by Lori Adams
I sit up in surprise. “I have— Wait, what do you mean you have Gabe looking into it?”
Michael scoots back and leans against the headboard. He considers his answer for a moment and then tells me what happened after I left his house. How he ordered Raph to find out what Dante and Vaughn were doing back in town and where they are now. And why Wolfgang came after me. He told Gabe to find answers about my spiritual energy. Michael made it clear that no one is allowed to withhold information about me anymore. In this matter, Katarina and Dimitri answer not only to The Council of Guardians but to him. He expects their full cooperation.
I’m shaking my head in disbelief. “Does this always happen? When a guardian breaks from a family to become a Halo warrior?”
“The power shifts, yes. But I doubt another guardian family has experienced the complications you’ve brought.” He taps my nose and smiles affectionately. “You’ve been quite a handful. Not that I mind. Now.”
“I’m sorry,” I say with all sincerity. “I don’t mean to be so much trouble.” He laughs but I’m being serious. “Michael, I…should tell you something. It’s about Wolfgang.”
His smile drops and his eyes go flat. “What about him?”
I clear my throat and gather my thoughts. I need this to come out right. “Well, when we were fighting, I got the impression that he was sent to kill me. Specifically. And Bailey told me that Vaughn said pretty much the same thing.” I watch the muscle in Michael’s jaw flick back and forth. His face is hard and I’m tempted to stop there, but I know it’s best to go on. Some things I will keep to myself, but not this.
“Dante told me that someone in Hell named Lord Brutus knew about my Awakening. I think he must have sent Wolfgang to kill me before I completed the third trial.”
“Dante told you?” Michael says with ice in his voice. “We all heard the demons had returned but I didn’t think you’d actually speak to him again after he tried to Take your dad’s soul. Not to mention the fact that he killed you.” He is furious and I get it. I’d be furious, too.
“I know, Michael. I would’ve told you but we weren’t exactly on speaking terms.” He cocks his head as though I’m blaming him for something. “Now, just listen. That’s not really what I wanted to say. Last night at the dance, Vaughn told Bailey that Lord Brutus sent a spy, a demon spy, to Haven Hurst. He’s been reporting everything I’ve been doing. Or as much as he could find out, I guess.”
Michael’s eyes widen and he sits forward. “Who is it?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think Dante or Vaughn know either. Bailey said they were mad as hell about it. Why couldn’t they sense another demon around them? Why can’t you guys? Isn’t that part of your spiritual makeup or something? To sense evil?”
Michael leans back, assessing things. He doesn’t like what I’ve told him and his face is tight with anger. His voice slips through clenched teeth when he speaks.
“It varies by degrees. Lesser demons exhibit less evil, less power, because they are less threatening. Still, they can be easily spotted in a crowd. Demon Knights that house specific demons reek of evil. Their dark energy is powerful and their stench is unmistakable to angels. But there are demons that use humans as vessels. If the human is willing. Problem is, a skilled demon hiding in a human is harder to detect because it can go dormant when another spiritual entity is around. Typically it’ll hide behind the aura where we can’t find it. Especially if we don’t know to look for it. If the demon doesn’t present itself as anything out of the ordinary, then you’d never know it was there.” He gives me a hard look and I understand. Someone close to me could have a demon inside them and I wouldn’t know.
I sit back and let my mind wander to every person I’ve met over the past few weeks. So many from all the Christmas events and the tourists around town. Not to mention all the sporting events I’ve attended. But no one stands out as particularly evil or overly inquisitive about my business. Then I think of Jordan the Leerer. He’s been a constant source of yuck since I met him, but that was well before Dante came into my life, well before Lord Brutus would have known about me.
“Any ideas?” Michael asks. He’s been watching me, measuring my emotions.
“No. But I’ll be paying close attention now. I’ll tell Rama and see what he comes up with.”
“And I’ll tell my family. Katarina and Dimitri may have some ideas where to look. What to watch for.”
