by Cameo Renae
“Dominic, bring me my medical bag! Quickly!” Alaine yelled. In seconds Dominic was at her side, passing her the bag. She quickly opened it and started pulling out supplies. She took a syringe and vial of fluid, and pushed it into Kade’s arm, then started to clean out his wounds. He moaned again, but his eyes were still shut.
Alexander went into the kitchen to watch the monitors.
“What happened to him?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I saw him on the monitor entering the tunnel, but didn’t see what happened before that,” Malachi answered.
“Were there any others?”
“None that we know of. He showed up alone.”
“Where’s his vial?” Alaine asked in an urgent tone.
“He keeps it in his right pocket,” Malachi answered, with narrowed eyes.
“Get it and pour some into his mouth, right now,” she asked, cleaning out one of the deeper wounds on his chest.
“Why? It doesn’t work on Immortals… only humans,” he responded, confused.
“I know that. Something’s happened to him. I don’t understand how, or why, but right now…Kade is human.”
“What?!?” The room exploded with gasps, confusion, and murmurs.
“Look,” she said, tilting his head to the side. She pushed the hair back from behind his ear, revealing nothing. His mark was gone. There was nothing, not even a scar.
I’d never really seen Kade’s mark, so I didn’t know what I was looking for. From what I learned, each Angel was born with a special mark, a mark that was unique to them alone. Their insignia. It was that mark which distinguished them from all others.
The room fell silent. Malachi, Dominic, and Alexander stared sadly at their wounded brother, who was now barely holding onto life.
Could Alaine be right? Was Kade really human? And if he was…how?
It was difficult to watch him lying there, quiet and still, beaten and barely hanging on. Just a few hours ago he was strong, fearless, and full of life - slaying demons and saving my life. He was my hero, my Knight-in-Shining-Armor.
“Just do it Malachi, and hurry,” Alaine scolded.
Malachi must have been in shock over her last words. He quickly snapped from his thoughts, reached into Kade’s pocket, and pulled out the blue vial. He twisted the top off, lifted his head a little, and poured half of its contents into Kade’s mouth. Kade coughed a bit, but swallowed. A few seconds later, he groaned, and his eyes popped open. They were red and glazed over, filled with pain and confusion.
“Kade,” Alaine nudged. His eyes suddenly rolled back and then closed again.
“We need to get him stabilized so we can get some answers from him.” Alaine looked worried, and her eyes looked weak and weary. She also looked like she was going to pass out.
“How is our perimeter?” Malachi called to Alexander, who made his way back into the kitchen and was watching the monitors.
“Fine so far. I don’t think they saw where he came in. He was probably injured taking out the ones that were near the entrance because there is blood splattered all over the walls. Right now, I can only see about three Darkling wandering around the outside, but they look completely lost. Frickin’ idiots. There are no signs of the Fallen, and I’m pretty sure the Darkling won’t find the entrance anytime soon. We should be safe, at least until morning.”
“The Fallen are definitely out there, waiting. We just need to be ready in case they do find the way in,” Malachi answered.
“If they do, I’ll know and will alert the rest of you. I’ll make sure to wake all of you if there’s any action,” he chimed, wiggling an air horn in his fingers.
“Yes, don’t forget to keep your weapons close,” Alaine said with concern.
I spent the next few hours watching her carefully stitch and bandage Kade’s wounds. I didn’t move an inch. I just sat still, watching her fingers work like magic. She toiled, tediously and tirelessly, until her work was finally complete, and when it was…it was perfect. She definitely knew what she was doing.
“Nothing vital was punctured, so he should be fine after lots of rest,” she whispered loudly enough so I could hear. I glanced up at her, and a half smile grew on her weary face. “Malachi, could you please take Kade into the middle room? Danyel is in there now, but it’s closer and will be easier for me to go in between, to check-up on both Caleb and Kade. I hope Danyel doesn’t mind.”
“Sure,” he answered.
