Ethereal Underground (Ethereal Underground Trilogy)

by Briana Gaitan

  Annalise paused as she heard the familiar buzz resounding from the golden bangle on her wrist. She looked down at it and pressed it lightly to make the sound stop, and saw a young man’s reflection looking back at her. He was wandering through the streets with a redheaded friend, a creature stalking him from nearby. Annalise moved her wrist up to peer closer into the bangle and noticed the black eyes underneath the hood of the cloaked figure. Leon had taught her that this was a definite sign of a fallen. It terrified her to think that she would have to go to a place where one had been, however it surprised her to see one so open in the streets. As usual, she stopped watching the scene so as not to see the actual death itself, turning her attention to Leon placing new fruits in her basket. Wanting badly to return to the mortal world, she tried to keep her wrist out of Leon’s view. For a moment, she considered telling him what she had seen. Then it occurred to her that he would not let he reap a soul so near the place a fallen had been. He watched her as she turned back to the scene displayed on her bangle. His eyes did not leave her. He seemed to be studying her for some reason. He had always been protective; always one to watch out for her, but this was different. However, she could not figure out what it was. She tried not to think about it so she could concentrate on her duty. Annalise handed the basket to Leon.

  “I am sorry, I must go. I will be back, if you would not mind to finish up?” she asked. This was the way of the seraphs, having to leave at a moment’s notice to get to fulfill their obligation and then return. Not one seraph took offense if the other had to leave. Conversations could always be picked back up if needed.

  “Of course,” he said simply and took the basket from her.

  She felt a shiver go down her spine at the thought of reaping a soul where there had just been a fallen. Annalise turned her gaze back to her wrist and waited for the fallen to walk away before pressing her bangle and teleporting to the scene. She arrived just as the mortal was taking his last few breaths and the excitement of the reaping hit her. Walking quickly over to him, she knelt beside him as she always did when it was time to take a soul, and let her wings envelop the two of them. But as she moved her hands over him to begin the ritual, he moaned slightly, fighting to continue to live. Annalise had seen this before, it wasn’t anything new for a soul to fight death. Still, there was something about this one that made her pause, move her eyes down to his face and take him in. He appeared to be just under thirty of mortal years, still young looking, yet having seen many a battle judging by the way his muscles settled along his body. She shook her head to try to clear it and tried to focus on her job at hand. She had to take his soul with her. No time for curiosity or wondering what his life had been like. She had to get back to finish her shopping with Leon. But as she reached out to his face, she had to pause again and look at him. She just couldn’t help herself. Moving over to him, she straddled his stomach and lowered her blue eyes down closer to his face to get a better look. He was quite handsome, even though his clothing was drenched in blood. His brown hair was long across his forehead and slightly falling into his eyes. His face was not as angled or sharp like that of Finlay or Leon, yet it was still very manly and strong.

  “Do not be silly, Annalise,” she mumbled to herself, putting her hands to his face and muttering her reaper’s blessing.

  She could feel her power moving inside of her, flowing down to him and coaxing his soul to come to her. Her eyes closed and she let out a satisfied sigh as she felt the soul moving into her hand. When she opened her eyes, proud that she had gone against this aching in her to save his life, she couldn’t help the shock that played over her face. His soul was a glittering swirl of colors, that much was normal. However, it was more golden than all the others she had seen before.

  Once again, she felt the overwhelming need to revive him, heal him. If she listened to it, she would be betraying her people, breaking one of the most important of rules. She had never gone against the Elders’ wishes before, but she felt as it would be a terrible tragedy if she took this soul back to the Grand Hall.

  Annalise leaned back to gaze up at the high metal ceilings and the florescent lights flickering above her. Leon would be so disappointed in her, and she would be going against all of her trainings if she rescued this mortal. She felt her heart racing as she fought with herself to continue with her duty. All she had to do was tap her bangle and she would be in the Grand Hall. There would be no turning back at that point. It itched at her, however, her heart aching suddenly in the weirdest way.

  There was no way she could do it, she decided. She had to make sure the young man lying there was saved and she was the only one that could do it. She could not take his soul. They would have to send someone else to do it. As she leaned back over him, she noticed his face beginning to lose its color.

  Quickly, she began mumbling her healing words and forcing the soul to go back where it was once. There was a short span of time in which a person could be healed, even if their soul had been removed. She only hoped she wasn’t too late.

  All her concerns about duty and what she was supposed to do faded as she began to mumble her most anxious and quick blessings to his soul. There was a rush of adrenaline filling her body, a yearning to bring him back to life, save him, quickly, before his soul was depleted. She closed her eyes as she whispered furiously, eyebrows coming together in concentration. As she felt his wounds closed, she wished that he would be fully healed. There had been something on that blade, something that was meant to poison the mortal’s system, and it was fighting back her spell. She had never felt something like this before, something that was resisting her magic. Putting more of herself into it, her words came out a little faster, the seraph language growing thicker on her tongue as she felt herself weaken. It had never been this hard to heal someone before, perhaps because she had never healed someone who was meant to die. She felt her stomach flip with excitement when she heard his loud intake of breath. Her eyes shot open as she felt his strong hands grip her arms, seeing her bright light shining through his digits. She knew her blue eyes shown with the brightest color, her hair as if a part of the golden sun as she looked down at his wide eyes. They were full of shock and dismay as they looked back at her, baby blue just as her own.

