by K.N. Lee
She was tense as she held the steering wheel with both hands and navigated the narrow streets. They’d “borrowed” a car and were headed back to the Church.
Do not trust.
Those words continued to repeat themselves in Koa’s head.
What did the Oracle mean? Koa wondered. She glanced sidelong at Jax. He looked out the window. He was so quiet and reserved. She did not remember him being that way before. It was almost as if something was bothering him as well.
Koa looked away and focused on the road. She’d almost forgotten that he had seen her kiss Halston. She figured that was why he was acting so solemn.
When they pulled up to the church, Jax got out of the car and slammed the door shut. He stood there completely still for a moment, and looked up at the bright moon. The rain had died down a bit, but it still sprinkled on Jax’s face as he looked upwards. He closed his eyes and Koa saw his shoulders slump.
Koa thought that he might look back and say something to her, but he didn’t. He stepped away from the car and walked up to the doors of the church without a word to her.
Koa sat there and leaned back into the driver’s seat. Her stomach was unsettled. She felt so guilty. She watched him disappear into the darkness of the church and sighed. She wondered if she even needed to say anything. Perhaps it was easier to just share an unspoken knowledge that they would not be together again.
She perked up when she saw her mother run out of the church and across the meadow of poppies. She quickly got out of the car and ran to Raven. Raven leapt into her arms.
“What happened?” Raven blurted.
Koa stroked her wet fur and carried her towards the church. “Long story,” Koa sighed.
“Tell me all of it.”
Koa nodded. “Of course. Let’s get inside and warm up.”
“Are you hungry? How do you feel?”
Koa shrugged. “I’m okay. Still a little shaken up by that horrible nightmare, but I’ll survive.”
Koa hated lying to her mother. She felt awful. Her stomach churned and she was tense, afraid that Bund would pop out of the shadows at any moment. She knew that sometimes lying was necessary. She didn’t want Raven to worry. Raven had enough on her mind. Koa felt a sharp pain in her throat. She still had to find a way to break her mother’s curse.
Koa wanted to scream. There was just too much to do. She was only one girl. When she entered the church and walked down the stone stairway to Halston’s den, she paused in the doorway.
Something flooded into her as she stood there and looked inside. There was Tristan, he was strapping weapons to himself and wearing human clothes to hide them. Evina was in a pair of jeans and shirt that was too small for her breasts, but her arms were folded across her chest, and her hair was long across her shoulders and reached her hips. She popped her bubble gum and nodded to Koa. She turned her back on Koa and revealed a smaller sword strapped to her back.
Koa raised a brow. Even Ian was up and looked ready for battle... in his own way. He waved at her and typed away on Halston’s computer. “Tracking Spoons’ navigation chip. Looks like he’s in the St. Paul tube.”
“Good,” Alice said. “Spoons is the best demon tracker around. We’ll have Bund soon.” She cracked her knuckles and looked to Koa. “Ready, hun?”
Koa’s mouth opened but she was speechless. Her gaze went over to Jax. He stuffed his Netherworld daggers into his sleeves and avoided eye contact with her.
“Ready…” Koa’s voice trailed. She looked back to Alice. “For what?”
Alice shook her head and chuckled. “Why, dear girl, we didn’t put this team together to just sit around playing video games. It’s time for battle. We’re all ready to kill that demon. Now, tell me, are you ready to make him pay?” She gave Koa a serious look, with no trace of her former smile.
Koa nodded with wide eyes. Alice wanted to stop Bund as much as she did, maybe even more. Koa looked at all of them in awe. That’s when she realized that this was not all on her shoulders alone. She had help. She had a team of Netherworld soldiers, and somehow, that gave her a little confidence.
A grin crept onto Koa’s face. “Yeah,” she said. She tapped her hilt with her black painted nail. “My sword hasn’t tasted blood in a while.”
34
The Netherworld Division headquarters was underground in the Egyptian desert. Halston had traveled all morning and his patience was growing thin, but this was one instance when he was not the one calling the shots. He was going to a meeting where he would have to answer to his boss.
