by K.N. Lee
Now, they bowed.
“Well, look at that,” Judge said. “You truly are the Blood Princess.”
She glanced at him. That was the second time he’d called her that. “What do you mean? Why do you keep calling me that?” First, she thought it was just a silly term he’d made up because she was half vampire. Now, she wasn’t so sure.
Now, she was certain it had another meaning.
“Can we fly from here?” Koa asked, anxious to get away as quickly as possible.
“Whatever gets us to the sword quickest.”
He lifted his cane from the ground and flew into the Netherworld sky. Koa did as well, still bound by her collar and chains.
“Lead the way, Princess.”
Relieved to be out of the reach of the Shadows, Koa flew ahead, careful to not go too far for fear of the silver collar burning deeper into her skin.
This was the last thing Koa ever wanted to do. She’d had her worst and best times in the Netherworld. Remembering all that she did, she didn’t blame Halston for wiping her mind of the worst memories. She was lucky that vampires didn’t scar, for both Lera and Greggan had given her many. Still, some were still imprinted on her heart.
Her thoughts turned to Jax and the first time they met. She’d never seen anyone more handsome. With the reddest hair ever, and the sweetest smile, she managed to forget her fears of being sent away from her home in Paris to the strange land of Netherworld creatures.
That small ray of hope had been quickly dashed when Greggan took her as his bride, and stole her from his son.
She shook the disgust off and flew faster, cutting through the darkness with only the light of Judge’s cane to illuminate their path. Pain flooded her heart for breaking Jax’s.
She made the right decision choosing Halston. Didn’t she?
She couldn’t think of that now. Halston gave up his one shot at redemption for her. She owed him everything.
A whistling sound broke the silence, and Koa looked ahead to see balls of color in the distance. They were nearly free from the first cavern of the Netherworld. She swallowed, remembering her last time there.
She knew what was up ahead. Creatures that most people couldn’t even dream up.
The glint of a scythe told her she was right.
A pack of Jems waited, and Koa only hoped they were there to tear Judge to bits.
Her heart raced. They must have known she and Judge were coming.
But how?
What they wanted, she was unsure of. But, a brief feeling of hope had her wishing they would rescue her from him.
They landed before the group of cloaked women whose hair of all different shades glowed in the dim light of the second circle of the Netherworld. With tall pikes and scythes, they looked more like the Grim Reaper than Judge.
This was their land, and if you weren’t a supernatural being, you were not welcome.
For once, Koa was grateful for her vampire side.
She stood back, and watched as Judge approached the Jems with his glowing cane by his side. There were four, and each wore a dark cloak over their heads, which hid their faces. Only traces of their beautiful hair showed through, and eyes that had a faint glow.
Silently, she prayed they’d take him down.
To her surprise, the Jems bowed their heads.
“Master,” they said in unison and Koa’s jaw dropped.
So much for having them save her.
Judge looked back at her, almost as if he knew what she’d been thinking.
He grinned. “Well, we seem to have guides to lead us directly to your brother’s castle. Isn’t that nice, Koa?”
She bit down on her bottom lip and kept quiet.
There was no escaping her fate.
There were times when she’d thought about her half-brother, yet it had never seemed like an attainable thing to meet him. She had no desire to ever return to the Netherworld. Now, she couldn’t help but wonder what he would think of her. What was her brother like? Would he accept her, be kind, and welcome her? Then, she wondered what Judge had planned. Would he have her take him to her brother just to kill him?
Her stomach twisted into knots at the thought of it.
Then, her eyes widened and her entire body tensed as one of the Jems stepped forward and lowered her hood.
She gasped.
“Welcome back,” Queen Abigail, Jax’s mother said, giving her a faint smile that was both pained and overjoyed to see her.
She hugged a very stunned Koa and breathed her in.
“What are you doing here?”
Abigail pulled away and held her at arm’s length. “Saving our world, and yours.”
Koa shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“I know,” Abigail said, nodding. She smiled and stroked Koa’s cheek, a far off look in her blue eyes. “But, its okay. You will. I didn’t help you escape just to please my son. There are things you never knew about yourself. Things the angels wouldn’t dare let come to light. But, not anymore. Not when our entire existence hinges on you knowing and accepting your destiny.”
Koa had so many questions, but Abigail took a step back and opened two flying discs. She placed them on the ground and stood on them, one foot on each, and they lifted her in the air. “Come now, Koa. Time is of the essence.”
“Where are we going?” Koa asked, flying into the air with Judge at her side.
“Time to fulfil the prophecy of the Blood Princess,” Judge answered.
And, before she could prepare herself, she and Judge were grabbed by the shoulders and catapulted ahead at the speed of light.
Off we go, she thought, bracing herself with a deep breath. To meet the vampire who shared her blood, and learn why such a title had been placed upon her and written in the prophecies.
