Retribution, Devotion

by Kai Leakes

  These Nephilims were the ones who looked up to his House. Once they had learned that there were other underground teams forming because of word getting out about their House, and discovered that they wanted to link up with their house, everything changed. Kali began creating a global network. Its purpose was to be prepared so that next time they went to Society for the grand meeting, once the big reveal about Sanna happened, Society would see just how big the House of Dusk and Templar really was.

  As for the newest members of the extended House in St. Louis, he and his fam had to explain that the perk of being part of a Royal house that was rogue was that they could do what they wanted. This only worked if their House abided Society rules, which they did in their own way. Watching how the newbies’ eyes lit up with the new way they would live always amused him. It also was fun showing them every secret cavern and winding corridor connected to the upper STL city connecting to their compound.

  The rookies had to learn that there were corridors that were flooded due to the Mississippi River, but they had turned those areas into diving zones. They had to learn that the city was home to so much mystic power from Native Americans, freed/runaway slaves, and immigrants who passed through the gates, that it was a charging zone, something the new team wasn’t used to. Schooling the new breed, he assumed, would take a little longer than it did. However, the more his House supervised them after handpicking them, the more they knew they had chosen right. The new extended members to their House were going to be good, just like the new members resting under his roof now. Inwardly smiling, Calvin lifted a hand to knock on the double mahogany and steel-enforced doors, but heard his cousin before he could even rap his knuckles on its surface.

  “Calvin! Come in,” Sanna’s soft, earnest voice yelled from behind the closed door.

  Chuckling, he stepped in with a pause. Sanna sat bowed forward. Her dressings wrapped around her body with her wings rested against her back in the middle of her bed. Sunlight bounced off her iridescent wings sparkling like diamonds, which made him proud. Those very wings were harder than steel. They could slice through tendon and bone.

  “Sup, shawty. I didn’t want to wake you, love.” Calvin moved around the spacious room to sit in a lounge chair, pulling it in front of his cousin.

  San modestly held a sheet over her nightshirt-clad body; her crinkly braided-out hair rested in tendrils past her shoulders. He swore her golden dark skin was glowing like jars of honey in the sun causing him to smile in respect.

  “No, you didn’t wake me. I so slept enough and I think I heard you calling to me, anyway,” she said to him with a soft sigh. Her hands rested on her lap. She appeared exhausted.

  Calvin watched his cousin delicately flex her shoulders before she jadedly muttered, “These wings hurt.”

  He could remember when he gained his wings at his Immortal maturity, when he was a full-blooded Guardian, so he could understand where she was coming from. If he had to explain it in layman terms, he could describe it as going to a dentist, having your tooth pulled, then getting braces and having your teeth adjusted. Combine all of that with having a pulled muscle that muddles with your nerves that is centralized around your shoulder blades, your neck, and spine, then you still wouldn’t be able to understand the first level of pain in gaining your wings. He was glad his cousin had slept through that bout of it because now she just had to deal with your typical spinal tenderness, burning, and pain.

  “Yeah, shawty, it’s part of the transitioning. You’ll be able to unfurl them soon, naw what I mean?” He watched Sanna’s toffee smooth skin flush red possibly in embarrassment, which delighted him. “I’m proud of you, San, and I did call to you, cher.”

  San flashed a shy, lopsided smile. Her crinkly, curly hair fell over her shoulder while she locked eyes with him. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she patted the mattress beside her, signaling him to sit. She was even more beautiful to him like this. Fam or not, his blood was in her element now and it fit her righteously. This meant a happy Oracle, a blessed house, and a blessed team. She was truly a Queen. He felt honored.

  “What’s wrong, Cal? I usually talk your ear off but what’s wrong? Are you mad at me for last night?” she apprehensively asked.

  Rising from his chair, two long strides had him dropping down on the bed beside her, shaking it. He scoffed with a chuckle to look into her worried chocolate eyes then dropped back to rest his hands under his head while casting his eyes upward to the ceiling. She always was able to tell what was on his mind with just a sweeping glance and now was no different.

