Kat Redding 03 - Blessed by a Demon's Mark

by E. S. Moore

  The only sounds came from outside. A burst of laughter nearby caused me to jump and I nearly shot the wall. It took me a moment to realize I was facing the alleyway, and that someone had probably strolled down it, oblivious to the dead body only a few feet away.

  I swallowed with some difficulty and looked for my payment. There was no briefcase or envelope anywhere beside the body, and I wasn’t about to rifle through his pockets. The money wasn’t important to me anyway. I was more worried about what Baset would think when she found out her man was dead. I was sure it was him, though I had no way of confirming it.

  Without waiting a moment longer, I hurried back to Jeremy’s car. The kids outside the gas station were gone, replaced by a big guy in a trucker’s hat. He was smoking and staring across the road. His eyes fell on me as I all but ran out of the building. He gave me a wide smile, but it faded quickly when he saw my gun. He snuffed out his cigarette on the wall and hurried away.

  My heart was pounding as I got into the car. Everyone seemed to be a likely suspect. Could those kids have done it? The trucker? I had no way of knowing.

  I started the car up, certain I would feel the bite of the syringe at any moment. One little pinch and I’d be done for.

  The night had suddenly become a whole hell of a lot more dangerous.

  The Left Hand was here.

  23

  I almost couldn’t see to drive. The Left Hand, a group of Purebloods who stalked the night injecting silver, blood thinners, and some other unknown ingredient into were and vamp veins, were in Columbus. I’d felt the bite of the syringe before. I’d seen the serrated knife the woman had planned on cutting my throat with. She might have been crazy, spouting off religious nonsense, but I couldn’t deny the fact that she’d been dangerous.

  And now there were more of them here.

  I couldn’t help but wonder if I was responsible. I’d killed the woman we’d captured, tore her throat out with my bare hands when she antagonized me at the worst possible moment. Had the others come looking for her? Have I condemned the city to their slaughter?

  Of course I knew they were going to show up eventually. Davin, the vampire the Luna Cult was holding in their basement, had told me this day would come when I’d last talked to him. He’d lived it before, had barely escaped with his life. It wasn’t because of me they were here. They’d planned it all along.

  Still, I couldn’t help but feel responsible. Maybe if I’d had better control of my rage, things would have turned out differently somehow.

  I considered heading for the Luna Cult Den. Jonathan would need to know about this. He could warn his wolves to be more careful, to be on the lookout for anyone with a crazed look in their eye, wielding a syringe, stalking the streets in search of weres and vamps.

  I knew it wouldn’t be that obvious, but I couldn’t get the idea out of my head. Maybe they all weren’t as crazy as the woman who’d nearly killed me, but it was hard to picture anything but the mad grin she had on her face as she knelt above me with that knife in her hand.

  I shuddered and nearly drove off the side of the road. My eyes were burning and I rubbed at them with the back of my hand. We were so fucking screwed if they were all as crazy as she’d been. You can’t reason with insane.

  As much as I wanted to flee back to the Den to tell Jonathan what I’d found, I kept on a straight path toward Delai. I didn’t know how long the demon’s Sight would last, nor did I want to face the Denmaster and explain to him what was coming.

  I was afraid. There was no denying it. Never before had someone snuck up on me as easily as that Left Hand woman had. She’d made me weak, an easy kill. If it hadn’t been for Adrian, I would have died that night.

  I prayed the demon was wrong about Levi. I could use his help in dealing with The Left Hand. He’d know what to do, would know how to handle them. He could keep me safe, keep those I cared about alive.

  Somehow, I knew it wouldn’t be that easy.

  My stomach started churning as I neared Delai. I fought hard to forget about The Left Hand and tried to focus on my other troubles.

  Baset. What if she thought I killed her man? While I wasn’t sure if he’d been sent there to pay me or kill me, that didn’t mean she wouldn’t seek retribution for his death. She’d gone after Jonathan to get at me before. What else would she do to punish me? Whom else would she hurt?

