Angel of Darkness
Books 1-5
Mackenzie Morris
Sunless
Angel of Darkness Book One
Sunless
Copyright © 2014 by Mackenzie Morris
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Chapter 1
Jaylen was backed up against the cold black marble of the castle wall. The razor-sharp blade of the dagger was pressed dangerously tight to his throat. His wispy blond bangs were slicked with sweat and hung down in his deep blue eyes as he breathed hard and let his silver longsword fall to the polished floor. He stared up into the unfeeling eyes of the woman in black shiny leather whose clean white teeth glistened in the bright white haze of mage-glow that hovered in the air.
The woman's sickeningly sweet perfume tingled in Jaylen's nose as she leaned closer and whispered to him. She slipped her hand up underneath his clothes and pressed her warm palm against the middle of his back. "What is your name, boy?"
Jaylen gasped for air as his nervousness climbed to a pinnacle. "Jaylen, milady."
"Milady? Are you nobility or something?"
Out of habit, Jaylen stood at attention, or as close to that as he could with a knife against his throat. "I am Paladin Jaylen Amalas Corrifus, Duke of House Corrifus in the capital city of Ilyan, seventh in line to the throne of Vilyron."
The woman grinned darkly and used her other hand to brush Jaylen's bangs out of his face with her long red-painted fingernails. "A prince?"
"A duke, milady. My cousins are the actual princes. I'm just a landless duke, of title only."
"Good enough." She pulled away, letting him slip from her grasp.
Jaylen fell to his knees, rubbing his neck where the blade had left a hair-thin stripe of crimson across his delicate skin. He coughed as he noticed the dirty tattered hem of his pale yellow surcoat over his chainmail. It had been new that morning, before he made the mistake of following that lead from the man in the tavern. How was he supposed to know it would lead him here?
The dark woman paced back and forth in front of him, her tall pointed heels sending loud clicks down the hallway outside the library. "I need someone like you."
"For what? I can't do anything on my own."
"You're a paladin, are you not?" The woman asked. She licked the boy's blood from the edge of her dagger.
"I am, but-"
"That's all I need. I know about you people. Paladins are sworn to protect the weak and the helpless while spreading the teachings and holy word of the sun thing. Isn't that right?"
"Well . . . not the sun itself."
She glared at him, holding up the blade threateningly. "Sola. I'm talking about Sola, your beloved goddess. Don't play stupid with me, boy. Deflecting and refusing to answer my questions will only get you more pain. Is that what you want? Your porcelain skin is so unmarred. It would be a shame for someone so young and attractive to be disfigured, wouldn't it? You're what, twenty?"
"Fifteen, ma'am."
"Fifteen? You're fifteen and already a paladin? Is the clergy that desperate?"
"After the Eight-Night War, Vilyron was left with only one-sixth of the paladins they had before the fighting began. Paladins don't do so well against . . . demons."
"Demons?" The woman chuckled. "You are too funny, my little paladin. I thought your purpose was to hunt down demons."
"Not demons. We hunt necromancers and vampires. We cleanse the world of all undead abominations."
"So, demons don't count? Your righteous abilities of Sola don't work on demons?"
"No, milady."
"Perfect." The woman grinned as a shadow spread across her thin body, turning her skin deathly pale and her eyes a glowing red like embers in a fire. "Then you'll be powerless against me."
Jaylen crawled backwards with eyes wide until he was once more up against the wall. "You're a demon!"
"Oh, don't get so frightened. I won't hurt you unless you decide to foolishly go against my wishes, boy."
"I will never obey the will of a demon!"
"But that's where you are tragically mistaken, Jaylen. You know why the sun is gone, don't you?"
"Me? Why would I know? You're the evil one here."
"Evil?" The woman's dry laughter echoed in the vaulted hall. "You haven't seen evil yet, my darling paladin."
