by Kai Leakes
Glancing over at Sanna, Khamun took her hand, stepping back as he took her back to where they originally stood. “Step here on this floor panel, and it’ll take us all the way. As for that mural, I think I’ll work on it later.”
Sanna nodded in acknowledgment, a soft smile playing at her lips. A whizzing zip made her look past him as the bouncing light landed on his shoulder, making her choke on a quick laugh.
The light seemed to be an extension of the both of them, a part of their consciousness that said they had obligations to handle. So they walked into the corridor.
Sanna gasped as it wrapped around them and turned into an elevator that took them right to the compound, where a door opened, and they both stood in a beautifully decorated bedroom with art-adorned walls.
Sanna blinked. She knew that work, and she blushed as she saw a painting of her sleeping in her bed back in St. Louis, mounted right over a huge super king-size bed. Her face was covered, and she looked like a sleeping living statue, but she knew her shape.
“Your room, I take it?” She pulled his hands to rest on her hips, cupping his hands.
He nodded. “Yes,”
Just then a loud boom shook them out of their embrace, and they jetted out of the bedroom.
Sanna’s body still hurt as she ran. She could feel him within, and that had her blushing. She inwardly shook her head at herself. She needed to get her mind focused on what needed to be done here.
“Okay! Marco or Lenox, which one of you mother-truckers is blowing shit up again?” Khamun bellowed, humor lacing his eyes as he took Sanna’s hand.
The place was huge! She knew it was two levels, and she currently was on the main level. Light shined in from the second-level windows, brick, steel, iron and other industrial type fixtures housed in the building. A beautiful graffiti-painted mural sprawled across one side of the building as huge military-worthy HDTV screen/computer sat built into another walk. She saw other HDTVs through the compound, but that one was quite impressive.
“Living quarters are down here. Main level is where we train, though sometimes you can find us training down here too, baby. There’s a steam room and shower, as well a restaurant-quality kitchen, all Kali’s doing. There are multiple garages for multiple cars and air transportation. We all have training in flying planes, except for Kali. Heights are not her thing.”
Sanna shook her head as she locked eyes on an engrossed Amit. He sat in front of the huge computer typing away. Kali hovered over his shoulder with an annoyed look on her face, while Calvin watched the pair with a goofy smile.
Calvin’s magic flowed over Amit’s hands, acting as a protective glove.
“Kali must have found her match.” Sanna snickered and Khamun nodded with his arms crossed, chuckling.
Kyo’s high-pitched yelling followed behind Darren’s fussing and Takeshi’s cussing.
Lenox’s roaring halted the yelling in the compound as he took control of the situation and put down law. “Look! If you are to be a part of this house, it is your duty to learn everything. That means until we know what class you are. You will learn it all. Why? Because not only do we have an Oracle-Vessel to protect, but we have each other to protect. Got it?” Looking around, he nodded. “ Good, now left, left, hook!”
“Sheeit, Sanna’s ass needs to be here too, and ‘gonorrhea hands’ needs to be in here with us. We don’t know his class either, my man!” Darren replied in a guttural mutter to Takeshi.
Sanna followed Khamun, who showed her an open room filled with combat dummies and posts.
“I am not a Gargoyle or Dragon, and Khamun has none to teach you, Kyo, and Take, but you will both still benefit from my training, so ... ” Lenox circled and clapped his bandaged hands together. He was dressed in black training pants and a black tank, his hands wrapped in black bandages and his hair pushed back from his face via a thin headband that blended into his hair
He paused and stood wide-legged, his hands on his waist as sweat ran down his stuck-on tank. His dark maple skin, glistened buttery brown from the sweat, his arms taut with the workout. “Kyo, as they work on their jabs, let’s show that roundhouse you pulled off back in that battle.”
Kyo smiled in excitement and bounced on the balls of her feet. As she realized what he asked, her mouth suddenly turned up in a frown. “Um, I don’t think I remember how I did that.”
Scowling, Lenox swung out, his white Nike planted firmly.
Kyo stepped back. Her hands instinctively went out to block her chest as she shifted and dipped in a duck, coming up under the other side of his arm.
