outside and sigh. "I wish you could remember your visions. I have more questions than answers."

  "I heard it when Josiah replayed it. I'm afraid I can't help very much." She gazes at me, her eyes full of pity.

  "That's not the vision I was talking about," I mumble as I wrap my arms around her waist.

  I concentrate on unfurling my wings then jump in the air before she says anything. I need to get her home so I can get back to Ash.

  "You're usually the playful one. Whatever I saw must have been terrible." She shouts over the roar of the wind.

  "Eh, meeting your soulmate then finding out you're supposed to kill her puts a damper on one's mood." I offer her a sad smile.

  "Well shit. I'm sorry, Donovan. I bet it will all work itself out. The universe works in mysterious ways. God doesn't have as much control as He let's everyone believe." She chuckles before turning her head to watch the scenery as we fly.

  We continue our journey in silence, my mind racing on the prophecy laid bare for the rest of us to see. Is Ash the true balance or the false truth? Are we going to betray her for the sake of the world, or betray the world for the sake of her? What are the six heads and two sets of three? Why didn't I think before I touched Josie's bare skin? I know better. I never slip up this easily.

  Ash is going to be my undoing... one way or another. Josiah may think he always knows what's best for everyone, the control freak, but this time... this time I think he made things worse. I'm a firm believer it's never wise to know your own future. It's not like you can change it. Sometimes the very act of knowing is what brings it to fruition.

  We land in the field in front of the coven’s meeting house, and I set Josie on her feet before immediately launching in the air again. Even though it's rude, I need to get back to my brothers. We need to decide if we will allow the bond to fully form, or if we will shun our one chance at love before it happens. If we walk away now, we will live. But once it’s settled, there is no going back. It would kill us to lose her, literally.

  Normally a good fly about clears my head, but not today. No, today it only allows the questions to build up, filling my head with doubts. We never dreamed there would be mates for any of us. Since we shouldn't even exist as three separate people, how could we have one? Then she appeared, like an answer to an unspoken wish not just for me but for all three of us. Of course it would be too good to be true. Isn't everything in our lives like that?

  I land on the pavement in front of the apartment building and the overwhelming stench of angel permeates the air. I twist around, the beating sun causing sweat to bead on my forehead.

  "Show yourself. By the order of the Shadowhaven Proclamation you must announce your presence when asked." I boom, my voice ringing through the empty street.

  "It's none of your concern, gargoyle." A tall male angel appears a few meters away. "I've broken no laws."

  I inspect the man who seems oddly familiar. His snow-white hair and icy blue eyes flash through my mind. Where have I seen them before? He unfurls his wings as if it intimidates me and a growl slips from my throat.

  "Today is not the day to posture with me. You know I could take you in a fair fight." I meet his gaze, unfurling my own wings.

  "I'm not here to challenge you, only to observe." He allows his wings to recede, an expression of irritation spreading across his face. "Why are you hiding a demon in your abode? You are meant to be neutral."

  "Do you not know what an apartment building is? There are several living spaces in there, and last I checked, it wasn't against our laws to allow a demon to rent one." I raise an eyebrow.

  Just as I feared, he's here for Ash. Fuck! I was hoping it was a coincidence. But as my mother used to say, nothing is ever a coincidence.

  "I will get to the bottom of this. You have my word." The angel sneers at me before disappearing, this time taking his scent with him.

  "Brother’s, we have a problem already." I mentally send as I rush through the door.

  "Gargoyle, what have you done with my granddaughter?" A feminine voice makes me glance towards the staircase.

  Lilith is standing there, her eyes on fire.

  "We have done nothing with your granddaughter. And I should remind you, we are neutral. Bloody angels and demons all showing up at the same time." I growl, ignoring her as I march on determined to share my news in person.

  "Don't walk away from me when I'm speaking to you, you enormous lump of rock. I'll have your head if you hurt her!" Lilith hurls a ball of fire at my back.

  I allow myself to quickly shift, the flame dying out as soon as it hits my back, then spin around and face her.

  "By the Shadowhaven Proclamation, I'm within my rights to end you now." I growl as the stone softens back to flesh.

  "I dare you." She smirks, meeting my eyes. "Lucifer would rain fire on this world if you hurt me. Start a war and bring the end of the very people you are tasked to protect."

  "Just shut it and follow me before I change my mind." I roll my eyes, hating that she's right. She's the one demon that could get away with murder here, though she rarely causes trouble.

  "You did take my granddaughter, you fucker," she hisses as she stomps behind me.

  "No, we didn't." I say aloud, then switch to my mental voice to warn my brothers. "Lilith is following me. She has wrongly assumed we've done something to Ash."

  "And you're bringing her here? Are you an idiot?" Josiah screams through our connection.

  "Honey, we're home." I call aloud as I open the door.

  Lilith pushes past me and rushes over to Ash who is sitting on the couch just where she was when I left. She inspects her, assuming wrongly we must have damaged her.

  "What are you doing here?" Ash's eyebrows furrow as she meets Lilith's eyes.

  "I came to check on you to find you consorting with the very creatures you should be avoiding. Did they not teach you anything in school?" Lilith's shoulders relax. "Now, let's get you out of here."

  "No, not until Donovan explains what happened." Ash shakes her head then her eyes land on me. "What's the problem you warned your brothers about?"

  "There's an angel sniffing around outside. I made him reveal himself and he's watching Ash." I shuffle forward and sink in the armchair. "He rightly thinks we are protecting you, which is expressly forbidden. I claimed we aren't involved, but I don't think he believed me."

  "Ash, you are trouble." Lilith shakes her head. "I'll be right back."

  "Where are you going?" Ash asks, as Li
lith blinks out. "She never answers my questions. So, what are we going to do? I can't very well find my father if an angel is watching me. What if he learns my secret?"

  "For now, you are going to stay inside. He can't enter this building without breaking the proclamation, so that buys us some time. I'm not sure how much, though." Gideon taps his chin as he thinks. "The demons aren't as honorable, but it seems as though Lilith has them under control for now."

  "Are you saying angels are better than demons?" Ash cocks an eyebrow at my brother.

  He’s right though. The threat of breaking the treaties that govern their time on Earth might be enough to keep the angels away, but the demons won’t care. They will see her as an exception to the law. Technically, they wouldn’t be wrong, but Ash doesn’t need to know that. Hell, if the angel figures out what she is, he will understand he isn’t breaking the proclamation either.

  "Not at all. They are each as bad as the other. Angels just hide under a false pretense of honor and moral justice, where demons don't hide their intentions. They do what they want, when they want. You are a bit unique." Gideon explains, tilting his head as he gauges Ash's reaction.

  "It's refreshing to meet gargoyles who aren't tainted by the angels." Lilith laughs from behind me. "The last ones I met were so deep in heaven's pockets that there was no reasoning with them."

  I spin around and find Lilith standing next to a six-foot-tall, three-headed dog. She fucking brought Cerberus into my apartment. What is she thinking?

  "Why is he here? He isn't supposed to leave hell!" Josiah jumps to his feet as the head nearest to him growls.

  "Chill out. He's here to protect Ash. Cerb, honey, shift to a more appropriate form." Lilith coos at the giant hellhound.

  I watch in fascination as his fur ripples into a black glitter before his heads pull away from each other and three massive great danes are standing in front of me.

  "They will lay down their lives, or their collective life, to defend you." Lilith smiles smugly at Ash. "Now you can leave these gargoyles alone and act like a real demon."