Against the Fallen

by Devin Lee Carlson

  Shifting from one foot to the other, Abyss asked, “Why do you despise me? I sensed your raw hatred long before we crossed paths on the beach.”

  Her question valid, I had often wondered why myself. Abyss haunted my nightmares or perhaps distant memories. She stood before me with a knife at my jugular, behind her a green inferno engulfed the world. No clue what these visuals meant or where they had come from, I finally asked, “Crossed paths?” I ran a few fingers through my hair and scoffed. “You mean attacked me.”

  “A simple mix-up. But why do you hate me so much?”

  “Seriously?” She would never understand the nightmares, so apart from the obvious, I recalled the same loathing the first time we met at the Caderen stronghold. She inspected me like I was goods to be purchased. Maybe my sister’s emotions had burrowed into my mind, influencing my opinion. Unexpected eye contact with Abyss made me glance away, the floor a safer haven to focus on. “No bloody idea. Maybe it’s an omen from deep within. Sabree warned you were not to be trusted.”

  “Because I was there.” Abyss raised her voice to explain but gasped instead.

  A hooded man appeared beside her, misting in while another eight rushed into the room. The mister and one other grabbed Abyss and wrapped a woven net around her body. It glistened with electrical energy. Seven surrounded me.

  “What’s going on?” I hollered. Curious about the sparkling net, I craned my neck to see what the two were doing to Abyss. The leader, Sarieff, a member of the Caderen Council Chamber, was the one who had given us a tour of the Caderen science labs. “Leave her alone,” I said, growling the order.

  In response, their minds joined as one in an attempt to destroy me. Sarieff led the cerebral aggression. His reddened eyes bulged with determination. Each one armed with a mind-raging sledgehammer, pulverized my skull all at once. The cerebral attack pounded until I buckled over and dropped to my knees. Another blast, more lethal than the first, almost knocked me into oblivion. I screamed, drowning out Abyss’s angry pleas.

  “Stop!” she begged as she tried to wriggle free of the net. “I will go with you. Don’t kill him!”

  Sarieff shouted, “You murdered Turian. Help us destroy his son and we'll be merciful in return. The plague carriers must be terminated.” His voice boomed over the sudden silence. He spun around and gasped.

  The brutal onslaught failed. Relief washed over me. The battle to maintain consciousness victorious, I opened my inflamed eyes and gathered the strength to glare back. Rage pumped through my veins into my mind. I focused on Sarieff first as he gestured a thumbs down to the two restraining Abyss. My glare switched to them. Eyes, shadowing with lethal intent, bore into their souls. The fatal glare blasted their gray matter until it puddled inside each of their skulls.

  The two released Abyss, cried out, and buckled over, collapsing on all fours.

  Still focused, I never blinked as my mind envisioned the two immortals exploding the way nosophors burst into a dust ball when exposed to sunlight. The force of the explosion threw my body against those surrounding me. Ash flew into our faces. Startled cries chilled my insides. Fearing the worst, I opened my eyes, surprised to see Abyss standing by herself. The two immortals who held her had vanished.

  Perplexed voices shouted at each other until the remaining seven repeated the attack in force, striking harder. Seven sets of eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.

  Besides a few whimpers at first, this time I resisted the assault as my body healed faster than the damage they inflicted. Again, I concentrated on the nearest aggressor, Sarieff, and imagined the same volatile scene—an exploding dust ball. Within seconds, the lead clan member exploded, then another, followed by one more.

  The surviving Caderen scrambled in every direction. One misted, another flew through the French doors, off the patio, and two ran out the front door. They forgot to take Abyss as she quietly slipped free of the net. Her wide-eyed gaze never left mine.

  3 3 3

  Sabree materialized into the room, crouched low to do battle. Miles away, he had zeroed in on Brian’s pain and misted to the rescue without parking the new sportscar. He cared less if it ran into a ditch, his concern on Brian’s safety. Seeing his friend coated in dust and barely conscious, he dropped to his knees. “Are you injured? What happened?”

  “The Caderen tried to kill him,” Abyss whimpered, still shaken. She threw the net at the couch as if it were a python. “Sarieff and eight of his soldiers attacked us.”