Viktor would certainly have a lecture planned out for Halston.
Halston was not looking forward to it. The governing body was composed of the purest of angels, completely without sin. They looked down on Halston for being one of their fallen brethren, but even they knew how hard he worked to redeem himself.
The hot desert sun beat down on Halston’s head. He put his hat back on and waited. Sweat beaded on his forehead and he sighed. The sun spilled into the underground compound through a cylindrical tunnel that concentrated the rays onto the entire space. The power of the sun was always strong in the Netherworld Division headquarters.
Halston hated waiting. He was anxious. Koa was back in London, with Bund and Jax. He wanted to be there with her, not standing in the heat, waiting to explain himself.
Halston knew what he was doing. Now, he just had to convince the other angels to believe in him. He just hoped he would not be judged for his night with Koa. He’d given in to his body’s urges, but it was more than that. His heart reminded him of that fact every moment of the day.
Either way, Halston was a fallen angel, just with one more mistake on his record.
Viktor stood near the window with his back turned to Halston. The sun fell in a sliver on the tall angel’s face. His white wings were closed and neatly strapped to his back. He almost looked human, but an angel like Viktor wasn’t tainted with human sin, so his glow never dimmed.
Halston was lucky to still have his glow, even though he had lost his wings. He could call his glow whenever he wanted, and it got a little stronger each year, with each deed. Perhaps one day he would have enough good deeds stored up to get his wings back.
Halston waited.
Viktor didn’t look at him, but he spoke, in that quiet monotone voice of his. “Do not support what God condemns. Vampirism and blood guilt.”
Halston felt his blood turn cold. He had to use everything within him to not cry out in anguish and sorrow. It was a direct confrontation, one that Viktor knew would hit Halston’s core.
Viktor looked back at him, finally. His eyes were a bright silver that made Halston want to hide from their light.
“Why is the half-blood still alive, Halston?”
Halston froze. He was speechless. This was not what he came there for.
Viktor folded his hands before him. The sun seemed to brighten behind the angel, as if God displayed his approval for the general of the angels.
Halston swallowed. “What do you mean?”
Viktor didn’t blink. “Koa. The half-blood. Why haven’t you killed her yet?”
Halston felt a stab of pain in his heart. Why would Viktor ask him that? He knew how he felt about Koa. Halston was certain that he knew. He couldn’t even imagine such a thing as killing Koa.
“Bund. That is who I came here to discuss.” Halston spoke quickly, hoping to take the focus off of Koa. “And Greggan, the vampire king. We need to stop them.”
Viktor nodded. He seemed to reflect on Halston’s words for a moment. “This is true. But if you kill the half-blood, and her mother, they will lose their interest in the human world. If you seal the Gate, they will have no way to harm our humans any longer. If you did your job, the vampires would be extinct, and we could return home. Why have you disobeyed God again?”
All of the color drained from Halston’s face. The shame overwhelmed him. He fell to his knees as the tears streamed down his face.
Halston swallowed a lump in his throat.
He had to try. He had to speak his peace. “But the mother.”
Viktor blinked. “The creature without a race.”
Halston shook his head. “No, I don’t think she is like the other nephilim. I think she’s different.”
“Does it matter?”
Halston nodded, eagerly. “Yes. I think it does. She can do things that none of the others can. She can banish people for good.”
“Banish people?”
Halston nodded again. This was his chance. His only chance to save Koa and her mother.
“Yes. I am not sure how she does it, but she can make people disappear somehow. She only did it in times of desperation, but imagine if she used her power for us.”
Viktor made a sour look. He shook his head. “Did you not hear me, Halston? Do not support what God condemns. She is an abomination, and that is all there is to it.”
Halston took a step closer, his hands folded in prayer. “Please. You have to see the good in what she does. Maybe she is a sign.”
“Sign?”