“And please give him one more dose from the vial before you leave.” He nodded and carefully lifted Kade.
A few minutes later, Danyel stumbled out of the room carrying an extra blanket and pillow. He looked horrible, like he’d just been awakened from the dead. He must have been out cold, because he didn’t move with all the commotion that happened earlier.
His black hair was disheveled and the whites in his eyes were a bright red, but he seemed to be fine with crashing on the couch across from me. He plopped down on his back, threw his hands behind his head, and stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment. I wasn’t sure if I should try and make conversation, but I wanted to at least say thanks to him…for saving my life earlier.
I waited a few minutes, in complete silence, before I finally built up enough nerve.
“I didn’t get a chance to say thank you, you know, for saving my life tonight. You didn’t have to do what you did. You put yourself in danger for me, and for that…Well, I just wanted to say…thank you,” I said softly.
A smile grew on his face, and after a minute or so, he flipped over to his side and faced me.
“I did what I had to so you could get free, not for you to come right back into the middle of danger,” he chuckled.
“I know, but it wasn’t my idea...well, sort of. They were all going in for Caleb, and didn’t want to leave me behind. Alaine insisted that I go with them, but it was my idea to go in alone. It seemed like a great idea at the time, but once I left the others I started to doubt myself. I just figured that if I could get Lucian and the Darkling’s attention on me, they wouldn’t be ready for an attack. I realized it was a risk, but we didn’t have much of a choice.”
“Well, it was a very dangerous decision. Your father and I were ready to die, and you…well, you could have easily been killed. I could see it in Lucian’s eyes. The marks on the back of your neck had completely confounded him. It was something that he’d probably never seen before; something that has only been talked about…until now.”
“Angels only have one mark?”
“Yes, and it’s always behind their right ear.”
“They are all different?”
“Yes, except for the case of the Nephilim. The Nephilim are given the mark of their Pureblood parent, and their marks are on the back of their neck, at the base of the skull. But because you have a Nephilim mother, and a Pureblood father, you were given both Samuel and Alaine’s marks. I have never seen Alaine’s mark, but whatever Lucian saw, brought a bit of fear into his eyes.”
That had me confounded. I wondered if Alaine knew who her birth father was.
“Will you tell me the story behind the prophecy?” I questioned.
“Sure,” he exhaled, “but there’s really not much more to tell you, than what I already have.”
I sat up on the couch, eager to hear more. I didn’t care if I’d heard it a thousand times before…I wanted to hear about ancient prophecy, which was supposedly about me, and why I was a target.
Maybe there was something that I missed. Something I could gain from hearing it again. I was now living a completely different life than I was a few days ago, a life where I was now being hunted.
Alexander and Malachi were in the kitchen with their eyes glued to the security monitors, and Dominic was passed out at the kitchen table. Alaine was going in between Kade and Caleb’s rooms, with James assisting her. Samuel, who had taken my room, must have been sleeping because the light that had been shining under the doorway earlier was now off.
Danyel was stari
ng at the ceiling with a distant look in his eyes, a look of rewinding past events in his life trying to get to the one that pertained to the prophecy. He sucked in a deep breath and began.
“It was hundreds of years ago, when a Demon Seer had a vision. In that vision he saw a child. A child born with a double mark. A child born of both Pureblood and Nephilim, with a power so great, that it superseded those of any other Immortal. After the child’s transformation was complete, it would have to choose a side. Darkness or light. And whatever side it chose, would have the power to rule.
“Could you imagine what’s running through Lucian’s mind right now? He was standing right next to the child with the double mark. The child that could make him the most powerful being in the Otherworlds, next to God himself.”
I sat there in awe and suddenly realized that my mouth was gaping wide open, so I snapped it shut.
“That is soooo crazy,” I said in a complete zone. I realized I sounded like a child. But pfffft. What did they expect? I was only seventeen and just learned I wasn’t completely human. That humanity was actually the smallest part of my genetic make-up.
