Monsters and Invisible Men (Lost Souls Book 1)

by Amy Barrett

  Zerachiel stopped and looked back over his shoulder. “Do what? Flirt?”

  Ivan shrunk into the collar of his coat. “No.” He shivered and walked past the angel. “Smile in that creepy way.”

  Zerachiel laughed.

  When they got to the room Ivan burst in with all the drama in his voice that he could muster. “Hello don’t fear! Ivan the saviour is here!”. He posed with his arms up in the air in a y shape.

  Abyzou shook her head. She was reclined in a chair, one leg over the arm of it and her head against the wall. “Someday reaper someone will stab you.”

  Ciara moved her hand over her stomach and looked down.

  Zerachiel strode in after him and sat on the windowsill. “Let’s not talk about stabbing people.”

  Ivan dropped out of his pose and went and sat on the bed by Ciara. She grimaced in pain but then smiled at him.

  The chair that Abyzou lounged in rocked when she moved her weight. Zerachiel was perched to the right of her. The window let in the sunlight and it shone on Ivan’s face. Ciara was lying with a drip coming out of her arm and machines linked up to her that were beeping nonstop.

  Ivan closed his eyes against the sun. His face was golden and warm. “Let’s do something. Let’s go streaking.”

  Abyzou yawned and bounced her leg. “I have no desire to see you naked.”

  Zerachiel ran a finger along the window frame. Dust clothed the tip of the finger and he blew it off in one huff. “And Ciara has just been stabbed.” The dust swirled to the floor.

  Ivan lay down beside Ciara. She flushed a bit, but Ivan put it down to sickness and forgot it. “Okay let’s go to the apartment and watch so many movies that we forget that Ciara was stabbed.”

  Abyzou groaned. “We have more important things to do.”

  Ivan decided to ignore her, she was no fun. He looked at Zerachiel and grinned.

  Zerachiel got up and walked to the bed. He hauled Ivan out of it. “Fine as long as you let the patient have the hospital bed.”

  “Oh man handling me,” Ivan said. He poked Zerachiel’s side and chuckled when the angel jumped. “Someone really wanted to do the streaking.”

  Zerachiel rubbed his face. “You know Ivan some people know when to stop talking.”

  Ivan tried to lean on the small table beside him. He didn’t see the wheels on it until it was rolling away and he was wobbling on one leg. He steadied himself. “Well as I see it, it is part of being me to do what others could never.”

  “Like still sound that confident after being outwitted by a table.” Ciara giggled.

  Abyzou stood and rolled her eyes. “Whatever, we need to get out of here so we can make a plan to kill Mephistopheles.”

  Zerachiel glanced into the hallway. “We need someone to come and discharge her.

  Abyzou tore the drip from Ciara’s arm and scowled when she yelped.

  “You angels.” She tugged Ciara into a sitting position and then nodded to Ivan to help her up. “You always do everything by the rules.”

  “That’s why angels are the good guys.” Zerachiel came to Ciara and helped support her. Ivan could smell hospital from Ciara and sweat from Zerachiel, he didn’t love the mixture that it made. He gagged at Abyzou in a melodramatic way.

  “Zerachiel you need to know when to stop playing the good guy.” Abyzou’s eyes fogged over. “You need to know when to stop trying to save everyone.”

  Zerachiel had stopped moving and Ivan nearly knocked Ciara down when he walked too fast. He huffed under her weight. She was heavier than she looked.

  “He is a bader boy than you know,” Ivan said between gasps. He threw more of Ciara’s arm onto his shoulder. “He is a gay angel. Doesn’t get badder than that.”

  ***

  When Nick reached the apartment, no one was home. He did consider that he had gotten the wrong one, but he wasn’t bothered to trek around and look. Besides, this was the address that Abyzou had given him. He waited, finding a seat on the step at the front of the building. It was a tall grey structure with the occasional person moving in and out. It was deserted and the moment of silence was nice. It didn’t last long. Soon he heard the annoying voice of that bloody reaper. He knew it was Ivan because no one else he knew had that much to say.

