by Cameo Renae
Broken Wings
Book Two of The Hidden Wings Series
By Cameo Renae
This Book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, duplicated, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Published by Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing
Text Copyright 2013 by Cameo Renae
Cover by Mae I Designs
Dedication
This book is dedicated to all of my readers. To all of those who have entered my crazy dream world and brought my adventures and characters to life. Thank you for your kind words of encouragement, and for your enthusiasm. You make writing such an enjoyable experience, and I hope you’ll stick around for more. Just remember to buckle up.
And as always…a special thank you to my beta readers, Karla Mathis Bostic, Kimberly Royals Belden, Heather Adams, and to my editor, Sarah Davis, who have taken the time to scour through my writing and make it shine. I love you ladies!
Chapter 1
My sweaty palms clasped over my face as I blacked out and fell to the floor with a thud. I felt nauseous and overwhelmed as everything hit me at once, spinning out-of-control in the whirlwind of what had now become my life.
Everything that had happened over the past few days suddenly flashed before me. The car crash which killed my parents, finding out they weren’t my birth parents, barely surviving the accident myself, healing at an astounding rate, Kade and all the bewildering feelings associated with him, finding out who my birth parents were, and lastly… the Darkling and Fallen Angels who were trying to kill me.
My birth mother, Alaine, is what they call a Nephilim… half-human, half-angel. My birth father, Samuel, is a Pureblood…a Fallen Angel. Everyone thought he was murdered by the Fallen for breaking the law. There is a binding angelic law, which applies to both Angel and Fallen, a law that clearly states that a Pureblood can only mate with a Pureblood. Break this law, and the penalty is death.
Because Alaine is a Halfbreed, their relationship is highly forbidden. So, when someone found out and ratted on them to one of the Fallen leaders, Samuel was sentenced to death. But somehow he survived, and after a long recovery he returned to the mortal world. No one knew he was alive because he stayed hidden to keep Alaine safe.
Last night, he and his best friend Danyel were captured by the Fallen for trying to protect me. I was just trying to stay alive, and help my Guardians attempt to rescue Caleb, a mortal boy who was left in Alaine’s care. One of the Darkling kidnapped him and offered him in exchange for me. My life has been one messed up, twisted nightmare since I arrived in this place called Alaska.
Why is this all happening?
Because Lucian, one of the elders of the Fallen, is a psychopath on a power trip. His friend/ally was killed by a Nephilim, so he vowed to have every last one on the planet executed. It was their fault for messing with the power of the Nephilim to begin with. So now, because of that one stupid act, Alaine and I have supposedly become the last surviving Halfbreeds. Or, at least she is.
I am something a little different. Something which had never existed until now… half-Nephilim and half-Pureblood, and the Pureblood part of me was that of a Fallen Angel.
The full extent of what I would become would be revealed when I turned eighteen, and whatever it was, was making me a target. They say that I could very well become something greater and stronger than the Angels themselves, if in-fact, I was “the one”.
The Midway, a place where Guardians await their missions, sent six of their best to protect Alaine once they heard of Lucian’s murderous plot. Those Guardians included Kade, Malachi, Dominic, Alexander, Thomas, and James.
James was Alaine’s personal Guardian, but tonight they all risked their lives, time and time again, to save us.
Right now, we are trapped in a deep underground bunker, and outside is crawling with the Fallen and Darkling who were ordered to kill us.
Kade managed to escape, and was trying to get back to the Midway for help. I can only pray for his safety and hope he’ll come back soon. I can’t stop thinking about him, and know I won’t until he returns.
The evil that lurks right outside hasn’t found a way in, but we all know that it’s just a matter of time.
Malachi’s eyes are fixed on a small screen which gives him access to see what was going on outside. There are six different camera views and every one, now and then, flashes a Darkling, still desperately trying to find a way in.
There’s no sign of the Fallen, but they’re smart. They use the Darkling to do their dirty work. We all knew they were still out there, waiting until their pawns found a way in, or waiting for us to come out.
I glance at Alaine through the bedroom doorway. She looks weary, and is still trying to keep Caleb stable and alive. Her hands are covered with blood, but she is still unwavering in her tasks, because Caleb is mortal. He cannot heal quickly like the rest of us.
James, her Guardian, is at her side, assisting her. I could tell they’ve worked a lot together, because whenever she calls for a medical instrument, he immediately hands it over.
Caleb and his sister Courtney were taken in by Alaine after their mother passed away. Earlier tonight, he was kidnapped, but we did manage to rescue him and bring him to safety. When everything seemed clear, he returned with a few of the Guardians, back to Alaine’s home to check on his younger sister, Courtney. On the way, they were attacked by the Fallen, and now his life is dangling by a thread.
Danyel is in the room next to them, but his door has been shut since he stepped inside. He and Samuel were captured, and badly beaten by the Fallen. I don’t see any light in the crack of the doorway, so I’m assuming that he’s sleeping.
Sleep. I don’t think I’ll know the meaning of that word for a while.
**********
“Damn, those stinking evil bastards!” Malachi yelled, pounding his fist on the table. “They just took out one of our cameras!”