“The Seer was talking about you, Emma. You are that child. The child of the prophecy. You are one of a kind, and there has never been another born like you. I’m almost certain, that by now, Lucian has figured out the meaning of your mark. If I’m correct, he will stop at nothing to capture you, and force you to become a slave under his will. He’s cruel, evil, and craves power like a drug. He is determined to rule the Underworld, and if he cannot get you to conform to his will, then he will stop at nothing to kill you, and everyone that you love. His philosophy is, and has always been…if he can’t have you, no one will.”
HOLY HELL! That was one crazy pill to swallow. Actually, I didn’t think that any amount of water, or efforts of swallowing, could get this massive pill to go down. Not easily anyway. Me, who had just turned seventeen, a girl who dreamt of one day kissing a boy, attending prom, graduation, and parties... was now on Hell’s Top Wanted List???
The hottest fashions, manicures, hairstyles, sleepovers, and hanging out with friends were out. That was my old life. My new life would most likely consist of choosing a comfortable pair of running shoes, and learning how to shoot a gun and swing a sword. The only perks of this new life was getting to hang out with gorgeous, kick-ass Guardians, and my birth parents.
“You don’t have to worry, Emma. You have a great team of Guardians surrounding you. The Midway sent their best to protect you and Alaine, and I know they will fight, even until their last breath to keep you alive. As for your father and I…well, we have now joined in this particularly complicated crusade. This will be an exciting new journey for the both of us; keeping you alive and safe until your eighteenth birthday.” His smiling eyes were comforting. Danyel was very handsome, and now that he had showered and shaved, he looked in his mid-twenties. His long, onyx hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, and his dark-brown eyes almost looked black. The muscles on his arms were defined, as they were on the rest of his tall frame. I wondered how old he really was.
“Thank you,” I breathed. There was so much more I wanted to know, so much more I wanted to ask, but the next question that just seemed to pop out was, “so, how did you meet Samuel?”
I still felt a little uncomfortable referring to him as my father, because I’d only found out who he was just a few hours ago. Yes, I had his genetics, but I really didn’t know much about him, aside from the fact that he was a Fallen Angel. He did save my life a few times, which was a HUGE plus.
“Well,” he began, “after the Fall most of us trained to become warriors. There were a few that stuck out and were given rank, and your father was one of them. I was a bit younger than he was, and was given to him to mentor. Your father became my partner, my best friend, and taught me everything I know about fighting and survival.
“Together we were undefeated, and accomplished every task we were given. We were, what the mortals would call, bad asses.” A large grin grew on his lips. “We were born to fight, and were well trained. It was in our blood, and something we knew we’d do for the rest of our lives. But after the centuries passed by, we began to question our motives and what we were fighting for. It seemed that everything we were fighting for was in vain.
“We fought against Angels who were once our brothers over human souls and dominion over the earth. It’s been a never-ending war. Although Immortals can be killed, it is very difficult to do. Angels are skilled and train exactly like the Fallen. Once together, now divided… we fought amongst ourselves. It all became tiresome and fruitless. If I could go back, I would have stayed in Heaven, and I know your father feels the same. We were banished for all eternity: once we chose, we could never go back.”
“Never?” I breathed.
“Never,” he sadly echoed.
“Well, now that you are assisting the good guys, maybe they’ll take that into consideration. That should count for something…shouldn’t it?”
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that. We are outcasts, and have killed hundreds of Heaven’s Angels. There is no way we could ever make it back in.”
“Well, I think you should ask. If I ever meet God, I will make it a point to put in a good word for you. It wouldn’t hurt to try. If they say no, you can always go rogue like Lucian.”
Danyel laughed out loud.
“What! What?” Dominic snapped. He jumped to his feet from a deep sleep. His eyes were bloodshot, and he was holding his hand out like he had his weapon in it, but it was empty.
Danyel rolled with even more with laughter, and Malachi and Alexander joined him.