  Ivan came into view with Ciara on his back. The piggyback was taking its toll and his face was pink and puffy. Zerachiel was to the left of him, jogging and smirking while claiming he couldn’t help. Abyzou was the last one. Nick hated how she stole his breath every time he saw her. He stood up from the step and waved. No one saw him at first, so he started to yell to them. Ivan interrupted him.

  “Hey, its big scary and ugly. How’s it going mate?”

  Nick resisted the urge to snap back at him. “Fine. What about you? Terrorise anymore innocent people?”

  Ivan struggled past him with a sleepy looking Ciara. Her face was squashed against Ivan’s shoulder. His legs were shaking.

  “I am one of those innocent people.” Ivan nodded at the door. Someone on the other side of it opened it for him. “Thanks,” he gasped.

  Zerachiel was right behind him. The angel kept his blue eyes trained on Nick the whole time. Zerachiel’s smile faded on seeing him.

  “Ivan there are a lot of stairs in here,” Zerachiel said.

  Ivan bounced Ciara further up his back. “Where there is a will there is a way.”

  Once Zerachiel had passed through the door, it was only Abyzou and Nick left outside. Nick’s skin started to tingle, and his palms were sweating. He was acutely aware that every time he was alone with her he came closer to doing things he shouldn’t.

  Abyzou walked past his shoulder, rubbing her eyes. Nick caught her by the arm. “I have to ask you something.”

  Abyzou changed quickly. Her eyes were slits and she licked her front teeth. “I can think of one thing I would say yes to.”

  Nick let go of her. He felt that same fire spread from his head down his body and he didn’t want to chance losing focus. Instead, he folded his arms and stepped a safe distance away. “Its not that kind of question.”

  Abyzou rolled her eyes. “Not interested then.”

  Abyzou started to walk away but she stopped when Nick spoke.

  “Is that your real face?”

  There was a silence and Nick feared he had touched on a sore spot and she was going to turn around and cut him open from his chin to the floor. Her shoulders were hiked up and her body was rigid.

  “Can’t you see that for yourself?” Her voice was a whisper, almost swallowed by the morning breeze. She spun to face him with narrowed eyes.

  Nick heard the others yell asking whether the demon was coming up. Abyzou didn’t move. Nick noticed that her lips were pressed together, and her hands were clenched into light fists.

  “Someone told me that demons are ugly.” He began moving closer to her. He had never seen her like this before, guarded but not in total control. She was always collected and smug, but she was different now. “I... as much as I want to ...I don’t think you’re ugly.” Nick hadn’t expected to say exactly what he was feeling but it slipped out.

  Abyzou’s breathing was shallow and she took a step back.

  “Is it true? Are you ugly?” Nick approached her slowly, keeping an eye on her every move. He wasn’t completely sure that she wouldn’t attack him to shut him up.

  For a long time, Nick didn’t think he would get an answer. She was in the shadow of the tall building beside her. Blending in to the grey and dull air, she was hard to focus on. This also made her impossible to read. Nick didn’t know what he was hoping for. If she had hidden her demon face from him what did that mean? He didn’t know what to think and held his breath.

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  Nick was taken aback. “But in hell, you looked just like this.”

  Abyzou’s shoulders tensed up and she glared at him. “You can’t figure that one out? Maybe I overestimated the saviour.” She said the final word with distain.

&nbs
p; “Why? Why bother hiding it?”

  “Maybe I am just that vain.” Her voice rose until some of the passerbys looked at them as they walked on.

  “Why else? It can’t have been for me cause you would surely know I hate you too much to care anyway.” The words came out of Nick’s mouth like machine gun fire. He was riled up and on edge. His nerves were tingling, and he was ready to fight her or tear at her clothes until he felt better. Both seemed possible. A million things mobbed his mind. Dan’s face and his final look at it. The demons taking apart his town and people. His mother’s final moments when he had discovered that she was a demon. Hell, and fire and stone all around. That expressionless stone that had looked right back at him for so long. Most of all her. The demon who haunted the thoughts he refused to have. The woman that excited him more than anyone ever did, who ruined his life when she wasn’t there. She destroyed his will and his need to be good. Nick couldn’t read her face, but he felt the lust that had infected him an unknown time ago. Suddenly he was tired of fighting it, tired of having to be perfect all the time. Guilt made his stomach and chest ache, but he was always in pain, at least when Abyzou was around he could focus on something else. When he was with her he was alive again instead of simply existing.

