Soul Taker's Redemption

by A. S. Hamilton

  Those who serve Aurealis only tolerate me because Aurealis herself recruited me; and that tolerance provides for only the barest modicum of civility. I do not resent them for it. Before I changed masters, I had killed, no, not simply killed, I had extinguished the souls of many of their brethren. Although Vessa had been much more civil to me, it did not mean she liked me or was comfortable in my presence.

  I rose and a deep feeling of gratitude passed through me as my body responded without twinge or ache. Carefully spreading my wings, I felt them touch the walls and then drew them into a compact bundle behind me.

  In this form my master had long iridescent-pearl hair and light, golden skin. The dress seemed simple on first assessment, dropping to her ankles, but revealing the fine curve of her collarbone and long, delicate throat. Woven from multi-hued threads, it seemed to form a scene when I concentrated, but with every shiver of the fabric the scene changed. Although she looked like a light-dancer, there was a presence to Aurealis that set her apart. She returned her attention to me, her silver eyes, large and long-lashed, like diamonds reflecting light. Her lips curved into a proud smile. 'Therion,' she said with mock reproach, 'could that be the first tendrils of devotion emerging?'

  I drew my chin back. 'I was not aware of feeling anything but gratitude.'

  She glanced at Vessa; the guardian looked unhappy but accepting of whatever instruction Aurealis had given her. Vessa nudged Maya around and towards the bed, shutting the door behind her.

  'Jayden Emerline Thaneton is in need of protection until she and her mother recover.' She pre-empted my defensiveness. 'This is not about criticising your actions. Ceri-talen has missed out on Maya, he will be looking for the next most-vulnerable target, and Jayden fits his criteria.'

  'Ceri-talen will influence the remaining leaders in Archmore's organisation to target her. They will reason that as a witness, she is a threat. They will also feel irrationally compelled to overlook cautions they might otherwise take.'

  Aurealis inclined her head. 'Which means that until they regain full health, you must watch over them.'

  I hesitated.

  'Speak, Therion,' she commanded kindly. 'If you have any doubts, I wish you to voice them.'

  'She can see me, Jayden Emerline Thaneton, that is. Her mother has also perceived me. I am concerned by your mandate that interaction with mortals does not disrupt their world. I am not like a guardian, I cannot cloak myself in religious mythology, and passing myself off as a dream or vision is more difficult—'

  'Valid concerns, Therion, and further proof of your progress.'

  I was surprised by how much I valued the approval in her tone. Was it because I was moving closer to the redemption that would set me free, or, was I developing some kind of loyalty, as she suggested?

  'All guardians need to learn to judge when to cloak themselves on the earthly planes and when to allow their charges to see them. In Jayden's and Emerline's case, they can perceive you even when cloaked, but you can still monitor them from outside the earthly plane. It requires more effort, but for a short-term assignment, it should not overtax your reserves.'

  'And if I must be present on the earthly plane?'

  'They already know your true nature, be honest and respectful, but provide only that information they need to accept your presence and guidance. This is an ideal training opportunity for you, Therion, make good use of it. Now go. Ceri-talen is already influencing events in his favour, Jayden needs your protection.'

  Not wanting to try my master's patience with further questions, I bowed my head respectfully and pulled the shadow plane about me.

  [Angel With a Shotgun – The Cab]

  The moon was creating an eerie ballet of shadow and light across Jayden's café, Fixated. A corner shop positioned on a roundabout; one side of windows provided a view of a park on the other side of the road. The other set of windows looked onto a covered carpark-like area, which was currently a hive of activity. Just barely a quarter hour before it had been almost empty, but now people were unfolding trestle tables and unpacking merchandise. Considering that a sign on a nearby building said parking for the Queen Victoria Markets was to the left, I surmised that these were stall-holders setting up. My attention was on a stationary black four-wheel-drive near the park in what looked like a disused, dead-end road that now served as a parking area. The driver had arrived just after Emerline had brought Jayden home from the hospital late last evening. The Saturday night traffic had been heavy. Cars parked and people disembarked, many simply pulled over to drop people off or pick them up, but this driver did not leave his car, waiting the long hours through the evening. Now, it looked as though we would greet the dawn together.

