Angel Of Fate (Fate Series Book 3)

by Kentowski, L. J.

  Home. I knew I had no place in the home he was referring to. I didn’t deserve to share space with the angels. Not after this. What home I was meant for, I had no idea anymore, but I let him take me anyway. I had nowhere else to go.

  On the way to the entrance, it dawned on me that I’d made the crane operator disappear. I stopped and looked back to the site to see him sitting in the driver’s seat, looking dazed. I wasn’t surprised to see him there but relished in the sense of total control over my powers of making someone vanish and reappear.

  The poor man was surprised to see me. When our gaze met, recognition set in and he stumbled out of the crane walking toward us with an awkward and unsteady, but determined, gait.

  “You. Wait, stop right there.”

  My heart sped up, and the slow burn in my veins began to build again.

  “We gotta go, Braydon.” I faced the entrance and urged him that direction.

  Braydon caught a quick glimpse of the man but didn’t change course.

  Without turning around, I heard the operator’s fast approach, but it was too late. We’d reached the entrance, where Nora and the other angels were waiting for us.

  Once outside the gate, I eyed the operator. His face was red, his breathing heavy.

  I had an incredible urge to wave goodbye.

  So, I did… with a wicked smile and a wink.

  And then we were gone.

  ***

  We appeared in front of the gates of the Sanctuary. Within a moment, the giant metal barriers slid open. The angels weren’t taking any chances even with their own kind. No one was allowed to just poof onto the grounds, and especially not within the Sanctuary walls until those in charge had inspected and approved. The inspection was done by a divine intervention type of satellite… no video cams to stare into.

  Braydon continued walking with his arm around me as we all made our way toward the Sanctuary. The group was silent, but it wasn’t a tension-filled silence, more of a satisfied victory kind of calmness. Well, except for Nora, who was like a live wire marching next to me. No way I dared look at her. Didn’t need to. I could feel her.

  Nora aside, for the first time since I’d been at the Sanctuary, the angels seemed to show some respect for me. It was something about the way they made eye contact with me when I happened to glance up at them. Normally, any eye contact came with a grimace of sorts or a full on look of disgust. Now that they believed my angelic side had prevailed, their icy facades were melting.

  If they knew what had really happened at the construction site, they would be burning me at the stake, and I had no idea how long my secret would keep. It felt wrong deceiving everyone, but I didn’t believe I had a lot of options, nor did I have a chance to think anything through. So for now, I’d have to remain at Nora’s mercy. At this point, I had no idea what her intentions were, but I’d deal with it, if and when the time came.

  As we got closer to the Sanctuary, I picked up on raised voices coming from near the entrance. We were still a full fifty feet away, but when I turned toward the sound, I could see a big group of angels gathered at the bottom of the entrance steps.

  My ears picked up on Hunter’s raged voice. He wasn’t shouting, he rarely did. He didn’t need to. When he was angry, his tone was menacing enough to make someone hunker down in terror. I couldn’t see him, but it was obvious he was at the center of the crowd’s attention.

  “If anything happens to her, I will show you what hell is really like. I should kill you just for letting her go.”

  The group of angels drew into a tighter circle. They were anxious, nervous. Several of them shifted their weight from one foot to the other in anticipation.

  “Your threats are irrelevant.” Hadraniel’s voice came from the middle of the group. “They have already arrived back and Cassandra is no worse than when she left. I believe your greatest concern should be whether she really wants to see you, should it not?”

  The whole crowd seemed to part as it turned toward our group, giving Hunter an unobstructed view. Our gazes met across the fifteen or twenty feet still between us, and I got that warm, familiar sensation at the sight of him. That was, until his jaw clenched and his eyes glowed bright, like laser beams aimed at me… or at least something attached to me.

  I’d been so wrapped up in the drama playing out with the group around him, I hadn’t realized Braydon’s arm still hung over my shoulder as we walked. Hunter hadn’t missed it as his gaze locked in on it. He prowled forward like a predatory cat, slow and deliberate, at first, but gaining speed at every step, steely eyes trained on his prey—Braydon.

