by G. K. DeRosa
We ended up back at the elevator and under the scrutinizing gaze of the human guards. Declan’s foot tapped on the floor as we waited for the doors to open.
“What are you doing with the prisoner?”
Declan spun around and marched straight up to the guard. He towered over him, and the guy wasn’t short either. “Are you questioning me, soldier?” he hissed.
The other guard standing next to the one who had spoken, elbowed his companion. “We’re sorry, sir. He didn’t mean any disrespect. It’s just odd to see a prisoner escorted around the tower at this hour of night.”
“Get back to your places and mind your own business,” Declan growled.
The elevator dinged, and I darted inside and away from their questioning glares. These guys were worse than the angels.
And Declan was scary as hell.
I glanced up at the person I thought I knew, but in reality couldn’t have been further from the truth. The tendons in his jaw were clenched so tight, I could see them twitching.
His gaze met mine, and his expression softened. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed.
The elevator stopped, providing me with the excuse to look away. I couldn’t deal with any of this right now. I just had to find Asher.
More human guards greeted us at the second floor foyer, but no one dared question my angel escort this time. His dark brows were furrowed, his eyes blazing. He looked terrifying—in a glorious way.
Our footsteps echoed down the silent corridor as we passed door after door. What the heck did they keep in these rooms anyway?
We turned a corner and two armored nephilim headed straight for us. My breath hitched, and I lowered my head. They were both tall and broad chested with blonde shoulder-length glossy hair that any girl would kill for. Or kill to be with. Like all the angels I’d encountered so far, their cruelty was only surpassed by their beauty.
“Don’t say a word,” Declan whispered, shielding his mouth with one hand and the other tightening around my arm.
I kept my gaze cast down to the white floor, the tiny gray specks ingrained in the tile blurring together as I marched. I attempted to force my pounding heart to a more normal pace, but it was racing with a mind of its own.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” said the taller guy as we approached. “Dec, is that really you?”
From my periphery, I caught Declan’s lip twitch before he twisted it into a smile. “Guilty as charged, Emmaus.”
The guy slammed his big hand down on Declan’s shoulder. “Good to see you. I didn’t know you were back. Your father didn’t say anything at today’s meeting.” He pointed at his companion. “You know Aristes, right?”
“Yeah, I think we met somewhere along the way.”
“So are you back for good?” asked Emmaus. “Your father told us you were on some secret operation doing recon on the vampires.”
“Oh yeah? That’s what he told you, huh?”
Declan’s fist clenched and unclenched at his side. I guess I wasn’t the only one with no poker face. Or poker hand in this case.
I kept my head down as the guys continued to chitchat. Seriously? It’s not like we weren’t here on a super important and time sensitive mission. I suppressed the urge to elbow Declan in the gut.
“Man, Cassiel has been on us since you left.” The tall blonde scowled and still managed to look breathtaking. “We’re each expected to bring in two new human recruits a day. The generals just don’t get it—there’s no one out there anymore.”
I bit back the urge to scream, tightening my hands into fists until my nails dug into my palms. Declan squirmed beside me.
Down the hall, a door swung open, and two human soldiers marched out. My eyes settled on familiar green eyes and sun-kissed skin. My heart stopped.
Asher.
My best friend’s mouth dropped open as his gaze ran over me. His eyes flicked toward Declan, and it was as if I’d vanished. His serene green eyes lit up, an almost unnatural glow emanating from his irises. He and the guard next to him charged straight for us.
The two nephilim spun around at the slap of footfalls against the tile, both pairs of angelic blue eyes widening. Asher and the other human whizzed right by them and pummeled into Declan.
Before they collided, Declan released my arm and I darted out of the way. He hit the floor with the two soldiers on top of him. I was so shocked, I couldn’t speak. My tongue was tied in knots as I stared slack-jawed.
One of the nephilim ran off yelling about an augmentation gone wrong, and Declan’s friend went for the other human guard. He yanked him off Declan and sent him flying against the wall.