In a desperate attempt to break free, Jaylen looked around at the bleak world of the library. Then he noticed the shimmering silver wings on the chest of his surcoat. He didn't want to have to do this, but he didn't have another choice. He tightened his fists as he cried out into the darkness. "Zeriel!"
Instantly, the castle began to shake and the tapestries on the walls billowed in the wind. In one final tremor, the ceiling cracked open, sending splintered wooden rafters and crumbled stones into the room. A tall man in a long black wool coat with large white wings landed in the middle of the rubble. As he ran his hand over his spiky black hair, the sleeve of his coat slipped down to reveal the glowing white sun sigil on his wrist. The man took a silver bow from his back and drew it, summoning a silver arrow out of the air. "You called, Master?"
"Zeriel!"
The demon hissed as she cringed and slinked towards the doorway. "What . . . what are you? Those wings . . ."
Zeriel spread his pearlescent wings high in the air, sending a blast of wind through the room. The ancient books and scrolls scattered in the breeze and the fire in the hearth raged brighter. His icy white eyes sparked with passion. "I am Zeriel, angel and servant of Paladin Jaylen Amalas Corrifus."
"A-angel?" The demon stuttered as she nearly tripped in her heels. "Y-you're an angel?"
"What else would I be? Stop playing dumb, demon. You know that every paladin has his own angel. You picked a dangerous meal for tonight's dinner. No one eats my paladin without going through me first."
Jaylen's frustration continued to grow. "Zeriel, now!"
"I am at your command, Master."
"Save me, Zeriel!"
"Humbly and completely."
Two silver arrows flew through the air then pierced into the floor. A barrier of white light passed between the two, blocking off the entrance to the room. The demon let out a roar of pain as another arrow sliced through her stomach, causing a burst of black shadows to spill from her grey skin.
"She's just a thrall. This one is not a challenge for me." Zeriel drew back another glowing arrow. "Finish her, Jaylen."
Jaylen shakily stood to his feet then raised his trembling hands into the air as he closed his eyes. A bright white mist swirled around his fingertips as the power filled his body. "Sola, bright and glorious, imbue me with your righteous fire so I may destroy the darkness!"
A burst of light flew from Jaylen's hands and engulfed the woman in the hazy glow. The demon's shrieking caused a shiver to run down Jaylen's spine and his hair to stand on end. It was the worst high-pitched sound he had ever heard. Every bone in his body seemed to grind together and his mind felt as if it was about to burst. Finally, the screeching climaxed in an agonized death cry and the demon disintegrated into a pile of grey ashes.
Zeriel placed his bow in the strap on his back that ran between his wings and picked up Jaylen's sword from the cluttered floor. "Are you ready to depart? This air musty air isn't good for y
ou to breathe, Jay."
Jaylen's exhaustion overwhelmed him. His legs buckled under him and he fell to his hands and knees, breathing heavily as sweat dripped down his face and fell between his fingers. "Zeriel . . ."
"That took a lot out of you, didn't it? We will work on conserving your energy so you can use your power more efficiently in the future. You never know when you will need to use it, so you must be prepared at all times." Zeriel held out his hand to the boy. "Do you mind, Master?"
"Get me home."
"Of course." Zeriel took Jaylen in his muscular arms and leapt effortlessly into the air through the hole he previously made in the ceiling of the castle.
Jaylen closed his eyes against the biting chill of the wind that blew continuously in the eternal night that shrouded the world in a blanket of black and shining stars. He wrapped his arms around his angel's chest and did the one thing he had been told to never do as a paladin. He cried. The hot tears streamed from his eyes as he let go of all the fear he had been feeling. He killed his first demon, but he didn't feel much more like a man. Jaylen felt small, insignificant, and vulnerable. If it hadn't been for Zeriel, he would have died to that demon.
"Are you crying?" Zeriel asked.
"Just fly faster and get me home. It's cold up here."
"You can tell me how you feel. I have been trained in feeling compassion for humans and especially for my Master. You know that."