  He stepped into her space and took her face between his hands. Her skin was cold like steel. He watched her lips and only them and made the move, closing his eyes.

  He felt a gentle press on the middle of his lips. He opened his eyes. The face before him was red and scratched up. Her lips were gone. Her eye sockets were holes and a nerve hung out of one. Like a dying worm, it wriggled and stopped as it pleased. A spike protruded out of the side of her skull, just by the eye socket. Her teeth were broken and jagged and there were too many of them there.

  Abyzou had used her hand to stop Nick’s lips and she watched him intently. She had stopped breathing.

  Nick brought his lips out of her reach. His hand came up and touched her face. It was hard as stone.

  “This is my face,” she said.

  “Reminds me of...”

  “Of what?” Abyzou stepped out of his reach. Her face returned to the beautiful one Nick was used to, dark hair, full lips and glistening eyes.

  “Of my monster,” Nick said.

  Abyzou started and one side of her mouth tipped up.

  Ivan came jogging out the door. Nick turned his back to him and silently cursed him.

  Abyzou rubbed the back of her neck. “What do you want?”

  Ivan slid to a stop in his dressy shoes and caught his breath. “Wondering if you wanna come up and watch the movie.”

  Abyzou nodded and let her hand drop from the back of her neck. “Why not.” She threw Nick a final meaningful look before she went in, the door snapping shut behind her.

  Nick turned to leave, they were obviously not planning at the moment and he could come back later. He pulled up his hood against the sun. It seemed too bright.

  “Hey.” Ivan followed him.

  “What is it?” Nick did not want to listen to any smart alec remarks.

  The breeze blew again and moved the tails of Ivan’s coat. “Aren’t you coming?”

  Nick faced him. The reaper was shifting from one foot to the other and his gaze snapped around to watch everything that passed. Nick thought he should have been tired after bringing Ciara home, but he just seemed to be wired in a way that meant he was always charged.

  “Really? The big, ugly monster?” Nick raised an eyebrow.

  Shrugging, Ivan spun back towards the building. “If you don’t wanna come fine. Just thought it would be nice to do something other than rageing around and killing shit.”

  Nick choked on a laugh. “You will really say anything to anyone.”

  Ivan walked along the cracks in the pavement. He looked like he was on a tight rope. His arms were spread out like wings.

  “Someone needs to say things that assholes need to hear mate.” Ivan reached the end of the line and jumped onto the next one, both feet leaving the ground. He was grinning like a maniac.

  Nick looked down the street. He could see where the road wrapped into the horizon. It was a long way away. Then he looked back at Ivan. The reaper was getting closer to the door. He was swaying trying to stay balanced as he walked.

  Nick turned his back on the road. He could go home later.

  “Ha! I knew you would come.” Ivan started to run to the door. “Come on there are a lot of stairs to run up.” He threw this remark over his shoulder.

  Nick picked up speed to keep up with him. “You know for a dead person you are awfully alive.”

  Ivan chuckled. “Mate, you can’t be dead if you never existed.”

  Nick found this oddly funny. He was reduced to hysterics and thought this was the final sign, he was sure now that he was insane.

  There were five flights of stairs. Nick ran them easy enough and even passed Ivan on the third flight. Ivan lagged behind.

  “Mate,” Ivan gasped. He threw his hand up in defeat. “You win. Wait for me.”

  Nick stopped and leaned over the banister to look at Ivan. The stairs were metal, and the hall was cold. When Ivan spoke, it echoed up the building.

  “Come on.” Nick waved him up. “I don’t know where I am going without you.”

  Ivan was leaned over his knees and breathing deeply. He took three more breaths then pushed himself up.

  When they got to the apartment, both were in stitches. Even Nick was struggling to get a breath past the laughter. Ivan spilled into the room first.

  He fell onto the floor with such a crash that Zerachiel came tiptoeing into the room with his sword drawn. He soon sourced the sound to Ivan.

