Eli: Warriors for the Light
Bound by Choice - Freed by Trust
by
Karen Michelle Nutt
Eli: Warriors for the Light
Copyright © 2010 by Karen Michelle Nutt
Published by Rebecca J. Vickery
Cover Art by Karen Michelle Nutt
Licensing Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with other people, please purchase an additional copy for each person. All rights are reserved under Federal copyright laws and it is illegal to copy, scan, mechanically, or digitally reproduce this book for sharing or resale without the express written permission of the author or publisher. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Eli: Warriors for the Light is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Eli
At a very young age, the Rules of Conduct for the Fallen Angels were drummed into Eli Grigori’s head. Rule number one: Do not befriend a human. Rule number two: Do not interfere in their lives. Rule number three: Do not have relations with a human. Rule number four: Under no circumstances will you ever reveal your true self. He managed to break all of the above.
Ol’ Hallow’s Eve is the day the veil between worlds is thin. It’s the only day out of the year the preternatural beings are allowed to walk among the humans as their true selves. With Eli’s wings bound and his glamour stripped, the Elders send him back in time before Ryden O’Sullivan knew the truth about him. If she is truly his soul mate, then her heart should recognize him.
There are those among the Watchers who are afraid Eli might succeed in his quest for love. If he does, everything will change within the brethren. Hashasheen demons, assassins for hire, are sent to take out Eli and Ryden. Eli is a warrior and will fight to keep Ryden safe, but time may be his biggest enemy. The Elders gave him until the end of Ol’ Hallow’s Eve. Ryden must fall in love with him by then or his life will be forfeited.
“I want to kiss you, Ryden O’Sullivan. What do you say about that?”
Man, the way he said her name, curling it off his tongue like he was describing a tantalizing sweet. She wanted him to kiss her, too. “I…”
He didn’t wait for her to finish and she really didn’t know what she was going to tell him anyway. It didn’t seem to matter now. He took the steps that separated them. His one hand encircled her waist, bringing her closer. His other hand tipped her head up, cradling it in his palm. Slowly, lazily, never breaking eye contact, he lowered his mouth to hers, claiming her lips. The sweet urgency of his kiss was like a drug, making her shake, breathless and yearning for more. The kiss spilled through to her soul with recognition. She kissed him before—made love to him. Startled at where her thoughts had drifted, she shook her head and pulled away. That wasn’t right. They hadn’t even dated and she sure would remember taking this man to her bed. Man, her brain was severely scrambled.
“Unlike those who pretend to be immaculate, Fallen Angels are usually more intriguing because their earthliness is heavenly”
Carl Polloi
Glossary:
Abbun: Father in Arabic. [Abbi is (my) dad]
Balanos oil: An oil from the very rare Balanites Aegyptiaca tree. The Hashasheen Demons have the recipe to make this perfume. It was once used during Egyptian mummifications. This perfume is lethal to Angels in their human existence. It can be poured over any object and used as a weapon. While non-lethal to humans, it can burn or poison anyone who carries the Nephilitic gene.
Blogden Clan: Dark Angel clan. Sarice’s clan.
Darklin: another name for Dark Angel. Sarice is a Darklin.
Elders: The elected judges for the Watchers, the Grigori. They are nominated every century. When a crime is committed, they judge what punishment should be dealt out. The elders dress for royalty, the vestments for judgment. The males wear red robes trimmed in gold and the females wear a dark violet gown. Elder Chaziekal and Elder Lailah are the judges for this century. Both are half-angels born the year Enoch lived.
Fallen: An angel who has been exiled or banished from Heaven. The Watchers/Grigori also think of themselves as the Fallen.
Glamour: Magic all preternatural beings possess. Includes shifting.
Grigori: The same thing as a Watcher. They were once angels of heaven, but now the brethren consist of Fallen Angels and Nephilim—the beings who possess both angel and human blood. Eli, Lucca, Gideon, and Zaiden are Grigori.