  His attention shifted to Abyss and then back to Brian. He had no idea what to ask first. “The Caderen? What’d they do? Whose dust is this?” A sinking numbness settled in his gut. His carelessness had provoked this raid.

  “Their offensive backfired.” Abyss leaned closer so he could hear her. “Brian mind-blasted more than half of them into dust. Never seen anything like it. What is he?”

  The tragic incident brought back painful memories. To this day, Sabree’s role in Turian’s assassination still mortified him. Long ago, he admitted to Abyss that he had also taken part in the murderous crime, but with Turian’s blessing. Sabree suspected his old friend had asked him to join them, knowing it required seven minds to destroy him, and that Sabree would refuse to take part. However, Turian never anticipated the party crasher—his son.

  “It was either them or me, and I chose me,” Brian muttered. The attempt on his life drained him. He cleared his throat. “I dusted five of them. Dust to dust…”

  “Do you remember anything during the attack?” Abyss asked.

  “Not much,” Brian said. “Why?”

  The quick reply warned Sabree that Brian chose to keep the truth from them. Surprised by his friend’s supreme immortality compared to his own, he said, “Good thing we’re on Team Brian.” Then he considered another on their team. His hearts fluttered inside his chest. “Wait, does Ariane have the same ability?” Sabree studied the curled upper lip and angst in the dark eyes. “If she ever finds… Wait! That was you. You disabled those party goers at the DanJal stronghold.” Easy to envision the array of pastel scrubs, Sabree recalled how several writhed on the floor the day he and Ariane rescued Brian.

  “Bloody hell, can’t we tackle one day at a time.” Brian sat upright and stared at Abyss. “Unlike Sabree, you were there with the intent to murder my father. We all know why Sabree joined the party. What’s your excuse?”

  “I refuse to accept responsibility for something that happened hundreds of lifetimes ago.” Abyss ran from the room to the security of her lair.

  “This isn’t over.” Brian shouted.

  “Leave her alone. She’s been through enough today.” To stress his point, he dug his fingers into Brian’s shoulder. As a rule, the aggressive contact would have been a mistake.

  “She tried to murder Turian.”

  “Enough!” Sabree snarled as he yanked Brian to his feet. “You alone murdered him. Stop blaming others for your monstrous deed.” Bewilderment clouded Brian’s eyes and Sabree wondered if he even remembered. “Like me, Turian asked Abyss to join them. He hoped she would fail. Unlike me, she participated. Six of seven minds united to destroy Turian, but you, Brian, you alone interfered and took over. You dusted Turian.”

  The Fallen attack took its toll on Brian. His eyes glistened with raw emotion. He yanked his arm free.

  His tone softened, Sabree said, “It happened thousands of years ago. She made a mistake. Rejection clouded her judgment.”

  “You knew about her intentions?” His eyes glimmered with the threat to darken.

  Sabree could only imagine the glower equaled the same intensity that destroyed the Caderen assassins. The scarlet dots glistening in Brian’s amber irises reminded him of a snow globe shaken too violently. “Never mind her intentions or mine.” Sabree rolled his shoulders. “Why did you do it?”

  “None of your business!” Brian glared at him and pointed at the door. “Get out and take that she-devil with you. The two of you can rot in hell for all I care. Neither one of you are goi
ng to get another drop of my blood.”

  “But...”

  “Out or I’ll dust you next!”

  The chill unsettling Sabree’s neck crept downward as his body misted, sinking through the floorboards into the cellar below. His gaze landed on Abyss as he crouched on the floor. Despite their petty differences, a lifelong pact had remained unspoken between them. This newfound friendship he and Brian shared was rocky at best. Sabree survived too long to forfeit such an alliance. He faded into mist again and reappeared in front of Brian. “Dust me indeed. What kind of bestie threatens the other?”

  “I learned from the best of besties, Sabree.”

  Touché. The countless times he had threatened Brian tamed his fury. He had to make peace somehow.

