Veiled In Darkness

by Valerie Twombly

  I’m staying connected to you, like it or not. Eli slipped into her mind.

  She smiled. I like knowing you’re there.

  She looked over at Michael and Wraith, who she’d met up with only moments ago. “I’m not sure I’m ready for this, but I don’t see an alternative.”

  “You have to believe you can do this.”

  Ashley spun to face her grandmother. “I wasn’t sure you’d come.”

  Sherease approached her with a grace Ashley had never witnessed before in human or angel. “Of course I would come.” She touched Ashley on the shoulder. “Remember, never doubt yourself or it will cost you dearly. Always remember your heritage, and you will find the strength to accomplish anything. If you believe you are stronger than Lucifer, it shall be.” She moved her hand to Ashley’s cheek. “There is a prophecy that reads: There will come a day when the true one reveals herself; the guilty shall cause the rise of two empires and a new unity.”

  Ashley shook her head. “I don’t understand. What does it mean?”

  “You are the true one. The guilty is Lucifer, and the two empires are angels and demons. It is you who will bring everything together.” Sherease pulled her into a quick hug before releasing her. “It’s time for you to go.”

  She blinked and stared at her grandmother. The words still bounced around in her head, and she wasn’t quite sure what to think about it. It was probably better if she simply went forth and did what she had to do. She’d worry about some prophecy later. She spread her wings, folded them around her, and closed her eyes. Digging deep into her memories, she envisioned the place she had gone when she visited the Seven. Power prickled along her arms, causing her to shiver. When she opened them again, she stood on marble steps and stared toward the gilded doors. Guards stood erect on either side, but she kept herself shielded from their view. Her first order of business was to learn everything she could about Lucifer’s plans.

  With sure footing, she ascended the stairs. Evil cascaded down and swirled around her. It was suffocating and a good indication whoever was inside was most likely the leader. Could it be Lucifer? No, she told herself, which only eased her mind slightly. She’d grown to recognize his stench, and this definitely was not him.

  As she drew closer to the two guards, she hesitated slightly then reminded herself. I am the great-granddaughter of two powerful beings. My great-grandmother is the Maker herself and my great-grandfather is the devil. Nothing can stop me.

  Lifting her chin, she strolled past the guards, her steps as light as feathers, never making a sound. Their gazes continued to stare forward as she passed through the doors like an apparition. Once on the other side, she stopped and looked around. The grand entry appeared the same as it had the day she stood here and waited for the Seven to grant her an audience. The only difference was the evil that crawled across her skin. She had to wonder why she’d not detected it the last time she was here. It was frightening to think the demons had disguised themselves so well.

  Turning, she headed down the corridor, still keeping her steps light. Positive she would find whoever was in charge in one of the opulent rooms toward the back. She wasn’t disappointed when she heard voices in hushed tones. With determined steps, she moved closer to them and opened her senses further until she detected a signature that matched the two guards outside. The only difference—whoever was in that room had far more power.

  She hesitated at the door, placing a palm on the cool surface to detect how many were inside. If her senses were correct, there were at least four. Once again, she walked right through the wooden structure and was only slightly surprised to find her guess had been correct. Four demons sat around a large glass table. One of them pointed to a map and spoke to the demon at the head of the table. He must be the leader.

  She quietly slipped into a chair beside him.

  Eli, they’re looking at some kind of map.

  Can you get a closer look at it?

  Hang on. She leaned in. It appeared to be a state map, and upon further inspection, she noticed the name. It’s a map of Illinois.

  What are they saying?

  I’m not sure, they’re speaking a language I can’t understand. In order for her to decipher it, she’d have to touch one of them. That was going to be tricky. Could she do it and remain undetected? Her talents continued to surprise even her, and she had to believe she was capable of anything. If she didn’t, she’d freak the hell out.

  Try slipping into their thoughts. You should be able to pick up their language pretty fast.

  Oh, why the hell didn’t I think of that?

  Don’t fret, baby. It all comes with age and practice.

  She supposed he was right. There was no possible way she could know everything, and she was thankful to have Eli backing her up. Staring at the demon on the other side of her, Ashley searched for a way in but met with a brick wall. His defenses were solid. She’d have to figure out another way. An idea came to her. While she’d never tried it before, it was worth a shot.

  “Drop your defenses,” she whispered into his ear, searching to see if the others heard her. It didn’t appear they had. The demon next to her gave his helmeted head a jerk, as if trying to ward off a pesky insect. Her curiosity piqued about what these creatures looked like under all the heavy armor. Did they have a soul, she wondered? As far as she knew, every living creature did. She repeated the command and sent out a mental push, hoping this time it worked.

  Bingo!

  The walls of his mind came crashing down. She had to refrain from squealing with delight. With lightning speed, she headed for the part of his brain that controlled speech. Lucky for her, it was in the same place as humans. Within seconds, she’d taught herself a new language.

  Freaking unbelievable. Would the wonders never cease?

  You get it?

  I did. I’m going to hang out a bit and see what I can learn.

