by Amy Miles
“Tell me you at least have a heater,” William pleads, tugging his backpack over his shoulder. It is loaded down with snacks and magazines, the essentials he no doubt feels he needs to survive this trip.
Fane tosses a look back over his shoulder that gets William moving toward the door. Nicolae places his hand on the base of Sadie’s back as he leads her toward the exit.
He expected the blast of cold air to take his breath away, and it certainly would have if it hadn’t been for the three imposing figures standing just beyond the double doors, obviously waiting for them.
The first is a pixyish girl with flaming red hair chopped short enough to leave her ears exposed to the brutal winds. Each lobe is lined with ten small silver rings. Another glitters just below the hem of her halter top, at the base of her exposed belly button. Her green eyes shine like a cat in the night.
“Whoa.” William’s mouth gapes open. The girl winks at him and blood rushes to fill his cheeks.
Fane steps forward. “No flirting with the human, Daelyn.”
Her pout draws a muffled moan from William. Daelyn shoots him a conspiratorial smile before she turns and prances toward a large SUV.
“Don’t even think about it,” Fane says, pulling William back. “She’s nearly two hundred years older than you.”
“You’re determined to ruin all of my fun on this trip, aren’t you?” William grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest. Even Nicolae can’t help but laugh at him, with his arms nearly three times their normal size in his overstuffed parka.
Fane doesn’t seem to see any humor in the situation. “We are not here to sightsee. Either you obey my rules or I send you home. Got it?”
When Fane turns his back to speak to the two remaining immortals, William sticks out his tongue at him. William leans in close to Sadie. “If I wanted you to break his fingers while sparring…”
Sadie grins. “Consider it done.”
Nicolae shakes his head, laughing as the two siblings move toward the car, plotting Fane’s demise. He steps up to the small group and braces for what he expects to be a less than warm welcome.
The two remaining immortals are as different as night and day. The one beside Fane is short and lean, with hair as dark as coal. Dimples appear on his cheeks when he smiles. His white eyes and tiny pupils are startling in their brilliance, reminding Nicolae of a huskie he once owned.
The other immortal is much taller. His poise and perfectly manicured goatee give him an air of dignity. His shiny black hair is long, brushing the tops of his shoulders. His eyes are green and deeply set in his porcelain-like face.
Neither one seems happy about Nicolae’s presence, but they don’t appear hostile either. Fane steps back to allow him to join the group. “I’d like to introduce you to Theus Luthor and Julian Le Roi. Both are friends from long before you were born.”
When Julian dips his head, his goatee brushes against his pristine, white button-down shirt. Somehow, despite the blizzard brewing up around them, his clothes remain perfectly pressed and muck free.
“Nice to meet you.” Nicolae dips his head in greeting toward Theus, noting that the immortal is only an inch taller than him. “Thank you for allowing us to come here.”
“There will be more of you, yes?” Theus queries, his words clipped with a strong southern accent.
“Yes.” Nicolae shifts his weight, suddenly uncomfortable with the idea of having his men in close quarters with these immortals. Maybe Fane was right to protest after all. “They are anxious to fight alongside you.”
“I’m sure they are,” Julian says with an air of mockery.
Fane places a hand on his friend’s arm. “Peace, Julian. Nicolae will keep his men in line.”
Julian looks down his long nose at Nicolae, sniffing indifferently. “We shall see.”
With that he turns and marches toward the blacked out SUV. Nicolae blows out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Theus smiles at him. “Don’t worry about, J. He’s always got his panties in a twist.”
Fane laughs, clapping the immortal on the shoulder. “As do you, my friend. Still trying to forget your age, I see.”
Theus smirks and motions for them to follow him to the vehicle. Nicolae slips into the back seat, grateful to discover that Julian has chosen to ride up front. Fane shoves William out of the way as the immortal tries to fold his large frame into the third row.
The ride through town is uneventful. A couple stop lights later they are already leaving it behind. Nicolae twists in his seat, staring longingly at civilization.