Lenox smiled with a nod, switching his stance quickly to double back and swing again.
Kyo stepped back, her black legging clad leg lifting in the air as her eyes narrowed and she saw her opening to hook the back of her knee over his neck, moving swiftly to flip him backwards.
Lenox went down fast but arched his back to kick himself forward into a low crouch, as he slowly clapped using his thighs to balance himself on the balls of his feet. Kyo’s leg was still extended out as she watched, shifted her weight and slowly dropped her foot.
“You say you don’t remember, huh?” He flashed a lopsided smirk as she flushed a thousand shades of red.
Music suddenly rippled through the complex. Calvin’s familiar silky deep voice crooned then flipped into lyrical rapping as the beat mixed, scratched, and made Sanna want to pop her hips and dance.
Khamun bobbed his head as he walked on, motioning for Sanna to follow. She looked around as she continued her tour, finally making it to the main floor.
Walking around, she spotted Amit and headed his way. She passed Calvin as he nodded at her, while working in his studio, blaring and mixing music. He was talking to a handsome Asian guy who sported a swirling, dazzling black, ruby, and gold dragon irezumi with a bar piercing in his right eyebrow, and who had a low-fade Mohawk on his screen.
“Who’s he talking to?” Sanna asked, glancing at Khamun.
“RJ. Your brother introduced them. Don’t know much about him except that he’s into music, teaches a b-boy and hip-hop class and martial arts class at UIC. Oh, he was also at the party your brothers were at.”
“Does he know about you all? I mean us?”
Khamun shook his head. “No, everything is kept confidential. Calvin is working on some tracks with him.”
Kali glanced as she saw Sanna approach. She grinned hard and turned to embrace Sanna. Kali had rich brown highlights in her loose crinkled hair that accented her rich cinnamon skin with gold hoop chandilier earrings.
She stood at the same height as Sanna, in ripped jeans, an oversized shirt that said DANGER in big black letters, with splashes of colors over the shirt. Her smooth brown shoulder peeked through, and her bangle bracelets accented her wrists. The pink and black Nike she wore emphasized the hot pink in her shirt, and her pink lipstick kicked everything off.
Sanna studied Kali’s mehndi-covered hands that were done in a way to state what power level she was at.
“About time you are here, cousin. I have so much to share with you.”
Her soft smile warmed Sanna’s heart and calmed her nerves. This was definitely a home full of family, and she had nothing to stress about in the least bit. If anything, she had to worry about how much she’d want to protect them all.
Both women chuckled as they quietly spoke and watched Amit move like the wind on the computer.
“Wow, he’s really good with computers,” Sanna remarked.
She laughed when Kali scoffed. “Not really. I’m better,” she muttered.
Amit looked behind him. He shook his head before locking eyes with Sanna, and nervousness hit him. Quickly he saved his work, slowly standing to approach.
He looked healthy and better outside of his hands. His deep cinnamon rich skin seemed to gain its soft ruddy glow back, and he stood a full six seven over her, his thin body filling out into a thicker track runner’s shape.
His jet black hair was freshly cut in a shag look
that accented his strong jawline and green-grey eyes that now had a grey pale ring around his irises, marking him as a Broken Wrath Angel. His plush lips formed into a smile as he quirked an eyebrow. His V-cut grey shirt showed a slight peek of his hard, cut chest with black veins of his healed and cleaned Cursed bite threading from his neck, disappearing under his shirt and peeking from his pectoral muscle like a swirling tattoo. His dark denim jeans hung well over his white Nike.
Sanna was happy that he seemed to be filling out because she knew once he was at his full peak, her cousin would have to lock herself away from her secret desires for Amit.
“Hey, it’s good to see you and not have anything chase you,” Sanna joked.
“Yeah. I want to apologize. Everything in me was saying run, and when I saw your car, it felt safe. Now I know why.” Amit glanced at Kali, who rolled her eyes, squeezing by him to take over the computer and he laughed. “Damn! She has a righteous attitude.”