  “No, baby girl. Wasn’t mad at all. On some straight truth, you scared me, but I knew you were doing what came innate. I just had to make sure you were safe and that no one touched my fam, momma.”

  Shifting in the bed, Sanna quizzically looked down at him. She arched her eyebrow then playfully shook him with her feet. “Oh, so, um, really? Man, what is wrong with you, punk! I’m still learning what this whole Oracle business is, but don’t make me try to read you.”

  “A’ight check it, read me, shawty. I need you too. I have questions that only Oracle can answer.” He needed her support. Hoped she would do what he needed without any extra questions.

  Unfortunately, he watched his cousin blink, appearing confused, then sat back with a quiet resolve. “Oh. Well. Khamun’s mom woke me to tell that me she was coming shortly. Maybe she can help?”

  Calvin flashed a dimpled smile then thumbed his nose, “Man, now who’s the punk, wodie? Naw, this I need you to do this, my blood. Not that I don’t trust our oracle, I think of her as family, like another mother. Yeah. But I need your help.” Calvin’s mind went back to his own mother. A woman he never gained the right to meet in this life due to his difficult birth, yet a woman he knew was the same mother he had in his past first life.

  He had felt her love and protecting hands guide him to be born even as her light faded. With that same thread of recollection, it also brought with it the dysfunctional memory of his father, Calvin Sr., or Walter as he called him. A man who, although he was the same spiritual father he had in his first life, was now blocked from that connection due to grief. His father, who he never called dad, was forever changed at the death of his life/soul mate. He forever blamed Calvin for the loss. However, that was then and this was now.

  Calvin shook his head. His experience in all of that continued to push him to honor family above his own life. Clearing his throat, he went back to his conversation. “But you are here now and you are our Oracle. Not only that but you are the Oracle and you need to learn how to work your gifts, shawty. I take it you know a lot of things but don’t know how to control or call on your gifts?”

  Sanna huffed then rolled her eyes. She crossed her arms around her chest with a slight shrug. “Yeah. Why must you always know me so well? I’m trying but what you want . . . I don’t know if I can do that, Cal.”

  Reaching up to tussle with Sanna’s hair, he pulled her into his arms with a playful headlock. They both laughed, falling into a lighthearted fight before they let go. Taking several deep breaths, Calvin’s chest rose up and down in a pant. He reached forward to hold Sanna’s hand in support. “Look, baby, you know you can do this. Our blood is strong. You’ve always been strong of spirit. So get over it. Come on now. Help your confused, broken cousin. I need your help with this. Need you to tell me how I should proceed because, right now, I’m feeling crazy, shawty.”

  Sanna stared at him like a deer in headlights. As if she was ready to run at any moment. Calvin patiently waited for her to process what he had just disclosed. When Sanna didn’t reply, he briskly sat up. Pain dug into the skin of his forearm with San’s sudden vise grip. Her beautiful eyes were frosted over, turning silver before returning to their cocoa brown hue. Her head dropped backward then forward with a soft sigh. What he just witnessed was some powerful stuff.

  His concern for her kicked into overdrive. Her breathing was erratic. Tears slowly fell down her face. He knew knowledge had hit her a
nd he suddenly realized maybe he shouldn’t have asked for her help because it looked to be encumbering. Both of his hands reached out to cradle her face while glancing deep into her eyes as they glowed golden. He spoke her name but it was clear that she was ready to talk, not as Oracle alone but also as San.

  Lessening her grip, Sanna gently pulled Calvin’s hand up to her lips to kiss his wrists. He guessed that she could see the old scars his lower-level Mystic gifts didn’t heal all of the way. Scars that were not healed from the past lives always seemed to come back in new lives.

  “Cal. I see your time ending, but I see it beginning, too. I don’t know what that means just yet. I mean, I clearly see it but I can’t tell you yet. This is something you have to experience without my interference. But thank you because you helped me understand something.” He was shocked. He watched those scars disappear with her touch while she spoke.