  The closer I got to Delai, the more torn I became. I really wanted to turn around and head back to the Den. I couldn’t leave Jonathan in the dark like this.

  Yet, I felt I’d passed the point of no return. I felt drawn to the little town, felt sick and elated at the same time. I didn’t just want to go back, I needed to go back.

  The sign came into view and I slowed to a stop. I stared at it, wondered if I was doing the right thing in coming there at all. What would I do if the Sight didn’t show me anything out of place? Would I be able to leave again? Or would I stay, hide in Levi’s basement until all my troubles passed?

  My stomach clenched and I just about threw up on the steering wheel. My head swam and I had to close my eyes to keep from getting dizzy.

  I had to go. There was no other way.

  I eased down on the gas and turned onto the road. As soon as I passed the sign, the sickness passed and I felt something brush against me. For an instant, I felt calm, composed, but the feeling was fleeting. My tension increased tenfold, and it was all I could do to keep my jaw from clenching.

  As much as I wanted to rush into town and demand to know the truth, I kept my pace slow, afraid of what I would find when I got there. If the demon’s Sight wore off before I reached Levi, I would simply ask him to explain himself. I was sure with a little reason, he’d open up to me. He’d always been straightforward with me before.

  I could trust Levi. He was a friend, someone who only wanted to do what was right. Why in the world had I ever believed a demon would tell me the truth?

  I slammed on the brakes so hard I just about threw myself through the windshield. My head hurt, seemed to pulse in time with a beat I couldn’t feel or hear. I closed my eyes, tried to repulse the strange feeling washing over me. The pulse fluttered and faded.

  Why in the hell had I been thinking of Levi in such a positive light? I’d felt suddenly at home again, completely relaxed and content to stay there forever. It felt . . . wrong.

  I opened my eyes again and immediately saw the lights.

  I wasn’t sure what they were or how to describe them. Bands of colored light crisscrossed the sky, floated there like ribbons made from a single strand of a rainbow. They seemed to come from everywhere, arched across the sky, all heading in the same direction.

  How I’d never seen them before, I’d never know. I should have seen those lights the moment I turned onto the road, yet it wasn’t until I’d pushed away the strange influence that they’d become visible.

  I put the car in Park and got out. Looking up, I noticed a red band floated from where I stood toward the others, joining the greens, the whites, the oranges. I didn’t know what the different colors meant and I didn’t care. My mouth and throat went completely dry, and the rage I’d fought so hard to suppress for so long surged up from my gut to consume me.

  Levi had done this. I didn’t know how, didn’t know why, but this was his fault.

  I threw myself back into Jeremy’s car and tore down the road. The snow here was light, just a dusting, which was completely opposite of what it was like a few miles back. There should have been drifts in the road, and yet there was hardly more than a token dusting of snow.

  I hit the town in full-blown rage. Every single person I passed had a band of color coming from their heads. They moved around, seemingly oblivious to what was happening to them.

  The entire town seemed to turn toward me as one. Every eye looked my way, appeared to look straight through me. I knew that because of the light, Levi would know I was here. It made sense in a strange way. He’d always known when I’d arrived in town before. This was prob
ably why.

  A fog rolled through my head and I slowed. Maybe those bands were there to help these people. They could be the way Levi connected with them, helped them overcome whatever dark secret they harbored. Just because it was strange didn’t mean it was evil.

  I shook my head and the fog slipped away. I could feel it trying to invade again. I put down mental defenses, refused to let whatever it was cloud my head again. It wanted me to love the town, wanted me to melt back in with the populace like I’d never left. I never had to fear for my life again if I’d only give up the fight.

  If it wasn’t for the bands of color, I might have relented. It would be so easy just to give in and let Levi take over. I’d done it before and I’m not sure I’d ever been happier.

  But I knew it was a lie. These feelings weren’t my own. I knew I’d never be able to fight off Levi’s influence normally, but somehow, the Sight was shielding me, keeping me from succumbing to his will.

