Out of The Shadows (Shadows Ascending Trilogy Book 2)

by Jenn D. Young

  “Yes?” I asked, pushing myself off the woman who’s name I couldn’t even remember. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and climbed to my feet.

  Both the vampire and the Nephilim looked panicked. I snapped my fingers in front of the half-naked woman sprawled on my couch. “Leave, now.” I layered my voice with compulsion. She immediately snapped to attention, gathered her clothes and fled.

  “What has you both in such a tizzy?” I grabbed my shirt from the floor and threw it on over my bare chest.

  Morgana looked at me in a way she never had before. She was scared. I just wasn’t sure if it was because of me or something else.

  “We have both had visions of the same thing.” Kaniul’s voice was strong, relating a confidence that was not present on his face.

  Morgana placed a hand on her brother’s shoulder. Her hazel eyes glinted with unshed tears. “I am going to have a child.”

  I glanced down at her belly with an eyebrow arched in question. “I wasn’t aware that you had found a mate, Morgana,” I said sarcastically.

  Kaniul took her hand into his. “She hasn’t. We don’t know when this child will be born, but we do know that we need to put plans into place before it’s too late.”

  I grabbed the bottle of wine that sat on the desk and brought it straight to my lips, taking a long drink. “And this has what to do with me?” I asked darkly, not understanding where they were going with this conversation.

  “My daughter will be your mate.”

  I threw my head back and laughed. “Sure,” I scoffed. “I have lived for two millennia. I doubt that I will ever have a mate.”

  “Vincent, listen to us.” Kaniul reached for my wrist. “You have to see.”

  I glared at him as he projected the vision to me.

  A small girl with bright blue eyes and dark hair stood over Morgana’s lifeless body. My breath caught as I looked at her. Even though I was looking at her through Kaniul’s vision, I knew he spoke the truth. Her fragile body was thin, tears tracing down her small face as she screamed out her grief. My soul screamed in response to her pain.

  Morgana’s daughter was my mate.

  “Look further.” Morgana’s voice was pleading.

  I closed my eyes and reached further into what Kaniul was showing me.

  After Morgana’s death, the girl was placed in the council’s care. Her powers grew out of control. She had compulsion, control over the elements, telekinetic and telepathic abilities as well as phenomenal physical skills. She was destined to be the most powerful Nephilim that the universe has ever seen.

  The council turned her into an assassin before she had even turned sixteen. It appeared that I had been unable to sway them. Even after making my claim on her as my mate.

  I watched the scene before my eyes as she recorded the highest body count the council had ever seen. She had completely turned her emotions off. Each scene made the light fade further from her eyes, until they were dull and lifeless.

  At eighteen she was the most skilled assassin in the history of the council. She did not feel our mating bond and we couldn’t connect mentally.

  At twenty-one, I tried tirelessly to claim her and forge that bond.

  But it was too late.

  One of Morgana’s visions showed in me great detail our future conflict.

  “Lorelei, you are my mate.” My voice was unlike anything I had ever heard before. I was begging her. I took her hand in mine, but she pulled away instantly. My eyes were haunted, skin pale and cheeks sunken in. I could tell I hadn’t been feeding. My mate had come of age and nothing else would sustain me. Even without having uttered the vows, my soul would not accept any other substitute.

  “Fuck you Vincent,” she spat. “I have no mate. I will never have a mate.” Red crept into her eyes and fierce booming thunder echoed outside. Sparks raced across her fingers, causing me to take a step back. Lightning flashed above her as her eyes went from red to endless black. Her knife whirled with a whistle and sliced through the tender skin of my throat.

  Blood cascaded down my clothes, I collapsed to the floor and gasped as my airway knit itself back together. My body grew weak. My eyelids fluttered closed. I was the most powerful demon in existence and my own mate had just sliced my throat open.

  I had lost her.

  How was this possible?