  9

  GRADE A

  T he door swung open hard enough to slam against the wall. Sabree and I froze when Ariane barged in from her all-day research in the lab downtown. Our raised voices must have caught her attention, overhearing enough of the conversation to warrant her intervention.

  “No one’s going anywhere until I finish the serum.” She held a narrowed gaze on us. “Sabree and Abyss may inadvertently infect others. I refuse to accept that responsibility.”

  “You can leave too then.” Right away, I bit my tongue. Of all the stupid things to say. When she spun toward the door, I rushed to her side and tapped her shoulder. “Scratch that, you know I didn’t mean it.” My eyes glistened with regret. “The Caderen attack and Sabree’s bullshit knocked me on my ass.”

  “Attack?” she asked, raising her brows.

  “I’ll fill you in later. I’m exhausted.” I swayed on my way to the couch. Neither she nor Sabree dared reach out, not with my psychosis in full bloom. A shiny web caught my eye. Unwilling to explain the Malakhim net to my sister, I kicked it under the couch. My gaze then focused on Sabree. “Not sure about you, but Abyss can stay until Ariane finishes the serum. We will continue this chat.”

  “Chat? You’re kidding. It sounded more like a bring-out-the-fists brawl.” Ariane stared at my weakened stance. “Since you’re already set to explode, seems a good time as any to let you know the serum doesn’t work. I need a few pints to jump-start her system. I’d give her some of mine, but we work too closely together. It has to be your blood.”

  “No way,” I snarled. “Can’t believe you’d even ask.”

  “I’ve made leaps and bounds on the serum since her arrival.” Ariane crossed her arms. “Please?”

  “Three pints of Grade A Ross blood—Brian’s to be exact,” Sabree said, butting in. “Don’t condemn her for her past transgressions. We’ve all done things we regret.”

  “Let bygones be bygones, tit for tat, and so on?” I flipped Sabree the bird. The telltale pressure behind my eyes had diminished, which meant the color was returning to normal, but the muscles in my neck tensed until they knotted. “Aye, you win, Sis, three pints and not a drop more. By the way, we should get rid of both last names since they’re nothing but bogus lies.”

  Ariane waved Sabree over and together, they grabbed one arm each and led me into the adjoining townhouse. Both acted fast before I could change my mind.

  “Ross or Colton is a part of our heritage—our namesakes,” Ariane said. “Duncan raised us.” She winked at Sabree. “The only way I’ll change my surname again is if I get married.” With Sabree at her side, they sat me on the recliner. “It’s only a name after all. And the Fallen only have one each.” She cocked her head at Sabree while she attached the IV to my arm. “So, if we got married, my name would be Ariane Sabree?” She giggled to herself. “Which one of you would like to begin?”

  “Begin what?” Next to me, Sabree seemed to be preoccupied with his own thoughts. “Oh, you mean what we were arguing about?”

  Sabree rehashed what he knew about the Caderen raid. “I showed up too late. The three of us argued about the seven. Abyss misted off when Turian’s name came up.”

  I snapped a finger before he said anything about me dusting Turian. I had put off telling her about my latest time travel adventure. To change the subject and update my sister, I overrode Sabree’s winded tale. “Shut up, first things first. Weeks ago, I portal-jumped back in time.” I shook my hand at her dismayed huff. “The last time I spoke to Turian in the portal, he said he was our father.” I hushed her with another snap. “It gets better. Our mother was human. Her name was Julia.”

  “Why do you speak of her in the past tense? Is she dead?”

  “Yes, but I have no idea when or how she died.”

  We both heard Sabree whisper someone’s name with a sigh. Ariane ignored him and leaned in to examine my eyes. “Hmm, both pupils dilated and even. So, why aren’t you making any sense?”

  “A human?” Sabree asked me. “What about Loree? Did Turian mention her?”

  “Who? Uh, he said something about a soulmate before he was exiled but didn’t offer a name.”

  “Good to know,” Sabree whispered, eyeing Ariane with one brow knitted and the other hidden beneath his hair. Unlike the reserved expression he normally displayed, this atypical look made my sister blush. Comical at best described the look, yet his steely gaze reflected the battle within. Disapproval versus desire.

