The Death Skull: Relic Defender, Book 2

by Cassiel Knight

  “Leave her alone, you bastard,” Jackson called out.

  Beliel turned his head and looked at the Texan. “Ah, sister, your little pet has found his voice. We’ll start with him.”

  “No! You promised he could be mine.” The blonde Kat had seen at that house—the one who’d killed her sister—came into the light. Her tall, thin figure was covered in some sort of skin-colored bodysuit that revealed more than it hid. The woman strode up to Jackson and stood in front of him.

  Mari jerked against the creatures restraining her. They snarled and held on, even as her body bucked. “Leave him alone.”

  Jackson tossed Mari a crooked grin. “Don’t worry, darlin’. I got this.”

  Even as she was mindful of the danger they were in, Kat looked between him and Mari. There was something there—between them. Something she’d never thought she’d see between her fellow human and the warrior angel.

  Interesting. And sad since they might never get the chance to find out where it might lead.

  At this new threat, Mari’s stomach churned into knots and she released the fear of what that fucking skull would do to her. Fires of Hell, she hadn’t really considered that Beliel would give Jackson to the bitch Jahi. If he did and Jahi took Jackson with her, she’d lose him. That wasn’t something she was prepared to experience.

  Beliel bent his head. “Yes, my dear, I promised that you could have him. And so you can. After I’m done with him.” A smirk pulled at his lips. “You see, there’s something Mari needs to know about her human,” he said, then rattled off a series of clicks and snarls.

  The two creatures holding on to Jackson jerked him forward until he stood before Beliel. The son of Lucifer walked around Jackson, his gaze scanning him from head to toe, that oily smirk that seemed to permanently reside on his face prominent. She kept her body stiff but ready to jump to Jackson’s aid.

  “You see, sister, your human is keeping something from you. A secret he doesn’t want you do know. But you need to know since I think you’ve forgotten the truth about humans.”

  She rolled her eyes. “What is that truth, Beliel? I find it hard to believe you have any truth that could make any difference.”

  “He’s not on this quest of yours to protect the world from me. He’s on it for his own reason. For his own purpose. One I find highly entertaining, since I was instrumental in making it happen.”

  Jackson swore and lunged at Beliel. Mari was glad to see the demon step away, even though Jackson was restrained. Beliel cocked his head then swung his arm and punched Jackson in his stomach. With a grunt, he doubled over but the creatures holding his arms jerked him upright.

  Bastard. She snarled and took a half step before she was halted. “Get to the point, Beliel. I have no time or patience for games.” She wanted his attention back on her, not Jackson. White surrounding Jackson’s lips told her Beliel’s punch had been brutal, had maybe even broken something internally.

  “So impatient.” Beliel sighed. “Very well. Your human seeks the skull for himself. So he can sell it. For the money. He intended to take it from you once you defeated me.”

  She looked at Jackson. Despite the pain shadowing his gaze, she saw something else. Remorse. Guilt.

  She didn’t have to ask him if it was true—she saw it in his eyes. Her insides twisted, a lump forming in her chest. “Why?”

  Jahi cackled. “Aw, isn’t that sad? She really didn’t know.”

  Ignoring the succubus, even as Mari was sure her eyes showed her anger and betrayal, she didn’t drop her gaze from Jackson as he stared at her intently.

  “I don’t have a choice,” he said in a clipped tone.

  “Of course you do. Everyone has a choice. That’s why God gave you humans free will. So you could exercise your choices. Right or wrong, good or bad—still a choice. Apparently, you made one that sacrificed our mission.” She pulled back her shoulders. “Again, I ask you, why?”

  He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”

  Beliel clapped his hands, his red eyes brightening with pleasure. “Delightful. Absolutely delightful. You’ve forgotten how selfish these creatures can be.”

  Mari glared at Beliel. “Right now, it doesn’t matter. Whatever the human planned to do is moot since I have no plans to let you or”—her glare switched to Jackson and she was slightly mollified to see his gaze drop—“the human have the skull.”