Sanna bit her lower lip, swallowing her chuckle. “No, that just means she’s warming to you. So how does it feel to be a . . . a Broken Wrath Angel, whatever that is? Talk to me and let me see your hands and see what I can do.”
“All right.” Extending his hands, Amit watched her slowly.
“I’m not sure. It’s a huge shock. All this time I thought I was a Disciple, you know, and to learn I have that extra bump in the DNA is kind of crazy to me.”
Sanna’s hands hovered above his. She was careful not to touch him while she nodded. “I can understand that. Being something you don’t understand what it is. I’m glad you didn’t die.” She flashed a soft smile and shifted her hands. She had enough flashes and jolts from touching folks to last a lifetime, so she just lightly poked a finger at the psychic glove and watched it disappear.
“Me too. I thank you for what you did. Damn! If I hadn’t met you, I wouldn’t be a tool for the dark, and I’m not down for that.”
Sanna chuckled.
Amit leaned in. “I mean it. That world is crazy, and if I was able, I would have tried to end my life, Death Wrath or not. Thank you, Sanna. Oracle-Vessel.”
“It is what it is. The Most High has a plan, and it wasn’t your time to leave. And you for damn sure were not meant for the Dark.”
“Ahh! That hurts. Seriously, what did that bitch to me?” Amit said through gritted teeth, and he watched Sanna do her thing.
Khamun quietly observed her from behind, and Calvin stood by his side watching as well.
“You think you can help him, shawty?” Calvin calmly questioned, concern briefly flashing in his green eyes.
“I think. I don’t know but”—Something twinkled, and she looked closer at his blistered hands, shaking her head. His skin was red like it was just dipped in scalding water. How the skin peeled and leaked, she knew he was in pain. Silver strands seemed to be embedded in his hands. She frowned. “Give me some water to clean his hands.”
Kali quickly stood and jetted, bringing back a bottle of water.
Pouring it over his palms, power seemed to hum around the room. “Keep your hands cupped.” Sanna motioned, her third eye open, guiding her as her hands hovered over his. She felt the tug of the silver slivers in his hands seeking their exit. Power pulsated, causing the pool of water in his cupped hands to undulate as it wrapped around her and kissed her skin. Images flashed across her vision, making her briefly close her eyes.
She saw Kyo running, panting and reaching out to a falling Calvin, blood pouring from his body. Her body jolted as she saw beautiful red and gold wings rip from her sister’s back, and she screamed. The woman she saw chasing Amit stood with blood on her hands and mouth. Her eyes shifted like a reptile’s. Her cocoa-rich skin glowed with power and she leered. Calvin’s blade lay in her side.
Sanna knew this wasn’t right, and she almost screamed. She saw a woman dressed in jewels, with Asp bracelets, walk her way, a book in her hand and a gun in the other. The bullet discharged, and she watched as it went past her and hit Khamun, who stood behind her with his own barrel pointing her way, his silver dark wings filling the sky.
She saw more, but it moved so fast that she couldn’t retain it all as a piercing pain ripped through her stomach. A blade extended from her body as her neck was suddenly ripped to the side.
A tall, handsome, older man, who mirrored the jewel-clad woman, held her from behind, his hand sliding over her blood-soaked body to cup her between her legs as his wild eyes flashed, and he bit down.
“I will have you,” echoed in her mind, and she saw the woman Darren later told her was named Winter attempt to run to help her, when a demon ripped her apart, her Witch power exploding like a bomb. The bodies of the people who vowed to protect her and her own family lay around her in pieces.
Her brother Darren took out a demon with one touch of his hand before nodding at her. His stomach was suddenly torn apart while he fell to his knees dying. That was when she knew her life was being cut short as the bite polluted her body and the man groped her, holding her against her will.
Tears spilled down her face, and a voice within her whispered, followed by a sharp screech that jolted her back to reality.
“Find the keys and find the scrolls to complete the books before they find it,” echoed in her mind and she gasped. She pulled, and the silver slivers ripped from Amit’s hands as he roared in pain, dropping to his knees, his hands still cupped and up in the air.