  I flung Braydon’s arm aside and stepped in front of him. I was no match to stop Hunter, but I might slow him enough to allow Braydon a chance to get away.

  “Go, Braydon,” I said over my shoulder without taking my gape from Hunter. He was almost upon us. I heard no movement behind me. “Braydon, go now.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” The resolve in his tone was a perfect match to Hunter’s doggedness.

  “That’s too bad.” Hunter stopped in front of me, but the glare in his eyes was over my head. “I like a good hunt before a kill.” Without taking his eyes off of Braydon, he added, “Cassandra, go inside.”

  After the last few days, his order shouldn’t have surprised me, but my jaw dropped anyway. I snapped it shut, lest my pride fly out and run away with my backbone. “I don’t take orders from you, Hunter. But you know what? If you two want to beat the shit out of each other, have at it.” I stepped aside, shrugged my shoulders and spread my arms out. “I’m tired of being in the middle of testosterone pissing matches. Let me know who’s got the bigger dick when you’re done. Maybe you’ll find out neither of you does.”

  With that, I walked away. No second glance, until I heard a loud crack followed by a thump. Apparently, Hunter didn’t care about my disdain for his chauvinistic actions because he had Braydon on his back. Leaning over him, Hunter fisted Braydon’s shirt and lifted him up from the ground. He wasn’t going to just beat the shit out of Braydon, his mindset was to kill. But just as that thought crossed my mind, Braydon shot his leg out, entangling it around Hunter’s to take him off balance. Hunter hit the ground… hard.

  The group of angels started to descend upon the two, and I knew they wouldn’t hesitate to jump on Hunter, given the incentive. With the way Hunter threw Braydon off him and about ten feet into the air, they had plenty of it. Hunter glared back at them. He knew it too but obviously didn’t care.

  “Dammit, Hunter. Stop this. You can’t fight the whole freakin’ army.”

  His gaze locked onto mine with a fierce deadliness sparking in their depths. “Watch me.”

  Just then, Eric and a group of demons filtered into the crowd, ready to stand their ground for Hunter.

  I couldn’t believe a war was brewing right in front of my eyes. It was asinine. But the men in my life seemed born for situations such as this. Including Hadraniel, who stood on the outskirts of the group, obviously intent on watching the melee.

  Making sure I was in between Hunter and Braydon, I got in Hunter’s face. “This wasn’t their fault. I wanted to go. I needed to go. You need to accept that, Hunter.” I threw my arms out. “They have. Why can’t you?”

  He narrowed his eyes at me. “Because I’m the only one who cares about you.”

  “You think none of them care about me? Nora? My mom and dad?”

  “Not the way I do.”

  “Then it’s too much. You’re smothering me.”

  He lunged at me, grabbing my upper arms and yanking me close. “I’m keeping you alive, dammit.”

  I struggled to free myself from his grasp, but that just made him squeeze my arms harder. I cried out in pain. “Hunter, you’re hurting me.”

  He twisted around to stand beside me but continued to hold one of my arms. “Then stop fighting me.” He pulled me forward toward the house.

  Braydon hurried to the other side and grabbed my wrist. “Cassie, you don’t have to
go with him if you don’t want to.”

  I didn’t have time to answer. Hunter sprang forward and grabbed Braydon by the throat.

  “Hunter, no.” I tried my best to get between them and pushed at Hunter’s chest, but it was no use. “I’ll go, okay? I’ll go. Just please leave him alone.”

  He acted as if he hadn’t heard my pleas, and I saw his arm flex as he tightened the hold on Braydon’s neck even more.

  I placed my hand on his forearm, digging nails into flesh. “Hunter.”

  His gaze finally dropped to mine, and I let my features soften as he took them in. Something sparked within the depths of his eyes… a connection with my very soul… and it seemed to melt away any resentment I had towards him and fill it back up with all his love for me.

  “Go inside. I promise you I won’t kill him,” he said.

