He shook his head somberly. “We’ve already tried that with no success.”
I flashed him a smile. “But did you try it with someone that has the kind of charm and power of persuasion that I have?” And by charm and persuasion I meant my enchanted blood and my nifty Sword of Angelus.
“The demons aren’t talking—not a one of them,” he said, his voice taking on a strange edge. “It appears that whatever this thing is, whatever’s coming, it can be felt by the demons. It’s some sort of collective energy they’re feeding off of.”
I shivered at his words. What the hell were we dealing with here? I’d never heard of anything like it before.
“Nor have we,” answered Jeremiah, who could clearly hear my thoughts, even without touching me. “Hence why we’ve called you here.”
“But that still doesn’t explain what you want from me?” I chewed on my bottom lip as I watched William eye the others again. That was never a good sign, but it was even worse now that I knew they could hear each other’s thoughts.
“There is a book that may be able to help us,” said William as he sat down in his chair and flattened both palms on the table. “The Sang Noir is an ancient relic transcribed by the Angels long before they left us, kept hidden and protected within the Veil. If anyone knows anything about the Horsemen, or how to defeat them—should it come to that—it will be the Angels.”
“Then why don’t you just ask them for their help?” I wondered. Why bother looking for a book they wrote eons ago when they could just go directly to the source?
“Because we can’t go directly to the source,” answered Jeremiah, once again reading my thoughts—something that was quickly becoming annoying as fuck.
“The Angels have severed ties with the Anakim race a long time ago,” explained William. “As part of the treaty, they no longer frequent this Realm or involve themselves in matters of our world.”
“Well, that’s awesome,” I deadpanned. “And I’m guessing they didn’t leave their forwarding address either?”
William suppressed a smirk. “Sadly, it doesn’t quite work that way.”
Heaven forbid something be easy around here. I rubbed my temples to try to sooth the migraine that was beginning to knock against my skull. “Alright, so basically, our only lead right now it this Sang Whatever book, right?”
“The Sang Noir. Yes.”
“Which is hidden somewhere?”
“Within the Veil,” answered William. “The forbidden space between our world and the Spirit Realm.”
Oh, goody. “Sounds lovely.” I eyed each of them. “And I’m guessing that’s the part where I come in.”
William bowed his head in a nod.
“So, you called me all this way just to pick up a book for you? I mean, even if it is forbidden, the lot of you have way more power than I have. Why don’t you just get it yourself?” This whole thing sounded way too easy, and frankly, a waste of my abilities and weapons. There had to be more too it.
“Oh, but there is,” said Jeremiah in a grim-ass tone.
“Stop doing that,” I warned him, my nerves already racking my body enough as it was.
“The book is protected by Angel magic, deadly to all mortal beings, including Descendants,” explained William, his eyes darkening into ominous pools of death. “This particular spell is believed to be able to char the body of any soul who dares put their hands to the black flame, boiling them from the outside in.”
For a moment, I was stunned into silence as the image of it danced through my mind. And then it hit me. This was why they needed me specifically. Duh. “And since I have the Amulet and can’t be killed, I’m basically the only hope at getting this book.”
“Precisely.” William nodded.
“Unless you’d prefer to pass along the Amulet to one of us instead,” offered Prudence as she ran her finger along her pearl necklace.
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” I said, knowing they’d have to pry it off my cold, dead neck first.
She sneered at me. “Yes, well, we didn’t think so.”
Without giving it much further thought, I said, “Alright, I’ll do it. When do I leave?”
“Not so fast, my dear.” William’s eyes turned troubled. “While your Amulet will protect you from the certain death the rest of us would face, it will not protect you against the effects of the spell.”
While I didn’t particularly like the sound of that, there was really only one thing I needed to know going forward: “Can the spell kill me?”
“No,” answered Zachary, “but you’ll wish it had.”
An icy chill scratched its way down my spine like a long, afternoon shadow.
“This will not be pretty or easy,” chimed in William, making zero attempts to soften the blow. “The minute you enter the vicinity of the book, you will feel the flames. Your flesh will burn, your body and everything inside of it will slowly begin to feel as though it is boiling, and those injuries will be there long after you exit the Veil. This task, should you choose to accept it, will cause your body more harm and agony than you have ever known in your life. You will feel as though you are burning alive except that the forgiving release of death will never come.”
Well, fuck me, I thought as all the color and feeling drained from my face.
Okay, so, the spell wouldn’t kill me. But it was going to make me wish I was dead. And while my Descendant blood would help me heal quickly, it would not be quick enough to allow me to bypass the pain and agony of being burned alive.
What the hell was I getting myself into?
“We don’t expect you to make a decision right now,” said William, probably noticing the ashen look on my face. “In fact, we insist you sleep on it.”
I nodded. At least I think I did. I’d pretty much lost most feeling in my face by that point.
“Just don’t sleep on it for too long,” added Zachary, his voice as dark and sleek as his hair. “The clock is ticking and with that Amulet of yours, you’re the only one that can do this.”