Asher straddled Declan and pulled a pointed silver weapon out of his pocket. He thrust it down, and panic seized my chest. Declan twisted out of the way, and it just barely nicked his shoulder, a spurt of dark blood dripping down his arm. Declan’s eyes smoldered a deep maroon. He wrapped his hands around Asher’s neck and squeezed.
“Declan no! It’s Asher.” The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. I’d seen what he’d done to those vampires. Asher didn’t stand a chance.
Declan glanced at me, his brows furrowed before his brain processed my words. He released his hold and let Asher drop to the ground.
I slid down beside him, cupping his face. “Asher, oh my God, Asher, it’s really you.”
A hint of a smile played on his lips, and then his expression darkened. “You shouldn’t be here, Liv.”
“I came for you,” I choked out.
“It’s too late for me.” His bright green eyes dulled, and he removed my hands from his face, straightening his khaki jumpsuit.
“Asher?”
He stood and lunged for Declan again, brandishing the same silver weapon. Declan had been sitting on the floor wiping blood from his arm, but those killer nephilim instincts instantly flickered to life. Before Asher could bury the weapon in his chest, Declan’s fiery angel sword burst to life in his palm. He swung the sword up and a blast of light sent Asher flying down the hallway.
“Declan stop!”
“I can’t help it. He keeps coming at me. What am I supposed to do?” he growled.
Down the hall, the other human soldier was keeping Declan’s friend busy. The angel had him with his hands behind his back and shoved up against the wall.
Asher was about halfway down the corridor and back on his feet. He raced toward Declan.
What the hell is wrong with him?
I moved in front of Declan and squared my shoulders against the oncoming freight train that was my best friend. “Asher stop! He’s my friend.”
His lips twisted in disgust and fury burned his emerald eyes. “Do you even know what he is?” he hissed.
I chewed on my lower lip as shame burned my cheeks. “Yes.” An angel. The enemy.
“I don’t think you do.” Asher shoved me to the side, and I lost my balance, smacking right into the wall.
My head spun as the scene went topsy-turvy. I lifted my hands to my head to stop the whirling and leaned against the white plaster.
Asher punched Declan in the face, and he staggered back with his hands raised. Asher murmured something, but I couldn’t make it out. The whole scene was chaotic.
“Asher stop!” I yelled again, but deep down I knew it was futile. They’d done something to him. That wasn’t my best friend. He’d been augmented like the rest of them. It was the only way he’d be able to go head-to-head with an angel.
He stalked toward Declan with the silver weapon in hand, and a cold gleam in his eye. He didn’t even look at me. He charged at Declan again.
Declan blocked and ducked, avoiding his thrusts, but Asher had managed to back him into a corner.
I couldn’t believe how strong my best friend was.
Footsteps echoed down the hall. I glanced down the corridor and Emmaus and the other soldier were gone. That meant more nephilim soldiers were on their way.
“Asher, please! We have to get out of here now.” I tugged on his arm.<
br />
Nothing.
“We’re here to rescue you—to bring you home.”
My best friend continued his assault without sparing me a glance. The footsteps grew louder, and my heart beat in time with the relentless rhythm. We had to get out now. My throat constricted, but I swallowed down the debilitating emotion. “Declan, let’s go. Just leave him.” A pang of guilt sliced through my chest as I uttered the words.
Declan turned to look at me, and in that moment of distraction, Asher plunged the weapon down. Declan’s hand shot out, and brilliant white light exploded from his palm. Asher’s eyes widened as he soared through the air, his arms splayed out.
“No!” My scream echoed down the vacant corridor as Asher’s head smashed against the far wall. The sickening snap of cracking bones reverberated down the hall.
My heart shattered.
“We have to go now!” shouted Declan as he scooped me up into his arms.
We raced past my best friend, who lay in a crumpled heap on the floor, his head twisted at an odd angle.
