I was used to Sean and Killian morphing into their harder Primani selves, but Dec usually stayed relaxed in a fight. He’d even been known to grin cheekily while dispatching demons. This Dec, though, was unnerving me. He’d morphed completely into that supernatural warrior, looking more demon than angel in the dim light.
“Grab her!” he shouted as Dani tried to make a run for it.
It was too easy to stop her and my heart broke just a little at how weak she was. She slapped at my hands but I forced her to sit down. Dec knelt next to her and cupped her chin in his hand trying to calm her. Wanting only to help, he whispered to her in a compelling voice. She resisted and tried to knock his hand away. Determined, he gripped her chin hard and hissed at her to sit still.
Defiantly, she sneered, “You piece of shit! Get out of my face!”
She spit in his face.
Stone faced, he kept whispering to her, trying to reach into her mind, trying to find her beyond the demon’s control. How had this happened? We were all so normal not that long ago…My mind just couldn’t understand…Unable to watch any longer, I turned away and blinked back tears for Dani.
But the sense of unreality continued. Sean and Dagin were locked in a battle of strength and wills and Sean hadn’t destroyed him yet. It was bizarre how evenly matched they were; neither had gotten the upper hand. They looked identical now, and I couldn’t tell who was who. They wore the same face, but one was good, one was evil…
But was it really so black and white?
Remembering those kisses, I thought about how familiar they felt even though I knew it wasn’t Sean. Just for a second, it had felt like him…until he hurt me. Sean hadn’t ever been violent to me…until recently.
Detroit.
His anger pushed him into someone he wasn’t…someone he shouldn’t be.
Killian’s words came back to me.
He’s too powerful to let his emotions rule his brain.
His pride kept him from forgiving me. Now that anger and pride drove him to destroy Dagin.
Would he kill him for my sake or for his own?
Staring intently, I knew which one was the real Sean. He was the one with the underlying desperation in every move. No longer graceful and elegant, he threw himself at Dagin with brute force. He wasn’t just fighting one demon.
He fought the lure of darkness, the shadows creeping around him.
He fought his own darker side.
Why didn’t he just finish him? It was taking too long…he’d lost the Primani blade and couldn’t reach it; the powerful blade lay on the floor in a puddle of murky water.
He threw himself to the side as Dagin slung a fireball at his head. Rolling to his feet, he shot a bolt of energy that collapsed the ceiling near Dagin’s head. Back and forth they went; it was almost like they could predict the other’s moves. Neither scored a direct hit, both were nearing a tipping point.
A faint murmuring gradually penetrated my brain as I stood transfixed by the scene playing out. Straightening with sudden recognition, I tensed and looked for him. Killian.
His shout drew my eyes to the darkened tunnel as he rematerialized a few feet in front me. He had the golden blade raised over his head and stood defiantly waiting as the first of them shuffled forward like a nightmare in the darkness. The awkward shuffle was so theatrical that I smiled.
This was going to be too easy…
Killian’s voice whispered in my mind…persuading, calling…his magic as familiar to me as if it was my own…
Sgaine dios a liane, Sgaine dios a liane.
He called the lightning.
With each word, the tone of his call grew more demanding, more insistent. His voice compelled me, it was impossible to resist. I would be what he needed, do what he needed. I would answer his call. I was part of him…as connected to him as his own hand.
Our bond formed by blood and stone.
Stronger together than apart…we would win this.
It was destined. I saw this as clearly as I saw the faint blue shimmer.
The air crackled and the hair on my arms stood up while the powerful force surged like a current through my veins…readying me for what was to come. Waiting for his signal, I stood by his side. They came forward, one at a time at first. They were different from the reanimated demons; these had been people and death had changed their bodies.
The first zombie had been shot; the gaping hole in his chest ragged with decay. A woman shuffled behind the first one. She had been young; her blond hair still hung limply down her back as she shuffled mindlessly towards me. After a minute, there were six of them moving our direction. As they got closer, I got antsy.
Why wasn’t he doing something?