  Just be careful and report as soon as you find out anything. She felt Eli slip away, now left to her own devices. Wanting to learn everything, she searched the demon’s memories.

  His name was Drakkar, and he was only a year old. His earliest memories were of waking in some kind of cocoon filled with fluid, and fear had laced through him. He’d been born with all the knowledge needed to fight, kill, and of course obey his commanders. His strength was superior and his mind sharp. He learned everything simply by watching it one time. To her surprise, she saw another side to him. One of compassion, but he kept it buried deep. Fear that he’d end up like his brothers brought out the hardness in him. Compassion was a defect, the devil had shouted, and ordered their deaths.

  To say Ashley was fascinated would be a severe understatement. There was something about him that intrigued her. Something familiar as well as… Was that sadness she detected? The urge to make him remove his helmet had her pushing another command at him. Within seconds, he was pulling off the metal gauntlets to reveal human hands. Strong fingers reached for his helmet and pulled it free.

  She bit back a gasp when black curly hair fell across a strong forehead and into brilliant blue eyes. He certainly didn’t look like she expected, but then what had she expected? A green-eyed monster, perhaps? After all, Michael was a demon. He looked human, but when she was near him, she sensed his demon blood. This one, however, was not a full-blooded demon. What the hell had Lucifer created?

  She pulled herself out of her thoughts, realizing they were speaking again, and this time she understood every word they said. As they pointed at the map, it seemed they were discussing how all the reapers had been summoned to one location. Their plans were to take them all down at once. Something about drugging them. She leaned closer, studying the location on the map. It wasn’t a town she recognized, but all indications said it was a very small community. She held her breath, hoping for more vital information. How were the demons planning to take them down? That little bit of knowledge could be important in helping the angels protect themselves from any further attacks.

&n
bsp; When she was about ready to give up, one of the other demons tossed a vial on the table. The thick, dark liquid inside glowed an iridescent green and caused the container to wobble across the surface. She studied it, wanting to pick it up but knew she’d be discovered. The leader pulled off his helmet, but this one had thick blond hair and green eyes. Still, she couldn’t sense what he was.

  When she contemplated entering his mind, he picked up the vile and rolled it between his fingers, explaining to the others how they would use the contents of the tiny glass jar against the angels.

  Hells bells! This was the drug Devon had created and had been using to make angels fall into the darkness. Lucifer had found a way to make it airborne, and the reapers were going to be the test subjects.

  Ashley shoved back from the table and jumped to her feet. She had to get the message to Eli; she prayed it wasn’t too late.

  Eli! Do you know where all the reapers were summoned to?

  No, we’ve been trying to locate them but something is blocking us.

  Yeah, she’d bet money on Lucifer being behind that. They are in a small town in Illinois called Kirkland. Lucifer intends to test Devon’s drug on them. He has a way to make it airborne.

  Shit!

  You need to hurry up and find them.

  You’re done there, right? There was an edge to his voice.

  I still have work to do here. There’s something about these demons. I just can’t place my finger on it.

  Dammit, I need to know you’re safe.

  I’ll be fine. You have a job to do, and so do I. She swore she heard him grumbling.

  Just be careful. Then he was gone.

  Maybe if she caught Drakkar alone, she’d be able to learn more about him and what they were. As luck would have it, the men rose from the table and filed out of the room. She tailed her demon like a CIA agent would the president.

  Eli faced Tegan and Lyzander. “It’s a fucking trap, just as we suspected but worse.” He was grateful Eva had gone off to round up more Nephilim and wouldn’t be hearing the news.

  “What?” Tegan ground out.

  “Lucifer has made Devon’s concoction airborne, and they intend to test it on the reapers.”

  “Holy fuck. Did she say where they were?” Lyzander pulled out his dagger and began playing with it. An indication he was agitated and ready for battle.

  “Someplace called Kirkland, in Illinois,” he replied.

  Tegan snapped his fingers, and a globe appeared on the table and spun in front of them. When it stopped, all three leaned closer and focused on the flashing name.

  “Let’s go and hope we’re not too late. I’ll summon reinforcements,” Tegan said as he faded away. Eli and Lyzander followed behind him and soon showed up in what he figured was the center of town. The time was well after two in the morning, and the main street was dark except for the lights that lined it. Businesses were closed, not that there were many. A car’s headlights came into view, and they remained cloaked.

  “Do either of you sense anything?” Tegan questioned.

  Eli flared out everything he had. “Not a fucking thing.”

  “Me neither,” Lyzander replied.

  Several more angels, hunters, and warriors began to dot the street.

  Take to the air. Search for anything that looks like it might hold our brethren. I don’t give a shit how small or insignificant it may look. Check out every square, fucking inch of this town and if you have to rip it apart…so be it.

  Everyone followed Tegan’s command and took flight. A ball of lead formed in Eli’s gut. What if they were too late? Even bigger yet. What if Lucifer succeeded? How long would it be before they were all at risk? He shivered at the thought. Lucifer could feasibly take down an entire race of angels with one well-placed detonation.

