“Let’s just get this over with shall we?” he offered, motioning her into the living room.
“So, if I tried to use the sword,” Ryder was asking, “and I killed Calliope, I would risk taking a piece of his black soul into mine?”
“Yes,” Christian said.
“What about Kyra?” Ryder asked, knowing that she had handled the sword once already.
Christian smiled. “Kyra is an Element, and part of the Light regardless of the fact the Element of Light has been lost. That repelled the darkness of Sofia’s soul, and the sword retained it. If she held it for an extended period of time it would eventually consume her.”
“So why can Celeste handle it and not you?” Marcus couldn’t control of the flinch that racked him as Ryder said her name.
“She is part Demon, part Reaper. As a full blooded Reaper I would have no control over the blackness consuming me. As Kyra is a member of the Light, I am member of the Dark. Celeste on the other hand is neither, nor does she have a choice in the matter, expect for the moment she kills Calliope. At that exact moment she can choose to be dark or light. If she is weak, the sword will make the choice for her.”
“What about me?” Marcus asked. “What if I were to take the sword and kill Calliope with it?”
Christian gave him a hard look. “You are the opposite of Celeste. You have been rejected by the Light, but the Dark has not staked a claim either.”
“So what does that mean?” Marcus demanded.
Christian bristled. “I believe the Sword would thrive on the pureness of your soul and turn you into a Dark Angel.”
Kyra sucked in a breath. “Well, that decides that then. Marcus isn’t allowed to take the Sword.”
“Exactly.”
“Why had none of this been written in the ‘Alms of Time’?” Marcus asked. This was information that should have been written down, should be known by everyone.
Christian shrugged as if it didn’t really matter. “Lost in time, brother.”
Marcus felt fury surge through him like a tsunami. “Lost in time? That’s your fucking answer?” he advanced on the man. “You son of a bitch, this is information that should be known.”
Christian crossed his arms over his chest not backing up even one step. “And who besides you feels this way? Who could have predicted that Dante wouldn’t destroy the sword after the wars between the gods? What about Celeste? She is an innocent in this, but no one could have predicted her either. You think we Reapers are hiding or keeping information, but we are making decisions that you can’t make.”
Marcus grabbed the Reaper by the throat. “And now you are sending your only sister in to die.”
Christian didn’t flinch as Marcus squeezed and then in frustration, threw the other man from him. Christian gained his feet and for a brief second, Marcus saw the pain he felt at the idea of losing Celeste, but he refused to let it penetrate too deeply. She had rejected him.
“It wasn’t my choice or the choice of my brothers. This was Dante and Celeste’s decision. Do you actually think I want to see her hurt? She may be closest to Victor, but she is still my sister.”
****
“What the hell is he doing here?” Celeste barked when Marcus climbed from the driver’s side of the vehicle that had just shown up on the side of the street.
Victor shrugged. “Ignore him.”
Easier said than done, Celeste wanted to scream. She loved him so much it took everything she had to not look over at him and beg his forgiveness for what she had said.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and drew in strength from the cool clean air around her. Better than the thick hot air of Lust where Victor had found her when it was time to return.
“Plans changed slightly,” Victor announced to the group. “Celeste is going to be herself for this mission.”
“Why does the plan always seem to change at the last minute?” Ryder growled from somewhere to her left.
“I am the only one that can hold the Sword,” Celeste said, strapping the weapon to her back and pulling on her shroud. It was cut in the back so the hilt of the sword stuck through.
Jessica suddenly appeared, sneering at the group at large. “I don’t want my charge involved in anyway. If you don’t kill this thing, and she becomes endangered, the Tribunal will hear about it.”
“You’re a fucking bitch you know that?” Garrett muttered.
Jessica turned to the Reaper. “And you’re a fucking idiot if you think this rag tag team is going to kill one of the original Reapers. He will get into the Infernos and do away with you all,” she said as if she was washing her hands of the entire situation.
“And then you’ll die, because the first entities Calliope will take out will be the Touched,” Victor said, shaking his head. “You take so much time to be disagreeable you fail to see what is right in front of your face.”
Jessica’s mouth slammed shut, which put a smile on Celeste’s face.
“You find this funny?” Jessica asked hissing the words through her teeth.
“I find the fact you hate so much what you are you fail to see the good you do and what can be done with that. You obviously take this world and the generosity of the love that made you what you are, for granted,” Celeste said with more passion that she really intended, but damn the woman was irritating.
“You have no idea what you have or had.” She finally looked over her shoulder at Marcus who stood as still as a statue his arms crossed over his chest. The setting sun, made his eyes black.
“Okay so, you’ll be playing the part of the Touched then?” Victor asked.
Jessica sneered. “Of course.”
Celeste had the craziest notion to let Calliope have her so she could appreciate what she had, but knew it probably wouldn’t make a difference. Five hundred years of hating oneself; a good beating would do nothing for.
Kyra stepped forward. “Do you have something of your charge with you?”
“I’m wearing the clothes she had on today,” Jessica offered.
“Now that would be something I would have liked to see. It’s barely dark,” Christian said with a smile turning the edges of his lips up.