  Jayden lived in an apartment above her café. In order to keep Emerline safe and reduce the risks to her daughter, I had influenced her to go home after settling Jayden. Not an easy feat, but one helped by her daughter's insistence. Strategically, one person was easier to protect than two, especially when dealing with people of such independent and unpredictable natures as these two. The driver's presence assured me I had made the correct decision.

  I was within the shadow plane and not worried about whether the occupant of the four-wheel-drive could see me as I walked up to the tinted window to scrutinise him. There was no gun, no thought of one, this was a scout. I returned to the café to maintain my vigil. I did not notice the time but was aware when the moon disappeared and the sun started to rise. In that time, the driver drank coffee from a thermos and kept tabs on his surroundings. He appeared neither restless nor bored.

  A woman hurried by the café windows, stopped, dug about in her handbag, and then walked up to the door. Unlocking it, she let herself in, dropped her bag on a nearby table, and then relocked the door. She went through to the kitchen and into an atrium, hurrying up the stairs that led to Jayden's apartment. I followed her.

  'Jay, honey, are you up?'

  The woman was short, petite, and of Asian origin, her accent sounded Chinese. Her hair was drawn back in a braid, but quite a bit of it had escaped and floated about her face as she jogged up the glass, spiral staircase. She tapped on Jayden's door and then used a key to let herself in.

  'Jay? It is Yu. I wanted to see if you need anything before starting the prep.'

  After a long pause, Jayden answered, 'Sorry, Yu. I set an alarm, but I must've hit snooze.'

  Jayden emerged from her room and over to the kitchen's island counter. Her blonde hair was dishevelled and her face was drawn, clearly showing signs of fatigue. I was surprised at how clearly my dreams reflected how she looked. I'd only seen her a few minutes but my memory was very detailed, right down to the silver flecks in her pale-blue eyes.

  'Looks like you needed it,' Yu was saying. 'Still do. Why not go back to bed? I can handle the café.'

  'But you've already been 'handling' it for… when did my aunt text you?'

  'Tuesday, but when you did not come back Monday afternoon to close, I know something is up and come in early Tuesday. When you were not here, I opened. Were you really kidnapped? Actually, stupid question, Tien would not joke about that, why were you kidnapped?'

  Jayden shuffled back from the counter and used her foot to draw out a stool before sinking onto it with a sigh. 'That's probably a longer story than I have the energy for right now. Can I take you up on going back to bed and fill you in this afternoon?'

  Yu nodded rapidly. 'Of course, of course. Do not worry about a thing. Roster is sorted for next week, supplies ordered yesterday, everything is running smoothly.'

  Jayden rose and hugged the diminutive woman. 'Thank you.'

  After Yu let herself out, I was pleased to see Jayden lock her door. I watched her go back into her bedroom and then went to look out the windows. The street-side apartment windows were tall and very narrow with the exception of a bay-style window, comprising of small, square panes, that stretched across the corner of the building and had a built-in padded bench flanked by bookshelves. She was an avid reader. There wa
s a mix of classic literature in gold-embossed hardcovers and paperbacks ranging from murder-mystery to speculative fiction.

  I looked for the black four-wheel-drive. It was still there.

  I turned my attention to the apartment's layout. The main room consisted of three areas; a lounge, which took up the side closest to the bay window, a compact kitchen with black, granite benchtops, and a dining area near the door, which consisted of a wicker table barely big enough to substantiate the four chairs nested about it. A sliding door adjacent to the front door and behind the dining area led to a balcony overlooking a courtyard. There were three other doors, two of them closed. The first, closest to the kitchen, was a guest room/office, the second was a large bathroom with a washer-dryer and a bath. That left the open door, which I presumed was Jayden's bedroom.