Guards of Judgment: The trackers, executioners for the preternatural world. Usually they are Watchers, but there are other beings that have been recruited.
Hashasheen Clan: Demon assassins
Nephilim: the beings that possess both angel and human blood. Nephilim comes from a Hebrew word נְפִילִים (nephilim) meaning “fallen ones.”
Ol’ Hallow’s Eve: Halloween
Sadeeqy: (Arabic-male) my friend
So Be It: It is so. A pledge.
Talaci Clan: Demon clan with a two pronged tongue, red eyes, ears that separate at the skull. Earrings are worn in their ears to represent their status within the clan.
Ummu: mother in Arabic. [Ummi is (my) mom]
Warriors For the Light: The Fallen Angels, Nephilim, Dark Angels/Darklins who believe there is a soul mate for them. They will not use glamour (magic) to control the feelings of humans. The union will be of trust and honesty. They believe finding their soul mate proves they have a soul and God will bless their union and they will be able to enter heaven upon their death. Legend: If one of the brethrens finds their true soul mate, they’ll not suffer damnation, but shall find eternal happiness.
Watchers: Same as a Grigori. They were once angels of heaven, but now the brethren consist of Fallen Angels and Nephilim—the beings who possess both angel and human blood. Eli, Lucca, Gideon and Zaiden are Watchers.
Prologue
There is a legend passed on from generation to generation among the Fallen. If one of the brethrens finds their true soul mate, they’ll not suffer damnation, but shall find eternal happiness. They are known as the Warriors For the Light.
The humans have a legend, too. “A brush of an angel’s wing is a blessing, a binding of their love. Her life will be his and his will be hers, forevermore.”
Chapter One
Blood dripped from Eli’s forehead and down the side of his face. Only two guards gripped his arms now, but there had been more. Five against one hadn’t been a fair fight in his way of thinking, but he gave it his best shot. Unfortunately for him, he lost the battle with the scars to prove it. It had been one heck of a fight, though. His lips twitched, but he resisted smiling since it hurt too much.
Sandwiched between the two guards the size of linebackers, Eli had no choice but to keep up with them as they led him through the Watchers’ castle, heading for the grand hall. His gaze took in the dark-haired guard to the left of him. His mouth was set in a fine line of annoyance, as if his call to duty had ruined a perfectly wonderful day. Well, he didn’t like being here either. “Did you ever have one of those days when you just knew you shouldn’t have rolled out of bed?”
The guard met his gaze with a sneer, revealing a black eye.
“Oh. I guess you do know.” That explained his dark mood. He must have been one of the guards in the scuffle and hadn’t had time to glamour his injuries away. He hadn’t done his own either, since the guards cuffed him with the bands that prohibite
d his magic.
“Shut it, or do you want to go another round?” the dark-haired guard growled.
Eli clicked his tongue. “Soooo touchy.”
The guard to his right yanked on his arm, making the binds around his hand bite into his skin. “You won’t be so cocky after the elders are done with you.”
This made the guard on the left chuckle.
“So glad I can amuse you, boys.”
When charged with a crime, the Watchers, or the more formal name, the Grigori, were brought before the elders to be judged. The Watchers were once angels of heaven, but now the brethren consisted of Fallen Angels and Nephilim—the beings who possessed both angel and human blood. He was the latter.
There was a guard posted at the hall’s Gothic, wood-carved door. As they approached, he took hold of the black iron handles and pushed it open, announcing their arrival. “The accused is here.”
Eli focused his gaze toward the front of the Watchers’ grand hall and not on the crowded alcoves and pews. How very thoughtful. It appeared all his brethren came to witness his shame.