“If you must know,” Jessica began. “I had to drug her. She isn’t to know anything of what is going to happen tonight,” Jessica snapped.
Celeste couldn’t resist. “Is it impossible for you to be nice? We are all here trying to help.”
Jessica swung around to Celeste. “You brought the evil here from what I understand, so no, I can’t be nice.”
“Okay then.” She dies first if everything goes south, Celeste thought “Let’s get this over with.”
Kyra stepped forward and handed Celeste a charm. Then she faced Jessica and took her hands, also placing a charm in the center of her palm. “Do not let this go under any circumstances. If Calliope is to get his hands on this, then he will be able to get to your charge.” Kyra then whispered something over Jessica’s head.
When Jessica looked up she had an impression of someone else over her, like a picture that had been overexposed with another photo.
“The line we set up is at the end of the street. You will be in a car. It will look as if Celeste is trying to escape with the Touched. Calliope has to understand that we know he can trace Celeste,” Victor explained. “When Calliope attacks, we will all be there to stop it”
Celeste led the way to the car, climbing behind the wheel. She was shocked when Marcus stopped her. She hadn’t even felt him move forward.
“Be careful,” he whispered so only she could hear, and then he was gone. Her heart thumped painfully. After everything she had said and done he still worried about her.
She climbed behind the wheel glad she was just going to have to drive down the street and around the corner because she wasn’t sure if she had much more in her. Victor had reassured her it was like riding a bike. Unfortunately, she had never learned to ride a bike either so that advice had meant nothing to her.
“You do know how to drive, don’t you?” Jessica snapped, climbing into the passenger seat.
“Nope, never sat behind the wheel of a car in my life,” Celeste volleyed back just to irritate her. Jessica didn’t have to know how close it was to the truth.
“Well, that’s just great,” she snapped.
Celeste smiled because irritating Jessica was just plain fun. “I certainly hope you know how to fight because things could get really bad, really fast.”
Jessica snorted. “Of course I am prepared to fight. I’m not useless.”
“Nope, just a bitch on wheels,” Celeste offered.
“You have no idea, what I am,” Jessica said quietly. For the first time her words held no malice. “I did not ask for this life.”
“How many of us did?” Celeste was not going to feel bad for her. “I certainly didn’t ask to be what I am. Do you think your charge asked for her fate?”
“Leave my charge out of this.”
Celeste started the car and pulled out into the street. “Do you have any idea how much I would give to have a man love me enough to beg for my life from the same people that banned him to what they consider hell?”
She watched Jessica out of the corner of her eye. The Guardian’s flinch was almost imperceptible. Good. She needed to understand what she had, and what she had lost. Celeste almost felt sorry for her. To hate what you are for so long would be wearing on both your heart and soul.
“I don’t hate what I am,” she admitted. “I do good things and my charge is safe because of me. But that doesn’t change the fact that Marcus lied to me.”
“But have you ever asked yourself why he lied to you?” Celeste couldn’t help but ask. “Look at how you reacted. Do you blame him? He loved you and didn’t want to hurt you”
The words burned in her throat like acid as they came out.
“What do you know of love?” Jessica snapped.
“And warm and fuzzy just look a left turn onto bitch and heartless,” Celeste muttered more to herself than to the very unhappy Guardian sitting next to her.
****
“Tell me she knows how to drive,” Marcus growled to Victor as Celeste pulled the car out into the street.
Victor looked at him his eyes black. “Define drive.”
“Mother of all the gods,” Marcus snarled and headed toward his SUV. He was going to stay close. If anything went wrong, he would at least be there.
Victor pulled him to a stop. “We can’t leave the safe zone. Calliope will sense us.”
“You are sending her out to die,” Marcus said more to himself then to Victor.
“Do not underestimate her, Marcus. She fights better than most men I know Other or mortal.” Victor slapped him on the shoulder. “And she has a heart that is just as breakable as the rest of us.”
The last part made Marcus stumble. “She rejected me.”
“She also doesn’t think she is going to survive the night, Marcus.” Victor stepped in front of him, his black eyes glowing in the dark eerily. “See this from her stand point. Two hundred years she has pined for you, only to have you, and then know it was all just temporary. If she left you thinking it didn’t mean anything, then one day you would get over it. But if she left you knowing how much she cared, then what wouldn’t you do?”
Marcus just stared at the Reaper for a moment. He was prepared to die for her, to spend the rest of eternity in Hell because she had rejected him. But if he had known she carried, what would he do to keep her safe? He looked down the street as the car pulled up to the stop light, when they passed through they would be out of the safe zone. Calliope would feel the Touched, feel the power of Jessica and know they were fleeing.
“She isn’t going to die, and when this is over, she is mine,” Marcus snarled and looked around he focused on the highest building he launched himself into the air and landed soundlessly on the roof he crouched down so that he could watch the car.
Victor, Garrett, and Christian joined him.
“Where are the Elements?” he asked looking down at the street.
“They are safe,” Christian said, moving along the edge of the building the four of them moving as shadows. They watched the car pass through the intersection.