  The images fast forwarded to Lorelei secured to a stone altar with ropes wrapped around her arms and legs. I stood over her, a knife dripping with her blood held in my hands as I carved symbols into her pale skin. My demon was in complete control of my actions, my Nephilim nature had withered and died after having been denied by his mate. And my demon wanted revenge for the pain we had suffered.

  The thin white line on my throat where she had wounded me, stark in comparison to my olive skin, shone in the moonlight. The demon would make her pay for denying us. We would be made whole again with her sacrifice. My anger made the fires around the altar sputter and flare as Lorelei gasped in pain.

  “You did this,” my demon roared. “You denied us.”

  Arranged in a semi-circle around the altar were dozens of figures dressed in black robes. I spotted Kristoff on the other side of Lorelei, a look of rapture etched on his face. He was chanting words in the ancient language of the angels, preparing the incantation to free Xandrios with Lorelei’s sacrifice.

  And I was responsible.

  Hands lifted overhead, I tightened my grip on the dagger and thrust it down into her heart. Her cry of anguish mirrored my own as I saw the light flicker out of her eyes.

  I jerked away from Kaniul, my breath coming in rapid gasps. I could feel the tears in my eyes and emotions overwhelmed me.

  ******

  Lorelei’s sob drew me out of the memory and back into reality. I pulled her into my arms as I felt the energy in the room grow. “Shhhh, love. Breathe with me.” My demon soaked up the raw emotional force. Trying to absorb her overwhelming feelings.

  Her sobs continued to rack her body as her thoughts grew erratic. Our connection snapped back into place and I sent her reassurance mentally.

  “That is not going to happen. They were just visions, not set in stone. So much is already different than what was originally seen.”

  I rubbed a line down her spine and she shuddered in response to my soothing touch. “I can’t be that person,” she whispered, her hands clinging to the fabric of my shirt. “I can’t do that to you.” Her eyes were bright with pain, tears streaming down her pale face.

  “I know. That is why we did what we did.” I tilted her chin up so I could see her eyes. They were bright with pain, tears falling from the corners as she shuddered beneath my touch. My thumb traced a soothing pattern along her cheek, over her lips and along the line of her jaw.

  “You killed me.” Her voice was so low, echoing the pain that we both felt.

  “I know love.” I kissed the top of her head as her hands dug into my back. “It is why I knew we had to do whatever it took for that future not to occur.”

  “You killed me because I tried to kill you first.”

  My heart physically hurt at her words. I took her face between my hands as I laid my forehead against hers. “That future is completely gone. Erased.”

  Her eyes fluttered closed, more tears leaking from the corners and tracing down her soft face. “How could I have even become that person?” My thumbs traced the lines of her cheekbones, gently trying to soothe the worry lines from her face.

  “You aren’t that person, Theera. You never will be.” I tilted up her chin and placed a light kiss on her lips.

  Damius, Kaniul and even Nicolae stood several feet away, watching us closely. Nicolae’s eyes were glowing as he absorbed the energy in the air that I could not. I was thankful for his presence. While Damius and Kaniul could control the psychic and emotional essence, they could not manipulate and absorb it the way that Nicolae or I could.

  The air was still thick with the pulses of power in the room. It would take some ti
me before it fully dissipated. Lorelei started to calm, even though tears still streamed down her face. I held her close, murmuring soft words to soothe her.

  “This is why I didn’t want to show you what could have been. It was difficult for me to compose myself and I have had over two millennia of practice.” I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, tracing the shell gently. Touch was a reassurance to her and would help ground her back in the present. She leaned into my hand and her fingers reached up to hold my arm. Her lips kissed my palm gently. She never dropped her gaze from mine.

  Power crackled between us. Emotions soared as I held myself open for her. My mind was completely exposed to her. I felt her tentative mental touch as she merged with me. Her arms wrapped around my waist,

  “Vision transfers are very volatile and emotional. We try to avoid them because of the risk.” Kaniul’s voice was steady as he took a couple steps toward us.

  She turned her head and took a step away from me. I could see her intention and I dropped my arms from her so she could approach her uncle.