I wonder if I should tell Dad, and this makes me think of Mom. Would she know something about this, too? And if so, how?
There have been so many revelations tonight, but one has been more curious than the others. So I ask Michael if he knows why my mom would have sent Dad to Katarina for help. How would she know to do this, and why would she be able to in the first place? How in the world did Mom know, since the day I was born, that I would experience an Awakening?
Michael explains that Katarina met Mom at the Borderland and they became friends. He doesn’t know why or how Mom would have any knowledge about spiritual lives or callings. He asked around about Mom before I began my training but no one in the spiritual realm had heard of her. He has no idea why she would have influence on a Seer.
“But I’m not satisfied that Katarina was telling me the whole truth,” he says. The memory brings on a surge of anger and his eyes tighten. “Don’t get me wrong, I respect her; Katarina has been a good mother with a high reputation for leading guardian families long before I was born. But with that comes a strong allegiance to her superiors. She may feel justified in keeping secrets from me.”
“Does she know about us? Being in love?”
Michael’s face softens when he looks at me, and I think I’ve asked something funny. He caresses my cheek until it tickles. I press his hand against my face, snuggling into him and enjoying the feel of his closeness. “To be honest, Sophia, my family has known how you’ve felt about me for a long time. Since that night in the courthouse when you jumped out the window and forced me to save you. They guessed that you must have been in love to do something so foolish. But they didn’t know that I was in love with you, too. I’ve worked myself to death hiding my emotions from them.”
“And now?” I murmur, feeling myself growing drowsy with need. Michael nuzzles his face against mine, tenderly kissing each side of my mouth.
“And now…” He brushes his lips along mine. “I will ask you again to…marry me. Please, Sophia? Will you marry me?”
I pull back and stare at him. “But…I thought you said—”
“Forget what I said. I was an idiot to think I could live without you. And I was a fool to think I could tame you.” He arches an eyebrow and gives me a seductive grin that makes my private places tingle. “I just wanted to keep you away from anything that could hurt you. It’s a natural instinct for me to protect you. But I went overboard. I know that now. I have to give you room to live your life. I want you with me, always. And nothing else matters.”
My heart is racing. I can’t believe we’ve come back to this place. And so quickly. I want to make things work this time, but I also want to make things clear. I try to speak carefully as my voice trembles with nerves.
“I am a spirit walker, Michael, and I plan to defend and save souls that call to me. I will go where you can’t follow.”
He sits very still, watching me. Thinking. Assessing. Planning how to respond. He takes his sweet time and it’s excruciating.
“Well?” I say. “What do you think about that?”
“Two things,” he finally says. “One: I admire your strong conviction. It’s something I’ve always loved about you. And two: We’ll see what happens.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning…you go and save your souls, and we’ll see if I can’t find a way to follow.” He grins, but I don’t.
“You know, Michael, I think I’ve proven that I can take care of myself.”
“Yes, Sophia, you have. But there is a difference between defending yourself and defending yourself while p
rotecting the lost soul that some evil son of a bitch is trying to steal from you.”
“You can’t interfere. It’s not allowed,” I say in my lecture voice. Michael laughs.
“That’s never stopped me before.”
“Promise me you won’t interfere.”
“Nope.”
“Michael! If you interfere, it will make me look weak! And I couldn’t stand that!”
This catches his attention and I can practically hear what he is thinking. He’s running through the logistics of what it would do to my reputation if I couldn’t defend souls on my own. Eventually, the tightness around his eyes begins to ease.
“Fine. I won’t have my wife appearing weak in anyone’s eyes. So just remember, when you’re facing a shitstorm of evil, you asked me not to help.”
I bite into my smile at the mention of being his wife. It sounded so natural on his lips.
“Thank you,” I whisper. “Besides, you’ll be too busy with the Halos to follow me around. Right?” The question sounds flippant but it twists my stomach. I don’t want Michael to go away. I don’t want him called up to fight legions of demons. He looks at me with calm certainty and nods.
