He shrugged. “I was hopeless when you and your demons found me. It seems only fair to give you hope in return."
She smiled and rose. Mark’s father turned and started walking. She followed slowly behind him. When they came to the mantel before the Immortals’ sacred pool, he reached up and took the broken staff from off of it.
Her breath hitched. Mark’s staff.
“I know what you must think of me. Throwing my only child out into the world alone and without his staff.”
“Well, whatever you did didn’t break him. Nothing could break him.”
The old man turned his blue eyes to her and her heart clenched again. Mark and his father had the same eyes. “He is... was something special.”
“You have no idea how much.” Surcy didn't even try to hold back the anger that surged through her.
No matter how she replayed what had led Mark to be tossed from his home, she couldn’t see any justification for it. No matter how hard she tried to see this old man in a different light, she only felt anger towards him for the cruel way he’d treated her Mark.
“I still can’t believe he’s dead.”
She felt her gut clench. “I’m done talking to you about this.”
You don’t deserve to feel sad, or to pity yourself. You closed the door on your child a long time ago.
He sighed. “I actually wanted to talk to you about more than just Mark.”
The sensation of fingers moving down her spine made every hair on her body stand on end. “Then what? Spit it out.”
The old man set the staff back down and turned to her. “I’ve been reading over the ancient texts, including what little we have about the time when Caine took over and the Immortals lost their thrones.”
She held her breath.
“Something is missing.”
No shit, if we knew everything this whole mess wouldn’t be nearly as bad.
“Have you ever heard about demi-gods?”
She raised a brow. “Like half-gods?”
“Yes, the children of the Immortals.”
She shook her head.
“Well, they’re rare, and most of them have little to no power. Their power might be something as small as being particularly lucky, or living abnormally long, or being incredible beautiful. Something small like that couldn't unbalance the Immortals’ power. But—“ he paused. “Then, there is Caine. He's not a vampire, a witch, a merman, a gargoyle... nothing about him makes sense. He lacks the characteristics of any of the paranormal beings.”
“So what does that mean?”
He held her gaze. “I believe he might be something... forbidden, a dark secret that should have never been brought to life.”
That sounds... bad.
Her heart raced. “What?”
“A child of two Immortals.”
She stared. “I don’t understand. I mean, why would that be so forbidden?”
He regarded her as if she were stupid. “Because there has only ever been ten Immortals. For this very reason. It’s too dangerous. It can change the balance. And yet...”
“What?”
“The balance doesn’t feel off.”
She sighed, tired of the old man’s riddles. “And what does that mean?”
“I believe there is a twelfth Immortal.”
Her brows rose. “So we need to find one more?”
“No, you don’t. But what you should know is that Caine is even more dangerous than we ever imagined, and these Immortals may have secrets that could complicate our plans.”
Like we need more complications. “Thank you.”
He nodded. “I wish we druids could offer you our help in the battle, but that is not our way.”
Mark did. “I understand.”
Turning away, she wondered what the significance of twelve Immortals might mean, and how it could impact the war between the two sides. I guess we’ll see.
Chapter Fourteen
Surcy lay on the grass, staring up at the bright moon. She’d left the warmth and comfort of the inner-sanctuary, where all the Immortals and druids lay sleeping amongst the magic plants, to take a quiet moment to herself. Tomorrow, they would attack Zudessa. They would take on Caine and his angels. Either the battle would destroy them all, along with all hope at a better world, or everything would change forever.
For some reason, both futures scared her.
This was everything that they’d been working toward, but now the unknown loomed in front of her, and for once, she felt empty when she imagined the future. Tristan had said he’d bought them three days before Mark’s soul was destroyed, but did he and Daniel have the same time?
Or had she already lost them?
And can the Immortals really bring them back if that’s where they were sent? For some reason, she couldn’t imagine it could be that simple. She didn’t want to think about what her demons might be facing in such a terrible place.
It’s possible they can’t survive there.
The moon blurred in her vision as her eyes filled with tears. She didn’t know the answers, but an emptiness clawed at her center, one she feared meant her demons were lost to her forever.
“Surcy?”
She shot up, and her gaze connected with Clarence’s. No, not Clarence, the God of the Earth. After dipping into the waters, he’d announced that he hated his human-name for this lifetime, and that everyone could call him Adan.
“Do you need something?” she asked, frowning.
He glanced down at something in his hand, a little vial that seemed to contain nothing but water. His expression was uncertain as he shifted it between his fingers.
“Yes, angel. I know that you don’t work for us... but I have need of you.”
His words vibrated through her in the strangest way. She touched her chest and frowned.
“You felt it didn’t you?” he asked.
“What was that?” she whispered.
“That, is how it feels when your ruler speaks to you. Once we’re in charge once more, that feeling will grow stronger when we give a command. When we wish something, you’ll all feel it deep within you. It isn’t in the forceful way that Caine commands you. It will be something more natural. Because that’s the way it was meant to be.” He moved a little closer, his gaze holding hers. “We trusted Caine. We never imagined he would be capable of what he did. But as much as he thinks he seamlessly rules in our place, he doesn’t. If anyone remembered what it was like before, they’d know how much was missing.”