Right. Easy-peasy. I mean, no pressure at all…
17. A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES
I left my second meeting of the day feeling even worse than when I’d left my first one with Trace. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, life jumped up and threw a grenade in my face. As much as I wanted to nose-dive into a bed and sleep this day away, I knew I had several more hours of “keeping it together” to do—mainly attending Caleb and Carly’s birthday supper at All Saints. So, I did what any Slayer worth her Mark would do: I pushed it all away and headed down to the Lab to get in some training before the party.
Frankly, I really wasn’t in the mood to celebrate or even be around people for that matter, but I’d promised Caleb I would stop by. And after everything Caleb had done for me, it didn’t feel right bailing on him tonight.
Luckily, training always helped me blow off some steam and get myself back in the right state of mind. And lord knew I needed it. But I had one more matter to contend with before I could do that.
William had mentioned after our meeting that he’d set up a Handler for me and that they were waiting for me downstairs in the Lab, but I wasn’t in the mood to meet and greet some random new trainer. Besides, I just wanted to work on my aim and I sure as heck didn’t need a Handler for that.
As I reached the underground training quarters, I made a quick pit stop to tell Johnny-Come-Lately he wasn’t needed. I pushed open the heavy door and peeked inside. My eyes immediately lit up.
Gabriel was standing in the middle of the room, wearing his leather jacket and the smallest semblance of a smile. Without so much as a pause, I kicked off the floor and bolted straight into his arms.
It had been months since I’d seen Gabriel and while we’d spoken on the phone every now and then throughout the course of the summer, it wasn’t nearly the same as seeing him in the flesh.
“Holy crap, I’ve missed you!” I said, squeezing his neck like a boa-constrictor that wa
s on the verge of starvation.
I felt him laugh against my body. “Believe me, the feeling is mutual,” he said, hugging me back just as tightly and then setting me back down on my feet.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were out on a job?” I asked, taking him in from head to toe. He looked exactly the same as the last time I’d seen him. Same old, safe, composed, put-together, Gabriel.
And boy, was he a sight for sore eyes.
“I was, until the Senior Magister called me back in.”
“Wait.” My eyes widened in excitement. “William said he found me a Handler for the rest of the year. Does that mean…?” I almost didn’t want to say it out loud in case I would jinx it.
He nodded. “It looks like you’re stuck with me. At least for now.”
That was absolute music to my ears. I jumped up and threw myself into his arms again.
After a little more celebrating and idle small talk, we sat down on the mats and caught each other up on everything that had gone on these last couple of months. Though judging by his lack of surprise as I recounted my summer with Tessa, I could tell he’d already heard all about it from her.
That was the trouble with having mutual friends with your sister. She always seemed to be one step ahead of me, telling all my dang stories before I had a chance to do it myself.
“So, I guess that pretty much covers my summer,” I concluded, even though he was hearing it all for the second time. “As tough as it was being on the road all the time, I know it was where I needed to be. I got to see so many different places, and the things I learned from Tessa…I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
“I’m really happy to hear you say that, Jemma.” I couldn’t help but notice the pride in his eyes when he looked at me. I supposed he had a lot to do with how far I’d come, and he definitely deserved to take pride in that.
“Oh! And I learned how to drive too!” I added, beaming because surely Tessa hadn’t mentioned that since she wasn’t even there for it.
“Good for you. That’s wonderful,” he said, though again, he didn’t sound at all surprised.
I glared at him. “She told you that, too, didn’t she?”
“She may have mentioned it,” he said through a bashful smile.
“Well, that’s just great. Is there anything little Miss Big-Mouth didn’t tell you?”
Gabriel laughed. “She’s just proud of you,” he said and then cracked another smile when I grunted my displeasure. “We both are. You’ve come a really long way, Jemma.”
“Thanks …doesn’t make her mouth any less big, though,” I grumbled out the last part, still bitter about it.
He laughed again and I crossed my feet at my ankles, deciding to change the subject since there obviously wasn’t anything he hadn’t already heard from Tessa.
“So, what do you think about this new job William has lined up for me?” I asked him, using the term very loosely. In fact, suicide mission would have probably been more suitable. “I’m guessing that’s the reason you were called back early?”
“He hasn’t filled me in on any of the details yet, but yes, I was called back to assist you.”
I nodded, having figured as much as I picked at a loose string from my shirt and wrapped it around my finger.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’ve decided to continue working for the Order,” he said, lowering his head to call my attention back. “Even despite everything that’s happened.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “You would be.”
He smiled, but it was guarded—unsure if he should continue. “It takes a lot of strength and maturity to be able to see the bigger picture, Jemma.”
“That’s one way to look at it.” Though the truth was, I didn’t really see any other options for me. I was a Slayer, created for the sole purpose of hunting demons and vampires. And the Order knew exactly where I needed to go to get my hands on said demons and vampires. Seemed like a match made in heaven. Or hell, depending on how you looked at it.
He watched me for a quiet moment. “This is a good thing, isn’t it?” he asked, unsure of the territory he was treading.