  “Let him go, and come with me,” I countered.

  He loosened his grip on Braydon’s neck but didn’t let go.

  “I said I wouldn’t kill him, Cassandra, but we still have unfinished business. Go inside. I’ll be in to talk with you when I’m done here.”

  Unsure of what else to do and thinking someone must see reason, I searched the crowd. Nora turned her cheek when my gaze fell on her. I’d lost any chance of her siding with me. Then I spotted Hadraniel.

  “You’re going to let this happen?” I asked him. “I can’t believe you are standing by while they beat on each other.”

  He shrugged. Shrugged. “I won’t let it get out of hand. You have my word.”

  “Are you serious? I can’t believe you.” I scanned the crowd. “Any of you? This is completely senseless.”

  “It was bound to happen, Cassandra.”

  I spun my head to glare back at Hadraniel. “Really? Is that what your good book tells you? Maybe your blood’s not as clean as you let on.”

  Without letting him respond, I turned back to face Hunter. “Don’t bother looking for me when you’re done. I’m going in, but I have nothing to say to you.”

  “I’ll find you. And we will talk.”

  I turned my back on them all and stormed toward the entrance without another word.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Walking into the Sanctuary, I was in a daze. Each step had nowhere to go. Heading back to our room wasn’t an option. It would be the first place Hunter would look for me, and I didn’t want to deal with him just yet. I also knew I’d drive myself crazy trying to figure out what the hell was going on with me.

  Surely, I was going insane. The voices, the evil thoughts, the uncontrolled actions, there could be no other explanation. But why now? Did it really have something to do with my ordeal in Hell? Had Nergal done things to me that would forever alter my spirit? Would my subconscious somehow purge it out of me if he had?

  No one had the answers. How could they? My friends and family had no idea what went down in that cell with Nergal. Only he knew, and he wasn’t talking.

  I wandered the halls of the Sanctuary, deep in my own thoughts when I realized I’d reached the door to the basement, the one leading to the imprisoned demon Hunter was interrogating. No guard stationed at the door. That was strange, but odd seemed to follow me everywhere lately.

  Call it a sign, or blatant stupidity, but I felt compelled to go down there. If the demon was still around, I had no idea what I’d do—stare, talk to it, maybe even kill it. No plan. I was going with my gut.

  Expecting the door to be locked, I was surprised when the knob turned easily in my hand. The old wood creaked as it slid open, and I checked over my shoulder on instinct, but no one had followed. I hurried inside the dark stairwell and quickly shut the door behind me.

  My breaths picked up as my heart rate accelerated, bringing with it the dank smell of humidity and mold, and maybe a hint of blood and sweat. I opened my mouth to lessen the impact on my senses, but that only helped in taking the moist air into my lungs, causing me to breathe heavier.

  The chill in the air, or maybe the basement’s eerie similarity to the corridors of Hell, dimly lit and lined with several closed doors, sent shivers across my skin. While the silence should have been a comfort to someone sneaking around, it filled my head with thoughts of maddened souls plotting death, hanging in the shadows for just the right moment to strike.

  “I’ve been waiting for you.”

  The voice cut through the silence, and I jumped. It had come from farther down the corridor, but as much as I strained my eyes against the dimness, I saw no one. The sound had to have come from behind one of the closed doors.

  “I know you’re there, Cassandra. I have a message for you.”

  Curiosity urged me forward, and I made my way down the corridor with caution. Metal slats on the doors could be pulled aside to look inside without completely opening the door. I didn’t bother with the first few I passed. The voice had come from the end of the hallway.

  As I walked farther that direction, I started to have second thoughts about being down there all alone, confronting whomever, whatever, was calling me out. I’d come down there with adrenaline pumping, pride suffering, and a need for rebellion. Now that I was there, my instincts for self-preservation started to beat down all of those reactive emotions. Especially knowing whoever was behind that door expected me. But the fact they knew I’d be there at all—that they had some message for me—wouldn’t allow me to turn away. This might be what we were waiting for, our chance to put this whole damn nightmare to rest.