She believed him, but that wasn’t what bothered her. “So, when all this is over, I’ll serve you?”
He nodded, lifting a brow. “Isn’t that what you desire most? Isn’t that why you’ve done all of this for?”
I did it because the world was wrong, because innocent people were suffering in the demon realm, and angels were mostly heartless thugs.
And because my demons convinced me to help them.
Not so I could serve a better leader.
Slowly, she shook her head. “No. I mean, I never thought about what things would be like for me if we restored the ten of you to power.”
He didn’t speak, just waited, watching her closely.
“After you're back on your thrones, will I be able to be with my demons?”
“We’ll judge souls fairly and place them where they should have been all along. Things will be very different, Surcy. Definitely more fair. But I can’t guarantee where you and your loved ones will end up.”
After all we’ve done! After all my demons sacrificed to help these people, they really won’t even give us this? Anger blossomed inside her, but she forced it down. Anger would get her nowhere.
And when her anger faded away, it was replaced with nothing but a painful emptiness in her chest.
“I understand,” she said.
Then both looked at the moon for a long minute, a sadness that seemed soul-deep stretching between them. She wanted to beg him for special treatment. She wanted to tell him, after all t
hey’d done, they should be exempt from judgment. But she couldn’t.
“Love is complicated,” he said. “It goes against all reason. Believe me. Love led me to one of the greatest mistakes I could make. And yet, I don’t regret it.”
Tears pricked her eyes as she imagined the faces of her demons. Goose bumps rose on her flesh, as if they even her skin missed the touch of the men she loved.
“I need you to go to my human-wife and make her drink this.”
She looked at him and then down at the water he held. “Why?”
“It’s from the pool. Going in the water is deadly for any but Immortals, but there’s a legend about the water's ability to heal. If she doesn’t seem to be recovering on her own, I want you to make her drink it.” He held out the vial, but she didn’t take it.
“Are you sure?”
He sighed, noisily. “I know I should be above things like this. I know I shouldn’t care for one human female, but that’s why love is such a weakness. It defies all logic.”
Reaching out, she plucked the vial from his fingers. It wasn’t that she was looking forward to a long night when she’d be battling in the morning; it was that she felt she owed this man. It was her fault his wife was injured. Maybe if the woman lived, she would provide an anchor for him, to help him remember that humans had value.
So he could never end up like Caine.
Rising, she started walking, knowing that it would take a while to reach the edge of the sanctuary. But, his voice stopped her. “Just in case we can’t save your demons’ souls, it might be a good idea to mourn them tonight, so their deaths can’t be used against you.”
She felt every muscle in her body tense. Are these Immortals trying to drive me insane? Can they be saved or not? It felt... terrible not to know.
Without answering him, she kept moving, but tears ran down her cheeks. Maybe a plan like that would work for him. For her, if she didn't have hope, she wouldn’t be able to keep going.
So, she’d hold onto the belief that her demons could be saved, regardless of the odds against her.
The forest was quiet. With each step she took further from the sanctuary, she prayed for clarity. She prayed she would know what to do when the time came. When she finally felt the prickling as she crossed the protective barrier, she inhaled deeply. She prepared herself for the hospital, and for the truth of what happened to the human woman.
The hairs on the back of her neck prickled.
Turning, she stared into the darkness. There was a terrible feeling deep in her soul, a sense that she was being hunted by a bloodthirsty predator. Every instinct begged her to retreat to the sanctuary, but she was rooted in place.
In the shadows between trees, she saw two eyes staring at her. Dark eyes held death, but also something familiar. The creature moved closer into the light.
Daniel! She gasped when she recognized the crouching form. Daniel’s face was as familiar to her as her own. She knew his dark eyes, his blond hair, and his chiseled good looks that hid the vulnerable man inside. This time, however, his expression sent her blood racing.
“Daniel?” she whispered, inching closer. “Is that you?”
He rose from his crouched position, still mostly in shadows.
She longed to touch him, and the urge to throw herself into his arms was a need that burned through her.
“I thought you’d died. I thought I’d lost you.” Her fingers grew sweaty around the vial clenched between them.
And then, his voice came, familiar and yet strange. “I did die. And I was reborn.”
She froze, heart in her throat.
He stepped forward, his dark angel wings spread behind him. “And now, traitor, I’m here to end your life.”
Chapter Fifteen
Surcy couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Daniel was an angel? That was impossible. Why would Caine do such a thing? It was dangerous! Stupid!
Before she could even process what had happened, Daniel leapt at her.
They crashed into the forest floor, and he spun on top of her. She tried to fight against him, but he was too strong, and she was confused, unwilling to hurt him.
He pinned her hands above her head with no effort at all. He looked down at her, his faces inches from hers. “Any last words?”