24
“Do you know why I came for you?” The angel asked. His eyes were so bright that they were almost too painful to look right into. Yet, Raven did. She couldn’t help herself. He was too beautiful to look away from.
She shook her head, watching him as he sat before her at the top of the mountain. Something about him was unsettling. He stood out in the Netherworld, in his sharp suit, with perfect hair and the characteristic glow of the purest of angels.
It was clear that he was part of the Netherworld Division, and she could only imagine what they wanted with her. Experiments. Testing. Maybe even extermination.
Neither option was appealing.
She could run, but had learned that he was faster than her. And, if she did run, there wasn’t anywhere to go but down the sharp edge of the mountain where she’d probably meet her death.
No, she had to stay. She had to find out the mystery of the strange angel before her.
“Tell me,” she said. Her voice came out softer than she’d meant it to. Perhaps it was for the best. Until she figured him out, she would be kind and cordial. It was all she could do in this feline form.
“It’s simple, really,” he said, folding his hands over his knee.
He looked out over the mountain and into the horizon. The red wind was making its way from the Wastelands and through the many valleys that fed the river system. Tiny particles of red dust hovered in the air. It smelled of the hot, sunny days in the Egyptian desert. She just wished it was as warm. Nights in the Netherworld were frigid, dark, and full of terrors.
“There is a balance that was set up at the beginning of time. Most humans know of it, but choose to ignore it. Why would they try to live by the design made for them? Why would they devote their lives to an entity they’ve never seen or heard? They’re too important and have too many things to do for themselves to even think about saving their souls.”
Raven frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“You will,” he said, nodding.
The silence that followed was tense, and made her uncomfortable. She waited, hoping he would say something more.
When he didn’t, she took the chance to ask questions.
&nb
sp; “Who are you?”
He cracked a smile. It was nice. Genuine. It was also the first she’d seen from him since he took her from Lera’s camp at the Black Keep and into the wilderness.
“You really don’t remember me, do you?”
“Should I?” Raven asked, narrowing her eyes.
He sighed, his smile widening. “I guess I didn’t make as big of an impression on you as I thought. But, oh well. We’ll fix that, shortly.”
“What do you mean? What do you plan to do with me?”
“Impatient, aren’t we?”
“Very,” she said. “Tell me why we are here.”
He shrugged, and pulled a dagger from behind him.
Then, he lunged at her.
“To kill you, of course,” he said, and plunged the dagger’s sharp blade deep into her chest. She sucked in a sharp breath and looked up at him with wild, panicked eyes.
She wanted to cry out, to demand an answer as to why he did such a thing, but dying wasn’t how it was in the movies. Her voice wouldn’t come. Only pain filled every nerve in her body. She couldn’t breathe. Blood gushed from her wound and when the angel withdrew the dagger, it covered his hands and knuckles.
He sat back down, calmly and watched as she lay there on the top of the mountain, dying.
And, here she thought Lera was the monster. She thought Lera would be the one to end her life…not the beautiful angel with the calming voice.
Memories flooded her mind as her vision began to fade and the world slipped from her fingers. She breathed one last time and closed her eyes. She’d fought in wars the humans had never heard of, and lead armies through darkness not even the supernatural creatures that roamed the Netherworld had witnessed.
Death was never an option, and yet it had found her and claimed her for its own.
Tears fell from the corners of her eyes as Koa’s face came to her. Despite the pain, she smiled at the vision of Koa turning to her as a child when they shared a bed back in South Korea. She had held her face and smiled, her green eyes glowing in the dark. She’d promised to always be a good girl and make her proud someday.
That was when she had only been six years old.
Now, as she lay dying, Raven regretted never telling Koa how she had been proud of her every day of her life.
Perhaps one day, when they were reunited in heaven, she’d have another chance.
With her last breath, she caught a glimpse of something odd flying faster than anything she’d ever seen gliding through the sky.
A smile came to her lips. Thank God for such a gift.
Koa. Seeing her one last time brought her peace, and with that final moment of joy, she closed her eyes.
This is what death felt like, and it felt good.
Sitting in wooden chairs, Jax and Evina waited outside the ceremony room. He held his sister’s hand and gave it a squeeze.
He hadn’t seen her look so worried in a while. Surrounded by vampires their father had created, they should have been proud. Instead, they weren’t certain what would become of them as the elders discussed their fate.
“Lexi will rally for us,” he said, quietly. “Don’t worry.”
They both stared at the heavy wooden door, desperate to pick up any dialogue from inside that room. The catacombs were massive. They ran all along the underground of Peterborough, England. Every Wryn Clan member for hundreds of miles had migrated to this place seeking sanctuary.
How long that safety would last was unknown, but from the looks of their weapons and their numbers, they’d be a formidable force for any Netherworld Division agent, or army.
That was just what Jax needed.
An army.
The door was pushed open and Lexi emerged with a smile.