He was referring to the Darkling, because they stink like the crap holes they drug themselves out of. And when I say stink… it’s an indescribable stink which burns your nostrils and makes your eyes water.
“Hey, are you alright?” Dominic asked, kneeling down beside me. “You hit that floor like a ton of bricks.”
“Yeah, I just-” I couldn’t speak. The sudden rush of tears which flowed from my eyes became my answer. It was all too much to bear.
“Hey, it’s alright, Emma. Don’t worry about the floor. It’s fine,” Dominic jested. He offered me his hand, pulled me up off the floor, and then assisted me to one of the couches. I sank down into the fluffy beige cushions, and pulled a throw blanket over me. “You should really get some sleep.”
“He’s right, Emma. There’s nothing we can do but wait.” The voice was coming from Samuel, my father. Just the thought… my father… seemed so completely odd.
I quickly wiped my face dry and took in a deep breath.
Samuel walked over and joined us in the living room, plopping down on the other couch. As he landed he winced in pain. He’d broken a few ribs from his recent encounter with the Fallen, but he still managed to smile to try and cover the pain. Earlier tonight was the first time he and I were formally introduced. We’d met a few times, but I never knew who he was, and he was knocked out when we arrived here. His room had now become the operating room.
“I guess I’ll be sleeping out here tonight,” he said.
“No, please tak
e the last room. You need it much more than I do. I’m going to stay out here tonight,” I answered. Samuel deserved a warm bed, especially with his injuries.
Just then, I realized how little I knew about him. I knew absolutely nothing besides his name and that he was my birth father. There were so many unanswered questions… seventeen years’ worth of them.
“No. I can’t take your room, Emma,” he replied. I knew he was just being polite.
“Suit yourself. I’m already stuck in a comfortable position, so that comfortable bed in there will be totally wasted.”
“You’re too kind, Emma, even though I know you’ve done it on my account.”
“I’m not. I swear. I really want to be out here anyway. I like the couch. It’s much softer than the bed,” I said with a smile.
The real reason I wanted to be on the couch was because I wanted to be close to the door, just in case Kade came back with reinforcements. I had to know that he was okay.
“Thank you, Emma. I appreciate it,” Samuel said. He slowly rose off of the couch, and then walked over and gave me a quick kiss on the top of my head. I wondered if he knew the real reason I was staying.
“You’re welcome,” I said, returning his smile. “Good night.”
“Good night, sweetheart.” He shuffled off into the room and snapped the door shut behind him.
Malachi was on watch, and his eyes were glued to the rest of the working monitors.
My mind was focused on one thing… Kade.
Where was he?
Was he safe?
Had he made it to the place they called the Midway, or was he captured, or hurt?
Would he be bringing help?
As those thoughts ran through my mind, so did the memories of my parents. My mortal parents. I missed them so much that the thought instantly torched my heart. Before the full pain began to set in, Malachi spoke.
“Don’t worry, Emma. Kade will be fine,” he said, as if he could read my mind.
“How far is the Midway?”
“There is a porthole about 80 miles away.”
“Porthole?” I asked then realized what he just said. “Wait! Did you just say EIGHTY miles away?”
“Yes, on both accounts. There are portholes set up across the earth, which transport us to and from the Midway, and to the Otherworlds. It’s mostly for those who don’t have wings.”
“Yet! We don’t have wings…yet,” Dominic butted in. He wandered back to the kitchen table with a handful of medical supplies, attempting to tend to his own injuries.
“I thought all Angels had wings?” I questioned.
“Not all. Guardians, like us, don’t have wings. Eventually, if we move up in ranks, we will earn our wings; but some spend their eternity without them.”
“Why wouldn’t they give Guardians wings?” I asked.
“Because Guardians are sent into the mortal world, and they need to blend in and look as human as possible. Showing our wings to mortals is forbidden, so as not to be tempted to show them off, the Guardians aren’t given any. Yes, we are damn good looking, a lot more than the mortal population, but that can’t be helped. It’s all part of the total Angelic package,” Dominic chimed. I heard echoes of laughter from Malachi and Alexander.
“Sure. Whatever,” I said, rolling my eyes.
Dominic knew how to lighten the mood of a room. His snarky, pride-filled charm was one of his best traits, along with his good looks and perfect physique. He had mastered his game, but who wouldn’t after being alive for hundreds of years?
As much as Dominic was what humans call a “lady’s man”, he wasn’t really my type. Then again, I really wasn’t sure what my “type” was. I’d never really had a boyfriend, and never really cared until I was zapped by Kade. Even then, I still wasn’t sure what was up with that.
There was definitely a connection between us, but I had no clue how or why until a few hours ago. Samuel and Alaine told me that they had the same connection, and from what little information I gathered from them, it meant that Kade and I were somehow bonded.
That was madness, because even with our unbelievably strong connection, there was no way we could ever be together. Kade was a Pureblood, and I wasn’t. I didn’t want the same thing to happen to him that happened to Samuel. The last thing I wanted was for him to be sentenced to death because of me.