  “She knew the whole time she would die. Yet, she did it anyway.” She was quiet, the words were barely more than a whisper.

  Kaniul nodded, emotion clouding his eyes. “She knew it was for you. There was never any other decision to be made.”

  Lorelei bit her lip, trying to stop the sob that was brewing in her throat. Kaniul wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. He whispered into her ear, “She loved you with everything she had. She knew of the person you could be. Everything she did was for you.” Tears leaked out of his eyes and slid down his cheeks.

  Morgana was an amazing woman and I was thankful for everything she did for Lorelei. Since that day over thirty years ago, I had been a shell waiting for my Lorelei. Emotions had been nonexistent. I had to ignore my emotions to ensure that future would not happen. Whatever pain Lorelei had experienced, it was all to shape her into the person she had become today.

  There were times that it was almost impossible to restrain myself from rescuing her from the filth that she had been with. Finally, after the incident with her last foster father, I had to step in and place her with Kyara as her guardian. I had been able to relax for a short period of a few years before they had found her again.

  I rolled my shoulders. The raw emotion in the room was causing my demon to surge forward. Kaniul continued to hold and comfort Lorelei, although her eyes were locked on me.

  Adreon chose that moment to burst through the door, a small stack of papers fell from his hands as he gasped from the residual energy. “Uh—" He stammered. “I, uh, have the results.” He swallowed visibly, nerves making his hands shake.

  “Out with it, Doc. The suspense is killing us.” Leave it to Nicolae to lighten the mood.

  Lorelei worried her bottom lip as she stepped back from Kaniul to look at Adreon. Her hands were clenched into fists and her toes tapped against the floor as she waited anxiously for Adreon to speak.

  “So.” He ran his fingers through his black hair as he gathered the papers back together. “There are two major things that I discovered from your blood.” He hesitated as he looked around the room.

  “Adreon, spit it out. Who is her father and who is her sire?” Damius was agitated, the words said through clenched teeth.

  “Well, that’s the thing. She doesn’t have a sire. Her DNA did not show any markers of vampiric blood.”

  Lorelei stood before him with her brow furrowed as she poked a finger into his chest. “What the fuck does that mean? I’m a vampire, I have fangs, I drink blood. That equals vampire!”

  He cleared his throat again. “No, actually in this case it doesn’t.” He laid out the print outs on the table and poked his finger on the data.

  “Your DNA is almost 100 percent archangel. You are the daughter of Akakaios.”

  Her knees gave out beneath her and I was able to catch her just before she hit the floor.

  Chapter 7

  Lorelei

  I heard the voices around me, but my eyes refused to open. My consciousness swam through a sea of memories that I couldn’t make sense of. Snippets of images swirled before me, and words echoed in my ears. A flash of light and my spirit was once again floating above my body.

  “Daughter.”

  The rich male voice from behind me had me jumping in surprise.

  This was Akakaios.

  My father.

  My eyes were drawn first to his large black tipped wings, which were at rest sprawling across his shoulders. Colorless irises regarded me, and his lips were drawn in a small smile as he looked at me with pride. I stared in amazement as I recognized small features that matched my own. The shape of our eyes, the set of our mouths, the straight, regal nose.

  This was my father.

  “You have grown into an incredible woman.” His accent was deep and thick. Pure, lyrical music to my ears. A shudder ran down my spine as I tried to form words to respond. I was gaping at him like a fish, my mouth opening and closing, my mind utterly blank.

  “You don’t need to say anything yet, Lorelei. I can’t spend much time in this realm, but I wanted you to know me. To see me.” He reached out his hand and laid it on my shoulder. His touch was light. Comforting. Warmth spread out from where his skin connected with mine and I shuddered with the emotions that overwhelmed me.

  “I—" I let out a shaky breath, “Why?”

  Akakaios just widened his smile, revealing gleaming white teeth with just a hint of large pointed fangs. “All will be revealed in time, little one.”