“Going to miss the humans?” Sadie grins conspiratorially.
“If I say yes, will you hit me?”
She shrugs and then, with lightning fast reflexes, slams her fist into his bicep. He yelps and grasps his arm. “I didn’t say anything.”
“You were thinking it,” she laughs as she rides down her seat to rest her head on his shoulder.
Nicolae sinks back into the supple leather seat, enjoying the feel of Sadie against him as the SUV barrels toward the barren wasteland stretching out before them.
Fourteen
Great black eyes stare down at Gabriel, sizing him up. He tries not to let his nervousness show, but it’s nearly impossible in the face of such a terrifying beast. Seneh motions for him to step forward but holds out his hand to stop Gabriel when he comes level with Seneh.
“What do I say?” Gabriel whispers.
“Greetings.” The cherubim’s tones are deep, speaking in perfect unity. Their rolling voices vibrate through Gabriel’s chest. “You have traveled far to find us.”
“Yes,” Gabriel moves forward half a step, leery of leaving Seneh’s side. Somehow the cherubim even manage to make the angel’s hulking size appear small. “I am in need of your sword.”
The creatures turn to stare at each other, unblinking and unmoving for several long minutes. Gabriel shifts, wishing he could turn and run away, but he has come too far. Elias is expecting him to pass this trial. Without completing this task, he may not be able to save Roseline. Failure is not an option.
“We are aware of your mission, young one,” the voices say. The two heads swivel back to stare down at him, pinning him in place with their steely gazes. “But are you worthy of such a gift?”
Isn’t that what I’ve been wondering this entire time? He wonders.
The creatures’ gazes narrow. “We sense fear in you. Doubt. Anger.”
Gabriel risks a glance back at Seneh. He curtly shakes his head, and then looks toward the lion creatures. “I am human.”
“Your mother was human. You are something more.” Their words echo through the chamber. Beyond them, the leaves of the trees vibrate. “But you rely on your human weakness as an excuse.”
“An excuse?”
“Yes.” They dip their heads in unison. “You fear failing so you do not try. This is the heart of a coward.”
“Now hang on a second” he begins to protest but Seneh places a warning hand on his arm.
He glances down and notices the claws of the cherubim curling around the ledge on which they perch, their nails digging into the stone. “Be careful,” Seneh hisses as he release his tight grip. “Do not disrespect them.”
Gabriel has never seen Seneh so on edge. He nods and exhales slowly, fighting to let his anger subside. The creatures watch him take three calming breaths.
“The enemy that you face is stronger than you. Are you aware of the risks?” they ask.
“Yes.” Gabriel nods solemnly. He has spent every night dreaming of his own death mingled with those of Roseline and his friends. Elias keeps reminding him that he is the key, but what if he isn’t enough to save them?
“And what of the girl?”
Gabriel stiffens at the mention of Roseline. “What about her?”
“We sense love in your heart, but is it pure?”
“It is,” he responds with certainty.
The creatures’ wings shift, expanding out to their sides until they
touch wingtip to wingtip. “We know your heart, young one, and we know your thoughts. What you say is what you believe, but only time will tell.”
Gabriel grits his teeth in frustration. Why do these creatures speak in riddles? Why not just come right out and ask him for what they seek?
“How can I prove my worth?”
The cherubim dip their heads, closing their eyes. He waits with growing impatience as the sound of their heavy breathing surrounds him. Seneh rises up onto his toes, coiled and ready for battle, which makes Gabriel extremely nervous.
He stares up at the sword, unsure of how he will grasp the fiery handle even if he is allowed to get that far.
The room begins to brighten, the brilliance appearing to emanate from within the creatures. Gabriel retreats, unsure of what is happening. Raising his hand to shield his eyes, he realizes there is a growing heat along his forearms. His Arotas cross tattoos have flamed to life, pulsating wildly as the two creatures’ wings begin to beat rapidly.