Malachi turned to me with an exasperated look. “Emma, like I said before, Kade knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s been in these kinds of situations many times before, and if anyone can get to the Midway without being detected, it would be him. He’s the fastest of all of us, and I’m sure he’ll be back soon. Hopefully with reinforcements. Just get some sleep. If anything happens…I’ll wake you.”
Wow. Malachi was actually being nice to me. I knew he had it in him, but he liked to play the mean, bad-boy. I don’t think he showed many others his nicer side, and that was fine with me. I could play along. At least now I could rest, knowing that I’d be alerted if anything did happen.
“Thanks,” I said. It seemed like hours before my mind finally settled, and sleep found me. And as I slept…I dreamt.
*****
I was suddenly shrouded in darkness and couldn’t see anything around me. I stepped forward into what felt like soft, wet sand and began to sink.
“Help! Help me!” I screamed. I couldn’t move because my feet were tightly suctioned into what I could only imagine as quicksand. Suddenly, a pair of eyes started glowing in the darkness just in front of me. They were kind, beautiful, and very familiar. They were Kade’s unmistakable hazel eyes.
“Kade!” I shouted. “Kade, please help me!” But the eyes didn’t move. They stayed put, staring at me with a look of sadness and concern.
Why wasn’t he helping me?
“Kade? Kade?”
I began to question if it was really him.
My body was steadily sinking into the thick gunk below, and there was nothing I could do about it. I was now knee deep, and dared not move a muscle in fear that I’d sink even faster.
Suddenly, another set of eyes appeared next to the beautiful hazel ones, but these eyes sent a spine-shivering wave of fear through me. It must have been their color, because they were blood red, and blazed with fire.
I tried to reach out toward the glowing hazel eyes, but I was now waist deep. I stretched out my hand, but the hazel eyes seemed to be getting further and further from me.
“Kade, don’t leave me!” I screamed, but in an instant the beautiful eyes shut, and disappeared into the darkness.
Fear gripped my entire being. The red eyes were the only ones that remained. They were now directly in front of me, watching. Then the strangest thing happened. The longer I stared into those red eyes, the more I started to feel like there was something hidden behind them. The burning gaze that was fixed on me actually looked concerned.
I was now shoulder-deep and could barely breathe, but managed to keep my arms out. The thick muck gripped my chest tightly, slowly constricting it. I reached my hand out towards the red eyes, and felt something grasp it…
“Wake up! It’s Kade! Hurry!” A panicked voice yelled, yanking me from my sleep. I sat up, breathless, my heart frantically beating. I was trying to focus, when suddenly, all the lights clicked on.
Malachi was at the front door yanking it open. Dominic and Alexander ran to assist him. As soon as the door swung open, Kade fell limp into Malachi’s arms, and all I saw was red. Dominic and Alexander pushed around them and ran down the tunnel with their weapons in hand.
“Kade? Kade? Hey man! Are you with me?” Malachi said, shaking him. He quickly carried him to the couch across from me. Kade’s only answer was a groan, but his eyes remained closed.
“What the hell happened to him?” I gasped, frozen in place. He looked like he was badly injured.
I suddenly snapped myself from terror in front of me, and jumped up off the couch. I knelt at Kade’s side and held his hand in mine. It felt very cold and weak. Then a mo
st horrifying realization hit me like a brick.
I was touching him, and there was no heat… no surges… no feelings of euphoria… nothing!
“Oh my God! Something’s wrong with him! He can’t die, right? Tell me he can’t die!” Hot tears welled in my eyes as I looked at Malachi for answers. Something was VERY wrong. I couldn’t feel Kade and it scared the hell out of me.
“We cannot die unless our heads are cut off, or our hearts are pierced with an immortal blade, or ripped out,” Malachi answered.
“But why isn’t he responding?” I couldn’t tell what kind of injuries he had, because he was covered with blood.
“I don’t know. Maybe his injuries are too extensive for him to heal quickly enough. I’ve never seen an Angel in this bad of a condition. Especially, Kade. He’s too quick for someone to have beaten the shit out of him like this,” Malachi breathed.
I was even more worried, knowing that Malachi was this concerned.
Dominic and Alexander came back in and secured the door.
“It’s clear. Kade was the only one who made it through,” Alexander announced.
“Alaine! Alaine!” Malachi yelled. Her door was still shut, but within a few seconds it swung open.
“Yes?” she responded from the room where Caleb was still under her watchful care.
“We need your help in here! Now!” he answered. I heard Alaine quickly giving instructions to James, and then she exited the room.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. Her eyes suddenly caught and steeled onto Kade’s lifeless body on the couch. She gasped and hurried over to us. I moved out of the way so she could get to him. Her eyes furrowed as she checked his pulse. “Malachi, help me get his shirt off.”
Malachi lifted his upper body while Alaine tugged his shirt over his head and dropped it on the ground. Kade moaned, but he was still unconscious. There were two noticeable puncture wounds in his chest. Noticeable, because blood was constantly flowing out of them. He also had a deep gash on his right shoulder.