Elder Chaziekal and Elder Lailah were the elected judges for this century. They sat upon their thrones with twin grim faces as they waited for the guards to bring him forward. The elders were dressed in their vestments for judgment, the garments resembling medieval clothing befitting a king and queen. Elder Chaziekal wore a red robe trimmed in gold and Elder Lailah’s gown was a deep shade of violet. Their wings were tight against their bodies. His were black with shades of gray and her wings were the color of cream frosted with a fine sheen of silver. In the Otherworldly realm, preternatural beings could show their true self without the glamour they used to live in the human world. They were shifters and could manipulate the two realities. Clothing could still be worn while their wings were exposed.
This day would surely be written in the tomes, a Watcher refusing to follow the rules. His offense: He fell in love with a human. With his irrevocable choice, the elders feared the sins of their fathers were doomed to repeat again and God would once more be angered.
At a very young age, the Rules of Conduct were drummed into Eli’s head.
Rule number one: Do not befriend a human.
Rule number two: Do not interfere in their lives.
Rule number three: Do not have relations with a human.
Rule number four: Under no circumstances will you ever reveal your true self.
The list went on and on, all tedious and boring.
They were to observe the human world. They could talk to humans, work with them, but they didn’t befriend them. The Watchers had one purpose: to record what went on in the human world. They never interfered as divine saviors—even if they foresaw a tragedy. They weren’t guardian angels. They were the forgotten brethren and the rejected offspring of the Fallen Angels.
Eli ached in places he didn’t know could hurt, but took great comfort in the fact that he still breathed. Maybe he wasn’t in too much trouble. The Guards of Judgment, the executioners of preternatural beings weren’t called to take him out. At least that was something.
The castle felt cold and unfriendly—stonewalls and bare floors took the warmth out of the place, like a cave void of sunlight. Tapestries hung on the walls depicting angels at war, for that is what they were, warriors. All of them had done battle one time or another through the centuries. They knew war, felt at home defending a purpose. It was the only time they were allowed to participate in life.
It was beyond his comprehension why they couldn’t update the castle to the world’s standards. It was the twenty-first century after all, but here in the court of the Grigori, it was as if time stood still. Just like the rules, he thought. Old world, never updated to fit the standards of today.
As they drew closer to the thrones, the sweet intoxicating perfume scent of Brugmansia stung his nostrils. The small, exotic, wooded-bush stood in an enormous pot between the thrones and the beautiful flowers were fully open. All parts of the plant were narcotic and poisonous to a human. To an angel or a half-angel, it was used as a truth serum. Ingesting a small portion of the plant wouldn’t kill them, but they would be deathly ill for days. If the elder suspected the accused of lying, they would be held down and forced to eat a full flower. With that much toxin in their system, they would wish they were dead. He didn’t know anyone personally who had this done to them. It was all hearsay. He had the distinct feeling the plant was there as a deterrent not to lie or suffer the consequences.
Finally reaching the end of the long walkway, the guards pushed him forward so he faced his elders on his knees. Probably a good idea since he’d be hard pressed to stand for any length of time. His right wing fell forward, the fine bones broken at the top—at least until he healed. Being half-angel, even with his glamour kept at bay for a quick recovery, he would heal in a few hours, and his wounds would soon be but a distant annoyance.
Elder Chaziekal, who went by Chaz when he wasn’t forced to be judge, rose to his feet. He paced with his hands behind his back. Tall and muscular, he looked fierce with his brows drawn together into a fine line. “Eli, son of the half-angels Kashel and Ariella, you have been brought forth to be judged. Usually, I would list your transgressions, but you have broken so many rules I can’t begin to name them all.” He stopped pacing and stared down at him. “Let’s start with the most grave of your offences, shall we? You have revealed your true self to a human. You have had relations with the female and have asked this female to marry you. What say you on this?”
He lifted his head and met the elder’s gold-green gaze to his amber. “The female’s name is Ryden O’Sullivan.” If they were going to talk about her, they were going to address her with respect. “And you know the answer. So why do we play games?”
The elder narrowed his eyes. “Mind your tongue. You are in serious trouble, if you haven’t already guessed. It is forbidden for you to reveal your true self—or to marry a human.” His face flushed red with anger. “It is unheard of.”