  Sauntering over to the open door, I looked upon the sleeping woman within. Her spirit was very much diminished. Aurealis was right to be concerned. I pondered the differences between mother and daughter. All spirits went through birth, death, and rebirth. Not all returned to human vessels, indeed, a spirit could choose any entity and did, humans were not necessarily preferred, but they had become more prevalent over time. They continued through these cycles until they were ready to ascend, at which point they were given guidance to do that or returned here, depending on their needs. Each spirit also developed an affinity for elemental energies; a yulari favoured earth energy, which led it to bind itself to the earthly realm. As a result, they accrued a strong, unyielding energy, the kind perfectly suited Ceri-talen's needs. The older a yulari, the rarer and stronger it was, but separating even a young yulari is not easily achieved, which is why Ceri-talen pursues them when they're vulnerable. Often, he manipulates the earthly realm in order to increase that vulnerability, such as in Jayden's case. He would have influenced Lena to take Jayden prisoner when Lena was more likely to let her go. Now, he'd be making the high-level people in Archmore's organisation panic and over-react, ordering Jayden's assassination and blinding them to impracticalities, risks, or expenses.

  Emerline was a yulari too, but young enough that there was a chance she might choose to ascend at her next death. The problem with yulari is that the more often they choose to return directly to an earth-realm vessel without a period of respite in one the realms of the gods, they end up so tightly bound to the earth realm they can no longer leave it. Jayden's spirit was in just such a condition. I realised, then, that it was Jayden's tie to her mother that protected her from Ceri-talen. The two, together, were too strong to take as long as one was healthy, but with both recovering, they needed a guardian. Instead, Aurealis had sent me.

  My understanding of my history was that I had once been like Jayden: an old spirit. I had no clear memories of that time. Mostly, I remembered the emotions, the strongest one being a sense of freedom. When Ceri-talen captured my spirit, it had given him the power to wage a war and challenge his masters and peers. I watched Jayden's spirit, the silvery-gold glow shimmering about her, mesmerising me. What I could achieve with such a spirit! Freedom, perhaps. Freedom without the tedium and complexity of redemption? How long would it take Aurealis to intervene?

  The scent of her spirit was potent, strong, even when she was in such a weakened state. I inhaled deeply, letting the scent filter through my senses. It was a heavy, intoxicating scent, the kind humans describe as making their mouths water. I found myself swallowing self-consciously, a spirit like that was sure to taste divine.

  I could take it.

  I found myself completely entranced as I watched her spirit.

  All I had to do was reach for it.

  My focus narrowed to the point that my surroundings faded and all I could see, all I could smell, all I could feel was the spirit before me. So, so pure. I had not consumed energy like that for… for far too long.

  Nothing was technically stopping me from taking it…

  Right here…

  Right now…

  That spirit could be mine—

  'You!'

  Jayden's exclamation, as quiet as it was, whispered through a hoarse throat, made me jump slightly. She could see me. Ah, so intent was I on her in the earthly realm, I had drifted into it to study her spirit more closely. The scent was still so tantalising… I focussed. 'Yes?'

  She was smiling. She was genuinely pleased to see me… No one has ever been pleased to see me. Tolerant, pitying, relieved, terrified, but not pleased.

  'Now you turn up. I really could have done with your help, you know.'

  I arched an eyebrow. 'You seemed to have survived well enough, mopped up both your assailants, I heard.' I realised I was smiling, she looked both irritated and happy, and for some reason I found it amusing. She reminded me of Bastien. Never did he complain of his ordeals, but if it was a case where I'd have been of assistance, I'd get what Thomas called 'attitude'. Jayden was definitely giving me attitude.

  I felt different around her, energised, like I was getting some kind of energy from her. Although, as I understood things, that was not possible… Was it? I'd have to ask Aurealis about it.

  'For an angel— by the way, are you an angel? Because all the others seem to be the opposite of you.'

  'As I said at the ice rink, I may differ in appearance, but I share their goal and their master.'

  'God?'

  I grunted. 'A god. Or, more accurately, you would call her a goddess, because she presents herself as feminine.'

  She made an 'ahhing' motion and then considered me more carefully before asking. 'The red-marked dark ones don't share the same purpose or master, do they?'