“Yes. Nature’s way of righting what is wrong with the world.”
“You sound like a human, Halston. Nature? Signs? Have you lost your faith in our Father?”
Halston’s shoulders slumped. “Of course I haven’t! But what if this is God’s way of putting the world back in order? This woman can rid the world of all the evil nephilim.”
Viktor looked down at him with those ethereal silver eyes and regarded him with pity. “I see that you have some sort of personal affection for these women. It worries me. Our brethren once had the same affections, and they forgot their purpose. They fornicated with human women, and gave birth to monsters.”
Halston sighed. “You don’t understand. It’s not like that.”
Viktor straightened his shoulders. He gave Halston a pointed look and folded his arms behind him. “Answer one question for me, brother. When God passes judgment and calls us home, do you want to join us… or do you want to be left behind with the other sinners of the Earth?”
Halston gasped a breath. The choice should have been easy. It was all he wanted since he saw the error in his ways.
The night he left Heaven to follow the traitor Satan, he knew what he’d done was wrong. For centuries, he’d tried to fix his error. Why couldn’t he speak? Koa’s face. Her sweet smile faced him and he felt his heart break into pieces.
Halston nodded. He shoved her face from his mind and looked back up at Viktor and answered the angel’s question. “I want to go home.”
35
Koa was glad that the rain had finally stopped and that the sky was clear and star-filled. She held her mother tightly before they once again parted ways. She breathed in her scent and closed her eyes. “I love you, mama,” Koa whispered.
She hated leaving her daughter, but she and Alice were to stay hidden while Koa and the others went to Lady Colleen’s grand ball.
Raven spoke softly. “I love you more.”
Koa pulled back and looked her mother in the eyes. “Not possible,” Koa replied.
Raven snuggled her again and Koa put her down on the ground.
Alice gave Koa a hug. Koa was surprised by the angel’s actions. She was even more surprised by how strong Alice was. She hugged her firmly and patted her back. She pulled away and held Koa out at arm’s reach. Her gray eyes were serious, and stern. There wasn’t a trace of humor on her face like Koa was used to seeing.
Koa shivered. The clouds above were rolling in behind Alice, and made the angel look almost gothic in the pale gray light.
“Listen, Koa,” Alice began. “You’re a smart girl. I know you will do the right thing.” She shot a quick look at Evina and Jax. She leaned in closer to Koa.
“Keep an eye on them,” Alice said.
Koa’s eyes widened. She almost jumped at hearing Alice’s voice in her head. It was a sensation that she was not used to. The look in Alice’s eyes made her think twice about showing that something had happened. Instead, Koa kept her face free of any indicator that Alice had used her angelic skills on her.
Koa spoke back, timidly at first. “I understand.” She didn’t ask if there was a reason why she shouldn’t trust the vampire siblings. The answer was obvious. Greggan was their father. There was always the slight chance that their familial ties would be stronger than the mission.
“If you feel, at any point, that there is something amiss with the two of them, tell Tristan. He was created to kill vampires. He will protect you.”
Koa was a little caught off guard that Alice thought that either of them would hurt her. She spoke aloud, so that everyone could hear. “Take care of my mother until I return, will you?”
Alice patted her shoulder gently. For a moment, she didn’t say anything. She just looked into Koa’s eyes, driving the severity of what she had warned further into Koa’s mind.
“I always do,” Alice winked with her usual cheerful grin. “You take care of that young vamp of yours. He’s a sweet young vamp.” she added and waved to Jax, Evina, Ian, and Tristan.
Koa watched Ian. He looked so out of place, even now as a vampire of a few weeks.
“Now be good, children.” She pointed to her black belt that held her skinny jeans around her narrow waist. She tapped the leather with her pink manicured nail. “Don’t make mama whip your shiny little butts if I find out you’ve been misbehaving,” she said with a mock look of scolding at the three of them.
Koa laughed lightly.
“Is that a promise,” Ian asked. He seemed to be trying to suppress a silly grin.