Bile crawled up my throat, leaving a streak of fire in its wake. Invisible fingers wrapped around my lungs tearing with razor sharp claws. No. It can’t be. My gaze lingered on Asher as the scenery blurred until his image became more and more faint and finally disappeared.
“Asher…”
Out of the corner of my eye, a pair of white wings emerged, cocooning us in a glorious warm light. My breathing slowed, and my eyelids drooped as warmth enveloped me.
I closed my eyes, and my world faded to black.
Chapter 25
The sharp odor of liver and broccoli swirled in the air. I rubbed my nose, my eyelids fluttering open. A long tongue and furry snout hovered over me, warm dog breath in my face. “Duke!” I pulled his massive head into my chest and squeezed.
I sat up, my eyes straining to focus in the dark. Finally, my pupils adjusted and the details of Declan’s living room coalesced to form a full picture.
How did I get back here?
I rubbed my head, a jumble of thoughts spinning in my brain. Then suddenly Asher’s vacant green eyes flashed to the forefront. The entire terrible scene played out in my head in slow motion. No.
Tears blurred my vision, and an invisible weight crushed my chest. Asher…
My shoulders heaved as sorrow pierced a hot knife through my heart. A breath caught in my throat and I sobbed, burying my face in the couch pillow.
The creaking of the old wooden staircase drew my attention, and I released the cushion, quickly wiping the tears off my cheeks.
Declan appeared, his hair a mess with dark locks tumbling over his eyes. He slowly approached me, his maroon irises scrutinizing me from afar.
All the pain crushing my chest morphed into burning rage. Declan had done this. He killed Asher. The haze in my mind cleared, and every detail came into focus.
“You!” I leapt to my feet, anger igniting in my core. “How could you kill him?” I’d trusted Declan, and he’d done nothing but betray me from the beginning.
He stopped moving toward me and lifted his hands up. “I’m sorry, Liv. I didn’t mean to. You know I didn’t. He just kept coming at me, and I had to protect myself.”
I shot him a narrowed glare, trying to infuse as much venom as humanly possible. “Protect yourself?” My voice raised a couple octaves. “You’re a nephilim for God’s sake! You’re a million times stronger than he is. Aren’t you practically immortal?”
He shook his head. “Liv, you saw him. He’d gone through augmentation. He wasn’t just human anymore—not in strength anyway.”
My mind rushed back to the white hallway and Asher’s empty green eyes. And the way he spoke, it hadn’t sounded anything like him. But at least he’d been alive, and now he wasn’t. Because of Declan.
“I need to get out of here.” I couldn’t stand to be in the same room as the person responsible for killing my best friend. I barreled past him and up the stairs to get my stuff.
“Please, Liv. Where will you go?” Declan raced after me, his heavy feet stomping up the stairs behind me.
I reached the room I’d been staying in and tossed clothes in my backpack. He stood in the doorway, his eyes weary.
I threw the pack over my shoulder and stomped toward him. “Move.”
He backed away with his hands raised, and I rushed down the stairs to the kitchen. I filled my bag with bottles of water and as many cans of food as I could carry, then grabbed Duke’s leash. Declan watched from the entrance door. I ignored his piercing stare and collected everything I needed.
I was done trusting a half-angel.
“Come on, Duke.” He dragged his lazy butt off the couch and followed me to the door.
Declan blocked the doorway, his arms stretched out.
“Get out of my way.”
He shook his head, his lips turned down. “No.”
“Declan, let me out of this house right now or I’ll shoot you.” I yanked the gun out of my backpack and pointed it at his chest.
His mouth dropped open. “Are you serious right now?”
“Dead serious.” I released the safety, the click resounding in the silence.
“Liv, it’s the middle of the night.” He took a step back. “Have you even thought this through? Where are you going to go?”