  “For pitys sake Ivan,” He sheathed the sword and helped Ivan up. “What in gods name are you doing?”

  Ivan took his hand and got up. This was immediately followed by him collapsing into Zerachiel’s arms. “Racing. I won.”

  Zerachiel caught him. “I see. And who were you racing with? You weren’t racing yourself were you?”

  Ivan was set onto the sofa which was a few paces from the door. By this stage Nick had knocked into the room and once Ivan was settled, Zerachiel addressed the door with the sword out again.

  Nick stopped laughing. He held his hands up in surrender. “He was racing me.”

  Zerachiel watched him. The angel’s knuckles were white, with both hands holding the sword. Light hit the blade and stabbed into Nick’s eyes. Zerachiel shifted his weight into his foot closest to Nick and raised his sword a little higher.

  “Hey, mate better luck next time.” Zerachiel froze on hearing Ivan’s voice.

  Nick held his hand up to shield his eyes. “You only won cause you told me the wrong door.”

  Ivan waved his finger in Nick’s direction and shook his head.

  Zerachiel lowered the sword. He silently came to Ivan and crouched down in front of the sofa to face him. “Ciara and Abyzou are in the kitchen. I think Caira wanted you for something.”

  Ivan got to his feet. He was a little unsteady, but he was mostly recovered. “Everyone wants a bit of Ivan. Its a natural instinct.” He stumbled from the room while shouting Ciara’s name.

  Nick sat in the living room chair. It was near the window and Nick watched out of it. A scarft on the back of the chair fell on his shoulders. He had to wrestle it but soon tamed it and set it down. He did his best to keep his dirty shoes off the furry rug in the middle of the floor.

  Zerachiel pinned his eyes on Nick. “Are you friends with Ivan now?”

  Nick wasn’t listening and took a moment to catch up. He scratched his arm. “I don’t know. Depends if I can put up with him.” Nick chuckled a bit but Zerachiel was not sharing the humour.

  Zerachiel set himself down on the sofa where Ivan had been a moment before. He sat straight and towered above Nick who slouched in his chair. “I know he is nice, and he will try and be your “mate”. He will ask you to hang out with him and do mad things because he wants to do those thing
s. He may…” Zerachiel swallowed heavily. “He may even be a friend to you when you need it.” Zerachiel briefly looked down at his hands and Nick wondered if all angels were this concerned about reapers.

  Zerachiel met his eyes again. “But you will not be his friend. You will leave him alone. You can talk to him all you like but keep your distance.”

  Nick boiled over in a split second. “What? You think I will kill him?” He knew he had hurt people in the past and this angel had every right to be scared of him, but he wouldn’t be called a monster by someone who hangs out with demons.

  Zerachiel glared at him. “That is a possibility.” He rubbed his hands together. “But mostly because he will die when he has to go back.”

  Nick’s anger was dampened. Zerachiel was more concerned about Ivan’s feelings than his physical wellbeing. An ounce of jealousy popped into Nick’s head. No one had cared about how he felt in a long time. Once he was there to protect them that was all that mattered. He had a job to do.

  Zerachiel locked gazes with him. His blue irises where watery and rippling. “I need him to have as little to leave behind as possible. I don’t want him to have to let so much go. Do you understand me?”

  Nick gulped. “You know he has already made connections? He won’t want to go back anyway.”

  Zerachiel pressed the side of his knuckle to his lips. “I know. I will help him.”

  Nick would forever be able to see guilt on someone’s face. He had seen it so many times in the mirror that the signs were obvious. Zerachiel was bursting with it.

  Nick was left no more time to consider this. Ivan sped across the room and jumped onto the sofa. This meant he flopped onto Zerachiel’s lap and jabbed his elbow into the angel’s ribs. Zerachiel grunted but held firm. Ivan got comfortable. When he was done, his head was resting on Zerachiel’s thighs.

  He looked upside down at Nick. “So scary guy, what’s it gonna be?”

  Nick scanned the faces of the others. Abyzou was dragging Ciara into the room, moving very quickly for the injured girl. Ciara was smiling tightly.

  Ivan sprung up and nodded to the television. “What should we watch?”