  My glance switched to each one for clues as to what was really going on until Ariane nudged my arm to hear more. “According to Turian, we are part human, part Fallen—anti-Fallen.” I almost choked on a deep inhale. “He also said a third being intervened. An omnipresent dude.” I giggled like a drunken fool. “A wicked threesome took place.”

  “A threesome?” Ariane’s nervous coughs made me swallow, my Adam’s apple bobbing up and down my throat. “It explains the DNA results, but anti?” she asked. “No such thing as antimatter.” She massaged her temple, only to stop when I patted the top of her hand.

  “Of course, there is, Sis. It’s been proven. And we are further proof that antimatter does exist.”

  “In every sci-fi book I’ve read, antimatter and matter go nuclear when the two unite.” Ariane folded her arms as if to ward off my argumentative comeback.

  She made sense, which explained our volatile sister-brother relationship. “Different theories exist.”

  She tossed both hands above her head. “I have the three pints I need. Rest. Sabree will fill me in later.”

  I tried to sit up but sank onto the pillow. “He wasn’t there. Abyss was.”

  Sabree’s teal eyes scrutinized my sister. “Although your anti-skills may prove lethal, it’s the mystery meat you’re both made of that worries me.” He purposely spat out the slur. “And, Ariane, you should know, the Fallen don’t marry. Choosing a mate is sufficient enough. No need to worry about changing your name.”

  Ariane’s face reddened. Laughing more from exasperation, she threw her hands up again. “Get out. I’ll send your sidekick in as soon as he recovers.”

  After Sabree left, my sister’s mind opened like a floodgate. Drew me into the rushing waters. She had not yet realized how to block her thoughts from me. Formulas and compounds ping-ponged around her brain cells until they bounced inside mine, her way to fight back to maintain some semblance of sanity. Sound logic balanced my crazed antics. The news about Turian and Julia made her itch with the heebie-jeebies, logic and science replaced by millions of insects invading her mind.

  My distinct anti-abilities to destroy the Fallen at will and travel the portal had impressed my fellow flatmates. Scared the bloody hell out of them. My mind then opened to her ability to morph, dependent on which type of creature she transformed into. The oddest transformation occurred when her humanoid intellect melded with an insect’s mind. The union f-upped her thought processes, her emotions. The last time she morphed into an insect, not a fluttering, colorful butterfly, she chose an armored beetle. The alien and isolated world of this creature smothered her soul, separated her from familiar emotions she had taken for granted. Instead, mathematical equations raced through her mind. More science. March plus search equals food. Repeat. R
epeat.

  Enough! My eyes squeezed shut against the alien perspective. Wheezing for air, I flew out of her mind. Buzzing filled the silence until my snort made her jump. Her gaze rested on me as she wrapped both arms around her core. I, the thieving twin, had somehow stolen the best of the abilities. For that, she would make me pay dearly.

  Ariane trembled as if insects were actually crawling all over her. She stifled a gasp.

  Just one bug—me. I shook my head. She’d kill me if she ever found out I could slip into her mind undetected not to mention uninvited. But how else could I find out what was going on inside her head? Help her deal with her evolving into the creature she was meant to be. I swore on my life never to intrude again. The promise wouldn’t even last a day.

  3 3 3

  The pints of blood donated to Abyss did wonders for her turnaround. Doctors and makeup artists worldwide would bow down to her miraculous cure. Ariane scoffed. How could their blood be both a cure and a curse? Brian’s words “anti-Malakhim” kept reeling in her mind.

  She had finally accepted her reality as not being human, but as being one of the Fallen. Now her brother dropped the bomb that they weren’t entirely Fallen either. Why couldn’t she accept her uniqueness? He seemed to embrace it with open arms. From day one, Brian had battled to keep his sanity. Ariane suspected she was just as mad, but in her own way.

  “Ooh, I feel so much better,” Abyss said.

  The pitchy feminine voice knocked Ariane back into the here and now. She shuddered. “Good to hear. I gave you a booster, a super dose that should be administered only when all else fails. Your system demanded it for the serum to work.” Ariane didn’t mind lying to her houseguest, if it protected her brother and herself.