Marcus looked up into the moonless night, nothing moved in the expanse of the night sky. It felt as if even the air was standing still waiting for something.
“What happens if he doesn’t show up and they move out of our site?” Marcus asked.
“Honestly?” Victor asked. “We didn’t anticipate that equation. He wants into the infernos, and this is his chance, why wouldn’t he take it?”
“Because he is not an idiot,” Marcus snarled and leapt to the next building.
Victor stayed at his side. “If you go any farther you will be out of the safe zone. You could ruin the entire plan, and it won’t be one we will be able to do again, he has one chance.”
“I won’t sit back and watch her die,” Marcus said, making the leap to the next building.
He could hear Victor snarling. “You are an idiot.”
“Yeah, I’ve been told that before. I think by you,” Marcus whispered back, his eyes never leaving the car.
Calliope came out of nowhere. One moment Marcus was crouched in the shadows, and the next thing he knew Garrett was flying through the air and over the edge of the building.
“Shit,” Victor growled. He pulled a scythe from within the shroud he wore and swung it at the Reaper as he swooped down to attack again.
Christian pulled a sawed off shotgun from the inside of his own shroud. Cocking it, he fired it directly into Calliope.
“Do you think me a fool?” Calliope screamed falling back with the blast of the shotgun.
“We could hope.” Victor’s words were quiet as he stepped in shining the scythe as he went black blood splattered against the brick and tar of the roof.
“They will be mine.” Calliope laughed he took flight. “I could care less of the Touched, but a Guardian and a Reaper? I will feed on their blood and make them scream for mercy.” Calliope looked down at Marcus. “Just like last time.”
Marcus didn’t hesitate; he Shifted into the back seat of the car. “Step on it,” he shouted.
Celeste didn’t even turn to look at him, but slammed her foot down on the gas, and they flew forward.
“We need to get him someplace where we can all fight him.” Marcus wracked his brain. “There’s an abandoned industrial park about four miles ahead.”
Marcus turned and looked back. The Reapers were holding Calliope back, but he knew it would be only a matter of time before they wouldn’t be able to hold him any longer.
Celeste followed Marcus’s directions. The moment they moved into the shadows of the first building, something huge slammed against the side of the car. The car flipped, spinning in the air it slid on its roof to a stop, glass shattering and metal bending.
“Out, get out of the car,” Marcus shouted.
He had hit his head, and blood was trickling down his forehead into his eyes, but he watched as Celeste kicked out the safety glass of the windshield, and he pushed her through the opening. Jessica had at some point Shifted out of the car.
“Bitch,” he snarled, following Celeste.
Celeste looked around her breathing heavy. “Bitch left, didn’t she?”
Marcus nodded, and Celeste kicked cement. “Chicken shit bitch. When this is done she and I are going to have a serious argument.”
Marcus would actually like to see that, but at the moment he was more worried about getting through the next few minutes. Garrett and Christian appeared as a black wing swung at them, throwing Marcus and the two Reapers against the building.
When his vision cleared, he saw Victor standing at Celeste’s side. He wielded the scythe like it was an extension of his arm, as did Celeste with the sword.
He was so amazed he was immobilized. Her shroud had dropped away and her beautiful red hair swung around her, slashing with the swo
rd at Calliope. She crouched and swung, using every bit of her body in the fight, not just the sword. Barely stepping out of Calliope’s reach or the swing of his deadly taloned wings.
Victor swung the scythe at the Reaper several times, barely missing Celeste. But it only took a moment of watching them to understand they played off of each other picking up where the other left off. Feeling in each other’s holes, when Celeste moved right, leaving an opening on her left Victor swung in to protect it.
However, Calliope fought tirelessly. Screaming, blood splattered the walls of the empty buildings around them. He ragged against them.
Marcus scrambled to his feet and pulled out guns he had holstered and fired into the Reaper. Calliope didn’t even flinch.
Jessica reappeared, holding a large colander she threw the contents on the Reaper. He screamed and backed away, but not before he caught Jessica with one of his wings he flung her back into the shadows.
“Jessica,” Marcus shouted her name, as she flew into the shadows. But he didn’t have time to worry about her, Celeste, and the other Reapers were still in danger.
”What the hell was that?” Garrett asked.
“Holy water I would assume,” Christian offered, pulling a ball and chain from the inside of his shroud he shrugged the garment off. “Time for that bastard to die.”
The three men pushed forward, joining Victor and Celeste as they fought off the Reaper. “Attack his wings so he can’t escape,” Victor shouted.
Marcus emptied his guns into the Reapers shoulders and base of his wings. Flinching just a little, as he remembered how badly it hurt to lose ones wings. Celeste backed up to Marcus.
“I have a blade in each boot.” Marcus bent down and grabbed a blade from each of Celeste’s boots. He stood and started slashing at the Reaper whenever he could get into reach.
Calliope howled in pain and attempted to take flight but he wasn’t going anywhere.
Celeste moved forward. “Time to die,” she said, lifting the Black Sword.
Lost In Time: A Fallen Novel Page 28