“I love you,” she whispered.
His brows drew together in confusion. “What? You... you seem familiar.”
“He erased your memories.” Somewhere in the back her mind she’d known it, but it finally came together. “He erased your memories and sent you to kill the woman you love.”
He frowned. “No, Caine sent me to kill a traitor. I could never love someone who rebelled against our Judge.”
She laughed and looked to the heavens. “This has to be some kind of joke, or it's a terrible irony.”
He settled more solidly on top of her. “What do you mean?”
Her gaze met his, and she laughed again. “Caine is an asshole. I was an angel, and you guys convinced me to love you. You convinced me to abandon everything for you and your cause. Then, the asshole captures me and erases my memories. When that doesn’t work, he turns you into an angel and erases your memories too. It’s like a giant joke he’s playing, and I just kind of figure the only thing I can do at this point is laugh about it.”
“I don’t believe any of your bullshit,” he said, glaring.
She made a shrugging motion, even if her shoulders didn't have anywhere to move with him holding her down. “If you don’t think you love me, kiss me.”
His eyes widened.
Where the hell did that idea come from? Maybe it was because of all the fairy tales about a true love’s kiss breaking a spell. Or maybe it was because if she going to die, she wanted one last kiss. Either way, it was all she could think about now.
He regarded her curiously. “So, this story of yours... if I kiss you, and feel nothing, then I’ll know you’re a liar.”
“I guess.” She licked her lips. “Unless you’re scared to.”
He smirked, his expression so familiar it twisted her heart. “All right.”
Without releasing her wrists, he shifted, sliding lower. He was so much larger, he surrounded every inch of her with his huge body. Everything inside of her warmed, aching for his kiss, aching for his closeness.
His mouth moved closer. His head tilted, and he caught her lips.
For one powerful moment, time stood still. Fire blazed between them, and the kiss grew deeper and deeper. His mouth softened over hers as their tongues tangled in the age-old dance.
She moaned and arched against him.
His cock hardened and he settled lower over her, grinding between her thighs.
Her head spun. She tried to get her hands free, to touch him, but his grip only tightened.
In her mind, she wanted this to be like the times he was rough with her. Where he did exactly what he wanted with her body—exactly what she wanted him to do.
Unfortunately, his grip was not that of a lover. This angel might be enjoying her kiss, but he still planned to kill her.
The realization crawled in the back of her mind like a serpent, curling around her thoughts, and spoiling their kiss. He moved her wrists so they were held by only one of his hands.
She tensed, knowing what was to come.
Tossing her head, she broke their kiss. He clenched a flaming sword over her head, ready to take her life.
He was breathing hard. “That was... nice. But it changes nothing.”
She nodded.
The sword came down, and she jerked her body with all her might.
Her hands broke free. His sword plunged into the earth, where her throat had been just seconds before. She rolled him, so that he was beneath her, and called her own soul-blade forth. Instantly, it was in her free-hand, near his throat.
“Do it,” he hissed.
She stared down at him. Could she really kill him?
No. I can’t.
So what could she do?
&n
bsp; Her hand squeezed around the little vial in her hand, and she froze. The Immortal had said it could heal. Could it heal Daniel? And could she really use it for the man she loved instead of his wife?
I can always get more.
It was a struggle to pull the cork with one hand, but she never took her gaze from his. She had no idea what this water would do. If it didn’t work, she had no idea what her next step would be.
She couldn’t kill Daniel, but she couldn’t let him kill her.
When the cork popped free, she took a deep breath, and moved it to his lips. “Drink.”
He frowned as she poured the water into his mouth, and then, he spit it out. The liquid dripped over his face, and over her.
“You idiot!” she said. “You fucking idiot!”
That was her only plan to bring him back, to restore his memories, and he’d just destroyed their only chance.
“Kill me!” he growled.
She sent her soul-blade away. “No, I love you.”
In an instant, she was tossed back. She turned, trying to crawl away from him. She just needed enough space to clear her thoughts enough to teleport, but he was on her in an instant, pinning her to the ground.
It was hard to breathe beneath him. He pinned her arms above her head, yet again, and his weight kept her belly firmly on the ground.
“What now?” she asked.
He said nothing. She felt him shivering and jerking behind her. But he had her pinned so heavily that she couldn’t even turn to see what he planned.
And then, he moved both of her wrists into one of his hands once again. She knew this time he wouldn’t fail. He’d kill her, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
Closing her eyes, she was surprised when she felt his hand move onto her hip and slide between her belly and the ground. He shifted slightly so that he wasn’t pinning her as flatly, and then his hand dipped into the front of her pants.
Every muscle in her body tensed. “Daniel.”
“Oh fuck, Surcy,” he whispered. “I died. I thought I lost you.”
She was breathing hard. His hand moved into her underwear, and his fingers slid into her folds, stroking her slowly. “You—remember.”
“Everything,” he groaned. “And now, I need to bury myself inside of you.”
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