  Even though I’d seen the colors, even though I knew the source, I really wanted to believe I was wrong, that the colors wouldn’t lead me to Levi, wouldn’t condemn him as something other than the big, friendly man I’d known before. I didn’t want to have to hurt him, even if he was hurting these people. It wasn’t fair.

  Levi’s house came into view and I slowed down. The house was almost glowing from the colored lights streaming in from the citizens of Delai. The bands entered the house from every direction, went right through the walls, through the roof. I wasn’t sure if it was Levi himself or something else they were drawn to. I wasn’t sure if it really mattered.

  I parked across the street and just stared at the house. I kept the engine running, not sure I wanted to get out. Just because I’d fought off the influence from a distance didn’t mean I could do it when I was face-to-face with the man himself.

  I growled and knuckled my temple. I needed to forget the fear. I could do this. Levi might try to keep me from leaving, but he couldn’t truly stop me. I’d gotten out before without his consent and I could do it again. I had my weapons with me this time. Whatever he was, I was pretty sure a bullet would stop him. I just hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

  The door opened and Sienna’s curious face poked out. She looked across the street at me, squinted in the dark. She must have glanced out the window and saw the car idling there. I had a feeling strange cars weren’t common in town.

  I thought about just driving away. I could leave, could get out before Levi knew for sure I was sitting outside his house. I wasn’t naïve enough to think he didn’t know I was in town, but he might not know exactly where I was.

  I might have done it if I hadn’t seen the faint glow trailing from Sienna’s head.

  I couldn’t leave her here like that. She deserved so much more.

  I opened the car door, leaving the engine running in case I needed to make a hasty retreat. I stepped out, letting my coat fall around me, hiding the weapons I didn’t want her to see.

  Sienna’s face immediately lit up. She leaped from the doorway and ran through the yard, grinning ear to ear. She threw her arms around me and all but wept into my coat.

  “You’re back!” she sobbed, hugging me as hard as she could. “I’m so happy to see you. I was afraid you wouldn’t come back.”

  I put my arms around the girl, hugging her back. Tears slipped from my eyes and I didn’t care. No matter what kind of monster Levi might be, I knew Sienna was something different. She was an innocent. He was hurting an innocent.

  I tensed, any good feelings of seeing Sienna gone. Those damn glowing trails drew my eye and I knew I couldn’t let it go. I had to put an end to this, and I had to do it now.

  Sienna stepped back as if she’d felt me stiffen. She gave me a worried look. “What’s wrong?”

  I didn’t know how to answer. The girl knew something was happening in town. Both her and her mother had always acted afraid. Did they know what Levi was? Did they know what he was doing to them? Or was it just a feeling they had after spending so much time with him?

  “Is your dad inside?” I asked. I was ready to do battle.

  Sienna immediately looked terrified, further confirming my suspicions. She glanced back at the house and then nodded. “He’s upstairs with Mom,” she said. She swallowed and clutched at my hand as if she was afraid I’d leave her behind again.

  “I need to get you out of here,” I said. “Get in the car and I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

  “What? Why?” she said, sounding both frightened and anxious.

  “Something is going on here and I don’t think it’s safe for either of us to stay.”

  Sienna’s gaze traveled from my face to the hilt of my sword. When she hugged me, she’d pushed my coat back. I don’t think she’d noticed the weapon until right then.

  “Are you going to kill him?” She surprised me by sounding hopeful.

  I looked into her eyes. She was terrified of something and I think I knew what that something was. I couldn’t condemn her to this life any longer.

  “Do you want me to?”

  She glanced back at the house before meeting my gaze. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “You’ve got to help us,” she said. “Please help my mom. He won’t let her die.”

  “Sienna!” Levi’s voice rang loudly in the night.

  The girl immediately backed away, fleeing back to her yard like she was afraid he would kill her if she lingered. I watched her go, wishing I would have just packed her away and driven off before Levi realized she was gone.