  With a nod at Kat, Mari called her sword and lunged at Beliel. At the same time, Kat dropped to her knees and kicked, knocking into Beliel’s legs. The demon cried out in rage even as he swung to meet Mari’s advance. Before she could reach him, a flash of brown came at her, long, bleached-white arms reaching to grab.

  Soon she was surrounded by the wormlike creatures with Brown Robe at the front of the group. Her arms were grasped by multiple fingers that dug into her skin. She snarled and cursed but couldn’t break free. Even her angel powers were no match for their unholy strength.

  A dark chuckle came from in front of her. “You can’t hope to win against my pets.” Satisfaction filled Beliel’s voice. “I’ve changed my mind. Bring her here.”

  Even as she kicked and flung her body about, the creatures dragged Mari to Beliel. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw that he’d gotten Kat back as well. The ghost turned human slumped at his side, her eyes wide and her lips pinched so tight white flared at their corners.

  “My minion tells me that you’ve experienced my new treasure’s power once before and found the lesson interesting. You will get a chance to again, but this time the Archangel will not be around to save you.”

  With a dramatic flick of his wrist, he tore the sheet off the object on top of the obelisk. Despite already knowing what was under there, the sight of the evil thing—the Death Skull—left her with the urge to flee and find a corner to gibber in in terror.

  From behind her, Jackson shouted and let out an occasional grunt as he was restrained. She took her focus off the skull and onto what Beliel had accused Jackson of. Was the demon right? Had Jackson intended to take the skull from her and sell it? Did he really think she would have let him? What was so important to him that he would risk his life to take the skull from her? And if it came to that, if she believed he could, would she be able to kill him?

  “Sister, because of our history, I’m going to relent and give you one last chance to come back to your family. To we who know you so well.”

  Mari refocused on Beliel, ever mindful of the crystal glow of the skull a few feet from her. Even as she was repulsed by it, a part of her yearned to go to it. To stare into its eyes. To give herself to the magic inside.

  “Well, sister? Time is running out. I must have your answer now.”

  Directing the fullness of her gaze focusing on him, she lifted her chin and said, “No. Things have changed. I have changed. We were wrong to do as we did. I will not go back.”

  “Very well. Then I have no choice.”

  Jerking his head at Brown Robe, Beliel gathered Kat and shoved her to the skull. He took one of her hands and placed it on top of the crystal skull. Brown Robe, aided by the other creatures, dragged Mari to the skull. She thought about struggling but knew with all the creatures around her she’d not be able to break free. Her only chance was to wait until they believed she was under the influence of the skull, and then act.

  If she could. If the skull didn’t take her first.

  She was set into place right in front of the nasty thing. Cold fingers held her head straight so she had to look directly into the sunken eye sockets. From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Kat who stood, shaking, her eyes nearly rolled back into her head. Mari’s muscles tensed with the desire to help her friend who was obviously under the skull’s spell.

  “It’s working,” Beliel growled from a point off to her left, near Kat. The excitement in his voice made Mari’s toes curl with anger and disgust. “I knew it would work. Soon the power of the skull will be mine.”

  An absurd part of Mari wan
ted to roll her eyes at his typical villain posturing. Had he watched too many campy movies about cardboard superheroes and villains and the obligatory scene where the villain talks about his plans and brags about his success—right before everything falls apart? She hadn’t thought so before but maybe he was really watching those shows and using them as Villain Etiquette 101.

  Before she could respond, eerie sounds came from Kat, followed by a singsong chanting in a dialect Mari did not understand. Except it was familiar. It was the same one she’d heard when Michael had sent her on the field trip.

  Sweat, from fear rather than heat, formed and rolled down her back. Unable to look away, she saw an orange glow brighten from a pinpoint of light into one that filled the eye sockets and spilled over. Mari’s gaze widened and then she couldn’t move. Couldn’t turn her head. Couldn’t blink. Couldn’t do anything but stare at the light.

  The glow expanded, wrapping her in its warm light, curling through her body with an insidious touch. Down and down, deeper her mind went, until all that was around her was the skull.

