A fight broke out. People began to run. Thalya recognized a distraction when she heard one. She maintained her hold on Samuel and calmly said, “Run.” Leading the way, she ran full out with him back to her condo. She couldn’t tell if her powers allowed him to keep up or if he’d be able to on his own. If he could, what an interesting thought. Last night she hadn’t run this fast but tonight, he kept pace with her.
They slowed down coming to a normal walk before entering her building and taking the elevator up to her place. There were two other people on until just before her floor, so they had no time for questions. She didn’t let go of his hand, not even when she opened her door and he shut it behind them. She’d been in this condo for the last five years and never had a visitor.
Yet, she chose him.
Thalya headed straight for her open balcony door and stepped outside. Standing at the railing, she let her senses loose into the night, trying to find the source of her earlier unease. “There,” she said peering down. “On the other side of the park. Someone there is trying to track us.” Finally, she turned to face him. “He’s blocking my probes. Is he one of yours?”
“Hell no! Stay here. I’ll be right back.” Samuel released their still entwined fingers.
He made it halfway across the room before she spoke. “Where are you going?”
“To find out who he is and why the hell he’s following you,” he answered but didn’t stop.
“Wait. I’ll come with you.”
He opened the door then turned to face her. “No. I ran with you from the theater to avoid getting innocent people hurt, but not this time. If he is one of mine, I need to handle this. If he’s one of yours, I am still going to take care of him. Either way, I’m doing it alone. I’ll be right back.”
He shut the door in her face, not giving her a chance to respond. She’d never taken orders well. Returning to her balcony, she waited until she saw him enter the park, then jumped the forty stories from her building. She hit the sidewalk standing on her stiletto heels, not even a dent in the pavement, and then crossed the street before the humans she’d landed in front of had time to blink.
Unlike last night, thick clouds covered what little moonlight would have filtered through the trees, making the park appear darker, sinister. It didn’t help that a few of the walkway lamps were out. But Thalya had no trouble finding Samuel and the man he hunted. The closer she got, the more she could read that the man he hunted had no soul.
The slight but sharp sounds of steel on steel led her right to them. Under the filtered lighting, Samuel fought a beautiful dance of death with a man she did not recognize. Not a human male but a soulless one. A bloodsucker as he called them. She took a step forward to help but the noise of metal tearing into flesh stopped her. Remaining out of sword range, she watched. Samuel should not have been able to last two minutes against one such as she. Not only did he last, but he’d also drawn first blood, and was winning.
Shadows on the ground merged and blurred as Samuel moved with a speed to match her kind and a fluidity few of the soulless possess, confirming his speed earlier belonged to his nature. Holding a slightly curved short blade in one hand, he wielded it like an extension of his limb. Crimson blood dripped from its edge while the soulless’ blade remained clean.
She briefly wondered why he didn’t just shoot him. Bullets couldn’t kill her kind, but lead in their blood stream could slow them down, and she’d been told they hurt like hell. However, cuts from a metal blade would cripple them long enough to allow an attacker to take their heads, the only way they could be destroyed.
The soulless, on the other hand, had an aversion to guns. Externally touching the metal didn’t really hurt them, but prolonged contact might cause slight burns. So, they simply couldn’t stand touching it and disdained the use.
Hunters had no such aversion and in modern times, they used any weapon to slow soulless down enough to cut off their heads. Yet, Samuel only used the short sword. She knew he carried a pistol strapped to his ankle. She’d seen its outline. Perhaps he didn’t use it because the sound of gunshots would draw too much attention.
Samuel sliced open the soulless’ face, marring flawless beauty, albeit temporarily. In a couple of hours, the scar would be gone. “Why are you following us?” Samuel asked.
Not surprising, he got no reply. The male only fought harder. The soulless loved short swords and knives. This one fought with two short swords. It didn’t matter. He’d met someone better, who used only one.