“If they’ll still have me.”
“What do you mean?”
“I have to tell them I’m in love with you. That we’re getting married.”
I feel my eyes grow wide. “What! Michael, you can’t do that! You’ll lose everything you’ve worked for. They’ll…they’ll disown you—”
“Disavow.”
“Same thing! I can’t believe you’re even considering it.” I climb off the bed and start pacing. A million thoughts whirl through my mind. Just moments ago I wanted to tell Dad about us, but this is different. Michael could be sent away, for good! No…this doesn’t feel right. Michael can’t be disavowed. I can’t let this happen.
Michael meets me in the middle of the room and takes me by the shoulders. He gives me his stern no-nonsense look. “I told you, I was a fool before. I won’t be one again. We will be married. Even if it means stripping away my wings and weapons.”
“But we don’t have to tell the Halos!”
“Sophia, they already suspect. During my last trial, I was tortured down in the tunnels by demons that sounded like you. They pleaded for me to stop, to give up. To go home to you.”
“I don’t get it. How could they sound like me?”
“Apparently, they tapped into my subconscious or something. They found my weakness, my love for you. They mimicked your voice to lure me away. The Halo Masters all but asked if I was in love with you. I should’ve said yes! I should have admitted it then! I should have told them I was in love with a human who means more to me than my vows!” I smile and cup his face to calm his rage. He is being irrational and we both know it. Michael takes my hand and kisses my palm. “I tugged on your heart that night,” he murmurs. “I know you couldn’t feel it. You were too far away but…I had to. I missed you so much.”
“I did feel it!” I say without thinking. Then I remember exactly where I was when I felt it, at La Croix with Dante. Holy shit! I felt it two hundred miles away!
“What?” Michael laughs disbelievingly. “You couldn’t have. Where were you?”
“What? Oh, I was with Bailey.” I try to sound dismissive but it comes out like awkward nerves. I move to my dresser, unusually determined to stuff clothes inside and shut open drawers. “But I felt it. I’m sure. There’s nothing like that feeling.”
“Like that?” Michael murmurs as I feel three tugs on my heart. I turn around and meet his eyes, heavy with need. Clenching jaw, heaving chest, rising desire. Michael’s eyes slide over my body, devouring every dip and curve, and I think we are so far from what we were born to. Maybe the others are wrong. Maybe the universe will make an exception for us. Sparks between us could be a recognition of love, not a warning to avoid. Maybe there should be love where it’s not allowed.
I stand very still against Michael’s arousing gaze. He licks his bottom lip and affects my intimate places. Slowly, we grin like lovers, and I know if I were someone else, a naughty sex goddess, I would rip off his clothes and push him onto the bed. I would let my hands and mouth explore every inch of him. Claim his body as mine. If I were someone else.
I am more than just me now, but stubborn all the same. I want our wedding—the one we must keep secret from those who make the rules—to be a holy union, sanctified and pure. We will be pure. Despite all the rules we’ll break. Or maybe in spite of them. At least we will have that.
I’ve come to my decision and wait for Michael to catch up. But his eyes are indigo and don’t see my firm resolve. His voice is heavy as he whispers, “I don’t think I can wait any longer to—” He reaches for me but I step back. He cocks an eyebrow in question.
“Two things,” I say and then hold up a finger. “One: Patience is a virtue.” Never mind that my hand is trembling. He takes a step closer. I back up again. Two fingers. “Two: Spirit walkers must remain chaste.”
I state this as a reverent fact and Michael looks alarmed for a full five seconds before his face darkens. “You just made that up.”
I burst out laughing and he comes after me. He’s so quick that I have no time to rush around him. He sweeps me up and presses me against the wall. Trapping my hands over my head, he buries his face in my hair and then bites a path down my neck, sending a riot of shivers along my skin.