Jaylen buried his face in Zeriel's wool coat. "Stupid angel."
"Why would you call me stupid? You're just upset and traumatized. You've had such a long day. We'll get you back to the house and out of that armor then into a warm bath. Doesn't that sound nice?"
"No."
"Stop being so stubborn. I am trying to help you, Jaylen. Whether you like it or not, you are stuck with me. I'm the angel you got and I'm the angel you will always have."
"Until The Cleansing."
Zeriel sighed and flew lower towards the tops of the evergreen trees that were dusted with a fresh coating of snow. "Yes, until The Cleansing. But we aren't going to discuss that right now."
"I'll die then, at The Cleansing. All the remaining pure paladins will be sacrificed to bring back the sun."
"Stop talking, Jaylen. You're not thinking clearly."
"It's true. They'll kill me and there won't be anything you or the angels of the other paladins can do to save us. It happens every fifty years and now that the sun is gone again, it's only a matter of time before they call the paladin council."
"I know this goes against everything the clergy has told you in your training, but listen well. I will not let you die for them. When you summoned me at the Divinity Trial, I was then bound to you and only you until the day you die. You have been the best Master I've ever had, so I will hold onto you as long as I can. Do you hear me, Jaylen? You are far too young to be sacrificed in some awful ritual that may or may not work. Those other paladins are over thirty years old. You're half their age. You deserve a chance to live your life as well."
Jaylen dried his eyes on the back of his hands. "I'm the youngest paladin in history, but I knew what I was facing when I decided to take on the trial and said my vows. I devoted my life to this cause."
"Stubborn boy, aren't you?" Zeriel asked as he gently landed in the snow outside the modest house he shared with Jaylen. "We will discuss this at a later date. For now, I'm going to bathe you and get you into bed. I fear you might have a fever."
* * *
The hot water was heavenly on Jaylen's skin as he sank down lower and rested his head on the edge of the bathtub. He waved his hand in the air to cause the mage-glow to dim, leaving just enough light for him to see the steam rising from the water. All the pain, fear, and frustration from the day slowly melted away in that soothing water.
The door opened and Zeriel stepped inside with a basket in his arms. "I brought you a towel and some soap. Want me to help you?"
"Please. I'm so tired, Zeriel."
Zeriel knelt down on the rug beside the bathtub and dipped the washcloth in the water before gently cleaning the dirt off of Jaylen's face. "You did well today. I know you're still getting used to this line of work. It's only been a week and you've come so far."
"I almost failed."
"You were fine. I had your back the entire time."
"But I want to do this on my own. I have to be a man. I can't be like my father."
Zeriel sighed as he washed Jaylen's arms and chest. "You will never be like your father. Don't worry about that. Your father wasn't as strong as you are. He couldn't overcome his sins, so he became Tainted. His lust did him in."
Jaylen scoffed and splashed the water under his fist. "Lust . . . how irresponsible."
"Why do you say that?"
Jaylen stared down into the ripples on the top of the water that distorted his reflection. "Lust is the worst sin, don't you think? We take vows of chastity and celibacy for a reason. Paladins are supposed to be better than those weaker people. We can't be controlled by primal urges. That leaves our souls open to demons that would reach into us and take us when we are at our weakest point."
"Interesting way to think about it. So, you haven't had any feelings for a woman?"
"Not at all."
"Good. Let's hope that doesn't change."
"It won't. I'm not weak like my father."
Zeriel scooped some shampoo out of glass jar and worked it into a lather in Jaylen's hair. "I have to know something. Why did you go to that castle, anyway? There wasn't anything there."
"The man in the tavern told me there were rumors of a vampire in that castle."
"That was no vampire."
"I know that now. How was I supposed to know it was actually a demon?"
Zeriel moved around to Jaylen's back and went to wipe him with the washcloth, but he stopped. "What's this?"
"What? What did you find?" Jaylen asked, growing a bit concerned.