  Annalise jerked her hand back from the young man when she realized that she had let her guard down, let him see her true form. She couldn’t believe what she had just done, breaking the rules and bringing his life back when it was meant to be taken. She chastised herself and quickly tapped her bangle to send herself back home before the mortal could open his mouth. Finding herself on the floor of her living space, she took a minute to look around. Since she did not see anyone else in site, she buried her face in her hands and tried to hold back the tears. She had never seen a seraph cry, not even heard of it. How was it that she herself was about to cry for the first time in her life? Even though she was one of the very few seraphs who were concerned with feelings and how they related to others, she had never felt so overwhelmed with emotion before. Here she was, remorseful and broken in her own home. She wasn’t sure how she was going to hide this from Leon. He could read her like a book, and he would be so very upset.

  “Back already?” Leon’s voice rang out from the other room. She had genuinely thought that she was alone in the small home. By paying more attention to her emotions than her surroundings, she hadn’t noticed her counterpart busying himself in the other room. He was right, however; if she had taken the soul to the Grand Hall, she would not have been back this quickly.

  Jumping up from her spot on the floor, she ran from their home as fast as she could, down the stone pathway, letting her body take her to the one place she felt like she could get out her feelings. It wasn’t as if Leon wouldn’t forgive her, wouldn’t work with her, but he was duty bound. Period. He brushed his feelings off, and dismissed many of her curious thoughts. She needed someone slightly above the law, someone who walked that thin line of good and bad, someone to help her keep from being cas
t out. Help her steer clear of turning into what she feared the most. Fallen.

  She didn’t stop running until she found herself at the bottom of the large oak tree, the one with wooden steps leading up to the vast tree house. Once there, she let out a long sigh, a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding and took a few small steps toward the tree. After she tapped her bangle, she found herself in the doorway, teleported there, and stepped slightly inside.

  “Finlay?” she called.

  “Well look what the cat dragged in! Come on in sweetheart,” he said as he stood up from his place on the floor and gestured for her to come inside.

  Annalise lowered her eyes to the ground, slightly nervous to be alone with the blonde seraph in his home, and unsure about what he meant by being dragged in by a cat. She decided it must be some of the mortal slang that Finlay tended to use and shook her head. Her stomach felt queasy as she looked around. Leon had always been there with her before and she had never come alone. The two males were best of friends, high ranking officials in the guardian faction. Finlay was slightly taller than Leon, perfectly fixed blonde hair slightly long atop his head and dark eyebrows, hazel eyes that peered into your soul and a charming personality to ensnare any beauty that he set his eyes on. He spent most of his nights in the Ethereal Underground, something she had heard about as a gathering place for less than perfect individuals. Seraphs didn’t gamble, have intercourse, lie, cheat, or any of the other things that humans were known to do. They were duty bound, and once that duty was broken, they were cast out from their homeland and turned into the fallen. Still, she knew that Finlay did all these things. He played with mortal girls’ emotions for his own good, frequented company that was less than ideal, and yet was never cast out for it. He seemed untouchable to her, and he was what she needed most right now. Just thinking about them made Annalise shiver, and she wrapped her arms around herself as she stepped inside to speak with her friend.

  “Thank you,” she said politely and raised her large blue eyes to meet his hazel eyes, set in his angled face. His body language was relaxed, hands tucked into his pockets, taupe wings lowered at his back.

  He raised his eyebrows, head dipping slightly, concern covering his face, “What’s wrong?”

  “Finlay,” she started, unsure of what to really say. She wanted to blurt it all out, what she’d done. The wrong, terribly wrong, way she had betrayed her people, failed for the first time since she had been created. She was so ashamed. “They are going to cast me out. It is awful, what I have done. There is no way…” Her voice trailed off, trying once again to fight off the tears that were threatening to spill over her lower lids.

  “I’m sure you are fine, Annalise,” he said reassuringly and stepped closer to her and raised his hand to attempt to wipe a tear from her eyes. His eyebrows pulled together in curiosity as he looked at the tear and wiped it on his pants.

  She jerked back from him, eyes opening in shock at his words. Did he not see how important this was? How she was at risk of falling when the Elders realized one soul was missing from the day’s gathering? It was clear in the laws; those who do not do as is required of them are not worthy to stay as a seraph. It just was not clear to her how Finlay was still at his position with the amount of chastisements he got as a result from his actions. His advice was what she needed, “You are not taking me seriously, Harper.”

  “Finlay-” he corrected. He had never liked his first name. As soon as Finlay had received his higher ranking from the Elders, he had been awarded with a surname. He had taken this opportunity to insist he be addressed as Finlay now. After 1000 years, Annalise still let the name Harper slip from her lips when she got mad. She hadn’t received a surname yet, but she hoped to one day have her own.