  “What message?” I called out in a raspy whisper.

  For a few moments, no one responded, and I almost thought I’d imagined the voice until it actually answered, “Come in and we’ll talk.”

  Now at least I knew it was two doors down, but I didn’t make a move.

  “You feel the pull. I know you do, Cassandra. It won’t let you turn away. I could help you understand it.”

  I wanted to scream that he knew nothing about me, but I couldn’t deny the draw, something strong.

  Pissed again that I seemed to be at the mercy of someone else’s will, I marched up to the door and slammed the slat aside. Grey-blue eyes inches from the door stared back at me.

  “Talk,” I demanded.

  “I thought we could enjoy a nice visit.” The fair-haired man stepped away and opened his arms in a welcoming gesture. He was attractive, strong, and handsome… seductive, as all demons were meant to be. Their primary weapon. “Won’t you come join me?” He waggled a finger between his eyes and mine. “This seems so impersonal.”

  “If your message is so important, this will do.”

  He moved closer again and the skin at the corners of his eyes crinkled up. “Very well. How are you, Cassandra?”

  I glared back at him with my own set of glowing blues. “Don’t waste my time, or I’ll make sure yours runs out fast. The message.”

  “The darkness rising within you is almost complete. When it is, he will be ready to guide you.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “You know. You feel it. You try to fight it, but it’s inevitable.”

  “What? My demon blood? I’ve fought it this long. What’s so different now?”

  “When you’re ready, he’ll guide you.”

  “Who? Who’ll guide me? Guide me where? You’re not making any sense. This is all a bunch of bullshit. What, did Caleb send you here to confuse me? Make me think I’m going crazy? Where is he?”

  “That was the message I was sent here to give you. That’s all I’ll give.”

  “Well, what the hell am I supposed to do with that?”

  “You’ll know when the time comes.”

  His evasiveness was making me crazy. Crazier than I already seemed.

  I slammed my hand against the door and practically smashed my face against it so he wouldn’t miss the anger in my eyes. “I should kill you for wasting my time.”

  He stepped back from the door so I could see all of him. The move wasn’t done out of fear from me because his movements were slow a
nd nonchalant. With a shrug of his shoulders, he said, “If you don’t, your boyfriend will, but I knew that before I even came. If given the choice, however, I’d much rather meet my final death by the hands of one of our own.”

  “Hunter is one of your own. More so than me.”

  “No, he’s not. Not anymore. He may have the same blood, but it flows toward a different end now. But you… your blood is like a beacon to us. It’s so strong.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  With a smile, he shook his head.

  “Tell me.”

  My scream echoed off the walls at the same time the basement door slammed open.

  “Cassandra,” Hunter’s voice boomed down the corridor as he stalked toward me. “Get away from that door.”

  I ignored him and urged the demon with my eyes to continue, but he stared at the floor in front of him. He’d already shut down.

  Hunter grabbed my upper arm and yanked me away from the door, spinning me to face him. “What the hell are you doing?”

  “I’m trying to get out of him what you apparently can’t.”

  “And how did that work out for you?”

  I was about to blurt out everything the demon had told me, to shove it in his face. He wasn’t giving me credit or acknowledging that I could help in ways he couldn’t, but something inside stopped me. I didn’t want him to know. Instead, I wanted to keep it to myself. Part of the reasoning was because I wanted to make sense of it all first, but also because finally… finally… I was the one with information no one else had.

  I put my head down. “It didn’t. He wouldn’t talk.”

  “He said nothing to you?”

  I looked up at his face, afraid he might have heard everything and just caught me in a lie, but his features told me nothing.

  Choosing my words carefully, I said, “Just their normal I belong to them kind of crap.”

  Hunter’s stare made me uneasy. It was as though he was peeling away layers of me until he found what he was looking for. I forced myself to remain calm under the intensity, relaxing my face, even giving him a show of disappointment, as if I’d tried and failed. It wasn’t far from the truth. I hadn’t exactly gotten anything useful out of the demon.