  'No, and if you see a therilgalen, do everything you can to get away.'

  'A ther-il-ga-len?'

  I nodded.

  'If they are therilgalen, what are you?'

  I found myself laughing briefly. 'I am a therilgalen, but I am uniquely aligned among my kind.'

  'That's why you have the gold, to distinguish you from those who would harm the angels. Last time I saw you, I didn't need you, or so you said. And, by the way, I didn't mop anyone up, I was two inches from death when Malaya rescued me. Why didn't you just send a dream saying Malaya would save everyone since I did relatively little?'

  'You are angry, Jayden—'

  'Jay.'

  I inclined my head in apology. 'What you do not realise was that without your show of courage and then fall, Malaya would never have acted against her oppressors. She knew from overhearing Quan's conversation with her master that you'd been taken captive because you were suspected of trying to help one of the children and had seen too much. Malaya was abducted, remember? You were the angel she had always wished for, the stranger who would not stand idly by despite the risk; she could not let Quan kill you. But if you had been absent, Jayden, Malaya would not have possessed sufficient motivation to push through her fear and help those children.'

  I let her consider that, and her manner suggested I was begrudgingly forgiven for not intervening.

  'So… what has changed that you now watch me while I sleep?'

  'Complications.'

  Jayden rolled her eyes. 'Well, that explains everything.'

  'I do not usually talk to those I protect. Normally, they cannot see me. I am not used to explaining my presence or trying to summarise the ambitions of my masters. Your life will be far less troubled if you accept that there are those like us, angels, if you will, who protect those like you from beings who would end your existence to achieve their own ends. Some need a guardian for life, some for a few days. I shall only be here until you and your mother recover from your injuries. To that end, I advise you rest.'

  She tilted her head. 'Fair enough.'

  With that out of the way, I tried to decide how best to remove myself to the shadow plane where I could monitor things without being seen. I really wasn't looking forward to becoming a guardian. My instincts told me that the next assignment, the special one Aurealis referred to, would entail some kind of longer-term guardianship duties.
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  Jayden lay back down on her bed. 'I'm going to take your advice and sleep. I don't want to offend you, but is it possible for you to keep guard outside my room?'

  I almost smiled, her intuition was a blessing. With a nod of acquiescence, I stepped back into the shadow plane.

  [This is why we Bleed – Leader]

  I spent most of my time in Jayden's apartment, but regularly patrolled the building and café. The café was steadily busy throughout the morning and early afternoon. Yu seemed quite comfortable managing it and for some reason I was relieved that Jayden had someone she could trust to run her business while she recovered. The black four-wheel-drive did not move, its driver patiently observing comings and goings. He used his phone to check texts or send them but did not engage with the device for long periods. His discipline was noteworthy.

  As the sun started to set, I took advantage of the extra shadows to move back to the earthly plane and shifted next to his vehicle. Scanning his thoughts provided the same information as when I checked earlier. He was paid to watch and report in every hour, nothing more. As I had initially determined, if there was going to be an attempt on Jayden's life it would be planned using the information this man gave, but he would not be informed of it, nor be the one carrying out the action. Considering it had been so long since he'd started his watch, it was likely that whatever was going to happen would happen soon and I decided should remain close to Jayden from now on.

  Shifting back to Jayden's main room, I found her by the large bay window. She seemed to be aware of my appearance but was intent on looking at the street.

  'I thought I saw something…' she shook her head.

  I started to answer, and then I saw a flash from a window in one of the buildings behind the markets. Manifesting fully into the realm, I stepped in front of Jayden and grabbed her by her arms to hold her in front of me, because, with my back to the window, I could flex my wings to form a shield. I heard the sound of glass cracking as the bullet passed through the window. It was just my misfortune that it found the sliver of space between my wings and buried itself in my back. The bullet did not stop there and I thrust Jayden to one side, just in time for it to miss as it exited my chest. One arm was now across my chest and I felt the bullet hit it, stopped by the armour scales that form natural bracers on my outer forearm. I growled low as pain flared through me, but the injury was not fatal.