They were 50 yards away and more streamed in to fill the tunnel in front of us. Still he stood, facing them, blade glowing fiercely above his head. Inclining his head slightly, he spoke the simple words that would change the world.
“Sgaine dios a liane, Sgaine dios a liane.”
He called the lightning.
Now there were too many to count and they were crowding forward. An ominous murmur grew louder to my right and turning with dread, I found the other tunnel filling with more undead…Two of the three tunnels were blocked. Sean and Dagin were throwing each other against the wall behind me while Dec crouched over Dani’s still form.
We had only one way out.
At the moment, the others were too intent on their own battles to notice the beginnings of the zombie apocalypse bearing down on us. Tensing for the fight, my eyes burned and my fingers gripped my Primani blade hard enough to imprint the carvings into my palm. Balancing my weight on the balls of my feet, I felt a strange sense of calm. With my heightened vision, I saw the decomposing grey skin clearly as the first of them were nearly upon us.
Killian’s voice rang in a shout of triumph that I felt in my bones.
“Sgaine dios a liane! Sgaine dios a liane!”
He called the lightning and it came.
With immense control, he slowly released a blue ball of lightning from the palm of his outstretched hand, and like St. Elmo’s fire, it hovered in a sphere of light. Instinctively, I reached for it and linked my fingers through his. The twin runes exploded into light as the sphere raced into my body. The jolt of electricity sent my heart galloping in my chest and turned my vision white. Time stopped as I relished my sudden strength. I could move mountains…They were nearly on us and still we waited. Both tunnels were filled with hundreds of them. Raising my silver blade with his golden one, I took a deep breath.
“Now!” he shouted and crushed my hand in his.
Channeled through the metal blades, the lightning arced across the tunnel ceilings. Pulsing with heat, I stood perfectly still as it snaked down the walls around us casting everything in its eerie light. As in the cave, the current formed a web across the ceilings and the walls pulsed with the power. Killian’s blade burned like a star in his fist. His body burned with the power of the lightning.
Ready?
Nodding, I followed his lead. Together, we drew the web around the stunned zombies and tightened its hold. The lightning arced between us creating a storm of wind and heat that swirled violently around us. Ready to end this, he released a surge of power into my hand that nearly knocked me over. Planting my feet, I took a deep breath and let the electricity pulse and build until it was so strong I could feel my skin splitting across my back. My body shook with the force and my eyes felt like they were melting in their sockets…finally, he nodded at me and we released the lightning with a loud crack.
For the barest of seconds, the blue fire raced up their bodies outlining them in the eerie light. They pulsed for a split second before exploding into the tempest. My hair whipped against my eyes as the winds howled around us. Killian met my eyes, his expression triumphant. Slowly lowering the pulsing blade, he scanned the two tunnels for survivors. They were empty of everything except bits of dust floating on the air. Bowing his head respectfully, he murmured
a prayer to send the undead to their resting places.
He said something to me, but I couldn’t hear him. My ears hummed and I shook my head to clear them. He said it again and I just shook my head at him.
Don’t you hear that? I asked silently.
Shaking his head like he had water in his ears, he nodded seriously. It’s from the lightning. It’ll pass. Are you hurt?
I’m not sure. Am I bleeding?
Sheathing the knife, he ran his hands up my shirt to look at my back. His fingers stung as he traced an outline across my shoulder blade. When he was done, the burning was gone. Coming around to my front side, he pulled up the material and stopped in surprise. Wonderingly, he traced the undamaged rune over my heart and smiled faintly.
You did good, Princess.
Grinning at him now, I licked my finger and dabbed at a smear of grey ash on his cheek. “We kicked butt!”
“Bravo! Well done!” The sound of someone clapping echoed around us.
Killian pushed me behind him and hissed, “Jordan!”
All motion stopped.
Dec’s mouth dropped open and he pushed himself to his feet. Dagin froze and Sean took advantage of his distraction to snatch up his knife and plunge it into Dagin’s shoulder. But just as the knife should’ve sunk into his body, it clattered to the floor and Dagin flew to Jordan’s side. All eyes on him now, Jordan smiled ruefully and gestured in apology.