Samuel fought with the masculine grace of a powerful ballet dancer with death the end result, yet beautiful to watch.
The soulless one had no chance and he knew it. His movements were already slowing. His head would soon be parted from his body. Once that happened, he would be doomed for eternity. The male’s grip on the handles tightened—a mistake.
Thalya saw the exact moment when the soulless decided to use one of his weapons against her.
Even as the blade sailed in her direction, she’d already moved out of its path.
It happened so quickly, Samuel hadn’t realized what she’d done and spun, throwing his own blade into the other’s path, knocking both blades to the ground.
The stranger turned and ran.
By the time Samuel turned around with a second shorter knife in his hand, one he’d pulled from his sleeve ready to hurl at the man, he’d already gotten to the edge of the park.
“Bastard,” Thalya said, picking up both fallen swords and took off after him.
The sound of Samuel’s boots echoed at her heels.
Neither noticed the pale blond haired man hidden in the shadows at the intersecting corners of the walkway watching the entire fight. The same one who’d watched Thalya from the deep shadows in the park the other night. He, too, had been attracted by the man’s depression on the bench the night before, but she’d gotten to him first. He’d been drawn to her ever since, curious about this female olden. Fading back into the night, he smiled, knowing there would come another time to take her. A time when the odds were better and in his favor. He could be patient. After all, their kind had eternity.
Thalya and Samuel got no more than a few blocks before losing him. Slowing down, she gave Samuel back his sword but kept the other. They both hid the weapons they carried before coming to a stop.
“Damn it, that should not have happened,” he said. “How could he get away from us? It’s like he just disappeared.” Samuel stood beside her, his breath came out in soft even exhales. He closed his eyes. When he opened them, he turned his head to the right, looking at the entrance to the store. The metal engraved sign over the door read: Strass Bookbinders.
“Do you think he ducked in here?” she asked. “I can’t sense him inside, but he could still be blocking me.”
“Let’s find out.” The sign hanging on the door read open. Samuel turned the knob and pushed. A bell above the entrance clanged announcing their arrival. Once he crossed over the threshold, he pulled out his knife and sword, holding both at his sides.
Thalya, who remained behind him, drew her sword from her jacket and closed and locked the door.
They entered a brightly lit room full of rows of books on mahogany shelves about chest high.
Old-fashioned posters of various cities around the world adorned the walls. Most of the books on the shelves appeared to be leather bound volumes—older books but still in good condition. A cash register sat at the center of the store. Next to it, stood a rack of more recent popular new paperbacks. Otherwise, it appeared to be a bookstore specializing in used books. They were the only ones in this part of the store.
At the very back of the room hung a purple and green floral patterned curtained over the opening of what appeared to be another area. They headed there but before they could reach it, someone parted the curtains.
A short woman, with steel gray hair pulled back into a ponytail and dressed in a scarlet pantsuit, came toward them. She moved with a sense of the old world elegance and sty
le reflected in the store. “May I help you?” she asked. However, her voice held an odd note, like something full of gravel instead of the smooth sophistication her manner implied.
Samuel stared at the woman.
The hairs at the nape of Thalya’s neck itched when Samuel tried to probe at the woman’s mind but the female blocked him. Thalya could have told him no emotion emanated from her. Interesting. Twice in two days, she encountered humans she could not read. But unlike Samuel, the woman was human. No hint of soulless tainted her blood to confuse Thalya’s senses. This person appeared extremely well trained in masking surface emotions. Why?
“Who are you?” Samuel asked.
Well, if Samuel didn’t know her she couldn’t be another hunter.
The woman’s gaze moved behind him landing on Thalya. “More importantly, I know what she is.” The female stared at Samuel again and she arched one penciled eyebrow on a pale smooth face adding, “You may put away your weapons. There’s no danger here. My name is Wilhelmina Strass and you could say I am a chronicler of lives.”
“A what?” Samuel asked, confused.