  My arms wrapped around his middle and I laid my head on his chest. His spine stiffened, then his arm and wings surrounded me in comforting warmth. I felt a gentle kiss on the top of my head, and I closed my eyes tightly, savoring the sensation.

  I finally knew who my father was. And he was hugging me.

  My heart expanded painfully in my chest as emotions overwhelmed me. This was my father. I had dreamed of meeting him so many times and I would never have imagined it would have ever been like this. That he would be an all-powerful Archangel. The leader of the Archangels, no less.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you,” he whispered, pain radiating in his words.

  “I’m beginning to understand that there are things at play here much bigger than myself.” My words were muffled by the soft fabric of his shirt. I drew back slightly, and he grinned as he cupped my cheek in his large hand. “But I have so many questions.”

  He nodded. “I know, but I can’t answer them. You must be prepared. Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better. Learn your power. Love your mate and stay true to yourself and all will come together as planned.” Reaching into the pocket of his jacket, he placed a ring in the palm of my hand.

  Two entwined bands of silver were weaved together with an opaque white opal held in the center surrounded by small black onyx stones. The beauty of the ring caused more tears to burn in my eyes.

  “This ring has a small amount of your mother’s and my essence inside of it. It will bring you fortune in the years to come.” He slid it onto my middle finger. My eyes never left the stone, awe flooding me at the sensations. I could feel the spark of power inside of me as it slid into place. Pale fingers traced up my forearm and he touched the outline of the eye on the crook of my elbow.

  “This looks good on you. Your mother was so proud when it appeared to you,” he said softly, the ghost of a smile appearing on his handsome face.

  My eyebrows rose at the comment. “Where is she?” I asked, looking around searching for her.

  “Not here, little one. Soon enough all will be revealed.” His hands tightened over mine as his expression turned fierce. The world came into focus with a snap as the band that was holding back my abilities broke.

  The fire started in my back, just under my shoulder blades. My head felt as if it was splitting into two. Fire raced in my veins. Each beat of my heart became agonizing, pushing the fire further out into the tips of my fingers and toes
.

  “Do not fight it. Let the change take place.” Another kiss was placed on my forehead as the pain in my bones intensified.

  “Your wings will be beautiful, my daughter.”

  The glowing of his white eyes was the final thing I saw before darkness dragged me under.

  ******

  Screams tore out of my throat as agony ripped through my body. Vincent’s hands searched my body for injuries, roaming over my torso, arms, and legs. I rolled to my stomach and arched my back as flesh split from bone, something bursting from my skin. The smell of blood was thick in the air as I lay panting on the floor, waiting for the pain to stop.

  A collective gasp echoed through the room. The pain turned into a dull ache and I turned my head to look over my shoulder. A cry escaped my throat.

  I pushed myself to my knees and rolled my shoulders. I heard feathers flutter as I loosened my body.

  “Shit. She has wings,” I heard Nicolae say, his voice low and awe filled. “And they are the reverse of yours, boss.”

  Mouth hanging open, I looked at the appendages protruding from my back. Large feathered wings hung loosely at my sides. They were a deep midnight black which almost looked blue, the edges were lined with crimson and gray.

  I had wings.

  They were beautiful, just like my father said they would be.

  My wide eyes met Vincent’s. He regarded me with an intense stare. “You have wings too?” He nodded and closed his eyes. Emotions flickered across his face as his form wavered and then solidified.

  “I guess you could say this is my natural form.” He tilted his head as my gaze traveled over his body. His skin remained the same perfect olive shade, but the angles of his face were sharper. Black swallowed his eyes fully and matched the horns that swept out above his forehead toward the back of his head in an elegant curve. Black claws grew out of his long fingers and I could see the fangs extended out past his lips.

  His wings took my breath away. Deep crimson, the same color of the edges of my own. Black and gray feathers tipped the ends. Nicolae was exactly on point, his wings were the reverse of mine. Heat swept through me and pooled in my belly as my pulse sped up and my own lips parted.