“I mean, I guess so. It’s one less enemy for me to worry about.” I shrugged because it didn’t really matter to me either way at this point. “It’s not like they can hurt me. They know that now.” I ripped the tiny piece of string from my shirt and tossed it on the floor beside me. “Between my blood, the Amulet and the Sword, there isn’t a single weapon on this earth that could take me down, and they know it.”
“I’m glad to hear it hasn’t gone to your head at all,” he answered teasingly.
“Well, it’s the truth, isn’t it?” I challenged. “I might as well use it to my advantage.”
He dipped his head in agreement, but there seemed to be something he wasn’t saying. Something that was still bothering him.
“It’s not like I asked for any of this,” I continued, defending myself against his silent accusation.
“I know you didn’t.”
“If I could trade places with anybody else, I would.” I looked him dead in the eyes, spilling my truth as it now stood. “But I can’t do that so I might as well embrace what I am and use it for something good while I still can.”
His expression turned sad just then. “Jemma—”
“I’m okay with it, Gabriel. I really am.” I pulled my knees up to my chest and held them there, refusing to accept even one ounce of his pity. “I’ve accepted my fate and I’m finally at peace with it. And now with this new assignment…I guess it’s all kind of meant to be.” The more I thought about it, the more it seemed fated. Like I was meant to do this. Like everything that had happened to me—the good, bad, and the ugly—had led me exactly to this point in time.
“Meant to be?” He shook his head in confusion. “I’m not sure I’m following.”
I raised my head and met his beautiful emerald eyes. “The fact that I’m basically indestructible is exactly why the Order needs me for this assignment,” I explained, resisting the urge to throw in a ‘duh’ at the end.
His eyebrows furrowed with worry. “What exactly is this assignment?” he asked, making it brutally obvious that he had no actual idea what he’d signed up to help me do.
At this point, I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to wait for the Council to spill the beans or not, but I decided to tell him anyway. Afterall, it was my life on the line—not theirs. “Basically, I’m supposed to retrieve some ancient book for the Council. Apparently, it’s some relic left behind by the Angels—”
“The Sang Noir,” he cut in, obviously having heard of it.
I nodded. “According to the Council, it’s protected by Angel magic. The kind that boils your blood from the inside out. Or was it the outside in?” I waved the confusion away. “Doesn’t matter anyway. I’m the only one that could get the book without certain death, so that’s what I’m going to do.”
I hadn’t even realized I’d already decided to do it until I’d said it out loud. Then again, what other choice did I have? It wasn’t as though there were any other Slayers applying for the position. And if the news reports had anything to do with the Horsemen headed towards us, we were going to need as much help as we could get.
“Listen, Jemma, you need to slow down here for a minute,” he said, putting his hands out like a couple of air brakes. “I’m not sure you fully understand what you’re agreeing to do. This magic…it’s not like anything we have here on earth. The only beings meant to go anywhere near that kind of magic are the Angels themselves.”
“I know…hence the Amulet,” I said and picked up the pendant as proof.
He shook his head. “You don’t understand. The Amulet might protect you from death, but the pain and damage will stay with you forever. You could be scarred beyond recognition, or worse.”
My heart dropped into my stomach. Not because of the potential disfiguring scars (which was bad enough) but at his mention of the Amulet only maybe protecting me f
rom death. The Council had made it sound as though it were a guarantee. Then again, how the heck would they know anyway? It’s not like they’d had a chance to test the theory out.
Okay…so disfiguring scares, permanent bodily damage, and possible death. That’s what I was going up against. As horrible as it all sounded, did any of that really change anything? Could I simply choose not to do it?
I honestly couldn’t see that happening.
“What choice do I have here, Gabriel? Something big is coming and the Order has no idea how to fight it. If I don’t get this book, we’re probably all as good as dead anyway.”
“Yes, but it doesn’t have to be you.”
I looked at him like he was dense. “Hello? I’m the one with the Amulet, remember?”
“Then give the Amulet to the Council. Let one of the elders do it. You’re seventeen years old, Jemma, you haven’t even begun to—”
“I know that,” I cut in, because I didn’t need to hear him finish that sentence. I hadn’t yet done millions of things. Hearing him spout off a list wouldn’t change anything. “I can’t give them the Amulet.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t trust them to give it back to me, and…it’s mine.” I wasn’t sure why, but I felt like it belonged to me. Like I was meant to be the one to wear it. To keep it safe.
“Then let me do it.” His moss-green eyes were deathly serious. “Let me be the one to retrieve the book and once it’s done, I will return the Amulet to you. You have my word.”
Gabriel’s word was as good as gold. I knew I could trust him. He would give me back the Amulet. Well, me or Tessa, but I suppose that would be good enough. And yet… “I can’t do that. It has to be me.”
“Why? Why does it have to be you?”
“I don’t know.” I shook my head and then tucked my hair behind my ears. “It’s just a feeling I have in the pit of my stomach. I was meant to do this, Gabriel. I know it has to be me.”
Incarnate: A Dark Paranormal Romance (The Marked Saga Book 5) Page 14