“Good news,” she exclaimed, motioning for them to stand. “The elders have agreed to support your claim for the Lyrinian throne. There is much to discuss, but that can wait. Having everyone agree was the biggest hurdle. And, we’ve done it.”
Evina folded her arms under her chest. “They’d better have. Peasants.”
Lexi rolled her eyes. “Your crowns mean nothing in the human world, Evina. You’re just lucky Greggan is our maker and that we are bound to honor his legacy or you’d have been sent to the Netherworld Division with a little bow on your head and a greeting card shoved down your throat.”
Jax had never seen Evina’s eyes widen so big. Violence was imminent. She huffed, and he nudged her.
“Enough,” he growled at Evina. Calming himself, he nodded to Lexi. “We are thankful. Thank you for speaking up for us.”
“You’re welcome. Now, let me show you to your rooms and let’s all get some rest. The sun’s about to rise. We can talk over the details of getting into the Netherworld at sunset.”
She turned on her heels and they followed behind. Jax snuck a peek inside the ceremony room as he walked by. Seven vampires wearing black suits and black dresses stood inside, whispering. They looked to him and went silent, but gave a nod of respect.
He nodded back and followed Evina and Lexi. He was now king of Lyrinia. When would he ever feel like more than a prisoner? He’d spent half his life in the Ivory Tower. While the bars of his prison were gone, he feared he’d never forget what it was like to lose his freedom.
As they walked down the corridor, the sound of boots running behind them made them stop.
Lexi turned around and two vampire guards skidded to a stop before her.
“What’s going on?” Lexi asked, frowning as she looked at the two.
They pointed the other way.
“There is someone who wants to see you at the entrance.”
“Who? It’s almost sunrise.”
The guards exchanged glances. “Well,” one said. “There’s an angel and a demon.”
Jax’s brows rose.
Halston and Alice.
Evina nudged him. “Well, what did I tell you, little brother? Just days ago we were homeless, penniless, and starving.” She grinned. “Now, we have an army, weapons, and the toughest angel and demon this world has ever seen…and their all on our side.”
He nodded. She was right.
Lera had no idea what havoc they were bringing to the Netherworld.
Not even a clue.
Epilogue
A wind swept in through the valley, red and warm, and Raven’s eyes slowly opened. The pain was gone. This was what death felt like. It felt like nothing, as if she’d been awakened from a dream.
Was this heaven or hell?
Raven was unsure. But, as she opened her eyes, she did see an angel. Standing in a bright light, he was tall, handsome, with silver hair and eyes. He was more beautiful than anything she’d ever seen. She opened her mouth to speak, but he lifted a hand a shook his head.
There was something familiar about him. Curious, she narrowed her eyes as the light encircling him multiplied and magnified, crisscrossing up and down his body. A scream erupted from her mouth, but it was inaudible. She could only hear it in her own mind as a pain unlike any other pulsated within her body. It burned, and then she turned cold. Numb.
A smile came to the angel’s face, and she wished she could take a picture and save it, for nothing brought more joy to her heart.
She knew him. But, how?
Her eyes widened as memories began to flood back into her mind. There was so much to process. So many emotions. Such happiness and grief. Guilt. Sorrow. Triumph.
Koa. Alsand. The demon who killed her.
Then, she gasped as she remembered him.
“Viktor,” she said, finally able to hear her own voice.
He nodded. “Good girl.”
“What is happening to me?” Raven asked as the feeling was brought back to her arms and legs. It was different, yet so familiar. Realization slammed into her as she lifted her hand and looked at her pale, fingers.
No fur. A real, human hand.
No, not human.
Tears filled her eyes and Viktor lifted his hands.
<
br /> “Rise, Eunju,” he said, and Raven remembered her real name—the name she had left behind when she was cursed to live as a cat.
And, she did rise, and a euphoric sensation overcame her as she stretched her white wings and hovered in the air before the angel she’d once loved, and had abandoned for a life on earth.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and wept.
“Thank you,” she said, and he embraced her in return. “Thank you for breaking my curse.”
“I did nothing. Death broke your curse. I simply woke you up.”
She pulled back and wiped tears from her eyes. She touched her face. It was smooth and soft. Supple and warm. She ran her fingers through long, black hair and a smile came to her face.
“Am I beautiful again?”
He nodded. “You’ve always been beautiful.”
Her heart leaped. But, a sudden sadness washed over her.
“Koa,” she whispered.
Viktor nodded. “Yes, you remember what you have to do?”
She bit the corner of her lip and sucked in tears, and nodded. “I do.”
“Good girl,” he said, brushing a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “Now, be the magnificent arch angel you were created to be, and let’s go save the world.”
“Yes,” Eunju said, agreeing despite knowing what that meant. “Let’s save the world.”
Thanks for reading! There will be more Chronicles of Koa in Spring 2018 with Reign of Kings: The Chronicles of Koa Book Four. Stay up-to-date with my newsletter on subscribepage.com/knleestars
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Cambridgeshire, England