  Swallowing hard, respect and sadness reflected in his voice. “But, San, did I save her out there on the roof? Did I really do that shit? And why did she look . . . damn this crap is beaucoup crasseux, very dirty, cuz.”

  Sanna placed his hand against her heart then laced their fingers together. “Cousin, yes, you did. You did not betray us. I can clearly tell you that. What you did had to happen for all of this to work in our benefit. You worked His command well and now you are on your path.”

  He watched his cousin give a soft sigh then squeeze his hand. Her soft, brandy-colored eyes illuminated in wisdom and an almost motherly smile spread across her pretty, caramel features. “You know I’m learning from you all that when the Light and Dark are at war, sometimes the Gray can be your only salvation. You all taught me that well, especially Khamun, so don’t worry please. I won’t let you die, our Light will always prevail, but we have to move fast in order to answer all of your questions. We need Khamun’s book. Can you bring that to me? Tell Ryo and Amit to come here with everyone else. Leave Marco and Khamun to themselves for now. They need to talk something out. I will get them later.”

  San carefully gave him commands. He gave a respectful nod to let her know he had heard her while she continued, “I love you, Cal; you’ve been like a big brother to me, not just a cousin. We all love you and we will not let you fall. You did no wrong, Cal. And you’re not going insane.”

  She lunged forward to wrap her arms around him tight. Tears spilled down her cheeks. He felt her touch give him strength to work to heal the old hurts and confusion in his heart, “Oh, Calvin, your life . . . oh my goodness. Calvin.”

  Kissing her temple, he muttered an old rhyme, a spirit song. Sanna’s father, Unk Bishop, had taught him the simple poem as a kid. A song he now learned was actually a spirit-anchoring binding psalm. Old habits never died and he knew this psalm always calmed him and his cousins:

  Thus, blood to blood, ashes to ashes.

  To keep you safe, I will entwine.

  Two tears, a kiss, our souls divide.

  To blend as one, and ever more.

  I part with you, but never, gone.

  Rebirth is balance, protected and sealed.

  To reawaken, your strength abloom.

  Eternity’s grace, your armored shield.

  To cloak us in His Light Divine, no Darkness ever, will find.

  So say, shall it be, blessed is His vow.

  My love for you, my soul will bind.

  As it was before, so shall it be again.

  He felt her lean up to kiss his jaw with a soft, playful pat against his cheek. “Your reward will be great, cousin, and she . . .”

  As San made way to tell him more, each word—Cal knew to listen closely, to Sanna, like keys to a clue—a knock at the door interrupted her. Dare walked in with Take following right behind him. Calvin couldn’t lie to himself and say that he didn’t feel disappointed in the moment. He was close to finding out more information about his past, about everything, but just as quick as it was coming, was as quick as it was interrupted.

  “San, what were you going to say, baby?” Calvin had to ask.

  His cousin just lovingly rubbed his hand, gently slid out of his hold then headed to a dresser, which had the book they had found weeks ago. Their unlikely ally, the Dark Lady’s own Witch, gave the archaic, mechanical book to them thankfully. It previously only held blank pages, but thanks to Khamun’s blood, a history about the lives of past Elders and Society was scribbled out for them to read or view through detailed drawings and ancient script.

  Disappointment hit Calvin hard but he knew they would have a private chat again. Hopefully she would share more but until then it was time for work. It was now time to start getting the new team members in line with the rest of the team and come up with plans on how to protect innocents in Chicago and Nephilim Society.

  He stood ready to go get the others but Sanna shook her head and held out her hand to stop him. “No, never mind; they are coming. I . . . I guess I called them on a mental link. Guess I’m figuring out this whole mind-syncing thing, I think?”

  Dare chuckled then leaned back against the wall with his arms crossed. “Yelling in my head like a banshee, big sis, is not figuring that out. Was taking a leak then you made me blow up the bathroom in a Mystic charge, no joke. Like you all might want to buy a new toilet and sink, and paint some things. Yeah, my bad?”

  Calvin saw Sanna rolled her eyes then sit down with a laughing huff at her baby brother. She tilted her head to the side to glance Calvin’s way with a playful wink. Her voice lilted to give a New Orleans twang while she spoke, “Bae-bayyyy, when I tell you . . .”