Alice pointed at him and narrowed her eyes. “You’re asking for it.” She gave Koa a look of amusement. “I didn’t know he was so cheeky.”
He laughed and she cracked another grin, shaking her head in humor.
Koa waved and blew a kiss to her mother. She watched Raven and Alice walk away into the town of Carlisle. The night was cold, but calm, and Koa felt that there was hope. Hopefully tomorrow night… she would kill herself a king.
36
Halston waited outside the tube. Being back in England felt good to him. He frowned. A secret was eating him from the inside: a secret that he could tell no one, and yet his holy father knew.
Halston checked the time on his watch. The many dials helped him track the true time in the human world as well as the Netherworld.
It was an unusually sunny day with an occasional cloud cover. Train passengers flooded out the underground station in hordes. Everyone was in a hurry. No one paid him any mind as he held his paper up and pretended to be reading the day’s news.
He gave a woman a smile as she paused to fix her stiletto.
He held a hand out. “Need a hand?”
She nodded, smiling, and held onto his arm while she secured her shoe’s sling around her ankle. She stepped down and grinned at him.
She glanced up at the building across the street. Still smiling, she said, “He’s good. I don’t see him anywhere.”
Halston grinned. He almost didn’t recognize Micka. She had quite the gift for disguises. Normally she would wear her dark hair in its natural state, springy and full. She would dress very professionally and wear only comfortable, flat shoes in the office.
Today, she wore a snug-fitting black dress with small red roses. It was belted at her slim waist and flowed over her voluptuous lower half, landing right above her knees. The black stiletto heels were a nice touch. Her hair was straightened and lightened to a rich mahogany that went well with her chocolaty skin tone.
Halston was impressed with the makeover. She needed to infiltrate a vampire clan, and her new look was a perfect start. He flicked a piece of lint off her shoulder. “At least he’s good at what he does.”
“So,” she asked, looking at him with those big brown eyes that he was sure turned many a fellow into melted butter. “When are the rest of us going to meet this Nickolai Frost? This legendary human that can cheat death.” She suppressed a giggle and rolled her eyes. She scanned the buildings aroun
d, looking for a glint of light. “As if a human could really do such a thing.”
Micka pulled her red sunglasses out of her large purse and put them on. They were too large for her slim face, but Halston figured that was the modern style. Bug-eyed shades. She applied red lipstick to them and pressed her lips together.
Halston shrugged. “Viktor trusts him, and so we must. We can use him. He has infiltrated the Colony.”
A low buzz prompted her to check her phone. She raised a finger to Halston. “Pardon me.” She scrolled up the glowing touch screen with her finger. “Rohan is still working on that project for you. He found what you’re looking for.” Her full lips grinned as she looked up at Halston. “He should be done by this evening.”
Halston gave a nod and leaned against the side of the tube’s entrance. “Good. I need to get the Alchemist into this world if this plan is going to work.”
Micka raised a thick, perfectly arched brow. “May I ask what the plan is exactly?”
Halston shook his head. His eyes hid a secret that he would not reveal to anyone.
Micka sighed. “Of course.” She put her phone in her purse and stood straight. She folded her arms and looked ahead. “I want a raise after this.”
Halston grinned. He lowered his voice and shielded his eyes from a fleeting ray of sunlight before the clouds hid it once again. “Oh come now, Micka. All you have to do is kill a few ancient vampires and store their souls in the hourglass for me.”
Micka gave him a look. “I love how easy you make all of that sound. I know you’re up to something fiendish. I can only imagine what you’re going to use those vampire souls for. I wasn’t born yesterday.”
Halston chuckled. “Of course not. I was there when you were created, and I saw the qualities our father gave to you. I know you can do this without making a mess of things.” He moved a lock of her soft hair behind her ear. “And I know you can be discreet.”
Micka relaxed her shoulders and looked up at him from behind her completely blacked out sunglasses. She smirked. “That’s the nicest thing you ever said to me.”