“Mmm,” I moan.
He whispers in my ear, “I like you pinned against the wall. Maybe we’ll start here—”
“But, Michael—”
“On our wedding night,” he finishes. I relax with relief. He says, “Don’t think I’m kidding about this,” and grinds me against the wall.
He releases me and I wrap myself around his neck. We stand with our foreheads resting together and I’m hoping we’re sharing the same thoughts.
“Michael, please don’t do anything rash. Don’t tell the Halos. Let’s get married in secret, like you said before. Just us. No one needs to know until we can figure things out.”
“I don’t want to hide anymore. I’m not ashamed and I want the world to know I’m in love with you.”
Hmm. He is being reckless and obstinate, so I try another angle.
“Will you find someone to marry us first? Before we tell everyone? I don’t want to risk anyone stopping us. Please?”
Michael leans back and looks at me, considering my logic. “I have a better idea. How about I find someone to marry us first. Before we tell everyone. That way we won’t risk anyone stopping us.”
I throw myself against him. “What a brilliant idea.” I laugh.
“Yeah. And then we’ll see how strong this wall is.”
Chapter 6
Michael
Michael strolled into the barn, having received a call for attendance from the Halos. It was not a call to arms so he’d come without concern. That might have been a miscalculation.
He spotted the Masters near the stream in their black and gold armor, breastplates, broadswords strapped to their backs, daggers, and black cloaks. He hadn’t expected to find Raph there, showing the Halo Masters how to navigate the sound system and his playlist. The song blasting from hidden speakers was a particularly interesting choice: “Darker Side of Me” by The Veer Union. The lyrics screamed of rebellion, secrets, and warnings of a darker side. Michael wondered if Raph was trying to send a message to the Masters about him. He knew he’d come down hard on everyone after the ceremony but this seemed a bit excessive.
“Your brother has been bringing us up to date on the latest technologies,” Chief Master Sachiel said as the song ended. He scratched his red beard and laughed affectionately at the slim iPod resting in his beefy hand. It looked just as out of place as the warriors did in the peaceful landscape. “This would prove valuable on the battlefield, eh? Distract the demons with song?” He chuckled louder at the idea.
“Something a bit more soulful?” Squad Master Camael smirked, taking it
from him. He tossed the iPod to Michael, who snatched it out of the air. “Raphael says you have questions about Sophia St. James.” He was blunt and to the point. Camael, with his cornrows, soul patch, and dark chocolate eyes, had no patience for human trinkets at the moment.
Michael’s eyes cut to his brother and caught what was best described as a weaselly grin. So he was right; Raph was holding a grudge. Too bad. Michael had hoped that Raph would get over his self-righteous attitude and bear witness at his wedding. He could see now that it had been a foolish idea brought on by his clouded happiness. Raph would never overlook his vows, nor would he respect Michael’s free will in choosing to marry a human. There was no trust left between them and Michael was surprised by how much it hurt.
As he began to explain his inquiry into Sophia, Camael held up his hand and stopped him.
“We have our own questions. Tell us, Michael, did Celeste ask you to protect Sophia?”
The question caught him off guard, and he looked to each Master in turn. They were too adept at masking their emotions. Michael could only assume this topic was extremely important to them. And personal. It was no ordinary inquiry but one that had singled him out. None of the other warriors had been called.
“How…do you know her mother?” Michael asked.
Camael bristled, irritated that his question was answered with a question. It was Sachiel, graced with a bit more patience, who spoke up.
“We met Celeste at the Borderlands. Coming back from a battle last October. The same night that Demon Knight Dante sent Sophia there.”
Michael was beginning to think the Borderlands had been Grand Central Station that night. First Celeste had met Katarina there, and then the Halos had met Celeste and Sophia. He remembered how friendly the Halo Masters were to Sophia during one of his training sessions in the barn. She must’ve remembered them. Still, that didn’t explain their question.