The water pulsed, and the slivers floated atop the water, forming a circle, until it became a ticking mechanical disc. The water pulsed, solidified, and wrapped around the silver disk, covering it in a diamond-like case that also shifted and ticked with the disk. Her power kissed the disc, making it glow, and she reached out, holding it in her hand. Gears clicked and ticked as she flipped it between her fingers before watching Amit’s hands heal.
“Amit?”
Holding out a hand, Amit shook his head, and his back rose up and down in sharp breaths until they slowed, and he looked up.
“Thank you. It’s all gone. All that shit is gone out of me. Thank you, Oracle. Shit.” He stood up too quickly, slightly wavering, then reached out to wrap Sanna in a tight hug.
Healing flashes flowed from her, and she smiled. “Call me Sanna, and we are good. I’m happy to have helped.”
Amit nodded, backing away. “Okay, Sanna.” A slight smile played at his lips as he flexed her hands.
“A’ight, let’s talk about what the fuck that is right there, San!” Calvin interjected.
Sanna nodded. “Let’s get that book Winter gave us.”
Chapter 22
The Reaper stood facing his enemy. They had hunted well and grabbed a target they knew would draw him and his family out. Anger seethed within him as he let his mind relax and process. He couldn’t believe how everything had panned out. Just almost a year earlier, he was guarding a woman he had fallen for and knew he wasn’t allowed to crave. A woman he knew he couldn’t have. He had accepted it, only breaking protocol when he knew he couldn’t hold back his desire for her. That slip made him watch her more, made him protect her, even though he had no idea of what she really was. He had to laugh, thinking how blind he was in watching this woman for so many years and not know she was the Oracle and a Vessel.
The one who would help bring Nephilim Society in the US and the world back to where it needed to be. This one who would find more Oracles, women and men who were the backbone to their way of life. He was glad when he learned of her true nature. He felt elated when that truth allowed him to be with her, and now here he stood defending and protecting not only Society itself, but with her by his side. They stood equally yoked, protecting each other and fighting an enemy that was too damned determined.
Rolling his neck, he felt his fangs rip from his gums, slowly extending and flashing in the night air. His hands clutched as the windy night air of Chicago wrapped around him. His fiancée stood at his right, dressed in dark denim leggings, black Nike, and a black tank that showcased her beautiful breasts. He d
idn’t want her here, he needed her protected, but she had insisted.
Prior to the face-off currently going on, everyone was back at the compound glancing at the clear and silver mechanical disk in Sanna’s hands.
Khamun stood behind her as she sat in a big chair, looking down at the book. Her fingers traced over the leather cover, not understanding the Ancient Nephilim script. His Shield, Marco, reached out and flipped the book open for her as she looked at the blank pages, with several visible pages.
“Mira. Nada here at all. I looked this book over, backward and forward. Outside of five pages that have drawings on them, nothing is here. No braille or other markings. Coño. So what do we do?”
“Flip it to the last page. I saw something.” Sanna bit her lower lip.
Everyone’s nerves seemed to flood over her, and she almost felt sick with the feeling. Marco was gentle with the book, and she was grateful. Khamun had quietly told her that he was a closet bookworm, through all his hard edginess and vulgar language. Marco was into knowledge, cars, and into finding ways to help his people via books, which was why at one point he and Kali were so close and part-time lovers, never mind they were always bickering.
“¡Coño carajo! There’s something here.” He narrowed his eyes, flipped the book to him, and touched the back cover. His fingers ran over the hard leather until they dipped and left an imprint in the inner part of the back cover.
Raising an eyebrow, he pressed and traced until the soft pliable leather revealed raised grooves that formed a circle. Continuing to press the pliable stripping down until it shaped and contorted like clay, his eyes flashed as he looked up at Sanna and flashed a smirk.
Holding the book so everyone could see, Marco slid the book down on the table in front of Sanna. “On my soul, this wasn’t there before. The cover and inner covers were hard as typical books should be. ¡Carajo!”
Khamun watched as Sanna continued to trace the book.
“I know. When I touched the book, my power reacted to it, and something changed.” Sanna removed the disc, brought it over the book, and maneuvered it.