Seneh shoves Gabriel, barking at him to stay back. The angel’s face is deathly grim as he stares at Gabriel. “Get the sword and return to Elias. This is your mission.”
“I don’t understand,” Gabriel shouts. The creatures’ voices rise in unison, chanting in a language he can’t understand. “What is happening?”
“You have been found unworthy,” Seneh shouts as he leaps forward, his sword poised to strike.
***
Roseline holds out her hand, examining it in the flickering candlelight. There is a definite green tint to her skin now. Although she can’t quite make out the individual scales yet, she can feel them developing. She scratches at her arms, loathing how dry and flaky she has become.
“That’s probably why they hide out here,” Enael says, watching her.
She lets her hand fall away. “What are you talking about?”
“The moisture. Above ground their skin would dry out faster. Here it’s damp and cool. They can survive.”
“Not to mention the fact that they are really ugly and people might take notice,” she barks out a bitter laugh, trying desperately not to wonder if she will someday be confined to the dark like them.
“Can you see me?”
Enael lifts his head, pausing from tracing patterns in the dirt floor. “You’re not a ghost.”
“I mean the real me.”
Leaning his head back against the wall, he searches her face closely. “I see your fear. I see small things, like how you hold your head or how you sometimes stick out your tongue, as if to taste the air, but you look the same.”
“So I don’t look green to you?” She holds out her arms for him to examine.
“No, but I know you are.”
She sighs and presses back into the wall, her fingers splayed against her crossed knees. The pain in her fingers and toes has vanished, thanks to her healing with Malachi, but the transformation is progressing. He can’t stop it forever and she’s not sure how much longer she can hold on.
“You said you were friends with Gabriel…”
He nods, wiping his dirty finger against his filthy robe. “I’ve spent most of my life studying the words of the prophecy. My uncle Sias devoted his entire life to doing the same. Our brotherhood has been searching through the ages for the Arotas, so you can imagine how excited I was when we finally tracked him down.”
“To Sorin’s dungeon?” she mutters.
He nods. “What my uncle told you was true. We meant Gabriel no harm. Although Sias never said so, I think it really bothered him that you care for Gabriel. It isn’t natural.”
Roseline laughs bitterly. “Tell me about it.”
Enael shifts forward, tucking his legs under him as he sinks back on his heels. “Do you know why?”
“No.” She shakes her head, hearing the same question that has plagued her from the first moment she met Gabriel Marston. Why?
“You’re a part of this too. You always have been.”
Lifting her head, she stares hard at the boy. “Explain.”
He winces. “I’m not really sure that I can. I never was too good at reading the old languages. I just know that the Arotas was meant to be balanced by another person, a yin to his yang if you will. If one falls, the other does as well. He can only succeed in his quest if you live.”
“And if I become this…thing?” she motions to herself.
Enael shrugs. “I don’t know, but I’d guess if Lucien wants to turn you, he has a really good reason for doing it.”
The words weigh heavily on Roseline. Her resolve to escape this pit increases a hundred fold as she stares at the cell door. How long has Malachi been gone? An hour? Four? An entire day?
Already she can feel the effect of his blood waning, but she can no longer tell time by that. The poison is rampaging through her at a much faster pace.
“Do you think he will come back?”
She refocuses on Enael. His cheeks look horribly sallow when he turns to the side to stare at the cage door. She can’t help but wonder when he last ate. “He promised he would.”
“And you trust him?”
Roseline remains silent for a moment. “I don’t have a choice.”
Fifteen
Sadie clings to Nicolae’s hand for support. Neither of them is sure how this first meeting will go. The running bet within the base is that today’s arrival of hunters will end in at least one severed limb and human blood staining the snow. Sadie refused to place a bet, but if she had, she would have sided with the immortals.
“Are you sure about this?” She asks, turning her face from the blustery winds.