“It’s none of your business. I’m not your problem anymore. I never should’ve been.” I lowered the weapon and tucked it into my waistband. Steeling my jaw, I fought back the tremor building inside me. “Now you can leave the city and keep hiding out from your father. Just keep pretending the world hasn’t gone to hell and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
He huffed and raked his hands through his hair, pulling at the ends. “You don’t understand; I already told you it’s not that simple.”
“I don’t care, Declan. Just get out of my way so I can get as far away from you as I can.” A knot lodged in my throat, and I swallowed hard to force it down.
“Fine. Do what you want.” He stepped out of the way, and I shot by him with Duke at my heels.
The slam of the door behind me made my heart jump. I steadied my breathing and walked out into the quiet neighborhood. I still had a few hours till daybreak which meant I should get going now. It would be easier to avoid the angels in the dark.
I blinked back hot tears and checked the map to make sure I remembered the way and shoved it back into my backpack. Linc was the only person I could turn to now. I had no one else left.
Dim rays of light poked through the ever-clouded sky as I turned the corner, and the old church came into view. I patted Duke’s head and his tongue shot out, covering my hand in slobber. The heaviness in my chest subsided just a bit.
I still couldn’t think about the fact that I’d never see Asher again. He’d been my only reason for carrying on. I clenched my fists at my side and steeled my nerves. I had a new reason now—to end the angel’s reign of terror.
I walked past the church and headed straight for the shack in the back parking lot. It was early, but I hoped Linc and his crew were awake. I moved toward the chipped yellowing doors, and my heart sank. The metal padlock was fastened shut.
I lifted my knuckle to the door and tapped. No answer. I waited a few seconds then knocked harder this time.
I didn’t like being out in the open like this. I scanned the perimeter but as usual there wasn’t a soul in sight. One more time. I banged on the door with both fists, praying to a God I wasn’t even sure existed anymore that someone was still in there.
A terrible thought crossed my mind, squeezing my lungs in panic. What if Britt had gotten caught, and he’d been tortured to give up his friends’ hideout? What if Declan had sold them all out somehow?
“Whoever’s out there had better have a darn good reason for waking me up at the crack of dawn.” A familiar southern drawl seeped through the shed doors, and I could finally breathe again.
“Linc, it’s me, Liv. Please let me in.”
A long thin f
ile poked through the narrow gap between the doors. After a few attempts, it inserted itself into a nearly invisible hole in the back of the padlock. The mechanism clicked, and it popped open.
Linc opened the door a crack, and I had to restrain myself from jumping into his arms.
“You’re okay?” he asked.
“I’m alive anyway.”
He squinted his blue eyes as he searched behind me. “Britt’s not with you?”
“No, we lost him. He didn’t come back?”
He shook his head, his lips turning down. “Come on, get inside quick.” He glanced at Duke, but didn’t question me.
I followed him down the ladder into the underground passage. Jaxon and Jayse appeared from around a dim corner. Both wore matching sleepy expressions, dark bags under their eyes.
“Sorry I woke you guys up.” I fiddled with the straps on my backpack and stared at the floor.
“Britt’s not with you?” asked Jaxon.
“No. He was with Redson last I saw him. We got separated inside Arx.”
His bright blue eyes widened. “You made it inside?”
I snagged my lower lip between my teeth. “Uh huh.”
“What happened?”
“We couldn’t find my friend in the barracks so Redson snuck us into Arx then we split up. Britt and Redson were supposed to check two floors and my friend, Declan, and I the other two. We ran into some nephilim soldiers and just barely made it out.” I couldn’t tell them about Declan, and I just didn’t have it in me to admit what happened to Asher. If I spoke the words out loud, it would make them real. I wasn’t ready for that.
“Damn,” muttered Jayse. “I hope they made it out too.”
Linc clapped his hand on his son’s shoulder. “Britt’s smart. He could be hiding out somewhere.”
“I know he wanted to find his brother. Maybe he stayed back to search some more?” It was a weak excuse, but at least it was something to hold on to.