“I do apologize, my dear Sean. But I simply cannot allow you to destroy Dagin.” Inclining his head politely, he said, “I’ve certain…ah, business arrangements that require me to offer my protection. I’m sure you understand.”
Furious by the interference, but confused by his sudden appearance, Sean ventured in a formal tone, “I’m not sure I do understand. Would you care to elaborate?”
I twitched against Killian’s side drawing his attention. Unconsciously, he stepped slightly to the side so I could see around his back. Jordan’s eyes widened at the intimate gesture and he smiled at me. Once I’d thought Jordan to be a nice angel. He’d been gracious and efficient as the house manager in Manhattan. We’d had many comfortable talks in the kitchen. Now though? He made my skin crawl.
His eyes were too knowing, too cynical...creepy.
I edged close enough to Killian that my breasts brushed his back. The steady thumping of his heart calmed my sudden urge to panic, but this wasn’t going to end well. Adrenaline zinged around inside of me and I knew this was going to be bad…
“Ah, Mica, sweet girl! I’ve missed you! I must say you look remarkably well considering the tragic loss you’ve suffered. The resilience of youth, I suppose.” He bowed respectfully. “Please allow me to offer you and Sean my condolences on the loss of your son.”
Twin gasps of shock broke the silence.
Dec and Sean swung around towards me and Killian. Sean’s eyes snapped to my face and I looked at him helplessly. His eyes were desperate as he searched my face. Instead of answering him, I shook my head, unable to find the words. When he realized it was true, his eyes died like a match in the wind.
Defeated, his shoulders slumped.
Dec growled low in his throat. With clenched fists, he tensed to attack. Killian pulled me against his side and firmly restrained me from my darker instincts.
Watching our reactions carefully, Jordan continued in that same insincere tone. “I see you didn’t know. Oh, but I am so sorry to spring it on you like that. That was most discourteous of me. Of course, had you been where you were supposed to be, you would’ve been there the night I sent my new friends to your house. You and Mica would’ve been destroyed along with the baby you spawned on her. Fortunately, the baby didn’t survive; sadly, you both did.“
It was my turn to gasp. “It was you? You did that? Why?”
“I do regret having to disappoint you like this. But I have my own--” His voice abruptly stopped and his attention swiveled to Dec who had lunged at him.
With impossible strength, Jordan lifted Dec off his feet and broke his neck with a heartbreaking snap. Seeing nothing but white-hot fury, I threw myself at Jordan only to be snatched back by Killian’s hand. Pinning me to his chest, he wrapped his arm around me to keep me there. Out of control with grief, I struggled to get loose, even biting his arm, but he refused to let me go.
“Stop! You can’t help him!” he whispered harshly in my ear. With his other hand, he whipped out his knife but before he could hit Jordan, he let go of Dec.
Dec crumbled to the ground, his face ashen, eyes staring.
Oh, God, Dec!
I was crying and struggling to get away from Killian who could barely hold me with both hands. Dec was so still…
His beautiful, terrible eyes were dimming in front of us.
Sean was at his side frantically feeling for a pulse when Dani stumbled to her feet and raced to Jordan’s open arms.
“Sean? Sean? Is he alive?” I cried, desperately wanting it to be true.
With his head bowed over Dec’s chest, his shoulders shook and I knew it was too late.
He was gone.
My legs wouldn’t hold me and I crumbled over Killian’s arm.
Oh, God, no. Not Dec…Not Dec…Not Dec…
Shaking me gently, Killian sent his thoughts to me. Listen to me! Mica, listen!
I was beyond hearing him.
He dug his fingers into my arm and I gulped at a steadying breath.
Mica, please! I need you to be strong! I have to go after Jordan! I have to. Will you be strong for me?
Still crying, I nodded mutely. I’m going with you.