“Just a moment. Let me lock the front door and put up the closed sign, so we won’t be disturbed and I’ll explain.”
“Door’s already locked,” Thalya stated.
The woman gave her a slight smile. “I’ll just flip the sign then.”
After Wilhelmina moved past them, Thalya hid the sword she’d taken from the soulless in her coat.
Samuel returned his short sword to the sheath strapped across his back where his jacket concealed it. His knife disappeared back up his sleeve.
“Now, please follow me,” Wilhelmina continued, returning to them.
She pushed the curtain aside and they followed her. The room they entered had one block table in the center with two stools near it, and two other long narrow tables against the walls on either side of the room. All the surfaces were cluttered with books in different stages of binding. There were two doors in the room, one at the end of a short hallway and another directly in front of them. They followed their hostess past the mess and to the closed door across the room at the end of the hallway. On the other side of the door were stairs.
“My apartment is above the store,” she explained, leading them up the stairs. At the top, she took out a key and opened another door, gesturing for them to enter.
Before Wilhelmina could say anything, Samuel established control of the conversation. Instead of entering the apartment, he asked, “Where is the soulless one we were chasing?”
“Gone.” Wilhelmina didn’t hesitate with her response.
Her lack of hesitation told Thalya she likely spoke the truth, or a trait of an excellent liar. Or possibly, a bit of both.
Samuel nodded and walked into the apartment, turning around to face their hostess. “Gone where?”
“Now that, I cannot tell you.” She held up her hand to forestall his next question. “Because I do not know.”
“But even if you did, you wouldn’t tell us,” Thalya offered.
Wilhelmina smiled in silent acknowledgement of her statement but didn’t comment further.
“There’s a back door,” Samuel said. “You know we can probably still track him.”
“Perhaps.” She raised one elegantly drawn eyebrow. “But I don’t think even you, Samuel, master hunter, would be able to track him now.”
He narrowed his eyes. “How do you know my name and what I do?”
“I know many things about you. As I said, I’m a chronicler. It’s my job to know,” she paused. “Forgive me. Please, why don’t you both come in and sit down and I’ll explain.”
They entered the room where Wilhelmina gestured toward one of the two cushioned sofas in the living room. Two entire walls in the main area were taken up with floor to ceiling bookcases.
Placing his hand on the small of Thalya’s back, Samuel guided her to the sofa.
Wilhelmina sat on the second smaller sofa across from them. “I’m being a poor hostess. Would you like some herbal tea?” After they declined, she settled herself in her seat.
“Would you care to explain all of this now?” Samuel asked.
“I am one of the keepers of the records for both the soulless as well as those who hunt them. We call these records chronicles. My sisters and I are chroniclers and keep track of both groups.”
“What?” Thalya said, leaning forward. “I’ve never heard of this before.”
Wilhelmina smiled and a few wrinkles appeared around her mouth, indicating she smiled often. “No, I don’t suppose you would have. We’ve taken great pains not to come to the attention of either group, but a few have been aware of us. We’re supposed to be neutral in this war, merely observers. Someone to tell the story of both sides.”
“But why?” Thalya asked. “For what purpose?”
“To keep an accounting, my dear, of how you’ve spent your time here on earth.”
Thalya raised one eyebrow at her. “Again, why?”
Wilhelmina shook her head. “Oh dear, I had forgotten. As old as you are, you probably don’t remember.”
“Remember? Remember what?”
“Your banishment and what you have to do for atonement to be allowed back.”
“Banishment, atonement?” Samuel asked, shaking his head. “Banished and allowed back to where exactly?”
“Why heaven, of course,” Wilhelmina said.
Wilhelmina’s answer rocked Samuel.
Thalya sensed the turmoil of his emotions run to his very core.
“Not all the angels banished from heaven end up in hell,” Wilhelmina continued, “The All Father offered a form of salvation for some. Those he thought might still be saved. He stripped them of their souls with one chance of reclaiming it. The way your father reclaimed his, Samuel. You’ll be happy to know he’s at your mother’s side.”