Eli lifted a shoulder and grimaced, the pain shooting down his back. Add dislocated shoulder to the mix of cuts and bruises. “I cannot help who I fall in love with. The heart wants what it wants.”
Chaz’s eyes narrowed and glowed bright. One of Chaz’s gifts was he could spew fire from those gold-green depths. “Even if it means your death?” he snapped.
Eli braced himself for the blast. Just when he thought his skin would have one-serious-sunburn to contend with, Chaz reined in his anger. The elder spoke of death. Eli had hoped it wouldn’t go that far. A slap on the wrist maybe and a mind sweep of his intended, but to love someone so deeply, the elder obviously felt death should be the penalty paid for his transgression.
The Watchers were for the most part immortal—at least in a human’s way of thinking. They didn’t catch diseases and they didn’t age much after their thirty-fifth year, staying youthful for centuries. They could regenerate, but could still succumb to their injuries if they were too severe. They didn’t live forever and he’d known a few who faded away to dust. A stab through the heart or decapitation was among the other ways a Watcher’s life ended. If that was how it was going to be, so be it. He wouldn’t say he was sorry. For the first time in centuries, he knew what it meant to be alive.
He could have kept his identity a secret, but he loved Ryden. He didn’t know how he could marry her if she didn’t know the whole truth about him. He took a ragged breath. “It would have been a lie if I didn’t reveal my true self. She had to know.”
“No!” Chaz bellowed. “She. Did. Not.” The vein at the side of his jaw pulsed with each word he bit out. “You should have walked away. The love couldn’t have been real from the start. You are a being of glamour, it attracts the weaker species, draws them to you like a moth to the light.” He paused for only a second. Disgust filled his expression as he shook his head. “What of your gift, Eli? Hmm?”
Eli closed his eyes, knowing the elder thought he’d tampered with Ryden’s feelings, mad
e her believe she fell in love with him. Chaz’s next words proved his suspicions were right.
“You possess the ability to manipulate a situation to your liking. There’s no falling in love for you. Illusions are fantasies not reality.”
Eli lowered his head. The thought had crossed his mind, too, that maybe she loved him because of what he was, not who he was. But he’d swear before all he did not manipulate their time together. “You’re wrong. It was real for me,” he mumbled under his breath.
“What did you say?” Chaz’s voice rumbled like thunder.
He met the elder’s gaze. “Ryden O’Sullivan is my soul mate. I love her and she loves me.” There he had said it. There was no going back. He would not lose her.
In the crowd, whispers and speculations rose to a deafening roar and Chaz closed his eyes in a deliberate blink, probably praying for patience before he opened them again. “Silence!” His roar boomed and the silence that followed could be felt like a wave. It receded, but Eli knew it wouldn’t last long.
Chaz riveted his gaze to Eli. “Have you lost your senses? We do not have a soul. You speak of a soul mate, a fairytale. There is no such thing for us among the human race.”
“There is.” He held onto his belief. “Why is it we can fight alongside humans? We all have. I fought beside you, Chaz, in Ireland during the fourteenth century and later in Scotland at the battle of Culloden. We held the humans’ hands while we watched them die. Everything is taken away from us. Some of us have the power to heal, maybe not everything, but we could have saved some good men. But we aren’t allowed to use the gift to save them, and by God, don’t fall in love with them either. Don’t live. Clamp down our emotions and trod along with a blind eye to the suffering. We make sure our hearts are closed off.” He knew his words weren’t helping his situation, but he couldn’t stop. All his anger, his frustration had taken its toll on his patience and he couldn’t hold back. If he were going to die, he would say his peace. “Do you think God wants us to be cold-hearted beings? Was that His plan? We’re no better than our fathers who bestowed the secrets of magic without forging a plan to make the humans responsible for their actions. It wasn’t the act of taking a human mate that angered God. It was the irresponsible actions that followed.”
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