  “Finlay, you need to understand the seriousness of this situation. I…I have brought back a soul that was meant to be taken. I do not know why I did it…I suppose I was intrigued,” she said as her finger went to her mouth in wonder. Her thoughts swirled around her head suddenly as if they had been there all along just waiting for something to trigger them. She had never brought back a soul that was not meant to come back. What had been so different about this mortal that had made her heal him? She knew it was forbidden to bring back a lost soul unless instructed to do so by the globe. There had been something in his blue eyes, in his cocky smile as he looked at his rival, determined to defeat him. She felt herself wonder what he was doing at this moment, if he’d realized what had almost happened to him…if he was wondering about her as well.

  “Ash I’m sure,” Finlay said with a laugh. It snapped her out of her thoughts as he walked over to the vase in the corner. “His soul was supposed to have been taken today.” He took a sip from the container and brought it to her and offered it to her with a crooked smile. “Here this will help you feel a little better.”

  She took the vase from him and took a large gulp of the liquid inside. It burned her throat as it went down, and she almost spit it back up. The coughs were uncontrollable as they came from her, her hand going up to her throat and looking at him in question, “What kind of poison is that?”

  “Liquor, sweetheart, it’s the devil’s potion, that which calms us in even the most absurd of situations,” he said and took the vase from her carefully and gave a hearty laugh as he took another drink and sat it back in his place. “I believe you are getting your first taste of love.”

  The words caught in her throat as he turned back to her with a wave of his hand, as if that explained everything. He had surely lost his mind. Seraphs did not love, they simply…were. Sure they formed attachments, but they were not capable of love. Still, she was confused at this weird feeling in her stomach as he spoke of love. “You do not know what you are talking about. You are delusional from that awful concoction in your vase. I shall return when you are not so crazy,” she said, shooting a glare at him before turning to leave. She bumped into him, however, as he had teleported to beat her to the doorway, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to him.

  “It’s okay, Annalise, I remember my first time as well. Not love so much really though…maybe fascination.”

  She pulled herself out of his arms and shook her head, trying to ignore this weird sensation in her body, “How do you know this…Ash?” Why did she care so much?

  “He’s one of my charges. A rather competitive and cunning keeper at that. I quite like him. That boy and I have played many a game of cards in the Underground.”

  “What is a keeper?” Annalise asked, her curiosity peeked when her friend seemed to know more about the mortal.

  Finlay laughed, clearly amused by her sudden interest, “Oh my dear Anna, we really must get you a little more educated on the ways of the mortals if you are going to be spending so much time with them.”

  “I do not plan on doing such a thing. Just answer the question.”

  “Sure, sure, whatever you say,” he said with a roll of his eyes, “A keeper is a part of the government that makes sure that the planet is protected during times of war. They also take on assignments and fight for the good of the planet among its own inhabitants. They are stronger and faster than the average mortal, carrying a keeper blade that makes those features even more empowered.”

  “Why would they do such a thing?”

  “Why would a guardian seraph watch over their charges? Anna, don’t ask such silly questions. It makes you sound naïve and I know you are smarter than that. You just have to think before you speak.”

  She knew that he was right in what he was saying. It was just that saving this mortal’s soul had her so confused and erratic all of a sudden and she needed to know more about them.

  Finlay interrupted her as she opened her mouth to speak and held his finger up as if to ask her to be quiet, “They are duty bound just as we are, but they are taken from their family as an infant and trained to be the best. Worst thing for them is having to learn to fight their emotions and control them. Some do well with that and others struggle…t
hat Ash of yours, he’s quite the rebellious type.”

  “He is not mine,” she clarified and threw her hands up in the air in front of her.

  “Whatever you say, sweetheart. I don’t know why you saved him. Do you know why you saved him?”

  Annalise paused and shook her head, “No, no I do not.”

  “Then you should ask him.”

  “Ask him?” Was he really trying to convince her to go speak with the mortal? To go to the human world and confront the one who she had saved? The one who she had shown herself to? Surely he would remember her and turn her in to these keepers. Then the Elders, and Leon, were sure to know what she had done.

  “Of course. Why not? Hide the wings, and the mortals will never know the difference,” he laughed and pointed to the thick golden bangle each seraph wore that not only alerted them of available duties but could also hide their wings.

  Annalise shook her head in amazement. She knew that Finlay spent most of his extra time with the mortals, but it never occurred to her that he would be showing himself to them and taking on their attributes. Seraphs spoke without slang, without contractions, and most of the time Finlay spoke with both of those as a mortal would do. It was something she never wanted to do, and she certainly did not want to go hunt down this young man. “If you are his guardian, then where were you when he was dying?”

  “Where I was supposed to be, beautiful, away so he could die,” he said matter-of-factly, as if the very life he was in charge of didn’t matter.

  “How can you be so nonchalant about such things, Finlay? I have never once broken the code of honor and disgraced myself in such a way, and here you are, squandering away your life and walking a fine line between seraph and…and…fallen. Even encouraging me to do the same.”

  “That’s quite the accusatory statement there, but lucky for you I take no offense,” he laughed facetiously and took her face in his hands, “I will make sure you escape, scotch free, I promise you that. Can’t be having Leon’s little lady getting into trouble. We are all meant to fall, my dear, all of us. Some just get caught quicker than others.”