“Wait a minute.” Thalya held up her hand like a traffic cop. “Are you saying the soulless are banished angels?” she asked incredulously.
Wilhelmina’s eyes opened wide then she blinked, shocked. “Why yes, dear. Didn’t you know?” She frowned and stared at the rug for a moment before glancing up again. “Why of course, you didn’t. This explains so much. Wait until I share this with my sisters.”
Chapter Five
“Well it explains jack to me,” Samuel grumbled, while leaning forward resting his hands on his knees.
Thalya feared she understood all too well. She closed her eyes and took herself back. Back to her earliest memories, a place she hadn’t visited in ages, literally. No point really, and besides, she’d forgotten so much. Or made to forget. But why? And Thalya wasn’t the only one. Others she’d met also claimed to have certain memory lapses. She opened her eyes and stared at Wilhelmina. “How can this be? I remember my beginning as the day I came to earth, yet I don’t.”
Wilhelmina shrugged. “I’m not sure. But it’s very interesting and explains a lot. The chroniclers assumed you chose to forget your purpose or ignored it.”
“How could the soulless be banished angels?” Samuel asked angrily, moving to the edge of the couch. “They kill people, start wars. What the hell kind of angel is that?”
“The banished kind,” Wilhelmina explained.
“This is ridiculous,” he said, making a smoothing motion with his hand over his hair. “Why would they be banished from heaven and end up here?”
“Good question and one I have no answer for.” Wilhelmina glanced at Thalya as though she might be able to add something, to offer some sort of explanation.
“Don’t look at me.” Thalya shrugged. “This is the first I’m hearing this.”
“Give me a moment,” Wilhelmina urged before standing. “There may be a record here that can help. Not to explain the banishment, though. I don’t have the oldest books here, of course. They would be in my sister, Willa’s, care, in Rome. And even those may not hold an answer. But there just may be something in my keeping that can answer some of our questio
ns. I’ll be right back. Promise me you’ll remain here.”
“Why?” Samuel asked.
“I need your word, please. I’ll return in a few minutes.”
Samuel nodded.
“Promise,” Thalya replied.
Once the older woman got their promises, she left the room, heading to the door leading down to the bookstore.
“What the hell is going on?” Samuel all but barked at Thalya as he got up to pace and look around the room, examining the bookcases.
She shrugged her shoulders. “Don’t go yelling at me. I’m not the one making outlandish claims. But I believe we’re about to find out.”
He picked up a photograph but twisted around to face Thalya. “Do you mean to tell me I’ve been hunting and destroying angels all this time?” He made a snorting sound. “That’s hard to believe. Demons maybe, but angels? HA!” He shook his head and replaced the frame without really looking at the photograph. “Her story doesn’t even sound like a fairytale.”
She smiled. “I’m no demon, babe, or fairy. I can’t say I’m an angel either though. But there’s something there in my earliest memories, something out of reach. Something about…wings.” Her smile faded.
Samuel shook his head at her just as the door opened. “Unbelievable!”
“Believe it.” Wilhelmina returned and carrying something huge in her arms. She walked over to the table in the open kitchen area and set the book down on it. “Come take a look at this.”
Samuel headed in her direction, while Thalya got up from the sofa and came over to her. Each stood on one side of her and watched as she pulled a pair of thin gloves out of her pocket.
She put them on and slowly and carefully turned the pages of a worn leather bound book, about three inches thick and the size of a world atlas. Wilhelmina handled each page of the yellow paper crinkled with age from the bottom edge.
“What’s this?” Samuel asked. The words on the pages were handwritten in a beautiful cursive style but the ink had begun to fade.
“A chronicle from my great-grandmother’s time. Something she remembered her mother telling her she’d heard once.” She squinted at the page in her hand. “Hmm, time for this volume to be copied.”
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