  Shapes formed. Moved. Twisted.

  Pictures of long-time-ago places and people. Death and dying. Broken bodies lying on battlefields.

  From the bodies, wispy threads of silver rose and gathered over the area into a thready cloud.

  The skull, raised upon its obelisk, worshipped and feared as it sucked in the delicate filaments of mortal, and angel, souls.

  For she saw her brethren there among the humans, called and dying at the skull’s will. And the will of the magician who controlled the skull.

  From her core, something moved. Shifted and lifted until it pulsed in her chest. A warm light that filled her with comfort. Her own soul. The one she’d never believed she had. Like the humans and angels, her soul slid from her body, slowly, painfully, until she wanted to wail from the agony of loss.

  Her head snapped back and she screamed.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Mari’s scream ripped through Jackson, shredding his self-control. Desperate to get to her, and despite the agony of his bruised muscles and torn skin, he fought the creatures that held him.

  As he struggled, he was semi-aware that, at his side, Kanek did the same. The boy had taken to forming and throwing the same green fire he’d used before.

  Finally, there was a gap in the creatures’ ranks and Jackson shoved through, stomping on feet and kicking the slimy bastards to the side. What he saw nearly made him freeze, except he kept moving toward Mari.

  The fallen angel stood before the skull, her head thrown back, her auburn hair cascading like a fiery waterfall down her spine as she arched backward. Her arms were straight at her sides, her fingers splayed wide, her body as rigid as any tree. She was bathed in an orange light that appeared to come from the skull.

  To the skull’s right slumped Kat, her left hand on top of the crystal crown. He could see her lips moving but couldn’t hear what she said.

  Not far from her, the succubus Jahi hovered and stared at him with anticipation shining in her eyes. She licked her lips and he couldn’t halt the shudder that ripped through him. He was going to have to do something or he’d end up being the succubus’s playtoy—something he knew he wouldn’t survive.

  Mari screamed again and this time, Jackson saw a thin silver thread coming from her chest and streaming toward the skull to be swallowed within its gaping mouth.

  Holy shit, her soul. That fucking thing was sucking out her soul.

  His heart leapt to his throat, making it difficult to breathe even as he panted and struggled with the creatures that seemed to be coming from the walls in a never-ending stream. He had to get to Mari. There was no way he was going to lose his dark angel to a piece of rock—mystical powers or otherwise.

  A burst of gray from his side blinded him for a second. When his gaze cleared, he almost stopped in shock. Nearby, Ash stood slashing at the creatures, his black sword awash in a silver light cutting a wide swath through pale flesh. His double set of black wings arched behind him, their edges also acting as swords when he flung them around. This time Jackson felt his mouth drop open. Christ, he’d thought they were fucking feathers, not lethal weapons.

  Ash took his gaze off the creatures for a moment to look at Jackson. “I got these. Go help Kat and Mari.”

  The dark eyes of Lucifer’s Slayer held something Jackson had only seen one other time. Fear. This time, was it for Mari or Kat?

  Wonder if Ash’s boss knew of Ash’s feelings for Kat, or if he knew that his employee had sided with the Light against his own son. It was a dangerous game the demon played.

  Nodding, he ducked under the wicked slash of a creature that had been missed by Ash’s sword, spun and did a roundhouse kick, knocking it directly into the path of Ash’s whirling deadly wings.

  When Mari screamed a third time, his blood turned to ice at the note of desperation. He pushed himself forward. Not far from Mari stood that bastard demon son of Lucifer. The smug asshole hovered near Mari and Kat, his lean face even more stark with thin skin stretched tight. Things moved under that skin as if something fought to break free.

  Dodging another creature, Jackson rolled, snatched up Mari’s sword and lunged at Beliel. The demon hissed, baring jagged teeth as he moved away from Jackson’s attack.

  “It’s too late, human. The bitch will die and the skull’s powers will be mine.”