"I need to know exactly what happened to you in that castle earlier."
"I sneaked inside when the guards had their backs turned. I went down the hallway and then into the library. That's where the demon found me."
"Did she, at any time, directly touch your skin?"
"She had slipped her hand under my armor . . . and touched my back. Sola help me, what did you find back there?"
Zeriel traced his fingers over the boy's skin. "Um . . . n-nothing. I was just wondering. Forget about it."
"You're lying."
Zeriel snapped at him. "Angels don't lie, Jaylen."
Jaylen sighed and held onto the sides of the bathtub. "True."
"Does it hurt?"
"A bit."
"It's just a bruise. You probably got hit by something." Zeriel placed the cloth down on the side of the bathtub then picked up the bucket. "All right. Stand up and I'll rinse you off."
Jaylen stood up and closed his eyes as the bucket of fresh water was poured over his head. He crossed his arms across his bare chest and shivered. "Hurry up, will you? It's cold in here."
Zeriel laughed as he wrapped the robe around the boy's shoulders. He picked him up and carried him out of the bathroom then to the bedroom and laid him down on the large bed. He pulled the blankets over Jaylen and knelt down beside the bed. "There we go. You're all right. Get some sleep, Jay."
"Not yet. I'm not ready to go to sleep yet."
"Are you hungry? I made some stew."
"When did you do that?" Jaylen asked.
"Earlier, while I was waiting on you to call for me."
Jaylen's mood turned darker again. "So you knew I couldn't do anything by myself."
"That's not what I meant. I can get you some milk, if you'd like."
"Not tonight." The mage-glow died out as Jaylen flicked his wrist then hid his face underneath his pillow.
Zeriel shuffled around in the dark and opened something. "Open your mouth. I have some medicine for you. I don't want you getting a cold. You're sniffling."
"Go away."
&nb
sp; "Where do you want me to go?"
"I don't know. I don't like you being here all the time. I had just gotten used to living alone after my mother died. I don't need you here to take care of me. I'm a man now."
"You're a fifteen-year-old boy, Jay. You still need someone. Everyone needs someone."
Jaylen felt his tears swelling up in his eyes again. "Go back into the sky where you belong. Go to Heaven."
"I . . . I can't go back to Heaven."
"Because you're bound to me?"
"Yes. It's my duty to be here and protect you."
"Will you say it again?" Jaylen asked. "Say the vow you took that bound you to me."
"I grant you my wings, my bow, and my strength. Every mile you walk, I will fly one farther. Every wound you take, I will suffer one more. Every time you fail, I will fail twice over. I vow myself to you, my paladin, in every breath I take. I am yours to command, to order, and to use for your will. In the name of our beloved and ever-shining Sola, I vow this to you, Jaylen Amalas Corrifus."
Jaylen peeked out of his blankets and took Zeriel's hand. He touched the glowing sigil. "Thank you."
"I deserve no thanks from you, Master. I assure you of that."
"I didn't ask you earlier. Does your sigil hurt?"
"Does yours hurt?"
Jaylen's hand slipped under his robe to touch his smooth chest where his matching sun sigil was. All he felt was comfort. "Not at all."
"Then neither does mine. Get some sleep, Jay. I will be keeping watch over you."
Just as Zeriel stood to leave, Jaylen called out to him. "Zeriel?"
"Yes?"
Jaylen scooted over to make room on the bed. "Will you hold me? You're right. I don't want to be alone."
Zeriel smiled as he joined the boy in bed and held him closely in his arms. "I will be right here for you. No matter what forces we face, we will face them together."
Chapter 2
"Wake up, Master."
Jaylen groaned as he pulled the blanket back over his head to block out the light from the fire blazing in the hearth near the foot of the bed. He was so warm and the thought of getting out of bed to face the cold world around him made him shiver more. It was the last thing he wanted to do.
Angel of Darkness Books 1-5 Page 1