  Calvin gave a heartfelt laugh at his cousin’s playfulness. He glanced up at the arrival of Kyo and Ryo who seemed to be holding a private conversation walking through the door. Traces of remaining dust touched their hair and shoulders with that of a soft glow to their skin. Calvin could tell that Kyo and Ryo had just woken up from their slumber. He noticed Kyo shift to head straight away toward Sanna, plopping down to sit right next to her with a bright smile. Both women gave a quick giggle with a playful shove before hugging tightly then holding each other’s hand.

  He noticed that San was studying both Ryo’s and Kyo’s body language with a quiet, sensual reserve. Calvin also noticed Ryo’s eyes seem to catch Kyo’s in a private, inaudible conversation. A quick playful smile appeared across his face; then he rigidly moved while gripping his waist in pain next to the woman he loved, Kyo.

  Young dude is lost in love, Calvin mused in happiness for his god cousin.

  Calvin could tell that Sanna was about to complain about Ryo’s moving around with an open wound. But she was quickly distracted once Dare pushed his way through the room from his place against the wall. Her brother took two strides to drop down on the edge of San’s bed with Take following suit but pausing to kiss the top of both Sanna’s and Kyo’s heads.

  Good save, Calvin inwardly mused. He smiled while processing the full scene before him. The newbies were fitting into the unit already, naturally, like breathing, he felt while Kali and Amit strolled in. Calvin scrutinized his little sister unlacing her fingers from Amit’s then plopped down to sit on the other side of Sanna and Kyo.

  Damn, the women are already taking sides, Calvin regarded, before he felt a slap aside his head. He swiftly cradled his dome. Sucker stung and he swallowed hard with a turn to glare at San.

  Lenox walked in next, dressed in a double-breasted pinstriped gray suit. He strolled in casually holding the arm of Eldress Neffer who was dressed in a royal purple wraparound sweater dress. Every male in the room stood in accordance. Both Dare and Take mimicked the others the moment they felt her strong aura.

  Lenox glanced toward Sanna to give her a slight bow of respect with his head. He placed his fist over his heart before standing near the Eldress, acting as her shield while he announced her. “As protocol dictates, I present her Eminence Region Queen Eldress Neffer V’ance y A’lor of the Eastern, Southern, and Central Societies as well as the Co-ambassador to the African Continent.”

  Eldres
s Neffer held her hands up with a light laugh at the joking tone in Lenox’s voice. “Gentlemen, please sit. I came at the right time, I see.”

  Her plush lips parted in a motherly smile. The power emitting from her five foot six inch curvy athletic frame commanded both respect and attention within the room as it softened into a mother’s loving warmth. In her usual casual elegance, Neffer moved around the room in ease; her long burgundy-red locks swayed against her back. Stopping in front of his cousin, Eldress Neffer did something no one in Society had ever witnessed in generations, at least nothing he had ever witnessed. With flourished honor, she placed a natural manicured hand over her heart then gave the royal decree. In Society, this was a motion of grandeur, which consisted of a low curtsy to the floor.

  Calvin noticed that the hem of her purple dress pooled around the Nephilim Queen while she addressed her future daughter-in-law, Sanna. “Oracle Steele, it gives me honor to be in the presences of a living Throne. You bring us glorious honor and we have waited centuries for your rebirth and the return of our oracle line. On behalf of the House of A’lor forgive us for our line diminishing.”

  Confusion flickered across his cousin’s face. She rushed from the bed, her blanket flying everywhere. She urgently reached for Neffer, pulling her up with a hug. Locked in a tight embrace both women’s eyes frosted over with power before returning to normal. San humbly responded, “Mrs. Cross, please stand, that’s okay, you don’t have to do that. I’m just me. Sanna. Please and it wasn’t anyone’s fault but the Dark for the orac . . . I mean our line, coming close to extinction. You did everything you could to hide those oracles you could find and you have kept everything in order. I should be bowing to you. I’m nothing special.”