“No, but it’s too late to back out now.” Nicolae huddles down into the upturned collar of his coat. His hair flaps in the wind, lashing against his face, and his lips are chapped. Sadie feels bad that she’s thriving off the cold weather while Nicolae suffers in silence.
The metal door to the Senthe base opens behind them and Fane exits with two immortals at his side. Sadie smiles at Claudia. Although the woman is nearly one hundred years old, she and Sadie formed an instant bond.
Claudia’s thick German accent and wicked sense of humor endeared Sadie to her the moment they first stepped foot onto the base. She didn’t even mind it when Claudia showed signs of interest in William, not that he could scrape his eyes off Daelyn’s backside long enough to notice. At least Claudia’s quick wit helps to make up for the sparse and uncomfortable surroundings of their new home.
The compound is literally in the middle of nowhere. Sadie doubts that even a satellite could find them way out here.
The main building was built into the ground, its walls made of thick steel and its roof is a natural layer of solid ice. William’s teeth haven’t stopped chattering since he arrived, although he man’s up pretty quickly when Daelyn walks into the room.
It took Sadie a couple days to learn the layout of the base. Several tunnels wind off into the dark, burrowing deep into the underground cavern system. Fane has warned them not to go wandering. Even though the immortals have been surprisingly gracious hosts, he doesn’t want to press their luck.
The other immortal, a pretentious woman named Ambrose Creighton stands a hairs-breadth from Fane’s left shoulder. Sadie disliked her from the moment they first met. With her nose always curled into the air and her ample chest bulging out of her low cut top, Sadie easily pegged her for the harlot of the group.
Ambrose’s laugh is borderline obnoxious and her teeth perfectly straight, bleached as white as the snow all around. Her smile never reaches her eyes, even when she’s pawing at Fane’s arm. Sadie can’t help but love the fact that Fane barely tolerates her presence.
Thank goodness William is too smitten with Daelyn to pant after Ambrose.
Fane stands rigidly beside Nicolae. Sadie narrows her gaze, peering across the vast plain of white for any sign of their approach.
“Can you see anything?” Nicolae asks.
“No.” She starts to shake her head but stops when she spies a sm
all black speck bouncing over the top of the crest. “There!”
Nicolae grips her hand tightly. He turns toward Fane, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “Did you have to let Enoch drive?”
“No, but I thought it might be fun.” A ghost of a smile crosses Fane’s lips before he settles back into a grim expression.
This initial meeting is crucial. If even one of Nicolae’s hunters steps out of line, there will be blood on his hands. “They know their place,” Nicolae mutters with little conviction to himself.
Fane glances over at him. “Let’s hope so.”
Sadie squirms beside Nicolae, trying to get his attention. She rises up on her toes to plant a kiss on his cheek. “It’s going to be fine. You worry too much.”
“They want your head too, remember?” Fane says. Her smile fades slightly.
“They’ll have to go through me to get it,” Nicolae growls.
Pride and love swell in her chest at the proclamation, but is it quickly tainted by the fact that she knows such a thing would destroy him. She knows he would never let anyone lay a finger on her, and yet these men are his family. To ask such a thing of him would be unthinkable.
As she turns her gaze on the two immortals beside her, she realizes that her allegiance has shifted as well. She isn’t human any longer. Her place is at Fane’s side as his student, and yet her heart yearns to be by Nicolae’s side as well.
If only it were possible for the truce to last beyond this turmoil. She has heard Nicolae speak of it several times in private with Fane. His conviction is so great that she can almost believe it’s possible. Almost.
The sound of ice crunching beneath rubber tires makes her refocus. She can hear swearing mingled with shouting from within the vehicle when it draws near. Although the windows are blacked out, she can see the hunters within being tossed about as Enoch twists the wheel this way and that, sliding dangerously on the ice.
Nicolae grits his teeth. “He’s just begging for a fight.”
Sadie tightens her grip on his hand. “At least they will be in no shape to draw a weapon when they arrive.”
He turns to stare down at her, his brow raised in surprise. “Are you laughing?”