  I raised my eyes to face the man who was responsible for everything that was happening in the town.

  But it wasn’t a man standing there.

  All the colors in the sky crashed down on his head, illuminating him so that he seemed to glow.

  Hell, maybe he glowed naturally. It was hard to tell with as bright as he was.

  Levi stepped down from the walk. He was dressed in white from head to foot. White wings fluttered out behind him. His hands were empty, but I knew they were more dangerous than any weapon I’d ever wielded.

  His glare was intense. His face was unlined, unmarred by time. He looked hard, as if a sledgehammer would bounce right off him. Gone was the kind face, the friendly demeanor. I somehow doubted it had ever really been there. It had all been a lie, a glamour made to trick me into believing he was something normal when he so clearly wasn’t.

  I looked into his eyes, saw how deep and pale they were. It was as if he could stare straight into my soul and dissect me from the inside, could sort through my every thought, could see what I saw when I looked upon him.

  No, Levi wasn’t a man.

  He was an angel.

  24

  I hid the surprise as best as I could. “Levi,” I said. I kept my hands near my weapons, though I seriously doubted they would do any good against him.

  He ushered Sienna back in the house, eyes always on me. The girl didn’t want to go, but go she did. She scurried away, crying again. I thought I saw movement just inside the door as she entered the house. The door closed before I could catch a glimpse of who it was. I hoped Eilene was okay.

  As soon as his adopted daughter was gone, Levi turned his full attention on to me. “You’ve returned.” His voice sounded flat. I wasn’t sure if he was happy to see me or if he was planning on gutting me right then and there.

  “I had some things to take care of,” I said, doing my best not to let my fear show. “I thought I’d stop by for a little visit, see how the family was getting along.... Is everyone okay?”

  It was hard not to stare at his wings, at his altered features. Everything about him was different, yet I knew it was Levi. I wondered how I never saw through the glamour before.

  Did he know I could see through it now? I couldn’t tell by his voice or appearance at all.

  Levi looked around as if making sure no one was around and listening. He checked the house windows twice before he started walking toward me. He seemed almost to float with every step, a
s if his feet never actually touched the ground.

  “You had us all scared,” he said. “Sienna cried for hours when you left.” His voice was still flat, emotionless. I’m guessing he was trying to sound disappointed, but the Sight appeared to cut through anything he tried to do that wasn’t natural. “I was worried about you.”

  He stopped a few feet away and I breathed a sigh of relief. Just standing in Levi’s presence was awe-inspiring enough. I didn’t want him any closer or else it might weigh me down. It was nearly as bad as standing around Beligral, though the demon always kept his human glamour up. How bad would he be if he were ever to drop it so I could see him for what he really was?

  I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to find out.

  “I still have some things to do,” I said. “I just wanted to see Sienna and make sure she was okay.” I reached for the car door, wanting to get out of there. I could always get the girl later, once I had some backup.

  “STOP!”

  I cried out and dropped to my knees, hands going reflexively to my ears. Levi’s voice tore right through me, set my teeth to vibrating. I was surprised when I pulled my hands away that they weren’t covered in blood. It had felt like something had ruptured in my head.

  I looked up to find Levi towering over me. His wings were spread, his face a mask of anger. I knew he could smite me down with a word if that was what he wanted. I couldn’t stand against something like that.

  “I can smell him on you,” he said. “I can feel his mark where it writhes on your flesh.”

  The mark behind my ear flared up. I cried out in pain and the agony stopped almost immediately. I’m not sure if Levi had caused it to hurt or if Beligral had done it, and honestly, I didn’t care.

  “You have walked with the darkness and let it consume you. You are twice marked now. I couldn’t save you even if I still wanted to.”

  I forced my way to my feet despite the fact my legs were shaky. I would not take this on my knees. If Levi was going to kill me, he was going to have to fight for that right like everyone else. I had no illusions that I could kill the angel, but I sure as hell would try.