  Ashley continued to follow Drakkar down an open corridor. He veered off away from the others and headed through an archway that led to an outside garden. She wondered why this building and its surroundings were in such pristine condition, considering what Eli told her had happened here before he left. Did Lucifer have plans to make this his new palace? The thought of his evil marring even one square inch of this place only reinforced what she had to do.

  Her demon stopped at a stone retaining wall and rested his forearms on its ledge. She sidled up next to him and watched with interest as he looked out at the view. When she finally took her focus off of him, to look at what he saw, she noticed the devastation. The ground in the valley below was blackened from fire; the buildings that dotted the landscape were nothing more than charred remains.

  Drakkar sighed. Feelings of sorrow radiated off him, and Ashley decided this was as good a time as any to make her appearance. She slowly released the barrier around her until she was visible. It was only a matter of seconds before he realized she was standing there. His brows drew down as he took two steps backwards.

  “What the hell?”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” She unfurled her wings and wondered if he would recognize her and know what she was. She soon had her answer when his eyes widened.

  “Death.”

  “So you know who I am?” She shot out her senses to make sure no one snuck up behind her.

  “Doesn’t everyone know who you are?”

  She gave a little shrug of her shoulder. “Usually, but I wasn’t sure if you would.”

  Panic suddenly crossed his handsome face. “Are you here to kill me?”

  “No. Why would you think that?”

  He visibly relaxed. “No reason. I’m assuming then, you’re here on Lucifer’s behalf.”

  How to answer that? She’d always believed honesty was best. “May I ask you a question?”

  “Sure, I guess.” He shifted his weight, causing the armor to creak.

  “Who were your parents?” There was no sense in beating around the bush. He seemed slightly taken aback.

  “I don’t know who my parents are.” He lifted a dark brow. “Seems like an odd question to ask.”

  “It’s just that I can’t sense what you are. You look human, but of course I know you’re not.” She tilted her head. “I don’t sense demon either.”

  “Oh, maybe it’s because I’m a Nephalem. My father is an angel and my mother a demon.”

  She never heard of such a thing, but it made sense. After all, Nephilim such as herself were the result of angel and human matings. However, this raised another set of questions. “So you’re saying angels are mating with demons now?”

  He looked away as if uncomfortable. “Well not exactly. It’s my understanding Lucifer uses a lab for his breeding purposes. Otherwise, it would’ve taken him forever to create us.”

  Everything was beginning to make sense now. The more angels that fell into the darkness, the wider the DNA base was. This would be necessary, especially if he thought some of his army was faulty. Which brought her to her next question. “What bothers you, Drakkar? I sense you’re unsettled.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.” He made eye contact and steeled his shoulders as if to prove he was bigger than life and nothing bothered him.

  It was time for her to make her move. “Since you know who I am, surely you must know what I’m capable of. Do you remember back in the other room, the strong urge you had to remove your helmet?”

  His eyes widened.

  She grinned. “I commanded you to do so. Yes, Drakkar, I was in your head.” To send her point home, she let loose her power, allowing it to cascade off of her skin and surround them both. “I sense you don’t wish to die.”

  “No.” His lips pressed into a thin line.

  “Then give me your honesty. I promise, I’m the only one asking. Lucifer will never hear your answers.”

  He swallowed. “What his army does isn’t right.”

  “You mean killing the angels?”

  “Yes.” He nodded. “And the humans.”

  “Yes, it’s wrong. Do others feel the same as you?” She held her breath, no
t sure how he would answer. After all, he had no reason to trust her, and she could be setting him up along with his brethren.

  Seconds ticked by before he finally replied. “Yes.”

  So, Lucifer’s army did indeed have a defect. Well, at least by his standards, but to her this was perfect. An open door for her to step through and take control. “Drakkar, you don’t have to fight the war that requires you to kill angels or humans. Pledge your loyalty to me, and I will see to it that Lucifer’s reign of terror ends.” She dropped the wall around her mind, allowing him to see her sincerity. She realized it was a huge risk, and it could backfire on her. However, her gut told her to trust him.

  Time ticked by with no indication as to what he was thinking. She was capable of searching his thoughts, but this time invading his privacy felt wrong so she waited. Finally, he shuffled his feet.

  “What will be expected of me should I choose to serve you?”

  Oh hell, not a question she had an answer to since she didn’t really know what was expected of her. Again, honesty needed to be her policy. “I don’t know really, and serve is a poor choice of words. You’re not a slave, Drakkar. You may choose to live your life in whatever way makes you happy, so long as it’s not killing innocents.”

  “I sense good in you, but Lucifer will kill us both.”

  “Perhaps, but fate says I’m to stop his madness.”

  He laughed. “You think you can best the demon king? He is powerful and cunning with an agenda to rule the world.”

  She took in a deep breath because she was about to go out on the limb of a dead tree, and she only hoped it held her weight. “Drakkar, I’ve already had him running scared. If I can command his army, then I’ve won.”

  He arched a thick brow. “And who are your parents, Death?”

  “My father is an angel and my mother was human.” Nothing like being vague.

  “You ask me to follow a Nephilim? Your heritage makes no sense. Why were you chosen to become Death?”