“Dom, go back to sleep. Emma and Danyel are having a conversation,” Malachi scolded.
Dominic ambled over to us, grabbed a throw pillow from the couch, and plopped down in a corner of the room. “Keep the noise down please! Some of us are trying to recover,” he slurred, his voice muffled by the pillow. In less than a minute, he was out cold and snoring.
“He’s right. We all need our rest so we can heal,” Danyel said, rolling onto his back. “Goodnight, Emma. It was a pleasure meeting you again and getting to know you a little better,” he said, turning his head to me with a smile.
“Goodnight,” I answered.
“Goodnight!” Dominic yelled. We all turned to look at him, but his face was to the wall.
“What the hell, Dom?” Alex blurted. “Just go to sleep!”
Everyone laughed for a moment, and then the room fell eerily silent.
The rest of the night was spent tossing and turning. I couldn’t help but think about Kade, and what happened to him.
Human?
Was it even possible for an Angel to become human?
He must have really pissed someone off in the higher authorities, because he didn’t even come back with reinforcements. And now, we were on our own, still trapped underground.
All these questions and more bombarded my brain. I laid there, listening to the not-so-wonderful symphony of the Guardian’s snoring. I guess snoring wasn’t only something mortals did. It seemed to be universal.
I laid in the dark for what seemed like hours, while constant questions and thoughts swirled in my mind. I don’t know how, or when, but sometime during the night, I finally passed out.
Chapter 2
“Why the hell would you do something so frickin’ stupid like that?” someone quietly shouted, waking me from the sleep I so desperately searched for and finally found.
“I agree. That was a pretty stupid move, bro. I can’t believe you did that, and for a girl?” That was Alexander.
“You don’t understand,” Kade rebutted.
“Hey! Hey! Everyone quiet down. What’s done is done, and we can’t do anything about it. We just need to figure out what our next move is,” Alaine snapped.
I wiped the sleep from my very dry eyes, and pushed myself up a bit to see what all the commotion was. Everyone, except for Caleb and Samuel, was gathered around th
e kitchen table. Kade was seated at the head, his face buried in his hands. My heart began to beat a little faster, and my stomach twisted happily inside.
He was alive! Thank God he was alive, despite the fact that he looked very weak and pale. Why was he out of bed?
“Why didn’t the Midway send any backup?” Malachi growled.
“They said our situation was something they couldn’t be directly involved in. They weren’t given permission, and that came directly from the top. This is something that needs to be settled between the Fallen. Whatever dispute there is between Lucian and Lucifer must be settled by them.”
“Ephraim, the head of the Midway, told me that our best bet is to go directly to Lucifer himself. His fire for revenge will be rekindled once he learns there is a way to get back at Lucian,” Kade said.
“And how is Lucifer supposed to hear out about our predicament?” Dominic asked.
“Obvious. Go to Hell, Dom,” Danyel interjected.
Dominic stood to his feet and glared at Danyel. “What did you just say to me?”
“I said…GO TO HELL… and that’s exactly what we need to do. We need to make a plea to Lucifer. If we can get him to see what Lucian is doing, then he might want a piece of the action, and be a part of it. Lucifer has been waiting for a chance to get back at Lucian, and this just might be it. This might be our only hope,” Danyel responded.
“I would never send any of my boys into Hell, or risk any of their lives,” Alaine said firmly. There was an obvious strain in her voice. “Besides, none but human souls or Fallen are allowed to enter Hell.”
“Exactly!” Kade exclaimed.
His weak eyes glanced up at Alaine, and she stared sadly back at him. She sighed and nodded slightly, like she understood whatever he was trying to say.
“So, that’s why you did it?” Dominic said sympathetically, patting Kade on the shoulder. “It was still a dumb move, bro.”
“I had to,” Kade said in a quieted tone. “I’m her Guardian, and it’s my duty to protect her.”
“But you’re no good to her being human,” Malachi blurted. His voice was concerned.