  A quick glance at Mari caused Jackson’s stomach to roll. The warm peach of her skin had fled, bleached by pain or the loss of her soul. Her eyes were wide, the beautiful violet and even the stunning red gone and turned dark with horror only she could see or feel.

  Rage rushed through him, tightening muscles and making his heart thump so hard he figured it would burst through his chest any moment.

  “I don’t think so, demon. As long as there is breath in my body, it’s not too late.”

  He swung Mari’s sword again, this time scoring a deep slash in the demon’s arm. Beliel let out a cry and clasped the wound as a black liquid poured down and pooled on the sandy floor.

  Good. The bastard can be hurt. That meant he could be defeated. Throwing himself to the right, Jackson swept the weapon at Beliel again, coming in under his arms and this time cutting his legs.

  Without breaking stride, he jabbed at Beliel. A cool hand came down on his arm. Jackson’s cock hardened immediately—painfully. The sword dropped from nerveless fingers. A slender female figure, blonde hair cascading down her back, moved in front of him. The succubus leaned forward, her barely contained breasts dangling before him like plump ripe peaches.

  “Come now, human. It’s time to play,” purred Jahi.

  He fell to his knees and she went with him, pressing her skinsuit-covered form against his, sending pulses of lust throughout his body.

  She wrapped herself around him. Soft lips crushed his, tasting of honey and spices. His dick was so hard it strained against the front of his jeans. He gritted his teeth as he tried to keep himself from reaching for the succubus.

  Her ability scratched at his will, chipping away at it until he was a thin thread from snapping. Inside his mind, he raged as his body betrayed him.

  The images slowed until Mari found herself standing in the middle of a circle of columns. Etched in the columns were Mayan symbols of b’alam, the jaguar, and sotz′, the bat. The b’alam was a symbol of power and rule, as well as leadership and confidence. The sotz′ represented a duality of good and evil. This information was not in the documents she’d read so how she knew this, she didn’t know—she just did.

  The pain she’d experienced faded, leaving behind the sensation of floating. And peace. She looked down at her feet, sure she was floating on air versus standing on solid ground.

  A glowing column of pure light formed in front of her, coalescing into a tall male figure. He looked down at her, eyes the palest blue, almost like ice but with a warmness inside that filled her body with joy. She knew him but couldn’t think of who he was. Her mouth moved as
she tried to form words.

  Then it came to her. “Prince Michael?”

  The being smiled at her, his smile benevolent but edged with a darkness that made her uneasy, even as she knew it wasn’t directed at her.

  “Marisol Asheni, you’ve done well. But your job is not done. It is not time for you to rest.” Archangel Michael, the Prince of Light, turned and gestured toward another figure, this one lying not far from her, a puddle of limp legs and arms. “She needs your help.”

  Mari looked at the woman, whose skin was gray and lifeless. “She looks like she’s beyond my help.”

  He nodded. “She is close but there is still time. You can help her, but you might have to fight. Fight for yourself. Fight for her.” He paused and looked beyond her. “Fight for him.”

  She turned to see whom he looked at, and hovering before her was a man—human—with a glowing creature at his side. The creature didn’t glow like Michael, but was oily dark and seething with untamed energies. It curled around the human like a giant worm, sucking the life force from him. Even as she watched, the human’s life dimmed.

  The human. Something inside her grew taut and warm. Unexpected but welcome. Like the others, he was familiar to her even if she didn’t immediately know him. And he was in danger. Even with her limited knowledge of what was going on, she knew he was dying.

  “If you do not go back, he will die. He cannot stand against Beliel or Jahi alone. He needs you.” Michael smiled at her. “As you need him.”

  She looked back at the human again, drawn to him. After a few moments, she faced the Archangel. “What do I do?”

  “Take the female,” he said and gestured to the fallen woman. “Take her and go back. Destroy the skull. It is the only way.”

  “How do I destroy something that can’t be destroyed?”

  He smiled. “You will find a way.”

  A cryptic response. She remembered him now. “One of these days, I’d really like it if you could just give me a straight answer.”