Killian glared into Jordan’s eyes and said in a voice so hushed it was less than a whisper, “Why? Why would you do that? What deal have you made with Satan?”
Satan? My ears perked up and my tears shut off like a faucet. The Satan?
Jordan stayed silent.
Sensing a soft spot, Killian goaded, “It has to be good. Money? Women? Power? Hmmm. What would a butler want?” He said the word butler as if it was a filthy word. The effect was electrifying.
Jordan’s voice shook the mortar from the bricks around us. His face caught fire with an unholy glow that made me cringe against Killian. “Butler? Butler? I was never a simple butler! My family comes from ancient magic; I’m more powerful than you idiots will ever be! I had to bide my time…waiting for you to make a mistake. And you didn’t. Not for almost 3,000 years. Not until you let your hormones overrule your Primani duty.”
“Yes, yes, we’re all very impressed with you, Jordan. I’m going to ask you just one more time. What deal did you make with Satan?” His soft tone brooked no argument.
Unimpressed, Jordan crowed, “I followed you to your altar. Once you left, I simply retrieved Sgaine Dutre and left the plane. You were so preoccupied with Mica that you didn’t sense my presence. It was disappointingly easy. Now Sgaine Dutre belongs to me. I will master it and use it to fulfill my destiny.”
“And what is that, exactly?” Killian said between his teeth.
“I’m going to replace God. He’s gotten too soft. Mankind needs more discipline.”
My mouth fell open and Killian inhaled sharply. Several things happened after that. Dec’s still form began to shimmer like a mirage. His beautiful soul swirled from his body like gold dust and disappeared into the air. We watched in horror as his body vanished, leaving nothing but his scent trickling through Sean’s desperate hands. Devastated, he collapsed against the wall with empty black eyes. Killian swore savagely and yanked me around to face him.
“Anchor him!”
With one hand he threw me into Sean’s arms just as Jordan began to shimmer.
Killian’s eyes held mine and then he was gone.
As the world spun out from under me, Killian’s last words rang in my ears.
Don’t let him fall!
####
Stone Angels
By Laurie Olerich
I close my eyes and he comes to me,
My heart breaks and he
comes to me,
A child cries and he comes to me,
The world dies and he comes to me.
Chapter 1: Off the Deep End
TUMBLING THROUGH INKY DARKNESS, I landed face first in the freezing ocean, legs and arms sprawled, grasping for anything solid. My breath whooshed out and the black water crashed over me, driving me under again and again until I was completely disoriented. Panicking, I flailed helplessly against the vicious surf. My head bounced against a jagged rock, starbursts of light exploded behind my eyes.
Out of the darkness, Killian’s face swam in front of me like a mirage. The memory of his words echoed and disappeared like a dying breeze.
I will give you a child, Princess.
He’d smiled into my eyes and kissed me with promise.
Such beautiful promise.
Part of me wanted that…his child, our child…a tiny magical creature to carry on his name.
Part of me just wanted to practice.
But now, I felt nothing, sensed nothing. There was no wind, no ocean, nothing but darkness and absolute silence.
Was I in Hell?
Wasn’t there supposed to be fire? Brimstone?
I squinted into the void and saw nothing, not even my hand in front of my face. If this was Heaven, it was a huge disappointment. Spending eternity in a black cocoon wasn’t my idea of bliss. I was claustrophobic, didn’t anyone remember that? Hello? Anyone?
Killian? Where are you?
I sent my thoughts to him in the darkness. His face shimmered in my mind, his voice coming from far away.
What are you doing? Get back to Sean! He’s going to bolt!
Sean? He’s already gone.
A great weight landed on my back and someone pushed me into the wet sand until my spine nearly cracked. Over and over again, someone shoved me into the sand until I thought I’d drown in it. My cozy world of darkness crumbled and both light and pain came pouring in even as the water poured out of my mouth.
“Good girl, do it again!” Strong hands pushed against my back until I coughed up all of the water in my lungs.
The Lost Soul Trilogy (Primani Book 5) Page 69